An intellectual lamp unit able to be installed on a conventional lamp socket controlled by a wall switch includes a bypass connected in parallel with a wall switch and provided with a resistance or a diode for producing potential difference or power phase difference when the wall switch is turned off. An intellectual lamp to be installed on a conventional lamp socket consists of a lamp main body disposed therein with a power processing circuit, a detecting switch, a charging circuit, a charging battery, a driving circuit, a microprocessor and a lamplight source. When the wall switch is turned on or off under the condition of normal power supply, the lamplight source can be controlled to produce or extinguish lighting, and during blackout, the lamplight source can be started to produce emergency lighting immediately, supplied with power by the charging battery.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an intellectual lamp unit, particularly to one able to be installed on a conventional lamp socket controlled by a wall switch.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional lamps controlled by wall switches are widely used for lighting a home, an office or an assembly hall.
However, the conventional lamps are only used for lighting without other functions; therefore, during electric interrupting, they cannot carry out lighting and at this time, people have to rely upon emergency lamps for lighting, but it costs a lot to purchase and install emergency lamps. In addition, emergency lamps cannot function to produce lighting ordinarily; therefore, once disasters should occur and cause electric stoppage or a fire, with no emergency lighting equipment ready for use, danger might be likely to result.

Intellectual lamp unit able to be installed on a conventional lamp socket controlled by a wall switch


A first control unit, which controls the timing when a first image pickup unit starts exposure, obtains a second difference by subtracting a first difference from an exposure-output time of the first image pickup unit, and outputs a first control signal for delaying the timing when the first image pickup unit starts exposure, by the second difference. The exposure-output time is a time lag between when the image pickup unit starts exposure and when output of an image signal obtained by the exposure is started. The first difference is a difference between a timing at which the first image pickup unit started outputting a predetermined image signal and a timing at which a second image pickup unit started an exposure for obtaining an image signal that the second image pickup unit outputted immediately after the first image pickup unit started outputting the predetermined image signal.

Imaging of a subject from a plurality of different viewpoints is being performed in various technological fields. Examples include stereo cameras, which images a subject from left-eye and right-eye viewpoints and generate a three-dimensional picture from the left-eye-viewpoint and right-eye-viewpoint images, and twin-lens stereoscopic, electronic, three-dimensional image pickup apparatuses. The "twin-lens stereoscopic" refers to a technology for measuring the position or the like of a mobile object, such as a vehicle, robot, or animal, and is a technique by which such as the distance from the image pickup apparatus to the mobile object is obtained from a picture obtained by imaging the mobile object from different angles using a plurality of image pickup units included in the image pickup apparatus and from a parameter, such as the focal length of the lens of each image pickup unit or the distance between the image pickup units, according to the principle of triangulation.
Image pickup apparatuses as described above are required to synchronize the timings at which the image pickup units start exposures. For example, in an image pickup apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1, as shown in FIG. 10, a sensor drive signal generation unit 34 generates a sensor drive signal and outputs it to a first CCD image pickup unit 12 and a second CCD image pickup unit 22 to cause the two image pickup units to perform exposures simultaneously. Note that FIG. 10 is generated by changing the reference signs of FIG. 1 of Patent Literature 1.
An image pickup apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 2 also synchronizes the timings at which two image pickup units start exposures, by providing an exposure start timing signal provided to one image pickup unit, as well as to the other image pickup unit.
In the following description, a control signal for causing an image pickup unit to start an exposure, such as the sensor drive signal or exposure start timing signal, will be referred to as an exposure start signal.


A first power control adjustment state g(i) and a second power control adjustment state f(i) are initialized for i=0 to each reflect an open loop power control error. An initial transmit power for a shared uplink channel is computed using full pathloss compensation. The computed initial transmit power depends on a preamble power of a first message sent on an access channel, and the initial transmit power is initialized with the second power control adjustment state f(0). A third message is sent from a transmitter on an uplink shared channel at the initial transmit power. In various implementations, the power for i=0 on the uplink control channel is also initialized similar to the initial transmit power for the third message and using full pathloss compensation, and after the third message (and retransmissions of it), subsequent messages sent on the uplink shared channel are sent at a power that is computed using fractional pathloss compensation.

Various abbreviations that appear in the specification and/or in the drawing figures are defined as follows:
3GPP third generation partnership project
DL downlink
DRX discontinuous reception
eNB EUTRAN Node B (evolved Node B)
EUTRAN evolved UTRAN (also referred to as LTE)
LTE long term evolution
MAC medium access control
MME mobility management entity
Node B base station
OFDMA orthogonal frequency division multiple access
PC power control
PDCCH physical downlink control channel
PDCP packet data convergence protocol
PDSCH physical downlink shared channel
PHY physical
PL path loss
PRACH physical random access channel
PUSCH physical uplink shared channel
RACH random access channel
RA-RNTI random access radio network temporary identifier
RLC radio link control
RRC radio resource control
SC-FDMA single carrier, frequency division multiple access
TA timing advance
UE user equipment
UL uplink
UTRAN universal terrestrial radio access network
A proposed communication system known as evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN, also referred to as UTRAN-LTE, E-UTRA or 3.9 G) is currently under development within the 3GPP. The current working assumption is that the DL access technique will be OFDMA, and the UL access technique will be SC-FDMA.
One specification of interest to these and other issues related to the invention is 3GPP TS 36.300, V8.4.0 (2008-03), 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and Evolved Universal Terrestrial Access Network (E-UTRAN); Overall description; Stage 2 (Release 8).
FIG. 1A reproduces FIG. 4-1 of 3GPP TS 36.300, and shows the overall architecture of the E-UTRAN system. The E-UTRAN system includes eNBs, providing the E-UTRA user plane (PDCP/RLC/MAC/PHY) and control plane (RRC) protocol terminations towards the UE. The eNBs are interconnected with each other by means of an X2 interface. The eNBs are also connected by means of an S1 interface to an EPC, more specifically to a MME (Mobility Management Entity) by means of a S1-MME interface and to a Serving Gateway (S-GW) by means of a S1-U interface. The S1 interface supports a many-to-many relation between MMEs/Serving Gateways and eNBs.
Reference can also be made to 3GPP TS 36.321, V8.0.0 (2007-12), 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol specification (Release 8).
Also of interest herein are the random access procedures of the LTE (E-UTRA) system. These procedures are described in 3GPP TS 36.300 v.8.4.0 at section 10.1.5 (attached to the priority document as Exhibit A), shown at FIG. 1B for the Contention Based Random Access Procedure and at FIG. 1C for the Non-Contention Based Random Access Procedure. These respectively reproduce FIGS. 10.1.5.1-1 and 10.1.5.1-2 of 3GPP TS 36.300 v.8.4.0, and Exhibit A of the priority document details the various steps shown.
Briefly, the UE transmits a random access preamble and expects a response from the eNB in the form of a so-called Message 2 (e.g., Random Access Response at FIGS. 1B and 1C). Message 2 is transmitted on a DL shared channel DL-SCH (PDSCH, the PDCCH) and allocates resources on an UL-SCH (PUSCH). The resource allocation of Message 2 is addressed with an identity RA-RNTI that is associated with the frequency and time resources of a PRACH, but is common for different preamble sequences. The Message 2 contains UL allocations for the transmissions of a Message 3 in the UL (e.g., step 3 of the Contention Based Random Access Procedure at FIG. 1B).
RACH preambles are transmitted by the UEs using a full path-loss compensation PC formula. The target is that reception RX level of those preambles at the eNB is the same, and so independent of path-loss. This is needed because several simultaneous preamble transmissions can take place in the same PRACH resource and in order to detect them, their power at the eNB needs to be roughly the same to avoid the well-known near-far problem for spread spectrum transmissions. However subsequent uplink transmissions on the PUSCH are orthogonal, and so called fractional power control can be used. This allows higher transmit TX powers for UEs that are near the eNB because interference that those UEs generate to neighbor cells is small as compared to cell edge UEs. This method allows higher average uplink bit rates on the PUSCH.
In general, the eNB does not know what is the path-loss value used by the UE in its full PL compensation PC formula used for the UE's RACH message. In the case of a UE being handed-over from another eNB, an estimate of the path-loss value could be provided to the target cell/eNB based on UE measurement reports sent to the serving eNB prior to the handover. However, for an initial access or for UL or DL data arrival this is not possible since there is no handover. Because of this, the eNB does not know the power difference between the UE's RACH preamble transmission and the UE's transmission using the PUSCH power formula.
It has been agreed that Message 2 contains a power control command for transmission of Message 3, but the definition and objective of that command is not yet specified. Therefore the eNB does not have sufficient information to give a correct power control command in response to the UE's RACH message. The result then, and as mentioned above, is that the power that the UE uses for transmission of Message 3 is not known to the eNB if the UE uses the PUSCH PC formula for sending Message 3.
The problem therefore may be stated as how best to define a transition from the full path loss compensated preamble transmission to the PUSCH (fractional) power control system.

