Abstract: A method for removing oxygen from ammonia at low temperature is described. In one embodiment, oxygen contaminated ammonia is contacted with a getter material that includes iron and manganese that sorbs oxygen to yield ammonia that is substantially oxygen free. In one embodiment, the process of contacting ammonia with the getter material takes place at about 25.degree. C. In another embodiment the weight ratio between iron and manganese is about 7:1. In another embodiment, the getter material is dispersed on an inert support of specific surface greater than 100 m.sup.2/ g. In one embodiment, impure ammonia is contacted with getter material including iron and manganese that sorbs oxygen and with a drying agent that absorbs water to yield deoxygenated anhydrous ammonia. In yet another embodiment, an apparatus consisting of a gas inlet, gas purification chamber and gas outlet that deoxygenates ammonia when charged with getter material that includes iron and manganese is described.

Abstract: A portable peripheral card for an electrical device is disclosed that has an injected molded housing package. In one aspect of the invention, the peripheral card has a printed circuit board, a female electrical connector, and a solid one-piece injected molded package. The printed circuit board has electrical components mounted thereon and the female electrical connector is attached to the printed circuit board to permit communications between the electrical components on the printed circuit board and the electrical device. The solid one-piece package encapsulates the printed circuit board and the electrical components yet exposes a portion of the electrical connector to facilitate electrical connections between the printed circuit board and the electrical device. In one preferred embodiment, the portable peripheral card is a PCMCIA card. Methods of manufacturing such peripheral cards are also disclosed.

Abstract: A pusher game apparatus provides at least one jackpot detecting section which detects a disk dropped from a guiding means. The stroke of reciprocation of the pusher is changed according to whether or not the disk is detected by the jackpot detecting section, thereby varying the maximum number of medals which can be acquired. Accordingly, the pusher game apparatus can provide the game with unexpectedness, giving much stronger impact on players.

Abstract: A conductive via structure establishes an electrical interconnection between two conductive layers in a semiconductor structure by connecting a first conductive layer on a semiconductor substrate to a second conductive layer by means of a conductive via structure extending through a non-conductive layer separating the two conductive layers. The non-conductive layer preferably includes a layer of spin-on-glass (SOG), and is provided with a via aperture therethrough. A conductive spacer, preferably of TiW, is fabricated within the via aperture in abutment with the walls of the via aperture. A second conductive layer is fabricated over the non-conductive layer, the conductive spacer, and within the via aperture, to establish the completed electrical interconnection. The via structure reduces out-gassing and chipping from the SOG layer, yet provides a low electrical resistance path between the two conductive layers.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining a route from a source location to a final destination using a vehicle navigation system having a map database. At least one intermediate destination is determined from the map database, each intermediate destination being at the other end of an intermediate route from the source location. A cost value is calculated for each intermediate destination. A best intermediate destination is selected from the at least one intermediate destination, the cost value corresponding to the best intermediate destination being lower than the cost values corresponding to any other intermediate destinations. The intermediate route corresponding to the best intermediate destination is then communicated to the user of the vehicle navigation system while a remainder route to the final destination is determined.

Abstract: A method of hydrogenating poly-Si in an electrical device including the step of placing a substrate having a poly-Si component in a radio frequency induced low pressure, high density plasma reactor. The method further includes the step of introducing into the radio frequency induced low pressure, high density plasma reactor a gas including at least hydrogen or deuterium. The hydrogenation of the poly-Si component is accomplished by striking a plasma in the radio frequency induced low pressure, high density plasma reactor under conditions that promote hydrogenation of the poly-Si component.

Abstract: A thermal management device for controlling the temperature of a computer processor chip, by controlling the operating speed of the processor, including a temperature sensitive circuitry incorporated within a packaged clock chip for connection to a processor. A thermal management method for controlling the temperature of a computer processor chip includes sensing a temperature with a temperature dependent circuitry integrally formed in a packaged clock chip, in which the sensed temperature is a function of the temperature of the computer processor chip, generating a clock control signal with the temperature dependent circuitry and sending the clock control signal to a clock generator also integrally formed in the clock chip, and sending a clock signal from the clock generator to the computer processor chip in order to control the operating frequency, and thus the temperature, of the processor.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing the data between two separate computer systems is described. In a first aspect of the invention, the method includes the step of identifying each record stored in the memory of the first computer system that is intended to be synchronized. The records are identified with a unique identification indicia and an indicia that indicates the last time that the record was altered. Using the time of the last synchronization information, each of the selected records that was added to or deleted from one of the computer systems since the last synchronization is identified and added to or deleted from the other computer system. Further, each of the records that was modified on one computer system is modified on the other. If conflicting actions have occurred on the two computer systems, then the conflicts are handled in accordance with a predetermined protocol.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for facilitating the decomposition of organometallic compounds such as TEOS in chemical vapor deposition reactors in order to form deposition films. The method generally includes: (1) introducing an organometallic compound and ozone molecules to a chemical vapor deposition reactor; (2) directing ultraviolet radiation into the chemical vapor deposition reactor to increase the rate at which oxygen atoms are formed from the ozone molecules present in the chemical vapor deposition reactor; and (3) decomposing the organometallic compound to form a deposition layer. The organometallic compound decomposes at an accelerated rate due in part to an increased amount of hydroxyl radicals present in the chemical vapor deposition reactor.

Abstract: A method for correcting textual material recognized on a pen-based computer in accordance with the present invention includes the step of receiving an input on a screen of the computer system. The input is then recognized, and a bounding box defining the bounds of the input is defined. A determination of the intention and placement of the recognized input is then made according to the relationship between the bounding box of the recognized input and the bounding boxes of the already existing textual objects. When a substantial overlap is found of the recognized input with an existing textual object and the number of characters of the recognized input is less than a predetermined number, the recognized input is considered as an overwrite of the existing text. If the conditions are not met, the recognized input is considered as an insertion of a new textual object, i.e., a new word.

