Abstract: A microscale biosensor for use in the detection of target biological substances includes a detection chamber disposed on the substrate and defining a volume between 1 pico-liter and 1 micro-liter. The detection chamber is adapted to confine a composition containing microorganisms. Specimen concentration componentry is connected to the detection chamber for rapidly concentrating the microorganisms in the detection chamber. A heater is operatively connected to the substrate to heat the composition in the detection chamber. Electrodes are mounted on the substrate in communication with the detection chamber to identify AC impedance changes within the detection chamber from bacterial metabolism of the microorganisms of the composition over time.

Abstract: An air purification system for a central air conditioning unit for effectively purifying air for central air conditioning systems. The air purification system for a central air conditioning unit includes a pan assembly including a pan member having bottom and side walls, and also having a plurality of ports being spaced about and being disposed through the bottom wall with the pan member being adapted to hold water and to be disposed in a duct for a central air conditioning system; and also includes a plurality of air intake members being disposed in the ports of the pan member; and further includes cap assemblies including a plurality of tubular cap members being spaced above and disposed about the air intake members.

Abstract: A microscale biosensor for use in the detection of target biological substances including molecules and cells is a microfluidic system with integrated electronics, inlet-outlet ports and interface schemes, high sensitivity detection of pathogen specificity, and processing of biological materials at semiconductor interfaces. A fabrication process includes an all top-side processing for the formation of fluidic channels, planar fluidic interface ports, integrated metal electrodes for impedance measurements, and a glass cover sealing the non-planar topography of the chip using spin-on-glass as an intermediate bonding layer. Detection sensitivity is enhanced by small fluid volumes, use of a low-conductivity buffer, and electrical magnitude or phase measurements over a range of frequencies.

Abstract: A modular frame assembly for a wafer fabrication system comprising at least one base casting and at least one upstanding pod door opening casting. The at least one base casting and at least one upstanding pod door opening casting are self registering and allow frames for wafer fabrication systems of any normally desired configuration to be produced out or a small number of cast modules. More specifically, in a preferred embodiment, frames configured to mate with one to four commercially available loaders may be readily assembled out of the aluminum castings.

Abstract: A method for collecting a microbiological substance utilizes a microfabricated biochip having a collection chamber. A fluid sample containing a microbiological entity of interest is delivered to the collection chamber in the biochip. Then a non-uniform electric field is generated in the collection chamber, to retain the microbiological entity of interest in the collection chamber. The microbiological entity is retained through dielectrophoresis induced by the energization of the electrodes by a periodically applied, alternating current.

Abstract: A microscale biosensor for use in the detection of target biological substances including molecules and cells is a microfluidic system with integrated electronics, inlet-outlet ports and interface schemes, high sensitivity detection of pathogen specificity, and processing of biological materials at semiconductor interfaces. A fabrication process includes an all top-side processing for the formation of fluidic channels, planar fluidic interface ports, integrated metal electrodes for impedance measurements, and a glass cover sealing the non-planar topography of the chip using spin-on-glass as an intermediate bonding layer. Detection sensitivity is enhanced by small fluid volumes, use of a low-conductivity buffer, and electrical magnitude or phase measurements over a range of frequencies.

Abstract: A substrate handling system with integrated door removal assembly for an environmentally controlled substrate processing chamber is provided. The system includes a robot positioned within the chamber. A drive mechanism is connected to the robot. A door interface mechanism is attached to the drive mechanism and includes a door key and a door key control assembly. The drive mechanism provides mechanical control of the door key control assembly such that that door key is manipulated to couple a substrate carrier door to a port door. The coupled doors are storable within the chamber or on the robot. The drive mechanism may also include a substrate end effector, thereby allowing the robot to transport substrates within the chamber. The robot is movable within the chamber to multiple processing stations.

Abstract: In a digital switch, incoming cells are placed into a queue in a cell memory. The switch maintains various cell queues, including VC queues that correspond to individual connections and QBin queues that correspond to various classes of service. Cells may arrive to a VC queue or a QBin queue but will depart from a QBin queue. Accordingly, cells may be moved from VC queues to QBin queues. Cells are serviced according to the use of QBin Groups. A QBin Group (QBG) includes a number of logical queues (QBins) of cells to be transported in the digital network. After a QBG is selected, one of its logical queues is selected for servicing. The QBG may be selected by examining all of the QBGs to find an eligible QBG which is most overdue for service. A QBin of the selected QBG may then be selected by examining each of the QBins comprising the selected QBG to find the most overdue for service. The QBGs may correspond to virtual interfaces.

Abstract: A microscale biosensor for use in the detection of target biological substances including molecules and cells is a microfluidic system with integrated electronics, inlet-outlet ports and interface schemes, high sensitivity detection of pathogen specificity, and processing of biological materials at semiconductor interfaces. A fabrication process includes an all top-side processing for the formation of fluidic channels, planar fluidic interface ports, integrated metal electrodes for impedance measurements, and a glass cover sealing the non-planar topography of the chip using spin-on-glass as an intermediate bonding layer. Detection sensitivity is enhanced by small fluid volumes, use of a low-conductivity buffer, and electrical magnitude or phase measurements over a range of frequencies.

Abstract: A Fault Tolerant Dial Router (FTDR) includes redundant subsystem resources that operate independently of telephone line interface connections. The redundant resources are switched active when a failure is detected in an activated dial router subsystem. Switching out subsystem failures is fully automated under software control, providing uninterrupted service to users with limited performance loss. The FTDR includes a switching mechanism that selectively switches out the telephone interfaces or other subsystem resources inside the dial router box detected as having failures. The subsystem resources include line framers, controllers and modem modules.

Abstract: A mechanism for buffering communication cells in a communication controller, wherein a cell queuing circuit provides a cell loss priority mechanism, and wherein the cell queuing circuit determines service states for queue channels according to bandwidth allocation parameters. The service states includes a serve.sub.-- now state, a serve.sub.-- ok state, and a no.sub.-- serve state, such that a queue channel is in the serve.sub.-- now state if the queue channel must be serviced to maintain a minimum information rate parameter for the queue channel, the serve.sub.-- ok state if the queue channel can be serviced and not exceed a peak information rate parameter for the queue channel.