Abstract: A cooling system for providing rapid and uniform cooling of a variety of objects. The cooling system utilizes a fan that cooperates with a heat sink to provide an active heat sink. Additionally, the arrangement of the heat sink and the fan provide a relatively uniform and linear airflow over the heat sink to provide uniform cooling.

Abstract: A method and system for defining a program to control the trim position of a propulsion unit mounted on a watercraft for a desired utility mode. Also, a method and system for controlling the trim position in a given utility mode by using the defined program. In defining the program, a first utility mode is defined and the watercraft is operated in the defined mode as in normal operation. Multiple trim positions are selected throughout the course of operation in the defined mode. For each selected trim position, an operational parameter of the watercraft is sensed. Multiple values of the same parameter may be sensed and measured for a single trim position. After the parameters have been sensed for each trim position, a correlated data set is created. A correlated data set is saved to a memory device for each selected trim position of the defined utility mode. In controlling the trim position, the watercraft is again operated in the first utility mode. A current operational parameter is then measured.

Abstract: A protective assembly for housing and accessing components is featured. The protective assembly has a chassis, a cover, and a flexible latch for securing the cover to the chassis. The flexible latch has a latch and the base has a catch. The base includes a fulcrum. The fulcrum is used during removal of the cover to pivot the latch so that the latch is brought free of the catch.

Abstract: In a computer system two integrated circuit devices are operatively mounted on the main system board using a pair of interstitial circuit boards sandwiched between the integrated circuit devices and the system board and having substantially smaller footprints than the system board. Each interstitial board has a series of terminating components, representatively resistors, interposed in its circuitry which interconnects the associated integrated circuit board with system board circuitry that, in turn, operatively couples the two integrated circuit boards. The incorporation of the terminating components in the interstitial boards instead of in the system board reduces the circuit complexity of the system board and the required number of layers therein, thereby reducing the cost of the system board and substantially simplifying its signal trace routing design.

Abstract: A computer system having electronic components housed in a central unit having a protective enclosure and a cover. The cover is moveable to provide access to electronic components housed in the central unit. The cover allows access to certain electronic components and prevents access to other electronic components.

Abstract: A connection technique for switchably and mutually exclusively coupling a plurality of device sets. The connection technique utilizes a low profile connector having multiple circuit sets, each of which is configured for mutually exclusive and removable insertion into a receptacle coupled to multiple devices. Each one of the multiple circuit sets, which is inserted into the receptacle, couples a desired set of the plurality of device sets.

Abstract: An MRI system is provided with normal and quiet modes of operation. The quiet mode may be selected from an operator station, such as via a graphical user interface. When the quiet mode of operation is selected, configuration parameters are used for the particular pulse sequence to be executed in the examination. The configuration parameters for the quiet mode of operation may be derived from those of the normal mode of operation. The quiet mode of operation may, for example, employ gradient pulses having reduced amplitudes and slew rates as compared to those employed in the normal mode of operation. The reduced amplitudes and slew rates, along with changes in timing of the pulses and between pulses of the pulse sequence of the examination result in reduced acoustic noise for accommodating more sensitive patients.

Abstract: Possible failure of x-ray tubes is predicted by monitoring and analysis of operating parameters considered leading indicators of failure. Historical data for a tube population is analyzed by discriminant analysis to develop a failure prediction algorithm. The algorithm is used to correlate operating parameters, or values derived from the operating parameters with a potential for tube failure. The operating parameters may include anode overcurrent events and spits, or spit rate exceeded errors for a diagnostic system in which the x-ray tube is installed.

Abstract: Methods of forming a graded layer is disclosed. The graded layer transitions from one material to another material. The properties of these materials are chosen to optimize the interfaces on each side of the graded layer. Specifically, an improved transistor gate stack barrier layer may be formed by disposing an appropriate graded layer between a gate layer and an interconnect layer. In fact, the graded layer may obviate the use of the interconnect layer, as the top of the graded layer may include a highly conductive material. An improved integrated circuit interconnect structure may also be formed by grading the material composition of an interconnect layer.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are disclosed for down scaling performance of a multibus multiprocessor computer system. One or more busses associated with one or more failed processors or devices are disabled to allow operation from remaining busses. If errors or power failure are detected in a processor or bus device the computer system may reboot and, using the apparatus and method of the present invention, the bus associated with the defective processors or devices may be disabled upon reboot. The one or more affected busses may be disabled and the computer system may be brought back up in a single-bus operational mode or a multiple bus operational mode where an alternate bus is designated as the boot bus.

