Abstract: A microcode based decoder circuit for microprocessors that uses fast access tables to decode instructions. The pointers to the tables are generated directly from the instruction prefetch buffers. Information bits about the instruction are added to the tables at no extra cost and enable the faster decode of the instruction. The present invention includes the decode of an instruction using an entry ROM, which contains information regarding the instruction that can directly be used in generating the decoder outputs. This information is also used in selecting the correct ROM entry, thus enhancing the flexibility of the decoder, and to dynamically generate a generic microcode entry. Thus, microcode space requirements are reduced. A generic microcode instruction is used for commonly used, similar macroinstructions. This avoids duplication of microcode instructions and thus reduces the required microcode space.

Abstract: A coated metal-substrate disk for magnetic-recording applications is disclosed having a first coating selected from the group consisting of nitrides, carbides, or borides of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, or tungsten, or the group consisting of aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, or silicon carbide on the metal substrate and a magnetic-recording material coating on the first coating. The first coatings are applied by evaporative reactive ion plating or by reactive sputtering.

Abstract: A process for the controlled formation of dual thickness cobalt silicide layers on predetermined regions during the manufacturing of an integrated circuit that requires a minimum number of steps and is compatible with standard MOS processing techniques. In the process according to the present invention, an integrated circuit (IC) structure is first provided. The IC structure includes a plurality of MOS transistor structures with exposed silicon surfaces, such as source regions, drain regions and polysilicon gates. A cobalt layer is then deposited over the IC structure, followed by the deposition of a titanium capping layer on the cobalt layer. The titanium capping layer is then pattered above predetermined regions of the IC structure. Cobalt in the cobalt layer that is in direct contact with silicon in the exposed silicon surfaces is subsequently reacted to form relatively thick cobalt silicide layers on the predetermined regions and relatively thin cobalt silicide layers elsewhere.

Abstract: The portable electronic apparatus has a box-like casing having a peripheral wall, and a pack receptacle defined within the casing. The pack receptacle has an opening portion opened in the peripheral wall. A packaged functional component is stored in the pack receptacle, such that the functional component can be detached therefrom through the opening portion. The pack receptacle of the casing is provided with a locking member for holding the functional component. The locking member is movable by manual operation between a locked position where the locking member is hooked on the functional component and a lock-released position where the locking member leaves the functional component. The pack receptacle is provided with a spring for energizing the functional component in the direction in which the functional component is pushed out through the opening portion. The opening portion of the casing and the locking member are covered with a detachable cover.

Abstract: A method for solid state formation of diamond includes providing a diamond growth substrate, such as single-crystal silicon, forming on the diamond growth substrate an alloy of carbon and a metal which permits carbon to exist in a matrix therein, and causing carbon atoms from the alloy to precipitate on the diamond growth substrate in a diamond cubic lattice. The alloy may be an alloy of aluminum and carbon. The alloy is annealed in a hydrogen ambient to cause diffusion of hydrogen through the alloy to the surface of the substrate, providing a high concentration of hydrogen at the interface between the substrate and the alloy. The alloy is heated to cause carbon atoms in the alloy to diffuse through the alloy to the interface and form diamond.

Abstract: A photolithographic process for use in semiconductor device manufacturing that includes an infrared radiation-based post exposure bake (PEB) of a chemically amplified resist layer and that improves critical dimension control of a patterned resist layer. The use of infrared radiation with a wavenumber that is preferentially absorbed in the DUV-exposed regions of the chemically amplified resist selectively increases the temperature of the DUV-exposed regions, while maintaining the temperature in the DUV-unexposed regions relatively low. The increased temperature initiates and accelerates acid catalyzed chemical transformation of the resist polymer in the DUV-exposed regions. The lower temperature in the DUV-unexposed regions suppresses the diffusion/migration of acid catalyst into those regions from the DUV-exposed regions.

