Provided is a photodetector device for detecting light intensity based on a detection signal of a difference circuit, the photodetector device including: a first light receiving element which generates an electric charge based on incident light; a second light receiving element, which includes a light blocking part for blocking incident light and generates an electric charge being a reference; and a storage detection circuit for detecting that an output voltage of the first light receiving element or the second light receiving element has reached a predetermined potential and outputting the detection signal when the difference does not reach a predetermined value even though sufficient incident light is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor photodetector device, and more particularly, to a technology of measuring an amount of incident light with use of a photodiode.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 3 illustrates a circuit diagram of a conventional semiconductor photodetector device.
The conventional semiconductor photodetector device includes a photodetection section and a counter section.
The photodetection section includes first and second photodiodes 1 and 2, which serve as light receiving elements, first and second storage means 12 and 13, switches 6 and 7, a reference voltage circuit 8a, amplifiers 3 and 4, a difference circuit 5, a clamp capacitor 20, a switch 11, a reference voltage circuit 8b, a comparator 9, and a control circuit 10. The switch 11 and the reference voltage circuit 8b initialize an electric charge of the clamp capacitor 20. The control circuit 10 controls the respective switches in response to reception of an output voltage Vcomp of the comparator 9.
The counter section includes an oscillating circuit 14, a clock shaping circuit 15, first and second counters 16 and 17, a counter reset circuit 18, and a register 19.
The first photodiode 1 is provided with means for blocking infrared light, and generates an electric charge based on incident visible light. The second photodiode 2 is provided with light blocking means for blocking incident light, and generates an electric charge being a reference. The first storage means 12 stores the electric charge generated in the first photodiode 1. The second storage means 13 stores the electric charge generated in the second photodiode 2. The switches 6 and 7 and the reference voltage circuit 8a reset the electric charges stored in the first storage means 12 and the second storage means 13. The difference circuit 5 outputs a voltage based on a difference between the electric charge stored in the first storage means 12 and the electric charge stored in the second storage means 13. The clamp capacitor 20 stores the difference voltage output from the difference circuit 5. The switch 11 and the reference voltage circuit 8b initialize the electric charge of the clamp capacitor 20. The comparator 9 compares a voltage Vout generated based on the difference and a reference voltage Vrefc of a reference voltage circuit 8c, and outputs the voltage Vcomp. That is, when the voltage based on the difference between the electric charge generated based on visible light entering the first photodiode 1 and the electric charge of the second photodiode 2, which is the reference, exceeds the reference voltage Vrefc, the voltage Vcomp is inverted from LOW (Lo) to HIGH (Hi). The control circuit 10 generates a reset signal R and a clamp signal CL in response to reception of the voltage Vcomp output from the comparator 9, and controls the respective switches by those signals.
The oscillating circuit 14 and the clock shaping circuit 15 output a signal TBCLK and a clamp signal CL in response to reception of the clamp signal CL output from the control circuit 10. The signal TBCLK is a signal that is output as a signal of the oscillating circuit 14 only during a period in which the clamp signal CL is Lo. The first counter 16 counts the signal TBCLK, and outputs a signal TBASE1 when the count reaches a predetermined count value. That is, the first counter 16 measures a period in which the photodiodes 1 and 2 store the electric charges based on a frequency of the oscillating circuit. The second counter 17 counts the clamp signal CL, and outputs a count value. That is, the second counter 17 measures the number of cycles of charging and discharging, which are performed by the photodiodes 1 and 2.
FIG. 4 is a timing chart illustrating normal operation of the semiconductor photodetector device.
When a period TBASE is started in the semiconductor photodetector device, the control circuit 10 causes the reset signal R and the clamp signal CL to be Hi.
With this, the switches 6 and 7 are turned ON and the voltages of the photodiodes 1 and 2 are reset to a reference voltage Vrefa. Further, the switch 11 is turned ON and the output of the difference circuit 5 is reset to a reference voltage Vrefb. Then, after the elapse of a predetermined delay time, the control circuit 10 causes the reset signal R to be Lo to turn OFF the switches 6 and 7, and thus the charging of the photodiodes 1 and 2 is started. In the storage period, an output voltage VDI1 of the photodiode 1 decreases in proportion to the amount of incident visible light. Further, the photodiode 2 is shielded from light, and hence an output voltage VDI2 of the photodiode 2 does not decrease.
After the elapse of a period α, the control circuit 10 causes the clamp signal CL to be Lo to turn OFF the switch 11 so that the difference circuit 5 outputs the difference (voltage Vout) to the comparator 9.
The voltage Vout output from the difference circuit 5 gradually increases to reach the reference voltage Vrefc within a difference output period Ts. The difference output period Ts becomes shorter as the visible light intensity is larger.
When the voltage Vout is smaller than the reference voltage Vrefc, the comparator 9 causes the output voltage Vcomp to be Lo, but when the voltage Vout reaches the reference voltage Vrefc within the difference output period Ts, the comparator 9 causes the output voltage Vcomp to be Hi.
When the output voltage Vcomp becomes Hi, the control circuit 10 causes the reset signal R and the clamp signal CL to be Hi, and delays the output signal Vcomp to maintain the Hi state for a predetermined period.
When the reset signal R and the clamp signal CL become Hi, the switches 6, 7, and 11 are turned ON, and the photodiodes 1 and 2 are reset. Thus, the voltage Vout decreases to become the reference voltage Vrefb.
After that, the reset signal R becomes Lo, and subsequently, the clamp signal CL becomes Lo, and then the same operation is repeated.
As described above, the charging and reset of the photodiodes 1 and 2 are repeated, and the difference output period Ts becomes shorter as the visible light intensity is larger.
However, when light containing a large amount of infrared light, such as light of an incandescent bulb, enters the conventional semiconductor photodetector device, or when abnormally intense light enters the conventional semiconductor photodetector device, the conventional semiconductor photodetector device has the following defects.
Depending on the structure of the package of the semiconductor photodetector device, light enters a semiconductor chip from a side surface thereof, and hence a large number of minority carriers are generated in the semiconductor substrate. At this time, due to the minority carriers reaching junction portions between the substrate and the photodiodes 1 and 2, the output voltages VDI1 and VDI2 of the photodiodes 1 and 2 decrease.
When light containing a large amount of infrared light or abnormally intense light enters the semiconductor photodetector device, a reduction amount of the output voltage of the photodiode due to the minority carriers generated by the infrared light or visible light entering the semiconductor chip from the side surface thereof becomes larger in ratio than a reduction amount of the output voltage of the photodiode due to visible light entering the semiconductor chip from the front surface thereof. Therefore, the output voltage VDI1 of the photodiode 1 and the output voltage VDI2 of the photodiode 2 decrease under a state in which the difference therebetween is small. The output voltage VDI1 of the photodiode 1 can decrease only until the junction of the photodiode becomes a forward bias, which is generally about −0.3 V. Therefore, when the reference voltage Vrefa for reset of the photodiodes 1 and 2 is low, the output voltage VDI1 of the photodiode 1 reaches −0.3 V to stop its decrease before the voltage Vout reaches the reference voltage Vrefc. In this case, the output voltage VDI2 of the photodiode 2 further decreases under a state in which the voltage Vout starts decreasing without reaching the reference voltage Vrefc. Therefore, a situation occurs in which the output of the comparator is never inverted during the period TBASE. The semiconductor photodetector device outputs data 0, that is, the detection result shows a dark state even when visible light enters the semiconductor photodetector device.


Systems and methods for running and cementing casing into wells drilled with dual-gradient mud systems include running casing through a subsea wellhead connected to a marine riser, the casing having an auto-fill float collar, and connecting a landing string to the last casing run. The landing string includes a surface-controlled valve (SCV) and a surface-controlled ported circulating sub (PCS). The SCV and PCS are manipulated as needed when running casing, washing it down while preventing u-tubing on connections and prior to cementing to displace mixed density mud from the landing string and replace it with heavy-density mud prior to circulating below the mudline thus maintaining the dual gradient effect.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates in general to well control and intervention systems and methods. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for running casing in wells drilled with dual—and/or multi-gradient mud systems.
2. Background Art
Drilling operations that encompass various methods of drilling a subsea well with two different fluid densities or mud weights (Dual Gradient Drilling Systems) have been publicized. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,536,540; 6,843,331, and 6,926,101. Previous industry projects have developed and are developing drilling methodologies to safely employ the technology. Benefits of a dual gradient drilling system include reduction of the hydrostatic pressure in the well annulus above the bottom or at a previous casing point while simultaneously maintaining a higher equivalent hydrostatic pressure at the bottom of the hole. There are also known so-called "multi-gradient" mud systems, in which beads having density less than a heavy mud are added to a portion of the heavy mud present in a marine riser. Such mud systems are known (using incompressible beads), for example, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,530,437 and 6,953,097. Finally, there have been disclosed so-called "variable density" mud systems employing compressible beads, such as described in published U.S. Pat. App. Nos. 20070027036; 20090090559; 20090090558; 20090084604; and 20090091053. The methods and systems described in the present disclosure are applicable to all of these different types of mud systems, and are generally referred to herein simply as "dual gradient mud systems." The patent documents referenced in this paragraph are incorporated herein by reference for their disclosure of multi-gradient and variable gradient mud systems.
Although previous research projects have developed equipment and methodologies to drill wells with dual gradient mud systems, systems and methods to run casing in these wells, with the dual gradient mud systems in place, have not been developed previously. Due to very tight margins between the mud weight needed to control pressures in deep subsea wells and to simultaneously not induce sufficient pressure to cause formation breakdown in the annulus above total depth with resulting fluid losses to the formation between a casing shoe and total depth, what remains needed are systems and methods that allow casing to be run with surge reduction equipment thereby avoiding inducing fluid losses that would jeopardize the well and the primary cement job in particular.
Current practice for running casing in wells drilled with dual gradient muds is reflected in U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,107, which discloses a method for controlling the pressure at the base of a gas-lifted riser during casing installation. Prior to casing installation, drilling fluid is displaced from the riser and the riser is filled with seawater. During casing installation, the riser base pressure is monitored, and the height of seawater in the riser is adjusted to compensate for increases in the riser base pressure. The riser base pressure is thereby maintained substantially equal to the seawater pressure at the base of the drilling riser throughout installation of the casing.
It would be advantageous if systems and methods could be developed that safely allow casing to be run into wells (and cemented) with a dual gradient mud system efficiently and with improvements in well control. It would also be advantageous if the systems and methods would allow management of the dual gradient mud system and maintain the benefit of having a dual gradient mud system in the well. The systems and methods of the present disclosure are directed to these needs.

