Abstract: The disclosed system facilitates the user in electronically ordering items from suppliers. The system is comprised of an Electronic Catlogue and an Electronic Requisition facility. The Electronic Catalogue includes a Public Catalog and a Private Catalogue. The Public Catalog is stored on a publicly available database for access by customer/Requestors. The Private Catalogue is resident on a Customer's computer system and may contain unique pricing data based on pricing agreements. The Electronic Requisition facility is used by the Customer/Requestors to electronically create purchase requisitions based upon the information provided in the catalogues and route the requisitions through the appropriate approval process within he enterprise. Requisitions are then processed through the customer's procurement system and transmitted electronically as purchase orders to Suppliers.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for aligning an irregularly shaped object with a contact mask is disclosed. The apparatus includes a means for holding the irregularly shaped object, a means for holding a contact mask, a means for keeping the object and contact mask apart during alignment, means for optically aligning the contact mask to the object, and a means to bring the cube and object together once aligned. A conventional mask alignment tool has been modified to support a clamping fixture which holds the object in a fixed position. It includes a wafer sized disk made of deformable material which permits the edges of the disk to be in contact with the mask, yet when deflected by vacuum pressure will keep the surface of the object away from the contact mask assembly. Upon proper alignment, the vacuum is released and the deformable disk allows the object to cone in contact with the contact mask.

Abstract: A master copy of a software file has within it a predetermined block of data. When a copy of the file is made that block of data within the copied file is located and overwritten with data identifying the copied file. When an unauthorized copy is found, the data identifying the copy can be read and the source of the unauthorized copy may be traced. The invention is particularly suited to use with software distribution over a computer network in which details such as the time the copied file was made and the name of the authorized user can be embedded within the copy.

Abstract: A hardware-based system for managing multiple input/output devices sharing the same set of addresses in a computer system is described. The new VIRTUAL ENABLED state is a hybrid of the current ENABLED or ACTIVE and DISABLED or INACTIVE states. In the ENABLED state, an input/output (I/O) adapter responds to I/O addressing and presents interrupts to the processor. In the DISABLED state, the I/O adapter does not respond to I/O addressing and does not present interrupts. In the new VIRTUAL ENABLED state, the adapter does not respond to I/O addressing (as in the DISABLED state), but will still produce an interrupt (as in the ENABLED state). With the VIRTUAL state, multiple I/O adapters that would normally content for the same set of addresses (ENABLED state), or optionally be rendered inoperable (DISABLED state), can always remain available for I/O. A single register where the processor can read the interrupt status for all ENABLED and/or VIRTUAL ENABLED adapters sharing the same set of addresses is provided.

Abstract: An architecture and method for permitting knowledge-based systems to operate in an asynchronous manner is disclosed. A reasoning module includes a set of environment interface procedures which are customized for a specific complex system environment. This environment interface is compiled together with an inference engine and knowledge base to create an embeddable reasoning module.

Abstract: An improved expert system method for use with the RETE pattern matching algorithm is disclosed. At the heart of the invention is the concept of a "shuffleboard," a data structure conducive to sorting elements. The shuffleboard is essentially a list of lists. It is comprised of a set of nodes which are linked together in a series of columns. Each column corresponds to a test condition within a rule, and each node within a column corresponds to a variable referenced by the test condition. The shuffleboard approach provides a means of finding all tests using a given variable and associating those tests. The shuffleboard provides a frame of reference for constructing a new ordering of tests from which the RETE network can be constructed.

Abstract: The Video Insertion Processing System (VIPS) architecture provides the system architect with a modular and parallel approach to graphic processing. Using a core set of graphic modules, a wide range of graphic processing requirements can be satisfied. By providing the capability to support independent graphic paths, the performance can increase by N times for each set of graphic paths added. The use of independent graphic paths also increases the systems capability to meet real time response requirements. The key to the VIPS architecture is the ability to merge images from multiple frame buffers into a single display image. The final image is a result of selecting each pixel source based on the pixel's priority. This provides the graphics system with the capability of image overlay, underlay, merge and hide regardless of shape or size.

Abstract: A method of replicating changes made to databases distributed throughout a computer network is described. A first program (TP1) in the Collector node instructs a second program (TP2) in the Collectee node to send all updates to a database since the last conversation. TP2 processes queries to retrieve any changes made since the last conversation between the Collector and Collectee nodes and send the data to TP1, which updates the copy of the database on its own system.

Abstract: A process and structure for depositing metal lines in a lift-off process is disclosed. The process comprises the deposition of a four-layer structure or lift-off stencil, comprising a first layer of a lift-off polymer etchable in oxygen plasma, a first barrier layer of hexamethyldisilizane (HMDS) resistant to an oxygenplasma, a second lift-off layer and a second barrier layer. Once these layers are deposited, a layer of photoresist is deposited and lithographically defined with the metal conductor pattern desired. The layers are then sequentially etched with oxygen and CF.sub.4, resulting in a dual overhang lift-off structure. Metal is then deposited by evaporation or sputtering through the lift-off structure. Following metal deposition, the stencil is lifted-off in a solvent such as N-methylpyrroldone (NMP).

Abstract: A linear voltage regulator for regulating the voltage and current in a DC supply is described. The invention includes current and voltage sense elements. The outputs from the sensed elements are summed together as the gate input to an FET pass transistor which regulates the power supplied. The two feedback loops provide high bandwidth and improve dynamic response.

