Abstract: Sensors and techniques useful with operating an automated data acquisition and notification system having a plurality of receptacles adapted to store items. In each of the plurality of receptacles, at least one sensor is operated to detect a presence of an item in that receptacle. Light is emitted from a planar surface within the receptacle to a space within the receptacle opposite the planar surface. While that light is emitted light incident on the planar surface is detected. A determination is made whether an amount of light that is detected is significant to indicate a presence of the item.

Abstract: A data acquisition and notification system associated with an array of receptacles having sensors adapted to observe at least one condition or event associated with at least one receptacle. A system database is configured to maintain data representing sensor information. Monitoring hardware is communicatively coupled to each sensor of the array of receptacles and controlled by a data acquisition program that causes the monitoring hardware to gather sensor information from the sensors and communicate the data representing the sensor information to the system database. A notification system is communicatively coupled to the system database and adapted to issue notifications that are based on data maintained by the system database.

Abstract: The invention comprises a plurality of stacked planar processing circuit boards surrounded on at least one side by a plurality of memory boards located substantially perpendicular to the planar processing boards, the processing and memory boards connected by orthogonal interconnect modules. The orthogonal interconnect modules allow closely-spaced orthogonal connection of the processing boards to the memory boards. The memory boards are of a densely packed design having a plurality of removeable memory chip stacks located on the memory boards.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interconnecting electronic circuits using nearly pure soft annealed gold mechanically compressed within through-plated holes. The invention has its application in attaching integrated circuit dice directly to circuit boards by ball bonding gold wires to the bonding pads of the integrated circuit dice in a substantially perpendicular relationship to the surfaces of the dice and inserting the gold leads into through-plated holes of circuit boards which provide an electrical and a mechanical connection once the leads are compressed within the through-plated holes. The present invention also finds its application in the interconnection of sandwiched circuit board assemblies where soft gold lead wires are inserted into axially aligned through-plated holes of the circuit boards and compressed so that the gold lead wires compress and buckle within the through-plated holes, forming an electrical connection between the circuit boards.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of making a beam of directed energy used to bond leads to bonding areas is disclosed. The masking tool preferably includes a groove adapted to allow the beam to strike the lead while masking the surrounding substrate to prevent damage to it. The tool preferably reflects the energy striking it away from the substrate. The method can include the use of an external heat source to provide heat to the bonding process or, in the alternative, provide heat sinking to protect the electrical components from heat damage. Alternate embodiments of the tool can include a plurality of grooves or slots to allow scanning of the beam in the bonding process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interconnecting electronic circuit boards through the use of twisted wire jumpers which are formed from multifilament wire and which have enlarged bird cages formed along the pins. The pins are drawn through a stack of circuit boards to position the cages in contact with interconnection apertures located in the printed circuit boards. The frictional engagement of the cages in the apertures provides both electrical inter connection of, and mechanical coupling between the printed circuit boards.

Abstract: The invention comprises a plurality of stacked planar processing circuit boards surrounded on at least one side by a plurality of memory boards located substantially perpendicular to the planar processing boards, the processing and memory boards connected by orthogonal interconnect modules. The orthogonal interconnect modules allow closely-spaced orthogonal connection of the processing boards to the memory boards. The memory boards are of a densely packed design having a plurality of removeable memory chip stacks located on the memory boards.

Abstract: Z-axis connectors for interconnecting stacked printed circuit boards are formed from resilient material and have contact sections larger than cooperating through-plated holes formed in the boards. The connectors are drawn through the through-plated holes in the stacked circuit board, causing the contact section of the connector to frictionally engage the through-plated holes on at least two boards.

Abstract: Z-axis pin connectors for interconnecting stacked printed circuit boards are formed from resilient material and have contact sections larger than cooperating through-plated holes formed in the boards. The pin connectors are drawn through the through-plated holes in the stacked circuit board, causing the contact section of the pin connector to frictionally engage the through-plated holes on at least two boards.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interconnecting electronic circuit boards through the use of twisted wire jumpers which are formed from multifilament wire and which have enlarged bird cages formed along the pins. The pins are drawn through a stack of circuit boards to position the cages in contact with interconnection aperture located in the printed circuit boards. The frictional engagement of the cages in the apertures provides both electrical interconnection of, and mechanical coupling between the printed circuit boards.This application is a division of co pending patent application Her. No. 07/347,507, filed May 4, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,419, issued May 14, 1991, U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 07/347,507 was a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/053,142, filed May 21, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,192, issued Oct. 8, 1991. All of these applications and patents are assigned to the same assignee.

Abstract: Z-axis pin connectors for interconnecting stacked printed circuit boards are formed from resilient material and have contact sections larger than cooperating through-plated holes formed in the boards. The pin connectors are drawn through the through-plated holes in the stacked circuit board, causing the contact section of the pin connector to frictionally engage the through-plated holes on at least two boards. Formation of pin connectors from a resilient thermoplastic material coated with a conductive layer is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interconnecting circuit board assemblies using memory metal wires mechanically inserted into through-plated holes. The invention has its application in the interconnection of stacked circuit board assemblies where kinked memory metal wires are stretched so the wires are substantially straight; inserted into axially aligned through-plated holes of circuit boards; and released so that the memory metal wires reform their original kinked shaped within the through-plated holes, forming an electrical connection between the circuit boards. Memory metal alloys are used in the construction of the kinked memory metal wires to take advantage of the pseudoelastic behavior of the alloys in the austenitic phase below the forming temperature range.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interconnecting electronic circuits using nearly pure soft annealed gold mechanically compressed within through-plated holes. The invention has its application in attaching integrated circuit dice directly to circuit boards by ball bonding gold wires to the bonding pads of the integrated circuit dice in a substantially perpendicular relationship to the surfaces of the dice and inserting the gold leads into through-plated holes of circuit boards which provide an electrical and a mechanical connection once the leads are compressed within the through-plated holes. The present invention also finds its application in the interconnection of sandwiched circuit board assemblies where soft gold lead wires are inserted into axially aligned through-plated holes of the circuit boards and compressed so that the hold lead wires compress and buckle within the through-plated holes, forming an electrical connection between the circuit boards.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interconnecting electronic circuits using nearly pure soft annealed gold mechanically compressed within through-plated holes. The invention has its application in attaching integrated circuit dice directly to circuit boards by ball bonding gold wires to the bonding pads of the integrated circuit dice in a substantially perpendicular relationship to the surfaces of the disc and inserting the gold leads into through-plated holes of circuit boards which provide an electrical and a mechanical connection once the leads are compressed within the through-plated holes. The present invention also finds its application in the interconnection of sandwiched circuit board assemblies where soft gold lead wires are inserted into axially aligned through-plated holes of the circuit boards and compressed so that the gold lead wires compress and buckle within the through-plated holes, forming an electrical connection between the circuit boards.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interconnecting electronic circuit boards through the use of twisted wire jumpers which are formed from multifilament wire and which have enlarged bird cages formed along the pins. The pins are drawn through a stack of circuit boards to position the cages in contact with interconnection apertures located in the printed circuit boards. The frictional engagement of the cages in the apertures provides both electrical inter connection of, and mechanical coupling between the printed circuit boards.