Abstract: Disclosed is a fluid-cooled circuit pack which includes heat generating components on a front surface of a circuit board and another surface opposite to the front surface to create a channel for the flow of cooling fluid over the components. An array of rods, or turbulators, are provided on the surface opposite the printed circuit board front surface to create disturbances in the fluid flow and enhance heat transfer.

Abstract: This invention is a simple and effective process of producing a plastic pin grid array package having an encapsulated device and a heat sink forming a unitary component of a main planar body of the package. The process includes fabrication of a laminated planar main body having outer plastic sheets provided with metallizations, a metal sheet of high thermal conductivity, and plastic sheets positioned intermediate the outer plastic sheets and the metal sheet, the metal sheet having clearance holes filled with plugs of the material of the intermediate plastic sheets, a plurality of plated-through holes (PTHs) formed in the main body and terminal pins secured in the PTHs. Some of the PTHs contacting the metal sheet and some passing through the plugs in the clearance holes out of contact with the metal sheet. The device, such as an integrated circuit chip, mounted in a recessed cavity in the main body, is in contact with the metal heat-sink.

Abstract: An adjustable width split sleeve adapted to be securely wrapped around an elongate member. The sleeve includes a pliable laminated sheet having a first end and a second end. Each end of the sheet is wrapped around a respective first rod. Each first rod is rotated about a second rod which is parallel and adjacent to the first rod but which is separated from the first rod by the sheet. The first and second rods may be positioned various distances from the edges of the sheet as desired to provide a desired width of the sleeve and to provide a tongue to seal the gap between the sheet ends. By positioning the rods in this manner, the rods on each end of the sheet, which are floating and not restrained nor clamped, will lock together from the tension applied to the sheet when the sleeve is secured around the elongate member. Each end of the sheet is securely gripped between the respective first and second rods.

Abstract: In the manufacture of semiconductor integrated-circuit devices, electrical contact to semiconductor regions such as, e.g., source and drain regions of field-effect transistors typically is made by a structure in which a silicide is intermediary to silicon and metal. The invention provides for processing, after window formation and before metal deposition, which includes deposition of a silicide-forming material, and annealing in a non-oxidizing atmosphere. Preferably, the atmosphere includes a component which forms a conductive compound with the silicide-forming material. Resulting contact structures have good step coverage, low contact resistance, low interdiffusion of metal into semiconductor, and fail-safe operation in the event of breaks due to electromigration. Moreover, in the case of misalignment of a window, a contact region may be extended laterally by dopant diffusion, thereby safeguarding the junction. Tolerance to window misalignment permits increased packing density, e.g.

Abstract: A conference connection method for use in a multicast packet switching network. Once the packet switches and inter-switch links to comprise a multicast connection among three or more endpoints are determined, a check is performed to determine whether that multicast connection would to usable to effect communication in accordance with a specified transmission matrix and meeting a packet sequencing condition. The multicast connection is established only when the check indicates that the connection would meet both requirements.

Abstract: A highly distributed direct digital process control system for use in controlling a fully distributed process includes at least one device controller independently monitoring and controlling a plurality of external devices for performing a complete process. One or more data concentrator units are connected to the controllers for collecting information from each controller as well as directing updated control information to specific controllers. A central information processing means is connected to the data concentrator for displaying information received from the data concentrator. The central information processing means is capable of updating control information used by specific controllers.

Abstract: A computer including a keyboard portion and a display portion is interconnected in a manner which provides dual positions operational. In one position the keyboard portion may be horizontally positioned to facilitate the entry of data via the keyboard. In the other position, the display portion may be horizontally positioned to facilitate the entry of data or graphic designs via the interaction of a graphics pen over the display. Advantageously, the interconnection mechanism which provides the two positions maintains the readability of the display and the keyboard portions in either of the two positions.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for preparing a billing record for a special service telecommunications call such as a call over a software defined network or a direct service dialing capability call. These calls are characterized by the fact that in order to properly route and bill such calls, remote shared data bases must be consulted to obtain the necessary information, much of which is recorded in the billing record in order to properly charge the customer and to give that customer information about its calls. Special billing information for these special service calls is accumulated in an enhanced billing register capable of storing the special billing information for these special service calls. After timing for two seconds following the receipt of an answer for the call, all the accumulated billing information is transmitted to a separate processor, one of whose functions is the preparation and formatting of billing records.

Abstract: An improved machine process for recognizing the transition point between letters and digits in handwritten text is disclosed. The script, digits and/or letters, is mapped onto a pixel matrix. The entropy for each column for a range of assumed slant angles is analyzed to determine the angle at which image entropy is a minimum. By reverse-shifting the pixel array an amount equal to this angle, the slant component of the script is verticalized and the segmentation step which follows is more accurately accomplished.

