Abstract: A flexible circuit (100) includes a first circuit path portion (110) and a second rigid circuit path portion (140) to which electronic components (102) may be coupled. Each circuit path portion (110 and 140) including a resin layer (112 and 142) and an adjacent conductive layer (114 and 144). Each circuit path portion (110 and 140) defining a gap (120 and 150) substantially running along a line corresponding to a desired bend location. A central circuit path portion (130) is disposed between the first circuit path portion (110) and the second rigid circuit path portion (140) and includes a first conductive layer (134) in electrical communication with the first circuit path portion (110) and a second conductive layer (136) in electrical communication with the second rigid circuit path portion (140), so as to provide electrical communication across the gaps (120 and 150). A metal plate (160) is disposed adjacent the second rigid circuit path portion (140).

Abstract: A synchronous quad clock domain system synchronizes an external primary and secondary clock (130, 132) with an internal primary and secondary clock (134, 136). The rising edge of the internal primary and secondary clock signals are matched and a synchronous multiple ratio is applied to the internal primary clock signal to produce the internal secondary clock signal. The phase of the internal and external secondary clock signals are matched. The external secondary clock signal is sampled to produce a external sample signature and the external sample signature is matched to a pattern corresponding to the synchronous multiple ratio to produce an external clock cycle signal. The internal secondary clock signal is also sampled to produce an internal clock cycle signal. The internal and external clock cycle signals are compared and a phase adjust signal is provided to match the phase of the internal and external secondary clock signals.

Abstract: A method for improving life of a field emission display (100), which has a plurality of electron emitters (118) and an anode (124), includes the steps of causing plurality of electron emitters (118) to emit electrons, applying a first anode voltage to anode (124), thereafter applying a second anode voltage to anode (124), and thereafter applying a third anode voltage to anode (124). The first anode voltage and the second anode voltage are selected to cause electrons emitted by plurality of electron emitters (118) to be attracted toward anode (124). The third anode voltage is selected to cause electrons emitted by plurality of electron emitters (118) to not be attracted toward anode (124). Furthermore, the second anode voltage is selected to be less than the first anode voltage.

Abstract: A method of managing memory includes providing a memory (190) partitioned into a memory tree having N memory levels and different numbers of memory nodes (100, 110, 111, 120, 121, 122, 123, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137) at each of the memory levels, providing a memory request, determining a memory request size, recursively searching partially-full subtrees within the memory tree to identify an empty one of the memory nodes minimizing fragmentation within the memory tree, and allocating the memory request to the empty one of the memory nodes.

Abstract: An audio input interface (122) receives a digital audio signal and identifies an audio bitstream which is optionally decrypted by a decryption unit (123), and decoded by an audio decoding unit (124). An audio digital to analog converter (126) converts the decoded audio bitstream to an analog audio signal which is optionally decrypted by an audio analog decryption unit (127). A video input interface (142) receives a digital video signal and identifies a video bitstream which is optionally decrypted by a video digital decryption unit (143), and decoded by a video decoding unit (144). A video digital to analog converter (146) converts the decoded video bitstream to an analog video signal that is optionally decrypted by a video analog decryption unit (147). An analog transmitter (150) mixes the analog audio signal and analog video signal and transmits an analog wireless output signal to an analog wireless device (110).

Abstract: A transportation apparatus for transporting components (240) sensitive to electrostatic discharge includes an electically conductive cart (220), an electrically conductive pad (231) coupled to the electrically conductive floor to ground the cart, an electrically conductive cable (232) coupled to the cart, and a fastening device (233) coupling the pad to the cable. The cart transports the components across an electrically conductive floor (200) from one location to another while the cart remains grounded by the electrically conductive pad.

Abstract: A cooling fan (FIG. 1, 100) generates an air current, which includes a substantial swirl component, along a first direction (10). When the air current reaches the first plate (120), which is predominantly perpendicular to the direction of the airflow, a portion of the air current is routed toward a second direction (20) which is perpendicular to the first direction (10) thereby providing airflow to electronic equipment along the second direction (20). A second portion of the air current is routed towards a direction to the opposite of second direction (20) by way of a second plate (150) which lies along the second direction (20) and is tilted in an upward direction. Additionally, the second plate (150) includes narrow and wide end portions (152 and 154, respectively) which serves to direct a portion of the air current opposite that of the second direction (20).

Abstract: A field emission display (100, 200, 300) includes a plurality of offset phosphors (126) and a cathode plate (110). Cathode plate (110) has a plurality of non-electron-emissive structures (112), a plurality of electron-emissive pixels (108), and a plurality of focusing electrodes (106). Offset phosphors (126) are aligned one each with non-electron-emissive structures (112) of cathode plate (110). Focusing electrodes (106) are disposed to cause a plurality of emission currents (134), which are generated by electron-emissive pixels (108), to be directed one each toward offset phosphors (126). Ions liberated from offset phosphors (126) are received by non-electron-emissive structures (112) of cathode plate (110), thereby ameliorating ion bombardment of electron-emissive pixels (108).

Abstract: A field emission display (100) includes a cathode plate (110) having a plurality of electron emitters (119), an anode plate (120) having a plurality of phosphors (126), and a spacer (130) having a rough surface (140). The roughness of rough surface (140) is selected to improve the charging and discharging characteristics of field emission display (100). Preferably, rough surface (140) is characterized by a peak-to-valley number within a range of 0.5-6 micrometers.

