Abstract: A configuration for controlling a restraining device has a first control unit which controls two electrically controllable power switches of a firing circuit connected to the restraining device as a function of acceleration. A third electrically controllable power switch is provided in the firing circuit and is controlled by a second control unit as a function of the acceleration.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 8, 1998
Date of Patent:
November 2, 1999
Assignee:
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Inventors:
Gerhard Schmid, Walter Baumgartner, Michael Koppl, Stefan Hermann
Abstract: RIE of metallization is achieved at low power and low pressure using Cl.sub.2 and HCl as reactant species by creating a transformer coupled plasma with power applied to electrodes positioned both above and below a substrate with metallization thereon to be etched. Three layer metallizations which include bulk aluminum or aluminum alloy sandwiched between barrier layers made from, for example, Ti/TiN, are etched in a three step process wherein relatively lower quantities of Cl.sub.2 are used in the plasma during etching of the barrier layers and relatively higher quantities of Cl.sub.2 are used during etching of the bulk aluminum or aluminum alloy layer. The ratio of etchants Cl.sub.2 and HCl and an inert gas, such as N.sub.2 are controlled in a manner such that a very thin side wall layer (10-100 .ANG.) of reaction byproducts created during RIE are deposited on the side walls of trenches formed in the metallization during etching.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 6, 1996
Date of Patent:
November 2, 1999
Assignees:
International Business Machines Corp., Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Inventors:
Munir D. Naeem, Stuart M. Burns, Rosemary Christie, Virinder Grewal, Walter W. Kocon, Masaki Narita, Bruno Spuler, Chi-Hua Yang
Abstract: To prevent noise being transmitted from a rotor portion of an electric motor (2-2.3) through the bearing brackets (3) to the motor's housing (1), each bearing bracket (3) is fixed relative to the motor housing (1) by at least one mounting part (5), with a noise damping part (4) arranged in between the bearing bracket (3) and the motor housing (1). The mounting part (5) rests directly against the motor housing (1) in the region where the mounting part (5) is coupled to the motor housing (1), without any noise damping part interposed between the mounting part (5) and the motor housing (1).
Abstract: A method for preventing CMP-induced (chemical-mechanical polish) damage to a substrate disposed below a pad nitride layer of a mesa. The pad nitride layer is disposed below a conformally deposited dielectric layer. The dielectric layer is disposed below a conformally deposited polysilicon layer. The method includes planarizing the polysilicon layer down to at least a surface of the dielectric layer using the CMP to expose a first region of the dielectric layer. The method further includes etching partially through the first region of the dielectric layer using first etch parameters. The first etch parameters include an etchant source gas that is substantially selective to the pad nitride layer to prevent the pad nitride layer from being etched through even in the presence of a CMP defect. Additionally, there is also included removing the polysilicon layer after the etching partially through the first region of the dielectric layer.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 27, 1997
Date of Patent:
November 2, 1999
Assignees:
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, International Business Machines Corporation
Inventors:
Max G. Levy, Wolfgang Bergner, Bernhard Fiegl, George R. Goth, Paul Parries, Matthew J. Sendelbach, Tinghao T. Wang, William C. Wille, Juergen Wittmann
Abstract: A method for forming a multi-level conductive structure on an integrated circuit. The method includes forming a first conductive layer 108 and forming a first dielectric layer 112 above the first conductive layer. The method further includes forming a second conductive layer 302 above the first dielectric layer. There is also included etching through the second conductive layer and at least partially into the first dielectric layer to form a trench 706 in the second conductive layer and the first dielectric layer, thereby removing at least a portion of the dielectric layer and forming a first conductive line 503 and a second conductive line 505 in the second conductive layer. Further, the method includes depositing a low capacitance material 908 into the trench. The low capacitance material represents a material having a dielectric constant lower than a dielectric constant of the first dielectric layer.
Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reading and refreshing data contents of a dynamic semiconductor memory having many volatile memory cells disposed in columns and rows in a matrix. The reading of the data contents from addressed memory cells is done with the aid of at least two data buses. The data contents are applied word by word to the data buses and a refreshing of the data contents of the memory cells is effected by a refresh pulse. According to the invention, it is provided that the data words applied to the data buses after the triggering of the refresh pulse are maintained for a predetermined period of time on all the data buses and only after that are the data words removed by of a shutoff pulse.
Abstract: An ultra quiet electric motor includes a drive shaft, bearing structure rotatably supporting the drive shaft, and an armature assembly and commutator each fixed on the drive shaft. A motor housing is disposed around the armature assembly and has an open end portion. A permanent magnet structure is disposed between the motor housing and the armature. Brush structure is provided having a pair of brush support arms each guiding a generally crescent-shaped brush. Each of the brushes contacts the commutator. A noise absorbing housing is defined by a plurality of walls and is disposed generally around the brush structure. Noise absorption material covers at least a portion of at least one of the walls of the noise absorbing housing. An end cap is fixed to the motor housing to close the open end portion thereof. The structure of the motor is such that during operation, a decibel rating of approximately 32 dbA is generated.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 23, 1998
Date of Patent:
November 2, 1999
Assignee:
Siemens Canada Limited
Inventors:
Marek Horski, Haran K. Periyanthamby, Peter A. Kershaw
Abstract: A method and a device for decomposing nitrogen oxides in an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, include feeding the exhaust gas and a reactant which is sprayed into the exhaust gas through the use of compressed air, to a catalytic converter. A compressor for supplying compressed air is associated with the internal combustion engine, and part of the compressed air is diverted and used as the compressed air for injecting the reactant. The sprayed reactant is fed to the catalytic converter, together with the exhaust gas to be purified, which ensures the decomposition of the nitrogen oxides, in particular according to the method of selective catalytic reaction.
Abstract: A memory cell containing at least three vertical transistors. A first transistor and a second transistor, or a third transistor are arranged over each other with reference to a y-axis proceeding perpendicularly to a surface of a substrate. The second transistor and the third transistor can be arranged at opposite sides of a semiconductor structure, while the first transistor is arranged at both sides. Source/drain regions of the transistors can overlap.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 13, 1998
Date of Patent:
November 2, 1999
Assignee:
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Inventors:
Till Schloesser, Wolfgang Krautschneider
Abstract: A process for operating a fuel cell installation and a fuel cell installation for carrying out the process include at least one fuel cell block. A process gas for the fuel cell block is fed into the fuel cell block with a liquid ring compressor. In this way, the process gas is humidified at the same time as it is compressed, thus using the compression heat simultaneously as evaporation enthalpy, as well as the heat from the cooling circuit of the fuel cell stack.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 11, 1998
Date of Patent:
November 2, 1999
Assignee:
Siemens Aktiengesellschatf
Inventors:
Reinhard Muller, Walter Stuhler, Christoph Nolscher
Abstract: In an electrically propelled vehicle having at least one roof container (1) and at least one pantograph (6), such that the roof container (1) contains at least components for electrically protecting the power electronics downstream of the pantograph (6), because the pantograph (6) is mounted in electrically insulated fashion on the roof container (1) there are only short unprotected electrical conduction paths between the pantograph (6) and the components for protecting the power electronics downstream of the pantograph (6).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 4, 1998
Date of Patent:
November 2, 1999
Assignee:
Siemens AG
Inventors:
Bruno Gebhard, Peter Hofmayer, Alfred Kortemeyer
Abstract: A valve control device for controlling a valve for a pressure fluid includes a cylindrical coil having a longitudinal extent defining a longitudinal axis, an end surface, a coil body with a terminal pin carrier disposed on the end surface, and a coil wire wound onto the coil body. Coil terminal pins are oriented crosswise to the longitudinal axis of the coil, are secured to the terminal pin carrier and are electrically conductively connected to the coil wire. A yoke ring housing includes a yoke ring sheath surrounding the longitudinal extent of the coil and having a longitudinal extent. The yoke ring sheath has an opening formed therein in the form of a gap piercing the full longitudinal extent of the yoke ring sheath for accommodating a terminal. A housing wall faces toward the end surface of the coil and a fastening element secures the yoke ring housing on the housing wall.
