A Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) transceiver in which correlator banks consisting of an array of dual-code correlators (two tri-code correlators) are used to form correlator filters, such as chip matched filters or multi-code RAKE receivers, or FIR filters for CDMA/TDMA related applications.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to dual-mode transceivers capable of operating in the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) or Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) mode. More particularly, the present invention is directed to CDMA/TDMA transceivers in which CDMA/TDMA filter units, such as chip matched filters, multi-code RAKE receivers or finite impulse response (FIR) filters, are configured using tri-code correlators for CDMA/TDMA related applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) system is currently the most widely used cellular standard in the world for supporting voice and short message services. The GSM system is one type of TDMA capable of providing pack-switched high speed data services and high-speed data transmission through General Packet Radio Service (GPRS). However, due to the harmonization of third generation cellular standards/modes (i.e., broadband mobile communications with voice, video, graphics, audio and other information), the GSM/TDMA system will eventually converge with the CDMA system. During this evolution period from the second generation cellular standards/modes to the third generation cellular standards/modes, it is important to develop a suitable CDMA/TDMA dual-mode transceiver that can operate in either CDMA or TDMA mode so that the TDMA and CDMA standards/modes can coexist.
Conventional dual mode receivers or correlators usually use dedicated hardware for each of the two modes, respectively. Even though it is possible that software radios can be used to accommodate TDMA and CDMA standards/modes because software radios migrate the traditional hard-wired radio platforms to flexible software radio platforms for supporting multiple modulation waveforms and multiple air interface standards, currently there is no design for a CDMA/TDMA type of dual-mode transceiver.
One object of the present invention is to propose a tri-code correlator, which can correlator the input with code 1, xe2x88x921, or 0 instead of 1 and xe2x88x921 in order to support multi-code de-spreading or FIR filtering functionality.
It is another object of the present invention to employ tri-code correlators in configuring a chip matched filter or multi-code RAKE receiver for use by a CDMA/TDMA dual-mode transceiver in CDMA related applications, such as chip-rate de-spreading, code acquisition, code tracking, and RAKE combining.
It is a further object of the present invention to employ tri-code correlators in configuring an FIR filter for use by a CDMA/TDMA dual-mode transceiver in TDMA related applications, such as shaping/matched filter or symbol synchronization.
In accordance with the present invention, one or more tri-code correlators can be configured, in terms of software radio systems, as a generic module for use by the CDMA/TDMA dual mode transceiver.
A constructed correlator filter in accordance with the present invention includes a controller for calculating I and Q symbols and dual-code correlator banks connected to the controller for receiving input and correlating I and Q codes. In particular, each dual-code correlator bank is consisted of an array of dual-code correlators (i.e., a pair of tri-code correlators having a common input).
A constructed FIR filter in accordance with the present invention includes a controller for calculating I and Q symbols and dual-code correlator banks connected to the controller for receiving data and processing FIR coefficients in a canonical signed digit (CSD) format. In particular, each dual-code correlator bank is consisted of an array of dual-code correlators (i.e., a pair of tri-code correlators with a common input).

Correlator/FIR filter unit for dual-mode transceiver

Industrial Technology Research Institute


Disclosed are methods and apparatus for commissioning a light source in a lighting system including a plurality of light sources capable of emitting coded light. An autonomous vehicle with one or more light sensors and a location detector navigates throughout the lighting system. The light sensor detects an identifier encoded in a light source and the location detector determines the location of the autonomous vehicle. The location is associated with the encoded identifier, thereby commissioning the light source.

Coded light ("CL") systems generally comprise a plurality of lights within each of which is embedded a unique identifier or code. The invisible identifier or code can be embedded in light sources such as light emitting diodes ("LEDs") as well as incandescent, halogen, fluorescent, and high-intensity discharge lamps. The identifier is based on modulation of visible light of the light source or by placing an additional infrared source in or with the light source and modulating that light emitted by this infrared source. LEDs are particularly well-suited for CL systems since they allow for high modulation bandwidth and frequency.
The unique identifier or code emitted by the light source can be utilized by a wide variety of tools and applications, including the identification of one or more specific light sources in the presence of numerous light sources, which in turn enables applications such as lighting manipulation and modification schemes. Further, information about the spatiotemporal location of the identified light source can either be separately associated with the identified light source's identifier, or can be directly embedded into the code transmitted by the coded light source. Coded light systems can be established in any location where a receiver capable of detecting coded light can be used, including but not limited to shopping malls, homes, office buildings, tunnels, subways, parking garages, and other locations.
When a CL system is constructed each light source within that system, or a subset of light sources within the system, can be assigned a unique identifier or code. Each light source also inherently possesses a unique geographic location simply as a result of its physical introduction to the system. The process of associating a light source's emitted code with the physical location of that light source, and vice versa, is known as "commissioning." Commissioning may be performed, for example, if an intended or possible use of the CL system requires the individual addressability of some or all of the light sources in the system.
However, the commissioning process can be tedious, as a CL system can comprise hundreds or thousands of light sources, each with a unique code and geophysical location. Although there are methods and apparatus for facilitating the commissioning process, these methods and apparatus require continuous input from or participation from a human being. For example, there are portable devices comprising one or more light detectors that are used for commissioning. However, the portable devices must be manually carried, maneuvered, or navigated through the coded lighting system by an individual. There are also motorized commissioning devices with light detectors for commissioning that are similarly driven or navigated through the coded lighting system by the individual. These portable and motorized devices therefore require significant human interaction in order to perform their light commissioning functions.
Thus, there is a need in the art to provide methods and apparatus to enable commissioning without requiring human interaction to maneuver the commissioning device through the coded lighting system, and that optionally overcome one or more drawbacks of existing techniques.

Methods and apparatus for automated commissioning of coded light sources


A touch sensing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a touch coordinate calculation unit configured to calculate a touch coordinate corresponding to the touch label on the basis of touch intensities of touch electrodes included in the touch label, a representative value calculation unit configured to calculate a representative value of the touch label by correcting the maximum touch intensity value of the touch label on the basis of a coordinate of a target touch electrode and the touch coordinate when the touch input corresponding to the touch coordinate is detected in the edge region of the target touch electrode among the touch electrodes, and a touch coordinate transmission unit configured to determine the touch input as a normal touch when the representative value is greater than or equal to a first threshold and transmit the touch coordinate to a host system.

With development into an information society, various demands are increasing for display devices for displaying images. Recently, various types of display devices such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) device or an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display device are being utilized.
In recent years, display devices having a touch screen panel capable of detecting a touch input by a user's finger, a stylus pen, or the like have been widely used to break away from conventional input methods using buttons, a keyboard, a mouse, and the like. The display device having such a touch screen panel includes a touch sensing device for accurately detecting the presence or absence of a touch and a touch coordinate (a touch position).
The touch sensing device assigns identification information to touch electrodes whose touch intensities are calculated to be greater than or equal to a predetermined touch threshold on a touch screen panel and sets a touch label with touch electrodes to which the same identification information is assigned, thereby calculating touch coordinates. In this case, in order to prevent dead zones from being occurred, the touch threshold is determined on the basis of the smallest value among touch intensities occurring at all positions on the touch screen panel.
However, when a pitch of a touch electrode is increased, the possibility, in which a touch input is detected in an edge region of the touch electrode rather than in a center portion thereof, is increased, and as illustrated in FIG. 1A, a touch intensity is calculated as a low value in a case in which an edge region E of a touch electrode 100 is touched as compared to a case in which a center region C of the touch electrode 100 is touched so that the touch threshold also has to be set to a low value. Thus, when the edge region E of the touch electrode 100 is touched, there is a problem in that it is inevitably difficult to distinguish between a ghost touch and a normal touch due to the touch threshold set to a low value.
Further, when the edge region of the touch electrode is touched, a touch intensity is calculated to be low compared to a case in which the center region of the touch electrode is touched, and thus, as illustrated in FIG. 1B, when touch drawing 110 is performed in the form of crossing a plurality of touch electrodes 100a to 100n over a plurality of frames, a difference in touch intensity inevitably occurs between a frame F1 in which a center region C of the touch electrode 100a is touched and a frame F2 in which an edge region E of the touch electrode 100a is touched among consecutive frames on which the touch drawing 110 has been performed. Accordingly, a deviation between the touch intensities of the frames increases more than a predetermined threshold, and thus there is a problem in that it is difficult to accurately distinguish whether the variation in touch intensity, which occurs in the corresponding touch drawing, is due to noise.

Touch sensing device and touch sensing method


The present invention provides methods and compositions for producing and screening combinatorial libraries of multimeric proteins. The present invention relies on the use of filamentous fungal heterokaryons that are produced using two or more parent strains into which a population of DNA molecules encoding variants of a multimeric protein have been introduced.