Method, apparatus and computer program for power control related to random access procedures


A liquid crystal display device having a pair of substrates with a liquid crystal layer interposed between the pair of substrates. One of the pair of substrates includes a plurality of scanning electrodes, a plurality of signal electrodes arranged so as to cross the plurality of scanning electrodes, a plurality of thin film transistors arranged in the vicinity of crossing points of the scanning electrodes and the signal electrodes, a plurality of common electrodes, and a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged between each of the common electrodes. An electric field is formed in the liquid crystal layer by applying a voltage to the pixel electrodes and the plurality of common electrodes. The other substrate of the pair of substrates includes color filters, an insulating film for flattening the color filters arranged on the color filters, and an orientation control film arranged on the insulating film.

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device having at least one, and preferably a plurality of pixel elements.
In a standard liquid crystal display device, the pixel element is formed in a liquid crystal layer (normally common to the pixel elements) extending in a plane, and there is at least one polarizing arrangement parallel to the plane of the liquid crystal layer. By applying electrical signals to the liquid crystal layer using suitable electrodes, it is possible to vary the angle of polarization of polarized light passing through the liquid crystal layer, and thereby to vary the optical transmissivity of a liquid crystal display device with the change in polarization relative to the polarizing arrangement. Normally, in such a liquid crystal display device, the polarizing arrangement is formed by two polarizing plates, one on each side of the liquid crystal layer, but it is also possible to provide an arrangement with a single polarizing plate on one side of the liquid crystal layer and a reflective element on the other side of the liquid crystal element.
In standard liquid crystal display devices, electrical fields are generated by electrodes arranged perpendicular to the plane of the liquid crystal layer. Therefore, if the change in the liquid crystal layer due to the electric fields is to be visible, the size of those electrodes needs to be large; and, therefore, it is necessary to use transparent electrodes. Furthermore, at least two layers are normally needed between the transparent electrodes on each side of the liquid crystal layer and the liquid crystal layer itself. One such layer forms an orientation layer for the liquid crystal layer, but a further insulating layer is then needed between the orientation layer and the transparent electrode.
In International Patent Application No. PCT WO91/10936, a liquid crystal display device was disclosed in which electrical signals were applied to the liquid crystal layer so as to generate electric fields having components in a direction parallel to the plane of the liquid crystal layer. Such parallel field components cause reorientation of the molecules of the liquid crystal layer, thereby varying the optical transmissivity of the liquid crystal display device.
In PCT WO91/10936, it was proposed that the electrodes for applying such field were, for each pixel element, in the form of combs, the teeth of the comb formed by one electrode extending into the spaces between the teeth of the comb formed by the other electrode. The teeth of each electrode were electrically connected in common, and a voltage was applied between the electrodes.
JP-B-63-21907 (1988) also disclosed a liquid crystal display device in which electrical signals were applied to the liquid crystal layer so as to generate electric fields having components in a direction parallel to the plane of the liquid crystal layer. As in PCT WO91/10936, the electrodes for applying such fields were, for each pixel element, in the form of combs. Use of comb-shaped electrodes was also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,249.
In each of these known arrangements, each pixel element has first and second electrodes of comb shape, with the teeth of one comb extending between the teeth of the other comb. Voltages are then applied to the electrodes by a suitable control circuit. It is important to note that the teeth of the comb-shaped electrodes are not electrically independent, so that the size of the pixel is determined by the size of the comb-shaped electrode.
The principles of operation of such devices, with comb shaped electrodes, is also discussed in an article entitled xe2x80x9cField Effects In Nematic Liquid Crystals Obtained With Interdigital Electrodesxe2x80x9d by R. A. Soref in the Journal of Applied Physics, pages 5466 to 5468, vol. 45, no. 12 (December 1974), and in an article entitled xe2x80x9cInterdigital Twisted-Nematic-Displaysxe2x80x9d by R. A. Soref, published in the Proceedings of the IEEE, pages 1710 to 1711 (December 1974).
In the standard liquid crystal display devices discussed above, it is necessary to use transparent electrodes, which are formed on facing surfaces of two substrates. However, in order to form such transparent electrodes, it is necessary to use a vacuum manufacturing operation, such as sputtering, and thus the cost of manufacture of such standard liquid crystal display devices is high. Furthermore, it has been found that such transparent electrodes have vertical geometrical irregularities, of the order of several tens of nanameters, which prevents precise manufacture of active devices, such as thin film transistors needed to control the signals to the electrodes. Also, it has been found that parts of such transparent electrodes may become detached, to cause point or line defects. Thus, it has proved difficult to manufacture liquid crystal devices both reliably and cheaply.
Such conventional liquid crystal display devices also have disadvantages in terms of picture quality. The problem of vertical geometrical irregularities in the transparent electrodes has been mentioned above, but similar irregularities around the controlling transistors may result in orientation failure domains being formed, requiring a light shielding film to cover such transistor devices, reducing the light utilization efficiency of the liquid crystal device. Also, such conventional liquid crystal display devices have the disadvantage that there is a significant change in brightness when the visual angle is changed, and reversion of some gradation levels can occur in a half-term display, at some view angles.
Although the use of comb shaped electrodes, such as previously discussed, involves the need for transparent electrodes, further problems have been found. While the use of such comb-shaped electrodes offers theoretical advantages, those are limited by practical consideration which have to be taken into account when the comb-shaped electrodes are used. If the teeth of such comb-shaped electrodes have a width of 1 to 2 micrometers, satisfactory practical operation can be achieved. However, it is extremely difficult to form such fine teeth over a large substrate without defects. Thus, in practice, the aperture factor of the liquid crystal display device is reduced, because of the need to provide relatively wide electrode teeth. There is thus a trade-off between aperture factor and production yield, which is undesirable.
Therefore, the present invention seeks to provide a liquid crystal display device which is more suitable for mass production than the known liquid crystal display devices discussed above. The present invention has several aspects.
In the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention there are features which are common to all the aspects. The device has a liquid crystal layer, and at least one polarizing arrangement, which is normally provided in the form of a pair of polarizing plates disposed on opposite sides of the liquid crystal layer. The device has at least one, and normally a plurality, of pixel elements and there are electrodes which receive electrical signals for controlling the optical transmissivity of light through the device. As in e.g. JP-B-63-21907 (1988) discussed above, the electrical signals are applied such that electrical fields are generated in the liquid crystal layer with components parallel to the plane of the liquid crystal layer. The various aspects of the present invention, which will be discussed below, then relate to the electrode arrangement of a pixel element(s) and also to the materials and optical arrangements of the materials of the liquid crystal display device.
In a first aspect of the present invention, each pixel element has a pixel electrode extending in a first direction within the pixel, and there are also signal wiring electrodes extending in the same direction over several of the pixel elements. There are also common electrodes extending in that first direction over more than one of the pixel elements.
There may be a pair of pixel electrodes for each pixel element, with the signal wiring electrodes then extending between a pair of pixel electrodes at each pixel element. There is then a pair of common electrodes, with the pair of pixel electrodes being disposed therebetween, so that electrical fields are generated in opposite directions for each pixel element.
Preferably, all the electrodes are on the same side of the liquid crystal layer. Arrangements are also possible, however, in which the common electrodes are on the opposite side of the liquid crystal layer formed the other electrodes. In either case, if there is insulating material between the common electrode and the pixel electrode for each pixel element, a capacitive device may be formed therebetween.
In practice, it is possible for the common electrodes to be provided in common for two adjacent pixel elements, by interacting with pixel electrodes on opposite sides of each common electrode.
In a second aspect of the present invention, each pixel can be considered to have a elongate transistor element extending in a first direction, that elongate transistor element having at least one elongate electrode. There is also at least one elongate common electrode extending in the same direction as the elongate transistor element. In the second aspect, an insulating film separates the at least one elongate electrode of the elongate transistor element and the at least one common electrode.
In a third aspect of the present invention, each pixel has again an elongate transistor element extending in one direction, and at least one elongate common electrode extending in the same direction. The elongate transistor element has at least one elongate electrode, and there is an insulating film extending over and in direct contact with that at least one elongate electrode. That insulating film is also in direct contact with the liquid crystal layer. Preferably, that insulating film is an organic polymer.
In a fourth aspect of the present invention, each pixel can be considered to have a transistor element with a pair of first electrodes (pixel electrodes), a signal electrode between the first electrodes, and a gate electrode. The first and second electrodes extend in a common direction, as do a pair of common electrodes. A transistor element is then (in plan) disposed between the pair of common electrodes. As has previously been mentioned, the common electrodes and the transistor element may be on the same side of the liquid crystal layer, or they may be on opposite sides.
In a fifth aspect, for any one pixel element, each one of said pairs of common electrodes thereof forms a corresponding one of said pair of common electrodes for pixel elements adjacent to said any one pixel element.
The five aspects of the present invention discussed above all relate to an electrode arrangement of the liquid crystal display device. The aspects of the invention to be discussed below relate to the optical arrangement and materials of the liquid crystal display device.
In a sixth aspect of the present invention, the angles between components of electric fields in a direction parallel to the plane of said liquid crystal layer and the direction of orientation of molecules at opposite surfaces of the liquid crystal layer are the same, and the product of the thickness of the liquid crystal layer and the refractive index anisotropy of the liquid crystal layer is between 0.21 xcexcm and 0.36 xcexcm.
In a seventh aspect of the present invention, the absolute value of the difference between the angles between components of electric fields in a direction parallel to the plane of said liquid crystal layer and the direction of orientation of molecules at opposite surfaces of the liquid crystal layer is not less than 80xc2x0 and not greater than 100xc2x0, and the product of the thickness of the liquid crystal layer and the refractive index anisotropy of the liquid crystal layer is between 0.4 xcexcm and 0.6 xcexcm.
In an eighth aspect of the present invention, the dielectric constant anisotropy of the liquid crystal layer is positive, and the absolute value of the angle between components of the electric fields in a direction parallel to the plane of said liquid crystal layer and the direction of orientation of molecules at the surface of the liquid crystal layer is less than 90xc2x0, but not less than 45xc2x0.
In a ninth aspect of the present invention, the dielectric constant anisotropy of the liquid crystal layer is negative, and the absolute value of the angle between components of the electric fields in a direction parallel to the plane of said liquid crystal layer and the direction of orientation of molecules at the surface of the liquid crystal layer is greater than 0xc2x0, but not greater than 45xc2x0.
In a tenth aspect of the present invention, the dielectric constant anisotropy of the liquid crystal layer is positive, and the value of the difference between: i) the angle between components of the electric fields in a direction parallel to the plane of said liquid crystal layer and the direction of orientation of molecules at the surface of the liquid crystal layer; and ii) the angle of the polarization axis of said at least one polarizing plate and said components of the electric fields in a direction parallel to the plane of said liquid crystal layer, is 3xc2x0 to 15xc2x0.
In an eleventh aspect of the present invention, the dielectric constant anisotropy of the liquid crystal layer is negative, and the value of the difference between i) the angle of the polarization axis of said at least one polarizing plate and said components of the electric fields in a direction parallel to the plane of said liquid crystal layer, and ii) the angle between components of the electric fields in a direction parallel to the plane of said liquid crystal layer and the direction of orientation of molecules at the surface of the liquid crystal layer, is 3xc2x0 to 15xc2x0.
In a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the direction of orientation of molecules of said liquid crystal layer at a surface of said liquid crystal layer parallel to the plane of said liquid crystal layer and said surface is not more than 4xc2x0.
Although various aspects of the present invention have been discussed above, a liquid crystal display device embodying the present invention may incorporate combinations of such aspects. Depending on the resulting combination, the present invention provides advantages in the manufacture and/or operation of a liquid crystal display device, and these advantages will be discussed in more detail later.

