Abstract: A new method of chemical mechanical polishing using a submerged polishing table is described. A polishing table is provided having a polishing pad thereon wherein the polishing table is fixed within a container. A channel exists between an outer edge of the polishing table and an inner edge of the container. Outlets lie in a bottom surface of the channel. A wafer carrier presses a wafer onto the polishing pad. Slurry is dispensed onto the polishing pad at a high rate wherein the slurry polishes the wafer and wherein the slurry flushes away particles from a surface of the polishing pad into the container and out through the outlets. Even heavy particles such as diamond bits from a diamond-embedded dresser on the polishing pad can be flushed away using the method and polishing table of the invention.

Abstract: Distributed precomputation techniques for determining primary and/or restoration paths in an optical or electrical network. The invention provides a number of partially and fully asynchronous distributed precomputation algorithms which may be implemented, for example, by the nodes of an all-optical network, in which network links are constrained in terms of optical signal wavelength and failure isolation. A given distributed precomputation algorithm may include a first phase in which paths are allocated for capacity demands to the extent possible without resolving contentions, and a second phase in which contentions between demands for the same capacity are resolved.

Abstract: In a waveguide grating router, a predetermined composite transmission spectrum output is achieved by eliminating loss imbalances through the use of variable loss elements. The variable loss elements are introduced to the waveguide grating router's waveguide ports, such that the loss of a transmitted signal is independent of wavelength. The waveguide grating router includes at least one input waveguide and a plurality of output waveguides. The variable loss element is introduced to a predetermined group of output waveguides to produce a predetermined composite amplitude spectrum of the output signals. To provide a predetermined composite amplitude output spectrum, the variable loss elements may be implemented in a variety of ways, including a method of varying the cross-sectional areas of the router's waveguide ports to introduce more loss.

Abstract: A method of removing a connecting block from a wiring block and associated tool is disclosed. A rear surface of a telecommunications board is mounted adjacent to a support surface and forms a plenum between the wiring block and support surface where cable-pair conductors are contained. Male connectors are mounted on the telecommunications board and terminate the cable-pair conductors. Female connecting blocks are complementary fitting to the male connectors and include clips that slice through insulation on cable-pair conductors. The female connecting blocks include opposing attachment legs that engage the male connectors. The attachment legs of the connecting block are engaged with the removal tool having opposing lever arms that form pivoting jaws at one end and engage the opposing attachment legs. The opposing lever arms are depressed to spread outward the pivoting jaws and the attachment legs. The removal tool is pulled upward such that the connecting block is removed from the wiring block.

Abstract: A system and method for providing automatic path selection in a fiber-optic transmission network. The system provides efficient utilization of available bandwidth with respect to T1, T3 and STS-3c service requests. A time slot is selected from the available time slots in a maximally utilized and efficient manner in response to a type of service request. The time slot is then assigned to the service request to provide a transmission pathway. In response to a T1 service request, the system finds the most occupied time slot which has an available assignable time slot. If a new unoccupied time slot is required or the request is for a T3 or a STS-3c service, the system selects an unoccupied time slot in accordance with a prioritized order of contiguous unoccupied time slots.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for transferring a semiconductor die from an adhesive film to an output carrier is disclosed. The adhesive film and associated hoop assembly on which the die are secured are inverted so that die face downward, p-side down, from the film. And an output pack is positioned beneath the die. An ejector pin exerts a force on a side of the adhesive film opposite the side on which the semiconductor die is secured to release the die. A vacuum is provided through a port in the output pack, pulling the released die into the output pack. The transfer occurs in a single step and orients the die p-side down in the output pack, thus eliminating the control arm/vacuum collet assembly and associated handling steps of conventional transfer mechanisms.