The cloning and expression of heterologous genes in fungi has been used to produce a variety of useful proteins. For example: Lambowitz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,533, discloses the autonomous replication of DNA vectors for filamentous fungi by mitochondrial plasmid DNA and the introduction and expression of heterologous genes into Neurospora; Yelton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,405, discloses tools and systems that enable the modification of important strains of filamentous ascomycetes to produce and secrete large quantities of desired heterologous proteins; Buxton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,249, discloses the transformation of Aspergillus niger by a DNA vector that contains a selectable marker capable of being incorporated into the host A. niger cells; and McKnight et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,349, discloses a method for expressing higher eukaryotic genes in Aspergillus involving promoters capable of directing the expression of a heterologous gene in Aspergillus and other filamentous fungi. Similar techniques have been used to clone the mtr gene involved with amino acid transport in Neurospora crassa ("N. crassa") and to verify the tight linking of the cloned DNA to genomic markers flanking this gene in vivo. Stuart, W. D. et al., Genome (1988) 30:198-203; Koo, K. and Stuart, W. D. Genome (1991) 34:644-651.
Filamentous fungi possess many characteristics which make them good candidates for use in producing eukaryotic proteins. Filamentous fungi can secrete complex proteins; correctly fold three dimensional proteins including disulfide bond formation; proteolytically clip proteins following translation; and glycosylate proteins using n-linked and o-linked glycosylation reactions. These abilities have made this group of organisms attractive hosts for the production of secreted recombinant proteins. (MacKenzie, D. A. et al., J Gen Microbiol (1993) 139:2295-2307; Peberdy, J. F., Trends in BioTechnology (1994) 12:50-57).
Neurospora crassa has been used as a host cell for recombinant homologous and heterologous protein production. (Carattoli, A., et al., Proc Nat Acad Sci USA (1995) 92:6612-6616; Yamashita, R. A. et al., Fungal Genetics Newsletter (1995 Suppl.) 42A; Kato, E. et al., Fungal Genetics Newsletter (1995 Suppl.) 42A; Buczynski, S. et al. Fungal Genetics Newsletter (1995 Suppl.) 42A, Nakano, E. T. et al. Fungal Genetics Newsletter (1995 Suppl.) 40:54 ( )). In addition, Neurospora crassa has recently been used as a host cell for expressing recombinant heterodimeric and multimeric proteins by means of a heterokaryon., PCT Application WO 95/21263.
A "heterokaryon" (or a heterokaryonic cell) is a cell formed from the fusion of two filamentous fungal parent strains, each heterokaryon cell thus containing two (or more) genetically different nuclei. Heterokaryons contain nuclei from two parent strains that are generally homozygous for all heterokaryon compatibility alleles (except for the mating type allele when the tol gene is present). At least ten chromosomal loci have been identified for heterokaryon incompatibility: het-c, het-d, het-e, het-i, het-5, het-6, het-7, het-8, het-9 and het-10, and more are inferred to exist. Perkins et al, "Chromosomal Loci of Neurospora crassa", Microbiological Reviews (1982) 46:426-570, at 478.
The present invention advances the work of that disclosed in PCT Application WO 95/21263 by providing methods and compositions for producing a population of multimeric proteins using heterokaryonic filamentous fungi. Such methods and compositions are useful in the discovery and production of panel of multimeric molecules, such as a heterodimeric antibody, multimeric hormones and growth factors and multimeric receptors.

Methods and compositions for combinatorial-based discovery of new multimeric molecules


A photothermographic element containing a transparent substrate having one major surface thereof containing the following layers sequentially coated thereon: an image-receiving layer; an opacifying layer; a first dry silver layer; an interlayer containing thermoplastic polymer; a second dry silver layer; an interlayer containing thermoplastic polymer; and a third dry silver layer, wherein the first, second, and third dry silver layers each contain a light-insensitive, reducible silver source; light-sensitive silver halide, and as a reducing agent for the light-insensitive, reducible silver source, a material oxidizable to a colored dye whose color differs from that capable of being formed in each other dry silver layer, each of the dry silver layers being individually sensitized to light of different wavelengths.

Photothermographic imaging materials that are classified as "dry silver" compositions or emulsions comprise a light-insensitive reducible silver source; a light-sensitive silver source; and a reducing agent for the light-insensitive, reducible silver source. The light-sensitive material is generally photographic silver halide, which must be in catalytic proximity to the light-insensitive, reducible silver source. Catalytic proximity requires an intimate physical association of these two materials so that when silver specks or nuclei are generated by the irradiation or light exposure of the photographic silver halide, those nuclei are able to catalyze the reduction of the reducible silver source by the reducing agent. It has been long understood that silver halide is a catalyst for the reduction of silver ions and that the silver-generating, light-sensitive silver halide catalyst progenitor may be placed into catalytic proximity with the silver source in a number of different fashions, such as by partial metathesis of the reducible silver source with a halogen-containing source (e.g., see U.S. Pat. No. 3,457,075); coprecipitation of silver halide and reducible silver source material; (e.g., see U.S. Pat. No. 3,839,049); and other methods that intimately associate the silver halide and the silver source.
In both photographic and photothermographic emulsions, exposure of the photographic silver halide to light produces Small clusters of silver atoms. The imagewise distribution of these clusters is known in the art as a latent image. As this latent image generally is not visible by ordinary means, the light-sensitive article must be further processed in order to produce a visual image. The visual image is produced by the catalytic reduction of silver ions which are in catalytic proximity to the silver halide grains bearing the latent image.
One conventional way of attempting to increase the image density of photographic and photothermographic emulsions without increasing, or while decreasing, the amount of silver in the emulsion layer is by the inclusion of dye forming materials into the emulsion. In this way a dye enhanced silver image can be produced.
Residual silver stain is a major problem with dry silver color constructions known in the art. This has been overcome by causing the developed dye image to diffuse from the dry silver layer to an image-receiving layer that is then stripped from the dry silver layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,307 discloses a heat developable photographic material that produces a pure and stable dye image by the oxidation-reduction reaction between a reducible organic silver salt and a leuco dye reducing agent wherein the dye formed is transferred to an image-receiving layer by continuing the heating for development. This separates the dye formed from the silver images and other residual chemicals.
It has been described in the patent literature to transfer a dye image formed in a photothermographic system by means of a transfer solvent; see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,985,565; 4,021,240; and 4,022,617.
Japanese Patent Application No. 59-5239 discloses a photothermographic contact diffusion system wherein a chemical reaction occurs in an image-receiving layer between a diffused leuco dye and an acidic color developing agent.
Heat developable photographic materials for providing dye images by the reaction of color couplers with the oxidants of an organic reducing agent have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,531,286; 3,761,270; and 3,764,328. These materials suffer from the problem that the optical density of the background is increased because of the presence of unreduced silver. Poor print stability is also a problem.
Dye formation by an oxidation-reduction reaction between a reducible silver source and a leuco dye to form a visible dye is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,985,565; 4,022,617; and 4,460,681. However, in these processes, the materials provide turbid and hazy color images on account of the presence of the reduced silver image after heat development. Moreover, the image tends to suffer from background stain upon aging due to residual chemicals in the material. The silver images can be removed by liquid processing and the dyes can be transferred to an image-receiving layer with the aid of a transfer solvent such as alcohol.
Another process employing a heat developable photographic material to produce dye images by the oxidation-reduction reaction between an organic silver salt oxidizing agent and a dye releasing compound that releases a mobile dye when the material is heated is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Nos. 58-58543; 58-79247; 58-149046; and 58-149047. This process requires that the dyes be transferred to an image-receiving sheet with the aid of a transfer solvent such as water.
Depending on the particular ingredients of a given dry silver layer, the development may be best carried out, for example, under acidic or basic conditions. When multiple dry silver layers with incompatible developing chemistries are employed, it is very difficult to keep development conditions within the dry silver layer from affecting the development of nearby or adjacent dry silver layers. As a result, it is advantageous to coat dry silver layers with different developing conditions on opposite sides of a transparent substrate. However under these conditions a good reflection print has not been obtained.
Opacifying layers have been employed in the wet-developed photographic art to improve the quality of reflection prints. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,037 and references cited therein describe the use of opacifying layers in diffusion transfer reversal photographic materials. Those materials are not exposed through the opacifying layer and are wet diffusion processed.

Photothermographic elements with novel layer structures, each of which contains a thermally-diffusible oxidizable leuco dye and process for producing a color image from leuco dye

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A process for preparing a polyolefin, including polymerizing olefins in the presence of an antistatic agent made from or containing an alkylene oxide derived polymer made from or containing in average from about 10 to about 200 repeating units —(CH2—CHR—O)— with R being hydrogen or an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, wherein the alkylene oxide derived polymer is a random copolymer of ethylene oxide and other alkylene oxides and a ratio of n:m is in the range of from 6:1 to 1:1, wherein (n) is the average number of repeating units —(CH2—CH2—O)— derived from ethylene oxide and (m) is the average number of repeating units —(CH2—CHR′—O)— derived from the other alkylene oxides with R′ being an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and the end groups of the alkylene oxide derived polymer are —OH groups.

