Abstract: A low quiescent power class AB current mirror circuit includes a first input transistor for receiving an input current and a second output transistor for providing an output current; the first and second transistors having bases connected together; and a first current supply for sinking current from the bases in response to a decrease in input current to lower the quiescent point of the transistors.

Abstract: A system for monitoring the inflation status of a tire comprising a sensor mounted to the wheel rim and adapted to transmit a distance signal indicative of a measured distance from the wheel rim to the inside surface of the tire adjacent the riding surface; a control unit in communication with the sensor and adapted to receive the distance signal, wherein the control unit determines the inflation status of the tire and transmits an inflation status signal indicative of the inflation status; and an indicator located within the passenger compartment of the vehicle and in communication with the control unit to receive the inflation status signal, wherein the indicator presents the inflation status of the tire.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and resulting structure, wherein a DRAM may be fabricated by using silicon midgap materials for transistor gate electrodes, thereby improving refresh characteristics of access transistors. The threshold voltage may be set with reduced substrate doping requirements. Current leakage is improved by this process as well.

Abstract: The invention relates to a digital motion picture camera comprising at least one optoelectronic sensor device for the recording of motion pictures. The sensor device has, in an areal arrangement, a plurality of sensor elements for the production of a respective received signal in dependence on a light exposure. The camera further has a control device for the controlling of the read-out of the received signals of the sensor elements as well as a digitizing device for the digitizing of the received signals. A part of the sensor elements is associated with a central areal region of the sensor device for the production of received recording signals and another part of the sensor elements is associated with a frame-shaped areal region of the sensor device for the production of received monitoring signals, said frame-shaped areal region surrounding the central areal region.

Abstract: The invention includes a DRAM array having a structure therein which includes a first material separated from a second material by an intervening insulative material. The first material is doped to at least 1×1017 atoms/cm3 with n-type and p-type dopant. The invention also includes a semiconductor construction in which a doped material is over a segment of a substrate. The doped material has a first type majority dopant therein, and is electrically connected with an electrical ground. A pair of conductively-doped diffusion regions are adjacent the segment, and spaced from one another by at least a portion of the segment. The conductively-doped diffusion regions have a second type majority dopant therein. The invention also encompasses methods of forming semiconductor constructions.

Abstract: An electronic module having enhanced adhesion at the chip passivation and underfill interface is disclosed. The surface of the chip passivation is chemically modified to a sufficient depth such that the cured passivation is more reactive. The modified surface is treated with a polyamine preferably having a cyclic amine group extending from a preferably aliphatic backbone. During reflow of the solder joints of the electronic module by heating, the modified passivation reacts with the polyamine at the amine functionality. Following underfill of the electronic module with a polymeric material, preferably an epoxy resin, the polyamine on the surface of the passivation reacts with the underfill material during curing of the underfill material. The resulting electronic module is more robust since the amine acts as a chemical anchoring site for both the modified passivation and the underfill material.

Abstract: A process for the selective recovery of precious metals from a medium loaded with precious metals and base metals. The selective recovery of precious metals is achieved by exposing the medium to an aqueous solution containing a complex of formula MX2—, wherein M is a metal of group IB or IIB of the Periodic Table of Elements, and X is a monovalent radical. A second invention relates to the removal of copper from the medium whereby elution of copper is achieved by exposing the medium to an aqueous solution capable of oxidising Cu(I) to Cu(II) whilst not eluting precious metals from the medium.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for forming a metal nitride film by depositing a metal oxide film on the substrate and exposing the metal oxide film to a nitrating gas to densify the metal oxide and form a metal nitride film. The metal oxide film is deposited by the decomposition of a chemical vapor deposition precursor. The nitrating step comprises exposing the metal oxide film to a thermally or plasma enhanced nitrating gas preferably comprising nitrogen, oxygen, and ammonia. The invention also provides a process for forming a liner/barrier scheme for a metallization stack by forming a metal nitride layer over the substrate by the densification of a metal oxide layer by a nitrating gas depositing a metal liner layer. Optionally, a metal liner layer may be deposited over substrate prior to the metal nitride layer to forma metal/metal nitride liner/barrier scheme.

Abstract: A test array includes row conductors, column conductors, and memory cells located at crossing points of the row and column conductors. The test array can have groups of the row conductors or the column conductors electrically coupled, or ganged together, so that they share common terminals. Other selected row and column conductors can have individual terminals. In this configuration, memory cells located at the intersection of row and column conductors that have individual terminals can have their characteristics measured using a test apparatus. Ganging together groups of row or column conductors means that the test array has fewer terminals for connection to the test apparatus. Therefore, a test apparatus having a limited number of probes for connection to test array terminals can be used to test arrays of various sizes.

Abstract: An electrical connector for terminating flat cable of the type having a plurality of signal and ground conductors in parallel alignment comprises a housing which holds a plurality of signal contacts and a ground bus. Each of the signal contacts has a signal conductor termination slot configured for insulation displacement termination of a respective said signal conductor. The ground bus has a plurality of ground conductor termination slots each configured for insulation displacement termination of a respective said ground conductor, and at least one bypass slot configured to permit at least one of said signal conductors to pass through said ground bus without termination thereto. The signal conductor termination slots, the ground conductor termination slots and the at least one bypass slot are arranged such that the plurality of signal and ground conductors reside in a common plane in the connector after termination thereto.

