A vehicle anchored accessory holder may include a base plate, a brace connected to and extending upwardly from the base plate and an angled support connected to the at least one brace. The vehicle anchored accessory holder may also include a female fitting connected to and extending upwardly from the base plate. The female fitting may also be connected to the angled support. The female fitting may have an open top to receive at least one of an extension arm stem and an accessory. A first tube and a second tube may be connected to an upper portion of the female fitting to receive a connector adapted to move the female fitting between an opened position and a closed position.

It is commonly known that people use accessories in order to work, play and relax in and around their vehicles. A retailer may set up a booth to offer their wares for sale out of the back of their vehicle at a flea market, trade show, car show or other venue. Beachgoers and tailgaters may set up umbrellas or canopies for shade. A weekend camper, beachgoer or tailgater may set up a picnic or other recreational activity in the relative comfort of close proximity to their vehicle. A longer-term camper may erect a satellite dish, wind generator, fishing pole, awning or other convenience adjacent to their recreational vehicle or other conveyance.
It is also commonly known that the environment can interfere with such use of accessories around a vehicle and the area immediately around a vehicle. Sun, wind, rain, snow and other environmental factors each may negatively impact such use. Additionally, ground conditions can be unsuitable for such use. Rocky soil, hardpan soil, sandy soil, concrete, asphalt and other paved surfaces are just a few examples of less than ideal ground conditions for some of the accessories often used in conjunction with the use of vehicles. Finally, the user may not be equipped with the proper tools to erect or install the accessories the user wishes to use in the area around their vehicle.
There are a couple of accessory holders that have attempted to ease the burden associated with setting up these accessories. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,843 to Mahood, et al., discloses an umbrella holder comprising a base plate that can be positioned beneath a vehicle wheel and an umbrella mounted to the base plate. The Mahood et al. '843 patent also discloses a method for providing shelter utilizing an apparatus which includes a base plate and an umbrella mounted to the base plate. The method includes positioning a vehicle wheel on the base plate so as to support the umbrella.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,246 to Barnes discloses an apparatus for supporting an umbrella. The apparatus includes a base plate, a hollow cylinder connected to a lower end of the base plate and extending upwardly therefrom, and a jack for contacting the underside of a vehicle to place a downward force on the base plate. The apparatus also optionally includes a threaded endcap for the hollow cylinder, a selectively positionable hollow cylinder and a selectively positionable jack.
There exists a need to provide a holder for accessories that are to be used in conjunction with a vehicle and which holder is to be anchored by the vehicle.

Vehicle anchored accessory holder and associated methods


A knee prosthesis includes a femoral component with condylar sliding surfaces which are rigidly interconnected, a tibial component provided with a tibial platform which is linked to it in a non-rotatable manner and has tibial sliding surfaces which cooperate with the condylar sliding surfaces, and a coupling device which forms a flexion bearing with the femoral component and a rotational bearing with the tibial component, the axis of said rotational bearing being inclined relative to the tibial direction. In order to achieve a more advantageous force distribution in the prosthesis and a restoring force upon rotation of the prosthesis parts, the prosthesis is configured such that the normal with respect to the area of the tibial sliding surfaces which cooperates with the condylar sliding surfaces and transmits most of the load in the extension position is less inclined relative to the tibial direction than is the axis of the rotational bearing, as seen in a side view or sagittal section.

Knee prostheses are known whose femoral and tibial components have different degrees of freedom relative to one another. The less the residual stability of the knee to be fitted with the prosthesis, the greater the stability that the prosthesis must provide and the smaller the number of degrees of freedom that can be given to the relative movement between the two components, and vice versa. The restriction on the degrees of freedom is achieved by a coupling device which acts between the femoral component and the tibial component. In accordance with the preamble of claim 1, the invention relates to that type of knee prosthesis equipped with a coupling device which forms a flexion bearing with the femoral component and a rotational bearing with the tibial component. The flexion bearing determines the movement of the components about the transverse axis during flexion. The rotational bearing, whose axis extends approximately parallel to the tibial direction, permits a certain rotation about the vertical axis.
The axial forces are transmitted from the condylar sliding surfaces of the femoral component to the tibial sliding surfaces cooperating with these on the top of the tibial platform. A distinction must be drawn here between two groups. In the prostheses of the first group, the rotational bearing comprises a platform which is rotatable relative to the tibial component and whose upper sliding surface cooperates only for the flexion movement with the condylar sliding surfaces of the femoral component (DE-B-2334265, DE-A-2636816, EP-A-716839, U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,021, U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,701). In the prostheses of the second group, the tibial platform is connected to the tibial component in a non-rotatable manner (U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,521, EP-B-410237, EP-B-539654, EP-A-791343). The invention concerns the second group. In this case, a relative movement between the femoral condylar sliding surfaces and the tibial sliding surfaces takes place not only during the flexion movement, but also during the rotation movement. To ensure, during the rotation movement, that both femoral condylar sliding surfaces maintain force-transmitting contact with the associated areas of the tibial sliding surface, it is considered necessary in the prior art for these areas of the tibial sliding surface to be oriented substantially perpendicular with respect to the axis of rotation. This applies at least to the flexion area in which most of the load transmission takes place. This is generally the extension position, or a flexion position close to the extension position. The requirement for substantially perpendicular orientation of the tibial sliding surfaces in this load-transmitting area relative to the axis of rotation has hitherto also been taken into consideration if the direction of the axis of rotation is inclined relative to the tibial axis, so that it is directed not at the ankle joint but at the foot surface (EP-B-410237). The tibial sliding surface is then inclined like the axis of rotation. It slopes down toward the rear. This has considerable drawbacks for the rotational bearing. The rearward inclination of the tibial sliding surface in fact leads to a horizontal force component which loads the rotational bearing with a moment about the horizontal axis and thus exposes it to increased wear.

Coupled knee prosthesis with a rotational bearing


A temperature indication structure for a thermometer includes a temperature indication portion made of a heat conductive layer to receive a heat flow. A structure with temperature indication markings is disposed on or above the temperature indication portion. A reversible temperature-sensitive color changing layer is formed on the temperature indication portion to overlap the structure of the temperature indication markings. The heat conductive layer is adapted to conduct the heat flow to the reversible temperature-sensitive color changing layer, producing a sensed temperature and a color changing zone of the reversible temperature-sensitive color changing layer in response to the sensed temperature thereby exhibiting a corresponding temperature value.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of thermometers, and more particularly to the field of non-mercury non-electronic clinical thermometers.
2. Description of the Related Art
For use in a health care field, a wide variety of materials and methods are available for detecting temperature and temperature changes. The most common example of a temperature indicating device is the mercury bulb thermometer. Bulb thermometers rely on the simple principle that the volume of a liquid expands upon heating and diminishes when cooled. Mercury bulb thermometers have become undesirable since mercury is highly toxic. In fact, many countries are actively banning or limiting the use of mercury and mercury thermometers.
Electronic thermometers generally offer a great number of advantages over conventional glass and mercury thermometers. Among the advantages of electronic thermometers are a digital temperature display to eliminate temperature reading errors; and with proper circuit design and calibration, higher accuracy and resolution is possible with accurate measurement and display of tenths of a degree Fahrenheit being easily attainable.
However, the above electronic thermometers are expensive since they require circuitry and/or processor chip. Furthermore, such electronic thermometers typically use a chemical battery as a power supply. In general, the electronic thermometers are idle for a long time since patients only use the electronic thermometers while they are sick or feel uncomfortable. Thus such electronic thermometers employing a chemical battery as a power supply are not environmentally friendly.