Color liquid crystal display device using color filter and liquid crystal layer with dxe2x80xa2xcex94n of specified range


A dual chamber pacemaker incorporating a system for distinguishing Wenckebach episodes from pacemaker mediated tachycardia episodes based on variations in VA intervals is disclosed which provides for adjusting the MTR upward in response to a threshold frequency of incidences of Wenckebach.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of cardiac rhythm management and more particularly to a dual chamber cardiac pacemaker incorporating a system for discriminating between pacemaker mediated tachycardia (PMT) and simple upper rate limit Wenckebach behavior due to normal sinus tachycardia. The system may also provide for adjusting the upper rate limit (URL) or maximum tracking rate (MTR) according to the frequency of detected pacemaker Wenckebach events.
II. Related Art
In dual chamber pacemakers, circuitry is provided for both sensing atrial and ventricular depolarization events and for pacing one or both of atrial and ventricular tissue. In a subject with normal sinus node activity and interrupted conduction system, the pacemaker is able to sense an atrial depolarization (P-wave) and thereafter stimulate the ventricle in accordance with an established AV delay interval. This effectively mimics the heart's PR interval. The situation is complicated, however, by the possible occasional occurrence of an interfering retrograde conducted P-wave, possibly the result of a ventricular stimulating pulse, but one which is also sensed by the atrial sensing circuitry. Because the atrial sensing circuitry of the pacemaker cannot tell whether a sensed signal is a normal or retrograde conducted P-wave it will initiate another ventricular stimulation event. This may quickly lead to PMT. To overcome this problem, dual chamber pacemakers are typically programmed to include a post-ventricular atrial refractory period (PVARP) during which atrial events are sensed but ignored. In this manner, if an atrial event occurs during PVARP due to retrograde conduction, an AV interval is not initiated and no ventricular stimulating pulse is generated as a result of the atrial event.
The addition of PVARP does not totally successfully resolve the problem either, however, because in many pacemaker treated patients the condition of the patient is such that the retrograde conduction time varies or fluctuates depending upon physiologic feedback mechanisms. This means that a fixed, programmable PVARP may become relatively too short over time if retrograde conduction time increases and may no longer serve to inhibit PMT. Conversely, if the PVARP is programmed to be too long, this shortens the sensing window and as the pacing rate reaches the maximum atrial tracking rate or MTR set for the pacemaker, some of the desirable P-waves will fall inside the PVARP and be ignored and this will result in an undesirable drop in the ventricular pacing rate. This is known as a two-to-one block. Thus, each time a P-wave falls within PVARP and an AV block occurs for that cardiac cycle it results in a missing cardiac cycle which is undesirable because it causes short-term loss of AV synchrony and the subsequent loss of cardiac output.
Pacemaker Wenckebach is another type of undesirable upper rate limit behavior which negatively affects the patient. In pacemaker Wenckebach, as the atrial rate increases, the AV interval is lengthened so that the ventricular pacing interval does not exceed the MTR. As the atrial rate increases, a P-wave will eventually fall within PVARP and AV block will occur for that cardiac cycle. The successive lengthening of the AV interval leading to a missing cardiac cycle likewise causes short-term loss of AV synchrony and subsequent loss of cardiac output. The detection of pacemaker Wenckebach is important as an indication of a possible need for URL/MTR adjustment.
Pacemakers are implanted to typically operate within a particular beat rate or heart rate (HR) range including a particular URL or MTR which is typically picked on the conservative side by the physician who may have a minimum familiarity with the level of activity reached by the patient. The actual proper HR range for the patient may well extend above that initially programmed. This being the case, the pacer may repeatedly reach the URL or MTR because of naturally occurring sinus rhythms and pacemaker Wenckebach may then occur. (As used herein, the term Wenckebach, unless otherwise stated, refers to a pacemaker Wenckebach epidsode). Because URL or MTR may also be reached due to PMT, and PMT should be stopped as soon as possible, because of the alternate loss of cardiac output, there is a definite need to distinguish between these two phenomena.
Pacemakers have been programmed with a function to determine whether a patient is in a pacemaker mediated tachycardia (PMT) by counting intervals that are atrially sensed and ventricularly paced at the URL. After a prescribed number of successive intervals are perceived to be at the maximum rate, perhaps 16, the pacemaker assumes the existence of PMT and is programmed to extend the next PVARP a sufficient time to break or interrupt the PMT. This PVARP extension is typically about 400-500 ms. An example of this approach is found in Walmsley et al (U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,255) assigned to the same Assignee as the present invention. The contents of that patent are deemed incorporated by reference herein for any purpose. While this solution has been successful in interupting and correcting actual PMT, it is unable to predictably discriminate between URL events which are caused by PMT and which occur simply because the patient exercised to the MTR/URL.
Thus, while the above determination and aleviation of PMT has been quite successful, a need remains for adding a technique which would produce a better and more sophisticated analysis of the nature of the cause of the upper rate limit behavior. In this manner, if one could reliably determine whether the rhythm is a PMT or a Wenckebach episode due to normal sinus tachycardia, after a given number of Wenckebach events within a prescribed time, the URL or MTR could be adjusted upward so that the pacemaker range would self-adjust to be more in line with the actual activity level of the patient.
Further, in describing the related art and features of the present invention, it is believed that it would be helpful to define certain terminology. Accordingly, several definitions are presented.
Maximum Tracking Rate (MTR) or Upper Rate Limit (URL) is the maximum rate at which the paced ventricular rate will track sensed atrial events. It is applicable to the atrial synchronous pacing modes, DDD, DDDR, VVDR and VDD and is programmable quantity typically residing in the range of from about 50 to 185 pulses per minute.
AV Delay (AV) is the programmable time period from the occurrence of an atrial event, either sensed or paced, to a paced ventricular event. It is a programmable quantity typically ranging between 10 and 300 milliseconds and is active in DDD, DDI, DVI, DOO, VDD and the similar rate responsive modes.
Post Ventricular Atrial Refractory Period (PVARP) is defined as the time period after a ventricular event, either paced or sensed, during which activity in the atrium does not inhibit an atrial stimulation pulse nor trigger a ventricular stimulating pulse. It is designed to avoid atrial sensing of retrograde activity initiated in the ventricle.
VA Interval is defined as the time period from the occurrence of a ventricular event, either paced or sensed, to the occurrence of an atrial event, either sensed or paced.
Pacemaker Mediated Tachycardia (PMT). In DDD(R) and VDD(R) pacing modes, the pacemaker may detect retrograde conduction in the atrium, causing triggered ventricular pacing rates as high as the MTR. This is referred to in the literature as pacemaker-mediated tachycardia or endless loop tachycardia.
Total Atrial Refractory Period (TARP) is defined as the sum of the AV delay and PVARP.

