Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Moser, Patterson and Sheridan
  • Dual substrate loadlock process equipment
    Patent number: 6949143
    Abstract: One embodiment relates to a loadlock having a first support structure therein to support one unprocessed substrate and a second support structure therein to support one processed substrate. The first support structure is located above the second support structure. The loadlock includes an elevator to control the vertical position of the support structures. The loadlock also includes a first aperture to permit insertion of an unprocessed substrate into the loadlock and removal of a processed substrate from the loadlock, as wall as a second aperture to permit removal of an unprocessed substrate from the loadlock and insertion of a processed substrate into the loadlock. A cooling plate is also located in the loadlock. The cooling plate includes a surface adapted to support a processed substrate thereon. A heating device may be located in the loadlock above the first support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi Kurita, Wendell T. Blonigan, Akihiro Hosokawa
  • Graphical user interface for building queries with hierarchical conditions
    Patent number: 6947928
    Abstract: The present invention generally provides methods, systems and articles of manufacture for programmatically providing a user interface for creating queries. In one embodiment, graphical user interface content which defines a graphical user interface is provided. The graphical user interface comprises (i) a region for displaying conditions of a query; and (ii) a first graphical element for initiating a process of combining two or more conditions of the query together with logic values to form a complex condition. In another embodiment, the graphical user interface further comprises a second graphical element for initiating a process of separating two or more conditions of a complex condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Dean Dettinger, Peter John Johnson, Richard Joseph Stevens, Ikhua Tong
  • Dynamic wavelength-selective optical add-drop switches
    Patent number: 6947628
    Abstract: A wavelength-selective optical add-drop switch includes a first and a second 1×2 wavelength switch optically coupled to one another via at least one mirror. Each of the first and second 1×2 wavelength switches has a switch input and two switch outputs, a wavelength dispersive medium optically coupled to the switch input and the two switch outputs, a lens optically coupled to the wavelength dispersive medium and a segmented beam steering apparatus optically coupled to the lens opposite to the wavelength dispersive medium. The add-drop wavelength switch has a high extinction ratio and low loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Avanex Corporation
    Inventors: Song Peng, Ming Li
  • Non-intrusive multiphase flow meter
    Patent number: 6945095
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally provide methods, apparatus, and systems for determining void fractions of individual phase components of a multiphase mixture. The void fractions may be determined based on measured parameters of the mixture as a whole, such as differential pressure, bulk velocity of the mixture and speed of sound in the mixture. According to some embodiments, the mixture parameters may be measured using non-intrusive fiber optic based sensors. Various other parameters may also be derived from the void fractions, such as individual phase flow rates, liquid holdup and watercut parameters (for oil and gas mixtures).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventor: Espen S. Johansen
  • Heated gas distribution plate for a processing chamber
    Patent number: 6946033
    Abstract: An apparatus for distributing gas in a processing system. In one embodiment, the system includes a gas distribution assembly having a gas distribution plate. The gas distribution plate defines a plurality of holes through which gases are transmitted. The assembly further includes a gas box coupled to the gas distribution plate, in which the gas box is configured to supply the gases into the plurality of holes. The assembly further includes a means for reducing heat transfer from the gas box to the gas distribution plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Lun Tsuei, Soovo Sen, Ju-Hyung Lee, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Inna Shmurun, Maosheng Zhao, Troy Kim, Shankar Venkataraman
  • Slickline power control interface
    Patent number: 6945330
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system for use in operating an electric downhole tool on a non-conductive support line (slickline) by converting a battery voltage to an output voltage suitable for operating the tool. In response to receiving a trigger signal, the output voltage signal is applied to the tool. The tool is controlled by varying the output voltage signal according to a power control sequence. Accordingly, electric tools typically requiring surface intervention by an operator via an electric cable (wireline) may be operated on slickline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Wilson, Kevin L. Gray, Corey E. Hoffman
