Disclosed is a tape cassette including a cassette shell in which two tape reels are rotatably contained; a front lid, turnably supported by the cassette shell, for opening/closing the front side of a tape-like recording medium crossing a front portion of a mouth portion provided in a front portion of the cassette shell in such a manner as to be opened forwardly, upwardly, and downwardly; and a lid lock member for locking the front lid in the closed state to the cassette shell, wherein the locking of the front lid by the lid lock member is released when the tape cassette is mounted in a tape drive apparatus; the lid lock member is biased in the locking direction by biasing means; and the lid lock member is engaged with and held by a tape cassette side member in the unlocking state. With this configuration, the mounting state of the tape cassette in a tape drive apparatus can be stabilized and also the size and weight of the tape drive apparatus can be reduced.

The present invention relates to a new tape cassette, and particularly to a tape cassette including a front lid which is closed to cover the front side of a tape-like recording medium in a non-loading state of the tape cassette in a tape drive apparatus and is opened to expose the front side of the recording medium in a loading state of the tape cassette in the tape drive apparatus, wherein an unnecessary force is not applied to the tape drive apparatus even in the loading state of the tape cassette in the tape drive apparatus, whereby the cassette loading state can be stably held.
Along with a tendency toward higher recording density, tape cassettes have been required to prevent adhesion of dust on a tape-like recording medium and also adhesion of grease on the recording medium due to the contact of operator""s fingers therewith, and to meet such a requirement, there has been disclosed a technique in which a portion, exposed from a shell of a tape cassette, of the recording medium is covered with a front lid in a non-loading state of the cassette in a tape drive apparatus.
According to the above technique, the front side of the recording medium crossing the front side of a mouth portion, which is provided in a front portion of the cassette shell in such a manner as to be opened forwardly, upwardly, and downwardly, is covered with a front lid in the non-loading state of the cassette, and is exposed to the outside by turning the front lid upwardly at approximately 90xc2x0 in the loading state of the cassette.
In this tape cassette of the type having the front lid, to prevent the front lid in the closed state from being carelessly opened, lock means for holding the closed state of the front lid is provided.
On the other hand, a tape drive apparatus has operating means (such as an operating piece or operating arm) for operating the lock means when the cassette is mounted in the tape drive apparatus. When the cassette is mounted in the tape drive apparatus, the operating means acts to move the lock means in the unlocking direction against a biasing force of biasing means provided to bias the lock means, to release the locking state of the front lid, thereby opening the front lid.
The above tape cassette of the type having the front lid, however, has a problem that when the cassette is mounted in the tape drive apparatus, a reaction force against the biasing force of the biasing means provided to bias the lock means is applied to the cassette in the direction of floating the cassette upwardly from the tape drive apparatus.
On the other hand, when being mounted in the tape drive apparatus, the tape cassette must be certainly positioned thereto. For this purpose, the tape drive apparatus has pressing means for pressing the upper surface of the cassette mounted in the tape drive apparatus. The above-described floating of the cassette from the tape drive apparatus can be somewhat suppressed by the pressing means.
The pressing means, however, has been required to be made as small as possible for realizing the miniaturization and lightweightness of the tape drive apparatus. Accordingly, it may be desirable to prevent the reaction force against the biasing force of the biasing means provided to bias the lock means from being applied to the tape cassette.
An object of the present invention is to provide a tape cassette, which is intended to be stably mounted in a tape drive apparatus, and also to reduce the size and weight of the tape drive apparatus.
To achieve the above object, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape cassette including: a cassette shell in which two tape reels are rotatably contained; a front lid, turnably supported by the cassette shell, for opening/closing the front side of a tape-like recording medium crossing a front portion of a mouth portion provided in a front portion of the cassette shell in such a manner as to be opened forwardly, upwardly, and downwardly; and a lid lock member for locking the front lid in the closed state to the cassette shell; wherein the locking of the front lid by the lid lock member is released when the tape cassette is mounted in a tape drive apparatus; the lid lock member is biased in the locking direction by biasing means; and the lid lock member is engaged with and held by a tape cassette side member in the unlocking state.
With this configuration, since the lid lock member in the unlocking state is engaged with a tape cassette side member, the lid lock member in the unlocking state is not brought into contact with a tape drive apparatus side member in the state in which the tape cassette is mounted in the tape drive apparatus. Accordingly, the tape cassette does not receive, in the unlocking state, a reaction force against a biasing force of the biasing means provided to bias the lid lock member, and thereby the cassette does not float upwardly from the tape drive apparatus, and further, since the pressing means provided on the tape drive apparatus side for pressing the cassette can be made smaller, the size and weight of the tape drive apparatus can be reduced.
In the above tape cassette, preferably, the lid lock member is turnably supported on the inner surface of a side surface portion of the front lid; a lock pin is provided on the lid lock member in such a manner as to project therefrom; and the unlocking state of the front lid is held by the lock pin caught in a recess formed in the side surface portion of the front lid.
With this configuration, even if the front lid is rotated to be opened, the lid lock member and the biasing means are not exposed to the outside, and accordingly, it is possible to prevent the lid lock member and the biasing means from being touched with operator""s fingers or from being removed, and also to enhance the external appearance of the tape cassette.

Tape cassette with front lid held unlocked by lid lock pin caught in lid recess


The present disclosure includes an imaging control apparatus, an imaging control method, and an imaging apparatus. The imaging control apparatus includes a focal point detection control circuitry configured to receive first information from a range-finding area of a dedicated phase difference detection sensor and second information from a range-finding area of an image plane phase difference detection sensor, and detect a focal point based on at least one of the first information or the second information.

A variety of techniques for automatically detecting a focal point (auto-focus techniques) have been suggested in the past. For example, Patent Literature 1 mentioned below has disclosed an imaging apparatus configured to adjust a focal point using a focal point detector constituted by a dedicated sensor and a focal point detector using part of pixels constituting an image sensor by selectively switching therebetween.

Imaging control apparatus and imaging control method


A three-level power conversion circuit includes a plurality of one-phase switch circuits which receive power from direct current power supplies that are connected in series. Each of the one-phase switch circuits includes a semiconductor switch series circuit that is connected in parallel to the direct current power supplies, and also a bidirectional switch and a circuit-opening device that are connected in series between a series connection point of the semiconductor switch series circuit and a series connection point of the direct current power supplies. If a semiconductor element in a bidirectional switch fails, the circuit opening device opens a path along which the main current of the semiconductor element flows, and operation of the inverter is continued as a two-level inverter with the remaining bidirectional switches in a constant off-state.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a circuit configuration of a three-level inverter that converts power from direct current to alternating current. Direct current power supplies 1 and 2 are connected in series, wherein a positive electrode potential is taken to be P, a negative electrode potential N, and an intermediate point potential M. Generally, when the direct current power supplies are configured of an alternating current power supply system, an unshown rectifier and large capacity electrolytic capacitor can be configured of a 2-series connection, or the like.
A U-phase series circuit, wherein an IGBT T1 to which a diode D1 is connected in anti-parallel and an IGBT T2 to which a diode D2 is connected in anti-parallel are connected in series, a V-phase series circuit, wherein an IGBT T3 to which a diode D3 is connected in anti-parallel and an IGBT T4 to which a diode D4 is connected in anti-parallel are connected in series, and a W-phase series circuit, wherein an IGBT T5 to which a diode D5 is connected in anti-parallel and an IGBT T6 to which a diode D6 is connected in anti-parallel are connected in series, are connected in parallel to the series circuit of the direct current power supplies 1 and 2, thus configuring a three-phase bridge inverter circuit.
A U-phase bidirectional switch wherein reverse blocking IGBTs T7 and T8 are connected in anti-parallel is connected to a series connection point U of the U-phase series circuit and a connection point M of the direct current power supplies 1 and 2, a V-phase bidirectional switch wherein reverse blocking IGBTs T9 and T10 are connected in anti-parallel is connected to a series connection point V of the V-phase series circuit and the connection point M of the direct current power supplies 1 and 2, and a W-phase bidirectional switch wherein reverse blocking IGBTs T11 and T12 are connected in anti-parallel is connected to a series connection point W of the W-phase series circuit and the connection point M of the direct current power supplies 1 and 2. Also, the series connection points U, V, and W are connected to a motor 10, which is the load. Herein, the bidirectional switches can also be realized with a configuration wherein an IGBT that does not have reverse breakdown voltage and a diode are combined, as shown in FIG. 5(b).
As the P potential, N potential, and M potential can be output as the potential applied to the motor 10 by adopting this circuit configuration, a three-level output inverter is obtained. FIG. 4 shows an output voltage (Vout) waveform example. Three levels of voltage—direct current voltages 0, Ed1, and Ed1+Ed2—can be output. With this method, as low-order harmonic components decrease and it is possible to reduce switch element switching loss with respect to a two-level type inverter, it is possible to construct a highly efficient system.
FIG. 6 shows a one-phase system diagram including gate drive circuits that drive IGBTs and a control circuit that generates gate drive signals. 11a to 11d are connected between the gate and emitter of each IGBT in the gate drive circuits, and on-off control the IGBTs in accordance with gate drive signals 13a to 13d from the control circuit 12. Also, diodes 14a to 14d are connected with the object of detecting the potential of the collector portion of each IGBT, and detection of a power supply short circuit current (arm short circuit current) flowing due to failure of the corresponding IGBT or diode is carried out by detector circuits 15a to 15d in the gate drive circuits. At this time, failure detection signals 16a to 16d are output to the control circuit 12.
FIG. 7 shows other methods of detecting an arm short circuit current, wherein FIG. 7(a) is a method whereby the current value is detected by utilizing a sense IGBT 17 incorporated in an IGBT chip (in actuality, a resistor 18 is connected in series, and the voltage across the resistor 18 is detected). FIG. 7(b) shows a method whereby a shunt resistor 19 is connected in series with an IGBT, and the value of the voltage across the shunt resistor 19 is detected. Both methods are such that detection is carried out by detecting an excessive voltage generated across a resistor by an arm short circuit current.
For example, when the IGBT T7 or T8, which is an intermediate side element, fails as in FIG. 8(b) in the condition of FIG. 8(a) (a condition wherein the voltage Ed1 is supplied to the motor from the IGBTs T3 and T5 via the IGBT T7), an excessive power supply short circuit current 22 flows on the IGBT T1 being turned on, as in FIG. 8(c). In general, an IGBT is guaranteed for in the region of 10 μs not to be destroyed by a power supply short circuit current, because of which, provided that the power supply short circuit current is detected within 10 μs by the gate drive circuit of T1, which is a normal IGBT, and the gate is shut off, no secondary damage occurs.
That is, it is understood which arm semiconductor element has failed from the failure detection signal from the gate drive circuit in which a protection operation has been carried out.
A circuit example of the heretofore described three-level inverter is shown in PTL 1 , and a method of protecting an IGBT from a power supply short circuit current is shown in PTL 2.