In the context of olefin polymerization, antistatic agents are also called antifouling agents, activity inhibitors, productivity inhibitors or kinetic modifiers. Antistatic agents can include antistatically acting compounds which have polar functional groups such as acid or ester groups, amine or amide groups or hydroxyl or ether groups. Examples of antistatically acting compounds are polysulfone copolymers, polymeric polyamines, polyalcohols, hydroxyesters of polyalcohols, salts of alkylarylsulfonic acids, polysiloxanes, alkoxyamines, and polyglycol ethers.
Antistatic agents used in the continuous polymerization of olefins can negatively impact the activity of polymerization catalysts and have limited efficiency. There can be issues regarding sheeting and lump formation, including for preparing polyolefins with relatively high molecular weight.

Polymerization process in the presence of antistatic agent


A heat developable color photographic material for use in an image-forming process comprising: (a) superposing a heat developable color photographic material onto an image-receiving material that is formed on a separate support from a support of the heat developable color photographic material; and (b) heat-developing the heat developable color photographic material superposed on the image-receiving material to form or release a diffusible dye, so that the diffusible dye is transferred to the image-receiving material to thereby form an image: wherein the heat developable color photographic material contains at least a light-sensitive silver halide and yellow, magenta and cyan dye-donating compounds, which form or release diffusible yellow, magenta and cyan dyes, respectively, by heat development corresponding to silver development, wherein the yellow, magenta and cyan dyes, respectively, has a maximum absorption intensity of spectral absorption at a wavelength of from 440 nm to 460 nm, from 525 nm to 545 nm, and from 610 nm to 640 nm, and wherein the heat developable color photographic material further contains at least one specific compound represented by the following formula (I) other than the above dye-donating compounds: ##STR1##

Heat developable photographic materials are well-known and heat developable photographic materials and processes for using such photographic materials are disclosed, for example, in "Shashin Kogaku no Kiso, Hi-Gin-En Shashin-Hen (The Elementary Course of Photographic Engineering, Section of Nonsilver Photography)", pp. 242 to 255, Corona Publishing Co. (1982), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,626, etc.
A method of imagewise forming or releasing diffusible dyes by heat development and transferring these diffusible dyes to an image-receiving material has been proposed. In this method, a negative dye image and a positive dye image can be obtained by changing the kind of the dye-donating compound and the kind of silver halide to be used. Further details are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,500,626, 4,483,914, 4,503,137, 4,559,290, JP-A-58-149046, JP-A-60-133449, JP-A-59-218443, JP-A-61-238056 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application"), EP 220746 A2, Kokai Giho No. 87-6199 and EP 210660 A2, etc.
Various methods have been proposed as to methods of obtaining positive color images by heat development. For example, a method in which a so-called dye releasing redox compound (hereinafter referred to as a DRR compound) is converted to a compound of an oxidized form having no dye-releasing capability, and the compound, in the presence of a reducing agent or a precursor thereof, is heat developed, the reducing agent is oxidized corresponding to the exposure amount of silver halide by heat development, and the compound is reduced by the remaining reducing agent not oxidized to release diffusible dyes is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,290. Further, a heat developable color photographic material using, as a compound which releases diffusible dyes by the same mechanism, a compound which releases diffusible dyes by the reductive cleavage of N--X bond (wherein X represents an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom or a sulfur atom) is disclosed in EP 220746 A and Kokai Giho No. 87-6199 (No. 22, Vol. 12).
Conventionally used color photographic materials generally have blue, green and red spectral sensitization. For forming images on such color photographic materials using image information once converted to electric signals, a color CRT (cathode ray tube) is generally used as an exposure light source but CRT is inappropriate for obtaining a large size print.
A light emitting diode (LED) and a semiconductor laser (LD) have been developed as a write head capable of obtaining a large size print, but a photo-write head which efficiently emits blue light has not been developed yet.
Accordingly, for example, when LED is used, it is necessary to use a light source combining three LED's of near infrared (800 nm), red (670 nm) and yellow (570 nm) for exposing color photographic materials having three layers spectrally sensitized to infrared, red and yellow. A system of image recording according to such configuration is described in "Nikkei New Materials", pp. 47 to 57, Sep. 14, 1987, and has partly been put to practical use.
Further, a system of recording on a color photographic material having three light-sensitive layers each having spectral sensitization in wavelength of 880 nm, 820 nm and 760 nm using a light source combining three LD's showing emission of each of these wavelengths is disclosed in JP-A-61-137149.
In general, when yellow, magenta and cyan colors in a multilayer color photographic material are colored by exposure to light in three different spectral regions, it is an important technique in color reproduction to develop each color without color mixing. In particular, when LED or LD is used as an exposure light source, it is unavoidable to design three spectral sensitivities in a spectral region of narrow range (from red to infrared region), therefore, how to lessen the overlap of each spectral sensitivity is the key to the improvement of color isolation.
For ensuring color isolation, as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,892, techniques of making the sensitivity in short wavelength side successively high or using a filter are known. However, if the sensitivity in short wavelength side is made successively high, fog increases and raw stock storability deteriorates with the lapse of time. In infrared sensitization, it has been difficult to achieve high sensitivity due to desensitization by the addition of dyes and the low efficiency of color sensitization.
For solving these problems, color photographic materials excellent in color isolation, showing high sensitivity and good raw stock storability due to the use of an infrared sensitizing dye of a J-band type of high spectral sensitivity are disclosed in JP-A-4-146431 and JP-A-5-45828.
The above heat developable color photographic materials are used in combination with an image-receiving material which mordants a diffusible dye. When an image obtained in this image-forming system is used as a color-proof in the printing field, the color reproduction level of the image obtained by synthesizing dye images of three colors of yellow, magenta and cyan is an important factor. That is, it is necessary that the image obtained in such an image-forming system should be able to cover the color reproduction level equal to or higher than the level of images obtained using standard printing ink. Further, the tint of a white ground part is required to coincide with the whiteness of standard paper for printing.

Heat developable color photographic material and image-forming system using the same


Well apparatuses with device for preventing their relative rotation with respect to adjacent well apparatuses and anti-rotation devices for well apparatuses, including, but not limited to, plugs, float shoes, float collars, jars, and clutch devices for packers. In one embodiment a non-rotation device has a main member with a recess on which are disposed a plurality of teeth with a load member adjacent the teeth for bearing a load put on the device and for isolating the teeth from the load, the teeth extending beyond the recess. In one embodiment the teeth are configured, disposed, and profiled to facilitate their interengagement with other teeth and to contain between them foreign objects which might impede proper interengagement. In various embodiments plugs are provided with such anti-rotation devices. In various embodiments the load member is a continuous circular ring disposed about the apparatuses outer periphery or around the opening of a channel through the device. The load members may be non-continuous upstanding members.

