Abstract: An improved method of testing in a distributed environment which is comprised of a Control Program residing in a Control Machine. The Control Machine also contains the central repository of information to control test execution in the Test Machines. The Control Program forwards instructions to a particular Test Program, residing in a Test Machine. The instructions are executed on that machine, and results are reported back to the Control Program. The Control Program verifies whether the results are correct. Depending on the results of the verification, the Control Program sends the test machine further instructions (to continue the test, stop the test, etc.). Logging the results of each test operation, keeping track of the tests performed, and coordinating the test cases are all performed on the Control Machine, by the Control Program.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a digital signal by a fast Fourier transformation using balanced coefficients. The balanced coefficient method reduces the number of coefficients required to process an FFT of size 2.sup.p from a total of 2.sup.p coefficients to p times the square root of 2.sup.p. The new system employs a reduced number of coefficients in a unique addressing scheme to produce a cheaper, lighter, smaller, cooler FFT processor which uses less power and is more reliable.

Abstract: An Event Driven Interface (EDI) is disclosed for use as a subsystem of a monitoring and control system for a data communications network. The network communicates a serial stream of binary bits having a characteristic pattern. The system includes a control vector generator for generating a control vector C(i) which describes the characteristic pattern and an event vector analyzer for analyzing an event vector E(i) which represents a plurality of occurrences of the pattern on the network.

Abstract: An apparatus for injecting errors into a FDDI token ring network is disclosed. The error injection scheme operates by fooling a FORMAC into thinking it sent a real frame of data. This is done by using two RAM buffers. The RAM buffer normally accessed by the RBC/DPC becomes a SHADOW RAM during error injection operation. A dummy frame is loaded into the shadow RAM in order to fool the FORMAC. This data is just like the data that would be used if sending a normal frame, with the restriction that it must be shorter than the error injection data. The other buffer, the error injection RAM, contains the error injection frame. The error injection data is sent out to the media by switching a multiplexor. When the FORMAC is done transmitting the data, the multiplexor is switched back to the normal mode. Thus, the FORMAC is unaware of what happened and the token ring remains operational.

Abstract: A system and method for recognizing characters in cursive script is provided in which the script is scanned to detect word boundaries and words are then segmented into characters. This is accomplished by segmenting the script to form an initial portion, the segmentation being performed with reference to its position relative to a word boundary. This initial portion is then compared with a set of reference portions. Subsequent portions of the script are taken in sequence and compared with reference portions until a character is identified with an uncertainty less than a predetermined threshold value. A new initial portion is then segmented, with the new initial portion chosen on the basis of the average width of the character identified and the comparison process repeated to identify the next character.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for spin coating a substrate with a liquid material which prevents the material from contacting the edge or backside of the substrate or forming an edge bead at the periphery of the substrate is disclosed. A spin chuck is equipped with a conformable elastomer which seals the edge of the substrate and forms a continuous surface with a planar surface of the substrate for the liquid material to flow off the substrate unimpeded during the spin coating process. As the elastomer is resilient, small variations in substrate size and shape are automatically compensated. None of the substrate area is lost to masking and/or removal processes as in the prior art, allowing the entire substrate area to be available for further processing.

Abstract: A computer implemented system creates natural language paraphrases of information contained in a logical form, where the logical form may be a representation of a natural language expression. (Logical forms are widely used by database query systems and machine translation systems and are typically forms of first-order logic, with the possible addition of higher-order operators.) The paraphraser is implicitly defined via the BNF description of CLF (Baclis-Naur Forms) of Initial Trees and of the paraphrase rules. The paraphraser uses a technique for mapping logical forms to natural language. The natural language paraphrases which are created could be used either as input to a query system, as part of a machine translation system, or to generate natural language corresponding to an interpretation created by a natural language database query system of a user's query for the purpose of verification of the paraphrase by the user.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically disambiguating the synonymic links in a dictionary for a natural language processing system. Said dictionary is stored in the memory of a data processing system and includes a list of headwords with their respective synonym lists. The same headword can have different meanings, each of which has its own synonym list, each of which also can have different meanings. Disambiguation of the synonymic links is performed by reading from said dictionary a "meaning-entry", the words from which it is a synonym and its own list of synonyms, to build a synonymic environment table. A similarity index is computed for each pair of words of said environment and the words having the greatest similarity with the aggregate are incrementally clustered. The final cluster is then validated and the "meaning-entry" and its disambiguated synonyms are written back into the dictionary.

Abstract: The invention supplements the use of a conventional authentication token such as a MAC or DSG, to provide very strong evidence of the origin of an electronic message. A new type of authentication token, known as the "Non-Repudiation Vector" (NRV) is attached to each message sent across a data network. The NRV cryptographically links each message sent or received by a particular data processor on the network to previous and subsequent messages handled by that data processor, to create a chain of cryptographically linked messages. The burden of proof for the repudiation of a message is transferred to the sender of a message, who must demonstrate how the sending data processor could have moved through the time period during which the disputed message was sent, without generating the NRV corresponding to the disputed message.

