A fiber-optic laser source capable of emitting multiple useful wavelengths at the same time, including multiple ITU grid wavelengths, is disclosed. The laser preferably comprises a diode-pumped rare-earth doped fiber amplifier as gain medium, a periodic filter to define a first set of possible lasing wavelengths corresponding to ITU grid lasing wavelengths, and a resonant filter for defining a subset of the first set of wavelengths. The arrangement is enclosed in a ring resonator. The ring resonator may be made, in part or in total, with polarization-maintaining optical fiber. The resonator may also comprise in-line optical isolators to ensure unidirectional operation and to eliminate undesired reflections. A gain-flattening filter may also be included within the resonator depending on the desired output characteristics of the laser. The laser may be designed to operate in a set of single cavity longitudinal modes. The disclosed laser may also comprise output wavelength and/or power definition and stabilization control.

This invention relates to lasers and, more specifically, to multi-wavelength lasers such as may be suitable for dense wavelength division multiplexed (DWDM) applications. It also pertains to methods by which such lasers operate.
Wavelength division multiplexing, or WDM, is a known method for increasing the capacity of a fiber optic communication system. WDM increases capacity by permitting a single optical fiber to carry multiple optical carrier signals having differing wavelengths. After transmission, at the receiving end, the multiple wavelengths are demultiplexed to separate the signals.
The concepts behind WDM have been extended to use a set of closely-spaced wavelengths in the 1550 nm window. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has proposed the use of a grouping or grid of wavelengths in this window. As presently configured, the channels are anchored to a reference at 193.10 THz and equally spaced in frequency, the closely spaced grids having channels 100 GHz or 50 GHz apart. In the wavelength range between 1528.77 nm and 1560.61 nm, the ITU 100 GHz grid comprises 41 channels. This method of WDM is known as dense wavelength division multiplexing, or DWDM.
Communication systems to implement this scheme thus must have access to emissions at each of the grid wavelengths. This could be accomplished by having a multitude of different laser sources, each having an emission wavelength corresponding to a respective one of the grid wavelengths. It would be far more convenient, cost-effective and efficient, however, to have the capability of producing different wavelengths without having to increase correspondingly the number of different laser sources. A single laser source capable of having multiple emission wavelengths at ITU grid wavelengths is therefore desirable. This type of laser source would also prove advantageous in sparing and hot sparing configurations for DWDM, and would allow for reconfigurable DWDM optical communication networks and network elements. Such an apparatus should be capable of producing signals across the widest possible wavelength range, and provide consistent optical output power across its entire wavelength operating range.
These and other ends are met in the present invention through provision of a laser apparatus comprising a gain module which is pumped by applied pump radiation, the pump radiation exciting the gain module and thereby achieving lasing action. The laser apparatus also has a control module, with the control module including a periodic filter arranged to receive optical energy from the gain module and having relatively higher transmissivity in certain predefined frequency bandwidths to define a first set of frequency passbands, and a resonant filter arranged to receive optical energy from the periodic filter and defining a second set of frequency passbands, the second set of frequency passbands being a subset of the first set of frequency passbands.
The laser apparatus is preferably configured as a ring laser resonator.
The control module may further comprise an optical circulator with the periodic filter and the resonant filter being coupled using the optical circulator. The first set of frequency passbands may correspond to International Telecommunication Union frequency grid recommendations.
The periodic filter may be a transmission filter or a reflection filter. If it is a transmission filter, it may be any one of a number of specific types of transmission filters including a fiber Fabry-Pxc3xa9rot micro-etalon transmission filter or a fiber-coupled Fabry-Pxc3xa9rot micro-etalon transmission filter. If it is a reflection filter, it may be any one of a number of specific types of reflection filters including a sampled fiber Bragg grating or a set of sampled fiber Bragg gratings. The periodic filter may also be tunable.
The laser apparatus may also include means for ensuring unidirectional laser oscillation, which may be an optical isolator, and an optical gain-flattening filter for obtaining an approximately constant laser output power for specified wavelengths of operation of the laser resonator. The optical gain-flattening filter may have a wavelength-dependent loss curve which compensates the wavelength-dependent gain curve of the gain module and may be made up of a set of long-period fiber gratings. It is also possible that the optical gain-flattening filter may be incorporated into the gain module. The laser apparatus may also include at least one polarization controller.
The periodic filter may have passbands spaced apart at a frequency spacing of 200 GHz or a sub-multiple of 200 GHz. The center frequency of at least one passband of the first set of frequency passbands may be maintained referenced to a predetermined frequency so as to obtain a laser output with wavelengths according to the International Telecommunication Union frequency grid recommendations. The resonant filter then has a subset of frequency passbands selected from the set of frequency passbands defined by the periodic filter. The resonant filter passband bandwidths may be sufficiently narrow that within each resonant filter passband laser oscillation occurs at wavelengths within a single passband of the passbands of the periodic filter. In another embodiment, each of one or more of the resonant filter passbands may enclose more than one of the passbands of the periodic filter, allowing multiple-wavelength laser oscillation with wavelengths within adjacent passbands of the periodic filter.
The control module may also include an optical isolator, and may further include a wavelength reference control module for locking a spectral response of the periodic filter to the first set of passbands. The wavelength reference control module may include a coupler, optically coupled to the other elements in the resonator, for extracting a small fraction of laser radiation from the laser cavity, a photodetector, and a wavelength reference filter for coupling a narrow-band optical signal from the coupler to the photodetector to provide a stable wavelength reference. The wavelength reference filter may be a reflective wavelength reference filter, and, if it is, it may be made up of a temperature-compensated fiber Bragg grating.
The control module may further include a spectral selective transmission module which may be made up of a set of fiber-fused Mach-Zehnder interleavers.
At least one of the periodic filter and the resonant filter may be only partially reflective to provide a means for extracting optical output energy without the use of a separate output coupler. Also, at least one of the resonant filter and the periodic filter may include means for accessing individual oscillation wavelengths of the laser. The means for accessing individual oscillation wavelengths of laser may be separated output optical fibers. A separate laser output power control module may be inserted in-line with each of the output optical fibers. The means for accessing individual oscillation wavelengths of laser may also be made up of a spectral selective transmission module and a set of filters. The spectral selective transmission module may be comprised of a set of fiber-fused Mach-Zehnder interleavers and the set of filters may be comprised of a set of fiber Bragg gratings.
At least one of the periodic filter and resonat filter may have a wavelength-dependent envelope curve, which compensates a wavelength-dependent gain curve of the gain module.
The laser apparatus may also include a laser output power control module, inserted in-line with an output of the laser, for setting and maintaining a predetermined level for optical output power of the lasers. The laser output power control module may be made up of a coupler to extract a fraction of laser optical output power, a calibrated photodetector optically coupled to the coupler and producing an electric reference signal, a loop control unit, arranged to receive the electric reference signal, for generating an control signal based on the electric reference signal, and an in-line variable optical attenuator arranged to receive the control signal, for controlling the laser optical output power based on the control signal.
The invention also resides in a method of generating a multiple wavelength laser output at several of a set of discrete frequencies, the method comprising the steps of providing pump energy to a gain medium in a laser cavity to excite laser resonances, filtering the laser resonances using a periodic filter to limit possible lasing frequencies to the frequencies in the set; and filtering the laser resonances using a resonant filter to limit possible lasing frequencies to a subset of the frequencies in the set.

Multi-wavelength laser apparatus and method


In various embodiments of the present invention data is transmitted in light emitted by a light source by generating a continuous-time data signal and generating, based thereon, a drive signal that provides power to the light source, thereby causing the light source to emit light; variations in the amplitude of the drive signal represent information in the continuous-time data signal. A change in average power delivered to the light source as a result of the variations in the amplitude of the drive signal is detected and power to the light source is adjusted to compensate.

LED-based lamps typically include a power converter (such as a transformer and/or rectifier) to convert an input AC mains voltage to a smaller DC voltage, driver circuitry to generate a constant current given the DC voltage, and LEDs that emit light when driven by the constant current. The driver circuitry may dim the LED by periodically and repeatedly "chopping" portions of the drive current down to zero amps; the nonzero portions of the drive current, however, remain at the constant level, effectively driving the LED with a series of constant-amplitude current pulses. By driving the LED with only one nonzero current value, the driver ensures the light output by the LED does not vary in color temperature.
Information may be encoded in the light output by the LED and transmitted therefrom in a similar fashion. The frequency or width of the constant-amplitude current pulses may be varied such that the changes in frequency and/or pulse width represent encoded information. One such technique, known as pulse-width modulation ("PWM"), samples an input data signal and represents its magnitude as a percentage of pulse width; maximum amplitude corresponds to 100% width, for example, while half amplitude corresponds to 50% width.
There are drawbacks to PWM-based LED driver circuits, however. The rapid switching may consume unnecessary power, and the frequency of switching may cause interference with other electronics. A need therefore exists for an improved method and system for transmitting information via light emitted by LEDs.

Method and system for optical communication


The present invention is a tamper-resistant and tamper-evident container for holding solid and liquid goods, such as food items. The container has a base portion with a male member extending upwardly from the base and extending about an opening in the base, the outer surface of the male member having a guard lip extending outwardly. The container has a cover with a female member extending upwardly for frictionally engaging the male member when the container is closed. The guard lip renders the lower edge of the outer portion of the female member relatively inaccessible. The container has a hinge connecting the cover to the base having a removable portion that may be removed to facilitate opening the container.

