Abstract: There are disclosed methods and apparatus for testing memory components for faults, defects or the like, by generating a testing sequence that produces various bit combinations as well as current changes, that when coupled, stresses or fatigues the memory component, and allows for the evaluation of single bits. The testing sequence is provided in cycles, formed of complement word pairs of N bit words. The first, or initial, cycle typically includes a first word of all binary zeros. Successive or subsequent cycles include a shifted bit in each subsequent first word. The testing pattern is written into the memory component(s) under test and corresponding words are read from the memory component(s). The written and read words are then compared, with this comparison analyzed for detection of faults, defects or the like in the memory component(s).

Abstract: The present invention relates to inductors with improved inductance and quality factor. In one embodiment, a magnetic thin film inductor is disclosed. In this embodiment, magnetic thin film inductor includes a plurality of elongated conducting regions and magnetic material. The plurality of elongated conducting regions are positioned parallel with each other and at a predetermined spaced distance apart from each other. The magnetic material encases the plurality of conducting regions, wherein when currents are applied to the conductors, current paths in each of the conductors cause the currents to generally flow in the same direction thereby enhancing mutual inductance.

Abstract: Power control circuits that control the power sequencing and ramp rate of voltages applied to integrated circuits are disclosed. In one embodiment, a power control circuit comprises a delay resistor, a delay capacitor and an input transistor. The delay resistor is adapted to be coupled to an input power supply. The delay capacitor is coupled in series with the delay resistor. The input transistor has an emitter that is adapted to be coupled to the input power supply through the delay resister. The input transistor conducts current when a voltage across the delay capacitor rises above a selected voltage threshold of the input transistor. A power source is applied to a load in response to the conduction of the input transistor which is delayed by the time it takes to charge the delay capacitor to the selected voltage threshold.

Abstract: An electroluminescent driver circuit with improved power consumption efficiency. In one embodiment, an electroluminescent driver circuit comprises a load to provide illumination, an inductor, a transistor and a plurality of switches. The inductor has a first side coupled to a positive terminal of a power supply and a second side selectively coupled to the load. The transistor is coupled to selectively conduct current from the second side of the inductor to a ground terminal of the power supply in response to a digital signal. The plurality of switches are coupled to the load to selectively charge and discharge the load. Moreover, the switches selectively provide a discharge path for positive charge on the load to be discharged to the positive terminal of the power supply.

Abstract: A housing having a shell, a first compartment, and a second compartment within the first compartment is provided. A first cover is pivotally attached to the shell for selectively opening and closing the first compartment. The first cover has a resilient latch biased for grasping the shell and a lead-out for wires. A second cover is pivotally attached to the shell for selectively opening and closing the second compartment. A plurality of pivot connectors is located in the first compartment. Each of the plurality of pivot connectors is oriented to receive a wire in a direction parallel to a plane of the lead-out for wires. A plurality of jacks is also located in the first compartment. Each of the plurality of jacks has at least one resilient conductor. Each of the plurality of jacks is oriented so that the resilient conductor lies in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the lead-out for wires.

Abstract: A scan type radar device capable of detecting a lateral position of a target even if a peak showing the lateral position of the target irregularly fluctuates in the lateral direction as well as reducing the mis-pairing. The former is achievable by changing a reference value of the lateral fluctuation of the target when all the past and present target data fluctuate to an extent exceeding the reference value. The latter is achievable by forecasting a representative peak position at this time in both of up-beat and down-beat from the peak position data at the preceding time and carrying out the past-correspondence grouping of the up-beat and the down-beat at this time in the vicinity of the position of the representative peak forecast this time; the pairing being carried out by using the representative peak calculated by the past-correspondence grouping.

Abstract: A distortion monitor for a non-linear device is provided. The control circuit includes an input coupleable to receive a signal from the non-linear device and a first frequency monitor coupled to the input. The frequency monitor monitors the level of one of even and odd order distortion at a first frequency and creates a first signal indicative of the level of the distortion without the use of a pilot tone.

Abstract: In a target merging process in a radar ranging device, determination of continuity is accurately performed and output processing of newly appearing targets is performed rapidly. The current target position (data prior to merging) is calculated (S1), and a predicted position is calculated (S2). The continuity of targets whose previous position and current position satisfy predetermined conditions (S3 to S5) is determined (S6 to S7). After the data prior to merging is stored in a buffer (S9), the merging process is performed. By storing the data prior to merging in the buffer, continuity is determined for each detected target and, therefore, even if the position of a target changes after merging, subsequent determination of continuity can be performed accurately.

Abstract: An unwanted peak occurring due to an antenna sidelobe and an unwanted peak occurring due to a harmonic are eliminated in a radar apparatus. A peak from a target that can cause an unwanted peak is found based on the intensity of the peak, and a search is made for a peak having a predetermined positional relationship with the thus found peak. If such a peak is located, then it is determined whether the peak is a candidate for an unwanted peak, based on the difference between the intensity of the peak and the intensity of the main peak. If both of the paired peaks are determined as being candidates for unwanted peaks, it is determined that the peaks are unwanted peaks.

Abstract: A DC/DC converter 100 has a DAC 40 that receives a code associated with desired processor operating voltage and sets the reference voltage on its output 41. The reference voltage (VDAC) is boosted by the buffer amplifier 42 to center the droop along the median load. A sensed current signal ICS 22 is proportional to the load current Io 24 and can be either inductor current, or switch current, or diode (or synchronous switch) current. In all cases it is scaled down by the factor of gain Gc. A droop control feedback circuit includes an error amplifier 50. It has two inputs. In one embodiment the gain of the converter is by a signal inversely proportional to the processor clock frequency FCPU max and transformed to the current IDROOP 32 that creates the voltage drop across the resistor R1. The other input is coupled to the buffer amplifier output.

