Abstract: A method and apparatus for growing single crystal of GaAs, etc uses the Czochralski techniques. Control of crystal (1) diameter is by a closed loop (9, 10, 24, 7, 6) control of melt (4) temperature in response to crystal weight signals (9) W or dW/dt. The invention injects a test signal St (22, 26) into the control loop and performs a signal processing (21), e.g. cross correlation, on St and crystal weight signal. Peak amplitude of correlation values is related to the growing crystal shape. This is used by comparison with reference values (24) to control the growing-out phase from seed diameter (16) to full diameter of the crystal (1).

Abstract: Soft solid antiperspirant formulations in which a particulate antiperspirant active material is suspended in a continuous phase containing a water-immiscible liquid which is structured by specified proportions of an organic polymeric thickener and a second structurant selected from fibre-forming structurants and waxes (often other than fatty alcohols) or a mixture of both.

Abstract: The invention is an applicator and process used to fill in the edges of composite panels with resin or emulsions. The applicator is attached to a source of resin that forces the resin through the applicator's delivery channel, into a space between the applicator's spatula and the panel's edge. The sidewalls of the applicator guide the applicator along the edge of the panel as it is drawn along to fill the edge and also to prevent spill over. The underside of the main body of the applicator aft of the delivery channel is a spatula that tapers toward the panel's edge and acts to smooth the resin into and flush with the panel's sidewalls. A finger guide allows the applicator to work using finger pressure. The applicator is drawn along with the hands, and where the leading edge of the applicator body rests on the panel there is a rounded lip to allow the applicator to traverse smoothly over roughness and imperfections on the panel's edge.

Abstract: A particulate antiperspirant active material which has been surface treated with an alkanolamine is described. After surface treatment, the surface treatment agent is in intimate contact with the surface or outer layer of the substrate material, that is, the antiperspirant material may be either deposited on the surface or at least a fraction of the agent may be absorbed within the outer layer of the substrate. The resultant particulate material shows a reduced tendency to separate from a liquid carrier phase containing a polyglycol ether and a suspending agent.

Abstract: A method of crosslinking an oxidative polymer having oxidatively crosslinkable functional groups and a two-pack composition used therein is provided. The oxidatively crosslinkable functional groups on the oxidative polymer are crosslinked by contacting the oxidative polymer with a catalytic amount of an oxidizing enzyme, such as horseradish peroxidase. The present invention is further directed to a two-pack coating composition which includes a polymeric component and a catalytic component, which are mixed together prior to use.