1. Field of The Invention
This invention relates to well apparatuses and to anti-rotation devices for well apparatuses used in well operations, such as plugs, jars, float collars, float shoes, cementing stage tools, liner hangers, and clutch devices for packers; and in one embodiment to non-rotating plugs for well cementing operations.
2. Description of Related Art
Once a wellbore has been drilled, operations within the wellbore are facilitated by placing a string of tubular casing in the wellbore so that operations can be conducted in and through the casing rather than in an un-cased wellbore.
For a variety of reasons, cement is introduced into the annular space between the interior wall of the wellbore and the exterior surface of the casing: to form a protective barrier around the casing; to isolate multiple producing formations through which the wellbore extends; and to displace unwanted fluids or material in the annular space between the wellbore and the casing.
After a cased wellbore has been perforated so that production at a particular depth and from a particular formation is achieved, secondary cementing is often employed to force cement into the perforations to seal off the formation, wellbore, and casing. When it is desired to reduce the depth of a wellbore or to place cement at particular points in a wellbore, a technique called "plug back cementing" is employed.
Usually cement is introduced into the annular space between a wellbore and a string of casing by pumping the cement down through the casing, out through the opening at the end of the casing, and back up into the annular space. To prevent the cement from flowing back up into the casing, float shoes and float collars are used at or near the end of the casing. Float collars usually comprise restrictions or shoulders of cement within a tubular member which can be interposed between two casing joints a few joints above a float shoe at the end of the casing string. Either or both of the collar and shoe usually have a check valve which prevents the back flow of cement from the annular space back up into the casing.
A variety of plugs are typically used in cementing operations. These plugs are moved down into the casing by pumping cement or a fluid into the casing on top of the plugs. These plugs accomplish a variety of functions. They provide a divider or separation barrier between the cement on top of the plug and any fluid beneath the plug or between cement beneath the plug and a fluid on top of the plug. Plugs with wipers wipe off the interior surface of the casing as they pass through it. Plugs of sufficient bulk assist in preventing the back flow of cement beneath the plugs.
In a typical cementing operation a collar or shoe, or both, are placed on a casing string and casing is run into the wellbore to a desired level. A bottom pump down plug is then inserted into the casing and wet cement is pumped on top of the plug. The plug moves down the casing, pushing in front of it any fluid, such as drilling fluid or water, which may be present in the casing. The plug moves down until it encounters the float collar. Increased pumping pressure and the weight of the cement above the plug break a diaphragm disposed across a channel that extends through the plug. This permits the cement to flow through the float collar, the weight of the cement forcing open any check valves in the collar or shoe. The cement then flows out from the bottom of the casing, into the wellbore, and up into the annular space between the wellbore and the casing.
To raise the cement to a desired level in the annular space, a top pump down plug is inserted into the casing. Fluid is pumped onto the top pump down plug moving it into contact with the cement. Further fluid pumping pushes the top pump down plug and the cement down into the casing, forcing cement out of the bottom of the casing and further up in the annular space until a desired level of cement is reached. The top plug can be pumped down to contact the bottom plug. The cement then sets and various operations are carried out in the wellbore.
When the well operations have been completed, the plugs, collar and shoe may be drilled out. All of these items are made from drillable material such as plastic, rubber, wood, or drillable metal. The cement in the float collar is also drillable.
Often a rotating drill bit will contact a plug and cause the plug to rotate and then slip on the surface with which it is contact, e.g. the top of a bottom plug or a layer of cement. This slipping is inefficient and wastes time and energy. A variety of prior art devices have addressed this problem. The attempted solutions typically involve the use of some sort of protrusions, projections or teeth on plug ends to prevent rotation or the use of a plate with teeth on both sides that is placed between a plug and a surface over which a plug could potentially slip.
A variety of problems have been encountered with these prior art efforts. Often the teeth on the various devices contact each other and it is then the teeth alone that are forced to bear whatever load is imposed on the plug or plate. These loads can be enormous, crushing or distorting the teeth so that they do not function properly. Other prior art plugs have teeth which are configured and disposed so that the leading edges of the teeth meet and cross, not permitting further engagement of the lateral portions of the teeth. In other plugs the profile, number, and spacing of the teeth is such that any object or debris between the plugs prevents interengagement of the teeth on two adjacent plugs; i.e., the plugs are prevented from accomplishing the desired non-rotating function. With prior art devices in which the teeth are relatively short, slight separation caused for example by a bouncing drill bit off of two tools, e.g. plugs, with such teeth can cause disengagement, relative spinning movement, or ratcheting between the teeth, i.e., the non-rotation function is not accomplished. Previously used protrusions for piercing or gripping rubber may not have sufficient gripping engagement to prevent rotation.
There has long been a need for an effective and efficient structure for preventing the relative rotation of well plugs and other devices and tools during well operations, including, but not limited to, the drill out of plugs and cement. There has long been a need for a structure that keeps teeth or protrusions from preventing the relative rotation of devices. There has long been a need for a structure that prevents teeth or protrusions from bearing large loads which can injure the teeth or protrusions. There has long been a need for a structure which prevents debris or foreign objects from inhibiting the interengagement of such teeth or protrusions. There has long been need for an easily drillable plug.
In accordance with 37 C.F.R. .sctn.1.56, the following are disclosed:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,111 discloses a plate with tooth-like protrusions on each side which can be placed between objects in a well such as a plug and a float shoe or collar to prevent their relative rotation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,279 discloses a plug which has downwardly facing elongated projections (rather than teeth and relatively much longer than teeth) and another plug with a plurality of longitudinal recesses (rather than teeth) corresponding to the elongated projections for preventing the relative rotation of the plugs.
"Halliburton's Non Rotating Cementing Plugs," Halliburton Services Sales Technical Data discloses cementing plugs with locking teeth (rather than elongated projections and corresponding recesses) on both the top and bottom plug and on a float collar for preventing plug rotation during drill out.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,300 discloses cementing plugs and collars with locking interfaces for preventing relative rotation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,550,683 discloses a float shoe with slots for receiving a plug with corresponding protuberances on the plug to prevent plug rotation during drill out.
The following are of general interest and provide general information related to plugs and well cementing operations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,842,905; 3,006,415; and 4,706,747; Oil Well Cementing Practices in The United States, American Petroleum Institute, page 112, 1959; Halliburton Services Sales and Service Catalog, Volume 4, 1986-87 Composite Catalog pages 2440-2451; Chapter 10, primary Placement Techniques; Weatherford General Services and Products Catalog 1988-89, 1987, pages 4132-4139.

Well apparatuses and anti-rotation device for well apparatuses


A method of N-division algorithm for switching operation voltage of CPU is provided. The method of N-division algorithm comprises the following steps, comparing desired operation voltage and original operation voltage of CPU to obtain a differential value for switching high and low potential level of operation voltage. Further, dividing the differential value by N times, and the N number is depending on tolerant variate of operation voltage of CPU and the differential value. Furthermore, having a unit by a tolerant variate of operation voltage of CPU for switching the original operation voltage of CPU further by the N times for adjusting operation voltage to desired one.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of multi-potential level switching operation voltage of CPU power management, especially used in a N-divisions algorithm to switch CPU operation voltage for solving unstable system during the multi-potential level switching operation voltage of CPU.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In market, traditional computer system with multi-potential level switching operation voltage adopted CPU is according to real situation to switch both CPU operation voltage and working frequency for achieving stable job and electric energy saving. This technology is called CPU power management. When CPU is executing a lot of programs and in full loading, it switches higher CPU operation voltage and frequency. Otherwise, when CPU is executing few programs and not in heave loading, it switches to lower CPU operation voltage and frequency.
According to conventional CPU power management, switching CPU power management comprises a power supply to provide a steady voltage for voltage regulator, as show in FIG. 1. The voltage regulator 10 provides a steady voltage 12 via signal line of VCPU# to CPU. The specification of general IBM computers, especially notebook computers, the power management of CPU 12 switches to lower work voltage while the CPU 12 is standby and if the CPU is active within full loading switched to higher work voltage, so as to achieve electric energy saving. For achieving object as above, the CPU 12 inform the voltage regulator 10 via signal line of CPU_VID#, then the voltage regulator 10 provide the operation voltage what CPU 12 need by VCPU# signal line.
Besides, the working mode of voltage regulator 10 in normal computers, shall be designed to reset the system when the operation voltage value divergence or the system is unstable for stabilizing the circuit system. The voltage regulator 10 drop down POWER_GOOD# signal of south bridge chip 14 connecting the system while south bridge chip 14 received the POWER_GOOD# was dropped down, CPU_RESET# signal was dropped down, simultaneity, then the CPU 12 reset.
The prior known to switch CPU operation voltage in CPU power management not asked voltage regulator 10 to reset the system is controlled by hardware. In circuit design, for solving the problem of voltage regulator 16 rests not only upgrades the specification of voltage regulator for supporting IMVP (Intel Mobile Voltage Positioning) and also has to install a GCL controller 18 between CPU and voltage regulator with IMVP additionally for stable the system. Referring to FIG. 2, while CPU_VID# signal of CPU 12 switching to higher voltage, CPU informs to IMVP voltage regulator 16 by the CPU_VID# signal line and voltage regulator 16 provides a stable voltage via Vgate# signal line to GCL controller 18. The GCL controller 18 informs to CPU 12 by POWERGOOD_CPU# signal line that variable voltage is in normal switch range. If the CPU_VID# signal does not change, the IMVP voltage regulator 16 change huge means the power is out of order. It should be reset the CPU 12 by south bridge chip 14.
As above described prior technology is according to hardware device, the hardware device control the CPU has limited the usage and generated the extra cost. In PC market, cost is very important. Decreasing the number of ICs in use will be cost down and less IC chip layoff on circuit, furthermore decreasing the PC main board cost. Thereby, the present invention provides a method for switching the CPU operation voltage used in N-division algorithm by software to solve the problems as above described.

Method of N-division algorithm for switching operation voltage of CPU


In an IC socket of an open top type having a plurality of pin type contacts for electrical connection with an IC package inserted thereinto, the IC socket includes a socket body having a base plate, a vertically movable cover, a platform attached to the base plate and having an IC package mounting portion, and edge moving mechanisms each having a latch lever for holding the IC package placed on the platform and adapted to move the IC package from one side to the opposite side for adjusting and correcting the position of the IC package.

