Patents Represented by Attorney Philip J. Feig
  • Patent number: 5418477
    Abstract: A pull-down circuit for a TTL compatible data output buffer uses NMOS devices. The pull-down circuit comprising two NMOS stages. Namely, a diode configuration stage where the gate and drain electrodes are shorted together during pull-down and a common-source stage. Both PMOS and NMOS devices are used for shorting the gate and drain electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sang H. Dhong, Hyun J. Shin
  • Patent number: 5413835
    Abstract: A magnetic recording medium includes a successively formed uneven underlayer and magnetic layer. In the process of forming the underlayer, grains of an alloy, whose melting point is in the range of approximately 100 degrees centigrade to approximately 350 degrees centigrade, are deposited on a substrate by using either an evaporation or a sputtering method, while maintaining the substrate temperature at a temperature which allows molten spheres of the alloy to be formed. The preferred alloys include Zn, Mg, Al, In, and Sn systems whose melting points fall within the above-mentioned temperature range. The preferred substrate temperatures are not higher than the melting point of the alloy to be deposited plus 50 degrees centigrade, and most preferably, temperatures equal to approximately the melting point of the alloy to be deposited minus 20 degrees centigrade. The result is a magnetic recording medium suitable for practical use which can be fabricated at a low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Ikeda, Shinji Takayama
  • Patent number: 5414819
    Abstract: An interconnection network for interconnection in parallel of a large number (N) of processing elements (PE). The network includes three serial switching stages. The first stage in which the processing elements arc grouped in r clusters of k processing elements each comprising many small fast electronic switches, one for each cluster. The second stage comprises a large number (N) of optical channels, one for each of the N processing elements. The third stage comprises k photodetectors for each of the clusters and electronic switches of the type in the first stage. Each cluster controls k light sources, one for each channel and k photodetectors in the cluster. Interconnection between processing elements in a common cluster are made solely by way of an electronic switch. Interconnection between processing elements in different clusters is made via the optical channels and one or two of the electronic switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: NEC Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Redmond, Eugen Schenfeld
  • Patent number: 5406407
    Abstract: An optical switching device comprises a material which exhibits third order optical nonlinearity (X.sup.(3)) at frequencies just below the band gap of the material, a room temperature and at a wavelength of approximately 1.55.mu.. The switching device is particularly useful for optical communication applications. The preferred material is n-Al.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x Sb, where x is approximately 0.1. Additional preferred materials are those which have a band gap (at .GAMMA.) just above the photon energy of the system and have a subsidiary conduction band (at X or L) approximately 0.1 ev above the E.sub.o level at .GAMMA. at a predetermined wavelength. Such alloy systems include (AlGaIn)As with 0.635.mu..ltoreq..lambda..ltoreq.0.672.mu., and (AlGaIn)P with 0.56.mu..ltoreq..lambda..ltoreq.0.65.mu..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: NEC Research Institute Inc.
    Inventor: Peter A. Wolff
  • Patent number: 5392383
    Abstract: A fuzzy syllogistic inference processing system for use with a chain of implications when links in the chain have various measures between 0 and 1 of confidence. Analog signals that are linearly related to the confidence measures are generated and compared. The chain of implications is given a confidence measure that is equal to that of the inference consequence of the last major premise in the chain provided that each major premise in the chain has a confidence measure that is larger than the confidence measure of the complement or negation of its antecedent in the chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: NEC Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventor: Karvel K. Thornber
  • Patent number: 5388635
    Abstract: A cooling hat for transferring heat from a surface or plurality of heat generating components to a flowing fluid includes a coldsheet, a plurality of manifold layers and springs. The coldsheet is typically a medium-thin metal sheet usually with fine fins or grooves to readily transfer heat to a coolant. Each manifold layer is typically molded rubber with conduits for coolant supply and return. The conduits form a branched hierarchy. The fluid flow is highly parallel and streamlined which achieves ample flow with small hydraulic differential pressure. Springs gently urge the cooling hat against the thermal joints hence against the components. The hat can bend slightly to conform to a curved surface. Typically some compliance is provided by the hat, and other compliance is provided by a thermal joint between each component and the coldsheet. The system is highly self-aligned for counteracting variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Peter A. Gruber, Arthur R. Zingher
