Abstract: A system and method for rapidly generating a series of non-repeating, deterministic, pseudo-random addresses is disclosed. A deterministic, pseudo-random number generator is implemented in hardware. Once a number in a pseudo-random sequence is generated, a pattern eliminator alters the number to remove any pattern existing in the low order bits. The number may then be combined with an offset and a base to form a memory address for testing a memory device. The generated memory address is output directly to the memory device being tested.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus and method can prevent an information recording medium having a plurality of recording layers from being incompatible with a reproduction-only information recording medium due to an unrecorded area, which is produced by completion of recording in a middle of a data area of the recording layer. The recording layers include at least a first recording layer and a second recording layer, the first recording layer providing a reference with respect to a position of said data area in each of the recording layers. The user data is recorded in response to a recording request. After recording the user data, predetermined data is recorded in a predetermined unrecorded area in the second recording layer.

Abstract: Explosive forces are used to fill interconnect material into trenches, via holes and other openings in semiconductor products. The interconnect material may be formed of metal. The metal may be heated prior to the force filling step. The explosive forces may be generated, for example, by igniting mixtures of gases such as hydrogen and oxygen, or liquids such as alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. To control or buffer the explosive force, a baffle may be interposed between the explosions and the products being processed. The baffle may be formed of a porous material to transmit waves to the semiconductor products while protecting the products from contaminants. Various operating parameters, including the flow rate of the fuel and the oxidizing materials, may be positively controlled. In another embodiment of the invention, a piston is used to transmit the explosive force. If desired, an annular space at the periphery of the piston may be maintained at atmospheric pressure to protect against wafer contamination.

Abstract: A waterproof structure for an electronic apparatus of the present invention includes keybuttons positioned such that their ends appear via holes formed in the casing of the apparatus. A circuit board is loaded with switches configured to selectively open or close when the keybuttons associated therewith are operated. A sheet member is formed of an elastic material and intervenes between the keybuttons and the circuit board. The sheet member includes, at least in its peripheral portion thereof, a seal portion for preventing water or similar liquid from entering the apparatus and reaching the surface of the circuit board. When the sheet member is pressed between the casing and the circuit board, the seal portion is at least partly pressed against the inside surface of the casing while being subject to a bending load.

Abstract: A magnetic memory element includes a sense structure, a tunnel barrier adjacent the sense structure, and a synthetic antiferromagnet (SAF) adjacent the tunnel barrier on a side opposite the sense structure. The SAF includes an antiferromagnetic structure adjacent a ferromagnetic seed layer. The ferromagnetic seed layer provides a texture so that the antiferromagnetic structure deposited on the ferromagnetic seed layer has reduced pinning field dispersion.

Abstract: A digital logic circuit comprises a programmable logic device and a programmable security circuit. The programmable security circuit stores a set of authorized configuration security keys. The programmable security circuit compares the authorized configuration security keys with an incoming configuration request, and selectively enables a new configuration for the programmable logic device in response to the configuration request. In another exemplary embodiment, a programmable security circuit also stores a set of authorized operation security keys. The programmable security circuit compares the authorized operation security keys with an incoming operation request from the programmable logic device, and selectively enables an operation within the programmable logic device in response to the operation request.

Abstract: A cellular system using a code division multiple access (CDMA) scheme includes N (N is a positive integer) pilot channels and M (M is a positive integer) data channels. The pilot channels are used transmitting reference signals whose transmission signals are known in advance. The data channels are used for transmitting information. Each of the M data channels is made to correspond to one or a plurality of said N pilot channels.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an integrated circuit includes forming an isolation trench in a semiconductor substrate and partially filling the trench with a dielectric material so that at least the sidewalls of the trench are coated with the dielectric material. Ions are implanted into the substrate in regions directly below the isolation trench after partially filling the trench with the dielectric material. The dielectric along the sidewalls of the trenches can serve as a mask so that substantially all of the ions implanted below the isolation trenches are displaced from the active regions. After the ions are implanted in the substrate below the trenches, the remainder of the trench can be filled with the same or another dielectric material. The trench isolation technique can be used to fabricate memory, logic and imager devices which can exhibit reduced current leakage and/or reduced optical cross-talk.

Abstract: A recordable optical information recording medium having an address t for each sector, comprises: an area A1 starting from an address t1 to which access is made only when a recording apparatus performs recording operation; an area A2 starting from an address t2 to which access is made either when the recording apparatus performs the recording operation or when the recording apparatus performs reproducing operation; and an area A3 starting from an address t3 to which access is made either when either the recording apparatus or a reproducing apparatus performs recording or when either the recording apparatus or the reproducing apparatus performs reproducing. The addresses t are set consecutively with respect to a physical arrangement of the sectors in each of the areas A2 and A3, and the area A1 has at least one inconsecutive part at which the addresses t are not consecutive with respect to the physical arrangement of the sectors.

