Abstract: There is disclosed a resin-coated overlay for bonding to solid substrates, and which imparts improved waterproofing and chemical resistance to the resulting resin-coated overlaid solid substrate. Depending upon the desired end use of resin-coated overlaid solid substrate, the resin-coating may be modified to impart desirable surface features and/or characteristics. For example, additives such as waxes, oils, silicones, fluorocarbons and fatty acid compounds may be used to promote the release of concrete from forms made of solid substrates overlaid with the resin-coated overlays of the present invention. Moreover, resin-coated overlaid solid substrates may be produced having a surface which is suitable for painting and which accepts application of various tape products. Other modifications are disclosed which can be used to gain desirable cure speed, cost, and chemical/mechanical properties in the resin-coating.

Abstract: A band-gap reference voltage generator comprises an operational amplifier comprising a first input and a second input, the first input being coupled to a first feedback network and the second input being coupled to a second feedback network both coupled to an output of the operational amplifier providing a reference voltage. The first feedback network contains an emitter-base junction of first bipolar junction transistor and the second feedback network contains an emitter-base junction of second bipolar junction transistor. A selectively activated current supply supplies a bias current to the operational amplifier, the current supply being deactivatable in a substantially zero power consumption operating condition for turning the reference voltage generator off. A start-up circuit activated upon start-up of the reference voltage generator for a fixed, prescribed time interval forces a start-up current to flow through the first bipolar junction transistor means.

Abstract: A system and method for combining the results of different analysis portions to produce a single YES/NO decision regarding the validity of a present cellular telephone call. A soft data analysis portion of the system analyzes soft data, such as the results of a signature analyzer and a customer call profile and determines the likelihood that the particular call is a valid call from an authorized cellular telephone or an invalid call from a fraudulent cellular telephone. In addition, the system performs a deterministic analysis of the particular phone call to independently designate the particular phone call as valid or invalid. The outputs from the deterministic analyzer and the soft data analyzer portion are combined in a combinatorial logic circuit to produce a single binary output having one logic level for valid calls from the authorized cellular telephone and the opposite logic level for invalid calls from the fraudulent cellular telephone.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting a voice channel grab by a pirate in a cellular telephone network. Initially, RF signals transmitted to and from an authorized cellular telephone over the control and voice channels are monitored to track call processing activities and obtain various data that are used to detect potential voice channel grabbing attempts. The data may include such things as RSSI, change power output messages and responses, and hook-flash signal. From the data, the system looks for two events. A first event is an unexpected change or an absence of an expected change in the voice channel RF signal indicating that the pirate may be transmitting on the voice channel. The first event may be any one or more of the following: (1) a sudden upward shift in the voice channel RSSI; (2) an unexpected phase shift of either the RF signal or the SAT signal contained in the RF signal; and (3) an absence of an expected shift in the RSSI that corresponds to the change power level message from the network.

Abstract: The invention provides surface plasmon resonance-mass spectroscopy for the rapid, sensitive and accurate investigation of molecular interactions coupled with the identification and quantification of the same. Methods of the invention include capturing an analyte present within a sample by an interactive surface layer on a real-time interaction analysis sensor, analyzing the analyte by surface plasmon resonance while the analyte is captured by the interactive surface layer, and identifying the captured analyte by desorbing/ionizing the analyte from the interactive surface layer while under vacuum within a mass spectrometer. Devices of the invention include a transparent material, a conductive material capable of supporting surface plasmon resonance affixed to the transparent material, an interactive surface affixed to the conductive material, and a means for exposing the interactive surface to the interior of a mass spectrometer without breaking the vacuum therein.

Abstract: An array of memory cells are arranged in rows and columns. The array includes a plurality of cell plates that are each coupled to at least one of the memory cells. A generator produces a bias voltage. A plurality of isolation circuits are each coupled between the generator and one or more of the cell plates. Each isolation circuit provides the bias voltage to the cell plate or plates to which the isolation circuit is coupled. The cell plates may be coupled to memory cells from a plurality of the columns. Additionally, each of the isolation circuits may selectively provide, in response to a control signal, the bias voltage to the cell plate or plates to which the isolation circuit is coupled.

