Abstract: A method and apparatus for limiting or eliminating the edge effect in a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus comprising a substrate holder and a retaining ring spaced from and around the holder, a rotatable platen and a polishing pad on the platen, by essentially flattening the pad in the area in which it normally tends to deform. The invention is carried out by applying a fluid under pressure, preferably the polishing slurry, to the pad in the region of the gap between the retaining ring and the holder to substantially flatten the pad in the area around the edge of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for increasing compression efficiency of a stereoscopic image encoder employed for compressively encoding first and second signals representing respective first and second views of a stereoscopic image, comprises: providing a first histogram of the first view and a second histogram of the second view, the first and second histograms representing a frequency of occurrence of a characteristic component of the first and second views, respectively; comparing the first histogram of the first view with the second histogram of the second view and estimating the mismatch in gain, a, and mismatch in offset, b, between the first and second views; correcting the stereoscopic image by multiplying the gain a and the second signal to obtain a gain corrected second signal for the stereoscopic image and adding the offset b to the gain corrected second signal to obtain a gain and offset corrected second signal, the gain and offset corrected second signal being obtained prior to encoding to increase encoding efficienc

Abstract: The present multi-function packing insert functions as a packing insert for the shipment of components or subassemblies from a vendor to a manufacturer, as a tray and holding fixture during processing of the components or subassemblies on the manufacturer's assembly line, and as the packing inserts for shipping the final assembled product from the manufacturer to the customer. This multi-function packing insert thereby reduces the overall cost of packing materials and reduces material handling and floor space requirements throughout the manufacturing process, since the packing materials received from the vendor(s) are used for that purpose. The coordination of packing insert design between the component and subassembly vendors and the manufacturer enables the manufacturer to reuse the received packing inserts to assemble, package and ship the final assembled product.

Abstract: A system for delivering a security code to a cellular telephone. The cellular telephone holds a key X. The cellular telephone requests that an Authorization Center, AC, assign a security code to the cellular telephone. The AC selects a security code, and encrypts it, such that key X is effective to de-crypt the code, yet the AC does not know key X.

Abstract: Electronic apparatus is contained in a heat dissipative external enclosure 2. The enclosure contains at least one unit contained in a thermally conductive internal housing 4,6 providing RF isolation and mounted on a wall 7 of the enclosure in thermal contact therewith. A wall 11 of the unit has a first recess 14 receiving the evaporator 13 of a heat pipe 12. The heat pipe is clamped between the external enclosure and the internal housing. The condenser 22 of the heat pipe is lower than the evaporator and is received by a recess 24 in the wall 7. The evaporator is clamped in the recess by a clamp member e.g. another unit 6.Because the heat pipe is clamped at its ends, it does not need to be an interference fit in either recess and may thus easily be removed. The inner housing can maintain RF isolation.

Abstract: A kernel-based method and apparatus includes a preprocessor, which operates on an input data in such a way as to provide invariance under some symmetry transformation.

Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated circuit having an operating voltage adaptable buffer, capable of operating in different voltage signaling environments, which includes a control circuit that provides a clamping function to the signaling path under prescribed operating conditions and which also reliably biases the p-type transistor substrate voltage of the buffer to the most positive voltage seen by the buffer under all operating conditions occurring on the signaling path, thereby protecting the p-type transistors.

Abstract: An integrated circuit, e.g. an AC '97 conforming audio codec, includes a digital filter and gain module including multiple channels of gain control and multiple channels of digital filtering. A gain control module includes an overflow check of data samples requiring differing lengths of clamping. Each channel of the digital filter includes a finite impulse response (FIR) filter, and an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter. The digital filtering is implemented largely in hardware independent of the number of channels required and/or independent of the required order of the filtering. Thus, filter channels can be added or additional filtering implemented merely by increasing the clock speed without changing the digital filter design. The FIR filter is capable of being reset each frame to prevent a DC buildup at internal nodes. The IIR filter performs a plurality of 2.sup.nd order biquadratic equations in an overall average of as few as four clock cycles per 2.sup.nd order biquad.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for setting up a telecommunications call, wherein more than one candidate terminating station is alerted, and a connection is established from a calling station to the first of the candidate terminating stations which answer an alert. In one preferred embodiment, an executive processor complex assigns ports and processes in a call processing complex. An incoming process is assigned for the port which receives the call, and the plurality of outgoing processes are assigned to ports for accessing candidate terminating stations. The incoming port process has a list of the outgoing terminating port processes for the incoming call, and each outgoing process stores the identity of the incoming process. When an outgoing process receives an answer indication, it communicates directly with the incoming process, bypassing any communications with the executive processor complex.

Abstract: An annular insulator is positioned around a compliant contact section of a replacement contact pin for a header contact pin connector prior to insertion of the replacement contact pin through a header pin mounting hole and then both the replacement pin and the annular insulator being carried by the replacement pin are simultaneously pounded into snug received relationship within an associated pin receptor connector hole. A header contact pin repairing fixture has a plurality of size reducing holes for reducing the cross sectional dimension of the compliant section, one of which has an insulator end receiving opening for nesting receipt of a tapered wall at the end of the insulator to hold it in an upright orientation above and in alignment with the smallest sizing hole during insertion of the replacement pin into the insulator bore.