Abstract: Opposable surgical clamp members having opposable resilient pads with wedge-shaped and cylindrical protrusions extending from the surfaces of the pads and the use of such members for occluding vessels and other tubular body structures are described. The protrusions are arranged such that when the members are moved toward one another, the protrusions of one pad interdigitate with the protrusions of the other pad. Upon engagement with a vessel, portions of the vessel are forced into the interdigital spaces providing for improved gripping of the vessel. The protrusions also resist lateral or transverse movement of a clamped vessel relative to the pads. The existence of through holes under the pad surface alters the relative resiliency of the pad, allowing for an overall pad resiliency that minimizes trauma to a clamped vessel while allowing the local resiliency of the protrusions themselves to be of a hardness to avoid excessive deflection and retain the desired shape and gripping ability.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plant growth promoter comprising an epoxycylohexane derivative represented by the general formula: ##STR1## (wherein by R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, C1 to C6 alkyl group or C3 to C6 cycloalkyl group, and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are independently lower alkyl groups or are combined to form a polymethylene group which may be substituted with an alkyl group) and gibberellin as active ingredients.

Abstract: A low capacitance multilevel metal interconnect structure for use in integrated circuits that provides for increased IC device speed and that includes a plurality of patterned metal layers separated and supported by an interconnect dielectric material. The low capacitance multilevel metal interconnect structure has interconnect structure related capacitance lowering gaps in the interconnect dielectric material with the gaps, adjoining at least one of the patterned metal layers. While the gaps adjoin at least the uppermost patterned metal layer, they can also extend downward through the interconnect dielectric material such that they also adjoin one or more patterned metal layers that underlie the uppermost patterned metal layer. A process for the manufacture of the low capacitance multilevel metal interconnect structure includes a step of removing interconnect dielectric material from a conventional multilevel metal interconnect structure to form gaps adjoining at least one of the patterned metal layers.

Abstract: A read channel for use in a disk drive having an MR head. The read channel comprises a compensation device which has a high-pass filter (HPF) for compensating a thermal asperity (TA). The read channel suppresses level changes of a data signal which have resulted from TA disturbance present in the data signal. The read channel has a switch circuit connected to the input of the HPF, for canceling the DC undershoot present in the data signal. The switch circuit maintains the DC level of the data signal at zero level while a thermal asperity is being detected in the data signal.

Abstract: A key identifying for an ignition switch key cylinder. The apparatus has a lock member that is unlocked by the key including a signal transmitter outputting an identifying signal. A computer determines an appropriate key for an unlocking use based on the identifying signal. The lock member includes a rotor being arranged to be rotated by the key, a case for accommodating the rotor, a cap secured to the case to detachably hold the rotor in the case and an antenna member receiving the identified signal from the transmitter and providing the determining means with information indicative of the identified signal, said antenna means being located in a position relatively constant with respect to the case.

Abstract: A word line and source line decoder driver circuit has at least one word line, at least one source line, a row decoder driver circuit displaced at a first side of a memory array and a high voltage circuit displaced at an opposite side of the memory array. The word line is connected to the row decoder driver and extends substantially from the row decoder driver circuit in the direction of the high voltage circuit. The source line is connected to the high voltage circuit and extends substantially from the high voltage circuit in the direction of the row decoder driver circuit, but is not connected thereto. Alternatively, a word line decoder driver circuit has a row decoder driver circuit displaced at a first side of a memory array, a high voltage circuit displaced at a second side, opposite said first side, of the memory array. At least one word line is connected to the row decoder driver circuit and the high voltage circuit.

Abstract: A jukebox for a plurality of recording medium assemblies (such as trays bearing discs) which includes a horizontal transport system wherein an engagement actuator (such as a solenoid) effects movement of an engagement piece. The engagement piece is moved between a position of being engaged with the recording medium assembly and a position of non-engagement with the recording medium assembly. The engagement actuator is linked to the engagement piece through a pivoting crank, so that the direction of motion of the engagement actuator is different than the direction of motion of the engagement piece.

