Abstract: An integrated circuit formed on a semiconductor substrate has a contact pad for communicating signals between an external device and an internal signal line. The pad is protected by an SCR that conducts electrostatic discharge pulses from the pad directly to a current sink. The SCR includes a subregion underneath a field oxide that has a field inplant that increases the dopant concentration. The field implant lowers the SCR trigger voltage, so that SCR triggers before an ESD pulse can cause latch-up or damage in other devices in the integrated circuit.

Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated circuit chip having one or more circuit elements that perform a desired circuit function with the circuit elements being encompassed by a molding compound that forms a package for the chip. The molding compound has a capacitance associated with it. The integrated circuit chip includes a second integrated circuit element within the molding compound in which the second integrated circuit element monitors the molding compound to detect a change in capacitance in the molding compound resulting from a removal of a portion or all of the molding compound. In response to a detection of a change in capacitance, the second integrated circuit element alters the desired circuit function provided by the other integrated circuit elements.

Abstract: Methods and associated apparatus in a RAID storage subsystem to enhance the performance of write operations for sequences of large buffers generally non-aligned with stripe boundaries in the RAID storage subsystem. In particular, the methods identify a starting non-aligned portion of each large buffer to be written to the RAID storage subsystem, an ending non-aligned portion of each large buffer to be written to the RAID subsystem, and a larger middle portion of the large buffer to be written to the RAID subsystem which is aligned with stripe boundaries of the RAID storage subsystem. The stripe-aligned middle portion is written to the RAID storage devices in a cache write through mode using stripe write operations to maximize data throughput. The starting and ending portions identified by the methods of the present invention are written to the cache memory in a write back mode such that they will eventually be posted to the RAID storage devices in due course through normal RAID processing.

Abstract: High energy implantation through varying vertical thicknesses of one or more films is used to form a vertically modulated sub-collector, which simultaneously reduces both the vertical and lateral components of parasitic collector resistance in a vertically integrated bipolar device. The need for a sinker implant or other additional steps to reduce collector resistance is avoided. The necessary processing modifications may be readily integrated into conventional bipolar or BiCMOS process flows.

Abstract: A method of recovering a clock signal which is embedded in an incoming data stream. The method includes the steps of providing the incoming data stream to a data sampler circuit, first operating the data sampler circuit to select one of a plurality of clock phases wherein the selected clock phase is indicative of the embedded clock signal, generating a recovered clock signal based on the selected clock phase, second operating a retiming circuit in a normal data tracking mode to retime the incoming data stream based on the recovered clock signal, and disabling operation of the data sampler circuit while the retiming circuit is operating in the normal data tracking mode. An apparatus for recovering a clock signal which is embedded in an incoming data stream is also disclosed.

Abstract: This interconnect chip provides the function of an antifuse device. The interconnect chip is initially disconnected. Application of a high voltage applied across two terminals on the chip causes intrinsic polysilicon, which serves as an insulator between the connections to break down and form a reliable short circuit between the pads by redistribution of impurities from the layers above and below the intrinsic polysilicon.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating an output signal in a digitizer. The method includes the steps of generating a first signal when a user contacts a sensor panel wherein the first signal has a first component and a second component, generating a second signal which is substantially identical to the first component of the first signal, and using the second signal to cancel out the first component of the first signal so as to generate the output signal which is substantially identical to the second component of the first signal.

Abstract: An electrically-erasable electrically-programmable read only memory (EEPROM) transistor is programmed and erased by electron tunneling and reduces gate induced drain leakage. The EEPROM transistor comprises a semiconductor substrate having source and drain regions disposed horizontally apart. A floating gate conductor is vertically adjacent to and spaced from the source and drain regions. An insulation layer is disposed between the floating gate conductor and the source and drain regions. A first segment of the insulation layer, which is between the drain region and a minor portion of the floating gate conductor, has a first thickness. A second segment of the insulation layer which is adjacent to the first layer and the remainder on the floating gate conductor, has a second thickness which is substantially greater than the first thickness.

Abstract: A digitizing panel responsive to a signal transmitted from a stylus for generating stylus position information is disclosed. The digitizing panel includes a coordinate generator for determining coordinate data indicative of a position of the stylus relative to the digitizing panel, a velocity calculator for determining a stylus velocity value based on the coordinate data, a mechanism for determining a filter bandwidth value based on the stylus velocity value, a filter for filtering the coordinate data wherein the filter has a predetermined bandwidth characteristic, and a mechanism for varying the predetermined bandwidth characteristic based on the filter bandwidth value. A method for filtering position data of a stylus associated with a digitizing panel is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming layers of photo-sensitive materials in different thicknesses. A mask including a first area that substantially blocks light transmission and a second area having optical characteristics, which partially blocks light transmission is employed. Light is projected through the mask onto a layer of photo-sensitive material. The first area substantially blocks the light from passing through and leaves portions of the photo-sensitive material unexposed. The secondary area reduces the intensity of light passing through the mask and projected onto other portions of the photo-sensitive material. After developing the photo-sensitive material, at least two thicknesses of photo-sensitive material results. The second area may include a number of sections that vary from each other in optical characteristics such that the intensity of the light projected onto the layer of photo-sensitive material through the second area varies in steps or continuously.

