A composite for moldings having the high bending elastic modulus and the high bending strength, comprising a thermoplastic resin and a polymerizable monomer which is a multifunctional polymerizable monomer having an alicyclic strucure unit or a mixture consisting of a multifunctional polymerizable monomer having an alicyclic strucure unit and a monofunctional polymerizable monomer having at least two alicyclic structure units, is prepared by compounding them. Also, a composite for moldings having the high bending elastic modulus and the high bending strength, comprising a vinyl chloride resin, a (meth)acrylate monomer which is a multifunctional (meth)acrylate or a mixture consisting of a multifunctional (meth)acrylate and a monofunctional (meth)acrylate, and a polymerization initiator. The composite has good workability. Further, an unfluid precursor for moldings is prepared by heating the composite. The obtained moldings have high bending modulus of elasticity and high bending strength, and then are suitably applied to business machines, parts of electric equipment, industrial equipment, and parts of transport equipment etc.

This invention relates to a composite for moldings, and relates to a molding of a new crosslinked polymer prepared with the composite for moldings. More specifically, it relates to a molding having high elastic modulus and strength, and also relates to a composite for preparing the molding.
The composite for moldings includes a composite containing a reinforcing glass fiber used to prepare fiber reinforced plastics. Also, it includes a composite for moldings, from which the fluidity is eliminated and the plasticity of which is furnished by means of heating the composite for moldings in order to mold the composite more easily to the moldings, in other words, a precursor, which is more suitable for the preparation of moldings.
It is known now that there is a plastisol composite of relatively low viscosity for moldings, comprising vinyl chloride resins and plasticizers or which have a part replaced with a monomer of methacrylic esters, such as trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, neopentylglycol dimethacrylate, etc.
It is also known that there are vinyl chloride resins of which the thermal resistance and the strength are improved by adding a small quantity of a monomer of methacrylic esters, such as trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, neopentylglycol dimethacrylate, etc., to conventional vinyl chloride resins.
Although the plastisol composite for moldings, however, did not have poor molding workability, the moldings obtained did not have high elastic modulus or high strength. There has been a demand, therefore, for a composite for moldings, with which moldings having higher elastic modulus and higher strength then hitherto can be prepared. Also, the above-mentioned vinyl chloride resins, to which a monomer of methacrylic ester was added, were a compound for moldings having high elastic modulus and high strength, but having too high a viscosity to mold, and having poor molding workability. Therefore, there has been a demand for a composite for moldings, which allows easy molding operations.
This invention has been completed by studying a composite for moldings, which has good molding workability and gives moldings of high elastic modulus and high strength.

Composite and molding from the composite


A glass mounting arrangement for mounting a window glass in a window frame comprises a channel-shaped flexible strip which has apertures at intervals therealong. Each aperture sealingly receives an arm of a respective mounting clip. Each mounting clip has a U-shaped portion which seats in a recess in the channel of the strip. The strip with the clips mounted therein is placed on and along the peripheral edge of the window glass before the latter is offered up to the window frame. As the window glass is moved bodily towards the window frame, the arms contact the window frame and correctly position the window glass with respect to the window frame. The arms of the clips elastically deform to allow locking shoulders to pass over the edge of the frame, the arms thereafter resiling to secure the window glass in position. Lips provide additional sealing. The mounting arrangement is particularly suitable for use with a robot.

The invention relates to glass mounting methods and arrangements. In one application to be described in more detail below by way of example, a glass mounting method and arrangement in accordance with the invention is used for mounting a fixed window glass in a motor vehicle body. This method and arrangement advantageously also provides a sealing function.
Glass mounting methods and arrangements are known in which a window glass is fitted in a window frame by means of a flexible mounting and sealing strip such as made of plastics or rubber material. Such a strip is provided with two channels which extend longitudinally of the strip and parallel to each other and face in opposite directions. A first one of these channels is embracingly fitted over the peripheral edge of the window glass. The second channel embraces the peripheral edge of the window frame. However, such a mounting arrangement is difficult to fix onto the window frame, mainly because the outer wall of the second channel has to be temporarily pulled outwardly in order to allow the mounting arrangement to be fitted onto the edge of the window frame. In particular, such a mounting arrangement is difficult to fit automatically, such as by robot.

Mounting arrangement for securing a pane of window glass in a frame


A quadrature signal phase controller includes a first phase shifter and a second phase shifter. The first phase shifter generates phase shifted first in-phase differential output signals and phase shifted first quadrature-phase differential output signals. The second phase shifter generates phase shifted second in-phase differential output signals and phase shifted second quadrature-phase differential output signals. Each of the first and second phase shifters increases or decreases the phase difference between the first in-phase differential output signals and the second quadrature-phase differential output signals, and the phase difference between the second in-phase differential output signals and the first quadrature-phase differential output signals, in response to a change in a level of the first control signal and a change in a level of the second control signal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a wireless communications system, and more particularly, to a quadrature signal phase controller for controlling the phase difference between the in-phase signal and the quadrature-phase signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Direct conversion receivers have a "zero-IF" structure" in which an intermediate frequency (IF) is 0 Hz (i.e. an IF is not used). The direct conversion receiver employing the zero-IF method or direct conversion method has a simpler circuit structure than a superheterodyne receiver. The direct conversion receiver is easy to be implemented as a single integrated circuit (IC) so the direct conversion receiver may be manufactured to be compact at a low cost.
The zero-IF structure and an image-rejection structure characteristically require an in-phase signal and a quadrature-phase signal that have the same amplitude and 90° delayed phases for signal conversion. However, the in-phase signal and the quadrature-phase signal do not generally have a precise phase difference of 90° due to many factors, for example, the manufacturing process, the supply voltage, or the operating temperature so that the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) may deteriorate and thus the receiving sensitivity of a receiver may be deteriorated. Thus, there is a need for a quadrature signal phase controller capable of accurately controlling the phase difference between the in-phase signal and the quadrature-phase signal.

Quadrature signal phase controller for controlling phase


A method of limiting the movability of an intervertebral disk prosthesis with regard to pivoting movements, and an intervertebral disk prosthesis. The method includes the step of asymmetrically limiting at least one of a flexion-extension movement, a lateral bending, and a rotation about a vertical axis in order to limit the movability of the prosthesis. The prosthesis comprises articulated prosthesis components, and movement-limitation measures configured to limit movability of the components with respect to flexion-extension movement, lateral bending and a rotation about a vertical axis of the prosthesis in a defined manner.

The instant application should be granted the priority dates of Dec. 4, 2007, the filing date of the corresponding German patent application 10 2007 058 304.6, as well as Nov. 6, 2008, the filing date of the International patent application PCT/DE2008/001829 filed Nov. 6, 2008.
The present invention relates to a method for limiting the movability of an intervertebral disk prosthesis with regard to pivoting movements, and also relates to an intervertebral disk prosthesis.
Intervertebral disk prostheses are known where the prosthesis components permit movement in a number of directions, so that a patient having one or more prostheses of this type as an intervertebral disk replacement, to a large extent can maintain his original freedom of movement.
Pursuant to WO 2004/019828 A1, EP 1 124 509 B1, and DE 42 08 116 C2, limitations of the rotation about the vertical axis by means of shaping measures are proposed in that the sliding surfaces for the lateral inclination for bending on the one hand, and for the flexion-extension inclination or bending on the other hand, receive different radii of curvature. However, this entails complicated configurations of the prosthesis components.
In order to be able to imitate the degree of freedom of movement of a natural intervertebral disk, a prosthesis intermediate component is proposed pursuant to DE 103 61 772 A1 that between a cover plate and a face plate can carry out translational and rotational movements relative to the plates. However, with this proposal, movements cannot be limited in an optimal manner.
It is an object of the present invention to develop a method and an intervertebral disk prosthesis with which the movability of the replacement intervertebral disk can, to the greatest extent possible, be optimally adapted to the requirements of a patient.


A method for producing a Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device includes forming a first stripe-pattern embossment on the top surface of a sapphire substrate, so that first grooves parallel to the x-axis direction (the c-axis direction of the sapphire substrate) are periodically arranged at specific intervals. Subsequently, an insulating film is formed over the entire surface of the first stripe-pattern embossment. Next, a second stripe-pattern embossment is formed so that second grooves, each having a flat bottom surface, are periodically arranged at specific intervals and parallel to the y-axis direction, which is orthogonal to the x-axis direction. A GaN crystal is grown through MOCVD on side surfaces of each second groove of the sapphire substrate, to thereby form, on the sapphire substrate, an m-plane GaN base layer. An LED device structure is formed on the base layer, to thereby produce a light-emitting device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing a Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device whose main surface is a plane other than c-plane, which method realizes improvement of light extraction performance without causing deterioration of crystallinity.
2. Background Art
Patent document 1 discloses a method for producing a GaN crystal layer whose main surface is a non-polar plane (e.g., m-plane or a-plane) or a semi-polar plane (e.g., (11-22) plane) by growing GaN crystal on side surfaces of dents or mesas of an embossed sapphire substrate. Recently, there has been actively developed a Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device whose main surface is such a non-polar or semi-polar plane, since such a device is expected to exhibit improved internal quantum efficiency by virtue of increased recombination of electrons and holes resulting from a small internal electric field. In such an embossed sapphire substrate, desirably, dents or mesas are periodically arranged in a stripe pattern as viewed from above, rather than in a dot pattern as viewed from above, from the viewpoints of reduction of variation in crystal orientation of a GaN crystal layer, and improvement of crystallinity.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2009-203151
However, when the embossment pattern formed on the sapphire substrate is a stripe pattern, since neither dents nor mesas are provided in the direction of the stripe, light propagated along the stripe on the sapphire substrate does not scatter and may fail to be extracted to the outside.
Meanwhile, when the sapphire substrate has an embossment in which dents or mesas are periodically arranged in a dot pattern as viewed from above, light extraction performance can be improved as compared with the case of a stripe pattern. However, as described above, variation in crystal orientation may be increased, resulting in poor crystallinity.