Determination of pacemaker wenckebach and adjustment of upper rate limit


A data writing method for a flash memory. First, a plurality of blocks of a flash memory is classified into a plurality of block groups according to the erase counts of the blocks. A logical address range of a host is then divided into a plurality of logical address sections respectively corresponding to the block groups. Write data is then received from the host. A target logical address section to which the logical address of the write data belongs is then determined. A target block group corresponding to the target logical address section is then determined. A target block is then selected from the blocks of the target block group. The write data is then written to the target block.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to memories, and more particularly to flash memories.
2. Description of the Related Art
A flash memory comprises a plurality of blocks for data storage. A frequency for erasing or programming a block is referred to as an erase count or a write count of the block. A controller of a flash memory records the erase counts of all blocks of the flash memory in an erase count table. A frequency for reading a block is referred to as a read count of the block. When a block is used with a high frequency, the erase count and the read count of the block is also high.
When a block stores data with a high used frequency, the block has a high erase count and a high read count and is easily damaged. New data cannot be written to a damaged block. In addition, if data has been stored in a damaged block, when the data is read out from the damaged block, the read-out data has a high bit error rate. Referring to FIG. 2A, a schematic diagram of a relationship between an erase count and a data error rate of a block is shown. When a block has a high erase count, the block also has a high data error rate. Referring to FIG. 2B, a schematic diagram of a relationship between a read count and a data error rate of a block is shown. When a block has a high read count, the block also has a high data error rate. Referring to FIG. 2C, a schematic diagram of a relationship between an erase count and a data retention period of a block is shown. A block with a high erase count has a short data retention period, and a block with a low erase count has a long data retention period.
To prevent a block with a high erase count from damage, a controller of a flash memory performs a wear-leveling process to equally use all blocks of the flash memory. Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic diagram of a distribution of erase counts of all blocks of a flash memory is shown. The blocks of the flash memory have different physical block addresses. After a wear-leveling process is performed, the blocks with different physical block addresses have the same erase counts. Thus, the situation where a single block has a high erase count and is easily damaged is avoided.
The importance of data stored in the flash memory, however, is different. For example, system data such as a partition table and a root directory has a high importance. When a controller performs a wear-leveling process, data with high importance may be written to a block with a high erase count. If the data with high importance is damaged due to the high erase count of the block, errors may occur in the operation of the system. For example, when a partition table is detected, all data stored in the flash memory cannot be read from the flash memory according to the partition table. When a root directory is defective, the data stored in the directory with errors also cannot be read out. Thus, a data writing method for a flash memory is required to prevent the aforementioned defects.

Flash memory device and data writing method for a flash memory


A drum comprising a hollow drum shell having opposite ends and first and second drumheads closing said opposite ends. At least one air vent opening is provided through the drum head for acoustic venting, such that at least one air vent opening is located at a position distanced from at least one of said opposite end by a preset distance range of distances calculated by using the Golden Ratio and an acceptable margin or range of variation therefrom.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to percussion instruments in general and more particularly to an acoustic drum having at least one acoustic air vent hole.
2. Description of Related Art
When a drum is struck, the drumhead is depressed inwardly and forces a column of air down the length of the drum and causes the drumhead on the opposite side to balloon outwardly. If the drum is air tight, the top and bottom heads will oscillate for a relatively long time as the air within the drum oscillates back and forth and feeds energy to the heads to keep the oscillation going. Long oscillation time produces a long sustain which is desirable at slow tempos; however, at faster tempos the oscillation can hamper performance.
For example, oscillation of a drum is analogous to oscillation of a trampoline. If one times his/her jumps to the oscillation of the trampoline, the trampoline will help the jumper maintain a rhythm. However, if one's timing if off, the trampoline will stop. An analogous event happens when one plays a drum. For example, if one plays a drum in phase with the moving drumhead the playing action will feel normal but when one get out of phase with the drumhead, which is very easy to do especially when playing fast and/or when playing intricate patterns, the drumhead can randomly feel dead and stifle rebound and negatively impact your performance.
Air vents allow the air to escape from the drum and return the heads to their resting state quickly thus providing an essentially flat and predictable playing surface on which to play for improved confidence, speed, and intricacy.
Companies typically choose the air vent locations for drums based on cosmetics considerations instead of science or sound. Some attempts have been made to attenuate the movement of air through vent holes by adjusting the size of the vent hole or by using an adjustable valve on the vent hole. However, no prior art is known to exist that enhances drum performance based on air vent location.


A vertical MOS transistor having its channel length determined by the thickness of an insulating layer provided over a semiconductor substrate, rather than by the depth of a trench in which the transistor is formed. As a result, the characteristics of the transistor as relatively unaffected by doping and heat-treatment steps which are performed during formation. Also, the transistor may be formed so as to occupy very little surface area, making it suitable for application in high-density DRAMs.

This invention relates to a vertical type MOS transistor, a plurality of which may be arranged on a surface of a semiconductor chip so as to yield high density. Such a transistor may be used, for example, as part of a cross-point memory cell in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM).
Until now, very large scale integration (VLSI) in semiconductor devices has been carried out by microscopic techniques. However, recently the limit of these microscopic techniques has been reached. Accordingly, lithography techniques have been implemented in hopes not only of surpassing this limit, but also of improving the structure of semiconductor devices.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a cross-point cell proposed as a basic cell of a DRAM in accordance with what has just been discussed. The cross-point cell has been disclosed in an article entitled "FAM 19.5: A 4Mb DRAM with Cross-Point Trench Transistor Cell", by Ashwin H. Shah et al., ISSCC 86. Feb. 21. 1986, pp. 268-269 and also in an article entitled "A Trench Transistor Cross-Point DRAM Cell" by W. F. Richardson et al., IEDM 85, pp. 714-717.
In FIG. 1, an n+ diffused region 1 and a poly-Si layer 2 are disposed orthogonally with respect to each other in a plane. A trench 3 is located at a cross-point between the diffused region 1 and the layer 2, and a cross-point memory cell is formed in the trench. The portion of the diffused region 1 in the vicinity of the memory cell functions as the drain region of a MOS transistor, and the portion of the diffused region 1 located between the drain regions functions as a bit line. The portion of the layer 2 located in the vicinity of the memory cell functions as a gate electrode of the transistor, and the portions of the layers 2 located between the gate electrodes function as a word line.
In FIG. 2, a semiconductor substrate 11 comprises a p+ type substrate 11a and a p type epitaxial layer 11b. The trench 3 is formed through the major surface of the epitaxial layer 11b and into the substrate 11a. A storage dielectric layer 9 is formed along the side walls and the bottom of the trench 3. A poly-Si storage node 8 is put in a bottom portion of the trench 3 and is insulated from the semiconductor substrate 11 by the storage dielectric layer 9. The storage node 8, the dielectric layer 9, and the substrate 11a together constitute the capacitor of the cross-point DRAM cell.
An n-type buried lateral contact 7 is diffused in the epitaxial layer 11b and connected to the upper end of the storage node 8. The buried lateral contact 7 functions as the source of MOS transistor in the cross-point cell. A gate insulator 6 is formed on the top of the storage node 8, along the side wall of the epitaxial layer 11b facing the trench 3, and on the major surface of the epitaxial layer 11b surrounding the trench 3. A gate electrode 10 is formed on the gate insulator 6 located on top of the storage node 8, along the side wall of the epitaxial layer 11b. and over the gate insulator 6 surrounding the trench 3. The gate electrode 10 is the part of the poly-Si layer 2.
A diffused region 1 is formed in the major surface of the epitaxial layer 11b surrounding the trench 3. Part of the region 1 contacts the gate insulator 6. A channel region 5 is formed along the sidewall of the epitaxial layer 11b facing the trench 3 between the diffused region 1 and the buried electrical contact 7. A field insulator 4 is formed on the major surface of the epitaxial layer 11b surrounding the diffused layer 1 and part of it contacts the diffused region 1.
In the above constructed cross-point memory cell, the lengths W.sub.1 and W.sub.2, as shown in FIG. 1, are 2.6 .mu.m and 3.4 .mu.m.
Next, the process of the above-described conventional semiconductor memory device with a plurality of cross-point cells will be explained. As shown in FIG. 3(a). the trench 15 is formed through the major surface of the epitaxial layer 11b and into the substrate 11a for each memory cell region by RIE. The field insulator 14 is formed in the major surface of the epitaxial layer 11b surrounding and separating the trenches 15. The diffused region 13 is formed by ion injection in the major surface of the epitaxial layer 11b surrounding the trench 15. One side of the diffused region 13 contacts the sidewall of the trench 15 and other side contacts a end of the field insulator 14. A thin insulating layer 16 is formed on the sidewalls and bottom of the trench 15 and the major surface of the epitaxial layer 11b between the trench 15 and the field insulator 14.
In FIG. 3(b), a n+ poly-Si layer 17 is put in the trench so as to fill all of the trench 15 within the substrate 11a and part of the trench extending through the epitaxial layer 11b, and then the upper portions of the insulating layer 16 are etched to a point below the level of the poly-Si layer 17. As a result, a gap 18 is formed between the poly-Si layer 16 and the epitaxial layer 11b.
In FIG. 3(c). a thin poly-Si layer is deposited on the poly-Si layer 17 to fill the gap 18. The remaining thin poly-Si other than that in the gap 18 is removed by an appropriate directional etching method. As a result, a buried lateral contact is formed. Thus, the capacitor is formed by the poly-Si layer 17, the insulating layer 16 and the substrate 11b.
In FIG. 3(d). a gate insulator 19 is formed on top of the poly-Si layer 17, along the sidewall of the trench 15 within the epitaxial layer 11b, and over the diffused region 13. A gate electrode 20 is formed on the gate insulator 19. The gate electrode 20 and the word line are formed at the same time, the gate electrode 20 being part of the word line. Thus, the MOS transistor is formed by the diffused region 13, the buried lateral contact 21 formed in the previous step, the gate insulator 19 and the gate electrode 20.
In the above constructed semiconductor memory device, the distance between the top of the poly-Si layer 17 and the diffused region 13 constitutes the channel length of MOS transistor. Thus, the etching of the poly-Si layer 17 has to be controlled very accurately. Further, the doping of the channel region is remarkably influenced by auto-doping from the under layer during epitaxial growth and diffusion from the under layer during thermal treatment. As a result, the uniformity and reproduction of the proper characteristics of the MOS transistor are influenced considerably.
As the channel region is formed in the wall surface which faces in a different direction, non-uniformity of the threshold voltage of the MOS transistor results. Further, as the gap between the poly-Si layer and the epitaxial layer results from the formation of the additional thin poly-Si layer and then the removal of unnecessary portions of the thin poly-Si layer by plasma etching using CF.sub.4, crystal defects result in the semiconductor surface forming the channel region. As a result, the overall characteristic of the MOS transistor is degraded.
In view of the structure, when the distance between memory cells is shortened in the above semiconductor memory device, the transistor of one cross-point cell may cause charging of the capacitor of an adjacent cross-point cell, resulting in improper operation of the memory.