Systems and methods for running casing into wells drilled with dual-gradient mud systems


A dome shaped roof structure suitable for a stadium for indoor athletic sports is disclosed. The dome shaped roof structure comprises a main frame for covering the inside of the stadium and a reinforcing frame. The reinforcing frame comprises: cables disposed in the inner side of the main frame and extended radially from the central portion of the main frame to the bottom peripheral border; circular cables disposed concentrically about the peripheral border of the main frame; and strut members that have each upper end connected to the steel member of the main frame at an intersecting point of the radiating cables and the circular cables, and the strut members vertically supported by the radiating cables and the circular cables; and wherein tension is introduced to the radiating cables in the direction of the bottom peripheral border and the outer ends of the radiating cables are fixed with the main frame, so that the steel members of the main frame are thrust up by the strut members of the reinforcing frame.

1. Industrial Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dome shaped roof structure, and in particular, relates to a dome shaped roof structure which is suitable for a stadium for indoor athletic sports.
2. Related Art
Recently, a large-scale fixed dome shaped roof structure has been adopted in the construction of stadiums for indoor athletic sports. A steel truss structure, a cable structure or the like is generally known as a fixed dome shaped roof structure.
The steel truss structure is organized in the form of a double layer truss dome (a double layer space frame) which has a space truss structure comprising connected steel members to ensure relatively good structural stability, and a single layer truss dome (a single layer space frame) which has a plane truss structure comprising connected steel members as shown in FIG. 23. However, construction of the double layer truss dome is costly and requires a long time in order to assure good structural stability of the roof. Therefore, the single layer truss dome structure 1 is often adopted in order to lighten the weight thereof and to reduce the cost and length of construction thereof.
In contrast, the cable roof structure of a fixed dome shape, as shown in FIG. 24, comprises multiple cables 2 and 3 forming a plurality of upper and lower chord members, and a plurality of strut members 4 which are each vertically supported by the cables 2 and 3. The cables 2 to which high tension is introduced in the external direction are bound with a compression ring 5 along the bottom of the dome, i.e. the bottom peripheral edge of the dome shaped roof.
The single layer truss dome structure 1 has a problem with respect to the buckling strength of the dome construction members. For example, the dome construction members are apt to easily collapse from offset load of snow deposited on the dome shaped roof or the like. The bottom peripheral edge of the dome requires a strong tension ring 6 in order to resist the large thrust which is applied to the bottom border of the dome in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 24. Consequently, the construction costs including the tension ring 6 and the tension ring supporting means are greatly increased.
Since the cable roof structure is flexible, the above cable roof structure comprising flexible cables 2 and 3, requires a large prestress to the cable 2 in order to increase the structural stability thereof. Therefore, the border of the structure requires a strong compression ring 5 in order to resist the large thrust applied in the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 24. In contrast with the case of the single layer truss dome structure 1, the construction costs including the tension ring 6 and the tension ring supporting means are greatly increased.


A trap has a housing including an entrance. Internally, the trap has a trigger structure including a trigger plate and a latch mechanism, coupled with the housing; and a pivoting structure pivotally coupled with the housing and adapted to releasably engage with the latch mechanism of the trigger structure. When the trap is triggered by a rodent, the pivoting structure disengages from the latch mechanism and the pivoting structure pivots towards a rear wall of the housing and the trigger plate, and the trigger plate pivots toward the pivoting structure, moving the rodent against towards the rear wall of the housing and trapping the rodent between the pivoting structure and the rear wall. Once the trap is triggered, the rodent is contained and in most cases, killed, within the trap.

Conventional rodent traps, such as rodent traps, are not always self-contained. In other words, in conventional traps the trapping mechanism, and therefore the trapped rodent, are open to the environment so that they are visible to and accessible from the environment. Traps that are not self-contained may present a hazard to small children and pets. These and other problems exist with conventional traps.
Current kill and contain type traps rely upon a trigger plate that pivots towards a housing to trap the rodent against the housing when a pressure trigger plate is actuated by the rodent. Traps of this type are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,814,702 and 8,490,323. Some kill and contain traps, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,921,593, employ a snare to kill the rodent when triggered by a rodent. Other kill and contain traps, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,886,479, employ first and second housing members that are slideably engaged to provide a collapsible trapping enclosure therebetween to trap and compress the rodent. Self-contained type traps contain (and sometimes kill) the rodent once the trap is triggered.
Improvements to the kill and contain trap may be made by improving the versatility of the rodents the trap may be used to catch and ease of use when setting the trap.


A vehicle body front structure for a saddle-ride type vehicle. A side upper part forming an upper surface is provided to a front cowl so that traveling wind flowing in a longitudinal direction of the body along the upper surface of the front cowl flows below the hand grips. The resulting structure reduces air resistance by wind pressure, secures windshield performance and reduces the weight of the front of the body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle body front structure of a saddle-ride type vehicle such as motorcycles.
2. Description of Background Art
In a vehicle body front structure in a related art, the front of a front cowl is inclined slightly backward from an upright state so that traveling wind from ahead of a vehicle can be guided upward or rightward and leftward (for example, refer to Patent Document 1, JP-A No. 2003-81158).
In the vehicle body front structure in the related art, as a direction of traveling wind greatly changes along the front of the front cowl though windshield performance by the front cowl is satisfactory, air resistance by the pressure on the front cowl of the traveling wind is easily increased. As a measure such as the strength of front cowl supporting parts is enhanced is required to resist the air resistance, the weight of the front of the body is easily increased.

Vehicle body front structure of saddle-ride type vehicle


Devices and methods are described that provide for scanning surfaces and generating 3-dimensional point clouds that describe the depth of the measured surface at each point. In general, the devices and methods utilize scanning mirror(s) that reflect a laser beam into a pattern of scan lines. When the raster pattern of scan lines is directed at a surface, reflections of the laser beam from the surface are received and used to the generate 3-dimensional point clouds that describe the measured surface depth at each point. The motion of the scanning mirror(s) can be dynamically adjusted to modify the characteristics of the resulting 3-dimensional point cloud of the surface. For example, the adjustment of the scanning mirror motion can modify the resolution or data density of the resulting 3-dimensional point cloud that describes the measured depths of the surface.

Depth mapping sensors have been developed to generate 3D maps of surfaces, where the 3D maps describe the variations in depth over the surface. One limitation in typical depth mapping sensors is their limited flexibility. For example, typical depth mapping sensors may be limited to generating 3D maps with specific resolutions.
For example, some depth mapping sensors use CMOS imaging sensors to receive light reflected from the surface, and then generate the 3D map from that received light. However, such CMOS imaging sensors typically have a fixed horizontal and vertical resolution. Thus, depth mapping sensors that use such CMOS imaging sensors are limited to providing 3D maps with resolutions that are less than or equal to the horizontal and vertical resolution of the CMOS imaging sensors.
As such, there remains a need for improved devices and methods for depth mapping, and in particular a need for depth mapping with improved flexibility.

