Abstract: An improved method and apparatus by which a user can send input signals to a computer (including, but not limited to, personal computer, mobile computer, computerized entertainment device, computerized machinery, computerized equipment, etc.) from distance, is disclosed. A receiver unit is embedded into an otherwise conventional computer peripheral device, avoiding the need for dedicated accessories to support a remote control.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention involves introducing at least two metals into a chamber for forming an alloy layer over a substrate. This is accomplished by a variety of methods. In one embodiment, at least two metals are mixed and introduced into a chamber in which a focused ion beam contacts the two metals to form at least one alloy layer over a substrate. In another embodiment, at least two precursor gas sources are introduced into the chamber in which each precursor gas source contains a metal. The focused ion beam contacts the two precursor gases to form an alloy layer over the substrate. In yet another embodiment, a second metal layer is formed over a first metal layer to form a multi-metal layer. Thereafter, thermal treatment or introducing a focused ion beam to at least a portion of the multi-metal layer is performed to create at least one alloy layer over the substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus by which an adult accompanying a child riding a mobile ride-on toy, can continuously determine if the child is free to fully operate the toy, or else, the adult can force the toy to slow down, and/or to stop, and/or to otherwise control the ride-on toy in order to protect the child's safety, is disclosed. The adult can gain control as specified above, by operating a wireless remote-control unit. Furthermore, the adult can limit the distance between the ride-on toy and the adult, so that the child cannot drive too far away from the adult, i.e., the toy automatically stops as soon as the predetermined range limit is reached. Also, the ride-on toy can be used as long as it is under the control of the adult, but it automatically stops when the adult loses control over the ride-on toy.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention involves introducing at least two metals into a chamber for forming an alloy layer over a substrate. This is accomplished by a variety of methods. In one embodiment, at least two metals are mixed and introduced into a chamber in which a focused ion beam contacts the two metals to form at least one alloy layer over a substrate. In another embodiment, at least two precursor gas sources are introduced into the chamber in which each precursor gas source contains a metal. The focused ion beam contacts the two precursor gases to form an alloy layer over the substrate. In yet another embodiment, a second metal layer is formed over a first metal layer to form a multi-metal layer. Thereafter, thermal treatment or introducing a focused ion beam to at least a portion of the multi-metal layer is performed to create at least one alloy layer over the substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus by which an adult accompanying a child riding a mobile ride-on toy, can continuously determine if the child is free to fully operate the toy, or else, said adult can force the said toy to slow down, and/or to stop, and/or to otherwise control the ride-on toy in order to protect the child's safety, is disclosed. Said adult can gain control as specified above, by operating a wireless remote-control unit. Furthermore, said adult can limit the distance between the ride-on toy and the said adult, so that the child cannot drive too far away from the adult, i.e., the toy automatically stops as soon as the predetermined range limit is reached. Also, the ride-on toy can be used as long as it is under the control of said adult, but it automatically stops when said adult loses control over the ride-on toy.

Abstract: A PCMCIA card having cellular phone battery charging circuitry, and an adapter cable having a PCMCIA card connector equipped with a battery characteristic encoder, are provided to charge a cellular phone battery, using power supplied by a mobile PC, in accordance to battery characteristic information provided by the battery characteristic encoder. Starting and stopping of charging operation is preferably controlled by mobile PC. Furthermore, starting and stopping of charging operation is preferably automated with charging software application executing on mobile PC.

Abstract: A clock frequency limiting circuit is disclosed. The clock frequency limiting circuit allows a semiconductor device to be fabricated, packaged and tested before the maximum clock frequency is set. The maximum clock frequency is set by burning a bank of on-chip fuses. The clock frequency limiting circuit counts clock cycles of an applied clock signal for a predetermined amount of time. A comparator compares the maximum clock frequency in the fuse bank and the counted clock cycles. A violation "kill" signal is asserted if the counted clock cycles exceeds the set maximum clock frequency.

Abstract: An interface circuit used to connect industry standard PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) cards to a personal computer via a standard parallel printer port. The invention utilizes a mechanism which enables direct access to each I/O or memory address on a PCMCIA card independently. This is done by transferring an I/O or memory address in a PCMCIA card via the data lines of the parallel port, decoding this address, and providing the decoded address to the PCMCIA card. As a result, application software which accesses the PCMCIA card can run without modification. All that is needed is add-on code which captures and re-routes accesses generated by the application software to the parallel port. This add-on code captures the I/O instructions targeted at the I/O device associated with the PCMCIA card and replaces them with sequences of instructions routed through the parallel port.

Abstract: A cache coherency apparatus for computer systems not having a cache supporting bus is described. The cache coherency apparatus monitors the communication on a bus between a CPU and an external device connected to the bus. The cache coherency apparatus monitors the bus in order to determine when the external device is being programmed by the CPU for a memory modification of a main memory also coupled to the bus. Upon determining that the external device is being programmed for a modification of main memory, the cache coherency apparatus generates cache control signals to a cache memory. Using these cache control signals, the cache coherency apparatus causes the contents of the cache memory to be flushed prior to the memory access performed by the external device. In addition, the cache coherency apparatus generates other cache control signals to disable the locations of main memory being modified from being transferred into the cache memory while the memory access by the external device is taking place.

Abstract: A number of new interrupts, interrupt handlers, digital signal processing (DSP) tasks, registers and FIFOs are provided to an add-on fax/modem card and its host processor. The new FIFOs are used to facilitate rerouting of the transmit and receive data to the host for processing by the DSP task while maintaining compatibility, thereby off loading the add-on fax/modem card. The new interrupts and interrupt handling functions are used to facilitate the data rerouting, redirecting execution control between the host and the on-board processors with minimal latency. The new registers are used to facilitate the execution control redirection, transferring control and status information between the host and the on-board processors.

Abstract: An apparatus and system which allows multiple parallel port devices to share a single parallel port of a personal computer. The invention uses the parallel port signal called Select.sub.-- In which is activated/de-activated by a program running in the personal computer. When a controller within an attached printer senses that this signal is active, it switches the printer to what is referred to as the on-line state. When the printer controller senses that this signal is inactive, it switches the printer to what is referred to as the off-line state. The present invention uses the Select.sub.-- In signal to distinguish between personal computer accesses to the printer and to other devices which may be attached to the parallel port. When the Select.sub.