Abstract: The invention provides an elevated photodiode for image sensors and methods of formation of the photodiode. Elevated photodiodes permit a decrease in size requirements for pixel sensor cells while reducing leakage, image lag and barrier problems typically associated with conventional photodiodes.

Abstract: A method of monitoring one or more growing plants comprising: (i) providing at least one plant in a growth substrate which contains water, (ii) providing a monitoring system comprising (a) a first data storage means containing stored data on the optimum water oxygen levels for at least one, preferably at least two, sets of growth conditions and (b) a first calculating means for comparing input actual growth conditions and actual water oxygen levels with the stored data and producing a first output result and (c) input means for supplying to the monitoring system actual growth conditions and actual water oxygen levels, the process comprising: (iii) measuring the actual water oxygen level in the region around the roots of the at least one plant, (iv) providing the actual water oxygen level to the first calculating means, (v) determining at least one growth condition and supplying the growth condition to the first calculating means, whereby (vi) the first calculating means compares the actual water oxygen level

Abstract: A micro structure has: a semiconductor substrate; an insulating film having a via hole and formed on the semiconductor substrate; an interlock structure formed on a side wall of the via hole and having a retracted portion and a protruded portion above the retracted portion; a conductive member having at one end a connection portion formed burying the via hole and an extension portion continuous with the connection portion and extending along a direction parallel to a surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: An imager having reduced floating diffusion leakage and a mechanism for improving the storing of collected charge is described. A polysilicon contact is provided between a floating diffusion region and a gate of a source follower output transistor, with the contact also electrically connected to a storage capacitor. The storage capacitor provides additional charge storage capacity to the floating diffusion region. In addition, an associated reset transistor has different dopant characteristics in the source and drain regions. The floating diffusion region may be used in the pixels of a CMOS imager or in the output stage of a CCD imager.

Abstract: After various sugar nucleotide solutions and glycosyltransferases (or primers) have been mixed, they are introduced into a reaction tank (column) with primers (or glycosyltransferases) immobilized thereon. Then solutions coming out of the reaction tank are led to an ultrafiltration column. The oligosaccharide synthesizer according to the present invention is equipped with a flow path for ensuring that glycosyltransferases or primers separated by the ultrafiltration column are returned into a container for storing each solution in a sample injector.

Abstract: A document retrieval apparatus for retrieving a document including a query character string among a plurality of registered documents includes a text separating unit which separates the registered documents and a query character string into n-grams and words, an n-gram index which stores therein information about occurrences of n-grams appearing in the registered documents on a n-gram-specific basis, a word-boundary-position index which stores therein information about occurrences of word boundaries appearing in the registered documents in a compressed form, a character-string-based search unit which identifies one or more registered documents including the query character string by looking up one or more n-grams of the query character string in the n-gram index, and a word-based search unit which checks whether the query character string appears as word in the one or more identified registered documents by looking up one or more words of the query character string in the word-boundary-position index, thereby

Abstract: A recordable optical information recording medium having an address t for each sector, comprises: an area A1 starting from an address t1 to which access is made only when a recording apparatus performs recording operation; an area A2 starting from an address t2 to which access is made either when the recording apparatus performs the recording operation or when the recording apparatus performs reproducing operation; and an area A3 starting from an address t3 to which access is made either when either the recording apparatus or a reproducing apparatus performs recording or when either the recording apparatus or the reproducing apparatus performs reproducing. The addresses t are set consecutively with respect to a physical arrangement of the sectors in each of the areas A2 and A3, and the area A1 has at least one inconsecutive part at which the addresses t are not consecutive with respect to the physical arrangement of the sectors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the inhibition of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication by RNA molecules of the present invention. Specifically, the RNA molecules of the present invention are double-stranded ribonucleic acid molecules (dsRNA). Specifically, the invention relates to small interfering RNAs (siRNA) which are double-stranded RNAs that direct the sequence-specific degradation of messenger RNA in mammalian cells. The invention relates to development of a new anti-HBV therapy by inhibition of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) replication using stably-expressed short hairpin RNAs (shRNA), which degrade HBV pregenomic RNA and message RNAs. Included are methods of treatment of cancer by the administration of RNA molecules of the present invention in combination with surgery, alone or in further combination with standard and experimental chemotherapies, hormonal therapies, biological therapies/immunotherapies and/or radiation therapies.

Abstract: A method of efficiently preventing data loss, specifically a RAID 5 write hole, in data storage system by storing valid parity information at the storage controller level during data write operations. The method employs the use of redundant data structures that hold metadata specific to outstanding writes and parity information. The method uses the redundant data structures to recreate the write commands and data when a system failure occurs before the writes have completed.

Abstract: In an information recording device and method, user data are recorded in a recording medium having two or more recording layers and having a data area in which user data is recordable for each recording layer. A closing command is received after recording of user data in the data area of the recording medium is performed in response to a user-data write request. A minimum amount of lead-out data are written to the recording medium following an end position of the recorded user data in the data area of the recording medium, based on the received closing command.