Devices and methods for adjustable resolution depth mapping


A large-scale integrated-circuit apparatus includes a CPU and a plurality of circuit blocks to be operated in accordance with clock signals. The circuit blocks receive reset signals to perform initialization and output reset completion signals. The CPU logic-operates the initialization completion signals output from the circuit blocks and outputs a signal for canceling resetting to the circuit blocks in accordance with the logic-operation result.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a large-scale integrated-circuit apparatus, particularly to a large-scale integrated-circuit apparatus comprising a plurality of circuits to be initialized when an electrical power source is turned on.
An application specific integrated circuit (hereafter referred to as ASIC) has been developed so far which is not a general-purpose IC such as a CPU or a memory but an IC for realizing a function most suitable for a specific purpose.
Because the semiconductor-integrated-circuit art has been recently developed, the operation speed, integration degree, and scale of the ASIC of this type have been improved and moreover, each circuit constituting the ASIC has been developed from a circuit having a single function to a circuit having multiple functions.
2. Related Background Art
In the case of an ASIC, at least three types of circuits such as a CPU, a peripheral logic circuit, and an application specific logic circuit have been independently improved in integration degree, operation speed, and scale. However, because the semiconductor-integrated-circuit art for a one-chip configuration including every function in the same chip has been recently established, further-advanced integration is realized. Also in the case of an ASIC, a CPU, a peripheral logic circuit, and an application specific logic circuit are integrated on one semiconductor wafer by the semiconductor-integrated-circuit art for realizing a one-chip configuration.
The above semiconductor integrated circuit greatly advanced in integration samples an external input signal in accordance with an external clock signal and captures it. Moreover, an internal circuit operates by converting an external clock signal into a sync signal.
As described above, in the case of a conventional BASIC advanced in integration, though a plurality of circuits mounted on a semiconductor wafer respectively synchronize with an external clock signal, each circuit only independently functions.
That is, though a circuit operation synchronizes with a clock, the reset operation (initialization) of each circuit when an electrical power source is turned on is independently performed. Therefore, a slight difference occurs between reset timings of the circuits and this makes operations of an ASIC unstable.
The above mentioned is described below by referring to FIG. 11 showing a block diagram of a conventional ASIC. Symbol 101 denotes an ASIC. A CPU 102, a peripheral logic circuit 103, and an application specific logic circuit 104 are set in the ASIC 101. The peripheral logic circuit 103 controls transfer of data between a memory (not shown) built in the ASIC 101, a program ROM (not shown) set to the outside of the ASIC 101, and the application specific logic circuit 104 on one hand and the CPU 102 on the other. The application specific logic circuit 104 is a logic circuit to be set to a specific control unit on which the ASIC 101 is mounted by a user in order to optimize the ASIC 101.
Symbol 105 denotes a clock signal supplied from an external unit to the ASIC 101, which is used to synchronize internal circuits of the ASIC 101. Symbol 106 denotes a reset signal supplied from an external unit to the ASIC 101. Symbol 107 denotes an inverter circuit set in the ASIC 101 to logic-invert the reset signal 106.
In the case of the above conventional ASIC 101, when the reset signal 106 is input for a predetermined period in accordance with rise of an electrical power source, an internal reset signal 108 obtained by inverting the reset signal 106 is input to reset terminals of the CPU 102, peripheral logic circuit 103, and application specific logic circuit 104. The CPU 102, peripheral logic circuit 103, and application specific logic circuit 104 are initialized by receiving the internal reset signal 108.
However, because a difference occurs between rises of voltages of the CPU 102, peripheral logic circuit 103, and application specific logic circuit 104 after start of power supply, reset timings of the circuits 102, 103, and 104 are slightly different from each other. Therefore, the reset timing of the CPU 102 may be later than the reset timings of the peripheral logic circuit 103 and the application specific logic circuit 104. In this case, a problem occurs that stable operations of the ASIC 101 cannot be expected.
The present invention is made to solve the above problems and its object is to provide a large-scale integrated-circuit apparatus for controlling the reset timing of each circuit to a proper value when initializing a plurality of circuits constituting an ASIC.

Integrated-circuit apparatus and ink jet recording apparatus using the same


Described herein are reactors capable of sequentially or simultaneously depositing thin-film polymers onto a substrate by oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD), initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD), and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The single-unit CVD reactors allow for the use of more than one CVD process on the same substrate without the risk of inadvertently exposing the substrate to ambient conditions when switching processes. Furthermore, the ability to deposit simultaneously polymers made by two different CVD processes allows for the exploration of new materials. In addition to assisting in the deposition of polymer films, plasma processes may be used to pretreat substrate surfaces before polymer deposition, or to clean the internal surfaces of the reactor between experiments.

Materials-processing often involves the deposition of films or layers on a surface of a substrate. One manner of effecting the deposition of such films or layers is through chemical vapor deposition (CVD). CVD involves a chemical reaction of vapor phase chemicals or reactants that contain the constituents to be deposited on the substrate. Reactant gases are introduced into a reaction chamber or reactor, and are decomposed and reacted at a heated surface to form the desired film or layer. There are different methods of CVD; the key distinguishing parameter among them is the type of energy input.
Oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD) can simultaneously polymerize and deposit conjugated polymeric films in a controllable fashion. Moreover, polymers are deposited at low temperatures and without solvent; therefore, this method is compatible with virtually any substrate (that is, the deposition process is independent of the chemical nature and electrical conductivity of the substrates). In addition, the conformal nature of polymer films synthesized by oCVD can be employed uniformly to coat rough surfaces, including micro- or nano-structured substrates. And so, use of oCVD may prevent device shorting in a rough substrate and the method can be used for successful device fabrication on unconventional substrates, like paper. oCVD has been shown to grow uniform and conformal conducting polymers and copolymers on different substrates. Unlike vapor phase polymerization (VPP), where a substrate is pretreated with a layer of oxidant, oCVD involves simultaneous exposure of the substrate to the oxidant and monomer vapors, which makes oCVD more compatible with various substrates. Moreover, the use of vapor deposition removes the requirement that the polymer be soluble. Hence, monomers without soluble side chains can be explored, opening a wider range of materials for consideration as active layers. The simplicity of oCVD can further be extended to patterned films using shadow masking. Thus, synthesis, thin film growth, and patterning are achieved simultaneously, in a process termed "vapor printing."
A second method of CVD is initiated CVD (iCVD). In an iCVD process, thin filament wires are heated, thus supplying the energy to fragment a thermally-labile initiator, thereby forming a radical at moderate temperatures. The use of an initiator not only allows the chemistry to be controlled, but also accelerates film growth and provides molecular-weight and rate control. The energy input is low due to the low filament temperatures, but high growth rates may be achieved.
Finally, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) uses radiofrequency-induced glow discharge to transfer energy to the reactant gases. In certain circumstances one might chose PECVD over other CVD methods due to its higher deposition rates, and the greater ability to control refractive indices. A further advantage of the PECVD method is that the process can take place at temperatures under about 400° C. Furthermore, PECVD processes and systems provide other advantages, such as good adhesion, low pinhole density, good step coverage, adequate electrical properties, and compatibility with fine-line pattern transfer processes.
All of these techniques are useful and have industrial applications to deposition of conformal, pin-hole free functional polymeric thin films with controllable film thickness and functionalities. However, each methodology requires a separate vacuum chamber and associated costs to build and maintain the chamber. Additionally, the fabrication of a single device using all of these methods simultaneously or sequentially is challenging. For example, consecutive deposition on a substrate of three different thin films by iCVD, oCVD, and PECVD requires the operator to transfer the substrate from one chamber to another chamber. As a consequence, time and energy are wasted, and the substrate could be inadvertently exposed to ambient conditions, which is highly undesirable for certain applications.
Therefore, there exists a need for a reactor that is capable of performing all of the aforementioned CVD processes in a single unit chamber.

Single-unit reactor design for combined oxidative, initiated, and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition


Disclosed herein is a manufacturing method of a planar resistance heating element and a planar resistance heating element made using the method. In the manufacturing method of a planar resistance heating element by etching an aluminum foil deposited on an insulating substrate in a desired pattern, printing carbon paste and connecting current input terminals in parallel, the aluminum foil is adapted to undergo a multiple step tempering process to thereby prevent heat deformation. The carbon paste acting as a resistor element is made of electrically conductive carbon, graphite, a resin, a solvent and a hardener which are mixed so as to optimize physical properties of the carbon paste. As a result, prevention of heat deformation of the insulating substrate, uniform heat conductivity, excellent heat-generation effect and easy manufacture may be achieved. In addition, the use of the carbon paste having optimized physical properties as a resistor element results in good heat-generation and near-zero temperature variation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of a planar resistance heating element wherein an aluminum foil deposited on an insulating substrate is etched in a desired pattern, carbon paste is printed and then current input terminals are connected in parallel, and to a planar resistance heating element made using the manufacturing method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a manufacturing method of a planar resistance heating element wherein an aluminum foil acting as an electrode layer deposited on an insulating substrate is tempered in multiple steps to prevent heat deformation and a resistor element is formed using carbon paste made of a mixture of thermally conductive carbon, graphite, a resin, a solvent and a hardener, and to a planar resistance heating element made using the manufacturing method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A planar resistance heating element is a heater which uses far infrared rays radiated from an insulated planar radiator heated by conduction heat generated from a resistance heating element embedded in the radiator. The resistance heating element may be made of metallic thin plates, surface treated metallic oxides, ceramic plates, carbon black, or carbon fibers.
Among conventional planar resistance heating elements, one heating element that does not have a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistor element generates heat using direct current, has low resistance and conducts a large amount of electric current, thereby complicating temperature control. Another heating element having electric current directly applied thereto without separate electrodes has non-uniform electric conductivity. In yet another heating element comprising electrodes and a resistor element, the electrodes are formed through mixing powder of a metal such as silver with a resin and printing the metallic mixture, the resistor element is formed through mixing a carbon-based material with a resin and printing the carbon mixture, and electric current is then applied to the resistor element to generate heat. Although silver is an excellent electric conductor, it is silver paste made of a mixture of a synthetic resin and silver powder that is used in a planar resistance heating element, resulting in poor electric conductivity. Further, a complex and expensive manufacturing process is needed.
To solve these problems, the inventor of the present invention has developed a manufacturing method of a planar resistance heating element (Korean Patent No. 411401), which comprises the steps of: printing an etch-resist in a desired pattern on an aluminum foil deposited on an insulating substrate; spraying an etchant on the aluminum foil to cause a portion of the aluminum foil, where the etch-resist is not printed, to corrode away; cleaning the etch-resist and etchant using an alkaline solution; printing in a desired pattern using carbon paste; and connecting current input terminals in parallel to an electrode layer of the aluminum foil.
However, there are some unsolved problems in the manufacture of a planar resistance heating element. A polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, which is typically used as an insulating substrate, may be deformed owing to heat, causing irregular printing in a manufacturing process or non-uniform heat conduction after the manufacturing process. Additionally, in the manufacture of the carbon paste acting as a resistor element, an improper composition ratio between electrically conductive carbon, a resin, a solvent and a hardener in the carbon paste may deteriorate physical properties including heat-generating properties.

