Abstract: A non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) cell of condensed size employs a pair of programmable threshold voltage devices, e.g. MNOS (metal nitride oxide semiconductor), SNOS (silicon nitride oxide semiconductor), SONOS (silicon oxide-nitride-oxide semiconductor) or floating gate transistors, in which different threshold voltage levels are established in accordance with the data signal levels existing on the data nodes of a flip flop, when the volatile data is stored in the programmable devices. During recall of the non-volatile stored data to the data nodes of the flip flop, the programmable devices actively conduct current to the data nodes to set the flip flop in the same state that existed when the data was stored. Power is supplied to the flip flop independently of the power supplied to the programmable devices. A single polysilicon conductor forms gates of transistors which connect the programmable devices to the data nodes and the gates of the flip flop transistors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interconnecting electronic circuits using nearly pure soft annealed gold mechanically compressed within through-plated holes. The invention has its application in attaching integrated circuit dice directly to circuit boards by ball bonding gold wires to the bonding pads of the integrated circuit dice in a substantially perpendicular relationship to the surfaces of the dice and inserting the gold leads into through-plated holes of circuit boards which provide an electrical and a mechanical connection once the leads are compressed within the through-plated holes. The present invention also finds its application in the interconnection of sandwiched circuit board assemblies where soft gold lead wires are inserted into axially aligned through-plated holes of the circuit boards and compressed so that the hold lead wires compress and buckle within the through-plated holes, forming an electrical connection between the circuit boards.

Abstract: A current mirror sense amplifier includes current control devices connected in series with each pair of transistors forming a reference branch and an amplifying branch of the amplifier. The control devices are connected and biased in a cross latched manner, and when the reference and amplifying branches respond to a differential input signal, the conductivity of the control devices regeneratively changes until the current through both branches is ultimately terminated and the output signal attains a level substantially at the level of one of the supply voltages, Vcc and Vss. The sense amplifier also includes resetting devices for reestablishing the initial conductivity states of the branches and the control devices, in order to allow the sense amplifier to respond to a new differential input signal. Biasing transistors establish initial bias levels for the control devices which prevent them from regenerating into the opposite conductive until a differential input signal is applied.

Abstract: A transceiver for a LAN is capable of communicating multiple bits per signal element to increase the data throughput of the LAN. The transceiver includes a transmitter which receives a multiple bit digital input value originating at a node of the LAN at which the transceiver is present. The transmitter converts the multiple bit digital input signal into a pulse-like analog signal which is amplitude and phase modulated. A receiver of a transceiver at a receiving node the transmitted analog signal converts its amplitude and phase into a corresponding multiple bit digital output value. A time-domain filter of the receiver creates a primary signal from the received analog signal. To sample the primary signal at its maximum amplitude point, a derivative of the primary signal waveform is used to establish the zero derivative point at which the primary signal attains its maximum amplitude, and to establish a fixed sampling point for subsequent signals.

Abstract: Additional nodes beyond those permitted by the size of the address field of a standard network operating protocol, may be added to a directed token LAN, and the added nodes may be automatically and dynamically configured or reconfigured into a token passing loop. The added nodes, referred to as enhanced nodes, interoperably combine a standard reconfiguration sequence of a standard network operational protocol with an enhanced reconfiguration sequence of an enhanced protocol in order to send tokens to establish the next active nodes of the network and thereby establish the token passing loop through all of the standard and enhanced nodes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interconnecting electronic circuits using nearly pure soft annealed gold mechanically compressed within through-plated holes. The invention has its application in attaching integrated circuit dice directly to circuit boards by ball bonding gold wires to the bonding pads of the integrated circuit dice in a substantially perpendicular relationship to the surfaces of the disc and inserting the gold leads into through-plated holes of circuit boards which provide an electrical and a mechanical connection once the leads are compressed within the through-plated holes. The present invention also finds its application in the interconnection of sandwiched circuit board assemblies where soft gold lead wires are inserted into axially aligned through-plated holes of the circuit boards and compressed so that the gold lead wires compress and buckle within the through-plated holes, forming an electrical connection between the circuit boards.

Abstract: An output clock signal is synchronized with predetermined phase accuracy relative to an internal stable frequency reference clock signal upon the application of a transition of an asynchronous event signal. A plurality of phase shifted versions of the reference clock signal are derived. Upon the occurrence of the asynchronous signal, the states of the phase shifted versions are sampled, and that information is utilized as a code to select one of the phase shifted versions from which the output clock signal is derived. Synchronization occurs rapidly within the metastable settling time of the flip-flops of a register which sample or decode the states of the phase shifted versions, or by logical gating arrangements which avoid the necessity for considering the metastable signal. Synchronization is typically obtainable in less than the period of one reference clock signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interconnecting electronic circuit boards through the use of twisted wire jumpers which are formed from multifilament wire and which have enlarged bird cages formed along the pins. The pins are drawn through a stack of circuit boards to position the cages in contact with interconnection apertures located in the printed circuit boards. The frictional engagement of the cages in the apertures provides both electrical inter connection of, and mechanical coupling between the printed circuit boards.

Abstract: A single ended sense amplifier senses whether or not a memory cell in an array conducts current from a bit line conductor to which the sense amplifier is connected. A first stage of the sense amplifier includes a number of separately biased transistors which establish a lower voltage level at a node when the cell conducts current than the higher voltage level at the node when the cell does not conduct current. A second stage of the sensed amplifier includes transistors connected in an inverting arrangement to receive the signal from the node and supply an output signal at an output terminal in response thereto. An equalizing transistor is selectively connected between the node and the output terminal and establishes a high gain bias point voltage at the node when conductive. The high gain bias point in intermediate the higher and lower voltages established at the node by the first stage.