Abstract: An optical switch uses a MEMS device to insert a highly reflective shutter in a gap between a pair of coaxially aligned fibers. When the switch is closed, an input optical signal passes with little loss through the gap. When the switch is open and the shutter is positioned in the gap, an input optical signal incident on the shutter is reflected back into the input fiber. Such light is diverted by an optical circulator into a new path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to receive and demodulate call related information, e.g., Caller ID information, in an audio codec placed on the line side and powered by current drawn from the telephone line. The audio codec includes a 1st order &Sgr;/&Dgr; A/D converter to digitize the signal from the telephone line with &Sgr;/&Dgr; modulation. The 1st order &Sgr;/&Dgr; A/D converter may be a scaleable component capable of alternative operation in a 2nd order. The &Sgr;/&Dgr; encoded digitized signal is digitally processed by a DSP including an amplifier module, a digital filter, a limit/slice module, and an FSK decoder to receive and output the call related information. Placement of the audio codec on the line side and the scaleable &Sgr;/&Dgr; A/D converter provides significantly reduced power requirements for the audio codec, thus allowing operation from power derived from the telephone line.

Abstract: A high-capacity optical fiber network [100, 200] includes wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) within the 1.4 micron (&mgr;m) wavelength region (i.e., 1335-1435 nm). Such a system includes optical fiber [130] whose peak loss in the 1.4 &mgr;m region is less than its loss at 1310 nm. The optical fiber has a zero dispersion wavelength (&lgr;0) at about 1310 nm, and linear dispersion between about 1.5 and 8.0 ps/nm-km within the 1.4 &mgr;m region. At least three WDM channels operate at 10 Gb/s in the 1.4 &mgr;m wavelength region and have a channel separation of 100 GHz. In one illustrative embodiment of the invention, a broadcast television channel, having amplitude modulated vestigial sideband modulation, simultaneously operates in the 1.3 &mgr;m region (i.e., 1285-1335 nm) and/or the 1.55 &mgr;m region (i.e., 1500-1600 nm). In another embodiment of the invention, 16 digital data channels are multiplexed together in the 1.55 &mgr;m region, each channel operating at about 2.5 Gb/s.

Abstract: A technique for determining whether particular clients within a computer network are universally configured in accordance with the desired network security features of the computer network. A probe is randomly inserted within incoming files, e.g., at a firewall in the computer network. The probe is configured as a function of a particular execution task, e.g. a known virus, such that in a properly configured client the probe will not execute and the firewall does not detect a security breach. However, if the client is misconfigured, i.e., not in compliance with the standard network security features, the probe will execute and trigger an alarm in the firewall indicating that the client is vulnerable to a security breach. Advantageously, a network security administrator can take appropriate action to correct those clients which are misconfigured.

Abstract: A wireless telecommunications system is disclosed that mitigates multipath fading through an improvement in transmit diversity. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention are well-suited for use with all forward channel multiplexing schemes (e.g., frequency-division multiplexing, time-division multiplexing, code-division multiplexing, etc.) and all modulation techniques (e.g., amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, phase modulation, etc.). An illustrative embodiment of the present invention comprises: a signal inverter for inverting and alternately not-inverting a first signal in accordance with a schedule to create a second signal; a first antenna for transmitting the first signal; and a second antenna for transmitting the second signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for detecting an optimized set of predetermined faults in a memory device which ensure an acceptable quality level. The method and apparatus comprise a BIST March algorithm optimized to accelerate the testing time by reducing the number of read/write operations necessary to detect a set of predetermined faults.

Abstract: A video gesture-based three-dimensional computer interface system that uses images of hand gestures to control a computer and that tracks motion of the user's hand or an elongated object or a portion thereof in a three-dimensional coordinate system with five degrees of freedom. The system includes a computer with image processing capabilities and at least two cameras connected to the computer. During operation of the system, hand images from the cameras are continually converted to a digital format and input to the computer for processing. The results of the processing and attempted recognition of each image are then sent to an application or the like executed by the computer for performing various functions or operations. However, when the computer recognizes a hand gesture as a “point” gesture with one finger extended, the computer uses information derived from the images to track three-dimensional coordinates of the extended finger of the user's hand with five degrees of freedom.

