The behavior of a component subjected to pulsed laser radiation is measured. The polarization value, frequency, and temperature (or other operating conditions) to which the component is sensitive are determined by detecting a temporary or permanent fault in the operation of the component. If necessary, the parasitic currents generated are prevented from destroying the tested component at the time of testing. A susceptibility of the component to energetic interactions and the preferred operating conditions for the component are deduced.

The operation of electronic components can be disrupted by the environment in which they operate, ex. an artificial or natural radiation environment or an electromagnetic environment. Harmful external factors trigger the creation of parasitic currents by interacting with the material that makes up the component. These may cause the temporary or permanent malfunction of the component and the application that uses it.
In a natural radiation environment, these effects, generally called singular effects, are created by particles. For example, heavy ions and protons in space affect the electronic equipment in satellites and launch vehicles. At the lower altitudes where airplanes operate, there is an especially high presence of neutrons, which also create singular effects. On the ground, such harmful factors can also be found and can affect electronic components, whether due to particles in the natural environment, radioactive particles in the boxes, or the immunity, signal integrity, thermal instability, or method. In the rest of the text, the effects of particles will be addressed more specifically, but the invention remains applicable to the same types of effects created by various diverse environments.
The physical phenomena responsible for failures caused by harmful external factors are rather varied. It is possible, however, to identify several major categories of failures. The invention applies particularly to some of the effects caused by the radioactive or electromagnetic environments that are produced by the combined action of creating parasitic currents and amplifying or maintaining these parasitic currents.
For example, a global or localized triggering of a parasitic thyristor, called a latchup or Single Event Latchup (SEL), in a part of the component (then called a microlatchup), a triggering of a parasitic bipolar transistor, called snapback or SES, a failure involving the combined action of triggering a parasitic bipolar structure and the amplification or maintenance of the parasitic current, called Single Event Burnout (SEB). These effects may or may not be destructive to the component.
More specifically, the interaction of a particle or radiation with the material may result in the creation of electron charges or holes. Under certain conditions, these charges can trigger one or more parasitic structures. These structures are called parasitic because, although they exist in the component intrinsically, they are never activated when the component is operating normally.
The conditions that produce these triggers are mainly related to the amount of charge generated, the location, and the type (spatial and temporal) for the generated charge.
However, most of the time, the triggering of these parasitic structures, resulting from the generation of charges, is not enough to cause the component to fail. A second phenomenon can maintain or amplify the parasitic current generated by the first phenomenon. The triggering of this second phenomenon is primarily linked to the component's intrinsic characteristics (doping level, physical organization of the component, etc.) and operation conditions, particularly its polarization, frequency, temperature.
For example, an SEB phenomenon can be triggered in power components. These include, for example, MOS power field-effect transistors MOSFET, insulated gate bipolar transistors IGBT, power diodes, and others. For example, FIG. 1 shows, for such a polarized (positive drain-force voltage) n-type silicon technology MOSFET power transistor that is initially blocked and has a parasitic bipolar structure, that the (direct or indirect) action of a particle from the natural radiation environment with the silicon that makes up the transistor results in the creation of a number of electron-hole pairs in the component. Under the influence of electrical fields and diffusion, these charges move, which generates a parasitic current within the structure. Under certain conditions, particularly where the charges are generated and the amount of charge generated, the parasitic current can pass directly through an originally blocked source/caisson junction. To the extent that the source/caisson junction can be passed through and although the caisson/drain junction is polarized in reverse, a source/caisson/drain parasitic bipolar transistor is triggered. The source is a transmitter, the caisson is the base, and the drain is the collector. In the absence of amplification and maintenance phenomenon, this parasitic structure remains able to be passed through while the charges generated by the particle/silicon interaction are drained. It is then blocked again, and the component returns to its normal operation. However, depending on certain parameters, particularly the polarization voltage applied to the drain, the temperature, and the internal technology of the component, the conditions may be satisfied so that local impact ionization occurs initially at the caisson-drain junction (highly polarized in reverse) and allows the amplification and maintenance of the parasitic current in the source-caisson-drain parasitic bipolar structure. Generally in the absence of protection, the amplification of the parasitic current causes the destruction of the component.
This example shows that the SEB phenomenon is indeed triggered by the combined action of both phenomena: the triggering of a parasitic structure and the amplification/maintenance of the parasitic current.
The physical nature of the initial parasitic current's amplification and/or maintenance phenomena varies according to the type of radiation effects and the type of components. In the case of the SEB phenomenon, it is an amplification/maintenance of the current due to the impact ionization. In the case of the SEL phenomenon, for CMOS technologies, the current amplification/maintenance happens by the triggering of a parasitic bipolar structure combined with the first, and the results may be temporary, permanent, or destructive.
Currently, there is no way to measure polarization voltage or any other characteristics of use, frequency, temperature, pressure, magnetic field value, or other factors, below which a component may no longer be subject to triggering such parasites.

Method for characterizing the sensitivity of an electronic component to energetic interactions

European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS France


An improved voltage comparator for use in waveform characterization and like applications is disclosed. The current drawn through two matched transistors connected to a source of current is measured to determine whether a reference signal applied to the base of a first reference transistor is greater or less than the signal to be measured applied to the base of the other transistor. Current is only drawn through the two transistors at times corresponding to desired sampling times, substantially eliminating differential heating effects. The comparator provides substantially reduced settling times, resulting in reduced distortion of the waveform.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved voltage comparator. More particularly, this invention relates to a voltage comparator having reduced settling time errors and thus reduced distortion.
2. Background of the Invention
There are many occasions throughout electronic engineering, and particularly in instrument manufacture, where it is necessary to compare a reference voltage to a signal voltage. For example, so-called "sampling comparators", as used in many oscilloscopes, measure the varying voltage of a signal to provide a suitable display thereof. Sampling voltage tracker circuits using an "equivalent-time" sampling approach are commonly used in such instruments. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,484 to Gyles, and "An 8-bit 200 MHz BiCMOS Comparator" Lim et al, IEEE J. of Solid-State Circuits, 25, 1, February 1990.
A block diagram of such a sampling comparator is shown in FIG. 1, and includes a time delay generator 10, a sampling comparator circuit 12, and a controller 14 with integral waveform display capability. The input signal to be displayed f(t) is supplied to the sampling comparator circuit 12 and to the time delay generator 10. Controller 14 determines a point on the input waveform f(t) to be measured. The sampling comparator circuit 12 generates a reference voltage and compares the reference voltage with the signal f(t) at the same point on each successive "copy" of the input signal. The comparison is made responsive to a strobe signal from the time delay generator 10. The sampling comparator circuit 12 thus provides an output signal to controller 14 responsive to the level of the waveform f(t) at the sampling time defined by the strobe signal. Controller 14 then instructs the time delay generator to alter the timing of the strobe signal, so that the sampling comparator similarly samples a subsequent point on the waveform. The process is repeated until the entire waveform has been sampled. At this point the complete series of values for the sampled points on the waveform are employed by controller 14 to reconstitute and display the waveform.
More specifically, the reference voltage is compared to the signal waveform repetitively at the same point in each cycle of the input waveform, when strobe pulses are received from a time delay generator 10. Over several cycles of operation, the reference voltage will closely approximate the input waveform f(t) at that particular point on the waveform. When successive comparison indicates that the reference voltage is substantially equal to the signal f(t), or after a fixed number of cycles of operation, controller 14 stores the reference voltage, and causes the time delay generator 10 to alter the timing of the strobe pulses so that the sampling takes place at a different point on the waveform. The process is then repeated, measuring a slightly different point on the waveform. When the entire waveform has been sampled at very short intervals, an accurate representation thereof can be generated and displayed.
FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate two different embodiments of the sampling comparison circuit component 12 of the block diagram of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, FIG. 2a shows a block diagram of the circuit, FIG. 2b shows the voltage of the signal f(t) being measured as a function of time, FIG. 2c shows the sequence of strobe pulses and FIG. 2d shows the reference signal, which converges to equal the value of the waveform f(t) at the strobe time. In the circuit of FIG. 2a, the signal to be measured is input to a comparator 20, together with a reference voltage provided by an integrator 22. The comparison of the signal and reference voltages occurs when a strobe signal pulse (FIG. 2c) is received. The successive outputs of the comparator 20 are summed in integrator 22, becoming the reference input. As indicated, a digital voltmeter 21 can be used to provide a digitized output signal, e.g. to controller 14 (FIG. 1).
As shown in FIG. 2b, the strobe pulses of FIG. 2c control the time at which the comparison between signal input and the reference input occurs. As shown in FIG. 2d the reference signal will typically oscillate slightly about the actual value of the signal f(t) at the strobe time.
FIG. 3 illustrates a further version of a sampling comparator circuit 12 which can be used in the instrument of FIG. 1. FIG. 3a is a block diagram of the circuit itself. FIG. 3b shows the signal voltage f(t) as a function of time. The signal f(t) is sampled at intervals defined by a strobe signal shown in FIG. 3c. FIG. 3d shows the reference signal. FIG. 3e shows the individual bits of a digital word representing the value of the reference voltage. One bit of this digital word is output upon each comparison.
Referring to FIG. 3a, comparator 20 compares the input signal f(t) to a reference signal upon receiving a strobe pulse (FIG. 3c) and outputs either a "one" or a "zero" bit responsive to the comparison. A successive approximation register (SAR) 23 receives the output bits, and provides a digital word as input to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 24. DAC 24 increments or decrements the reference voltage applied to the reference input of the comparator 20 responsive to the word provided by SAR 23 after the previous comparison. As shown in FIG. 3d, the change in the reference voltage responsive to each bit output by the successive approximation register has half the value of the change responsive to the preceding bit. Accordingly, the most significant bit of the word is output first, the second most significant bit is output next, and so on as indicated in FIG. 3e. Thus, at the conclusion of n sampling intervals, the digitized output provided by the successive approximation register 23 is an n-bit digital word directly representative of the value of the input signal at the strobe time.
Essentially the same comparator 20 is used in the circuits of both FIGS. 2 and 3. In the prior art, such comparators include two identical transistors, typically formed on the same substrate for uniformity, and connected differentially to a source of current. The reference voltage signal is applied to the base of a first reference transistor and the input signal to be measured is applied to the base of a second signal transistor. Accordingly, the amount of current conducted through the respective transistors can be measured and compared to determine whether the reference signal is greater than the sample signal or vice versa. Typically, the currents conducted through the two transistors are latched by a second pair of transistors responsive to the strobe pulse. See the Lim et al paper referred to above.
As discussed above, in the sampling circuits of FIGS. 2 and 3, the comparison of the reference voltage to the signal voltage takes place at a single instant during each period of the signal. Conventionally, however, the signal voltage and the reference voltage are provided to the bases of the signal and reference transistors of the comparator throughout the waveform, except at the strobe time, when the power is applied to the latching transistors. See Lim et al. Accordingly, the signal and reference transistors conduct varying amounts of current corresponding to the different levels of the input signal f(t) and the reference voltage. Therefore, differing quantities of heat are dissipated by the two transistors of the comparator. Accordingly, even though as noted both transistors are commonly formed on a single substrate, as they are heated differently their base-to-emitter voltage characteristics vary somewhat inconsistently,
Such differential heating effects are known to the art to cause a slight inaccuracy in the comparison and to distort the signal as finally represented by a series of words determined as above. For example, the "corners" of a square wave input signal f(t) tend to be rounded due to such differential heating effects. This distortion is referred to as a "thermal tail". U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,147 to Halbert et al, e.g., at Column 2, line 12, refers to such thermal tails. Halbert however does not provide any solution to thermal tails caused by the phenomenon just discussed. This distortion is particularly evident at input signal frequencies corresponding to the thermal time constants exhibited by the transistors of the comparator circuit.
The art suggests that such thermal tails may be compensated for in software; for example, controller 14 may be provided with software to correct the distortion induced by the thermal tails. However, such software compensation is complex and is only useful in a narrow range of frequencies.
The prior art also teaches preamplifying the input waveform f(t) and the reference signal using a second differential pair of transistors. Thermal tail phenomena are also understood to originate in such preamplifying transistors, again due to differential heating effects.

