Abstract: Methods for producing a hologram mask approximating the exposure produced by a non-holographic phase shifting photo mask are disclosed. One such method exposes a hologram recording material to a first object light, having passed through a first original mask and a first reference light having a difference in phase with the first object light, and further exposing the hologram recording material to a second object light, having passed through a second original mask and a second reference light having a difference in phase with the second object light, wherein first and second phase differences are not the same and wherein the exposed hologram material can be replayed to produce an exposed pattern that approximates an exposed pattern of a non-holographic phase shifting photomask.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a charge pump system supplied by a direct voltage signal and supplying on the output terminal a voltage signal with a higher value of said direct voltage signal.

Abstract: An endodontic obturator includes a body and a disposable cartridge containing gutta percha that is couplable with the body. By containing the gutta percha in a disposable cartridge, a dentist or other medical technician does not have to clean the body or other components of the obturator, thus reducing the amount of time required to clean the obturator after use. The obturator also includes a heater operable to heat the gutta percha in the disposable cartridge and a thermal barrier operable to resist the flow of heat from the heater to the rest of the body. In addition, the obturator includes a mechanism operable to generate pressure in the disposable cartridge to dispense the gutta percha. With the thermal barrier, a portion of the obturator's body that a dentist or other medical technician might hold while injecting gutta percha into a patient's tooth may be kept relatively cool.

Abstract: Provided is a keystroke output wedge, implemented in software or firmware, that presents natural language messages to a user. The messages may be in text form on a display or transmitted in audible form to a wireless headset for example. The wedge provides data translation functions for devices used to collect and input data into a computer such as a bar code scanner. It can also provide messages to the user of the data input device relating to the state of associated application programs and computer operating systems. The wedge can be programmed to provide prompts, such as “SCAN PART NUMBER,” or feedback, such as “VALID SCAN.

Abstract: An image processing circuit includes a processor that receives an encoded portion of a first version of an image. The processor decodes this encoded portion directly into a decoded portion of a second version of the image, the second version having a resolution that is different than the resolution of the first version. Therefore, such an image processing circuit can decode an encoded hi-res version of an image directly into a decoded lo-res version of the image. Alternatively, the image processing circuit includes a processor that modifies a motion vector associated with a portion of a first version of a first image. The processor then identifies a portion of a second image to which the modified motion vector points, the second image having a different resolution than the first version of the first image.

Abstract: A device is described for the correction of the power factor in power supply units with forced switching operating in transition mode. Said device comprises a converter and a control device coupled with said converter so as to obtain a regulated voltage on the output terminal from an alternating network input voltage. The converter comprises a power transistor whilst the control device comprises a pilot circuit suitable for determining the switch-on time and the switch-off time of the power transistor. The control device furthermore comprises control means coupled with said pilot circuit and with said converter and capable of prolonging the switch-on time of the power transistor at the instants of time wherein the alternating network voltage substantially takes on the value zero.

Abstract: A programmable address generator comprising at least one input for receiving a first digital address of a data word in a first memory, to be converted into a second digital address of this same data word in a second memory, or conversely, comprising: at least two hierarchically interleaved counters, that can be individually parameterized for their initial offset, their increment value, and their maximum count; at least one programming register containing said parameters of each counter, these parameters depending on the addressing conversion function to be performed; and an adder of the first address with the counter results, said adder providing said second address.

Abstract: A ski attachment kit for a kick scooter having a scooter steering assembly that includes a front fork configured for attaching a front wheel, a scooter body that includes a stand-on area and a rear fork rearward of the stand-on area configured for attaching a rear wheel, and a coupling that couples the steering assembly and the scooter body. The kit includes a front ski assembly having a scooter steering assembly mount that receives and releasably retains the steering assembly while providing a clearance for an attached front wheel. The kit also includes a rear ski assembly having a scooter body mount that receives and releasably retains the scooter body while providing a clearance for an attached rear wheel.

Abstract: A circuit for sensing a ferroelectric non-volatile information storage unit comprises a pre-charge circuit for applying a prescribed pre-charge voltage to a storage capacitor of the information storage unit. The pre-charge voltage causes a variation in a polarization charge of the storage capacitor, depending on an initial polarization state of the storage capacitor. A charge integration circuit integrates an electric charge proportional to the variation in polarization charge experienced by the storage capacitor. The charge integration circuit thus provides an output voltage depending on the polarization state of the storage capacitor.

Abstract: A device for transforming a periodic input signal into an output signal of distinct frequency, comprising two adjustable delay means receiving the input signal, a multiplexer selecting the output signal of one or the other of the delay means, control means for, according to whether the output signal frequency must be smaller or greater than the input signal frequency, increasing or decreasing at the rate of the input signal, or at a multiple of this rate, the delay of the selected delay means, and controlling a minimum or maximum delay for the delay means which has not been selected, and a phase comparator adapted to changing the multiplexer selection when the transitions of the signals output by the delay means corresponding to a same transition of the input signal are offset by a duration greater than or equal to one period of the input signal.