Vertical type MOS transistor and method of formation thereof


A closed mould method of producing composite mouldings is provided. A sensor system (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) is provided for sensing distortion of one (1) of the mould elements while the resin mix is being fed into the mould cavity. A signal is generated if a predetermined degree of distortion is sensed.

This invention relates to the production of composite mouldings.
The composite industry is commonly known as the grp (glass-reinforced plastics) industry, or the frp (fibre-reinforced plastics) industry and encompasses the production of composite mouldings for a large number of sectors of industrial application. These include the automotive, bus and truck, marine and aerospace industries. In these sectors, many composite moulded parts will have surface areas well in excess of 1 square meter. For example, a boat moulding could have a surface area within the range of from 10 to 1000 square meters.
The production of composites involves the use of two basic raw materials. One is a thermosetting liquid resin and the other is a fibre (usually a glass fibre). The traditional method of manufacture has involved laying the two materials in an open mould and consolidating them manually to the desired moulding thickness.
As a result of ever-increasing global legislation demanding reduction in hazardous conditions and dust, and general improvements in working conditions, the open moulding of composite parts is on the decline in favour of closed mould production methods. In these, a matched pair of moulds is employed to create a cavity between them such that, when the two moulds are held in closed registration, the defined cavity faithfully represents the shape and thickness of the desired mould part.
Closed mould sets vary within the industry, ranging from heavy duty rigid mould sets, which are designed to withstand high compression or resin injection pressures, to thin closed mould sets which are designed to be held together with the aid of vacuum within their cavities.
The large surface areas of these mould sets create manufacturing problems, i.e. it is difficult to maintain the required tolerance of part thickness and shape.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of making composite mouldings. It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of composite closed mould production facility.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of making a composite moulding which includes:
providing a pair of mould elements which define a mould cavity,
introducing reinforcing fibre into the mould cavity,
feeding a resin mix into the mould cavity,
providing means for sensing distortion of a mould element and generating an output signal when a predetermined degree of distortion is sensed, and
controlling the rate at which the resin mix is introduced into the mould cavity in dependence on said output signal.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a composite closed mould production facility which includes:
a pair of mould elements which define a mould cavity into which reinforcing fibre can be introduced,
means for feeding a resin mix into the mould cavity,
means for sensing distortion of a mould element,
means for generating an output signal when a predetermined degree of distortion is sensed, and
control means for controlling the rate at which the resin mix is introduced into the mould cavity in dependence on said output signal.


The present invention is directed to novel AC thin film electroluminescent display devices employing a protective dielectric stripe along the edges of the transparent electrode (or conductor). In particular, the present invention is directed to an AC thin film electroluminescent display device comprising:. a multilayer stack including a first dielectric layer; a phosphor layer; and a second dielectric layer; situated on a glass substrate which includes parallel stripes of etched transparent conductors; PA0 said multilayer stack further including a protective stripe of dielectric material placed at least along the edges of the transparent conductors.. The present invention is also directed to a method for protecting an AC thin film electroluminescent display device against premature breakdown at the edges of the transparent conductors. This protection is achieved by depositing a stripe of dielectric material along the edges of the transparent conductors.

Matrix AC electroluminescent (ACEL) thin film displays are usually fabricated as a multilayer stack comprising a first dielectric layer; a phosphor (e.g., ZnS:Mn) layer; and a second dielectric layer; on a glass substrate with parallel stripes of etched transparent (e.g., indium-tin-oxide or ITO) electrodes or conductors. (The terms "conductor" and "electrode" are used herein interchangably).
Successive dielectric/phosphor/dielectric thin film layers are subsequently deposited to form the heart of the electroluminescent display. Aluminum metal electrodes are finally deposited and etched into parallel stripes orthogonal to the transparent conductor stripes to complete the thin film structure of the ACEL display.
For matrix displays, the front and rear electrode structures are sets of parallel lines, with the front transparent set (columns) orthogonal to the rear set (rows).
The choice of dielectric material plays a significant role in the function and reliability of the ACEL thin film display. Good dielectic constant and breakdown strength are required.
Many fabrication techniques for ACEL displays have been reported, including electron beam, sputtering, thermal evaporation, atomic layer epitaxy, or a combination of these methods.
The goal of preparing a large thin film electroluminescent panel capable of displaying a full page of text or high resolution graphics has been pursued vigorously over the past few years. See for example, M. R. Miller et al., "A Large-Area Electroluminescent Display With MAtrix Addressing for Full Video," SID 86 Digest, pp. 167-170 (1986): M. I. Abdalla et al., "Yield Analysis for Electroluminescent Panel Development," SPIE Vol. 256, Advances in Display Technology V, pp. 83-88 (1985); and L. E. Tannas et al., "ACTFEL Displays," SID 82 Digest, pp. 122-123 (1982).
The most important parameter for assessing a material is the density of electric charge it can hold without breaking down. The charge density at breakdown is given by the product of the static dielectric constant and the breakdown field: EQU Qbd=.epsilon.E.sub.bd
This quantity is thickness dependent. For films in the range of about 200 to 400 nm, charge density at breakdown should exceed about 3 micro coloumbs/square cm. For example, zinc sulfide will luminesce when the charge density reaches about 1.2 micro coloumbs/square cm.
The resolution of the display, i.e., the number of lines that can be charged during a row address period is inversely proportional to the duty cycle, which is about 0.2% for a 512 line display.
At 60 Hz, the time allowed to charge all 512 rows is 16 millisec., so the time allocated for a single row is 0.2% of 16 millisec. or 32 microsec. Refresh rate must be at least 60 Hz to avoid flicker.
Below 1 kHz, luminance is linearly dependent on frequency. At higher frequencies, luminance is limited by phosphor decay time.
The stability of the electrical and optical characteristics of the device is also an area of practical concern.
One major difficulty in fabrication of ACEL displays is the precise thickness control required in depositing the complex EL stack. High rate production is particularly demanding. Film thickness variation is manifested as drive voltage variation across the panel. For practica use, film thickness should be maintained within about 12%.
Nonuniformity in operation can also occur if ITO sheet resistance is too high for the display size and resolution. The magnitude of this problem increases rapidly with display size.
All layers should be as clean as possible with minimum density of defects caused by particulate or pinholes to avoid premature breakdown. Integrity of the electrode system has a critical effect on yield. Electrode deposition procedures should provide smooth rows and columns free of shorts or opens.
Prior to the present discovery, rounded or beveled edges were employed on the ITO layer to improve step coverage, reduce electric field concentration, and to prevent breakdown at the column edges. However, in terms of edge breakdown protection, this method was inadequate. The present invention solves this problem.

Edge breakdown protection in ACEL thin film display


Training equipment is configured for targeted muscle actuation. The training equipment contains a muscle-powered actuating element and a damping system having two components that can move in relation to one another. One of the components is operatively connected to the actuating element, such that a movement of the actuating element can be damped. A field-sensitive rheological medium and a field generation system are associated with the damping system, in order to generate and control the field strength. A damping characteristic can be influenced by the field generation system. A control system is suited and configured to control the field generation system in a targeted manner in accordance with a training parameter, such that the movement of the actuating element can be damped taking into account the training parameter.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to training equipment for targeted muscle actuation with at least one at least partially muscle-powered actuating element and at least one damping system.
A key feature of training equipment is its adaptability to specific training requirements and to the individual needs of the training user. Therefore, training equipment usually has different possible settings. For example, it is possible to set which force the training user must apply or how much they must stretch or extend.
However, setting training equipment is often very uncomfortable and time-consuming. Specialized knowledge is usually required in order to be able to optimally make the settings necessary for targeted training. Overloading and pain may even arise due to incorrect settings.
In the prior art, therefore, training equipment is known in which the training movements are influenced by dampers. This usually makes it easier to set specific training requirements.
For optimal training and a particularly comfortable use of training equipment, however, it would be advantageous if the setting of the corresponding damper could be even more targeted and in particular also at least partially automated.


