Abstract: A method for fabricating an integrated field emission device (90) includes the steps of: (1) providing a substrate (52), (2) forming a conductive layer (54) on the substrate (52), (3) depositing a dielectric layer (56) on the conductive layer (54), (4) forming an emission well (62) in the dielectric layer (56), (5) forming an emissive film (72) over the dielectric layer (56) so that the emissive film (72) extends partially into the emission well (62) to define an emissive edge (94) within the emission well (62), and (6) selectively etching the dielectric layer (56) proximate to the emissive edge (94) so that electrons emitted by the emissive edge (94) are received by the conductive layer (54).

Abstract: A field emission display (100) includes a dielectric layer (132) having a plurality of emitter wells (134), a plurality of electron emitters (136) disposed one each within the plurality of emitter wells (134), a plurality of conductive rows (138, 140, 142) disposed on the dielectric layer (132) and having sacrificial portions (154), an ion shield (139) disposed on the dielectric layer (132) and spaced apart from the sacrificial portions (154) of the plurality of conductive rows (138, 140, 142), and an anode (121) opposing the plurality of electron emitters (136) and defining a projected area (122) at the plurality of conductive rows (138, 140, 142). The sacrificial portions (154) of the plurality of conductive rows (138, 140, 142) extend beyond the projected area (122) of the anode (121).

Abstract: A method for protecting extraction electrodes (140) during processing of Spindt-tip field emitters (150, 155) includes the steps of: (i) depositing a parting layer (170) on the extraction electrodes (140) and in an interspace region (145) defined by the extraction electrodes (140), (ii) sharpening the Spindt-tip field emitters (150), (iii) depositing a layer (180) of emission-enhancing material on the sharpened field emitters (155) and on the parting layer (170), and (iv) removing the parting layer (170), thereby lifting off the emission-enhancing material from the extraction electrodes (140) and from the interspace region (145), but not from the sharpened field emitters (155).

Abstract: A method for fabricating an array of conical electron emitters (410) includes the steps of: (i) positioning a collimator (160), including a plurality of collimation cells (162) having hexagonal cross-sections, between a substrate (155) having emitter wells (130) and a target (170) made from the emitter material, (ii) sputtering the target (170) so that it is partially collimated by the collimator (160), (iii) moving the substrate (155) within a plane defined by the substrate (155) so that the emitter wells (130) follow an emitter well path (220) which forms a 15.degree. path angle (235) with respect to a reference line (240) of the collimator (160).

Abstract: An olfactory card (10) comprises a PC card housing (12) and a PC card connector (14) supported by the PC card housing (12). The olfactory card (10) includes a scent-producing member (20) and an electrical component (24) to activate the scent-producing member (20).

Abstract: A field emission device (100, 200) includes a cathode plate (110, 210), an anode plate (112, 212) spaced from the cathode plate (110, 210) to define an interspace region (114, 214) therebetween, a hole (144, 244) defined by the device package and in communication with the interspace region (114, 214), and a hydrogen-selective membrane (140, 240) disposed in registration with the hole (144, 244).

Abstract: A video signal is converted into a coefficient signal for each frame in a video image. Each coefficient signal comprises block coefficient signals which represent the pixels in a pixel map block (420) in a pixel map (410) with the coefficients in a hybrid polynomial. The coefficient signal for only selected frames is transmitted to a receiving computer (130). The coefficient signals are selected based on a number of coefficients in the coefficient signal for a current frame that vary from corresponding coefficients in the coefficient signal for a sequentially previous frame.

Abstract: A backplane system provides a terminator assembly that mounts along an axis that is parallel to a plane of the backplane. The backplane system has modular backplanes connected to a removable terminator assembly. Connectors coupled the backplanes to the terminator assembly and each other.

Abstract: A pixel map signal is converted into a coefficient signal of block coefficient signals, each representing the pixels in a pixel map block (420) in a pixel map (410) with the coefficients in a hybrid polynomial. The coefficient signal is quantized by dividing each of the coefficient values in each of the block coefficient signals by quantization factors to produce quantized coefficient values which replace the coefficient values. Block coefficient signals which represent an edge block (424) in the pixel map (410) are divided by larger quantization factors than block coefficient signals which represent a center block (422) in the pixel map (410). As a result, smaller quantized coefficient values are obtained so that block coefficient signals which represent an edge block (424) are compressed to a greater extent than block coefficient signals that represent a center block (422) in the pixel map (410).