Containers are widely used in the consumer products industry to hold consumable products such as food items, for example, strawberries and cookies, and items such as screws and pins. Such items are often relatively small and sold in batches. For example, a container of strawberries may contain 25 strawberries and a container of screws may contain 200 screws. Containers containing such goods are displayed in retail stores where consumers can view and inspect them, and typically place them into a shopping, cart should a consumer choose to purchase a container of such goods.
Such containers are typically constructed from transparent plastic so that consumers can see the goods without opening the container. Allowing consumers to open a container prior to purchasing it can raise several issues. If a consumer knows that other consumers are able to open and touch or remove items, then the consumer is likely to be concerned that some items may have been removed or, in the case of food particularly, that the items have been touched in an unsanitary manner or in a manner that may otherwise make the goods less desirable or useful. Vendors are similarly concerned that such tampering with goods may dissuade consumers from purchasing containers of such items and that they may incur liability if tampering has occurred that may endanger a purchaser or make the items in the container incompatible with the terms of sale, particularly if a container may be opened and re-sealed without leaving evidence of such actions. Thus both consumers and vendors have an interest in goods being sold in containers that are resistant to such tampering, or at least are designed to leave clear evidence of such tampering after it occurs.
Thermoformed plastic containers are in wide use for consumer goods. In some cases, the container is formed so that it is permanently sealed and can only be opened by cutting or tearing the plastic. While this approach results in clear evidence of tampering, it also means that the package is not re-sealable. It is often highly desirable for such containers to be re-sealable so that a consumer can remove some items from the container and leave the remaining items in the container for future use. If the container cannot be re-sealed, then the remaining items are more likely to be accidentally lost, or be spoiled. For a food container, it is generally very desirable that the container can be re-sealed to minimize the exposure of the contents to ambient air which can result in food spoiling more quickly than it would if it were isolated from such ambient air.


In a sensing element for a nitrogen oxide molecule of the present invention, a sensing portion that is to be bonded to a nitrogen oxide molecule to be sensed is fixed between paired metal electrodes through connecting portions. The sensing portion is a single porphyrin molecule or a single porphyrin derivative molecule each having, as a central metal thereof, iron or cobalt. The connecting portions are each a mercaptophenyleneethynyl group bonded to the single porphyrin molecule or the single porphyrin derivative molecule. Provided are a sensing element for nitrogen oxide molecule, a sensing apparatus for nitrogen oxide molecule, and a method for sensing nitrogen oxide molecule.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sensing element for a nitrogen oxide molecule, a sensing apparatus for a nitrogen oxide molecule, and a method for sensing a nitrogen oxide molecule.
2. Description of Related Art
Nitrogen oxide (NO) is oxidized in the atmosphere to turn to poisonous nitrogen dioxide. Thus, it is desired to sense the state where NO at a low concentration is present. It is known that NO is a neurotransmitter in living bodies, and fulfills an important function in immunoreaction, blood pressure adjustment, and the like. As described herein, attention has been paid to the sensing of NO for the environment, or the diagnosis of living bodies.
As a conventional NO molecule sensing apparatus, known is an apparatus in which a monolayer of a derivative of a porphyrin molecule (hereinafter abbreviated as FeP) having, as a central metal, an iron atom is used as the gate region of an FET (field effect transistor) (see, for example, Non-Patent Literature 1: D. G. Wu, G. Ashkenasy, D. Shvarts, R. V. Ussyshinkin, R. Naaman, A. hanzar, and D. Cahen, "Angew. Chem. Int. Ed", WILEY-VCH Publisher, May 17, 2000, pp. 4496-4499). A NO molecule is coordinated and bonded to the central metal of FeP, whereby the electronic state of FeP changes. This change in the electronic state causes a change in static electricity of the gate region so that the drain current (concerned) is changed. In such a way, an FET type sensor senses a NO molecule in accordance with a change in the drain current. Non-Patent Literature 1 discloses that the lowest concentration that can be sensed is about 4.1 ppm.
In the meantime, as an apparatus for directly measuring a change in the electronic state of a molecule, known is an apparatus of estimating the electric conduction characteristic of a single molecule junction between electrodes (see, for example, Patent Literature 1: JP-A-2005-127998). This is a molecule-sensing nanosensor having a sensing portion made of bipyridine. When a platinum ion is bonded to the sensing portion, bipyridine is changed into an electroconductive state. The molecule-sensing nanosensor is a sensor of detecting a change in the electronic state of its sensing portion.
Also known is an apparatus of estimating the electric conduction characteristic of a porphyrin molecule junction between electrodes (see, for example, Non-Patent Literature 2: K. Tagami and M. Tsukada "e-Journal of Surface Science and Nanotechnology", Published by the Surface Science Society of Japan, Jun. 30, 2003, pp. 45-49). This reference estimates the electric conduction characteristic of a polymer called tape porphyrin, wherein porphyrin molecules are bonded to each other. In Non-Patent Literature 2, as a functional group bridging tape-porphyrin and electrodes, the following three species are each prepared and their electric conduction characteristic are compared with each other: a mercaptophenyl group, a mercaptophenylenevinyl group and a mercaptophenyleneethynyl group. In tape-porphyrin, even when changing its functional group to the above groups, the electric conduction characteristic is not very largely changed among the apparatuses using these species.

Sensing element for nitrogen oxide molecule sensing apparatus for nitrogen oxide molecule and method for sensing nitrogen oxide molecule


A lighting tube adapting device includes an insulating base having two through holes for receiving two tube pins of a lighting tube, and an adapting unit including two adapting seats, two adapting members, and two bridge members. The adapting seats are spaced in the insulating base and define two hollow spaces separately communicating with the through holes on the insulating base. The adapting members are electrically conducting and mounted in the hollow spaces of the adapting seats, and respectively include a first sleeve portion for receiving one tube pin and a second sleeve portion sidewardly communicating with the first sleeve portion. The bridge members are electrically conducting, and respectively have a first adapting pin for inserting into the second sleeve portions and a second adapting pin for inserting into two pin insertion holes on a socket. Therefore, the lighting tube is electrically connected to the socket via the adapting device.

The conventional T8 fluorescent lighting tube having a diameter about 28 mm is large in volume to adversely occupy a relatively large space, and has low brightness, short service life, and high power consumption, compared to the newly developed T5 fluorescent lighting tube having a diameter about 16 mm, and is therefore gradually replaced by the improved T5 lighting tube.
Please refer to FIG. 1. The conventional T8 lighting tube 8 has a relatively large diameter, and a distance between two tube pins 81 spaced on each end of the lighting tube 8 is relatively large, accordingly. Herein, the distance between the two tube pins 81 is defined as the first distance D. Meanwhile, a socket 9 corresponding to the lighting tube 8 is provided with two pin insertion holes 91 for receiving the two tube pins 81. Therefore, a distance between the two pin insertion holes 91 must be the same as the first distance D.
However, the newly developed T5 fluorescent lighting tube has a relatively small diameter, and the distance between two tube pins spaced on each end thereof is relatively small, too. Herein, the distance between the two tube pins of the T5 lighting tube is defined as the second distance d, as shown in FIG. 4. The second distance d is obviously different from and smaller than the first distance D. Therefore, the T5 lighting tube and the socket 9 intended for the T8 lighting tube could not match each other. In other words, the existing T5 lighting tube could not be directly assembled to the socket 9 having a T8 specification. If it is desired to use the T5 lighting tube that provides improved lighting effect, the socket 9 must be changed to another socket having a T5 specification. For this purpose, a new mold must be made for producing the socket matching the T5 lighting tube. In addition, a steel holder 92 of the lighting tube for holding the socket 9 must also be changed at the same time. Such replacement involves in a lot of time, labor, and material to largely increase the cost for installing the T5 lighting tube.
It is therefore desirable to develop a simple way to electrically connect the T5 lighting tube with better lighting performance to the existing socket with T8 specification, so that the socket with T8 specification has widened applicability and the cost for installing new T5 lighting tubes can be reduced.


An H-bridge driver without implementing with the PWM mode is disclosed. The H-bridge driver of the invention includes a non-inverting amplifier and an inverting amplifier commonly connected to the control signal. When the control signal exceeds the reference, the non-inverting amplifier commonly drives the first pair of transistors diagonally connected to the load. The low side transistor fully turns on but the high side transistor linearly operates. When the control signal is less than the reference, the inverting amplifier commonly drives the second pair of transistors also diagonally connected to the load.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to a bi-directional driver, in particular, the application relates to a bi-directional circuit for driving a thermo-electric cooler (hereafter denoted as TEC).
2. Related Prior Arts
The TEC implemented with Peltier elements may choose a function to cool down or heat up a device mounted thereon by the direction of the current flowing. The TEC is often driven by, what is called, an H-bridge circuit (hereafter called merely as an H-bridge).
The H-bridge has an arrangement of a pair of two transistors, where these transistors are connected in series between a power supply and the ground (GND). The TEC is connected between intermediate nodes of the two transistors and driven by the PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) signal. That is, a PWM signal drives two transistors diagonally connected with respect to the TEC to provide a PWM current to the TEC. The direction of the current to the TEC may be changed by switching the transistor pair diagonally connected thereto and the power supplied to the TEC may be adjusted by the period of the PWM signal. A Japanese Patent Application published as JP-2006-040370A has disclosed such an H-bridge driver for the TEC.