This application is based on Patent Application No. 2001-171133 filed Jun. 6, 2001 in Japan, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an IC socket for connecting contacts of a socket body to external terminals of an IC package, an electronic part, and more particularly to an IC socket which has edge moving mechanisms for positioning an IC package placed on a platform.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among conventional IC sockets that receive a package for electronic parts as an electrical components, particularly an IC package, there is known an IC socket which makes an electric connection with solder balls that constitute external terminals of the IC package to be mounted on a base plate of the socket body.
In such a conventional IC socket, a center of the IC socket is positioned in such a manner to be aligned with a center of the IC package by adjusting positions of IC package positioning portions at four sides of the IC socket. Hence, the center positions of the positioning portions of the IC socket may deviate horizontally or vertically, making it difficult to make contacts at the same positions at all times. There may arise a positioning where the contacts of the socket body fail to contact with the solder balls of the IC package.
To solve these problems experienced with the conventional IC sockets, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an IC socket in which a plate spring is provided with a latch lever which has an edge moving mechanism. Immediately before the latch lever is fully closed, the plate spring operates to move the IC package from one side to the other in order to position the IC package.
In order to achieve the above object, the IC socket of the present invention comprises, in an open top type of the IC socket having a plurality of pin type contacts for electrical connection with an IC package inserted into the IC socket, a socket body having a base plate, a vertically movable cover, a platform attached to the base plate and having an IC package mounting portion, and edge moving mechanisms each having a latch lever for holding the IC package placed on the platform and adapted to move the IC package from one side to an opposite side for a positioning of the IC package. With this construction, the IC package can be moved from one side to the other by the plate spring for a positioning before the latch lever is fully closed.
Further, in the IC socket of the present invention, since the edge moving mechanisms are located at almost the centers of the two adjoining sides of the IC socket respectively, the numbers of dimensional controlling portions for the positioning portions between the contacts and the IC package reduces from four to two and time taken for adjusting check the positioning portion is shortened to improve the efficiency of task.
Furthermore, in the IC socket of the present invention, the edge moving mechanisms each has a plate spring provided on the underside of the latch lever, has an outer end of the latch lever pivotally supported on the IC socket and holds the IC package between an inner end of the latch lever and the platform, and therefore the edge moving mechanisms can be formed in a simple construction comprising the latch lever and the plate spring.
Further, in the IC socket of the present invention, the plate spring engages the molded portion of the IC package and moves it from one side to the other before the latch lever is fully closed, and therefore the IC package can be correctly positioned and held by the latch lever.
Because the edge moving mechanisms of the IC socket of the present invention are arranged by selecting one of corner portions of the IC package mounting portion as a reference fixed positioning portion, the number of dimensional controlling portions required for establishing a positional alignment between the contacts and the IC package decreases from four portions to two, which make it possible to shorten the time it takes to adjust the positioning portions and improves the positioning operation efficiency.
Furthermore, since the IC package of the present invention is of a ball grid array type(BGA) or a land grid array type(LGA), the IC socket can accept the IC package properly and be formed in a simple construction.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description on the IC socket of one embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the attached drawings.


For the exact lateral continuous positioning of material plies on a forming tool, a positioning device is provided to position a material ply on a forming tool during a production of a fiber composite component, comprising a positioning unit for positioning the positioning device in relation to a surface of the forming tool, a movement unit for moving the positioning device along a predetermined movement route along the forming tool, a route position detection unit for detecting the current route position of the positioning device on the movement route, and a material ply positioning unit for positioning the material ply in a direction transverse to the movement direction in dependence on the current route position detected by the route position detection unit.

The invention is applicable, in particular, in the production of fiber composite components, which extend in a longitudinal direction and the shape of which changes in dependence on the position in the longitudinal direction. In particular, the invention is applicable to the production of reinforcing elements such as stringers or frames, which have a variable width, thickness, or contour in the longitudinal direction.
One preferred area of application of the invention is the production of composite material reinforcing elements. The invention relates in particular to positioning of fibers. More generally, the invention relates to the positioning of material plies, for example, fiber plies or laminates, on a forming tool. In particular, the invention is suitable for the production of flat laminates (in particular, for stringers or frames) on forming tools before the molding. One possible specific application is in the production of control surfaces of air vehicles made of fiber composite material, in particular in the production of reinforcing elements, more particularly reinforcing profiles made of fiber composite materials for such control surfaces. Examples of such control surfaces are control flaps or landing flaps of aircraft, for example, the aircraft A320. In particular, in the case of a design close to the final contour of stringer web cavities, a very narrow tolerance is specified in this case in the positioning.
In order that such a control surface can reliably absorb high forces, reinforcing elements for such control surfaces are accordingly provided with force-absorbing structures. In particular, reinforcing elements in the form of stringers or frames are provided, which are formed, for example, T-shaped or U-shaped. If the reinforcing elements are produced from fiber composite materials, fibers are then to be exactly positioned in accordance with the forces to be absorbed. For this purpose, laminates, which comprise fibers in particular, are laid on forming tools to form a preform, from which the reinforcing element is subsequently formed—e.g., by curing or infiltrating and curing in an autoclave. For example, a U-profile shape is formed by application of laminates to a corresponding forming tool, which is formed in the shape of an oblong trapezoid.
Thin and long laminates for U-profile-shaped stringers are to cover, for example, the entire base area of the forming tool. To enable force-dependent fiber profiles and profiles of laminates in the preform, the laminates—this is an example of a material ply—are to be positioned correctly on the forming tool in this case. Since the laminates cover the entire base, stops cannot be used on the forming tool, at which the lateral edges of the laminate could be applied for lateral positioning.
According to one possible hitherto used procedure, either holes are used in the laminates to pin the laminates at the exact position on positioning pins or the like, or manual measurement is performed with a high level of effort, in particular if the laminate has to be matched exactly with the stringer pocket geometry because of quality requirements or if a production close to the final contour is desired. A manual measurement is also made more difficult in that in such a stringer geometry, a planar reference surface of the panels to be provided therewith is not provided because of the curved shape.
On the other hand, slipping of the materials in relation to one another is to be avoided during the fixing of the laminates. This is avoided in the presently used methods by the positioning pins or by adding pressure-sensitive tapes at regions where the stringer is interrupted (so that the width of the laminate matches with the width of the forming tool). Recently, magnets have also been used for fixing the laminates on the forming tool.

Device and method for positioning material plies, in particular fibers, on a forming tool


Equipment (10) for reconstructing a recorded sound field includes a sensing arrangement (12) for measuring the sound field to obtain recorded data. A signal processing module (14) is in communication with the sensing arrangement (12) and processes the recorded data for the purposes of at least one of (a) estimating the sparsity of the recorded sound field and (b) obtaining plane-wave signals to enable the recorded sound field to be reconstructed.