A signal generator includes N stages of cascaded control signal generating circuits, and is configured to receive K clock signals whose valid pulse edges are different from each other by a set time, an n-th control signal generating circuit of the N stages of control signal generating circuit generates a strobe signal based on a k-th clock signal of the K clock signals and sequentially outputs at least two different clock signals of other K−1 clock signals based on the strobe signal. A valid pulse edge of the k-th clock signal is within a valid pulse duration of a strobe signal of an (n−1)-th stage control signal generating circuit.

A large number of control signals are often involved in the case of complex control. In order to implement the control function correctly, a certain timing relationship between the control signals is required. If there is an error in the timing between different control signals, or the pulse duration of the control signals does not meet set requirements, it may cause misoperation. Therefore, the accuracy of the timing and of the pulse duration of the control signals is particularly important.

Control signal generator and driving method thereof


An insulating composition for communication cables (2) is disclosed as well as a telesingle wire (2) which comprises the insulating composition and a telecommunication cable (1) which comprises a plurality of telesingle wires (2) including the insulating composition. The insulating composition comprises a multimodal olefin polymer mixture, obtained by polymerization of at least one .alpha.-olefin in more than one stage having a density of about 0.920-0.965 g/cm.sup.3, a melt flow rate (MFR.sub.2) of about 0.2-5 g/10 min, an FRR.sub.21/2.gtoreq.60, and an environmental stress cracking resistance (ESCR) according to ASTM D 1693 A/10% Igepal, of at least 500 hrs, said olefin polymer mixture comprising at least a first and a second olefin polymer, of which the first is selected from (a) a low molecular weight (MW) olefin polymer with a density of about 0.925-0.975 g/cm.sup.3 and a melt flow rate (MFR.sub.2) of about 300-20 000 g/10 min, and (b) a high molecular weight (MW) olefin polymer with a density of about 0.880-0.950 g/cm.sup.3 and a melt flow rate (MFR.sub.21) of about 0.5-20 g/10 min.

Telecommunication cables are often comprised of a plurality of telesingle wires surrounded by a sheath. The number of telesingle wires may vary from a few in a data transmission cable up to about one thousand in a telephone cable. The sheath surrounding the bundle of telesingle wires consists of at least one layer and may consist of two layers, an inner sheath layer and an outer sheath layer. In order to further protect and isolate the telesingle wires a filler such as petroleum jelly may in e.g. telephone cables be inserted in the voids between the telesingle wires and the sheath. Each telesingle wire normally consists of one solid 0.4-0.5 mm thick copper conductor surrounded by a 0.15-0.25 mm thick insulating layer. The overall thickness of a telesingle wire is thus only about 0.7-1.0 mm.
Another type of data transmission cable, is the so-called coaxial cable, where a central copper conductor, typically from 0.5 up to 2 mm thick, is surrounded by an insulating layer up to 2 mm thick, and then by a coaxial metallic screen which in turn is surrounded by an outer sheath.
The insulating composition of the present invention is intended as the insulating layer of telesingle wires as well as of coaxial cables, but for the sake of simplicity the invention will be explained and illustrated with reference to telesingle wires only. Generally, the properties required of a coaxial cable are substantially the same as those of a telesingle wire.
The insulating layer surrounding each telesingle conductor normally comprises a medium to high density polyethylene composition. The insulating layer may be solid, foamed, or a combination thereof such as foamed with an outer skin or foamed with both an inner and an outer skin. The foam is prepared by introducing a gas such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or a solid blowing agent such as e.g. azodicarbonamide (dec. temp. about 200.degree. C.) into the polymer composition. The skin/foam structure is prepared by coextruding the polymer composition in two or three layers and foaming one of the coextruded layers.
Particularly important characteristics of the insulating layer of a telesingle wire are good processability, high thermo-oxidative stability, high environmental stress cracking resistance (ESCR), and good surface finish. The importance of good processability is illustrated by the fact that the copper conductor is coated with the insulating layer in a thickness of only 0.15-0.25 mm at a coating speed of up to about 2500 m/min. In addition the coating must be very even and any exposure of the copper conductor must be avoided because of the risk of short circuiting, overhearing and other signal disturbances. An uneven thickness of the insulating layer also leads to capacitance variations. Further, the telesingle wires of a telecommunication cable are often exposed to very severe temperature conditions and in hot countries the telesingle wires may be exposed to temperatures as high as about 70-90.degree. C. In order to achieve a good thermal resistance various stabilizers lika thermooxidation stabilizers and metal deactivators are normally added to the insulating composition, but such stabilisers are expensive and it would be desirable if the use thereof could be reduced or eliminated. Further still, the fillers such as petroleum jelly and the copper conductor often have a deleterious influence on the insulation, particularly when the telesingle wire is exposed to high temperatures. In order to withstand this deleterious influence the insulating composition should have a high ESCR. Finally, the surface finish of the insulating layer must be high in order to avoid formation of dust when twisting the telesingle wires.
From the above it is evident that the insulating layer of telesingle wires is exposed to a number of very disparate conditions and strains and should display a combination of very specific and to a certain extent contradictory characteristics, particularly with regard to processability, thermo-oxidative stability, and ESCR. An improvement in one or more of these characteristics and a reduction of the amount of stabilisers added would be very desirable and represent an important technical advance.
In this connection it should be mentioned that a bimodal cable-sheathing composition is known through WO 97/03124. This cable-sheathing composition consists of a multimodal olefin polymer mixture, obtained by polymerisation of at least one .alpha.-olefin in more than one stage and having a density of about 0.915-0.955 g/cm.sup.3 and a melt flow rate of about 0.1-3.0 g/10 min, said olefin polymer mixture comprising at least a first and a second olefin polymer, of which the first has a density and a melt flow rate selected from (a) about 0.930-0.975 g/cm.sup.3 and about 50-2000 g/10 min and (b) about 0.88-0.93 g/cm.sup.3 and about 0.01-0.8 g/10 min. It should be stressed that this composition is not an insulating composition for telesingle wires, but a cable-sheathing composition, i.e. a composition for the outer sheathing of a cable, e.g. the sheathing surrounding a bundle of telesingle wires as mentioned previously. The properties required of a cable-sheathing composition are not the same as those of an insulating composition for a telesingle wire. Thus, high mechanical strength and low shrinkage are particularly important to a cable-sheathing, while processability and surface finish are less critical. On the contrary, thermo-oxidative stability, ESCR, and in particular processability are of decisive importance to the insulation of a telesingle wire. These different requirements in properties of a cable-sheathing versus an insulation for a telesingle wire means that a composition optimized for a cable-sheathing would not be useful as an insulation for a telesingle wire and vice versa.

Insulating composition for communication cables


A medical imaging apparatus (1) and method for imaging a light-sensitive object (2), such as tissue (3) of the eye (4), displays the object (2) in spectral bands (30) of the visible light range (37) in which the object is sensitive and cannot be illuminated. The apparatus (1) has a camera (8) for capturing input images (10) in which a spectral signature (36) of the object is represented by an input set (15) of spectral bands (16). The apparatus generates output images (22) in which the spectral signature (60) in the visible light range (37) is represented by an output set (29) of spectral bands (30). Replacing at least one input-only spectral band (38) in the input set (15) by at least one output-only spectral band (39) in the output set (29) enables capture of input images (10) in spectral bands (16) where the object (2) has less sensitivity, such as in the non-visible light-range (18), and display of the object (2) in spectral bands (30) where the object would be too sensitive for illumination (40).

The observation and imaging of objects such as living tissue is complicated if the object is light-sensitive. Light-sensitivity may cause the tissue to react if illuminated. This reaction may cover characteristics of the tissue that need to be observed to make a diagnosis. In some instances, the illumination may even damage the tissue.
In ophthalmology, the sensitivity of the light-sensitive tissue in the eye results in discomfort for the patient, a higher risk of injury and additional difficulties due to the eye's reflex reaction to light.
To avoid these problems, color cameras are used which produce an acceptable image quality at low light conditions. Such cameras are, however, expensive and bulky and need expensive and large high-quality optics. The large aperture of the optics, which is needed to capture as much of the incoming light as possible, leads only to a limited depth of the field of view.

