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A receiver is operable at microwave frequencies and includes a substrate and waveguide-to-microstrip transition formed on the substrate for receiving microwave radio frequency (RF) signals. Surface mounted receiver components are interconnected with microstrip formed on the substrate and receive the RF signals from the waveguide-to-microstrip transition and convert the signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) for further processing. The surface mounted receiver components include a mixer circuit that receives a local oscillator (LO) signal and RF signal to produce the IF signal. A diplexer circuit and a temperature compensated attenuator circuit received the IF signal from the mixer and attenuates the IF signal to provide high signal linearity and high order modulation.
1. A receiver operable at microwave frequencies comprising:
a substrate;
a waveguide-to-microstrip transition formed on the substrate for receiving microwave radio frequency (RF) signals;
surface mounted receiver components and interconnecting microstrip formed on the substrate that receive the RF signals from the waveguide-to-microstrip transition and convert the signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) for further processing, and comprising
a mixer circuit that receives a local oscillator (LO) signal and RF signal to produce the IF signal;
a diplexer circuit and a temperature compensated attenuator circuit that receive the IF signal from the mixer and attenuates the IF signal to provide high signal linearity and high order modulation, wherein the diplexer circuit receives the IF signal from the mixer circuit and passes the signal to the temperature compensated attenuator circuit;
a controller and temperature compensation circuit operatively connected to the temperature compensated attenuator circuit for temperature compensating any attenuation to the IF signal; and
a receive signal strength indicator (RSSI) circuit that couples a portion of the IF signal after the diplexer and temperature compensated attenuator circuit and operatively connected to the controller and in feedback to the mixer circuit for allowing the controller to adjust circuit operation and ensure high signal linearity and high order modulation.
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9. A receiver operable at microwave frequencies comprising:
a substrate;
a waveguide-to-microstrip transition formed on the substrate for receiving microwave radio frequency (RF) signals;
surface mounted receiver components and interconnecting microstrip formed on the substrate that receive the RF signals from the waveguide-to-microstrip transition and convert the signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) for further processing, and comprising
a local oscillator circuit that generates a local oscillator (LO) signal,
a low pass filter that receives the LO signal;
a bandpass filter that receives the RF signal;
a mixer circuit that receives the local oscillator (LO) signal from the low pass filter and the RF signal from the bandpass filter to produce the IF signal,
a diplexer circuit and temperature compensated attenuator circuit that receive the IF signal from the mixer and attenuates the IF signal to provide high signal linearity and high order modulation, wherein the diplexer circuit receives the IF signal from the mixer circuit and passes the signal to the temperature compensated attenuator circuit;
a controller and temperature compensation circuit operatively connected to the temperature compensated attenuator circuit for temperature compensating any attenuation to the IF signal; and
a receive signal strength indication (RSSI) circuit that couples a portion of the IF signal after the diplexer and temperature compensated attenuator circuit and operatively connected to the controller for allowing the controller to adjust circuit operation and ensure high signal linearity and high order modulation.
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This application is a continuation-in-part application of patent application Ser. No. 10/301,511, filed Nov. 21, 2002, and entitled "LOW COST VSAT MMIC TRANSCEIVER WITH AUTOMATIC POWER CONTROL," which is based upon prior filed provisional application Ser. No. 60/408,513, filed Sep. 5, 2002, the disclosures which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
This invention relates to the field of communications, and more particularly, this invention relates to the field of microwave receivers.
In the early days of satellite communications, there were few downlink earth stations and those in existence were essentially large antenna dishes operative with wired communications hubs. Any signals received at these large earth stations were distributed through wires and cables to numerous destinations and even other communications hubs. Thus, many earth stations were positioned in metropolitan areas and acted as communications hubs, and distributed communication signals often in a broadcast fashion to other hubs, regional centers, or local sites via cable. It was not convenient to have a large number of smaller, earth station terminals.
This scenario changed with the advent of very small aperture terminal (VSAT) communications systems or networks. These VSAT systems are cost-effective communications networks that allow many smaller VSAT terminals to be geographically dispersed and located in many different areas, including rural and metropolitan areas. VSAT networks support internet, voice/fax, data, LAN and many other communication formats.
A VSAT network usually includes a large central earth station known as a central hub (or master earth station), a satellite transponder, and a large number of geographically disbursed, remote VSATs. The satellites are positioned in a geostationary orbit about 36,000 kilometers above the earth. A VSAT terminal receives and transmits signals via the satellite to other VSATs in the network. The term "very small" used in the VSAT name refers to the small antenna dish that typically is about 3 to about 6 feet in diameter and could be mounted in almost any location, such as a roof, building wall, or on the ground. The VSAT terminal has an outdoor unit (ODU) that includes an antenna, low noise blocker (LSB) in some instances, and a VSAT transceiver as part of the outdoor electronics and other components. The antenna usually includes an antenna reflector, feed horn and an antenna mount or frame. The outdoor electronics constitute part of the outdoor unit and include low noise amplifiers (LNA) and other transceiver components, such as a millimeter wave (MMW) transceiver.
The indoor unit (IDU) can be an interface, such as a desktop box or PC, that contains the electronics for interfacing and communicating with existing in-house equipment such as local area networks, servers, PCs and other equipment. The indoor unit is usually connected to the outdoor unit with a pair of cables, e.g., coaxial cable. Indoor units also include basic demodulators and modulators.
In the next few years a number of Ka-band (27.5 to 30 GHz) satellites will be launched that will enable remote Internet access via 2-way communication with user terminals. To successfully compete with other Internet services such as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) and cable modem, the cost of very small aperture terminals (VSATs) must be reduced to a low level. As noted before, each very small aperture terminal typically includes an antenna, a diplexer, and a millimeter wave (MMW) transceiver. In many current VSAT designs, the MMW transceiver circuit accounts for almost 75% of the total cost of a VSAT terminal. Unlike the lower frequency Ku-band transceivers, which can be built from low cost discrete components using low cost soft board, such as Rogers board, a Ka-band transceiver requires much tighter tolerances because of its inherent shorter wavelength. One current method pursued by many manufacturers is to pre-package the Ka-band MMIC chips in surface mount packages using traditional surface mount technology (SMT) assembly methods. Although this method is widely used, it has not been very successful at driving down the costs of VSATs because the packaging of MMIC's and the required tuning after assembly has been expensive.
In addition to the cost issue, as the number of VSAT terminals increases (to perhaps millions of units in the next few years), the amount of power transmitted from the ground unit (VSAT terminal) to the satellite transponders will have to be better controlled. Most VSAT terminals require low power to operate in clear weather. High power is only required to overcome weather and maintain a high rate of service availability. Continuously "blasting", i.e., transmitting high power signals, will also reduce the transceiver reliability as maximum heat is constantly generated, shortening component life.
The invention in the copending Ser. No. 10/301,511 patent application solves these aforementioned problems associated with prior art very small aperture terminal (VSAT) terminals. In that invention, a low cost Ka-band VSAT terminal includes a VSAT transceiver that automatically controls the amount of power transmitted from each very small aperture VSAT terminal as a function of weather conditions. That invention offered several advantages, including a low cost microcontrolled VSAT transceiver that uses a microprocessor to provide optimum two-way communications with a satellite of the space segment.
A ceramic substrate board is preferably formed from a ceramic material, such as 95% to 96% alumina, for mounting Ka-band high frequency microwave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) chips, filters, and other low cost surface mount components, but advantageously uses a soft board (controller board) for low frequency circuits and the microcontroller to improve circuit operation and ease of manufacturing. That transceiver detects and measures the received signal strength (RSS) and through the microcontroller, estimates the amount of atmospheric attenuation. In response, the microcontroller autonomously and automatically adjusts the transmitter power sufficiently to overcome the atmospheric attenuation and provide adequate reception by the satellite. The microcontroller can also manage the DC power consumption to reduce thermal heating and improve reliability. The microcontroller enhances this circuit function with a unique structure that is advantageous, inexpensive and reliable.