  • Patent number: 5384639
    Abstract: An optical measurement system uses a laser beam to measure the depth of high aspect ratio structures disposed in a workpiece. The wavelength of the laser beam is selected so that the workpiece is transparent to the incident radiation and is greater than the lateral dimension of the structure to be measured. The angle of incidence of the laser beam at the workpiece surface or the wavelength of the laser beam is made to vary. The maxima backscatter signals from the top and from the bottom of the structure are detected along with the corresponding angle of incidence or wavelength at such maxima backscatter signals. The depth of the structure is commensurate with the detected angles of incidence or wavelengths at which the maxima backscatter signals are detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Hemantha K. Wickramasinghe
  • Patent number: 5383013
    Abstract: A stereoscopic computer vision system that uses a novel algorithm for obtaining the best match between corresponding features in the left and right images of desired objects in the image scene, finds the disparity between corresponding features in the left and right views and then uses the disparity to calculate the distance of the desired object from the two cameras used to provide the left and right images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: NEC Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventor: Ingemar J. Cox
  • Patent number: 5363305
    Abstract: A navigation system for a mobile autonomous robot that includes apparatus for creating and maintaining a map of an environment the mobile autonomous robot is to traverse including provision for storing in a map at an assigned location features representative of geometric beacons located in the environment. Because of the uncertainty in its sensor's operating conditions and changes in the environment, a credibility measure is associated with each map feature stored. This credibility measure is increased or decreased whenever the map feature assigned to a location matches or does not match, respectively, a geometric beacon corresponding to such location. Whenever a geometric beacon is observed for a location that does into match a previously stored map features, an appropriate map feature is added for such location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Assignee: NEC Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Ingemar Cox, John J. Leonard, Hugh Durrant-Whyte
  • Patent number: 5361325
    Abstract: A fuzzy syllogistic system that provides the confidence value of a chain of inferences based on the concept that the truth or confidence value of the major premise of a syllogism connecting the minor premise and a major premise can serve as the confidence value of the syllogism so long as this confidence value is larger than the complement or negation of the truth or confidence value of the minor premise. By the use of storage cells and a switch appropriately clocked, a single pair of basic elements is made to handle a multilink chain of inferences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1994
    Assignee: NEC Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventor: Kousuke Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5359362
    Abstract: A teleconferencing video system uses two cameras at each station symmetrically positioned on opposite sides of the optical axis between the speaker and the monitor used to produce an image of the listener. The two cameras are used to provide from the two images observed by the cameras a virtual image corresponding to the image that would be viewed by a camera located on the first-mentioned optical axis. This system permits eye contact to be maintained between a speaker and a listener at different stations whereby the feeling of intimacy is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignees: NEC USA, Inc., NEC Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: John P. Lewis, Maximillian A. Ott, Ingemar J. Cox
  • Patent number: 5347854
    Abstract: Two dimensional profiling of samples, such as integrated circuits containing trenches or lines, is accomplished using contact force atomic force microscopy by controlling the tip position responsive to the real-time measured local slope of the surface in contact with the tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yves Martin, Hemantha K. Wickramasinghe
  • Patent number: 5346518
    Abstract: During wafer fabrication, a transportable enclosure, such as a Standard Manufacturing InterFace (SMIF) pod encloses a nascent product, such as a semiconductor wafer, to protect the wafer against contamination during manufacture, storage or transportation. However chemical vapors emitted inside the pod can accumulate in the air and degrade wafers during subsequent fabrication. In order to absorb the vapors inside a closed pod, a vapor removal element typically including an activated carbon absorber, covered by a particulate-filtering vapor-permeable barrier, and covered by a guard plate with holes is disposed within the enclosure. A vapor removal element is disposed closely adjacent to each respective wafer. Alternatively, a single vapor removal element is located inside the enclosure. In certain instances, a fan or thermo-buoyant circulation causes any vapors located inside the enclosure to a vapor removal element for removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J. Baseman, Charles A. Brown, Benjamin N. Eldridge, Laura B. Rothman, Herman R. Wendt, James T. Yeh, Arthur R. Zingher