Abstract: A fabricated steel pipe repair clamp having a steel band and interlocking steel lugs having respective tension bars and tightening bolts or studs forming the tightening assembly. The tightening assembly comprises a welded stud lug assembly, and a tension bar lug welded assembly, each having a base plate, and a backup plate. The two folded terminals of the clamping metal band are welded between the base plate and the backup plate forming the respective lug bodies. The laminated weld forming the lug assembly results in a stronger lug body backup plate and provides an even clamping force. An alternative embodiment combines the base plate and the backup plate connected to form jaws. Another embodiment employs an offset backup plate to form the lugs to receive the band ends in a recess formed between the tensioner bars and between the studs shank portions.

Abstract: A system and method update client computers of various end users with software updates for software products installed on the client computers, the software products manufacturered by diverse, unrelated software vendors. The system includes a service provider computer system, a number of client computers and software vendor computer systems communicating on a common network. The service provider computer system stores in an update database information about the software updates of the diverse software vendors, identifying the software products for which software updates are available, their location on the network at the various software vendor computer systems, information for identifying in the client computers the software products stored thereon, and information for determining for such products, which have software updates available. Users of the client computers connect to the service provider computer and obtain a current version of portions of the database.

Abstract: A dual telescopic whip antenna, antenna system, and dual telescopic method are provided. The antenna comprises a radiator including a conductive wire, and a first telescoping tube section having a first end to accept the wire and an antenna port at a second end. The radiator also includes a second telescoping tube section having a first end to accept the other end of the wire. The radiator has an extended position length that is approximately equal to the sum of the wire length, the first tube length, and the second tube length. The radiator has a contracted position with the wire length substantially withdrawn in the first and second tubes. In some aspects, the antenna further comprises a chassis with a stopper channel assembly to accept the first and second tubes in the radiator contracted position and to limit the extension of the first tube from the chassis in the radiator extended position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel geometrically restricted 2-indolinones and physiologically acceptable salts thereof which modulate the activity of protein kinases and therefore are expected to be useful in the prevention and treatment of protein kinase related cellular disorders such as cancer.

Abstract: A family of antennas, and a method for the same, are provided. The antennas include periodic electromagnetic structures to suppress non-radiating modes of propagation. Each antenna comprises a radiator resonant at a first frequency. A first dielectric is proximate to the radiator. Typically, a counterpoise is formed to the radiator. The periodic electromagnetic structures propagate a radiating mode, and suppress the propagation of a non-radiating mode. The periodic electromagnetic structures can be formed in the radiator, the counterpoise (when the counterpoise is distinctly distinguishable from the radiator), or in the first dielectric. The electromagnetic structures are a pattern of volumetric dielectric blocks having a predetermined shape and a predetermined spacing between blocks.

Abstract: An electronic circuit to cancel the input bias currents of a differential amplifier over most of the common-mode input voltage range is provided. The circuit includes an arrangement of transistors, current mirror and current sources to track the input bias currents of the differential amplifier even when the common-mode voltage is within at least 0.2 volts of the supply rail voltage level. The input bias cancellation currents are generated by tracking the input bias currents and injected into the differential amplifier inputs to cancel the input bias currents. The circuit includes a bootstrap loop to track the input bias currents when the common-mode voltage fluctuates.

Abstract: A contrast medium injector for injecting a patient with contrast medium for a CT scan is programmed to provide an injection protocol that is a representation of an ideally defined exponential curve with an initial injection rate decaying at an exponential rate. This has been found to produce a uniform vascular enhancement for the scanning of a patient's blood vessels. The particular exponential decay coefficient which has been found to be optimal is directly proportional to the cardiac output divided by the patient's weight and is approximated at 0.01 for a typical human.

Abstract: A system and method for a multi-layer logical volume management (“LVM”) system which extends the single-layer logical volume model of current technology to handle multiple levels of aggregation more efficiently. Multiple levels of aggregation allows multiple types of aggregators, such as drive linking, mirroring, and software RAID, to be used together to bypass the limitations inherent in each individual aggregation technology. An LVM data area which stores information about the organization of the multi-layer logical volume is stored within the last partition of the logical volume. A fake EBR, which describes the logical volume as if it were a single disk drive, is located in the LVM data area of one of the partitions in the logical volume. A “bottom-to-top” control methodology is used to locate the LVM data area containing the fake EBR, including setting a special flag in the LVM data area containing the fake EBR.

Abstract: A method for directory enabled, self service, single sign on user account management, the method implemented in conjunction with a directory, the directory comprising resource directory entries and user directory entries. Exemplary embodiments include receiving, from a user through a browser, an SSO user ID and SSO password of the user, the SSO password being known only to the user, retrieving from the directory, in dependence upon the SSO user ID and SSO password, a user directory entry for the user, and creating, in dependence upon the user directory entry, a new mapping of a resource to the SSO user ID.