Abstract: A radio frequency keyboard assembly configured for use in a keyboard having a plurality of keys. The assembly includes a key matrix and a communication circuit. The key matrix includes an electrical matrix having switch points and a metallized membrane with printed geometric shapes that are part of an antenna. Each switch point is associated with a key from the plurality of keys and is capable of generating information associated with the key when the switch point connects with the electrical matrix. The antenna parts can be located on any surface of the membranes comprising the keyswitch matrix system. The communication circuit connects with the antenna and transmits the information through the antenna. To improve performance, RF signals can be transmitted when the switch points are not connected within the electrical matrix.

Abstract: A method and system implemented in an application programming interface (API) and an object model allows program code developers to interface in a consistent manner with a scene graph data structure to output graphics. Via the interfaces, program code writes drawing primitives such as geometry data, image data, animation data and other data to visuals that represent a drawing surface, including validation visual objects, drawing visual objects and surface visual objects. The code can also specify transform, clipping and opacity properties on visuals, and add child visuals to other visuals to build up a hierarchical scene graph. A visual manager traverses the scene graph to provide rich graphics data to lower-level graphics components.

Abstract: A visual tree structure as specified by a program is constructed and maintained by a visual system's user interface thread. As needed, the tree structure is traversed on the UI thread, with changes compiled into change queues. A secondary rendering thread that handles animation and graphical composition takes the content from the change queues, to construct and maintain a condensed visual tree. Static visual subtrees are collapsed, leaving a condensed tree with only animated attributes such as transforms as parent nodes, such that animation data is managed on the secondary thread, with references into the visual tree. When run, the rendering thread processes the change queues, applies changes to the condensed trees, and updates the structure of the animation list as necessary by resampling animated values at their new times. Content in the condensed visual tree is then rendered and composed. Animation and a composition communication protocol are also provided.

Abstract: A method and system implemented in an application programming interface (API) and an object model allows program code developers to interface in a consistent manner with a scene graph data structure to output graphics. Via the interfaces, program code writes drawing primitives such as geometry data, image data, animation data and other data to visuals that represent a drawing surface, including validation visual objects, drawing visual objects and surface visual objects. The code can also specify transform, clipping and opacity properties on visuals, and add child visuals to other visuals to build up a hierarchical scene graph. A visual manager traverses the scene graph to provide rich graphics data to lower-level graphics components.

Abstract: An antenna system for a radio frequency (“RF”) wireless keyboard includes a metallic plate as a part of the antenna system. The metallic plate is located within the wireless keyboard. A RF transmitter is coupled to the metallic plate and an antenna wire which form an the antenna loop. The antenna loop may also be directly integrated into the metallic plate by creating a cut-out space in the metallic plate. The antenna system may also include the metallic plate directly coupled with the RF transmitter so that the metallic plate is a whip or dipole antenna. The RF transmitter generates RF signals associated with particular keyswitches of the wireless keyboard. The antenna system transmits the generated RF signals to a RF receiver that resides separately from, and that communicates with, the wireless keyboard.

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting a substrate is provided having a ball adapted to minimize damage between the substrate support and the substrate supported thereon. In one embodiment, an apparatus for supporting a substrate includes a ball disposed on an inclined ball support surface. The ball support surface is adapted to bias the ball toward one side of the ball support surface thereby providing space for the ball to roll as the substrate supported thereon changes in length when exposed to thermal influences. In another embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a cage adapted to capture the ball to the ball support surface.

Abstract: A wireless peripheral interface is used for coupling with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port for connecting a wireless peripheral with a host computer or controller. Wireless peripheral devices (e.g., keyboard, mouse, trackball, touch pad, joysticks, and game controllers) transmit communication signals, e.g., radio frequency (RF) signals, to the peripheral interface, which are received and processed into formats suitable for transmission to the host computer or controller via USB, either alone or in combination with other standard external bus systems, such as serial and PS/2.

Abstract: An antenna system for a radio frequency (“RF”) wireless keyboard includes a metallic plate as a part of the antenna system. The metallic plate is located within the wireless keyboard. A RF transmitter is coupled to the metallic plate and an antenna wire which form an the antenna loop. The antenna loop may also be directly integrated into the metallic plate by creating a cut-out space in the metallic plate. The antenna system may also include the metallic plate directly coupled with the RF transmitter so that the metallic plate is a whip or dipole antenna. The RF transmitter generates RF signals associated with particular keyswitches of the wireless keyboard. The antenna system transmits the generated RF signals to a RF receiver that resides separately from, and that communicates with, the wireless keyboard.

Abstract: A parameterized scene graph provides mutable (animated) values and parameterized graph containers such that an application program or the like can selectively change certain aspects of the scene graph description while leaving other aspects intact, and also reuse portions of the scene graph with different parameters. To this end, mutable values are provided, which provide the higher level code with hooks into the scene graph enabling the scene description to be changed. The mutable values may be varied over time to provide animation. A parameterized graph container is also described that enables a scene graph portion to be templatized for reuse throughout a scene in a generic way. In this manner, a single parameterized graph container may be efficiently reused in a scene graph, with different values for its parameters.

Abstract: An antenna system for a radio frequency (“RF”) wireless keyboard includes a metallic plate as a part of the antenna system. The metallic plate is located within the wireless keyboard. A RF transmitter is coupled to the metallic plate and an antenna wire which form an the antenna loop. The antenna loop may also be directly integrated into the metallic plate by creating a cut-out space in the metallic plate. The antenna system may also include the metallic plate directly coupled with the RF transmitter so that the metallic plate is a whip or dipole antenna. The RF transmitter generates RF signals associated with particular keyswitches of the wireless keyboard. The antenna system transmits the generated RF signals to a RF receiver that resides separately from, and that communicates with, the wireless keyboard.

