Abstract: In-service verification/continuity testing apparatus and method for testing the continuity integrity of wiring installed to an in-use operational circuit. The apparatus measures the voltage difference created by injecting two equal but opposite insignificant currents through a test path. A current loop is created by placing an isolated ground, which is referenced to unique detection circuitry provided in the testing apparatus. An accurate voltage differential calculation is accomplished by using a sample and hold circuit in parallel with switching the injected currents. Biasing the detection circuitry using two identical but inverse voltages with a reference to the isolated ground allows the detection circuit to subtract out extraneous currents flowing through the wiring path due to external voltage and current sources.

Abstract: A serially addressable non-volatile storage device, specifically flash memory, is usable for recording digitally compressed audio by providing a software-controlled serial interface between a digital signal processor (DSP) and the storage device, and by storing sampled audio in a sample buffer, encoding and compressing the data, and directing it to an output buffer, and transferring the encoded and compressed data in uniformly-sized blocks to an alternate one of at least two flash buffers in the storage device. While one of the flash buffers is receiving encoded data, the other is used to store its contents in the flash memory in the background, thereby permitting uninterrupted data flow.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, an optical fiber communications system is provided with an adaptive data equalizer to correct for linear disortion of signals transmitted over optical fibers. A feedback signal from a receiver is used to custom tailor the spectral profile of a launched pulse to thereby minimize the distortion of a received pulse. The system uses optical taps for feedback control in order to adapt to changing conditions in the fiber path.

Abstract: A method for reducing the stress in a fiber by varying the curvature of a fiber disposed on a cylindrical surface, so that the first end of the fiber is clamped to the cylindrical surface and the second end of the fiber is moveably fastened to the cylindrical surface. The method extends the fiber around a portion of the cylinder, provides a fastening element so as to control the location of the second end of the fiber on the cylindrical surface and adjusts the curvature of the fiber so that the total curvature of the fiber remains substantially constant over the entire length of the fiber.

Abstract: The specification describes a process for applying under bump metallization (UBM) for solder bump interconnections on interconnection substrates. The process uses a lift-off technique for defining the UBM and the lift-off technique has improved edge definition as the result of radiation hardening of the photoresist after lithographic patterning.

Abstract: A process for device fabrication is disclosed. In the process, optical lithography is used to introduce an image of a desired pattern into an energy sensitive material. In the process, a filter element is provided. The filter element has at least two regions of different transmittance, each region denominated an aperture. The regions are selected by obtaining information about the desired pattern and an optical lithographic tool that will be used to introduce the image of the desired pattern into the energy sensitive resist material. A filter element that provides an image that, when developed, will provide features with dimensions within acceptable process tolerances is then designed. The filter element is designed by modeling the effects of each aperture of the filter element on the intensity profile of an image of the desired pattern. The combined effect of the apertures is then determined.

Abstract: The present invention in some embodiments provides for an apparatus comprised of a conductive strap and a lotion dispensing device connected to the conductive strap. The lotion dispensing device is comprised of a lotion storage device such as a reservoir, a permeable membrane, or a sponge. Preferably a person would put on the conductive strap and the lotion dispensing device in order to eliminate or reduce the transmission of static discharge to electronic circuitry and to minimize static discharge events that could interrupt the operation of electronic systems. The conductive strap includes a plurality of holes and the plurality of holes. The permeable membrane may be of a material, which dispenses lotion from the permeable membrane at a rate which is increased with heat. The size of holes in the conductive strap may increase in response to greater heat levels. The lotion dispensing device may be comprised of a reservoir filled with lotion.

Abstract: A communications system for transporting connectionless datagrams over a connection-oriented network is arranged to remove the address resolution function and the connection setup function from a sending host and combine them in a third-party connection server in conjunction with channel management at connection-oriented routing points. The third party request protocol can be used for Classical connectionless over a connection oriented network, legacy LAN emulation and Routing Over Large Clouds.

Abstract: An advantageous scheduling template slot ordering for use in establishing a scheduling order of events such as transmitting communication signals in a communication network is determined by assigning at least two initial slot positions to a particular signal class and then determining a regularity measure based on a lower bound for the regularity measure of such assignments and the remaining unassigned slot positions. This lower bound for the regularity measure of the unassigned slots is advantageously based on a hypothetical assignment of fractions of the slot positions to different signal classes instead of limiting the assignment of a slot to a single signal class. This fractional slot assignment produces a regularity measure that is better than or equal to a corresponding regularity measure based on assigning a whole slot to a particular signal class. The lower bound of the regularity measure is then compared with a threshold regularity measure, such as from a known reference scheduling template.

