Abstract: An apparatus uses parasitic capacitances between each of one or more leads and a spaced apart electrically conductive plane on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) to store data transmitted on the one or more leads until new data is transmitted over the one or more leads from first or second devices interconnected by the one or more leads. The first device is responsive to a first control signal for modifying the data on the one or more leads and transmitting the modified data back onto the one or more leads. Alternatively, the first device is responsive to a second control signal for inhibiting the first device from reading the data from the one or more leads and from transmitting any data back onto the one or more leads for at least one clock cycle. When the first device is responsive to the second control signal, the data stored in the parasitic capacitances are, for example, read back into the second device and/or used as an output of the apparatus during a predetermined time period.

Abstract: An amplifier circuit (1) is arranged to amplify a signal of variable magnitude from a photodiode (3) having capacitive characteristics. The circuit (1) comprises a first feedback path containing a voltage controlled variable resistor (8) for varying the gain of the amplifier in relation to the magnitude of the signal so as to provide an output signal of substantially uniform magnitude. The first feedback path also contains a capacitor (7) which compensates for adverse effects of reactance in the circuit caused by the capacitance of the photodiode (3) and of the variable resistor (8) in order to optimize the frequency response characteristics of the amplifier. A second feedback path comprising a fixed value resistor (9) becomes operable when the resistance of the first feedback path is large to provide fixed gain amplification of signals received from the photodiode (3).

Abstract: A digital signal processing unit with an array of digital signal processors (DSP) is provided with a recirculation path for data sequences which cannot be fully processed by a single pass through the array. An input programmable gate array (PGA) controls distribution of data sequences to individual DSPs for processing and an output PGA controls their recollection. The recirculation path is provided by a recirculation register which is write enabled by the output PGA and read enabled by the input PGA.

Abstract: There is provided a method of adding a new private branch exchange interface (PBX port) to a data communication network having a number of existing PBX ports, each coupled to respective ones of data transport nodes for sending and receiving via high speed data links (e.g., T-1 lines) customer data to each of the other nodes. A network management system computer having a database is coupled to the network.

Abstract: A system for the control of the orientation and configuration of an indoor TV antenna. Such control can be effected by using an infrared remote control device, such as the type conventionally used as a TV remote control, which controls the antenna directly. Alternatively, optimum antenna orientation and configuration can be determined for each channel and stored in a memory and, when the viewer selects a particular channel, the antenna is automatically adjusted to the stored optimum orientation and configuration associated with that channel. Some of the antenna characteristics which can be controlled and stored include the orientation of antenna elements about a vertical axis, the length of the elements, the relative angle between elements, the angular orientation of a loop antenna about a vertical axis, the angular orientation of a loop antenna about a horizontal axis, the diameter of the loop antenna, and other attributes such as antenna amplifier gain.

Abstract: Apparatus processes mixed YUV and color palettized video signals for display on an interlaced NTSC or PAL television receiver by storing first and second fields of one or more sprites in a graphic memory. Each sprite is stored as YUV or color palettized data and given a priority. A higher priority sprite overwrites pixel data of sprites of a lower priority when sprites overlap. First and second adjacent horizontal lines of pixel data in the first and second fields, respectively, are concurrently stored in respective first and second double buffers of a pixel assembly buffer during each line period. A delay buffer and the first and second double buffers generate first, second, and third adjacent horizontal lines, respectively, of pixel data at the output of the pixel assembly buffer while third and fourth adjacent horizontal lines of pixel data are inputted to the first and second double buffers.

Abstract: A bidirectional amplifier that compensates for signal attenuation in a transmission medium uses a first diplex filter for directing a first signal including a pilot signal and propagating in a first direction along a first section of the transmission medium onto a first path of the amplifier. A second diplex filter directs a second signal in a different frequency band than the first signal that is propagating in a second direction opposite to the first signal along a second section of the transmission medium onto a second path of the amplifier. The first and second paths interconnect separate sections of the first and second diplex filters. A compensating device is disposed in the first and second paths wherein a pilot detection circuit detects the pilot signal in the first signal and generates therefrom separate control signals to first and second Bode Slope Equalizers in the first and second paths, respectively.

Abstract: An injection molding apparatus includes a nozzle which is directly connected to a mold for injecting a molding material into the mold. The mold defines at least one cavity in the shape of a element to be molded and at least one gate passage, each gate passage interconnecting a separate cavity with the nozzle. The shape of the gate passage permits a rapid curing of any residual molding material, and permits separation of the mold and the nozzle before the molding material in each cavity is cured. The nozzle is then used for a subsequent procedure or molding process while the molding material in the cavity cures. The nozzle defines a first bore and a second bore arranged longitudinally in sequence, and a side hole for introducing the molding material into the first bore. The nozzle includes a first plunger which is selectively reciprocally movable in the first bore, and a second plunger which is selectively reciprocally movable in the second bore and in a central bore defined in the first plunger.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, which has a silicon body that includes at least one planar p-n junction that intersects a surface of the body, uses a multilayer arrangement that includes a first layer of thermally grown silicon dioxide, a second layer of Chemical-Vapor-Deposited (CVD) silicon nitride, a third layer of CVD oxygen-rich polysilicon, and a fourth layer of CVD silicon dioxide to passivate the junction. Common metallization contacts both the diffused region of the planar junction and the oxygen-rich polysilicon.

