Abstract: A housing for enclosing a measuring apparatus for a hard disk recording medium and a recording apparatus for recording a signal on the hard disk recording medium is provided with a fan including a high efficiency particulate air filter. The fan blows air onto the hard disk recording medium and the recording apparatus under measurement through the high efficiency particulate air filter at a substantially constant air temperature and at a substantially constant air flow rate. An automatic door is located at a position other than an air protection area which includes positions of the hard disk recording medium under measurement by the recording apparatus and the recording apparatus, and includes a predetermined surrounding area. The automatic door shields the other area from the air protection area in the housing for enclosing the measuring apparatus under no measurement.

Abstract: An n-port network analyzer system is calibrated. An initial calibration is performed for each test port in the network analyzer system by first performing a measurement calibration using calibration standards. The calibration standards are located in a reference plane located outside the network analyzer system. The measurement calibration yields initial calibration coefficients. The initial calibration coefficients include Forward Load Match (LMF) and Reverse Load Match (LMR). Electronic standards are measured within the network analyzer system to: produce initial measured electronic standards. The initial calibration coefficients and the initial measured electronic standards are used to generate initial corrected electronic standards. After the initial calibration, automatic re-calibrations are performed periodically. When performing the automatic recalibration, the electronic standards within the network analyzer system are measured to produce recalibration measured electronic standards.

Abstract: A ring pole ion guide apparatus and method provide the focusing and confinement advantages of conventional multipoles and the axial field of a conventional DC ring guide all in one device. The ring pole apparatus comprises a ring stack portion and a multipole portion, wherein the ring stack portion essentially overlaps the multipole portion inside and outside along a central axis. The ring pole apparatus can be used in a mass spectrometer system to guide ions from the ion source to the mass spectrometer or between mass spectrometer stages, or to dissociate ions into daughter ions in an ion dissociation system. A single ring pole ion guide can span a plurality of pressure transition stages with several of the rings acting as pressure partitions.

Abstract: A fluxing composition is disclosed. The composition comprises a high molecular weight carboxylic acid that forms a combination of carboxylate salts and unreacted acid anhydrides when applied to a solder alloy and exposed to temperatures in the range of about 150 to 350° C. in an inert atmosphere and a carrier fluid comprising a mixture of organic solvents that is heat stable and non-reactive with the solder alloy and has a high viscosity at room temperature. Also disclosed is an integrated circuit assembly comprising an integrated circuit comprising a chip attached to a substrate by a plurality of solder joints and a thin layer of a residue comprising the carboxylate salts and acid anhydride. The film of residue is formed concomitantly with the formation of the solder joints during the reflow cycle. Since the residue is reactive with an epoxy used in bonding the chip to the substrate, the usual process step of cleaning the flux residue prior to dispensing the epoxy is obviated.

Abstract: A fabrication method for providing isolation between adjacent regions of an integrated circuit includes providing a guard layer over field edges that are the interfaces between field oxide regions and diffusion regions in which dopant is introduced. The guard layer will inhibit introduction of dopant along the field-edge, so that a substantially dopant-free transition strip is formed. The transition strip inhibits current leakage from the active region to the field oxide region. In one embodiment, the active region is an active area diode, such as used to form an Active Pixel Sensor (APS) pixel. The guard layer is biased so as to further inhibit current leakage during circuit operation. In another embodiment, the method is used in the fabrication of transistors for APS pixels having an overlay photodiode structure.

Abstract: To perform broadband current detection. The current detector of the present invention comprises first terminal, which receives power source current; second terminal, which feeds output current to an outside current; third terminal, which outputs pilot current having a predefined relationship with this output current; and fourth terminal, which has reference potential; as well as first component connected between the first and second terminals; vertical connection of first and second baluns and coupled with the first component; grounded capacitive component at the connecting part of the first and second baluns; and grounded capacitive component at the output part of the second balun. The properties of the instrument for measuring impedance and the apparatus for measuring power are improved by using the current detector of the present invention.

