Abstract: A method for establishing connections by automatically routing a plurality of paths between individual components using initially simple connection path shapes. The method is used to create an interconnection package with better use of wiring space. Each connection, in turn, is removed if previously routed, rerouted and evaluated according to specified penalty costs to minimize undesirable routing characteristics. This method is particularly advantageous in providing automatic path routing in directionally uncommitted planes for wiring highly integrated electric circuits, or the like.

Abstract: The invention pertains to semiconductor circuitry, and more particularly to a class of circuitry known as current controlled gate circuits for driving very large scale integrated circuit gate arrays; the novel circuit can achieve much lower speed-power products than other circuitry, such as the well known T.sup.2 L circuitry; the circuit includes push-pull drive and it provides negligible DC current in both DC states, that is, On and Off.

Abstract: An imaging system for detecting recombination center defects in a semiconductor wafer in which an oxidized wafer is pre-treated by charging the oxide in a corona discharge and then passing the charged wafer below a stationary bifurcated electrode. A focused laser beam is scanned between the arms of the bifurcated electrode and along its length as the wafer is slowly moved transversely to the direction of laser scanning. The signal from the bifurcated electrode is displayed in an imaging system, one axis of which is synchronized to the laser scanning and the other axis is synchronized to the movement of the wafer.

Abstract: A procedure for cleaning drilled holes in laminated workpieces such as printed electric circuit boards includes the steps of coating a cutting instrument, such as a drill bit, with a liquid tracer prior to a cutting or drilling operation. During the cutting or drilling operation, the liquid tracer becomes mixed with material such as an electrically insulating binder layer disposed between opposed metal plates of the circuit board. Any smearing of the insulation material upon exposed metal surfaces of the drilled hole contain elements of chemical compounds used in the tracer. After extraction of the drill bit from the circuit board, the board is placed in a plasma reactor wherein the metal surfaces are etched to remove any smears and debris of the insulation material found on the exposed metal surfaces. The tracer elements, such as deuterium and phosphorus are monitored in the effluent plasma of the reactor to determine when the cleaning of drilled holes in the board is completed.

Abstract: A cache memory, intermediate a CPU and a main memory, is employed to store vectors in a cache vector space. Three vector address operand registers are employed for reading vector operand elements from said cache memory and for writing results of vector operations back into cache memory. A data path from the cache memory allows vector operand elements to be written into selected local storage registers, and a path from the local storage registers to the cache memory includes a buffer. This apparatus allows overlapped reading and writing of vector elements to minimize the time required for vector processing.

Abstract: An improved impulse-operated rotary stepping motor is constructed with a two-part stator assembly and coil support for each stage to reduce manufacturing costs, improve the magnetic characteristics, improve alignment of the rotor of each stage, provide for an integral bearing, make practical the construction of a motor having the rotor teeth on the inside of the rotor armature shell, and to improve and sharpen the detenting action when stopped by bilaterally stepping the top width of the rotor and stator teeth at least once along the length of each tooth.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of processing data is disclosed for recognizing unknown characters of a known character set based in part upon the frequency of occurrence of the characters. The method includes the steps of storing the image data of the unkown characters and then sequentially applying discrete sets of tests capable of first recognizing data and identifying characters having a higher frequency of occurrence. A second stage of discriminatory tests is sequentially applied to the unrecognized data for recognizing data and identifying characters having a lower frequency of occurrence than the first group of characters.

Abstract: For the layout of a page, text and image blocks with data for positioning them on the page are supplied to the data processing system.The image blocks contain pattern information and the text blocks character codes. The pattern information for the characters is stored in a typefont buffer.For editing the data to be recorded, a so-called "window storage" (5) is provided, whose lines (W1-W7) are cyclically associated with successive dot pattern lines (P1, P2, P3 . . . ) on the page (4). For this purpose, the window storage (5), figuratively speaking, successively assumes different window positions (I, II, III) from top to bottom on the page.The height of the window storage (5) is chosen so that it is suitable for accommodating on the page a character with maximum ascender and descender heights.This ensures that the pattern information of a character is transferred to the window storage (5) at one go (in continuous periods).

Abstract: A printer of the type including a platen, a bank of hammers extending in a straight line along and spaced from the platen and a continuous metal band of magnetizable material on which are mounted a plurality of print elements is provided with drive means for moving the band between the platen and the hammer bank and control means for controlling the movement of the band so that the print elements on the band move along the line of hammers. The band drive means includes a drive wheel located near one end of the hammer bank and means for forcing the band into close contact with the peripheral surface of the drive wheel. The means for forcing the band into close contact with the peripheral surface of the drive wheel can be a permanent magnet member located on the surface of the drive wheel. The band movement control means includes guide means for guiding the band so that it extends along the hammer bank and permanent magnet means adapted to force the band into close contact with the guide means.