Voltage comparator with reduced settling time

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Commerce


The present invention relates to the preparation of the p-hydroxydiphenylamine ester of rosin acid. The process involves first reacting hydroquinone and aniline in the presence of a bentonite catalyst to form a reaction mixture containing p-hydroxydiphenylamine. To this reaction mixture is added rosin acid under esterification conditions to form the p-hydroxydiphenylamine ester.

Rosin acid esters are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,496. These rosin acid esters are described as being particularly useful as antidegradants in polymeric compositions. As described in this patent, the rosin acid ester may be formed by reacting the rosin acid and p-hydroxydiphenylamine in the presence of toluene sulfonic acid and m-xylene. The mixture is refluxed at a pot temperature of 205.degree. C. for 24 hours. Unfortunately, this process suffers from the disadvantage of long reaction times. In addition, the upstream preparation of the p-hydroxydiphenylamine requires removal of the catalyst with isolation and purification of the p-hydroxydiphenylamine.
As mentioned above, hydroxydiphenylamine may be reacted with a rosin acid to produce an extremely useful additive for rubber Japanese Patent Application SHO 59-30388 relates to the manufacture of hydroxydiphenylamine by reacting a phenol with an aromatic amine in the presence of an ion exchanged stratified clay catalyst also known as bentonite clay.

Process for the preparation of the hydroxydiphenylamine ester of rosin acid


A front adjustment of a front panel with snap-on mechanism for a drawer is described; whereby, the front panel is connected to a fastening mechanism and is designed for height adjustment, as well as lateral adjustment. In order to adjust the front panel in the horizontal and vertical directions with the largely hidden adjustable mechanism system, it is presented, that the front panel is on the back side of the snap-on hanger, that is connected to respective adjustable components; whereby, the adjustable component is situated in the glide profile.

1. Field of the Invention
The innovation relates to the matter of a drawer which has a front panel with a snap-on mechanism and has front adjustment capabilities according to principal concept of protection claim 1.
The purpose of the innovation is: a front panel ideally in two perpendicular to each other in upright positions; that is, the height alignment and the side alignment can be adjusted without the adjustment mechanism being visible.
The newer drawers will use the so-called integrated concealed slides. The integrated concealed slides are the side walls that are inserted into hollow chamber profiles on which adjustable front panels can be attached.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The previously known front adjustment systems, however, had the disadvantage that the front adjustment, from without, was visible behind the front panel when the drawer was open.
Moreover, the connection between the front panel and the associated fitting was not quickly removed, but, on the contrary, was releasable only with relatively great assembly difficulty.
The innovation is, therefore, based on the further development of the front adjustment mentioned in the above descriptions, so that hidden front fitting system on the concealed slides can be utilized and connected to a drawer front panel which can be quickly detached.

Front adjustment for a panel with snap-on mechanism for a drawer


A dental CAD/CAM application generates a 3D model representing a patient's dental anatomy. This model may be a 3D surface. The surface may also be textured with either a monochrome or color image superimposed. The display routine that is used to display the 3D model is enhanced to adjust the contrast in the region of a displayed mouse pointer (or other input device) as a user explores the display image. When this feature is activated and the mouse pointer positioned, preferably the texturing on the 3D model is recomputed in that local area and redisplayed showing greater contrast and detail. Preferably, the contrast is increased from a center to an edge of the area of contrast. Having the texturing of the model being improved and highlighted around the margin is desirable, as it allows the user to see more easily where the margin is located.

Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to computer-assisted techniques for creating dental restorations.
Brief Description of the Related Art
During the last decade various technological advancements have increasingly started to be applied to systems in the healthcare arena, particularly in dental care. More specifically for example, traditional imaging and computer vision algorithms coupled with soft X-ray sensitive charge coupled device (CCD) based vision hardware have rendered conventional X ray photography ubiquitous, while more advanced data imaging and processing has enabled passive intraoral 3D topography. The latter comprises the acquisition portion of a CAD/CAM system, which would typically be followed by a design step using some sort of manipulating software, and a manufacturing step that might entail an office laser printer-sized milling machine. The entire system allows a dentist to provide a patient the same services a manufacturing laboratory would provide with a certain turnaround time, however, all chair-side and on-the-spot, greatly reducing the possibility of infections and discomfort to the patient. In addition, clinical cases containing raw and processed data are easily shared as digital files between dentists who lack the second portion of the system, i.e. the manufacturing step, and laboratories who have adapted and evolved to embrace CAD/CAM.
In a clinical case where a patient is required a crown, for example, traditionally the dentist would prepare the area, and take a physical (active) impression using a silicone-based agent, thereby subjecting the patient to some discomfort during the process. The next step requires the dentist to place a temporary crown over the area and then schedule the patient for an additional visit once the final crown based on the original impression has been manufactured by a laboratory. During this time, the patient is more subject to local infections. The entire process of mold-taking and re-shaping of materials at the laboratory is involved, is rather cumbersome and outdated, and it contains several steps that must be controlled by tight tolerances.
Intraoral, in-vivo passive 3D scanning is a rather challenging task. A multitude of technical and economic factors impose numerous constraints and add difficulties to the problem. For these reasons, successful systems must address and solve all these challenges, rendering them much more complex than otherwise conceptually simple 3D scanners. First, consider the operating environment, i.e. intraoral on a live patient. Digital imaging complications arise due to the restricted operating volume imposing a certain arrangement of optics and sensors such as to facilitate practical system operation in-vivo and intraoral as a probing device. Further, this environment is dark, contains air with a high degree of relative humidity expunged from the patient's lungs with every breath, and it facilitates artifact contamination of areas of interest by the mere presence of saliva, air bubbles within it and the patient's tongue itself. In addition, the environment is not static, as the patient is not a still unanimated object.
Second, consider the operator, i.e. the dentist. The device must be ergonomically designed around the system to ensure it is a useful tool and can solve the problem. Power consumption and power dissipation are important considerations. Moreover, as a hand-held medical device, it must pass additional regulatory affairs imposed by government authorities, as well as comply with the local standard electromagnetic interference/emission laws.
Third, consider the quality of the data obtained in the scanning process; if not comparable or better with current active (i.e. mold) impression-taking, the whole process is rendered null. The quality and accuracy of the data must also be consistent with the requirements of the CAM step of the process. Ultimately how well a milled restoration fits a patient's preparation area is a function of all of these factors.
There are several commercially-available solutions, including systems that integrate the CAM component. Some solutions still rely on contrast enhancing agents applied as a spray on the preparation area to mitigate some of the difficulties of imaging intra orally in-vivo. The 3D scanning implementations available employ several methods for obtaining surface topography estimations. These range from solutions exploiting depth map generation by confocal imaging, to fringe projection assisted 3D imaging, although other approaches such as correspondence-assisted stereoscopic imaging or plenoptic imaging may be used. Typically, the highest degree of data accuracy and ease of use, coupled with the economics and availability of off the shelf components, is greatly facilitated by employing a structured light projection technique, such as provided by a commercial system such as E4D Dentist, from E4D Technologies, LLC, of Dallas, Tex.

Real-time detail highlighting on 3D models


A filtered feedthrough including a ferrule surrounding an insulator supporting one or more lead wires and at least one ground pin is described. The insulator defines a channel cutout extending from a first insulator side to a channel cutout bottom part way through the thickness of the insulator and in communication with the ferrule. An attached filter capacitor shunts electromagnetic interference from the lead wire to the ground pin, and the ground pin is in electrical communication with the ferrule by way of a ferrule-ground pin braze joint formed in the channel cutout.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to feedthroughs that provide electrical paths for implantable medical devices. The feedthroughs hermetically connect the components, including the electrical power and control circuitry, housed inside the casing of an implantable medical device with the conductors delivering the therapy to the body being assisted. More particularly, the present invention helps prevent electromagnetic interference (hereinafter EMI) with critical electrical signals in these devices.
2. Prior Art
Medical devices, including implantable cardiac pacemakers and implantable cardiac defibrillators currently in use for correcting cardiac abnormalities, are adversely affected by spurious EMI. Spurious EMI is highly undesirable because it can interfere with proper functioning of the implanted medical device, either, by inhibiting a proper response or by causing an improper one, and can otherwise cause the device to unpredictably malfunction. Spurious EMI signals are emitted from such common sources as television transmitters, cell phones, cell towers, and anti-theft detection devices. Thus, all of these EMI emitters can cause significant problems for individuals with implantable medical devices.
The structure of a pacemaker or a defibrillator device typically includes a casing as a housing for a pulse generator and associated circuitry, and a battery that serves as a power supply. One or more conductive lead wires extend from the pulse generator circuit in the interior of the device and pass through the casing where they connect via a medical lead to an electrode surgically attached to an appropriate location in the heart. A feedthrough allows the lead wires to hermetically pass from the interior of the device, through the casing and but to the medical lead connected to the heart. The typical feedthrough comprises a ferrule mountable on the device casing with an insulator positioned within the ferrule. The lead wires pass through the insulator from the interior of the device to the exterior in a non-conductive manner. This is possible because the lead wires are electrically isolated from the metallic device casing.
Shunting the lead wires to a ground wire or pin by a filter capacitor connected between them essentially eliminates stray EMI. There may be more than one ground wire. Typically, one capacitor is positioned between each lead wire and at least one of the ground pins. When used with a multipin feedthrough, these capacitors are often built as a monolithic structure or array and are referred to as an internally grounded feedthrough. If the array is in the form of a right circular cylinder, it is designated a discoidal capacitor.
However, prior art feedthrough devices are not without problems. For example, if the internally grounded feedthrough is to effectively filter EMI, the ground pin or pins must be electrically connected to the ferrule. Spot welding or brazing the ground pin or pins to the ferrule typically accomplishes this. Spot welding and brazing are time consuming, increase the number of components required, increase the number of manufacturing steps, and result in a ground that is not centrally located.
Another method for grounding the feedthrough is to braze a metallic member to one wire passing through a hole in the ceramic insulator. The opposite end of the metallic member is then brazed to an insulator-ferrule braze joint. Problems associated with this construction include undesirably increasing the number of components necessary for the feedthrough, increasing the need for complicated manufacturing processes to accomplish the required brazing, and decreasing production yields.
Yet another past attempt at grounding a feedthrough is to furnish the insulator with a metallized ground strip down its side. Gold is then flowed down the ground strip to the insulator-ferrule braze joint. This design presents significant fixturing problems, has high variability, and often results in a very thin gold strip with excessive resistivity, thus making it unsuitable for many implantable device applications.
Additionally, ground members that are brazed directly to the ferrule can develop hermetic failures after completion of device assembly if the brazing process is not controlled and dissolution of titanium in the gold braze is excessive. Braze failures occur when the titanium to gold ratio is too high. This causes brittleness in areas of the braze fillet when the lead wire is subjected to bending strain or thermal stresses.
Then, there are feedthroughs that centralize the ground pin or pins where they are directly attached to the ferrule. However, these designs require multiple insulators, multiple components, increased seal lengths, increased feedthrough size, increased production time, and, ultimately, increased expense.
Thus, there is a need for an internally grounded feedthrough, preferably filtered, that comprises at least one centralized ground wire or pin with minimal spacing between the at least one lead wire and the at least one ground pin. The feedthrough needs to have a high degree of durability and be of a highly manufacturable design with a minimal number of components. This helps lower production costs and susceptibility to process variations while retaining ductile braze bonds.
The present multipin feedthrough comprises a ferrule surrounding an insulator supporting one or more lead wires and at least one ground pin. The insulator defines a channel cutout extending from a first insulator side to a channel cutout bottom part way through the thickness of the insulator and in communication with the ferrule. An attached filter capacitor shunts electromagnetic interference from the lead wire to the ground pin, and the ground pin is in electrical communication with the ferrule by way of a ferrule-ground pin braze joint formed in the channel cutout. This structure overcomes problems associated with prior art filter feedthroughs by shunting undesirable EMI directly from the ground pin to the ferrule along the ferrule-ground pin braze joint.

Multipin feedthrough containing a ground pin passing through an insulator and directly brazed to a ferrule


A plasma display apparatus for discharging heat from a lateral surface of a device. The plasma display apparatus includes a display panel, a chassis base supporting the display panel, and a circuit unit supported by the chassis base and for driving the display panel. A signal transmission unit couples the display panel and the circuit unit and includes at least one device mounted on itself. A lateral heat radiation member surrounds a lateral portion of the device to diffuse heat from the lateral portion of the device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display apparatus, and more particularly, to a plasma display apparatus for radiating heat.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A conventional plasma display apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 includes a display panel 20 for displaying an image, a chassis base 40 for supporting the display panel 20, circuit units 50 to drive the display panel 20, signal transmission units 52 coupling the display panel 20 to the circuit units 50, and a shielding plate 60 for protecting the signal transmission units 52.
The display panel 20 includes a front panel 21 and a rear panel 22. The rear panel 22 may be attached to a front surface of the chassis base 40 by dual-adhesive tape 33. Additionally, a panel heat radiation member 30 may be disposed between the display panel 20 and the chassis base 40. Reinforcing members 41, which reinforce the strength of the chassis base 40 and the circuit units 50, are installed on a back surface of the chassis base 40.
A device 55 may be mounted on the signal transmission units 52.
The shielding plate 60 covers the signal transmission units 52, prevents damage to the signal transmission units 52 during fabrication, and emits the heat generated from a device 55 to outside. The shielding plate 60 may be coupled to the reinforcing member 41 by various means, including a screw 65 through a first coupling hole 61a of the shielding plate 60 to a second coupling hole 41a of the reinforcing member 41, as shown in FIG. 1.
A tape carrier package (TCP) may be used as the signal transmission unit 52. That is, the TCP, which is formed as a package by mounting a plurality of devices on a tape, may couple the display panel 20 to the circuit units 50. The TCP may include a film layer 52a, a copper layer 52b, and a solder resist (SR) application layer 52c, and it is coupled to both end portions of the device 55 that is disposed on the TCP. The device 55 may be supported by a bumper 57 disposed on the copper layer 52b. Since the TCP is formed of tape, it is flexible, and it may have a plurality of devices mounted on it, including a driving circuit device. Thus, the TCP is widely used to reduce a size of the circuit unit.
However, the devices mounted on the TCP may generate large heat when driving the display panel, which degrades the panel's display performance, reduces circuit unit reliability if the display panel is driven for a long time, and damages the panel substrates by transferring heat stress to them. Further, because the device mounted on the TCP is about 2 mm×6 mm, an effective unit for emitting the heat is required.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, thermal conductive grease 43 may be applied on an upper surface of the reinforcing member 41, and a lower heat radiation member 45 may be formed so as to fill a gap between the device 55 and the TCP 52. Additionally, the upper portion of the device 55 is covered by the shielding plate 60, on which a thermal conductive sheet 63 is attached. Therefore, heat generated from the upper and lower, portions of the device may be easily diffused.
An area of the upper surface of the device is typically about 12 mm2, and an area of a lateral surface of the device is typically about 8 mm2. Hence, the diffusion of heat through the side surface of the device is an important factor in a thermal conductive efficiency. However, the above device may not have a heat radiation unit on its side, thus the heat radiated through its side may not be diffused well.


An ignition coil for an internal combustion engine has a corrodable metallic core (9, 10) about which is provided a circumferential primary coil former (1) upon which is wound a primary coil (2). Circumferentially disposed around the primary coil is a secondary coil (3) located on a former (13). So as to prevent the corrodable metallic core ( 9, 10 ) from fracturing the primary coil former, there is disposed an absorbing layer (12) between the core and the primary coil. The stress absorbing layer may be provided between the primary coil and the primary former or the primary former may comprise a deformable inner cylindrical member (1b) and a substantially rigid outer cylindrical member (1a) with the stress absorbing material (12) located in the annular space between the inner cylindrical member and the outer cylindrical member. The stress absorbing material in such an alternative embodiment may be formed of foamed rubber-like material or may be an air gap. In yet another embodiment the former about which the primary coil (2) is wound may be formed of a stress absorbing material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ignition coil for an internal combustion engine, and in particular, although not exclusively, relates to an ignition coil for an internal combustion engine having an iron core which is inserted through a primary former supporting a primary, coil.
2. Description of the Related Art
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 56-42316 (1981), a now often used ignition coil for an internal combustion engine is constructed by entirely enclosing a primary coil, a secondary coil, their associated bobbin former and an iron core within a synthetic resin.
In recent times it has become desirable to make the ignition coil of small size and light weight so that it is required to discard the enclosure entirely surrounding the iron core, coils and synthetic resin and instead to employ a structure in which the iron core is exposed. In particular, such a requirement is extremely desirable in an ignition device for a DIS (Direct Ignition System) which uses one ignition coil for one or two ignition plugs.
Such an ignition coil is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 55-103712 (1980).
It is appreciated that the engine compartment where the ignition coil is mounted, is exposed to open air and directly receives the influence of the external atmosphere. Therefore, when a car runs on a road near the sea or one scattered with salt to melt snow in the winter, the engine compartment is filled with external air containing components of salt and water.
When such external air containing salt and water enters into the clearance between the primary former and the iron core inserted therethrough, the problem arises that the iron core rusts to produce a corrosion expansion so that stress due to the corrosion expansion is transmitted to the coil through the former and a crack occurs in a filler agent between the respective bobbins of the primary and secondary coils. The ignition coil then breaks down.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved ignition coil. It is a further object of this invention to provide an ignition coil in which stress caused by corrosive expansion of the iron core is reduced.

Ignition coil for internal combustion engine


An optical coupling structure includes an optical amplifier array configured to include a plurality of optical amplifiers arranged in an array direction, an optical fiber array configured to include a plurality of optical fibers arranged in the array direction, and an optical coupling system that optically couples the optical amplifier array and the optical fiber array, wherein, in a non-array direction orthogonal to the array direction, the optical coupling system optically couples beams of light signals to an end face of the optical amplifier array in parallel with a waveguide direction of the optical amplifiers, and optically couples the beams to an end face of the optical fiber array obliquely to the end face of the optical fiber array in the non-array direction.

For example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2008-077071 (FIG. 8 of this publication) discusses, as an optical amplification module that amplifies light signals, an array optical amplification module including an optical amplifier array in which a plurality of semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) are arrayed. Light signals of a plurality of channels are input from an optical fiber array provided on one side to the array optical amplification module, are optically amplified and switched by the SOAs, and are then output to optical fibers in an optical fiber array provided on the other side.
In the above-described array optical amplification module, reflection of light signals at end faces of the optical fibers and end faces of the SOAs (edge reflection) is suppressed to reduce optical coupling loss. For this reason, beams of light signals are obliquely incident on and emergent from the optical fiber array and the SOAs. Specifically, a plurality of (two) lenses are provided between the optical fiber array and the SOAs, and the beams of the light signals pass the lenses while being shifted by a predetermined offset amount from the centers of the lenses. Imaging is performed while the centers of the two lenses are substantially aligned by this confocal lens system, so that the beams of the light signals may become oblique to the end faces of the optical fibers (the end faces of the SOAs).
However, in the above-described related art, the optical coupling loss between the end faces of the optical fiber array and the end faces of the SOAs have wavelength dependence, and the optical coupling loss differs among a plurality of channels (wavelengths). The beams of the light signals at the end faces of the SOAs are optically coupled obliquely to the array direction, and the beams of the light signals at the end face of the optical fiber array are also optically coupled obliquely to the array direction. Thus, all reflecting directions of light overlap with the array direction, and this increases the wavelength dependence of the optical coupling loss.
To reduce the wavelength dependence of the optical coupling loss, the beams of the light signals are not inclined in the array direction at the end face of the optical fiber array, but are made incident in parallel with the axial direction of the optical fibers (perpendicular to the array direction). However, if the structure is simply changed so that the beams of the light signals are incident on the optical fibers in parallel, the beams are reflected by edge reflection of the optical fibers, and enter the SOAs. This degrades the characteristics of the SOAs. In the structure in which the beams of the light signals are incident in parallel with the axial direction of the optical fibers, edge reflection may be suppressed by obliquely forming the end faces of the optical fibers in the optical fiber array, but it is difficult to form the end faces of the optical fibers obliquely in the array direction.
FIG. 8 depicts the problem of edge reflection of the optical fiber array. When a plurality of optical fibers arranged in the array direction in the optical fiber array are collectively made oblique in the array direction, the positions of the end faces of the optical fibers (distances from the lenses) become different. For this reason, it is assumed that the fiber axis direction of an optical fiber array 800 is set parallel to an optical axis direction Z such that beams of light signals are incident in parallel, as illustrated in FIG. 8. In this case, in order for the positions of end faces 800aa to 800na of a plurality of optical fibers 800a to 800n in the optical fiber array 800 to be arranged in an array direction X at the same distance from a lens 801, each of the end faces 800aa to 800na of the optical fibers 800a to 800n is formed obliquely to the beams (the optical axis direction Z). This formation is troublesome and realistically difficult.

Optical coupling structure and array optical amplification module


A silicon-based laser mounting structure is disclosed which provides improved interconnection between a semiconductor optical device, such as a laser, and an external high frequency modulation current source, by reducing the presence of parasitic inductive elements in the interconnecting network. The structure includes a stripline transmission path formed by depositing metal conductive strips on the top and bottom surfaces of a silicon substrate. The conductive strips are coupled at one end to the external modulation current source. A thin film resistor is deposited between the second end of the top conductive strip and the semiconductor optical device. This thin film resistor is utilized to provide impedance matching between the optical device and the stripline. That is, for a laser with an impedance Z.sub.L, and a stripline designed to have an impedance Z.sub.S, the resistance R is chosen such that R+Z.sub.L =Z.sub.S. Utilizing silicon processing techniques, the thin film resistor may be placed adjacent to the laser, reducing the parasitics associated with their interconnection. A conductive via is formed through the substrate to provide a top-side bonding location for connecting the optical device to the bottom metal conductor by providing the top-side site, the parasitic inductance associated with this interconnection is considerably reduced.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a semiconductor optical device mounting structure and, more particularly, to a silicon-based stripline structure for providing an interconnection between the semiconductor optical device and a high frequency modulation current source.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Semiconductor optical devices, such as lasers and light emitting diodes (LEDs), are used in a wide variety of applications, due to their compactness, relatively high efficiency, and well-controlled output. However, a number of requirements are imposed upon these devices. For durability, cooling of the optical device is necessary, since prolonged high temperature operation can seriously damage and even destroy the device. Further, since the output light intensity from the device is a function of its junction temperature, the supporting structure must be able to dissipate the tremendous amount of heat generated by the high current density in the device in its operating state.
While it is relatively simple to solve these temperature related problems (by use of a thermo-electric cooler, for example), other problems develop when a semiconductor optical device is operated at extremely high bit rates, for example, above 1 Gb/s. At these speeds, the low impedance of the laser relative to that of the modulation current source, as well as the parasitics associated with the interconnecting network, become critical factors. Minimizing these parasitics by matching the network impedance to the optical device impedance over a broad bandwidth must be performed in order to achieve acceptable performance. It is well-known that semiconductor devices such as lasers exhibit an impedance in the range of 2-8.OMEGA., while most high frequency modulation current sources have a relatively high output impedance (>>50.OMEGA., typically). The impedance mismatch between the laser and the modulation current source would cause multiple reflections of the signal from the laser and consequently severe distortion in the signal waveform applied to the laser. This distortion, in turn, degrades the bit error rate (BER) of the system incorporating the laser. One approach to this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,891 issued to P. R. Selway et al. on June 27, 1978. Selway et al. disclose a particular laser stud mount design which utilizes a stripline (a conductive strip held between a pair of ceramic annuli) as one terminal connection for the laser. The stripline may then be correctly sized (in terms of thickness and width) to provide impedance matching between the signal source and the laser.
A problem with this approach is that since every laser exhibits a slightly different impedance (related to processing variations), each stripline of the Selway et al. design would have to be individually designed to match the particular laser to which it is being coupled. Further, in trying to use the stripline to directly match the impedance of the laser to the modulation current source, other problems develop. In general, to provide impedance matching, the ideal solution is either to decrease the impedance looking back from the laser to the source (so that the source appears to the laser as an equivalent load) or, alternatively, to increase the resistance of the laser as seen by the supply. For many reasons, however, these alternatives are impractical, if not impossible. In particular, to decrease the source impedance as seen by the laser would require the use of an extremely thin stripline, making the device too fragile for practical applications. In contrast, providing a stripline which increases the laser's impedance would greatly increase the necessary voltage swing of the modulation current source required to deliver the same current to the laser. Additionally, these arrangements, by nature of their design, introduce parasitic inductive elements into the interconnection network. At high bit rates, greater than 1 Gb/s, for example, these parasitics seriously load the signal applied to the laser and severely degrade the performance of the system.
Thus, a need remains in the prior art for a means of interconnecting a semiconductor optical device to a high frequency modulation current current source which allows the laser to operate at high bit rates, e.g., speeds exceeding 1 Gb/s without introducing excessive parasitic inductive elements into the interconnecting network.

Method of forming a silicon-based semiconductor optical device mount


A large screen image display device has a rear wall on which a plurality of striped vertical addressing electrodes are formed, a front wall to which a conductor and phosphor are laminated, and mutually spaced side walls to form an evacuated enclosure wherein the conductor and the addressing electrodes confront each other. Linear thermal cathodes are disposed in rows orthogonal to the addressing electrodes for emitting thermal-electrons. At least one modulation electrode is located between the thermal cathodes and addressing electrodes in parallel to the respective thermal cathode. Horizontal focusing deflection electrodes are arranged opposite to and in parallel to both sides of the thermal cathodes. A control circuit supplies control signals to the above mentioned electrodes for operating the device.

Heretofore a luminescent type flat image display device, a plasma display, an EL display, fluorescent display tube, and a flat CRT have been known among other. However, the plasma display has a large in power consumption, the EL display has a low in the luminescence efficiency for the blue color, and the fluorescent display tube has a low in brightness in a full color display. By contrast, a system with luminescent cathodes has been known as a means for clearly and efficiently displaying color images, whereby the luminescent cathodes are part of a flat image display device. For example, flat panel display devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,028,582, 4,031,427, 4,088,920; 4,227,117; 4,622,497; 4,703,231; 4,736,139; and Japanese patent layed open publication Nos. 53-56961, 53-137665. Reinforcement partitions formed within an envelope for a picture display panel are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,492.
The conventional flat image display device, however, has the following problems.
1. It has been difficult to increase the resolution, and the colors tended to be uneven in a full color display.
2. The structure was complicated, and it was difficult to increase the screen size.
It has been difficult to obtain a high resolution because the brightness is modulated by the rows of back electrodes orthogonal to the linear thermal cathodes, and the electron beams emitted from the linear thermal cathodes toward the phosphor screen are spread widely. Particularly in the full color display, it is difficult for the electron beams to accurately energize the phosphors for each color of the three colors used, which results in an uneven color display.
The difficulty in increasing the size of the screen is due to the fact that the atmospheric pressure is applied to the evacuated thin-wall enclosure, that is, the strength of the enclosure is insufficient, whereby the enclosure is easily broken and it is difficult to manufacture.

Image display device and its driving method


The present invention provides a sensor and measuring method. The sensor comprises multiple-layer organo-metallic cross-linked polymers forming various superlattice nanostructured biomimetic membranes for sensing Cooper-pair wave transmissions causing intrinsic magnetic flux quantum observed based on a Josephson junction toroidal array and a controllable state-switch valve having a double-pole electron-relay that promoted Cooper pairs coherently transmitting waves in the membranes within and cross the Josephson toroidal junction barriers at zero-bias. The One-Device-Assembly system enables a femto-joule energy consumption for quantum qubits; or acting as an energy storage device that stores energy 1.53 MJ/cm2 for an application in automobile vehicles.

The shortcomings of artificial neuronal networks (ANN)s systems developed through electric circuitry architectures have no or loose connections to neuroscience were mentioned in the literature [1]. As a consequence, the shortcomings include, not limited to ignore features of biological neural processing systems, such as their extremely low-power consumption features, sensory and flexibility. Memristors and memcapacitors have made significant progresses in the recent decades [2-4]; especially with nanotechnology has been incorporated [5-7]. Many diseases are rooted in circadian rhythm (CR) dysfunction. Severe CR dysfunction leads to memory loss and worsens the quality of life. There are 40 million American reported to have chronic long-term sleep deprivation [8]. Researchers reported that Amyloid-β (Aβ) overturns the acetylcholine (ACH) and melatonin release from a normal CR function to a dysfunctional CR [9-10]. Our group developed a sensor that mimics acetylcholinesterase (ACHE) active sites in the ACHE gorge and is able to detect ACH in fM level compared with a "mutated ACHE neuronal gorge" sensor, whose 14 hydrophobic residue groups were knocked out [7]. Aβ's accumulation and neurofibrillary tangle are identified as major pathological biomarkers linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD) [11-14]. Obviously, it is desirable that the ACH sensor is able to detect sub pM Aβ [15].
Slow-wave sleep (SWS) is closely associated with declarative memory consolidation, and the signal is stronger in SWS than in wakeful time [16-18]. One of the neuronal safe guards to this cognitive function is the bidirectional invariant reentry neuronal network circuitry [19-21]. Many models propose to simulate the closed-loop circuitry's reentry functions, however, very few, if any, to really develop a neuronal device which can correlate the reentrant characteristics of "memory" and the influence of neuronal toxins and visualize its function in an image. We thought a memristor/memcapacitor with biomimetic ACHE neuronal gorge functions might be able to face this challenge [22-23]. A review by Cabaret for organic memristors' capability as artificial neural networks was published [24, 6].
Researchers discovered Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients have lost the sense of smell due to Aβ inhibition of olfactory bulb activity [25-28]. Here, we further propose a hypothesis that memories of an artificial, intelligent neural network are not only associated with the "Sensory Biomarkers", but also correlated with the primary neural network's energy density in a frequency domain that must governed by the memristor/mamcapacitor's rules under the inspiration of our previous work [16].
A normal neural network circuitry constantly fires high frequency oscillation (HFO) (150-200 Hz) producing synchronization within the connection between hippocampus and neocortex for long term memory storage during Slow-Wave Sleeping (SWS), and where pathological high frequency oscillation (pHFO) (200-600 Hz) fires randomly leading to seizures and epilepsy [29-31]. The biggest problem in epilepsy research, as the Editor Noebels explained in the book, is that researchers are "not clear how abnormal synchrony is generated during pHFO. Clearly there is a need for additional studies that will differentiate normal from pathologic HFO in vitro and in vivo."[29]. In this invention, we attempted to find a method to differentiate and predict the presence of pHFO and HFO based on a mems-transformer that embodiments with memcapacitive/memresistive/meminductive characteristics to mimicking neural network circuitries and herein find its applications in the energy-sensory optical images.

Scale-up toroidal array quantum processing memory device with controllable and adjustable state-switch valves of making and applications thereto


A character-recognition system provided in a digital mobile communication terminal, comprises a display, a touch panel for generating pressure signals in response to the pressures applied by the characters written on its surface a touch panel drive for generating coordinate data and touch panel state data from the pressure signals, a character data base for storing character data consisting of shapes and stroke data of the characters, a character-recognition for generating the addresses of the precise character data retrieved from the character data base by recognizing the data of the written characters, a character code storage for storing the character codes corresponding to the character data stored in the character data base, and a controller for delivering the stroke data of the written characters calculated from the coordinate data and touch panel state data to the character-recognition means, wherein the controller retrieves the character codes from the character code storage corresponding to the addresses generated by the character-recognition means in response to the coordinate data and stroke data, and display them on the display.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to digital communication systems, and more particularly, to a character-recognition system for use in a digital mobile communication terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the size of mobile terminals becomes increasingly portable, the operation of such devices has become more difficult for the typical user. The standard keypad is presently capable of providing a variety of functions, however, accessing these functions often requires a user to input a number of key operations, frustrating the user in the process. Moreover, mobile terminals have recently been provided with character data communication service capability as an adjunct to the existing voice capability. As such, additional difficulties arise in that an already overburdened user interface (i.e. keypad) must now serve as the interface for inputting character data in addition to the essential dialing function. Transmitting character data utilizing the limited number of keys on a conventional mobile communications terminal requires a multiplicity of key combinations thus increasing the number of key input operations required of a user. At present, transmitting character data through a conventional mobile communication terminal is carried out in the following three ways. The first way to transmit a message (i.e. character data) is by making a proper combination of key inputs through several key input operations. The second method is to transmit a message previously composed and stored. For example, one of the messages stored in a memory is retrieved for transmission. The third is to make a proper combination of characters displayed on an LCD by operating a specially designed key added to the key pad. Both the first and third methods make it possible to transmit a message as presently composed, but require a large number of key input operations. The second method does not require an inordinate amount of key inputs, however, it is limited in terms of a predetermined content. That is, the message is pre-stored.
Accordingly, it would be highly advantageous to provide methods and an apparatus to facilitate the input of character data in a mobile communication terminal that overcomes the disadvantages inherent in the methods described.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a mobile communication terminal with a character-recognition system for facilitating the input of character data, and a method thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a mobile communication terminal with a touch panel as a character input unit, and a method thereof.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a mobile communication terminal with a touch pad adapted for users familiar with conventional key pads.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a mobile communication terminal with a touch panel interface without substantially increasing the size and structural complexity thereof.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a mobile communication terminal with a touch panel controlled by suitably utilizing the limited number of the chip selection pins of the modem without substantially modifying the internal structure of the mobile communication terminal.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mobile communication terminal with a touch panel mounted on the LCD module of its housing.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a character-recognition system provided in a digital mobile communication terminal, comprises a display, a touch panel for generating pressure signals in response to the pressures applied by the characters written on its surface, a touch panel driver for generating coordinate data and touch panel state data calculated from the pressure signals, a character data base for storing character data consisting of shape data and stroke data of the characters, a touch panel drive circuit for generating the addresses of the precise character data retrieved from the character data base by recognizing the data of the written characters, a character code storage for storing the character codes corresponding to the character data stored in the character data base, and a device which comprises a processor functioning as receiving coordinate data and state data from the touch panel drive circuit, outputting the data to a character-recognition means and driving the character-recognition means, receiving the result value of the character-recognition means, reading out the corresponding character code from the character code storage, and displaying them on the display.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a mobile communication terminal including a display, touch panel, character data base for storing character data, and character code storage for storing the character codes corresponding to the character data stored in the character data base, is provided for with a character-recognition method, which comprises the steps of determining whether a character is inputted within a predetermined time interval in character-recognition mode set by an external input signal, comparing the character data input within the predetermined time with character data stored in a character data base, determining whether the character data base contains a character that matches the input character within some pre-defined error range, and display the input character on the display by reading from the character code storage the character code corresponding to the matching character data.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a character-recognition system provided in a mobile communication terminal, comprises a modem chip, a touch panel for generating X/Y coordinate data representing a pressure trace made by a pen writing on it, and a touch panel driver having a chip selection input pin for receiving a chip selection signal generated from a chip selection output terminal of the modem chip, an X/Y selection terminal for receiving an X/Y selection signal generated from a first general-purpose output terminal of the modem chip and a data transfer terminal for receiving the X/Y selection signal and transferring the X/Y coordinate data through the same data bus from and to the modem chip.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a display module interface for a character-recognition mobile communication terminal, comprises a modem chip, a display selection circuit for converting the output signal of a general-purpose write output pin provided in the modem chip into a display enable signal, and a display module having an enable terminal for receiving the enable signal, a command/display data input pin for receiving a command/display data selection signal generated from a general-purpose input/output pin of the modem chip, and a data bus for receiving command/display data through the same data bus in response to the command/display data selection signal.

Character-recognition system for a mobile radio communication terminal and method thereof


According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a method for generating a keyword model of a user-defined keyword in an electronic device is disclosed. The method includes receiving at least one input indicative of the user-defined keyword, determining a sequence of subwords from the at least one input, generating the keyword model associated with the user-defined keyword based on the sequence of subwords and a subword model of the subwords, wherein the subword model is configured to model a plurality of acoustic features of the subwords based on a speech database, and providing the keyword model associated with the user-defined keyword to a voice activation unit configured with a keyword model associated with a predetermined keyword.

In recent years, electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet computers, wearable electronic devices, smart TVs, and the like are becoming increasingly popular among consumers. These devices typically provide voice and/or data communication functionalities over wireless or wired networks. In addition, such electronic devices generally include other features that provide a variety of functions designed to enhance user convenience.
Conventional electronic devices often include a speech recognition function for receiving voice commands from a user. Such a function allows an electronic device to perform a function associated with a voice command (e.g., a keyword) when the voice command from a user is received and recognized. For example, the electronic device may activate a voice assistant application, play an audio file, or take a picture in response to the voice command from the user.
In electronic devices having a speech recognition feature, manufacturers or carriers often equip the devices with predetermined keywords and associated sound models, which may be used in detecting the keywords in an input sound. Some electronic devices may also allow a user to designate a keyword as a voice command. For example, electronic devices may receive several utterances of a keyword from a user and generate a keyword model for the designated keyword from the utterances.
In general, the detection performance of a keyword model is related to the number of utterances from which the keyword model is generated. That is, the detection performance of a keyword model may improve as the number of utterances increases. For example, a manufacturer may provide a keyword model in an electronic device that has been generated from thousands of utterances or more.
In conventional electronic devices, however, the number of utterances of a keyword received from a user is relatively small (e.g., five). Thus, the keyword model generated from such limited number of utterances may not produce adequate detection performance. On the other hand, receiving a substantial number of utterances from a user to generate a keyword model that can provide sufficient detection performance may be time consuming and inconvenient to the user.

Keyword model generation for detecting user-defined keyword


A method of preparation of 5,6-dimethylxanthone-4-acetic acid (DMXAA) and derivatives thereof. The derivatives are represented by formula (I), wherein R represents totally 1 to 2 substitutes at 1, 2, 3, 7, and 8 position selected from a lower alkyl, halogen, CF3, CN, NO2, NH2, CH2COOH, OR2, OH, NHSO2R2, SR2, CH2CONHR2 or NHR2, and R2 represents a lower alkyl, or a lower alkyl having OH, NH2, or OCH3. The invention further provides a pharmaceutical composition having such derivatives used as excellent antitumor and antibacterial agents.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a compound and a method of preparing the same, and more particularly to 5,6-dimethyl xanthone-4-acetic acid (DMXAA) derivatives and its preparation method, as well as its use as anticancer and antibacterial drugs.
2. Description of the Related Art
DMXAA is a tumor angiogenesis inhibitor and used for the treatment of cancers. Nowadays, it has been applying in the clinical trial phase III. Rewcastle et al. disclosed a method of preparation of DMXAA, as shown in Scheme 1 (Rewcastle et al.; J. Med. Chem. 1991, 34, 217).

The starting material of 2,3-dimethyl aniline (1) was mixed and condensed with hydroxylamine and chloral hydrate to yield isonitrosoacetanilide (2), then to yield isatin (3) by acid-catalyzed cyclization and 2-amino-3,4-dimethyl-benzoic acid (4) by an oxidative ring cleavage reaction. The total yield of the first three steps was 37%. The steps involved in hydroxylamine and chloral hydrate, both of which were toxic. Additionally, the steps were a multi-phase reaction, requiring careful control on the reaction time and temperature. Under carefully-controlled conditions, 2-amino-3,4-dimethyl-benzoic acid (4) was diazotized to yield an iodide (5). The iodide was condensed with 2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid to yield 2-[2-(carboxymethyl)phenoxy]-3,4-dimethyl-benzoic acid (6), which was further cyclized to yield DMXAA. The total yield of the six steps was about 12%.
Atwell et al. disclosed another method of preparation of the key intermediate of 2-amino-3,4-dimethyl-benzoic acid (4) (Atwell et al.; Eur. J. Med. Chem., 2002, 37, 825), as shown in Scheme 2.

3,4-dimethyl-benzoic acid was directly nitrified and condensed to yield a mixture consisting of nitro isomers 9a, 9b, and 9c. The ratio of 9a to 9b to 9c was 1:8:2. The mixture was recrystallized from acetic acid to remove 9a, and the ratio of the remaining 9b to 9c was 3.4:1. After catalytic hydrogenation, the remaining mixture was transformed into a sodium salt solution, which was further neutralized with acetic acid to give a pure crystal of 2-amino-3,4-dimethyl-benzoic acid (4) (the purity was 96%; the total yield was 42%). An improved method of preparation of DMXAA was also disclosed in the above-mentioned literature. Compared with Scheme 1 (32%), Scheme 2 had a higher yield of 2-amino-3,4-dimethyl-benzoic acid (4). However, step-by-step recrystallization limited the industrial production of DMXAA.
Rewcastle et al. taught a method of improving the first step of preparation of DMXAA, i.e., from the starting material of 2,3-dimethyl aniline (1) to isonitrosoacetanilide (2) (Rewcastle et al., Tet. Lett., 2005, 46, 8719), as shown in Scheme 3.

2,3-dimethyl aniline was acylated with 2,2-diacetoxyacetyl chloride to give a crude product of diacetate (1a). The crude product was contacted with hydroxylamine to give isonitrosoacetanilide (2).
Compared with Scheme 1 (Rewcastle et al.; J. Med. Chem. 1991, 34, 217) where the reaction was non-homogeneous and the yield was 54%, the reaction in Scheme 3 was homogeneous and the yield was 83%.
However, all the above-mentioned methods have disadvantages such as complicated process, low yield, serious pollution, and difficulty for industrial production.

5,6-dimethyl xanthone-4-acetic acid derivatives and method of preparing the same


In one aspect, the disclosure relates to methods and compositions for treatment of cancer cachexia. In a further aspect, the composition is a pharmaceutical composition comprising a class I/IIB HDAC inhibitor and an androgen. In a still further aspect, the method of treatment comprises administering a class I/IIB HDAC inhibitor and an androgen to a subject or patient who has been diagnosed as having cancer cachexia. In some aspects, the class I/IIB HDAC inhibitor is a compound known as AR-42.

Cancer cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome characterized by the involuntary loss of muscle mass occurring with or without concurrent losses in adipose tissue. Cachexia is distinct from simple starvation in that it is not reversible with nutritional support and the accompanying progressive loss of lean mass is associated with decreased quality of life, decreased tolerance of chemotherapy and reduced overall survival. It is estimated that 50-80% of all cancer patients experience cachexia symptoms and up to 20% of all cancer related deaths are attributable to complications arising from cachexia-mediated functional decline. A multitude of tumor and host factors are recognized as contributing to the multi-organ system dysfunction in cancer cachexia which presents a considerable therapeutic challenge. Diverse cachexia treatment strategies have been evaluated in patients with few offering effective palliation and none gaining FDA approval for this devastating consequence of advanced malignancy. Among the complex sequelae associated with cachectic progression, compromised muscle function associated with reduced muscle mass is viewed as a primary contributor patient morbidity and mortality. Recognizing this feature of cancer cachexia, regulatory agencies require the demonstration of meaningful improvements in physical function in addition to improvements in patient body composition for successful registration of novel cachexia therapies. Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS) or steroidal androgens are among the most well recognized function promoting therapies and as such have been extensively evaluated in muscle wasting of diverse etiology. Despite meeting FDA approval criteria in other wasting diseases, steroidal androgens are yet to demonstrate clinical benefit in cancer cachexia. The continued pursuit of novel androgens for the treatment of wasting diseases suggests confidence in this therapeutic strategy remains.
In addition to their well characterized anabolic effects on skeletal muscle, steroidal androgens elicit a number of undesirable virilizing side effects and can promote prostatic hypertrophy which limits their wide spread clinical use. Recently developed, non-steroidal, selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) offer a number of improvements over steroidal androgens including prolonged plasma exposures and orally bioavailability with greatly reduced side effects (virilization, etc.) while maintaining full agonisim in anabolic tissues like skeletal muscle. Wth once daily dosing, the SARM GTx-024 (Enobosarm) showed promising gains in fat free mass in both male and female cancer patients but ultimately failed to demonstrate a clear functional benefit in pivotal Phase III trials in a cachectic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) population. GTx-024 has a strong safety profile and proven effects on skeletal muscle but is no longer being developed for cancer cachexia.
Hypogonadism is a feature of advanced malignancy and experimental cachexia leading to a worsening of multiple cachectic sequelae including decreased skeletal muscle mass. Though the relationship between androgen status and body composition is well established the exact molecular means by which androgens modulate skeletal muscle mass is complex and poorly understood. The direct stimulation of muscle precursor cells, reduced expression of several atrogenes, and indirect hypertrophic signaling through multiple pathways all appear to play a role. Strong evidence supports the importance of indirect IGF-PI3K-Akt cross-talk as muscle stem cell specific androgen receptor knock-out (ARKO) animals have reduced skeletal muscle mass but respond to both orchiectomy and administration of GTx-024. Furthermore, skeletal muscle atrophy induced by either orchiectomy or glucocorticoid administration is associated with suppression of the IGF-PI3K-Akt pathway that is reversible by androgen administration. Androgens have also been directly linked to myostatin signaling which itself has a well characterized role in governing skeletal muscle size.
The effectiveness of a novel class I/IIB HDAC inhibitor (HDACi, AR-42) was recently demonstrated, and AR-42 is currently under clinical evaluation in hematologic malignancy, as anti-cachexia therapy in the C26 mouse model of cancer cachexia. AR-42 administration completely spared body weight and was associated with improvements, but not complete rescue, of skeletal muscle mass relative to controls. Mechanistic studies revealed a number of potentially causative metabolic changes in addition to complete suppression of tumor induced muscle specific E3-ligase expression (Atrogin-1 and MuRF1). AR-42 differed from other approved HDACi's in its ability to fully suppress tumor mediated ligase induction and prolong survival in the C26 model. However, AR-42's effects on skeletal muscle mass, and to a lesser degree muscle function, diminished with delayed treatment suggesting AR-42's anti-catabolic activity is central to its anti-cachectic activity and its ability to restore muscle mass once lost is limited.
Despite advances in research directed to therapeutic intervention for cancer cachexia, there is still a scarcity of therapeutic approaches for efficacious treatment of cancer cachexia. These needs and other needs are satisfied by the present disclosure.

Methods and compositions for the treatment of cancer cachexia


A deliverer module for a folder of a press includes a paddle wheel which receives products from the folder and subsequently deposits the products on a deliverer belt. At least the paddle wheel is displaceable in the horizontal and/or vertical direction relative to the folder.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a deliverer module for a folder of a press, the deliverer module having a paddle wheel receiving products from a folder and delivering the products to a delivery belt.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,062 discloses a paddle wheel deliverer for a web-fed rotary press in which a paddle wheel of the paddle wheel deliverer receives products from a folder for subsequent deposition on a deliverer belt. According to U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,062, the paddle wheel of the paddle wheel deliverer is driven by its own controlled-position drive for controlling or regulating the rotational angle position of the paddle wheel in relation to the incoming products via a control system for the motor. The controlled position drive allows the paddle wheel to be displaced to a certain extent to increase the delivery quality of products transferred from the folder to the paddle wheel deliverer. However, the possible adjustments or possible displacements of the paddle wheel deliverer according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,062 are limited for adapting the paddle wheel deliverer to product changes.

Deliverer module for a press with a displaced paddle wheel for various sized media


Image data Rin, Gin, Bin are read out from an image on a document, on reception of light reflected by the image after being emitted from a first light source for irradiating the document with visible light. Image data RUV, GUV, BUV are read out from the image on the document, on reception of light reflected by the image after being emitted from a second light source for irradiating the document with ultraviolet light. A color correction process is performed by reading out color corrected imaged data from a color correction table which stores in advance color corrected image data, which are associated with a combination of (i) image data, which correspond to the image data Rin, Gin, Bin, and image data which correspond to the image data RUV, GUV, BUV. By this, it is possible that even in a case where an image on the document contains a fluorescent image, the fluorescent image be easily and accurately reproduced.

A variety of techniques for obtaining improved reducibility of a fluorescent image has been proposed for an image reading apparatus that reads out an image on a document so as to create document image data from it.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses an image reading apparatus configured as follows. The image reading apparatus includes a visible light source for mainly emitting visible light and an ultraviolet light source for emitting ultraviolet light, and reads out one set of image data from an image on a document by irradiating the document with the visible light only and another set of image data from the image on the document by irradiating the document with the ultraviolet light only. In the image reading apparatus, in a case where an operator selects a color check mode in a reading mode, two sets of the image data are displayed to the operator so that they can be visually compared with each other. Then, the operator performs a color adjustment process in accordance with the visual comparison of the two sets of the image data, so as to determine an adjustment value. The adjustment value is stored in a memory. Thereafter, there is performed, in accordance with the adjustment value, a process of image data that are read out from an image on a document by irradiating the document with the visible light only.
Patent Literature 2 discloses a technique in which (i) an image is outputted by an image output apparatus, in accordance with RGB color chart data, (ii) light reflected by the image is measured in light in an environment in which a document on which the image is formed would be actually observed, (iii) in accordance with the measurement, an output profile for use in a process of an image containing a fluorescent portion is created, and then, the output profile is stored in an image processing apparatus, and (iv) for image data that are read out from an image on a document, a color conversion process from a Lab signal to a RGB signal by use of the output profile is performed in the image processing apparatus, so that improved color reproducibility of the image containing the fluorescent portion is obtained.
Patent Literature 3 discloses a technique in which (i) image data are read out from an image on a document by irradiating the document with ultraviolet light, (ii) a fluorescent color region image in the image data is identified, (iii) for image data that are read out from the image on the document by irradiating the document with visible light only, a color compression process is performed by use of a color compression parameter which is switched between parameters in accordance with the identification of the fluorescent color region image.
Patent Literature 4 discloses a technique in which (i) image data are read out from an image on a document by irradiating the document with ultraviolet light, and a fluorescent color region in the image data is identified, and (ii) for image data that are read out from the image on the document by irradiating the document with visible light, a color conversion process is performed in which a region corresponding to the identified fluorescent color region is color converted by using a fluorescent color—close color conversion table being set in advance.

Image reading apparatus, image data output processing apparatus, and image reading method performing color correction based on UV and visible light


A generator generates tests to improve functional coverage. A functional coverage of a first set of tests is examined in respect to a functional coverage model. The functional coverage model is transformed to a combinatorial model. The coverage measurements are used to refine the combinatorial model. The combinatorial model is utilized to generate a second set of tests that have a different functional coverage than the first set of tests. The second set of tests is utilized to examine quality of a tested system.