Three-level power conversion circuit system


Disclosed is a method by which a transmission device transmits data on the basis of a sound signal in a wireless communication system, the method including transmitting a sound packet corresponding to transmission data, with the sound packet including at least one sound symbol, the sound symbol including at least one sound sub-symbol, a plurality of sound symbol types are supported in the wireless communication system, and each of the plurality of sound symbol types is mapped to a preset data value.

The Internet is evolving from the human-centered connection network by which humans create and consume information to the Internet of Things (IoT) network by which information is communicated and processed between things or other distributed components. The Internet of Everything (IoE) technology may be an example of a combination of the Big data processing technology and the IoT technology through, e.g., a connection with a cloud server.
To implement the IoT, technology elements, such as a sensing technology, wired/wireless communication and network infra, service interface technology, and a security technology, are required. There is a recent ongoing research for inter-object connection technologies, such as the sensor network, Machine-to-Machine (M2M), or the Machine-Type Communication (MTC).
In the IoT environment may be offered intelligent Internet Technology (IT) services that collect and analyze the data generated by the things connected with one another to create human life a new value. The IoT may have various applications, such as the smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car or connected car, smart grid, health-care, or smart appliance industry, or state-of-the-art medical services, through conversion or integration of existing IT technologies and various industries.
Communication between things nowadays expand its concept from machine-to-machine (M2M), which supports intelligent communication between a human being and a thing or between one thing and another based on a mobile communication network, to the Internet, rapidly evolving to enable mutual interworking with all the information in a virtual and real-life world as well as things. In other words, M2M, enabling real-time, intelligent communication between a human being and a thing or between things anytime, anywhere in a convenient manner, is expanding its realm to the Internet of Things (IoT) while connecting all ambient things via the Internet.
The IoT means technology in which various things are equipped with sensors and communication functions to connect to the Internet. Here, the term "things" may refer to various embedded systems (computing systems of electronic devices such as smartphones), e.g., home appliances, mobile devices, or wearable computers. IoT-connected things should be connected to the Internet based their own unique Internet protocol (IP) addresses for distinguishing therebetween and may have sensors for obtaining information from an external environment.
In particular, the recent sharp growth of IoT brings short-range communication, e.g., Bluetooth, schemes—especially, those supportive of Bluetooth low energy (BLE) mode—to significant attention. Generally, users are able to control BLE mode-applied devices using portable terminals, e.g., smartphones. More and more devices are coming up with BLE mode applicable.
Meanwhile, the above-described information is provided only as background information for a better understanding of the present disclosure. No determinations and claims are made as to whether what has been described in this section may be applicable as the prior art related to the present disclosure.

Device and method for transmitting and receiving data on basis of sound signal in wireless communication system


A method for the integration of semiconductor components in a confined space, in particular for 3D integration, in which, after positioning relative to a carrier substrate and/or a redistribution layer, the semiconductor components are protected and fixed in their relative position by introduction of a potting compound, characterized in that before the introduction of the potting compound, a glass substrate having a multiplicity of cutouts separated by partition walls and serving to receive a semiconductor component, is positioned in such a way that the semiconductor component is enclosed by the sidewall surfaces—facing it—of the respective partition walls of the glass substrate.

The semiconductor industry has undergone rapid growth owing to continuous improvements in the integration density of various electronic components. For the most part, this improvement in the integration density emerges from repeated reductions of the minimum feature size, such that more components can be integrated into a specific area.
Since the demand for miniaturization, higher speed and larger bandwidth and also lower power consumption has risen in recent times, this has given rise to a need for smaller and more creative packaging techniques for unpackaged semiconductor wafers, also referred to as dies.
In the course of advancing integration, more and more assemblies that were previously mounted as individual semiconductor wafers next to one another on a circuit board are being combined in one "larger" semiconductor wafer. Here, "larger" is taken to mean the number of circuits on the die, since the absolute size can decrease as a result of advancing refinement of the fabrication process.
In a stacked semiconductor device, active circuits such as logic, memory, processor circuits and the like are at least partly produced on separate substrates and then physically and electrically bonded to one another in order to form a functional device. Such bonding processes use highly developed techniques, wherein improvements are desired.
A combination of two mutually complementary assemblies such as, for example, CPU and cache on a semiconductor wafer can be described by the term "on-die": the CPU has the cache "on-die", that is to say directly on the same semiconductor wafer, which significantly accelerates data exchange. Construction and connection technology (CCT) is concerned with the further processing of the semiconductor wafer packaging and integration into the circuitry environment.
Many integrated circuits are usually produced on a single semiconductor wafer and individual semiconductor wafers on the wafer are singulated by the integrated circuits being sawn along a scribe line. The individual semiconductor wafers are usually encapsulated separately, for example in multi-semiconductor wafer modules or in other types of packages (packaging).
A wafer level package (WLP) structure is used as a package structure for semiconductor components of electrical products. An increased number of electrical input/output (I/O) contacts and an increased demand for high-performance integrated circuits (ICs) have led to the development of WLP structures of the fan-out type, which allow further center-to-center distances for the electrical I/O contacts.
This involves the use of an electrical redistribution structure comprising one or more electrical redistribution layers (RDLs). Each RDL can be designed as a structured metallization layer and serves as an electrical interconnect designed for connecting the electronic component embedded into the encapsulation to the external connections of the semiconductor component package and/or one or more electrode(s) of the semiconductor wafer(s) arranged at the underside of the semiconductor component package.
DE 10 2007 022 959 A1 discloses a semiconductor package in which a semiconductor wafer is embedded into a potting compound. A redistribution layer is provided with solder balls for surface mounting of the semiconductor wafer package. Through contacts through the semiconductor package are provided with solder material on a surface of the semiconductor package, by means of which a second semiconductor package can be stacked on the first.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,716,670 B1 discloses a semiconductor wafer package for surface mounting. Contacts are provided at a main surface, and a second semiconductor wafer package can be attached to said contacts.
DE 10 2006 033 175 A1 discloses an electronics module comprising a logic part and a power part. Logic part and power part are arranged on substrates arranged one above another and are potted jointly.
Moreover, US 2014/0091473 A1 and US 2015/0069623 A1 describe the 3D semiconductor wafer integration of TSMC, wherein semiconductor wafers are potted in synthetic resin and through plating is implemented as through silicon vias or metal webs are embedded into the potting compound.
Furthermore, US 2015/0303174 A1 relates to complex 3D integration and US 2017/0207204 A1 relates to "integrated fan out packaging".
The introduction of the potting compound can result in a relative displacement of the semiconductor wafers among one another and also relative to a predetermined desired position of the semiconductor wafer. In addition, stresses occur on account of the shrinkage of the potting compound caused by solidification, which stresses can result in an uneven deformation. Furthermore, the semiconductor wafers on the substrate drift on account of the dynamic forces of the potting compound flowing in. It is also already known that the processing of the rear-side metallization can lead to warpage problems.

