Abstract: A method is provided in which an impedance is measured between a first of a plurality of seal ring contact pads and a ground contact pad coupled to a semiconductor substrate of a semiconductor device. The first impedance value is obtained from the measured impedance, and the first impedance value is compared with a reference impedance value to determine whether a structural defect is present in the semiconductor device based on whether the first impedance value is greater than the reference impedance value.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the reliability of the L2 power and/or ground sub-arrays of contacts of a functional integrated circuit device is verified by applying a reference voltage to a selected contact in sub-array and sequentially measuring the voltage at other contacts in the sub-array. If the voltage levels are greater than a threshold voltage level then the functional integrated circuit device is verified as being reliable.

Abstract: A printed circuit board assembly and method of assembly in which underfill is placed between a chip and substrate to support the chip. A trench is formed in the upper layer of the printed circuit board to limit the flow of the underfill and in particular to limit the underfill from contact with adjacent components so that the underfill does not interfere with adjacent components on the printed circuit board assembly.

Abstract: A method and device for performing skew detection on data transmitted over a data channel and a high speed optical communication interface including the device are disclosed, wherein data of a reference frame over a reference channel is composed sequentially of a reference data segment with a length of Umax over each of data channels to be subject to skew detection.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the reliability of the L2 power and/or ground sub-arrays of contacts of a functional integrated circuit device is verified by applying a reference voltage to a selected contact in sub-array and sequentially measuring the voltage at other contacts in the sub-array. If the voltage levels are greater than a threshold voltage level then the functional integrated circuit device is verified as being reliable.

Abstract: An area array device has a grid array of primary electrical contacts coupled to a coupling surface of the device and configured to carry data signals between the area array package and a circuit board. The area array device also has an additional series of secondary electrical contacts coupled to the coupling surface of the device and configured to carry power signals between the area array package and the circuit board. The additional series of secondary electrical contacts provides a relatively large amount of power to the area array package while allowing a manufacturer to maintain the number of primary electrical contacts of the grid array configured to carrying data signals and therefore maintain the overall performance of the area array package.

Abstract: A mobile health book (MHB) is incorporated into a mobile device such that users can manage and track health care related information for the user. The mobile health book includes a health tracking software program stored on the memory of the mobile device. The health tracking software receives and stores various health related information for the user. The health tracking software program communicates with at least the contact management program and calendar program on the mobile device to integrate the function of these programs with the health tracking software. The mobile device is able to communicate with other mobile devices such that health related information from the mobile device can be shared and synchronized with similar information on a second mobile device. The synchronization and sharing of health related information between multiple mobile devices allows the user of one mobile device to track and monitor health related information for a second user through the wireless sharing of information.

Abstract: A printed circuit board assembly and method of assembly in which underfill is placed between a chip and substrate to support the chip. A trench is formed in the upper layer of the printed circuit board to limit the flow of the underfill and in particular to limit the underfill from contact with adjacent components so that the underfill does not interfere with adjacent components on the printed circuit board assembly.

Abstract: An area array device has a grid array of primary electrical contacts coupled to a coupling surface of the device and configured to carry data signals between the area array package and a circuit board. The area array device also has an additional series of secondary electrical contacts coupled to the coupling surface of the device and configured to carry power signals between the area array package and the circuit board. The additional series of secondary electrical contacts provides a relatively large amount of power to the area array package while allowing a manufacturer to maintain the number of primary electrical contacts of the grid array configured to carrying data signals and therefore maintain the overall performance of the area array package.

Abstract: A circuit board component includes a substrate having non-conductive material and conductive material supported by the non-conductive material. The conductive material defines a circuit board interface, a die interface, a heat spreader interface, and (iv) a set of connections which interconnects the circuit board interface, the die interface and the heat spreader interface. The component further includes a die coupled to the die interface. The die includes integrated circuitry which is configured to electrically communicate with a circuit board when the circuit board couples to the circuit board interface. The component further includes a heat spreader coupled to the heat spreader interface. The heat spreader is configured to dissipate heat from the die. The heat spreader in combination with the heat spreader interface forms an electromagnetic interference shield when a portion of the circuit board interface connects to a ground reference of the circuit board.

Abstract: A composite gel-type polymer electrolyte membrane, as a separator between the positive and the negative electrode for secondary battery, consists of crosslinked gel-type polyacrylonitrile (PAN) electrolytes, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymers and liquid electrolytes. The crosslinked gel-type PAN electrolytes are copolymerized by acrylonitrile (AN) monomers and crosslinked monomers with two terminal acrylic acid ester function groups. The PVdF can be PVdF-co-HFP polymers containing over 80% PVdF. The liquid electrolytes are made from using nonaqueous solvents to dissolve alkaline or alkaline earth metallic salts. This invention has advantages of superior ionic conductivities and mechanical strength at high temperature, fine compatible to positive and negative electrodes and potential to be industrialized.

Abstract: A system and method for dynamically monitoring consumer opinion of an implemented business integration includes a network of graphical user interfaces (GUI) in real-time or near real-time. The network of GUIs include an external GUI having a number of hyperlinks to feedback inputting GUIs. The feedback GUIs enable a consumer/user to provide objective and subjective data regarding his/her opinion of the implemented business plan. Feedback is routed to a centralized facility for processing and analysis to determine feedback characteristics. Those feedback characteristics are then displayed on an internal business integration GUI.

Abstract: A method and a system for automatically activating and deactivating a data logging function on a remotely located medical imaging device from a central service facility in response to acquisition of updated service contract information. Customer profiling and service contract data are automatically processed at a central facility to detect that a medical imaging device is now under contract to receive regular scanner utilization reports. The scanner data logging function is then automatically turned on from the central facility. The central facility then monitors the receipt of scanner data log files to ensure that the first data log file has been successfully transmitted from activated medical imaging device, for processing and subsequent utilization report delivery. In the case of an expired service contract, the data logging feature on the medical imaging device is automatically deactivated from the central facility.

Abstract: A differential calorimetric gas sensor (10) which includes a sensing element (12) having a catalytic layer (14) disposed on a multi-layered substrate (26). Catalytic layer (14) includes an active catalyst region (14a) which oxidizes total combustibles within an exhaust gas stream and a reference catalyst region (14b) which oxidizes selective combustibles within the exhaust gas stream. An electrochemical oxygen source (18) is disposed on an opposite side of multi-layer substrate (26) from sensing element (12). An oxygen sensor cell (170) may be incorporated into electrochemical oxygen source (18). The multi-layered substrate (26) includes a plurality of overlaying insulating layers in which an intermediate layer (60) and a bottom layer (64) support primary heaters (58, 62), and in which another intermediate layer (52) supports compensation heaters (50a, 50b).

Abstract: A device and method for sensing linear displacements between a first member (101) and a second member (102) on a same axis (108). The second member (102) substantially encompasses the first member (101). To sense the linear displacements, an optical code pattern (103) is placed on the first member (101) and an encircling optical sensor (104) is placed on the second member (102). The encircling optical sensor (104) includes light transmitting (106) and receiving (107) paths that transmit and receive light to/from the optical code pattern (103). The light received from the optical code pattern (103) is sent to a displacement calculation device (105) that determines the linear displacement of the first member (101) with respect to the second member (102).