  • Method and system for programmable pipelined graphics processing with branching instructions
    Patent number: 6947047
    Abstract: A programmable, pipelined graphics processor (e.g., a vertex processor) having at least two processing pipelines, a graphics processing system including such a processor, and a pipelined graphics data processing method allowing parallel processing and also handling branching instructions and preventing conflicts among pipelines. Preferably, each pipeline processes data in accordance with a program including by executing branch instructions, and the processor is operable in any one of a parallel processing mode in which at least two data values to be processed in parallel in accordance with the same program are launched simultaneously into multiple pipelines, and a serialized mode in which only one pipeline at a time receives input data values to be processed in accordance with the program (and operation of each other pipeline is frozen).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Simon Moy, John Erik Lindholm
  • Plasma treatment for copper oxide reduction
    Patent number: 6946401
    Abstract: The present invention provides an in situ plasma reducing process to reduce oxides or other contaminants, using a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen, typically ammonia, at relatively low temperatures prior to depositing a subsequent layer thereon. The adhesion characteristics of the layers are improved and oxygen presence is reduced compared to the typical physical sputter cleaning process of an oxide layer. This process may be particularly useful for the complex requirements of a dual damascene structure, especially with copper applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Judy H. Huang, Christopher Dennis Bencher, Sudha Rathi, Christopher S. Ngai, Bok Hoen Kim
  • Incremental update of graphical images when using anti-aliasing techniques
    Patent number: 6947058
    Abstract: An approach for incrementally updating graphical images when using anti-aliasing techniques is disclosed. Data for an original color is stored, and an image is filtered based on the original color. A new color for an image portion less than the entire image is identified. The new color is used with the old color to re-filter the image portion. The re-filtering may be performed by a two-step approach in which the image portion is filtered using the negative of the original color and then the image portion is filtered using the new color. The re-filtering may be performed by a one-step approach in which the portion of the image is filtered using the difference between the new color and the old color. The appearance of a halo around the portion of the image that would otherwise occur when filtering based on only the new color is thereby avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
    Inventor: Kells A Elmquist
  • Channel isolation by switched grounds
    Patent number: 6944559
    Abstract: A signal acquisition instrument, such as an oscilloscope, having an input stage that is referenced to a user's ground is disclosed. Information gathered by the input stage is stored in a storage element powered by a floating power supply that is referenced to the user's ground. After storage, the storage element is disconnected from the floating power and from the user's ground and switched to a power supply referenced to the remainder of the system. FET switching is beneficial, and information can be stored either in an analog format or in a digital format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: David F. Hiltner
  • Semiconductor optical component
    Patent number: 6944198
    Abstract: The laser type semiconductor optical component comprises: a semiconductor material substrate, a bottom cladding layer containing n-type carriers, an active layer forming one of more quantum wells, and a top cladding layer containing p-type carriers. To increase the emission power of the laser without increasing the vertical divergence of the beam, the bottom cladding layer has a higher refractive index than the top cladding layer. The lasers for pumping optical fiber amplifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Avanex Corporation
    Inventor: Stéphane Lovisa
  • Tubing expansion
    Patent number: 6942029
    Abstract: A method of coupling first and second tubulars (12,14) comprises providing a first tubular having a first yield strength and a second tubular having a higher second yield strength. A portion of the first tubular is located within and overlapping a portion of the second tubular and the first tubular is expanded sufficient to expand the second tubular, at least the first tubular being expanded beyond its yield point. Following expansion, a degree of elastic contraction of the tubulars is permitted, sufficient to provide interference between the tubulars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb Inc.