Abstract: A pressure transducer, in particular for sensing a lateral collision in a motor vehicle, delivers an electric useful signal which is determined by a relative pressure change relating to a pressure event. Low-frequency changes in an output signal of a sensor device, which depend on the ambient pressure, are compensated by a control device with an integrating behavior. The sensitivity of the sensor device, as a manipulated variable, changes in a manner inversely proportional to the ambient pressure. Higher-frequency pressure changes in the output signal of the sensor device are not compensated, but as a result of the variable sensitivity of the sensor device, determine as relative pressure changes the useful signal, which is additionally independent of temperature influences and offset errors of the pressure transducer.
Abstract: A capacitance to be measured is connected together with three further capacitances to form a bridge circuit, in which each two of the capacitors are connected in series, and these two series circuits are connected in parallel to one another, and which replaces a part of the input stage of a .SIGMA.-.DELTA. modulator. As inputs of this bridge circuit, terminals are provided at the ends of these series circuits, and as outputs terminals are respectively provided between the capacitors connected one after the other in series. In a sensor realized thereby, two capacitively measuring sensor elements of the same type are used. These capacitors are built into the bridge circuit together with two equally large reference capacitors in such a way that exactly one measurement capacitor and one reference capacitor is La connected is connected to each input and to each output of the bridge circuit.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 23, 1997
Date of Patent:
November 2, 1999
Assignee:
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Inventors:
Max Steger, Thomas Scheiter, Christofer Hierold, Reinhold Noe
Abstract: A circuit for determining and evaluating a data signal with a disturbing direct voltage portion has a signal processor with which the direct voltage portion is determined and then subtracted from the signal. A non-linear control is provided that changes a time constant of the circuit in dependence on the signal curve.
Abstract: A contact spring for a plug-in connector includes spring legs (2,3) which are disposed and constructed in such a way that they are capable of exerting a compressive force from opposite sides on a contact blade (20) inserted in between and of thereby establishing contact with the contact blade. The spring legs (2,3) are disposed laterally offset with respect to each other in such a way that they do not overlap each other in the respective directions of compressive force.
Abstract: In a method for computer-supported motion estimation for picture elements of chronologically successive images of a video sequence, a motion estimation is implemented with using a known dynamic programming (DP) method. A further dimension is added to the optimization space of the DP algorithm. As a result, the motion of objects is recognized in all directions and an incorrect classification of picture elements as an occlusion, which could not be prevented in known methods, is thus avoided.
Abstract: In an image processing system, smart images are provided with a structure consisting of a raw image with a knowledge structure. Each smart image is processed as an object, and reacts via its knowledge structure to environmental changes and/or queries for carrying out certain actions, and for preprocessing image data in anticipation of a user's future requirements relative to a given protocol.
Abstract: Semiconductor chips are produced from a wafer. The semiconductor chips are separated from one another by etching the wafer all the way through, by a dry etching process, in defined separation zones between the semiconductor chips. Initially, first etching trenches for separating the p-n junctions are etched into the wafer. Then, second etching trenches are etched from the opposite side of the wafer until the individual semiconductor chips are completely separated.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 30, 1997
Date of Patent:
October 26, 1999
Assignees:
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Siemens Microelectronics, Inc.
Inventors:
Walter Wegleiter, Olaf Schoenfeld, Muk Wai Lui, Ernst Nirschl
Abstract: A sintering plant includes an apparatus for transporting sinter material along a sintering section through at least one first zone in which the sinter material heats to a low temperature, and through a second zone in which the sinter material heats to a high temperature. Discharge lines are provided along the sintering section. A dioxin catalytic converter for exhaust gas is provided in the discharge lines disposed along the second zone or directly downstream thereof. In this manner, catalytic breakdown of dioxins can be achieved even in the exhaust gas of a sintering plant, which has not been possible heretofore.