Abstract: An improved die edge contacting socket incorporates particles of a thermally conducting material into an elastomeric compression pad disposed in the sealing cap of the socket. The elastomeric compression pad is preferably composed of an electrically insulating material, such as a silicone-based gel. The thermally conducting material is preferably either diamond, beryllium oxide, silicon nitride, or a like material.

Abstract: A discrete pixel image field of view is expanded by correction of filtered and processed image data. The raw image data is processed through at least one continuous domain filter. Roll off at limits of a linear range of the filter result in loss or degradation of image data in the transition region. The filtered image data is digitized and the resulting values are stored in discrete frequency value bins. Correction values are applied to the image data in the discrete bins of the transition region to correct the filter roll off. At least a portion of the corrected data is added to the field of view data employed in the image reconstruction. The technique permits as much as several percent of the field of view to be recuperated from the transition regions.

Abstract: Titanium-containing films exhibiting excellent uniformity and step coverage are deposited on semiconductor wafers in a cold wall reactor which has been modified to discharge plasma into the reaction chamber. Titanium tetrabromide, titanium tetraiodide, or titanium tetrachloride, along with hydrogen, enter the reaction chamber and come in contact with a heated semiconductor wafer, thereby depositing a thin titanium-containing film on the wafer's surface. Step coverage and deposition rate are enhanced by the presence of the plasma. The use of titanium tetrabromide or titanium tetraiodide instead of titanium tetrachloride also increases the deposition rate and allows for a lower reaction temperature. Titanium silicide and titanium nitride can also be deposited by this method by varying the gas incorporated with the titanium precursors.

Abstract: Stepped photoresist profiles provide various methods of forming profiles in an underlying substrate. The stepped photoresist profiles are formed in two layers of photoresist that are disposed over the substrate. The substrate is then etched twice using a respective opening in each photoresist layer to create a stepped profile in the substrate.

Abstract: Annular and linear contact structures are described which exhibit a greatly reduced susceptibility to process deviations caused by lithographic and deposition variations than does a conventional circular contact plug. In one embodiment, a standard conductive material such as carbon or titanium nitride is used to form the contact. In an alternative embodiment, a memory material itself is used to form the contact. These contact structures may be made by various processes, including chemical mechanical planarization and facet etching.

Abstract: A method for processing partial lines of image data from a detector, each partial line of data representing a portion of an image pixel matrix, includes: (a) communicating partial lines of image data over a network from an imaging system to a remote facility; (b) receiving partial lines of image data in a first sequence; (c) assigning to each partial line of image data in a first series a position in a second sequence by reference to a plurality of base addresses; (d) altering the base addresses; and (e) assigning to each partial line of image data in a second series a position in the second sequence by reference to the altered base addresses.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for electrically monitoring processing variations of a material deposited using a collimated process. In one embodiment, the method and apparatus are directed to monitoring variations in step coverage of a conductive material deposited using a collimated sputtering process. A substrate having a plurality of trenches is used to mimic features desired to be monitored, such as contact holes. The resistance of metal deposited into the trenches is monitored to determine the effectiveness of the collimated sputtering process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for electrically monitoring processing variations of a material deposited using a collimated process. In one embodiment, the method and apparatus are directed to monitoring variations in step coverage of a conductive material deposited using a collimated sputtering process. A substrate having a plurality of trenches is used to mimic features desired to be monitored, such as contact holes. The resistance of metal deposited into the trenches is monitored to determine the effectiveness of the collimated sputtering process.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining source-to-image distance (SID) setpoints in a digital imaging system. SID setpoints are determined during a setup and calibration procedure which includes generating radiation beams while varying certain system parameters, such as the radiation source position, and detecting and determining the size of the radiation beams that impact on the digital detector. SID values and a separation gain constant can then be determined based on the calculated sizes of the detected radiation beams and the feedback signals which are representative of the various system parameters that were varied (e.g., source position, etc.) during the setup and calibration procedure. The separation gain constant and the calculated, empirical SID values can then be used to position the radiation source at any user-selected SID based on position sensor feedback signals. The procedure also provides for a calibrated readout of the SID, which can be displayed to a user of the imaging system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing latency caused by cumulative point-to-point messaging associated with network performance monitoring in SAN-attached I2O architectures. In a computer system, a performance monitoring OSM associated with a first node generates status request messages to a first multicast ISM residing on a first governor IOP associated with a first node for requesting the status from all nodes. The first multicast ISM generates status request messages to all node 1 devices and node 1 IOPs and to a second multicast ISM residing on a node 2 governor IOP. The second multicast ISM generates status request messages to all node 2 devices and node 2 IOPs. One or more “unhealthy” device response messages may be sent to the performance monitoring OSM containing the TID of the “unhealthy” device to allow a subsequent point-to-point detailed status request message to be issued.