Method for manufacturing a planar resistance heating element


A method of measuring seismic signals generated by marine acoustic sources includes deploying at least one seismic sensor unit to a location on a floor of a body of water within a survey area, and recording seismic signals that include a real measured far field signature generated by a seismic source during a marine seismic survey. The method further includes automatically actuating a retrieval device to cause the at least one seismic sensor unit to rise to the surface, in response to expiration of the selected time period or an actuation signal from the surface, retrieving the at least one seismic sensor unit from the surface, and processing seismic data collected from the return signal. Processing including identifying a far field signature of the seismic source based on the signals detected by the seismic sensor, and designaturing the seismic data based on the far field signature.

Seismic reflection surveying is a technique that involves sending acoustic pulses into a subterranean formation and measuring reflected signals to image subsurface areas. Identification and imaging of subsurface areas is useful for hydrocarbon exploration.
Marine seismic surveys are conducted using marine seismic sources and recorders, e.g., using vessels that include or tow seismic sources and receivers. In some surveys, seismic data acquisition is conducted in a survey area over various locations of an earth surface, during which seismic signals are emitted from the sources and seismic energy reflected from a formation are detected. The seismic data is analyzed to estimate properties of the formation. Each seismic source emits a characteristic signal, or signature, which propagates through a body of water. Identification of source signatures is important for use in processing seismic data to achieve an accurate representation of formation properties. If the source signal is not known accurately then variations in the source signal may be misinterpreted during processing of the data as variations in the geology of the formations detected.

Marine seismic surveying including direct far field measurements


Various embodiments for performing truncate operations in nonvolatile memory are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus may include a nonvolatile memory to perform one or more truncate operations on a data file written to the nonvolatile memory and a volatile memory to track a truncate operation performed in the nonvolatile memory. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Nonvolatile memory, such as flash memory, is capable of retaining digital information until erased. Some flash memory products may perform power-loss recovery (PLR) operations to identify invalid data generated by the loss of power to the flash memory and reclaim operations to recover flash memory space consumed by invalid data. The reclaim operations generally may involve targeting a flash block containing invalid data, copying any valid data in the targeted flash block to a separate memory location, and then erasing the targeted flash block to recover the flash memory space.
Current methods for performing PLR and reclaim operations may require the ability to go back to previously programmed areas of the flash memory. For example, erasing flash memory to reclaim space may involve a process known as "bit-twiddling" in which certain bits are altered in the header of a flash block to indicate the progress of file system operations during reclaim. Moving forward, however, flash memory may enforce a sequential addressing requirement that restricts the ability to go back to previously programmed flash blocks. Therefore, there is a need for improved techniques to perform operations in flash memory under sequential addressing restrictions while satisfying PLR requirements of the file system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Techniques to truncate data files in nonvolatile memory


Facilitating ad hoc daisy-chaining of dynamically addressable devices having configurable physical layer interfaces together in a serial manner is presented herein. A system can include a group of devices communicatively coupled with respective devices of the group of devices in a daisy-chained manner via physical layer (PHY) interfaces of the respective devices including a group of available communication protocol configurations including a low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) based PHY configuration, a controller area network (CAN) based PHY configuration, and/or a single-ended serial communication PHY configuration including a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) based interface or a transistor-transistor logic (TTL) based interface. Further, a host device of the system is directly connected, using a single-ended Manchester encoded serial communication interface, to a foremost device of the group of devices and to successive devices of the respective devices, via the foremost device, using the single-ended Manchester encoded serial communication interface.

Conventional automotive communication protocols, e.g., local interconnect network (LIN), controller area network (CAN), etc. do not enable cascading many devices in a single communication bus, i.e., LIN is limited to less than 16 uniquely addressable devices, and CAN is limited to less than 128 uniquely addressable devices. In addition, a defined amount of distinct addresses must be pre-assigned, hardcoded, fixed, etc. among the devices before they are used.
Further, conventional serial communication protocol technologies select a single type of physical layer (PHY) interface for a transmission line between devices, even though different communication environments may benefit from using an alternate type of PHY interface within such environments. For example, although single-ended transistor-transistor logic (TTL) based interfaces may be easy to use and connect to corresponding devices, such interfaces suffer from poor EMI emission characteristics. In another example, although low voltage differential signal (LVDS) based interfaces may reduce generation of electromagnetic noise, such interfaces may not easily communicate with a processing device, e.g., a microcontroller unit (MCU), having a single-ended, serial, etc. communication interface.
Furthermore, conventional communication protocols do not facilitate monitoring and/or recovering from adverse impedance condition, e.g., high/low impedance, open/short circuit states, etc. at a PHY interface that may be due, e.g., to mechanical degradation, damage, semiconductor packaging issues, printed circuit board (PCB) defects, wiring defects, etc.
In this regard, conventional communication protocol technologies have had some drawbacks, some of which may be noted with reference to the various embodiments described herein below.

Dynamically addressable daisy-chained serial communication with configurable physical layer interfaces

DOMINANT TECHNOLOGIES (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD


A fixture mounting assembly and method according to which a coupling member is attached to the fixture, and a down-rod is pivotally mounted to the coupling member and is mounted to the ceiling.

The present invention relates to an assembly and method for mounting a fixture, such as a ceiling fan or light, in a spaced relation to a ceiling.
Various ceiling-mountable fixtures, such as fans, lights (semiflushes, chandeliers, pedants, etc,), loudspeakers, monitors, video cameras, televisions, and the like, are usually connected to an electrical box, terminal, or the like, at the ceiling. When it is desired to mount the fixture in a spaced relation to the ceiling, a down-rod is often connected between the electrical box, or terminal, and the fixture. Normally an installer has to attach the down-rod to the fixture, fish electrical conductors from the fixture through the down-rod, and attach the down-rod to the ceiling. This is labor intensive and adds to the cost of the fixture.
Therefore what is needed is an installation assembly and method that facilitates the above installation and reduces the installation time.


A data transmitting device and a flat plate display using the same are disclosed. The data transmitting device includes a clock generator to generate and output a first clock signal and to generate a plurality of second clocks signals having different phases; a serializer to convert parallel image data and a dot clock input at a slow speed to high speed serial data and high speed clock according to the first and second clocks outputted from the clock generator and to output the high speed serial image data and the high speed clock; and a signal converter to convert the serial image data and the high speed clock outputted from the serializer into differential signals and to output the differential signals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data transmitting device, more particularly, to a data transmitting device capable of converting clock frequency by using a serializer such as data in order to match data with clock, and a flat plate display using the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A flat plate display capable of displaying images by using digital data may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) using liquid crystal, a plasma display panel (PDP) using discharge of inactive gas, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) using organic light emitting diodes and the like.
Because of a trend of high resolution and large size required to display a high quality image, the amount of data transmission of such the flat plate panel display device has been increasing. As a result, the transmission frequency of data is getting high and the number of data transmission lines is increased such that electromagnetic interference (hereinafter, EMI) may occur a lot. The problem of EMI is generated in digital interface between a timing controller and a data driver of the flat plate display and it causes unstable driving of the device. To solve the problem of EMI and to reduce power consumption when data is transmitted at a high speed, the flat plate display uses data transmission methods that transmit data by using low voltage differential signals, wherein the data transmission methods includes an LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signal) transmission method, a Mini-SVDS transmission method and the like. The interface between the timing controller and the data driver of the flat plate display typically uses the mini-LVDS data transmission method.
For the mini-LVDS data transmission, the timing controller includes an LVDS transmitter mounted in an output terminal and the data driver includes an LVDS receiver mounted in an input terminal. The LVDS transmitter converts data and a clock signal into low voltage differential signals and outputs the low voltage differential signals. The LVDS receiver converts the low voltage differential signals into the data and the clock signal.
The LVDS transmitter converts parallel data into high speed serial data and then converts the high speed serial data along with the clock signal into the low voltage differential signals to output the low voltage differential signals.
To match a timing transmitting the data with a timing transmitting the clock signal, the LVDS transmitter of the related art adjusts a delay time of the clock signal using a plurality of delay logic chains and buffers, thereby compensating a timing of the clock signal to minimize a time skew between the data and the clock signal.
The LVDS transmitter adjusts the clock timing using the logic buffers which separate from the serializer converting the parallel data into the high speed serial data. Because of that, the clock timing independently change without operating together the data according to the power, voltage and temperature changes, thereby skewing the predetermined timing skew between the data and the clock. If it is skewed the timing skew between the data and the clock, it is occurred an error that the LVDS receiver cannot restore accurate data.