Abstract: An FM-CW radar processing system pairs up peaks obtained by fast-Fourier transforming a beat signal occurring on an up portion and a down portion of a triangular-shaped FM-CW wave, calculates a distance or relative velocity with respect to a target object based on the peak signal in the up portion and the peak signal in the down portion obtained by the pairing, and compares the distance or relative velocity, obtained after changing the modulating signal for the FM-CW wave, with the distance or relative velocity obtained before changing the modulating signal. If the distance or relative velocity differs before and after changing the modulating signal, the pairing is judged to be mispairing.

Abstract: A semiconductor device or integrated circuit has high and low resistive contacts. Mobility spoiling ions such as carbon are implanted into all contacts of the substrate. High resistive contacts are temporarily covered with an oxide during processing to prevent silicide from forming due to interaction between a siliciding metal and the implanted mobility spoiling ions in the contacts. The resulting high resistance contacts have highly linear I-V curves, even at high voltages. Selective silicide formation converts some of the contacts back to low resistance contacts as a result of interaction between a siliciding metal and the implanted mobility spoiling ions in the low resistance contacts.

Abstract: Phase locked loops adapted to filter and store data indicative of the control signal applied to an oscillator permit suppression of tracking in the event of a step change in the phase difference between the reference clock signal and the feedback signal in the phase locked loop. Such phase locked loops further facilitate compensation for drift of the oscillator. Such phase locked loops are suitable for use in timing circuits of communications systems.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a radar device and, particularly, to a radar device mounted on a vehicle to be used for a collision alarm and the like. The invention provides a radar device that has a unit for removing the FMAM noise without lowering the signal detection sensitivity. The radar device transmits a frequency modulation signal by switching the frequency modulation signal with a first switching signal, receives a signal reflected from a target object, switches the reception signal with a second switching signal, mixes the switched reception signal with the transmission signal, and further mixes the mixed signals with a third switching signal thereby to obtain a beat signal. The radar device obtains a distance to the target object and a relative speed of the target object from the beat signal.

Abstract: A low cost differential voltage limiter circuit provides a feedback to regulate a voltage output of a voltage source. In one embodiment, the limiter circuit includes a transistor coupled to outputs of first and second voltage sources. If a differential voltage between the two sources exceeds a predetermined threshold, the output voltage of the higher source is reduced. In one embodiment, a PNP transistor is used to regulate the high voltage source.

Abstract: The invention detects a ghost occurring due to mispairing, reflections from a wall, or the like, and improves the ability of a radar to track targets when actual relative velocity changes by more than a certain value. If a stationary target is present within a prescribed region centered about a moving target, the stationary target is excluded from output data by determining it as being a target resulting from mispairing due to the detection of guardrail posts or similar structures. Further, a moving target that is expected to collide with an eligible target is also excluded from the output data by determining it as being a target resulting from mispairing due to the detection of a target having many reflecting points. For a moving target showing an unlikely relative velocity, pairing with some other peak is attempted by determining the moving target as being a target resulting from mispairing due to the detection of a plurality of moving targets moving in the same direction.

Abstract: A head end terminal for a communication system using multicarrier modulation is described. The head end terminal includes a multicarrier modem adapted to receive upstream signals and to demodulate the upstream signals modulated on a plurality of orthogonal carriers in a first frequency bandwidth, the multicarrier modem including a polyphase filter adapted to selectively filter the received upstream signal to provide protection against narrowband ingress for the modulated orthogonal carriers and allow for scalable bandwidth usage in the upstream transmission, and a controller operatively connected to the multicarrier modem for controlling receipt of signals.

Abstract: A system and method for accessing a number of communication lines by one or more testing devices are disclosed. Each of the communications lines is coupled through the system and includes a first termination at a first telecommunications termination site and a second termination at a second telecommunications termination site. The system includes a number of line access devices, each of which is coupled to at least one of the communication lines terminating at the first telecommunications termination site and at least one of the communication lines terminating at the second telecommunications termination site. One or more monitoring busses are defined by a number of relays, one or more of which is coupled to one of the line access devices. A test device interface, which is selectively coupled to the bus, provides bi-directional connectivity between the selected communication line and a selected testing device coupled thereto.

Abstract: An analog to digital conversion circuit is provided. The analog to digital (A/D) conversion circuit includes an input adapted to receive an analog signal. The A/D conversion circuit further includes a variable attenuator that is coupled to the input and that has a feedback control input. The A/D conversion circuit further includes a converter that is responsive to the variable attenuator and that converts analog input signals to digital output signals. A feedback loop is also provided. The feedback loop is responsive to an overflow indicator of the converter. The feedback loop is adapted to produce a feedback signal based on the overflow indicator and is adapted to provide the feedback signal to the feedback control input of the variable attenuator so as to maintain the peak level of the input to the converter substantially near an acceptable peak input level for the converter.

Abstract: A tool for installing and extracting a fuse is provided. The tool has a first bar that has a jaw at one end of the first bar. The tool has second bar that is slidably attached to the first bar and that has a jaw at one end of the second bar. The respective jaws are adapted to align by sliding the respective bars relative to each other to retain the fuse between the respective jaws.