The VSAT terminal typically operates at frequencies greater than 13 GHz and higher than 20 GHz. Some prior art receiver circuits used in this microwave technology have required die formed semiconductors on alumina or similar hard substrates and complicated mixer designs such as diodes in a balance configuration. It would also be advantageous if the circuits could provide high signal linearity and isolation to support high order modulation.
The present invention provides a subharmonically driven microwave receiver that could be used in a VSAT or other microwave device and is especially advantageous at microwave frequencies above 13 GHz and operable adequately at 20 GHz and higher. The present invention provides a high linearity receiver that uses inexpensive surface mounted components in an innovative circuit configuration to achieve wide bandwidths at a low cost. The present invention also provides a unique circuit for subharmonically driven active field effect transistor. The present invention can be used efficiently at 20 GHz with load noise using the inexpensive surface mount parts or components. Naturally, it is operable at higher frequencies for complete VSAT operation in some instances. The invention uses inexpensive surface mount parts and substrate materials to compensate for the degraded performance of packaged semiconductors at microwave frequencies. The compensation covers both broadband amplitude performance versus frequency and gain stabilization as a function of temperature. The receiver circuit of the present invention has a low loss waveguide transition to achieve a noise figure of about 2 decibels at 20 GHz and above. It has high signal linearity and isolation to support high order modulation. It also is operable at a temperature range exceeding 100� C.
In accordance with the present invention, the receiver is operable at microwave frequencies and includes a substrate and waveguide-to-microstrip transition formed on the substrate for receiving microwave radio frequency (RF) signals. Surface mounted receiver components and interconnecting microstrip are formed on the substrate and receive the RF signals from the waveguide-to-microstrip transition and convert the signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) for further processing. A mixer circuit receives a local oscillator (LO) signal and RF signal to produce the IF signal. A diplexer circuit and a temperature compensated attenuator circuit receive the IF signal from the mixer and attenuates the IF signal to provide high signal linearity and high order modulation.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the diplexer circuit receives the IF signal from the mixer circuit and passes the signal to the temperature compensated attenuator circuit. A gain equalizer circuit can receive the IF signal from the temperature compensated attenuator circuit and provide equalization of the gain. A controller and temperature compensation circuit is operatively connected to the temperature compensated attenuator circuit and temperature compensates any attenuations to the IF signal. A received signal strength indicator (RSSI) circuit couples a portion of the IF signal after the diplexer and temperature compensated attenuator circuit and is operatively connected to the controller for allowing the controller to adjust circuit operation and ensure high signal linearity and high order modulation. The amplifier circuit amplifies the IF signal before passing through the diplexer circuit and temperature compensated attenuator circuit. The amplifier circuit receives the IF signal after passing through the diplexer circuit and temperature compensated attenuator circuit.
The waveguide-to-microstrip transition can comprise a metallic housing, ground layer thereon, substrate over the ground layer, and backshort and microstrip line operatively formed as a waveguide launch. The microstrip line can further comprise copper having a thinner nickel layer on at least a portion of the copper. Ground vias can extend around the backshort to aid in the transition. Naturally, the receiver is operable as a VSAT transceiver.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a local oscillator circuit generates the local oscillator signal that passes through a low pass filter into the mixer. A bandpass filter receives the RF signal and passes the signal after bandpass through the mixer circuit. The mixer can further comprise a field effect transistor (FET) and gate bias circuit and drain bias circuit connected thereto and forming a mixer output of the drain and connected to the diplexer circuit and temperature compensated attenuator circuit. The surface mounted receiver components can be operable as a harmonic load at the output of the field effect transistor.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of the invention which follows, when considered in light of the accompanying drawings in which:
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
Each VSAT terminal 16 includes an outdoor unit 18 and an indoor unit 19. The outdoor unit 18 includes a dish antenna unit 20 of about 1.0 to about 3.0 meters diameter, varying in size as depending on its geographic location, the type of received signals, and difficulty in amplifying a signal based on the dimensioned antenna dish. The dish antenna unit includes a reflector 21, feed horn 22 and a mount 23, such as a frame, as known to those skilled in the art. The feed horn 22 is usually mounted at the focal point of the antenna reflector 21 and directs transmitted power towards the antenna reflector 21 or collects any received power.
As illustrated, the outdoor unit 18 includes outdoor electronics 24, which include low noise amplifiers (LNA) and down converters for down converting received signals, and up converters for up converting signals for transmission to satellites. The low noise amplifiers (LNA) typically minimize noise added to the signal during the first stage of conversion. Other associated circuits that form outdoor electronics 24 include a transmitter circuit. In the present invention, the up/down converters would convert frequencies between an intermediate frequency, usually an intermediate frequency level of about 1 GHz, and a radio frequency.
Usually the outdoor unit 18 is connected by a low loss, co-axial cable 25 to the indoor unit 19. This coaxial cable 25 usually is limited to about 300 feet in length. The indoor unit 19 typically includes various modulators that superimpose a user traffic signal on a carrier signal, which is then sent to the outdoor electronics 24 for up-conversion, amplification and transmission to the satellite 17. Demodulators receive the signal from the outdoor electronics 24 in the intermediate frequency range and demodulate the signals to segregate the user traffic signal from the carrier.
As illustrated, the indoor unit 19 interfaces with premises equipment, including various systems such as a terminal controller 26 a, fax machine 26 b, local area network (LAN) 26 c, private branch exchange 26 d, and other premises equipment or devices known to those skilled in the art. These are only non-limiting examples of the type of devices that interface with the indoor unit 19.
Any packaged dies, especially any high power MMIC amplifier chips 29, can be attached directly to the housing 27 using screws. The soft board 28 is cut to allow direct attachment of any high power MMIC amplifier chips 29. The filters 33 are typically etched on the top surface of the soft board. The filters usually require tuning after assembly because of the inherent variation in the manufacturing of soft board. These transceivers usually provide a nominal transmit and receive gain that varies by many decibels (dB) over temperature. They also provide a fixed transmitter output power that is not adjustable based on the weather conditions.
The receiver circuit 43 and transmitter circuit 42 are positioned on a ceramic substrate board, such as formed from ceramic material, such as 95% or 96% alumina, and operable at the intermediate frequencies XIF that are forwarded and received to the indoor unit. Amplifiers as described below are typically formed as microwave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) chips. The receiver circuit 43 includes a receiver waveguide transition 50 a that receives the Ka-band signals. This transition 50 a is operatively connected to MMIC amplifier chips such as a low noise amplifier 51 and a second amplifier 52.
Signals that are amplified are passed through a filter 53 and into a mixer 54 a that receives a local oscillator signal from the X-band local oscillator multiplier circuit 44, which includes on the ceramic substrate board a multiplier circuit 55 that receives a 9 or 10 GHz signal from an oscillator 56. This signal is split after passing from the multiplier circuit 44 by a signal splitter 57 into two signal paths that pass to respective transmitter and receiver circuits 42, 43. The split signals pass through respective filters 58 a, 58 b and amplifiers 59 a, 59 b into the respective mixers 54 a, 56 b of respective receiver and transmitter circuits 42, 43. The received signal from the satellite is amplified by the low noise amplifier 51, 52, filtered by filter 53, and down converted in mixer 54 a with the local oscillator signal and amplified by the variable gain amplifier 60.