Temperature indication structure of a non-mercury non-electronic clinical thermometer


The present invention relates to a heat dissipation device, which comprises: a fluid, a fluid delivery device, and a circular pipe. The fluid delivery device is for propelling and delivering the fluid, the circular pipe is connected with the fluid delivery device, at least a portion of the circular pipe itself contacting with a heat generation device for conducting heat to the portion of the circular pipe, so as letting the fluid to be delivered by the fluid delivery device for delivering heat to the rest portion of the circular pipe, and to dissipate the heat generation device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat dissipation device and, more particularly, to a heat dissipation device which dissipates a heat generation device through fluid delivery.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, with the rapid development of electronic technology and the demand for consumers on slight, thin, and easy-to-take consumer electronics products, modern electronics products such as tablet computer, laptop computer, mobile phone, or the like portable electronics devices are made toward micro-size gradually. With this, portable electronics devices become easier to be taken for users that often traveling outside, and the convenience is raised abundantly as well.
However, for modern portable electronics devices, in addition to satisfy the abovementioned slight and thin figure, miscellaneous functions are further added thereon. This makes the operation speed of the interior electronic element inside portable electronics devices to be extremely fast. Further, with the effect of the size of the electronic element is small; the heat value of area per unit increases then as well. If the heat energy accumulated on the electronic element cannot be dissipated timely, the stability and efficiency of the electronic element while under operation will be affected severely due to excessively high temperature, and even damage the device or shorten the lifetime of the device.
In order to solve the problem of heat dissipation of portable electronics devices, to install a heat dissipation fan inside the electronic devices is a conventional mean for dissipating the heat of electronics devices, and further for lowering the ambient temperature inside the devices. However, for maintaining the size of the portable electronics devices to be slight and thin and small, the inner free space of the devices is very limited after the essential space covered by circuit layout and other relative electronics elements is subtracted, which implies to install a heat dissipation fan is quite difficult. Moreover, fan with larger size must be chosen for heat dissipation in accordance to the overall heat dissipation efficiency of portable electronics devices, to satisfy the demand of devices on heat dissipation. Therefore, the ordinary position of the interior circuit of portable electronics devices should be altered to match with the fan, this causes the consequence of high cost, and the size of portable electronics devices increases therewith as well. That is, the result does not fit with the consumer's demand for wanting slight, thin, and small portable electronics devices.
Additionally, the conventional fan conducts a great amount of air while under operation, which results in generation of wind shear sound then leads to noise with constant frequency. If a heat dissipation fan is disposed in a conventional slight portable electronics device, then the noise generated by the fan can transmit directly to the external of the device due to factors that the distance the traveling path of noise is shorter and the noise is not blocked by and substance. Therefore, severe noise problem appears, and the noise problem is presently one of the main issues that desired to be overcome by the researchers in the relative technical field.
In addition to portable electronics devices, other general electronics devices are confronting problems of heat dissipation as well due to high order design of the interior electronics elements thereof; for example, the CPU installed in the electronics devices. In order to satisfy the huge demand of consumers and various kind of application software, the circuit layout is more complicated than earlier period. Despite the integrated circuit chip of the CPU provides lots of mighty functions, however, it also consumes a great amount of electrical power due to complicated circuit design. The electrical power causes increment of temperature of the chip, and leads to critical problems. The problem deteriorates even sternly especially for server device.
Generally speaking, in order to make server device to achieve maximum efficiency, it is quite important to transmit heat out of the system rapidly. When the heat accumulates inside the server and cannot be dissipated promptly, this will make electronics elements unable to operate, even makes the entire server device to shut down. Therefore, when a conventional server device is under operation, fan with high wattage is used in order to increase the ability of heat dissipation. In one aspect, although the fan with high wattage can generate a lager amount of wind and can increase the efficiency of heat dissipation, but in another aspect, it generates problem of noise due to its high wattage, electromagnetic pole number, rotation speed, blade number, and etc factors.
In addition to electronics devices and the like heat generation devices, other kinds of heat generation devices such as lighting devices, are confronting the same problems as well. Among various lighting devices, LED contributes tremendously on prevention of greenhouse effect and environmental greening to Earth due to the low amount of CO2 emission during the process of electricity generation. Furthermore, LED meets the demand of environmental protection and energy saving nowadays, and has gradually replace traditional incandescent lamp and fluorescent lamp in lighting industry. However, in order to make LED lighting device to have wider and higher illumination, method such as connecting plural of LEDs in series or in parallel to form a set for traffic signal light, street lamp, vehicle lamp and the like is taken to increase the area of LED, and each LED is to illuminate by electrifying the semiconductor material through the chip. Therefore, when higher illumination is desired for the conventional LED lighting device, higher current consumption it takes, and of course the heat energy generated thereof increases as well. By this, the operation temperature of LED devices increases as well. If the operation temperature exceeds too much, it is possible to weaken the illumination or decrease the lifetime of the devices.
For the reasons described above, how to develop a heat dissipation device with good heat dissipation efficiency, small size, low power consumption, and suitable for portable electronics devices, electronics devices, lighting devices, and the like heat generation devices has become the most desired subject to the field for improving the pending problems caused by conventional technique.


A universal cell, for use in fabricating a custom analog circuit from a standard semiconductor wafer containing a plurality of such cells, includes a semiconductor pocket of a first conductivity type having a surface. At least two regions of second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type are formed laterally spaced from each other in the semiconductor pocket. At least one region of the first conductivity type is then formed in one of the at least two regions of second conductivity type. Electrical interconnects are then provided to interconnect one or more of the at least two regions, the pocket of semiconductor material and the at least one region of the first conductivity type to form a selected structure such as an NPN transistor, a PNP transistor, a resistor or a diode. A plurality of identical cells of this type are formed in a semiconductor die and can be selectively interconnected to form any one of a large number of analog circuits.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a universal semiconductor cell capable of being configured as an NPN transistor, a PNP transistor, a diode or a resistive element and to integrated circuits using one or more of these universal cells.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Semiconductor products are typically classified as standard products (i.e., products designed for general application and available off the shelf from distributors or manufacturers) and custom products (i.e., products uniquely designed for a particular application and customer and available only to that customer). However, a class of intermediate-type products using a standard silicon substrate manufactured in large volume but capable of being configured to suit the particular needs of a customer has been developed to give some of the advantages of high volume production to custom products generally used in quantities less than the high volume required for standard products. A typical product of this type is a gate array. A gate array is fabricated by placing on a base array (manufactured in high volume so as to achieve the economies of large volume production) a unique metallization layer configured to meet the needs of the particular customer, thereby to provide a circuit uniquely suitable for a particular application. A gate array is one example of an application specific integrated circuit (sometimes called an "ASIC"). Typically, ASIC's are used in digital logic where the logic circuit is configured to meet a particular customer's needs by changing the metallization pattern or patterns formed on the standard base array.
While ASIC technology has been commonplace in digital logic, to date linear circuits have not been as easy to implement as ASIC's because linear circuits are generally custom designed for their particular applications. While numerous linear circuits are manufactured as standard products, these circuits are still restricted to particular uses contemplated at the time of their design. Accordingly, there is a need for a linear circuit which is capable of being configured for specific uses which can be manufactured as a standard product in large quantities to achieve the economies of large scale production but which is capable of being configured as a custom product for a particular design.

Universal cell for bipolar NPN and PNP transistors and resistive elements


An improved vegetation trimmer and edging unit for lawn and garden use provides a multi-position front handle, an integral roller edging guide having a flange concentrically located about the motor shaft and being of sufficient diameter to maintain a consistent distance between the cutting plane and the object being edged around, activation switches equally convenient to either operating position, and a power source mounted in a location equally balanced in either operating position. The combination vegetation trimmer and edger unit may be used in a first, horizontal cutting plane position for lawn trimming, and may be further used in a second, vertical cutting plane position for edging.

