Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for forming compound films that contain at least three elements. The films are formed on a substrate by directing a gas containing reactant species onto the substrate. The compound film is formed from an interaction between two reactant species. The third element is incorporated into the film as it formed. The third element is different from the other two elements that form the compound film and is hydrogen, deuterium, or oxygen. The presence of the third element enhances the properties of the compound film. At least a portion of the substrate remains within the purview of the plasma discharge while the compound film is formed on the substrate.

Abstract: Cameras are positioned so that they each view a different reflective surface of a polyhedron such as a pyramid. This results in each camera having a virtual optical center positioned within the pyramid. The cameras are positioned so that their virtual optical centers are offset from each other. The offsets produce narrow blind regions that remove image distortions received from the edges of the pyramid's reflective surfaces.

Abstract: An optical multiplexer is formed that overcomes the polarization dependence of conventional DWDM routers and is also significantly smaller than prior art routers. A reflective router is formed that utilizes one-half of a star coupler, with a reflective surface formed along the planar face of the coupler so as to form a "folded" arrangement. First and second waveguide arrays are coupled to opposing quadrants of the folded coupler, with the reflective surface providing the coupling therebetween. A quarter wave plate (or Faraday rotator) and reflective surface are disposed at the output of the second waveguide array and are used to provide a TE/TM mode conversion to the optical signals exiting the second array (thereby canceling out any polarization-dependent effects). The reflective surface beyond the quarter wave plate re-directs the optical signal back through the second waveguide array. The signal will then again reflect through the folded coupler and exit the multiplexer through the first waveguide array.

Abstract: An in-process method for testing an active plate of a flat panel display, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), is disclosed. An infrared thermal analyzer, including an infrared (IR) camera and an image analyzer, is preferably utilized for recording and analyzing heating response characteristics of the active plate upon application of an appropriate electric signal. An active plate is tested during the fabrication process using IR thermography techniques to evaluate the IR emission of the active plate when an electric voltage uniformly powers the array of pixels in the active plate. The testing technique of the present invention exhibits minimal invasiveness, as only the shorting bars of the active plate are electrically assessed. The heating response characteristics of the active plate are preferably not evaluated until the active plate reaches a stable operating temperature.

Abstract: Hardware-software co-synthesis is the process of partitioning an embedded system specification into hardware and software modules to meet performance, power, and cost goals. Embedded systems are generally specified in terms of a set of acyclic task graphs. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a co-synthesis algorithm, called COSYN, starts with periodic task graphs with real-time constraints and produces a low-cost heterogeneous distributed embedded system architecture meeting these constraints. The algorithm has the following features: 1) it allows the use of multiple types of processing elements (PEs) and inter-PE communication links, where the links can take various forms (point-to-point, bus, local area network, etc.

Abstract: A selectable compatibility electrical connector plug has a substantially hollow housing member and a plurality of contact members extending from a cable connection end to a connector end. A circuit member having circuit components thereon is affixed within the housing with the circuit components being spaced from the contact members or leads. In open embodiment, actuator members contact the leads and project above the exterior surface of the housing. When the plug is inserted into a low performance jack, the actuator members force the leads against the circuit components to produce crosstalk and transmission loss characteristics of a low performance plug. When the plug is removed from the jack, the resilience of the leads forces the actuators up into a neutral position. The actuators may be buttons, toggles, or, in one embodiment, bowed portions of the leads which project above the surface of the housing.

Abstract: A self-configurable wireless system is provided which can determine its own channel assignments without the need for advance planning or human intervention. Such a system is implemented as an improvement to a wireless communications network having service areas partitioned into a plurality of cells, that improvement being implemented through a cooperative combination of: (1) a means for autonomously collecting data at the cells in respect to serving signal/interference measurements and other relevant data; and (2) a means for automatically carrying out a selected channel assignment algorithm in response to data provided by the data collecting means.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing bandwidth in an ATM network. The invention provides an ATM switch having a compression module for compressing ATM cell headers without affecting the virtual circuit established for the call. The compressed headers provide the ATM switch buffers with extra space to handle more cells for a given call. To realize the benefit of the extra space during transmission, the present invention provides a mapping interface between the PHY and ATM layers of the ATM communication. The mapping interface separates the compressed headers from the uncompressed headers into two different PHY payloads. The cells transmitted in the compressed payload are then expanded in an expansion module located in the call destination switch. The expansion module returns the compressed headers back to their original form.

Abstract: A method for detecting the transmission sub-rate of a data packet whose symbols are punctured prior to transmission as with an IS-95 transmission with a 13 kbps speech encoder. Sub-rates are detected by first regrouping the received symbols so as to exclude those symbols for which one or more of its repetitions were punctured. The regrouped symbols are then examined for consecutive identical soft decision symbols, i.e., the repetitive pattern used by the transmitter to mask the sub-rate, with statistical methods used to account for the effects of noise and power bit insertion. The repetitive pattern is then matched to the appropriate sub-rate.

