The disclosure is a method of controlling operations in a static random access memory employing twin cells. After a wordline coupled to first and second cell transistors is conductive, a voltage difference between a first bitline, which is connected to a first cell capacitor through the first cell transistor, and a second bitline, which is connected to a second cell capacitor through the second cell transistor, is driven into a sense amplifier to be developed with amplification. An active wordline turns nonconductive when one of the bitline voltages accords with a predetermined reference voltage.

This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 2002-1874, filed on Jan. 12, 2002.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to semiconductor memory, and more specifically, to static random access memories (SRAMs) employing twin memory cells as a storage unit.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Single-transistor dynamic random access memories are well known in the field of semiconductor memory devices. As shown in FIG. 1, a unit memory cell MC1 or MC2 comprises of one transistor TR and one capacitor C. A gate of the cell transistor TR is coupled to a wordline WL1, and a current channel of the cell transistor is formed between a bitline BL and a plate voltage terminal Vp that is connected to an electrode of the cell capacitor C. Another memory cell MC2, whose gate is coupled to another wordline WL2, forms its current channel between another bitline BLB (complementary to BL) and an electrode of the cell capacitor C. The bit line pair of BL and BLB are coupled to a sense amplifier 12.
In the structure of the DRAM cell array, if the wordline WL1 is selected, a cell data stored in the memory cell MC1 is transferred to the bitline BL through a charge sharing effect. The bitlines BL and BLB that have been held on a precharge voltage, e.g., at one half of a power supply voltage, increase/decrease or decrease/increase according to the data stored in the memory cell MC1 through the charge sharing. The voltage level of the bitline BL rises up to a high level if the data is xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d and falls down to a low level if the data is xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d. Then, the sense amplifier 12 detects and amplifies the voltage difference between the bitlines BL and BLB.
Leakage currents arising from the structural properties of the DRAM reduce the charge amount of the cell capacitor, resulting in a data loss. A refresh is needed periodically to prevent the data loss. A DRAM refresh time is determined with regarding the maximal term of maintaining data xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d in a memory cell. One method for achieving a low-power operation is associated with the extension of the refresh time (or refresh period). Lengthening a refresh time is possible by adopting a twin-cell structure in a memory cell array, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIGS. 2 and 3 show twin-cell arrays also applicable in SRAMs.
In FIG. 2, one twin-cell, as a SRAM cell unit, comprises two DRAM-type cells MC1 and MC2. Each cell comprises one transistor TR and one capacitor C. While the cells MC1 and MC2 are respectively connected to the bitlines BL and BLB, which are coupled to a sense amplifier 22, the cell gates are coupled to one wordline WL1 in common. The cells MC1 and MC2 store a pair of complementary data bits xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d.
Another kind of the twin-cell, as shown in FIG. 3, is a modification of the twin-cell structure of FIG. 2 in an arrangement pattern. Bitlines BL1xcx9cBL4 are alternately arranged in a column and a twin-cell is composed of two DRAM-type cells MC1 and MC2 (or MC3 and MC4) connected respectively to BL1 and BL3 (or BL2 and BL4). The bitlines BL1 and BL3, as a pair, are coupled to a sense amplifier 32, while BL2 and BL4 as another bitline pair are coupled to sense amplifier 34. A wordline WL1 is commonly coupled to gates of the cells MC1 and MC3 while a wordline WL2 to gates of MC2 and MC4. The cells in one twin-cell store a pair of complementary data bits logically.
