A new process is provided which is an extension and improvement of present processing for the creation of a solder bump. Exemplary attachment mechanisms are shown in broken lines in the various Figures and form no part of the claimed design. The retrieved desired data are output into a storage system. Instantaneous link-level performance may be characterized using a look-up table, so that a system model evaluated in accordance with the method may accurately represent instantaneous system behavior. A circuit receives a first input signal having a magnitude which is determined by the DC output voltage and a second input signal having a magnitude which is determined by a selected position of a multiposition switch. The control key can be assigned a primary parameter, which is automatically required for executing the function, and at least one secondary parameter which relates to the method for executing the function, in such a manner that the function is executed in the manner defined by the secondary parameter upon actuation of the control key.