Method and device for the integration of semiconductor wafers


A sheet conveying device includes a pair of upstream rollers and a pair of downstream rollers each including a drive roller and a driven roller, a calculating unit, and a control unit. The upstream rollers include a measuring unit that obtains speed information of the upstream rollers. The calculating unit calculates a target value based on the speed information. The control unit controls the speed of the drive roller of the downstream rollers based on the target value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet conveying device and an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Intermediate transfer type color image forming apparatuses are widespread in use. In such image forming apparatuses, a toner image each formed on a photosensitive element is primarily transferred onto an intermediate transfer member, and a color image on the intermediate transfer member is secondarily transferred onto a recording medium (sheet). The image forming apparatuses can be used for various types of sheet media such as thin sheet, thick sheet, postcard, and envelope, and therefore has an advantage of having high versatility. As the intermediate transfer member, an intermediate transfer drum or an intermediate transfer belt is generally used.
However, when a sheet with a certain level of thickness enters into a secondary transfer unit, the speed of the intermediate transfer member being driven at a certain speed drops for a short period of time. This disturbs image forming operation in the primary transfer unit.
Furthermore, along with downsizing of color image forming apparatuses, the secondary transfer unit and a fuser become adjacent to each other, and transfer and fixation of the image can be performed simultaneously on the sheet (when fixation is performed at a front end of one sheet, the image is transferred to a rear end of the sheet). At this time, when a sheet with a certain level of thickness enters into the fuser, the speed of a fuser roller or a fuser belt being driven at a certain speed drops for a short period of time. This disturbs image forming operation in the secondary transfer unit as in the intermediate transfer unit.
There is an image forming apparatus adopting a simultaneous transfer and fixing method in which transfer and fixation of the toner image onto the sheet is performed simultaneously (at a time). In this case also, when a sheet with a certain level of thickness enters into a transfer-fixing unit, the speed of the intermediate transfer member being driven at a certain speed drops for a short period of time, thereby causing a problem that the image is disturbed in the primary and secondary transfer units, as at the time of entering into the secondary transfer unit.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-107118 discloses a conventional color image forming apparatus, in which the speed of a belt is made constant by changing a speed control amount with respect to a driving source of an endless belt at a preset predetermined timing, by a predetermined amount, and for predetermined duration.
In the conventional image forming apparatus, however, a unit that detects a mechanical property of a sheet such as a thickness sensor is required.
Moreover, because a control target value preset based on the type, thickness and width of a sheet is used, it is difficult to perform optimum control with respect to all usable sheets. Furthermore, even with the same sheet, the thickness and firmness change according to environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity, and fluctuation of speed caused thereby is different, and therefore, optimum control is difficult to perform.
Besides, it is required to store control target values corresponding to various types of sheets. With an increase in the type of sheets that can be handled, a storage unit is required to have a larger memory capacity.

Image forming apparatus and sheet conveying device having upstream and downstream rollers


A feed mechanism for pocketed spring strands is provided with at least one index wheel having a plurality of blades. The feed mechanism is provided with a motor. The at least one index wheel includes a first support member which is rotatable about a first rotation axis and carries a first support element which supports a shaft element of the blade to be tiltable about a tilt axis extending in parallel to the first rotation axis. The at least one index wheel includes a second support member which is rotatable about a second rotation axis which extends in parallel to the first rotation axis and carries a second support element which is slidable along the shaft element of the blade and supports the shaft element to be tiltable about the tilt axis.

Mattresses, sofas or other bedding or seating furniture may be provided with innerspring units formed of pocketed springs. The pocketed springs may for example include a spring which is formed of a metallic wire coil and a pocket formed of a nonwoven fabric which encloses the spring. In typical innerspring units, the pocketed springs are provided in the form of strands which include multiple pocketed springs enclosed by pockets formed from the same fabric sheet(s). An innerspring unit may then be formed by joining multiple pocketed spring strands of to each other, e.g., by welding, gluing or the like. This is preferably accomplished in an automated manner, using a pocketed spring assembly machine which receives the multiple pocketed spring strands, aligns the pocketed spring strands, and joins the pocketed spring strands to form the innerspring unit. For this purpose, it is typically required that the pocketed spring strands are fed in a well-defined manner into the pocketed spring assembly machine.
Accordingly, there is a need for techniques which allow for efficiently and precisely feeding a pocketed spring strand into a pocketed spring assembly machine.

Feed mechanism for pocketed spring strands


A dispersive laser pulse stretcher and compressor comprises a stretcher portion and a compressor portion. A first mirror, a second mirror, a third mirror, a first grating, a first lens, and a first vertical retroreflector block comprise the stretcher portion. A fourth mirror, a second grating, a horizontal retroreflector, and a second vertical retroreflector block preferably comprise the compressor portion. The input beams for the stretcher and compressor are preferably parallel beams. The present invention also positions the first grating of the stretcher in a parallel plane with the second grating of the compressor. The present invention also includes a method for simultaneously aligning the input angles of the stretcher and compressor, the method comprises the steps of: removing the first and second diffraction gratings; aligning the input beam for the stretcher portion; aligning the input beam for the compressor portion; mounting the first and second gratings on a mounting block in parallel planes, and rotating the mounting block until the proper input angle for the laser wavelength is reached.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to stretchers and compressors for lasers. In particular, the present invention relates to a dispersive laser pulse stretcher and compressor with single parameter wavelength tunability.
2. Description of the Related Art
Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA) provides a technique for amplifying short laser pulses to previously unattainable intensities. This technique involves dispersively stretching a short laser pulse prior to amplification, thus decreasing the peak power of the laser pulse during amplification. After amplification, the stretched pulse is compressed in a dispersive compressor which provides extremely high peak intensities.
The CPA systems of the prior art employ a variety of stretchers and compressors. FIG. 1 illustrates a two grating pulse stretcher 10 of the prior art. As shown in FIG. 1, the beam enters the stretcher 10 and is reflected by a first mirror 12 to a first diffraction grating 18. The grating 18 passes the diffracted beam on through a first and a second lenses 22, 24 to the second diffraction grating 20. The diffracted beam is incident on grating 20 at the same angle (relative to the grating normal) that it left the first grating 18. The second grating 20 directs the beam to a first vertical retroreflector 14. The first vertical retroreflector 14 reflects the beam on a return path to the second grating 20, the second lens 24, the first lens 22, the first grating 18, and the first mirror 12. The beam is then output by reflecting the beam from the first mirror 12 at a different height than the input beam, allowing mirror 16 to reflect the beam out of the stretcher.
FIG. 2 illustrates another prior art pulse stretcher 26. The pulse stretcher 26 of FIG. 2 only employs a single grating. As shown, the beam enters the stretcher 10 and is reflected by a first mirror 12 to a first grating 18. The first grating 18 passes the diffracted beam on through a first lens 22 to a first vertical retroreflector 14. The first vertical retroreflector 14 reflects the beam back through the first lens 22 to the first grating 18. The symmetry provided by the vertical retroreflector 14 makes this optically identical to the stretcher 10 of FIG. 1. The return path of the beam is completed by traveling from the first grating 18 through the second vertical retroreflector block 28 to the output by way of the first and third mirrors 12, 16.
Similarly, single and dual grating pulse compressors have also been developed. FIG. 3 illustrates a two grating pulse compressor 30. The compressor 30 comprises a first and third mirrors 12, 16; a first vertical retroreflector 14; and a first and second gratings 18, 20. The stretched beam enters the compressor 30 and is reflected by the first mirror 12 to the first grating 18, then to the second grating 20 until the first vertical retroreflector 14 is reached. The beam approaches the second grating 20 at the same angle (relative to the grating normal) that it left from the first grating 18. The first vertical retroreflector 14 reflects the beam back to the second grating 20 and to the first grating 18. The returning beam is then reflected by the first mirror 12 and the third mirror 16 to the output.
A single grating pulse compressor 32 of the prior art is shown in FIG. 4. The single grating pulse compressor 32 comprises a first, second, third, and fourth mirrors 12, 15, 16 and 34; a first vertical retroreflector 14; and a first grating 18. The beam enters the compressor 32 and is reflected by the first mirror 12 to the grating 18. The beam leaves the grating 18 and returns to the grating 18 at the same angle it left with, after being reflected by the second and third mirrors 15, 16 at right angles to each other. The beam is then directed to the first vertical retroreflector 14. The beam returns from the first vertical retroreflector 14 and follows a path through the grating 18, to the third and second mirrors 16, 15, to the grating 18 and then to the first mirror 12. The compressed beam is then output after being reflected by the fourth mirror 34.
One continuing problem with the CPA systems of the prior art has been aligning the input of the stretcher and the input of the compressor. Various combinations of the stretchers and compressors described above can be used, but in order for stretching and compressing to work properly, the input angle of the beam into the stretcher must be adjusted to be precisely the same as the input angle of the beam into the compressor. The input angle can be adjusted by rotating the position of the gratings about their central axes. In systems using multiple gratings, the alignment of the input angles to the stretcher and compressor is very time consuming and laborious since the input angle for each grating must be modified to assure the proper alignment. For example, a typical alignment process for just the stretcher includes repeating the steps of: adjusting the position of the first grating for the stretcher, measuring the input angle to the first grating, modifying the input angle for the second grating, and measuring the input angle for the second grating. The process for measuring the input angle is very laborious and time consuming. It is not uncommon for these steps to be repeated numerous times to obtain the proper input angle just for the stretcher, and the alignment process often takes several hours. Once the stretcher has been aligned, then the compressor must be precisely aligned to have the same input angle. Aligning the compressor is performed in similar manner by repeating the steps of repositioning the gratings and then measuring the input angles. Similarly, the alignment process for the compressor can take several hours.
The significance of the problems involved in properly aligning the stretcher and compressor are heightened by the fact that the stretcher and compressor must be realigned every time a different wavelength pulse is stretched and compressed. Unfortunately, the grating angles for proper operation of CPA are different for different wavelengths. Therefore, each time the laser wavelength is changed, the alignment procedure must be performed for the stretcher and compressor to operate properly.
One prior art method for avoiding the problems associated with realigning the gratings is to make a stretcher and compressor with optical components, namely diffraction gratings, large enough to allow some degree of tunability without having to move them. This is presently not practical due to the technological limitations on the size of the diffraction gratings commercially available. Even using the largest diffraction gratings that are currently available, the grating size would continue to limit tunability. Moreover, even if larger diffraction gratings were able to provide the tunability desired, their cost would make any system including them prohibitively expensive.
Therefore, there is a need for a pulse stretcher and compressor that is very easy to adjust for correct operation of the CPA, or for changes in the wavelength of the laser begin amplified.