A reticle includes an area provided with a conductive metal-based compound coating for electrically grounding the reticle. The reticle is suitable for use with a lithography apparatus whereby the reticle pattern is imaged using extreme ultra violet radiation. One or more conducting pins, held at zero potential, may be pressed against the conductive coating for electrically grounding the reticle either during patterning the reticle by electron beam writing or during use in the lithographic apparatus. The areas coated with the metal-based compounds are wear resistant which reduces the occurrence of particles due to damage caused by mechanical contact between the conducting pins and the conductive coating.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a patterning device for a lithographic apparatus.
2. Background
A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that instance, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the IC. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g. comprising part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate.
In an EUV lithographic apparatus extreme ultra-violet (EUV) radiation is used for imaging. This radiation has a wavelength in the range of 5-20 nm. The use of refractive optical elements in EUV lithography machines is not feasible due to absorption in bulk material of EUV radiation. Consequently, for EUV lithography reflective optical systems are used for imaging, and reflective reticles are used for patterning. A reflective reticle includes a pattern of reflective and absorbing (or at least less reflective) areas on one surface (the "front surface") of the reticle. The pattern is generated using an electron beam ("e-beam") writing tool. To avoid electron-beam writing-errors due to electrostatic fields near the front surface of the EUV reticle during patterning the EUV reticle, the reticle front surface is electrically grounded during e-beam writing. To that purpose a conductive coating is provided to an area at the front surface. An electric conductor, connected to earth, is brought in contact with the frontside conductive coating, to establish the required electrical grounding of the reticle.
Not only during patterning the reflective reticle, but also when in use in an EUV lithography apparatus the reflective reticle is electrically grounded. Impact with EUV photons may cause electrons to be freed from the reticle (for example, from the reticle substrate or its surface and/or from an absorber layer or a reflective multi-layer) and as a result a subsequent electrostatic charging of the substrate takes place. Electrical grounding is applied to avoid negative effects due to an electric field caused by electrostatic charging of the reticle. In an EUV machine a reticle support is capable of clamping the reflective reticle at the backside of the reticle (i.e. the side facing the side provided with the pattern). The reticle may be held in place by means of electrostatic clamping of the reticle to a chuck which is part of the reticle support. During electrostatic clamping a conductive coating at the backside of the reticle is held at electrical ground, and electrostatic clamping forces are generated by applying a voltage between this conductive coating and a conductive layer inside the chuck. For example, with the coating of the reticle at electric ground level, the conductive layer in the chuck may be held at 1000 V.
To obtain electrical grounding of the reticle, an electric conductor connected to earth may be brought into contact with the conductive coating at the front surface of the reticle and/or a conductive coating used for electrostatic clamping of the reticle. The conductor may for example be embodied as a spring-loaded metal pin. A finite force is needed to bring and keep the conductor or pin in contact with the conductive coating such as to obtain a sufficiently low contact resistance, and consequently the conductor may slightly damage the coating and may generate particles, which should be avoided in both the electron beam writing tool and in the EUV lithographic apparatus.

System for electrically connecting a mask to earth, a mask


An apparatus for solid surface analysis capable of carrying out the X-ray fluorescence analysis of the sample surface according to the characteristic X-rays detected by the energy dispersive X-ray detector. The apparatus can also obtain an enlarged image of the sample surface according to the secondary electrons emitted from the excited sample surface detected by the electron detector. The apparatus can also carry out an X-ray diffraction analysis of the sample surface according to diffracted X-rays detected by the diffracted X-ray detector. The apparatus is also capable of attaching or detaching the energy dispersive X-ray detector easily by incorporating a connection room which can be put in a vacuum state independent of the vacuum chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for analyzing a solid surface by using an X-ray spectroscopy.
2. Description of the Background Art
The field of a solid surface chemistry is a highly important field not only as a field of fundamental research but also as a field which is deeply related to the various industrially useful practical problems such as absorption, catalysis, corrosion, electrode reaction, friction, and electronic characteristics. For example, the catalysis is not only important as it is utilized in the majority of the processes used in the chemical industry, but also as it is considered indispensable in resolving the resource and energy problem and the environmental problem which are becoming the major concerns in recent years.
As a consequence, a large amount of empirical facts has been accumulated in this field over the past years. However, a truly effective means for checking the surface of the matters directly has not been available until recently, so that there has been a long history of estimating the properties of the surface of the matters according to the indirectly obtained information.
In recent years, however, due to the rapid development of various physical and chemical instruments, there is a strong trend to produce new materials and devices with improved functions by appropriately controlling the arrangement, chemical composition, electronic state, vibration state, and depth distribution of the atoms on the solid surface. For this reason, the measurement of the solid surface state is acquiring an increasing significance in recent years.
Presently, the most widely used type of an apparatus for solid surface analysis is a scanning electron microscope (SEM).
In a scanning electron microscope, the electron beam generated from an electron gun is sharply converged by a condenser lens and then irradiated onto a sample surface while performing a scanning operation using deflection coils, and the reflected electrons or secondary electrons emitted from the irradiated sample surface are collected by an electron detector and amplified, such that the amount of the collected electron can be indicated by modulating the luminance on the Braun tube display according to the collected electron beam.
Moreover, by synchronizing the scanning of the electron beam bundles on the sample surface with the scanning on the Braun tube display, it is also possible to obtain the enlarged image of the sample surface in terms of the reflected electron image or the secondary electron image on the Braun tube display.
In a case of observing the sample surface by using such a scanning electron microscope, the amount of the emitted electrons is affected not only by the crystalline orientation but also by the unevenness and the step shaped structure on the surface, so that the contrast of the image reflects all of these factors. Accordingly, it is possible to observe the sample surface in an undestroyed state, without spoiling the sample in terms of the grain size and shape of the crystalline grains, and the shape and distribution of the precipitated materials.
In such a scanning electron microscope, it is possible to achieve a surface resolution of less than 100 .ANG. by narrowing the electron beam, but the emission region for the X-ray fluorescence is rather wide spread. The reason for this is considered to be the following.
Namely, for a sample in which a substrate B has a thin film H formed thereon, in a case of observing the sample by using the electron beam with high energy (20 KeV for example) for the scanning electron microscope, there is a penetration of the electron beam into the sample in the form shown in FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, the electrons in the scanning electron microscope penetrate through the thin film H and diffuse deeply into the substrate B in a form of a droplet, so that there has been a problem that the X-ray fluorescence is generated not only from the thin film H but also from the substrate B.
Consequently, in the case of carrying out the composition analysis using the X-ray fluorescence excited by the electron beam of the scanning electron microscope, there has conventionally been a problem that the thin film H thinner than the droplet-shaped electron diffusion region cannot be analyzed accurately. In particular, the droplet-shaped electron diffusion region normally has a depth of several .mu.m, so that the analysis of the thin film having the thickness less than 0.1 .mu.m (1000 .ANG.) has been practically impossible.
In addition, the X-ray fluorescence from the thin film H and the X-ray fluorescence from the droplet-shaped region are mixedly observed, so that there has also been a problem that the S/N ratio (ratio of the amount of the X-ray fluorescence from the thin film with respect to the amount of the X-ray fluorescence from the droplet-shaped region) becomes poor.
On the other hand, in 1980, there has been a proposition by Professor Ino of the University of Tokyo and others, for the elementary analysis of the sample surface at a high sensitivity using the excitation of the characteristic X-rays of the atoms constituting the sample surface by the electron beam of the reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and the detection of the excited characteristic X-rays by an energy dispersive X-ray detector (EDX). This new surface analysis method is known as the total-reflection-angle X-ray spectroscopy (TRAXS).
In this method, the setting of the take-off angle of the characteristic X-rays emitted from the sample in the vicinity of the total reflection angle .theta.c (zero to several degrees) of the X-rays is known to be effective in improving the detection sensitivity for the sample surface elements, so that this method can be effectively utilized for the elementary analysis of the surface. In addition, it is also possible in this method to obtain the information on the atomic configuration on the surface. Furthermore, as this method is applicable to the film of various thickness sizes ranging from a very thin film having layers of only several atoms to a rather thick film, it is also possible in this method to obtain the information on the boundary of the matters.
Now, in the conventional apparatus for carrying out this total reflection angle X-ray spectroscopy method, a detailed structure for the attachment of the energy dispersive X-ray detector for detecting the characteristic X-rays has a configuration shown in FIG. 2.
In this configuration of FIG. 2, a rod shaped probe 112 is pierced through a side wall 111 of a vacuum chamber containing the sample therein, and attached on the side wall 111 by means of a flange 113.
On a tip of this probe 112 placed inside the vacuum chamber, there is provided a window section 107 formed by beryllium (Be) or organic thin film, and the probe 112 contains a semiconductor X-ray detector and FET inside this window section 107.
Also, on the base end side of the probe 112 located outside of the vacuum chamber, there is provided a pulse height analyzer 110. In addition, an L-shaped base end portion of the probe 112 is connected to a heat insulated tank 115 for storing the liquid nitrogen.
The interior of the probe 112 has a vacuum heat insulation structure to which the liquid nitrogen stored in the tank 115 is supplied in order to cool down the semiconductor X-ray detector contained inside the probe 112, so as to reduce the dark current in the semiconductor X-ray detector.
Now, the energy dispersive X-ray detector to be attached to the side wall of the vacuum chamber as shown in FIG. 2 is actually a very expensive device, so that it is preferable for the energy dispersive X-ray detector to be attached detachably such that it can be used in several vacuum chambers, rather than being fixedly attached to a single vacuum chamber.
Moreover, in the case where the energy dispersive X-ray detector is attached to the vacuum chamber directly, at a time of the replacement of the energy dispersive X-ray detector, it becomes necessary to release the vacuum state inside the vacuum chamber, so that the sample cannot be maintained in the vacuum state for an extended period of time, and a considerable amount of time is required for the operation to release the vacuum state.
For this reason, conventionally, the side wall of the vacuum chamber is equipped with a window section formed by beryllium, such that observation can be made by bringing the tip of the probe 112 face to face with the window section provided on the side wall of the vacuum chamber while the probe 112 and the tank 115 are supported outside of the vacuum chamber. With this configuration, the operation of the X-ray detection in several vacuum chambers can be effectively handled by using only one energy dispersive X-ray detector, while avoiding the above described disadvantages related to the release of the vacuum state of the vacuum chamber, and in addition there is an advantage that the handling of the X-ray detection device becomes easier as it can be located in the normal atmosphere.
However, such a conventional apparatus for carrying out this total-reflection-angle X-ray spectroscopy method has been associated with the following drawbacks.
First, there is a case in which it is necessary to form the film on the sample surface directly inside the vacuum chamber in order to carry out the X-ray fluorescence analysis of this film at a time of its formation or immediately after its formation. In such a case, there is a possibility for contaminating the window section 107 provided on a tip of the probe 112 with the film formation materials, and such a contamination of the window section 107 causes the excitation of the characteristic X-rays of the film formation materials during the analysis, so that the error can be introduced into the analysis data.
When such a situation occurs, it becomes necessary to replace the window section 107, but such a replacement of the window section 107 in turn requires the operation of disassembling the probe 112 having the vacuum heat insulation structure, so that considerable amounts of cost, time, and labor are required for the replacement of the window section 107.
Also, in the case where the probe 112 is to be located in the normal atmosphere outside the vacuum chamber, there is an air layer between the tip of the probe 112 and the window section provided on the side wall of the vacuum chamber inevitably, so that a part of the characteristic X-rays are absorbed by this air layer and consequently the detection efficiency is lowered. In particular, the characteristic X-rays having energy below 1.7 KeV are very easily absorbed by the air containing the oxygen, nitrogen, and argon, so that they are hardly detectable in this case. As a result, it is practically impossible in this case to detect the characteristic X-rays of the elements such as C, N, O, F, Na, Mg, and Al which have energy below 1.7 KeV.