Data transmitting device and flat plate display using the same


A pipe thread protector device for protecting the threads at the end of a casing section or the like, and including an elastomeric shoe having a cavity or recess in one side thereof for receiving the threaded end of the casing, and further having an elongated generally cylindrical constriction sleeve made of braided or interwoven wire elements connected to the shoe. One end of the constriction sleeve is embedded in this shoe and the other carries a plurality of tensioning tongues. The constriction sleeve construction causes it to undergo a reduction in diameter when it is placed in tension, and an enlargement in diameter when placed in compression. A hook is secured to the center of the elastomeric shoe and projects therefrom to permit the entire thread protector device to be removed from a casing section upon which it is used to protect the thread, and then slid down a wire extending from the location upwardly in a derrick to which the pipe has been lifted to, to a location on the rig floor where it can be utilized on another section of casing.

Brief Description Of The Prior Art
Many types of thread protector devices have previously been constructed and utilized for the purpose of preventing damage to external threads carried at the end of a section of casing, as that casing section is hoisted in a well derrick preparatory to coupling the casing to a section being extended into the well. Generally these thread protectors have been cup-shaped in overall general configuration, so that the threaded end of the casing section can be extended into a cavity or recess in the cup. The remainder of the cup will then surround the threads and prevent them from being struck by metallic structures on the derrick or by other sections of casing.
Two types of such elastomeric thread protectors which have previously been patented are those which are shown in Janzen U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,566 and Janzen U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,005.


An acoustic wave device includes: a substrate; a dielectric film formed on the substrate; opposing comb-shaped electrodes located between the substrate and the dielectric film, each of the opposing comb-shaped electrodes including an electrode finger, wherein at least one of the substrate and the dielectric film is a piezoelectric substance, an upper surface of the dielectric film, which is located above a gap between a tip of an electrode finger of one of the opposing comb-shaped electrodes and the other of the opposing comb-shaped electrodes, is inclined against an upper surface of the substrate in an extension direction of the electrode finger, and an inclination angle of the upper surface of the dielectric film against the upper surface of the substrate is equal to or larger than 30° and equal to or smaller than 50°.

Acoustic wave devices are used as filter elements and oscillators of wireless devices for example. There has been known a surface acoustic wave (SAW: Surface Acoustic Device) device as a device using acoustic waves. The SAW device is used to a variety of circuits processing radio signals in a frequency of 45 MHz to 2 GHz such as a transmission bandpass filter, a reception bandpass filter, a filter for a local oscillator, an antenna duplexer, an IF (Intermediate frequency) filter, and an FM (Frequency Modulation) modulator.
The SAW device has an IDT (Interdigital Transducer) including two opposing comb-shaped electrodes. The comb-shaped electrode has a bus bar and electrode fingers extending from the bus bar to a same direction and exciting acoustic waves. The electrode fingers of the opposing comb-shaped electrodes are arranged in an alternate order. The acoustic wave is propagated to a direction intersecting with an extension direction of the electrode fingers. However, generated is a lateral-mode spurious caused by the acoustic wave propagated to a direction of the electrode fingers. There has been examined a method that provides a dummy electrode of one comb-shaped electrode to a tip of an electrode finger of another comb-shaped electrode so as to form a gap, and scatters an acoustic wave in a lateral mode by making a length of the dummy electrode different from a length of a dummy portion of a cross electrode arranged adjacent to the dummy electrode in order to suppress the spurious as disclosed in International Publication Pamphlet No. WO 2006/078001. There has been known a method that forms a dielectric film on an electrode finger but does not form a dielectric film on a bus bar to suppress the spurious as disclosed in International Publication Pamphlet No. WO 2008/078573.
The acoustic wave to be excited is distributed to a dielectric film in an acoustic wave device in which the dielectric film is formed on a substrate. Thus, the method of Patent Document 1 scatters a part of the acoustic wave in the lateral mode in a boundary face between the substrate and the dielectric film. However, it is difficult to scatter the acoustic wave within the dielectric film. Therefore, the suppression of the spurious is not sufficient. In addition, when the method of the Patent Document 2 is used, a surface of the bus bar and the like is exposed from the dielectric film. This may decrease a reliability.

Acoustic wave device and module including a dielectric film with an inclined upper surface


A variable gain amplifier has a large variable range of a gain with respect to an analog signal having a level changing at a high-speed. The variable gain amplifier is provided with a digital-setting-type signal attenuator having a resistor string including a plurality of resistors connected in series. A maximum attenuation-factor limiting resistor is connected between the resistor string and a ground. Each of the analog switches is connected to respective points of the resistor string. A decoder generates a control signal for selecting at least one of the analog switches, the control signal being generated based on setting data provided from an external device. A voltage across the resistor string is divided by the resistors included in the resistor string, and the divided voltage is output to an amplifier from at least one of the analog switches selected by the control signal generated by the decoder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a variable gain amplifier and, more particularly, to a variable gain amplifier for adjusting a level of an analog image-signal component contained in a video signal supplied by, for example, a CCD linear image sensor so as to convert the image signal component which corresponds to an amount of an input light into digital data. Such a variable gain amplifier is used in a CCD analog-signal processing circuit which supplies an analog signal to an A/D converter converting an image signal into digital image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a first example of a conventional variable gain amplifier that comprises an amplifier 2 and an R-2R ladder 11 serving as a signal attenuator. FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the R-2R ladder 11. Additionally, FIG. 3 shows a second example of a conventional variable gain amplifier that comprises an operational amplifier 12 and the R-2R ladder 11 as a signal attenuator provided in a feedback loop of the operational amplifier 12.
FIG. 4 shows a third example of a conventional gain amplifier that comprises the amplifier 2 and a dB-attenuator 13. The dB-attenuator 13 may be a .pi.-type or a T-type. FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of the dB-amplifier 13 of a .pi.-type. As shown in FIG. 5, the dB-amplifier 13 comprises a plurality of .pi.-type amplifiers so that a necessary number of the .pi.-type amplifiers through which a signal is passed are selected from among the plurality of .pi.-type amplifiers. FIG. 6 shows a fourth example of a conventional variable gain amplifier that comprises the operational amplifier 12 and the dB-attenuator 13 provided in a feedback loop of the operational amplifier 12. Additionally, there is an amplifier as a fifth example of a conventional variable gain amplifier that comprises a voltage controlled variable gain amplifier and a D/A converter.
According to the above-mentioned first and second examples of the conventional variable gain amplifier, a variable range of a gain is very large and a number of variation steps is small. However, according to the second example, since a gain setting curve is inverse proportional to a setting data curve, a high-speed gain setting can be achieved by rendering an image signal after A/D conversion, that is, a peak value of image data to be the setting data.
According to the above-mentioned third and fourth examples of the conventional variable gain amplifier, a variable range of a gain and a number of variation steps can be freely set. Accordingly, a fine gain setting can be done with a minimum setting-data length, that is, a minimum number of bits. However, if the number of variation steps is increased and a width of each step is set to a small value, a resistance range of a resistor included in the attenuator 13 must be increased. That is, a high resistance is required for the resistor included in the attenuator 13. This causes a problem when the variable gain amplifier is formed in a monolithic IC.
According to the fifth example of the conventional variable gain amplifier, a variable range of a gain, a number of variation steps and a setting curve can be freely set. However, it is difficult to achieve high accuracy fundamentally. If an R-2R ladder having a high accuracy is connected to an amplifier or an operational amplifier, an accurate IC process is required. Additionally, in this case, an ON resistance of each analog switch for selecting resistors included in the R-2R ladder must be decreased, that is, the size of the element constituting each analog switch must be increased. Accordingly, it is difficult to achieve a variable gain amplifier having a high accuracy, or such an amplifier must be very expensive if it can be made.

Variable gain amplifier having a maximum attenuation-factor limiting resistor


A method, a magnetic field sensor, and an electronic device measure and determine the magnitude and/or the direction of a magnetic field. The magnetic sensor is based on at least a first magnetoresistive-layered structure having an electric resistance depending on the magnitude of the magnetic field. The magnetic sensor generates at least a first offset magnetic field. The magnitude and the direction of the offset magnetic field can be modified to compensate the magnetic field. The electric resistance of the magnetoresistive-layered structure depends on the superposition of magnetic field and offset magnetic field. A maximum electric resistance indicates that the magnetic field is compensated by the offset magnetic field. In this case the magnitude of the magnetic field corresponds to the magnitude of the offset magnetic field, and the direction of the magnetic field is given by the reversed direction of the offset magnetic field.