The present invention relates, generally, to improved vegetation trimmer and edging units for lawn and garden use; and, more specifically, to a combination vegetation trimmer and edging unit, further providing, in a preferred embodiment, a multi-position handle, a roller edging guide with a flange concentrically located about the motor shaft, dual-position activation switches symmetrically located about the central shaft of the unit; and, a power source located symmetrically in-line with the center of the shaft of the unit.
For many years, powered line or blade-type trimmers have been offered for the trimming of lawns, cutting in the horizontal plane. Similarly, powered edgers have been offered for the edging of lawns adjacent to walkways and driveways, cutting in the vertical plane.
Consumers, in their desire to purchase and utilize only one tool for these similar lawn cutting purposes, have attempted to use trimmers of the aforementioned type, intended for use in a horizontal position for grass trimming purposes, in a rotated, vertical plane to function as a lawn edger.
Most of these units have a control handle, containing the activation switches, and an additional front handle for support of the unit""s weight and for use in maneuvering the unit in use. Disadvantageously, however, due to the designs of these handles, many units are not convenient or safe to use for edging. Often only a single front handle position is provided, optimized for use in the lawn trimming horizontal plane. Accordingly, when the unit is held in the edging position, the front handle is generally in an inconvenient and off-balance position. This condition is aggravated by the non-symmetrical positioning of the heavy power source in many units. With such units, a position of balance for trimming will not be a position of balance for edging.
Further contributing to the inconvenience in use of such units in the vertical plane edging position, the activation trigger is frequently located in a position suited only to trimming in the horizontal plane. A switch or trigger that is not in a convenient position raises the dual concerns that the unit might be started by accident, resulting in a unit that is both difficult to use and unsafe, or might be difficult to stop in an emergency situation.
Recent units have been developed that make it more convenient and comfortable for the operator of the unit to more easily hold the unit in the desired vertical edging position. Some such units have devices provided for the rotation of the trimmer head about its shaft, in effect allowing rotation of the cutting plane. Often, however, such rotation devices are cumbersome and inconvenient to use.
For edging use, orientation devices also have been developed to help guide the trimmer with a consistent motion, so as to give the trimmed edge a neat appearance. Many such devices of this type comprise wheel-and-bracket arrangements, rubbing pads, or wire guide loops, configured to hold the trimmer at a relatively consistent position.
Most of the wheel-and-bracket arrangements are of an A-frame type, with wheels mounted on the frame and the frame clamped to the shaft of the trimmer. Some of these types of devices allow the user to loosen the clamp and rotate the trimmer into an edger position. U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,694 to Emoto and U.S. Pat. No. 5, 450,715 to Murray are examples of this kind of device. Some of these devices, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,224,784 to Hansen et al. have the wheels rotated 90 degrees to function as an edging guide. Still other designs have plates clamped to the shaft which held wheels in an edging configuration, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,012 to Claborn. Other devices, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,276 to Miller, are merely axles which bolt to the trimmer.
Through the use of these wheel-and-bracket attachments, the orientation of the cutting plane to the adjacent vertical curbing surface can be controlled in a more consistent manner. Those devices lacking the further enhancement of a vertical-plane feature are less effective, and many of the wheels are so small in diameter that they cannot accommodate imperfections in the reference surface without bounding. In general, these devices can be unwieldy to install, to use, and to store.
These wheel-and-bracket devices are usually low-friction in use, however, making them superior to the high-friction wire loop and rubbing block orientation devices. Such high-friction devices will grab and skip over the reference surface when used, leading to inconsistent results. Additionally, the rubbing block or wire loop features share another disadvantage with the wheel-and-bracket attachments: the edging position, as effected by the orientation device, is dependent upon the operating angle of the trimmer unit. The user must maintain a consistent operational position at all times to avoid a varied edging effect. Line trimmers with these orientation devices, therefore, do not provide a single tool solution to the problem identified by many consumers.
It is, therefore, readily apparent that there is a need for a new and improved combination vegetation trimmer and edging unit, further providing, in a preferred embodiment, two equally-convenient operating and control positions, a power source positioned to allow consistent operating balance in trimming or edging, an integrated, large diameter, vertically-flanged roller edging guide, and dual-position activation switches located about the shaft of the unit; and, in an alternate embodiment, the above-referenced power source including a battery.
It is, therefore, to the provision of such an improved unit that the present invention is directed.
Briefly described, in a preferred embodiment, the present invention both overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages, and meets the recognized needs for such a unit, by providing a vegetation trimmer unit with an operating and control position that changes easily from a position convenient for trimming, to one that is convenient for edging.
The unit, accordingly, is provided preferably with two sets of activation switches which, through their symmetrical location about the control handle of the unit, and when used in association with the multi-position front handle and control handle of the unit, allow the operator to easily flip or rotate the unit into a second operating position (from trimming mode to edging mode and vice versa), and, thereby, to maintain the controls in the exact same position with respect to the operator. In this manner, the convenience to, and safety of, the operator is optimized in either position.
In edging mode, a flanged roller edging guide that is preferably integral to the trimmer housing assembly assists the operator in creating a uniformly-trimmed edge, and eliminates the need for complicated appendages or techniques to perform this function. Advantageous to the present invention, the roller edging guide is integral to the trimmer housing assembly is and concentrically located about the motor shaft. Because of this orientation, the roller edging guide can be of sufficient diameter to allow easy rolling on imperfect reference surfaces, while maintaining a consistent distance between the cutting plane and the object being edged, regardless of the angular orientation of the trimmer with respect to the operator or the working plane.
In a preferred embodiment, the power source (e.g., a battery) for the unit is located in a symmetrical, in-line orientation with respect to the shaft of the unit. This orientation serves to ease the rotation of the unit between control positions, and also facilitates a consistent feel during use in either of the two modes (trimming and edging) of operation. This consistency of feel is manifested in the way that the mass of the power source affects the operational maneuverability of the unit. Accordingly, in either position the unit is equally well balanced.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved combination vegetation trimmer and edger that has a multi-position front handle which may be easily indexed amongst positions equally convenient to either operating position.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved combination vegetation trimmer and edger that has motor activation switches equally convenient to either operating position.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved combination vegetation trimmer and edger that has an edging roller with a flange that is integral to the trimmer housing, which operates to assist the operator in creating a distinct trimmed edge, and which eliminates the need for complicated apparatus to perform this function.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved combination vegetation trimmer and edger wherein the roller edging guide is concentrically located about the motor shaft, and whereby the roller edging guide is of sufficient diameter to allow easy rolling on most surfaces, while maintaining a consistent distance between the cutting plane and the object be edged around.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved combination vegetation trimmer and edger with a power source mounted in a location equally balanced in either operating position.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved combination vegetation trimmer and edger which may easily be used as a conventional trimmer, intended for use in a horizontal position for grass and weed cutting purposes, and then rotated into a vertical plane to function as a lawn edger, all while providing secure and convenient control of the unit in either such position, along with a balanced aspect and safe operation.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying Drawing Figures and to the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment presented herein.


The present invention relates to a touch module including a light emitting part, a light waveguide, a frustration layer, and a light receiving part. The light emitting part emits light and is disposed along a first direction. The light waveguide includes a first side surface and a second side surface and transmits light incident to the first side surface to the second side surface. The light emitting part is disposed on the first side surface, and the second side surface is disposed opposite to the first side surface along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The frustration layer is disposed over the light waveguide and contacts the light waveguide in response to a touch to frustrate a total internal light reflection. The light receiving part is disposed on the second side surface of the light waveguide to detect a position of the touch. The frustration layer includes a plurality of frustration parts, the total internal light reflection is frustrated at a contact surface between a frustration part and the light waveguide, and an area of a first frustration part differs from an area of a second frustration part that is spaced apart from the first frustration part.

1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a touch module, a display device having the touch module and a method for detecting a touch position of the touch module. More particularly, exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a touch module capable of detecting a touch position with high accuracy and speed, a display device is having the touch module, and a method for detecting a touch position of the touch module.
2. Discussion of the Background
Generally, a touch panel is a type of interface between information technology equipment using various displays and a user, and is an input apparatus capable of interfacing with the information technology equipment by direct contact with a finger of the user or a stylus pen.
The touch panel may be intuitively operated by contacting one's finger with a button displayed on the touch panel, so that the touch panel may be widely applied to cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), bank information signs, public offices, medical centers, tourist attractions, and traffic signs, etc., including a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube monitor.
The touch panel may be classified as a resistive/pressure sensitive type, a capacitive/electrostatic type, or an infrared light type, for example, based on the method of operating the touch panel.
The infrared light type touch panel uses infrared light, which is invisible, but rectilinear, and which may be blocked by an obstacle. The infrared light type touch panel may include infrared light emitting diodes (LEDs) as light emitting elements and photo transistors as light receiving elements disposed opposite to the infrared LEDs. Light generated from the infrared LEDs may be blocked when a finger touches a screen, for instance. Then, a cell position at which the light is blocked is detected according to an amount of the light received by the photo transistors.
However, in the infrared light type touch panel, a touched position may be misdetected by variations of an obstacle, an applied pressure/area, or humidity. In addition, is when multi-touches are applied to the touch panel, signal processing may be more complicated, so that signal processing may be delayed and a signal processor may need more components.

Touch module, display device having the touch module, and method for detecting a touch position of the touch module


In a serial communication system having a device including a receiver detection module, this specification is directed to systems and methods for selectively reducing the power consumed by the receiver detection module, preferably when the device is operating in a low power mode. In some embodiments, a signal detection module is configured to receive a control signal from the transmitter of a device at the other end of the communications link to control the operation of the receiver detection module. The control signal may be in-band or may be transmitted on a sideband of the serial link.

