Abstract: Table walk logic and a second level access logic are tightly coupled to each other in a second level control unit that can operate in one of two modes, a translate mode that uses the table walk logic and an access mode that uses the second level access logic. In the translate mode, the second level control unit uses the table walk logic for automatic translation of a virtual address to a corresponding physical address. In the access mode, the second level control unit allows a word to be loaded from or stored into a given physical address. The second level control unit prioritizes operations in the two modes e.g. performs an operation in the access mode prior to performance of an operation in the translate mode. The table walk logic and the second level access logic can be integrated together into a single state machine, so that operations in the two modes are mutually exclusive and indivisible with respect to each other.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for baking and cooling silicon substrates are disclosed. Both baking and cooling of silicon substrates are done in a single integrated thermal process module. Each thermal process module includes two hot plate assemblies, a cool plate assembly, two local linear transfer arms and a micro-processor based module controller. Both transfer arms are capable of transferring substrates among the cool and hot plate assemblies. The module controller ensures that there are no conflicts in use of the transfer arms or in use of the hot and cool plate assemblies and so that a transfer arm is always available when a substrate is finished baking. A central substrate handling robot transports substrates only from and to the cool plate assembly of the thermal process module. Also, the vacuum tubing is routed via a unique pulley arrangement to achieve compact mounting and eliminate loose tubing.

Abstract: A host adapter integrated circuit that contains data transfer modules has a serial port that uses a single serial port pin to communicate with a slave serial port input-output integrated circuit that interfaces to various resources that are included in a support circuit. The serial port forms a packet from each byte of information to be transferred from a module to the slave device by adding a start bit before the byte, followed by a parity bit at the end of the byte and followed by a stop bit. After transmitting the packet, the serial port waits for an acknowledge packet from the slave serial port input-output integrated circuit, for example for two clock cycles after transmission of the packet. For synchronous operation, a common oscillator drives the clock signal on the slave serial port input-output integrated circuit and host adapter integrated circuit.

Abstract: Two types of programmable elements, fuses and antifuses, are disclosed for interconnecting the terminals of electronic components mounted on printed circuit boards (PCBs), multichip modules (MCMs) or in integrated circuit packages (IC packages). Both types of programmable elements can be fabricated as part of the regular processes used to fabricate PCBs, MCMs, or IC package (pin grid array). For fuses and antifuses, the material, geometry and dimensions can be varied to minimize the real estate and maximize programming efficiency (reduce programming time). Each type of programmable element, fuse or antifuse, can be separately used in matrices to form programmable board and package substrates. When both types of programmable elements are used together, more efficient placement and route architectures take advantage of the characteristics of each type of programmable element. Furthermore, combinations of both fuses and antifuses in the same structure allows the architecture to be reprogrammable.

Abstract: A computer system includes a number of storage elements encoded with space selection instructions and at least one current-space storage element that together allow a computer to address a larger number of devices than allowed by a limited number of address terminals on the computer. Specifically, the current-space storage element is encoded with a space-selection signal that indicates a "current" address space, i.e. which one of a number of mutually exclusive address spaces is currently accessed. The space-selection signal can be changed by any device using a data bus to store signals indicative of a new address space as the "current" address space in the current-space storage element. The current-space storage element is included in a first device that can be accessed by the computer at any time by driving a signal active on a high address line of an address bus.

Abstract: In accordance with this invention, a remote control for an interactive media can include a printed publication and/or a storage media and/or a data button. One embodiment of a remote control includes a printed publication (such as a book, magazine or a catalog) and one or more buttons physically attached to the printed publication to allow users to remotely control use of associated electronic content by a host device. Another embodiment of a remote control has a housing capable of removably holding a storage media encoded with electronic content associated with a button of the remote control. Yet another embodiment of a remote control has at least one data button which permits the user to select the data to be displayed by the host device. An autostart driver in the host device detects insertion of a storage media into a peripheral and automatically starts an application. The application interprets button codes transmitted by the remote control and displays the results or initiates other events.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the steps for forming an electrical conductor between conductive layers of a printed circuit board include the following steps: (1) applying a first dielectric material on a first conductive layer; (2) forming a number of via holes at each of the predetermined locations in the first dielectric material at which an electrical conductor is to be formed; (3) selectively applying a second dielectric material to at least fill each of the via holes, to form a composite dielectric layer; (4) applying a second conductive layer on the composite dielectric layer; (5) etching the first conductive layer to form a first electrode; (6) etching the second conductive layer to form a second electrode; and (7) applying a programming voltage across the second dielectric material in each of the via holes to form an electrical conductor in each of the via holes, each electrical conductor connecting an electrode in the first conductive layer to an electrode in the second conductive layer.