Abstract: A system for testing a microelectronic circuit includes a test bed for mounting a microelectronic circuit, and a signal source for applying a signal to a microelectronic circuit mounted on the test bed. The system additionally includes a test probe for wirelessly receiving electromagnetic response signals from the microelectronic circuit mounted on the test bed. In a preferred form, the electromagnetic response signals are radio-frequency signals. The test system additionally includes a computer connected to be test probe for analyzing the electromagnetic response signals. An integrated circuit for testing on the test system has a test circuit portion that emits electromagnetic radiation in response to a predetermined signal applied to the test circuit.

Abstract: A method and device for electronically providing electronic media content and advertising content includes a media player and electronic media content from an electronic media content provider. The media player is electronically provided with the electronic media content via a first method of transmission. The media player is also electronically provided with advertising content, from an advertising content provider, via a second method of transmission. If necessary, the electronic media content is decrypted by the media player prior to the electronic media content being provided to the user. The media player electronically determines when advertising is to be played on the media player.

Abstract: A system is provided for communicating location and other related information of a field unit to a remote base station. The field unit generates position signals based on signals received from communication with a plurality of GPS satellites. These position signals are transmitted to a remote base station, where they are processed and displayed. The field unit includes an environmental circuit having devices for determining an environmental condition and producing an environmental signal representative of the environmental condition. The environmental signal is also transmitted to the remote base station for processing and display. The field unit is also provided with a cellular link circuit for transmitting the position signals and the environmental signal to the remote base station via a cellular link.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sensing audio frequency-pressure modulation of the moisture content of the atmosphere caused by a moisture-laden audio source, such as a live human voice, is disclosed. A first light emitter is provided to generate a first light beam. An audio source that emits moisture, and the environment, modulate the first light beam to generate a first modulated light beam. A first detector is provided to detect and demodulate the first modulated light beam to recover an uncompensated audio signal. A second light emitter is provided to generate a second light beam. The second light beam is modulated by the environment and not by the audio source to produce a second modulated light beam. A second detector is provided to detect and demodulate the second modulated light beam to recover the signal component caused by environmental conditions.

Abstract: A controller that communicates with a first set of devices and a second set of devices is disclosed. The controller includes a transmitter for transmitting commands to remotely control the first set of devices, and for communicating input/output (I/O) data with the second set of devices. A microphone, speaker, display and cellular and cordless phone circuitry are integrated into the controller to provide the controller with phone and paging capabilities. Systems for determining the spatial location of a target object are also disclosed. The spatial location of the target object is determined with reference to a predetermined spatial reference point based on measured elapsed times, which represent the difference between a time reference and the time of receipt of a location signal from the target object at the known locations.

Abstract: A system for testing a microelectronic circuit includes a test bed for mounting a microelectronic circuit, and a signal source for applying a signal to a microelectronic circuit mounted on the test bed. The system additionally includes a test probe for wirelessly receiving electromagnetic response signals from the microelectronic circuit mounted on the test bed. In a preferred form, the electromagnetic response signals are radio-frequency signals. The test system additionally includes a computer connected to be test probe for analyzing the electromagnetic response signals. An integrated circuit for testing on the test system has a test circuit portion that emits electromagnetic radiation in response to a predetermined signal applied to the test circuit.

Abstract: A system for testing a microelectronic circuit includes a test bed for mounting a microelectronic circuit, and a signal source for applying a signal to a microelectronic circuit mounted on the test bed. The system additionally includes a test probe for wirelessly receiving electromagnetic response signals from the microelectronic circuit mounted on the test bed. In a preferred form, the electromagnetic response signals are radio-frequency signals. The test system additionally includes a computer connected to be test probe for analyzing the electromagnetic response signals. An integrated circuit for testing on the test system has a test circuit portion that emits electromagnetic radiation in response to a predetermined signal applied to the test circuit.

Abstract: A system and method for a directional microphone system is disclosed. The directional microphone system can adaptively track and detect sources of sound information, and can reduce background noise. A first monolithic detection unit for detecting sound information and performing local signal processing on the detected sound information is provided. In the detection unit, an integrated transducer is provided for receiving acoustic waves and for generating sound information representative of the waves. A processor is coupled to the transducer for receiving the sound information and for performing local digital signal processing on the sound information to generate locally processed sound information. A base unit is coupled to the first monolithic detection unit and includes a global processor which receives the locally processed sound information and performs global digital signal processing on the locally processed sound information to generate globally processed sound information.