Serial communication systems are widely used for the transfer of information between devices. Typically, serial communications involve the use of a serializer block to convert a parallel data source into a serial stream and the associated use of a deserializer block to return the stream to its original state. Generically, such communication systems are known as "SerDes" interfaces. PCI Express (PCIe) is one example of such a serial interconnect technology, promoted by the PCI-SIG (Special Interest Group). PCI Express technology is a low cost, highly scalable, switched, point-to-point, serial I/O interconnect. PCI Express is a layered architecture including at least a transaction layer, a data link layer and a physical layer. The transaction layer is responsible for transporting read/write requests from software to the I/O devices. The data link layer is primarily responsible for ensuring reliable delivery of packets across the PCI Express link. The physical layer (PHY) handles the low level PCI Express protocol and signaling. The PHY layer consists of a dual simplex channel implemented as a transmit and a receive pair. The combination of a transmit and receive pair are commonly referred to as a lane. The current standard, PCI Express 3.0, uses a 128b/130b encoding scheme and an 8 GT/s bit rate to provide a bandwidth capacity of 1 GB/s per lane.
An ongoing trend in the design of modern communications equipment is the drive to increase the power efficiency of the devices. Particularly with mobile devices or other battery-powered devices, greater power efficiency is almost a universally desirable attribute. To that end, various types of power saving mechanisms are often employed.
At a fundamental level, any communications system may be viewed as including a receiver portion and a transmitter portion. With regard to the receiver portion, one power savings strategy is to operate the receiver in one or more low power modes, or power save states, as frequently as practical and for periods of time as long as practical, as opposed to the full power, active state. Although some degradation in overall throughput or latency may occur, this often may be balanced against the power efficiency gained.
In further regard to a communications system embodied as a serial link between a receiver portion and a transmitter portion, these power savings techniques may include the use of a receiver detection module, such as one implementing electrical idle detection logic, configured to receive an appropriate idle signal from the transmitter portion for coordinating a power save state for the serial link. The receiver detection module typically places the receiver in active state on the basis of a first state of the idle signal and places the receiver in power save state on the basis of a second state of the idle signal.
For mobile high-speed data communications, it is desirable to have a high-speed, low-power interface. While PCI Express is recognized as a preferred high-speed interface, PCI Express is not recognized as a low power solution for mobile devices where battery life is critical. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus that significantly reduces the power consumption of PCI Express interfaces and other serial communication systems.

System and method for standby power reduction in a serial communication system


A reference circuit contains a PTAT (Proportional To Absolute Temperature) core. In the PTAT core there is a difference between the currents densities flowing through a first and second transistor. This difference results in a difference in junction voltage in the first and second transistor. The currents are adjusted by a local feedback loop in proportion to one another until the difference in junction voltage equals a voltage drop across a resistor. According to the invention the currents to both transistors are supplied by current sources, and the currents are adjusted by deviating a fraction of the supplied current from the transistors. This makes it possible to reference all control voltages for the transistors and the local feedback loop to the same supply connection, which increases the stability and power supply rejection of the circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electronic circuit with a voltage and/or current reference circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
Such a circuit is known from an article titled "New class of high-performance PTAT current sources", by H. C.Nauta and E. H.Nordholt, published in Electronics letters Vol. 21 No. 9 pages 384 to 386, April 1985 (the Nauta article). FIG. 1 shows a PTAT reference circuit disclosed in the Nauta article.
At the core of this PTAT reference circuit are two transistors and a resistor. Furthermore, the circuit disclosed in the Nauta article uses two (high impedance) current sources. The current sources on the one hand and the transistors and the resistor on the other hand are connected to opposite power supply poles. Thus the current sources are able to supply proportionally adjustable currents I to the transistors and the resistor (that is, the currents are adjusted so that the proportion between these currents remains fixed).
The PTAT reference circuit makes use of the logarithmic relation between base emitter voltage Vbe and junction current density i of bipolar transistors: EQU Vbe=kT/q log i/i0
Here "log" is the natural logarithm and i0 is a standard current density which is substantially the same for any transistor. In the known PTAT reference circuit unequal current densities i1, i2 (where i1=n*i2) are supplied to two transistors by supplying the same current I to two transistors whose junction area differs by a factor n. As a result, there is a fixed difference dV between the base emitter voltages in the two transistors: EQU dV=kT/q log n
At the same time, the current I is fed through a resistor R, so that a voltage drop IR occurs through the resistor. A feedback loop adjusts the current supplied by the current sources so that the voltage drop compensates the dV difference between the junction. i.e. so that EQU IR=kT/q log n
Thus a reference current I is obtained.
The circuit disclosed in the Nauta article uses two (high impedance) current sources to supply the current I to the two transistors. This is in contrast to more conventional reference circuit designs, which use the (low impedance) input and (high impedance) output of a current mirror to supply the current I to respective ones of the transistors. By the use of two high impedance current sources, the Nauta article achieves high accuracy because it overcomes the detrimental consequences (e.g. supply voltage dependence) of the Early effect on the accuracy of the reference circuit.
However, it has been found that the reference circuit disclosed in the Nauta article has a potential instability problem, which can be overcome only by cumbersome additional circuits such as adding a relatively large capacitor between point A and Vnn. This capacitor undoes the elimination of the detrimental consequences of the Early effect at higher frequencies, because it causes an imbalance between the loads of the current sources; moreover the capacitor takes up circuit space.

Voltage and/or current reference circuit


An imaging apparatus for capturing images, and arranging a plurality of captured images in a plurality of pages of an electronic document receives instructions for starting and cancelling a predetermined grouping status in response to operations of a user, stores and associates the captured images acquired in the predetermined status with the image frames in the same page among the plurality of pages, and stores the data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and more particularly relates to an imaging apparatus for creating an album while performing image capturing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, for a digital camera that can create an album while capturing images, a technique for creating the album by displaying a through-the-lens image received from an image capturing unit in an image frame on a template is provided.
In creating the album while capturing the images, the user may want to arrange the images sequentially captured in an intended period in the same page. However, in the known technique, the user can only arrange the captured images on the certain template, and the plurality of captured images the user wants to arrange together is placed in different pages. Accordingly, it is not possible to create the album as the user intends.

Imaging apparatus, control method of the apparatus, and program


A method of forming an interconnect structure for semiconductor devices is described. The method comprises depositing an etch stop layer on a substrate by physical vapor deposition followed by in situ deposition of a metal layer on the etch stop layer. The in situ deposition comprises flowing a plasma processing gas into the chamber and exciting the plasma processing gas into a plasma to deposit the metal layer on the etch stop layer on the substrate. The substrate is continuously under vacuum and is not exposed to ambient air during the deposition processes.

Interconnect structures, such as personal computers, workstations, computer servers, mainframes and other computer related equipment such as printers, scanners and hard disk drives use logic and memory devices that provide substantial data storage capability and capacity, while incurring low power consumption. The scaling of features has been a driving force behind an ever growing semiconductor industry. Scaling to smaller and smaller features enables increased densities of functional units on the limited real estate of semiconductor chips. For example, shrinking transistor size allows for the incorporation of an increased number of memory or logic devices on a chip, lending to the fabrication of products with increased capacity. The drive for ever-more capacity, however, is not without issue. The necessity to optimize the performance of each device becomes increasingly significant.
On-chip electrical interconnections have previously been produced using "dual-damascene" fabrication techniques in which apertures are created through various layers of the device structure, and the apertures are filled with a conductive material to form the interconnects between layers and between device features located on individual layers. Dual-damascene can allow formation of vias (Vx) that are self-aligned with the above metal line (Mx). For chips which are based on 50 nm pitch (25 nm half-pitch dimension) and smaller feature sizes, however, there are gap fill and resistivity constraints which make it impractical to use the "dual-damascene" fabrication techniques which have previously been relied upon.
Accordingly, there is a need for a processing method that improve line resistance and via resistance.

Methods and devices for subtractive self-alignment


Novel peptides having inhibitor activity toward the binding of motor neurons to s-laminin are disclosed which are selected from the group consisting of EQU AEKQLREQVGDQYQTVRALAE. and fragments thereof containing the essential sequence LRE.

This invention relates to novel peptides and, more particularly, to short synthetic peptides that block cell attachment to s-laminin.
S-laminin is a .about.190 kDa laminin-like glycoprotein that is concentrated in synaptic basal laminae. See Hunter et al, Nature 338, 229-234 (1989). S-laminin may play a role in the selective reinnervation of original synaptic sites and/or in the differentiation of axons into nerve terminals at these sites. This theory is supported by the homology of s-laminin to the .beta.1 subunit of laminin, which is known to be a major neurite outgrowth-promoting component of basal laminae.
It has been previously reported that neurons from embryonic chick ciliary ganglia adhere to a recombinant protein that consists of the C-terminal 40% of s-laminin fused to a 10 amino acid fragment of a phage capsid protein. See Hunter et al., supra. However, the essential motor neuron-attachment site of s-laminin has not been identified or described heretofore.