Laser pulse stretcher and compressor with single parameter wavelength tunability


One communication system includes a first die, a second die and a front-end circuit. The first die has an up-converter and a digital baseband (DBB) processing circuit. The second die has a down-converter. The front-end circuit couples an antenna to the first and second dies. Another exemplary communication system includes a first die, a second die and a front-end circuit. The first die performs digital baseband (DBB) processing, and generates a first signal with a higher frequency according to a second signal, wherein the second signal is derived from an output signal of the DBB processing. The second die generates a third signal with a lower frequency according to a fourth signal. The front-end circuit couples the first signal from the first die to an antenna and couples the fourth signal from the antenna to the second die.

The disclosed embodiments of the present invention relate to transmitting and receiving a wireless communication signal, and more particularly, to a communication system with an up-converter and a digital baseband processing circuit implemented in one die separated from another die having a down-converter, and a related communication method thereof.
Because of the advance of the deep sub-micro complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process, digital circuits become smaller and consume less power. That is, the process scaling allows more transistors implemented in the same area or a smaller area needed for implementing the same number of transistors. Hence, to reduce the size and prolong battery life for portable devices such as mobile phones, it is desirable to implement circuits in deep sub-micron CMOS process. Regarding the radio design, there is a strong push to convert the radio-frequency (RF)/analog intensive radio parts into more digital intensive designs to take full advantage of the process scaling.
Regarding a digital radio design, it is easier to realize a digital transmitter part because the signal source is already digital, and the only thing to be considered is the in-band signal generation; however, it is harder to realize a digital receiver part because the signal source is analog, and the receiver part needs to consider in-band signals as well as out-of-band interferences/blockers. Better integration usually means smaller device size and lower cost. However, if the radio design cannot be effectively converted into the digital design to reduce the size of the radio design, integration of the radio circuits, including the digital transmitter part and the digital receiver part, will greatly increase the production cost. For example, under a more advanced semiconductor process, integrating the transmitter part and the receiver part in the same die is not a cost-efficient design.
Thus, there is a need for an innovative communication system design which is capable of making the device smaller, cheaper, and have less current consumption through proper system partition and integration.

Communication system with up-converter and digital baseband processing circuit implemented in one die separated from another die having down-converter, and related communication method thereof


In semiconductor vacuum processing, it is desirable to minimize the material handling mechanisms that must be located in the evacuated process chamber. To accomplish this, a mechanism has been designed that locates the necessary power elements such as motors (12-16) outside the chamber (32). Power is transmitted to the mechanism via commercially available rotary vacuum feed-through devices (30) mounted in the chamber walls (28) and the separable, zero backlash couplings (44) located within the chamber. These couplings (44) allow easy removal and replacement of the handling mechanism without the need for physical access and tools.

In semiconductor vacuum processing, evacuated process chambers generally include mechanical devices for accurately handling and moving semiconductor slices therein. In such chambers, it is desirable to minimize the material handling mechanisms that must be located inside the chambers To accomplish this, it is preferable to locate the necessary power elements such as motors outside the chamber. Power must then be transmitted from the power elements to the mechanism by couplings such as vacuum feed-through devices. In order to enable cleaning or repair of the internal driven mechanism, it is desirable to have a separable coupling which will allow removal of the driven mechanism from the power elements.
Separable couplings are currently available, but due to their design characteristics, they require clearance between their mating parts to allow them to be separated. This clearance may be unimportant when the coupling is used only as a power transmitting device. However, when shaft positioning is critical, as it is in mechanical handling devices for semiconductor vacuum processing, this clearance results in backlash between the driving and driven shafts that decreases the accuracy of the driven shaft's rotary position.
Thus, a need has arisen for a separable shaft coupling with zero backlash that can be coupled and uncoupled in an area such as semiconductor vacuum processing where visual and physical access to the coupling is impractical or undesirable.

Method of flexibly coupling a drive shaft


A photodetector comprises a waveguide layer to propagate lights, a clad layer which is laminated onto the waveguide layer and has a refractive index smaller than that of the waveguide layer, the clad layer having at least two portions having different thicknesses, and photoelectric converting devices which are respectively provided on the surfaces of the different thickness portions of the clad layer on the side opposite to the side which faces the waveguide layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photodetector in which the wavelength multiplexed light is selected every wavelength region and each of the selected in lights is converted into the electric signal which is outputted. Such a photodetector can be suitably used for a receiver or the like in a wavelength multiplex optical communication.
2. Related Background Art
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a structure of a conventional photodetector of the wavelength selective type.
A buffer layer 102 and a slab type optical waveguide 103 are formed on a substrate 101. An edge surface of an optical fiber 106 is coupled to the optical waveguide 103. Photodetectors 104.sub.1 to 104.sub.3 and gratings 105.sub.1 to 105.sub.3 are formed on the upper surface of the optical waveguide 103. The optical fiber 106 guides the wavelength multiplexed light signal. The signal light is input to the slab type optical waveguide 103 by the edge surface coupling.
The gratings 105.sub.1 to 105.sub.3 as reflective type filters which are arranged like an array in a cascade form diffract only the lights of the wavelengths which satisfy the Bragg conditions which are determined by an incident angle and a period among the incident lights. The lights selected in accordance with the wavelength regions as mentioned above are respectively photoelectrically converted by the photodetectors 104.sub.1 to 104.sub.3 provided for the gratings and are output as electric signals.
However, the photodetector as mentioned above has the following problems.
(I) In the case of selecting the light of a short wavelength, the period of the gratings must be set to a very small value and it is difficult to manufacture such gratings. PA0 (II) Since a whole length of the gratings needs to be set to a value within a range from 100 .mu.m to hundreds of .mu.m, there is a limitation when the photodetector is miniaturized. PA0 (III) Since the gratings have a two-dimensional extent, the matching with a three-dimensional (channel type) waveguide is not good.