Abstract: A video signal is converted into a coefficient signal of block coefficient signals for each frame in a video image. Each of the block coefficient signals represents the pixels in a pixel map block (420) with the coefficients in a hybrid polynomial. The hybrid polynomial contains discrete cosine terms, a constant term separated from the discrete cosine terms, and polynomial terms separated from the discrete cosine terms. Coefficient signals for selected frames only are transmitted to a receiving computer (130). The coefficient signals for the selected frames are converted to decompressed pixel map signals and the pixel map signals for unselected frames are interpolated using nonlinear interpolation. The decompressed pixel map signals and interpolated pixel map signals are ordered into an original frame sequence to produce a decompressed video signal.

Abstract: A computational array includes a self timed computational element that performs self timed calculations internally independent of a global clock. The self timed computational element includes a computational unit (100) which produces a complete signal upon the completion of calculation of a result value. The self timed computational element also includes a self timed control unit (200) which determines whether a new result value is to be calculated by the computational unit (100) based on an iteration signal which indicates a number of times the new result value is to be calculated, and based on the complete signal received from the computational unit (100) indicating that each previous calculation has been completed. Upon determining that a new result value is to be calculated, the self timed control unit (200) provides a self timed clock signal to the computational unit (100) and the computational unit (100) calculates the new result value accordingly.

Abstract: A pixel map signal is converted into a coefficient signal of block coefficient signals, each representing the pixels in a pixel map block (420) with the coefficients in a hybrid polynomial. The hybrid polynomial contains discrete cosine terms, a constant term separated from the discrete cosine terms, and polynomial terms. Each block coefficient signal contains a background component representing a coefficient of the constant term, a linear component representing the coefficients of a the polynomial terms, and a nonlinear component representing the coefficients of the discrete cosine terms. The background component represents constant, unchanging pixel values in a pixel map block (420), the linear component represents linearly changing pixel values in a pixel map block (420), and the nonlinear component represents nonlinear patterns in a pixel map block (420).

Abstract: A pixel map signal is separated into block signals, each representing pixels in a pixel map block (420) in a pixel map (410). The blocks signals each contain an overlap component having pixel values representing pixels contained both by the corresponding pixel map block (420) and an adjacent block. The pixel map signal is compressed by converting the block signals into a coefficient signal of block coefficient signals, each of which represents a pixel map block (420) with the coefficients in a hybrid polynomial. When the pixel map signal is decompressed, the pixel values in the overlap component for each pixel map block (420) are averaged with the pixel values in the overlap component for the adjacent block and replaced by the averaged pixel values in the corresponding pixel map block (420) and the adjacent pixel map block (420).

Abstract: A speech signal is sampled to form a sequence of speech data. The sequence of speech data is segmented into overlapping segments. Speech coefficients are generated by fitting each segment to a nonlinear predictive coding equation. The nonlinear predictive coding equation includes a linear predictive coding equation with linear terms, and additionally includes at least one cross term that is proportional to a product of two or more of the linear terms. If the segment is voiced, a sinusoidal term is included in the nonlinear predictive coding equation and sinusoidal parameters are generated. Otherwise, a noise term is included in the nonlinear predictive coding equation. The speech coefficients, a voiced bit, and, if the segment is voiced, the sinusoidal parameters are included as compressed speech data.

Abstract: A computational array (120) includes at least one computing element (130) that calculates multiple terms in a polynomial. The computing element (130) obtains an input value of each variable in each of the multiple terms and a subscript uniquely identifying the variable, The computing element (130) reads a term identifier and an exponent corresponding to the variable at a memory location based on the subscript, The computing element (130) multiplies the input value by a selected weight value and multiplies the input value by itself a number of times based on the exponent and stores the result at a memory location corresponding to the term identifier. The computing element (130) calculates multiple terms by distinguishing each of the terms with the term identifier.

Abstract: A video signal is converted into compressed frame signals, each comprising a coefficient signal of block coefficient signals for each frame in a video image. Each of the block coefficient signals represents the pixels in a pixel map block (420) with the coefficients in a hybrid polynomial. The hybrid polynomial contains discrete cosine terms, a constant term separated from the discrete cosine terms, and polynomial terms extracted from the discrete cosine terms. Each block coefficient signal contains a background component representing a coefficient of the constant term, a linear component representing the coefficients of the polynomial terms, and a nonlinear component representing the coefficients of the discrete cosine terms.

Abstract: A method and system for selectively defining hardware parameters in an executable operating system program provides the advantage of enabling or disabling hardware features during testing without having to modify and recompile the operating system source program. In an implementation of a preferred embodiment, a hardware control variable is stored in a configuration file in memory. The configuration file is accessible to the user to define or modify the hardware control variable as desired. The hardware control variable contains a number of hardware control bits, each corresponding to a hardware parameter in the executable operating system program. During execution, the executable operating system program defines the hardware parameters based on the values of the corresponding hardware control bits. The executable operating system program enables or disables the hardware features based on how the hardware parameters are defined.