Abstract: The present invention comprises an articulating paper holder which has an elongated handle and an elongated holding arm. The holding arm is securely attached to and extends from the handle. The holding arm includes a holding means for securely holding a piece of articulating paper for imprinting occlusion contact patterns. Specifically, in a preferred embodiment, the elongated handle and arm are composed of plastic material whereby the articulating paper holder can be inexpensively mass produced and is therefore disposable.

Abstract: The present invention provides a membrane probe contact bump compliancy system implemented in an integrated circuit (IC) testing system to nondestructively test a wafer. This integrated circuit system includes a test controller which is capable of controlling and executing a set of test programs, a wafer dispensing system, and a probe card. Under control of the test controller, the wafer dispensing system handles and controls the wafer for the performance of said set of test program. The probe card has a performance board and a plurality of probes. In cooperation with the wafer dispensing system, the probe card positions each of the probes to engage the wafer substantially at a predefined location with a controlled amount of force. The performance board further includes a transmission line corresponding to each probe.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing mirrors comprising notching the backside of a plate and etching it from one or both sides. The front side is plated and polished to a flat mirror-like-like surface. The plate is made from glass rods that have been fused together in a bundle and then heated and stretched. One of the glass rods, near the center, is being susceptible to etching while the others are not. Therefore, when the glass rod bundle is drawn out, they will neck-down and become very fine. When the center glass rod has been drawn down to, for example, about five mils in diameter, the neck of the bundle is harvested for the above plates, by slicing out wafers at an angle, e.g., 45.degree.. The etchants will attack the center glass rod, but not those that surround it, due to their chemical properties. The result is a very sharply formed aperture hole of any desired diameter.

Abstract: A high percentage bandwith microwave filter network, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises a T-network of capacitors implemented with thin-film techniques by applying a groundplane to one side of an alumina substrate and a first plate to the other side. A silicon nitride dielectric layer having a high density of capacitance is deposited over the first plate, and then a second and third capacitor plate are deposited on the dielectric over the first plate.

Abstract: A MIC package housing that reduces or completely eliminates alumina substrate cracking due to thermal expansion rate differences between the housing and the alumina by using a low-expansion iron-nickel alloy, such as commercially available Carpenter 49, made to ASTM Specification A-753-78 (Alloy 2) and MIL-N-14411B (MR) (Composition 3 and 4). Such a housing places compressive stresses no glass-to-metal seals used in hermetic feedthroughs and the glass is fused and the stresses relieved by a special process of annealing. Manufacturing yields are improved and very large alumina substrates can be used and are attached by hard soldering.

Abstract: A parallel-to-serial FIFO buffer device (100) employs a FIFO buffer (110) for storing words of data; a tap-shift-register portion (112); and a data-shift-register portion (116) for converting from parallel to serial format words of data stored in the FIFO buffer (110), tap-shift-register portion (112) controls the conversion process, receives (150) a serial-input-expansion (RSIX) input signal, and develops (170) a serial-output-expansion (RSOX) output signal. The serial-input-expansion input signal (150) and the serial-output-expansion output signal (170) permit the device (100) to be connected with one, or more, similar, device(s) for word length and/or depth expansion.

Abstract: A method of programming a cache tag comparator by designing a semiconductor device's internal circuitry such that an input/output pin of the device may be programmed by an external resistor to ground that will indicate during the reset phase of the device that an alternate function for the pin is to be selected or that the pin itself is to be disabled.

Abstract: For coupling one, or more, gaseous discharge lamps to a high-frequency AC power-source a ballasting (current-limiting) network employs a first capacitor, a second inductor, and a transformer having a primary winding coupled to the high-frequency AC power-source by the first capacitor and a secondary winding coupled to the gaseous discharge lamp by the second inductor.

Abstract: An integrated circuit of the present invention comprises antifuse elements which have been fabricated by depositing at under 500.degree. C. an antifuse layer approximately 30 nanometers to 400 nanometers between layers of titanium (Ti), said antifuse layer comprising a stoichiometric or off-stoichiometric amorphous silicon-based dielectric layer, such that a heating of the said antifuse layer in excess of 500.degree. C. by electrical or energy beam means will cause a chemical reduction reaction between the titanium and silicon-dioxide layers that yields more Ti.sub.5 Si.sub.3, TiSi, and/or TiSi.sub.2 than is yielded TiO, Ti.sub.2 O.sub.3, Ti.sub.3 O.sub.5, and/or TiO.sub.2, and such that there results a conductive compound between said titanium layers which constitutes a short circuit.

Abstract: A small, lightweight, efficient, very low cost AC adaptor for consumer electronics applications is realized by combining a switching regulator integrated circuit along with a leadframe adapted to mount the switching regulator integrated circuit off-center, a single-sided printed circuit board and high frequency ferrite cores. These components are assembled onto a substrate, such as a printed circuit board, by means of well-known, low-cost automatic insertion assembly machines. The novel structural aspects result in formation of a transformer from the leadframe and traces on the printed circuit board. The power supply resulting from this assembly method may be small enough to be molded into the plug portion of a standard AC power cord.