Abstract: A method for searching the contents of a memory device for a pen-based computer system, where the contents of the memory device are organized as one or more files, where each file contains records, and where a file has an associated "button" proved on a surface of the housing of the computer system. The method includes the ,steps of: receiving a find-command from a user; receiving a selection search string from the user; searching the records of each file in the memory device for the search string; making a list of target files and the number of hits in each file; displaying indicators showing a summary of the list; and processing a user input with the summary. All of the records in all of the files are searched. The number of hits for each file are displayed.

Abstract: A limiting transimpedance amplifier includes an amplifier stage including a feedback resistor, a limiting diode coupled across the feedback resistor, and a stabilization diode coupled to the amplifier stage to compensate for feedback instability introduced by the limiting diode. The amplifier stage includes an input transistor and an output transistor, where the feedback resistor couples an output of the output transistor to an input of an input transistor. A stabilization voltage generator is coupled to the stabilization diode to provide a stabilization voltage that causes the desired compensation.

Abstract: A method for measuring surface topography characterized by making multiple scans of the surface with a laser scanning unit and utilizing the multiple scans to create representations of the surface's topography. The surface topography data can also be used to calculate the compressive or tensile stress caused by a thin film applied to the surface of a semiconductor wafer. The apparatus of the present invention scans a laser beam across a surface in an x direction, and detects displacements of a reflected portion of the laser beam in a z direction. A pair of photodetectors are used to translate z direction displacements of the reflected beam into analog signals which are digitized and input into a microcomputer for analysis. The multiple scans of the surface are preferably accomplished by placing the workpiece on a pedestal which can be rotated to various angular positions.

Abstract: A dynamic vertical solids separator acts as a dynamic filter to produce a clarified supernate sample for use in measuring the net electrokinetic charge demand of finely divided particles suspended in the slurry. The dynamic vertical solids separator first removes silt by simple solids separation, and then promotes rapid agglomeration of particles by first directing the slurry across serrated floc plates and then discharging the slurry upward through a venturi. Above the venturi a dynamic sample pool forms, within which the clarifying action occurs. The clarified supernate forms above the sample pool with a visible boundary separating the two. The clarified supernate can be fed to a streaming current detector for measuring the net electrokinetic charge demand of finely divided particles suspended in the slurry, or the position of the boundary can be measured as an indication of the concentration of finely divided particles suspended in the slurry.

Abstract: A method and system for operating a computer system in a low power mode in which the central processor unit (CPU) responds only to system events that require CPU operation is described. The invention inclues providing register banks on system logic coupled to the CPU which determines whether interrupt signals generated on the system require CPU attention and the priority to be accorded to the processes associated with the interrupt signals.

Abstract: A Thermal Ball Lead Integrated Package (Thermal BLIP) having improved thermal performance over prior art BLIPs is described. The BLIP combines ball and lead technologies to increase the interconnect density of the package but has relatively poor heat extraction capabilities. The Thermal BLIP is particularly well suited for high power and pin count integrated circuit devices. In an embodiment of the present invention, a heat sink is attached to the top surface of the die and extends through the package molding such that it is exposed to the ambient environment. Since the heat sink is integrated into the molding, the package size and footprint is not increased thereby limiting the cost increase of the package. This arrangement enables the use of high power devices in dense circuit board applications.

Abstract: A thin film protected capacitor structure having a thin film capacitor and a protection device is provided on an integrated circuit wafer. The wafer has a low resistivity substrate of a first type disposed under an epitaxial layer of a second type different from the first type. The structure includes a first heavily doped region, which is of the first type, in and through the epitaxial layer, and an oxide layer having a first oxide region disposed above the first heavily doped region. The first heavily doped region and the low resistivity substrate form the first plate of the thin film capacitor. There is also included a metal layer disposed above the first oxide region. A portion of this metal layer forms the second plate of the thin film capacitor. Between the second plate and the first plate, the aforementioned first oxide region represents the insulating dielectric. There is also included a second heavily doped region in the epitaxial layer.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for identifying regions of an integrated circuit layout design where optical proximity correction will be most useful and then performing optical proximity correction on those regions only. More specifically, the method includes the following steps: (a) analyzing an integrated circuit layout design with a design role checker to locate features of the integrated circuit layout design meeting predefined criteria; and (b) performing optical proximity correction on the features meeting the criteria in order to generate a reticle design. The criteria employed by the design role checker to select features include outside corners on patterns, inside corners on features, feature size, feature shape, and feature angles.

Abstract: An arcade game including a number of playing pieces having distinct colors and a number of targets associated with at least one of the distinct colors. A sensor apparatus is arranged to sense the color of a playing piece received by a target. The targets can preferably be highlighted to draw a player's attention to a designated target. A scoring apparatus changes a game score when the color of a ball received by a highlighted target matches a color associated with the highlighted target. A variation of the game includes a playing piece return mechanism and a playing piece dispenser mechanism. Another variation of the game includes an award dispenser, which dispenses an award based upon the game score.

Abstract: A device for detecting torque applied to a rotary shaft. The device has a sensing piece made of a magnetostrictive material and opposite ends for mounting the sensing piece on the rotary shaft. A primary coil is located around the rotary shaft for supplying magnetic flux to the sensing piece. A secondary coil is located around the rotary shaft for sending an electromotive force induced by the magnetic flux of the sensing piece. The electromotive force is measured to determine the torque applied to the shaft.