Abstract: A communications network comprising a plurality of "subnetworks" multiplexed onto a single communications medium. A separate group of NIU's communicate on each predetermined "subnetwork", and each NIU also includes a tunable transmitter for transmitting data to NIU's of other subnetworks. Data from a user equipment is transmitted via the tunable transmitter if it is destined for an NIU from another subnetwork, and via a fixed transmitter if it is destined for an NIU on the same subnetwork. In one embodiment, fiber optics is utilized in order to provide a high speed network with tunable lasers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of making a semiconductor device that exemplarily comprises depositing a Ti/Pt layer onto a AuBe intermediate layer on a p-doped region of a semiconductor body. It also comprises depositing a Ti/Pt layer onto a n-doped region of the semiconductor body, or onto a AuGe intermediate layer on the n-doped region, followed by rapid thermal processing. Exemplarily, the device is a semiconductor laser, the n-doped region is InP, the p-doped region is InGaAs or InGaAsP, and RTP involves heating in the range 425.degree.-500.degree. C. for 10-100 seconds. The method comprises fewer processing steps than typical prior art methods, reduces the danger of fabrication error and of wafer breakage and, significantly, results in contacts that can be relatively thermally stable and can have very low specific contact resistance (exemplarily as low as 10.sup.-7 .OMEGA..multidot.cm.sup.2).

Abstract: An integrated circuit having one or more antifuses which connect electrical components through a dielectric layer. The antifuse is formed before the thick dielectric is deposited and patterned to form windows which expose the antifuse.

Abstract: A leadframe-based optical assembly is disclosed which is suitable for use with either transmitter or receiver optical assemblies. The leadframe includes a number of separate sections, each leadframe section being associated with a separate optical assembly. A particular leadframe section includes a first contact lead with an aperture therethrough such that the active region of the optical may be aligned with the aperture. A first electrical connection is made between the first lead and the optical device surface containing the active region. The remaining electrical connection is provided by a second contact lead which is wire bonded to the opposing surface of the optical device. A fiber section (fiber-containing ferrule) is attached to the opposite side of the leadframe in the vicinity of the first contact aperture to provide coupling between the optical fiber and the active region. Lensed fibers and/or semiconductor optical devices may be used to increase coupling efficiency.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for achieving a uniform coating of metal, such as copper, on an insulating strip, such as polyimide. After activating the surface, the strip is passed through a plating cell which includes a pumped solution mixed with a gas to achieve frothing. A high current is supplied to the cathode, so a cooled cathode construction is provided to prevent burning of the strip. Further features of the apparatus include a means for splicing strips, and a cantilever beam cathode contact for improving the physical contact with the strip.

Abstract: A light source, such as an LED, is provided with a multifaceted reflector to facilitate coupling of emitted light into an optical waveguide such as an optical fiber. In a preferred embodiment, a conventional LED fabricated on one side of a transparent substrate is provided with a series of integral concentric reflecting rings on the opposite side of the substrate. The rings reflect light diverging from the LED toward the central axis of an optical fiber light.

Abstract: An optical apparatus for generating an optical frequency comb from an optical input signal is realized by transmitting the optical signal through an optical circuit comprising an optical amplifier and a Bragg cell configured in an optical cavity. By aligning the cavity such that the incident light is deflected by the Bragg cell and recirculated therein, on each pass within the cavity the incident light is frequency shifted by a predetermined frequency, producing a comb of optical frequencies, each a time-delayed replica of the incident light. Importantly, the optical amplifier positioned within the cavity substantially compensates for any cavity loss, enhancing the output uniformity of each generated carrier.

Abstract: Timing restrictions for coincidence of control and data signal pulses to a soliton-based optical logic device are significantly relaxed by predistorting a characteristic of data signal pulses input to the device. Predistortion in the form of normal dispersion is sufficient to cause each predistorted data signal pulse to change shape subsequently in the optical logic device and thereby permit effective interaction between the data signal pulses and the control pulses to achieve the desired result of the logic operation. The temporal separation between control and data signal pulses has been extended to cover a total range of up to four pulse widths without degrading the operation of the optical logic device.

Abstract: An arrangement for routing calls from a source switch to a destination switch in a telecommunications network. If a direct trunk is available between the two switches, that trunk is used. Otherwise, the destination switch is queried to obtain availability data of trunks to that switch from intermediate switches of the network. This availability data is then compared with availability data of trunks from the source switch to the intermediate switches. A route is then selected using an intermediate switch having available trunks from the source switch and to the destination switch. If a route using lightly loaded trunk groups is available, that route is selected in preference to the use of a route using more heavily loaded trunk groups. Advantageously, routing is performed to dynamically optimize selection of a route based on the current state of the network.