A fastener tape for use in the manufacture of reclosable plastic bags is provided. The fastener tape comprises an intermediate layer and a reclosable fastener profile thereon. The intermediate layer includes three layers of co-extruded plastic, with not more than 4% EVA as the outer two layers and HDPE as the middle layer. The intermediate layer is folded so as to bring portions of the intermediate layer into an opposing relationship. These opposing portions are the sealed together by a pair of seal bars. By carefully controlling the sealing temperature, a consistent peel seal is created between the opposing portions of the intermediate layer without the need for an adhesive.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to reclosable plastic bags. This invention more particularly pertains to a fastener tape having reclosable fasteners thereon and adapted to be mounted in an opening of a reclosable bag.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Reclosable plastic bags having interlocking pressure-sealable profile fasteners are well known and have a variety of useful applications, such as the storage of household goods. The recent increase in consumer demand for reclosable bags has been coupled with a demand for higher quality profile fasteners in these bags. To meet these demands, manufacturers must develop cost effective and reliable methods of producing reclosable bags that are suitable for a consumer""s particular purpose.
Consumers prefer reclosable bags in which the reclosable opening is across the top of the bag. Until recently, however, most reclosable plastic bags were manufactured with the reclosable opening located along a vertical side of the bag, rather than across the top of the bag. Simply, it was easier for manufacturers using conventional equipment and processes to attach fasteners along the side of the bag than it was to attach fasteners across the top of the bag. Recent advances in manufacturing equipment and materials have allowed some manufacturers to produce reclosable bags with the reclosable openers across the top of the bag. For example, such equipment is available from AMl/Rec-Pro, Inc. in Atlanta, Ga., USA.
Typically, most commercially available reclosable plastic bags are formed of thermoplastic, such as polyethylene. An opening in the plastic bag is equipped with a plastic profile fastener which allows the plastic bag to be opened and resealed when accessing the contents of the plastic bag. These profiles include a male profile and a female profile configured to interlock and form a continuous closure when aligned and pressed together. Interlocked male and female profiles are commonly referred to, in the singular sense, as a profile fastener, zipper profile, or merely as a profile.
There is one type of extrusion process used to extrude materials for use at the top of a bag that is known as a flange zipper process. In such a process, the profile is extruded to form flanged portions, extending from the profile fastener. However, there are problems in sealing extruded, flanged profile directly to the walls of the plastic bag (referred to as the bag walls) due to the thickness of the flanged portions. Specifically, extruded, flanged profile has a limitation as to how thin the flanges can be integrally extruded. The extrusion process results in a flanged area having a thickness significantly greater than if a similar type profile was separately manufactured and attached to a separately manufactured intermediate layer.
As an alternative to attaching flange zipper profiles directly to the bar walls, the profile may only be attached to an intermediate layer of film. The intermediate layer with the attached profile is then attached to the bag walls. The combination of the profile and the intermediate layer is commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cfastener tape.xe2x80x9d The fastener tape and bag walls are suitably interconnected by generally known means, such as heat sealing, wherein the intermediate layer is sealed to the walls of the base material. The use of an intermediate layer permits the use of profiles that are made of a different material than the plastic bag walls. These different materials may be thermally incompatible. It is desirable to produce an intermediate layer in the thinnest manner possible in order to minimize the amount of heat necessary to attach the intermediate layer to the plastic bag. The intermediate layer is more effectively attached to a plastic bag with a minimal amount of heat, when the intermediate layer is in its thinnest form.
Excess heat in the manufacture of reclosable plastic bags promulgates defects. For example, if the intermediate layer or the profile comes into contact with excessive heat, the seal between the walls of the plastic bag and the intermediate layer may become damaged or the profile may become deformed. Such damage may be identified by an inoperable profile, wrinkles or creases in the wall of the plastic bag, or curls at the edges of the bag near the profile. Heat scaling is even more difficult when the walls of the bag are something other than polyethylene, for example polypropylene.
When manufacturing reclosable plastic bags with fastener tape, it is often desirable to include a peel seal between opposing portions of the intermediate layer. Such a peel seal assures that the integrity of the bag will be maintained until it is initially opened by the consumer by providing a hermetic seal.
In practice, however, it is has proven problematic to cost-effectively and consistently manufacture fastener tape with a peel seal. Typically in prior ant fastener tapes, portions of the intermediate layer are coated with an adhesive. The intermediate layer is then folded so as to bring the adhesive bearing portions into an opposing relationship, after which the adhesive bearing portions are sealed together to form a peel seal. This method, how ever, is extremely complex and requires exacting control to ensure that the process is kept within acceptable parameters. Additionally, the adhesive tends to hold the ends of the fastener tape together, making the bag difficult to open. Further, it is often difficult to apply the adhesive and the adhesive can be very expensive.
In response to the realized inadequacies of known fastener tapes, it became clear that there is a need for a new type of fastener tape which facilitates the implementation of a peel seal.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved fastener tape which facilitates the implementation of a peel seal.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of and apparatus for manufacturing the improved fastener tape
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new method of using the improved fastener tape in the manufacture of reclosable plastic bags.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new type of reclosable plastic bag which utilizes the improved fastener tape.
The foregoing objects are achieved by providing a fastener tape having an intermediate layer designed to enable the creation of a consistent peel seal.
In accordance with the present invention, the fastener tape includes an intermediate layer and a reclosable fastener profile thereon having a male profile interlockable with a female profile. The intermediate layer includes three layers of co-extruded plastic in the following configuration: not more than 4% EVA as the outer two layers and HDPE as the middle layer. The intermediate layer is folded so as to bring portions of the intermediate layer into an opposing relationship. These opposing portions are then sealed together by a pair of seal bars. By carefully controlling the sealing temperature, a consistent peel seal is created between the opposing portions of the intermediate layer.
The fastener tape is created through the use of delivery and applicator assemblies. The delivery assembly includes a plurality of rollers configured for delivering the intermediate layer to the applicator assembly. The tension of the intermediate layer between the rollers is controlled by a motorized drive roller. At least one of the plurality of rollers is fixed to the distal end of a pivoting arm. The proximal end of the arm is attached to an axis which passes through the delivery assembly to a cam. As the tension of the intermediate layer in the rollers increases and decreases, the arm and cam rotate. The rotation of the cam is detected and a signal is sent to the motorized roller to change the rate of speed of the intermediate layer through the rollers.
Also on the delivery assembly is a generally V-shaped panel member for folding the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer passes over a declined surface of the V-shaped panel member and over an apex to define a fold line in the intermediate layer. Before the folded intermediate layer is received by the applicator assembly, the profile fastener is inserted into the folded intermediate layer and oriented parallel to the machine direction of the intermediate layer. On the applicator assembly are a plurality of wheels having circumferential grooves sized for receiving the profile, and a pair of rotating belts. The wheels align the profile with the intermediate layer as the intermediate layer and profile are directed into two pairs of opposed sealing bars by the belts to form the fastener tape. The scaling bars of each set are moveable with respect to one another from a spaced clearance position into a clamping and scaling position. In the clamping and sealing position, the first set of scaling bars seal the profile to the intermediate layer and the second set of sealing bars seal opposing portions of the folded intermediate layer to one another to form a peel seal. In order to achieve the peel seal, the sealing temperature is carefully controlled by blowing ambient air from a manifold above the applicator assembly, bringing the belt temperature down from approximately 180xc2x0 F. to a narrow window of 85 to 100xc2x0 F.
After manufacture, the fastener tape may be used to make reclosable plastic bags. Generally speaking, when making plastic bags having reclosable zipper profiles, it is necessary to seal, or stomp, the ends of the profile to ensure that the ends of the profile do not come apart during use by the consumer. Such sealing or stomping, however, often requires expensive and complex modifications to the bag making machinery.
In accordance with the present invention, the lengths of fastener tape used in the manufacture of reclosable plastic bags may advantageously be provided with seals at their ends immediately above the profile which merge into the peel seal and which seal opposing portions of the intermediate layer to each other in a permanent fashion. These end seals, referred to as block seals, eliminate the need to stomp the ends of the zipper.
These block seals may be pre-applied to the fastener tape or may be applied during sealing of the fastener tape to the reclosable bag. In the latter case the block seals also seal the side folds of the plastic bag.
The foregoing has broadly outlined some of the more pertinent objects and features of the present invention. These should be considered to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or be modifying the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, other objects and a more comprehensive understanding of the invention may be obtained by referring to the detailed description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims.

Fastener tape, method of and apparatus for making fastener tape, method of using fastener tape, and reclosable bag utilizing fastener tape


An internal logic gate portion (3) is provided in the central portion of a semiconductor chip (1), input/output buffers (4) are provided to surround the internal logic gate portion (3), and bonding pads (2) are provided in the peripheral portions of the semiconductor chip (1) corresponding to input/output buffer cells (5) in the input/output buffer. Each of the input/output buffer cells (5) comprises an output P-MOS portion (6), an output N-MOS portion (7), an input/logic P-MOS portion (8) and an input/logic N-MOS portion (9), which are respectively arranged in a single line in the direction from the bonding pads (2) to the internal logic gate portion (3). In the above described structure, the size of each of the input/output buffer cells (5) in the pad arranging direction of the bonding pads (2) is decreased, so that the number of input/output pins can be increased according to the decreased use of space in the pad arranging direction required by each input/output buffer cell (5).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor integrated circuit devices, and more particularly, to a semiconductor integrated circuit device having input/output buffer cells each comprising a plurality of transistor regions arranged in a single line.
2. Description of the Background Art
As integration density of a logic integrated circuit is increased, the extension of developing period and the increase in developing cost have conventionally become problems. In order to solve such problems, a gate array has been recently employed to form a desired logic circuit as an LSI (Large-Scale Integrated Circuit). The gate array is manufactured by a manufacturing method of a master slice type comprising the preceding process referred to as a master process and the succeeding process referred to as a slice process. Elements such as a transistor, a diode and a register which are common to many kinds of semiconductor device are first formed in a chip in the master process and subsequently, interconnections for a signal and a power supply which are peculiar to the selected kinds of semiconductor device are provided in the slice process.
Thus, an LSI chip manufactured according to the usage comprises an internal logic gate region, an interconnection region and an input/output buffer region. The internal logic gate region is a region in which gates (basic cells) are regularly arranged, an interconnection region is a region for connecting the gates to each other, and the input/output buffer region is a region in which there are disposed input/output buffer cells each functioning as an interface between a logic circuit achieved in the internal logic gate region and another element outside of the LSI.
In the input/output buffer region, a transistor having larger driving ability than that of a transistor used in the internal logic gate region is formed in order to drive another element outside of the LSI. In addition, since the input/output buffer region must function as an interface as described above, it must receive a signal at a TTL (Transistor-Transistor Logic) level or a CMOS (Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) level. Thus, in the input/output buffer region, a transistor of special size is formed.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a structure of a complimentary MOS semiconductor integrated circuit device constituting a conventional gate array. In FIG. 1, bonding pads 2 are disposed in the periphery of a semiconductor chip 1, and an internal logic gate portion 3 is disposed in the central portion of the semiconductor chip 1. The internal logic gate portion 3 is structured by regularly arranging basic cells each comprising a pair of a P-type MOS transistor and an N-type MOS transistor in an array manner. Input/output buffers 4 are provided between the bonding pads 2 and the internal logic gate portion 3 in such a manner as to surround the internal logic gate portion 3 in order to provide an interface between the internal logic gate portion 3 and the outside of the chip.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a detailed structure of each of the input/output buffers 4 and the peripheral portions. In FIG. 2, the input/output buffer 4 is divided into input/output buffer cells 5 the number of which is the same as that of the bonding pads 2, the bonding pads 2 and the input/output buffer cells 5 being in one-to-one correspondence to each other. Each of this input/output buffer cells 5 comprises a P-type MOS transistor region for output (referred to as output P-MOS portion hereinafter) 6, an N-type MOS transistor region for output (referred to as output N-MOS portion hereinafter) 7, a P-type MOS transistor region for input and logic (referred to as input/logic P-MOS portion hereinafter) 8 and an N-type MOS transistor region for input and logic (referred to as input/logic N-MOS portion hereinafter) 9 respectively having inherent sizes corresponding to the driving ability or the like as described above.
P-type region PA and an N-type region NA are disposed in this order in the direction from the bonding pads 2 to the internal logic gate portion 3 (referred to as cell disposing direction hereinafter). In the P-type region PA, the output P-MOS portion 6 and the input/logic P-MOS portion 8 are arranged in the direction in which the bonding pads 2 are arranged (referred to as pad arranging direction hereinafter). On the other hand, in the N-type region NA, the output N-MOS portion 7 and the input/logic N-MOS portion 9 are respectively arranged corresponding to the output P-MOS portion 6 and the input/logic P-MOS portion 8. Until the master process, this input/output buffer cell 5 is structured to be able to select any one of respective roles of an input buffer, an output buffer, a tri-state output buffer and an input/output bidirectional buffer.
First, if and when the input/output buffer cell is used as the input buffer, the input/logic P-MOS portion 8 and the input/logic N-MOS portion 9 are connected to each other, and the other portions 6 and 7 are not used. Then, when the input/output buffer cell 5 is used as the output buffer, the output P-MOS portion 6 and the output N-MOS portion 7 are connected to each other, and the other portions 8 and 9 are not used. When the input/output buffer cell 5 is used as the tri-state output buffer and the input/output bidirectional buffer, respectively, the output P-MOS portion 6 is connected to the output N-MOS portion 7, as well as to the input/logic P-MOS portion 8, and the input/logic N-MOS portion 9 is connected to the output N-MOS portion 7, as well as to the input/logic P-MOS portion 8. Therefore, considering the connecting relation between the regions, the disposition as shown in FIG. 2 is achieved in the input/output buffer cell 5.
The conventional input/output buffer cell 5 is arranged as shown in FIG. 2, so that the size La of the input/output buffer cell 5 in the pad arranging direction is larger than the size Lb of the bonding pad 2 in the pad arranging direction. In addition, in the conventional semiconductor integrated circuit device, one input/output buffer cell 5 is provided corresponding to one bonding pad 2. From the foregoing, the maximum number of input pins which can be provided on one semiconductor chip is determined depending on the size of the input/output buffer cell 5 in the pad arranging direction.
Meanwhile, as miniaturizing techniques progress, integration of internal logic gates has been recently improved. Correspondingly, the number of input/output pins must be increased. However, since the conventional semiconductor integrated circuit device is structured as described above, the number of input/output buffer cells 5 must be increased by the same number in order to increase the number of the input/output pins, from the above described reasons. Thus, considering the size of the conventional input/output buffer cell 5 in the pad arranging direction, the number of the input/output buffer cells 5 which can be disposed on one semiconductor chip 1 has a limit. In addition, if the number of the input/output buffer cells 5 is increased beyond the limit, the chip size of the semiconductor chip 1 is significantly increased.
Additionally, since transistors for output in the conventional input/output buffer cell 5 are respectively formed in fixed sizes, only a limited given constant driving ability can be obtained. If a combination of basic cells in the internal logic gate portion is changed, the sizes of the transistors in the input/output buffer cell 5 must be correspondingly changed to provide sufficient driving capacity.
Additionally, since transistors for input in the conventional input/output buffer cell 5 are respectively formed in fixed sizes, only an interface at a constant level can be obtained.

Semiconductor integrated circuit device having input/output buffer cells each comprising a plurality of transistor regions arranged in a single line


An optical scanner includes a varifocal semiconductor laser light source for emitting a laser beam and displacing a substantial divergent start point from a direction corresponding to a minimum divergent angle of the laser beam to an optical axis direction and arranged such that the direction corresponding to the minimum divergent angle corresponds to a cross-scanning direction; a collimator lens for changing the divergent light beam from the light source to an approximately parallel light beam in a direction corresponding to a maximum divergent angle of the divergent light beam; a deflector for reflecting the light beam from the collimator lens on a deflection-reflecting face and deflecting the reflected light beam in a main scan-corresponding direction; a first image forming optical system arranged between the collimator lens and the deflection-reflecting face and forming the light beam from the collimator lens as a linear image in a cross scan-corresponding direction; a second image forming optical system arranged between the deflection-reflecting face and the scanned face and setting the positions of the deflection-reflecting face and the scanned face in an approximately conjugate relation in geometrical optics in the cross-scanning direction and forming the light beam deflected by the deflector as an image on the scanned face; and a controller for changing the substantial divergent start point of the light source in the direction corresponding to the minimum divergent angle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical scanner using a laser beam.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical scanner is known as a device for writing information by scanning a beam of light and is used in a laser printer, a laser facsimile, a laser engraving device, a digital copying machine, etc.
In general, a means for deflecting the light beam by the optical scanner such as a rotary polygon mirror has a so-called deflecting face inclination. To correct this inclination, there is a method in which an image forming lens is arranged between a deflection-reflecting face and a scanned face and constitutes an anamorphic optical system and the positions of the deflection-reflecting face and the scanned face are set in an approximately conjugate relation in geometrical optics with respect to a cross-scanning direction. However, in this method, the image forming lens has refracting powers different from each other with respect to the main scanning direction and the cross scanning direction. Accordingly, it is difficult to preferably correct field curvatures simultaneously in the main and cross scanning directions. Further, when the field curvature in the main scanning direction is preferably corrected, a large field curvature tends to be caused in the cross-scanning direction.
When the large field curvature is caused in the cross-scanning direction, the diameter of a formed image spot on the scanned face in the cross-scanning direction is changed by a scanning position and this change becomes a great obstacle to realization of the optical scanning operation of high density.
In the optical scanner, a special image forming lens system such as an f.theta. lens, etc. is generally used to perform the optical scanning operation at an equal speed. Such an image forming lens system has special optical characteristics so that it is difficult to reduce manufacturing cost and therefore reduce the cost of the optical scanner.
On the other hand, the optical scanning operation can be performed at an uniform speed by electrically correcting an image clock signal for synchronization of modulation of the light beam without moving the light beam at an equal speed. From this viewpoint, optical scanners without using the special image forming lens system such as an f.theta. lens, etc. have been recently proposed. An optical scanner of a post-objective type is a desirable one of such optical scanners and is shown in Japanese Patent Application Laying Open (KOKAI) No. 60-133414.
In a light-deflector of this post-objective type, it is not necessary to dispose the f.theta. lens system and the construction of the deflector is simplified and field curvature is approximately corrected completely with respect to the main scanning direction. The field curvature in the cross-scanning direction is 2 to 5 mm when the optical scanning width corresponds to size A4. There is no problem about the field curvature having such a length when write density by the optical scanning operation is about 400 dpi. However, when the writing operation of high density is performed and the optical scanning width is increased, no diameter of a light spot is constantly stabilized so that quality of printed characters is reduced.


A method of manufacturing a contoured capacitive touch screen control panel includes printing control indicia on at least one of a front surface and a back surface of a flexible film and printing conductive ink pads on a back surface of the film in alignment with the control indicia. The printed film is placed in an injection mold with the conductive pads in contact with a back surface of the mold so that a space remains between the front surface of the flexible film and a front surface of the mold. The method then includes flowing a molten plastic into the space in engagement with the front surface of the film to form a control panel with the printed indicia being visible through the control panel from a face of the control panel opposite from the film.

Flat capacitive control touch control panels have been used to control appliance functions, especially in environments that may be detrimental to conventional switch operated control panels. Various printing techniques are used to apply indicia to flat surfaces. Plastic injection molding techniques are commonly used to form plastic articles having contoured shapes.

Contoured capacitive touch control panel


A multi-band antenna structure includes a ground plane, a first radiation metal arm, a first shorted parasitic arm and a second shorted parasitic arm. The first radiation metal arm is connected to a main transmitting antenna and has a first feed point for connecting a first feed line. The first shorted parasitic arm extends to the outside from the ground plane. The first shorted parasitic arm is between the first radiation metal arm and the ground plane for resonantly coupling the first radiation metal arm at a first band. The second shorted parasitic arm also extends to the outside from the ground plane. The second shorted parasitic arm is between the first radiation metal arm and the first shorted parasitic arm for resonantly coupling the first radiation metal arm at a second band.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the structure of an antenna, more specifically the structure of a multi-band antenna. More particularly, to a multi-band antenna that utilizes a shorted parasitic arm to achieve operating multi-bands.
2. Background of the Related Art
As wireless network technology has developed, a wireless network is utilized to perform network browsing, data transmission, transactions, educations and email transmitting/receiving, so that wireless networking has become an important tool for computer users. Meanwhile, various communication protocols and techniques have been developed for the wireless network technology such as Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA). The aforesaid technologies are used in the transmission media for wireless networks.
However, a basic transmission component for wireless transmission technology still relies upon an antenna to achieve transmitting. The design of the antenna influences the transmission quality of wireless signals. In order for a user to make connections with the wireless networks, the antenna should be capable of operating in multiple modes and still have a small "footprint," so that it can be utilized in mobile computing devices. Therefore, there is a need in the prior art for a multi-band antenna structure that can satisfy the criteria discussed above.


A seat comprising a back support portion (100) with adjustable surface profile, comprising an adjustable core column (101) arranged along the height direction of the back support portion (100) and comprising a plurality of holders (110, 210, 211, 310, 410) and a plurality of side members (120, 220, 221, 320, 420) fixed to the holders (110, 210, 211, 310, 410) and extending substantially in the width direction of the back support portion (100) such as to profile the surface of the back support portion (100). It further comprises profile locking means (130) coupled with a plurality of holders (110, 210, 211, 310, 410) and adjustable to an unlocked configuration, in which the holders (110, 210, 211, 310, 410) are individually rotatable around a plurality of axes and the profile of the surface of the back support portion (100) is adjustable and to a locked configuration, in which the holders (110, 210, 211, 310, 410) are fixed still with respect to each other and the profile of the surface of the back support portion (100) is locked.

The profile of the back support portion of a seat impacts not only the comfort of seating, but physiological functions of the organism as well. Standard seats with non-adjustable back profiles which do not appropriately match the spinal profile of the seat occupant may result in spine aches or even spine deformations. Moreover, such seats do not allow correction of spine deformations. Seats with adjustable back profile are known, which can be used to increase the comfort of seating or even help in correcting spine deformations of the occupant.
A U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,554 presents an active biomechanical chair with a back rest comprising a plurality of contour adjusting mechanisms having plate means which are horizontally adjustable to fit with a spinal profile of a person using the chair. Each contour adjusting mechanism is adjustable independently by individual motor means controlled with a central controller, which makes the construction relatively complex and costly.
A U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,245 presents a chair having an adjustable back support, comprising a support bar and a plurality of segments received on said support bar wherein each segment defines a slot for receiving the support bar, said slot being elongated to allow the segment to slide in a forward direction, as well as a locking mechanism actuable from a first position in which said segments are movable in a forward direction to a second position in which said segments are held stationary. The profile of the back support is relatively complicated to adjust due to a large number of segments. Moreover, the segments allow profile adjustment only in one plane.
A US patent application US20040195882 presents a seat comprising seat elements arranged to move rotatably with respect to a central axis running centrally through the seat back parallel to the spine of the occupant in a normally seated position. The seat profile accommodates automatically to the profile of the back of the occupant, which may increase seating comfort, but also intensifies possible pathologies in the shape of the back of the occupant.


In a method of determining residual error compensation parameters for a magnetoresistive angle sensor providing a first measurement signal depending on a rotational angle the step of generating a plurality of value pairs for a plurality of rotational angle values is provided, wherein each value pair has a rotational angle value and an associated measurement signal value. The method further includes ascertaining a sinusoidal fit function the course of which is adapted to the plurality of value pairs. Finally, residual error compensation parameters can be generated from a difference between the ascertained sinusoidal fit function and the associated measurement signal values of the measurement signal for the plurality of rotational angle values.