Abstract: A counter circuit includes a series of registers driven by two phase shifted clocks. A clock generator in the counter circuit generates four asymmetrical clock signals to drive each of the registers. The registers are formed from input and output stages, each having two sets of switches. The first set of switches in each stage provides a supply voltage to a stage output in response to the asymmetrical clocks. The second set of switches supply ground to the stage output in response to the asymmetrical clocks. To accelerate response of the switching circuits, isolation switches decouple the first set of switches in each pair from the stage output during switching of the second set of switches, thereby removing loading of stage output by the second set of switches.

Abstract: A method for forming a plastic package for a power semiconductor electronic device to be encapsulated within a plastic case and to be coupled thermally to a heat sink element having a major surface exposed and at least one peripheral portion extending outwards from at least one side of the plastic case. The method forms the plastic case of the package by molding inside a main cavity of a mold after positioning a heat sink element in a suitable housing provided in a lower portion of the mold which opens into the main cavity of the mold. The method forms the heat sink element such that at least side surfaces jutting out of said side of the plastic case are, at least in a zone adjacent to that side and in the peripheral portion, inclined to form an angle .alpha. substantially greater than zero with a normal line to the major surface, so as to have a negative slope from outside.

Abstract: A method and system for reconfiguring a communications stack. The system provides a comstack manager that can be used with a communications stack having any number of layers, which may be located on different computers. In addition, the comstack manager facilitates the reconfiguration of a communications stack without having to modify any communications stack layers. Each layer provides a single entrypoint through which it communicates to its adjacent layers, and the communications stack layers communicate with each other using a message transfer system that has a single entrypoint for transferring messages. The single entrypoint of the layer provides compatibility among the layers and flexibility since each layer is not bound to a specific definition of another layer's functions. That is, each layer only needs to know how to access the single entrypoint which is the same for each layer.

Abstract: A computer system and method process memory requests for access to a computer memory. The computer system arbitrates between current memory requests based on an immediately previous memory request that was most recently selected for transmission to the memory. The computer system minimizes the number of read/write delays by selecting one of the current memory requests based on the request types (read or write) of the current memory requests and the immediately previous memory requests. The number of RAS/CAS delays are reduced by selecting one of the current memory requests based on whether any of the rows to which the current memory requests are directed matches the row to which the immediately previous memory request was directed. The number of pre-charge delays is reduced by selecting one of the current memory requests based on whether any of the current memory requests is directed to a memory bank other than the memory bank to which the immediately previous memory request was directed.

Abstract: A system for adjusting the phase of an internal clock signal relative to an external clock signal in a packetized dynamic random access memory device. The system applies a plurality of initialization packets to the memory device that are captured in a shift register responsive to a transition of the internal clock signal. However, the phase of the internal clock signal is sequentially incremented after each initialization packet has been captured in the shift register. After a plurality of initialization packets have been captured, an evaluation circuit identifies which phases of the internal clock signal clocked the shift register at the proper time to accurately capture each initialization packet. A single phase of the internal clock signal is then selected from within the range of internal clock signal phases that successfully captured initialization packets. This selected phase of the internal clock signal is used during normal operation of the memory device.

Abstract: A method of operating a keyboard assembly for a personal computer. In one embodiment, the keyboard assembly has a housing and an actuator coupled to the housing. The housing may have an elongated front edge, an elongated rear edge, a lower surface, and an upper surface. A plurality of keys may project from the upper surface of the housing. The actuator is coupled to the housing to rotate the housing about a rotational axis for changing the inclination of the housing and the keys during operation. For example, the actuator may continuously rotate the housing about a rotational axis during operation in a manner that causes a computer operator to continuously flex his/her wrists. In another embodiment, the housing may be attached to a separate base that has a bottom surface for resting on a support surface. The base may also have a top surface with a channel extending along the rotational axis that is defined by a curved surface with a circular cross-section.