A gain control signal from the microcontroller 61 controls gain. The signal from variable gain amplifier 60 passes into a second amplifier 62 and into a splitter/coupler 63 after amplification. Part of the signal is coupled into a signal multiplexer 64 and the other part of the signal is coupled into a received signal strength circuit 65 that determines signal strength and generates RSS signals to the microcontroller 61 indicative of the received signal strength. Inputs are also received into the microcontroller 61 from at least a temperature sensor 66, and from user input or predefined standard control signals. The microcontroller 61 outputs a gain control signal and an amplifier gate bias signal. The gain control signal is forwarded as a control signal to the variable gain amplifier 60 of the receiver circuit. The amplifier gate bias signal is forwarded to the transmitter circuit. These signals from the microcontroller control transmitter gain and output power as will be explained in greater detail below.
The split local oscillator signal also passes to the transmitter circuit 42 via a filter 58 b and amplifier 59 b into the transmitter circuit mixer 54 b. In the transmitter circuit, signals originating from the indoor unit pass through the F-type connector 64 a to the multiplexer 55 and then through a splitter/coupler 66 into a variable gain amplifier 67 to transmitter circuit mixer 54 b. The variable gain amplifier also receives the gain control signal from the microcontroller. From the mixer 54 b, the signal passes through a filter 70 and into a variable gain amplifier 71, which receives a temperature compensation signal from the microcontroller. The signal passes to a high powered amplifier 72, which receives the amplifier gate bias signal from the microcontroller, and through a waveguide transition 50 b for radio frequency transmission and satellite communications. The microcontroller is operatively connected to a transmitter power monitoring circuit that receives a split signal into a diode 75. A splitter/coupler 74 is in line with the high powered amplifier and waveguide transition as illustrated.
Other signals along the transmitter circuit are passed from a splitter/coupler 76 into a signal strength detector circuit 76 a that generates a signal strength signal to the microcontroller. Other signals from the signal multiplexer pass to a DC power supply circuit 77 and as control signals such as for various amplifiers, including MMIC chip circuits. The temperature sensor 66 generates a temperature signal to the microcontroller indicative of the temperature of the transceiver.
The transmitter intermediate frequency (IF) signal from the modem 79 in the indoor unit (IDU) 19 is converted to Ka-band and amplified using the various MMIC amplifiers. The receiver radio frequency (RF) signal is down-converted to IF and amplified prior to sending it to the indoor unit 19. The local oscillator (LO) signal is generated by multiplying the output of the oscillator 56 as an X-band (9 to 10 GHz) low cost dielectric resonator oscillator (DRO) (free running or phase locked) or a multiplied-up VCO. The indoor unit 19 and the MMIC transceiver 40 are connected via a single coax cable. The multiplexer 64 separates the transmitter IF signal, the receiver IF signal, the DC signal and the control and command signals (tones), which are all frequency multiplexed on the same coaxial able. The power supply 77 converts high voltage DC signals (>24 VDC) to the desired lower level DC signals needed to run the amplifiers and the control circuits.
The microcontroller 61 is formed as a microprocessor that is surface mounted on a separate "soft" or controller board, as will be explained below, and provides all the control and monitoring functions and interfaces with the indoor unit 19. The microcontroller 61 also provides the logic intelligence "smarts" required to control the individual MMIC chips in the unit, such as using the circuit function described in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/863,052, entitled "Self-Tuned Millimeter Wave RF Transceiver Module," the disclosure which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
One non-limiting example of a microcontroller circuit that can be modified for controlling MMIC chips and self-biasing is described below with reference to
A self-tuned millimeter wave transceiver module 110 is shown. The module 110 includes a radio frequency MMIC chip formed as a module and illustrated by the dashed lines at 112 and a surface mounted digital microcontroller, indicated by the dashed lines at 114.
The MMIC module includes a plurality of amplifiers, as is typical with a MMIC chip, but only illustrates one amplifier 116 for purposes of description. The radio frequency signal enters and passes through a filter 118 and into the amplifier 118 having the normal gate, source and drain. The radio frequency signal passes from the amplifier 116 into other amplifiers 116 a (if present). The MMIC chip 112 can include a large number of amplifiers 116 on one chip. The surface mounted digital controller 114 includes a digital potentiometer 120 having a nonvolatile memory circuit. An example of a potentiometer includes a AD5233 circuit. The potentiometer 120 can handle a bias voltage of about −3 volts.
A current sensor 122, such as a MAX471 with a drain voltage of 3–12 volts, is coupled to ground and to the amplifier 116 through the drain. The current sensor 122 is connected to a multi-channel sampling, analog/digital circuit 124, such as an AD7812 circuit. Other current sensors connect to other amplifiers (not shown) and connect to the multi-channel A/D circuit 124. A temperature sensor 126 is connected to the multi-channel sampling A/D circuit and is operative for measuring the temperature of the MMIC module. A microprocessor 128 is included as part of the surface mounted digital controller, and operatively connected to an EEPROM 129 and other components, including the multi-channel sampling A/D circuit 124 and the nonvolatile memory digital potentiometer 120. As shown, the potentiometer 120 is connected to other amplifiers on the MMIC and can step gate voltage for respective amplifiers and provide individual control.
As also illustrated, the radio frequency signal from the amplifier 116 can pass from the passive coupler 130 to a power monitor diode or other detector circuit 132 connected to ground. This connection from the passive coupler 130 can be forwarded to the multichannel sampling A/D circuit 124.
The circuit adjusts automatically the amplifier gate voltage (Vg) until the amplifier 116 reaches its optimum operating condition as measured by the amount of current drawn by the drain (Id), and as measured by the detector circuit 132 at the output of the amplifier (if available). This is achieved by controlling (through a serial digital interface) the Digital-to-analog (D/A) converter output voltage generated from potentiometer 120. The D/A converter includes a nonvolatile memory and is currently available with four channels for less than $3 at the current time.
As the gate voltage is varied, the current sensor 122 provides a voltage output that is proportional to the drain current drawn by the amplifier 116. The current sensor output is digitized by the multi-channel serial analog-to-digital converter (A/D) 124 that digitizes the drain current level. The current level word is compared to a pre-stored optimum amplifier drain current level, such as contained in the EEPROM 129. The gate bias level is adjusted until the optimum drain current is reached. The detector circuit, which is available either on the MMIC chip or could be added externally, provides a confirmation that the drain current setting is at the optimum level by measuring the output power. The detector output 132 is compared to a pre-stored value that defines the expected nominal value at the output of the amplifier.
The drain current adjustment, the current sensing and detector output measurements can be implemented in a real-time continuous adjustment mode by using low cost microprocessor or through a one-time setting that is accomplished during module test. The EEPROM 129 can be used to store preset chip characteristics, such as optimum drain current and expected output at various stages in the RF circuit.
The current measurement sensor 122 also allows for diagnostics of each amplifier in the circuit. The current measurement circuit will sense any unexpected drop or increase in current draw. By monitoring the temperature sensor 126, the microprocessor 128 determines whether a change in current (Id) is caused by a temperature change or malfunction. The status of each amplifier 116 is reported via the digital serial interface.
In cases where DC power dissipation is a prime concern because of thermal issues, any amplifiers 116 can be adjusted via the gate bias control such that the amplifiers draw minimal current. A user may select a maximum temperature, and the microprocessor will maintain the transceiver at or below that temperature by controlling the DC power dissipation in the MMIC chips.
