Abstract: A high density interconnect (HDI) structure having a dielectric multi-layer interconnect structure on a substrate is fabricated by forming a chip well, placing a chip in the well, and connecting the chip to the interconnect structure. Additionally, temperature sensitive chips or devices may be located beneath the dielectric multi-layer interconnect structure. A spacer die may be located in the substrate while the interconnect structure is fabricated and removed after a chip well aligned with the spacer die is formed, in order to accommodate a chip thickness which is greater than the dielectric multi-layer interconnect structure thickness.

Abstract: A method for determining whether a particular cell of an array of display cells, either of full pixels or subpixel portions, is interior or exterior to a circular feature of non-zero radius, uses a line segment length L measured from the vertical feature diameter to the feature periphery, along a point of each row of cells to be considered. For that cell row, all cells within L cells of the vertical diameter line are within the feature; the number of cells on each row changes as the row position changes with respect to the centroid.

Abstract: The electrical operating characteristics of a microwave circuit are modified by providing a dielectric layer on the circuit in a pattern which modifies the electrical characteristics of an overlay responsive portion of the circuit in a manner which results in the overall circuit having a desired electrical operating characteristic within a tolerance. Adjustment of the operating characteristics may be done in an iterative manner of measuring the characteristics, modifying the distribution of dielectric material and remeasuring the operating characteristics until satisfactory operating characteristics are obtained.

Abstract: An elevation mechanism, for changing the elevation angle of an attachable container subassembly, has an outer housing having an integral portion for mounting the container subassembly, and an inner housing having an exterior surface about which the outer housing is rotatably supported. A motor within the inner housing supplies torque to a gear train, which includes a planetary gear system for rotating the outer housing and the container subassembly attachable thereto, with respect to the inner housing. The inner housing can be fastened to a surface, generally in the vertical plane, with respect to which surface the rotating outer housing moves the container subassembly in adjustable elevation disposition.

Abstract: In a method for preserving an air bridge structure on an integrated circuit chip used in an overlay process, a patternable protective layer is applied for providing mechanical strength to prevent deformation during subsequent processing. A polymeric film layer is applied over the chip and protective layer, and interconnections are fabricated through the polymeric film layer. The polymeric film layer is removed from the area over the air bridge structure. The patternable protective layer is then removed, leaving the resultant structure with an undamaged air bridge which is free of residue.

Abstract: A rack-mountable chassis enclosure, having measurements in at least one dimension greater than the access aperture measurement of the enclosure-supporting rack in that same dimension, and providing additional empty volume into which the enclosed apparatus may move after the chassis has been mounted to the rack, is formed from a rigid panel, which can be mounted to the rack at a position to form a front boundary of the rack-enclosed volume, and at least one pair of opposed enclosure panel members extending substantially perpendicular behind the front panel and at least partially formed of a resilient material, with the maximum dimension between the outermost opposed surfaces of the resilient panel members exceeding the access aperture width of juxtaposed rack enclosure portions through which the enclosure must pass for positioning of the enclosure within the rack, and characterized by inward flexure of the resilient wall members, responsive to pressure thereupon from associated portions of the rack, during ent

Abstract: Semiconductor device contact pads are enhanced by forming a metal plate over at least a portion of the contact pad. "Enhancement" includes repair such as by bridging a reinforcing pad area over probe damage, general reinforcement or enlargement of a contact pad, and placement of a protective buffer pad over a contact pad. These methods are applicable to any semiconductor device with contact pads on a surface thereof, such as entire wafers, individual dice, and multi-chip High Density Interconnect (HDI) modules. The pad enhancement plate is formed by applying a planarizing dielectric layer over the entire device (if not already formed in the initial stages of HDI processing), and an enhancement access via is then formed to expose a portion of the contact pad to be enhanced. The entire device is metallized, and metal not over the exposed portion of the contact pad is subsequently removed.

Abstract: A multiple channel demand assignment multiple access (DAMA) system is configured as a spoke-and-hub star network in which a satellite relays information between each of many small-aperture terminals (SATs), which may be portable terminals (PTs), and a hub network control terminal (NCT) which receives requests from the PTs, allocates channel resources, and broadcasts housekeeping messages. The system has a reservation protocol using at least three separate data channels to take advantage of the inherent lack of adequate radiated power at the PTs: a NCT outbound channel is tightly packed with data, without guard spaces, and it uses typically 98% of the allocated power; separate return channels for data and reservations use little satellite power, with no need for extremely tight data packing. Guard spaces are included in the reservation channel to overcome the total range of propagation delay uncertainty without requiring knowledge of the location of a particular PT.

Abstract: An ammunition indexing mechanism for moving, responsive to actuation of a trigger mechanism, a cartridge from a selected one of a pair of opposed feedports in a weapon receiver and into alignment with a firing chamber of a barrel assembly of the weapon, has a rotary mechanism for moving through a selected index angle each ammunition cartridge entering through the selected feedport; and a torque assembly for storing energy, responsive to a selected movement of the barrel assembly, until released to operate the rotary mechanism to move, for each selected barrel assembly movement, each sequential cartridge through similar angular displacement to a position aligned with the firing chamber.

Abstract: By employing High Density Interconnect (HDI) multi-chip modules (MCMs) having elements of a distributed power supply embedded in the MCM itself, the functions of an MCM and a power converter are combined. The embedded power supply elements include DC-DC or AC-DC converters to convert an input voltage and input current to a relatively lower output voltage and relatively higher output current, thereby decreasing the current requirements of external power supply lines connected to the multi-chip module. The current and voltage outputs may be connected to chip power inputs through relatively short, low-impedance power distribution conductors comprising copper strips direct bonded to a ceramic substrate; alternatively, or in combination with direct bonded copper conductors, the low-impedance power distribution conductors may be situated within an HDI overcoat structure. The power supply elements may be placed within cavities formed in the substrate, or on a thinner portion of the substrate.

