Abstract: A method for patterning layers of material on a substrate without photoresist by using a selective sublimation process. Differences in thermal conductivity of materials underneath a layer of material to be patterned cause patterning by sublimation over areas of low thermal conductivity, initiated by a pulsed or swept radiated energy source.

Abstract: A dynamic read/write memory cell of the one-transistor N-channel silicon gate type is made by a double-level polysilicon process in which the implant dosage is reduced for the channel stop regions beneath the field oxide. This causes the signal level on the bit lines to be improved, and also reduces leakage problems.

Abstract: An electronic digital programmable wall thermostat system for controlling heating and cooling systems supplying an indoor area or space. The thermostat includes a digital clock, a display for displaying desired parameters of time and temperature and a data entry keyboard for programming the thermostat to maintain desired temperatures during selected time intervals. The heart of the system is a digital processor with memory, which responds to signals from a temperature sensing means which includes an analog to digital converter for controlling the heating and cooling systems in accordance with the sequence programmed therein. An output from the processor gates a triac on and off which in turn activates or deactivates the heating and cooling systems. In a preferred embodiment, a single chip digital processor is used to control the operation of the thermostat system, the keyboard, display and temperature sensing means being selectively scanned from output terminals of the digital processor.

Abstract: A fuel filter system for a diesel engine has filter means mounted in a housing so that diesel fuel flows through the filter as it passes to the engine and has self-regulating electrical resistance heater means mounted in the housing so that, particularly when the engine is started at low ambient temperatures, the fuel flows directly over the contacts, terminals and heater elements of the heater means for elevating the temperature of the fuel as it passes through the filter without risk of over heating the fuel, thereby to safely deter clogging of the filter by paraffin or other fuel components which may solidify in the fuel at relatively low engine starting temperatures.

Abstract: A data processing system is disclosed having data processing means for providing data in either an encoded format or in a display format in respective first and second operating modes. Data display means responsive to the operating mode of the data processing means are provided for receiving the data provided thereby, converting any data received in the encoded format to the display format, and displaying all received data in the display format.

Abstract: A fuel evaporation device for enhancing fuel evaporation in an automotive fuel supply system without excessively interfering with the flow of an air-fuel mixture to an automotive engine is particularly adapted for use where the system has an air-fuel passage directing the air-fuel mixture into an intake manifold and where fuel tends to condense on the walls of the passage during engine start up on cold days.

Abstract: A charge injection device array is fabricated, having one row of devices optically opaqued. Device outputs are read using a correlated double sample technique. The voltage of an entire column of devices with a selected row addressed is measured. The same column of devices is again measured with signal of no row addressed. Therefore, the difference is the charge on the device in the row addressed. The output of each device in a column is referenced to the output of the device in the opaqued row of the column, or a set level, if no row is addressed.

Abstract: A self-regulating heater for use in an early fuel evaporation system for an automotive engine includes a metallic radiator having a first heat-receiving side and an opposite side for transferring heat to a fuel evaporization zone. Self-regulating ceramic electrical resistance heater elements having a positive temperature coefficient of resistivity(PTC) are disposed with first sides in facing relation with respective recessed first portions of the heat-receiving side of the radiator. A thermally conducting metal heat-transfer member has recessed first portions disposed in facing relation to respective second sides of the heater elements to receive heat second sides of the heater elements to receive heat from the second sides of the heaters and also has second portions disposed in closely-spaced facing relation to corresponding second portions of the heat-receiving side of the radiator, thereby to transfer the heat received from the second heater sides to the radiator.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of forming aluminum balls utilized for ball bonding. The aluminum balls are formed in a moist argon atmosphere by applying an electrical potential across a spark gap causing a spark to occur which causes the end of the aluminum wire to melt, forming an aluminum ball.

Abstract: A technique for storing and transmitting digital data in a video format includes use of chrominance and luminance portions of a video signal for transmitting data and timing information. The data is encoded according to a predetermined set of chrominance signals corresponding to a predetermined set of colors. Timing information is conveyed by a change in the luminance or brightness of the video signal. A predetermined brightness level transition determines when the chrominance signal should be decoded in order to determine which of the plurality of colors is indicated. The use of the luminance signal to transmit timing information enables the use of a decoding circuit having a relatively simple structure. In one preferred embodiment, two predetermined colors are employed to indicate either a digital one or a digital zero.

Abstract: An electrically programmable memory array having rows and columns of floating gate type memory cells employs alternate output lines and ground lines between the columns of cells, providing a virtual ground arrangement. A row is selected by one part of an address input, and a column selected by another part. An output line on one side of the selected column is activated, and a ground line on the other side. A differential sense amplifier is responsive to the voltage on the selected output line and a reference voltage. To speed up the access time of the memory, the ground select is implemented and applied first, then the output of the ground select is used to generate the column select. In this manner, the biasing sequence for the array can begin before the decode of the column select has been completed.

