The interactive authentication system allows a consumer to interact with a base station, such as broadcast media (e.g., television and radio) or PC, to receive coupons, special sales offers, and other information with an electronic card. The electronic card can also be used to transmit a signal that can be received by the base station to perform a wide variety of tasks. These tasks can include launching an application, authenticating a user at a website, and completing a sales transaction at a website (e.g., by filling out a form automatically). The interaction between the base station and the electronic card is accomplished by using the conventional sound system in the base station so that a special reader hardware need not be installed to interact with the electronic card. The user is equipped with an electronic card that can receive and transmit data via sound waves. In the various embodiments, the sound waves can be audible or ultrasonic (which can be slightly audible to some groups of people).

Physical presence digital authentication system

An architecture for a line card in a network routing device is provided. The line card architecture provides a bi-directional interface between the routing device and a network, both receiving packets from the network and transmitting the packets to the network through one or more connecting ports. In both the receive and transmit path, packets processing and routing in a multi-stage, parallel pipeline that can operate on several packets at the same time to determine each packet's routing destination is provided. Once a routing destination determination is made, the line card architecture provides for each received packet to be modified to contain new routing information and additional header data to facilitate packet transmission through the switching fabric. The line card architecture further provides for the use of bandwidth management techniques in order to buffer and enqueue each packet for transmission through the switching fabric to a corresponding destination port. The transmit path of the line card architecture further incorporates additional features for treatment and replication of multicast packets.

Pipelined packet switching and queuing architecture

A simplified process for flip-chip attachment of a chip (10) to a substrate (20) is provided by pre-coating the chip (10) with an encapsulant underfill material (22) having discrete solder columns therein to eliminate the conventional capillary flow underfill process. Such a structure permits incorporation of remeltable layers for rework, test, or repair. It also allows incorporation of electrical redistribution layers. In one aspect, the chip (10) and pre-coated encapsulant are placed at an angle to the substrate and brought into contact with the pre-coated substrate, then the chip (10) and pre-coated encapsulant are pivoted about the first point of contact, expelling any gas therebetween until the solder bumps (14) on the chip are fully in contact with the substrate (20). There is provided a flip-chip configuration having a compliant solder/flexible encapsulant understructure that deforms generally laterally with the substrate (20) as the substrate (20) undergoes expansion and contraction. With this configuration, the compliant solder/flexible encapsulant understructure absorbs the strain caused by the substrate without bending the chip (10) and substrate (20).

Semiconductor flip-chip package and method for the fabrication thereof

A semiconductor package substrate is provided, which can meet the move toward high integration of semiconductors. A nickel layer is plated on an electroplated copper foil to form a wiring pattern. An LSI chip is mounted on the copper foil, and terminals of the LSI chip and the wiring pattern are connected by wire bonding, followed by sealing with a semiconductor-sealing epoxy resin. Only the copper foil is dissolved away with an alkali etchant to expose nickel. With a nickel stripper having low copper-dissolving power, the nickel layer is removed to expose the wiring pattern. A solder resist is coated, and a pattern is formed in such a way that connecting terminal portions are exposed. Solder balls are placed at the exposed portions of the wiring pattern and are then fused. The wiring pattern is connected to an external printed board via the solder balls.

Fabrication process of semiconductor package and semiconductor package

A system and method for providing automatic and coordinated sharing of conversational resources, e.g., functions and arguments, between network-connected servers and devices and their corresponding applications. In one aspect, a system for providing automatic and coordinated sharing of conversational resources includes a network having a first and second network device, the first and second network device each comprising a set of conversational resources, a dialog manager for managing a conversation and executing calls requesting a conversational service, and a communication stack for communicating messages over the network using conversational protocols, wherein the conversational protocols establish coordinated network communication between the dialog managers of the first and second network device to automatically share the set of conversational resources of the first and second network device, when necessary, to perform their respective requested conversational service.

