Did You Know...
...that the Eveready Battery began as an invention called the "electric flowerpot," which was a tube with a battery and light bulb inside? The idea was to fasten this gizmo to the side of a flowerpot so it would illuminate the flowers from the bottom. The idea died on the vine and the businessman who licensed the flower pot, Conrad Huber, was left with a pile of useless tubes -- until he found a way to market them as batteries to light the world!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7352252 | Circuit and method to measure threshold voltage distributions in SRAM devices A circuit for inline testing of memory devices which provides information on the variation of the threshold voltage. The circuit includes an array of ring oscillators with a series of inverters, which already exist in the memory device. A control logic systematicall... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7336527 | Electromechanical storage device An electromechanical storage device includes an input element that facilitates the input of data, a series of data elements, and a terminating element that facilitates the reading out of data. The data elements each have at least two stable mechanical orientations, ... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7301802 | Circuit arrays having cells with combinations of transistors and nanotube switching elements Circuit arrays having cells with combinations of transistors and nanotube switches. Under one embodiment, a circuit array includes a plurality of cells arranged in an organization of words, each word having a plurality of bits. Each cell is responsive to a bit line,... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7280394 | Field effect devices having a drain controlled via a nanotube switching element Field effect devices having a drain controlled via a nanotube switching element. Under one embodiment, a field effect device includes a source region and a drain region of a first semiconductor type and a channel region disposed therebetween of a second semiconducto... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7263641 | Phase shifter with reduced linear dependency A method is disclosed for the automated synthesis of phase shifters. Phase shifters comprise circuits used to remove effects of structural dependencies featured by pseudo-random test pattern generators driving parallel scan chains. Using a concept of duality, the me... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7231380 | Apparatus and method for providing products location information to customers in a store A system and method are disclosed for providing product location information within a store. The system comprises a first user interface fixed within the store and an inventory information unit coupled to the first user interface. The first user interface is configu... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7228152 | Memory system for portable telephone A memory system is constituted of a file storage flash memory storing a control program required for a control portion and a large amount of data, and a random access memory storing a program used by the control portion and functioning as a buffer memory for receive... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7227803 | Apparatus for reducing data corruption in a non-volatile memory The loss of data and/or the corruption of data that may occur in flash memory when a reset signal is received during a memory write cycle is prevented by delaying reset signals sent to the flash memory for a time period sufficient for a write cycle to be completed. ... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7215229 | Laminated relays with multiple flexible contacts Methods and systems of assembling and making laminated electro-mechanical system (LEMS) switches are described. A plurality of structural layers are formed that include at least two structural layers that each include a flexible member. The plurality of structural l... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7211854 | Field effect devices having a gate controlled via a nanotube switching element Field effect devices having a gate controlled via a nanotube switching element. Under one embodiment, a non-volatile transistor device includes a source region and a drain region of a first semiconductor type of material and each in electrical communication with a r... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7203111 | Method and apparatus for driver circuit in a MEMS device An embodiment includes a first semiconductor element coupled between a precharge signal and a node, the first semiconductor element to allow current to flow from the precharge signal to the node when a positive voltage is present on the precharge signal, and a switc... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7193915 | Semiconductor memory device When a command is input to a semiconductor memory device, a sub-threshold current is reduced to a predetermined value corresponding to the command. After the reduction of the sub-threshold current is completed, the semiconductor memory device starts to operate corre... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7190604 | Capacity dividable memory IC Two memory areas on a wafer are coupled through pass transistors to double the memory capacity of each area and can be sawed to yield two memory chips each with single memory area. A pair of pass transistors are used to couple each dedicated functional pad in both m... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7115901 | Non-volatile electromechanical field effect devices and circuits using same and methods of forming same Non-volatile field effect devices and circuits using same. A non-volatile field effect device includes a source, drain and gate with a field-modulatable channel between the source and drain. Each of the source, drain, and gate have a corresponding terminal. An elect... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7116606 | Method and circuit of plasma damage protection A protection circuit to discharge plasma-induced charges in a semiconductor device or integrated circuit includes a PMOS transistor and a diode. The PMOS transistor includes a substrate, a drain, a source, and a gate, the source being coupled to receive the plasma-i... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7112493 | Method of making non-volatile field effect devices and arrays of same Methods of making non-volatile field effect devices and arrays of same. Under one embodiment, a method of making a non-volatile field effect device includes providing a substrate with a field effect device formed therein. The field effect device includes a source, d... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7071031 | Three-dimensional integrated CMOS-MEMS device and process for making the same A vertically integrated structure includes a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) and a chip for delivering signals to the MEMS. The structure includes a metal stud connecting a surface of the chip and the MEMS; the MEMS has an anchor portion having a conducting pa... | 07/04/2006 |
| 7046560 | Reduction of fusible links and associated circuitry on memory dies The number of fusible links and other circuit components required to provide memory cell redundancy are reduced by sharing physical memory locations among address banks that store memory addresses. Non-trial and error algorithms and techniques determine the number o... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7012184 | Disc for use in an apparatus for signal processing and such an apparatus The invention relates to a disc for use in an apparatus for signal processing, which apparatus comprises a digital audio source and a record player with a turntable and an arm carrying a pick-up element which is arranged to play a conventional record. The disc durin... | 03/14/2006 |