Apparatus for solid surface analysis using X-ray spectroscopy

International Superconductivity Technology Center


Detailed herein are approaches to enabling conditional execution of instructions in a graphics pipeline. In one embodiment, a method of conditional execution controller operation is detailed. The method involves configuring the conditional execution controller to evaluate conditional test. A pixel data packet is received into the conditional execution controller, and evaluated, with reference to the conditional test. A conditional execution flag, associated with the pixel data packet, is set, to indicate whether a conditional operation should be performed on the pixel data packet.

As computer technology improves, software developers continue to push the performance of technology. This is particularly true in the field of graphics technology, where new API standards are developed and proliferated to take advantage of improvements in graphics performance. One recent development is the OpenGL 2.0 standard, which institutes support for conditional execution of graphical instructions.
These conditional instructions allow for situations where a particular pixel may or may not be subject to a particular effect. For example, a software developer may use conditionals when rendering a wooden boat moving through water. Depending on various factors, e.g., the calculated weight of the boat, its speed through the water, and various weather conditions, a particular portion of the hull of the boat may or may not be wet. Conditional execution allows the programmer to program a graphics pipeline to handle either scenario. As such, the graphics pipeline can render an image faster, by requiring fewer instruction sets, than may be possible if conditional operations were not allowed.
At present, many implementations of conditional execution rely upon processing a packet both ways; that is, performing the calculations twice, once with the conditional as true, and once with the conditional as false. After both know paths have been calculated, the conditional is evaluated, and the appropriate result selected; the other result is discarded. This approach, while reasonably effective, is inefficient. The extra calculations performed to determine the discarded result represent a power drain, and may require additional time to perform, e.g., if memory access is required during the calculation.

Conditional execution flag in graphics applications


A method includes displaying a financial services document on a display screen of an electronic computing device. The financial services document is displayed on a first section of the display screen and on a second section of the display screen. An action is performed on the financial services document on the first section of the display screen without changing the display of the financial services document on the second section of the display screen. An action is performed on the financial services document on the second section of the display screen without changing the display of the financial services document on the first section of the display screen.

Financial institutions provide a variety of services to customers. Example services include banking accounts, loans, mortgages, brokerage accounts, etc. When a customer applies for a financial service, the customer typically meets face to face with a financial services employee and may need to fill out one or more forms.
Forms that a customer may need to fill out for a financial service typically require the customer to enter personal information such as name, address, date of birth, information about financial assets the customer may have, etc. The customer may also be required to provide confidential information such as a social security number and a personal identification number (PIN). When providing the personal information, the customer may have privacy concerns and may not want the personal information to be seen by others.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Dual-use display screen for financial services applications


A method for selecting the state of a reconfigurable antenna installed at either the receiver or transmitter of a communication system is provided. The proposed method uses online learning algorithm based on the theory of multi-armed bandit to perform antenna state selection. The selection technique utilizes the Post-Processing Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PPSNR) as a reward metric and maximizes the long-term average reward over time. The performance of the learning based selection technique is empirically evaluated using wireless channel data. The data is collected in an indoor environment using a 2×2 MIMO OFDM system employing highly directional metamaterial Reconfigurable Leaky Wave Antennas. The learning based selection technique shows performance improvements in terms of average PPSNR and regret over conventional heuristic policies.

In recent years, studies have shown that reconfigurable antennas can offer additional performance gains in Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) systems by increasing the channel capacity, diversity order and even have been shown to perform well in the low SNR regimes. These reconfigurable antennas are capable of generating multiple uncorrelated channel realizations by changing their electrical and radiation properties and are gradually making their way into commercial wireless systems. The key to effectively utilizing the reconfigurability offered by these antennas is to select a state that provides improvement in received SNR, throughput or channel capacity (referred to as "optimal state" herein) among all the states for a given wireless environment.
Reconfigurable antennas can be employed either at the transmitter or the receiver, or at both ends of the RF chain. This flexibility can create a large search space in order to find an optimal state for communication. The key bottleneck to exploit the full potential of reconfigurable antennas is the requirement of additional training to obtain the channel state information corresponding to each beam pattern and/or the combination thereof at the receiver and transmitter. Moreover, the effect of node mobility to a different location, changes in physical antenna orientation, and the dynamic nature of the wireless channel can render previously found "optimal" states suboptimal over time. This makes it important for a wireless system to employ a learning algorithm to find the new optimal states and to maintain the highest possible SNR.
In order to be effective, an online learning algorithm for antenna state selection (also referred to herein interchangeably as "selection technique") must overcome certain challenges, including:
1) Optimal antenna state for each wireless link (between a single transmitter and a receiver location) is unknown a priori. Moreover, each wireless link may have a different optimal state. A selection technique should be able to learn and find the optimal state for a given link.
2) For a given wireless link, there might be several states which are near optimal over time, based on channel conditions and multi-path propagation. A selection technique should provide a policy to balance between exploiting a known successful state and exploring other available states to account for dynamic behavior of the channel.
3) For the purpose of real-time implementation in a practical wireless system, a selection technique must employ simple metrics that can be extracted from the channel without large overhead or requiring extensive feedback data.
4) The selection technique should require reduced training or reduced channel state information to keep the overhead low in a practical wireless system.
Previous work related to state selection is based on estimating channel response of each antenna state which required changing the standard OFDM frame format. However, as the number of states increases, the scheme becomes impractical. See, e.g., A. Grau, H. Jafarkhani, and F. De Flavis, "A reconfigurable multiple-input multiple-output communication system," IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, vol. 7, no. 5, pp. 1719-1733, 2008. Selection techniques using second order channel statistics and average SNR information have also been proposed by D. Piazza, M. D'Amico, and K. Dandekar in "Performance improvement of a wideband MIMO system by using two-port RLWA," Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, IEEE, vol. 8, pp. 830-834, 2009. Further H. Eslami, C. Sukumar, D. Rodrigo, S. Mopidevi, A. Eltawil, L. Jofre, and B. Cetiner, proposed training schemes with reduced overhead and compared these to exhaustive search techniques in "Reduced overhead training for multi reconfigurable antennas with beam-tilting capability," IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, vol. 9, pp. 3810-3821, 2010. Though some of these techniques were successful in showing the benefits of multi-state selection and motivated the need for a selection algorithm, none solved the challenges mentioned above and were not truly adaptive in operation and required additional parameter tuning to perform optimally. Previous work in learning for cognitive radios has primarily been focused on link adaptation. See, e.g., R. Daniels, C. Caramanis, and R. Heath, "Adaptation in convolutionally coded MIMO-OFDM wireless systems through supervised learning and SNR ordering," IEEE Transaction on Vehicular Technology, vol. 59, no. 1, pp. 114-126, 2010, and S. Yun and C. Caramanis, "Reinforcement learning for link adaptation in MIMO-OFDM wireless systems," in GLOBECOM 2010, 2010 IEEE Global Telecommunications Conference, December 2010, pp. 1-5 and channel allocation for dynamic spectrum access in Y. Gai, B. Krishnamachari, and R. Jain, "Learning multi-user channel allocations in cognitive radio networks: a combinatorial multi-armed bandit formulation," in 2010 IEEE Symposium on New Frontiers in Dynamic Spectrum, IEEE, 2010, pp. 1-9.
It is desired to develop learning algorithms for antenna state selection to address the above challenges to improve the performance of wireless systems and to investigate the feasibility of implementing such algorithms in a practical wireless system. The present invention addresses these needs in the art.

