Abstract: A method of linking peripheral devices to a single interrupt procedure in a computer is comprised of storing in an interrupt vector table of a BIOS ROM, a first pointer to an interrupt service routine related to one of a group of peripheral devices which use the same interrupt request (IRQ) on the same software interrupt vector, and storing further pointer in each one of the peripheral devices to another unique one of the peripheral devices in the group.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structure for protection of a circuit to which an operation voltage is to be applied, comprising a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) connected between ground and a pad of the circuit to be protected, the SCR including a resistor apparatus connected to the pad for controlling the breakdown voltage of the SCR, and apparatus for controlling the resistor apparatus to a high resistance value in the absence of the application of the operation voltage whereby the SCR is controlled to break down at a low ESD voltage which is lower than a circuit damaging voltage, and to be of low resistance value upon the application of the operation voltage whereby the SCR is controlled to break down at an ESD voltage which is higher than the low ESD voltage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of converting signal components of one of a first input three component color model signal and a second input three component color model signal to either one of the first or second three component color model comprised of matrix multiplying input signal components with an array of predetermined transformation parameters to form a multiplied set, vector adding the multiplied set with a predetermined group of offset vectors, whereby signal components of the output signal are produced.

Abstract: A method of repeating a pulse signal comprised of outputting a signal at a first voltage level upon a first rising edge of the pulse signal exceeding a low threshold, then raising the threshold and outputting the signal at another voltage level upon a second trailing edge of the pulse signal dropping below the raised threshold. An improved VLSI circuit has at least one conductive track containing distributed parasitic elements, the track being divided into two or more separate segments, a repeater connecting each of the segments, and apparatus for modulating the threshold of the repeater prior to and/or during the interval of a pulse carried by the track.

Abstract: A digital peak detector formed of a plurality of comparators for outputting signals which, in combination, can form a thermometer code signal, apparatus for distributing an analog input signal to an input of each of the comparators, a plurality of digital to analog converters (DACs), apparatus for providing an output signal of each DAC to another input of a corresponding comparator, and apparatus for applying a digital signal to an input of each DAC to establish a comparison level against which a corresponding DAC can determine an output signal level.

Abstract: A method of analyzing at least a portion of an integrated circuit (IC) comprised of the steps of automatically: (a) scanning at least a portion of a layer of an integrated circuit using high magnification to provide first digital signals representing pixel amplitudes, (b) extracting features of interest from the first digital signals to provide second digital signals representing values of groups of pixels defining the features of interest, (c) modifying the second digital signals representing adjacent features of interest from step (b) so as to mosaic the features of interest and providing third signals representing a seamless representation of the layer, (d) repeating steps (a), (b) and (c) for other layers of the integrated circuit, whereby plural third signals representing plural ones of the layers are provided, (e) registering the plural third signals relative to each other so as to represent vertical alignment of the layers by determining features of interest representative of IC mutual interconnection

Abstract: A method for measuring distances and for determining the three-dimensional contour of a workpiece, wherein two intersecting light beams are directed onto the workpiece, the light points produced by the beams on the workpiece surface are determined and the angle of inclination of the striking beam in the common plane thereof is measured.