Abstract: A demodulator for reading a self-clocking frequency modulated code establishes time frames based on the reading process by which erroneous signal peaks can be detected. Signal peaks that fall outside of prescribed time frames are detected as errors, as are extra peaks occurring when only one is permitted. This demodulator is particularly useful in reading data from a magnetic stripe record on a bank passbook or credit card.

Abstract: An analog video data signal digitization and correction system scans a medium to produce video data signals representing images printed on the medium. Two reference quantities representing analog reference signals produced by scanning a densely printed image and an area of the medium having no printed image are used to establish the maximum and minimum values of a range of possible values for each video data signal. The analog video data signals are compared with this range and a corrected digital value obtained for each data signal depending on its position in the range. In generating the reference quantities each analog reference signal is converted into a digital reference signal dependent on the position of the analog signal in a range of possible values. For each analog reference signal only a portion of the range of possible values is selected in order to increase the accuracy of the corresponding digital reference signal.

Abstract: A method for examining non-metallized semiconductor wafers without the use of any electrical or mechanical contact therewith is provided by the scanning of the wafer with an electron beam. The bombardment of the wafer with the electrons generates charges which are retained in the semiconductor material for a period of time depending on the structure and properties thereof. Defects in the structure, particularly in the structure of junctions, result in a diffusion of the charges with a consequent alteration in the energy of secondary emission which is also produced by the electron bombardment. The secondary emission is measured as the beam is scanned from point to point along the wafer to provide an image of the wafer. Differences in the intensity of points on the image show the desired junction characteristics and also indicate the locations of the defects in the wafer.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and a circuit arrangement for electrically driving print electrodes in an electroerosion printer by means of driver stages producing relatively strong and relatively short ignition pulses as well as by means of driver stages producing relatively weak burning pulses which are of longer duration than the ignition pulses. The burning pulse is first initiated and if an arc is struck, the ignition pulse is not required. Use of the burning pulse alone produces a sharp edge printing mark. Only if the burning pulse is unable to strike an arc is the ignition pulse delivered to assure that printing occurs.

Abstract: In hand-held magnetic readers, it is desirable that the magnetic read head be able to detect flux transitions on the surface of a magnetic media without requiring that the head have a specific orientation to the media. The present invention provides such a read head in which a thin planar magnetoresistive element is mounted so as to be perpendicular to the surface of the media. A thick yoke which is coplanar with the element provides a pole face adjacent the media surface which is sufficently wide as to extend over adjacent flux transitions when the plane of the element is skewed with respect to the flux transitions. A further pole face of the yoke is adjacent the edge of the element remote from the surface.

Abstract: A method making self-aligned semiconductors utilizing two resist masking steps to form a device; making one of the masks insoluable with respect to the other so that when a first part of the device is formed by a first mask, and a second part of the device is formed by the second masks, the parts are self-aligned when the first resist is dissolved.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for segmenting character images in an optical image system where the character images have a predetermined pitch. The optical image system generates character information in the form of a successive series of scan lines of data. Profiles of the character images being scanned are generated, and a profile segment meeting certain criteria is selected. The center of the selected profile segment is located, and segmentation points between the character images are established as a linear function of the character image pitch and located center. The segmentation points are integer multiples of the pitch.

Abstract: A system for cooling integrated circuit chips and particularly those involving very large scale integrated circuits; the system provides for closely associating the heat-sink or heat exchange element with the integrated circuit chip by having the heat-sink, in the form of a "cooling chip", in intimate contact with the back surface of an integrated circuit chip (in a "flip chip" configuration, the front, or circuit-implemented, surface, makes contact with a ceramic carrier or module); the cooling chip is provided with a plurality of spaced parallel grooves which extend along the one side or surface opposite the surface that is in bearing contact with the integrated circuit chip, whereby liquid coolant flows through the grooves so as to remove heat from the integrated circuit chip; further included in the system is a specially configured bellows for conducting the liquid coolant from a source to the heat-sink, and for removing the liquid coolant; a coolant distribution means, in the form of at least one glass p

Abstract: A testing method and structure for leakage current characterization in the manufacture of dynamic RAM cells; the testing structure includes two large gate-controlled diodes, each diode having a diffused junction which is substantially identical with that of the other diode, the gates of the diodes having different perimeter-to-area ratios, such that when testing is carried out, the leakage current components due to the contribution of the thin oxide area can be isolated from the perimeter-contributed components of the isolating thick oxide; dynamic testing can also be performed and, because of the small area for the test site, an "on chip" amplifier can be provided at the site.

Abstract: A single-chip microcomputer device contains on-chip program storage in a read-only memory (ROM), and this program may be corrected or updated by patching. The ROM addresses are applied to an off-chip memory device containing one bit for each potential ROM address, and each bit is set to mark the beginning address of code to be patched; an interrupt is signalled when one of these set bits is accessed by an address occurring during operation of the microcomputer. The interrupt causes the processor to branch to an off-chip program memory to insert the patch code. The patch ends in a branch back to the on-chip ROM.