Medical imaging apparatus and method for the imaging of a light-sensitive object, such as biological tissue


There is disclosed a bias circuit exhibiting good stability over variations in temperature and power supply voltage and capable of generating a plurality of discrete levels of output current for biasing RF power amplifier. In accordance with the invention, the bias circuit includes (1) a master transistor connected to the slave transistor in a current-mirror configuration and having two parallel-connected transistor elements, (2) a switch connected to at least one transistor element to control its operation, and (3) a feedback circuit by which the voltage at the collector of the master transistor may be fed back to control the voltages at the bases of the master transistor and the slave transistor. Moreover, the bias circuit can be operated from a power supply voltage that is just above twice the value of the base-emitter voltage of the transistor in the circuit.

The present invention relates generally to a circuit for biasing a transistor, and, more particularly, to a circuit that is capable of biasing a transistor into a plurality of output power modes.
Modern wireless communications devices, such as cellular telephones, are held to ever-higher performance standards. The devices must support various communication standards, transmissions must be clear and undistorted, and the battery in the devices must be small and have a long life. Such performance standards require high operational versatility from the devices transmitter, and in particular, a power amplifier therein. Generally, power amplifiers comprise a transistor and a bias circuit that generates a direct-current (xe2x80x9cDCxe2x80x9d) bias signal (comprising both a voltage and a current) to be applied to the transistors input terminal to establish its operating point. (The operating point of a transistor may be defined as the point on the transistor""s characteristic curves at which the transistor will operate in the absence of an input signal. See, e.g., John Markus, Electronics Dictionary 445 (4th ed. 1979).) Because changes in the DC bias signal affect the operating point of the transistorxe2x80x94which may adversely affect performance of the amplifierxe2x80x94the DC bias signal must be very stable (preferably within 5% to 15%) and unaffected by variations in temperature or in the power supply voltage.
Often power amplifying transistors are required to switch between several operating points, an operation also known as mode control. The mode of a communication device may depend, inter alia, on the signal modulation schemes supported by the communication device or on the desired output power level. In the former case, a constant-envelope modulation scheme may require an operating point that ensures efficient signal amplification, whereas a variable-envelope modulation scheme may require a different operating point that is suitable for linear (i.e., distortion-free) amplification. Often, when the amplitude of an input signal is changed to adjust output power level, the amplifier""s operating point may need to be adjusted also to prevent signal distortion (i.e., non-linearity) and to improve efficiency of the amplifier. Such multi-mode power amplifiers require bias circuits that are capable of generating several levels of stable DC bias signal.
Among known bias circuits, current-mirror-based bias circuits provide stability against variations in temperature or the power supply voltage. However, current mirror-based bias circuits typically provide one level of stable DC bias signal, although manual tuning of such a bias level may be possible. Typical current-mirror configuration comprises a master transistor base-coupled to a slave transistor, a transistor that is to be biased. The base of the master transistor is coupled to its collector, thus providing a voltage feedback that stabilizes bias signal provided by the master transistor to the slave transistor. The ratio of the transconductances of the master and slave transistors define magnitude of that bias signal. An example of such current-mirror-based bias circuit for use in RF power amplifiers is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/875,117 to Liwinski and owned by the assignee of this invention.
Varying the magnitude of DC bias signal generated by the master transistor typically results in increased complexity, size, cost and power requirements of the bias circuit. For instance, introducing resistive elements at the base or collector of the master transistor for adjusting the magnitude of the bias signal by varying impedance of such resistive elements is cumbersome. As expected, such resistive elements consume power, dissipate heat and also require the bias circuit to operate from a power supply voltage that is significantly higher than the amplifier requirements.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,506 to Cartwright, Jr. discloses designs for digital-to-analog converters based on the current mirror configuration. The various circuits disclosed or suggested by the current mirror arrangement of Cartwright receive a digital input at the master transistor and results in an analog output at the slave transistor. The current mirror disclosed in Cartwright, Jr. patent includes a master transistor that is a composite transistor that comprises a plurality of transistor elements selectively paralleled via switches. Thus, by selectively enabling or disabling such single transistors, the transcodunctance of the master transistor may be changed resulting in changing the magnitude of the output current typically to be a fraction (or a multiple) of a reference current.
The circuits disclosed by Cartwright, Jr., however, do not disclose biasing of an amplifier at more than one level since it is directed to directing the slave transistor to provide a mirror current (the output current) reflecting the input digital signal in a D/A converter. By choosing suitable slave transistors the total mirrored current through them may be added to effect digital-to-analog conversion. Furthermore, the circuits disclosed or suggested by Cartwright, Jr. are suitable for stable operation with power supplies providing a significantly larger voltage than the device voltage or a junction voltage. However, these circuits are not suitable as RF power amplifiers because of the presence of a direct feedback resulting in the voltage fluctuations at the gate of the master transistor transferring to its drain, thereby changing the reference current, and consequently adversely effecting stability of the bias signal. Not surprisingly, the disclosed circuits also lack adequate stability against variations in supply voltage and temperature. Notably, the disclosed circuits of Cartwright are entirely implemented with field effect transistors (FETs) that are not suitable for efficient RF signal amplification due to their limited bandwidth.
The replacement of the FET""s used as mirroring transistors with bipolar transistors having characteristics that are more suitable for RF power amplification results in a combination of FETs and BJTs that provides insufficient current gain resulting in instability and/or excessive variation with change in temperature or power supply voltage. Moreover, yet another drawback of such a strategy is the complexity involved in fabrication of two different types of transistors (e.g. BJTs and FETs) on a single integrated circuit.
Providing multiple-level biasing of an RF amplifier, to improve the efficiency of operation, continues to be a challenge due to the need to operate the amplifier from low voltage supplies (typical of mobile devices) while providing stable performance in face of temperature and supply voltage variations.
The invention disclosed herein overcomes, inter alia, these challenges and teaches high-efficiency operation of a RF amplifier by employing multiple-level biasing while operating from low-voltage supplies with provision for stable performance in face of temperature and supply voltage variations.
In accordance with the invention, a bias circuit is provided for generating a plurality of discrete bias levels for one or more RF power amplifying transistor(s). In a preferred embodiment, the bias circuit includes (1) a composite master transistor, which comprises at least one transistor element connected to the RF power amplifying transistor in a current-mirror configuration, (2) a switch connected to the at least one transistor element to control its operation, and (3) a feedback circuit by which variations in the voltage at the collector of the composite master transistor are used to stabilize the voltages at the bases of the composite master transistor and the slave transistor. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the feedback circuit comprises an emitter-follower buffering amplifier connected at its emitter to the base of the composite master transistor and at its base to the collector of the composite master transistor.
In another embodiment of the invention, the feedback circuit may further comprise a non-inverting amplifier connected between the collector of the master transistor and the base of the emitter-follower. The non-inverting amplifier enables the bias circuit to operate from a power supply voltage that is just above twice the value of the base-emitter voltage of the transistor in the circuit. Furthermore, the non-inverting amplifier improves stability of the bias circuits against fluctuations in temperature or power supply voltage.
It should be noted that exemplary embodiments of the invention include circuits with switching between slave transistors, in effect providing for composite slave transistors. A switch enables or disables a slave transistor element to modify the composite slave transistor. However, such a design may result in undesirable shunt capacitance for some applications.
In one example embodiment of the invention, the switch comprises a transistor switch, which can be enabled or disabled in response to a control voltage. Advantageously, such a switch may be driven by a signal reflecting a drive level of the RF signal. Thus, mode switching by the RF amplifier may be automatic in response to the modulation scheme employed by a received RF signal and/or the drive level of the input RF signal.
Such a switch may be connected to the base of one of the transistor elements. Alternatively, the switch may be connected to the collector of one of the transistor elements. Yet in another variation, the switch may comprise a push-pull emitter follower among many possible implementations.
The invention also includes a method for generating at least two levels of bias current via the above-described bias circuit to bias a slave transistor into two output power modes: a high-power mode and a low-power mode. In accordance with the method, in the high-power mode, in response to a control signal, the switch disables one of the transistor elements in the composite master transistor. The voltage at the collector of the composite master transistor is transferred via the feedback circuit to establish a bias current into the base terminals of the slave transistors thus setting their operating points suitable for high-power signal amplification. In the low-power mode, the transistor element is enabled resulting in different bias signal at the base of the slave transistors suitable for efficient low-power signal amplification.
In another aspect, the invention teaches a current mirror amplifier (CMA), which comprises: a composite master transistor comprising at least two transistor elements; a composite slave transistor comprising at least two transistor elements; a buffering transistor having a control terminal connected to a current-sink terminal of the master transistor and providing an output connected to control terminals of the composite master transistor and the composite slave transistor and the current-sink terminal of the composite slave transistor; a first switch connected to at least one of the at least two transistor elements of the composite master transistor; and a second switch connected to at least one of the at least two transistor elements of the composite slave transistor.
In another aspect, the invention includes a method for manufacturing the above-described bias circuit. In particular, the method comprises the following steps: fabricating a composite transistor having at least two parallel-connected transistor elements; fabricating at least two resistors respectively connected to the control terminals of the at least two transistor elements; fabricating at least two resistors respectively connected to the current-source terminals of the at least two transistor elements; fabricating a buffering transistor, the buffering transistor being connected as emitter-follower between the current-source and control terminals of the master transistor; and connecting a switch to at least one of the at least two transistor elements. Additionally, the method provides for both monolithic and hybrid circuit fabrications.