Photodetector to detect a light in different wavelength regions through clad layer having different thickness portions


A luminescent display device of active matrix drive type comprises: a substrate; a switching thin film transistor, a current control thin film transistor, a capacitor, a signal line, a scanning line and a common line which are provided on the substrate; an electroluminescent device provided on the substrate and comprising a pixel electrode connected to the common line via the current control thin film transistor, an electroluminescent layer having at least one light emitting layer, and a counter electrode; and a light-shielding layer for preventing light emitted from the electroluminescent device from reaching the switching thin film transistor and the current control thin film transistor.

This application is related to Japanese application No. 2000-298823 filed on Sep. 29, 2000, whose priority is claimed under 35 USC xc2xa7 119, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a luminescent display device of active matrix drive type and a fabrication method therefor. More specifically, the invention relates to a luminescent display device of active matrix drive type employing thin film transistors and to a fabrication method therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the recent advanced information age, flat panel display devices have increasingly been demanded.
Hitherto known as display devices of this type are non-luminescent display devices including liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and luminescent display devices including plasma display panels (PDPs) and electroluminescent displays (ELs) such as inorganic electroluminescent displays (IOELs) and organic electroluminescent displays (OELs). Among these display devices, the organic EL devices have shown a remarkable improvement.
A known technique for displaying a motion picture on such an organic EL display device is based on simple matrix driving (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 2(1990)-37385, and xe2x80x9cImportant Issues and Commercialization Strategy for Organic EL Devicexe2x80x9d p.55).
In the aforesaid driving method, scanning lines are sequentially driven. For driving a greater number of scanning lines (e.g., several hundreds scanning lines), an instantaneous luminance of several hundred thousands to several millions cd/m2 is required, and the driving method encounters the following problems.
(1) A higher driving voltage is required, so that interconnections suffer from a greater voltage drop.
(2) The driving is required in a lower luminous efficiency area in a higher luminance region, so that power consumption is increased.
To solve these problems, organic EL display devices have been developed which employ thin film transistors for active matrix driving (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. Hei 7(1995)-122360, No. Hei 7(1995)-122361, No. Hei 7(1995)-153576, No. Hei 8(1996)-241047 and No. Hei 8(1996)-227276, xe2x80x9cImportant Issues and Commercialization Strategy for Organic EL Devicexe2x80x9d p.62, IEDM98 p.875).
The organic EL display devices employing the active matrix driving method can be driven at a lower voltage. Since the driving in the higher luminous efficiency area is possible, the power consumption can significantly be reduced. Thus, the active matrix organic EL display devices are superior to the simple matrix organic EL display devices.
However, the organic EL display devices employ two or more thin film transistors for driving each pixel and, therefore, have a significantly reduced aperture ratio as compared with liquid crystal display devices (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 7(1995)-111341, SID98 p.11).
To increase the pixel aperture ratio, as shown in FIGS. 27 to 29 or FIGS. 30 to 32, there has been proposed a display structure such that an organic EL device 8 including a pixel electrode 5, an EL layer 6 and a counter electrode 7 overlies a current control thin film transistor 212 or a switching thin film transistor 211 and a current control thin film transistor 212 with the intervention of an insulating film 12, and light emitted therefrom is outputted from an opposite side of a substrate 1 (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-189252(1998)).
Where the electroluminescent device 8 which may be an inorganic EL device or an organic EL device is employed in combination with the thin film transistors as shown in FIGS. 27 to 29 and FIGS. 30 to 32, semiconductor layers 9 such as of amorphous silicon or polysilicon employed as active layers of the thin film transistors are liable to suffer from alteration or degradation in properties because of their photosensitivity when light emitted from the EL device 8 is incident on the semiconductor layers 9. This results in an increased leak current (off current). When a leak current in the switching thin film transistor is increased, charges accumulated in a capacitor are discharged through the switching thin film transistor. This makes it impossible to maintain light emission in a pixel for a proper time period, resulting in alteration in image quality. When a leak current in the current control thin film transistor is increased, a current continuously flows in the EL device, so that the EL device keeps emitting light even after the pixel is turned off, resulting in cross-talk. Further, the EL device consumes power even without light emission, resulting in an increased power consumption.
In view of the foregoing, the present invention is directed to a luminescent display device of active matrix drive type which is free from photo-degradation of active layers of thin film transistors and, hence, free from deterioration in characteristics of the thin film transistors thereby to have improved properties. The invention is further directed to a method for fabricating such a luminous display device.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a luminescent display device of active matrix drive type, which comprises: a substrate; a switching thin film transistor, a current control thin film transistor, a capacitor, a signal line, a scanning line and a common line which are provided on the substrate; an electroluminescent device provided on the substrate and comprising a pixel electrode connected to the common line via the current control thin film transistor, an electroluminescent layer having at least one light emitting layer, and a counter electrode; and a light-shielding layer for preventing light emitted from the electroluminescent device from reaching the switching thin film transistor and the current control thin film transistor.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for fabricating the aforesaid luminescent display device of active matrix drive type, wherein the at least one light emitting layer of the electroluminescent layer is formed by an evaporation method, a laser transfer method or a printing method.

Luminescent display device of active matrix drive type and fabrication method therefor


A rubber-based pressure-sensitive adhesive composition comprising a rubbery polymer, and a natural rubber having a weight-average molecular weight of from 100,000 to 400,000, wherein the amount of the natural rubber is 5 parts by weight or more and less than 100 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the rubbery polymer.

Rubber-based pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions generally have no adherend selectivity and can show stable adhesive strength in application to all kinds of adherend surfaces. Even in application to rough surfaces having irregularities, satisfactory adhesive strength is obtained by increasing the thickness of the adhesive layer because the increase in adhesive layer thickness enables the pressure-sensitive adhesive to conform to the surface irregularities and have an enlarged adhesion area.
Furthermore, solid type pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions can be handled as solventless nonaqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions which contain neither any organic solvent causative of environmental pollution nor water, which necessitates much energy for drying.
Such rubber-based pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions have hither to been prepared in the following manner. A rubbery polymer is used as a main ingredient, and a tackifier is mixed therewith. A filler, e.g., a fine calcium carbonate powder, and other ingredients including a softener such as an oil and an antioxidant are usually mixed therewith in appropriate amounts. This mixture is kneaded with a kneader, Banbury mixer, mixing rolls, or the like with heating to thereby obtain a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition which is solid at ordinary temperature.
This pressure-sensitive adhesive composition is applied usually with a calender or extruder to a substrate in a thickness of generally from 0.1 mm to about several millimeters to produce a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet or tape suitable for adhesion to rough surfaces having irregularities.
Incidentally, a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet is required to have adhesive strength which is the ability to conform to adherends and tenaciously adhere thereto. The temperature dependence of this adhesive strength also is an important property. In particular, the tapes to be used outdoors in, e.g., building/civil engineering works are required to show stable adhesive strength regardless of whether they are used in the cold winter season or in the hot summer season.
A technique effective in securing low-temperature adhesiveness is to incorporate a softener such as an oil to prevent the pressure-sensitive adhesive from becoming rigid. Incorporation of a large amount of a softener enables the pressure-sensitive adhesive to be soft even at low temperatures and have improved adhesiveness to rough surfaces. However, since the softener itself does not have the property of imparting tackiness, there are limitations on adhesiveness improvement. In addition, the corporation of a softener disadvantageously makes the pressure-sensitive adhesive too soft at high temperatures and, hence, is apt to result in a decrease in cohesive force.
As described above, low-temperature adhesiveness and high-temperature cohesive force are inconsistent with each other, and it is not easy to balance these two properties with each other by the incorporation of a softener. Namely, compositions suitable for an improvement in high-temperature cohesive force show poor low-temperature adhesiveness to rough surfaces and unavoidably suffer an adhesion failure in which application at low temperatures in winter results in adhesive layer separation. This has been a reason for an obstacle to the use of pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes as a substitute for caulking.
On the other hand, compositions suitable for an improvement in low-temperature adhesiveness show poor cohesive force at high temperatures in summer and, hence, are also apt to suffer an adhesion failure. Moreover, these compositions are apt to have a problem concerning workability that the pressure-sensitive adhesive sticks to the hands of workers.
It is known that like ordinary rubber products, rubber-based pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions of the solid type can be made to have enhanced cohesive force and retain high-temperature cohesive force even when the amount of the softener incorporated therein is increased, by crosslinking the rubber with a crosslinking agent. A technique for evenly and moderately conducting the crosslinking treatment is also known which comprises adding a tackifier to a rubbery polymer and crosslinking the polymer with an isocyanate crosslinking agent to thereby enhance cohesive force while maintaining adhesive strength (see JP-A-2001-181596 (pages 2-4)).

