Abstract: A low power current feedback amplifier having a lower output impedance input stage is provided. To reduce the output impedance, an input stage comprises a closed-loop input buffer. An exemplary input buffer comprises a closed-loop current feedback amplifier configured within the overall current feedback amplifier, wherein the output of the input buffer corresponds to the inverting node of the overall current feedback amplifier. The closed-loop configuration of the input buffer is facilitated by the use of an internal feedback resistor coupled from an inverting input terminal of the input buffer to the output of the input buffer, which corresponds to the inverting input terminal of the overall current feedback amplifier. The closed-loop input buffer realizes a low output impedance since the loop gain reduces the output impedance of the input buffer. With a lower output impedance, the bandwidth of the current feedback amplifier becomes more independent of the gain, even at low current implementations.

Abstract: A voltage controlled transconductor (VCT) for receiving a differential input signal comprising a first voltage signal and a second voltage signal, and for providing a differential output signal comprising a first output current signal and a second output current signal. The VCT includes a first side transconductor circuit having two parts of the same construction, the first part being capable of conducting a first current signal and the second part being capable of conducting a second current signal, the first current signal and the second current signal being controlled by the first voltage signal. The VCT also includes a second side transconductor circuit having two parts of the same construction, the first part being capable of conducting a third current signal and the second part being capable of conducting a fourth current signal, the third current signal and the fourth current signal being controlled by the second voltage signal.

Abstract: A differential circuit to read differential data from a disk by a voltage bias includes a read circuit having a read circuit pole to read the differential data from the disk by maintaining the voltage bias and a feedback circuit having a feedback pole to sense deviations in the voltage and to adjust the voltage in response to the deviations. The read circuit pole is separated from the feedback pole in frequency.

Abstract: A device characteristic changing apparatus is provided for changing a characteristic of a device. The device characteristic changing apparatus comprises a time scale generator unit for generating a time scale on which a device operates, and a time scale changing unit for changing the time scale, so that a characteristic of a device is changed by changing the time scale on which the device operates.

Abstract: A buffered bootstrapped input switch employs cancelled charge sharing for use in high performance sample and hold switched capacitor circuits especially useful for implementing, for example, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) or amplifier circuit front end sampling network, among others. A scheme is employed for estimating the charge loss from the bootstrapping capacitor to the gate of the bootstrapped input switch, storing the estimated charge loss on a small capacitor, buffering the small capacitor, and then adding the estimated charge loss in series to the bootstrap capacitor, to provide an almost ideal bootstrap network.

Abstract: This invention allows a toll authority to monitor transaction numbers which are sent from a transponder (14) to an interrogator (12). By incrementing the transaction counter stored in the transponder with successful transactions the toll authority can ascertain whether accounting of a transaction has been missed (i.e., a transaction number missing from the sequence), or double-counted (i.e., two transactions with the same transaction number).

Abstract: A communication circuit is designed with a detector circuit (720) coupled to receive a first signal. The detector circuit is arranged to produce a multipath signal corresponding to a number of paths of the first signal. A comparator circuit (726) is coupled to receive the multipath signal and a threshold signal. The comparator circuit is arranged to produce a diversity signal in response to a comparison of the multipath signal and the threshold signal. The diversity signal has a first logic state for enabling diversity and has a second logic state for disabling diversity.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for forming multiple layers of a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes defining a via through a dielectric layer that overlies a first layer. The first layer comprises a conductive portion that at least partly underlies the via. The method also includes overfilling the via with a dielectric material to form a second layer that overlies the dielectric layer. The method also includes forming a trench that is connected to the via by etching through the second layer and the dielectric material in the via.

Abstract: A lead frame including a first set of leads in a first plane and a second set of leads in a second plane offset vertically from the second plane. The leads in the first and second planes are offset from each other by a lead width.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device using shallow trench isolation, includes forming a trench within a semiconductor substrate and forming a screen dielectric stack outwardly from the semiconductor substrate. The screen dielectric stack includes a first sacrificial dielectric layer disposed outwardly from the semiconductor substrate and a second sacrificial dielectric layer disposed outwardly from and in contact with the first sacrificial dielectric layer. In one embodiment, the first sacrificial dielectric layer is formed before forming the trench and the second sacrificial dielectric layer is formed after forming the trench.