An optical device for dynamic gain adjusting includes a dynamic gain adjusting filter having one or more semiconductor optical amplifiers. The dynamic gain adjusting filter may allow dynamically-adjustable spectral gain characteristics. A dynamic gain adjusting filter may be part of an amplifier module or other optical device module, or as an optical module itself. The dynamic gain adjusting filter may be used to reduce gain ripple, control gain tilt, and/or compensate for other gain variations. The one or more semiconductor optical amplifiers of the dynamic gain adjusting filter may be designed and/or controlled to produce different gain profiles. For example, the active region of the semiconductor optical device may comprise several subregions having different structures, dimensions, and/or doping characteristics.

This invention relates to fiber-optic communications systems, and more particularly, to dynamic gain adjusting in optical communications systems.
In optical networks that use wavelength division multiplexing, multiple wavelengths of light are used to support multiple communications channels on a single fiber. Optical amplifiers are used in such networks to amplify optical signals that have been subject to attenuation over multi-kilometer fiber-optic links.
There are many fiber spans in a typical network link. For example, a long-haul network link may be approximately 400-600 km in length and an ultra-long-haul network link may be 3000-5000 km in length. Each fiber span is typically 40-130 km in length, so there may be many amplifiers in such links.
A typical amplifier may include erbium-doped fiber amplifier components that are pumped with diode lasers. Erbium-doped fiber amplifier stages increase the strength of the optical signals being transmitted over the fiber-optic links.
The intrinsic gain spectrum of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers is not flat. Unless the gain spectrum of an erbium-doped fiber amplifier is flattened, different wavelengths of light will be amplified by different amounts. This is undesirable, particularly in arrangements in which many amplifiers are cascaded in a communications link.
One way in which to flatten the gain spectrum in an erbium-doped fiber amplifier is to use a gain equalization filter. A gain equalization filter may be inserted in the optical path of the erbium-doped fiber amplifier between coils of erbium-doped fiber. The gain equalization filter has a loss spectrum that tracks the erbium-fiber gain spectrum. The gain equalization filter may therefore be used to introduce losses in the portions of the spectrum where the erbium-doped fiber has gain peaks. This flattens the gain spectrum of the amplifier.
Two important figures of merit for an optical amplifier are gain ripple and noise figure. Gain ripple is a measure of the spectral variations in the gain of the amplifier. The noise figure for an amplifier is an indicator of the amount of noise that the amplifier adds to the optical signal that is being amplified.
Gain ripple may arise from the use of imperfect gain equalization filters. Gain ripple may also arise from the use of other amplifier components with wavelength-dependent losses. For example, wavelength-division multiplexer (WDM) couplers and other components may introduce wavelength-dependent losses that affect gain ripple. Dynamic contributions to gain ripple include spectral hole burning and stimulated Raman scattering. With spectral hole burning, the gain of the erbium fiber is reduced at wavelengths immediately adjacent to an active signal channel. Raman scattering may influence gain ripple when the optical signals being amplified by the amplifier are sufficiently strong that the signals on some channels produce Raman gain for signals on other channels. There may also be drift in the gain spectrum of an amplifier due to fiber and component aging effects.
Gain tilt is a type of gain ripple that may arise when the input power to the amplifier changes. Gain tilt has previously been controlled using variable optical attenuators. Such attenuators may, however, adversely affect the noise figure of the amplifier when large values of attenuation are used to correct for the gain tilt introduced when handling relatively large input powers.
The performance of optical amplifiers in optical communications systems is generally monitored using optical spectrum analyzers. An optical spectrum analyzer in a communications system installation may be used to monitor the performance of a number of optical amplifiers.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical device and method for adjustably and dynamically controlling the spectral gain of an optical signal. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an optical device and method for compensating for gain ripple, gain tilt, and/or other gain variations, whatever the source. It is further object of the present invention to provide an optical device and method in which the optical characteristics of an optical amplifier may be monitored and controlled to reduce amplifier noise and gain ripple, gain tilt, and/or other gain variations.
This and other objects of the invention are accomplished in accordance with the principles of the present invention by providing an optical device having a dynamic spectral filter or dynamic spectral gain adjusting device, such as a dynamic gain flattening filter, with dynamically-adjustable spectral gain characteristics, the dynamic gain adjusting filter including at least one semiconductor optical amplifier. The dynamic gain adjusting device, such as a dynamic gain flattening filter, may be used to reduce gain ripple, control gain tilt, and/or compensate for other spectral gain variations.
A dynamic gain adjusting filter in accordance with the present invention may be part of an amplifier module or other optical device module, or as a module itself. Further, the dynamic gain adjusting filter may be implemented with other optical components, including, for example, a fixed gain equalization filter that adjusts the optical signal spectrum through attenuation.
The dynamic gain adjusting filter may be designed and operated to produce a desired spectral gain or loss profile for optical signals passing through it. The dynamic gain adjusting filter includes at least one semiconductor optical amplifier. For example, dynamic gain adjusting filter may be implemented by a series connection of multiple semiconductor optical amplifiers.
One or more semiconductor optical amplifiers of the dynamic gain adjusting filter may be designed and/or controlled to produce different gain profiles. For example, the active region of the semiconductor optical device may comprise several subregions having different structures, dimensions, and/or doping characteristics. Processes for forming the subregions are described. Moreover, the composite spectral gain profile may be adjustable by varying the temperature and/or the bias voltage across the active region or one or more of the subregions.
The optical signals may pass through an active region of a semiconductor optical amplifier from one end to another. One end of the semiconductor optical amplifier may include a mirrored or partially mirrored surface so that optical signals will be reflected, at least in part, by the surface and travel back through the active region. Optical devices and packaging may be provided to facilitate either of these arrangements.

Dynamic gain flattening in an optical communication system


A dual flap device for the environmentally tight connection of two receptacles is provided with two housing halves, which can be releasably connected. Each housing half accommodates a flap, which is pivotable by way of a half shaft. In a connected position of the dual flap device, the housing halves and the flaps rest against each other and are tensioned against one another, respectively. The half shafts of the two flaps unite to form a mutual shaft having a rotational axis. Thus, using a locking device, both flaps can be pivoted between a closed position and an open position by way of the mutual shaft. A first housing half is provided with a locking device, at least on one side, located in axial extension of the respective half shaft, which makes it possible to switch the dual flap device between an unlocked and a locked position.

In different branches of process engineering systems and also in other production, storage or transport devices, containers or tubes in the form of receptacles frequently have to be connected to one another in order to produce an exchange of a flowable product. In this case, it may be of importance for receptacles of this type always to remain closed such that there is no risk of contamination of the contents of the receptacles or of the surroundings thereof.
Known dual flap devices in the form of couplings produce connections between receptacles of this type, wherein each of the receptacles is closed by a flap mounted rotatably in a housing half. Only when the connection has been produced can the flaps be rotated together, and therefore the flowable product can be transferred in a flow direction from a first of the receptacles into a second of the receptacles. Said connection is intended to be substantially environmentally tight. Even during the transfer, the product remains sealed as tightly as possible in the interior and is enclosed by the dual flap device.
Known dual flap devices are disclosed, for example, in EP 1 213 244 B1 or DE 200 14 871 U1.
The sealing of the receptacles before, during and after the transfer of the product is to be further improved and simplified in comparison to known dual flap devices. One reason for sealing problems is an insecure or incomplete connection or an insecure fastening of the housing halves in which the flaps or the dual flap are/is mounted.
In addition, the handling of known dual flap devices is often complicated and error-prone. For example, an undefined number of levers having different functions can be actuated. Sometimes, the housing halves can be connected in a plurality of positions, with it being possible that the flaps never come to lie exactly one above the other due to manufacturing tolerances.
Accordingly, it is desirable to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a dual flap device which is simple to handle, can be connected securely and environmentally tightly and can be used flexibly.

