Abstract: A MOS transistor for high-speed operation includes a gate insulator formed over a semiconductor substrate and a gate formed over the gate insulator. An insulating layer is formed on both sides of the gate insulator at the edge of the gate and thicker than the gate insulator. The device is also formed with LDD regions which form an LDD structure in the semiconductor substrate at least partially under the gate. The LDD structure defines a channel region under the gate insulator between the LDD regions. In one embodiment, the insulating layer formed on both sides of the gate extends toward the channel region but not beyond the LDD regions. In another embodiment, the insulating layer does extend beyond the LDD region but for a distance of less than 10 nm.

Abstract: A system and method of altering the output of a vestibular system including providing a source of time-varying galvanic current, transcutaneously delivering time-varying galvanic current to vestibular afferents associated with the vestibular system in order to modulate firing level of the vestibular afferents, and inducing a coherent time-varying sway response that counteracts postural sway. In an alternative embodiment there is provided a galvanic vestibular stimulation system including a source which transcutaneously delivers time-varying galvanic current to vestibular afferents in order to modulate the firing level of the vestibular afferents, a monitor which monitors postural sway thereby providing indication of necessary galvanic current to be delivered. The system induces a coherent time-varying sway response that counteracts the monitored postural sway.

Abstract: An assembly, a method and a motor vehicle for cleaning ambient air in the vicinity of an internal combustion engine (102) having combustion air inlet means (103) and energy emitting means (104)are disclosed. The assembly (101) further includes adsorbent means (105) for adsorbing at least one pollutant when in a first mode of operation and for desorbing the pollutant when in a second mode of operation. The adsorbent means have an inlet (106) for polluted ambient air (107, 107′) and an outlet (108) for cleaned ambient air (109, 109′). Furthermore, the assembly (101) includes a pollutant conduit (110) through which the desorbed pollutant is transferred from the adsorbent means (105) to the combustion air inlet means (103) when in the second mode of operation, and the adsorbent means (105) are arranged for being brought into the second mode of operation by means of energy supplied from the energy emitting means (104).

Abstract: In a spring-loaded curtain mount, the mount includes a pole interface at a proximal end, a compressive mechanism, and a head at a distal end. The pole interface is adapted to receive the end of a standard length adjustable pole or a painter's pole. The compression mechanism is disposed between the proximal end of the mount and the head. The mount includes a coupling device adapted to receive a portion of a curtain. During installation, the curtain mount is coupled to the end of an extension pole and the length of the pole is adjusted such that the combined length of the pole and mount is slightly longer than the distance between the floor and ceiling. At ground level, a portion of the curtain is attached to the head of the curtain mount. The curtain and mount are raised to the ceiling and the mount and pole are compressed between the floor and the ceiling. This compressive force operates to urge the head toward the ceiling, securing the mount in place.

Abstract: A method for percutaneous intramedullary nailing of tibial shaft fractures, intended to prevent anterior knee pain, comprising: placing a patient having at least one injured leg (1) in a supine position on a traction table; adjusting the leg so that the knee joint is flexed to approximately 90° at a joint line (J); preparing and draping the leg; making an incision (6, 6′) adjacently to the patella (4); creating a tunnel behind a patellar tendon of the injured leg, by means of a first tool, in a direction towards a tibial cortex of a tibia of the injured leg; penetrating the tibial cortex with a second tool; penetrating through the tibial cortex further into a medullary channel of the tibia (2) with a third tool; inserting an intramedullary nail into the medullary channel through the incision (6, 6′), wherein the incision (6, 6′) is made medially or laterally to the patella (4) and perpendicularly to the joint line (J).

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a double spacer and a method of manufacturing the device are provided. The semiconductor device includes a first spacer formed on the sidewall of a gate electrode and a second spacer formed on the slanted sidewall of the first spacer. A first impurity region is formed doped with a first conductivity type impurity at a first concentration and formed at a small junction depth in the substrate to self-align at the edge of the gate electrode. A second impurity region doped with second conductivity type impurity at a second concentration is formed at a large junction depth in the substrate to self-align at the edge of the first spacer. A third impurity region doped with the first conductivity type impurity at a third concentration is formed at a medium junction depth in the second impurity region to self-align at the edge of the second spacer.

Abstract: A digital deflection processing apparatus and method for a cathode ray tube are suitable for digitally and programmably correcting distortion in the cathode ray tube. The apparatus includes a synchronous signal and clock signal generating portion for generating a first composite synchronous signal extracted from a composite video broadcast signal or a third composite synchronous signal selected from not less than one second composite synchronous signals. A synchronous signal phase compensating portion lags or leads the phase of the third composite synchronous signal, and outputs the lagged or led third composite synchronous signal as a deflection composite synchronous signal. A coordinate value generating portion operates predetermined values with a result counted by the deflection composite synchronous signal, and outputs the operation result as X and Y axis coordinate values.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device with a write data masking method includes memory cell array divided into an even and an odd numbered memory cell array blocks for storing a first and a second data set, respectively, in response to even and odd numbered column selection signals, respectively. The device also includes an address generator for generating a column address in response to column addresses of multiple bits, an even and odd numbered column decoder for decoding the column addresses and generating the even and odd numbered column selection signals, respectively, in response to a first and a second masking control signal, respectively.