Rubber-based pressure-sensitive adhesive composition and pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet of the same


Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for configuring secure wireless networks. One of the methods includes receiving, at a security system management device, protocol and key information for establishing a connection as a client device to the wireless IP device, wherein the protocol and key information is received in response to a user transmitting an identifier for the IP device to a service provider system; establishing communication with the wireless IP device, wherein the wireless IP device is acting as an access point device; exchanging keys with the wireless IP device; rebooting the security system management device to become an access point for the secure wireless network; and establishing communication with the wireless IP device, wherein the wireless IP device has become a wireless client.

This specification relates to secure wireless networks.
Wireless networks are typically advantageous over their wired counterparts, because they eliminate the need for stringing lengths of wire around a network site. This is especially useful in a home or enterprise security system in which multiple surveillance cameras and various sensors may be strategically placed around, both inside and outside, the home or office. Wireless networks further have the advantage that they cannot be easily circumvented by merely cutting the wired connections to network devices.
One conventional technique for adding a new device to a home network requires user input to provide configuration information. For example, a user can purchase a wireless device that is, typically, initially configured as an access point (AP) device. The user can use their mobile device to identify this AP device on their WiFi network and enter a password. The wireless device/AP device requests configuration information from the user of the mobile device, for example, a home router network service set identifier "SSID" and password. The user provides the requested information through the mobile device using an appropriate application. The wireless device/AP device is rebooted as a client device. An association is then made and the IP device is coupled to the home network.


A diffractive grating element is divided into at least two different grating regions each having different diffractive properties and arranged on opposite sides with respect to a transition point to form a splitted grating structure. The diffractions generated by the at least two different grating regions are arranged to mutually compensate for the variation in the input angle of the incident light wave to the total diffraction efficiency of the at least one diffracted light wave that is arranged to propagate within the substrate.

Display technology is one of the key elements in the development of new portable devices, which today typically feature wireless connectivity for voice and data access—and that will include a display for viewing, for example, text, graphics and different types of multimedia. The displays of such portable devices need to be increasingly capable of reproducing high quality still images and also live video. Such devices include, for example, advanced mobile phones and portable Internet appliances.
Many portable products are dominated by the display—both physically and from the cost perspective. The fact is that almost all other electronic components in such devices are shrinking in size except the display. The use of a microdisplay-based system instead of a large size direct view display panel promises one possible way to get over these limitations. Microdisplay-based systems may be generally defined as systems where the image produced by an image source has to be magnified for viewing. Generally, such microdisplay-based systems are driven by small, high-resolution integrated circuit display chips, but other configurations are possible too.
Microdisplays offer designers a chance to increase the displayed image size and resolution, yet physically shrink the size of the image source itself. In many cases, the smaller the image source, the lower the cost. So, not only do microdisplays promise to lower system costs, but their physically smaller size will mean less bulky and heavy products and smaller power consumption, that is they will operate longer with the same battery source. With a microdisplay-based system high pixel densities may be achieved. Many direct view flat-panel displays for instance, produce full colour pixels at only 3-4 lines/mm. Many microdisplay-based systems can provide full colour pixels at 50-100 lines per mm.
Microdisplay-based systems can be generally divided into two classes: projection display systems and virtual display systems.
Projection display systems create a real image on a screen. Suitable imaging optics magnify and project an image that is created on a display chip embedded within a projector.
Virtual microdisplay-based systems also use imaging optics to magnify an image, but to create a virtual image instead of a projected real image. A virtual image is what one sees when looking in an electronic viewfinder of a digital video camera, for example. The virtual image appears to be larger and floating at some distance from the eye of the observer—even though it is created by a small sized integrated display chip acting as the image source. In other words, the viewer has the illusion of seeing the source image as if he/she stands a certain distance away in front of a larger display monitor.
Virtual displays, which are kept close to the eye, can be monocular or biocular. One type of virtual display is, for example, a Head Up Display (HUD), where the imaging optics are located somewhat further away from the eye.
An important and well-known aspect in virtual display devices, as also in many other optical systems, is the exit pupil diameter of the system. The diameter and also the location of the exit pupil are of considerable practical importance defining largely the overall usability of the virtual display device. In visual instruments, including the virtual displays, the observer's eye needs to be positioned at the center of the exit pupil located behind the optical system in order to see the image with full field-of-view. In other words, the exit pupil is like a window, through which the virtual image can be seen.
The distance between the location of the exit pupil and the last optical component, for example, the eye-piece lens of a visual instrument is called eye relief. The eye relief, together with the exit pupil, defines the freedom of observation, i.e. the volume where the observer's eye can be located with respect to the optical system.

Diffractive grating element for balancing diffraction efficiency


Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for increasingly applying network resources to traffic flows based on heuristics and policy conditions. A network determines that a traffic flow satisfies a first condition and transmits a first portion of the traffic flow to a network service. A network service then inspects the first portion of the traffic flow at a first level of detail and determines that the traffic flow satisfies a second condition. The network can then transmit a second portion of the traffic flow to the network service based on the determining the traffic flow satisfies the second condition. The network service can inspect the second portion of the traffic flow at a second level of detail, wherein the inspecting at the second level of detail requires a different amount of computing resources than the inspecting at the first level of detail.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments generally relate to network services.
2. Background
In addition to routing data from one location to another, modern data networks provide personalized services. For example, many networks provide intrusion detection services that inspect sequences of packets to detect and prevent network attacks. Providing these services may require changes to routing of traffic flow. For example, traffic may be routed through a particular device that provides the service.
Traditional routing algorithms rely on local information each router has from its neighboring links and devices to route data. A router maintains such information in a routing table. Based on the destination address of an incoming packet, a router uses its routing table to forward the packet to a specific neighboring device.
A technique, referred to as Software Defined Networks (SDNs), separates the control and forwarding functions into separate devices. A control device may use a global knowledge of the network topology to determine a path through the network of forwarding devices for individual data flows. In this way, the control device may, for example, establish paths that minimize delay or maximize bandwidth through the network, or route a data flow through a particular device that provides a particular network service.
Routing data flows through network services introduces performance concerns. For example, intrusion detection systems may perform complex operations to detect attack patterns. These operations may increase latency and decrease bandwidth or may consume expensive network resources.

Incremental application of resources to network traffic flows based on heuristics and business policies


A heat dissipation apparatus includes a heat dissipation panel built in the electronic device. The heat dissipation panel includes a first heat conducting layer, including a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is a surface exposed to the outside when the first heat conducting layer is bent. The second surface is a surface opposite to the first surface. A first region on the first heat conducting layer is used to absorb heat released by a heat emitting component, and conduct the heat to a second region on the first heat conducting layer, to dissipate the heat. The heat dissipation panel also includes first flexible layer, including a third region. The third region adheres to a position that is on the second surface of the first heat conducting layer and that corresponds to a bending region.

A heating problem of a portable electronic device such as a notebook computer is a main factor affecting normal operation of the electronic device. Heat generated inside the electronic device mainly comes from a central processing unit (CPU), a mainboard chip, and a graphics card. Therefore, when system temperature is excessively high, crash may even occur. This not only deteriorates use experience of a user, but also severely affects operation performance and a service life of a chip.
In the prior art, heat dissipation of many electronic devices such as a notebook computer mainly relies on air cooling. To be specific, a fan is disposed inside a notebook computer, and air flow is accelerated by using the fan, to reduce surface temperature of heat emitting elements inside the notebook computer. However, the heat dissipation manner brings about a series of problems such as noise and dust, and has a poor heat dissipation effect and low heating dissipation efficiency. With the development of portable electronic devices, an integration level, package density, and an operating frequency of chips continuously increase, increasing energy consumption of a single chip. A compact design of a device structure makes air-cooled heat dissipation more difficult. In addition, emergence of bendable electronic devices (for example, a mobile phone with a flexible display) poses a new challenge to heat dissipation. As a result, the conventional heat dissipation manner cannot meet a heat dissipation requirement of a new-type electronic device any more.