Abstract: A strain relief housing for use in a modular communication plug has a divider member dividing a central bore of the plug into four channels, each channel being adapted to contain two conductors from the cable being terminated. Septa members extend from the rear of the divider to the rear of the housing and are insertable into the cable so that separation and segregation of the conductors actually commences within the cable. A compression ring surrounds the cable and is insertable within the rear of the plug housing where it is compressed to clamp or anchor the cable.

Abstract: In an arrangement where a plurality of cache servers are interconnected to form a virtual cache, each cache server includes a selection module and a caching module. The selection module determines whether the cache server can service an incoming request for information, whether the request ought to be directed to another one of the cache servers, or whether the request be routed to the site from whence the information is requested. In making this determination, in accordance with one embodiment, the module consults a table that associates sites or/and sub-sites with specific ones of the cache servers. In another embodiment, the determination is made by translating the address of the site, or sub-site, or web page that is requested; for example, with a hash function. The caching module determines whether a request for information from a particular site will be cached in the cache server of the caching module, if it is not already being cached by one of the cache servers.

Abstract: A device for changing the power levels of signals transmitted by an optical fiber, along with signal modulation and wavelength routing, comprises a length of optical fiber in which for a predetermined section of the length of the fiber, the fiber core is surrounded by a cladding having one or more variable refractive index (VRI) regions disposed therein in close proximity to the core. A grating region is disposed along the length of the fiber overlapping the VRI region. The VRI regions have an index of refraction lower than that of the core to change the effective index of the guided light and thereby define a tunable grating.

Abstract: The specification describes a method for producing black phosphorus from red phosphorus by thermally cycling red phosphorus in a vacuum between 360-400.degree. C. and 200-240.degree. C., whereupon the red phosphorous undergoes an allotropic phase change to black phosphorus.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing integrated circuits utilizing chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is disclosed. A dielectric layer, illustratively, having a dopant, dye, etc. termed a "marker layer" is formed upon a wafer having partially fabricated integrated circuits thereon. An undoped, undyed layer is deposited upon the marker layer. The undoped or undyed layer is polished and the waste slurry is monitored until a signal indicating the exposure of the signal layer is obtained. Analysis of the signal provides an indication of when the CMP process should be terminated.

Abstract: A bandpass sigma-delta modulator includes a first low pass sigma-delta modulator of a predetermined order and operative according to a predetermined transfer characteristic for producing a first output of an initial dynamic range. A second low pass sigma-delta modulator substantially similar to the first low pass sigma-delta modulator is disposed in parallel relationship with the first modulator. Cross-coupled connections between the first and second modulators are operative to alter the respective transfer characteristics such that the first and second low pass modulator outputs cooperate to form the bandpass transfer function and expand the dynamic range beyond that associated with the individual modulators.

Abstract: A novel and unique method of approximating the data cube and summarizing database data in order to provide quick and approximate answers to aggregate queries by precomputing a summary of the data cube using histograms and answering queries using the substantially smaller summary. A unique method according to the present invention provides for identifying accurate histogram classes and distributing the space among the histograms on various sub-cubes such that the errors are minimized, while at the same time computer resources are maximized.

Abstract: The specification relates to a radio frequency (RF) power detection circuit for multiple frequency bands. One embodiment of the present invention uses semiconductors as power detection sensors and as temperature compensation devices. Multiple power detection sensor current signals each develop a voltage signal across a common load resistor. Similarly, multiple temperature compensation sensor current signals each develop a voltage signal across a second common load resistor. A detector voltage and a temperature compensation voltage are then processed through common amplification circuitry, producing a signal proportional to sensed transmitted power.

Abstract: A current mirror suitable, for example, for a charge pump circuit comprises a reference device (21), an output device (22), a first amplifier (41), a follower amplifier (42), and switches (31, 32 43, 44). When switches 31 and 43 are closed, the current mirror is enabled and the low output impedance of follower (42) ensures that the gate voltage of output device (22) quickly equals the gate voltage of reference device (21), switching on the output quickly and accurately. When output device (22) is off, switch (44) closes, and the output of the first amplifier (41) bypasses the follower (42) so that the first amplifier (41) and the reference device (21) form a loop, and compensation becomes easier. The amplifiers (41, 42) are separately compensated to make them stable.

Abstract: An interference based dynamic channel assignment scheme for a wireless communication network, for self configuring dynamic channel assignment of a plurality of channels, comprises the steps of: prioritizing a channel list and prioritizing a selected subset of the prioritized channel list. In further enhancements of the present invention, prioritizing a channel list is distributed on a per cell/sector basis so that prioritization is independent of frequency usage information from other cells/sectors and prioritization is based upon uplink and downlink characteristics.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for changing the open-loop frequency response of an amplifier in a line driver when the load to the line driver is removed. The load is detected by measuring the current to the load. When the current falls below a predetermined amount, the load is assumed to be disconnected and the open-loop frequency response of the amplifier is changed to shift a dominant pole of the line driver to a sufficiently low frequency to ensure stability of the line driver.