Dual flap device for the environmentally tight connection of two receptacles


In packet data flow control wherein point-to-multipoint communication or point-to-point communication is performed in a network comprising one or a plurality of packet exchanges that respectively accommodate a plurality of communication terminals, reduction of the transmission bandwidth or lowering of transmission rate caused by local congestion is absorbed by providing buffers for absorbing difference between the transmission bandwidths of the upstream link and downstream links of these packet exchanges at each packet exchange. At the packet exchanges the transmission rate of the downstream links from the packet exchange is controlled in accordance with a first load data that is notified thereto from the downstream links and, if the difference of transmission bandwidth of the upstream link and downstream links cannot be absorbed by the buffer, a second load data is generated based on the first load data and the free capacity of the buffer and the upstream link of the packet exchange is notified of the second load data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a packet data flow control method and device for a network comprising one or a plurality of packet exchanges that respectively accommodate a plurality of communication terminals in which point-to-multipoint communication or point-to-point communication is performed, and more specifically relates to a packet data flow control method and device whereby communication can be effectively implemented by narrowing of transmission bandwidth or drops in the transmission rate caused by local congestion by means of buffers provided in the packet exchanges.
2. Description of the Related Art
With development of an "information society", networking of communications continues in progress and LANs (Local Area Networks), of which examples are Ethernets or FDDIs (Fibre Distributed Data Interfaces) are becoming commonplace. Such conventional LANs efficiently implemented simultaneous transmission or multicast transmission, which are important for CL (Connectionless) communication, by taking advantage of the feature of shared media.
On the other hand, in recent years, ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) has attracted attention as a system for implementing multimedia communication, and methods are being studied of implementing the CL communication on a network constructed in ATM.
However, ATM is basically a connection type communication system in which communication is performed after negotiation with the remote party and unlike the conventional shared media type LAN it is difficult to implement multicast transmission or simultaneous transmission.
In particular, in the ABR (Available Bit Rate) service that is recently being studied by the ARM forum which is a de facto standard organisation, the packet data flow control is even more difficult. This is because in the ABR service, with the object of increasing reliability, packet data flow control is performed between a sending terminal constituting the root of point-to-multipoint connection (hereinbelow referred to as pump connection) and the receiving terminals constituting the leaves.
FIG. 7 is a diagram given in explanation of packet data flow control relating to an ABR service that is currently being studied by the ATM forum, showing an operation image in an ATM network when packet data flow control represented by ABR is performed.
FIG. 7 assumes that the connection is a point-to-point connection (hereinbelow called a p-p connection) and that the flow control is implemented in accordance with a congestion indication from a terminal where congestion has occurred. Terminals 10-1, 10-2 in this network may be considered as repeaters for connection to networks other than ATM.
In FIG. 7, a sending terminal 10-1 effects communication with a destination terminal 10-2 by setting up a p-p connection through the network connecting a plurality of ATM exchanges 20-1, 20-2, 20-3. When sending terminal 10-1 has data that it wishes to send to destination terminal 10-2, it converts the data to the form of cell (data cell) and sends the data cell to destination terminal 10-2 and also sends on the same connection a congestion notification cell 50 (see FIG. 9), to be described, at intervals of a prescribed number of cells that is determined at the time of connection set-up.
These congestion notification cells 50, just like the data cells are sent to destination terminal 10-2 via ATM exchanges 20-1, 20-2, 20-3 and are then returned by the destination terminal 10-2 so that they are finally sent back to sending terminal 10-1. That is, congestion notification cells 50 flow in a loop.
Any ATM exchange 20-1, 20-2, 20-3 or destination terminal 10-2 that is on the way to receive the congestion notification cell 50, if it is in an overloaded condition, sets the congestion indication bit (CI bit) of the incoming circulating congestion notification cell 50. And if it is in normally-loaded condition it transfers the congestion notification cell as it is without modification.
If congestion is indicated by the congestion notification bit of a received congestion notification cell 50, sending terminal 10-1 lowers the transmission rate by a prescribed amount and, if congestion is not indicated, raises the transmission rate by a prescribed amount within the bit rate range specified at the time of the connection set-up.
In the example of FIG. 7, congestion occurs at ATM exchange 20-2 and as a result the congestion notification bit is set at ATM exchange 20-2 (i.e. CI is made=1), thereby notifying sending terminal 10-1 of the congestion.
FIG. 8 shows another example of flow control typified by ABR in an ATM network. While in the network of FIG. 7, the transmission rate is controlled in accordance with a congestion indication from the terminal where congestion occurred, in the network of FIG. 8, the terminal where congestion was generated is made to explicitly indicate its allowable transmission bandwidth and the transmission rate is controlled in accordance with the explicitly indicated allowable transmission bandwidth.
In the network of FIG. 8, any ATM exchange 20-1, 20-2, 20-3 or destination terminal 10-2 that is on the way to receive the congestion notification cell 50, if it is in normally loaded condition, transfers the congestion notification cell 50 as it is without modification and, if it is in overloaded condition, records explicitly the allowable transmission bandwidth that it is capable of receiving (i.e. the Explicit Rate: ER) in the incoming circulating congestion notification cell 50 before returning it to sending terminal 10-1.
Also, in the same network, as another method of explicitly indicating the allowable transmission bandwidth, it may be so arranged that any ATM exchange 20-1, 20-2, 20-3 or destination terminal 10-2 that is on the path within the network itself issues a congestion notification cell 50 as a backward explicit congestion notification cell (BECN) and sends this in the direction of the sending terminal.
If an allowable transmission bandwidth is indicated by a received congestion notification cell 50, sending terminal 10-1 lowers the transmission rate to this explicitly indicated transmission rate and, if congestion is not indicated, raises the transmission rate by a prescribed amount within the range of the peak transmission rate specified at the time of connection set-up
In the example of FIG. 8, congestion occurs at ATM exchange 20-2 as a result of which the congestion indicating bit is set by ATM exchange 20-2 (CI=1) and the allowable transmission bandwidth is set to (ER=xx) and sending terminal 10-1 is thereby notified of congestion. It should be noted that, in the example shown in this Figure, if a backward explicit congestion notification cell as mentioned above is employed, a flag to indicate that the cell in question is such a cell is set (BECN=1) so as to make it possible to identify these cells.
FIG. 9 shows the format of the congestion notification cell 50 used in the congestion control discussed above. Congestion notification cell 50 comprises at least ATM cell header 501, protocol ID field 502, DIR field 503 that indicates the direction of flow of the cell (towards the destination terminal or towards the sending terminal), BN field 504 that indicates whether the cell is a backward explicit congestion notification cell or not, CI field 505 that gives the congestion indication, ER field 507 for explicitly indicating allowable bandwidth, and CCR field 508 for indicating the current transmission rate. The Res. fields 506, 509 provided in addition to these in the above format serve as reserves. However, a value is not necessarily set in the ER field 507 but this is employed if a terminal 10 or ATM 20 where congestion has occurred wishes to suddenly lower the transmission rate.
In the ATM cell header 504 is entered a VCI (Virtual Channel Identifier) value or PTI (Payload Type Indication) value indicating that the cell is a resource management cell (RM cell) for OAM (Operation Administration and Management) such as congestion notification. Protocol ID field 502 indicates that the cell in question is a congestion notification cell in the RM cell.
However, in the conventional p-p connection described above, there are the following problems.
Specifically, in the case where sending terminal 10-1 can only send data sequentially, if the transmission rate of the data that is to be sent first i.e. of the data at the front of the sending buffer, not shown, of sending terminal 10-1 is reduced due to congestion of the connection, data behind this sending buffer which is in a different connection will also be delayed. That is, transmission delays due to congestion of some connections will affect the transmission delays of all the data of sending terminal 10-1.
The above was an example of packet data flow control of an ABR connection in a p-p connection. In this example, it is sufficient to take notice of a single destination terminal from the sending terminal. However, in the packet data flow control of ABR connections in a p-mp connection, this becomes complicated due to communication being performed with the sending terminal being aware of a plurality of destination terminals.
FIG. 10 shows an example of conventional packet data flow control of ABR connections in a p-mp connection.
In FIG. 10, packet data is sent from sending terminal 10-1 to a plurality of destination terminals 10-2, 10-3, 10-4 and 10-5. The ATM exchanges 20-1, 20-2, 20-3, 20-4, 20-5, 206 and the destination terminals 10-2, 10-3, 10-4, 10-5 overwrite their traffic information such as allowable transmission bandwidths into congestion notification cells 50 that are periodically sent by sending terminal 10-1 and these congestion notification cells 50 are returned upstream at destination terminals 10-2, 10-3, 10-4, 10-5. With the above described procedure, packet data flow control of an ABR connection in a p-mp connection is achieved. The circulation path of congestion notification cells 50 is called the flow control loop.
In this flow control loop, the ATM exchanges 20-2, 20-3 located at the branch points of the connection, copy the congestion notification cells 50 from upstream (from sending terminal 10-1) and transmit them to downstream. Also, the ATM exchanges 20-2, 20-3 pick up the cells having the worst value as regards allowable transmission bandwidth from the incoming congestion notification cells 50 collected from downstream, and this worst value is returned upstream.
At this point, as shown in example in this Figure, it is assumed that congestion occurs at destination terminal 10-4. Under these circumstances, of the congestion notification cells 50 received from downstream by ATM exchange 20-3, the allowable transmission bandwidth of congestion notification cells 50 from destination terminal 10-4 shows the worst value. Therefore, ATM exchange 20-3 sends this value upstream.
Sending terminal 10-1 that constitutes the root of the p-mp connection learns the congestion condition from these congestion notification cells 50 and reduces the bandwidth of subsequent transmission so that the congestion condition of destination terminal 10-4 is relieved.
In this case, the transmission bandwidth reduction that is performed by sending terminal 10-1 extends to all of terminals 10-2, 10-3, 10-5 apart from terminal 10-4. However, since the congestion notification cells 50 at these terminals 10-2, 10-3, 10-5 do not show the worst value, these terminals have at this time-point some degree of margin regarding the allowable transmission bandwidth. Therefore, transmission bandwidth reduction is not necessary for these terminals.
In the conventional packed data control, due to the reduction of bandwidth at the sending terminal, in spite of the fact that the transmission bandwidths of all the destination terminals or links other than the destination terminal or link that is in a congested condition are in normal condition, they are unnecessarily reduced. As a result, the other terminals, which still have some degree of margin, are subjected to reduction on usable bandwidth so that efficiency in use of the communication channels was lowered.
As discussed above, the conventional packet data flow control of a p-mp connection was so arranged that the congestion notification cells were circulated in loop fashion between the sending terminal and destination terminals, and the exchanges provided in the circulation route notified the worst value of the congestion indications or allowable transmission bandwidths notified from all the downstream destination terminals to the upstream side. Therefore, in the case where some terminals were still not congested and still had some margin in regard to allowable transmission bandwidth, there was the drawback that, as a result of the reduction on allowable transmission bandwidth that was reported by the terminal whose allowable transmission bandwidth margin was least being imposed, even the other terminals that had some degree of margin were subjected to reduction in regard to usable bandwidth, so the efficiency of use of the communication channels fell considerably.

