Patents Represented by Attorney Law Office of Gerald Maliszewski
  • Patent number: 7470573
    Abstract: A method of making CMOS devices on strained silicon on glass includes preparing a glass substrate, including forming a strained silicon layer on the glass substrate; forming a silicon oxide layer by plasma oxidation of the strained silicon layer; depositing a layer of doped polysilicon on the silicon oxide layer; forming a polysilicon gate; implanting ions to form a LDD structure; depositing and forming a spacer dielectric on the gate structure; implanting and activation ions to form source and drain structures; depositing a layer of metal film; annealing the layer of metal film to form salicide on the source, drain and gate structures; removing any unreacted metal film; depositing a layer of interlayer dielectric; and forming contact holes and metallizing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jong-Jan Lee, Jer-Shen Maa, Douglas J. Tweet, Yoshi Ono, Sheng Teng Hsu
  • Patent number: 7466011
    Abstract: A hydrogen (H) exfoliation gettering method is provided for attaching fabricated circuits to receiver substrates. The method comprises: providing a Si substrate; forming a Si active layer overlying the substrate with circuit source/drain (S/D) regions; implanting a p-dopant into the S/D regions; forming gettering regions underling the S/D regions; implanting H in the Si substrate, forming a cleaving plane (peak concentration (Rp) H layer) in the Si substrate about as deep as the gettering regions; bonding the circuit to a receiver substrate; cleaving the Si substrate along the cleaving plane; and binding the implanted H underlying the S/D regions with p-dopant in the gettering regions, as a result of post-bond annealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven R. Droes, Yutaka Takafuji
  • Patent number: 7463380
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for print job fingerprinting. The method comprises: accepting an electronically formatted document; generating a print job; in a spooling/despooling subsystem, accepting fingerprint information; and, adding a fingerprint image to the print job. That is, a fingerprinted print job is generated. In some aspects, the fingerprint is encrypted. The method further comprises: sending the fingerprinted print job, from the spooling/despooling subsystem, to a printer; and, generating a hardcopy of the document, with the fingerprint image. If the fingerprinted print job is rendered, for example copied, scanned, or converted into a different print job format, the rendered print job still includes the fingerprint image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Rodney Ferlitsch
  • Patent number: 7464172
    Abstract: A system and method have been provided for achieving simultaneous media playout in a network including a server and a plurality of clients. The method comprises: from a server, supplying a media stream to clients at a first bitrate (R1); determining the network delivery requirement; and, in response to the network delivery requirements, modifying the supply of the media stream. Determining the network delivery requirements includes determining either the buffering capacities of the clients, or the media streaming disruptions. To determine the buffering capacities of the clients, a first minimum client buffering capacity (C1) is determined by polling the clients for their respective buffering capacities, and selecting the first minimum buffering capacity (C1) to be equal to the client with the smallest buffering capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Sachin G. Deshpande
  • Patent number: 7463695
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for five-level non-causal channel equalization in a communications system. The method comprises: receiving a non-return to zero (NRZ) data stream input; establishing a five-level threshold; comparing the first bit estimate to a second bit value received prior to the first bit; comparing the first bit estimate to a third bit value received subsequent to the first bit; and, in response to the comparisons, determining the value of the first bit. Establishing a five-level threshold includes: establishing thresholds to distinguish a first bit value when the second and third bit values are a “1” value, when the second bit value is a “1” and the third bit value is a “0”, when the second bit value is a “0” and the third bit value is a “1”, when the second and third bit values are a “0” value, and an approximate midway threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Micro Circuits Corporation
    Inventors: Warm Shaw Yuan, Daniel M. Castagnozzi, Keith Michael Conroy
  • Patent number: 7461141
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing driver configuration operations without a system reboot is disclosed. In one embodiment, a network server's adapter driver receives a request to change a configuration of a selected instance of a plurality of instances. In response, the adapter driver may then determine if there is data flow through the selected instance. If there is no data flow through the selected instance, the method includes blocking subsequent data flow and subsequent information requests issued to the adapter driver. The selected instance may then be reinitializing without rebooting the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Micro Circuits Corporation
    Inventors: Jeff Byers, Jing Huang, Khosrow Panah
  • Patent number: 7459375
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a silicon-on-plastic layer via layer transfer includes depositing a layer of SiGe on a silicon substrate; depositing a layer of silicon; implanting splitting hydrogen ions into the silicon substrate; bonding a glass substrate to the silicon layer; splitting the wafer; removing the silicon layer and a portion of the SiGe layer; depositing a dielectric on the silicon side of the silicon-on-glass wafer; applying adhesive and bonding a plastic substrate to the silicon side of the silicon-on-glass wafer; removing the glass from the glass side of the bonded, silicon-on-glass wafer to form a silicon-on-plastic wafer; and completing a desired IC device on the silicon-on-plastic. Multi-level structure may be fabricated according to the method of the invention by repeating the last few steps of the method of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jer-Shen Maa, Jong-Jan Lee, Douglas J. Tweet, Sheng Teng Hsu
