Abstract: A semiconductor power device includes a drift region of a first conductivity type, a well region extending above the drift region and having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, an active trench extending through the well region and into the drift region. The active trench, which includes sidewalls and bottom lined with dielectric material, is substantially filled with a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. The second conductive layer forms a gate electrode and is disposed above the first conductive layer and is separated from the first conductive layer by an inter-electrode dielectric material. The device also includes source regions having the first conductivity type formed inside the well region and adjacent the active trench and a charge control trench that extends deeper into the drift region than the active trench and is substantially filled with material to allow for vertical charge control in the drift region.

Abstract: A semiconductor power device includes a drift region of a first conductivity type, a well region extending above the drift region and having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, an active trench extending through the well region and into the drift region, source regions having the first conductivity type formed in the well region adjacent the active trench, and a first termination trench extending below the well region and disposed at an outer edge of an active region of the device. The sidewalls and bottom of the active trench are lined with dielectric material, and substantially filled with a first conductive layer forming an upper electrode and a second conductive layer forming a lower electrode, the upper electrode being disposed above the lower electrode and separated therefrom by inter-electrode dielectric material.

Abstract: A writing instrument having a writing leg having a writing tip extending from an end of the writing leg; a gate leg; a joint between the writing leg and the gate leg, wherein the joint is proximate to the writing tip and is to be grasped between a forefinger and thumb, and a third leg attached at one end to the second leg and at another end to the writing leg at a location distal to the writing tip, wherein said writing, second and third legs define an aperture sufficiently large to receive five fingers of a hand grasping the second leg.

Abstract: Various embodiments for improved power devices as well as their methods of manufacture, packaging and circuitry incorporating the same for use in a wide variety of power electronic applications are disclosed. One aspect of the invention combines a number of charge balancing techniques and other techniques for reducing parasitic capacitance to arrive at different embodiments for power devices with improved voltage performance, higher switching speed, and lower on-resistance. Another aspect of the invention provides improved termination structures for low, medium and high voltage devices. Improved methods of fabrication for power devices are provided according to other aspects of the invention. Improvements to specific processing steps, such as formation of trenches, formation of dielectric layers inside trenches, formation of mesa structures and processes for reducing substrate thickness, among others, are presented.

Abstract: Various embodiments for improved power devices as well as their methods of manufacture, packaging and circuitry incorporating the same for use in a wide variety of power electronic applications are disclosed. One aspect of the invention combines a number of charge balancing techniques and other techniques for reducing parasitic capacitance to arrive at different embodiments for power devices with improved voltage performance, higher switching speed, and lower on-resistance. Another aspect of the invention provides improved termination structures for low, medium and high voltage devices. Improved methods of fabrication for power devices are provided according to other aspects of the invention. Improvements to specific processing steps, such as formation of trenches, formation of dielectric layers inside trenches, formation of mesa structures and processes for reducing substrate thickness, among others, are presented.

Abstract: Various embodiments for improved power devices as well as their methods of manufacture, packaging and circuitry incorporating the same for use in a wide variety of power electronic applications are disclosed. One aspect of the invention combines a number of charge balancing techniques and other techniques for reducing parasitic capacitance to arrive at different embodiments for power devices with improved voltage performance, higher switching speed, and lower on-resistance. Another aspect of the invention provides improved termination structures for low, medium and high voltage devices. Improved methods of fabrication for power devices are provided according to other aspects of the invention. Improvements to specific processing steps, such as formation of trenches, formation of dielectric layers inside trenches, formation of mesa structures and processes for reducing substrate thickness, among others, are presented.

Abstract: Apparatus for simulating flames and producing a more realistic flame effect is provided. The apparatus comprises a light source to illuminate at least one flame element which is movably suspended within the apparatus, and viewed through a diffusing screen. The apparatus includes a means for simulating airborne burning embers which comprises the tape used as the suspending means for the flame elements. The apparatus also includes reflective flicker flame elements to produce a variation in the colour and intensity of the flame effect produced. In has been found that the realism of the flame effect can be enhanced if the top of the flame element it is angled rearwards with respect to the viewing screen.

Abstract: An encryption-decryption disk drive arrangement has a recordable disk and is configured so that data can be securely stored on the disk. The drive housing or enclosure is sealed, and any attempt to open the housing or to access the internal electronics will cause the encryption/decryption keys and firmware to be erased from EEPROMs in the drive. The drive can be configured so that data are encrypted and distributed between two disks, which can be a writeable CD ROM disk and a magnetic disk. With this disk drive arrangement, the encryption and decryption operations take place in the drive, and do not affect the motherboard or daughterboards of the associated computer. This arrangement can also be used to authenticating or verifying digitally stored documents and records.

Abstract: A plural fuel system for internal combustion engines in which the efficiency of the engine is raised by burning fuels singly or in combination with other liquid, gasified, or gaseous fuels, which best meet the load, speed, and environmental demands placed on the engine. A microprocessor-controlled air compressor adjusts the volume of air entering the engine cylinders, adjusting the effective compression ratio and charge density of the engine in accordance with the fuel or fuels being burned, while maintaining precise air/fuel ratios. Environmental conditions such as air temperature, altitude, coolant temperature, etc. are also sensed, processed, and adjusted by the microprocessor through various input and output devices in real time.

Abstract: Modifications to the cylinder head of internal combustion engines in which the efficiency of fuel combustion is raised by the use of a plurality of liquid, vaporized liquid, and gaseous fuels through the alteration of cylinder compression ratios and spark timing to burn those fuels. It has been demonstrated that certain fuels have salient advantages under specified engine speed and load conditions, and in selected enviroments and vehicle applications, but that no single fuel is capable of excelling in all potential application scenarios. Burning each of these fuels efficiently has required engine specifications optimized to a single fuel or fuel state, such as compression ratio, intake tract design, electronic fuel injector duration and timing, and spark timing curves, which have been severely compromised when they were required to cope with the demands of a second fuel.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing device, such as a cassette tape player, records data on the cassette in advance of the recorded material, to identify the recorded selections by artist, title, etc., and also to identify the position at which each of the recorded selections begins. When the tape is played back, this header data is read from the tape, and the artist, title and location data are stored in memory. The stored title and artist data are displayed, and can be scrolled by a user. The user then selects a desired one of the recorded selections based on the displayed artist and title data. The player automatically advances the tape or other record medium to the beginning of the desired selection based on the location data stored in the memory. A number of selections can be automatically played in this fashion in the order desired. The apparatus can be an automotive tape player, wherein the associated display unit is a heads-up display reflected in the vehicle windshield.

Abstract: In a microprogrammed data processing pipeline system comprising a plurality of stages, microinstructions for controlling the stages are stored as templates in an addressable template micromemory store and are provided automatically and sequentially to the stages of the pipeline system. Operation microcode is introduced for a particular stage after the templates are issued from the micromemory store but before provision thereof to the pipeline system, thereby allowing a single template to control a plurality of different operations of a particular stage within the pipeline system. Provision is also made to freeze or inhibit the issuance of subsequent templates during the execution of excessively long operations in the particular stage.