Abstract: In an operational amplifier (op amp) for use in an integrated circuit (IC) device, a first field effect transistor (FET) in a current-mirror circuit is connected, and provides a bias current, to at least a second FET in a differential amplifier. As the voltage of the power supply to the op amp decreases in response to the advance of IC technology, the first FET operates in a non-saturation region of its output characteristics. As a result, the current provided by the first FET to the differential amplifier varies substantially with a common-mode signal, whose signal level equals the average of those of non-inverting and inverting input signals to the differential amplifier. Consequently, the op amp imparts a significant gain, referred to as a common-mode gain, to the common-mode signal, which is undesirable. To reduce such a common-mode gain, in accordance with the invention, the bias current provided by the first FET is measured to adjust a second current which affects the output of the op amp.

Abstract: The input buffer circuit achieves open-loop linearization at low voltage by generating diode voltages independently from resistor voltages using two separate amplifiers--a main amplifier to generate the resistor voltages and an auxiliary amplifier to generate the diode voltages. Another component in the input buffer, such as a transconductance amplifier, provides the functionality of adding the diode and resistor voltages together to generate the output signal of the input buffer. The input buffer may be used in a track-and-hold amplifier (TH amp) having open-loop linearization yet requiring low power supply voltage and low power consumption. In one embodiment of the TH amp, two input buffers each receive a differential input and both generate two output signals, where the output signals from one input buffer are out of phase with the output signals from the other input buffer.

Abstract: An integrated circuit has digital logic that supports two or more different processing speeds and two or more different data rates that are distinguished by each data rate having a data prefix at a different common-mode voltage. For normal processing, the integrated circuit has one or more comparators that compare the average signal voltage level with one or more reference voltages to determine the data rate. According to one embodiment of the invention, one or more muxes are configured between the comparators and the digital logic. These muxes can be controlled during testing to by-pass the operations of the comparators to pass specified digital codes to the digital logic to simulate the operations of the comparators. In this way, the different processing speeds of the digital logic can be tested without having to build special automatic test equipment to support all of the different possible voltage levels corresponding to the different supported data rates.

Abstract: An Erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) is placed in a laser cavity to clamp the gain of the amplifier. The laser cavity is preferably formed to minimize the effects of relaxation oscillations and of spectral hole burning. In a preferred embodiment, the laser cavity supports a lasing wavelength which makes the saturation energy at the laser wavelength less than that at the signal wavelengths. In an erbium doped fiber implementation, the laser wavelength is shorter than that of the signal wavelengths and is separated from them by no more than approximately 75% of the width of the spectral hole. The compounding of relaxation oscillations may be substantially eliminated by varying the length of the fiber within each laser cavity within a system to change the photon round-trip time within each cavity.

Abstract: A tool-less insulation displacement connector comprising a housing having an upper portion in which a wire insertion hole having a longitudinal axis is formed, the upper portion having a front face through which the axis extends; and an entrance aperture formed in the front face, the entrance aperture being in fluid communication with the hole, the front face having a generally flat planar surface, the surface plane of the front face intersecting the axis at a non-perpendicular angle.

Abstract: A bracket for mounting an electronic instrument upon a generally horizontal surface has a base member having an outer surface and an opposite mounting surface for mounting the base member on the horizontal surface. The bracket also has a support member having an outer surface and an opposite mounting surface for mounting the support member on the electronic instrument. The bracket further has an intermediate member extending between the base member and the support member. The intermediate member is pivotally attached to the support member.

Abstract: The loudspeaker system having back pressure equalization apparatus functions to minimize the mismatch between the forward sound wave and the reverse sound wave that is generated by the loudspeaker by rotating the apertures that are formed in the basket to be in alignment with the corners of the enclosure. This rotation causes sound wave reflections within the loudspeaker enclosure at angles at other than 90 degrees to thereby redirect the acoustic reflections within the enclosure away from the back side of the loudspeaker cone. These reflections are also more likely to be absorbed by the sound absorbing material that is mounted on the inside of the enclosure rather than causing perturbations in the cone. In addition, the back edge of the baffle is releaved using a bevel, radius or other contour or apertures formed in the baffle to prevent the blocking of the basket apertures by the baffle.

Abstract: A programmable combiner including a first terminal providing a radio frequency input signal, a second terminal providing a radio frequency output signal, a plurality of linear amplifiers in connection therebetween, and switch means coupling individual ones of the plurality of amplifiers in series connection between the first and second terminals in providing a redundancy of continuing circuit operation upon the failure of any one or more amplifiers, and in providing a controllable level of output signal at the second terminal as gain characteristics of one or more of the amplifiers vary, or as different output power signal levels are required.

Abstract: A timing technique for a Quantization-Level-Sampling (QLS) modem puts timing information in a downstream pulsed signal transmitted from the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to the QLS modem. In response to this timing information, the QLS modem synchronizes to the network sampling clock in the PSTN. In particular, the pulsed signal includes data-bearing samples, which were provided by a far-end QLS modem, and at least one non-user-data-bearing (NUDB) sample in which the level of this NUDB sample periodically alternates. The QLS modem extracts timing information from this periodic alternating signal level to synchronize the QLS modem to the network sampling clock.