Abstract: A fully-differential high speed differential amplifier is formed by four pairs of complementary MOS transistors arranged as inverters connected between a current source node and a current sink node. Current is coupled to the current source node from a positive supply voltage by one or a pair of PMOS current source transistors, and current is coupled from the current sink node to a negative supply voltage by one or a pair of NMOS currents sink transistors. Two of the complementary pairs of transistors receive respective input signals and generate respective output signals. The remaining two complementary pairs of transistors also receive respective input signals, but they generate bias control signals that are applied to the current source and sink transistors. Where a pair of current source and sink transistors are used, each current source and sink transistor receives its control signal from a respective complementary pair of transistors.

Abstract: A submersible, foldable seat for use in a hot tub. The seat is folded down to be used as a seat and folded up to provide an increased unobstructed area for use of the hot tub for other activities such as exercise. The foldable seat uses pivoting attachment members which allow flush connection to the curved hot tub wall. Frame members of the seat use connectors with transverse apertures to rotatably receive tubular portions of the seat frame to allow folding of the seat.

Abstract: A programmable voltage divider has normal and test modes of operation. The divider includes first and second supply nodes, a divider node that provides a data value, and a first divider element that is coupled between the first supply node and the divider node. The divider also includes a controlled node, a second divider element that has a selectable resistivity and that is coupled between the divider node and the controlled node, and a test circuit that is coupled between the controlled node and the second supply node. During the normal mode of operation, the first and second divider elements generate the data value having a first logic level when the second divider element has a first resistivity, and generate the data value having a second logic level when the second divider element has a second resistivity. The test circuit generates a first voltage at the controlled node during the normal mode of operation, and generates a second voltage at the controlled node during the test mode of operation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for operatively substituting a replacement device for a defective component in an electrical assembly. The apparatus preferably includes a first primary site adapted to engage a first component, a second primary site adapted to engage a second component, and a replacement site adapted to engage a replacement device. The replacement site has a first dedicated replacement terminal coupled to a first dedicated terminal of the first primary site, and second dedicated replacement terminal coupled to a second dedicated terminal of the second primary site. The replacement site further includes a common replacement terminal coupled to common terminals of both the first and second primary sites. In operation, the replacement device is attached to the replacement site and coupled to the common replacement terminal. Additionally, the replacement device is coupled to the first dedicated replacement terminal if the replacement device is to substitute for the first component.

Abstract: The circuit is for translating a switching signal disposed between ground level and Vdd to a translated switching signal disposed between first and second voltages Vhsrc and Vhstrap. The circuit includes a bistable circuit formed by two branches which include two nMOS transistors the sources of which are connected to ground and are controlled, respectively, by a switching-on signal and by a switching-off signal derived from the switching signal by means of a buffer and an inverter, respectively. Two pMOS transistors having their sources at the voltage Vhstrap and the drain of one connected to the gate of the other output the translated switching signal at one of their drains. Two further pMOS transistors having gates at the first voltage Vhsrc are interposed between the two nMOS transistors and the two pMOS transistors.

Abstract: A gas laser includes a plurality of electrically conductive electrodes contained within a hollow housing that contains a laser gas medium. The electrodes surround and define a laser bore in which a plasma is excited by the electrodes. Each of the electrodes defining the laser bore has an ungrounded electrical potential that provides improved laser gain at a lower gas temperature. Each of the electrodes may be driven with a controlled, varying electrical potential, such as a radio frequency electrical potential.

Abstract: A filter circuit adjustably decreases or increases the amplitude of audio signals in a predetermined frequency range. The filter circuit includes a filter module having an RC network with at least one frequency-response-determining RC member whose resistor component R is realized in SC technology. A setting device is connected to the filter module such that its setting determines the frequency response of the SC filter. The setting device renders possible a neutral setting in which the effective audio signal path of the filter circuit circumvents the filter module so that no decrease or increase of the amplitude of individual frequency portions takes place. Furthermore, an audio signal processor comprises at least one audio signal input, at least one audio signal output, and at least one control input.