  • Patent number: 7446014
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a NanoElectroChemical (NEC) cell. The method provides a bottom electrode with a top surface. Nanowire shells are formed. Each nanowire shell has a nanowire and a sleeve, with the nanowire connected to the bottom electrode top surface. A top electrode is formed overlying the nanowire shells. A main cavity is formed between the top electrode and bottom electrodes, partially displaced by a first plurality of nanowire shells. Electrolyte cavities are formed between the sleeves and nanowires by etching the first sacrificial layer. In one aspect, electrolyte cavities are formed between the bottom electrode top surface and a shell coating layer joining the sleeve bottom openings. Then, the main and electrolyte cavities are filled with either a liquid or gas phase electrolyte. In a different aspect, the first sacrificial layer is a solid phase electrolyte that is not etched away.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Fengyan Zhang, David R. Evans, Sheng Teng Hsu
  • Patent number: 7446023
    Abstract: A high-density plasma hydrogenation method is provided. Generally, the method comprises: forming a silicon (Si)/oxide stack layer; plasma oxidizing the Si/oxide stack at a temperature of less than 400° C., using a high density plasma source, such as an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source; introducing an atmosphere including H2 at a system pressure up to 500 milliTorr; hydrogenating the stack at a temperature of less than 400 degrees C., using the high density plasma source; and forming an electrode overlying the oxide. The electrode may be formed either before or after the hydrogenation. The Si/oxide stack may be formed in a number of ways. In one aspect, a Si layer is formed, and the silicon layer is plasma oxidized at a temperature of less than 400 degrees C., using an ICP source. The oxide formation, additional oxidation, and hydrogenation steps can be conducted in-situ in a common chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Pooran Chandra Joshi, Apostolos T. Voutsas, John W. Hartzell
  • Patent number: 7446010
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a metal/semiconductor/metal (MSM) back-to-back Schottky diode from a silicon (Si) semiconductor. The method deposits a Si semiconductor layer between a bottom electrode and a top electrode, and forms a MSM diode having a threshold voltage, breakdown voltage, and on/off current ratio. The method is able to modify the threshold voltage, breakdown voltage, and on/off current ratio of the MSM diode in response to controlling the Si semiconductor layer thickness. Generally, both the threshold and breakdown voltage are increased in response to increasing the Si thickness. With respect to the on/off current ratio, there is an optimal thickness. The method is able to form an amorphous Si (a-Si) and polycrystalline Si (polySi) semiconductor layer using either chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or DC sputtering. The Si semiconductor can be doped with a Group V donor material, which decreases the threshold voltage and increases the breakdown voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Tingkai Li, Sheng Teng Hsu, David R. Evans
  • Patent number: 7446895
    Abstract: A printer device control system and method are provided that is responsive to a document's print content. The method comprises: establishing a library of vocabulary terms; establishing a library of executable programs; accepting a document for printer processing; classifying print content in the document, by matching print content in the document to vocabulary terms in the library; mapping between the library of vocabulary terms and the library of executable programs; and, executing a program in response to the print content classification. The library of vocabulary terms may include terms such as key words, symbols, word patterns, or data patterns. The library of executable programs may include executable programs such as sending reports of the document to a recipient, blocking the document print process, logging the document print process, updating a database, archiving the document, or executing a file to initiate additional document processing, to name a few possible examples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Guy Eden, Lena Sojian
  • Patent number: 7442599
    Abstract: A silicon/germanium (SiGe) superlattice thermal sensor is provided with a corresponding fabrication method. The method forms an active CMOS device in a first Si substrate, and a SiGe superlattice structure on a second Si-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. The first substrate is bonded to the second substrate, forming a bonded substrate. An electrical connection is formed between the SiGe superlattice structure and the CMOS device, and a cavity is formed between the SiGe superlattice structure and the bonded substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jer-Shen Maa, Jinke Tang, Jong-Jan Lee, Douglas J. Tweet, Sheng Teng Hsu
  • Patent number: 7438759
    Abstract: An ambient environment nanowire sensor and corresponding fabrication method have been provided. The method includes: forming a substrate such as Silicon (Si) or glass; growing nanowires; depositing an insulator layer overlying the nanowires; etching to expose tips of the nanowires; forming a patterned metal electrode, with edges, overlying the tips of the nanowires; and, etching to expose the nanowires underlying the electrode edges. The nanowires can be a material such as IrO2, TiO2, InO, ZnO, SnO2, Sb2O3, or In2O3, to mane just a few examples. The insulator layer can be a spin-on glass (SOG) or low-k dielectric. In one aspect, the resultant structure includes exposed nanowires grown from the doped substrate regions and an insulator core with embedded nanowires. In a different aspect, the method forms a growth promotion layer overlying the substrate. The resultant structure includes exposed nanowires grown from the selectively formed growth promotion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Fengyan Zhang, Robert A. Barrowcliff, Jong-Jan Lee, Sheng Teng Hsu
  • Patent number: 7440533
