Abstract: A timing circuit that utilizes the delay inherent in a clock tree to achieve a desired timing relationship between control or clock signals. The timing circuit is particularly applicable to high speed environments and to asynchronous logic, though it is also applicable to lower speed environments and synchronous logic. A method producing the desired control or clock signals is also disclosed.

Abstract: A noninvasive blood chemistry measurement method and system isolate measurement contributions due to a patient's blood to accurately measure blood chemistry. In accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention a noninvasive blood chemistry measurement method decreases the blood volume within a patient's body part relative to the normal blood volume in the body part and performs a baseline measurement. Blood volume is then increased and a second measurement is performed. Comparison of the second measurement to the baseline measurement isolates the measurement attributes of the patient's blood. In accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention a noninvasive blood chemistry measurement system decreases blood volume by applying mechanical pressure to a body part. In accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention, blood volume in the body part is decreased using a pressure cuff.

Abstract: An active pixel sensor. The active pixel sensor includes a substrate, an interconnect structure adjacent to the substrate, and at least one photo sensor adjacent to the interconnect structure. At least one photo sensor is formed adjacent to the interconnect structure. Each photo sensor includes a pixel electrode which includes a patterned doped semiconductor layer. An I-layer is formed adjacent to the patterned doped semiconductor layer. A transparent electrode is formed adjacent to the I-layer. A method of forming the active pixel sensor includes forming an interconnect structure over a substrate. Next, a doped semiconductor layer is deposited over the interconnect structure. The doped semiconductor layer is etched forming pixel electrode. An I-layer is deposited over the pixel electrodes. Finally, a transparent conductive layer is deposited over the I-layer.

Abstract: A battery capacity tester method and apparatus are provided. The battery capacity tester determines the present internal battery impedance by measuring terminal voltages during successive applications of a known load, each load drawing a predetermined current from the battery. This calculated internal battery impedance is used to determine battery capacity based on a precharacterization of the battery that establishes a relationship between the internal battery impedance and the remaining battery capacity.

Abstract: An inverse assembler that uses a memory map, the stored trace signals and the load and store architecture of a microprocessor to reconstruct microprocessor signals. This reduces the number of signals needed from a microprocessor to perform disassembly.

Abstract: The invention discloses and claims a signal amplification method for detecting a target nucleic acid analyte having a homopolymeric region and a target sequence. The method comprises (a) contacting an analyte under hybridizing conditions with a multiplicity of reporter probes, each probe including a signal region and an oligonucleotide sequence which is complementary to, and capable of forming a stable hybrid with the analyte homopolymeric region; and (b) forming an analyte:capture probe hybrid by contacting the analyte target sequence with a capture probe under hybridizing conditions.

Abstract: A display having a plurality of addressable pixels and a method for constructing the same. The display includes a substrate having a first conducting layer thereon. The conducting layer includes a plurality of parallel row electrodes having edges separated by insulating material. A first polymer layer constructed from one or more thin films overlies the parallel row electrodes. An insulating layer overlies the polymer layer, the insulating layer having windows therein defining pixels for the display. The insulating layer overlies the edges of the row electrodes while providing access to the first polymer layer in the area of the pixels. A second conducting layer overlies the insulating layer and includes a plurality of separated column electrodes. Each column electrode crosses a plurality of the row electrodes and is located over the windows in the insulating layer at points defining the pixels.

Abstract: A stackable memory system for minimizing the stub lengths of the memory data bus and data skew. The invention provides a memory controller, a memory connector, a data bus, a first stackable memory module and a terminator plate. The data bus electrically connects the controller to the memory connector. The first stackable memory module is mechanically and electrically connected to the memory connector. The terminator plate is adapted to substantially reduce reflections to the data bus and is electrically connected to the data bus through the first stackable memory module. Additional, the memory system may be expanded by adding stackable memory modules substantially similar to the first stackable memory module to the stackable memory system between the first memory module and the terminator plate. Each stackable memory module may include memory chips each of which has trace lines connecting the memory chip to a module connector.

Abstract: A color detection active pixel sensor. The color detection active pixel sensor includes a substrate. A diode is electrically connected to a first doped region of the substrate. The diode conducts charge when the diode receives photons having a first range of wavelengths. The substrate includes a second doped region. The second doped region conducts charge when receiving photons having a second range of wavelengths. The photons having the second range of wavelengths passing through the diode substantially undetected by the diode. The substrate can include a doped well within the substrate. The doped well conducts charge when receiving photons having a third range of wavelengths. The photons having the third range of wavelengths pass through the diode substantially undetected by the diode.

Abstract: A digital oscilloscope automatically selects as the initial instance of a waveform parameter to be measured the instance that is both visible in the displayed trace and closest to the trigger reference point. Such a manner of automatic selection allows a greater amount of panning and zooming while the 'scope is subsequently stopped, without causing a different instance to become the measured instance, and also reduces confusion about continuity of measurement while the display is altered with the 'scope is still running. This automatically selected choice can still be overridden, if desired, by a manual selection. A further refinement is to, once an instance is automatically selected, retain it as the selected instance as long as it remains visible as part of a modified displayed trace, even if it would not otherwise become the selected initial instance if the measurement activity were first initiated with that modified trace.

Abstract: A fraction collection system for liquid chromatography includes a conduit, which directs a sample eluent from an LC column through a flow splitter to a destructive analytical detector such as a mass spectrometer to analyze sample components, and to a fraction collector. A nondestructive detector such as a photodetector is positioned near the fraction collector to detect arrival of sample components. Optionally, a nondestructive detector such as a photodetector is situated upstream from the splitter, to detect passing sample components. Time intervals between detection of a calibrant or a sample component at any two of the detectors provide for automatable identification of selected sample components at the sample collector.