Abstract: A mirror is scanned to provide an image of a portion of the Earth to a multiband focal plane array (MBFPA) of optical detectors (an “imager”). Initially, the mirror is positioned relative to a first axis. The mirror is then scanned about a second axis and repositioned relative to the first axis while scanning the mirror about the second axis. This invention may be used in a weather satellite to remove prevent/reduce errors in pixel-to-pixel registration within an image frame and errors in band-to-band that occur when the various imaging bands (e.g., visual and infrared) of the MBFPA are used to image or scan selected areas of the Earth. The present invention positions the mirror relative to the first axis (e.g., elevation), and while scanning the mirror about the second axis (e.g., azimuth), the mirror is regularly repositioned in a prescribed manner relative to the first axis.

Abstract: An optical waveguide structure including a first waveguide, a second waveguide that intersects with the first waveguide, and a photonic crystal resonator system at the intersection of the first and second waveguides. In accordance with another embodiment there is provided an optical waveguide crossing structure including a first waveguide that propagates signals in a first direction, a second waveguide that intersects with the first waveguide and propagates signals in a second direction, and a photonic crystal crossing region at the intersection of the first and second waveguides that prevents crosstalk between the signals of the first and second waveguides.

Abstract: A pipelined oversampling analog-to-digital converter having a first conversion block including inputs for receiving an analog input signal and an analog reference signal, and a plurality of conversion blocks following the first conversion block. Each conversion block includes means for receiving the analog input signal and the analog reference signal, and at least one analog integrator input and at least one digital decimator input from a previous conversion block; a D/A converter having at least one distinct analog output level and an analog input of the analog reference signal; at least one integrator; a quantizer that computes at least one bit as an output; means for combining the output of the quantizer with the at least one digital decimator input; and means for providing an analog output signal output, at least one analog integrator output, and at least one digital decimator output to a following conversion block.

Abstract: An electrically erasable programmable read-only memory device comprises a substrate having an active region, a field isolation region for isolating the active region, and extension areas integrally extended and interconnected at portions of the active region in the neighborhood of a tunnel region to enlarge an overlap margin between the active region and tunnel region. A tunnel ion implanted region is formed in a portion of the active region including the tunnel region and a tunnel dielectric film is formed on a portion of the active region corresponding to the tunnel region. A gate dielectric film is formed on the remaining portion of the active region except for the portion corresponding to the tunnel region. A floating gate is formed in common on the tunnel region and active region and a control gate is formed on the floating gate via an insulating film. A selection gate is formed on the gate dielectric film at a predetermined distance from the control gate.

Abstract: In an apparatus and method for remote ultrasonic determination of thin material properties, a match filter calibration technique is employed. For a plurality of known material property values and known material thicknesses, an elastic stress wave is generated in the material at a source location. The intensity of a signal generated by the elastic stress wave is sensed at a sense location positioned a known distance from the source location. A feature is selected from among the sensed signals which demonstrates minimal thickness dependents from a plurality of known material thicknesses. The selected feature is applied to the sensed signals to determine propagation time of the signals over the known distance. A calibration curve is then generated to characterize the relationship between signal propagation time and material property value for each material thickness.

Abstract: A snowboard binding is shown for mounting a boot to a snowboard. The binding has adjustments for boot size and multiple degrees of freedom which results in many customizable adjustments. The binding is mounted so as not to dampen the flexure of the snowboard.

Abstract: In a data recovery apparatus and method for an optical disk reproduction system, a technique for digital recovery of data from an analog radio frequency (RF) signal is provided. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) converts an analog radio frequency (RF) signal into a digital signal in response to a reference clock signal. A first adder combines an asymmetry error level to the digital RF signal. An adaptive digital equalizer digitally controls the level of the result added by the first adder, in response to a control signal. A digital level detector calculates the asymmetry error amount using the result added by the first adder, and outputs the control signal according to the output of the adaptive digital equalizer and predetermined coefficients. A viterbi decoder decodes the output of the adaptive digital equalizer into a bit train.

Abstract: A column select circuit capable of minimizing load to data input/output lines, a semiconductor memory device having the same, and an arrangement method for the semiconductor memory device are described. In the semiconductor memory device having column select circuits, each column select circuit selects one of at least two banks in a memory block and selects a predetermined bit line among a plurality of bit lines in the selected bank to transfer data of the selected bit line to data input/output line. The column select circuit includes one or more first select portions for connecting the bit lines of the selected bank to the corresponding first data lines in response to a bank select signal to select a predetermined bank. One or more second select portions connects the first data lines to a second data line in response to each column select signal which represents the address of each bit line.

Abstract: An optical signal conversion apparatus in a compact disk player detects peaking in an RF signal read from a disk and compensates to reproduce a stable conversion signal, for example an EFM signal. In the optical signal conversion apparatus, a peaking prevention portion detects peaking of the RF input signal and outputs a predetermined reference voltage, if the peaking is detected, or alternately the input signal, if the peaking is not detected. A waveform processing portion extracts a high frequency component from the signal output from the peaking prevention portion, slices the extracted signal as a predetermined level, and outputs the sliced signal.

Abstract: A cup shaped holder is internally provided with an ejection mechanism which serves to automatically dislodge a spent beverage cartridge from an upwardly extending piercing member when the lid is opened at the end of a brewing cycle. In addition, the holder is mounted on externally protruding trunnions for pivotal movement between an upright brewing position and a partially inverted position to eject the dislodged cartridge from the holder into an underlying receptacle. The lid has a dependency arm that coacts with a pawl on the holder trunnions to automatically manipulate the holder to eject the cartridge.