Abstract: For use with a primary database residing on a primary computer, the primary computer being couplable to a secondary computer having a secondary database, a system for, and method of, allowing the secondary computer to operate as a hot spare for the primary computer and a database management system employing the system or the method. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a transaction logger, associated with the primary database, that maintains log records of transactions involving persistent data in the primary database, (2) a transaction processor, associated with the primary database, that transmits at least a portion of the log records to the secondary computer to allow the secondary computer to commit the at least the portion of the log records to the secondary database and (3) parameters, associated with the primary and secondary databases, that designate a state of the primary and secondary computers and indicate relative synchronization of the primary and secondary databases.

Abstract: A context controller for managing multitasking in a processor and a method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the context controller includes: (1) an event recorder that records occurrences of events and (2) an encoder, associated with the event recorder, that, in response to a software instruction, priority encodes bits corresponding to at least some of the events to generate therefrom an event-dependent vector to allow the processor to branch as a function thereof. Vectoring is per-instance of the vector decode software instruction, not per-event or per-context.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment of the dry core optical fiber cable of the present invention incorporates a plurality of sub-units with each of said sub-units being arranged adjacent another of the sub-units so that the plurality of sub-units define an outer periphery. Preferably, each of the sub-units includes a plurality of optical fibers, a yarn layer and a sub-unit jacket, with each of the optical fibers being arranged adjacent another of the optical fibers. The sub-unit jacket surrounds the optical fibers, with the yarn layer being disposed between the optical fibers and the sub-unit jacket. An outer jacket surrounds the plurality of sub-units, with water-blocking tape being disposed between the outer jacket and the outer periphery of the sub-units. A method of manufacture of the cable also is provided.

Abstract: A scheduling mechanism for satisfying specified Quality of Service guarantees for each VC of an end-point host in an ATM network and for satisfying low latency requirements of certain VCs while maintaining high throughput. The scheduling mechanism includes at least one time slot ring, a VC table and at least two pending queues. The time slot ring is an array of time slots grouped into clusters. Each slot contains a pointer which contains the virtual channel identifier to be serviced. The VC table is an array of all the VC descriptors. The pending queues are used for queuing a new VC and when the scheduler is unable to find a time slot for a VC it is queued in the pending queue. One pending queue is restricted to VCs requiring low latency and thus need to be serviced prior to servicing other VCs not sharing the same low latency requirements. A second pending queue is used for VCs with a less critical latency requirement. The ring contains cluster pointers which point to the first VC to be serviced.

Abstract: A chassis assembly for receiving power supply modules therein. The chassis assembly includes: (1) a cabinet, (2) an elongated bus bar assembly configured to be supported within the cabinet from a mount coupled to the cabinet, the bus bar assembly having a pair of conductors capable of receiving a terminal connector of a power supply module received into the cabinet and (3) a shelf, oriented laterally with respect to the bus bar assembly, that supports at least one power supply module received into the cabinet, the bus bar assembly being substantially free of terminal connectors and adapted to eliminate a need for support of a portion of a weight of the bus bar assembly apart from the mount.

Abstract: An apparatus for establishing an operating parameter for a power supply device having an output includes: (a) a first signal source; (b) a second signal source; (c) a third signal source; and (d) a state device. The first signal source is controllable for generating a programming signal. The second signal source generates a load indicating signal and is connected with the power supply. The third signal source generates an offset signal. The state device has a first input and a second input and changes state when the first input has a predetermined relationship with the second input. The first input is determined by relative values of the programming signal and the offset signal. The second input is related with the output. The power supply device shuts down when the state device changes state.

Abstract: A system detects the presence of NTSC co-channel interference and enables NTSC comb-filtering when the NTSC signal is detected. The system comb-filters the baseband signal to generate a filtered baseband signal, and accumulates the noise power of the baseband and filtered baseband signals. The noise power of the baseband and filtered baseband signals is compared by forming a difference between the two noise powers, and the system detects the NTSC signal when the difference exceeds a threshold T. The threshold T is related to a product of a signal power of the baseband signal and a minimum carrier to noise ratio for the ATSC system.