Abstract: An apparatus for carrying out reactive physical vapor deposition on a substrate to form a nitride layer, comprises a vacuum chamber, a substrate support in the vacuum chamber, a target over the substrate support made of a refractory or noble metal, for example titanium and tantalum, a gas inlet for supplying nitrogen gas to the vacuum chamber, and a non-evaporable getter pump for serving as the primary pumping means in the vacuum chamber during the reactive physical vapor deposition of a nitride of the metal onto the substrate. The non-evaporable getter pump consists of a material insensitive to nitrogen, such as an alloy of zirconium and iron.

Abstract: A current detector for connection in series with a lead carrying current to be detected, has a first branch with a plurality of series connected diodes having an anode end and a cathode end for connection to the lead, a first optocoupler light emitting diode connected in series with a resistor, connected in parallel with the first branch, the optocoupler diode being connected in the same polarity direction as the diodes in the first branch, and a first further diode connected in parallel with the first branch, in opposite polarity direction as the diodes in the first branch.

Abstract: A method of silent monitoring in a telephone system by a monitor comprising storing in a first table in a memory, correspondence between an agent identifier and a telephone set directory number used by the agent, requesting silent monitoring of the agent using the identifier, checking the table to determine the directory number of the telephone set corresponding to the agent, creating and storing a record containing the directory number, an identifier of the monitor and the agent identifier, in the event a telephone call is in process using the telephone set, conferencing a telephone set used by the monitor with the telephone set used by the agent, using a one way audio path toward the telephone set used by the monitor, in the event the telephone call in process clears, maintaining the record until the telephone set used by the monitor has gone on-hook, and continuing to monitor subsequent calls involving the telephone set used by the agent prior to the telephone set used by the monitor going on-hook, maintai

Abstract: A method of providing communication service to a plurality of subscribers comprised of allocating various services to roles to be filled by the subscribers, receiving a trigger for the service to a subscriber in a particular role, and providing different features to a user associated with the service which are restricted to those services which are allocated to the particular role.

Abstract: A user initiated soft call park with recorded voice comfort notification system for use within a telephony server for wired or wireless telephones. In response to receiving an incoming call, a user depresses a function key on his or her telephone set. The telephony server responds to depression of the user's function key by placing the incoming call on soft hold and generating a recorded message for indicating to the calling party that the call will be answered shortly.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises at least one metal interconnect layer, a titanium-based barrier layer in contact with the metal interconnect layer. The metal interconnect layer contains titanium in an amount up to the limit of solid solubility at the peritectic temperature. The arrangement is effective to reduce hillock, spike, and notch formation in the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A method of invoking a telephone user profile comprised of storing in a database a user telephone service profile containing a directory number of a user, in association with a telephone set line, transmitting the user telephone service profile to a central computer, transmitting the service profile to a group of telephone office switches from the computer, storing the service profile at each of the telephone office switches in the group, and providing service to the user at each of the telephone office switches in the group in accordance with the service profile.

Abstract: A method of improving the performance of an active semiconductor device with a voltage-controllable channel length, comprises providing a matched reference component having similar operating characteristics to the active semiconductor device, continually monitoring the breakdown voltage of the matched reference component, and maintaining the operating voltage of the active semiconductor device to lie just below the measured breakdown voltage of the matched reference component. In this way, the performance of the active component can be optimized.

Abstract: A method of determining the reliability of data transmission system links is comprised of transmitting a data stream containing a data integrity sequence and at least one accumulated error count sequence along one of the links, determining the integrity of the data in the stream at the end of the link using the data integrity sequence, adding a count of data errors detected to the accumulated error count sequence, and periodically detecting the count as a measure of the reliability.

Abstract: A wireless telephone system includes: a PBX connected by a wireline to at least one base station for communicating over a radio link with mobile telephones; a unit for transmitting and receiving audio and data signals over the wireline between the PBX and the base station; a unit for transmitting and receiving audio and data signals over the radio link between the base station and a mobile telephone; and in the base station a unit for separating incoming audio and data signals channels, a unit for combining outgoing audio and data signals for onward transmission thereof from the base station, and a unit for interpreting the data signals and either acting on the data signals if they are intended for the base station or otherwise passing the signals through the base station for onward transmission to the receiving unit.

Abstract: An electronic circuit board enclosure comprised of a planar member having dimensions at least equal to dimensions of the circuit board, first pillars fixed to at least one side of the planar member and extending orthogonally to the planar member above the planar member, apparatus for aligning and fixing bottoms of second pillars of another circuit board enclosure to tops of the first pillars, apparatus for fastening a first circuit board to and above the planar member, and locating apparatus for precisely locating the fastening position of the circuit board to the planar member relative to the first pillars, whereby the position of the first circuit board can be located precisely relative to another circuit board fastened to another circuit board enclosure.

Abstract: A method of optimizing the cost of toll calls in a communication system comprised of providing a plurality of toll call plan costing agents, each representing a call completion plan having parameters relating to a minimal call cost and to the minimization of a total system cost of calling, detecting that a toll call is to be made and the parameters of the toll call, the call plan costing agents each calculating an estimate of a minimizing system toll call cost increment in the event its toll call plan is implemented for the call, bidding for the toll call by each of the costing agents by providing the estimated cost of the call and of the increment, selecting a suitable bid based on minimization of total system calls, and indicating to a call processor agent parameters of the selected toll call plan whereby the call can be completed in accordance with the selected plan.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a digital frequency shift keyed (FSK) signal receiver comprised of a band-pass filter having passbands corresponding to each modulation frequency of an FSK signal, for receiving and translating the FSK signal, a first zero crossing detector for receiving the translated signal and for generating a value signal having a higher or lower value during a 1 logic bit of the translated signal, and an opposite lower or higher value during a 0 logic bit of the translated signal, a second zero crossing detector for receiving the value signal and for outputting groups of 1's and groups of 0's, the group lengths depending on intervals between the higher and lower values.

Abstract: A method of invoking a telephone user profile is comprised of storing a user call operation profile in a database at a central switching system, dialing from any station in communication with the central switching system a predetermined sequence identifying the user, identifying the user from the sequence and the physical location of the station from which the dialing occurred and storing an indication of that physical location in the database in association with the profile; and accessing the profile for subsequent calls to the directory number and from the station, and using the profile in the processing of the subsequent calls.

Abstract: A communication system is comprised of a computer system connected to a LAN, a local area communications system (LAX) connected to the LAN, peripheral communications devices connected to the LAX, apparatus for controlling communications between the devices via the LAX under control of programs resident in a computer of the computer system, the controlling apparatus comprising a database for storing server system configuration data, a peripheral driver, a call control for controlling the peripheral driver and accessing application programs and the system configuration data, and a protocol converter for passing control and data messages in manners proprietary to each peripheral communications device from and to the peripheral communications devices via peripheral drivers and to and from a variety of standard and non-standard application programs stored in the computer system.

Abstract: A digital signal processor (DSP) interface comprised of a memory containing a pair of memory banks, apparatus for storing an input signal in a first one of the memory banks, apparatus for storing a signal from the DSP in a second one of the memory banks, apparatus for switching the content of the two memory banks, apparatus for reading either or both of the two memory banks to a first and a second memory output respectively, whereby the input signal modified or replaced by the signal from the DSP is output from the memory.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of operating a communication system comprised of providing a plurality of process agents for receiving goal commands (goals) and for invoking a process to achieve the goals, providing a plurality of device agents, each in communication with its own device, for receiving and storing goals from a process agent, and for operating its corresponding device in response to receiving the goals from a process agent, and interconnecting all of the agents and carrying goals between agents thereby.