Magnetoresistive elements feature an electrical resistance that strongly depends on the magnitude and/or direction of an externally applied magnetic field. Generally, there exist a large variety of different magnetoresistive elements making use of different fundamental effects. For example, the Anistropic Magnetoresistive (AMR) effect shows a change in electrical resistance in the presence of a magnetic field. AMR sensors are typically made of a soft-magnetic material, such as nickel-iron (Permalloy) thin film deposited on a silicon wafer. The magnetoresistive effect is dependent mainly on the relative direction between an electrical current and the direction of magnetization.
Another effect is the oscillatory exchange interaction of ferromagnetic layers depending on the thickness of the normal metal spacer layer and the giant magneto resistance (GMR) in the exchange-coupled multilayers. The latter effect is driven by the relative magnetic orientation of the adjacent ferromagnetic layers. Replacing the non-magnetic layers by an insulator eliminates the exchange. However, by pinning the first ferromagnetic layer with an anti-ferromagnetic layer an anti-parallel oriented stack can be caused by an external magnetic field. Applying the electric current perpendicular through the ferromagnetic-insulating ferromagnetic stack results in a large change of the tunnel magneto resistance (TMR).
In general, the magnitude and/or direction of the magnetic field can be measured by using at least one magnetoresistive element. However, using only one element makes the device rather sensitive to externally driven drifts, such as temperature and hysteresis drifts. In order to avoid this problem, relative measurements, being sensitive just to external magnetic changes, can be performed. This can be realized, for example, in a Wheatstone bridge arrangement. At least four elements of identical resistance are required. Two adjacent pairs of elements typically exhibit different magnetoresistive behaviors. In such a design, the measured signal is proportional to the relative changes of the magneto resistance of adjacent resistance pairs.
Moreover, when implemented in combination with elements made of soft magnetic material, such as Permalloy, various components of the externally applied magnetic field can be effectively separated and separately detected, thus allowing for a determination of the direction of the magnetic field. Hence, a Wheatstone bridge arrangement serves as a universal tool to generate an electrical signal that depends on the magnitude and/or the direction of an externally applied magnetic field.
In typical implementations, such a Wheatstone bridge features an offset drift that might be caused by slight deviations of the electrical and/or magnetic properties of its components. Even magnetoresistive elements of the same type series might be subject to inevitable production tolerances. Consequently, a bridge circuit may provide a non-zero output voltage even in the absence of a magnetic field. This offset of a bridge circuit is in particular rather disadvantageous, when magnetic fields of low magnitude have to be measured, such as the earth magnetic field. In such cases the offset of a Wheatstone bridge might be in the same range as the signal that has to be measured.
Offset drift elimination can, for example, be performed by a so-called flipping procedure when AMR elements are implemented in the bridge circuit. A short magnetic pulse can be applied to the sensor element in order to reverse its sensitivity. Making use of periodically alternated flipping pulses and a lock-in amplifier, the resulting output of the bridge becomes independent of sensor and amplifier offset. This flipping procedure is only applicable to AMR elements that generally feature a limited magnetic sensitivity, and a rather large size and a relatively low electric resistance that leads to fairly high power consumption in operation mode.
In contrast to AMR elements, GMR elements feature a significantly higher magnetic sensitivity, and they are smaller in size and have a higher electrical resistance. However, the flipping procedure for offset compensation cannot be applied to GMR elements, because GMR elements do not inherently allow a reversal of their sensitivity. GMR multilayer elements feature another disadvantage in form of being insensitive to the direction of a magnetic field. Directional magnetic field sensors can therefore be implemented by making use of AMR elements or GMR spin valves that feature a spatially fixed ferromagnetic layer and a free layer, whose magnetization is free to follow an external magnetic field. In general, spin valves may be permanently destroyed by high magnetic field or current pulses. Additionally, such structures are also more sensitive to high temperatures than multilayers. Moreover, GMR spin valves require additional production processes as compared to standard, non-pinned GMR elements.
In principle, a directional sensor can be implemented on the basis of GMR multilayer elements in combination with flux guides providing spatial decomposition components of a magnetic field. Furthermore, in principle, determination of a direction of a magnetic field is possible with the above-mentioned magnetoresistive elements and configurations. However, all these approaches may suffer from temperature drift, mechanical stress or hysteresis of the magnetoresistive elements.
Even though AMR and GMR spin valve elements provide an electric resistance that depends on the direction of an external magnetic field, these elements inherently do not provide an unequivocal determination of the direction of the magnetic field. Typically, the electric resistance of those magnetoresistive elements inherently features a periodicity of 90°. An unequivocal determination of the direction of the magnetic field over a range from zero to 360° is rather sophisticated and requires, for example, an implementation of a plurality of bridge circuits.
Therefore, there is a need in the prior art for an improved offset compensation for bridge circuits that makes use of magnetoresistive elements and that provides an improved direction determination of a magnetic field. For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.

