Abstract: A semiconductor integrated chip (IC) package has a lead frame for wire bonding IC chips contained therein. The lead frame power buses are arranged to minimize power bus inductance by assuring that a minimum distance is maintained between a current source path and a current return path which includes the wire bond connections to the chip. Distance is minimized by providing both the current source and current return pins in adjacent pin pairs on opposite sides of the package.

Abstract: A line interface for high-speed line capable of detecting not only errors occurred on the line but also errors occurred in itself. A first multiplex cifcuit multiplexes a transmission frame synchronizing (sync) signal with data to be transmitted to the line and sends the multiplexed signal as a signal to be transmitted. A second multiplex circuit multiplexes the signal to be transmitted with a signal received from the line. A frame sync circuit synchronizes in phase to both of the received signal and signal to be transmitted multiplexed by the second multiplex circuit and, when not failed to synchronize, outputs a frame error signal. A demultiplex circuit separates data to be transmitted and received data from the output signal of the second multiplex circuit. A pattern comparator compares the data to be transmitted outputted by the demultiplex circuit and the data to be transmitted fed to the first multiplex circuit and, if they are not identical, produces a data non-coincidence signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer handling apparatus and method for transferring a wafer, one of whose faces has been already polished, from a wafer holder, which holds the wafer with the wafer's polished face facing downward, to a wafer cassette submerged in water contained in a water tank; the apparatus includes a wafer receive assembly and a water tank and the wafer receive assembly has a flat surface and is adapted to swing between an up-facing position at which the flat surface faces upward and a down-facing position at which the flat surface faces downward, and the wafer receive assembly is provided with ejection nozzles which eject water with a force sufficient to keep the wafer floating, and the water tank contains a wafer cassette to receive the wafer, and is capable of forcing the wafer which is left to sink in the water to enter the wafer cassette; whereas the method comprises: dropping the wafer from the wafer holder with the polished face facing downward onto a thin water layer formed over the wafer receive

Abstract: An improved method of using an ID saw slicing machine for slicing a single crystal ingot in a direction normal to the axis of the ingot to obtain wafers. The feed of the single crystal ingot to the blade of the ID saw slicing machine is increased and decreased alternately in accordance with a predetermined control pattern.

Abstract: A menu bypass system for an IBM 3270 type of display system. An IBM 3270 type display system includes a display terminal, a communications controller and a host computer running a host application which controls the terminal. The host computer and terminal communication use a protocol which allows the host to transmit data to and read data from the terminal at any time. After a transmission from the terminal to the host, the terminal is normally locked from further transmission until the host application responds. The menu bypass system allows transmission of request units generated by attention identifiers. These request units are stored in a queue and transmitted to the host one at a time in response to host commands. For certain host commands, such as erase/write, a previous write transmission from the controller to the terminal is aborted.

Abstract: A protective reflex system for a portab1e computer hard disk initiates protective action before the hard disk suffers the shock of an impact in the event they fall from, for example, a user's lap. A three axis accelerometer is mounted in the portable computer. The output of the accelerometer is continuously monitored by a dedicated processor. In the event of an acceleration event within a preset range of values, the dedicated processor passes a high priority interrupt to the central processing unit of the portable computer and then proceeds to park the disk heads. Alternately, the interrupt routine of the central processing unit may also cause the park operation. In addition to park operation, a brake operation may be performed by either the dedicated processor or the central processing unit.

Abstract: A method for blending polymeric materials includes the steps of producing a melt stream of a first polymer from a first extruder (12) and a separate melt stream of a second polymer from a second extruder (14), joining the melt streams at a T-junction (16), distributing the first polymer within said second polymer using a static mixer (10), and extruding the blend through a die (18). In particular, using this method liquid crystal polymer fiber reinforcement can be formed in-situ within a matrix material.

Abstract: An interferometer (18 or 40) is used to identify trace constituents in a plasma during processing semiconductor devices such as transistors. Light emissions collected from the processing chamber (10) are collimated by lens (14) and transmitted to the interferometer (18 or 40) which selectively allows therethrough particular wavelengths of light which are characteristic of the excitation emissions of certain atoms such as sodium and copper. The light intensity at the selected wavelengths is sensed by a photomultiplier tube (30). In one embodiment, the interferometer (18) is a Fabry-Perot type interferometer and the separation of the plates (20 and 22) which form the Fabry-Perot etalon is controlled using a piezoelectric driver (26). A signal processor (34) correlates the sensed light emissions from the photomultiplier tube (30) with the selected wavelength that is determined by the piezoelectric driver (26).

Abstract: High quantum efficiency (.gtoreq.5%) ultrafast (.ltoreq.100 picosecond) and broad band (30 KeV to 80 KeV for medical application) X-ray photo-electron cathode, high gain X-ray real time image intensifier and portable low intensity real time projection type X-ray imagescope use new vacuum photo-electron devices. A new type X-ray photo-electron cathode has a specially designed alkali halide electron emission layer that makes possible high quantum efficiency, high speed and broad band X-ray photon detection. An X-ray photo-electron cathode followed by a direct coupled micro channel plate and an output phosphor display screen form a new type panel shaped direct view X-ray intensifier tube which can have both high spatial resolution (.gtoreq.10 lp/mm) and high gain (.gtoreq.10.sup.4). The thickness of this panel shaped disc X-ray intensifier can be less than 1 cm.