Abstract: A proximity identification system incorporating ferrite rods. The rods are used in both the reader and the tag and additional rods may be used to strengthen and concentrate the flux field in the regions near the reader to obtain better performance in such regions. A coding system requiring minimum power for the tag is also described.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a safety apparatus which includes a means for covering a disconnect valve means and an urging means disposed near the covering means. The urging means urges the covering means to cover the disconnect valve means. The urging means further has a retraction mechanism for retracting the covering means from the disconnect valve means only when an external retracting command activates a retracting force on the retracting mechanism. Therefore, the valve is covered by the covering means and is prevented from being inadvertently operated during a system failure and an unsafe operation condition.

Abstract: A mine emergency communication cable and a method for use. The cable is comprised of a plurality of brightly colored, lightweight, strong synthetic fibers having a plurality of noninsulated tin plated copper wires and stainless steel wires at least one insulated copper wire interwoven with the synthetic fibers. At least two transceivers are inductively coupled to the cable creating a radio communication link. The noninsulated wires allow pieces of the cable to be connected by tying a knot in the cable. The insulated wire increases the communication distance by supporting the bifilar radio communication mode. The cable can also function as a physical guide which miners can follow to a safe location during a mine emergency.

Abstract: A filter-purifier that removes sub-micron particles as well as trace amounts of moisture, oxygen, and other chemical impurities from a gas stream. The filter-purifier has a pair of end caps, a baffle stack, a purifying medium bed to contain a purifying medium, a pair of face-seal style fittings, a pre-filter cup, a purifying medium retaining screen, a final filter, a pair of spring stacks, a pair of collars to retain the spring stacks, and a cylindrical housing welded between the end caps.

Abstract: A method for the extraction of valuable minerals and precious metals from oil sands ore bodies or other related ore bodies that is synergistically unique in the arrangement of processes for production of valuable minerals and precious metals in an economically and environmentally acceptable manner. The oil sands ores from oil sands ore bodies and other related ores from other related ore bodies including overburden and interburden mineral ores are crushed, the hydrocarbons, if any exists in worthwhile quantities, are recovered and the resulting coarse sands, other related ores and fines streams are processed in a definite sequence using known processes to recover the valuable minerals and precious metals values. All reactants and reagents, including water, are recycled in the method and tailings ponds are not required. Heat recovery is used extensively to cogenerate almost all of the process steam and process electrical requirements for the method.

Abstract: An internal telephone intercom system including means for connecting to a dedicated telephone communication line, a plurality of telephone sets connected to the line and adapted for telephone communications with locations external to said dedicated line, an audio receiving means at each telephone set for receiving audio signals from a microphone within said telephone set, a radio frequency generator means for generating a carrier frequency and amplitude modulated responsive to said audio signals with said modulated signal being multiplexed on said dedicated line, an audio expander for receiving a modulated signal from the radio frequency generator means and producing an audio signal responsive to audio sounds at a speaker.

Abstract: An atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) system for doping indium-oxide films with both tin and fluorine to produce dual electron donors in a non-batch process. The APCVD system has a conveyor belt and drive system for continuous processing through one or more reaction chambers separated by nitrogen purge curtains. A substrate passing through the system enters a muffle heated by several heaters and the reaction chambers are supplied by a source chemical delivery system comprising an oxidizer source, a fluorine chemical source, a nitrogen source, rotometers for the above sources, a mass flow controller, a tin chemical bubbler, heated lines, an indium chemical bubbler, a pair of water baths with heaters, and associated valving.

Abstract: A method for remotely monitoring conditions such as carbon monoxide or methane gas concentration, longwall roof support pressure, machine parameters or uncut coal, trona or potash layer thickness in a natural resource mining system such as a longwall or continuous mine system. The method utilizes a plurality of sensors connected to low magnetic moment transmitters, e.g. 0.1 ATM.sup.2, or high magnetic moment transmitters, e.g. 2.5 ATM.sup.2, that transmit collected data during multiple short burst transmission periods. Prior to transmission, the data is converted to a digital word format. An algorithm in the transmitter microcomputer ensures that random time intervals exist between data transmission bursts thus preventing a data transmission clash at the central receiver. A microcomputer algorithm in the central receiver protects against data contention caused by simultaneous transmission from several sensors.

Abstract: A magnetic information storage medium, such as a floppy or rigid magnetic disk, and an apparatus and method for inscribing a plurality of indelible grooves in a surface of the medium to function as optical servo tracks. The grooves can be in the form of a plurality of continuous or noncontinuous concentric circles. The grooves can also be a continuous spiral or a plurality of continuous concentric circles having non-constant widths and/or depths. The apparatus comprises a platen and drive motor for rotating the medium, an argon ion laser light source for generating a beam of light, optical components for directing the beam of light to a beam focusing carriage and a microcomputer for controlling the apparatus. The method involves rotating the medium under the focused light beam to inscribe the grooves on the surface of the medium. Optical track densities greater than 1000 tracks per inch can be obtained with the method.