Packet data flow control method and device


A thin film capacitor includes a lower electrode layer, a dielectric layer that is provided on said lower electrode layer, and an upper electrode layer that is formed on the dielectric layer. Wherein, the lower electrode layer contains at least a Ni electrode layer, the upper electrode layer configured with at least two layers of a Ni electrode layer and a Cu electrode layer, and the dielectric layer is in contact with both the Ni electrode layer of the lower electrode layer and the Ni electrode layer of the upper electrode layer.

In recent years, the mounting space for electronic parts built in electronic equipment is becoming smaller. For example, there have been many situations where capacitors built in many of electronic equipment must be mounted in a low-profile, small space. Thin film capacitors can be made into lower profiler elements than conventional multi layer ceramic capacitors fabricated by the thick-film processing and facilitate such mounting as described above. Especially, mounting in a place limited in the thickness direction is made possible.
As an example of such thin film capacitors, disclosed in JP Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-281446 for example is a thin film capacitor which constructs a dielectric layer containing a dielectric material having a high dielectric constant with Y added as a dopant to (Ba(1−x)Srx)Ti1+zO3+δ, sandwiched by a lower electrode layer and an upper electrode layer. It is preferred that this thin film capacitor contains at least one kind of material selected from a group including transition metals such as Pt, Pd, Au, Ag, Cu, and PtOx, precious metals, conductive oxides, and their combinations or mixtures as the upper electrode layer or the lower electrode layer.
In addition, disclosed in JP Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2006-135036 is a thin film capacitor to be embedded in a printed circuit board. To be specific, provided is a dielectric layer between a first conductive layer used for forming the upper electrode layer and a second conductive layer for forming the lower electrode layer, and the second conductive layer is made a nickel layer or nickel alloy layer. Used as the first conductive layer is copper.
However, these thin film capacitors have a thinner dielectric layer than conventional multi layer ceramic capacitors fabricated by the thick-film method, and were inferior in temperature load test and humidity load test in some cases. In addition, if Cu which is a non-magnetic substance with low resistivity is used as electrode layers of such a thin film capacitor, the equivalent series resistance (ESR) of the capacitor can be decreased, therefore noise can be reduced when used with high frequencies, and preferable characteristics as a capacitor can be obtained. However, according to the investigations by the present inventors, it has become evident that the above-mentioned ill influence on reliability is significant if a metallic material such as Cu is used as the electrode layers.
This invention has been made considering the above-mentioned situation, and its objective is to obtain a thin film capacitor which has sufficient reliability in terms of temperature load test and humidity load test even when Cu is used as the electrode layers of the thin film capacitor and at the same time has a low equivalent series resistance (ESR).


A sensor pod is used to analyze one or more chemistry values of a recreational water facility such as a pool, a hot tub and a sauna. The sensor pod can sense one or more chemistry values such as pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, chlorine levels, and cyanuric acid levels. The sensor pod uploads the one or more chemistry values to a server. The chemistry values are processed and analyzed at the server against a set of target or ideal level values to obtain a set of output chemistry values and based upon the output values a message is sent to a customer. The message can instructs the customer to apply remedial steps to normalize the chemistry values as needed. The message can instruct the customer and/or a pool owner to apply remedial steps to normalize the chemistry values as needed.

In recreational water facilities such as pools, spas, and hot tubs, water chemistry must be properly balanced. Water chemistry imbalances, however slight, can pose health and maintenance risks. Swimmers can be exposed to dangerous amounts of bacteria when pH values are too high and to eye and skin irritants when pH values are too low. Structures, such as circulation equipment, sanitation components, and pool surfaces can be corroded and otherwise damaged; repairs can be costly and time consuming. To reduce these risks, water chemistry must be properly monitored and maintained within predetermined levels.

System for and method remotely monitoring chemistry of recreational water facilities


A pressuretight contact connection for the programming and power supply for fuze electronics is described, which is provided in a housing (10) from which a contact pin (34) projects in an electrically insulated and pressuretight manner in order to make contact with a connecting element (12). The connecting element (12) has a contact surface element (16), which is provided in an insulating housing (14) and has contact fingers (24) in the area of a through-hole (18) which is formed in the insulating housing (14), which contact fingers (24) clasp the contact pin (34) in an interlocking manner when the connecting element (12) and the housing (10) of the fuze electronics are in the mated contact state.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a pressuretight contact connection for the programming and power supply for fuze electronics, which is provided in a housing.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Plug connections are known for temporarily making contact for the programming and power supply for fuze electronics. Plug connections such as these may have defects in terms of pressure tightness.
A contact connection such as this is used to maintain the appropriate electrical contact until completion of the programming and power supply. In this case, this temporary electrical contact is intended to withstand environmental loads and, in particular, supply loads. The known plug connections may also have defects in this respect.

Pressuretight contact connection for fuze electronics


A resin composition comprising (A) at least one heat-resistant resin, (B) at least one thermoplastic resin, (C) an antimony oxide, (D) at least one bromine-containing reaction product selected from the group consisting of (1) a compound having a molecular weight of from 1,200 to 6,000 and a bromine content of from 5.0 to 60% by weight which is obtained by reacting a bromine-containing epoxy compound and 1,3,5-tribromophenol, and (2) a compound obtained by reacting a bromine-containing epoxy compound having an epoxy equivalent of from 450 to 7,000 and a bromine content of from 5.0 to 52% by weight and an acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer having a carboxyl group at the both terminals thereof and a molecular weight of from 1,000 to 10,000, and (E) at least one silicon-containing compound selected from the group consisting of (1) silicone oil, (2) a ladder silicone resin, and (3) an alkoxysilane having a mercapto group, a vinyl group or a methacryloyl group, is disclosed. The resin composition is excellent in heat resistance, impact resistance, flame retardancy, and molding properties.

Housings of electronic and electrical equipment, such as TV sets, CRT, various computers, facsimiles, and word processors, are generally made of flame-retardant styrene resins, e.g., acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymers (ABS resins). These flame-retardant styrene resins generally have a heat distortion temperature between 70.degree. and 90.degree. C. at the highest, as measured under a load of 264 psi according to ASTM D648, and the insufficiency in heat resistance frequently causes troubles in some uses or sizes of the products.
Synthetic resins having a heat distortion temperature of 100.degree. C. or higher include polyphenylene oxide resins (PPO) and polycarbonate resins (PC), but they are poor in molding properties. It has been therefore demanded to develop synthetic resins or resin compositions which are inexpensive and excellent in both heat resistance and flame retardancy.
In order to improve molding properties of PPO and PC, it has been proposed to blend PPO or PC with heat-resistant polymers, e.g., styrene-maleimide copolymers, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,278,775 and 4,160,792. Although these polymer blends exhibit satisfactory heat resistance and molding properties, there still remains the problem of poor flame retardancy.
It has also been proposed to blend vinyl chloride resins with styrene-maleimide copolymers as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,046. This composition is, though excellent in flame retardancy, poor in heat resistance.
It has further been proposed to add a halogen-containing flame retardant, e.g., decabromodiphenyl ether, to styrene-maleimide copolymers as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,509. The composition is, however, insufficient in flame retardancy and liable to drip with fire, a so-called dripping.
It has furthermore been attempted to copolymerize a monomer, e.g., styrene compounds and maleimide compounds, with a halogen-containing comonomer, such as brominated phenylmaleimide compounds as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,609,711 and 4,661,574, and brominated (meth)acrylate compounds as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,311. However, the copolymers should have a large content of the expensive halogen-containing monomer so as to impart sufficient flame retardancy, which is unacceptable for practical use.
Thus, it has been keenly demanded to develop a synthetic resin or a composition thereof which satisfy all the requirements of flame retardancy, heat resistance, impact resistance, and molding properties.


In embodiments, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device may include forming a diffusion preventing layer on a semiconductor substrate having a conductive layer, forming an intermetallic insulating layer on the diffusion preventing layer, forming a trench photo resist layer formed above the intermetallic insulating layer of a first photo resist material, forming a via hole photo resist layer of a second photo resist material at an upper portion and a sidewall in a contact hole of the trench photo resist layer, etching the intermetallic insulating layer and the diffusion preventing layer using the via hole photo resist layer and the trench photo resist layer to substantially simultaneously form a via hole and a trench, and filling the via hole and the trench with a metal thin film to form a metal line.

