Abstract: An interactive product information device is disclosed for establishing a communication link between a customer using the device and a product representative at a remote location. The interactive product information device, to be used in various commercial settings such as stores, shopping malls, trade shows and the like, is designed to establish a communication link between the customer and the product representative upon activation of the device by the customer. This activation, which may be implemented through a single one-touch activation switch and corresponding circuit, operates a communication device connected thereto and automatically establishes the link. The same one-touch activation switch may also be used to activate a product demonstration unit provided with the product information the device.

Abstract: The invention proposes an interactive a system comprising user units (1a, 1b, 1c) intended to display a content broadcast by a content supply unit (3). According to the invention, the user units are designed to transmit user data (Da, Db, Dc) to an application control unit (2). The application control unit determines pieces of content to be overlaid from user data received. It transmits overlay data to the user units and/or to the content supply unit. These overlay data are used by the user units and/or by the content supply unit for overlaying the pieces of content determined by the application control unit in the content to be displayed and/or in the content to be broadcast. Application: interactive television.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising an integrated optical guide, which has at least one rectilinear part and one curved part, and comprising means for obtaining the confinement of the light in the guide in the curved part, which means include a groove provided along the edge of the guide in the region of the curve part, characterized in that these means also include a guide structure comprising a guiding layer and, overhanging the guiding layer, a ribbon in relief for determining the optical path followed by the light in the guiding layer, and in that these means moreover include a groove structure such that it has a constant depth, that its central part follows extactly the edge of the guiding ribbon in the curved part, that its ends are removing from the edge of this ribbon at the beginning and at the end of the curved part, that its bottom is disposed in the guiding layer at a level which does not reach the lower part of this guiding layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing semiconductor devices is set forth using reactive ion plasma etching in which an optical grating is formed to etch underlying regions, such as dielectric material, semiconductor material, or alternate layers of different semiconductor material. The optical grating is formed with a rectangular profile having grooves and mask strips on a sample material where each of the grooves has a width L.sub.S substantially equal to the width L.sub.M of the mask strips. The optical grating is formed of a material which may be one of a photoresist, a dielectric compound, a metal, or a metallic compound. This method enables control of reactive ion etching during manufacture of integrated circuits of III-V compounds.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing semiconductor devices comprising at least a reactive ion etching step of a so-called substrate formed by semiconductor compounds having the general formulae Ga.sub.1-x As.sub.x In.sub.1-y P.sub.y, in which formulae x and y are the concentrations and lie between 0 and 1, this method comprising for carrying out this etching step a masking system of the said substrate cooperating with a flow of reacting gases, characterized in that the masking system is formed by a first metallic layer of titanium (Ti) of small thickness, on which a second metallic layer of nickel (Ni) is disposed having a thickness of about ten times larger, and in that the flow of reacting gases is formed by the mixture of the gases Cl.sub.2 /CH.sub.4 /H.sub.2 /Ar, in which mixture Cl.sub.2 is present in a quantity of about a quarter of the quantities of CH.sub.4 and Ar, as far as the partial pressures in the etching chamber are concerned.Application: Manufacture of optoelectronic devices of III-V materials.