Abstract: A method of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) useful in the manufacture of integrated circuits is disclosed. Waste slurry is examined and its conductivity, luminescence, or particulate mass evaluated to determine an endpoint for the CMP operation.

Abstract: A source code monitor and method is provided having an interface for monitoring the execution of a source coded computer program by a processor. The monitor provides for nonintrusively detecting the actions taken by the processor while executing the source coded program, and determining during execution of the source program by the processor if there is a match between the actions as detected and an associated part of the source code. A display is provided for an indication of the actions performed and, if there is a match, an indication of the associated part of the source code. If there is not a match, an indication that there is not a match is provided. The interface circuit monitors signals on the target processor address bus, data bus and control bus.

Abstract: An optical line protection switching system is realized by employing a plurality of rare earth-doped fiber optical amplifiers as gain-switched optical connections, for example gain-switched optical distributors, i.e., commutators, and/or gain-switched optical selectors in a gain switched optical line protection switching system. In one embodiment, at least one or more gain switched optical distributors are employed to realize so-called head-end switching of an incoming optical signal and one or more gain switched optical selectors are employed to realize so-called tail-end switching of the optical signal to form a 1.times.1 (1.times.N) optical line protection switching system. In another embodiment, an incoming optical signal is bridged to one or more optical paths, while the tail-end switching is realized by employing one or more gain-switched optical selectors to form a 1+1 (1+N) optical line protection switching system.

Abstract: Synchronization among digital video and digital audio signals is maintained in a multimedia player with limited or highly varying processing power. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a processor with stored program memory controls the decoding and playback of audio blocks and video frames, each stream independently stored in an order of intended playback time. The processor gives priority to the decoding and playback of audio blocks, and periodically determines whether a backlog of encoded video frames exists. Under video backlog conditions, the processor reduces the backlog by decoding only those backlogged video frames that must be decoded in order to decode and play the frame in the sequence of backlogged video frames with the latest intended playback time. After decoding this latest backlogged frame, the processor directs it to be played. Normal video decoding and playback then resumes for video frames following this latest backlogged video frame in sequence and in intended playback time.

Abstract: A lithographic process for device fabrication is disclosed in which a hydrogen fluoride vapor is used to develop a pattern from an image introduced into an energy sensitive resist material. A class of silicon-containing materials display excellent sensitivity in the ultraviolet and deep ultraviolet for the formation of patterns by radiation induced conversion into glassy compounds. When these materials are patternwise exposed to radiation in the presence of oxygen, the oxygen content of the unexposed region is significantly different from the oxygen content in the exposed region. The pattern is developed using HF because the higher oxygen content material is etched at a faster rate by HF than the lower oxygen content material. Materials are deposited from the vapor phase and show excellent promise for use as resists in the fabrication of electronic and optical devices.

Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated circuit having a plurality of combinations of an integrated unit capacitor connected in series with a controlled channel of an integrated transistor switch. The series-connected capacitor and switch combinations are connected in parallel and the switches include a control gate coupled to a bit output of a register via a control line. In this manner, the capacitance of the variable capacitor depends on what word is stored in the register. Control gates for a different number of capacitor and switch combinations are connected to each bit output, and the numbers are weighted using, e.g., a binary weighting scheme. The variable capacitor is coupled to a balanced signal line pair, with capacitor and switch combinations comprising a switch connected between two capacitors that are connected to a line of the balanced signal line pair. Such arrangement is highly linear and even order distortion is reduced.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for tuning an analog filter that is embodied in a larger circuit in which the analog input signal to the filter is, at some point prior to the filter, in digital form. The digital version of the input signal to the filter is stored in memory. The output signal from the filter corresponding to the stored input signal is digitized and compared to the stored digital input signal to the filter. Based on the known input signal and the known desired frequency characteristics of the filter, the desired output signal is a known quantity. If the actual output signal differs from the expected output signal, the filter is tuned accordingly. The process may be performed continually on all input data or on discrete sections of the input data.

Abstract: The specification describes techniques for attaching double sided circuit boards having plated through holes to interconnection substrates using solder bump arrays. The through holes are filled with a high melting point solder which allows solder bumps to be located directly on the through hole thus saving board area and reducing the interconnection length.