    Inventor: Neil Andrew Abercrombie Simpson
  • Method, apparatus and system for notifying a user of a portable wireless device
    Patent number: 6944443
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for notifying a user of a portable communication device. In one embodiment, a location of a first portable communication device is determined for a first user and the location of a second portable communication device is determined for a second user. A determination is made as to whether the location of the second portable communication device is within a same region containing the first portable communication device. If the second portable communication device is within the same region as the first portable communication device, then the first user is notified of the presence of the second user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Cary Lee Bates, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Gas distribution plate assembly for large area plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition
    Patent number: 6942753
    Abstract: Embodiments of a gas distribution plate for distributing gas in a processing chamber are provided. In one embodiment, a gas distribution plate includes a diffuser plate having a plurality of gas passages passing between an upstream side and a downstream side of the diffuser plate. At least one of the gas passages includes a first hole and a second hole coupled by an orifice hole. The first hole extends from the upstream side of the diffuser plate while the second hole extends from the downstream side. The orifice hole has a diameter less than the respective diameters of the first and second holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Soo Young Choi, Quanyuan Shang, Robert I. Greene, Li Hou
  • CVD plasma assisted lower dielectric constant SICOH film
    Patent number: 6943127
    Abstract: A low dielectric constant film having silicon-carbon bonds and dielectric constant of about 3.0 or less, preferably about 2.5 or less, is provided. The low dielectric constant film is deposited by reacting a cyclic organosilicon compound and an aliphatic organosilicon compound with an oxidizing gas while applying RF power. The carbon content of the deposited film is between about 10 and about 30 atomic percent excluding hydrogen atoms, and is preferably between about 10 and about 20 atomic percent excluding hydrogen atoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Seon-Mee Cho, Peter Wai-Man Lee, Chi-I Lang, Dian Sugiarto, Chen-An Chen, Li-Qun Xia, Shankar Venkataraman, Ellie Yieh
  • Method and apparatus for the analysis of scratches on semiconductor wafers
    Patent number: 6944573
    Abstract: For the analysis of scratches on semiconductor wafers, the semiconductor wafer surface is detected and a possible scratch position or a scratch course on the semiconductor surface is determined, in which case a parameter value identifying the scratch is determined from the scratch position and the scratch course and this parameter value that has been determined is correlated with comparison parameter values, which identify installation-specific scratch positions and scratch courses, in order to determine an installation causing the scratch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ingo Brasack, Marco Beckmann
  • Optical amplifier performance controller and method of use
    Patent number: 6943937
    Abstract: A controller for an optical amplifier and a method for controlling an optical amplifier are disclosed. The illustrative method includes inputting a set-point to a controller; receiving a portion of an input signal; receiving a portion of an output signal from a first amplifier stage; receiving a portion of an output signal from an attenuation stage; receiving a portion of an output signal from a second amplifier stage and adjusting the first amplifier stage, the second amplifier stage and the attenuation stage based on the received portions to substantially maintain the set-point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Avanex Corporation
    Inventors: Muhidin A. Lelic, Anthony Sebastian Bauco, Naresh Menon, Ray Lin Ju, David R. Peters
  • VGA connector with integral filter
    Patent number: 6942521
    Abstract: An improved VGA connector that supports enhanced graphic performance by internally incorporating one or more functions of fusing, filtering, shielding, and the controlling of signal line impendances. The improved VGA connector is dimensionally interchangeable with many aspects of standard VGA connectors, and use standard pin-outs that mate with mating connectors. Integral DACs can be included to provide analog outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Ross F. Jatou, Charlie J. Shu
  • Method of etching magnetic and ferroelectric materials using a pulsed bias source
    Patent number: 6942813
    Abstract: A method for etching magnetic and ferroelectric materials using a pulsed substrate biasing technique (PSBT) that applies a plurality of processing cycles to the substrate, where each cycle comprises a period of plasma etching without substrate bias and a period of plasma etching with the substrate bias. In exemplary applications, the method is used for fabricating magneto-resistive random access memory (MRAM) and ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Chentsau Ying, Padmapani C. Nallan, Ajay Kumar, Xiaoyi Chen
  • Handrail for escape routes and flights of steps, with integrated recess for fluoridizing element
    Patent number: D509906
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Everglow AS
    Inventor: Rolf Enersen