Traditional methods of controlling gain and output power in RF modules has been to use active attenuators in the transmitter chain. This is inefficient because any amplifiers in the chain will dissipate power. By using the digital potentiometer 120, the gain and output power of each amplifier can be controlled individually or in groups. The module has infinite control over gain and output power, without adding active attenuators after each amplifier, thus, reducing cost and eliminating unnecessary DC power dissipation.
RF power sensing can be achieved through the power monitor diode and detector circuit 132 by coupling some of the amplifier output power (15 to 20 dB) into the passive coupler 130. The output of the coupler is sensed by a diode 132 a. The output of the diode 132 a is amplified and digitized via the serial A/D converter.
The digital potentiometer 120, current sensor 122 for each amplifier, and the temperature sensor 126 allows the module to self adjust its gain as a function of temperature changes. This is accomplished by maintaining the pre-set current draw from each amplifier constant as the module temperature changes. The module gain and output power can be controlled with high precision.
A user's ability to program the module gain at any stage in the circuit chain provides the flexibility to trade-off key performance parameters, such as transmitter noise figure (NF) versus intermodulation level (IM), without changing the circuit design. Real-time individual chip control also allows the user to operate in a desired condition, such as a linear mode for high modulation communications.
It should be understood that this described self-optimization technique can also be used on different devices with the MMIC chip, such as a mixer, multipliers, and an attenuator. By pinching off (maximum negative gate bias), all amplifiers in the transmit chain can be highly attenuated (over 50 dB) for safety reasons during installation. No additional switches or hardware are required.
The use of the microprocessor 128 and the chip control circuits as explained above allows the module manufacturer to enable only those features that a customer desires for a particular application, such as in the VSAT transceiver as described. Although the module hardware can be identical, the module features can be controlled by software. This allows flexibility of using the same module in many different applications, including wireless point-to-point, point to multi-point, or the VSAT as described. Additionally, the use of the microprocessor and a standard interfaces allows programmability and software upgrades (for additional features) of the modules in the field without removing them.
The use of a microcontroller 114 with the associated microprocessor 128 and onboard EEPROM 129 allow for correction and tuning of various functions within the module. In this specifically described function, the corrections may include, but are not limited to (a) gain variation over temperature, (b) linearization of the power monitor circuit as a function of temperature and frequency, (c) gain equalization as a function of frequency, and (d) power attenuation linearization as a function of frequency and temperature. The use of the microprocessor 128 to control each of the active devices with the RF module, and the use of the EEPROM 129 to store correction factors, allow a high degree of flexibility and enables the module to operate with high accuracy and performance. Module characterization data (gain, power, noise figure) are collected over temperature and frequency during module testing. The correction factors are calculated automatically by a Test Station and stored in the EEPROM 129. The correction factors are used during normal module operation to provide a desired performance.
The microcontroller in the present invention senses various operating conditions, such as, but not limited to temperature, transmitter output power, transmitter gain, and receive signal strength (RSS). Based on these signals and optional information sent from the indoor unit, the microcontroller autonomously and continuously adjusts the transceiver gain and output power to maintain the desired performance over all temperature and weather conditions.
Controlling the amount of VSAT transmitted power is important because it reduces the amount of interference and allows a high density of terminals to communicate with the same satellite.
There are two ways to control the amount of transmitted power. The first method uses the detected receive signal level, measured by the RSS circuit 65, to estimate the amount of atmospheric attenuation. The received signal could also be the satellite beacon signal. The microcontroller 61 will continuously monitor the received signal level. A decreasing received signal indicates increasing attenuation due to rain or cloud.
The amount of transmitter power is increased proportionally to the change in received signal. The reduction in transmitter power level is sensed using the power monitor diode 75 located at the output of the transmitter circuit 42 before the waveguide transition 50 b and operatively connected to the passive power output splitter/coupler 74. The power monitoring circuit is implemented by coupling some of the amplifier output (−15 to −20 dB) into the passive power output splitter/coupler. The output of this coupler is sensed by the diode 75. The output of the diode 75 is amplified and digitized via the A/D, which resides inside the microcontroller 61.
The second method of adjusting transmitter power is to use the signal-to-noise (Eb/N) information received from the modem 79, which is part of the indoor electronics 79 a of the indoor unit 19. Most indoor units monitor the (Eb/N) ratio. The measured level is then transmitted to the outdoor unit 18 via the control interface of the system as part of the indoor electronics 79 a. The microcontroller 61 of the outdoor unit 18 will then set the transmitter power based on the received value from the indoor unit.
Controlling the amount of transmitted power also has the added benefit of reducing the amount of heat generated in the overall unit and thereby improving reliability. The microcontroller has the ability to throttle back the amplifiers by adjusting their gate bias in such a way that they only draw as much current as required to generate the minimum required gain and output power generally by using the system and method as described above. Using this system and method, it is expected that the transceiver will generate at least 50% less heat and therefore double the expected reliability of the unit.
A sectional and top plan view of the MMIC transceiver 40 construction is shown in
The controller or soft board 81 may include various surface mounted components and related circuit components 85 and is operatively connected to a coaxial connector 86 and uses a contact connector 87 as will be described below to connect various circuits on the soft board 81 with the ceramic board 80. The cover 83 includes transmit and receive waveguide ports 88 that may operatively connect to the various MMIC chips using various circuit connection structures and techniques.
The '382 application discloses an improvement over prior art "chip and wire" fabrication techniques that can be used with the present invention. A millimeter wave (MMW) radio frequency transceiver module includes a substrate board. A plurality of microwave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) chips are supported by the substrate board and, in one aspect, are arranged in a receiver section, a local oscillator section, and a transmitter section. A plurality of filters and radio frequency interconnects are formed on the substrate board and operative with and/or connect the receiver, local oscillator and transmitter sections. A plurality of electrical interconnects are operative with and/or connect the receiver, local oscillator and transmitter sections.
As illustrated in
This embodiment is shown in
In another aspect of the present invention, at least one row of ground vias 264 are formed within the substrate board and provide isolation between at least the transmitter and receiver circuits 254, 258 formed on the substrate board. The vias 264 extend from the top portion of the substrate board through the substrate board to the radio frequency and ground layer 262. Ground vias 264 provide high isolation of greater than seventy (70) decibels between the transmitter and receiver chains in the transceiver modules. The vias 264 are typically spaced about a quarter of a wavelength apart and the via density can be adjusted based on isolation requirements. In areas where lower isolation is tolerated, a single row of ground vias 264 could be spaced approximately 0.4 wavelengths apart. In those areas where higher isolation is required, a second, offset row of vias could be used.
In another aspect of the present invention, the single, ceramic substrate board 248 can be formed from about 90% to about 100% alumina, and in one preferred embodiment, is about 95% or 96% to about 99% alumina. The board 248 can have different thicknesses ranging from about 5 to about 20 mil thick, and preferably about 10–15 mil thick.
As shown in
It is also possible to form thermal heat sink (or possibly RF) vias 268 that are filled with conductive material under the MMIC chips to achieve adequate electrical performance and improved thermal conductivity as shown in
The housing cover 83, such as shown in
As illustrated in
The radio frequency module layout could be channelized in sections to provide high isolation and prevent possible oscillations. Channel neck-down can be used in key areas to improve isolation. As shown in
Intermediate frequency, radio frequency and DC connections can transfer signals to and from the ceramic substrate board. The DC and intermediate frequency signals can be transferred in and out of the ceramic substrate board using pressure contact connectors, such as high frequency self-adjusted subminiature coaxial connectors (SMA) shown in
Radio frequency signals can be transferred in and out of signal traces, such as microstrip, on the ceramic substrate board using a broadband, low loss, microstrip-to-waveguide transition 310 (
In the present invention shown in
As shown in the fragmentary, partial sectional view of
Each clip member 424 is substantially v-shaped as shown in
In one aspect of the invention where a number of connectors 410 form a connection system 438 as shown in
In one aspect of the present invention, the spacing between the clip members (or pins) is about 40 mils and DC signals could be carried on other clip members in the same connector.