Abstract: A differential receiver having a precision input referred offset and a wide CMR, wherein a pair of differential-difference amplifiers are used as differential comparators. The differential-difference amplifiers are configured to allow a precision input-referred offset to be set by the use of two reference voltages. The differential comparators each have a common-mode range over a different portion of the rail-to-rail voltage range. A first one of these differential comparators is activated when the input common-mode voltage is above a threshold level. A second differential comparator is activated when the input common-mode voltage is below the threshold. The output of the differential comparator that is selected is to provide a comparison output signal, thereby achieving a wide CMR. The selection of either the first or second differential comparator is made by a selection circuit that includes a differential Schmitt Trigger and a multiplexer.

Abstract: Hardware-software co-synthesis of an embedded system requires mapping of its specifications into hardware and software modules such that its real-time and other constraints are met. Embedded system specifications are generally represented by acyclic task graphs. Many embedded system applications are characterized by aperiodic as well as periodic task graphs. Aperiodic task graphs can arrive for execution at any time and their resource requirements vary depending on how their constituent tasks and edges are allocated. Traditional approaches based on a fixed architecture coupled with slack stealing and/or on-line determination of how to serve aperiodic task graphs are not suitable for embedded systems with hard real-time constraints, since they cannot guarantee that such constraints would always be met. The present invention addresses the problem of concurrent co-synthesis of aperiodic and periodic specifications of embedded systems.

Abstract: A device and method for the automated rotating of semiconductor objects during the fabrication process is disclosed. The device uses a slotted base fixture with a channel, lifting members with ducts, and a vacuum. Semiconductor objects are rotated from a vertical position to a substantially horizontal essentially evenly spaced parallel configuration. The positioning of the semiconductor objects by the device is such that the facet end of each semiconductor object remains undisturbed. The configuration of the semiconductor objects allows for quick and easy transfer to a storage surface or transfer to further semiconductor processing steps.

Abstract: Applicants have determined that much of the nonuniformity in solution doped preforms is due to nonuniformity of the soot layer caused by the high temperature necessary for complete reaction, and that MCVD fabrication using reaction temperature lowering gases such as nitrous oxide (N.sub.2 O) can produce more uniform soot layers. The conventional oxygen/reactant gas mixture presents a very small temperature window in which a uniform silica soot layer can be deposited without sintering. If the temperature in oxygen is too low, SiCl.sub.4 will not react completely and silicon oxychlorides will form. This degrades the soot layer and makes it unusable. If the temperature is too high the soot layer begins to sinter, decreasing the surface area and porosity. Adding a reaction temperature lowering gas lowers the reaction temperature and enables deposition of soot on the tube wall at a temperature substantially lower than the sintering temperature.

Abstract: Substituted styrenes are synthesized by a simple, low temperature technique. A protected phenol styrene is reacted with an acid anhydride, dicarbonate, a halogen substituted alkyl, or an acid chloride in the presence of base to form a carbonyl substituted styrene. Unexpected yield decrease due to distillation is avoided because the product is sufficiently pure to be used without such distillation.

Abstract: A sequence of manufacturing operations performed to manufacture products (22) may be analyzed and modified, as appropriate, by first encoding the operations into tokens, each indicative of a separate operation (and its attributes). The tokens are then assembled into strings, each representing the operations on an individual product. A pattern scanner and recognizer (26) reads each string to recognize whether one or more prescribed token patterns are present. Based on the token patterns that are recognized, a rule is established representing a variation in the sequence of manufacturing operations. After the rule is established, the sequence of manufacturing operations is modified accordingly.

Abstract: An article comprising a molded circuit for providing a path for electrical current is disclosed. The molded circuit is formed of a first material layer and a second material layer. The first material layer is an electrically insulating material. The second material layer is an electrically conductive material. In an alternate embodiment, the second material layer is surrounded between two layers of the first material layer. The molded circuit can be formed using multi-material injection molding such as co-injection molding or two-shot injection molding. A printed circuit board can comprise the molded circuit.

Abstract: In the rapid charging of a Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) battery, the rapid charging is terminated and trickle charging is initiated when any of three conditions is satisfied: a first condition determined by comparing a sensed instantaneous battery voltage with a target voltage; a second condition which is determined by comparing the instantaneous battery temperature with minimum and maximum values; and a third condition determined by comparing an elapsed time of rapid charging with a maximum value. Because battery voltage versus rapid charging time is a function of ambient temperature, the target voltage is determined from an initial measurement of battery temperature, which is assumed to equal the ambient temperature. The target voltage, which is approximately a linearly declining function of ambient temperature, is determined by reading a stored lookup table using the sensed temperature as an index or address.

Abstract: A method and apparatus using a combined MLLR and MCE approach to estimating the time-varying polynomial Gaussian mean functions in the trended HMM has advantageous results. This integrated approach is referred to as the minimum classification error linear regression (MCELR), which has been developed and implemented in speaker adaptation experiments using a large body of utterances from different types of speakers. Experimental results show that the adaptation of linear regression on time-varying mean parameters is always better when fewer than three adaptation tokens are used.

Abstract: A tool for implementing a non-destructive separation of electrical components from one another. The tool has a handle part and a pair of legs extending from the handle part with a certain spacing between distal ends of the legs. The leg end spacing corresponds to a distance between a pair of holes in one electrical component, e.g., holes in mounting flanges of an electrical device whose terminals are soldered on a wire board, or holes in a wire board that is joined to another wire board via mating pin connectors soldered on the boards. The leg ends are constructed to engage the one component once the leg ends are inserted in corresponding holes in the one component, and the handle part is arranged to be manipulated to separate the first component from the second component when the leg ends engage the one component.