System and method for providing network coordinated conversational services

A semiconductor device package comprises a substrate (10), a flip-chip (16), an underfill adhesive (25), and a thermally and electrically conductive plastic material (20). A leadless circuit carrying substrate has a metallization pattern (13) on a first side (15), one portion of the metallization pattern being a circuit ground (17). The second side has an array of surface mount solder pads (24) electrically connected to the metallization pattern by means of at least one conductive via (26) through the substrate. A semiconductor device (16) is flip-chip mounted to the metallization pattern by means of metal bumps (22). An underfill adhesive (25) fills the gap between the semiconductor device and the substrate. A thermally and electrically conductive plastic material (20) containing metal particles is transfer molded to encapsulate the semiconductor device, the underfill adhesive, and a portion of the first side of the leadless circuit carrying substrate, forming a cover. The conductive plastic material is electrically connected to the circuit ground to shield the semiconductor device from radio frequency energy, and is mechanically attached to the semiconductor device to dissipate heat. Fins (28) may be molded into the conductive plastic material to further enhance the ability to dissipate heat.

Thermally conductive integrated circuit package with radio frequency shielding

A three-dimensional printed circuit assembly is formed by first making a substrate (20). A substrate (20) is first formed from a photoactive polymer (14) that is capable of altering its physical state when exposed to a radiant beam (30). At this point, the substrate is only partially cured. A conductive circuit pattern (50) is then formed on the partially cured substrate. The substrate is then molded to create a three-dimensional structure, and then further cured to cause the photoactive polymer to harden.

Method of forming a three-dimensional printed circuit assembly

A method of forming solder bumps includes the steps of applying a thick layer of solder resist (22) to a substrate (20). The resist is selectively removed to provide wells (23) at solder pads (21) on the substrate. The solder paste (24) is applied to the substrate in the wells. The solder paste is reflowed to form solder bumps (25) on the pads. A socket for a solder bumped member (36) is obtained by first providing a substrate (30) having metallized pads corresponding to the solder bumps of the member. A thick layer of photo definable solder resist (32) is applied to the substrate. The resist is selectively removed to provide wells (33) at the metallized pads (31) of the substrate. Solder paste (34) is then deposited in the wells. The solder bumped member (36) can then be positioned so that the solder bumps (37) are located in the wells. The solder paste (34) is reflowed to bond to the solder bumps (37) and the metallized pads (31). The solder paste (34) can be selected to have a lower melting temperature than the solder bumps (37). By reflowing the solder paste (34) at a temperature lower than the melting temperature of the solder bumps (37), the paste can wet to and blend with the solder bumps while not causing the solder bumps to reflow.

Method of making high density solder bumps and a substrate socket for high density solder bumps

The preferred housing includes an integrally molded thermoplastic base (102) and cover (104) assembly. The cover is joined to the base by a living hinge (106) and a peripheral wall (108) extends around the perimeter of the base. In one embodiment, the antenna is a wire loop (204), the wire being wound in an external circumferential groove (202A) in the peripheral wall or, alternatively, integrally molded into the peripheral wall. Other embodiments use printed circuit loop antenna patterns that are preferably vacuum deposited directly onto the thermoplastic base and/or cover. When the antenna pattern is disposed on both the cover and the base, a portion of the antenna (e.g., 1002K) is also disposed on the hinge to join the main portions of the antenna on the base and cover. In one embodiment of the printed circuit loop antenna, the plane of the loop lies parallel to the base and may include one or more turns or loops (e.g., 402C, E, G and J). In another embodiment, the loop includes a 90 degree bend (e.g., 504) and both planes of the loop lie perpendicular to the base. In still another embodiment, the loop includes three 90 degree bends, a crossover at one of the bends (e.g., at 704), and all four planes of the loop lie perpendicular to the base.

Ultra thin radio housing with integral antenna

A pad grid array comprises an array of cavities (12) formed in a circuit carrying substrate (10) that are metallized (18, 20, and 22) to provide electrical conductivity. The metallized cavities are preferably hemispherical in shape and approximately the size of the solder bumps (30) coupled to a solder bumped chip carrier (28) that will be mounted thereon. Flux (26) is applied to each of the metallized cavities before positioning the solder bumped chip (28) carrier over the pad grid array. Proper mounting can be detected by tactile sensing in either human or robotic assemblers when the solder bumps "drop" into the metallized cavities.

Anthony B. Suppelsa

Papers

Thermally conductive integrated circuit package with radio frequency shielding

Method of forming a three-dimensional printed circuit assembly

Method of making high density solder bumps and a substrate socket for high density solder bumps

Ultra thin radio housing with integral antenna

Pad grid array for receiving a solder bumped chip carrier