It is possible that different frequency and time division multiplexing access schemes can include demand assigned multiple access system where available channels are assigned for completing a call and channel the return to the pool for an assignment to another call. Point-to-point voice, fax and data requirements can be permitted and video conferencing supported. The central hub (
A traditional prior art direct conversion microwave receiver 500 used for frequencies greater than 13 GHz is shown in
As illustrated, the initial receiver end is similar to the circuit of
The substrate material can be formed from Rogers material 4350 and can have a thickness of about 20 mils. Via diameter can be about 20 mils. The height can be about 115 mils, length 98 mils, and width about 25 mils.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that the modifications and embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the dependent claims.
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The annual Every Goal series will run Monday to Thursday through July and August, remembering every goal scored by the Canucks, player by player. Today, we take a look at Daniel "Lean Mean Fighting" Sedin.
Every time we do the Every Goal series, I am always surprised by one thing: the player who we're spotlighting isn't necessarily the most impressive player involved in each goal. This is especially true for Daniel Sedin, who often ends up with an empty net to shoot at or a tap-in at the side of the net thanks to the work of his brother. In fact, Daniel's best plays from last season are mostly found on other players' goals.
In Daniel's first 20 goals of the season, we've seen superb passing from Henrik, and Alexes Edler and Burrows, as well as some yeoman's work by Ryan Kesler. These last 10 are no different. That isn't to say that Daniel doesn't make some beautiful plays of his own, nor is this meant to undermine his sublime skill in corralling passes and shooting where the goalie isn't.
All I'm saying is that if you want to find Byron Bitz's second best play of last season, you're going to want to watch these last 10 goals from Daniel Sedin.
When the Sedins are on the ice and you have the puck in the defensive zone, it is very, very important to get the puck out across the blue line. The Oilers fail to do so and the Canucks immediately make them pay. Daniel causes the turnover, then gets the toe after some nifty tic and tac from Hamhuis and Burrows.
This is textbook Sedinery. In fact, it's chapter one. It's so textbook that it's baffling to see the Blackhawks allow it. From the side boards, Daniel feeds Henrik the puck behind the net. At that point, it's obvious what's going to happen next. Daniel goes to the front of the net, Henrik pauses just long enough to confuse everyone, then Henrik passes (which is an understatement) to Daniel and Daniel scores the OT winner to break Brendan Morrison's franchise record.
Byron Bitz had about 15 minutes of fame with the Canucks last season, but this was his finest hour (ignore the oxymoron). His backhand pass to Daniel while being cross-checked on this goal isn't just pretty: it's Sedin pretty. For a brief moment, Byron Bitz looked like a Sedin. That said, the real star of this goal is Francis Bouillon, who somehow ends up on the wrong side of Daniel all the way from the boards to the net. Daniel has no business being that open, but Bouillon clearly forget to turn the sign around and lock the door.
My favourite part of this goal is Kesler and Henrik playing catch below the goal line on the 5-on-3. It's like they're trying to make sure that each of them will get an assist on the eventual goal. Unfortunately, that's spoiled as Salo and Edler go D-to-D before Edler hits the post, allowing Daniel to pot home the rebound. Kesler and Henrik weren't the only two Canucks on the ice to not get a point; Cory Schneider didn't get one either.
Hahaha, oh man, the Leafs are terrible.
Teams should have figured this out by now: don't give the Sedins the puck in your own zone, particularly when your teammates are blowing the zone expecting an outlet pass. It won't go well for you. Tom Gilbert's pass to Shawn Horcoff isn't a good one, allowing Burrows to make like a cutpurse, then feed Daniel for the one-timer.
If it seems like Edler took this point shot looking for a tip from Henrik, he did. If it looks like Henrik is tipping it to his brother rather than to the net, he is. If it looks like Daniel is out-battling Ian White in front of the net like a boss, it's because he is the boss. In the future, I will refer to Daniel as Bruce Springsteen.
This is one of my favourite goals from last season, mainly because it's so counter-intuitive. With 30 seconds left in the third period and down by one, it's not surprising to see the Sedins on the ice. It is surprising to see the Canucks set up the point shot from Daniel, not just once, but twice. It's even more surprising to see it work, as Daniel ties the game with 15 seconds left. Burrows would go on to win the game in the shootout, snapping the Red Wings' record 23-game home winning streak.
The Sedins against the Columbus Blue Jackets almost doesn't seem fair. They're like AHLers playing in a beer league. The Blue Jackets are feeling so good about disrupting Daniel's pass to Mason Raymond, they forget that they also have to disrupt Henrik's pass to Daniel. They do not do so and Daniel gets the tap-in.
And now the Sedins with a powerplay against the Blue Jackets? Sheesh, universe, you really hate the Blue Jackets, eh? Daniel's initial tip-in attempt on the Henrik slap-pass is blocked, but Daniel finds the puck and puts it home.Tags: Daniel Sedin, Every Goal, every goal 2011-12

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- Published: New York : Basic Books, c2000.
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By Dady Chery
Haiti Chery
English | French | Spanish | Portuguese
The United Nations Mission in Haiti's (MINUSTAH) worst crime so far is killing of over 8000 Haitians with cholera. These deaths resulted from a U.N. cover up of the fact that several Nepalese soldiers on a base near the city of Mirebalais had become violently ill with cholera, and then the base had dumped its sewage into the Artibonite River. Since MINUSTAH was brought into Haiti in 2004 to support a foreign-sanctioned coup d'etat, rapes, sex traffic, exchange of sex for food, massacres, and murders have been its mainstay. It is a degraded, degrading, and unwanted occupation force that must go.
Top Ten Reasons Why MINUSTAH Should Go
1. MINUSTAH continually harasses and humiliates Haitians. MINUSTAH's favorite activities include pepper spraying Haitians and capriciously confiscating drivers' licenses and computers.
2. Common criminals in MINUSTAH enjoy immunity from prosecution. Though over 100 troops have been expelled from Haiti for child prostitution and related charges, MINUSTAH soldiers have enjoyed immunity for most of their crimes, including numerous rapes and the suffocation in August 2010 of a Haitian teenager working on the Nepalese MINUSTAH base.
3. MINUSTAH subverts democracy. Together with the United States, Canada and France, MINUSTAH has fixed elections that excluded 80 percent of the Haitian electorate and brought a Duvalierist, Michel Martelly, into power in May 2011.
4. MINUSTAH interferes in Haiti's political affairs. Former MINUSTAH head Edmond Mulet recommended that criminal charges be brought against Haiti's legitimate president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, so as to keep him illegally out of Haiti.
5. MINUSTAH serves as an occupation force. MINUSTAH troops, together with Haitian paramilitaries, ambushed and gunned down over 4,000 members of Fanmi Lavalas – Aristide's party – soon after Aristide was deposed in 2004 in a coup plotted by the U.S., Canada, France and Haiti's elite.
6. MINUSTAH has operated as a large anti-Aristide gang. MINUSTAH has conducted numerous raids on slums such as Cité Soleil so as to kill civilians who supported Aristide. In some of these raids MINUSTAH soldiers fired tens of thousands of rounds at dwellings and schools. (See the video.)
7. MINUSTAH troops showed spectacular cowardice after the earthquake of January 12, 2010. During the first 36 hours after the earthquake, the troops hardly assisted Haitians and instead searched for each other.
