Abstract: A phase locked loop design that uses a switch operatively connected to a loop filter capacitor to control a leakage current of the loop filter capacitor is provided. By positioning a switch in series with the loop filter capacitor, the leakage current of the loop filter capacitor may be controlled by switching the switch ‘on’ when a charge pump of the phase locked loop is ‘on’ and switching the switch ‘off’ when the charge pump is ‘off,’ thereby cumulatively reducing the leakage current of the loop filter capacitor throughput the operation of the phase locked loop. Control and reduction of the loop filter capacitor leakage current leads to more reliable and stable phase locked loop behavior.

Abstract: A scannable latch for use within a circuit path of a series of one or more dynamic circuits is provided. The scannable latch provides both latch functionality during normal operation and scan test functionality during scan mode operation. Particularly, the scannable latch has a dynamic input stage and a shadow latch, where the dynamic input stage's primary function occurs during normal operations and where the shadow latch's primary function occurs during scan operations. The scannable latch also has an output gate operatively connected to the dynamic input stage and shadow latch.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing logic operations using a current mode logic circuit is provided. Further, a method and apparatus for performing high fan-in logic operations is provided. Further, a logic circuit that selectively steers current based upon a plurality of inputs is provided. Further, a method for performing logic operations using current steering is provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for post-fabrication adjustment of a phased locked loop leakage current is provided. The adjustment system includes a programmable current source that adjusts a leakage current offset circuit to compensate for the leakage current of a capacitor. The capacitor connects to a control voltage of the phase locked loop. The programmable current source includes at least one current source and switch to adjust the leakage current offset circuit. The programmable current source is selectively adjusted by a combinational logic circuit. Such control of the leakage current in the phased locked loop allows a designer to achieve a desired phase locked loop operating characteristic after fabrication of the adjustable phase locked loop.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method and composition for cleaning and inhibiting solid, bitumin tar, and viscous fluid deposition in well equipment used in conjunction with a water-based well fluid which includes mixing an effective amount of a miscible terpene in the well fluid. In one embodiment, a method for cleaning and inhibiting deposits in and on well equipment used in conjunction with a water-based well fluid which includes mixing an effective amount of d-limonene into the well fluid is disclosed.

Abstract: A current crowding reduction technique involving the uniform displacement of vias around a bump is provided. By uniformly arranging vias around the bump on an integrated circuit, current can uniformly flow to and from the bump, effectively leading to reduced current density around the bump. Further, a method for reducing current crowding around a bump using an uniform arrangement of vias around the bump is provided.

Abstract: An integrated on-chip process, temperature, and voltage sensor is provided. Further, a method to monitor a process corner, temperature, and voltage on a computer chip is provided. Further, an on-chip voltage monitor is provided. Further, a method to monitor a voltage on a section of a computer chip is provided. Further, an integrated testing module having voltage, temperature, and sensor components is provided.

Abstract: A signal shielding technique that assigns voltage potential to shield wires based on the dominant switching direction of a signal is provided. The dominant switching direction is determined based on pre-charge based logic that drives the signal. By determining the voltage potential the signal is more likely to transition to, the shield wires can be implemented so that a discharge event occurs during the dominant transition. Because the signal is more likely to switch in the dominant switching direction, power supply collapses associated with charging events may be reduced.

Abstract: Cache line optimization involves computing where cache misses are in a control flow and assigning probabilities to cache misses. Cache lines may be scheduled based on the assigned probabilities and where the cache misses are in the control flow. Cache line probabilities may be calculated based on the relationship of the cache line and where the cache misses are in the control flow. A control flow may be pruned before calculating cache line probabilities. Function call sites may be used to prune the control flow. Address generation of a cache miss may be duplicated to speculatively hoist address generation and the associated prefetch. References may be selected for optimization, identifying cache lines, and mapping the selected references. Dependencies within the cache lines may be determined and the cache lines may be scheduled based on the determined dependencies and probabilities of usefulness.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention is a roller cone drill bit including a bit body having three legs depending therefrom, each leg having a journal, a roller cone rotatably mounted on each journal, and each roller cone having a plurality of cutting elements thereon. The cutting elements are arranged in rows on each cone. The rows include at least a gage row and a first row interior of the gage row. The first interior row is staggered with respect to the gage row on each of the three cones. Another aspect of the invention is a roller cone drill bit including a bit body having three legs depending therefrom. Each leg has a journal, a roller cone rotatably mounted on each journal, and each roller cone has a plurality of cutting elements thereon. The cutting elements are arranged in rows on each cone. The rows include at least a gage row and a first row interior of the gage row. The first interior row is staggered with respect to the gage row on at least two of the three cones.