    Abstract: A system and modulation method are provided for reducing jitter in the mapping of information into Synchronous Payload Envelopes (SPEs), in a data tributary mapping system. The method comprises buffering data from a plurality of tributaries, and generating buffer-fill information responsive to the buffered data being written and read. The buffer-fill information is filtered, producing rate control information. The rate control information is modulated, and the modulated rate control information is used in controlling the mapping of buffered tributaries into a SPE. The rate control information can be modulated with periodic signals, such as a sine or square wave, and pseudorandom signals with an average value of about zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Micro Circuits Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Spires, Ravi Subrahmanyan
  • Patent number: 7428595
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for sending transmission control protocol (TCP) messages in a local area network (LAN). The method comprises: selecting a TCP streaming application; transmitting message segments at a rate responsive to a congestion window parameter; and, maintaining at least the congestion window parameter during the session, regardless of idle time between transmitted segments. In some aspects, the method further comprises: selecting a threshold level. Then, incrementing the congestion window parameter with an increment in response to receiving acknowledgements includes increasing the congestion window parameter until the congestion window parameter equals the threshold level. Additionally, the method further comprises: in response to not receiving an acknowledgment, maintaining the threshold level; and, in response to not receiving an acknowledgement, maintaining the congestion window parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Sachin G. Deshpande
  • Patent number: 7425749
    Abstract: A MEMS pixel sensor is provided with a thin-film mechanical device having a mechanical body, with a mechanical state responsive to a proximate environment. A thin-film electronic device converts the mechanical state into electrical signals. A pixel interface supplies power to the electronic device and transceives electrical signals. The sensor is able to operate dynamically, in real-time. For example, if the mechanical device undergoes a sequence of mechanical states at a corresponding plurality of times, the electronic device is able to supply a sequence of electrical signals to the pixel interface that are responsive to the sequence of mechanical states, at the plurality of times. Each MEMS pixel sensor may include a number of mechanical devices, and corresponding electronic devices, to provide redundancy or to measure a broadband response range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: John Walter Hartzell, Changqing Zhan, Michael Barrett Wolfson
  • Patent number: 7424013
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for fairly distributing grants for access to switch outputs, through crossbars, between switch input channels. Crossbars are granted access between specified switch inputs and switch outputs, and the least recently used input channels are associated with selected switch outputs. A history of the previous channel transaction is maintained for each switch output, and channels are nominated in a rotation through a priority channel list. The present invention bid grant algorithm permits information packets to be transferred across a switch in the time between a bid submission and a bid grant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Micro Circuits Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Yi Yun, Kevin Warren James
  • Patent number: 7421118
    Abstract: A method is provided for attenuating image color-cast corrections. The method comprises: selecting a highlight color; accepting a digital image of colored pixels; calculating the difference between the color of at least one pixel and the highlight color; determining an illuminant correction for the digital image; and, attenuating the image illuminant correction for at least one pixel in response to the calculated color differences. In some aspects of the method, a highlight color with a plurality of color components is selected, for example, white. Then, calculating the difference between the color of at least one pixel and the highlight color includes calculating the difference of at least one color component of the pixel from the corresponding component in the highlight color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: John Charles Dalrymple
  • Patent number: 7420692
    Abstract: A security font system and method are provided for generating traceable pages in an electronic document. The method comprises: accepting an electronic document; modifying font print instructions associated with selected characters; and, transmitting the document with the modified font print instructions to a destination. In some aspects, the method further comprises saving a record of the modified font print instructions. The font print instructions can be modified clandestinely. If a printed copy of the document with modified font instructions is created, the printed copy is identical to a printed copy of a document with no modified font print instructions, as the font modification can be made undetectable, or almost undetectable to the human eye. In other aspects, the method comprises: receiving an alleged copy of the electronic document with the modified font print instructions; and, comparing the modified font print instructions in the received document to the record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Mary Louise Bourret
  • Patent number: 7421513
    Abstract: A URI pointer system and method are provided for the referencing of MPEG-4 data resources carried in an American ATSC MPEG-2 TSFS. The method comprises: receiving an MPEG-2 TS, with a packetized ATSC TSFS; locating a URI in the TS; in response to the URI, accessing an address such as a lid or an http address; retrieving MPEG-4 resources from the ATSC TSFS; and, decoding the MPEG-4 resources. Accessed lid URIs provide a binding name and access scheme to the objects in the ATSC TSFS, as a lid URI embedded in an Initial Object Descriptor (IOD) is used to locate resources in the TSFS such as a BIFS scene description stream and/or an object descriptor stream. Receiving an MPEG-2 TS, with a packetized ATSC TSFS, means that MPEG-4 resources are formed in a hierarchical directory structure of BIOP objects including a DSM::ServiceGateway, a DSM::Directory, and a DSM::File.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Kai-Chieh Liang