8. MINUSTAH harbors vandals and vectors of disease. In October 2010, MINUSTAH introduced a cholera epidemic into Haiti. So far, the epidemic has killed over 8,000 Haitians. MINUSTAH has covered up the fact that several Nepalese soldiers arrived in Haiti sick with cholera and still lies about its role in the epidemic. Almost a year later, on August 6, 2011, MINUSTAH was continuing to dump its fecal matter in Haiti's rivers.
9. The presence of U.N. troops on Haitian soil is illegal. Haiti's MINUSTAH is the only U.N. force in a country that is not at war.
10. The Haitian people despise MINUSTAH. Haitians at home and abroad, young and old, rich and poor, have made it known that they want MINUSTAH out of Haiti. Common epithets for the troops are "Volè kabrit!" (Goat thief!), "Kakachwet!" (Shitter!), "Kolera!" and "Pedofil!"
Sources: Text extracted and updated from the article Bye-Bye MINUSTAH | All photos by Thony Belizaire, AFP/Getty Images | Thanks to SuperHaitian for suggesting this short list from the full-length article.
© Copyright 2011-2014 by Dady Chery. All Rights Reserved


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Articles at InventorSpot.com
What A Kick! The Kong Cat Kickerooby Lady Bee
Who knew that Kong would come up with the perfect wrestling toy for a cat?
Railroad Crossing Alarm Clock Signals the Stubbornly Sleepyby Steve Levenstein
If you've ever dreamed of being tied to the railroad tracks by some Snidely Whiplash-like ne'er-do-well, then The Railroad Crossing Alarm Clock from Banpresto is NOT for you.
Are 4 Front Wheels Better than 2 ?by George Delozier
While the jury may still be out on that question, the Covini Engineering team is hoping to finally put their 6-wheel concept vehicle into production and maybe be able to shed some light on the paradox.
Love Your Barbie The Alfred Hitchcock Wayby John P. Barker
"The Birds" Barbie. Hitchcock would be proud that his motion picture classic has been adapted into a child's toy... wouldn't he? I'm a little on the fence with this one...
Simulated Wedding Cake: Great Idea?by Cosetta
Patent# US 7021465 concerns the Simulated Wedding Cake, a must have for brides, grooms, best men and ladies in simulated waiting! How one can invent a simulation, which by definition is a copy of something, is a conundrum that does not appear to be addressed in this silly exposé. Read on anyway, and may you and all your wedding guests really eat cake.
Russian Dogs Lend Helping Paws to Financial Crisisby M Dee Dubroff
In Siberia, man's best friend is doing his and her part to help with family expenses by becoming walking billboards for specific products. Read all about the city of Novosibirsk's innovative Promo Dog Agency and…arf!
A Gift Idea for the Toddler Motor Headby George Delozier
LEGOs have to be one of the most versatile building tools ever created. With pieces of every color shape and size, the possibilities are truly unlimited. A fact that once again has been proven with the introduction of an air powered Lego built engine.
I Am Saint Nick Launches Personal Santa Serviceby Beth Graddon-Hodgson
Through annual letters to Santa, the young and old alike divulge their biggest secrets; they reveal what it is that they'd truly like for Christmas. Until this year, we normal people haven't been privy to this classified information, but now I am Saint Nick makes it possible.
Pepperfruits Gum Packs Heat in Every Biteby Steve Levenstein
Snacks are big business in Japan, and not a day goes by without some new gum, candy or other sweet confection hitting store shelves. Pepperfruits, the new gum from Kracie, just might be "crazy" enough to make a lasting impression.
GYM Concept Runs Clean and Keeps You Fitby George Delozier
Motorized transportation is one of the biggest enemies of the gym. Of course we need vehicles to get us there and back, but have we begun to rely on them too much? Short trips across town, distances we could very easily walk, are being taken care of by exercising only our right feet. This is exactly what the GYM Concept is hoping to end.
What Do Hamsters Want For Christmas?by Lady Bee
Now, there are new toys for hamsters and I think they are safer designs than the hamster ball, because they contain wheels. A wheel gives a small animal an exact place to step. He can establish a rhythm and be secure that when he slows down or speeds up, his options remain the same.
Study: Headbanging is Hazardous to your Healthby Rane
Listen up all you hardcore heavy metal music fans! A new study has shown that head banging at just the right angle may cause damage to your health.
Is the Smoker Hat Hazardous to Health and is it a Great Idea?by Cosetta
United States Patent #4858627, better known as the Smoker's Hat, represents one inventor's attempt to save the environment from the ill affects of smoking. Despite lofty intentions, silly is still the operative word when it comes to describing the meaning and purpose of the Smoker's Hat. Read on and see if you agree.
Whatever Floats Your Wine Bottle... But A Chain?by Must Love Gadgets
Yes, that's a wine bottle floating in the air with a chain around its neck.
A Time-Honored Perpetual Calendar: Timor By Enzo Mariby Toby
...perhaps it's fitting that Enzo Mari designed "Timor," a perpetual calendar displayed in many of the world's modern art galleries and museums... and one that's being produced by the Italian design store Danese.
China's Amazing Economic Growth: From Mao Till Nowby M Dee Dubroff
Rising from the ashes, like a phoenix from the fires of Mao's cultural revolution of the 1970s, China has emerged as a mega consumer-oriented nation. This is an amazing trend considering that for 35 years its primary items were limited to cigarettes from Albania! Read on and be amazed at this story of economic growth and development.
Customized Travel Guides: Great Idea That Leaves Me Wanting Moreby Beth Graddon-Hodgson
Offbeat Guides may look like a typical travel guide, but it's the only version that provides up to date information to future voyageurs by allowing you to create a live version immediately.
Snowball, The Dancing Cockatoo, Disproves An Evolutionary Theoryby Lady Bee
Snowball is a dancing bird. He keeps time with his head and he dances with his legs and claws. He's precious, and it's really hard to watch him with any degree of objectivity. So I don't know how Aniruddh D. Patel, of the Neurosciences Institute and the University of California, San Diego, was able to watch Snowball's videos over and over again, in order to study the bird's movements in relation to the music he was hearing.
Bizarre 'Liquid Lamp' Puts Fright in Your Lightby Steve Levenstein
The Liquid Lamp from Caina, a Japanese design retailer, adds a touch of film noir surrealism to any room. Depending on whether you select white or red, the lamp appears to be spilling milk or blood.
Max Wallack Wins Grand Prize in Design Squad "Trash to Treasure" Contestby Gloria Campos
If anyone deserves a special gift this Holiday season for his kindness and his innovative ideas it's ninth-grader Max Wallack from Natick, Massachusetts. He has already won a few rewards for his inventions. His latest invention won him thousands of dollars and has the potential to help the homeless and clean the environment all at once.


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Voters don't think the stimulus is working and a plurality want to dump the whole thing, according to a Rasmussen poll:
Forty-five percent (45%) of Americans say the rest of the new government spending authorized in the $787-billion economic stimulus plan should now be canceled. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 36% disagree and 20% are not sure.
. . .
President Obama on Monday vowed to speed up the pace of stimulus spending and said the money will help "create or save" 600,000 more jobs this summer.
However, only 31% of Americans believe the new government spending in the stimulus package creates new jobs. Forty-eight percent (48%) say the stimulus spending does not create jobs, and 21% are not sure.
Americans have mixed feelings about whether speeding up the new government spending in the stimulus package will help the economy. Thirty-nine percent (39%) say the increased spending will be good for the economy, but 44% say it will be bad. Eight percent (8%) think it will have no impact.