Abstract: The reference air channel of a gas sensor or a lambda probe having a laminate body produced by printing technology is provided. The laminate body is produced by printing a suitably structured layer onto a neighboring layer, for example, by screen printing.

Abstract: An intelligent caching data structure and mechanisms for storing visual information via objects and data representing graphics information. The data structure is generally associated with mechanisms that intelligently control how the visual information therein is populated and used. The cache data structure can be traversed for direct rendering, or traversed for pre-processing the visual information into an instruction stream for another entity. Much of the data typically has no external reference to it, thereby enabling more of the information stored in the data structure to be processed to conserve resources. A transaction/batching-like model for updating the data structure enables external modifications to the data structure without interrupting reading from the data structure, and such that changes received are atomically implemented. A method and mechanism are provided to call back to an application program in order to create or re-create portions of the data structure as needed, to conserve resources.

Abstract: An antenna system for a radio frequency (“RF”) wireless keyboard includes a metallic plate as a part of the antenna system. The metallic plate is located within the wireless keyboard. A RF transmitter is coupled to the metallic plate and an antenna wire which form an the antenna loop. The antenna loop may also be directly integrated into the metallic plate by creating a cut-out space in the metallic plate. The antenna system may also include the metallic plate directly coupled with the RF transmitter so that the metallic plate is a whip or dipole antenna. The RF transmitter generates RF signals associated with particular keyswitches of the wireless keyboard. The antenna system transmits the generated RF signals to a RF receiver that resides separately from, and that communicates with, the wireless keyboard.

Abstract: Configurations of semiconductor processing chambers to promote consistency of pressure profiles across the surface of the wafer being processed. One aspect of the chamber configuration is a mushroom-shaped wafer support structure with a broad electrode supported by a relatively narrow vertical stem arising from the bottom wall of the chamber. The stem may be centered under the electrode or, optionally, is offset from its center. Services for the electrode are provided via the narrow vertical stem. Another aspect of the chamber configuration is twin processing regions together in a single chamber, evacuated by a single vacuum pump.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a plasma reactor having a chamber for containing a plasma and a passageway communicating with the chamber is enhanced with a first removable plasma confinement magnet module placed adjacent the passageway including a first module housing and a first plasma confinement magnet inside the housing. It may further include a second removable plasma confinement magnet module placed adjacent the passageway including a second module housing, and a second plasma confinement magnet. Preferably, the first and second modules are located on opposite sides of the passageway. Moreover, the first and second plasma confinement magnets have magnetic orientations which tend to oppose plasma transport or leakage through the passageway. Preferably, the module housing includes a relatively non-magnetic thermal conductor such as aluminum and is in thermal contact with said chamber body.

Abstract: According to the invention, live images, in particular, from a CCD camera are compressed in two different ways in a monitoring instrument. On the one hand, compression is carried out at a low resolution, for example by means of H.261, H.263 or MPEG. On the other hand, compression is carried out at a high resolution, for example by means of JPEG, synchronously with the compression at the low resolution. A time code is generated for each image. The time code is, for example, a chronological code which contains the date and time of day. The time code can also be generated implicitly via a timer which runs simultaneously. Each image is stored twice, on the one hand as an image compressed at low resolution and, on the other hand, as an image compressed at high resolution. The time codes, which indicate links between corresponding images, are also stored.

Abstract: An antenna system includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion and the second portion form an antenna loop. The first portion may be etched on a printed circuit board. The second portion may be coupled with the first portion or extend from the first portion. The first portion and the second portion each may have one or more turns. Further, the second portion of the antenna loop resides in a three-dimensional geometric space that is different from the first portion of the antenna loop. The antenna system is particularly well suited for electronic devices having a confined internal space, for example, a cordless pointing device, a cordless gaming device, or a cordless camera device. A method for designing an antenna system is also disclosed.

Abstract: An antenna system includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion and the second portion form an antenna loop. The first portion may be etched on a printed circuit board. The second portion may be coupled with the first portion or extend from the first portion. The first portion and the second portion each may have one or more turns. Further, the second portion of the antenna loop resides in a three-dimensional geometric space that is different from the first portion of the antenna loop. The antenna system is particularly well suited for electronic devices having a confined internal space, for example, a cordless pointing device, a cordless gaining device, or a cordless camera device. A method for designing an antenna system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A plasma reactor appropriate for fabrication, especially etching, of semiconductor integrated circuits and similar processes in which the chamber has a top comprising a truncated conical dome and, preferably, a counter electrode disposed at the top of the conical dome. An RF coil is wrapped around the conical dome to inductively couple RF energy into a plasma within the chamber dome. The dome temperature can be controlled in a number of ways. A heat sink can be attached to the outside rim of the dome. A rigid conical thermal control sheath can be fit to the outside of the dome, and any differential thermal expansion between the two is accommodated by the conical geometry, thus assuring good thermal contact. The rigid thermal control sheath can include resistive heating, fluid cooling, or both. Alternatively, a flexible resistive heater can be wrapped around the dome inside the RF coil.

Abstract: A seal for a sensor element of a gas sensor for determining the oxygen content in exhaust gases of internal combustion engines. The seal includes at least one sealing element that is inserted into a longitudinal bore of a housing and that includes a mixture of at least one ceramic compound and at least one fluoride compound.