Abstract: The described method and apparatus wirelessly test individual integrated circuit die on a wafer containing multiple die. The method incorporates activating a selected die on the wafer by wirelessly impacting the die with at least two beams of electromagnetic radiation so that the die receives radiation energy having at least a first energy level, thereby activating the die by causing a current to flow in the die. Each beam of electromagnetic energy individually has less than the first energy level required to activate the die. The beams of electromagnetic energy are directed so that they at least partially overlap on the selected die. In the region of overlap, the two beams together impact the die with an energy level at least equal to the first energy level required to activate the die. The method may additionally include detecting electromagnetic radiation emitted by the die in response to the electromagnetic energy received from the beams of electromagnetic energy.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sensing audio frequency-pressure modulation of the moisture content of the atmosphere caused by a moisture-laden audio source, such as a live human voice, is disclosed. A first light emitter is provided to generate a first light beam. An audio source that emits moisture, and the environment, modulate the first light beam to generate a first modulated light beam. A first detector is provided to detect and demodulate the first modulated light beam to recover an uncompensated audio signal. A second light emitter is provided to generate a second light beam. The second light beam is modulated by the environment and not by the audio source to produce a second modulated light beam. A second detector is provided to detect and demodulate the second modulated light beam to recover the signal component caused by environmental conditions.

Abstract: A power source employs an environmental energy extractor. The environmental energy extractor operates to extract energy from the environment and provides the extracted energy either to power an electronic device, or to a storage device coupled to a battery charger for storing the extracted energy. The environmental energy extractor can include one or more energy modules. Each energy module is for extracting environmental energy and for providing the extracted energy to either the electronic device or the storage device. When more than one energy module is employed, the energy modules are configured such that the extracted energy provided by each module is summed, and the collective extracted energy of all the energy modules is provided to the electronic device or the storage device.

Abstract: Multimedia information (e.g. graphics, video, sound, control information) passes through a system bus from a CPU main memory to a display memory in accordance with CPU commands. The information may be packetized with associated packet types identifying the different media. A media stream controller processes the information and passes the processed information to the display memory. Controllers in the media stream controller individually pass multimedia information to the display memory. A PACDAC controller in the media stream controller causes media (e.g. graphics, video) in the display memory to be transferred to a PACDAC for display. The format, sequence, and rate of this transfer may be flexibly controlled by software on a frame by frame basis. Arbitration logic establishes priorities for the different controllers in the media stream controller so they may share a single bus for accessing the display memory. A single interrupt controller coordinates interrupts (e.g.

Abstract: Words of different types of digital information, including standard interframe video (SIF), graphics, television and audio are transferred preferably in packets between a controller, storage memory and shift registers (e.g. FIFO's) individually associated with the different information types. For a VRAM memory, information is transferred in parallel, controlled by tag bus information, from the controller to the memory and then serially to the FIFO's, all at a frequency higher than a clock frequency in a monitor raster scan. The tag bus information is decoded and introduced to an additional FIFO. A state machine processes such additional FIFO information and transfers the digital information to the different FIFO's at times controlled in each line by such additional FIFO--e.g. particular times in each line for the SIF and graphics and, thereafter, for television and audio, at times unrelated to any times in such line.

Abstract: A display memory respectively stores, in first and second portions, digital graphics data for display in a video monitor and digital video data for display in a window in the monitor. The digital video data is transferred from the display memory to a shift register at a rate different from the pixel clock and from the shift register at a clock rate that may be lower than the pixel clock rate. The video data may be stored in a luminance and chrominance format and may be converted by a color space converter to 3 bytes representing the primary colors red, green and blue. The video pixels may then be interpolated to expand the number of video pixels. The shift register operation may be synchronized with such expansion so that data is not passed from the shift register until the expansion of previous data from the shift register has been completed.

Abstract: A video merging system includes apparatus for decoding incoming composite video signals into their constituent components, a memory for storing a signals temporarily to synchronize such signals with an output device, and a multiplexor for combining the synchronized signals for application to the output device. An analogue to digital converter (ADC) is arranged to convert incoming composite video signals into digital form, a digital memory is arranged to receive the digital output of the ADC, and a decoder is provided to sample the contents of this memory under the control of timing signals synchronized with the output device to develop synchronized digital samples relating to the incoming composite video signals. These digital samples are then transferred to the multiplexor to enable the multiplexor to develop a single output data stream.