Abstract: A method of sensing a ferroelectric non-volatile information storage unit comprising two ferroelectric storage capacitors in mutually opposite polarization states, and a sensing circuit for actuating the method.

Abstract: An electrically-programmable memory cell programmed by means of injection of channel hot electrons into a charge-storage element capacitively coupled to a memory cell channel for modulating a conductivity thereof depending on a stored amount of charge. A first and a second spaced-apart electrode regions are formed in a semiconductor layer and define a channel region there between; at least one of the first and second electrode regions acts as a programming electrode of the memory cell. A control electrode is capacitively coupled to the charge-storage element. The charge-storage element is placed over the channel to substantially extend from the first to the second electrode regions, and is separated from the channel region by a dielectric layer. The dielectric layer has a reduced thickness in a portion thereof near the at least one programming electrode.

Abstract: A procedure for temporally isolating an environmentally dependent integrated circuit fault includes the steps of determining a marginally failing and a minimally passing environmental condition corresponding to the fault; identifying a clock cycle Tmax at which the fault was first detected; determining a candidate clock cycle at which the fault may have occurred; and iteratively a) applying test pattern subsets from an initial clock cycle through the candidate clock cycle under the marginally failing environmental condition; b) applying remaining test patterns under the minimally passing environmental condition; and c) adjusting the candidate clock cycle based upon whether the fault occurred during test pattern subset application up through the candidate clock cycle under the marginally failing environmental condition. Candidate clock cycle adjustment in accordance with a binary search technique enables determination of an exact clock cycle at which the fault occurred in a maximum of Log2 (Tmax+1) iterations.

Abstract: The present invention provides a coupler for rotationally and/or axially securing two shafts together while permitting rapid angular adjustment between the shafts. The coupler includes a first component mountable to a first section of the paddle and a second component mountable to a second section of the paddle. The first component includes a receptacle, and the second component includes a protrusion operable to extend into the receptacle to position the first component relative to the second component and to prevent the first component from turning relative to the second component. To turn and reposition one of the components relative to the other component, the second component is axially movable relative to the first component. The coupler may also include a retainer to prevent the first component from inadvertently being repositioned relative to the second component.

Abstract: An adjustable frequency oscillator circuit includes: an odd number of inverters connected so as to form a loop; a plurality of capacitive elements each connected to an output terminal of a respective inverter; and an output terminal, which supplies a signal oscillating at an oscillating frequency. The oscillator circuit further includes a calibration circuit for calibrating maximum currents which can be delivered by the inverters to the respective capacitive elements.

Abstract: An Internet (or World-Wide-Web or other such public or private network) based business card and contact management system capable of conveying and managing advertising as well as traditional and other non-traditional business contact information.

Abstract: An electronic circuit containing one or more digital synchronous sequential logic blocks at least one of which is either selected or deselected during operation. The electronic circuit includes an improved clock distribution scheme that reduces power consumption, comprising identifying means for determining the select/deselect state of each said deselectable synchronous sequential logic block, coupled to disabling means for disabling the clock input to each deselected synchronous sequential logic block.

Abstract: A Programmable Logic Device (PLD) incorporating a plurality of Programmable Logic Blocks (PLBs) providing enhanced flexibility for Cascade logic functions, each comprising a multi-input Look Up Table (LUT) providing one input to a Cascade Logic block for implementing desired Cascade Logic functions. The other input of the Cascade Logic block is a Cascade-In signal. A 2-input selection multiplexer receives one input from the output of the Cascade Logic block and the other from the output of the LUT for selecting either the Cascade Logic output or the LUT output as the unregistered output. The arrangement is such that the Cascade output and the multiplexer output are simultaneously available from the PLB.

Abstract: A device installed at a ditch on a road for preventing a backflow of sewage and a malodor is provided. The device includes a frame portion comprising a plurality of frames arranged in parallel with each other, a valve portion being opened or closed in a manner of a lever according to the weight of a flow of the sewage, and a cover portion for covering the frame portion and the valve portion. The cover portion includes flat drain holes formed in plural lines which are arranged in parallel with each other; flow velocity resistance embossings protruding upwardly with a predetermined height in a bar shape; inclined drain holes formed at both ends of the lengthwise direction and inclined upwardly; and a plurality of sliding prevention embossings protruding upwardly from an upper surface of the cover portion, for preventing walkers from sliding thereon.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for the continuous preparation of gasoline, kerosene, and diesel oil from waste plastics. The method comprises the steps of: subjecting a melt of the waste plastics to a first catalytic reaction in which the waste plastic melt is in contact with a nickel or nickel alloy catalyst to be dehydrogenated while being decomposed; subjecting the dehydrogenated and decomposed waste plastic melt to a fluid catalytic cracking, as a second catalytic reaction to produce a gasoline-based fraction at a high fraction; fractionating the cracked material into a gasoline-based fraction, a kerosene fraction, and a diesel oil fraction; and reforming the gasoline-based fraction to produce a high octane number gasoline. The present invention can apply to a small scale facility, not to apply to a large scale facility.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Programmable Logic Device (PLD) incorporating a two-input multiplexer for providing a Cascade Logic output and having a Cascade Logic input coupled to a select line. A two-input multiplexer provides the desired configurable Cascade Logic function, and an initialization circuit sets the initial value for the Cascade logic under control of an initialization configuration bit. The multiplexer that provides the Cascade Logic output also provides the desired configurable Cascade Logic function using the Look-up table (LUT) and configuration bits.