Abstract: An ESD protection subassembly for a conductively-case module having an electrical connector mounted thereon, uses a conductive shield shell member formed about the connector and connected to the module conductive case; the shell member has at least one conductive door member mounted thereon by associated hinge formations having spring-like mechanisms for urging the door members to close off an opening in the shell member whenever the module is not mated with an associated receptacle connector. A substantially complete conductive peripheral enclosure is thus formed for the module and its attached connector, whether the module is mounted in a larger assembly with its complementary connector actually mated with the module-mounted connector, or if the module has been removed from the rack assembly.

Abstract: In a computer image generation system, the number of vertices which define each of a plurality of terrain-defining polygons is augmented in real time for providing finer detail and for effecting substantially continuous smooth level of detail (LOD) transition. Augmented vertices may have components that are statistically derived, in which case it is not necessary to store and/or predefine them. Alternatively, some vertex components may have predetermined values derived from mapping data or from other deterministic sources and may be stored in compact form. Processing polygons, typically triangles defined by selected ones of the sum of the augmented vertices and the original vertices, may be used for displaying the finer detail. Statistically derived finer detail is especially suited for providing non-specific detail to features such as terrain, while deterministic data allows highly accurate representations of specific `real world` locations.

Abstract: In fabricating wafer scale integrated interconnects, a temporary or permanent dielectric layer and a pattern of electrical conductors are used to provide wafer scale integration or testing and burn-in. A resist can be used to cover the areas of IC pads on the wafer while the remainder of the pattern of electrical conductors is removed to provide for repair of the wafer scale integration structure. The pattern of electrical conductors may be configured so that the conductor lengths between at least some sub-circuits on a plurality of wafers are substantially electrically equal for signal propagation purposes; an additional wafer may be laminated to the wafer using an adhesive; controlled curfs may be cut into the wafer; and the wafer may be interconnected to an interface ring.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of dispensing granular material in which a flow regulator regulates the flow of grains through a fill tube is provided. A hopper assembly including a funnel and fill tube are relatively rotatable with respect to a flow regulator to facilitate the flow of grain through the flow regulator down the fill tube and cut a tip which deflects the granular material to uniformly dispense the material, for example around a cartridge. The tip rotates to further facilitate uniform distribution of granular material in the cartridge.

Abstract: A novel mechanism for moving a gun bolt toward and away from a firing chamber of a barrel assembly having movement relative to a receiver in a cartridge-firing weapon, having a camming channel formed in the receiver of the weapon, uses a rack member having an end coupled to the gun bolt and moving substantially linearly with the gun bolt toward and away from the chamber. A gear train has a housing affixed to the moving barrel assembly; an input member moves in the camming channel responsive to barrel assembly movement, to cause an output member to move the rack member and attached gun bolt toward and away from the chamber with substantially-linear displacement, velocity and acceleration greater than the associated displacement, velocity and acceleration of the moving barrel assembly with respect to the weapon receiver.

Abstract: A body is hermetically sealed by electroplating a hermetic layer over the exterior surface of the body. A hermetic high density interconnect structure is provided by forming a continuous metal layer over the outermost dielectric layer of the multilayer interconnect structure and by disposing that continuous metal layer in a hermetically sealing relation to the substrate of the high density interconnect structure. A variety of techniques may be used for providing electrical feedthroughs between the interior and exterior of the hermetic enclosure as may a pseudo-hermetic enclosure in those situations where true hermeticity is not required.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for making high purity aluminum nitride from organometallic aluminum, such as an alkylaluminum compound. A gaseous alkylaluminum compound and gaseous ammonia are introduced into a heated reaction zone where the gases are mixed and high purity aluminum nitride is produced. The high purity aluminum nitride is collected in the form of a powder or deposited as a thick, dense layer on an appropriate substrate mounted in the reaction chamber. A carrier gas such as hydrogen gas, may be used to conduct the alkylaluminum compound from a suitable reservoir containing liquid alkylaluminum compound to the reaction chamber. A preferred alkylaluminum compound is triethylaluminum.

Abstract: The effect of multi-layer atmospheric scattering on the visibility F of each point P on a visible surface of each polygon in a display scene, in a computer image generation (CIG) system, is provided by determining the effective average reciprocal half-fading distance between viewpoint and the viewed point, knowing the altitudes at which each of the different scattering layers start and accounting for any transitional slopes therebetween. The total reduced visibility of that viewed point P is a function of the average reciprocal half-fading distance for that point and of the total range between the viewed point P and the viewpoint VP.

Abstract: Mispositioning of chips in a high density interconnect structure is compensated for by including a layer having alignment conductor in the high density interconnect structure without requiring adaptation of the signal conductor metallization levels of the high density interconnect structure. One level, two levels or more of alignment conductor may be employed. The alignment levels of the high density interconnect structure are preferably a ground plane, and if two layers of alignment conductors are provided, a power plane.

Abstract: An interferometer Fourier transform spectrometer, having increased speed, is capable of performing a Fourier transform in parallel, in analog form, using a weighted matrix. The spectrometer includes a linear detector array responsive to an interferogram. The detector array is coupled to a plurality of integrating sampling amplifiers. Each column of a group of columns of the matrix is coupled in parallel to a respective integrating sampling amplifier, and the output signals from each row of a group of rows form an output signal array.