Abstract: In a method for switching between multiple system hosts (154,164,174,184) on a CompactPCI bus (110,120), a hot swap controller (166,186) provides to a special arbiter (820) a high priority request signal and the special arbiter (820) provides to the hot swap controller a grant signal only when the CompactPCI bus is idle. The hot swap controller (166,186) provides to the special arbiter (820) a float signal causing the special arbiter (820) to disable the system host signals, which include one or more grant signals for granting bus access to devices on the CompactPCI bus (110,120), one or more reset signals for resetting the devices, one or more interrupts and one or more clock signals provided to devices. The hot swap controller (166,186) transfers control of the CompactPCI bus (110,120) to a standby system host 154,164,174,184).

Abstract: A field emission device (110, 210, 310, 410) includes an electron emitter (124), a first dielectric focusing layer (122) defining a first aperture (127), and a second dielectric focusing layer (123) defining a second aperture (133). Second dielectric focusing layer (123) is disposed on first dielectric focusing layer (122). The dielectric constant of second dielectric focusing layer (123) is less than the dielectric constant of first dielectric focusing layer (122). During the operation of field emission device (110, 210, 310), electron emitter (124) emits an electron beam (134), which is focused as it travels through first aperture (127) and then through second aperture (133).

Abstract: An audio input interface (122) receives a digital audio signal and identifies an audio bitstream which is optionally decrypted by a decryption unit (123), and decoded by an audio decoding unit (124). An audio digital to analog converter (126) converts the decoded audio bitstream to an analog audio signal which is optionally decrypted by an audio analog decryption unit (127). An analog transmitter (150) transmits the analog audio signal to a radio (110).

Abstract: An electronic component (100) includes an electronic equipment enclosure (110), a plurality of electronic devices (121) inside the enclosure, air movers (130) capable of cooling the electronic devices, and a separate barometric vane dampers (201, 202) adjacent to each of the air movers. The electronic component includes N+1 air movers where N is a minimum number of air movers required to cool the enclosure. Additionally, each of the barometric vanes has at least one stop to limit its movement. Furthermore, the barometric vanes are contoured to direct air flow within the electronic equipment enclosure and are closeable by gravity when the air movers are stationary.

Abstract: An audio input interface (122) receives a digital audio signal and identifies an audio bitstream which is optionally decrypted by a decryption unit (123), and decoded by an audio decoding unit (124). An audio digital to analog converter (126) converts the decoded audio bitstream to an analog audio signal which is optionally decrypted by an audio analog decryption unit (127). A video input interface (142) receives a digital video signal and identifies a video bitstream which is optionally decrypted by a video digital decryption unit (143), and decoded by a video decoding unit (144). A video digital to analog converter (146) converts the decoded video bitstream to an analog video signal that is optionally decrypted by a video analog decryption unit (147). An analog transmitter (150) mixes the analog audio signal and analog video signal and transmits an analog output signal to a television (110).

Abstract: In a method for swapping a system host board (150,160,170,180), when a failure is detected on a first system processor board (150), control of a first CompactPCI bus (110) is transferred from a first system processor board system host (154) to a first bridge board system host(164). In an active/standby configuration, control of a second CompactPCI bus (120) is transferred from a second bridge board system host (184) to a second system processor board system host (174), and control of the devices on the first CompactPCI bus (110) and second CompactPCI bus (120) is transferred from the first system processor (152) to the second system processor (172) without resetting any devices on the system.

Abstract: In a method for switching between multiple system processors (152,172) on a CompactPCI bus (110,120), when a standby system processor (172,152) determines a failure affecting an active system processor (152,172) on the CompactPCI bus (110,120), the standby system processor (172,152) places a special arbiter (820) in a one master mode. If the standby system processor (172,152) determines that a device is at risk of performing a destructive action, the standby system processor (172,152) quiesces the device. The standby system processor (172,152) then places the special arbiter (820) in a multiple master mode.

Abstract: A power supply includes a turn on circuit which coordinates turn on of all paralleled power supplies supplying power to an electronic system such as a computer system. Upon detecting that its input voltage is sufficient to turn on, the power supply waits for a delay period long enough to ensure readiness of any of the paralleled power supplies and then determines that it can start independently. Upon detecting bus voltage sufficient to ensure that another power supply has turned on, the power supply determines that another power supply has turned on. If either condition is determined, the power supply turns on and begins supplying power to the computer system. As a result, the first power supply to turn on will be detected by the other power supplies, and the other power supplies will turn on immediately thereafter.

Abstract: A field emission device (100, 150) includes a cathode plate (102, 180) having electron emitters (116), an anode plate (104, 170) having a phosphor (107, 207, 307, 407) activated by electrons (119) emitted by electron emitters (116), and a vacuum bridge focusing structure (118, 158, 218, 318) for focusing electrons (119) emitted by electron emitters (116). Vacuum bridge focusing structure (118, 158, 218, 318) has landings (121, 122, 221, 322), which are attached to cathode plate (102, 180), and further has bridges (120, 220, 320), which extend above and beyond landings (121, 122, 221, 322, 421) to provide a self-supporting structure that is spaced apart from cathode plate (102, 180).