| 6972881 | Micro-electro-mechanical switch (MEMS) display panel with on-glass column multiplexers using MEMS as mux elements A display has an array of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Switches (MEMS) display elements on a substrate such as glass. Rather than directly drive all columns of the MEMS display elements from off-substrate column drivers, column mux logic is placed on the substrate. The ... | 12/06/2005 |
| 6911682 | Electromechanical three-trace junction devices Three trace electromechanical circuits and methods of using same are described. A circuit includes first and second electrically conductive elements with a nanotube ribbon (or other electromechanical elements) disposed therebetween. The nanotube ribbon is movable to... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6906850 | Capacitively coupled micromirror A capacitively coupled microelectromechanical device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a member operable to deflect to either of at least two states; and a switch for selectively connecting the member to a voltage signal. When a logic high signal is stored on m... | 06/14/2005 |
| 6608786 | Apparatus and method for a memory storage cell leakage cancellation scheme An apparatus is described having a plurality of storage cells coupled between a first bit line and a second bit line. The apparatus also has a first transistor that pre-charges the first bit line and provides a first supply of current for one or more leak... | 08/19/2003 |
| 6604156 | Message buffer full handling in a CAN device that employs reconfigurable message buffers A CAN microcontroller that supports a plurality of message objects, and that includes a processor core that runs CAN applications, a plurality of message buffers associated with respective ones of the message objects, a CAN/CAL module that processes incom... | 08/05/2003 |
| 6493287 | Can microcontroller that utilizes a dedicated RAM memory space to store message-object configuration information A CAN microcontroller that supports a plurality of message objects, including a processor core that runs CAN applications, a CAN/CAL module that processes incoming messages, and a data memory space. The data memory space includes a plurality of message bu... | 12/10/2002 |
| 6473361 | Electromechanical memory cell A low power, nonvolatile microelectromechanical memory cell stores data. This memory cell uses a pair of cantilevers, to store a bit of information. The on and off state of this mechanical latch is switched by using, for example, electrostatic forces appl... | 10/29/2002 |
| 6352854 | Remotely programmable matrices with memories Combinations, called matrices with memories, of matrix materials with remotely addressable or remotely programmable recording devices that contain at least one data storage unit are provided. The matrix materials are those that are used in as supports in ... | 03/05/2002 |
| 6026007 | Insertable and removable high capacity digital memory apparatus and methods of operation thereof Each device of a family of removable digital media devices (310, 320, 330, 340, 350 and 360) may be plugged into a host to permits the host to store data in it or to retrieve data from it. The form factors of the digital media devices in the family and th... | 02/15/2000 |
| 6008538 | Method and apparatus providing redundancy for fabricating highly reliable memory modules A method and apparatus for repair of a multi-chip module such as a memory module is provided, where at least one redundant or auxiliary chip attach location is provided on the substrate of the multi-chip module. The auxiliary chip attach location preferab... | 12/28/1999 |
| 5877975 | Insertable/removable digital memory apparatus and methods of operation thereof Each device of a family of removable digital media devices (310, 320, 330, 340, 350 and 360) may be plugged into a host to permits the host to store data in it or to retrieve data from it. The form factors of the digital media devices in the family and th... | 03/02/1999 |
| 5815426 | Adapter for interfacing an insertable/removable digital memory apparatus to a host data part Each device of a family of removable digital media devices (310, 320, 330, 340, 350 and 360) may be plugged into a host to permits the host to store data in it or to retrieve data from it. The form factors of the digital media devices in the family and th... | 09/29/1998 |
| 5774414 | Memory device and production method A memory device includes a multiplicity of memory cells disposed on a substrate for at least intermittent stable storage of at least two different information states. A writing device is associated with the memory cells for selectively putting one of the ... | 06/30/1998 |
| 5581499 | Micro information storage system A device for optically storing and retrieving information incorporating a cadmium fluoride crystal. Using focused ionizing radiation, patterns can be formed in the crystal by the creation of color centers and/or intrinsic luminescence quenched areas. The ... | 12/03/1996 |
| 5517151 | Intensity controlling circuit having fuses and EPROMs for LED-array head An intensity controlling circuit device can correct variation in intensity of light beams, due to tolerance occurred in each of a plurality of LED-array chips, emitted by LEDs provided in each of the LED-array chips. The intensity controlling circuit devi... | 05/14/1996 |
| 5481491 | Recording medium, recording method, and readout method A recording medium comprises an electroconductive oxide film held between a substrate and an insulating oxide film. A recording method locally applies a voltage onto the medium to form a portion different in electric resistance or oxygen content in the el... | 01/02/1996 |
| 5392418 | Programmable read only memory with output indicating programming state A non-volatile memory cell including a pn diode and a circuit for sensing the logic state of the pn diode such that a logic one state indicates that the diode is in its normal state, while the other logic state is created by fusing the diode for creating ... | 02/21/1995 |
| 5383148 | Single in-line memory module A full width single in-line memory module (SIMM) for dynamic random access memory (DRAM) memory expansions is disclosed. A printed circuit board having a multiplicity of DRAM memory elements mounted thereto is arranged in a data path having a width of 144... | 01/17/1995 |
| 5284538 | Optical disc having signal recording layer on each side and method for producing same A double-side optical disc formed by a pair of optical disc halves bonded together, and a process for producing the double-side optical disc. An adhesive is applied to the disc halves, which are then bonded together at an angle relative to each other in w... | 02/08/1994 |
| 5257240 | Wave restructurer/non-volatile computer memory bit An input source is digitalized via a rotated wedge (or wedges) which is operatively sandwiched between a rigidly secured input wire (or wires) and a rigidly secured output wire (or wires).... | 10/26/1993 |
| 5001696 | Method of preparing an image access card A method and system for preparing image access cards to be used with an image access system. The image access system utilizes a storage medium containing the images and a reference table which includes a series of reference numbers associated with the sto... | 03/19/1991 |