Abstract: A layout method is provided, adaptable to place cell on a chip. Firstly, a chip area is assigned for a floor plan. A global reservation deployment process is then performed to define a plurality of room units to be uniformly distributed on the chip area. Cells are placed on the chip based on the floor plan. The chip area is categorized into at least a high frequency region and a low frequency region according to operation frequencies of the placed cells thereon. A frequency based reservation deployment process is then performed to move one or more room units distributed in the low frequency region toward the high frequency region. A local cell replacement process, a routing and timing analysis are performed. If hotspots are induced, room units around the hotspots are redistributed, and then the steps of local cell replacement, routing and timing analysis are repeated.

Abstract: An analog to digital converter having an input stage amplifier array, an input stage voltage divider array, a comparator array and an encoder. The input stage amplifier array calculates and amplifies the difference between an input signal and a plurality of reference signals to generate a plurality of amplified differences. The input stage voltage divider array averages every two adjacent amplified differences to generate a plurality of average signals. The comparator array compares the average signals with a threshold value and outputs the compared results to the encoder for digital data representing the value of the input signal.

Abstract: A chip with an integrated circuit testing function includes a selecting unit positioned before a flip-flop of a scan chain, where the scan chain connects a scan-in pad, a scan-out pad and the flip-flop. When the chip is packaged and the scan-in pad does not connect to a pin of a package, the selecting unit selects a scan-in signal from another scan chain and transmits the scan-in signal from the another scan chain to the flip-flop; and when the chip is packaged and the scan-in pad connects to a pin of the package, the selecting unit selects a scan-in signal from the scan-in pad and transmits the scan-in signal from the scan-in pad to the flip-flop.

Abstract: A method of encoding and decoding image data by applying an image capturing device includes generating a difference coding group, applying an modified Hadamard transform (MHT) on the difference coding group to generate a corresponding low-frequency parameter and a plurality of corresponding high-frequency parameters, adjusting the low-frequency parameter, adjusting the high-frequency parameters by a quantification factor, decoding the low-frequency parameter, decoding the high-frequency parameters by the quantification factor, and applying an inverse modified Hadamard transform (IMHT) on the low-frequency parameter and the high-frequency parameters to decode the difference coding group.

Abstract: An appropriate track calculation equation is inducted according to a relationship between a storage area and a track pitch of a compact disc, and a pickup unit is instantly shifted to a location calculated with the track calculation equation. Therefore, an error after performing a track jump modulation is reduced to a smallest degree, and in other words, the pickup unit may access a location on the disc currently required by a user without frequent or time-consuming long seeks. As a result, when the pickup unit accesses compact discs having unknown formats, which indicate different capacities or properties, a track error may be calculated in a shortest time so as to shift the pickup unit accordingly and to fix track jumps, and the user may browse any location on the compact discs having unknown formats smoothly.

Abstract: In one aspect the invention provides a gas field ion microscope that includes an ion source in connection with an optical column, such that an ion beam generated at the ion source travels through the optical column and impinges on a sample. The ion source includes an emitter having a width that tapers to a tip comprising a few atoms. In other aspects, the invention provides methods for using the ion microscope to analyze samples and enhancing the performance of a gas field ion source.

Abstract: An embedded memory apparatus with reduced power ring area is disclosed. In order to save the area consumption of a chip, a scheme for removing the power rings originally disposed in a memory core, or another scheme for sharing the power rings with other adjacent memory cores is provided. According to the preferred embodiment of the routing, the power strips originally bridging the inner elements and the outer power serve as the power source (VDD) and ground (VSS) respectively since the peripheral power ring surrounded the core is removed. Thus the area consumption is reduced as if the surrounded power ring shrinks inwardly. The shared power ring for the adjacent memory cores can also be another aspect for reducing the area.

Abstract: An embedded memory device solves the problem of the low reliability of the circuit due to the unstable power source. The embedded memory includes a metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitor and a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor to increase the stability of the power source ring to stabilize the voltage of the embedded memory and stabilize the voltage for the peripheral circuit of the embedded memory.

Abstract: A method for automatically changing caption display style based on program content is disclosed. Plural caption parameters for each program content type are pre-defined. When a TV program is switched, a program system information protocol (PSIP) is searched to confirm program content type of the TV program. Captions of the TV program are decoded using a caption decoder based on program content type and corresponding caption parameters and the captions of the TV program are displayed according to the caption parameters relating to the program content type.

Abstract: Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A phase locked loop device is provided. The phase locked loop device includes a phase/frequency detector, a charge pump, a low pass filter, a voltage-controlled oscillator, and a control unit. The phase/frequency detector generates a compared signal corresponding to a phase difference between a reference clock signal and a feedback clock signal. The charge pump coupled to the phase/frequency detector generates a pump current according to the compared signal. The low pass filter coupled to the charge pump generates an operating voltage corresponding to the pump current. The voltage-controlled oscillator coupled to the low pass filter generates an output clock signal in response to the operating voltage. The control unit coupled to the low pass filter and the voltage-controlled oscillator constrains the operating voltage to a predetermined voltage level when the frequency of the output clock signal is out of a predetermined frequency range.

Abstract: Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of a circuit board is provided. The circuit board is compatible to a first chip with a first pin number, and a second chip with a second pin number, comprising a plurality of first pads, second pads and third pads. The arrangements of the first and second pads are fit to the pin arrangement of the first chip, and the arrangements of the first and third pads are fit to the pin arrangement of the second chip. The first chip can be placed on the circuit board via the first and second pads, and the second chip can be placed on the circuit board via the first and third pads.

Abstract: A method for playing a fast rolling music disc is provided. A music disc is read at an accelerated rate and played at a standard rate by discretely buffering data blocks into a ping pong buffer. Playing of a first data block stored in the first buffer, and buffering of a second data block into the second buffer are concurrently executed. When the playing of the first data block is concluded, the playing order of the first buffer and the second buffer are interchanged, and the concurrent playing and buffering step is repeated. Such that the second data block is played in the second buffer while a third data block is buffered into the first buffer. Discreteness between the second data block and the first data block is dependent on a skipping ratio, and the skipping ratio is dependent on the accelerated rate.

Abstract: Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed.