Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Nanotechnology, Inc.

Other

Dual-Lite Manufacturing, Inc.

John W Chu

Thomas H Wong

Bradley J Bereznak

A pseudo-mechanical system in accordance with the invention comprises an electrical generator which converts mechanical energy into electrical energy to power the resistive heating of an ohmic electromechanical component, whose consequent form change is exploited to perform mechanical work.

Pseudo-mechanical system incorporating ohmic electromechanical

An electromechanical gating mechanism comprises an electrical energy generating system for generating electrical energy in response to and utilizing energy derived from mechanical motion consciously generated by an intelligent agency. An electronic decision making apparatus is solely powered by the electrical energy generated by the electrical energy generating device. The decision making apparatus, which may include a non-volatile memory, is adapted to receive information, to make one of a set of possible decisions based on the information and on its logic and/or data in its memory and to generate a specific low power electrical output in response to a selected one of the set of possible decisions being made. A mechanical gate has at least two positions. An electrical to mechanical energy conversion device serves for converting electrostatically the low power electrical output into a minute mechanical force/movement and for applying the minute mechanical force/movement to position the gate in a selected one of its positions. An apparatus as set forth above does not require a separate power source, be it a battery or access to AC power. Thus wiring and installation costs are significantly reduced.

Electrostatically activated gating mechanism

An improved line receiver with high common mode rejection is operable at voltages above the power supply voltage (VCC) as well as below ground. Input resistors provide high input impedence as well as means through which current summing of current mirror currents at the input transistor base nodes is translated into voltage drops which boosts the common mode rejection range of the circuit. Built-in hysteresis circuitry ensures proper detection of non-common mode signals. The high input impedence and high sensitivity allow multiple receivers of the type to be connected in parallel across a common bus for interrogation by a remote system. The preferred embodiment of the present invention is implemented in integrated circuit technology.

Line receiver

An improved thin film resistor material is disclosed which comprises a chromium-silicon-carbon material containing from about 25 to 35 wt. % chromium, about 45 to 55 wt. % silicon, and about 20 to 30 wt. % carbon. The resistor material is further characterized by a resistivity of greater than about 800 ohms per square to less than about 1200 ohms per square, a temperature coefficient of resistance of less than 160 ppm per degree Centigrade, and a lifetime stability of less than 0.1% change in resistivity. In the preferred embodiment, the resistor material contains 31 wt. % chromium, 46 wt. % silicon, and 24 wt. % carbon.

Thin film chromium-silicon-carbon resistor

A dual bus driver including a voltage input, a current source, a single data input, a first driver transistor for driving one bus, a second driver transistor for driving the other bus, a first pair of differential transistors for turning on either the first driver transistor or the second driver transistor to couple an input signal at the data input to the one bus or the other bus, and a second pair of differential transistors for disabling both driver transistors. By providing a driver that drives both buses, reduced power consumption, fewer circuit components and less integrated circuit layout complexities are achieved.

Growing community of inventors

Cupertino, CA, United States of America

John W Chu