http://www.peertopatent.org/patent/20090077150/activity A method of automating a process for controlling a voltage waveform applied to an object is provided. A first waveform for applying to the object is received. A first FFT of the first waveform is calculated. A second waveform for input to the waveform generator is determined based on the first waveform. The determined second waveform is sent to a waveform generator. A third waveform is received that is measured across the object based on a waveform generated by the waveform generator. A second FFT of the received third waveform is calculated. The third waveform is compared with the first waveform to determine a convergence status of the third waveform. If the determined convergence status is not converged, an updated waveform is calculated based on the first FFT and the second FFT and the process is repeated with the updated waveform as the determined second waveform. en-us Method and system for controlling a voltage waveform In essence, the patent claims an adaptive control method wherein the controlled object is a plasma etcher which is controlled by an RF amplifier stage, and the system as a whole is too complex to analyze the transfer function analytically. This could be referred to as adaptive pre-distortion using fourier transforms and an arbitrary waveform generator. Or maybe it's just a "tailored waveform", like the ones used for electronic warfare. Or maybe it's just "autotuning" as used in control systems. Utility? Yes. Novel? Possibly, but only within plasma devices. In radio engineering, especially Software-defined radio, very doubtful. In control engineering, no, this would be referred to as systems identification. Nonobvious? Maybe in plasma engineernig, but definitely not if the goal is radios or control systems, where frequency analysis is king, and an FFT is a standard way of analyzing an unknown plant. Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:37:32 -0700 http://www.peertopatent.org/patent/20090077150/discussion Method and system for controlling a voltage waveform The solution to this problem seems obvious. Don't people commonly control energy output by changing the frequency of a wave? Isn't it normal to just adjust the amount of power so as to not damage the circuit during the fabrication process? I feel as if laser microscopes might have the same problems and may thus use the same control mechanisms as the methods for integrated circuit production. Are there any peer reviewed journal articles that address the control of energy when synthesizing an IC? Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:42:36 -0700 http://www.peertopatent.org/patent/20090077150/discussion