Abstract: Closely-spaced conductors can be used in a semiconductor integrated circuit such as an MOS read only memory or ROM formed by a process compatible with standard N-channel silicon gate manufacturing methods. Address lines and gates are polysilicon strips, and output and ground lines are defined by elongated N+ regions. To allow the spacing between adjacent polysilicon address lines to be closer, alternate rows employ first or second level polysilicon which can even overlap if necessary. Each potential MOS transistor in the array is programmed to be a logic "1" or "0", such as by ion implanting through the polysilicon gates and thin gate oxide.

Abstract: A static push-pull driver circuit employs an enhancement mode transistor and a low threshold "natural" transistor as its push-pull output, and two parallel gating transistors in the driver circuit for the low-threshold transistor. One of the gating transistors is also a low-threshold natural transistor, and the other is a much smaller depletion mode transistor. The depletion transistor may be formed in the channel area of the other gating transistor by an ion implant. The common gate of the two gating transistors is connected to a chip select signal.

Abstract: A display control system which operates asynchronously with a microprocessor includes a display controller, display memory, character memory means, and a visual character attribute generator. By linking one or more row attribute bytes, or pointers, to each row of characters stored in the display memory the display controller performs character and row manipulation on a display device without transferring whole blocks of data in the display memory. Multi-region display segmentation into horizontal and vertical split regions, smooth or discrete scrolling of individual regions, and various editing functions are achieved by modifying the associated display memory pointers. In one embodiment the display controller is a single integrated circuit device.

Abstract: A device for sample modulating electronic information signals, which includes a pulse position modulating circuit having a first input coupled to receive information signals, a second input coupled to simultaneously receive uniformly spaced sampling signals, and an output for generating thereon in response to each sampling signal an electronic output impulse at a time instant indicating the amplitude of the simultaneously received information signals. Also included is an acoustic surface wave device having an impulse response of predetermined shape and finite length. The surface wave device has an input coupled to receive the impulses from the pulse position modulating circuit for generating in response thereto output signals proportional to the convolution of the impulses with the impulse response. Accordingly, these output signals also are of predetermined shape and finite length, and thus have a highly controllable frequency spectrum.

Abstract: A method and system for driving a liquid crystal display (LCD) with adjustable drive voltages to match selected ones of a number of different liquid crystal materials utilize variable duty cycle control. Instead of regulating the battery supply voltage to provide desired driving voltage, the driving voltage is disabled for preselected portions of each cycle thereby controlling the root mean square voltage across the LCD segments during both the display-on and display-off states of each display segment to match the liquid crystal material. Two-, three- and four-way multiplexing or any other level of multiplexing may be used in conjunction with this method and system.

Abstract: A programmable device and method of operating the same, including a memory module connectable to a core device consisting of a processor having an operator interface. Displays in this operator interface act as alterable labels for their associated switches. The operator interface includes of a plurality of switches with associated displays. Upon insertion, the module simultaneously establishes the information content of the displays, and the functional capabilities of the processor. Generally, the information content of the displays is identical to labels normally associated with the switch. The core device without the memory module is practically devoid of functional capabilities. An output device may be added to the device so that the processor may communicate with the operator other information such as the status of the operation being performed or the like.

Abstract: An electronic circuit interconnection system permitting high density mounting of ceramic chip-carrier integrated circuit devices or other beam-lead, dual-in-line (DIP), tape-automated-bonded (TAB), flip-chip, or direct-mounted i.c. devices with wire-bonded interconnects or the like has economical, dimensionally-stable, interconnection substrate which has high heat dissipating properties. The substrate has glass components which are fused onto etched metal patterns and which are proportioned relative to the metal patterns so that the heat-expansion properties of the substrate correspond to those of the i.c. devices to maintain bond integrity between the i.c. leads and circuit paths on the substrate and so that the substrate has sufficient heat-dissipating properties to permit the high density i.c. mounting.

Abstract: A metal-gate MOS read only memory or ROM array is formed by a process compatible with N-channel silicon gate manufacturing methods for circuits peripheral to the array on the same chip. The ROM is programmed at the time the metal level of contacts and interconnections, is patterned. Address lines and gates are metal in the array, and output and ground lines are defined by elongated N+ regions. Each potential MOS transistor in the array is programmed to be a logic "1" or "0" by patterning the metal to cover the gate or not. After metal patterning, the array is ion implanted through exposed gate oxide in the gates not covered by metal so that degradation is prevented.

Abstract: A spark plug particularly suitable for use with internal combustion engines includes a center electrode comprising a composite body having a core of metal which has a high degree of corrosion resistance and resistance to arc erosion such as a nickel material metallurgically bonded to a sleeve of metal which has a high degree of thermal conductivity such as a copper material. Specific embodiments relate to difference electrode tip configurations including one in which the copper and nickel are coextensive and others in which the core extends beyond the sleeve. In certain embodiments the copper sleeve is shielded from the combustion chamber by disposing a layer of material, which may be of the same material as the core and may be made integrally therewith or attached thereto, contiguous to the copper material. Extra erosion and corrosion protection can be obtained by providing a thin coating of material around the copper sleeve.