Magnetic sensor with offset magnetic field

International Business Machines Corporation


A process for slip forming of concrete structures, specifically, concrete structural components, for road and bridge construction. This process has particular application for slip forming of monolithic structures having multiple component/functional parts, wherein the resultant slip formed monolithic, structure has exposed rebars bar the later integration with additional concrete structures arid/or mechanical structural elements, c,g. noise walls, barricades, guard rails and the like. This invention also includes a system adapted for the formation of these unique, monolithic slip formed structures with exposed rebars, including the tunnel mold assembly, which is utilized in this slip forming process; and, the resultant to slip molded monolithic structural component with exposed rebus.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a slip forming process and to the monolithic, reinforced concrete structures produced in accordance with this slip forming process of this invention. More specifically, this invention relates to a process for slip forming reinforced concrete road structures, wherein the resulting slip formed structures have exposed reinforcing bars ("rebars"), which are partially embedded in and extend from within a slip formed, reinforced concrete structure. in one of the preferred embodiment of this invention, this slip forming process utilizes a "tunnel mold assembly" for forming a coping for bridge construction, wherein the coping is preferably formed concurrent with a slip formed concrete road bed pad. In this preferred embodiment of the invention, this slip formed coping includes both rebars embedded therein and exposed reinforcing bars extending from within the formed/finished coping. These exposed reinforcing bars are suitable for subsequent reinforcement and integration with additional in situ cast concrete structures. so as to further integrate such additional in situ cast concrete structures with the reinforced concrete road structures produced by this process.
2. Description of The Prior Art
Slip forming of concrete structures is a well-known technique for preparation of structural concrete elements for various industrial and public works (road, conduit, etc.) projects. Slip forming is a construction method in which concrete is poured into a continuously moving form. Slip forming is used for tall structures (such as bridges, towers, buildings, and dams), as well as horizontal structures, such as roadways. Slip forming enables continuous, non-interrupted, cast-in-place "flawless", (i.e. no joints), concrete structures which have superior performance characteristics to piecewise construction, using discretely formed elements. Slip forming relies on the quick-setting properties of concrete, and requires a balance between quick-setting capacity and workability, Concrete needs to be workable enough to be placed into the form and consolidated. (via vibration), yet quick-setting enough to emerge from the form with strength (also "self supporting strength" or "green strength"). This green strength is needed because the freshly set concrete must not only permit the form to "slip" upwards/forward. but also support the freshly poured concrete above it ("vertical slip forming") and/or the freshly poured concrete in front of it ("horizontal slip forming").
in vertical slip forming, the concrete on may be surrounded by a platform on which workers stand. placing steel reinforcing rods into the concrete and ensuring a smooth pour. Together. the concrete form and working platform are raised by means of hydraulic jacks. Generally, the slip-form rises at a rate which permits the concrete to harden (develop green strength) by the time it emerges from the bottom of the form. In horizontal slip forming for pavement and traffic separation walls. concrete is laid down, vibrated, worked, and settled in place, while the form itself slowly moves ahead. This method was initially devised and utilized in Interstate Highway construction initiated by the Eisenhower administration during the 1950s.
The following is a representative (and not exhaustive) review of the prior art in this field:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,792,133 (to Goughnour issued Feb. 12, 1974) describes a method and an apparatus for concrete slip forming a highway barrier wall of varying transverse cross-sectional configuration for accommodating different grade levels on opposite sides of the wall, and wherein variations in the wail cross-sectional configuration may be readily accomplished during wail formation without requiring stopping, realignment or other interruptions in the screed movement during wall forming.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,917 (to Godbersen issued Mar. 12, 1981) describes a method for the efficient slip forming of highway median barrier wails of differing, size (adjustable height) and shape having any arrangement of linear and curved sections and while the machine is being advanced in a single direction. The lateral adjustability of opposite side walls of the form, relative to the top wall, permits the use of the side walls with top wails of varying widths. The relative vertical adjustment of the top wall and side walls provides for a wide variation in the vertical height of a barrier will particularly where a glare shield is to be formed on the barrier wall top surface. The slip forming of the glare shield takes place simultaneously and continuously with the slip forming of the barrier wall and over any selected portion of the wail while the machine is being advanced in a single direction. At any adjusted position of the slip form, the skirt member associated with each side wall is adjustable to prevent any flow of concrete from between the ground or highway surface and the form.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,948 (to Petersik issued Apr. 18, 1978) describes an improved barrier forming apparatus and method whereby a barrier is formed continuously over a surface, the barrier having continuous reinforcing rods extending the length of the barrier and having cagereinforced standard supports at predetermined intervals along the length of the barrier. The Petersik improved barrier forming assembly comprising a concrete forming member having a form cavity extending there through; a concrete passing member having a concrete delivery opening for passing concrete or the like to the fibrin cavity; and a positioning assembly comprising a support shaft and a door Member pivotally supported at a forward end of the concrete forming member, the barrier being extrudable continuously via the form cavity forom a rearward end of the concrete forming member. The door member selectively is positionable to partially seal the form cavity at the forward end of the concrete forming member and has rod clearance channels through which the reinforcing rods pass through the door member into the harm cavity when the door member is so positioned to seal the form cavity. The rod clearance channels permit ie door member to clearingly pass the reinforcing rods to open the form cavity at the forward end of the concrete forming member to allow the free passage of the barrier forming assembly over the cage reinforced standard supports.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,492 (to Belarde, issued May 1, 1994) describes a system for continuously forming a concrete Structure (a) having a predetermined cross-sectional configuration, (b) which extends along an elongate path, and (c) includes art outer surface haying a textured pattern comprising concave or convex portions which extend other than just parallel to the elongate path. The system includes a frame, a first form assembly, a second form assembly, a drive system, and a support assembly.
As is evident from the above, there are number of alternatives for the slip forming of structures for use in road and bridge construction, The numerous alternative systems have their proponents and their detractors. In the context of selection of the more appropriate and efficient system, for example, for construction of retainer/barrier walls and/or glare shield concrete structures, time is money and often is reflected in the bidding process. More specifically, the bid letting on highway construction projects routinely include both penalty provisions for tardy completion and/or bonus payments thr early completion. Accordingly, efficiencies Which advance project completion, generally translate into cost saving. Thus, there is continuing efforts to automate, where possible, the fabrication of structural concrete components in highway construction; and, to standardize the process for the fabrication of roadway components and thereby simplify the bid letting on such proiects, particularly federally funded highway construction projects,
As is evident from the foregoing, and need not be belabored, the slip forming of structural concrete structures, including, concrete structures for highway construction, is well-known, Invariably, such slip formed highway structures are integrated into roadbeds, used as dividers for road beds and as components for bridges or overpasses for such road beds. The specifications for these concrete structures have and continue to become more uniform and/or have basic specifications in common, because of the advancements in construction methods, and the use of federal funds for such highway construction projects. For example, the specification for a concrete bridge coping must include exposed rehars for the integration into both the road bed, or with a barrier wall, which is to be erected thereupon, and integrated therewith.
Up to now, the standard or generally accepted techniques for the fabrication of bridge coping for an overpass on the highway, have required either the use of a pre-cast coping element (fabricated off-site),, and/or the manual casting of a coping on-site, utilizing traditional forms and concrete casting techniques. In the case of a pre-cast concrete coping element, the road bed of the overpass requires special preparation since the pre-cast element does not readily conform to the angle of incline or grade of a ramp or overpass and, therefore, imperfectly abut one another upon placement on the incline of the bridge overpass. Accordingly, additional installation expense is required to insure the connection of abutting pre-cast copings to one another to insure the formation of a unitary coherent structure.
Alternatively, the casting of an overpass/bridge coping, using the a manual process for forming the coping, specifically, traditional forms and concrete casting techniques, is preferably to the pre-cast coping, because the resulting coping is structurally continuous, and better conforms to the incline/grade of the ramp or overpass. Notwithstanding, the on-site casting, of a bridge coping, by traditional concrete casting technique, is very labor intensive and does not. without an inordinate amount of man power, lend itself to rapid fabrication and accelerated completion schedules. In each of the foregoing alternatives, the coping is formed with extending rebars for the later integration of the coping into a road bed pad and/or the attachment to a retaining wall. which can be later formed on the top of the coping.
Accordingly, there continues to exist the need to both simplify the on-site fabrication of a bridge coping, minimize the manual labor requirements, permit/accommodate accelerated construction schedules, and yet produces a structure which is both coherent (e.g. monolithic structure), and faithfully conforms to the angle of incline or grade of a road overpass, without additional extensive on-site preparation.

Process for slip forming reinforced bridge coping with exposed rebars


A combination tape measurer, pencil sharpener and knife blade sharpener is provided. The pencil and knife blade sharpeners are provided on a separate insert that is fitted onto the tape measurer. This allows each component to be used without interfering with the others. A conventional retractable tape measurer can be modified to produce the resultant combination tool.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tools used by workmen on a job site, such as for carpenters, masons, construction workers, and especially carpet installers. People involved in any sort of building activity are usually examining blueprints, material lists, instructions and the like. Corrections and additions to these items are usually done with a pencil, which will go dull quickly in any typical environment of this sort. The same thing can be said for utility knives and jack knives, which are used frequently by people in these professions to cut string, mats and other assorted materials associated with their work. It would be of the utmost convenience to have a tool handy that can sharpen these various implements without the workman having to search for or carry around with him separate tools for each task.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,515 issued to Mayer discloses a knife blade sharpener that is integrally mounted onto the scabbard of a knife. The sharpener is of the slot variety in which the knife blade is drawn through the slot to sharpen it. This device provides for no other functions besides holding a knife.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,867 issued to Tsao describes a multifunction tool which includes a retractable measuring tape, a pencil sharpener, a blade and other stationery tool elements that are frequently used for office work purposes. This tool is arranged in the manner similar to that of a Swiss Army knife. This tool is not merely a modified conventional tool, but a completely new construct. In this regard, it is something that would be difficult to construct and complex to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 752,339 issued to Gutstein discloses a pair of shears having a tape measurer and a pencil sharpener attached thereto. This tool would be clumsy to use as the individual components are not well packaged and integrated together.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,137 issued to Dombrowski describes a tape measurer having an integral pencil sharpener. It does not include a blade sharpener. Putting a blade sharpener with this particular tool would be difficult to do as can be seen from the drawings, as the sharpener is inserted into the center of the tape roll. Additionally, the tape roll here could not be retractable because the pencil sharpener is disposed where the coiled spring would be. This takes away from the usefulness of the device.


An airfoil assembly for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an annular shroud having a radially inner face and a radially outer face opposing the radially inner face, a radially inner array of airfoils extending from the radially inner face, and a radially outer array of airfoils extending from the radially outer face. The radially inner array of airfoils are configured to guide flow within a radially inner bypass flow passage, the radially inner bypass flow passage bypassing and being radially outward of a compressor section. At least one, but fewer than each, airfoil of the radially inner array of airfoils is circumferentially aligned with a corresponding airfoil in the radially outer array of airfoils, and the remaining airfoils in the radially inner array of airfoils are misaligned with the airfoils of the radially outer array of airfoils. A method of reducing a vibratory response of airfoils is also disclosed.

This disclosure relates generally to a concentric airfoil assembly and, more particularly, to mistuning a concentric assembly to reduce vibrations.
Gas turbine engines are known and, typically, include a fan delivering air into a bypass duct as propulsion air and to be utilized to cool components. The fan also delivers air into a core engine where it is compressed in a compressor. The compressed air is then delivered into a combustion section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited. Products of the combustion pass downstream over turbine rotors, driving them to rotate.
One type of gas turbine engine has multiple bypass streams. In such engine, there is typically a radially outer third stream bypass flow and a radially inner main bypass flow. Other types of gas turbine engines have other bypass flow arrangements.
Gas turbine engines, and in particular gas turbine engines having multiple bypass streams, may include assemblies having a concentric airfoil arrays. These assemblies often have very little structural damping due to their symmetric nature. Lack of damping can lead to, among other things, high cycle fatigue issues resulting from high vibratory stresses, such as resonant or aero-elastic responses of the airfoils to dynamic pressure fluctuations. Mitigating these fatigue issues has involved increasing airfoil thicknesses, which can lead to localized hot spots and vibratory stresses and diminished aero-dynamic performance.

Mistuned concentric airfoil assembly and method of mistuning same


The claimed invention provides real-time and subsequent analysis personalized user based health, wellness and pharmaceutical and illicit drug detection information. Non-invasive techniques utilize saliva for body levels of wellness indicators and pharmaceutical and illicit drug ingestion which are coordinated over time. Saliva captured on sample strips are real-time indicator reviewed and subsequently analyzed using traditional analytical chemistry techniques including liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and coordinated with time of administration with optional genetic sequence analysis to confirm related disease conditions. By using P4 (Participatory, Personalized, Predictive, and Preventive) health management techniques the patient determines if the pharmaceutical is having the correct and desired effect for maximum therapeutic benefit. While illustrative embodiments detecting Metformin and Keppra are provided the system has broad pharmaceutical and illicit drug monitoring applicability.