Abstract: A numerical data processor includes first and second registers for receiving and holding input data from a memory, respectively, and a multiplier receiving the input data held in the first and second registers for multiplying the input data held in the first register by the input data held in the second register. A translated address generation circuit is coupled to the memory for generating a translation address of two bits for translation of an address of the input data to be supplied to the register, and an addition/integration circuit receives an output of the multiplier for performing an addition/integration of the output of the multiplier. A controller operates to control the memory, the registers and the translated address generation circuit in a programmed manner so that a Fourier transform, is executed for a given data.

Abstract: Tapered two-mode optic fibers are used as sensors with sensitivity varying as a function of length. The optical fiber sensors act as vibrational-mode filters thereby performing initial signal processing of the sensor signal. The sensors are based on the differential propagation constant in a two-mode fiber that is directly dependent on the normalized frequency or V-number. Tapering the fiber changes the V-number and hence can change the sensitivity of the sensor along its length. By choosing an appropriate weighting function in the manufacture of the sensor, it is possible to implement vibrational-mode analysis, vibrational-mode filtering and other functions that are critical in control system applications.

Abstract: A bit-inversion arithmetic operation unit comprises a first carry signal line for propagating a carry signal from a more significant bit position side to a less significant bit position side, and a second carry signal line for propagating a carry signal from a less significant bit position side to a more significant bit position side. A common logic circuit performs at least a portion of a carry control including a carry propagation of the first and second carry signals and a carry generation. A switching and logic circuit responds to a required arithmetic operation mode so as to control the common logic circuit and to perform the remaining portion of the carry control including the carry propagation of the first and second carry signals and the carry generation.

Abstract: A serial-parallel converting circuit comprises a four-stage shift register circuit receiving a serial data so as to shift the received serial data through the shift register in response to each clock signal, and an output register circuit coupled in parallel to respective stages of the shift register circuit so as to fetch the content of the shift register circuit in response to a frequency-divided clock supplied from a frequency dividing circuit. The frequency dividing circuit receives the clock signal through an inverter and is composed of only two D-type flipflops and one inverter. Each of the D-type flipflops has a clock input connected to receive the clock signal in common, and the D-type flipflops are connected in series to form a shifter register. A Q output of a second flipflop is connected through the inverter to a data input of a first flipflop, so that the Q output of the last flipflop generates the frequency-divided signal.

Abstract: A disk controller for a disk having spirally formed tracks comprises a buffer memory for temporarily storing write data to be recorded on said disk and read data derived from said disk. A first register temporarily stores current sector information representative of a sector currently accessible, the current sector information being changed in accordance with rotation of said disk. A second register temporarily stores target sector information representative of a sector from which a data read/write operation starts. A comparator compares the current sector information with said target sector information to produce a comparison output signal taking an active level when the current sector information coincides with the target sector information. A memory control unit produces a ready signal taking an active level when the write data is stored in the buffer memory or when the buffer memory has a vacancy for accepting the read data.

Abstract: A phase-locked loop circuit comprises first and second charge pumps which apply charge and discharge voltages to a control voltage generator. The control voltage generator applies a control voltage which is dependent on the charge and discharge voltages to a voltage controlled oscillator. The voltage controlled oscillator generates an oscillation frequency dependent on the control voltage. The oscillation frequency is compared with a reference frequency to detect a difference therebetween. The first charge pump supplies a charge or discharge voltage to the control voltage generator intermittently for a first period, and the second charge pump, in parallel with the first charge pump, supplies a charge or discharge voltage to the control voltage generator continually for a second period subsequently to the first period, so that a time by which the difference becomes zero is shortened by use of the second charge pump as compared to a case where the first charge pump is only used.

Abstract: A serial clock generating circuit is configured to frequency-divide an input clock having a frequency which is a number times a serial data transfer rate, so as to generate a serial clock in phase with a received serial data. The serial clock generating circuit comprises an edge detection circuit for detecting a level change of a received serial data so as to generate a level change signal. Three registers stores different set values, and a latch latches one of the different set values. A decrementer decrements the value of the latch in response to each input clock, and a memory circuit holds an arbitrary value for defining a phase deviation discrimination area. A comparison circuit compares the value stored in the memory circuit with the value of the latch at each one input clock, and generates a coincidence signal when a coincidence is obtained.

Abstract: Bidirectional CATV (Cable Television) repeating amplifier circuitry has a first splitter, a second splitter, trunk distribution terminals used at a low level, and subscriber distribution terminals used at a high level. A distribution circuit distributes a signal from the first splitter to the distribution circuits and couples up-going signals from the distribution terminals and delivers the coupled signal to the second splitter.

Abstract: Optic fiber coupler fabrication stations allow one-step packaging and reduce fabrication time. The optic fiber coupler fabrication stations produce a single piece construction of the coupler package with improved uniformity. Two linear translation stages are driven in opposing directions using left and right hand threaded rods connected to a common drive shaft driven by a small electric motor. Fibers to be coupled are clamped into the station to provide the necessary tension during the tapering process. The fibers are tied together using cotton thread, and an oxy-propane torch is used to fuse the fibers together while the two translation stages pull the fibers to form a biconical tapered region in the fibers.

Abstract: A single dose of a vaccine or other drug which is normally only given once is provided by an MDI by either formulating the drug and propellant composition to include only enough drug for one administration or by providing a locking mechanism to lock the MDI canister in a position where it cannot be actuated a second time.