Abstract: An integral low profile inductive device includes a magnetic body having opposing face surfaces, opposing side surfaces extending between the face surfaces, and opposing end surfaces extending between the side surfaces. A recessed surface is defined in each of the side surfaces of the body. A continuous winding of conductive material extends across the recessed surfaces and face surfaces of the body. Each of the recessed surfaces can be crenelated with alternating secondary recesses and projections such that the winding passes over the secondary recesses as it extends across the side surfaces of the body or over the projections between the secondary recesses. The device can include one or more continuous windings each of at least one turn.

Abstract: An enclosure for telecommunications equipment has one or more swivel stubs extending from the sides of the enclosures. When enclosures are mounted stacked end to end on a wall, access to a swivel stub is not prevented by other enclosures, thereby allowing an enclosure to be added or replaced without having to remove any other enclosures. In one embodiment, the configuration of the enclosures does not limit the number of enclosures that can be stacked end to end. The present invention removes the need for a special mounting bracket to provide clearance for the swivel stubs between the back of the enclosure and the mounting surface.

Abstract: Each reverse-link signal received by a base station from a mobile unit is advanced by a specified receive delay corresponding to the reverse-link delay between the base station and its antenna. In a configuration in which the base station has more than one antenna, the receive delay is preferably based on empirical measurements for the antenna having the smallest reverse-link delay. In a configuration in which the base station has more than one sector, a different receive delay is preferably specified for each different sector. By compensating for reverse-link delay, the delay budget can be greatly increased, especially when the antenna is far from the base station. In addition, for applications in which the search window begins at about GPS time 0, the base station more efficiently utilizes its processing capacity by reducing the portion of the base station search window within which no reverse-link signal can be present.

Abstract: A wire-connection terminal is formed with a mounting base portion having a bottom edge that is shaped to align with a top surface of a wire board. The mounting base portion forms a shoulder that protrudes a certain distance so that the terminal can be restrained by an outside part that confronts the shoulder when the terminal is mounted on the wire board. A wire-connection portion of the terminal projects above the mounting base portion, and a wire board mounting part or tail projects below the mounting base portion. The mounting part has a needle eye configuration for retaining the terminal by friction in a corresponding opening in the wire board on which the terminal is to be mounted.

Abstract: Dielectric materials comprising Ca.sub.5 R.sub.2 XO.sub.12 in which R is either Nb or Ta and X is selected from Ti and Ti.sub.1-x Zr.sub.x, have high dielectric constants (Ks), relatively low dielectric losses (Q), and low TCKs. The dielectric properties are affected by processing conditions, which for the both the niobate and tantalate embodiments preferably involve sintering and re-firing dielectric pellets at temperatures of 1400.degree. C. and above. The dielectric materials are particularly useful for microwave communications applications.

Abstract: A dielectric film useful for a capacitor in a DRAM device comprises an amorphous composition of Ti.sub.1-y M.sub.y O.sub.x, where y is approximately in the range 0.01 to 0.50, x is approximately 1.0 to 2.0, and M is a lanthanide rare earth element and advantageously, selected from the group of neodymium (Nd), terbium (Tb) and dysprosium (Dy). The concentration of dopants in the a-TiO.sub.2 film is preferably from 5 to 50 at. % and more preferably from 10 to 30 at. %. The inventive dielectric materials have a high dielectric constant of greater than 30 and figure of merit of greater than 9.0 .mu.C/cm.sup.2.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit using a polishing head release mechanism. The polishing head release mechanism is for use with a polishing tool having a polishing head and a polishing platen. In one embodiment, the polishing head release mechanism comprises a platen protective shield, shield-to-platen retainers, and retaining clamps. The shield-to-platen retainers are configured to removably couple the platen protective shield to the polishing platen. The retaining clamps are couplable to the platen protective shield and configured to couple the polishing head to the platen protective shield.

Abstract: In a connector block of the type including a body and at least one end cap supported on the body, the end cap housing a plurality of terminals with conductive contacts extending therefrom into the body. A conductive power bus including a rail, a plurality of fingers and a leaf-spring tail is coupled to the connector block, with the power bus positioned clear of electrical contact with the terminals or the conductive contacts. The power bus rail is seated within the connector block between the body and the end cap. The power bus fingers extend within the body from the rail and are positioned between the conductive contacts. The power bus leaf-spring tail extends external of the body. The connector block can cooperate with a suitably configured mounting bracket having a power bus and plural fingers which terminate in electrical contacts to transfer power therebetween to energize subsystems such as protector circuits that may be coupled to the connector block.

Abstract: In a communication network, a method for channel quality estimation, without the need for a reference (uncorrupted) signal, comprises the steps of: processing a received signal utilizing a non-redundant error correction scheme to observe at least one symbol; producing an error signal in response to the observation; and counting a quantity of the error signal during a predetermined time interval to provide a symbol error count. A device for channel quality estimation, without the need for a reference (uncorrupted) signal, is also described.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved pilot detection technique for a control system comprising an electrical circuit that produces distortion and which applies the pilot signal to the electrical circuit and uses information obtained from the pilot signal to cancel the distortion from the electrical circuit.

Abstract: A processor monitors the real time forward link power utilization in a base station, and a controller regulates the real time forward link power utilization in the base station. The processor and controller operate in a feedback configuration to maintain call quality and prevent damage to the base station. The processor determines real time forward link power utilization on a per frame basis by taking samples at a per chip rate within each frame. The forward link power is then obtained by taking the mean of the samples.