Abstract: A first and second capacitor plate are provided (101 and 102). Each capacitor plate has an opening disposed therethrough with the second capacitor plate being disposed substantially opposite the first capacitor plate. A first electrically conductive path interface is then disposed (103) in one of these openings as is at least a second electrically conductive path interface (104).

Abstract: A method for forming closed vias in a multilayer printed circuit board. A dielectric layer is laminated to one side of a central core having a metal layer on each side. A second dielectric layer is laminated to the other side of the central core. Closed vias in the central core have been formed by drilling partially through but not completely penetrating the central core, and then completing the via from the opposite side with a hole that is much smaller in diameter to form a pathway that penetrates completely through the central core from one side to another. The via is then plated with metal to substantially close the smaller hole. Approximately one half of the closed vias are situated such that the closed aperture faces one dielectric layer and a remainder of the closed vias are situated such that the closed aperture faces the other dielectric layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a connector including two mating sleeves, at least one of which having a plurality of first conductive contacts, a second mating sleeve configured to be rotatably joined to the first mating sleeve and also configured to support circuitry. The connector may also include at least one shaft configured to join the two mating sleeves to form a hinge. The shaft may further include at least a plurality of second conductive contacts, at least some of which that form portions of rings to make intermittent contact with at least one of the first conductive contacts based on the position of the at least one shaft relative to the position of at least one of the two mating sleeves. Embodiments of the connector may include a jack style hinge configuration, a hinge and pin style configuration, a hinge without a pin style configuration, or a spring loaded bolt configuration.

Abstract: A system for precisely positioning and moving a platform relative to a support structure is disclosed herein. The platform is particularly suitable for carrying wafers. Charged particle optics can be attached to the support structure. The platform positioning system comprises a stage, comprising a base, a platform and stage actuators, the stage actuators being coupled to the platform and the platform being coupled to the base; a frame attached to the base; a support structure mechanically coupled to the frame; stage sensors attached to the support structure, for sensing the position of the platform relative to the support structure; and a current control system coupled to the stage sensors and the stage actuators. The current control system may include a predictor for generating an ouptut signal anticipating the actual position of the platform relative to the support structure in real time.

Abstract: Various semiconductor device structures that include an inductor or balun can be formed using a semiconductor structure having a monocrystalline silicon substrate, an amorphous oxide material overlying the monocrystalline silicon substrate, a monocrystalline perovskite oxide material overlying the amorphous oxide material; and a monocrystalline compound semiconductor material overlying the monocrystalline perovskite oxide material, and/or other types of material such as metals and non-metals.

Abstract: One surface of a semiconductor component attached to one surface of a header with an opposite surface of the component having an optical input/output positioned adjacent one end of an optical fiber. The component and optical fiber are fixedly attached with no strain by a curable gel with the header acting as a heat sink. Electrical contacts are made to the component by means of leads formed on the header and/or a conductive coating deposited on the optical fiber.

Abstract: A damped resonant piezoelectric alerting device (600) includes a motional mass (130), a damping element (136, 156) magnetically coupled to the motional mass (130) and a piezoelectric actuator (100) which is constrained to an actuator mount (132) at a first end and coupled to the motional mass (130) at a second end. The piezoelectric actuator (100) responds to a control signal (108, 110) to generate an alternating out-of-plane movement (812, 814) of the motional mass (130) at an amplitude (412, 414). The alternating out-of-plane movement (812, 814) of the motional mass (130) is transformed into tactile energy to provide a tactile alert about a resonant frequency (608). The amplitude (412, 414) of the out-of-plane movement (812, 814) of the motional mass (130) is controlled by the damping element (136, 156). The alternating out-of-plane movement (812, 814) of the motional mass (130) is also transformed into acoustic energy to provide an audible alert above the resonant frequency (608).

Abstract: An adaptive weighting handwriting recognition device and method compares information representing handwritten input with stored recognition data at least some of which has a weighting value associated therewith. The weighting values remains fixed during comparison of the handwritten input and stored recognition data and provide candidate recognition information, which can be further processed with user editing instructions to modify and correct the candidate recognition information. During user editing, the weighting values of the stored recognition data associated with the corrected candidate recognition information modified are varied to enhance the likelihood of correct future handwriting recognition.

