Abstract: A method for fabricating an integrated circuit which reduces steps in the integrated circuit comprising the steps of depositing a first conductive material layer over the first dielectric material layer and patterning the first conductive material layer to form a first conductive pattern. A second dielectric layer is then deposited over the first conductive pattern and the exposed portions of the first dielectric material layer. A planarizing material layer is applied over the second dielectric material layer and cured such that the planarizing material layer produces a substantially planar top surface. The planarizing material layer and portions of the second dielectric material layer are removed in a manner which maintains the substantially planar top surface until only a preselected amount of material remains over the first conductive pattern.

Abstract: A pretensioner (50) tensions vehicle seat belt webbing (18). The pretensioner (50) has a member (52) movable by an actuating fluid to tension the seat belt webbing (18). The pretensioner (50) further has at least one microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device (120) energizable to supply actuating fluid to move the member (52).

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (36) comprises a housing (12) and an inflation fluid source (34) in the housing for, when actuated, providing fluid for inflating the protection device. An electrically actuatable initiator (38) is connected with the housing (12) for actuating the inflation fluid source (34). The apparatus (10) also comprises vehicle electric circuitry (37) for actuating the initiator (38) to actuate the inflation fluid source (34) in response to sensing an occupant protection event for which inflation of the protection device (36) is desired. A microelectromechanical system device (MEMS device) (52) in the apparatus is electrically energizable to cause actuation of the inflation fluid source (34). Means (40) responsive to an event other than an occupant protection event energizes the MEMS device to cause actuation of the inflation fluid source.

Abstract: A system (10) protects a vehicle occupant. The system (10) includes an occupant protection device (24). A weight sensor (72) senses a weight value associated with an occupant (14). A portion (80) of a controller (34) determines a weight-based center characteristic (e.g., a center of gravity) associated with the occupant (14) using the sensed weight value. A distance sensor (e.g., 50) senses a distance to a surface associated with the occupant (14). A portion (46) of the controller (34) controls the protection device (24) utilizing the determined center characteristic and the sensed distance. The portion (46) of the controller (46) determines whether the sensed distance is to a surface of a head/thorax/torso of the occupant (14) utilizing the determined center characteristic.

Abstract: A mode locked semiconductor laser that can generate relatively high-power output pulses. The semiconductor mode locked laser is formed from an array of optical amplifiers that are coupled to a common resonant cavity by way of an optical channelizer or wavelength division multiplexer (WDM). By utilizing an array of optical amplifiers, the output pulses will have a relatively higher power than known mode locked lasers. As such, the mode locked semiconductor laser in accordance with the present invention does not depend on the power handling capability of the individual optical amplifiers and allows the average output power to be scaled, for example, up to the kilowatt range using semiconductor optical amplifiers. A mode locked laser in accordance with the present invention can be implemented with active mode locking, passive mode locking or a hybrid of the two. In embodiments utilizing active mode locking, the output pulse shape can be tailored by the amplifier drive current distribution.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a vehicle occupant protection device (14) and a gas generating material (18). The gas generating material (18), when ignited, produces a combustion gas that actuates the vehicle occupant protection device (14). The gas generating material (18) comprises a single-base nitrocellulose composition that includes greater than 2%, by weight of the single-base composition, stabilizer. The stabilizer is a urea of an aromatic amine.

Abstract: A system (10) for a vehicle (12) that has a plurality of inflatable tires (14-20), wherein the system has a plurality of sensor units (22-28) associated with the plurality of tires. Each of the sensor units (e.g., 22) senses inflation pressure of the associated tire (e.g., 14) and transmits a signal (e.g., 30) indicative of the sensed tire inflation pressure. A portable unit (44) of the system (10) is located remote from the vehicle (12) and is operable by a person (66) to transmit a signal (48) that conveys a remote control function request. The portable unit (44) also receives a signal (46) indicative of sensed tire inflation pressure and provides an indication of tire inflation pressure to the person (66). A control/communication unit (40) is located at the vehicle and receives the signal (48) conveying the remote function request and causes performance of the remotely requested function. The control/communication unit (40) also receives the signals (e.g., 30) transmitted from the sensor units (e.g.

Abstract: A tire condition communication system (10) and method for a vehicle (12) that has a tire (e.g., 14A). A sensor (70), associated with the tire (e.g., 14A), senses at least one tire condition. A memory (66), associated with the tire (e.g., 14A), holds an identification. A transmitter arrangement (22 and 74), associated with the tire (e.g., 14A), transmits a signal (e.g., 24A) that indicates the held identification and the sensed tire condition. A receiver arrangement (28 and 30), associated with the vehicle (12), receives the transmitted signal (e.g., 24A). An identification update device is associated with the tire and is operatively connected to the memory (66). The update device receives an update identification and provides the received location identification to the memory (66) to be held as the held identification. An input device is manually actuated to provide the update identification.

Abstract: A tire condition communication system (10) for a vehicle (12) that has a tire (e.g., 14A). A sensor (e.g., 74), associated with the tire (e.g., 14A), senses at least one tire condition. A memory (e.g., 70), associated with the tire (e.g., 14A), holds an identification. Transmitter components (e.g., 80 and 22), associated with the tire (e.g., 14A) and operatively connected to the sensor (74) and the memory (70), transmit a condition signal (e.g., 24A) that indicates the held identification and the sensed tire condition. A vehicle-based unit (28) receives the transmitted condition signal (e.g., 24A) indicative of the held identification and the sensed tire condition. An identification provision unit (e.g., 42A), located on the vehicle (12) adjacent to the tire (e.g., 14A) and having a location identification, transmits the location identification in response to a request. A communication portion (e.g., 48A) of the tire condition sensor unit (e.g.

