Abstract: A rotary connection apparatus comprising a bottom bracket, a top bracket rotatably connected to the bottom bracket, an annular spacer and a plurality of balls. The spacer and the balls are received between the bottom bracket and the top bracket. A thickness of the spacer is less than a diameter of the balls, and the spacer includes a plurality of holding holes, each holding hole has two openings exposed at opposite surfaces of the spacer, and a diameter of each of the openings is less than that of the balls, and a diameter of a central portion of each holding hole is equal to the diameter of the balls; each of the holding holes accommodates one corresponding ball, and each ball has opposite end portions protruding out of the spacer. A spacer is also provided.

Abstract: A number of performance parameters for the electronic system are determined at a particular age of the electronic system. The performance parameters can be correlated to maximum operating frequency of electronic components of the electronic system for the particular age of the electronic system. Operating frequency of the electronic components is adjusted in accordance with the performance parameters. The performance parameters may be predetermined (such as through reliability and burn-in testing), determined during the life of the electronic system, or some combination of these. Performance parameters can comprise prior operating frequencies, hours of operation, ambient temperature, and supply voltage. Performance parameters can comprise performance statistics determined using age-monitoring circuits, where an aged circuit is compared with a circuit enabled only for comparison. Performance statistics may also be determined though error detection circuits.

Abstract: A device, system, and method for retrieving a sample of oil from an engine, comprising, a chamber having an inside wall and at least one oil inlet, a piston head received in said chamber and slidable between an empty position in which it is disposed substantially at said inlet and a filled position in which it is a first distance from said inlet, a handle affixed to said chamber, and a piston member extending between said handle and said piston head, said piston member comprising a flexible member having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end being affixed to said piston head.

Abstract: A CMOS receiver system having a tunable receiver having a tunable gain and a bandwidth system is provided. The tunable receiver includes means for receiving input signals; and a control circuit controlled by a control signal for tuning at least one of the gain and the bandwidth of the tunable receiver, wherein the control signal is indicative of a data rate of the input signals. Furthermore, a method is provided for tuning a CMOS receiver receiving input signals. The method includes the steps of receiving at least one control signal, and controlling one of gain and bandwidth of the CMOS receiver in accordance with the at least one control signal, wherein the at least one control signal is indicative of a data rate of the received input signals.

Abstract: A device, system, and method for retrieving a sample of oil from an engine, comprising, a chamber having an inside wall and at least one oil inlet, a piston head received in said chamber and slidable between an empty position in which it is disposed substantially at said inlet and a filled position in which it is a first distance from said inlet, a handle affixed to said chamber, and a piston member extending between said handle and said piston head, said piston member comprising a flexible member having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end being affixed to said piston head.

Abstract: A number of performance parameters for the electronic system are determined at a particular age of the electronic system. The performance parameters can be correlated to maximum operating frequency of electronic components of the electronic system for the particular age of the electronic system. Operating frequency of the electronic components is adjusted in accordance with the performance parameters. The performance parameters may be predetermined (such as through reliability and burn-in testing), determined during the life of the electronic system, or some combination of these. Performance parameters can comprise prior operating frequencies, hours of operation, ambient temperature, and supply voltage. Performance parameters can comprise performance statistics determined using age-monitoring circuits, where an aged circuit is compared with a circuit enabled only for comparison. Performance statistics may also be determined though error detection circuits.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided having a plurality of data transmitters, including a plurality of default data transmitters for transmitting data from a plurality of data sources and at least one redundancy data transmitter. A plurality of connection elements are provided having a first, low impedance connecting state and having a second, high impedance, disconnecting state. The connection elements are operable to disconnect a failing data transmitter from a corresponding output signal line and to connect the redundancy data transmitter to that output signal line in place of the failing data transmitter. In one preferred form, the connection elements include a fuse and an antifuse. In another form, the connection elements include micro-electromechanical (MEM) switches. The connecting elements preferably present the low impedance connecting state at frequencies which include signal switching frequencies above about 500 MHz.

Abstract: A number of performance parameters for the electronic system are determined at a particular age of the electronic system. The performance parameters can be correlated to maximum operating frequency of electronic components of the electronic system for the particular age of the electronic system. Operating frequency of the electronic components is adjusted in accordance with the performance parameters. The performance parameters may be predetermined (such as through reliability and burn-in testing), determined during the life of the electronic system, or some combination of these. Performance parameters can comprise prior operating frequencies, hours of operation, ambient temperature, and supply voltage. Performance parameters can comprise performance statistics determined using age-monitoring circuits, where an aged circuit is compared with a circuit enabled only for comparison. Performance statistics may also be determined though error detection circuits.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device having multi-junction nanostructures deposited as a multi-layered thin film on a substrate. Preferably, the device is grown as InxGa1-xN multi-layered junctions with the gradient x, where x is any value in the range from zero to one. The nanostructures are preferably 5-500 nanometers and more preferably 10-20 nanometers in diameter. The values of x are selected so that the bandgap of each layer is varied from 0.7 eV to 3.4 eV to match as nearly as possible the solar energy spectrum of 0.4 eV-4 eV.