Abstract: A suspension antiperspirant composition for topical application to the human skin comprising from 10 to 26% by weight of the composition of a solid particulate antiperspirant active suspended in a cosmetic base, wherein the antiperspirant active comprises a blend of an antiperspirant active with relatively small particles with a volume average particle size in the range of from 0.5 to 8 .mu.m and of an antiperspirant active with relatively large particles having a volume average particle size in the range of larger than 12 to smaller than 50 .mu.m, the weight ratio of the antiperspirant active having smaller particles to the antiperspirant active having larger particles in the composition is in the region of 5:1 to 1:5 by weight.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamic alteration of a color look-up table (CLUT) pallet identifier in response to one or more key codes placed in an input data stream. An input data stream including a sequence of input data blocks is converted into a stream suitable for addressing a look-up table. The look-up table may be a 256.times.16 table which requires an 8-bit address to identify a particular table entry. The invention allows such a table to be addressed using 4-bit data blocks in the input data stream. For each received 4-bit data block in the input data stream, a determination is made as to whether that block corresponds to a predetermined key value. If a given input block does not correspond to the predetermined key value, the 4-bit input block is combined with a previously-stored 4-bit pallet identifier to generate an 8-bit address into the look-up table. The pallet identifier specifies one of 16 different 16-entry pallets within the 256.times.16 look-up table.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing memory arbitration which allows multiple hardware functions implemented in a single ASIC to utilize a single shared memory unit or multiple shared memory units. The memory arbitration technique establishes a priority among multiple memory access requesters and is particularly well-suited for use in a set top box processing system. A plurality of memory access requests are received from a plurality of processing elements in a set top box processing system. The processing elements include a transport stream demultiplexer, a host central processing unit and a graphics processor. The processing elements are permitted to access a shared memory in accordance with an established priority. The established priority assigns a higher priority to the graphics processor than to the host central processing unit, and may be in the order of graphics processor, transport stream demultiplexer, and central processing unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in a set top box processing system to permit simultaneous utilization of two system clocks in applications in which certain processing system elements utilize one system clock operating at a non-integer multiple of another system clock used by other processing system elements. A synchronous phase detector is used to generate a clock enable signal suitable for use in a pipeline structure to facilitate data transfer between the different elements of the processing system. The clock enable signal includes phase information extracted from the first and second clock signals, and is suitable for use in driving one or more multiplexers in a pipeline structure or other state-based logic device to thereby allow data transfer between an element of the processing system operating at the first clock rate and an element operating at the second clock rate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing semi-conductor chips is disclosed. The individual semiconductor chips have I/O contacts. The apparatus is provided with an interposer that has contacts corresponding to the contacts on the semiconductor chip. Both the chip and the interposer contacts can be any known type including metal ball, bumps, or tabs or may be provided with dendritic surfaces. The chip contacts are first brought into relative loose temporary contact with the contacts on the interposer and then a compressive force greater that 5 grams per chip contact is applied to the chip to force the chip contacts into good electrical contact with the interposer contacts. Testing of the chip is then performed. The tests may include heating of the chip as well as the application of signals to the chip contacts. After testing the chip is removed from the substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing semi-conductor chips is disclosed. The individual semiconductor chips have I/O contacts. The apparatus is provided with an interposer that has contacts corresponding to the contacts on the semiconductor chip. Both the chip and the interposer contacts can be any known type including metal ball, bumps, or tabs or may be provided with dendritic surfaces. The chip contacts are first brought into relative loose temporary contact with the contacts on the interposer and then a compressive force greater that 5 grams per chip contact is applied to the chip to force the chip contacts into good electrical contact with the interposer contacts. Testing of the chip is then performed. The tests may include heating of the chip as well as the application of signals to the chip contacts. After testing the chip is removed from the substrate.

Abstract: Automatic control of the growth from the melt of a crystal in the Czochralski technique by weighing the crystal, comparing the weight with its expected value in a comparator and using the difference in a servo-loop as a servo-control signal is known. The servo-control signal modulates the melt heater power which adjusts the temperature isotherms of the melt in order to maintain the crystal cross-sectional area constant. It has been found that a thermal delay which occurs when heat is conducted from the melt crucible to the crystal/melt interface can cause the crystal cross-sectional area to depart from its uniform expected value. The effect of the thermal delay is compensated for by a phase advance circuit which is connected to the output of the servo-loop comparator.

Abstract: A seal emplacement tool for emplacing flexible ring seals, and including a tube having an open end and for accommodating a folded seal, a plunger in the tube for ejecting the seal from the open end, and a guide externally of and so spaced from the said open end as in use to deflect a seal radially outwards from the plunger axis.

Abstract: The Czochralski growth of a crystal may be automatically controlled to provide uniform crystal cross-sectional area by weighing the crucible containing the melt from which the crystal is grown and deriving a weight signal which is compared with its expected value to produce a feedback loop control signal to control the melt heater power. However a magnetic field will be associated with the melt heater current and the interaction of this field on the crucible can produce a levitation force which is recorded erroneously as part of the weight signal. This unwanted force can make the closed-loop control unstable. The error component in the weight signal is cancelled in the invention by deriving an equal and opposite component by monitoring the current supplied to the melt heater and adding the derived component to the weight signal in the feedback loop.