Abstract: Adding a quantity of metallic shot or particles of other materials having a high dielectric constant to the thermoplastic paint in the mixing pot of ordinary roadway marker fixation equipment, which extrudes the paint and applies same to the roadway surface, enhances the MMW radiometric visibility of the marker without adverse effect to the affixation equipment. Vehicles containing MMW radiometers directed down toward the roadway surface moves along the roadway surface is able to automatically sense microwave/millimeter wave energy from a marker in the vehicles path. In one system, the sensed energy is used in conjunction with other apparatus to assist to guide the vehicle within a traffic lane. In another system, the sensed energy is decoded and displayed as pertinent information for the vehicle's driver.

Abstract: A tire condition communication system (10) and method for a vehicle (12) that has a tire (e.g., 14A). A sensor (70), associated with the tire (e.g., 14A), senses at least one tire condition. A memory (66), associated with the tire (e.g., 14A), holds an identification. A transmitter arrangement (22 and 74), associated with the tire (e.g., 14A), transmits a signal (e.g., 24A) that indicates the held identification and the sensed tire condition. A receiver arrangement (28 and 30), associated with the vehicle (12), receives the transmitted signal (e.g., 24A). An identification update device is associated with the tire and is operatively connected to the memory (66). The update device receives an update identification and provides the received location identification to the memory (66) to be held as the held identification. An input device is manually actuated to provide the update identification.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle (12) that has a side structure (16) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14). The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) is inflatable into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. The apparatus (10) includes an inflator (22) for inflating the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) and for maintaining the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device in an inflated condition for at least five seconds. The inflator (22) contains a stored inflation fluid under pressure. The inflation fluid consists essentially of helium.

Abstract: A hybrid model formed from a semi-physical device model along with an accurate data-fitting model in order to implement a relatively accurate physical device model as a large signal microwave circuit computer-aided design (CAD) tool. The semi-physical device model enables accurate representation of known physical device characteristics and measured bias-dependent characteristics. This model is used to accurately simulate the effect of process variation and environmental changes on bias-dependent characteristics. The data-fitting model is used to model these characteristics with relatively good fidelity. The expressions of the model are constructed to be charge conservative. As such, the model is computationally robust within the harmonic balance algorithms employed by known large signal microwave circuit CAD tools.

Abstract: A rack and pinion steering gear (10) comprises a housing (12). A pinion gear (24) is rotatably mounted in the housing (12). A rack bar (32) is movable relative to the pinion gear (24). The rack bar (32) has teeth in meshing engagement with the pinion gear (24). The rack and pinion steering gear (10) further comprises a yoke assembly (38) in the housing (12) for supporting and guiding movement of the rack bar (32) relative to the pinion gear (24). The yoke assembly (38) comprises a yoke (40) and a plurality of balls (64). The yoke (40) has a first surface (46) and a plurality of slots (52) which intersect the first surface (46). Each ball (64) is inserted into a respective slot (52). Each ball (64) projects from its respective slot (52) and beyond the first surface (46) of the yoke (40) when load conditions on the yoke assembly (38) are below a predetermined level.

Abstract: A gas generating material (16) comprises a polymeric amine. The polymeric amine has a polymer backbone that includes units of wherein R is a nitrogen containing organic radical of a nitrogen containing organic fuel that includes a primary amino group.

Abstract: A method for cleaning phosphorus from a MBE vacuum chamber by freezing the panel (22) placed within the vacuum chamber (10) onto which excess phosphorus is deposited. The panel is connected to a source of cold nitrogen (24) which cools the panel. Water is introduced after the panels are cooled so as to form a layer of ice on top of the phosphorus. The panel may then be removed for cleaning with ice covering the phosphorus without danger of ignition of the phosphorus.

Abstract: A packaged electronic system is formed of a base having a surface and a plurality of discrete electronic components disposed on the base surface. An absorbing cover reduces the electromagnetic resonance produced by the discrete electronic components disposed within the packaged system. The entire cover is molded using a composite electromagnetic wave-absorbing plastic material. The cover is selectively plated to satisfy the shielding requirements of the packaged system.

Abstract: A rollover sensing system (10) includes a roll rate sensor (14) operative to sense a roll rate of rotation of a vehicle (12) and to provide a roll rate signal having an electrical characteristic indicative thereof. A controller (26) is connected to the roll rate sensor (14) and is operative to determine a roll angle of the vehicle (12) based on the roll rate signal. The controller (26) includes a threshold having a value functionally related to roll angle. The controller (26) determines the occurrence of a vehicle rollover condition in response to the sensed roll rate crossing the threshold.

Abstract: A vehicle rollover event detector (10) includes a rollover sensor (14). A first accelerometer (80) senses vehicle acceleration in a direction offset from the front-to-rear axis of the vehicle (12) up to a maximum acceleration sensing level and provides a first acceleration signal indicative thereof. A second accelerometer (96) senses vehicle acceleration in the offset direction at acceleration levels in excess of the maximum acceleration sensing level of the first accelerometer and provides a second acceleration signal indicative thereof. A controller (26) selects the first accelerometer or second accelerometer and provides an actuation signal (110) when the signal from the rollover sensor and the selected first or second accelerometers both indicate a vehicle rollover event.

Abstract: A tire condition sensor module (14) for a vehicle (10) includes a tire condition sensor (78, 84, 88) operative to sense a condition of an associated vehicle tire (20) and provide a tire condition signal having a characteristic indicative thereof. A motion detector (32) is operative to detect movement of the associated vehicle tire (20) and provide a motion signal that indicates movement of the associated vehicle tire (20). The sensor module (14) also includes a transmitter (44) which is operative to transmit a tire transmitter signal having a characteristic based on the tire condition signal. A controller (74) has one operating mode responsive to the motion signal in which the controller (74) controls the transmitter (44) to intermittently transmit the tire transmitter signal.