All will be forgiven, no doubt, if the economy bounces back. But if not, that 2009 stimulus vote is going to be a potential problem for those on the ballot in 2010. Moreover, it seems once again that the president's personal popularity is irrelevant. No matter how much they like the "cool" president, they aren't buying his stimulus spin. Might the same be true on other issues like cap-and-trade and healthcare nationalization? Stay tuned.


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Louisiana's top higher education board recommended Tuesday to merge LSU's Shreveport campus into Louisiana Tech University, although such a merger faces significant hurdles before it could happen.
The proposal is being sent to state lawmakers for consideration. The idea, which faces opposition from LSU System leaders, would need backing in a two-thirds vote by the House and the Senate.
LSU-Shreveport would become a second campus of Louisiana Tech and part of the University of Louisiana System, under the consolidation suggested by higher education consultant Eva Klein and Associates as a way to improve education in northwest Louisiana.
At Tuesday's Board of Regents meeting, there was little criticism of the proposal and the board backed the merger proposal without objection. Regents action was required before legislators could consider the idea in the upcoming regular session that begins March 12.


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U.S. Army War College >> Strategic Studies Institute >> Publications >> Details
Technology and the 21st Century Battlefield: Recomplicating Moral Life for the Statesman and the Soldier
Authored by Colonel Charles J. Dunlap Jr..
- Added January 01, 1999
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The author starts from the traditional American notion that technology might offer a way to decrease the horror and suffering of warfare. He points out that historically this assumption is flawed in that past technological advances, from gunpowder weapons to bombers, have only made warfare more--not less--bloody. With a relentless logic, Colonel Dunlap takes to task those who say that the Revolution in Military Affairs has the potential to make war less bloody. He covers the technological landscape from precision-guided munitions and Information Warfare to the use of space for military operations to raise issues that could pose difficult ethical, legal and moral problems for statesmen and soldiers. Some of these conundrums are so confounding that the author could claim that in all humility his only purpose was to raise these issues to prompt debate. But Colonel Dunlap takes the next step to outline several broad thematic avenues that may help us all address the difficult problems that lie ahead.
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Paid to Perform: Aligning Total Military Compensation with Talent Management, Vol. 8
Stand Up and Fight! The Creation of U.S. Security Organizations, 1942-2005
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Posted at: 11/14/2012 12:14 PM
Updated at: 11/14/2012 4:15 PM
By: Subrina Dhammi
LONG BEACH - There are only a few stories that allow a reporter to show a personal side.
This story is an example of that.
My brother is one of the millions affected by Hurricane Sandy.
We went back to Long Beach, Long Island with him, as he tried to retrieve whatever he can from his damaged apartment building.
Much of Long Beach is still in shambles, piles of trash line the sidewalks, and some buildings still don't have power.
On a rainy Tuesday morning, my brother Shawn goes into the building he once called home - which now feels foreign...it's eerie, dark and dirty.
It questionable if the building on Broadway will ever be livable again.
We take the stairs, because the elevators still don't work.
Up five flights in darkness, with just the light on our camera illuminating the way.
Shawn's apartment is on the fifth floor - so his belongings were not hit by water.
While we pack up whatever we can, Shawn's admits, when he first heard about hurricane sandy, he wasn't going to evacuate.
We carry out boxes, back into the hallway of darkness and down the slippery stairs.
Outside, we run into the building's super...who's clearly exhausted from more than two weeks of scrambling.
And he lost his home.
Tony Taylor's apartment was not spared - it's in the basement...everything inside was destroyed.


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Alice in Wonderland…Burlesque-style!
By Michele Costanza…bringing you a humorous view on consumer topics in an all-too-serious world . A remake of the old classic, with a sexy twist. Hard to resist that! The producers of the highly acclaimed show, The Burlesque Nutcracker, bring you a delightful spin on the Alice in Wonderland tale, boasting an all-star cast who […] [Read More]
Mezzo Lunatico Does it RIGHT…AGAIN!
Welcome Back to our Sassy Guest Blogger, Jen Scully! She's a hip, marathon-running mom with two kids, who also happens to be a computer-wielding attorney. ****************************************************************************** By Jen Scully, Sassy Guest Blogger Nothing says Christmas like a transvestite dressed as the Virgin Mary giving birth to Jesus while singing Lady Gaga's Born This Way. Really. […] [Read More]


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Trove API
Trove is a platform for users to connect all of their online accounts and applications. Trove allows users to create one single login for one platform that allows them to manage their online content and privacy from one online location. For developers, Trove offers an API to access user data from a variety of sites in one location for integration with other applications and to create new applications. Example API methods include accessing user data and content, retrieving photos and other content, and accessing user status updates and check ins from a variety of sites.
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Google Play Store downloads have for the first time ever surpassed Apple's App Store downloads according to a report by App Annie. However, it seems that Apple still has the upper hand in terms of revenue with iOS apps generating 2.3 times more revenue than Android apps. Read the following extract from the App Annie report below:
"As of Q2 2013, app downloads in Google Play were about 10% higher than those in the iOS App Store. Though Google Play led the iOS App Store in one key measure, there still remained a wide gap in app monetization, as the iOS App Store generated 2.3x the app revenue of Google Play."
The growth of the Play Store apparently came about due to emerging markets such as Brazil, India and Russia.
[via Iclarified, App Annie]
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2 comments
[@David Roper] Like you, I will look for the freeware version of everything first. All too often, even the paid versions are poorly coded. Then again most of my android apps are games and time wasters.
David Roper
I use a Samsung S3 one year old. I have learned that apps in the Android market are "iffy" to run. My friend has an iPhone and all his apps run as described. That's nice for him.
My apps are frequently Freeware while his iPhone purchases for the apps cost $1 and up.
I still like using Freeware vs. paying even a dollar.
Your thoughts?


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It is time that some heads roll just like the Mets. First fire the coaches. They have had more then enough time to turn the team around without making excuses. The Indians need some new blood and that goes for management too. The Indians have the most loyal fans in baseball and we continue to be insulted year after year. I'm tired of the lame excuses and my wallet won't be buying any tickets to watch the Indian's clowns on the field. I'll buy Captains tickets. They are closer to my house and I'll save money on gas, food and parking too. Stupid Progressive Field can't even serve onions on their hot dogs!
I went to Indians game on Tuesday night and it was dollar dog night. Unfortunately they no longer have onions for the hot dogs (what's a hot dog without onions!) BORING! But they still have the Sugardale Onion running in the race with ketchup and mustard. I think they need to eliminate the Onion in the race if they can't serve onions on their hot dogs. The Sugardale folks need to take note of this.
The pain of it all
As I am cutting onions the tears just fall, because I feel its pain
as I dice it up. See Veggies feel pain also. What more proof do
you need? As you slice & dice. The Pain; the Pain: Painnnnnn.
So don't eat veggies.
I like my dolphin steaks medium rare, they should have never
taken the dolphin out of the tuna can or the tuna oil out of the can.
Veggie oil sucks I make my own lard to cook with. And I like my
prime rib medium rare. I also like to eat rare meat it brings me back
to the time before we invented fire to cook with.
Can we still kill them to make shoes and handbags? The answer is yes I made my wife a fur coat from fox's and I have a raccoon Hat.
Road Kill. Monday thru Friday is the days they clean the highway of
road kill. Only Saturday for it will be fresh kill make sure the blood has not coagulated then you'll be safe to cook it an eat.