Abstract: A method and apparatus controls zone registrations in a radio communication system providing radio coverage to a portable subscriber unit (122) within a plurality of zones (402), wherein the portable subscriber unit (PSU) determines its own call rate (602). A fixed portion (102) of the radio communication system sends the PSU a threshold value based on communication activity associated with the PSU, a call rate estimation interval value, and a multiplier for normalizing the PSU's own call rate with the threshold value. The fixed portion accepts zone registrations from the PSU when the PSU's own call rate is greater than the threshold value and defers zone registration from the PSU when the PSU's own call rate is less than or equal to the threshold value until the PSU's own call rate exceeds the threshold value.

Abstract: An assembly (5) has two or more plastic parts joined together. One of the plastic parts (20) has an electrical heating element (31) whose function is to soften a portion of the plastic when the heating element is electrically energized. Once the plastic is softened, the two parts can be separated and the assembly disassembled. When the two parts are joined together with snap-fit joints, the snap-fits have a heating element to soften a portion of the snap-fit (24) when the heating element is electrically energized, thereby allowing the housing to be opened and separated. If the two parts are ultrasonically welded together to form a housing, a heating element is located therein to soften the ultrasonically welded portion (44), thereby allowing the two halves of the housing to be separated. The heating element can be a nichrome or thin film resistor that is energized by a source (33) located within the housing, or by an power source external to the housing, or it may be inductively coupled to the power source.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing is employed to produce a size-reduced frequency control device (300), according to the present invention. A temperature compensation circuit (304) and an unsealed piezoelectric element (302) are disposed on a substrate (306) such that the compensation circuit and the unsealed piezoelectric element are electrically connected. A hermetic seal (318) is established between a lid (308) and the substrate such that the unsealed piezoelectric element and at least a temperature sensitive portion of the temperature compensation circuit occupy a sealed environment (320). In this manner, dimensions (322, 324) of the frequency control device are reduced.

Abstract: A vertically raised transistor (10) is formed having a substrate (12). A conductive plug region (22) is selectively or epitaxially formed to vertically elevate the transistor (10). A first doped region (16a) and a second doped region (16b) are each electrically coupled to the conductive plug region (22) via sidewall contacts. The doped regions (16a and 16b) are used to form current electrode regions (26) within the conductive plug region (22). A channel region separates the current electrodes (26). A gate dielectric layer (28) is formed to overlie the channel region. A conductive layer (30) is formed to overlie the gate dielectric layer (28). Conductive layer (30) forms a gate electrode for the transistor (10). The vertical raised transistor (10) and conductive plug region (22) provide improved device isolation and improved device operation.

Abstract: The method and apparatus for rapid phase acquisition and random radio channel phase error compensation for a TDMA QPSK receiver is disclosed. Received quadrature signals having a known synchronizing sequence transmitted on one of the vectors is correlated to a local replica of the sequence. The output correlation detection signals are held for the duration of the TDMA timeslot and multiplied by the received quadrature signals to produce two pairs of products. The mutually exclusive product pairs are summed to recover data having the random phase error compensated.

Abstract: A digital to analog converter circuit includes a current supply for providing a plurality of output currents of substantially equal magnitudes, a subtractor circuit coupled with selective outputs of the current supply for producing a plurality of binary weighted output currents and a summing circuit which is responsive to a binary coded digital input signal for selectively summing the binary weighted output currents and the remaining equal magnitude currents to provide a representative analog output current. The converter circuit is suited to be operated from a single source of power supply and does not require resistor trimming.

Abstract: Improved self-aligned semiconductor devices are made using two sets of superposed pattern forming layers; a master mask layer set containing the self-aligned patterns, and a pattern selector layer set which allows different apertures in the master mask layer to be selectively re-opened so that different device regions may be sequentially formed. The master mask layer is a double layer of a first material resistant to typical device forming processes, covered by a second etch stop material. The selector layer may be a single process resistant material or a double layer. Using combinations of silicon oxide and nitride, the process is applied to the formation of silicon islands with emitters and emitter, base, and collector contacts self-aligned to each other and a surrounding oxide isolation region. Significant area and cost savings are achieved without additional masking steps or precision alignments.