Peptide inhibitors of motor neuron attachment to s-laminin


The gage has a body made of flat plate which has a reference edge. Another edge is a gage edge which is angular and defines a sharp apex away from the gage edge. A foot is slidable along the gage edge to rotate the gage body around the sharp apex pivot. Indicia indicate the angle at different foot positions.

This invention is directed to an angle setting and measurement gage, which is a 2-piece structure which can be set to accurately define and measure angles and particularly small angles.
In the trades and crafts, such as metal working and wood working, it becomes necessary to set two parts in a very accurate angular position. Existing protractors do not have the required accuracy. At present, one manner in which precise angles are set is to employ precision angular gage blocks. The artisan must stack many of these dedicated angular blocks together to achieve the desired angles. Another method is to use sine bars. These very precise bars are used in conjunction with linear gage blocks. The artisan is required to employ trigonometric calculations to achieve the desired angle of the sine bar. Either of these methods of measuring or setting an angle becomes very time-consuming. In addition, the accurate gage blocks required are quite expensive. The same kind of system is used in both the setting of the angle and the measuring of an existing angle. The measurement works in the opposite manner, with the assembly of accurate gage bars to the angle presented by existing parts. Either the setting of an angle or measuring an angle is time-consuming by employing the present-day gage blocks.
It is helpful to provide a gage which can be easily used to set an angle or measure the angle between existing parts, with the angle measurement being done with great accuracy, even at small angles.
In order to aid in the understanding of this invention, it can be stated in essentially summary form that it is directed to an angle setting and measurement gage which has a body which is conveniently configured as a flat plate. The body has a reference edge and a base edge. The base edge has an apex which serves as a contact pivot on a supporting surface. A foot of known height is positioned under the base edge away from the apex to define a triangle. The height of the foot defines the opposite side; the distance from the apex to the top of the foot along the base edge defines the hypotenuse; while the distance from the apex to the bottom of the foot along the supporting surface defines the adjacent. Thus, the positioning of the foot along the base edge controls the angle of the reference edge with respect to the supporting surface. The body may have several reference edges, which have a known fixed angle with respect to each other.
It is, thus, a purpose and advantage of this invention to provide an angle setting and measurement gage which is economic of construction, easy to use and which can accurately set and measure angles.
It is another purpose and advantage of this invention to provide an angle setting and measurement gage which is of simple construction so that it can be accurately manufactured to provide accuracy in the gage.
It is another purpose and advantage of this invention to provide an angle setting and measurement gage which is particularly useful in setting small angles on a scroll saw or table saw.
Other purposes and advantages of this invention will be noted from the study of the following portion of the preferred embodiment and the attached claims.


Global Internet of things (IoT) quality of service (QoS) is provided through self-forming, self-healing, and/or collaborative edge IoT gateways. Moreover, global IoT services are provided by logically extending cellular networks with roaming partners to backhaul, track, and/or manage the globally deployed edge IoT gateways. In one aspect, real-time QoS and/or monitoring capabilities for the global IoT services can be provided through a communication between the edge IoT gateways and an edge gateway controller deployed within a cloud. The edge IoT gateways form a structured mesh network to coordinate workload execution under control of the edge gateway controller, which can facilitate a highly efficient QoS and/or SLA management for mobile IoT sensors, to provide a secure monitoring and/or diagnostic capability for the global IoT services.

Internet of things (IoT) technology holds a great promise for the future of the global communications industry. As the number of connected devices that can establish connectivity with other devices and/or passive objects to exchange data continues to rise steadily, the IoT technology gains widespread proliferation in the information technology industry. With an anticipated projection of over 20 billion devices in the next few years, service providers, network providers and/or cloud providers will observe a net increase in their traffic handling capabilities. This can help the providers enable new IoT services tailored to targeted industry verticals. While there are several ongoing competitive developments in the IoT domain, some key areas where there is an immediate focus include smart city, transportation and/or utility services, virtual and augmented reality, etc. Low power wide area networking technologies using third generation partnership project (3GPP) defined standards and their ongoing evolution towards fifth generation (5G) seem to provide a solid framework to support such massive IoT initiatives.
Conventional network providers offer IoT services nationally (e.g., within the United States) and have complete control of the network within the country to efficiently manage a service level agreement (SLA). However, offering IoT service internationally, can create new challenges for network providers with regards to QoS/SLA management.
The above-described background relating to mobility networks is merely intended to provide a contextual overview of some current issues and is not intended to be exhaustive. Other contextual information may become further apparent upon review of the following detailed description.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Global internet of things (IoT) quality of service (QoS) realization through collaborative edge gateways


The invention relates to an image-formation optical system that meets both demands for high performance and compactness, and an imaging system that incorporates the same. The imaging system is built up of an image-formation optical system comprises, in order from its object side, an aperture stop S, a first positive single lens L1 wherein the absolute value of the axial radius curvature of its image side-surface is smaller than that of its object side-surface, a second negative single lens L2 wherein the absolute value of the axial radius curvature of its image side-surface is smaller than that of its object side-surface and a third positive single lens L3, three single lenses in all, and an image pickup device located on the image plane I of the image-formation optical system.

The present invention relates generally to an image-formation optical system and an imaging system that incorporates the same. More particularly, the invention is concerned with imaging systems such as digital still cameras, digital video cameras, small-format cameras mounted on cellular phones and personal computers, and surveillance cameras or the like, all harnessing solid-state image pickup devices, e.g., CCDs or CMOSs,
In recent years, electronic cameras using solid-state image pickup devices such as CCDs or CMOSs to take subject images have come into wide use in place of silver-halide film cameras. For imaging systems mounted on portable computers, cellular phones, etc. among those electronic cameras, size and weight reductions are especially demanded.
Some conventional image-formation optical systems used with such imaging systems are made up of one or two lenses. With those optical systems, however, any high performance is not expectable because of their inability to correct field curvature, as already known from discussions about aberrations. To achieve high performance, therefore, it is required to use three or more lenses.
Referring on the other hand to a CCD, as off-axis light beams leaving an image-formation lens system are incident on an image plane at too large an angle, a microlens fails to perform its own light-condensation capability, offering a problem that the brightness of an image changes extremely between the central and the peripheral portion of the image. Thus, the angle of incidence of light on the CCD, that is, the position of an exit pupil becomes important in view of design. To an optical system comprising fewer lenses, the position of an aperture stop becomes important.
Among image-formation lenses with these problems taken into account, there is a triplet type with a stop located at the front, as set forth typically in the following patent publications 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
However, all those prior arts have problems in conjunction with performance and size.
Patent Publication 1
JP-A 1-144007
Patent Publication 2
JP-A 2-191907
Patent Publication 3
JP-A 4-153612
Patent Publication 4
JP-A 5-188284
Patent Publication 5
JP-A 9-288235
Patent Publication 6
JP-A 2001-75006

Image-formation optical system, and imaging system incorporating the same


A method for determining a scanning ratio for a characteristic curve for the operation of an electromechanical valve for a camshaft adjuster in which an ambient temperature and a relative motion of a camshaft are determined at a reference point. In accordance with a specific ambient temperature and other operating conditions such as e.g., engine rpm, a holding scanning ratio is determined. Subsequently, at least one additional scanning ratio of an operating state is determined for a scanning ratio characteristic for the valve.