In with a refresh of the twin-cell structure of FIG. 2, referring to FIG. 4A, the bitlines BL and BLB are set up to a precharge voltage VBL (0.5 AIVC) in response to a precharge signal PEQ before the wordline WL1 becomes active. At this time, assuming that the cell is preparing to store data xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d in MC1 and xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d in MC2, a cell node CN1 between the cell transistor and capacitor in MC1 maintains the power supply voltage level AIVC corresponding to data xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d while a cell node CN2 between the cell transistor and capacitor in MC2 hold a ground voltage level GND corresponding to data xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d. Once the wordline WL1 is active, a charge sharing starts between MC1 and BL and between MC2 and BLB. As a result, a BL voltage increases by Vcsu, the voltage difference between the bitline voltage VBL (0.5 AIVC) to a shared-in voltage supplied from the cell MC1 (CN1), while BLB voltage decreases by Vcsd the voltage difference between VBL and a shared-out voltage discharged out of the cell MC2 (CN2). With a slight estrangement between BL and BLB, the sense amplifier 22 begins developing a voltage difference and thereby the bitline BL rises up to AIVC while the counter bitline BLB falls down to a ground voltage GND. At this time, the current voltage levels on BL and BLB are restored into the cell nodes CN1 and CN2, respectively. After then, if the wordline becomes inactive, the bitlines BL and BLB are set on the precharge voltage in response to the precharge signal PEQ.
As another operational feature for the twin-cell SRAM employing a column selection line CSL, referring to FIG. 4B, the column selection line CSL becomes conductive when a voltage difference is sufficiently settled between the bitlines BL and BLB after a charge sharing therebetween. The active CSL electrically connects the bitlines BL and BLB to corresponding input/output lines. During the CSL activation, the input/output lines have a precharge voltage level of an internal power supply voltage (i.e., AIVC), and the bitline BLB and the cell node CN2 are held at a clamping level. The bitline BL and the cell node CN1 are not affected. After CSL becomes inactive, BLB and CN2 fall to GND. Restored in the cell nodes, the bitline WL1 is shut down and the bitlines BL and BLB return to the precharge voltage level VBL in response to the precharge signal PEQ.
As aforementioned, since the DRAM-type cells in the twin-cell unit store a pair of complementary data bits, a bitline voltage difference is twice as large as that of the single cell structure. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the sense amplifier (22, 32 or 34) can take the voltage differential value of 2Vcs because BL and BLB increase and decrease simultaneously, by the Vcs through the charge sharing operations.
Therefore, the twin-cell memory does not need to define a refresh cycle time or period, capable of a normal sensing operation even though a leakage current dissipate a voltage level of the cell node, holding data xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d, to be lower than the bitline precharge voltage VBL. Such a twin-cell memory has a longer refresh time (e.g., several seconds) than the traditional single cell memory typically about 100xcx9c200 ms. Further, a stand-by current is reduced as compared to the single cell memory. The refresh operation is similar to a normal read operation except that sense data does not turn out of the memory chip.
An instance of a SRAM-type memory, as well as DRAMs, employing the twin-cell structure has been described in the publication, entitled xe2x80x9c2Mxc3x9716 bit uni-transistor random access memoryxe2x80x9d, for Product No. xe2x80x9cK1S321615Mxe2x80x9d (May 2001), so called xe2x80x9cUtRAMxe2x80x9d. The UtRAM is constructed of the same internal structure as a traditional DRAM while using the same commands as SRAM, but conducts a refresh operation automatically by means of an internal control unit without an external refresh command. Thus, it performs a refresh operation for at least each cycle period, even during read/write commands. If the refresh operation is not performed for each cycle period, a refresh operation concurrent with read/write operations can result in loss of data stored in memory cells. As a result, the twin-cell SRAM needs to lengthen an access time or to degrade an operation speed relative to other single-cell DRAMs.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and method for a twin-cell memory device having a long refresh time and high speed of operation
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a twin-cell SRAM enhancing access time and speed in operation.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling wordlines in a twin-cell SRAM with a shortened wordline activation time
It is further another object of the present invention to provide a method for conducting operations of reading, writing, and refreshing in a DRAM-type SRAM, with a shortened wordline activation time.
The present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Random access memory and method for controlling operations of reading, writing, and refreshing data of the same


