Abstract: The primary purpose of an automatic storage-reclamation system for digital computers is to reclaim the memory occupied by memory objects that are no longer necessary for the correct operation of the computer programs that are clients of the reclamation system. Those objects that are unnecessary in this respect are commonly called garbage objects or, more simply, garbage, and the act of reclaiming such objects is commonly called garbage collection. Frequently, however, some final action or sequence of actions needs to be taken when a memory object becomes a garbage object, beyond simply reclaiming the memory occupied by such objects. An automated finalization mechanism performs such a pre-specified set of actions when it has determined that a memory object has become garbage. A postmortem finalization mechanism performs these finalization actions only after the garbage object has actually been reclaimed by the system's garbage collector.

Abstract: A novel process is taught for forming diodes simultaneously with the formation of typical prior art LDD MOS devices. The diodes thus formed have low breakdown voltages, making them suitable for use as voltage reference diodes, or diodes for ESD protection.

Abstract: A novel method and structure are taught for narrowing the distribution of charge on the floating gates after electrical erasure of a population of cells. This allows faster programming following erasure. An additional recovery step is performed after erasure and prior to programming. The recovery step serves to adjust the state of erasure of the cells such that the distribution of the amount of erasure of each cell in the population of cells is reduced. This is accomplished in order to cause those cells which would have a relatively high floating gate voltage V.sub.FG after erasure to be recovered such that their floating gate voltage is made less positive, while having little or no effect on the floating gate voltage of cells which are not overerased. The recovery is performed either as a final step in the erase operation, a separate recovery step independent of the erase or program operations, or as a preliminary step during the programming operation.

Abstract: A method and structure are provided for automating the collection of information from a customer and providing a specification of a transaction system to fullfil the customer's needs and desires. An ordering step is used in order to obtain information via a convenient user interface to determine the customer's intended use of the machine and the performance desired. As a result of this ordering process, the system hardware configuration is determined automatically. During the implementation process, the system is used to assemble a package of software, to run the hardware thus configured and implement the chosen user functions. If desired, this information is stored for later use in the event the user wishes to modify the configuration of his system, or to order additional system configurations different than that of the initial system.

Abstract: A method of identifying an object within a set of object candidates includes the steps of:calculating the probability of occurrence of each member of a set of string candidates, wherein each string candidate contains one member of the set of object candidates, the calculating employing formulae using a method of groups and projections; andidentifying one of the objects based on the calculated probability.

Abstract: A novel optical system is taught including an optical source, an optical modulator having at least one optical input port for receiving the optical signal from the optical source, a modulation port for receiving the optical signal from the optical source, a modulation port for receiving a modulating signal, and complementary output port signals. The complementary modulated output signals are applied to one or more optical receivers at the other end of an optical transmission link. In one embodiment, the two complementary signals are provided to two separate optical receivers, thereby allowing distribution of optically modulated signals, for example, in a cable television or other type distribution system. In another embodiment, the two complementary modulated signals are applied to a single balanced receiver, thereby providing information content to the complementary receiver twice the power level available on either one channel alone.

Abstract: An electronic video dental camera is provided which overcomes the disadvantages of both prior art dental mirrors, endoscopes, and video endoscopes. The electronic video dental camera is readily manipulated by dentists who are familiar with the manipulation of dental mirrors. Such an electronic video dental camera includes a handle to be held the user, and a camera head located at the distal end of the handle, with the camera head being formed at an angle to the handle, as in prior art dental mirrors. One embodiment includes provision for the flow of a selected fluid in order to defog and/or clean the camera lens. In one embodiment, the camera head includes light sources for illuminating the area to be viewed. In one embodiment, the handle of the dental camera includes structure for transporting all appropriate signals and fluids to and from the camera head, and, if desired, valves and switching structure located on the handle for controlling such communication to the camera head.

Abstract: The present invention provides real time feedback interconnect system which allows real-time detection and control of bond force exerted on the bond site. A force sensor is provided in the bond system, which detects the bond force exerted by the bond tool. The force sensor provides a force signal to a real-time feedback circuit. The feedback circuit transmits a force adjustment signal to a z-motion actuator to adjust the force applied to the bond site.

Abstract: An ECL OR gate circuit, or a logical equivalent AND gate circuit, is provided whereby the input signals are both referenced to the same bias reference signal such that the propagation delay between each input port to the output port of the gate is substantially equivalent. Also provided is an improved ECL flip flop circuit using the ECL OR (or AND) circuit taught in accordance with the teachings of this invention for a faster ECL flip flop. In accordance with the teachings of this invention, a flip flop clock input signal is referenced to the same bias reference signal as the flip flop data input signal such that the propagation delay between the clock input to the output stage is substantially the same as the data input to the output stage.

Abstract: An improved plating tank having a tank separator which segregates the tank into an upper tank and a lower tank. A plating chamber attached to the tank separator encases a rack having one or more surfaces for supporting semiconductor wafers to be plated. A chamber passage formed of an inner surface of the chamber is connected between an opening in the tank separator and the upper tank to allow solution pumped from the lower tank to the upper tank to pass through the tank separator opening into the chamber passage and to flow over the anodes and the wafers.