Abstract: Methods and associated apparatus operable in a RAID subsystem to improve the speed and flexibility of initializing the subsystem by storing configuration and identification information in a reserved area on each disk drive in the subsystem. The reserved area on each disk drive of the disk array contains a unique identifier to identify the particular disk drive from all others and further contains group configuration information regarding all groups in which the particular disk drive is a member. The configuration and identification information is generated and written to each disk drive in the disk array when the particular disk drive is configured so as to be added or deleted from groups of the subsystem. Upon subsystem reset (e.g. power on reset or other reset operations), the RAID controller in the subsystem determines the proper configuration of the RAID groups despite temporary unavailability or physical relocation of one or more disk drives in the disk array.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor protection device in a substrate having a first type of conductivity. The semiconductor protection device includes two vertical bipolar transistors. A well region is located within the substrate having a second type of conductivity with a base region within the well region having a first type of conductivity. A first doped region having the second type of conductivity and a second doped region having a first type of conductivity are located within the well region. A third doped region having the second type of conductivity and a fourth doped region having the first type of conductivity are located within the base region. A doped region having a first type of conductivity is located within the substrate. This doped region is connected to the fourth doped region.

Abstract: A differential receiver that includes a first input, a second input, and an output has a first signal path from the first input to the output, the first signal path including a first differential amplifier and a first active load. The first differential amplifier has an end connected to a first power supply voltage and a second end connected to a second power supply voltage and the first active load. The first differential amplifier also has a connection to the first input and the second input, and the first active load has a connection to the output. The receiver also has a second signal path from the second input to the output, the second signal path including a second differential amplifier and a second active load. The second differential amplifier has an end connected to a first power supply voltage and a second end connected to a second power supply voltage and the second active load.

Abstract: The clock rate for a device is controlled through the use of integrated circuits which respond to the temperature of the device. Circuitry is added to the integrated circuit device being controlled which changes the clock rate of the device as the device temperature changes. The device clock is thus regulating by the temperature of the device. The way in which the regulation is implemented can be varied, from slowing an internally generated clock rate, or by digitally scaling an external clock input. Synchronous scaling is also provided, such that devices which are connected external to the CPU can still be clocked at the same external rate, but CPU transactions within the CPU may occur at a different rate depending on the CPU's measured temperature. This invention also provides the ability to selectively reduce or stop certain areas of an integrated circuit relative to pending operations or instructions being executed.

Abstract: Circuitry, and an associated method, for a receiver which receives data signals transmitted upon a non-ideal transmission channel. The circuitry includes an equalizer circuit and a variable gain amplifier circuit together operable to counteract the effects of the signal degradation. Characteristics of the equalizer circuit and of the amplifier circuit are together selected responsive to detection of the signal envelope of the data signal.

Abstract: A circuit in a semiconductor device for testing jitter tolerance of a receiver in the semiconductor device. The circuit includes a jitter injection circuit that has an output connected to an input in a phase-locked loop circuit. The jitter injection circuit generates an output signal in response to an application of an input signal. The phase-locked loop circuit has an output that generates a clock signal, wherein the clock signal may be altered by the output signal from the jitter injection circuit. The clock signal from the phase-locked loop circuit controls transmission of data at the transmitter. Alteration of the clock signal caused by the jitter injection circuit alters the manner in which the transmitter transmits data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the rapid generation of a snapshot copy of the data stored in a RAID storage subsystem. In addition to the users configured RAID logical units, the present invention provides for the definition within the RAID controller of a logical RAID level one device having an operational half comprising the users defined logical unit(s) and having a non-operational mirror component. The user access data stored on the RAID subsystem by direct access to the users defined logical units. When a user directs a snapshot copy request to the operational, user defined logical units, the RAID controller responds by temporarily configuring available storage capacity (e.g. spare disk drives) in the RAID subsystem to perform the function of the non-operational mirror component of the logical RAID level one device.

Abstract: An apparatus for storing and playing videos. The apparatus includes a storage device containing a video for playback on a user system located on a communications network. The apparatus includes a system connection to a data processing system and a network connection to the communications network. The apparatus includes a transfer means for transferring the video from the storage device to the network using the network connection, wherein the video is directly transferred from the apparatus to the network.

Abstract: An arrangement of mounting pads on a substrate having segments, at least one of which has a plurality of mounting pads in a first row. Mounting pads of the first row are in connection with a corresponding offset through-hole oriented outwardly in the same general direction as a bisector definable for that segment, or oriented outwardly in the same general direction as a diagonal of the arrangement's outer shape. The segment defined can have a second and third row of mounting pads. The arrangement could include second, third, fourth, and so on, segments each with a plurality of mounting pads. Also included is an arrangement of Ball Grid Array (BGA) mounting pads on a circuit board for connection with electrical contacts of a BGA package, having: a first segment of a plurality of mounting pads in a first row with each mounting pad of the first row in connection with an offset through-hole oriented outwardly in the same general direction as a bisector definable for that first segment.

Abstract: A bipolar transistor with a relatively deep emitter region is formed in a BICMOS device using the source/drain mask used to form the source and drain regions of MOSFETs of the device and the base region mask which would otherwise be required in any event to diffuse an emitter region of the bipolar transistor. The emitter is diffused or implanted to a depth greater than the depth to which a source and a drain region of the MOSFET are diffused. By using only the base region and source/drain region masks, and developing in sequence, each of two coatings of photoresist applied on top of one another, an access opening to the emitter region is define solely by the co-location of openings in each of the two coatings, thereby allowing the emitter region to be separately and additionally implanted. The access to the base region for the additional implication is achieved using only a few additional photo-ops and not as a result of using an additional emitter mask.