Abstract: A method and structure for an integrated circuit chip has a logic core which includes a plurality of insulating and conducting levels, an exterior conductor level and passive devices having a conductive polymer directly connected to the exterior conductor level. The passive devices contain RF devices which also includes resistor, capacitor, and/or inductor. The resistors can be serpentine resistors and the capacitors can be interdigitated capacitors.

Abstract: A content addressable memory (“CAM”) system includes a plurality of segments arranged in an array, wherein each of the plurality of segments includes a plurality of CAM cells, each of the plurality of CAM cells includes a wordline, a matchline and a sinkline, the wordline being shared by all of the cells in the same row, the matchline and sinkline being shared by all of the cells in the same segment; and a corresponding method of searching within a CAM system includes providing an input word to the CAM system, comparing a portion of the input word in a segment of the CAM system, and propagating a mismatch to obviate the need for comparison in other segments of the CAM system.

Abstract: An atomizer includes a main path having an entrance and an exit. At least two sources are connected to the entrance of the main path. A plurality of chambers communicate with the main path and a narrow path communicates with each chamber and the main path. A plurality of stops extend from an inner periphery of the main path and a distal end of each stop is located corresponding to the narrow path corresponding thereto. The chambers and the stops are located between the entrance and the exit. The two different fluids flow into the entrance and are disturbed by the stops and mixed in the chambers.

Abstract: A content addressable memory (CAM). A data portion of the CAM array includes word data storage. Each word line includes CAM cells (dynamic or static) in the data portion and a common word match line. An error correction (e.g., parity) portion of the CAM array contains error correction cells for each word line. Error correction cells at each word line are connected to an error correction match line. A match on an error correction match line enables precharging a corresponding data match line. Only data on word lines with a corresponding match on an error correction match line are included in a data compare. Precharge power is required only for a fraction (inversely exponentially proportional to the bit length of error correction employed) of the full array.

Abstract: A testing circuit for testing a series of at least three alternating transmitter and receiver links. The testing circuit including a built-in-self-test (BIST.) macro for generating test data and transmitting the test data to a first link of the series of transmitter and receiver links, and for receiving processed test data from a last link of the series of transmitter receiver links; and at least one test transmission line for transmitting test data received by a link of the series of transmitter and receiver links to a next link of the series of transmitter and receiver links, wherein the at least one test transmission line connects the at least three transmitter and receiver links.

Abstract: A hybrid substrate, i.e., a substrate fabricated from different materials, and method for fabricating the same are presented. The hybrid substrate is configured for fabricating more than two different devices thereon, has a high thermal conductivity, and is configured for patterning interconnects thereon for interconnecting the different devices fabricated on the hybrid substrate.

Abstract: A method and structure for an integrated circuit chip has a logic core which includes a plurality of insulating and conducting levels, an exterior conductor level and passive devices having a conductive polymer directly connected to the exterior conductor level. The passive devices contain RF devices which also includes resistor, capacitor, and/or inductor. The resistors can be serpentine resistors and the capacitors can be interdigitated capacitors.

Abstract: A graphical user interface for an electronic apparatus such as a mobile terminal is presented. The graphical user interface gives a user access to a multi-level structure of selectable user interface items. The graphical user interface involves, on a display of the electronic apparatus, a focused region, an unfocused region and a descriptor region. The focused region presents a first plurality of user interface items belonging to a current level in said multi-level structure. The focused region has a focus area for focusing on a desired user interface item in response to user input on an input device of the electronic apparatus. The unfocused region presents a second plurality of user interface items belonging to at least one level superior to the current level in the multi-level structure. The descriptor region presents descriptive information about a currently focused user interface item in the focus area.

Abstract: A method and structure for an integrated circuit chip has a logic core which includes a plurality of insulating and conducting levels, an exterior conductor level and passive devices having a conductive polymer directly connected to the exterior conductor level. The passive devices contain RF devices which also includes resistor, capacitor, and/or inductor. The resistors can be serpentine resistors and the capacitors can be interdigitated capacitors.

Abstract: A system level device for battery and integrated circuit chip integration comprises at least one battery; at least one integrated circuit chip powered by the at least one battery; and a package connected to any of the at least one battery and the at least one integrated circuit chip, wherein the at least one battery connects to a pair of opposed upright ends of the package, wherein the at least one integrated circuit chip is disposed between the at least one battery and the package, and wherein the at least one integrated circuit chip lays on top of a portion of the package.

Abstract: Thermal cooling structures of diamond or diamond-like materials are provided for conducting heat away from semiconductor devices. A first silicon-on-insulator embodiment comprises a plurality of thermal paths, formed after shallow trench and device fabrication steps are completed, which extend through the buried oxide and provide heat dissipation through to the underlying bulk silicon substrate. The thermal conduction path material is preferably diamond which has high thermal conductivity with low electrical conductivity. A second diamond trench cooling structure, formed after device fabrication has been completed, comprises diamond shallow trenches disposed between the devices and extending through the buried oxide layer. An alternative diamond thermal cooling structure includes a diamond insulation layer deposited over the semiconductor devices in either an SOI or bulk silicon structure.