Embodiments relate to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device.
A metal line of a semiconductor substrate may connect circuits formed in a semiconductor substrate to each other, for example through electrical connections between semiconductor devices and a pad connection. Such connection may be performed using a metal thin film such as aluminum, alloy thereof, or copper.
To connect a device electrode and a pad isolated by an insulating layer such as an oxide layer, the insulating layer may be selectively etched to form a contact hole. A metal plug to fill the contact hole may be formed, for example using a barrier metal and tungsten. Next, a metal thin film may be formed and patterned at an upper portion of the metal plug to form a metal line for connecting a device electrode and a pad to each other.
A photolithography process may be performed to pattern the aforementioned metal line. As semiconductor devices have become smaller, however, a critical dimension (CD) of the metal line has been reduced. Accordingly, it may be difficult to form a fine pattern of the metal line. Hence, a damascene process has been developed to more easily form a metal line having a fine pattern.
To make a metal line through a damascene process according to the related art, however, two (2) photolithography processes, three (3) etch processes, and two or three (2-3) ashing processes may be required.
Accordingly, the time required to fabricate a product may be lengthy, and may result in an increased cost. In addition, excess material may remain between processes, and that may deteriorate the reliability of a resulting semiconductor device.

Method for manufacturing semiconductor device


A vehicle driveline component having a differential assembly that includes a limited slip clutch, a locking clutch and an actuator for operating the limited slip clutch and the locking clutch. The actuator includes a pair of ball-ramp mechanisms that share a rotatable ball-ramp ring.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Various vehicle driveline components, such as rear axle assemblies, commonly employ a differential assembly to transmit rotary power to a set of vehicle drive wheels in a manner that permits speed differentiation between the two drive wheels. In many applications, it can be desirable to attenuate, limit or entirely disable the ability of the differential assembly to permit speed differentiation between the two drive wheels. To address this need, various locking differential configurations and various limited slip differential assembly configurations have been developed.
The locking differential configurations typically employ some type of coupling or clutch to lock the input of the differential assembly to one of the outputs of the differential assembly. For example, it is common to use a dog clutch to selectively lock a side gear to a differential case. A differential assembly with this configuration can be toggled between an open state, in which speed differentiation is permitted, and a locked state in which speed differentiation is inhibited. This configuration does not permit the differential assembly to operate in a limited slip mode that limits (but does not inhibit) speed differentiation between the vehicle drive wheels.
The limited slip differential configuration typically utilizes one or more sets of friction clutches to resist relative rotation between the input of the differential assembly and one or both of the outputs of the differential assembly. In some situations, each of the friction clutches may be pre-loaded via a spring so that the output(s) of the differential assembly will slip relative to the input of the differential assembly only when a differential torque between the input of the differential assembly and the output of the differential assembly exceeds a preset threshold. The tendency of the gearing of some differential assemblies to urge the side gears of the differential gearing axially apart can be employed in some limited slip differential configurations to further load the friction clutch(es), or alternatively, could be the sole source of load on the friction clutch(es).
One drawback with the limited slip differential configurations described above is that they can affect speed differentiation during times where operation in an open state would be more desirable, such as maneuvering a vehicle in a parking lot to park the vehicle. Additionally, the above-described limited slip differential configurations do not typically "lock" the differential assembly to inhibit speed differentiation between the outputs of the differential assembly. Modernly, electronic actuators have been employed to control engagement of the friction clutches in a limited slip differential assembly. While such configurations provide the ability to vary the magnitude of the threshold in the differential torque between the input of the differential assembly and the output of the differential assembly that is needed to permit speed differentiation between the outputs of the differential assembly, one drawback to this approach concerns the size and configuration of the friction clutch(es) and the actuator if the friction clutch(es) are to be utilized to lock the differential assembly. In this regard, both the friction clutch(es) and the actuator need to be relatively large so that all torque that is to be carried by the differential assembly can be transmitted between the input of the differential assembly and a single one of the outputs of the differential assembly.
To address this drawback, differential assemblies have been configured with two separate clutch or couplings that are operated by two separate actuators. Examples of such differential assemblies are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,098,360 and 5,030,181. While such configurations provide the desired limited slip and locking capabilities, they are nevertheless relatively bulky and somewhat difficult to package into a driveline for a modern automotive vehicle.

Vehicle driveline component having differential assembly with integrated electronically-controlled limited slip and locking functionality


A handheld surgical instrument includes a motor that transmits rotational movement to a drill bit of the handheld surgical instrument. The drill bit extends through a depth measurement module with a depth measurement extension, and a cannula, which extends forward from the drill to measure bore depth. The depth measurement extension is moveably mounted to the drill so as to extend into the rotor bore of the motor. As the drill advances forward, the depth measurement extension remains static. As a result of the advancement of the drill, the rotor extends over the proximal end of the depth measurement extension. A controller is configured to determine a breakthrough time and a breakthrough displacement of the drill bit based on displacement data and derived signals. The controller is further configured to determine a proper length of a screw to be used in a fixation surgical procedure based on the displacement data.

A common practice in orthopedic surgery is to use a plurality of different surgical tools to repair bone trauma, joint damage due to wear, birth defects, damage due to disease, and a like. A non-limiting example of such a tool is a rotary cutting handheld surgical instrument, such as a drill. These handheld surgical instruments are used to create bore holes for many different purposes, such as place screws to repair a bone fracture trauma with screws to hold a fixator in place. An important part of these surgical procedures is to determine the proper length of screws to use.
A typical method of bore-hole depth determination uses a separate device in the form of a depth gauge that is introduced into the patient's body to measure the depth of the bore hole. The two significant disadvantages to this protocol are 1) introducing another surgical instrument into the patient's body where maintaining sterility; and 2) the increasing the surgical time leaving the patient exposed to the ambient environment.

Methods and systems of determining drill breakthrough during surgical drilling


An electrosurgical curette probe for an adenoidectomy procedure, comprising an elongated electrically-insulating body portion having at a proximate end an electrical connector for receiving electrosurgical RF currents and a fitting for receiving a suction conduit. The electrical connector is internally connected to an active electrode at the distal end of the body portion, which active electrode comprises a bare sharp blade extending across the spaced arms of a claw-shaped end of the body portion. Viewed from the top, the claw-shaped end curves downward, the blade extends in a direction perpendicular to an extension of the longitudinal axis of the body portion, and the sharp cutting edge of the blade faces upwardly. Terminating just behind the claw-shaped end and facing the curved claw-shaped end is a nozzle opening of the suction conduit housed in the body portion and connected to the fitting.

This invention relates to an electrosurgical electrode for an adenoidectomy surgical procedure.
Adenoidectomy is indicated for the relief of nasal obstruction, sleep apnea, recurrence of chronic infection, and for chronic ear disease. The procedure is the surgical removal of hypertrophic adenoid tissue from the posterior nasal cavity and along the torus. The procedure as such is well known using conventional curettes and is described in detail in Surgical Pediatric Otolaryngology edited by Potsic, Cotton, and Handler, Pages 234-235 and FIG. 20-1A-H, published 1997 by Thieme of New York, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Adenoidectomy continues to be one of the most commonly performed operations in children in the 20th Century. The gold standard for adenoidectomy is the conventional curette. A major problem using conventional curettes besides persistent bleeding is visualization. Moreover, general anesthesia is always required and a 1-3 day hospitalization of the patient as well. Postoperative packing of the surgerized area is always needed to control and contain post-operative bleeding. A special liquid diet is always prescribed post-operatively.
An object of the invention is an improved adenoidectomy surgical procedure.
We have invented a novel unipolar electrode for use in an electrosurgical adenoidectomy procedure. This electrosurgical procedure using our novel electrode enables physicians to offer to patients a treatment that is efficiently performed, easily learned and thus performed at a significantly reduced price, and with less tissue damage and superior results compared to procedures done with a scalpel-curette.
The procedure using our novel electrode is based on the incising of a portion or all of an area of the adenoid by intranasal electrosurgery, i.e., via the nasal passageway. The electrode of the invention is uniquely configured to enable the active tip to reach and incise the hypertrophic adenoid tissue while avoiding damage to surrounding tissue.
In a preferred embodiment, our novel electrode is characterized by an elongated electrically-insulating body portion having at a proximate end an electrical connector for receiving electrosurgical RF currents and a fitting for receiving a suction conduit. The electrical connector is internally connected to an active electrode at the distal end of the body portion, which active electrode comprises a bare sharp blade extending across the arms of a claw-shaped end of the body portion. Viewed from the top, the claw-shaped end curves downward, the blade extends in a direction perpendicular to an extension of the longitudinal axis of the body portion, and the sharp cutting edge of the blade faces upwardly. Terminating just behind the claw-shaped end and facing the curved claw-shaped end is a nozzle opening of a suction conduit housed in the body portion and connected to the fitting. The tissue excising is effected with the bare blade cutting edge moved by the surgeon in a generally upward path after the elongated body portion has been introduced into the nasal cavity. The insulated parts of the body portion help position and guide the active blade edge during the surgical procedure. The electrosurgical procedure has the very important advantage of being able to excise the adenoid tissue portions while at the same time coagulating the cut tissue causing minimum bleeding. It is preferred that the electrosurgical currents used be above 2 MHz, and preferably above 3 MHz. At these RF high frequencies, commonly referred to as radiosurgery, cutting is accomplished by volatilizing intracellular fluids at the point of the transmitting electrode contact which is primarily responsible for only small lateral heat spread and thus less damage to neighboring cell layers by keeping tissue temperature lower.
The advantages of using the RF adenoid curette of the invention include:
a) the procedure can be done in the office and a hospital environment is unnecessary as the RF adenoid curette procedure is done with local anesthesia not general;
b) the RF low temperature energy source connected to the RF adenoid curette probe enables precise micro cutting of the curette RF blade into adenoid tissue;
c) no post-operative packing is normally necessary;
d) there is a clear unobstructed view of the surgical site with the adenoid probe of the invention;
e) no special diet is necessary.
When used herein with respect to the probe of the invention, the term xe2x80x9cdownwardxe2x80x9d means, with the probe held horizontally with its longitudinal axis extending horizontally, as illustrated in FIG. 1 below, in a southerly direction (toward the bottom margin of the drawing) transverse to the longitudinal axis. The term xe2x80x9cbelowxe2x80x9d means positioned underneath the axis with the probe held in the same position shown in the drawing. The term xe2x80x9cupwardxe2x80x9d means in the reverse northerly direction, and the term xe2x80x9cabovexe2x80x9d similarly means above the axis with the probe held in the same position shown in the drawing.