12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave for working mothers. That's it. Not paid maternity leave, like every other civilized society has; not several months of paid maternity leave, like every other civilized society has; not paid paternity leave, like every other civilized society has; not family allowances, paid sick leave, paid family leaves, and subsidized childcare, like every other civilized society has. Just a measly 12 weeks of time off work so that expectant and new mothers will not endanger their health or that of their baby or lose their job. And the richest country on earth cannot afford that?! Give me, and working moms, a break. Orchis to Senator Sykes! Onions to Gov. Strickland and those other pro-family hypocrites who talk about supporting families but fail to put money and laws where their mouths are. Check out www.momsrising.org
So with yet another humiliating kick in the nethers from our much beloved professional sports franchises out of the way, Cleveland can move on to what it does best... bask in the agony of defeat.
Here's something to think about while we pass the time watching the Browns lose until next season. The time has come to take a long hard look at why it is Cleveland can't seem to win.... anything..... ever.
Why? The Cleveland Indians had seasoned veterans, new talent, a hugely successful season. Why on earth did I tune into game 5 to see a tripleA team offer the Boston Red Sox some post season practice for 3 straight games? What happened on that day off between 3 wins and 3 losses? Where's the pod? Cleveland fans should lose gracefuly and with dignity, hell we've had plenty of practice, but we should also be LIVID, seething, we should be infuriated and outraged. Demand answers, demand results.
The Cleveland Pro-Sports machine takes our ticket money, our T-Shirt money, our chilli-cheese dog with mustard and onions money, our hard-earned, bust-ass all day money, our dreams, hopes and our time, and in return offers us year after year of stagnation, frustration, and heartbreaking disapointment. Frankly we deserve better. Maybe next season we should decide to stay home, en-mass. Not a single ticket sold until at least one Cleveland pro sports team can do something other than fail in the eleventh hour. "You can choke but you're not going to choke on my dime."
Anita Gray took it into her head to do a cheap publicity stunt - and she succeeded. Cabbage alone. Bah. A cheap stunt.
Last winter I decided to see if I could eat lunch and dinner for one entire work week on $10 or less. I came in at just under $8. Add in the breakfasts and it would've been just over $12.
I ate lentils with celery carrots, potatoes, onions, and diced ham. A big pot of that got me through 2 dinners and 3 lunches. Then I made a large pot of pea porridge with the same extra ingredients. That saw me through to friday.
Anyone who knows how to cook from scratch ingredients can eat well and cheaply. My son lives with me now and we eat like archbishops - usually on less than $5 a dinner.
My wife and I have dined at Paladar twice. Both times we walked out raving about the food and service. We have had a total of five different entrees and three appetizers and two desserts. My favorite was the Steak Gaucho. A wonderful rib eye steak smothered with soft caramelized onions. I substituted the potato salad for the steak fries. The potato salad was amazing, made from sweet potatoes, which I don't like. These weren't sweet but had a little spice that was great. The service was friendly and attentive and she explained everything to us. Price is very resonable and portions are more than enough. My new favorite place.
I work near the Clinic so I was interested to see what the changes to Classics would be like. I must say I like the change. Table 45 is modern, sophisticated, yet relaxed and inviting. The ambiance feels very "New York" to me, something I like. Eating lunch, I had the pho which was very tasty and then, even though I consider myself a foodie, I went for the burger. Wow, I think they have the best burger in Cleveland! It's all ready to eat, with sauteed onions, tomato jam and some type of spicy mayo.
I took my parents for dinner and we all had a good time. The place was busy, but everything was moving smoothly. The waiter seemed very friendly and proud to describe the menu to us. We loved the naan with the dipping sauces as a starter; my favorite sauce is the Indian one, but they give you all three. We enjoyed the tandoori chicken. It was so tender and juicy, but has a nice charred flavor on the outside. We also liked the pasta with scallops; had a nice lemon essence but not too strong.
All in all, a nice new dining experience in Cleveland. I will be back.
I agree with denverbobcat.It takes big onions to say "I screwed up,I apologize,I'll do my time,then put it behind me.Hey,he's not a coke-head like Michael Irvin whom the media still loves.
You can pick a game where he played poorly,or one where he played well.Fact is,he's in great shape this year,many writers reporting he has been dominant at times.He is universally regarded as an above average starting NFL right tackle.Tuck's return at the 1/4 mark of the season can only make the line better.The increased reps KB and Shaffer get at RT ,and more reps for JT at left tackle.No gloom and doom.Sometimes things can work out well.
Whitey's in Richfield. The Dagwood with everything. Mushrooms and onions spilling over on the plate. And Ray's in Kent. The Mo Fo. A double decker cheeseburger with everything. Both have great, but different, fries. Whitey's are two pounds of big, wide fresh cut fries and Ray's are more like the shoestring, fresh cut fair fries. Yum.


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Where is it from?
- A Manufacturer Richmond, Australia
Purse - Olive Suede, Simpson's Gloves, Richmond, Victoria, circa 1960s Reg. No: SH 892059
- Summary:
- Small olive suede purse, made by Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd, Richmond, circa 1960s.
Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd was formed in 1924 and produced leather gloves and coats, handbags, helmets and associated leather goods. The company first operated in Smith Street, and subsequently Alexandra Parade, Collingwood, relocating to Victoria Street, Richmond in 1928, where it remained until 1988.
- Acquisition Information:
- Cultural Gifts Donation from Mr Alistair Mitchell, 1989
- Acknowledgement:
- Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
|100 mm (Height), 145 mm (Width)
More information
|Tagged with:
|glovemaking, leatherworking, trades, working life
|Themes this item is part of:
|Simpson's Gloves Collection, Working Life & Trades Collection, Amos Griffiths Simpson, Glove Manufacturer (1878-1953), Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd, 1924-1988, Production Processes at Simpson's Gloves Factory, Working Life at Simpson's Gloves Factory, Workers at Simpson's Gloves Factory, Clothing & Textiles Collection
|Primary Classification:
|Secondary Classification:
|Clothing Accessories
|Tertiary Classification:
|sample products
|Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd, Richmond North, Victoria, Australia, circa 1960s
This item is part of the following themes:
- Simpson's Gloves Collection
- Working Life & Trades Collection
- Amos Griffiths Simpson, Glove Manufacturer (1878-1953)
- Simpson's Gloves Pty Ltd, 1924-1988
- Production Processes at Simpson's Gloves Factory
- Working Life at Simpson's Gloves Factory
- Workers at Simpson's Gloves Factory
- Clothing & Textiles Collection
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Phillip Loadholt Jr.
Position: T
Height: 6-8 Weight: 343 lbs.
Born: January 21, 1986 in Honolulu, HI
High School: Fountain Fort Carson
College: Oklahoma (school history) (Loadholt college stats)
Drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2nd round (54th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 40 (2224th overall since 1950)
Other SR Links: College Football at Sports-Reference.com


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|You are here: Law Compass > BDM Home > Births > Correct a birth certificate > Adding father's details
|Print Page
If your child's birth is registered in Western Australia without the natural father's details, these particulars may be added to the registration by completing the "Add father's details in a child's birth" application form (See download below) and payment of a fee. Both parents must also provide appropriate identification.
When adding the natural father's particulars to the birth registration, you have the option of registering your child's family name as:
The Registry can only add the particulars of a child's natural father.
We are located at Level 10, 141 St Georges Terrace, Perth. The public counter is open Monday to Friday 8.30am - 4.30pm (except public holidays).
To avoid the usual busy times please consider visiting the Perth Registry between 8.30am - 10am or 2pm - 4pm.
Post correspondence to:
Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages
Department of the Attorney General
PO Box 7720
Cloisters Square
Payment may be sent by:
Cheques or money orders should be made payable to: Registrar of Births, Deaths & Marriages.
Note: Overseas applicants must pay in Australian dollars using an international money order or bank draft, which should be made payable to: Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
Last Updated: 16-Jun-2015
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