Abstract: Method and device for the management of lactating animals wherein the reproduction stage of an animal is correlated with the lactation stage of the animal. A state of the animal is determined by means of automatically obtained sensor data. The state of the animal is graphically illustrated.

Abstract: Method and device for the management of lactating animals wherein the reproduction stage of an animal is correlated with the lactation stage of the animal. A state of the animal is determined by means of automatically obtained sensor data. The state of the animal is graphically illustrated.

Abstract: A method of depositing a silicon layer on a substrate includes the steps of placing a doped silicon (or silicon composite) target and a substrate in a vacuum chamber. An arc discharge is initiated using the silicon target as a cathode and the chamber as an anode to generate a plasma containing target material. Current pulses of a predetermined frequency are applied between the cathode and the anode and the arc is reinitiated as necessary so that silicon material from the plasma is deposited on the substrate to form a layer having a desired thickness. The resultant silicon layer is an important component in MEMS devices.

Abstract: A method of performing magnetic annealing of a ferromagnetic thin film applied to a substrate includes applying an oscillating magnetic field to the ferromagnetic thin film to induce a current therein and heat the ferromagnetic thin film. A directional magnetic field is applied to the ferromagnetic thin film at the same time as the ferromagnetic thin film is heated, and the ferromagnetic thin film is allowed to acquire a desired magnetic characteristic, and then the oscillating magnetic field is removed and the ferromagnetic thin film is allowed to cool.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer level package used to encapsulate a device fabricated on a semiconductor substrate wafer before dicing of the wafer into individual chips. A cap wafer may be bonded to the semiconductor substrate using a low temperature frit glass layer as a bonding agent. The frit glass layer is in direct contact with the device. A hermetic seal is formed by a combination of the semiconductor substrate wafer, the cap wafer and the frit glass layer. A second embodiment of the package does not contain a cap wafer.

Abstract: An improved network interface unit having a substantially smaller width than many prior art network interface units. The network interface unit comprises a single, planar circuit board assembly interconnected between incoming and outgoing telephone lines and incoming and outgoing customer premises lines. Two relays and a controller are mounted on the board. The controller monitors the transmission of data along the lines and, by activating the relays, provides communication and maintenance functions, such as loopback. The network interface unit utilizes a controller made up of (1) a processor-based software control system and (2) an integrally cooperating application specific integrated circuit. The controller may, for example, provide and monitor framing, detect and monitor signals, and convert bipolar data to unipolar data.