Heat dissipation panel, heat dissipation apparatus, and electronic device


A power converter is provided for an energy harvesting system of a micro-scale electronic device. The power converter is configured to transfer electrical energy from an energy transducer to an energy storage device. The power converter illustratively includes a tree topology charge pump.

Advances in micro-scale and nano-scale integration have resulted in a new class of miniaturized electronic systems, such as smart dust sensors, wireless sensor nodes, and biomedical implants that enable new application domains. Despite constraints on size and hence battery capacity, these systems are often required to operate for several months or even years without the need for battery replacement. This is often due to the expense and/or infeasibility of frequent battery replacement. Environmental energy harvesting has emerged as an option to alleviate the energy supply challenge in these systems and to improve battery lifetime. Energy harvesting provides self-powered system operation.
Environmental energy harvesting has been explored and applied at the macro-scale in the context of large systems such as solar farms, windmills, and hydro-generators. However, a micro-scale energy harvesting subsystem for miniaturized electronic device involves different challenges. For example, the form-factor constraint in these systems mandates the use of small or miniature energy transducers. As a result, the output voltage of the transducer is typically low, such as less than 1V. For example, miniature single junction photovoltaic (PV) cells and thermo-electric generators (TEG) typically produce voltages in the range of 0.2V to 0.6V. Other energy sources, such as micro-fuel cells, also produce low voltages. Further, the maximum power output of micro-scale transducers is small, often only a few milliwatts. As such, the harvesting subsystem is designed to extract as much power as possible from the transducer and to transfer the extracted power to the electronic system. Multiple energy transducer modules may be connected in series or in parallel to generate higher output voltage. However, such a stacked arrangement is limited due to size, cost, and packaging considerations.
One component of a micro-scale energy harvesting subsystem is a power converter that boosts the output voltage of the energy transducer to a suitable level to enable energy storage in an energy buffer, such as a rechargeable battery, an ultra-capacitor, or another suitable storage device. The power converter is implemented using an inductive boost converter or a charge pump. Boost converters require an external bulky inductor, leading to an increase in system cost and size. Charge pumps include capacitors and metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) switches configured in a single- or multi-stage linear topology. The charge transfer capability of linear charge pumps is subject to degradation when used with ultra-low voltage energy transducers.
In one illustrated embodiment of the present disclosure, an energy harvesting system is provided for a micro-scale electronic device. The system includes an energy transducer configured to produce electrical energy. The energy transducer has an output configured to supply a first voltage. The system also includes an energy storage device configured to store electrical energy, and a power converter configured to transfer electrical energy from the transducer to the energy storage device. The power converter includes a charge pump coupled between the energy transducer and the energy storage device and a control unit configured to control operation of the charge pump. The charge pump includes a first stage, a second stage, and a third stage. Each of the first and second stages have an output and at least one input coupled to the output of the transducer so that the transducer supplies the first voltage to the at least one input of the first and second stages. The first and second stages of the charge pump provide second and third voltages at their outputs, respectively, the second and third voltages being greater than the first voltage. The outputs of the first and second stages are coupled to first and second inputs of the third stage of the charge pump and an output of the third stage supplies a fourth voltage to the energy storage device. The fourth voltage is greater than the second and third voltages.
In another illustrated embodiment of the present disclosure, a power converter is provided for an energy harvesting system of a micro-scale electronic device. The power converter is configured to transfer electrical energy from an energy transducer to an energy storage device. The power converter includes a control unit configured to provide at least one clocking signal, and a charge pump coupled to the control unit. The charge pump includes a first stage, a second stage, and a third stage. The first stage of the charge pump includes first and second inputs, the first input of the first stage being coupled to a first plate of a first capacitor through a first switch, and the second input of the first stage being coupled to a second, opposite plate of the first capacitor through a second switch, the first plate of the first capacitor also being coupled to a third switch which is also coupled to an output of the first stage. The second stage of the charge pump includes first and second inputs, the first input of the second stage being coupled to a first plate of a second capacitor through a fourth switch, and the second input of the second stage being coupled to a second, opposite plate of the second capacitor through a fifth switch, the first plate of the second capacitor also being coupled to a sixth switch which is also coupled to an output of the second stage. The third stage of the charge pump includes first and second inputs, the first input of the third stage being coupled to a first plate of a third capacitor, and the second input of the third stage being coupled to a second, opposite plate of the third capacitor, the first plate of the third capacitor also being coupled to a seventh switch which is also coupled to an output of the third stage. An output from the energy transducer is coupled to the first and second inputs of the first and second stages of the charge pump and the outputs of the first and second stages are coupled to the first and second inputs, respectively, of the third stage of the charge pump. An output of the third stage is coupled to the energy storage device. The at least one clocking signal from the control unit is coupled to the first, second third, fourth, fifth, and sixth switches to control operation of the charge pump so that voltages at the outputs of the first and second stages are greater than the voltage supplied by the energy transducer and a voltage at the output of the third stage is greater than the voltages at the outputs of the first and second stages.
In one illustrated embodiment, the second plate of the first capacitor is coupled through an eighth switch to ground, the second plate of the second capacitor is coupled through a ninth switch to ground, and the second plate of the third capacitor is coupled through a tenth switch to ground. In an illustrated embodiment, the control unit generates first and second non-overlapping clocking signals. The first clocking signal is supplied to the first, fifth, sixth, and eighth switches, and the second clocking signal being supplied to the second, third, fourth, seventh, ninth, and tenth switches to control operation of the charge pump.
In yet another illustrated embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for supplying power from an energy transducer to an energy storage device includes providing a charge pump including a first stage, a second stage, and a third stage; supplying a voltage source from the energy transducer to at least one input of the first and second stages of the charge pump; and increasing the voltage received from the voltage source in the first and second stages of the charge pump in parallel. The method also includes supplying output voltages from the first and second stages to first and second inputs of the third stage of the charge pump; increasing the voltage in the third stage compared to the output voltages of the first and second stages; and supplying the increased voltage from the third stage to the energy storage device.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

Efficient power conversion for ultra low voltage micro scale energy transducers


An information providing and collecting apparatus includes an information dividing circuit and an adding means. The information dividing circuit divides an input signal into information segments based on a break in information being carried by the input signal, or a marker in the input signal generated by a user indicating an end of an information segment. The adding means adds an information division signal in advance of each of the information segments.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an information providing and collecting apparatus for efficiently collecting or preserving information, e.g., news, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The applicant of this application has already proposed, in the specification and the drawings of the U.S. Ser. No. 08/131943, filed on Oct. 8, 1993, as an apparatus for efficiently providing, collecting or preserving information, e.g., news, etc., an information providing and collecting apparatus adapted to transfer information such as speech (sound), etc. from an information providing device to an information recording device (recorder) provided with a recording medium comprised of a semiconductor memory, etc., thus to collect such information.
In accordance with the information providing and collecting apparatus described in the specification and the drawings which have been already proposed, a user of the information recorder reproduces such information, thereby making it possible to rapidly obtain information, e.g., news, etc.
Meanwhile, a recorder as described above is adapted so that once new information is taken thereinto, previous information disappears because it is repetitively used. In this case, it is sufficient to copy the content (the above-mentioned previous information) of a recording medium onto another recording medium, e.g., a magneto-optical disk, etc. before new information is recorded.
However, ordinarily, in the case of information such as news mentioned above, information that a user wishes to preserve for the future is limited. If all of this information is preserved on any other recording medium, that recording medium is filled with unnecessary information in capacity at once. In addition, in the case where there occurs the necessity of making reference to such information later, a quantity of information to be retrieved would be increased. As a result, it might take a long time until necessary information is obtained.

Information providing and collecting apparatus and recording medium


A method and arrangement for authorizing an initially unauthorized watching client to receive client data of an observed client from a client data server. The watching client sends an expanded request for client data to the server. The expanded request contains additional information such as a text string, a picture, or a video/audio clip. The server extracts the additional information and sends it to the observed client. The observed client can then decide whether to authorize the watching client to receive the observed client's data based on the additional information.