  • Patent number: 5339274
    Abstract: A sensing technique uses a variable precharge voltage sensing with a single bitline swing in a DRAM cell or array of DRAM cells so that the power dissipation is reduced. The bitline precharge voltage varies from one RAS cycle to the next RAS cycle depending upon the level of the data in the accessed cells. Such an arrangement eliminates the need for a reference voltage generator since the precharge voltage is not the same voltage for each RAS cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sang H. Dhong, Toshiaki Kirihata, Hyun J. Shin, Toshio Sunaga, Yoichi Taira, Lewis M. Terman
  • Patent number: 5334886
    Abstract: An emitter coupled logic circuit includes a series connected PNP transistor and diode to improve the pull-up delay and power consumption. The biasing of the PNP transistor is established by utilizing existing voltage levels in the emitter coupled logic circuit with no extra biasing circuit and power. Complementary push-pull emitter coupled logic circuit configurations with no power wasted in the biasing of the push-and-pull transistors can be derived based on this PNP pull-up scheme and NPN active-pull-down scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Ching-Te K. Chuang
  • Patent number: 5333117
    Abstract: An opto-electronic shared content-addressable memory processor is used to perform parallel modified signed-digit (MSD) arithmetic operations. The MSD arithmetic operation (addition or subtraction of two N-bit numbers) is decomposed into a matrix-matrix multiplication followed by a combination of a threshold and logic operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: NEC Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Berlin Ha, Yao Li
  • Patent number: 5316573
    Abstract: A corrosion protecting film layer is formed on a non-passivating non-noble metal, such as cobalt, by placing the metal in a dilute solution of Cu.sup.+2 ions and benzotriazole (1 H-BTA). Exposure of the metal to a solution containing Cu.sup.+2 and 1 H-BTA results in a spontaneous interaction of Cu.sup.+2 and the metal to produce a film layer of Cu(I) BTA on the metal surface to create a permanent corrosion protection for the metal. A borate buffer, such as boric acid and a borate, can be added to the solution to adjust the pH of the solution to be in the range between 8 and 9.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1994
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Vlasta A. Brusic, Gerald S. Frankel, Tina A. Petersen, Benjamin M. Rush, Alejandro G. Schrott
  • Patent number: 5310580
    Abstract: Improved adhesion of electroless metal deposited on an organic dielectric layer with phase separated morphology is accomplished by the spontaneous formation of a morphologically and topographically rough surface. In one embodiment a ternary solution of a polar solvent and two polymer precursors of the same polymer which are separable in two phases of different order are cast in film on a substrate and heated to form two phases of different order to spontaneously produce a rough surface. Upon exposure to an alkaline solution, one phase is etched at a faster rate than the other. Seeding and electroless deposition of a metal on the rough surface results in improved adhesion of the metal to the dielectric layer. In a second embodiment a quaternary solution of a polar solvent, a seeding agent, two polymer precursors of the same polymer which are separable in two phases of different order are cast in a thin film on a substrate and heated to form three phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eugene J. O'Sullivan, Terrence R. O'Toole, Judith M. Roldan, Lubomyr T. Romankiw, Carlos J. Sambucetti, Ravi Saraf
  • Patent number: 5310440
    Abstract: A system provides for convective transferring of material between a workpiece and a flowing fluid which chemically reacts with the workpiece. A gap is formed between the workpiece and a facesheet. The fluid is fed to supply nozzles, travels a short distance within the gap adjacent to the facesheet and exits via return nozzles. The flow cross section and flow density facilitate convective transfer at a moderate flow rate and low fluid pressure. The system is also applicable for chemical transfer such as plating or etching printed circuit boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Arthur R. Zingher
  • Patent number: 5300208
    Abstract: A process for fabricating a printed circuit board concerns the use of a soluble, air-stable conducting polymer applied to plated through holes, blind holes or vias or to a predetermined portion of the printed circuit board surface for selectively metal plating on the polymer without the necessity of either an electroless plating bath or the use of precious metal seeds. A preferred conducting polymer is polyaniline. A preferred metal plating is preferably copper or a noble metal such as palladium or silver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marie Angelopoulos, Wu-Song Huang, Jae M. Park, James R. White