Abstract: An optical data switch for use within a multiprocessing environment is disclosed. Each processor has associated with it a data projector, such as a laser or an array of light emitting diodes, and a reading device, such as a Charge Coupled Device array. An optically reflective screen, or mirror, is arranged so that all processors can project their data on the screen at a specified location. Each processor's reading device has a view of the entire screen, thereby being capable of reading data from any other processor.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed to organize computer software operating in a distributed sytem of computers, so that its recovery from a failure of either the software or the hardware occurs before the failure becomes operationally visible. The software is made to recover from the failure and reprocess or reject the stimulus such that the result is available to the user of the system within the specified response time for that type of stimulus.

Abstract: A process and structure for depositing metal lines in a lift-off process is disclosed. The process comprises the deposition of a four-layer structure or lift-off stencil, comprising a first layer of a lift-off polymer etchable in oxygen plasma, a first barrier layer of hexamethyldisilizane (HMDS) resistant to an oxygen plasma, a second lift-off layer and a second barrier layer. Once these layers are deposited, a layer of photoresist is deposited and lithographically defined with the metal conductor pattern desired. The layers are then sequentially etched with oxygen and CF.sub.4, resulting in a dual overhang lift-off structure. Metal is then deposited by evaporation or sputtering through the lift-off structure. Following metal deposition, the stencil is lifted-off in a solvent such as N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP).

Abstract: A process for defining vias through a polyimide and silicon nitride layer is disclosed. After the deposition of a first layer of silicon nitride and a second layer of polyimide, a layer of photoresist capable of producing negatively sloped walls is then lithographically defined with a pattern of vias. After the photoresist is developed, the polyimide layer is etched with a CF.sub.4 O.sub.2 gas mixture using the developed photoresist layer as etch mask. The silicon nitride layer is then etched with a CF.sub.4 /H.sub.2 gas mixture using the etched polyimide layer as an etch mask.

Abstract: A process for making borderless contacts through an insulating layer to active regions of a semiconductor device is disclosed. After deposition of a silicon nitride layer and an insulation glass layer on a substrate coating semiconductor devices, the contact windows are etched. The windows are etched through the glass layer with BCl.sub.2 or CHF.sub.3 /CF.sub.4 etch gases. Next, the windows are etched through the silicon nitride with CH.sub.3 F or O.sub.2 /CHF.sub.3 gases.

Abstract: An expert system is provided which can be accessed by other application programs operating within any of the available operating environments in a general purpose computer system. In this architecture, an expert system consultation subsystem provides the means for performing expert consultations. Included within the expert system subsystem is a task manager which initiates and manages a plurality of concurrent consultations. Interface programming provides the capability for the expert system consultation subsystem to communicate and pass data and commands between it and other application programs operating within the computer system. Further, means are provided to allow the expert system subsystem to access data stored on database management systems.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for converting both a knowledge base and an inferencing technique into compilable program code forming a knowledge based system. The method is based on determining what actions an interpretitive inference engine would take with the specific knowledge base and generating only the program code needed to perform these actions. These method eliminates the overhead of interpreting a representation of the knowledge base and significantly improves performance of the system. The method is applicable to both forward and backward chaining reasoning strategies and does not modify or restrict the functional capabilities of the knowledge based system.

Abstract: A process for making metal contacts and interconnection lines which are self-aligned to each other is disclosed. After semiconductor devices are formed and an insulating/planarizing layer is deposited, a layer of polyimide is deposited. A pattern of trenches into which the metal interconnection lines will be deposited is formed in the polyimide layer. Next, a pattern of contacts to the underlying semiconductor devices is formed in a photoresist layer. This pattern of contacts is subsequently etched into the insulating/planarizing layer. Since both the patterned photoresist layer and the patterned polyimide layer are used as etch masks, the contact windows through the insulating/planarizing layer and the trenches in the polyimide layer will be aligned with respect to each other. After metal deposition, the metal contacts and interconnection lines will be self-aligned.

Abstract: A CMOS data cell having increased immunity to single event upsets is disclosed. The cell includes a first CMOS inverter and a second CMOS inverter which have their respective storage nodes interconnected by cross-coupling connections. The respective storage nodes of the cell are connected through word line or write clock transfer gates to bit lines or data bus lines which serve to both write in and read out the data state of the cell. The soft error resistant data cell further includes six transistors which provide the hardening features to the data storage cell design. Two data state control transistors (one for each storage node) have their drain electrodes connected to a data storage node and their source electrodes connected to the power supply rail. Each of the data state control transistors is gated by the word line voltage via a transfer device or pass transistor that is in turn, gated by the complementary storage node on the opposite side of the cell.

Abstract: A multilayered thin film structure for attaching input/output pins to a ceramic substrate, and method of making the thin film structure are disclosed. A thin adhesion layer, which can suitably be a refractory metal such as titanium, vanadium, chromium or tantalum, is first formed on the surface of the substrate. A thick stress reducing layer of soft metal such as copper, silver, nickel, aluminum, gold or iron is subsequently formed over the adhesion layer. To prevent the soft metal from reacting with subsequently brazed gold-tin pin eutectic alloy, a reaction barrier layer which can be titanium or zirconium is then deposited over the soft stress reducing metal cushion layer. The process is completed by finally depositing a gold layer over the reaction barrier layer.