With the emergence of 3G mobile telephony, new packet-based communication technologies using IP (Internet Protocol) have been developed to support wireless communication of multimedia. For example, communication protocols in GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) support packet-switched multimedia services, as well as traditional circuit-switched voice calls.
A network architecture called "IP Multimedia Subsystem" (IMS) has been developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as a platform for handling multimedia services and sessions in the packet domain, based on IP transport. Thus, an IMS network can be used to initiate and control multimedia sessions for any IP enabled terminals being connected to any type of access networks. A signalling protocol called "SIP" (Session Initiation Protocol, according to the standard IETF RFC 3261) is typically used for handling sessions in IMS networks. A "SIP-enabled" terminal can thus use this standard to initiate and terminate multimedia communications by means of its home IMS network.
FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic illustration of a basic network structure for providing multimedia services by means of an IMS network 100 for a client using a terminal A. In this example, terminal A is a mobile terminal connected to a radio access network 102 and communicates in a multimedia session with another terminal B, even though IMS can be used for fixed terminals as well. Alternatively, terminal A may communicate with a content server or the like, e.g. for downloading some multimedia content therefrom. An IMS terminal is often generally referred to as "User Equipment (UE)".
The access network 102 is connected to IMS network 100, which is the "home" IMS network of terminal A and therefore handles the session for terminal A. Another similar IMS network 104 handles the session for terminal B. Basically, multimedia services are handled by the terminal's home IMS network even when roaming in a visited access network. In the shown example, terminals A and B belong to different IMS networks 100 and 104, respectively, although they may of course instead belong to the same IMS network.
The illustrated session is controlled by specific session managing nodes 106 in the IMS network 100. These nodes typically include S-CSCF (Serving Call Session Control Function), I-CSCF (Interrogating Call Session Control Function) and P-CSCF (Proxy Call Session Control Function), according to the conventional IMS architecture. Briefly described, a P-CSCF node acts as an entry point towards the IMS network 100 from access networks, a plurality of S-CSCF nodes are assigned to active terminals for managing their sessions using SIP signalling, and an I-CSCF node acts as a gateway for SIP messages from other IMS networks.
The IMS network 100 also includes one or more application servers 108 for various multimedia services, and a main database node HSS (Home Subscriber Server) 110 containing subscriber and authentication data. The various functions of the shown network elements 106-110 are generally known in the art, not necessary to describe here further to understand the context of the present invention.
In the figure, the thick two-way arrow illustrates the communication of payload data or "media" between the two terminals A and B, and the thin two-way arrow illustrates the communication of various control messages between the two IMS networks 100 and 104, typically according to SIP. Each application server 108 supports one or more specific multimedia services such as "Instant Messaging" (IM), "Push-to-talk over Cellular" (PoC) and "Presence", where SIP signalling is used to control sessions. In particular, presence services basically make data related to an observed client available to other watching clients.
In this description, the term "presence data", or generally "client data", is used to represent information on the state or situation of a client and his/her equipment in any predefined respect. Briefly described, presence data of a client is published by storage at an application server generally referred to as a "presence server", which can be supplied to other clients subscribing to that presence data. The presence data may refer to the following exemplary client states:                A personal status, e.g. available, busy, in a meeting, on holiday, etc.        A terminal status, e.g. switched on/off, engaged, out of coverage, etc.        The geographic location of the client/terminal.        Terminal capabilities, e.g. functionality for SMS, MMS, chat, IM, video, etc.        Terminal selections, e.g. call forwarding, language, etc.        Other client information, e.g. interests, occupations, personal characteristics, moods, personal logos, logo depending on the current mood, etc.
This type of information is continually stored in presence servers in the IMS network, based on publications of so-called "client events" received from clients or their access networks, whenever any presence data for a client is introduced, updated, changed or deleted. A client may thus also subscribe for selected presence data of one or more other clients which is also handled by an application server in the IMS network.
In this description, the term "client" will be used to generally represent a user equipment (or terminal) and its user. Further, the term "watching client" represents a client that subscribes or requests for presence data (sometimes also referred to as the "Watcher"), and the term "observed client" represents a client that publishes presence data (sometimes also referred to as the "Presentity") to be available for observation by authorised watching clients.
A SIP message called "SIP PUBLISH" is generally used by observed clients to send their presence data to the presence server for publication. Another SIP message called "SIP SUBSCRIBE" is used by watching clients to subscribe for presence data of observed clients. The SIP PUBLISH message can be used basically in four different cases, namely: 1) to initiate new data, 2) to "refresh" data (i.e. confirming that earlier initiated data continue to be valid), 3) to modify data, and 4) to terminate data no longer valid. The SIP SUBSCRIBE message can be used to obtain presence data either just once or on a regular basis, as determined by a time-out parameter that can be set in that message. If the time-out parameter is set to zero, a notification with requested presence data is obtained just once and the subscription is promptly terminated.
In order to obtain a subscription for presence data of an observed client, the watching client must be authorised by the observed client to receive such presence data, which is controlled by means of presence rules dictated for the observed client. A protocol called XCAP (XML Configuration Access Protocol) can be used to introduce, modify and delete presence authorisation rules in a presence rule database.
FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional procedure for obtaining a subscription for presence data, involving the user equipment A of a watching client and the user equipment B of an observed client belonging to an IMS network 200 comprising a presence server 202 acting for client B. The shown procedure is valid for a standard presence solution defined by OMA-PAG, based on various standards according to 3GPP and IETF-SIMPLE. As shown in the figure, clients A and B are represented by mobile terminals operated by users, even though the described procedure can be applied for fixed terminals as well. It is assumed that client A is initially unauthorised to receive presence data of client B.
A first step 2:1a generally illustrates that the observed client B publishes presence data by sending SIP PUBLISH messages to presence server 202 according to conventional routines, as described above. Certain data for client B can also be sent from client B's access network, e.g. location and terminal status data. The presence data for client B is maintained in a presence database 204, and step 2:1b illustrates that database 204 is updated accordingly in response to receiving the SIP PUBLISH messages of step 2:1a. Steps 2:1a and 2:1b continue throughout in the background, according to prevailing routines.
Client A now wants to obtain presence data of client B, but must be authorised to receive such data. Thus, a standard SIP SUBSCRIBE message is sent to the presence server 202 in a step 2:2, as a request for presence data of client B, which can be expressed as "SUBSCRIBE (Event package=presence, B)".
Upon receiving the SIP SUBSCRIBE message, the presence server 202 determines whether client A is authorised to receive data or not, by checking presence rules in a database 206, in a following step 2:3. If the rules in database 206 dictate that client A is "allowed", a SIP NOTIFY is sent to the watching client A with current presence information of the observed client B, but if client A is found to be "blocked", the subscription attempt is rejected. In this example, it is assumed that the presence rule database 206 contains no authorisation decision for client A, and the presence server may then be configured to send a reject message or simply ignore the request.
Another alternative currently developed, and being illustrated here, is that client B has earlier sent a subscription request (not shown) to presence server 202 for information on any attempts of unauthorised clients to get presence data, which can be expressed as "SUBSCRIBE (Event package=presence.winfo, B)". The presence server 202 thus notifies client B that client A has made a subscription attempt, by sending a SIP NOTIFY message to client B, in a next step 2:4, which can be expressed as "NOTIFY (Event package=presence.winfo, A)". Receiving the notification, client B can then decide whether client A should be authorised to receive the requested presence data or not, or optionally only selected parts thereof, by means of a suitable terminal input command as indicated in a step 2:5.
Next, client B responds to the notification of step 2:4 by sending an authorisation decision for client A to the presence server 202, in a following step 2:6, which may be sent in an XCAP PUT message. The authorisation decision could be any of: allow, reject, polite block, etc., which is stored as an authorisation rule in the presence rule database 206, in a step 2:7. If client B just ignores the message of step 2:4, the request would be naturally rejected.
In this example, client B actually allows client A to receive his/her presence data. The presence server 202 therefore finally sends an SIP NOTIFY message containing valid presence data of client B to client A, in a step 2:8, which can be expressed as "NOTIFY (Event package=presence, B)".
By notifying client B on the subscription attempt of client A, a subscription for presence data can be easily established by sending the initial standard SIP SUBSCRIBE message of step 2:2 above, provided that client B allows the subscription. However, the SIP NOTIFY message of step 2:4 to client B identifies the attempting client A only by a name or network address derived from the SIP SUBSCRIBE message of step 2:2, which the receiving user may not be able to recognise or understand. For example, if an identity of client A is given in the message that indicates a name, e.g. in the manner of "email@example.com", client B may possibly recognise it, if known, but not that easily if the identity is given in the manner of "email@example.com" or the like.
In order to overcome this limitation, client A can always contact client B separately to identify himself/herself and ask for permission, e.g. by means of a phone call, SMS, e-mail or other messaging mechanism. However, this additional communication would increase the network load and entail extra efforts and costs for the clients involved. Further, the observed client may not have the same type of messaging client capabilities or may be otherwise incompatible. Client B may also apply access restrictions to incoming messages allowing messages from known clients only, thereby preventing client A to communicate in this way if unknown.

Method and arrangement for handling client data