Abstract: A communication system is desccribed which comprises a transmitter which transmits a standard broadcast format with an associated text string and a receiver for the reception and processing of the standard broadcast format and associated text string. The associated text string has close caption text in addition to other program or station specific text. The other program or station specific text is separated from the associated text string, decoded, processed and stored in function specific memories. When one changes a channel, or presses a button on a remote or has programmed in specific information requested, the program or station specific text is displayed. This text may be displayed on the televison screen with the picture, or it may be displayed on a separate display.

Abstract: A socket for receiving a line of contact pins is formed of modules connected together. The modules have three, four or five pin receiving openings and are joined to one another by dovetail connectors to form an elongated body having the desired number of pin receiving openings. Contacts are provided in the pin receiving openings to electrically connect with the pins. The modules have a ledge on which rests a work surface.

Abstract: A system for sharing wavelet domain components among encoded signals receives a set of signals decomposed and encoded according to a wavelet transform. The decomposed and encoded signals each include a set of wavelet coefficients at each level of the decomposition of the encoded signal. Using a vector quantization technique, the system identifies one or more sets of wavelet coefficients that are sharable among two or more of the decomposed and encoded signals at a particular level of decomposition. The system then stores the sets of wavelet coefficients of the decomposed and encoded signals. Each identified sharable set of wavelet coefficients at a particular level of decomposition is stored only once and shared by two or more of the decomposed and encoded signals.

Abstract: A high density probe card contact apparatus including a support block fitted into an opening in a probe card, and holding a plurality of fine tipped needles extending inward and below an opening in the center of the block. The needle tips are a noble metal integrally connected with a less costly conductive metal which forms the more widely spaced fingers of the needles, and which terminate in contacts to the probe card. Laser etching defines the fine needle pattern in a thin sheet of the two-metal composition which is secured to a polymeric film. The contact apparatus is assembled by positioning one or more sections of the polymer with needles on the support film.

Abstract: A non-linear time digitizer delay chain and a respective lookup table for converting the phase error into a digital code together prevent a phase error pulse from saturating the delay chain, even when the input frequency varies by orders of magnitude. By using a non-linear T2D delay chain along with a corresponding lookup table, the phase error pulse associated with a digital phase lock loop (PLL) can be measured and represented in more meaningful and accurate ways that that achievable when using a conventional T2d circuit to convert the phase error into a digital code. The lookup table implementation allows an additional degree of freedom for designers to apply a transfer function to the digital code measured by the T2D.

Abstract: A technique for presenting an optimally timed control signal to an upper H-switch driver in a fashion capable of achieving a very fast transition of the current in the inductive recording head. The technique also provides a current boost during the transition while resulting in minimized power consumption at other times.

Abstract: A method for performing audible fast-forward or reverse of audio content represented in a compressed format, such as, but not limited to, MPEG-1 Layer 3 (MP3) or MPEG-2 Advance Audio Coding (AAC) employs a fast-forward controller which performs fast-forward or reverse by repeatedly skipping forward or reverse in the compressed audio data stream, retrieving a block of data, and then splicing these data blocks back together. A decoder is then used to decode each of these blocks, to detect when a block switch has occurred (a splice in the data stream), and to quickly resynchronize at each transition. Hierarchical or multiplexed data streams may be decoded using a cascade of decoders each employing this technique. The decoder uses a robust sync search for performing resynchronization and error recovery.

Abstract: An electronic device evaluation system (100) includes a potential customer located at a site (102) that accesses a company site (106) via a computer network such as the internet (104). The company site (106) includes a computer such as a server (108) which is coupled to one or more evaluation boards (110, 112) and instrumentation (114). Using the system (100) a potential customer or visitor can remotely evaluate an electronic device or system of interest using parameters he selects and the results are sent back after the evaluation is conducted at the company site (106). Using system (100) potential customers, site visitors, etc. can evaluate electronic devices/systems of interest in real-time without the need to purchase an evaluation board and spend the time and resources needed to conduct the tests.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing audible turn-on and turn-off transients in switching amplifiers employs a frequency shaped start sequence in front of a modulated zero-signal or a frequency shaped stop sequence following a modulated zero-signal.

Abstract: A low-k dielectric layer (104) is treated with a dry H2 plasma pretreatment to improve patterning. Resist poisoning occurs due to an interaction between low-k films (104), such as OSG, and DUV resist (130). The H2 plasma pre-treatment is performed to either pretreat a low-k dielectric (104) before forming the pattern (130) or during a rework of the pattern (130).