The present disclosure relates to testing coverage in general, and to increasing functional coverage of a testing phase, in particular.
Computerized devices control almost every aspect of our life—from writing documents to controlling traffic lights. However, computerized devices are bug-prone, and thus require a testing phase in which the bugs should be discovered. The testing phase is considered one of the most difficult tasks in designing a computerized device. The cost of a bug may be enormous, as its consequences may be disastrous. For example, a bug may cause the injury of a person relying on the designated behavior of the computerized device. Additionally, a bug in hardware or firmware may be expensive to fix, as patching it requires call-back of the computerized device. Hence, many developers of computerized devices invest a large portion, such as 70%, of the development cycle to discover erroneous behaviors of the computerized device.
During the testing phase, a sample of all possible behaviors of the computerized device is inspected. Modern testing techniques focus on testing different behaviors, by measuring coverage of the executed tests. Functional coverage is one such method. It is designed to measure amount, portion or a similar metric of tests that examined predetermined functional behaviors. Once functional coverage is measured, quality assurance (QA) personnel may design additional tests to examine untested behaviors.
Another testing technique is combinatorial test design, in which a model of possible behaviors of the computerized device is formulated and is used to generate tests that are configured to cover a subset of all possible behaviors. For example, a model may define possible configurations of a system comprising an operating system (OS), a web-browser, a mail server and a central processing unit (CPU). The OS may be, for example, Linux, Microsoft Windows XP or Microsoft Windows Vista. The web-browser may be, for example, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer or Opera web browser. In a similar manner, there may be a predetermined number of mail servers and CPUs. A test of each possible combination of the above mentioned components may be created, however, in order to reduce the number of tests to be executed, a combinatorial test design may be applied. A model may define or characterize subsets of the entire test-space to cover. The model may additionally define a subset of the entire test-space that is invalid. For example, a known incompatibility between Linux OS with the Microsoft Internet Explorer web browser. Thus enabling generation of tests that are configured to cover a subset of all possible behaviors of the system. The model may be defined to cover a small subset of all possible behaviors, such that the small subset has predetermined properties that are deemed favorable by, for example, QA personnel.

Functional coverage using combinatorial test design

International Business Machines Corporation


An ultrasonic motor uses a piezoelectric transducer for effectively transmitting vibration energy and achieving high output. The piezoelectric transducer comprises elastic members, first and second piezoelectric elements, electrodes, and ceramic insulators inserted between the electrodes or between the electrodes and the elastic members. The first and second piezoelectric elements excite the vibration surfaces of the elastic members to vibrate in two modes and to generate approximate elliptical vibration by synthesizing the two vibration modes. The electrodes are provided for applying alternating current signals to the first and the second piezoelectric elements. The first and second piezoelectric elements are polarized such that they cause shear vibration in the same direction. The piezoelectric transducer is fixed in a motor case via a fixing plate. A rotor is provided in such a position as to contact the vibration surface of one of the elastic members.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a piezoelectric transducer suitable for use in an ultrasonic motor. Related art
The composition and operation of a related-art piezoelectric transducer used in an ultrasonic motor are explained hereinafter with specific reference to FIGS. 5 and FIG. 7.
A first elastic member 302a comprises a cylindrical portion 303a and a resonance disk 304a coaxially mounted on the cylindrical portion 303a. The first elastic member 302a is provided with a penetrating hole along an axis of symmetry of a piezoelectric transducer 301. A first piezoelectric element 306a is provided on the under surface of the cylindrical portion 303a. A third piezoelectric element 310a is provided on the under surface of the resonance disk 304a. A fixing plate 315 is installed under the first piezoelectric element 306a. A second elastic member 302b, a second piezoelectric element 306b, and a fourth piezoelectric element 310b are arranged below the fixing plate 315 so that the piezoelectric transducer 301 is symmetrical about the fixing plate 315.
The piezoelectric transducer 301 constructed as above is fastened together by a bolt 313 penetrating through the penetrating hole and a nut 314. The dimensions of the first and the second elastic members 302a and 302b are determined so that the first and second elastic members 302a and 302b resonate in a shear vibration mode (referred to as peripheral shear vibration hereinafter) and in a flexural vibration mode (referred to as axial flexural vibration hereinafter) at predetermined frequencies.
As shown in FIG. 6B, the first and second piezoelectric elements 306a and 306b are each composed of eight piezoelectric chips 201 arranged in a circle. As shown in FIG. 6B, each piezoelectric chip 201 is cut out of a piezoelectric board 200 in a shape forming one eighth of the circle. The piezoelectric board 200 for generating thickness shear mode vibration has a polarized direction indicated by arrow A as shown in FIG. 6A.
As illustrated in FIG. 7, the piezoelectric chips 201 are assembled in such an arrangement that the first piezoelectric element 306a is polarized in a direction opposite to that of the second piezoelectric element 306b. This arrangement of the piezoelectric chips 201 is suitable for causing torsional vibration of an elastic member. The curved arrows in FIG. 5 indicate the polarized directions of the first and the second piezoelectric elements 306a and 306b.
The piezoelectric transducer 301 is fixed in a motor case 317 via the fixing plate 315. An output shaft 319 is rotatably supported in the motor case 317. One end of the output shaft 319 protrudes out of the motor case 317. A rotor 321 is attached to the other end of the output shaft 319 inside the motor case 310. A spring 323 is interposed between the motor case 317 and the rotor 321, and pushes the rotor 321 onto the resonance disk 304a of the piezoelectric transducer 301.
In the piezoelectric transducer 301 constructed as described above, aluminum disks having the outside diameter of 60 mm and the thickness of 3.5 mm are used as the resonance disks 304a and 304b of the elastic members 302a and 302b, respectively. The amplitude in the peripheral direction of the peripheral shear vibration occurring with the resonance disks 304a and 304b is 0.1 .mu.m on the peripherals of the resonance disks 304a and 304b when 25 volts are applied to the first and second piezoelectric elements 306a and 306b. The resulting rotational speed of the output shaft 319 is as low as 10 r.p.m. Therefore, the piezoelectric transducer 301 having the first and second piezoelectric elements 306a and 306b arranged as shown in FIG. 7 is insufficient for a use in an ultrasonic motor due to its limited peripheral shear vibration amplitude.
Another problem of the related-art piezoelectric transducer is that its insulating material causes considerable viscous loss and, therefore, does not effectively transmit vibration when used as an insulator provided between piezoelectric elements.

Piezoelectric transducer for an ultrasonic motor


A method of reconfiguring a data unit communication network that comprises bridge nodes is described. Each bridge node comprises two or more ports for receiving and sending data units, a controller for controlling said bridge node and for handling received data units, and a record for associating data unit address information with port identification information. The controller is capable of querying said record for determining which one or more ports to forward a received data unit to. The method comprises performing a topology reconfiguration procedure for said data unit communication network when detecting an occurrence of any one of one or more topology reconfiguration conditions, and performing a purge procedure of the records of the bridge nodes when detecting an occurrence of an indication of an upcoming topology reconfiguration of the data unit communication network, the indication being different from any of said topology reconfiguration conditions, and continuing to handle data units in the bridge nodes during the purge procedure.

In the field of data communication, it is known to provide networks for transporting data units that have a logical structure according to which transport systems (such as e.g. Local Area Networks or LANs) are interconnected by bridge nodes, in order to form one overall network for transporting data units to and from any end nodes that are communicating with any one of the transport systems. The bridge nodes comprise two or more ports, each connected to a transport system. FIG. 2 shows a schematic example of such a network, in which 22, 23, 24, 26 and 28 denote bridge nodes, P denotes a port, and 21, 25, 27, 29 and 30 denote LANs as examples of transport systems. End nodes are not shown for simplicity. FIG. 3 shows a different configuration of bridge nodes 31 to 37, namely a ring configuration. The lines between the ports P represent the transport systems interconnected by the bridge nodes. Each of the shown examples can be a complete network or only a part of a larger system of bridge nodes and transport systems. For example, the bridge nodes 22, 24, 26 and 28 in FIG. 2 together form a ring configuration, and the nodes shown in FIG. 3 could be such ring in a larger system.
A controller in each bridge node handles the data units received at a given port, in order to determine the port out of which to forward the data unit, or whether e.g. to drop the data unit (for example because it is defective). The operation of forwarding a data unit can be done with the help of a record that associates data unit address information with port identification information. The controller then queries the record for identifying the port out of which to send a received data unit, using the address information in the data unit as a reference.
It is furthermore known to provide a learning procedure in the bridge nods, according to which the bridge node's record is updated on the basis of source address information contained in data units received at the ports. Namely, these source addresses are associated in the record with an identifier of the port at which the data unit arrived. If later a data unit arrives having that address as a destination address, then the data unit can be correctly forwarded to the correct port.
An example of a network using bridge nodes in this way is a layer 2 network using Medium Access Control (MAC) bridges according to IEEE standard 802.1 D. The filtering databases (FDBs) used in such MAC bridges are examples of the above mentioned records.
In networks of the above mentioned kind, which use records for handling data units in bridge nodes, it is furthermore known to purge such records in the event of a network topology reconfiguration. In other words, when the topology changes, e.g. due to a failure or shutting-down of a component (such as a bridge node or a transport system), then the information in the records becomes obsolete and should be reset.
In known systems, such as according to the IEEE 802 standard family, the reconfiguration is performed by first detecting the occurrence of a topology reconfiguration condition (e.g. that a transport system is disabled), then changing the topology and finally purging or flushing the records in the bridge nodes. Using the learning procedure, these records can then be built up again for the new topology.
During the process of reconfiguration, the handling of data units in the bridge nodes is continued, but with the old records derived on the basis of the old topology, such that data units are not correctly routed and effectively traffic is disrupted. This period of disruption of the network is also referred to the total recovery time of the network for reconfiguration. It comprises the time for detecting the topology reconfiguration condition, the time for letting the network converge to a new topology and the time for purging the records.
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved system and control method for the above described types of network, especially in view of making it possible to reduce the total recovery time.