Traditional biomedical monitoring of patient pharmaceutical administration is often clinical in nature with results ordered by a doctor in a hospital or medical office setting and performed in a centralized laboratory setting. Even when patients are informed as to the blood levels of their pharmaceutical body chemistry it is often through the lens of the primary medical provider.
Using traditional methods, if a patient wishes to know detailed information about personal pharmaceutical levels in the body they must first schedule an office visit. Absent an emergency, such visits usually take place weeks to months after the request is made. To determine body levels of pharmaceutical products ingested, blood is drawn and sent to an outside laboratory. Several days later the results are reported back to the primary healthcare physician who interprets the laboratory results and provides a high level summary to the patient.
Despite the rapid expansion of 'big data' healthcare information, patients are rarely the owners or curators of their own healthcare information leading to reduced choices and far fewer options in healthcare data portability when seeking out alternate providers.

Personalized healthcare P4 drug monitoring system and method


The present disclosure provides a system and method for providing electrostatic discharge protection. A probe card assembly is provided which is electrically connected to a plurality of input/output channels. The probe card assembly can be contacted with a secondary assembly having an interposer electrically connected to one or more wafers each wafer having a device under test. Voltage can be forced on ones of the plural input/output channels of the probe card assembly to slowly dissipate charges resident on the wafer to thereby provide electrostatic discharge protection. A socket assembly adaptable to accept a 3DIC package is also provided, the assembly having a loadboard assembly electrically connected to a plurality of input/output channels. Once the 3DIC package is placed within the socket assembly, voltage is forced on ones of the input/output channels to slowly dissipate charges resident on the 3DIC package to thereby provide electrostatic discharge protection.

In semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing, integrated circuits (ICs) are conventionally tested during manufacturing and prior to shipment to ensure proper operation. Wafer testing is a testing technique commonly used in production testing of wafer-mounted semiconductor ICs where a temporary electrical connection is established between automatic test equipment (ATE) and ICs formed on the wafer to demonstrate proper performance of the ICs. Components used in wafer testing include an ATE test board, a multilayer printed circuit board connected to the ATE which transfers test signals between the ATE, and a probe card assembly. Conventional probe card assemblies include a printed circuit board, a probe head assembly having a plurality of flexible test probes attached thereto, and an interposer electrically connecting the test probes to the printed circuit board. The test probes are conventionally mounted to electrically conductive, typically metallic, bonding pads on a substrate using solder, wire bonding or wedge bonding techniques. In operation, a device under test (DUT) is moved into position so the test probes make contact with corresponding contact points on the DUT.
Along with complexity improvement of circuit designs, rapid development of semiconductor fabrication processes, and demand for circuit performance, ICs have been developed with a three-dimensional (3D) structure to increase circuit performance. Different process techniques can be used in different layers of the 3DIC, and these different chip layers or "dies" are stacked and interconnected using through silicon vias (TSVs).
As 3DICs are formed by a plurality of chip layers having varying process techniques and/or supply voltages on different chips, high-voltage static electricity or noises, commonly referred to as electrostatic discharge (ESD), can pass through the package and/or test equipment. ESD is generally defined as a sudden and momentary electric current that flows between two objects at different electrical potentials. ESD can damage devices fabricated on IC chips causing performance degradation or failures. For example, ESD can damage sensitive components in the 3DIC and test equipment including a ball grid array (BGA) package, control collapse chip connection (C4) package, flip-chip package, pin grid array (PGA) package, and other surface mount packages as well as the test interface, interposer, TSV, metal routing, ubump, gate oxide devices, and other components on the 3DIC.

Three dimensional integrated circuit electrostatic discharge protection and prevention test interface

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


An intensity of a flashlight projected from a flashlight projector is at the maximum outside a photographic area. A plate protuberance is formed in a center of an inner face of a protector. A part of the flashlight emitted from a flash tube is reflected on upper and lower faces of the plate protuberance so as to tend into the outside of the photographic area. The intensity of the flashlight emitted into a center of the photographic area is deflected on a wedge of an end of a plate protuberance. Thus, distribution pattern of the flashlight is changed by the plate protuberance, and the intensity of the flashlight becomes 1.0-1.5 LV smaller in the center of the photographic area than on upper and lower limits thereof. A main subject in a smaller distance is not overexposed, and a background in a larger distance is not underexposed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens-fitted photo film unit with a flash device and a method of flash lighting thereby.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
The applicant produces and sells a lens-fitted photo film unit in which an unexposed filmstrip is preloaded. There is a type of the lens-fitted photo film unit, which has a flash device so as to take pictures in the night or the room. The flash device of the lens-fitted photo film unit should have a simple structure as the lens-fitted photo film unit can be readily bought.
The flash device is constructed of a flash circuit board with a flash circuit mounted thereon for controlling charge and discharge, and a flashlight projector unitized and attached to the flash circuit board for projecting a flashlight. The flashlight projector is substantially constructed of a flash tube, a reflector and a transparent protector. The flash tube emits a flashlight corresponding to a trigger signal. The reflector reflects the flashlight such that the flashlight projector may project the flashlight forwards. The protector is disposed to protect the flash tube and the reflector, and determine a characteristic of lighting distribution of the flashlight. In order to increase an effect of the flashlight and project the flashlight at the same strength in a photographic area, the protector makes a projection axis of the flashlight projector coincide with a center of the photographic area.
However, if a flashlight photograph is carried out with the lens-fitted photo film unit, the subjects in a smaller distance, for example persons in a center of the photographic area, are often overexposed, and the backgrounds to be a side of the area are underexposed due to larger distance. In order to improve the quality of pictures, an automatic flash device is used. However, provision of a photometric element and control circuits increases the cost for production of the lens-fitted photo film unit becomes higher. Further, the effect of the automatic flash device is not so much.
When the flashlight photograph is carried out with a camera, it is known to softly illuminate the subject in effect of a bounce light. In this case, a direction in which the flashlight projector is tended is manually adjusted, and an exposure amendment must be made through operating an exposure adjustment member provided for the camera, depending on the direction in which the flashlight is projected.
However, for low cost of production the lens-fitted photo film unit, it is difficult to provide the exposure adjustment member and the swingable structure of the flashlight projector.
An object of the present invention is to provide a lens-fitted photo film unit that is produced at a low cost and a method of flash lighting thereby.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a lens-fitted photo film unit and a method of flash lighting thereby such that a subject in a center of a photographic area may not be overexposed.
A still another object of the present invention is to provide a lens-fitted photo film unit and a method of flash lighting thereby such that a background may not be underexposed.
The last object of the present invention is to provide a lens-fitted photo film unit so as to obtain the effect of the bounce light to a subject in a larger distance when a flashlight photograph is carried out in a room.
The above and other objects are achieved while a flashlight projector projects a flashlight such that an intensity of the flashlight may be at the maximum above and/or below a photographic area. Preferably, the intensity of the flashlight is 1.0-1.5 LV higher on upper and/or lower limits of a photographic area than in a center thereof. In the flashlight projector, a flash tube is disposed on a projection axis of the flashlight projector in an inner side of a reflector formed in a nearly half-elliptical shape. To a front side of the reflector is attached a protector.
In the present invention, the protector is provided with a regulation portion for determining a distribution of the flashlight. The regulation portion reflects a part of the flashlight emitted into a center of the photographic area such that the part of the flashlight may tend to an outside of the photographic area, and the intensity of the flashlight may be decreased in the center of the photographic area. In another embodiment of the present invention, a distance between the protector and the flash tube is larger than an opening width of the reflector. In a still another embodiment, the projection axis of the flashlight projector is inclined upwards or downwards.
In the lens-fitted photo film unit of the present invention, an ISO sensitivity of a used filmstrip, an exposure condition, and the intensity of the flashlight are previously determined. Accordingly, if the distribution of the flashlight is adjusted, the exposure amount can be higher on upper and lower edges of a frame on the filmstrip than in the center thereof. Thus the main subject that is usually photographed in the center of the frame is not overexposed, and the background in upper and lower sides of the frame is not underexposed. Further, a scene is three-dimensionally photographed in the flashlight in a room, as the flashlight reflects on a ceiling, a floor and a wall such that a depth to the main subject may be clearer, and the background can be softly illuminated in the bounce light. As the present invention has a simple structure, the cost for production does not increase.

Lens-fitted photo film unit with flash device and method of flash lighting thereby


A lift force of a height adjustable assembly can be estimated using a potentiometer or other position sensor coupled to a counterbalance mechanism. The estimated lift force can be communicated to the user, e.g., presented on an electronic display, and the user can continue adjustment of the lift force, if needed, to substantially balance the lift force with the weight of the components coupled to the assembly.

A workstation can include a frame and a work surface. In some examples, the work surface can be height adjustable relative to the frame. For instance, a user can selectively adjust the height of the work surface with respect to the frame to accommodate user's varying postures during the use of the workstation. Ease of height adjustment can facilitate more frequent adjustment of the work surface.
The workstation can include a weight counterbalance mechanism having an energy storage device (e.g., spring, or the like) to provide lift assist for the user during the height adjustment. The weight counterbalance mechanism can lift at least a portion of the weight coupled to the work surface. The counterbalance mechanism can further include a lift force estimating module to determine the lift force and to inform the user to better match the lift force with the weight of the work surface.

Systems and methods for lift force estimation