Abstract: A writing instrument comprises nonretractable nib 14 made of porous material and being in fluid communication with an ink reservoir of fluorescent transparent ink, the nib colloquially known as a "highlighter". A second nib 16 is retractable and is substantially rigid and is in fluid communication with a second ink reservoir of nontransparent ink, the second nib colloquially known as a "ball point pen". The retractable and nonretractable nibs extend from an angular face of an elongated body in which they are contained. The angular face permits the nonretractable and retractable nibs, which are in parallel relation, to extend in spaced relations so that the retractable nibs extends beyond the nonretractable nib whereby the nonretractable nib does not contact the writing surface when the retractable nib is used as writing instrument.

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: Preselection of words for spelling error check utilizes unique attribute information of words. The attribute information is generated for each vocabulary word and each vocabulary word is classified based on the attribute information and then stored in the dictionary. The attribute information is generated by obtaining character categories for each vocabulary word, ordering the character categories with a predetermined criterion, taking a leading character categories, and then generating one or more combinations of m character categories from the n leading character categories, which combinations being the attribute information. For an inputted character string to be checked, the attribute information is also generated, and the vocabulary words included in one or more classes specified by the attribute are selected as the candidate words for the correct word.

Abstract: A semiconductor process for fabricating bipolar devices of one type and extendible to include bipolar devices of a second type in the same epi-layer. The process protects selected surfaces of the epi-layer against deleterious processes associated with the formation of future emitter/contact regions for the devices. Subsequently, such emitter/contact regions are formed beneath such protected surfaces and contribute to enhanced device performance. The process also provides improved planarization of an insulating layer on the epi-layer by chemical-mechanical polishing. The planarization in conjunction with a mask formed in the insulating layer facilitates the formation of self-aligned emitter/base regions to appropriate thicknesses for high performance devices.

Abstract: An electromagnetic emission shield which reduces electromagnetic emissions from electronic equipment, particularly from the face of a video display device is described. The shield preferably comprises a fine wire mesh laminated between and extending beyond two optically transparent plates. The wire mesh has an open area smaller in area than the two transparent plates which is substantially centered on the plates. One of the optically transparent plates is coated with an optically transparent, electrically conductive coating on at least one face, and this coating is in electric contact with the wire mesh. The periphery of the wire mesh is grounded to a metallic housing which surrounds the electronic equipment to be shielded.

Abstract: A method of planarizing wide dielectric filled isolation trenches formed in the surface of a semiconductor surface is described. A self aligned mask is formed on the thick conformal layer of dielectric in the depressions over the wide trenches to protect the dielectric in those trenches from etching during planarization steps. The mask material is chosen to have etch characteristics different from the dielectric layer and a subsequent planarizing organic layer to allow selective etching of the mask material or dielectric without etching the other materials in the structure.

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.

Abstract: An improved heat sink is disclosed in which a plurality of heat conducting fins extends form a base of heat conductive material. The top surface of the base is peaked to reduce the dead space that would otherwise occur during vertical impingement air flow. In the preferred embodiment, the top surface is pyramidal in shape with the peak at the center. In other embodiments, the top surface can be convex or concave and have the peak located off center. Also, webs of material can be left at the bottom of the cooling fins to provide channels for improved air flow.

Abstract: A method for providing increased dopant concentration in selected regions of semiconductors by providing field implant dopant in the transition region located below the "bird's beak" region and between the field and active regions of a semiconductor. The method comprises the steps of: forming a thin insulating layer on the surface of a semiconductor substrate; depositing a thin anti-oxidant layer on the insulating layer; depositing a layer of photoresist on the anti-oxidant layer; selectively etching the anti-oxidant layer; ion-implanting the field region of the semiconductor substrate; providing spacers on the sides of the anti-oxidant layer; and oxidizing the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: An information processing system is disclosed which provides a writer with acceptable replacement phrases to substitute for trite phrases in a manuscript text. The replacement phrases are grammatically equivalent to the trite phrases and can be immediately inserted into the text without further alteration.

Abstract: Described is an improved common faced terminated multi-layer ceramic capacitor structure capable of embodying multiple capacitors of various maximum voltage and capacitance rating and method for its making. The structure features a ceramic body including multiple sections having a dielectric element and companion plate of one or more types, the types defined by the number and placement on the plate of plate tabs. The sections are aligned in the body such that the plates are located at displaced intervals in the direction of the body length while the plate tabs are located at displaced intervals in the direction of the body width and exposed at a common body face. Buses interconnect the tabs and plate in groups at common face. By selectively connecting the buses, one or more capacitors may be formed in the body.