Various means exist for recording and then reproducing a sound field using microphones and loudspeakers (or headphones). The focus of this disclosure is accurate sound field reconstruction and/or reproduction compared with artistic sound field reproduction where creative modifications are allowed. Currently, there are two primary and state-of-the-art techniques used for accurately recording and reproducing a sound field: higher order ambisonics (HOA) and wave-field synthesis (WFS). The WFS technique generally requires a spot microphone for each sound source. In addition, the location of each sound source must be determined and recorded. The recording from each spot microphone is then rendered using the mathematical machinery of WFS. Sometimes spot microphones are not available for each sound source or spot microphones may not be convenient to use. In such cases, one generally uses a more compact microphone array such as a linear, circular, or spherical array. Currently, the best available technique for reconstructing a sound field from a compact microphone array is HOA. However, HOA suffers from two major problems: (1) a small sweet spot and (2) degradation in the reconstruction when the mathematical system is under-constrained (for example, when too many loudspeakers are used). The small sweet spot phenomenon refers to the fact that the sound field is only accurate for a small region of space.
Several terms relating to this disclosure are defined below.
"Reconstructing a sound field" refers, in addition to reproducing a recorded sound field, to using a set of analysis plane-wave directions to determine a set of plane-wave source signals and their associated source directions. Typically, analysis is done in association with a dense set of plane-wave source directions to obtain a vector, g, of plane-wave source signals in which each entry of g is clearly matched to an associated source direction.
"Head-related transfer functions" (HRTFs) or "Head-related impulse responses" (HRIRs) refer to transfer functions that mathematically specify the directional acoustic properties of the human auditory periphery including the outer ear, head, shoulders, and torso as a linear system. HRTFs express the transfer functions in the frequency domain and HRIRs express the transfer functions in the time domain.
"HOA-domain" and "HOA-domain Fourier Expansion" refer to any mathematical basis set that may be used for analysis and synthesis for Higher Order Ambisonics such as the Fourier-Bessel system, circular harmonics, and so forth. Signals can be expressed in terms of their components based on their expansion in the HOA-domain mathematical basis set. When signals are expressed in terms of these components, it is said that the signals are expressed in the "HOA-domain". Signals in the HOA-domain can be represented in both the frequency and time domain in a manner similar to other signals.
"HOA" refers to Higher Order Ambisonics which is a general term encompassing sound field representation and manipulation in the HOA-domain.
"Compressive Sampling" or "Compressed Sensing" or "Compressive Sensing" all refer to a set of techniques that analyse signals in a sparse domain (defined below).
"Sparsity Domain" or "Sparse Domain" is a compressive sampling term that refers to the fact that a vector of sampled observations y can be written as a matrix-vector product, e.g., as:y=Ψx where Ψ is a basis of elementary functions and nearly all coefficient in x are null. If S coefficients in x are non-null, we say the observed phenomenon is S-sparse in the sparsity domain Ψ.
The function "pinv" refers to a pseudo-inverse, a regularised pseudo-inverse or a Moore-Penrose inverse of a matrix.
The L1-norm of a vector x is denoted ∥x∥1 and is given by
                  x              1    =            ∑      i                                            x          i                            .
The L2-norm of a vector x is denoted by ∥x∥2 and is given by
                  x              2    =                              ∑          i                                                                        x              i                                            2                      .
The L1-L2 norm of a matrix A is denoted by ∥A∥1-2 and is given by:∥A∥1-2=∥u∥1,where
            u                    [        i        ]              =                            ∑          j                                                                        A                                            [                                  i                  ,                  j                                ]                                                          2                      ,      u              [      i      ]      is the i-th element of u, and A[i, j] is the element in the i-th row and j-th column of A.
"ICA" is Independent Component Analysis which is a mathematical method that provides, for example, a means to estimate a mixing matrix and an unmixing matrix for a given set of mixed signals. It also provides a set of separated source signals for the set of mixed signals.
The "sparsity" of a recorded sound field provides a measure of the extent to which a small number of sources dominate the sound field.
"Dominant components" of a vector or matrix refer to components of the vector or matrix that are much larger in relative value than some of the other components. For example, for a vector x, we can measure the relative value of component xi compared to xj by computing the ratio
      x    i        x    j  or the logarithm or the ratio, log
      (                  x        i                    x        j              )    .If the ratio or log-ratio exceeds some particular threshold value, say θth, xi may be considered a dominant component compared to xj.
"Cleaning a vector or matrix" refers to searching for dominant components (as defined above) in the vector or matrix and then modifying the vector or matrix by removing or setting to zero some of its components which are not dominant components.
"Reducing a matrix M" refers to an operation that may remove columns of M that contain all zeros and/or an operation that may remove columns that do not have a Dominant Component. Instead, "Reducing a matrix M" may refer to removing columns of the matrix M depending on some vector x. In this case, the columns of the matrix M that do not correspond to Dominant Components of the vector x are removed. Still further, "Reducing a matrix M" may refer to removing columns of the matrix M depending on some other matrix N. In this case, the columns of the matrix M must correspond somehow to the columns or rows of the matrix N. When there is this correspondence, "Reducing the matrix M" refers to removing the columns of the matrix M that correspond to columns or rows of the matrix N which do not have a Dominant Component.
"Expanding a matrix M" refers to an operation that may insert into the matrix M a set of columns that contains all zeros. An example of when such an operation may be required is when the columns of matrix M correspond to a smaller set of basis functions and it is required to express the matrix M in a manner that is suited to a larger set of basis functions.
"Expanding a vector of time signals x(t)" refers to an operation that may insert into the vector of time signals x(t), signals that contain all zeros. An example of when such an operation may be required is when the entries of x(t) correspond to time signals that match a smaller set of basis functions and it is required to express the vector of time signals x(t) in a manner that is suited to a larger set of basis functions.
"FFT" means a Fast Fourier Transform.
"IFFT" means an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform.
A "baffled spherical microphone array" refers to a spherical array of microphones which are mounted on a rigid baffle, such as a solid sphere. This is in contrast to an open spherical array of microphones which does not have a baffle.
Several notations related to this disclosure are described below:
Time domain and frequency domain vectors are sometimes expressed using the following notation: A vector of time domain signals is written as x(t). In the frequency domain, this vector is written as x. In other words, x is the FFT of x(t). To avoid confusion with this notation, all vectors of time signals are explicitly written out as x(t).
Matrices and vectors are expressed using bold-type. Matrices are expressed using capital letters in bold-type and vectors are expressed using lower-case letters in bold-type.
A matrix of filters is expressed using a capital letter with bold-type and with an explicit time component such as M(t) when expressed in the time domain or with an explicit frequency component such as M(ω) when expressed in the frequency domain. For the remainder of this definition we assume that the matrix of filters is expressed in the time domain. Each entry of the matrix is then itself a finite impulse response filter. The column index of the matrix M(t) is an index that corresponds to the index of some vector of time signals that is to be filtered by the matrix. The row index of the matrix M(t) corresponds to the index of the group of output signals. As a matrix of filters operates on a vector of time signals, the "multiplication operator" is the convolution operator described in more detail below.
"" is a mathematical operator which denotes convolution. It may be used to express convolution of a matrix of filters (represented as a general matrix) with a vector of time signals. For example, y(t)=M(t)x(t) represents the convolution of the matrix of filters M(t) with the corresponding vector of time signals in x(t). Each entry of M(t) is a filter and the entries running along each column of M(t) correspond to the time signals contained in the vector of time signals x(t). The filters running along each row of M(t) correspond to the different time signals in the vector of output signals y(t). As a concrete example, x(t) may correspond to a set of microphone signals, while y(t) may correspond to a set of HOA-domain time signals. In this case, the equation y(t)=M(t)x(t) indicates that the microphone signals are filtered with a set of filters given by each row of M(t) and then added together to give a time signal corresponding to one of the HOA-domain component signals in y(t).
Flow charts of signal processing operations are expressed using numbers to indicate a particular step number and letters to indicate one of several different operational paths. Thus, for example, Step 1.A.2.B.1 indicates that in the first step, there is an alternative operational path A, which has a second step, which has an alternative operational path B, which has a first step.

Reconstruction of a recorded sound field


Some embodiments of the present application relate to the field of gateways for internet access, associated video service decoders and the methods for broadcasting video content by an operator through such a gateway intended for such a decoder. A virtual MAC address is dedicated to VOD on the decoder. This address is then recognized by the gateway. The gateway implements a direct circuit directly directing the traffic related to this virtual address between the interface for accessing the communications network and the gateway physical port to which the decoder is connected. Advantageously, the circuit is dynamically configured by intercepting the DHCP request used to configure this virtual address.

In this document operator means the entity providing a service of access to a communications network, typically the internet, coupled to a service of access to a multimedia content, in particular video.
This type of operator offers its service and to do this generally provides two items of equipment. A first item of equipment consists of an access gateway to the communications network. It is known to the general public by the English term "box". Technically it is generally a modem, for example of the ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) type but may be based on other technologies, such as cable networks, optical fibre or other. This modem is coupled to a router that enables connecting several items of equipment thereto. The gateway therefore forms the link between a data communications network on the one hand and a local area network to which the user connects various items of equipment. These items of equipment may be personal computers, smartphones, game consoles, television sets, etc. These gateways enable the user to access an increasing number of services using the communications network. Among the most popular are access to IP (Internet Protocol) telephony and access to television channels broadcast.
Access to television channel broadcast services generally involves a second item of equipment called a decoder (set top box). This item of equipment is used to receive the digital streams that transport the television channels and to reconstitute, from these streams, the audio and video signals for display on a television set.
In addition to this basic television service, the offer of a video on demand (VOD) service is becoming widespread. This offer consists of a content catalogue available on the servers of the operator. This catalogue is accessible to the user on his television set via his decoder. The choice of a particular content causes a request to the servers, which then broadcast the content to the decoder for display on the television set. These operations may be performed using conventional IP network technologies.
However, since this service is charged, the operator generally wishes to have available a high level of control of the contents broadcasting and of the destination thereof. In particular, he wishes to avoid the broadcast content being able to be easily diverted onto a personal computer.