Method for selecting state of a reconfigurable antenna in a communication system via machine learning


A flexible sleeve dimensioned for securement to an associated end member for an associated gas spring assembly includes a flexible wall. An annular reinforcement member is embedded within the flexible wall. A retainment element that includes an element surface is disposed along the flexible wall such that at least the element surface is outwardly exposed. At least one gas spring piston, at least one gas spring assembly and at least one method are also included.

The subject matter of the present disclosure broadly relates to the art of spring devices and, more particularly, to a flexible sleeve that has an inside surface and includes a retainment element disposed along the inside surface of the flexible sleeve for abuttingly engaging an associated end member. The subject matter of the present disclosure also relates to a gas spring assembly and a method of assembling a gas spring that includes such a flexible sleeve.
The subject matter of the present disclosure may find particular application and use in conjunction with suspension systems of wheeled vehicles, and may be described herein with reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the subject matter of the present disclosure is also amenable to other applications and environments, and that the specific uses shown and described herein are merely exemplary. For example, the subject matter of the present disclosure could be used in support structures, height adjusting systems and actuators associated with industrial machinery, components thereof and/or other such equipment.
Wheeled motor vehicles of most types and kinds include a sprung mass, such as a body or chassis, for example, and an unsprung mass, such as two or more axles or other wheel-engaging members, for example, with a suspension system disposed therebetween. Typically, a suspension system will include a plurality of spring devices as well as a plurality of damping devices that together permit the sprung and unsprung masses of the vehicle to move in a somewhat controlled manner relative to one another. Movement of the sprung and unsprung masses toward one another is normally referred to in the art as jounce motion while movement of the sprung and unsprung masses away from one another is commonly referred to in the art as rebound motion.
In many applications and uses associated with wheeled motor vehicles, the suspension system of the vehicle is adapted and arranged such that there are substantially no operating conditions, during normal usage, under which the plurality of spring devices would be tensioned or otherwise undergo a tension load. That is, the configuration and/or use of conventional suspension systems is such that the spring devices are not tensioned under during rebound motion and are generally used in compression under normal operating conditions. In such operating environments, it is possible to utilize a gas spring assembly that has a simplified construction and minimal retention of the flexible wall on the piston of the gas spring assembly in the direction opposite that associated with normal use.
As a more-specific example, a construction can be used in which an open end of the flexible wall thereof is "snapped-on" or otherwise press-fit onto the piston of the gas spring assembly. It will be appreciated that such "snap-on" constructions can result in lower cost gas spring assemblies, at least in part, because a reduced number of components can be used and also because simplified assembly and other manufacturing techniques can be employed.
This "snap-on" interengagement between the open end of the flexible wall and a portion of the piston normally provides sufficient retention for handling and installation purposes. It will be recognized, however, that such constructions are often deemed to be poorly suited for applications in which the gas spring assembly could be stretched or otherwise placed in tension, as this could generate an undesirable separation between the flexible wall and the piston of the gas spring assembly.
It is believed desirable to develop a gas spring piston, as well as a gas spring assembly and method of assembly including the same, that are capable of providing improved retention of the flexible wall on the gas spring piston during use of the gas spring assembly under tension conditions and/or overcoming other disadvantages of known constructions while maintaining a relatively low cost of manufacture and ease of assembly.

Flexible sleeve, gas spring assembly and method

Firestone Industrial Products Company, LLC


Biaxially oriented rigid thermoplastic structures with multiple coextruded polymeric layers comprising a layer of vinyl chloride polymer and a coating layer of polymethyl methacrylate containing products absorbing ultraviolet radiation. The content of products absorbing ultraviolet radiation is such that the glass transition temperature of the coating layer does not exceed 105.degree. C., thus permitting an orientation in the range 95.degree.-110.degree. C.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to biaxially oriented rigid thermoplastic structures comprising a layer of vinyl chloride polymer and a coating layer of polymethyl methacrylate containing products absorbing ultraviolet radiation.
2. Background of the Related Art
It is known to manufacture, starting with thermoplastic resins such as vinyl chloride polymer (PVC, and the like), finished objects exhibiting improved mechanical characteristics by orienting the macromolecules in one direction or in two directions at right angles. A major increase in rigidity and in impact strength is observed, proportional to the orientation produced.
It is also known, especially from French Patent FR-A-1,571,391, to improve the light- and weather resistance of finished objects made of PVC by coextrusion of a coating layer of a methyl methacrylate homo- or copolymer. In this way, the surface of the finished objects is modified and the good characteristics of polymethyl methacrylate are imparted thereto, insofar as its high gloss, its high weather resistance and its excellent optical characteristics are concerned.
It is also known, especially from German Patent Application DE-A-2,536,461, to produce impact-resistant multilayer composites comprising at least two thermoplastic materials of different impact strength by drawing the composite biaxially at a temperature above the softening point of the materials in question, but at which at least the material which has the lower impact strength is in the thermoelastic state. The material of higher impact strength is, in particular, PVC, while the other one, with good weather resistance, is, in particular, polymethyl methacrylate. The temperature of orientation of the multilayer composite lies in the range 120.degree.-150.degree. C.
The disadvantage of these high orientation temperatures is that the ability of PVC to elongate is low and that the chain relaxation rate is high, with the result that it is not possible to obtain elongations which are sufficient to produce an orientation permitting the final mechanical characteristics to be appreciably improved. In fact, in these conditions, only an elongation of the order of 30% can be obtained by biaxial drawing in the case of PVC, and this is inadequate to produce a sufficient final orientation. The optimum of the temperature of orientation of PVC lies, in fact, in the range of 95.degree.-105.degree. C., close to the glass transition temperature of PVC (85.degree. C.), at which temperature the elongations of PVC is higher than 70 % when drawn biaxially.

Coextruded rigid thermoplastic structures enabling biaxially oriented materials to be obtained


A motion-enable device includes a mechanical switch and a capacitive sensor with a sensing region that is located adjacent to the mechanical switch. The mechanical switch enables a first signal when closed or actuated that indicates that the mechanical switch is in an active state. The capacitive sensor enables a second signal when a conductive object is disposed in the sensing region, where the second signal indicates that the capacitive sensor is in an active state. Enablement of operation of an apparatus depends on receipt of both the first signal and the second signal. The mechanical switch and the capacitive sensor act as the two separate switches required by functional safety requirements for a motion enable device. Because the sensing region of the capacitive sensor is adjacent to the mechanical switch, the first and second signals are generated when an operator actuates the mechanical switch with a single digit.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
The motion enable switch (also referred to as a "dead man's switch) is a form of fail-safe device designed to stop the motion or operation of a machine in the absence of an active input from an operator. Motion enable switches are typically employed in situations in which unwanted motion of a mechanism can present a crush hazard or other dangerous situation to the operator or nearby persons. For example, in radiation therapy and medical imaging applications, a patient is precisely positioned for treatment or imaging via a movable couch, and a motion enable switch must be continuously depressed by the operator for couch motion to take place. Thus, couch motion only occurs while being observed and actively enabled by the operator, which greatly reduces the risk of patient collisions.
An additional functional safety requirement associated with some motion enable devices is the inclusion of two separate switches in the motion enable device, where motion is only enabled by the device when both switches are actively actuated by an operator. In radiation therapy and medical imaging applications, two adjacent mechanical buttons are often employed as the two separate switches of the motion enable device, and the operator depresses both buttons to cause the couch motion that positions a patient for treatment. One drawback to this approach is that, when positioning a patient, an operator is required to cock the wrist at an awkward angle while exerting significant pressure on the buttons. This is particularly true when the control interface is configured as a side panel or other vertical surface. Because this physically awkward operation may be performed dozens or hundreds of times per day, the operator can be susceptible to one or more repetitive stress injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Another drawback of the two mechanical button approach for motion enable of an apparatus is that if one of the two mechanical buttons has failed in the closed position, the potentially hazardous motion of the apparatus will be unexpectedly enabled when the single functioning button is depressed, which violates the functional safety standards developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Further, detection of such a failure can be problematic, since motion of the device will appear to be enabled normally, by depressing two mechanical buttons, until unexpected motion occurs when only the single functioning button is depressed.
In light of the above, there is a need in the art for a motion enable system that addresses the above-described challenges.

Motion enable mechanism with capacitive sensor