Abstract: Apparatus for enhancing the interactivity of a consumer electronic product in the home. The invented apparatus includes an electronic product typically located in a user's home, e.g. a television (TV), equipped with an input/output (I/O) port that permits an external device to be operatively connected thereto for interacting with the TV, wherein the external device receives and optionally transmits user information over an existing paging network. The external device may itself be a pager, or it may be any device capable of receiving useful user information from a remote source and formatting it for porting to a memory buffer within the home electronic product via the I/O port. In response to receipt of such information and an appropriate command, the electronic product such as a TV may display the information in a window created within the TV screen or may overlay the information in such manner that it is visible to the TV viewer without interrupting regular broadcast or cable TV reception.

Abstract: A process of cleaning debris (24) from a partially-sawn semiconductor wafer (10). The method of the present invention includes cleaning a partially fabricated wafer (12) that may have fabricated on it a micromechanical device (16) which can be easily damaged by particles (24) generated by the partial-saw process, such as oxide particles. The present invention includes cleaning the partially-sawn wafer with a solution including diluted hydrofluoric acid and an alkyl glycol. Clean-up using this solution accomplishes two goals. First, it removes debris including oxide particles on the wafer surface and in the kerfs (22), and second, reduces the depth of damage in the surface (26) of a CMOS layer (14) proximate the kerf (22) which has been determined to be a source of particles generated after a wafer cleanup process. A subsequent megasonic process is utilized to acoustically vibrate the wafer while bathed in deionized water to further remove any other particles.

Abstract: A micromechanical device (50) with spring tips (60) and its method of manufacture. A micromechanical device (50) is formed such that there is a deflectable element (36) suspended by at least one hinge (24a) over an air gap, at the bottom of which are landing stops (34a). The element (36) deflects on said hinge and comes into contact with the landing stops (34a) via at least one small metal protrusion (60), or spring tip. The spring tip flexes upon contact allowing more even distribution of forces and less wear and adhesion. The spring tips are formed in standard semiconductor processing steps with the addition of patterning the metal layer (64) from which the hinges are formed to create separated metal elements. When the deflectable element is formed, the metal forming that element bonds to the separated metal elements at the tips, thereby forming the spring tips.

Abstract: An improved processing system (10) for video signal processing. The system uses only one newer version scan-line video processor (12) at nearly maximum efficiency, with a digital input that is at a common rate. The processor performs motion detection, motion adaptive scan conversion, horizontal and vertical scaling and applies sharpness control within a limited amount of instruction space, and applies these functions to four different video formats.

Abstract: A method of reducing the effects of aliasing. Pixels are divided into phases, such that a phase or combination of phases may be printed to provide one of a number of dot shapes for each pixel. When a pixel is partly overlapped by an object to be printed, that pixel's dot shape is determined by determining which dot shape is the best geometrical match with the overlap. (FIGS. 3 and 7). Then, a greyscale value is determined for the selected dot shape by determining what greyscale will provide an effective greyscale that substantially corresponds to the percent of overlap by the object with the pixel. An alternative method selects a greyscale value for each phase rather than for the entire dot shape.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a printing system using a spatial light modulator. The spatial light modulator is an array of individually activated elements, all of which are set in a predetermined state, such as the ON state. Light is then directed onto the array and the resultant light passed into the printing system from the modulator is monitored by a sensor. Discrepancies between the light expected and received at the sensor are used to adjust the operation of the modulator to compensate for stuck or non-responsive pixels.

Abstract: A data converter (13) for providing data for secondary images in a video display system (10). One embodiment (FIG. 2) provides data for a staggered pixel array, by using an A/D converter (23) to sample the data at a rate of 2/n(h) times the sample rate of the main image, where 1/n(h) is the horizontal scaling factor. A multiplexer (24) selects between two different sample patterns. Another embodiment (FIG. 3) provides data for progressively scanned secondary images by selecting 2/n(v) times the number of lines per input field, where 1/n(v) is the vertical scaling factor.

Abstract: A method of operating a micromechanical device. The device is in a first state. Data for the next state of the device is loaded onto the activation circuitry of the device, where the next state may be the same state the device is currently in, or a state different from the first state. The equilibrium of the device is shifted away from the next state, by making the data appear complementary to the true data for the next state. When the trapping field is removed or lowered, and a signal to start the transition is provided, the device moves to its new state and the trapping field is reapplied. The data can be made to look complementary by either loading the complements to the true data, or by reversing the polarity of the trapping field.

Abstract: A spherical illuminator (10, 40, 50, 60) having an upper diffuser (17, 47, 56, 62) with a concave surface, and having either an opposing reflector (18, 41) or an opposing lower diffuser (57, 63) with a concave surface. The two concave surfaces are placed so that their concavities form a substantially spherical viewing area into which the object under inspection is placed. The upper diffuser (10, 40, 50, 60) has a viewing aperture. It transmits light uniformly to the object from approximately two-pi steradians. The reflector (18, 41) or the lower diffuser (57, 63) provides light to the object in another two-pi steradians, resulting in nearly four-pi steradians of illumination.

