Abstract: A rechargeable electrical energy storage device (20). The cell has two electrodes (28, 36) constructed from a similar organometallic compound (30), and the electrodes are electrically connected by an ion carrying electrolyte (32). The electrodes are also physically separated from each other by a barrier (34) that will pass ions but not electrons. In one embodiment of the invention, the electrodes are ferrocene, and the electrolyte is sulfuric acid.

Abstract: Processing of dispatch calls in a multi-site communication system begins when a source communication unit initiates a request for a dispatch call. The request is routed to a controller which assigns a controlled device to support the request. In addition, the controller identifies the destination communication units, which site each of the destination units are in, and what controlled devices are needed to support the dispatch call. Having identified the controlled devices, the controller assigns all of the controlled devices needed the same temporary network address. With all the controlled devices having the same temporary network address, the controlled device assigned to support the request can transmit the messages generated by the source communication unit to other controlled devices using the temporary network address. Thus only one representation of a message produced by the source communication unit is transmitted from the assigned controlled device.

Abstract: A low-profile, high density, electrical connector (10), includes multiple layers (19, 22) of substantially parallel electrical conductors (31), the electrical conductors (25) each having a planar portion (29), and spaced ends (31) angling away from the planar portions (29). The planar portions (29) of the electrical conductors (25) are insulated with an insulating material (34). The spaced ends (31) of the electrical conductors (25) on each layer form a row of connector pins (13, 16). The connector (10) is formed by attaching the multiple layers (19, 22) along the insulated planar portions (29) of the conductors (25) to form a substantially rigid, low profile, multilayered structure.

Abstract: A system, and corresponding method, for detecting the presence of a misfire condition by interpreting spectral activity of a running engine includes a device (309, 313) for measuring a characteristic, preferably an acceleration characteristic indicative of the running engine's performance, A spectral discrimination device (319), preferably a digital filter, receives a composite signal (317) provided by the measuring device (309, 313). The digital filter (319) provides a normal firing signal (321), corresponding to spectral energy attributable to a portion of the composite signal (317) representative of a normal firing condition in the running engine, and a misfire signal (323), corresponding to spectral energy attributable to another portion of the composite signal (317) representative of a misfiring condition in the running engine. A comparison device (325) provides and indication of a misfire condition (327) when a magnitude of the misfire signal (323) exceeds a magnitude of the normal firing signal (321).

Abstract: A method of etching a semiconductor wafer includes providing a wafer having a portion thereof to be etched. A highly doped region is formed in the periphery of the wafer which is subsequently etched. The highly doped region of the wafer is substantially etch resistant to an etchant relative to the portion of the wafer being etched.

Abstract: A method for providing local matching elements for adjusting the characteristic impedance of local transmission line segments to more closely match the input or output impedance of the particular devices to which they couple. The method includes the step of providing a conductive bridge over the active lead of the transmission line, thereby lowering its characteristic impedance. The method can be applied to narrow transmission line segments needed to make contact to small active devices and/or MMIC's and which otherwise exhibit a substantial impedance mismatch with the small elements.

Abstract: A configurable flexible circuit substrate (100) is disclosed. The substrate (100) has an electrical circuit pattern (120) and an integral separable segment (130) containing a portion (132) of the circuit pattern (120). The substrate (100) also includes an integral extraction initiator portion (132), which is pivotable between a first position substantially planar with the surface of the substrate (100), and a second position away from the surface of the substrate (100). The extraction initiator portion (132) develops stress raisers (137) when pivoted toward the second position, and the extraction initiator portion (132) also effects a removal of the separable segment (130) from the substrate (100) when the extraction initiator portion (132) is pulled across the separable segment (130).

Abstract: A receiver (20) digitally tunes a radio frequency (RF) signal at the same time that it mixes the RF signal to a frequency suitable for demodulation and channel separation. A clock frequency divider (35) receives a reference clock signal, and divides the reference clock signal to provide a divided signal at a predetermined frequency, such as 20 kHz for AM stereo. A clock frequency multiplier (36) receives the divided signal and a digital tuning input signal, and provides an analog tuning signal at a multiple of the divided signal as determined by the digital tuning input signal. An analog multiplier (31) then mixes the RF signal with the analog tuning signal. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) (32) receives an output of the analog multiplier (31), and is clocked by the reference clock signal to eliminate any clock phase error. A digital demodulator (38) then demodulates and further processes an output of the ADC (32).

Abstract: A receiver for receiving and decoding a carrier signal is described. The carrier signal is modulated with a digital signal. The receiver includes a receiver section (162) for demodulating the received carrier signal. The demodulated signal is then sent through an A/D converter (164) for converting the demodulated signal into a digital format. A digital signal processor (166) receives the digital format and calculates the autocorrelation function of the digital format. The digital signal processor (166) then computes the ratio of the autocorrelation at two different reference points and compares this value to a plurality of values stored in its memory locations. The plurality of stored values representing different signal quality measurements.