The present invention relates to the field of camshaft adjusters. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for determining a scanning ratio for a characteristic curve for the operation of an electromechanical valve of a camshaft adjuster, to a computer program product for a motor controller, and to a data carrier with a corresponding computer program product.
For controlling a gas exchange, in a four-stroke combustion engine, a camshaft or control shaft is driven at half the engine speed of the crankshaft. Using its cams, the camshaft opens the gas-exchange valves constructed separately for pushing out the combusted gases and drawing in the fresh gases against the pressure in the cylinder and against the forces of the valve springs. The valves are activated in that the cams activate the valves mechanically. For this purpose, the camshaft is mounted in the combustion engine such that the cams mounted on the camshaft contact cam followers, for example, cup tappets, rocker arms, or finger levers that are in active connection, in turn, with the valves.
The coupling of a camshaft with the crankshaft is produced by a timing chain, a control belt, or a gear pair. Through this essentially rigid coupling, a fixed phase relationship is set between the rotation of the camshaft and the rotation of the crankshaft.
However, it has been shown that it can be advantageous for the operation of a combustion engine, in particular, with respect to fuel consumption and increase in power, to adjust this fixed phase relationship between the camshaft and the crankshaft during the operation of the motor. Through hydraulic or electric camshaft adjustment systems it is possible to adjust the phase relationship between the camshaft and the crankshaft when necessary. A hydraulic camshaft adjustment system has a camshaft adjuster and a valve. The camshaft adjuster operates according to the principle of vane cells and is placed between the control drive and the camshaft to be adjusted. For the case when there is no oil pressure in the combustion engine, e.g., when the motor is starting up, the camshaft adjuster still has mechanical locking. The locking position is located at an angular position within the adjustment region of the camshaft adjuster. The valve can be provided in the form of a central valve and controls the exchange of oil between the camshaft adjuster and the oil circuit of the motor. It is arranged in the center of the rotor. The arrangement of a valve in the motor, e.g., in the cylinder head, is also possible.
As soon as oil circulates around the central valve, the locking mechanism that connects a stator and a rotor of the camshaft adjustment system detaches in an undesired way, by which the rotor that is connected to the crankshaft can rotate relative to the stator that is connected to the crankshaft by the control drive.
A valve for a device for changing the control time of a combustion engine is known from the publication DE 10 2004 038 252 A1. Variable valve time behavior control devices are also known from the publications US 2002/0124821 A1 and US 2003/0010303 A1.
Known valves can produce incorrect adjustments during operation. The incorrect adjustment can lead to an uncontrolled opening of the locking, so-called middle locking, by which, for example, undesired noises could be generated in the camshaft adjustment system. These noises negatively influence the driving comfort of the vehicle.

Method for determining a scanning ratio for a valve for a camshaft adjuster


In the present invention an electronic package assembly includes an integrated circuit positioned on a substrate. The substrate has substantially horizontal layers including horizontal signal wires having vertical thicknesses and resistance. In a preferred embodiment, first and second vertical thicknesses of the signal wires alternate from the top to the bottom of the substrate such that the signal wires with greater vertical thicknesses have lower resistance than the signal wires would typically have. A plurality of substantially vertical conductive vias traverse the horizontal layers such that the vertical conductive vias connect to the integrated circuit and connect with at least one of the horizontal signal wires. A circuit board positioned beneath the substrate includes connection members for connecting with, and terminating the vertical conductive vias.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic packages including an electrical component connected to a substrate having a plurality of substantially vertical and horizontal signal wires distributed through the substrate, and more particularly, to an electronic package having an integrated circuit connected to a substrate having a plurality of substantially vertical and horizontal signal wires distributed through the substrate and defining multiple layers in the substrate terminating at a circuit board.
2. Description of Related Art
Current electronic packages may include multiple signal wires which define layers in a substrate The wiring layers within the substrate may be of varying widths and lengths. Each layer may offer specific wiring density and resistance attributes. Signal wires in a given layer may be manufactured with a low density and a low resistance by, for example, using large width wires. Further, signal wires may be manufactured having a high density and a high resistance by, for example, using small width wires. Generally, high density wiring allows fewer wiring layers, however, low resistance wiring results in better performance. Typically, about twelve to twenty layers of signal wires are in the substrate. Commonly, reference metal or reference material is also positioned in one or more layers in the substrate to provide current from a power supply outside the electronic package, and an electrical return path.
Typically, an electrical component, such as a die or integrated circuit is positioned on the package substrate. The integrated circuit has electrical contacts which contact the package substrate. Once positioned on the package substrate, the integrated circuit defines a die shadow on the package substrate generally equal to the perimeter of the die or integrated circuit. The electrical contacts may include, for example, solder balls. Thin signal wires may be used to enhance signal wire density in the package substrate proximate to the electrical contacts of the integrated circuit. The signal wires themselves can vary in thickness as they pass through the substrate.
Known in the art are multi-layered circuit boards having signal wiring conductors arranged on a first or second insulating layer, and signal wiring conductors arranged on a third or fourth insulating layer. The insulating layers are sequentially overlayed by arranging the signal wiring conductors on the same insulating layers substantially parallel to each other. Wiring conductors can also be arranged in parallel while interposing an insulating layer therebetween. The wiring on successive insulating layers may intersect at right angles using signal wires or vias. Ground and power wiring conductors are connected using conductors distributed through the insulating layers.
Other known devices include printed wiring boards including first and second overlapping boards. A conductive wiring pattern is formed on a portion of the first flexible board including an inspectional land used to inspect the conductive pattern on the flexible board. The first and second flexible boards overlap such that the conductive wiring pattern and the inspectional land do not overlap each other in a direction parallel to a plane which is parallel to the first and second flexible boards.
There are disadvantages of the known methods described herein for connecting integrated circuits or electrical components through the substrate to terminate at the circuit board or termination structure. The desire to increase the density of signal wires connected to the electrical connections of, for example, the integrated circuit leads to thinner signal wires, having undesirable resistance attributes. Thus, the known devices typically include thin or small width signal wires in congested areas resulting in undesirably high resistance in the signal wires in those areas in the package substrate. Also, other devices may provide a signal wire starting with a thin, narrow layer which may widen or increase in thickness or width. However, one of the disadvantages of this method is a low resulting characteristic impedance.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electronic packaging device having increased signal wire density with lower signal wire resistance.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic packaging device which provides communicating signal wires of varying thicknesses and positioning in a substrate.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an electronic packaging device having multiple reference planes.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of electronic packaging having increased signal wire density with lower signal wire resistance.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of electronic packaging providing signal wires having multiple thicknesses.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of electronic packaging having multiple reference planes.