The present invention provides the novel thermoelectric materials having, in combination, processability and excellent thermoelectric characteristics, the thermoelectric materials being able to provide n-type thermoelectric characteristics in accordance with the nature of the employed inorganic thermoelectric materials; a thermoelectric device employing the materials; and a method for producing the thermoelectric materials. The thermoelectric materials contain an organic thermoelectric component and an inorganic thermoelectric component, wherein the organic thermoelectric component and the inorganic thermoelectric component are united in a dispersed state, the organic thermoelectric component being at least one species selected from among polyaniline and derivatives thereof; polypyrrole and derivatives thereof; polythiophene and derivatives thereof; polyphenylenevinylene derivatives; poly(p-phenylene) derivatives; polyacene derivatives; and copolymers thereof, and the inorganic thermoelectric component being at least one species selected from among Bixe2x80x94(Te, Se) series, Sixe2x80x94Ge series, Pbxe2x80x94Te series, GeTexe2x80x94AgSbTe series, (Co, Ir, Ru)xe2x80x94Sb series, and (Ca, Sr, Bi)Co2O5 series.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to thermoelectric materials to be employed for so-called thermoelectric conversion (i.e., direct energy conversion without use of any moving parts), including power generation on the basis of the Seebeck effect and electronic cooling on the basis of the Peltier effect. More particularly, the invention relates to thermoelectric materials comprising hybrid of organic polymer and inorganic thermoelectric materials for attaining, in combination, good moldability provided by the organic polymer and good thermoelectric characteristics provided by the inorganic thermoelectric materials. The invention also relates to a thermoelectric conversion device containing the materials and to a method for producing the materials.
2. Background Art
Thermoelectric conversion by use of a thermoelectric conversion materials; e.g., thermoelectric power generation or electronic cooling, finds utility in a simplified direct-energy-conversion apparatus having no mobile parts that generate vibration, noise, wear, etc.; having a simple, reliable structure; having a long service life; and facilitating maintenance. Thus, thermoelectric conversion is suitable for direct generation of DC power without combustion of a variety of fossil fuels or other sources and for temperature control without use of a cooling medium.
Characteristics of thermoelectric conversion materials are evaluated on the basis of thermoelectric power factor (TPF) and thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT), which are represented by the following formulas:
TPF=S2"sgr"xe2x80x83xe2x80x83[Formula 1]                    ZT        =                                                            S                2                                          σ                                      κ              xe2x80x2                                xc3x97          T                                    [                  Formula                                xe2x80x83                              2                ]
wherein S represents the Seebeck coefficient; "sgr" represents electric conductivity; and xcexa represents thermal conductivity. Thermoelectric conversion materials desirably have a high ZT; i.e., a high Seebeck coefficient (S), high electric conductivity ("sgr"), and low thermal conductivity (xcexa).
For example, when employed for thermoelectric conversion such as thermoelectric power generation, thermoelectric conversion materials desirably have a thermoelectric figure of merit as high as ZT=0.02 or higher and to operate without variation for a long period of time under varying operation conditions. Mass production of thermoelectric power generators for use in vehicles or employing discharged heat gives rise to demand for thermoelectric conversion materials which have sufficiently high heat resistance and strength, particularly at high temperature, and resistance to deterioration in characteristics, as well as a method for producing the materials with high efficiency and at low cost.
Conventionally, PbTe or silicide materials including silicide compounds such as MSi2 (M: Cr, Mn, Fe, or Co) and mixtures thereof have been used to serve as the aforementioned thermoelectric conversion materials.
Sb compounds such as TSb3 (T: Co, Ir, or Ru) have also been used. For example, there has been disclosed thermoelectric materials which comprise materials containing CoSb3 as a predominant component and an impurity added for determination of conduction type (L. D. Dudkin and N. Kh. Abriko Sov, Soviet Physics Solid State Physics (1959) p. 126; B. N. Zobrinaand, L. D. Dudkin, Soviet Physics Solid State Physics (1960) p. 1668; and K. Matsubara, T. Iyanaga, T. Tsubouchi, K. Kishimoto, and T. Koyanagi, American Institute of Physics (1995) p. 226-229).
A variety of inorganic thermoelectric materials, including Bixe2x80x94(Te, Se) series (e.g., bismuth telluride); Sixe2x80x94Ge series; Pbxe2x80x94Te series; GeTexe2x80x94AgSbTe series; and (Ca, Sr, Bi)Co2O5 series, have been proposed and studied.
Some of the aforementioned inorganic thermoelectric materials have been proven to have excellent thermoelectric characteristics acceptable for practical use. However, these materials involve a drawback, in that they are difficult to process.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 8-32124 discloses a method for producing a thermoelectric conversion device including producing an ingot and cutting the ingot to thereby form a thermoelectric conversion device in the form of a rectangular prism. However, such an ingot is difficult to process, and material loss is significant. In addition, breaking and chipping during cutting is thought to lower the yield of the thermoelectric materials.
With regard to organic thermoelectric materials having good processability, polyaniline has been studied.
Another thermoelectric materials comprising polyaniline serving as organic thermoelectric materials and vanadium oxide has been proposed (E. Lazaro, M. Bhamidipati, M. Aldissi, and B. Dixon, AD Rep, p. 1-35 (1998)). Still another thermoelectric materials comprising polyaniline serving as organic thermoelectric materials and NaFeP (whiskers or nano-wires) has been proposed (J. Wang et al., 20th International Conference on Thermoelectrics, p. 352-355 (2001)).
However, these organic thermoelectric materials also involve a drawback, in that they have poor thermoelectric characteristics as compared with inorganic thermoelectric materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,050 discloses another thermoelectric materials based on organic thermoelectric materials in which metal (e.g., silver, gold, or platinum) in powder form is dispersed.
However, the organic thermoelectric materials disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,050 has a Seebeck coefficient of p-type.
In general, thermoelectric materials employing organic thermoelectric materials exhibit p-type characteristics. When production of a thermoelectric device such as a Peltier device is contemplated, an n-type thermoelectric materials formed of the same materials as the counter p-type materials are required. Thus, provision of thermoelectric materials exhibiting the n-type thermoelectric characteristic is important.
The present inventors have conducted extensive studies in order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, and have found that hybridization of organic thermoelectric materials and inorganic thermoelectric materials through a specified method enables production of novel thermoelectric materials which exhibit the excellent processability of organic thermoelectric materials and the excellent thermoelectric characteristics of inorganic thermoelectric materials, and which may exhibit n-type thermoelectric characteristics. The present invention has been accomplished on the basis of this finding.
Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide thermoelectric materials having processability and excellent thermoelectric characteristics in combination and which can provide n-type thermoelectric characteristics in accordance with the nature of the employed inorganic thermoelectric materials. Another object of the invention is to provide a thermoelectric device employing the materials. Still another object of the invention is to provide a method for producing thermoelectric materials.
Accordingly, in a first aspect of the present invention, there are provided thermoelectric materials comprising an organic thermoelectric component and an inorganic thermoelectric component, wherein the organic thermoelectric component and the inorganic thermoelectric component are united in a dispersed state, the organic thermoelectric component being at least one species selected from among polyaniline and derivatives thereof; polypyrrole and derivatives thereof; polythiophene and derivatives thereof; polyphenylenevinylene derivatives; poly(p-phenylene) derivatives; polyacene derivatives; and copolymers thereof, and the inorganic thermoelectric component being at least one species selected from among Bixe2x80x94(Te, Se) series, Sixe2x80x94Ge series, Pbxe2x80x94Te series, GeTexe2x80x94AgSbTe series, (Co, Ir, RU)xe2x80x94Sb series, and (Ca, Sr, Bi)Co2O5 series.
The inorganic thermoelectric component may have a particle size of several hundreds xcexcm or less, whereby the thermoelectric materials are formed by dissolving the organic thermoelectric component in an organic solvent to thereby yield a solution; dispersing the inorganic thermoelectric component in the solution to thereby yield a dispersion liquid; and removing the organic solvent from the dispersion liquid.
The thermoelectric materials may be in the form of thin film.
The thermoelectric materials may form at least one layer in multilayer film comprising a plurality of stacked thin films.
The inorganic thermoelectric component in the form of microparticles may be surrounded by the organic thermoelectric component in the dispersed state.
In the thermoelectric materials the ratio by mol of the organic thermoelectric component to the inorganic thermoelectric component may be at least 1/99.
In the thermoelectric materials the ratio by mol of the organic thermoelectric component to the inorganic thermoelectric component may be 1/99 to 91/9.
The organic and inorganic thermoelectric components may be united through heat treatment.
The heat treatment may be performed at 50xc2x0 C. to 500xc2x0 C.
The thermoelectric materials may have a thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of at least 0.02.
The inorganic thermoelectric component may further contain a plasticizer, and may be united such that microparticles thereof cohere together.
The thermoelectric materials may contain the inorganic thermoelectric component in an amount of 10-70 mol based on 1 mol of the organic thermoelectric component.
The plasticizer may be an ionic liquid.
The thermoelectric materials may contain the plasticizer in an amount of 0.01-0.2 mol based on 1 mol of the organic thermoelectric component.
The inorganic thermoelectric component may have a particle size of 50 xcexcm or less.
The inorganic thermoelectric component may be treated with a titanate series or silane series surface treating agent.
In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a thermoelectric device employing the aforementioned thermoelectric materials.
In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing thermoelectric materials comprising:
dispersing an inorganic thermoelectric component in an organic thermoelectric component solution in which at least a portion of an organic thermoelectric component is dissolved, to thereby yield a dispersion; and
applying the dispersion to an object, to thereby form thereon thin film having one or more layers;
the organic thermoelectric component being at least one species selected from among polyaniline and derivatives thereof; polypyrrole and derivatives thereof; polythiophene and derivatives thereof; polyphenylenevinylene derivatives; poly(p-phenylene) derivatives; polyacene derivatives; and copolymers thereof, and the inorganic thermoelectric component being at least one species selected from among Bixe2x80x94(Te, Se) series, Sixe2x80x94Ge series, Pbxe2x80x94Te series, GeTexe2x80x94AgSbTe series, (Co, Ir, Ru)xe2x80x94Sb series, and (Ca, Sr, Bi)Co2O5 series.
The inorganic thermoelectric component may have a particle size of 50 xcexcm or less.
The thermoelectric materials may contain the inorganic thermoelectric component in an amount of 10-70 mol based on 1 mol of the organic thermoelectric component.
The thermoelectric materials may further contain a plasticizer.
The plasticizer may be an ionic liquid.
The thermoelectric materials may contain the plasticizer in an amount of 0.01-0.2 mol based on 1 mol of the organic thermoelectric component.
The dispersion may be applied through a method selected from among casting, spin-coating, and dipping.
According to the present invention, hybridization is attained in a dispersion state where microparticles of an inorganic thermoelectric component are surrounded by an organic thermoelectric component. Thus, microparticles of the inorganic thermoelectric component are united by the mediation of an organic polymer serving virtually as a binder, to thereby establish an electric conductivity. The thus-yielded thermoelectric materials have processability almost comparable to that of organic polymeric materials and the excellent thermoelectric characteristics of inorganic thermoelectric materials. Therefore, thermoelectric materials exhibiting n-type thermoelectric characteristics and having such processability can also be produced.