Abstract: A method of testing a large integrated circuit (10) of modular design. Test equipment is connected to a dedicated testing pad section (20) for each circuit section (22, 24, 34) of each module (12, 14, 16). The circuit section under test is tested via the testing pad adjacent that circuit section. The test equipment is then stepped to the testing section for the next circuit section. When testing is completed, the testing section is then electrically isolated from the circuit sections to prevent interference with operation of the entire circuit (10).

Abstract: A semiconductor device with an optically active region which receives light, and has a layer of metal which blocks the light from the substrate. The substrate contains addressing circuitry which can experience current leakage if photocarriers are allowed to form by contact with light. A layer of metal is deposited as an integral part of the device to prevent the light from reaching the substrate.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a monolithic device, preferably a micromechanical device, from a wafer (20) by carefully selecting the composition of two or more layers of photoresist (52,54). The present invention comprises choosing compatible photoresist layers to avoid generating defects in the layers of photoresist which could allow a wet chemical HF acid etch process to damage an underlying micromechanical device. The present invention allows a very strong solution of hydrofluoric acid to be utilized to remove particles and debris after a partial-saw process, and to remove a damaged portion of an underlying CMOS layer (22) at a region (68) proximate a kerf (62). Using an HF solution having a concentration of about 6% is desired. The present invention substantially improves the yield of micromechanical devices.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator based imaging system (30) with improved peak white performance characteristics. The apparent dynamic range of the spatial light modulator (74) is increased by adding light to pixels neighboring a saturated pixel. An apparent bloom effect is created with the pixels neighboring the saturated pixel appearing brighter, to give sunlight reflecting from the surface of a lake, for instance, more sparkle or highlights. Charts or equations are utilized to determine the degree to which pixel brightness is increased for neighboring pixels. The closer a pixel to a saturated pixel, and the greater the saturation of a particular pixel, the greater increase in brightness for neighboring pixels.

Abstract: A digital sampling and separation unit (12) for a television receiver (10) of a composite video signal, such as an NTSC signal, which has a color subcarrier. The video signal is sampled at a frequency selected in accordance with the invention. This frequency provides samples having a definite and repeating phase relationship with the subcarrier signal. (FIG. 4). As a result, phase reference values can be used to convert the samples into correct color difference values.

Abstract: A system and method for increasing the number of bits available for use in a video display system that includes at least one spatial light modulator. The system uses a wheel (30) of three colors, or a color wheel that is clear, including at least one segment (34) which has a lower intensity region, referred to as a neutral density filter. Alternately, the filter could be a liquid crystal controller to control either light amplitude or color. By using a lower intensity region, the amount of time available to process the least significant bit of the data sample is lengthened, thereby eliminating the constraint on the number of bits available for display.

Abstract: A micromechanical optical switch (30). A reflective surface with two angled reflective surfaces (32,34) positioned opposite a micromechanical device (12). The micromechanical device is positioned such that light input along a path (36) to a first (32) of the two angled reflective surfaces is reflected to the micromechanical device. The micromechanical device then reflects the light to the second (34) of the angled surfaces to be output along another path (38a, 38b). The path (38a, 38b) that the second angled surface (34) outputs the light along is selected depending upon the position of the micromechanical device's reflective member (14). The reflective member (14) deflects from at least one hinge (22) to one of several positions. The number of positions available to the reflective member (14) depends upon the voltage applied to the electrodes (27a, 27b, 27c, 27d). The reflective member (14) makes no contact with any other surfaces, and thereby always returns to a know position upon loss of power.

Abstract: Variations on the Koehler illumination system, used for providing light to be reflected from, or transmitted by, an SLM. An anamorphic illumination system (10) uses multiple light sources (11) and a cylindrical lens (14) to provide an elongated and compressed beam to the SLM (16). A cascaded illumination system (30) uses multiple light sources (31) and multiple TIR prisms (33) to provide an extended light beam or one that is more intense, to the SLM (36).

Abstract: An electrophotographic subsystem (130) with on-board monitoring and adjusting capabilities. The subsystem contains a photoreceptor, at least one toner dispenser, a light sensor and a processor. The processor monitors either light received from a light-imaging subsystem which is in the system into which the EP subsystem is inserted, the wear on the photoreceptor, or the toner's composition and amount, or all of the above processes. The processor then sends information either via controllers or directly to various subcomponents as operating parameter settings or instructions.

Abstract: A toner dispenser with on-board intelligence. The toner dispenser includes a reservoir of toner material and memory that stores the characteristics and amount of that toner material contained within. A coil resides inside the reservoir to allow the system into which the dispenser is inserted to vibrate the coil. This accomplishes both a churning of the toner, and the back-EMF of the coil can be measured to calculate the amount of toner remaining. The toner dispenser has communications capability that allows it to send the information contained therein to a system processor of the system into which it is inserted.

Abstract: A method of eliminating the effects of aliasing when printing objects having opposing edges. A center line between the opposing edges is identified. (FIG. 3). "Opposing pixels" on the edges are also identified and assigned offsetting grayscale values. (FIG. 4). This prevents the distances between the edges from appearing too narrow or too wide.