Abstract: A fluid conduit with layered and partial covering material thereon is disclosed. The fluid conduit may be used for processing and treatment of fluids which must be treated to remove materials so that the resultant treated fluid may be reused and/or returned to the earth and particularly to the water table. The fluid conduit may be of many forms and types and may have attached thereto and configured thereon covering material in partial form and a selected number of layers. The fluid conduit may be a septic pipe of smooth wall, of corrugated form, and/or of any form of cross-sectional configuration including circular, elliptical, rectangular, triangular, or any other geometric shape. The fluid conduit may be used in combination with conduit in a drainage field or leaching system usually associated with a septic tank or septic system.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed that allow for resource allocation during situations requiring co-existence in cognitive radios. Even under situations of bandwidth scarcity, the techniques allow various users to be guaranteed quality of service (QoS) by proper distribution and allocation of resources. The techniques allow wireless communication systems to operate in a normal mode and a co-existence mode. In the co-existence mode of operation, sub-frame creation, sharing and zone formation schemes are implemented that enable the existing underlying frame structure to remain intact and inter-operable with the legacy systems and at the same time, provide a guaranteed QoS. The zones effectively create partitions in space, time and frequency, which result in interference avoidance and allow various users in neighboring cells to communicate on the same frequencies.

Abstract: An ensemble of acoustic steelpan musical instruments, being an innovation which significantly improves upon traditional acoustic steelpan prior art. Improvements include an extension of note range across the assemblage of G-Pans, a substantial reduction in the number of steelpans required to effectively cover the steelpan musical range, the use of a compound design whereby individual component parts of the instrument, specifically the playing surface, chime, rear attachment, or skirt and the playing stick or mallet, are optimized for their specific function, the application of a variety of techniques for eliminating or reducing non-musical sympathetic vibrations, and the inclusion of a variety of mechanical and acoustic resonator designs to enhance optimally the sound projection of the aforementioned instrument.

Abstract: A safety harness and a method of integrating the safety harness into apparel such as a firefighter's turnout suit. The safety harness may include a waist strap, a leg strap for encircling a wearer's leg, and a support strap slideably attached to the waist strap.

Abstract: A mixed signal circuit architecture is disclosed for automatic frequency control and digital temperature compensation in an LC-PLL system. Some embodiments allow for high-volume manufacturing of products such as microprocessors and chipsets, and other circuits that employ LC-PLL technology. In some embodiments, various capacitor loadings can be selected to compensate for variation associated with process, voltage, temperature, and reference frequency. In addition, a multi-leg capacitor bank can be selectively used to further compensate for temperature variation post-lock, in accordance with some embodiments. A programmable timer can be used in some embodiments to allow for loop settling prior to assessing parameters of interest.

Abstract: A stressed semiconductor using carbon is provided. At least one carbon layer containing diamond is formed either below a semiconductor layer or above a semiconductor device. The carbon layer induces stress in the semiconductor layer, thereby increasing carrier mobility in the device channel region. The carbon layer may be selectively formed or patterned to localize the induced stress.

Abstract: RFID tag designs and sensors are disclosed that include a dispersive antenna and exhibit greater detection ranges relative to conventional designs. The designs include, for example a transponder having including a rectifier, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) circuit for receiving and responding to interrogation signals, and a frequency dispersion element for receiving a multi-phase input signal and creating a pulse therefrom for input to the rectifier. Frequency-dispersive elements (e.g., antennas) and compatible interrogation waveforms can be used so that the rectifying diodes receive high peak voltage levels relative to the average voltage levels.