In thickness/depth measurement of a wafer in etching, variation occurs in detected light quantity due to fluctuation of light quantity of a light source or fluctuation of air in a region through which light passes, and measurement accuracy of thickness/depth is reduced, and thus the total light quantity or average light quantity of an arbitrary wavelength is calculated from an optical spectrum measured at each time instant during etching, estimated total light quantity or estimated average light quantity at the present time, which is estimated using total light quantity or average light quantity measured prior to the present time, is calculated, a change rate, as a ratio of the total light quantity at the present time to the estimated total light quantity or a ratio of the average light quantity to the estimated average light quantity, is calculated, the calculated change rate is used to correct light quantity of each wavelength at the present time, and the corrected light quantity of each wavelength is used to perform thickness/depth measurement.

In manufacturing of a semiconductor device, various components and interconnections to interconnect such components together are formed on a wafer surface. Such components or interconnections can be formed by repeating film formation of various materials such as conductors, semiconductors, and insulators, and removal of unnecessary portions. Dry etching using plasma (plasma etching) is widely used in a process of removing the unnecessary portions.
In the plasma etching, gas is introduced into a processing chamber of an etching apparatus and plasmatized by a high-frequency power source or the like, and a wafer is exposed to the plsmatized gas for etching. In this processing, anisotropic or isotropic etching is performed by sputtering or a chemical reaction caused by ions or radicals in the plasma, which is properly used to form components having various structures and interconnections on a wafer surface.
If a processed shape resulted from plasma etching is different from a designed shape, the formed components may not fulfil their functions. Many process monitor techniques to monitor and stabilize etching have therefore been provided to detect the processed shape. For example, there is known a process monitor called thickness/depth monitor. The process monitor measures thickness of a film formed on a wafer or depth of a trench or a hole formed on the wafer by measuring reflected light from the wafer in processing, and has been used for determination of an endpoint of etching, and the like.
Patent literature 1 describes a processing accuracy improvement technique using the thickness/depth monitor. According to the technique of the patent literature 1, a timing just before a film to be processed is completely removed is detected using the thickness/depth monitor with plasma light as a light source, so that the etching is completed. Subsequently, an etching condition is switched to a condition where a portion to be processed and a portion to be unprocessed are selectively etched at a high accuracy, which makes it possible to suppress a processing variation in a wafer plane and thus completely remove the film to be processed while total processing time is controlled short.
Patent literature 2 describes a technique of improving measurement accuracy of thickness or depth of the thickness/depth monitor. According to the technique of the patent literature 2, an external light source is used in place of the plasma light as a light source to irradiate a wafer. This reduces a variation in light quantity, making it possible to achieve accurate thickness/depth measurement.
Structural miniaturization and layout complication are advanced with enhanced functionality of semiconductor devices, in particular, further accurate processing is required for an etching process of an advanced device. A small etching area (low open area ratio) or a low etching rate may occur in etching of the advanced device. In endpoint determination of such a process, a temporal change in light quantity (interference signal) of each wavelength is small while being used as an index for the endpoint determination. It is therefore necessary to reduce noise, which corresponds to light quantity fluctuation in the temporal direction, in order to achieve accurate endpoint determination.
As a phenomenon recognized as one fluctuation noise of light quantity, the measured light quantity may vary stepwise during etching. Such a phenomenon occurs due to a change in light quantity of plasma light or external light as a light source.
Patent literatures 3 and 4 each describe a method for removing the stepwise noise. For example, the patent literature 3 describes a method, in which an optical spectrum measured at each time instant during etching is compared with an optical spectrum at a previous time instant, and if the change in light quantity is in the same direction for all wavelengths and if the amount of the change exceeds a threshold, light quantity variation noise is determined to occur, and light quantity correction is performed.
The light quantity correction is performed by calculation of a magnification of a change in light quantity upon detection of noise occurrence, and division of the change magnification for measured data after the present time. Accuracy of endpoint determination is improved by such methods.

Etching apparatus and etching method and detecting apparatus of film thickness


A bed comprises a mattress and a topper resting atop the mattress and extending in longitudinal and lateral directions. The topper has a fluid flowpath having an inlet and an outlet. The flowpath exhibits a nonuniform resistance to fluid flow in at least one of the longitudinal and lateral directions. The bed also includes a blower connected to the inlet for supplying air to the flowpath. The resistance may be a monotonically varying resistance to fluid flow in at least one of the longitudinal and lateral directions and configured to preferentially drive fluid flow through the topper so that a larger proportion of the fluid flowing through the topper flows under a target region and a relatively smaller portion bypasses the target region.

Microclimate control toppers are typically used in conjunction with the mattresses of beds found in hospitals, nursing homes, other health care facilities, or in home care settings. The topper rests atop the mattress and is secured thereto by, for example, straps, snaps or zippers. A fluid flowpath having an inlet and an outlet extends through the interior of the topper. A pump or similar device supplies a stream of air to the topper so that the air flows into the flowpath by way of the inlet, flows through the flowpath, and exhausts from the flowpath by way of the outlet. The airstream establishes a microclimate in the vicinity of the occupant's skin. Specifically, the airstream helps cool the occupant's skin thereby reducing its nutrient requirements at a time when it is compressed by the occupant's weight and therefore likely to be poorly perfused. The airstream also helps reduce humidity in the vicinity of the occupant's skin thus combatting the tendency of the skin to become moist and soft and therefore susceptible to breakdown.
The need for microclimate control is not uniformly distributed over the occupant's skin. For example skin temperature on the occupant's torso can be considerably higher than skin temperature on the occupant's arms and legs. In addition, nonuniform distribution of sweat glands causes perspiration to accumulate on the skin of the occupant's back and pelvic region. Moreover, many modern beds are profile adjustable. When the bed profile is adjusted the occupant's tissue is exposed to shear which distorts the vasculature and further degrades perfusion. This exacerbates the need for microclimate control.

Topper with preferential fluid flow distribution


One or more devices in a driving data analysis system may be configured to receive and execute a driving data analysis software application. One or more servers may provide a driving data analysis software application to various driving data analysis devices, such as mobile user devices and/or on-board vehicle systems. The driving data analysis devices may be configured to execute the driving data analysis software application, to receive/collect various driving data, analyze the driving data, and determine eligibility for one or more insurance offers based on the analysis of the driving data. For insurance offers based on driving data, insurance offer vouchers may be generated by the driving data analysis device and transmitted to an insurance provider server to redeem the insurance offer.

As communication technologies, such as wireless communications, Global Position Systems (GPS), and telematics, have progressed, various communication methodologies have been incorporated into automobiles and other mobile devices to monitor vehicle data and driving data. For example, telematics systems such as on-board diagnostics (OBD) systems may be used in automobiles and other vehicles. OBD systems may provide information from the vehicle's on-board computers and sensors, allowing for monitoring of a wide variety of information relating to the vehicle systems, such as engine RPM, emissions control, coolant temperature, vehicle speed, timing advance, throttle position, oxygen sensing, and many other types of data. Vehicles may also include GPS receivers and devices installed within or operating at the vehicle, configured to collect vehicle location and time data. Telematics devices installed within vehicles may be configured to access the vehicle computers, sensor data, and GPS device data and transmit the data to a display within the vehicle, a personal computer or mobile device, or to a centralized data processing system. Additionally, various mobile user devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers, may include GPS receivers and other sensors capable of monitoring movement and location. Certain mobile user devices also may be configured to communicate with vehicle-based systems, so that users may be provided with various vehicle data on their mobile devices, and vice versa.
Data obtained from vehicle-based systems, such as OBD systems and GPS devices, and from mobile user devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers, may be used for a variety of purposes. For example, such data may be used for navigation applications, vehicle tracking and monitoring applications, and vehicle maintenance applications.