A compound according to formula II and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and the method of treating cancer in a patient in need thereof by administration of said compound.

The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) ("TGF-β") polypeptides influence growth, differentiation, and gene expression in many cell types. The first polypeptide of this family that was characterized, TGF-β1, has two identical 112 amino acid subunits that are covalently linked. TGF-β1 is a highly conserved protein with only a single amino acid difference distinguishing humans from mice. There are two other members of the TGF-β gene family that are expressed in mammals. TGF-β2 is 71% homologous to TGF-β1 (de Martin, et al. (1987) EMBO J. 6:3673–3677), whereas TGF-β3 is 80% homologous to TGF-β1 (Derynck, et al. (1988) EMBO J 7:3737–3743). The structural characteristics of TGF-β1 as determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (Archer, et al. (1993) Biochemistry 32:1164–1171) agree with the crystal structure of TGF-β2 (Daopin, et al. (1992) Science 257:369–374; Schlunegger and Grutter (1992) Nature 358:430–434).
There are at least three different extracellular TGF-β receptors, Type I, II and III that are involved in the biological functions of TGF-β1, -β2 and -β3 (For reviews, see Derynck (1994) TIBS 19:548–553 and Massague (1990) Ann. Rev. Cell Biol. 6:597–641). The Type I and Type II receptors are transmembrane serine/threonine kinases, which in the presence of TGF-β form a heteromeric signaling complex (Wrana, et al (1992) Cell 71: 1003–1014).
The mechanism of activation of the heteromeric signaling complex at the cell surface has been elucidated (Wrana, et al. (1994) Nature 370: 341–347). TGF-β first binds the type II receptor that is a constitutively active transmembrane serine/threonine kinase. The type I receptor is subsequently recruited into the complex, phoshorylated at the GS domain and activated to phosphorylate downstream signaling components (e.g. Smad proteins) to initiate the intracellular signaling cascade. A constitutively active type I receptor (T204D mutant) has-been shown to effectively transduce TGF-β responses, thus bypassing the requirement for TGF-β and the type II receptor (Wieser, et al. (1995) EMBO J 14: 2199–2208). Although no signaling function has been discovered for the type III receptor, it does increase TGF-β2's affinity for the type II receptor making it essentially equipotent with TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 (Lopez-Casillas, et al. (1993) Cell 73:1435–1444).
Vascular endothelial cells lack the Type III receptor. Instead endothelial cells express a structurally related protein called endoglin (Cheifetz, et al. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267:19027–19030), which only binds TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 with high affinity. Thus, the relative potency of the TGF-β's reflects the type of receptors expressed in a cell and organ system. In addition to the regulation of the components in the multi-factorial signaling pathway, the distribution of the synthesis of TGF-β polypeptides also affects physiological function. The distribution of TGF-β2 and TGF-β3 is more limited Derynck, et al. (1988) EMBO J 7:3737–3743) than TGF-β1, e.g., TGF-β3 is limited to tissues of mesenchymal origin, whereas TGF-β1 is present in both tissues of mesenchymal and epithelial origin.
TGF-β1 is a multifunctional cytokine critical for tissue repair. High concentrations of TGF-β1 are delivered to the site of injury by platelet granules (Assoian and Sporn (1986) J. Cell Biol. 102:1217–1223). TGF-β1 initiates a series of events that promote healing including chemo taxis of cells such as leukocytes, monocytes and fibroblasts, and regulation of growth factors and cytokines involved in angiogenesis, cell division associated with tissue repair and inflammatory responses. TGF-β1 also stimulates the synthesis of extracellular matrix components (Roberts, et al. (1986) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83:4167–4171; Sporn, et al. (1983) Science 219:1329–1330; Massague (1987) Cell 49:437–438) and most importantly for understanding the pathophysiology of TGF-β1, TGF-β1 autoregulates its own synthesis (Kim, et al. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264:7041–7045).
The compounds disclosed herein may also exhibit other kinase activity, such as p38 kinase inhibition and/or KDR (VEGFR2) kinase inhibition. Assays to determine such kinase activity are known in the art and one skilled in the art would be able to test the disclosed compounds for such activity.


A mechanical overload sensor system for a planetary winch having a biasing means that when overcome by the force on a ring gear, opens an electric switch which terminates power to the winch.

Winches are commonly used to lift and pull heavy loads. When they are overloaded they can fail in numerous ways which can lead to property damage and personal injury. Therefore, an overload sensor can provide an important safety feature. Because many winches are powered by an electric motor, the overload sensing is typically accomplished by monitoring how much electric power the motor is drawing. When the power draw of the motor exceeds a certain predetermined amount, the power to it is terminated. This stops the overload situation.
One drawback to this form of monitoring is its intrinsic inaccuracy. The measurement of the winch's load by measuring the power draw is susceptible to inaccuracies arising from power supply issues and bad electrical connections. It can also require complicated circuits and microprocessors.
What is needed, therefore, is a simple and direct way to measure the load on a winch while in operation.