Abstract: A generator provides a repetitive pattern which is applied to the input of a DUT and to the input of a timing generator. The output of the DUT follows the pattern at the input, switching the voltage between two levels. The High Frequency Voltage Sampler measures instantaneous voltage levels on the output waveform of the DUT. The timing generator uses the input signal to generate enable signals for the High Frequency Voltage Sampler which are synchronized to the test waveform and which can be time-delayed in precise intervals and with good repeatability. By placing this signal at a desired point anywhere along the test waveform the voltage at this point can be measured by the High Frequency Voltage Sampler. The High Frequency Voltage Sampler uses the leading edge of the enable signal to start the measurement of the instantaneous voltage level and it uses the trailing edge to store this level.

Abstract: A novel circuit is taught to provide a smooth current transfer function over a range of two input voltages, so that power can be supplied to an electronic circuit from more than a single power source. In one embodiment such power sources include a battery and an DC supply operated off the AC mains. Associated with each such supply is a current source designed to provide a reference current. This reference current is used to establish mirror currents from each of the power leads in order to provide the desired output current.

Abstract: The present invention provides a means of inducing unidirectional oscillation in monolithic and composite ring lasers in which the light path is planar. The intracavity optical diode that enforces unidirectional oscillation in the planar ring oscillator is achieved by a combination of the nonreciprocal Faraday effect, a linear birefringence effect in which the principal axes of the birefringence are not parallel and perpendicular to the plane of propagation of the ring light path, and one or more partial polarizer effects. The present invention enables experimental optimization of polarization transformations within a planar ring oscillator, even if the oscillator is monolithic, and also provides a means of tuning the frequency of the planar ring oscillator.

Abstract: The invention discloses a general technique of taking advantage of the stability of the modulator transfer characteristic in order to correct for second and third order distortion. These objectives are achieved in a way compatible with the nature of the video distribution frequency formats. The method of this invention for linearizing the amplitude transfer characteristic of integrated optic devices for analog transmission is accomplished by injecting pilot signals, monitoring the harmonic and intermodulation distortion content of the optical output, and feeding back bias signals to parametrically tune the operating points of the integrated optic modulator and of a predistortion network. General principles for realizing suitable parametrically tunable predistortion networks are also presented.

Abstract: A tunable, single-frequency, solid-state ring laser includes a solid-state laser material pumped by laser-diode light and at least one additional external piece which reflects the intra-cavity lasing light in a closed loop such that the plane of polarization is changed in an appropriate amount to compensate for magneto-optic change (Faraday rotation) of the plane of polarization, which occurs either inside the solid-state material or in one of the external pieces which traversed by the intra-cavity lasing beam. At least one of the external elements has the ability to change the optical path length of the intra-cavity lasing beam in order to tune the laser frequency by means of mechanical movement, electro-optic properties, magneto-optic properties, or some combination of the above properties.

Abstract: A dynamic RAM is provided with enhanced charge storage capacity by increasing the surface area between the two electrodes of the storage capacitor. The first electrode consists of a thick conductive layer whose vertical sidewalls provide the extra surface area for charge storage. The second electrode is used to partially planarize the surface topology. The first electrode can also be used as the gate of a sensing transistor in a signal amplifying cell, as well as in multiport and multistate dynamic RAM cells.

Abstract: A method of identifying an object within a set of object candidates includes the steps of:calculating the probability of occurrence of each member of a set of string candidates, wherein each string candidate contains one member of the set of object candidates, the calculating employing formulae using a method of groups and projections; andidentifying one of the objects based on the calculated probability.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for transforming a rejected semiconductor product wafer, originally having epitaxial silicon on a low resistivity substrate, into a recycled EPI-on-silicon wafer targeted for reuse as a lower cost higher quality material suitable for new semiconductor product fabrication. The method comprises the steps of removing the old semiconductor product layers, rounding the edges of the wafer if necessary, polishing the wafer surface, thermally treating the wafer to drive lattice imperfections from the surface to create fresh inpurity getter sites in the wafer body, and introducing a new epitaxial silicon layer. The low cost feature is provided by the reuse of the original substrate wafer. The high quality feature is provided by the targeted redistribution of oxygen induced defects from the recycled substrate wafer surface.

Abstract: A memory circuit incorporates a differential sense amplifier to be utilized in conjunction with a memory array comprised of a plurality of memory cells each containing a single transistor. A high slew rate differential input signal is applied to the sense amplifier based upon the binary data stored in an addressed memory cell. This is accomplished by pre-charging the selected bit line and a reference bit line, and then selecting the word line of the memory cell to be read, while causing the reference memory cell to conduct. The differential voltage between the selected bit line and the reference bit line is then sensed to determine the state of the data stored in the selected memory cell. The ratio of currents through the selected bit line and the reference bit line is selected to be other than one, in order to achieve a rapid differential voltage swing, and rapid reading of the data stored within the selected memory cell.

Abstract: An electronic video dental camera is provided which overcomes the disadvantages of both prior art dental mirrors, endoscopes, and video endoscopes. The electronic video dental camera is readily manipulated by dentists who are familiar with the manipulation of dental mirrors. Such an electronic video dental camera includes a handle to be held the user, and a camera head located at the distal end of the handle, with the camera head being formed at an angle to the handle, as in prior art dental mirrors. One embodiment includes provision for the flow of a selected fluid in order to defog and/or clean the camera lens. In one embodiment, the camera head includes light sources for illuminating the area to be viewed. In one embodiment, the handle of the dental camera includes means for transporting all appropriate signals and fluids to and from the camera head, and, if desired, valves and switching means located on the handle for controlling such communication to the camera head.