Abstract: An improved insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) device structure and a method for fabricating such a device. This structure uses self-aligned and substantially undiffused successive N+ and P+ implants. The P+ implant is at high energy, which forms a subsurface P+ region below the entire bottom of an N+ "source" region of the IGBT. This low resistivity region suppresses thyristor latch-up when contacted via a surface trench. Self-aligned techniques provide method and product improvements.

Abstract: A method for forming a solder bump pad (22), and more particularly converting a wire bond pad (12) of a surface-mount IC device (10) to a flip chip solder bump pad (22), such that the IC device (10) can be flip-chip mounted to a substrate. The process generally entails an aluminum wire bond pad (12) on a substrate, with at least a portion of the wire bond pad (12) being exposed through a dielectric layer (16) on the substrate. A nickel layer (24) is then deposited on the portion of the wire bond pad (12) exposed through the dielectric layer (16). The nickel layer (24) is selectively deposited on the exposed portion of the wire bond pad (12) without use of a masking operation, such as by an electroless deposition technique. The nickel layer (24) completely overlies the aluminum wire bond pad (12), and therefore protects the bond pad (12) from oxidation due to exposure. Thereafter, the solder bump pad (22) is formed by depositing a solderable material on the nickel layer (24).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for suppressing noise in a radio receiver or the like due to electromagnetic interference generated by the firing of a spark plug which coordinates the operation of a noise blanker with the EST signal generated by an electronic engine control module or similar spark timing signal. The apparatus of the present invention comprises a noise blanker disposed within a radio receiver for blanking the output of the radio receiver for a predetermined duration after a predetermined time delay has elapsed after each EST signal pulse. The noise blanker is activated for a time duration slightly longer than the duration of the impulse noise. The noise blanker may also be designed to be deactivated when the desired signal level reaches a predetermined level. The apparatus of the present invention may be used in conjunction with other noise suppression systems to eliminate noise due to sources other than the electronic ignition system.

Abstract: A process for bulk micromachining a silicon wafer to form a silicon micromachined structure. The process involves the application of a protective film on one or more surfaces of the silicon wafer to protect metallization and circuitry on the wafer during the bulk micromachining process, during which a wet chemical etchant is employed to remove bulk silicon from a surface of the silicon wafer. The protective film is divinylsiloxane bisbenzocyclobutene (BCB), which has been found to be highly resistant to a wide variety of wet chemical etchants, and retains such resistant at elevated temperatures commonly preferred for bulk silicon etching. The degree to which this material is cured prior to etching is advantageously tailored to promote its resistance to the etchant and promote its adhesion to the silicon wafer.

Abstract: A motion sensor having a micromachine sensing element and electrodes formed on a silicon chip. The sensing element includes a ring supported above a substrate so as to have an axis of rotation normal to the substrate. Surrounding the ring is at least one pair of diametrically-opposed electrode structures. The sensing ring and electrode structures are configured to include interdigitized members whose relative placement to each other enables at least partial cancellation of the effect of differential thermal expansion of the ring and electrodes. As a result, the performance of the motion sensor is, to first order, insensitive to temperature variation. The sensor further includes circuitry for creating and detecting an electrostatic force between the interdigitized members of the sensing ring and electrode structures.

Abstract: A method of making an EPROM transistor in a high density CMOS integrated circuit having a poly to poly capacitor and including two layers of polysilicon. The EPROM transistor is made using only the steps used to make the other components of the high density CMOS integrated circuit. The EPROM transistor is programmable at the low voltages which high density CMOS transistors can handle.

Abstract: An IC voltage clamp and a process for forming the voltage clamp. The voltage clamp includes an MGFO device having an n-type source region, an n-type drain region, and a p-type field implant diffusion between the source and drain regions. The voltage clamp further employs a parasitic NPN device having a collector region coincident with the MGFO drain region, an emitter region coincident with the MGFO source region, and a base region formed by the substrate. A metal gate electrode overlies and is insulated from the field implant diffusion, but electrically connects the source and emitter regions to ground. An input electrode contacts the drain region so as to electrically connect the drain and collector regions to the input voltage of an integrated circuit. The field implant diffusion and drain/collector regions are formed by overlapping their masks, such that a lower breakdown voltage is achieved between the NPN collector and the substrate and field implant diffusion (the NPN base).

Abstract: A yaw sensor for automotive controls has a microstructure vibrating ring excited by a driving circuit. The driving circuit comprises an amplitude control loop which delivers voltage pulses at the resonant frequency of the ring. A compensation signal is derived from a comparison of a sensed vibration amplitude to a desired vibration amplitude. Failure of vibration is detected by comparing the compensation signal to a threshold which is higher than a normal compensation signal. Alternatively, vibration failure is detected by comparing the sensed vibration to a threshold lower than the desired vibration amplitude. Upon such failure, the yaw output signal is replaced by ground potential.

Abstract: A cross-coupled latch circuit that is a one-time programmable latch that allows volatile temporary writes to the latch prior to permanent programming of the latch. The latch circuit includes first and second programmable FET devices that include poly-poly capacitators in series with the gate terminal of each device. A pair of PMOS FET devices combine with the programmable devices to make up the latch. The latch circuit includes other FET devices that are switched on and off depending on whether the latch is being permanently programmed, temporarily written to, or reset. A NAND gate is provided such that a logical high output on the NAND gate allows the first programmable device to be temporarily programmed with a logical one and permanently programmed with a logical zero. A NOR gate is provided such that a logical high on the NOR gate allows the second programmable device to be temporarily programmed with a logical zero and permanently programmed with a logical one.