Abstract: A roller cone drill bit is shown which includes at least one roller cone rotatably mounted on a journal forming a part of a bit body. The at least one cone having cutting elements disposed at selected locations thereon. The at least one roller cone subtends a journal angle of less than about 35 degrees, and has an offset less than about 0.15 inches. In one embodiment, gage row cutting elements on the at least one roller cone define an oversize angle in a range of about −1.5 to +2 degrees.

Abstract: A seal for a radially expansible conduit connection is disclosed. The seal includes a first sealing surface disposed proximal to an end of a male portion of the connection and a corresponding second sealing surface disposed proximal to an end of a female portion of the connection. The first and said second sealing surfaces are substantially opposite each other upon connection of the male and female portions. The seal includes a first clearance surface proximal to the first sealing surface and a second clearance surface proximal to the second sealing surface. The first and second clearance surfaces are substantially opposite each other upon connection of the male and female portions.

Abstract: A bonnet lock mechanism for a blowout preventer that includes a radial lock. A radial lock displacement device is coupled to at least one lock actuator. The radial lock displacement device is adapted to radially displace the radial lock to lock a bonnet to a body of the blowout preventer. A bonnet lock mechanism for a blowout preventer that includes a radial lock positioned in a body of the blowout preventer. At least one lock actuator is coupled to the radial lock and is adapted to radially displace the radial lock to lock a bonnet to the body of the blowout preventer.

Abstract: A method for reducing voltage variation in a PECL based component has been developed. The method includes powering up a PECL based component, such as a receiver circuit for a PLL, and activating or inserting a shunting resistance across the power supply terminals of a PECL power supply. The shunting resistance is inserted in parallel with the PECL based component, and is controllable such that the resistance can be selectively switched ‘on’ and/or ‘off.

Abstract: A needle comprising a hollow shaft having opposed distal and proximal ends, the hollow shaft having a lumen extending from the proximal end of the shaft and terminating at an opening on a top of and proximal to the distal end of the needle shaft. A cutting surface is at the distal end of the hollow shaft adapted to be inserted into a patient, wherein the cutting surface is on the bottom of the distal end of the hollow shaft.

Abstract: A method for programming a controller of a memory unit has been developed. The method includes inputting variable initialization parameters of the memory unit and a clock delay and a command delay for each parameter. Based on each pair of clock delays and command delays, calculate a set of delays for a read command and a write command. Calculate the system performance for each pair of clock and command delays bases on the read and write delays and select the initial parameters that offer optimum system performance.

Abstract: A circuit for reducing the noise associated with a clock signal for a latch based circuit has been developed. The circuit includes a charge control portion that stores charge at a pre-determined time of the clock cycle and a dump control portion that releases the stored current also at a predetermined time of the clock cycle. The charge is released onto the power grid of the system served by the clock signal in synchronization with the operation of the latch.

Abstract: A light emission device includes a light emitter, a light reflection member, and a resin sealing the light emitter by covering the light reflection member and the light emitter, in which light deviated from a predetermined front region in the light emitted from the light emitter is totally reflected by a boundary surface of the resin to be forwardly emitted by the light reflection member, and the emitter is thermally contacted with the reflection member to dissipate the heat generated from the light emitter.

Abstract: A video signal coding device is provided with unit dividing means (202) for dividing an input picture into units each of which is a coding quantity control unit consisting of one or a plurality of frames to be processed by any one of intra-frame coding, inter-frame forward coding, and inter-frame bi-directional coding; activity calculating means (203) for calculating a frame activity for every frame of the input picture, and calculating a unit activity for every unit from the frame activities of frames belonging to the same unit; target coding quantity deciding means (205) for deciding a target coding quantity of a coding frame on the basis of the fame activity of the coding frame which is a coding object, the unit activity of a coding unit to which the coding unit belongs, and the average unit activity of a unit prior to the coding unit; and coding means (206) for coding the coding frame by the target coding quantity so as to generate coded data.

Abstract: A magnetic tape apparatus has an intermediate gear (19) meshed with an idler gear (22) which is releasably meshed with both a pay-off reel table (2) and a roll-up reel table (3), a drive gear (31) rotatably driven by a capstan motor (10), a driven gear (32) releasably meshed with the drive gear (31) by way of a friction plate, a clutch mechanism (20), and a speed increasing mechanism (27). The speed increasing mechanism (27) has a movable rotary body (37) rotatably mounted around a support shaft (36) and adapted to reciprocate along an axis of the support shaft (36) by means of the clutch mechanism (20). The movable rotary body (37) is provided with a small diametered gear (38) and a large diametered gear (39). In a fast feed mode and a rewind mode, the small diametered gear (38) is meshed with the drive gear (31) while the large diametered gear (39) is meshed with the intermediate gear (19).