Thermoelectric materials, thermoelectric device, and method for producing thermoelectric materials


A rocker contact switch for a GFCI device includes a base and first and second legs extending from the base. When the base is moved, the second leg rotates to contact a conductive member to put the GFCI device in an end of life condition. The first leg is substantially prevented from moving in response to movement of the base. A test button of the GFCI device is pushed a first distance to complete a first circuit that trips the GFCI device. The test button is pushed a second distance, which moves the base of the rocker contact switch, to complete a second circuit that puts the GFCI device in an end of life condition by moving the rocker switch base.

GFCI devices are designed to trip in response to the detection of a ground fault condition at an alternating current (AC) load. Generally, the ground fault condition results when a person or object comes into contact with the line side of the AC load and an earth ground at the same time, a situation which can result in serious injury.
GFCI devices interrupt a circuit path, typically at an AC receptacle, in response to the detection of a ground fault condition at an AC load. Ground fault circuit interrupters are used in utility power applications to protect against leakage currents that flow through ground rather than back through the source's neutral line. They are commonly found in residential settings where the utility power is used to operate household appliances. In operation, a GFCI type device supplies electricity to an exterior circuit and opens an outlet circuit when a ground fault occurs in the exterior circuit, i.e., when a portion of a circuit that is plugged into the outlet becomes grounded. GFCI devices commonly include a differential current transformer, control circuit, and a circuit breaker device. Typically, a GFCI device detects this condition by using a sensing transformer or wire coil to detect an imbalance between the currents flowing in the hot and neutral conductors of the AC supply, as will occur when some of the current on the line side is being diverted to ground. A ground fault condition occurs when the current is diverted to the ground through another path, such as a human body, that results in an imbalance between the currents flowing in the hot (phase) and neutral conductors. When such an imbalance is detected, a circuit breaker within the ground fault circuit interrupter is immediately tripped to an open condition, thereby opening both sides of the AC line and removing all power from the AC load.
GFCI devices may be connected to fuse boxes or circuit breaker panels to provide central protection for the AC wiring throughout a commercial or residential structure. More commonly, however, GFCI devices are incorporated into electrical receptacles that are designed for installation at various locations within a building. This type of receptacle includes test and reset pushbuttons and a lamp or light-emitting diode (LED) indicating that the circuit is operating normally. When a ground fault occurs in the protected circuit, or when the test button is depressed, the GFCI device trips and an internal circuit breaker opens both sides of the AC line. The tripping of the circuit breaker causes the reset button to pop out and the LED to be extinguished, providing a visual indication that a ground fault has occurred. To reset the GFCI device, the reset button is depressed in order to close and latch the circuit breaker and to illuminate the LED once again.
To trip the GFCI device, the test button is depressed, thereby contacting a spring beam and moving it toward a resistor lead. When the spring beam contacts the resistor lead, the GFCI device is tripped. Further depressing the test button, causes further movement of the spring beam. When the spring beam contacts a diode lead, the GFCI device is put in an end-of-life condition. One of the problems with conventional GFCI devices is that when the test button is depressed too quickly, the spring beam bows, such that the spring beam contacts the diode lead before contacting the resistor lead. This premature contacting of the diode lead results in a good GFCI device being improperly put in an end-of-life condition. Thus, a good GFCI can no longer be used and must be replaced, thereby causing an inconvenience to the user.
Additionally, the spring beam contacts either the resistor or diode lead to put the GFCI device into the tripped or end-of-life condition, respectively. Thus, the same member, i.e., the spring beam, is moved to put the GFCI device into one of the two conditions, thereby increasing the likelihood of the GFCI device being put into the incorrect condition. Accordingly, a need exists for a GFCI device in which more than one member is moved to put the GFCI device in the tripped and end-of-life conditions.
Accordingly, a need exists for a GFCI device that substantially prevents being put in an end-of-life condition prior to being tripped.

Rocker contact switch for electrical device


A browser interpretable document comprising a first media file or a pointer to the first media file; a graphical user interface definition, or a pointer to the graphical user interface definition, the graphical user interface definition comprising a first user interface element and a function associated with the first user interface element; and, a set of commands, or a pointer to the set of commands, for controlling the operation of a plurality of media players; wherein, when the browser interpretable document is rendered by a conventional web browser, the web browser can render a graphical user interface based on the graphical user interface definition, and wherein the rendered graphical user interface controls one of the plurality of media players to facilitate playing of the first media file.

The advent of Motion Picture Entertainment Group Level 3 ("MP3") digital encoding for audio files has revolutionized the distribution of music by reducing the distribution costs to near zero. This, in turn, has encouraged artists to create new works and to make their works available in digital form. However, the MP3 media type has some disadvantages. For example, digital rights management capabilities are not built into the MP3 media type. As a result, some have sought to design new media types that facilitate digital rights management. Others have created new media types in an effort to improve the techniques used when converting analog sources, such as sound or light, into and/or from a digital format. Still others have created new media types that focus on reducing the amount of data that needs to be transmitted and/or stored to play the content with sufficient accuracy to please at least a majority of users, or for other, specific purposes. This has lead to an explosion of different media types in common use.
The rapid growth in digitally-available content has also spurred the creation of a variety of media players, including both dedicated, stand-alone devices such as, without limitation, the iPod line of personal music players distributed by Apple Computer, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., the Zune distributed by Microsoft, Inc. of Redmond, Wash., and the Zen line of personal music players distributed by Creative Technology, Ltd. of Singapore, and software-based media players for use on portable computers. To facilitate the user's access to digital content, many media players can play content encoded using a variety of media types. By way of example, the Windows Media Player software distributed by Microsoft, Inc. of Redmond, Wash., can play content encoded using a variety of media types, including Windows Media Audio ("WMA"), Windows Media Video ("WMV"), Motion Picture Entertainment Group ("MPEG"), MP3, WAVE, and Musical Instrument Digital Interface ("MIDI"). Windows Media Player also allows users to add support for new and alternative media types by simply installing an appropriate Coder/Decoder ("CODEC").
Although many media players can play content encoded in any of a variety of media types, certain media types are proprietary, and the right to display content encoded using that media type is frequently tightly controlled. By way of example, the encoding technique employed by Apple Computer Inc.'s Quicktime, and RealNetworks' RealVideo and RealAudio media types are generally proprietary. As a result, users are forced to use a proprietary media player, rather than their preferred media player, if they wish to play content created using such a proprietary media type. This can be a problem both for users attempting to access a variety of media files within their own personal library, and for users attempting to access media files from other libraries. By way of example, some users may share a playlist, or ordered list of content to be played, with other users, and the other users may not realize that their preferred media player will not be able to play all of the content in the playlist.
Some software-based media players permit users to create customized "skins", or user interfaces, for that particular media player. Such skins allow users to more easily access the commands and controls they most frequently use or need.
In addition, each media player typically has its advantages and disadvantages when compared to the other media players available, and users tend to use the player with the features and user interface that is most convenient and/or comfortable for them. As a result, users tend to grow comfortable with a particular media player user interface, especially a customized user interface, and when they are forced to switch from a media player containing such a user interface to one that uses a different interface, such as happens when content is encoded with a proprietary media type, they can become frustrated.

Browser interpretable document for controlling a plurality of media players and systems and methods related thereto


An optical device may include a waveguide-based Mach-Zehnder (MZ) interferometer associated with performing polarization multiplexing or demultiplexing. The waveguide-based MZ interferomenter may include a first MZ arm, a second MZ arm, and a set of stress-balancing trenches. A portion of the first MZ arm may be between at least two stress-reducing trenches of a plurality of stress-reducing trenches. The plurality of stress-reducing trenches may be in a cladding layer on a substrate. The set of stress-balancing trenches may be on an opposite side of the second MZ arm from the plurality of stress-reducing trenches. The set of stress-balancing trenches may be in the cladding layer on the substrate.

Polarization multiplexing/demultiplexing is an important function in a high-speed coherent optical transmission system. One technique used to perform polarization multiplexing/demultiplexing on an optical waveguide is to use a Mach-Zehnder (MZ) interferometer based polarization multiplexer/demultiplexer. In order to provide polarization multiplexing/demultiplexing, the MZ interferometer is designed to create a π phase difference between two orthogonal polarization states of light as the light propagates through optical waveguides of the arms of the MZ interferometer. The π phase difference is introduced by trenches formed near an optical waveguide of one arm of the MZ interferometer. The trenches serve to reduce compressive stress on the optical waveguide. This change in compressive stress affects a waveguide propagation constant for the two orthogonal polarizations differently. Here, by knowing the difference of the waveguide propagation constant between the two orthogonal polarizations, a trench length can be selected that produces π phase birefringence such that a π phase difference is introduced to the two orthogonal polarizations when passing through the optical waveguides of the MZ interferometer.

Polarization multiplexer/demultiplexer with reduced polarization rotation