Abstract: The present invention relates to oscillator circuits for providing periodic signals. The oscillator circuit includes a crystal element having a high Q value and good stability. A high-gain amplifier is used with the crystal element to produce an oscillating signal. The oscillator is further configured to include an input protection circuit for reducing the effects of undesirably high input voltage levels, and a coupling capacitor to reduce leakage between the amplifier and the input protection circuit. A high output signal level is provided to a Schmidtt trigger amplifier through configuring the output to be taken from the input of the high-gain amplifier.

Abstract: A semiconductor device which has a resistor, a capacitor, a Schottky diode, and an ESD protection device all formed on a single semiconductor substrate. The resistor and the capacitor are coupled together in series. The Schottky diode and the ESD protection device are coupled in parallel to the series connection of the resistor and capacitor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device which has a resistor, a capacitor, a Schottky diode, and an ESD protection device all formed on a single semiconductor substrate. The resistor and the capacitor are coupled together in series. The Schottky diode and the ESD protection device are coupled in parallel to the series connection of the resistor and capacitor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device which has a resistor, a capacitor, and a Schottky diode all formed on a single semiconductor substrate. The capacitor comprises a dielectric region between two metal regions. The resistor comprises an N.sup.+ -type well. The Schottky diode comprises an N-type tub, a metal region in contact with the tub, and an N.sup.+ -type region formed in the N-type tub. The resistor and capacitor are coupled by a metal region which contacts one of the metal regions of the capacitor and the N.sup.+ -type well of the resistor. The resistor and Schottky diode are coupled by a metal region which contacts the N.sup.+ -type well of the resistor and the N.sup.+ -type well of the Schottky diode.

Abstract: A non-volatile storage cell utilizing improved level shifting circuitry to charge and discharge at least a single isolation device, preferably of the Fowler-Nordheim tunneling type, wherein such level shifting input/output circuit is fully static providing for the elimination of any requirement for a gate booster capacitor and allows the high voltage source to replace any long term charge loss. The use of silicon area is reduced.

Abstract: The invention comprises a system of alignment key patterns, within the scribe lines of a semiconductor chip, which allow more accurate placement of wafer probes, and more accurate location of fuses for the purposes of blowing selected ones of those fuses by means of laser energy.

Abstract: An improved input network for MOS semiconductor devices intended to increase the device resistance to electrostatic discharge in the input circuit. A series of features comprising round and concentric round contacts and buried contacts, a layer of polycrystalline silicon disposed between the metal input contact and the N+ diffusion layer and enlarged metal contact areas are employed to reduce the tendency toward breakdown by reducing hot spots in the device.

Abstract: An improved nonvolatile memory has an adaptive system to regulate the charging current supplied to store data on nonvolatile storage nodes in order to provide acceptability low strain on the tunnel oxide and to compensate for process variations and change in the Fowler-Nordheim tunnel oxide transport characteristics caused by electron trapping over time.

Abstract: The invention comprises an improved back bias generator for an integrated circuit wherein a transistor circuit first acts as an isolation device during the charging phase of a charge pump capacitor and acts as a coupling device during a discharge phase of the capacitor, thus providing a higher back bias voltage than is available from prior art circuits and wherein the charge pump capacitor is oriented in the circuit so that its source/drain terminal cannot conduct to the substrate by way of the parasitic diode therebetween.

Abstract: A nonvolatile random access memory cell (10) includes a static random access memory circuit and a corresponding nonvolatile memory circuit. The volatile memory circuit operates in a conventional manner and has first and second data states. Upon receipt of a store command signal a charge storage node is driven to either a first or a second charge state, depending upon the data state in the volatile memory circuit. For one charge state the charge storage signal is gated through a transistor (64) and a capacitor (68) to a floating gate node (44). Charge is transferred to and from the floating gate node (44) through current tunneling elements (48,50) which comprise a dielectric fabricated on a monocrystalline substrate. For the recall operation a recall command signal is applied to a transistor (52) which couples a transistor (42) to the DATA node (22) of the volatile memory circuit.