Abstract: A test fixture for electrically connecting a plurality of limited-access test targets on a loaded circuit board with a plurality of interface probes of a tester may comprise a plurality of elongate test probes, a universal interface plate (UIP), and a wireless interface printed circuit board (WIPCB). A first end of each elongate test probe is substantially aligned with a limited-access target on the loaded circuit board when the test fixture is positioned adjacent the loaded circuit board. Each of a plurality of double-headed spring probes mounted to the UIP has a first spring loaded head located at its first end and a second spring loaded head located at its second end. Each double-headed spring probe is generally axially aligned with an elongate test probe so that its first spring loaded head contacts a second end of the corresponding elongate test probe.

Abstract: A precision positioner has a moveable stage coupled to an optical element, a frame, a first arm having at a first end a first coupling to the stage, and having a second end adapted to receive a first encoded translator referenced to the frame. The precision positioner also has a second arm having at a first end a second coupling to the stage and having a second end adapted to receive a second encoded translator referenced to the frame. In a first precision positioner, both the first and second couplings to the stage are one-axis rotary flexures. In a second precision positioner, the first coupling to the stage is a one-axis rotary flexure and the second coupling to the stage is a rigid non-flexure.

Abstract: An improved micro-machined valve assembly includes a valve diaphragm that will not adhere to a valve seat during elevated temperature operation. In one embodiment, a portion of the diaphragm that is susceptible to adhering to the valve seat at elevated temperature is removed in the region where the diaphragm contacts the valve seat. In another embodiment, the valve diaphragm includes a metal layer applied to the portion of the diaphragm that comes into contact with the valve seat during operation of the valve. The metal layer extends the operating temperature of the valve by preventing adhesion of the diaphragm to the valve seat during high temperature operation. Selection of an appropriate material for the metal layer can improve chemical inertness of valve, thereby reducing the possibility that the material flowing through the valve will react with the metal.

Abstract: Integral dielectric heatspreader for transferring heat from semiconductor devices. A semiconductor device is mounted to a thermally conductive electrically insulating substrate, which forms the integral dielectric heatspreader. The heatspreader is then mounted to a package or a lower cost substrate such as a printed circuit board. The integral dielectric heatspreader may also support integral transmission lines, resistors, capacitors, or other bulk components. Performance of the heatspreader is enhanced through the use of thermal vias on a printed circuit board.

Abstract: An electrode-pad storage package includes an interior for storing one or more electrode pads and a window that provides a view into the interior. Because it has a window, the package often reduces the time it takes for an operator to attach the electrode pad or pads to a patient. For example, such a see-through package often saves precious seconds by allowing the operator to view the instructions on a defibrillator electrode pad or pads, and thus determine which electrode pad goes where, before opening the package. Such a package may also save time by allowing the operator to determine the pad type, and thus determine whether the electrode pad or pads are appropriate for the patient, before opening the package. In this latter case, the package may also prevent the operator from unnecessarily opening, and thus wasting, a package containing an inappropriate electrode pad or pads.

Abstract: An electrical connection structure and method allow the coupling of one printed circuit board with another without the use of cables or connectors. An edge of one printed circuit board contains a plurality of plated split holes. Within each hole, an electrically conductive leg is maintained by way of solder, thus providing electrical connectivity between the first and second printed circuit boards. Additionally, a method of soldering a wire coil into a series of such edge-positioned plated split holes and subsequently cutting the coil along the edge of the first printed circuit board will yield the desired conductive legs.

Abstract: Path imbalance in a mobile communications network, as between signals received by a mobile station from a base station and signals from the mobile station received at the base station, is derived with reference to the maximum power control level of a class of mobile station chosen as a reference, rather than for each mobile class individually. As a result the processing burden involved in deriving the path imbalance is significantly reduced.