Abstract: The simplified high-speed memory control and simplified flexible memory management are provided for an information recording/reproducing device having a recording medium having an erasure unit larger than the writing unit. A recording medium 3 is such a recording medium having an erasure unit larger than a writing unit, such as a flash memory. When recording data of a file transferred via a transfer control section 5 on a recording medium 3, a recording medium controller 2 records data beginning from the leading position of the erasure unit. Moreover, only data of a given file is recorded in one erasure unit, so that data of another file is not allowed to co-exist in one erasure unit. When re-writing file data, pre-existing files can be erased in a lump without retreating to, for example, an external buffer, thus assuring facilitated memory management, such as readout of file data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for approximating shape data in which the degree of fineness of a desired portion is set so as to differ from that of other portions for hierarchical approximation by a facilitated designating operation. Polygon data of an original are entered and the partial degree of fineness of the polygon model is designated by the user. It is designated to which degree the model is approximated and each edge is evaluated for removing edges. The evaluated values are sorted in accordance with the magnitudes of the evaluated values and controlled responsive to designation by the user of the partial degree of approximation. An edge with the least evaluated value is selected and removed and the position of the apex points left after removing the edge are determined to see whether or not approximation has reached a desired degree of approximation. An approximated model is selected from plural hierarchies and processed for drawing or saving.

Abstract: Fused ring bridge, ring locked dyes that form thermally stable photorfractive compositions. The fused ring bridge structures are .pi.-conjugated bonds in benzene-, naphthalene- or anthracene-derived fused ring systems that connect donor and acceptor groups. The donor and acceptor groups contribute to a high molecular dipole moment and linear polarizability anisotropy. The polarization characteristics of the dye molecules are stabilized since the bonds in the fused ring bridge are not susceptible to rotation, reducing the opportunity for photoisomerization. The dyes are compatible with polymeric compositions, including thermoplastics. The dyes are electrically neutral but have charge transport, electronic and orientational properties such that upon illumination of a composition containing the dye, the dye facilitates refractive index modulation and a photorefractive effect that can be utilized advantageously in numerous applications such as in optical quality devices and biological imaging.

Abstract: To prevent magnetic heads from being pasted on a floppy disk even when the floppy disk is left for a long time period while being chucked to a disk table, when the magnetic heads are moved to an outermost peripheral position or an innermost peripheral position of the floppy disk by a head moving mechanism, the upper side head is lifted upward from the floppy disk by a lifter.

Abstract: A servo circuit performs tracking control such that the center of scanning is positioned at the center between the track from which data is reproduced and the track immediately before. Then, the beam spot scans the track from which data is to be reproduced and the immediately preceding track at the same time, and a reproduction signal made by inter-code interference between these two tracks is output. A constant relationship is maintained between data specified only by the pit or mark formed on one track and the data specified only by the pit or mark made on the former adjacent track. In this way, pits or marks are formed such that inter-code interference is canceled during reproduction.

Abstract: In a helical compressor, a helical compression unit is accommodated in the case. The compression unit has a cylinder, a roller eccentrically disposed in the cylinder and a helical blade disposed between an inner surface of the cylinder and the roller for separately forming a plurality of compression chambers therebetween along an axial direction of the roller. A motor unit is accommodated in the case and is operatively connected to the helical compression unit through a rotating shaft for eccentrically rotating the roller in the cylinder through the rotating shaft. According to the rotation of the roller, compressive fluid sucked into a lower compression chamber is moved along an axial direction of the rotating shaft while being sequentially compressed. The helical compression unit and the motor unit is arranged so that the helical compression unit and the motor unit are partially overlapped to each other along the axial direction.

Abstract: Novel compounds comprising chemically reactive intermediates which can react with available reactive functionalities on blood components to form covalent linkages, where the resulting covalently-bound conjugates are found to have thrombin inhibition activity are provided. Specifically, the thrombin inhibitor compounds of the present invention are derivatives of the known thrombin inhibitor argatroban, which can be covalently linked to chemically reactive functionalities on various blood components. The conjugated thrombin inhibitors thereby have extended lifetimes in the bloodstream, as compared to the unconjugated parent drug, and are, therefore, capable of maintaining thrombin inhibitory activity for extended periods of time as compared to the unconjugated parent drug. Also provided herein are methods for inhibiting thrombin activity in vivo comprising administering to the bloodstream of a mammalian host the novel compounds of the present invention.