Abstract: The propeller shaft comprises a transmission shaft 10 consisting of a hollow metal tube 11 with excellent torque transmissibility and a composite material prepregs 12 having higher specific stiffness than a metal material and stacked to the inner surface of the metal tube, and metal yokes 40 mounted on both ends of the transmission shaft and assembled with other devices. The composite material prepregs is co-cure bonded while applying an axial compressive preload to the transmission shaft and creating a vacuum in a space between a vacuum bag inserted in the transmission shaft and the composite material prepregs of the transmission shaft. Teeth 43 or embossments 44, and adhesive-retaining grooves 45 are formed on inner surfaces of the metal yokes, so the transmission shaft is desirably compression-fitted into the metal yokes. Accordingly, the propeller shaft has advantages of securing improved impact, abrasion, and water resistance.

Abstract: A word line selector for selecting word lines of an array of semiconductor memory cells formed in a doped semiconductor region of a semiconductor substrate comprises a plurality of word line drivers responsive to word line selection signals. Each word line driver is associated with a respective word line for driving the word line to prescribed word line electric potentials, depending on an operation to be conducted on the array of memory cells, in accordance with the word line selection signal.

Abstract: A phase-locked loop having a programmable loop bandwidth is provided. A PLL comprises an oscillator operable to receive an error-correction signal and to generate an oscillator signal having a frequency that is related to the error-correction signal. The PLL further comprises a phase-frequency detector (PFD) coupled to the oscillator and operable to receive a reference signal and to generate the error-correction signal based upon a phase difference between the reference signal and a feedback signal derived from the oscillator signal. The PLL further comprises an error-correction signal suppression circuit coupled to the PFD and operable to control the loop bandwidth of the PLL by periodically enabling the PFD.

Abstract: An apical foramen locator that a dental or medical practitioner can use to quickly and accurately identify the location of a patient's apical foramen during a dental/medical procedure is provided. The apical foramen locator determines the location of the apical foramen relative to a tool inserted into the patient's tooth by sensing an impedance—typically the voltage across two electrodes—and a stimulus voltage, and retrieving from an impedance map apical foramen location data that corresponds to the sensed impedance. The apical foramen locator can include a power circuit operable to apply a stimulus voltage across two electrodes and a reference resistor, an impedance-sensing circuit operable to read the stimulus voltage, a first voltage across the electrodes and a second voltage across the reference resistor and a processing component operable to derive first and second voltage indices from the stimulus, first and second voltages.

Abstract: A fusion monitor system for vehicles which includes a sideview mirror unit having an object lens and an eye lens at both sides of a housing which is disposed backwardly from inside and outside of the vehicle and a movable reflecting mirror between two lenses to form an afocal optical system, a movable reflecting mirror driving unit for rotating the movable reflecting mirror, a terminal holder for accepting a mobile phone, a display panel for outputting the same information as that of a display window of the mobile phone through the mirror unit. According, air resistance can be reduced, information outputted on the display window of the mobile phone can be enlarged for easy viewing and reading, and it allows hands free for user's convenience.

Abstract: The process for manufacturing a through insulated interconnection is performed by forming, in a body of semiconductor material, a trench extending from the front (of the body for a thickness portion thereof; filling the trench with dielectric material; thinning the body starting from the rear until the trench, so as to form an insulated region surrounded by dielectric material; and forming a conductive region extending inside said insulated region between the front and the rear of the body and having a higher conductivity than the first body. The conductive region includes a metal region extending in an opening formed inside the insulated region or of a heavily doped semiconductor region, made prior to filling of the trench.

Abstract: The invention provides electrolytes for the electrochemical generation of nitrogen gas by anodic oxidation of triazole and tetrazole derivatives. Electrolytic cells incorporating these electrolytes are also disclosed. The nitrogen gas so produced may be useful to actuate mechanical transducers in fluid dispensers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a structure and a fabrication method of a storage capacitor used in the pixel region of a display panel such as LCD or OELD. The present invention simultaneously forms a poly-crystalline silicon TFT and a storage capacitor in the pixel region of a display panel using MILC phenomena. By applying MILC inducing metal along at least two edges of storage capacitor, the time required to crystallize the silicon layer in storage capacitor region may be significantly reduced.