Abstract: A system for determining the performance of a first piece of sport equipment mounts the first piece of sports equipment such as a bat, golf club, tennis racket, or hockey stick having known characteristics of a Moment of Inertia, a weight, and a location of a Center of Mass for impact by a second piece of sports equipment which has a known Coefficient of Restitution in a mounting device. The mounting device is arranged to freely move the first piece of sports equipment from a predetermined starting position when the first piece of sports equipment is impacted substantially at a center of a predetermined impact area thereof by the second piece of sports equipment moving at a velocity "v".

Abstract: In a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) communication network, a central office (CO) provides interactive communication between a service provider and a plurality of user terminals. To synchronize transmissions of the user terminals, a timebase timer in the CO generates modulo N-bit cyclical reference counts as time markers. In a downstream direction to the plurality of user terminals, time marker insertion units in the CO receive both (a) separate digital TDMA transport streams having a predetermined data rate including data packets and Media Access Control (MAC) packets that are interspersed between the data packets at predetermined intervals, and (b) the time markers generated by the timebase timer, and insert a currently received time marker count into a concurrently received MAC packet. The resultant downstream TDMA transport streams with the inserted time marker counts in the MAC packets are transmitted in continuous TDMA output transport stream to the remote user terminals.

Abstract: Suppressed synchronizing signals of a scrambled standard TV picture are recovered and the picture unscrambled by a method including the steps of: separating a video portion having suppressed sync signals from an audio portion of a TV picture at an intermediate frequency level, amplifying the video portion through a gain controlled amplifier, selectively compensating for the suppressed levels of sync signals, passing the video portion with recovered sync signals of the TV picture through a demodulator, and providing a feedback signal from the demodulator to the gain controlled amplifier to automatically control its gain and thereby minimize artifacts in the TV picture after sync recovery. This new method is easily carried out by apparatus using only a few standard circuit components which can be manufactured as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

Abstract: A high voltage silicon rectifier includes a substrate portion and an epitaxial mesa portion that is a frustrum of a pyramid with a substantially square cross section and side walls that make a forty five degree angle with the substrate portion. The mesa portion includes three germanium doped layers that introduce strain to speed up recombination of charge carriers.

Abstract: Cost effective video clipping circuitry and method achieve lower distortion color television broadcasting. Excess "white" level voltage peaks in otherwise standard (e.g., that of the National Television Standards Committee) color line video signals are clipped by a unique arrangement to prevent over-modulation of an RF broadcast carrier. The circuitry includes amplifier circuitry for substantially amplifying a line video signal above standard levels, diode clipping circuitry for clipping excess white levels from the signal after it has been amplified thereby reducing distortion otherwise caused by an inherent non-linear initial conduction characteristic of the diode clipping circuitry, and attenuator circuitry for attenuating to standard levels the signal after clipping so as to obtain reduced luminance and chrominance distortion.

Abstract: A dry etching process for use in the manufacture of silicon integrated circuit devices uses a mixture of about eight parts neon to one part CHF.sub.3 (Freon 23) to form the etching plasma. The process etches doped oxides of silicon, such as BPSG and BPTEOS, in preference to undoped oxides of silicon, silicon nitride, silicides and silicon.

Abstract: A dry etching process for use in the manufacture of silicon integrated circuit devices uses a mixture of about eight parts neon to one part CHF.sub.3 (Freon 23) to form the etching plasma. The process etches doped oxides of silicon, such as BPSG and BPTEOS, in preference to undoped oxides of silicon, silicon nitride, silicides and silicon.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for obtaining improved control of the temperature of a semiconductor wafer over its area during plasma processing including reactive ion etching (RIE) and similar processing. RIE reactor apparatus is provided with a novel chuck arrangement both for holding and for controlling the temperature of a wafer during processing. A top face of a chuck (either mechanical or electrostatic), against which the wafer is held, is configured into a plurality of zones into which zone coolant gas, such as helium, is admitted. The zone coolant gas passes through narrow channels between the top face of the chuck and the Underside of the wafer. Heat transfer from the wafer through the zone coolant gas and to the body of the chuck is controlled zone by zone by separately setting the pressure of zone coolant gas in each of the zones. By properly choosing pressures of zone coolant gas in the respective zones the temperature across the area from the center to the rim of both small and large diameter wafers (e.g.

Abstract: Mesa diodes of improved mechanical properties are formed by providing a central depression in the regions of the chip from which the mesa is formed before the diffusion step that forms the rectifying junction in the mesa. In symmetric diodes, symmetric depressions are formed on both the top and bottom surfaces of the chip.

Abstract: A medical device having a regular or irregular shape is sterilized in a sterilizing apparatus comprising a means for moveably supporting the medical device, and a electrode having an anode tip at one end thereof which is positioned to form a gap with a predetermined length between the anode tip and the medical device. To sterilize a portion of an outer surface of the medical device at the anode tip of the electrode, predetermined first and second voltages are applied to the anode tip and the medical device, respectively. The voltage and current applied to the anode tip and the medical device are raised to predetermined values to provide a voltage differential across the gap to form a glow discharge adjacent the outer surface of the medical device for sterilizing the outer surface of the medical device.

Abstract: A system for overlaying digital character signals on an analog video source signal including a predetermined color subcarrier includes a subcarrier phase lock loop, a digital character generating device, a digital video encoder, and a switching device. The subcarrier phase lock loop separately generates a color subcarrier and a system clock signal which are locked to the color subcarrier of the analog video source signal. The digital character generating device detects horizontal and vertical timing of pixel information in the analog video source signal, and generates digital character signals that are to be overlaid in predetermined pixels of the analog video source signal. The digital video encoder is responsive to the color subcarrier and system clock signals for generating a separate color subcarrier which is locked to the color subcarrier of the analog video source signal.