An electronic package device connected to a power source which comprises an electrical component including a plurality of connection elements on a surface thereof. A substrate having top and bottom surfaces is positioned beneath the electrical component and adapted to receive the connection elements of the electrical component on the top surface thereof. The substrate defines a plurality of horizontal layers, and a plurality of substantially horizontal conductive signal wires traversing the substrate along the horizontal layers in the substrate such that a first horizontal signal wire travels along a first substantially horizontal layer. The first signal wire includes a first vertical thickness which may be less than about 150 microns, and a first resistance measurement. A second horizontal signal wire travels along a second horizontal layer positioned beneath the first horizontal layer. The second signal wire has a second vertical thickness greater than the first vertical thickness of the first horizontal signal wire, and may also be less than about 150 microns, and a second resistance being lower than the first resistance of the first horizontal signal wire. At least one substantially horizontal reference plane is within the substrate along one of the substantially horizontal layers. The reference plane includes a vertical thickness and the power source is connected to the horizontal reference plane. The device further includes a plurality of substantially vertical conductive vias having a specified diameter, and at least one of the conductive vias may communicate with a multiplicity of the horizontal signal wires. The plurality of substantially vertical vias may have a diameter being less than about 120 microns, and include a first vertical via traversing the first and second horizontal layers such that the first via connects to the connection element and connects to at least one of the horizontal signal wires. An insulated board having connection members is positioned beneath the substrate such that the vertical conductive vias terminate and connect to the connection members.
In a related aspect the first and second vertical thickness of the first and second horizontal signal wire are between about 1-150 microns.
In another related aspect the diameter of the vertical conductive vias are between about 3-120 microns.
In still another related aspect the plurality of reference planes include reference planes having different voltages from one another.
In yet another related aspect the reference planes each have a voltage and the reference planes having a substantially similar voltage are connected.
In another related aspect the horizontal signal wires are positioned between at least two of the reference planes such that the first signal wire is positioned between a first reference plane and a second reference plane. The first reference plane is positioned along the first layer and includes a first vertical thickness, and the second reference plane is positioned along the second layer and includes a second vertical thickness.
In yet another related aspect the substrate includes a plurality of reference planes such that the vertical thickness of the reference planes increases as the reference planes are nearer the bottom of the substrate.
In still another related aspect the plurality of the conductive signal wires alternate thicknesses such that the first signal wire including the first vertical thickness and the second signal wire including the second vertical thickness and a third horizontal signal wire traveling along a third substantially horizontal layer positioned beneath the second horizontal layer in the substrate includes a third vertical thickness substantially equal to the first vertical thickness and a fourth horizontal signal wire travels along a fourth substantially horizontal layer positioned beneath the third horizontal layer in the substrate and includes a fourth vertical thickness substantially equal to the second vertical thickness.
In another related aspect the substrate includes a plurality of the reference planes being coincident with the plurality of layers.
In another aspect of the present invention, an electronic package device connected to a power source comprises an integrated circuit including a plurality of connection elements on a surface thereof. A substrate has top and bottom surfaces being positioned beneath the integrated circuit and is adapted to receive the connection elements of the integrated circuit on the top surface thereof. The substrate defines a plurality of horizontal layers. A plurality of substantially horizontal conductive signal wires traversing the substrate along the horizontal layers in the substrate such that a first horizontal signal wire travels along a first substantially horizontal layer. The first signal wire includes a first vertical thickness of less than about 150 microns and a first resistance. A second horizontal signal wire travels along a second horizontal layer positioned beneath the first horizontal layer in the substrate. The second signal wire has a second vertical thickness being greater than the first vertical thickness of the first horizontal signal wire, and a second resistance is lower than the first resistance of the first signal wire. A plurality of reference planes are within the substrate along the substantially horizontal layers and include a vertical thickness, the horizontal signal wires are positioned between at least two of the reference planes such that the first signal wire is positioned between a first reference plane having a first vertical thickness, and a second reference plane having a second vertical thickness. The first reference plane is positioned along the first layer and the second reference plane is positioned along the second layer. At least one of the plurality of reference planes includes conductive metal for connecting to and receiving current from the power source. The device includes a plurality of substantially vertical conductive vias having a specified diameter of less than about 100 microns. The plurality of substantially vertical conductive vias include a first vertical via traversing the first and second horizontal layers such that the first vertical conductive via connects to the connection elements of the integrated circuit and connects with at least one of the horizontal signal wires. A circuit board has connection members and is positioned beneath the substrate such that the vertical conductive vias connect and terminate with the connection members of the circuit board.
In a related aspect the plurality of reference planes include different voltages from one another.
In another related aspect the reference planes each have a voltage value and the reference planes having a substantially similar voltage value are connected.
In still another related aspect at least one of the vertical vias communicates with a multiplicity of the horizontal signal wires.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of electronic packaging comprises providing an integrated circuit having a plurality of connection elements positioned on a surface thereof. A substrate is provided and positioned beneath the integrated circuit and coupled to the connection elements of the integrated circuit. The substrate defines a plurality of horizontal layers. The method provides a plurality of substantially horizontal conductive signal wires along the horizontal layers in the substrate such that a first horizontal signal wire has a vertical thickness and a second horizontal signal wire has a vertical thickness being greater than the vertical thickness of the first signal line. A plurality of reference planes are provided within the substrate along the substantially horizontal layers and include a vertical thickness. At least one of the plurality of reference planes are connected to the power source wherein the reference plane includes conductive metal for receiving current from the power source. A plurality of substantially vertical conductive vias are provided having a specified diameter. The plurality of substantially vertical conductive vias include a first vertical via traversing the first and second horizontal layers such that the first vertical conductive via connects to the connection elements of the integrated circuit and connects with at least one of the horizontal signal wires. A circuit board having connection members is positioned beneath the substrate such that the vertical conductive vias connect and terminate to the connection members of the circuit board. The plurality of vias are connected to at least one of the horizontal signal wires including a first via traversing the first and second horizontal layers connecting to the connection element and connecting to the first horizontal signal wire.
In a related aspect the reference planes each have a voltage value and the reference planes having a substantially similar voltage value are connected.
In another related aspect, after the step of providing a plurality of substantially horizontal reference planes, horizontal signal wires are positioned between at least two of the plurality of reference planes such that the first signal wire is positioned between a first reference plane having a first vertical thickness and a second reference plane having a second vertical thickness. The first reference plane is positioned along the first layer and the second reference plane is positioned along the second layer.
In yet another related aspect, the plurality of reference planes include different voltages from one another.