Abstract: A preferred method includes the steps of: sampling at least one of the signals at the chip pad (12, 404, 406) corresponding thereto to detect signal reflections, and; adjusting the at least one of the signals at the chip pad so that line delay and/or signal reflections are modified. So provided, performance of the integrated circuit (10, 402) is improved as compared with the performance of the integrated circuit prior to the step of adjusting. Systems also are provided.

Abstract: In an apparatus and a method for connecting high-frequency circuit boards, for providing electrical connection between respective electrodes of two high-frequency circuit boards, there is provided with an electrode connecting member including a bar-shaped member having a predetermined sectional shape, and including connecting electrodes formed on a part of an outer periphery of the bar-shaped member. The connecting electrodes are located so as to provide inter-connection between the respective electrodes of the two high-frequency circuit boards through the connecting electrodes and to be sandwiched between the respective electrodes thereof. The connecting electrodes are preferably constituted by a plurality of electrode lines formed so as to be spaced at a predetermined interval on the outer periphery of the bar-shaped member.

Abstract: Fast detection of a selected portion of a data packet (e.g. the preamble of a Bluetooth data packet) is accomplished by defining a reference signal waveform conforming to an expected waveform representing a signal modulated in accordance with the selected portion of a data packet. A waveform representing a received data signal containing a data packet with the selected portion is derived, and the reference signal waveform is correlated with this derived waveform to produce a correlation result. This correlation result is used to identify the selected portion in the received data signal.

Abstract: A method, apparatus for executing the method, and computer program products for use in such an apparatus. The method includes scanning an interrogating light across multiple sites on an array package including an addressable array of multiple features of different moieties, which scanned sites include multiple array features. Signals from respective scanned sites emitted in response to the interrogating light are detected. The interrogating light power is altered for a first site on the array package during the array scan, based on location of the first site or on a determination that the emitted signal from the first site will be outside a predetermined value absent the altering (which allows for protecting a detector against expected overly bright sites), or is altered during the array scan based on the detected interrogating light power (which allows for compensating for light source drift during an array scan).

Abstract: A system and method measures the time delay and chromatic dispersion of a test component. Two or more optical signals at a plurality of wavelengths are transmitted through the test component at different modulations. A phase angle error may be calculated according to the magnitude of the transfer function of the component and the measured phase and magnitude of one or more of the transmitted optical signals. This phase angle error is removed from the measured phases of the optical signals. To recover any lost high frequency content, the time delay and chromatic dispersion may be determined from at least two of the transmitted optical signals.

Abstract: A data decoding scheme operates on individual code symbols within an encoded data stream, enabling data to be recovered from the code symbols at a high rate. The decoding scheme, typically included within a receiver of a digital communication system or data network, does not rely on processing and storing multiple code symbols and is unencumbered by storage memory elements and decoding rate limitations associated with receiving and processing blocks of multiple code symbols. The decoding scheme generates bit sequences corresponding to each alternate data state of a received code symbol. Error vectors are generated as a result of comparing each of the generated bit sequences to the received code symbol. The data state of data represented by the code symbol within the encoded data stream is recovered from the code symbol by selecting the minimum of the generated error vectors.

Abstract: The present invention provides an isothermal port and method for a microwave network analyzer and more particularly an isothermal port and method to control the temperature of microwave standards to 23″ 0.050° C. A test port adapter is used to adapt the test port connector to a DUT (device under test, which might be a standard connector). A thermoelectric cooler surrounds the test port adapter in order to precisely control its temperature. By controlling the temperature of the adapter, the temperature of the DUT is controlled since there is good heat conduction between the DUT and the test port adapter. The standards quickly attain the temperature of the test port adapter (less than 2 minutes, 1 minute typical). The system includes a computer, one or more thermoelectric coolers, a heatsink, a split thermal mass that has a through hole for the test port adapter, a power supply, a PRTD (Platinum Resistance Thermal Detector), and an ohmmeter capable of measuring using 4 wire Ohms.