Abstract: Computer software allowing enhanced control of the playout of audio/video works on a computer system. In various embodiments, the software allows key events from dedicated audio/video keys, whether part of a full sized keyboard or on a hand held remote, to control the actions of an audio/video playout program without requiring the user to direct the key event focus of the operating system to the audio/video playout program. Also, the invention distinguishes between key presses from a local, full sized keyboard and key presses from a remote keyboard so that the audio/video playout program can enlarge its screen display when a key event is received from the remote keyboard. In one embodiment, the invention constantly instructs the operating system to move the focus to the audio/video playout program. In another embodiment, if the focus is received by any of various windows in a display, software associated with the window forwards to the audio/video playout program any key events received from audio/video keys.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for testing non-volatile memory devices that have at least one parallel communication interface, and a conventional matrix of non-volatile memory cells with respective reading, changing and erasing circuits, wherein during the testing procedure, a reading mode is entered for reading a memory location upon the rise edge of a control signal producing a corresponding ATD signal. Advantageously in the invention, a subsequent reading step is started also upon the fall edge of the control signal. In this way, at each cycle of the control signal two memory locations, instead of one as in the prior art, are read.

Abstract: A method for forming narrow trenches in a silicon substrate, comprising the steps of: etching the substrate to form first trenches separated by first silicon ribs; performing a thermal oxidation of the substrate to form a silicon oxide layer around the substrate, to obtain second trenches and second silicon ribs; filling the second trenches with fingers of an etchable material; etching the oxide down to the upper surface of the second ribs while keeping oxide portions between said material fingers and the second ribs; etching away the second silicon ribs and said material fingers; etching the oxide to expose the substrate at the bottom of the oxide portions, while keeping oxide fingers; and etching the substrate between the oxide fingers to form narrow trenches in the substrate.

Abstract: The described embodiments of the invention relate to a voltage reference generator which can be produced using new process technologies and which is still compatible with older designs/products. This is achieved by the introduction of circuitry to generate an offset voltage independently of the main reference voltage generation circuitry.

Abstract: A pet-washing glove including a flexible first side having a first scrubbing texture and a flexible second side having a second scrubbing texture, the sides associated in a manner providing a sheath for a hand and generally defining a first palm portion on the first side, a second palm portion on the second side, a thumb portion, and at least one finger portion. The glove also includes a palmar receptacle that receives and retains a washing material, and releases a solution of the washing material. The glove may conform to both hands of a wearer, accommodating use on one hand with the first scrubbing texture proximate to the palm side of the wearer's hand and use on the other hand with the second scrubbing texture proximate to the palm side of wearer's other hand. A scrubbing texture may be provided by a nap or by a plurality of loops.

Abstract: A video game system that includes a console and hand-held controllers with LCD screens. Each game operates in a simulated world populated with animated characters and static objects which are displayed on a TV screen, and are also displayed on the LCD screens of the hand-held controllers. While one part of the simulated world is displayed on the TV screen, different parts of the simulated world may appear on the LCD screens in a natural pictorial setting. Alternatively, some of the pictures displayed on LCD screens and TV screens may represent the same part of the simulated world at different times, or the same part at the same time. Pictures displayed on an LCD screen may appear concurrently or later on the TV screen. Objects and characters can be selected, moved, constructed, changed, or deleted by a player without revealing to other players these objects of interest or their disposition.

Abstract: External cavity laser with reflector in optical wave guide, particularly HDBR laser, with an active element comprising a semiconductor optical amplifying cavity having a low-reflectivity facet (3), for example a Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA) with a facet (30) opposite to said low-reflectivity facet treated with a reflecting coating, or a Fabry-Perot laser, and an external reflector comprising a Bragg grating (70) formed in an optical wave guide (4) near a termination (5), facing said facet, of a segment (5, 6, 7) of said optical wave guide coupled with the facet. The grating has a spatial profile of modulation of the refraction index such that a corresponding optical reflectivity spectrum (A) has an optical bandwidth (W) sufficiently small around a prescribed laser oscillation mode wavelength (?c) for the laser to oscillate only on the prescribed mode and not on other oscillation modes even in conditions of high-frequency direct modulation.

Abstract: A memory cell comprises a first and a second inverters connected in a latch configuration. The inverters have respective first and second means for receiving a first and a second voltage supplies, respectively. The cell also comprises means, responsive to a memory cell selection signal, for selectively connecting an input of at least one of the first and second inverter to at least one respective input/output data line, carrying an input datum to be written in the memory cell in a memory cell write operation and an output datum read from the memory cell in a memory cell read operation. For flash-clearing the memory cell, means are provided for switching at least one of the first and second voltage supply receiving means of at least one of the first and second inverters between the first voltage supply and the second voltage supply. The memory cell is particularly adapted to implement a flash-clear function in a memory device.

Abstract: An autotesting method of a cells matrix of a memory device includes the steps of reading the values contained in a plurality of the memory cells, comparing the read values with reference values, signaling mismatch of the read values with the reference values as an error situation, and storing the error situations. In the autotesting method, the reading, comparing, signaling, and storing steps are repeated for all the memory cells in a matrix column. The autotesting method further includes the steps of storing the positions of any columns having at least one error situation, and repeating all of the preceding steps for all the matrix columns.