Electronic package having high density signal wires with low resistance

International Business Machines Corporation


A new oscilloscope design improves the processing of acquired voltage-versus-time data through the efficient high speed acquisition and rasterization of such data into a form that includes multiple-bits-per-pixel intensity information. The multi-bit-per-pixel variable intensity rasterizer is optimized for maximum throughput and most efficient use of memory bandwidth. In the presence of faltering trigger rates, rasterization interruption provides a high probability of capturing the data associated with the slow triggers. Circuitry is provided to compensate for acquisition time and amplitude non-linearities. Many-bits-per-pixel intensity information is mapped into a fewer-bits-per-pixel format by a controllable transfer function that provides multiple viewing capabilities for the operator. Another mode of operation emphasizes infrequent events over commonly occurring ones using variations in brightness or color.

Digital oscilloscopes generally use raster scan displays to present the activity of electrical signals to their users. Each raster scan display, such as those seen every day on computer screens, consists of a two dimensional array of pixels, with each pixel location being uniquely defined by a row number and column number. The simplest and lowest cost versions of such displays are "single bit" displays, in that the memory from which they derive the information to be displayed only has one bit of intensity information associated with each pixel. In such a display that single bit of information determines whether the pixel associated with it is either "on" or "off", with "on" dictating that a predetermined amount of intensity is to be used to illuminate the pixel and "off" indicating that the pixel is not to be illuminated at all.
The more complex and expensive alternative to a single bit display is a multi-bit display, which can provide variable intensity (also known as "gray-scale") or color variations as a substitute indicator of brightness. The memory locations associated with each pixel of a variable intensity display contain multiple bits of intensity information, indicating the number of varying intensity levels with which they can be illuminated. Like the pixels of single bit displays, those of multi-bit displays can exhibit an "off" or dark state, but instead of one value of illumination, they have multiple values. Typically, the number of values available is 2.sup.N -1, where N is the memory depth at each address of the raster memory. Thus, for example, a four bit deep raster scan memory can support fifteen levels of partial through maximum illumination, as well as the dark or "off" state. Pixel intensity can also be translated into differing colors, as well as intensity or "brightness".
With this larger amount of data, multi-bit displays can convey more information about the behavior of electrical signal waveforms under observation, particularly if the signal is not perfectly repetitive and therefore has less activity in some portions than others. U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,931 to Katayama et al. for "Digital Waveform Measuring Apparatus Having A Shading-tone Display", hereby incorporated by reference, describes a system for producing digital variable intensity displays.
Typically, digital oscilloscopes acquire information about the behavior of a circuit node by periodically sampling the voltage present at the node. The oscilloscope probe tip is placed in contact with the node and the probe and front end of the oscilloscope precisely replicate the signal, or some predetermined fraction or multiple of the signal, and present it to an analog-to-digital converter. The output of the analog-to-digital converter is a series of multi-bit digital words that are stored in an acquisition memory. Successively acquired samples are stored at sequentially related addresses in the acquisition memory, and are thereby related to a time scale. Those addresses will eventually be converted back to a time scale, one of which is represented as horizontal distance along the x-axis of the oscilloscope's raster scan display.
In a typical digital oscilloscope, voltage amplitude values derived from the data contents of an acquisition memory location determine the vertical location (row number) of an illuminated pixel, while time values derived from the addresses of the acquisition memory determine the horizontal location (column number). The process of expanding the contents and addresses of an acquisition memory to produce contents for a two dimensional raster memory is known as "rasterization".
The output of a rasterization process is usually combined with some preexisting content of a raster memory, and the resulting composite raster contents may thereafter be regularly subjected to some sort of decay process. For more information about digital persistence and decay, refer to the following U.S. patents, hereby incorporated by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,676 to Alappat et al. for "Raster Scan Waveform Display Rasterizer With Pixel Intensity Gradation"; U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,896 to Alappat et al. for "Rasterscan Display With Adaptive Decay"; U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,983 to Long et al. for "Digitally Synthesized Gray Scale For Raster Scan Oscilloscope Displays".
For any particular combination of settings of the oscilloscope display and acquired waveform data, there will be some function that maps the acquired data points into the time (x-axis) versus voltage (y-axis) display raster. That mapping function will include some ratio between the number of samples to be mapped and the number of pixel columns in the raster display. While that ratio can be 1:1, it will usually be N:1 or 1:N If there are more data points than columns of pixels into which they must be mapped, some form of data compression and/or decimation will be utilized. Decimation means discarding all but every Nth data point, thereby forgoing part of the available information. Compression, on the other hand, means mapping data from multiple time locations in the acquisition memory into one horizontal location, i.e., a single column of pixels, in the raster scan display. If there are fewer data points than columns of pixels, i.e., the 1:N case above, then some sort of interpolation or equivalent time sampling is generally used. In the case of the present inventions, equivalent time sampling, which will be discussed in much greater detail below, is used.
For many years, digital oscilloscopes were limited in the percentage of activity at the probe tip that they effectively processed and displayed for the user. Although less sophisticated users and those who were only familiar with analog oscilloscopes had the impression that they were seeing most or all of the activity at their digital oscilloscope's probe tip, in many circumstances the display was really only showing a small percentage of the actual activity occurring there. This was because these oscilloscopes spent a lot more time processing signals than they did acquiring them. If a signal is perfectly repetitive, this loss of "live time" is not a problem, since one waveform looks just like another. However, when a signal is displaying some sort of intermittent anomalous behavior, a low percentage of live time may prevent such an anomaly from being detected. Therefore, increasing the waveform throughput and the percentage of signal activity at the probe tip that can actually be observed by the user has increasingly been the goal of the more recent digital oscilloscope designs. U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,579 to Meadows, et al. for "Slow Display Method for Digital Oscilloscope With Fast Acquisition System", hereby incorporated by reference, describes an oscilloscope system in which acquisitions are composited into alternating (also known as "ping-ponging") display buffers, so that while the contents of one display buffer is being used as the source of data being displayed, the other one is being used to gather and composite more data. However, the slow display of the design described in this patent only provided a single bit of intensity data per pixel and therefore had no analog-like gray scaling, i.e., variable intensity, capability.
The capability of processing a large number of waveforms is a highly desirable feature in a digital oscilloscope. U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,454 to Etheridge et al. for "Digital Oscilloscope Architecture For Signal Monitoring With Enhanced Duty Cycle", herein incorporated by reference, describes an oscilloscope that is capable of acquiring up to 400,000 waveforms per second when each waveform record is short and the frequency of trigger events is high enough. This oscilloscope somewhat emulates analog oscilloscope performance with a "live time" percentage that varies from about 6% to nearly 99%, depending on the timebase settings, number of channels turned on, and trigger event availability.
The speed of the architecture described in the Etheridge '454 patent was attained by using two raster memories, one in the acquisition system and the other in the display system. The first of these raster memories, referred to as the "raster acquisition memory", was almost constantly supplied with acquired waveforms. These waveforms were rasterized and composited into this raster acquisition memory nearly as quickly as they were acquired by a high speed acquisition rasterizer and similarly rapid image combiner. After many waveforms had been thus composited, the contents of the single-bit per pixel raster acquisition memory was transferred to a multiple-bit-per-pixel display raster memory, where it was combined with previously displayed data. The contents of that display raster memory were subject to a digital persistence control, such as that described above, and the intensity of each pixel was thereby decayed over time.
For many users, especially those having some experience with analog oscilloscopes, variable brightness usefully communicates information about the activity of the signal being observed. Many of these users have had a strong preference for some behaviors that resemble those of analog oscilloscopes. For example, as an analog oscilloscope generates vertical excursions during a horizontal sweep interval to provide a real-time picture of the signal activity at the probe tip, they inherently tend to vary the brightness of the display as an inverse function of the slope of the line they produce. This occurs because the cathode electron gun of the CRT generates a constant supply of electrons that depends on the setting of a "brightness" control, and the length of the trajectory covered in a unit of time is minimally determined by the x-axis distance associated with any particular sweep speed, but is increased by any and all y-axis excursions. And a y-axis excursion can be a large multiple of the corresponding x-axis distance, so the constant available electron beam energy can be reduced by a large factor as it is spread over this much longer distance. Thus, analog oscilloscopes inherently vary the brightness of the line they draw as an inverse function of the slope of that line.
Another even more highly desired feature of an analog oscilloscope or a digital oscilloscope with a high waveform throughput, is the ability to detect an intermittent signal anomaly that occurs in an otherwise repetitive signal. Older digital oscilloscopes, with low "live time" make observing intermittent signal activity improbable, at least in the absence of special trigger modes designed to detect certain classes of intermittent signal activity. Analog oscilloscopes will show a faint trace indicating the presence of this intermittently anomalous signal behavior. Of course, if the signal becomes too intermittent, the trace will be so faint in brightness that it may be missed entirely by the oscilloscope operator.
What is desired is a digital oscilloscope architecture that can rapidly acquire and rasterize very large numbers of waveform records, compositing and compressing them as appropriate with a maximum of efficiency, into a variable intensity representation, and efficiently move those representations into a suitable display section without waste of resources or loss of speed.

High waveform throughput digital oscilloscope with variable intensity rasterizer and variable intensity or color display


An image forming apparatus controls a semiconductor laser such that first and second light beams among multiple light beams are successively incident on a BD sensor and measures the time interval between BD signals that correspond to the first and second light beams and are output from the BD sensor. Two light emitting elements that output two light beams for which the ratio between the light powers of two light beams detected by the detection unit falls within a predetermined range are set as light emitting elements that are to emit the first and second light beams when the time interval is to be measured. This suppresses measurement errors when measuring the interval between light beams emitted from two light emitting elements and improves correction accuracy for the image writing start positions of the light emitting elements.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there are known to be optical scanning apparatuses included in image forming apparatuses which employ a method of using a polygon mirror to deflect a group of light beams emitted from a semiconductor laser that includes multiple light emitting elements (light emitting units) and irradiate a photosensitive member (photosensitive drum) with the deflected light beams. With this kind of optical scanning apparatus, there are cases where the light beams emitted from the light emitting elements form images at positions on the photosensitive member that are different in the main scanning direction. In such a case, the writing start positions in the main scanning direction of the electrostatic latent images that are to be formed by the light beams emitted from the light emitting elements need to coincide with each other in the sub-scanning direction. To achieve this, a method is known in which two light beams emitted from two specific light emitting elements are detected by an optical sensor, and the light beam emission timings of the light emitting elements are controlled based on the result of measuring the time interval between detection signals output from the sensor.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-28509 discloses an optical scanning apparatus that scans the surface of a photosensitive member with multiple light beams by using an optical deflector to deflect light beams emitted from light emitting points in a light source including three or more light emitting points arranged linearly at a predetermined interval. The optical scanning apparatus disclosed in the patent document above measures the interval between the two scanning lines arranged the farthest from one another in the sub-scanning direction among the scanning lines corresponding to the light beams and adjusts the interval between the scanning lines in the sub-scanning direction.
However, in the case of detecting at least two light beams with the optical sensor and measuring the time interval between the detection signals output from the optical sensor as described above, there is a possibility that the light powers of the light beams will decrease due to the optical system on the optical axis from when a light beam is emitted from a light emitting element until it reaches the optical sensor. In such a case, there is a possibility that an error will occur in the measurement result for the time interval.
Here, FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a relationship between the light powers of eight light beams emitted from eight light emitting elements with respect to the main scanning direction in the case where the semiconductor laser includes eight light emitting elements (LD1 to LD8). Note that with respect to the main scanning direction, the position at which the optical sensor is arranged (beam detection position) is shown as the reference (0 mm), and the light beam corresponding to LD1 is shown as the light beam that precedes the other light beams in the main scanning direction. Also, FIG. 1A is a diagram showing a relationship between the delay time for a signal output from the optical sensor and the light power of a light beam incident on the optical sensor.
As shown in FIG. 1B, the light beams corresponding to LD4 to LD8 can be detected by the optical sensor at 100% of their light powers (normalized using the maximum value) at the beam detection position. On the other hand, the light beam corresponding to LD1 can only be detected by the optical sensor at around 60% of its light power at the beam detection position. This is because a portion of the light beam (optical flux) corresponding to LD1 is lost due to the light beam corresponding to LD1 being incident on the end portion of the reflecting surface of the polygon mirror that is arranged on the optical axis and deflects the light beam. In the case where the light power of the light beam incident on the optical sensor decreases from 100% to 60% in this way, the delay time for the output signal of the optical sensor is extended by about 0.05 μs, as shown in FIG. 1A.
Accordingly, in a case where the light powers of light beams, which are used to measure the time interval between detection signals output from the optical sensor, at the time of being incident on the optical sensor decreases due to the optical system as described above, variation occurs in the difference in the delay time between the light beams when the detection signals are output from the optical sensor. As a result, there is a possibility that an error will occur in the measurement result for the time interval between the detection signals output from the optical sensor, and the correction accuracy for the light beam emission timings will deteriorate.