Abstract: A high isolation microwave module includes a housing floor with mounting surfaces for placing microwave components and housing walls ending in housing wall ends coupled to and projecting from the housing floor. A lid including a lid plate and lid walls ending in lid wall ends projects from the lid plate. The lid walls extend toward the housing floor and the plurality of housing walls extend toward the lid plate but neither the lid wall ends nor the housing wall ends are coupled to the housing floor or lid plate, respectively. A plurality of cavities exist between the adjacent lid walls between the housing and the lid plate and a plurality of irises exist between immediately adjacent housing walls and corresponding lid walls. The irises and cavities act as a multi-section high pass filter to provide attenuation to a microwave signal passing through the module.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method for transporting articles (24), and a pick and place apparatus (10) for implementing the method. The apparatus includes a suction tube (12) coupled to a pickup cam (11) and a pin (22) coupled to a hold-down cam (18). The pickup cam (11) and the hold-down cam (18) share a common cam shaft (15). In addition, the suction tube (12) is coupled to a pressure reduction apparatus (16) which is enabled throughout the transport process. The cam shaft (15) is rotated in a first direction to couple the article (24) to a suction cup (14). The article (24) is transported to a desired location and released by reversing the direction of rotation of the cam shaft (15). The article (24) is released by the pin (22) pushing the article (24) away from the suction cup (14).

Abstract: A method of reducing an audio gap in a signal connection with a communication unit during handoff in a cellular communication system is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a temporary signal connection with the communication unit from a mobile switching center (MSC) of a source base site, through the source base site to a handoff target base site and establishing a trunk connection from the MSC of the source base site to a MSC of the target base site. The method further includes the step of interconnecting, at the target base site, the temporary signal connection, trunk connection, and communication unit; and re-routing the signal connection with the communication unit through the trunk connection.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit with enhanced frequency characteristics is provided. This oscillator circuit includes a buffer (102) to amplify the output signal and provide a positive feedback, an inverter (106) to provide negative feedback to cause oscillation, a capacitive divider circuit (110, 112) for charge storage, a resistor (116) to provide controlled discharge, and a diode circuit (114) for providing frequency stability. Since frequency stability is included within the oscillator circuit, there may be no need to perform resistor trimming at the time of manufacture. Further, the capacitive divider circuit eliminates parasitic charge injection.

Abstract: A method and apparatus used for performing a floating pointing operation has the ability to calculate a square root of a number. An approximation to the inverse of the square root of the number is provided via a step (18). Steps (20 and 22) are used to improve the precision of the inverse of the square root until a predetermined precision is attained. The inverse of the square root, which has a predetermined precision, is used along with the number to generate both an exact floating point value and a small floating point value via steps (24 and 26). The exact and small floating point values are added together in a sum and manipulated to fit into the floating point representation available to the apparatus. The sum is a substantially close approximation to the square root of the number and is either output directly or slightly modified numerically to more accurately represent the square root of the number.

Abstract: A data processing system (10) performs indexed addressing, autoincrementing, and autodecrementing using power of two byte boundaries. For example, a 5-bit offset allows a user to progress sixteen bytes either forward or backward through a table of data. An instruction specifying an operation to be performed, a pointer register (58, 60), and an offset value is provided to an execution unit (14). The pointer register (58, 60) stores a first address value and the offset value has a sign and a magnitude. An arithmetic logic unit, ALU, (52) inverts the sign of the offset value to provide an inverted sign value. A plurality of adders (100, 102, 104, 106, and 108) adds the offset value, the first address value, and the inverted sign value to generate an offset sum. A positive offset value is increased by one to generate a symmetric power of two offset range.

Abstract: Semiconductor carrier assemblies (10, 40) use a flexible substrate (11) to connect to at least one semiconductor device (19). Preferably the flexible substrate (11) also connects to a circuit component, preferably a circuit board (31). The flexible substrate (11) is configured in a U-shaped configuration having at least one rigidizer plate (25; 41, 42) positioned in the notch of the U. Interconnections between the semiconductor device (19) and the flexible substrate (11), and, preferably, the circuit component (31) are provided by solder connections (22, 28). Preferably, two rigidizer plates (41,42) having different temperature coefficients of expansion are positioned in the notch of the U of the flexible substrate (11) and preferably a low modulus adhesive layer (50, 51, 47) is utilized in the assembly to minimize thermal stress.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip is flip chip bonded to a substrate having a cavity or a through hole formed therein. The cavity or through hole is preferably large enough to substantially remove the narrow gap which is formed between the portion of the substrate which does not have the cavity or through hole formed therein. This allows for use of mold processes to encapsulate and underfill the semiconductor chip and for line of sight cleaning of the semiconductor chip after bonding.