Abstract: A sense amplifier quickly charges a column line to a first predetermined voltage level with first, second and third transistors and then charges the column to a second predetermined voltage by using only the second and third transistors. The second and third transistors continue charging to the second predetermined voltage by virtue of having a lower threshold voltage than the first transistor. If a selected memory cell in the column is in a conducting state, the column charges to only the first predetermined voltage for detection as a logic "0". If the selected memory cell in the column is in a non-conducting state, the column continues charging to the second predetermined voltage for detection as a logic "1".

Abstract: A spacer region is provided between the channel stop region and the adjacent portion of the active region of a semiconductor device to reduce the capacitance therebetween. The spacer region may be formed by allowing at least a portion of a conductive line formed on the surface of the device to overlap the active region adjacent the channel stop region.

Abstract: A self-tracking high voltage breakdown protection circuit is provided. A non-destructive reference voltage is established by a gated diode having the same breakdown and walkout characteristics as the integrated circuit devices to be protected. A source-follower configuration couples the reference voltage to the integrated circuit. Devices of the protection circuit are internally connected to make each self-protected.

Abstract: A bandgap voltage reference source is provided which is temperature stable or temperature controlled and can be made by standard CMOS process. The reference has two substrate bipolar transistors with the emitter current density of one of the transistors being larger than the emitter current density of the other transistor. The transistors are used as emitter followers having resistors in their emitter circuits from which an error voltage is obtained. The error voltage is amplified through a differential or operational amplifier. Through the amplifier or through a resistor network, an output voltage higher or lower, respectively, than the bandgap voltage can be obtained. The output voltage can be made to have a positive, negative, or zero temperature coefficient.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece includes a shutdown latch circuit. The latch circuit is initially set by insertion of a battery power source in the electronic timepiece. When the latch circuit is set, all other circuits in the timepiece, and particularly the display circuits, are turned off to conserve battery power during the "shelf-life" of the electronic timepiece. When the command switch is first activated, the latch circuit is reset, and all of the other electronic circuits are turned on in a predetermined initialized condition.

Abstract: A remote control receiver for producing different control signals in response to operating signals of respectively different frequencies. The receiver includes operating signal frequency counter which counts operating frequency oscillations in repeated counting cycles and produces an output signal when a predetermined count has been reached. The output signal controls a reference frequency counter which counts the number of reference frequency oscillations in each counting cycle. The count of the reference frequency counter reached during each counting cycle is stored and at the end of each counting cycle, a comparator compares the current count of the reference frequency counter with the stored count. The comparator produces a signal indicating agreement or non-agreement of the compared counts.

Abstract: Ultrasonic remote control receiver wherein reference frequency pulses are counted during a counting cycle comprising a predetermined number of received command signals, each command signal occupying a different frequency channel. At the end of each counting cycle, the reference frequency count is compared with the count during the preceding counting cycle. A validated output from the receiver occurs only after a predetermined number of uninterrupted identical comparisons have occurred. Interference with a validated output signal by spurious received signals e.g. noise signals is minimized by providing for invalidation of an output signal only after a predetermined number of uninterrupted non-identical count comparisons. Two of the receiver outputs are used to generate a variable duty cycle pulse train, one output increasing and the other decreasing the duty cycle. A receiver is disclosed in the context of a TV broadcast receiver wherein the variable level d.c.

Abstract: The specification discloses various embodiments of solid state television channel selection systems. The systems provide sequential and/or parallel access of television channels by operation of simple pushbutton or sense touch switches on the control panel of the television set, as well as sequential or parallel access of the channels through operation of remote control units. The selected television channel may be displayed in the parallel access mode by illuminating the actuated parallel access switch, or by the utilization of seven segment numerical displays with either the sequential or parallel access modes. The system enables selected television channels to be skipped during the sequential access mode. The system enables the operator to selectively choose which VHF and UHF channels may be selected by the system.

Abstract: A JK flip-flop circuit comprising four multiple input gates having each output fed back to an input to each gate of an opposite pair of said four gates; a clock pulse shaping circuit is provided when triggering clock pulses are to be of unknown shape or duration or when the clock pulses to be supplied are of a duration longer than twice the propagation delay time of the slowest gate of the circuit.

Abstract: An improved TTL coupling transistor structure wherein a pair of lateral extensions of the base region and overlying opposite type conductivity low resistivity regions provide a pair of resistance-distributed diode elements interconnecting the base and collector regions and acting to control undesirable currents in the device.