Abstract: Multiple input and/or gain stage Gilbert cell mixer designs are disclosed. The designs allow one input to be turned on at a time, and are suitable, for example, for use in receiver and transmitter applications. In addition, the designs allow for the inputs of the multi-input Gilbert cell mixer to be connected together, thereby allowing for switching of gain states within the Gilbert cell mixer. The mixer design may include, for example, a Gilbert cell mixer stage, and a plurality of input/gain stages. Each input/gain stage has its output connected to the input of the mixer stage, and is configured for receiving an input signal and applying a gain factor to that input signal to provide a signal for mixing with the LO. Each input/gain stage is configured with stage select circuitry for enabling or disabling that stage, so that only one input/gain stage is active at a time.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for analyzing a wireless communications device. The techniques include, for instance, assessing vulnerability of the device, including its susceptibility to jamming, by applying one or more interfering signals to the device and observing the device's response. The techniques further include identifying one or more vulnerabilities that can be exploited in defeating malicious behavior involving use of the device (e.g., such as using the device for remote detonation of explosives). Applying one or more interfering signals to the device may include, for instance, applying a trigger signal and a jamming signal to the device, and adjusting the jamming signal until the trigger signal is rendered ineffective in acting as a trigger signal. Identifying one or more vulnerabilities that can be exploited in defeating malicious behavior may include, for instance, reporting parameters of the one or more interfering signals that result in defeating the malicious behavior.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for reducing off-state leakage current in a differential switching device. The techniques can be embodied, for example, in a method that includes receiving a differential input signal at a differential input of each of a primary switch and a dummy switch. In an enabled-state of the device, the method further includes passing the differential input signal to a differential output of the primary switch. In a disabled-state of the device, the method further includes canceling off-state leakage current at the differential output of the primary switch, by virtue of the dummy switch having its differential output reverse-coupled to the differential output of the primary switch. The method may further include preventing the dummy switch from passing signals other than off-state leakage signals. The techniques can be embodied, for instance, in a switching device.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed that can be used to interface a sensor circuit with readout circuitry. The techniques can be employed, for instance, with microchannel plate (MCP) based devices used in numerous sensing/detection applications, and are particularly suitable for applications where it is desirable to interface an MCP having a relatively large active area to a readout circuit having a relatively smaller active area. The interface effectively decouples anode geometry from readout circuit geometry and also may be configured with flexible anode pad geometry, which allows for compensation of optical blur variations as well as a very high fill factor. The interface can be made using standard semiconductor materials and photolithography techniques and can be configured with thermal expansion qualities that closely track or otherwise match that of the readout circuitry.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for efficiently fabricating semiconductors including waveguide structures. In particular, a two-step hardmask technology is provided that enables a stable etch base within semiconductor processing environments, such as the CMOS fabrication environment. The process is two-step in that there is deposition of a two-layer hardmask, followed by a first photolithographic pattern, followed by a first silicon etch, then a second photolithographic pattern, and then a second silicon etch. The process can be used, for example, to form a waveguide structure having both ridge and channel configurations, or a waveguide (ridge and/or channel) and a salicide heater structure, all achieved using the same hardmask. The second photolithographic pattern allows for the formation of the lower electrical contacts to the waveguides (or other structures) without a complicated rework of the hardmask.

Abstract: Memory design techniques are disclosed that provide a high compression ratio at no loss in speed. The techniques can be embodied, for instance, in heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) based ROMs. By embedding compression logic (e.g., XOR) functionality directly into the address decoders and sense amplifiers of the memory device, a high compression ratio is achieved at no loss in speed. For example, the logic-based compression functionality can be directly implemented into the buffers that form the address decoder as well as the sense amplifiers.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for eliminating or otherwise sufficiently suppressing spurious signals. The techniques are particularly useful in applications such as those that employ aggressor frequency sources along with a frequency conversion or mixing function, and especially applications implemented as a system-on-chip. In the spur-training mode, a spur-canceller circuit identifies spurious tones associated with the host system to neutralize those tones when running in a normal mode. The tones are neutralized using a comb generator with variable phase and gain by way of cancellation with comb output signals having substantially the same amplitude and a phase that is 180° out of phase with the aggressor tone to be cancelled.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed that allow for programmable attenuation using thermometer code steps. By thermometer coding the attenuator structure, monotonicity is guaranteed or otherwise greatly improved, which eliminates instability problems with automatic gain control loops and without the need for compensation or trimming. In addition, the thermometer coding technique also greatly reduces phase discontinuity between adjacent gain states.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing hard book cases (covers) can make cases including tucked and folded corners. The apparatus can track the progress of the book case throughout the assembly process and can accurately align the unfinished assembly with the tucking and folding devices of the apparatus. Short runs of different sized book cases may be quickly and efficiently manufactured on a single apparatus.

Abstract: A phase accumulator generates phase data for a direct digital synthesis (DDS) device based on a reference phase to provide analog sinusoidal outputs that are locked to the reference phase and thus phase coherent. The frequency of a sinusoidal DDS output may be controlled by changing a frequency control word (FCW) provided to the phase accumulator without affecting the incrementing reference phase. The sinusoidal DDS output is based on a multiple of the FCW and the reference phase and thus remains locked to the reference phase, providing phase coherency even when the FCW changes to change the frequency.

Abstract: An earlobe protector is described. The earlobe protector may be adhered to an athlete's ear when the athlete is wearing an earring. The protector can allow the athlete to participate in contact sports without removing the earring.

Abstract: A Gilbert cell mixer design is disclosed. Instead of using a differential transconductance stage as typically done, the design employs a differential transimpedance amplifier input stage. By utilizing a transimpedance input stage to the Gilbert mixer, feedback is used to obtain higher linearity without sacrificing noise performance. The transimpedance input stage supplies a current signal to the cascode connected Gilbert switching quad, so the transimpedance amplifier output is taken from the collector of the transimpedance amplifier output transistor, instead of the emitter as normally done with transimpedance amplifiers.