In the claims:
1. A method for fabricating a non-FLASH integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:
providing a semiconductor body;
forming a top metal interconnect layer over the semiconductor body; and
depositing a protective overcoat over the semiconductor body, wherein said protective overcoat comprises silicon-oxynitride (SiON).
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
patterning and etching said protective overcoat to form bondpad windows in said protective overcoat; and
thereafter, performing a sinter.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said sinter is performed at a temperature less than 350 C.
4. The method of claim 2, further wherein said patterning and etching step is performed after forming said top metal interconnect layer.
5. The method of claim 2, further wherein said patterning and etching step is performed prior to forming said top metal interconnect layer.
6. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of, after patterning and etching said protective overcoat, packaging the non-FLASH integrated circuit wherein a temperature of the semiconductor body is kept below 350 C. between said patterning and etching step and said packaging step.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
patterning and etching said protective overcoat to form bondpad windows in said protective overcoat; and
thereafter, packaging the non-FLASH integrated circuit wherein no sintering steps are performed between said patterning and etching step and said packaging step.
8. A method for fabricating a non-FLASH integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:
providing a semiconductor body;
forming a top metal interconnect layer over said semiconductor body;
depositing a protective overcoat over said semiconductor body, wherein said protective overcoat comprises silicon-oxynitride (SiON); and
patterning and etching said protective overcoat to form bondpad windows in said protective overcoat.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein said patterning and etching step is performed after said step of forming a top metal interconnect layer.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein said patterning and etching step is performed prior to said step of forming a top metal interconnect layer.
11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of performing a sinter after said patterning and etching step.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein said sinter is performed at a temperature less than 350 C.
13. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of packaging the non-FLASH integrated circuit wherein a temperature of the semiconductor body is kept below 350 C. between said patterning and etching step and said packaging step.
14. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of packaging the non-FLASH integrated circuit wherein no sintering steps are performed between said patterning and etching step and said packaging step.
15. A non-flash integrated circuit, comprising:
a top metal interconnect level having bondpads over a semiconductor body; and
a protective overcoat comprising silicon oxynitride accompanying the top metal interconnect level.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-20. (canceled)
21. A user device for providing dynamic speech processing services during variable network connectivity with a network server, comprising:
a connection determiner that monitors a level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server;
a simplified speech processor that processes speech data and is initiated based on a determination by the connection determiner that the level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server is impaired;
a memory that stores processed speech data processed by the simplified speech processor; and
a transmitter configured to transmit the stored processed speech data,
wherein the connection determiner determines when the level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server is no longer impaired.
22. The user device according to claim 21,
wherein a request is transmitted from the user device to reinitiate a non-simplified speech processor of the network server to seamlessly reinitiate the non-simplified speech processor, in response to a determination by the connection determiner that the level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server is no longer impaired.
23. The user device according to claim 22,
wherein the simplified speech processor of the user device uses less computing power than the non-simplified speech processor of the network server.
24. The user device according to claim 22,
wherein the request to reinitiate the non-simplified speech processor is transmitted during a time when the simplified speech processor is not processing speech data.
25. The user device according to claim 21,
wherein the connection determiner categorizes the level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server.
26. The user device according to claim 21,
wherein the simplified speech processor selects one of a plurality of speech processing engines based upon a quantified level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server.
27. The user device according to claim 21,
wherein the simplified speech processor selects one of a plurality of speech processing engines, based on a computing power level of each of the speech processing engines.
28. A method for providing dynamic speech processing services during variable network connectivity with a network server, comprising:
monitoring, at a user device, a level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server;
initiating a simplified speech processor that processes speech data, based on a determination that the level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server is impaired;
storing processed speech data processed by the simplified speech processor;
determining when the level of connectivity between the user device and the network server is no longer impaired; and
transmitting the stored processed speech data.
29. The method according to claim 28, further comprising:
transmitting a request to reinitiate a non-simplified speech processor of the network server to seamlessly reinitiate the non-simplified speech processor, in response to a determination that the level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server is no longer impaired.
30. The method according to claim 29,
wherein the simplified speech processor of the user device uses less computing power than the non-simplified speech processor of the network server.
31. The method according to claim 29,
wherein the request to reinitiate the non-simplified speech processor is transmitted during a time when the simplified speech processor is not processing speech data.
32. The method according to claim 28, further comprising:
categorizing the level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server.
33. The method according to claim 28, further comprising:
selecting one of a plurality of speech processing engines based upon a quantified level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server.
34. The method according to claim 28, further comprising:
selecting one of a plurality of speech processing engines, based on a computing power level of each of the speech processing engines.
35. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with an executable computer program for providing dynamic speech processing services during variable network connectivity with a network server and that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:
monitoring, at a user device, a level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server;
initiating a simplified speech processor that processes speech data, based on a determination that the level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server is impaired;
storing processed speech data processed by the simplified speech processor;
determining when the level of connectivity between the user device and the network server is no longer impaired; and
transmitting the stored processed speech data.
36. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 35,
transmitting a request to reinitiate a non-simplified speech processor of the network server to seamlessly reinitiate the non-simplified speech processor, in response to a determination that the level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server is no longer impaired.
37. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 36,
wherein the simplified speech processor of the user device uses less computing power than the non-simplified speech processor of the network server.
38. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 36,
wherein the request to reinitiate the non-simplified speech processor is transmitted during a time when the simplified speech processor is not processing speech data.
39. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 35, further comprising:
categorizing the level of network connectivity between the user device and the network server.
40. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 35, further comprising:
selecting one of a plurality of speech processing engines, based on a computing power level of each of the speech processing engines.