Rotational angle sensors for non-contact sensing of rotations are increasingly used particularly in automobile technology. Rotational angle sensors on the basis of giant magneto resistance (GMR effect) according to the spin valve principle have several advantages as compared to the AMR sensors (sensors using the anisotropic magneto resistance; AMR: anisotropic magneto resistance) currently used. For example, rotational angle sensors on the basis of the GMR effect have an inherent 360° unambiguousness, when a bridge assembly is used, as well as a significantly higher sensitivity than common AMR sensors. Therefore, the use of rotational angle sensors on the basis of the GMR effect may involve both performance advantages and cost advantages.
Basically, spin valve systems are constructed of two ferromagnetic layers separated by a non-magnetic intermediate layer. The direction of the magnetization of one of the two ferromagnetic layers is pinned by coupling to a magnetically hard anti-ferromagnetic layer. The strength of this coupling is described by the so-called exchange bias field. The other ferromagnetic layer, i.e. the layer whose magnetization is not pinned, is free to move its magnetization in an external magnetic field so that the angle between the magnetizations of the pinned and the free layers changes in a rotating external magnetic field. As, with giant magneto resistance (GMR effect), an electric resistance of a layer system depends on the mentioned angle, the angle may be concluded by means of resistance measurement.
In order to realize a 360° detection by means of spin valve GMR/TMR structures (TMR: tunnel magneto resistance), several layer systems are connected to form two Wheatstone bridges. In this way, a maximum signal may be achieved. One of the bridges has reference magnetizations perpendicular to the reference magnetizations of the other bridge. Within each of the two bridges, the reference magnetizations are arranged anti-parallel. Thus, both bridges provide sinusoidal main signals depending on the rotational angle of an external magnetic field which (ideally) are phase-shifted by 90° with respect to each other. Hereinafter, the two main signals are also referred to as sine main signal and cosine main signal.
As, due to process reasons, individual signals and/or measurement signals from the two bridges may differ in amplitude, may be provided with an offset and may exhibit a deviation of orthogonality, the measurement signals are first calibrated/compensated. Thereafter, the angle to be ascertained may be determined via an arctan calculation of the two signals.
For ideally sinusoidal measurement signals from the Wheatstone bridges, the described calculation would provide the accurate angle. In reality, however, it can be seen that there is still a residual angle error related to a measurement angle even after offset, amplitude and orthogonality calibrations/compensations. The residual angle error includes so called anisotropy errors and hysteresis errors.
It has been shown that the anisotropy error is typically about three to five times the hysteresis error. For a highly accurate angle measurement having an angle error of less than 1° over a sufficient field and temperature range, it is necessary to reduce the largest angle error contribution remaining after offset, amplitude and orthogonality calibration/compensation, i.e. the anisotropy error.
The term anisotropy error includes all errors remaining after offset, amplitude and orthogonality calibration. The mentioned errors include contributions due to excessively high magnetic anisotropy, for example a form anisotropy due to strip width of the sensor elements and growth or process-induced uniaxial magnetic anisotropies. The errors also include deviations caused by slight movements of the pinned layer as well as the reference layer in the external magnetic field. Such movements of the pinned layer and the reference layer indicate insufficient anisotropy.
Angle errors depending on the output angle from which a certain angle is approached are referred to as hysteresis errors.
As the anisotropy error comprises a dominant part of the whole residual angle error, a compensation or reduction of the anisotropy error may lead to a significant improvement of sensor accuracy.
German patent application DE 101 54 153 A1 shows a method for offset calibration of angle sensors determining the angle to be measured on the basis of a corresponding sinusoidal and cosine signal. For the improvement of measurement accuracy of an angle sensor, a sample of the sinusoidal signal is taken when the cosine signal has a zero crossing, and a sample of the cosine signal is taken when the sinusoidal signal has a zero crossing. An offset is determined by averaging opposing samples. Furthermore, DE 101 54 153 teaches to take at least three pairs of measurement values by determining the sinusoidal signal and the cosine signal for at least three different angles. Thereupon an error square adaptation to a hypothetical circle may be performed for these measurement values, thus allowing to determining the offset.
German patent application DE 101 54 154 A1 shows a method for the compensation of an offset drift of an angle sensor and an angle sensor with an offset compensation. The angle sensor determines an angle to be measured on the basis of a corresponding sinusoidal signal and a cosine signal. The above reference teaches to first ascertain an amplitude of the cosine signal and/or the sinusoidal signal and to determine an associated offset value on the basis of the ascertained amplitude value. This allows to correct the sinusoidal and cosine signals generated by the goniometer, thus also allowing to determine a measurement value for the angle with improved accuracy at the same time.
German patent application DE 101 48 918 A1 describes a method for the offset compensation of a magnetoresistive path or angle measurement system. The path or angle measurement system includes at least one Wheatstone bridge having four locally staggered magnetoresistive resistors provided with DC voltage. A permanent magnet is moved past the magnetoresistive resistors, the respective bridge voltage being measured. According to the above reference, a calibrating cycle is performed when starting up the measurement system by moving the permanent magnet past the at least one bridge for a measurement period. Extremes of the bridge voltages measured in that way are evaluated by forming their average values. Then corresponding compensation values are formed from the above average values as offset values to be taken into account by the measurement system. The compensation values are then stored in a register.
German patent application DE 100 52 609 A1 describes a method for the compensation of an offset drift of a goniometer. According to the above reference, a goniometer is located on a rotatable shaft and comprises a generator scanned by an associated sensor element. According to the rotational angle of the rotatable shaft, a sinusoidal or cosine signal is provided to an evaluating unit. For the compensation of a temperature offset, a third order polynomial is used. In addition, averaging is performed for correcting a long-term drift. This allows to gradually correct a long-term drift. If the long-term drift exceeds a given limit, a diagnostic function helps to detect this error and to output a corresponding message.
German patent application DE 101 30 988 A1 describes an angle sensor and a method for adjusting an angle sensor. According to the above reference, the angle sensor provides two measurement voltages whose amplitude courses plotted in a plane form a circle. The angle sensor further includes an evaluating circuit for evaluating the measurement voltages dropping at the bridge circuits during an angle measurement. The evaluating circuit is provided for a calculation and a correction of a measured angle and provides an output signal for further processing of the calculated and corrected angle. The evaluating circuit supplies a correction quantity to the output signal for the correct adjustment of the angle calculated from the measurement voltages. The evaluating circuit calculates the correction quantity from the Cartesian coordinates of a center of a circle on the circumference of which there are measurement voltages of an angle measurement.
German patent application DE 101 63 528 A1 describes a method for error compensation of sine/cosine position measurement systems, wherein offset, amplitude and phase errors may be corrected. An offset, amplitude and phase error of a sine and cosine track is determined from measurement values. Thus, offset, amplitude and phase errors may be compensated for an evaluation of a fine position. When performing the method, there is further a temperature compensation of error parameters.
The German patent application having the application number 10 2004 024 398 A1 describes a method and a device for adjusting a determination rule of an angle sensor. The above patent application describes a method for adjusting a determination rule for an error compensation of an angle sensor designed to detect a first component oriented along a first axis and a second component oriented along a second axis. Based on the first component and the second component, an angle is then determined according to the determination rule. For a calculation of offset and/or amplitude and/or axis angle errors, component pairs consisting of values of a first and a second predetermined component are detected. According to a first embodiment, component pairs are inserted into an ellipse equation system, whereupon at least one ellipse coefficient is determined from the ellipse equation system. The determination rule is then adjusted depending on the one determined ellipse coefficient or the plurality of determined ellipse coefficients. In a further embodiment, extremes or zero points are used for a determination of the offset and/or amplitude and/or axis angle errors.
It is apparent from the above prior art that current magnetic field sensors and/or rotational angle sensors using the anisotropic magnetoresistive effect (abbreviated as AMR sensors) do not provide any correction for the anisotropy error because the anisotropy error is not important in AMR sensors. In sensors using the giant magnetoresistive effect (abbreviated as GMR sensors), no effective correction of the anisotropy error is known either.
Influencing the causes for anisotropy errors is difficult and results in large technical effort and has further disadvantages. In principle, it is possible to achieve a limited reduction of an anisotropy error due to excessively high anisotropy of the sensor layer by influencing the causes. For example, the so-called form anisotropy may be reduced by increasing a width of the GMR resistance structures. However, this results in an increased area need, because, for reasons of limited current consumption, resistance for the GMR resistors may not drop below a certain level. However, a larger area need for the GMR resistors opposes a cost-optimized realization of magnetic circuits and is thus not advantageous. An increase of coupling strengths of the reference magnetic system as a possible measure against the case of too little anisotropy, however, is nearly impossible due to given material properties.
Thus, a measurement method is conventionally used in angle measurement with GMR resistors and/or GMR elements that is not able to compensate anisotropy errors.
According to prior art, an angle measurement using GMR resistors and/or GMR elements includes determining calibration parameters for signal main components (sine main component, cosine main component) as a part of an angle sensor calibration and calibrating/compensating the measured main components (sine main component, cosine main component) in an angle measurement in the sensor arrangement. When determining the calibration parameters for signal main components, a first step comprises taking measurement data for measurement angles in the angle range between 0° and 360°, i.e. for a full revolution. Values of the two main components (ideally of a main sine signal and a main cosine signal) are taken for a plurality of angles. Then a sinusoidal signal is respectively fitted to the course of the main components of the measurement signal (i.e. the main sine signal and the main cosine signal). For this purpose, one of the known methods for curve fit may be used. In this way, an offset (main offset) and an amplitude (main amplitude) may be determined for each of the two main signals (main sine signal, main cosine signal). Furthermore, a potential deviation with respect to an orthogonality between the main sine signal and the main cosine signal may be determined. Thus, the parameters of two sinusoidal curves are known which approximate the main signals provided by two angularly offset sensors.
The gained calibration parameters (i.e. of the main offset and the main amplitude for the two main signals and of a parameter for an orthogonality correction) are then used in an evaluation of an angle measurement in the sensor arrangement. An angle measurement includes a calibration/compensation of the measured main components and starts with a measurement of the individual components (main components) provided by the sensor, i.e. the main sine signal and the main cosine signal. In a further step, the main components are calibrated, wherein there is a calibration of offset, amplitude and orthogonality. Here, the calibration parameters determined in a calibration, i.e. for example the main offset parameters, the main amplitude parameters and an orthogonality parameter, are used. With the help of the calibrated components, an angle to be determined and/or an angle position of an external magnetic field to be calculated is then calculated.
If a sensor is operated in calibration conditions, i.e. in the external conditions in which the calibration parameters were determined, an overall residual error after the described compensation, i.e. after a calibration of the main components with regard to offset, amplitude and orthogonality, is composed of the anisotropy error and the hysteresis error. The share of the anisotropy error in the overall residual error is typically about 80%.
Thus it can be said that a noticeable reduction of an anisotropy share in the angle error may contribute to a significant increase in sensor accuracy. However, according to prior art, no device and no method is known that allows a significant reduction of the anisotropy error in a rotational angle sensor in a way realizable in a technically advantageous manner.
Summarizing, prior art does not know any satisfying solution to compensate anisotropy errors in a magnetoresistive angle sensor. The only thing known are merely devices and methods for compensating offset errors, amplitude errors and phase errors.

Method for determining residual error compensation parameters for a magnetoresistive angle sensor and method for reducing a residual angle error in a magnetoresistive angle sensor


A gesture judgment device includes a reference part detection unit that outputs reference part information indicating a reference part region, a movement extraction unit that outputs movement information indicating a movement region, a reference part disappearance judgment unit that generates a reference part disappearance information, a timing judgment unit that judges whether first timing indicated by the reference part disappearance information and second timing of occurrence of a frame in which the movement region overlaps with the reference part region indicated by the reference part information are synchronized with each other or not and outputs a timing judgment result as the result of the judging, and an operation judgment unit that judges contents of a gesture operation performed by an operator based on the timing judgment result and the movement information.

When operating equipment such as a home electric appliance or vehicle-mounted equipment, it is effective to perform a gesture operation by making a hand motion, which enables an operator to operate the equipment without using a remote control or without touching an operation panel. Further, in cases of operating equipment for digital signage or the like in a public facility or a factory, it is difficult to use touchscreens since it cannot be assumed that every operator has a remote control and many of display devices are large in size. Therefore, the gesture operation having the above-described feature is effective. In order to achieve such a gesture operation, images of the operator composed of a plurality of frames are captured with an image capturing device such as a camera, movement between the frames is detected and thus the gesture operation is judged, for example. However, this method has problems in that a gesture is easily misjudged in a circumstance where the background greatly changes, such as an in-car environment, and that it is difficult to distinguish between the gesture operation and an unintended motion by the operator.
To resolve these problems, there exists a technology that increases the accuracy of the gesture judgment by limiting a target region of the gesture operation judgment with reference to the position of the operator's face, judging a specified operation by the operator in regard to the limited region, judging whether or not the operation was performed continuously for a predetermined period, and thereby distinguishing between the gesture operation and a change in the background or between the gesture operation and an unintended motion by the operator (see Patent Reference 1, for example).