Abstract: An ultrasound system incorporating the invention includes a front end that converts ultrasound backscatter signals to lines of digital data values. Those data values are then fed, under control of a front end controller, to plural processing modules which convert them into video displayable data. A memory is utilized to store processed results of each of the plural processing modules and operates as a shared memory that enables the various processing modules to communicate data therebetween. A memory controller enables each respective one of the plural processing modules to access processed results from the shared memory that were stored therein by a processing module whose function preceded, in time, the processing module performing the access. Thereafter, the processing module operates upon the data and writes it back to the shared memory, for use by a succeeding one of the plural processing modules.

Abstract: An ionization detector for detection of an analyte includes a source chamber having a source of ionizing particles and receiving a fluid stream of detector gas; an ionization chamber connected to the source chamber at an ionization chamber entrance therebetween so as to allow metastables and photons to be generated in the source chamber and to be transferred in the fluid stream to the ionization chamber; a signal electrode assembly located in the ionization chamber; and a signal measuring circuit for measuring ionized analyte molecules. The signal electrode assembly includes a spaced array of electrodes including a collector electrode, a first signal electrode, and a second signal electrode. The first signal electrode is situated immediately downstream from the ionization chamber entrance and substantially upstream of the collector electrode, so as to extend the detection zone to the vicinity of the ionization chamber entrance.

Abstract: A signal comparison system determines whether a data signal is transitioning close to transitions of its clock signal, thereby causing possible errors in the sampling of the data signal. A first latch latches a data value of the data signal based on the transition of the clock signal. A delay mechanism delays the clock signal so that a second latch receives a delayed transition of the clock signal. The amount of delay corresponds to an amount of time to allow at least the data value latched into the first latch to stabilize. The second latch latches a data value of the data signal based on the delayed transition of the clock signal. A comparison mechanism compares the values of the two latches and outputs a particular logical value when the two values differ. The particular logical value indicates that the data signal transitioned so close to the clock signal that the data value of the first latch may be unreliable.

Abstract: An electrophoretic technique is provided for moving a plurality of chemicals into distinct zones for immobilization on a solid surface. The technique includes introducing a first electrolyte and a second electrolyte into a channel, and interposing between the first and second electrolytes at least one solution containing a plurality of chemicals. Under a given electric field, the first electrolyte has anions with higher effective mobility than the chemicals and the second electrolyte has anions with lower effective mobility than the chemicals. When an electrical potential is applied across the length of the channel the plurality of chemicals in the solution are moved into spatial zones. The chemicals in the zones can then be bound to the interior surface of the channel. Chemicals so bound to the wall surface can be used to build very small structures such as arrays and electrical conducting structures.

Abstract: Circuitry provides an electronic shutter capability to photo-receiving circuitry for the purpose of disabling integration of a photo-generating charge on an integration capacitor until a reading device reads the integrated signal from the integrating capacitor. With an input from a shutter control line of a high logic voltage, the shutter discontinues charging of the integrating capacitor until the integration capacitor is selectively connected to a read line. Upon receipt of a low logic voltage signal from the shutter control line, the shutter allows the integration capacitor to integrate a photo-receiving charge. The electronic shutter therefore provides well controlled integration time via shutter control. Another advantage is that the integration time is completely independent of the cell reading rate.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer assembly for use in a phased array ultrasound imaging system includes an array of ultrasound transducer elements having a two-dimensional transmitting and receiving surface that is curved in at least two orthogonal directions and conductors for connecting the transducer elements to electronic circuitry of the ultrasound imaging system. The array may include a curved, two-dimensional array of rows and columns of transducer elements. The transmitting and receiving surface is typically convex but may also be concave. The transmitting and receiving surface may be a portion of a spheroid or an ellipsoid. In one embodiment, the transmitting and receiving surface is configured as a portion of a spherical surface.

Abstract: Fluid connector for connecting a first fluid-bearing conduit in a capillary tube to a second fluid-bearing conduit in a receiver. An internal fitting assembly includes an internal fitting body, a body cavity for receiving a ferrule and a self-compensating nut, the ferrule and self-compensating nut being locatable on the capillary tube, and an internal ferrule seat located on a portion of the body cavity, against which a tapered portion of the ferrule is applied to so as to obtain a first fluid-tight seal between the capillary tube, the ferrule, and the ferrule seat.

Abstract: A signal amplification method for detecting a target nucleic acid analyte having a homopolymeric region and a target sequence includes steps of: contacting an analyte under hybridizing conditions with a multiplicity of reporter probes, each reporter probe including a signal region and an oligonucleotide sequence which is complementary to and capable of forming a stable hybrid with the analyte homopolymeric region to form an analyte:reporter probe hybrid; and forming an analyte:capture probe hybrid by contacting the analyte target sequence with a capture probe under hybridizing conditions. The analyte:reporter probe hybrid may formed prior to contacting the analyte target sequence with the capture probe, so the result of contacting the analyte target sequence with the capture probe results in formation of an analyte:reporter probe:capture probe complex. The analyte:capture probe hybrid may be immobilized on a solid generally planar surface in an array format.

Abstract: A reversible optical isolator and optical amplifier based on the optical isolator. The reversible isolator is constructed from a Faraday rotator having a magnetic field direction that is determined by a control signal applied thereto. The Faraday rotator is sandwiched between first and second polarization filters. The polarization filters may be constructed from polarization splitters in series with half-wave plates. The allowed direction of propagation of an optical signal through the reversible optical amplifier is determined by the magnetic field direction in the Faraday rotator. An optical amplifier according to the present invention includes an optical gain element in series with one or two reversible optical isolators.