Abstract: Pneumatic state estimation operations for estimating gas flow and pressure at pneumatic nodes and flow branches within a reticulated engine system for engine control and diagnostic operations resolves net flow imbalances at specific pneumatic nodes and attributes such imbalances to inaccuracies in pneumatic state estimation. Inaccuracies are corrected as a function of a prior pneumatic state estimate and of a net flow imbalance at the node or a neighboring node for precision engine control and diagnostic operations.

Abstract: An automotive gauge has a two part housing containing a stepper motor arrangement or other gauge movement which drives a pointer shaft. The front housing part consists of a transparent material for conducting light from a lamp to a facet which reflects light to a pointer for pointer illumination. The lamp is mounted inside or outside the housing. The front housing part includes an aperture for accommodating the pointer shaft and also has integral pins which serve as supports for rotary parts of the mechanism. The housing is mounted on a circuit board or a circuit board may comprise the rear housing part. Another embodiment uses a common light pipe member for the front housing of several gauges.

Abstract: A rapid prototyping process and apparatus by which prototype components can be fabricated for conceptual evaluations. The rapid prototyping process entails the steps of forming a prototype within a process chamber that generates the prototype on a platform of a build chamber through sequentially depositing a layer of material on the platform, fusing the layer of material together, and then lowering the platform so as to allow depositing of a subsequent layer of material on the platform. In this manner, the depositing, fusing and lowering steps are repeated until the desired prototype is obtained. Thereafter, the build chamber, housing the prototype, is detached from the process chamber, and the prototype is cooled while remaining within the build chamber. The prototype is preferably cooled within the build chamber using a nonreactive cooling medium that is caused to flow around the prototype.

Abstract: An improved insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) device structure and a method for fabricating such a device. This structure uses self-aligned and substantially undiffused successive N+ and P+ implants. The P+ implant is at high energy, which forms a subsurface P+ region below the entire bottom of an N+ "source" region of the IGBT. This low resistivity region suppresses thyristor latch-up when contacted via a surface trench. Self-aligned techniques provide method and product improvements.

Abstract: A vehicle exterior lamp system that includes a light source (11) for providing a plurality of beams, a plurality of optical fiber channels (17) responsive to the plurality of beams for providing a plurality of optical fiber channel outputs, a plurality of optical switches (15) for controlling the transmission of light by the plurality of optical fiber channels, and a plurality of rear exterior lamps (19) for projecting light received from the optical fiber channels to provide respective exterior lamp outputs.

Abstract: A liquid-cooled heat-sink including a cooling housing defining a cooling chamber where the chamber is positioned adjacent to a semi-conductor device or devices to be cooled. An inlet port introduces a liquid coolant into the chamber and an exit port removes the liquid coolant from the chamber. A single unit plastic baffle is positioned within the chamber. The baffle includes strategically configured plenums, jet ports and transfer ports that direct the liquid coolant in both a series and parallel manner for increased cooling efficiency. The jet ports direct the liquid coolant onto the semiconductor devices in a parallel manner, and liquid coolant is transferred from one set of jets to another set of jets in a series manner.

Abstract: A control head for remote actuators on a vehicle heater/air conditioner system comprises variable resistors operated by control knobs to provide variable motor control voltages to the actuators which comprise servo-actuators or a pulse width modulated blower motor. The control head has a molded plastic housing with embedded conductive runners terminating in wipers. A control disk rotatable with each knob has an arcuate resistive film and a pair of arcuate conductors connected to ends of the film. The wipers engage the arcuate elements to apply a supply voltage to the conductors and pick off a control voltage from the resistive film. Alternatively the arcuate elements are on the housing and the wiper is on the control disk.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, an object orientation sensor device, including: a first LC tag disposed at a first selected location in the object; a driver/reader circuit disposed so as to detect the presence of the first LC tag when the object is in a first orientation and to not detect the presence of the first LC tag when the object is not in the first orientation; and the driver/reader circuit being arranged to energize the first LC tag with a magnetic field and to subsequently detect a first resonant frequency echo produced by the first LC tag when the magnetic field is removed.

Abstract: Anticipatory crash sensors mounted on the front of a vehicle or optionally on the sides sense the speed of approach to an obstacle. A signal processing algorithm determines the ratio of the speed to a threshold and multiplies the output of an accelerometer with the ratio. This enhanced acceleration signal is input to a single point crash sensor algorithm to reduce the time to generate a trigger signal.

Abstract: A method for making and vacuum packaging a silicon micromachined motion sensor, such as a gyroscope, at the chip level. The method involves micromachining a trench-isolated sensing element in a sensing chip, and then attaching a circuit chip to enclose the sensing element. Solder bumps serve to attach the circuit chip to the sensing chip, form a hermetic seal to enable vacuum-packaging of the sensor, and electrically interconnect the sensing chip with the circuit chip. Conductive runners formed on the enclosed surface of the circuit chip serve to electrically interconnect the sensing element with its associated sensing structures.

Abstract: A system and method of automatically calibrating a vehicle speed sensor signal to provide an accurate speed signal for use in vehicle systems such as a navigation system. The navigation system receives GPS position information signals which are processed to determine current position. A compass provides an indication of the vehicle heading. The navigation system receives the vehicle speed sensor signal and counts the number of signal pulses during a time period. The system determines a pulse ratio of the vehicle speed sensor as a function of a GPS determined speed and the pulse count. The pulse ratio is subsequently used to calibrate the vehicle speed sensor signal. With the navigation system, the calibrated vehicle speed signal is used in connection with a dead reckoning technique for determining the position of the vehicle when GPS signals are unavailable.