Gesture judgment device, gesture operation device, and gesture judgment method


The disclosed embodiments relate to a system that selectively propagates information through a neuromorphic circuit comprising a set of interconnected neurons. During operation, a neuron in the set of neurons receives information-carrying current pulses from one or more upstream information-carrying neurons, wherein the information-carrying current pulses are insufficient to cause the neuron to generate output current pulses. The neuron also receives selectively generated gating current pulses from one or more gating neurons, wherein the gating current pulses cause a neural voltage of the neuron to approach a firing threshold. In this way, concurrently received information-carrying current pulses combine with the gating current pulses to cause the neural voltage to exceed the firing threshold, which causes the neuron to generate output current pulses that propagate to downstream neurons.

Field
The disclosed embodiments generally relate to circuits that facilitate information-processing. More specifically, the disclosed embodiments relate to a neuromorphic circuit that facilitates routing and processing information contained in current pulses transferred between neural circuit elements.
Related Art
In recent years, a significant amount of research has been directed toward "neuromorphic circuits" that attempt to mimic the behavior of neurons in the human brain. Neuromorphic circuits typically comprise a collection of circuit elements that model individual neurons, wherein each circuit element receives input current pulses from upstream neurons and generates output current pulses that are directed to downstream neurons. (We refer to these circuit elements as "neural circuit elements" or "neurons.") Researchers have attempted to vary the functional characteristics of such neurons, and the interconnections between them, in an effort to reproduce the information-processing mechanisms within the human brain.
Some of this research has uncovered interesting collective behavior of such neurons. However, techniques for performing basic information-processing operations using collections of such neurons still need to be developed. For example, these basic information-processing operations include: (1) routing operations for routing information between neurons; (2) storage operations for storing information in collections of neurons; and (3) computational operations for performing computations on information contained in collections of neurons.
Hence, what is needed are techniques for efficiently and effectively performing these basic information-processing operations in collections of neurons.

Neuromorphic circuit model simulation that facilitates information routing and processing

The Regents of the University of California


A cover for protecting at least one wire extending from an air bag inflator comprising: a top (52), including a circular shaped first portion (54) and a narrow three-sided flange portion (56) extending radially outward from first portion; a circularly shaped first wall (58) having first (60) and second ends (62) and a bottom surface defining a shoulder (64) extending downwardly from the first portion, the first wall terminating proximate the location of the flange portion to define a space (65) between the first and second ends of the first wall. An inner surface (66) of the first wall includes a diameter smaller than the diameter of an the end portion (24) of the inflator. The cover additionally includes a circularly shaped second wall (70) extending downwardly from the first wall, having an inner (72) surface. A groove (74) is formed within the inner surface, to receive an edge of the end portion (24). The second wall includes a portion (80) which extends upwardly to join the first and second ends of the first wall closing the space (65) therebetween; and axial slits for permitting the second wall to flex.

The present invention relates generally to a protective cover and more specifically to a wire cover for protecting wires extending from an inflator used to inflate an air bag.
FIG. 1 illustrates a plan view of a typical inflator 20 which inflates a closely spaced air bag (not shown). The inflator 20 includes a main body 22 and an end portion 24. Typically the diameter of the end portion 24 is larger than the diameter of the body 22 providing a step, lip or ledge 26 which peripherally extends about the body 22. All known inflators include a pyrotechnic element often called a squib. When the squib is electrically activated, it begins a chain reaction which generates or releases inflation gas through one or more openings 28 in the inflator 20. At least one wire 30 is used to communicate a control signal to the squib from a control module. As illustrated in FIG. 1 a pair of twisted or braided wires is shown. The wires may be held together by a Teflon sleeve 32, in a known manner. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the dimension (d) defines the effective diameter across the wire(s). The wires 30 terminate in a connector 34 which is attached to a mating connector located proximate the inflator. Quite often, the mating connector (36) is located on a cooperating structure such as on a housing which supports the inflator 20. As can be appreciated, when the connector 34 is mated to connector 36, the wires will form a loop.
It can be also appreciated, during the assembling of the inflator 20 into an air bag module, the inflator 20 must be moved from location to location. The wires 30 extending from the inflator, either as a loop or length of wire lend themselves to be used as a handle from which the inflator 20 is suspended. If the inflator is so handled there is a possibility that the wires may become damaged such as creating an open circuit. Further, if the inflator is a stored gas type of inflator, which typically includes a pressure vessel it may include a pressure sensor to sense pressure inside the also pressure vessel. In this situation the inflator would include an additional wire or wires with a corresponding connector communicated to an electrical sensing circuit.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cover for protecting wires which extends from an inflator.
Accordingly, the invention comprises: a cover for protecting at least one wire extending from an air bag inflator comprising: a top; a first wall extending downwardly from the top. The cover additionally includes a second wall extending downwardly from the first wall, having an inner surface. A groove is formed within the inner surface, to receive an edge of the inflator and the second and or first wall includes slits which permit the wall to flex. Other embodiments of the invention illustrate means for securing wire connectors internally within the cover.
Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description of the drawings.


In a component having vibration-damping properties, a mixture for manufacturing the component, and a method of manufacturing such a component, the component has granular and/or grain- and/or flake-shaped piezoelectric particles which are embedded in a polymer matrix in a proportion of at least 10 volume %. In order to improve the damping effect, at least some of the piezoelectric particles have a polarization which is different from zero.

The present invention relates to a component having vibration-damping properties, a mixture for manufacturing the component, and a method of manufacturing such a component.
xe2x80x9cNew damping materials composed of piezoelectric and electro-conductive, particle-filled polymer composites: effect of electromechanical coupling factorxe2x80x9d by M. Sumita et al., in Mackromol. Chem. Rapid Commun. 12, pp. 657 to 661 (1991), may, for example, be a species-forming underlying article.
The species-forming underlying article describes a film where piezoelectric particles made of a piezoceramic and graphite as a conductive medium are embedded in a polymer matrix. According to this publication, vibrations are damped when the proportion of graphite is between about 5% and 9% by volume. In this range, the electrical conductivity of the foil also increases considerably at the same time.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a coating so that damping of vibrations occurs also for complete components in principle also without addition of conductive arrangements. Furthermore, the object of the present invention is to provide a mixture and a method for manufacturing such components.
The above and other beneficial objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a component, a mixture and a method as described herein. Despite the contrary findings of the underlying publication, damping is achieved by the use of pre-polarized piezoelectric particles, i.e., piezoelectric particles having polarization per se, even for complete components without using conductive additives and, in particular, without a precisely defined amount of conductive additives.
The present invention is explained in detail with reference to example embodiments illustrated in the examples and in the Figures.

Component having vibration-damping properties, mixture for manufacturing the component, and method of manufacturing such a component


A heart valve prosthesis for use as an aortic or pulmonary replacement valve, or as a mitral or tricuspid valve includes leaflets that are reinforced through the use of oriented fiber components in a laminated composite, in which the leaflets of the valve are reinforced with fiber-reinforcing materials oriented along lines of stress in the material, thus to provide a long-lived valve that provides strength at points of maximal stress that have hitherto been foci for material failure. In a preferred embodiment involving a stentless valve, the reinforcing materials are optimized in terms of the density and orientation of the fibers in the composite materials, thus to extend the life of a stentless valve, with the valve requiring no anti-coagulants as is the case with mechanical valves and exhibiting no hemolysis in which red cells are damaged by the action of mechanical valves. Longevity exceeds thirty five years in most cases, making replacement of such a valve a remote possibility. In one embodiment, oriented fiber components of various geometries are provided by laying fibers in specific orientation over a curved mold to which polymer sheets are laminated.