Abstract: Two different communication protocols are interoperatively combined for use in a local area network (LAN). An enhanced protocol can be selected as an alternative to a common protocol during communication between enhanced nodes of the LAN. Signals communicated between nodes of the LAN in the first and second protocols create the appearance of valid activity in both protocols, and always communicate at least some valid information in one of the protocols and selectively communicate additional valid information in a second protocol. Preferably the signals applied in the second or enhanced protocol include signals which are inserted in such a way that they are transparent to the first protocol. Improved network management capabilities and data transfer rates are available as a result of the information communicated in the second protocol.

Abstract: In a token-based local area network, the token may be selectively redirected out of its normal even rotational sequence among all of the active nodes of the network to pass the token more frequently through a priority group of nodes than through a non-priority group of nodes. The priority group is more likely to have messages to initiate from either a numerical or immediacy standpoint, compared to the non-priority group which is less likely to have messages to initiate. When token redirection is not desired, the token is passed in this normal even rotational sequence. Despite redirection, the token is still passed through all of the active nodes on the network in a periodic manner so as to assure normal network activity. Multiple messages can be initiated from a single node before the token is passed to any other node.

Abstract: A process of forming plated through-holes in a printed circuit board involves placing a film of fluid ink having electrically conductive properties on a side wall of the hole, curing the film to a solid and electroplating a layer of metal on the conductive ink film. The conductive ink preferably is a composition including conductive particles such as carbon and silver flakes. The ink also preferably includes a thermosetting or radiation curable binder and a thinner. The film of ink is cured before the layer of metal is electroplated thereon. The plated through-hole is protected from the etchant when the conductors are etched by placing a radiation curable putty material into the hole, curing it, and then depositing a layer of resist on top of the cured putty and a conductive sheet clad to the substrate of the circuit board.

Abstract: A frequency responsive selective ringing circuit detects a selected one of a plurality of frequency-distinctive ringing signals applied on either the tip or ring conductors of a telephone line, distinguishes between the respectively different frequencies on a rapid cycle-by-cycle basis, and either applies the ringing signal to telephone equipment to ring the telephone equipment if the ringing signal is one which is selected, or rectifies the ringing signal and applies the rectified DC signal to the ringing circuit of the telephone equipment. The rectified DC signal will not ring the telephone because the DC signal is not conducted through a capacitor in the ringing circuit of the telephone equipment.

Abstract: An I/O network channel achieves relatively high rates of data communication between a plurality of widely physically dispersed devices interconnected by a LAN-type media. A processor connected to each node of the media controls the data and functions of a receiver and transmitter at each node to establish network level, transport level and session level data communication and control functions.

Abstract: A process of forming plates through-holes in a printed circuit board involves placing a film of fluid ink having electrically conductive properties on a side wall of the hole, curing the film to a solid and electroplating a layer of metal on the conductive ink film. The conductive ink preferably is a composition including conductive particles such as carbon and silver flakes. The ink also preferably includes a thermosetting or radiation curable binder and a thinner. The film of ink is cured before the layer of metal is electroplated thereon. The plated through-hole is protected from the etchant when the conductors are etched by placing a radiation curable putty material into the hole, curing it, and then depositing a layer of resist on top of the cured putty and a conductive sheet clad to the substrate of the circuit board.

Abstract: An electrosurgical unit for conducting a predetermined ionizable gas in a jet stream to the tissue at a predetermined flow rate sufficient to clear natural fluids from the tissue and to substantially expose the tissue stroma and for exposing the gas to an electrical radio frequency energy to ionize the gas in conductive pathways in the gas jet stream. The unit includes a nozzle which is releasably connected to a handle for easy manipulation by a surgeon with the nozzle including means for supporting an electrode in an optimal position for initiation of the ionization of the gas. Also, a connecting system is disclosed for connecting the hose on which the handle is mounted to a gas delivery apparatus and supply or electrical energy which permits the hose to rotate while maintaining a positive hermetic seal to prevent the hose from kinking during use by a surgeon.

Abstract: An electrosurgical generator in an electrosurgical unit (ESU) controls the repetition rate and the energy content of bursts of RF energy delivered to a gas jet supplied by the ESU, in order to maintain RF leakage current within acceptable limits while still achieving a sufficient state of ionization in the gas jet to reliably initiate the conduction of arcs to the tissue. The repetition rate of the RF bursts is substantially reduced in an inactive state when no arcs are delivered. A relatively small number of the RF bursts delivered during the inactive state have an increased or boosted energy content to assure an adequate ionization state in the gas jet.

Abstract: A time delay corrector corrects the relative time delay or phase error between two signals, for example, stereo audio signals. A window of no correction is established between two threshold levels. So long as a signal representative of the relative phase error on a relatively fast integration basis does not logically exceed the thresholds which define this window, no rapid phase error or time delay correction is accomplished. The window of zero correction thereby prevents any time delay or phase error corrections which might otherwise result from the normal phase fluctuations inherent in the two correlated stereo signals, thereby preserving the stereo imaging and information content of those signals. Upon the occurrence of the need for a relatively major time delay error correction, such as that which originates with tape splices and the like, detection signals logically exceed the thresholds of the window and a phase correction is rapidly attained.

Abstract: Well bore deviation from vertical is reduced or corrected by inducing a lateral deflection of the drill string at a predetermined location above the drill bit to force the drill bit to return to vertical. The lateral deflection occurs periodically and creates a nutating effect in the drill string which causes the drill bit to angle toward vertical. An eccentrically mounted roller becomes effective when it contacts the low side of a deviated well bore and preferably induces the lateral deflection as it rotates while in contact with the low side of the well bore.