This invention relates to heart valves and more specifically to a reinforced material from which heart valve leaflets can be made with reinforcing fiber strands aligned along lines of stress, thus to dramatically increase the durability and longevity of the valve.
Artificial heart valves have been known for years and have been used to replace native valves that have become faulty through disease. The artificial heart valves themselves should ideally be designed to last for the life of the patient, in many cases in excess of thirty-five years, equivalent to over 1.8 billion heartbeats. Heart valves that can be replaced include aortic and pulmonary valves, as well as mitral and tricuspid valves.
As to the operation of normal heart valves, they open and close largely passively in response to changes in pressure in the heart chambers or great vessels i.e. aorta and pulmonary artery, which they connect. For example, the aortic valve situated between the left ventricle and the ascending aorta, opens when the rising pressure in the contracting left ventricle exceeds that in the aorta. Blood in the ventricle is then discharged into the aorta. The valve closes when the pressure in the aorta exceeds that in the ventricle.
Problems occur with the native valves when they fail to function properly through disease or trauma. Faulty valves exhibit leakage in the closed position, i.e. regurgitation, obstruction to flow in the open position, i.e. stenosis, or a combination of the two, i.e. mixed valve disease. The response of the heart to faulty valves is demonstrated by changes in the left ventricle which ensue in response to malfunction of the aortic valve. Initially the heart compensates by an increase in muscle mass i.e. hypertrophy, a process that is to some extent reversible. Eventually, however, the heart can compensate no longer and begins to dilate. This latter process is irreversible even with replacement of the faulty valve. Untreated, it leads to end stage heart failure and ultimately death. Valve replacement has become a routine operation in the developed world for patients shown to have heart valve disease who have not yet reached the stage of irreversible, end stage heart failure.
In the past, there have been two broad types of valves that have been used in replacement procedures: mechanical valves and biological valves.
Mechanical valves are constructed from rigid materials. The design of these valves takes one of three general forms: ball and cage, tilting disk or bileaflet prostheses. In general, mechanical valves have in their favor long term durability intrinsic to the very tough materials from which they are made. With a few notable exceptions, such as the well publicized Shiley CC series, mechanical failure of these valves has been very rare. Followup for some of the first generation ball and cage valves now exceeds thirty years and the longevity of more recent designs such as the latest bileaflet prostheses is expected to match these results.
The principal shortcomings of mechanical valves, however, are the need for long term anticoagulation, the tendency to cause red blood cell haemolysis in some patients and the noise created by repeated opening and closing of the valve which patients find very disturbing. Anticoagulation requires the patient to take a regular daily dose of medication that prolongs the clotting time of blood. The exact dose of medication, however, needs to be tailored to the individual patient and monitored regularly through blood tests. Apart from the inconvenience and potential for non-compliance imposed by this regimen, inadvertent over-coagulation or under-coagulation is not uncommon. Under-coagulation can lead to thrombosis of the valve itself or embolism of clotted blood into the peripheral circulation where it can cause a stroke or local ischaemia, both potentially life threatening conditions. On the other hand, over-coagulation can cause fatal spontaneous haemorrhage. It is clear therefore that anticoagulation, even in the most expert hands, is associated with finite risks of morbidity and mortality. This risk accrues significantly over the patient""s lifetime. For this reason, some surgeons avoid the use of mechanical prostheses, where possible.
Hemolysis is the lysis of red blood cells in response to stresses imposed on those cells as blood crosses mechanical valves. Significant hemolysis causes anemia. These patients are required to have regular replacement blood transfusions with the attendant inconvenience, expense and risks which that entails.
Haemolysis and the need for anticoagulation result principally from microcavitation and regional zones of very high shear stress created in the flow of blood through mechanical valves. These physical phenomena are imposed on elements in the blood, i.e. red blood cells and platelets, responsible for activating the clotting cascade occasioned by the design of existing prostheses having either a rigid ball and cage, a rigid disk or two rigid leaflets.
Finally, mechanical valves may not be suitable for small patients as a significant gradient exists across these valves in the smaller sizes.
Biological valves are constructed from a variety of naturally occurring tissues taken from animals and fixed by treatment with glutaraldehyde or similar agent. Materials that have been used include dura mater from the lining of the brain, pericardium from the sac lining the heart or valve tissue itself from pigs and cows. These materials are used to fashion replacement heart valve leaflets and in the past have been assembled with the aid of a rigid supporting frame or stent. More recently leaflets made from these materials have been supported without the aid of a rigid frame and are fixed over flexible materials such as Dacron. The latter are referred to as stentless valves.
In contradistinction to mechanical valves, biological valves have flow hemodynamics that resemble the flow through native heart valves. In general, they do not therefore require lifelong anticoagulation and do not cause red cell hemolysis. Furthermore, very little residual gradient can be measured across even the smallest available stentless biological valves. Additionally, biological valves function inaudibly.
Unfortunately, however, biological valves suffer from degenerative changes over time. At least 50% of porcine valves implanted in the aortic position fail within 10-15 years post operatively. Furthermore, this risk is amplified in the mitral position and in younger patients where failure of porcine aortic valves is almost universal by five years. Progressive deterioration of biological valves manifests itself either as obstruction to forward flow through the valve in the open position, i.e. stenosis, or more commonly as tears in the valve leaflets that cause leakage in the closed position, i.e. regurgitation.
To summarize, the configuration of biological valves allows them to function inaudibly without the risks of thrombosis or hemolysis. However, the biological materials from which they are made do not have the durability to last the patient""s potential lifetime.
A valve that combines the durability of man-made materials with the hemodynamics of a biological valve would be inaudible, free from the problems of anticoagulation and risk of hemolysis and yet exhibit the necessary durability to last the patient""s lifetime.
This is the principal underlying development of stentless valves for the aortic or pulmonary position made from the elastomeric material, polyurethane. These valves do indeed exhibit favorable hemodynamics and have not thus far required anticoagulation. Accelerated fatigue testing has however shown that these valves do still suffer from degenerative changes in the longterm. As in the case of biological valves, degenerative changes in the materials that make up the leaflets are focused on local areas of high stress in the valve leaflets themselves and mechanical failure, not surprisingly, occurs at these exact same points. Mechanical failure is therefore a problem intrinsic to the leaflet material itself.
Polyurethane and other elastomeric polymers are isotropic when assembled as sheets i.e. they exhibit the same properties in all directions and at all points over the surface of the material. Reinforcement of elastomers with fibers improves their ability to withstand stress.
By way of further background, it will be noted that in the so-called Oxford valve, a regular uniform pattern of reinforcement is used in terms of Melinex sheets made from silicone reinforced with Terylene polyester. These were fabricated as flat sheets and then assembled as leaflets over a metal frame. The flat sheets tend to buckle in the closed position of the valve. This is because a normal valve leaflet has two axes of curvature. It is not possible to fashion a flat sheet into a surface with two axes of curvature without it buckling as is demonstrated in their valve.
In terms of the valve of Wheatley et al, European Journal of Cardio-thoracic Surgery 2000; 17:440-448, their valve is molded into curved sheets but is not reinforced. This valve showed significantly lower tendency to form blood clots than mechanical valves and improved durability over biologic valves. However, accelerated fatigue testing demonstrated calcification at wear-induced defects in the leaflet material, which were sites of subsequent material failure.
In accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,074 issued to Rousseau et al reinforced fabric is used with fibers oriented only in one direction to provide improved strength. However, this does not address the different direction and magnitude of stresses experienced in different regions of the leaflet.
The synthetic fiber reinforced stentless heart valve described by Cacciola et al, Journal of Biomechanics 2000;33:521-530, utilizes a mesh reinforcement in more than one direction. However, the patterns that they describe are regular patterns and are not specifically aligned with respect to stress lines. Such a regular matrix or mesh cannot address the regional variations in stress that exist over the entire valve leaflet due to their regularity.
In the present invention, the valve leaflets are made from composite materials and assembled in the geometric form of the native biologic valve. In the case of the aortic and pulmonary valves this is a stentless structure with valve leaflets supported respectively by the wall of the aorta or pulmonary artery only. In the case of the mitral or tricuspid valves the leaflets are supported by an annulus and additionally by chordae that extend from the free edge of the valve leaflet to the wall of the ventricle. In the case of a stented valve, for implantation into any of the foregoing anatomical positions, the leaflets are supported on a wire frame or stent to which is attached a sewing ring.
In the subject invention, mechanical properties of the leaflet material are optimized by tailoring reinforcement to those areas where it is needed, with the reinforcing strands configured in a direction and density that addresses differences in the magnitude and direction of stresses in different parts of the valve leaflet. The result of fabrication of the material over curved molds and with reinforcement of the material along lines of stress is the elongation of the lifetime of the valves by at least three times, making it unnecessary to replace the valves in the normal lifetime of an individual.
In one embodiment, the valve leaflet includes a laminated structure fabricated over a mold with two axes of curvature, with one or more layers of uninterrupted yarns, strands or fibers disposed in a continuous trajectory from one edge of the leaflet to the other edge.
The entire purpose of the reinforcing yarns, strands or fibers is to improve the fatigue resistance of the valve with fiber reinforcement in a density and direction to handle regional variations in the stresses experienced across the valve leaflet.
The principals described herein for the assembly of leaflets for replacement aortic or pulmonary valves can equally be applied to the assembly of valves for the mitral or tricuspid positions. In these latter valves the reinforcing fibers are disposed across the leaflet along lines of stress some of which continue as chordae that attach the free margin of the leaflet to the ventricular septum or free wall. Alternatively, the principals may be applied to the assembly of leaflets for use in a stented replacement heart valve.
In summary, a material for the construction of heart valve leaflets is provided through the use of oriented fiber components in a laminated composite wherein fibers are aligned along lines of stress in the material, thus to engineer fatigue resistance into the material and provide a long-lived valve that will function for the life of the patient. In a preferred embodiment, the reinforcing materials are optimized in terms of orientation of the fibers and in terms of their density. A valve constructed with flexible leaflets such as these will not require anticoagulants as is the case with mechanical valves or exhibit hemolysis in which red blood cells are damaged by the action of mechanical valves. Longevity exceeds thirty-five years in most cases, making replacement of such a valve a remote possibility. In one embodiment, oriented fiber components are provided by laying fibers in specific orientations over curved molds to which polymer sheets are laminated.