A micro-actuator includes force elements and compensation elements arranged on a bending element such that a change in the environmental temperature does not cause any flexing of the bending element.

The present invention is based on a micro-actuator having a bending element and at least one force element Arranged on the bending element and having a variable length relative to the bending element. U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,856 describes a micro-valve having a micro-actuator designed as a bending element. A force element is arranged on the bending element and has a length relative to the bending element which varies as a result of heating. A frequency-analog accelerometer constructed from three beams is described in D. W. Satchell et al., "A Thermally-Excited Silicon Accelerometer", Sensors and Actuators, Vol. 17, pp. 241-245 (May 3, 1989) ("the Satchell article"). The central beams are thermomechanically excited into oscillation and thus likewise represent a micro-actuator.
A micro-pump as a drive for an ink-jet nozzle is described in K. E. Petersen, "Silicon as a Mechanical Material", Proceedings of the IEEE, Vol. 70, No. 5, pp. 420-457 (May 1982) ("the Petersen article"). As FIG. 21 on page 433 of the Petersen article shows, a piezo-electric crystal is fitted to a membrane as the force element. German Patent Application No. 42 20 226 describes magnetostrictive force elements arranged on bending elements.
However, in each of these known devices, the characteristic of the bending element disadvantageously varies with changes in environmental temperature. Hence, a micro-actuator including a bending element having a constant characteristic over wide temperature ranges thereby avoiding the need to provide a constant temperature environment is desired.


The disclosure provides a gas turbine device capable of producing a mixed gas in which three or more types of gases are evenly mixed, and of doing the like. To achieve this, in a gas turbine device configured to burn in a combustor a fuel gas supplied from a fuel gas supplier, together with a compressed air supplied from an air compressor, and to rotationally drive a gas turbine by a combustion gas generated at the burning, the fuel gas supplier includes two mixers, and is configured to produce a mixed gas by mixing three types of gases of a first gas, a second gas, and a third gas in the mixers in ascending order of specific gravity or in descending order of specific gravity, and to supply the mixed gas to the combustor as the fuel gas.

A gas turbine device dedicated to low calorie gas combustion which is capable of using multiple types of low calorie gases with different calories at the same time is generally known as an example of a gas turbine device which uses a mixed gas obtained by mixing together three or more types of gases as a fuel gas for a combustor. The gas turbine device dedicated to low calorie gas combustion is used, for example, in a steel mill. In the steel mill, various excessive gases such as a blast furnace gas (B gas), a coke oven gas (C gas), and a converter gas (L gas) are produced in a manufacturing process of a steel product. These excessive gases contain combustible components. For this reason, the excessive gases are used as a fuel gas for the gas turbine device in the steel mill and the like, and thereby the excessive gases are effectively used.
There are large variations in amount of byproduct gases produced. For this reason, when used as the fuel for the gas turbine device, any of the excessive gases is not used singly, but a mixed gas obtained by mixing multiple types of gases is used. Moreover, calorie adjustment may be performed by further mixing a natural gas (LNG) and the like into the mixed gas.
For example, a gas turbine device disclosed in Patent Document 1 listed below is given as a specific example of the gas turbine device which uses the mixed gas of multiple types of excessive gases and the natural gas as the fuel gas for a combustor. In the gas turbine device disclosed in Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 4, the blast furnace gas, the coke oven gas, and the natural gas are mixed by a mixer 51, and this mixed gas is supplied to a combustor of a gas turbine 52 as the fuel gas.
In addition to Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2 is also given as a prior art document related to the present invention. Patent Document 2 discloses an example of a gas turbine device which reuses part of a combustion gas exhausted from a gas turbine by supplying the part of the combustion gas to an air compressor.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-27975    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 2954456


To inhibit an actuating member from being moved to a release position, to make the manipulation feeling satisfactory, and to provide a compact and cheap buckle device.. [Arrangement] When a large downward acceleration acts upon a buckle device 10, an upward inertia force F1 acts upon the gravitational center G of an inertia member 15 which is therefore rotated about a second support boss 17 so that a movement inhibiting part 15a abuts against the side wall of a second projected part 12b. in this condition, when a large upward deceleration acts upon the buckle device 10, large downward inertia forces F2, F3 act upon the gravitation center of an actuating member 12 and the gravitational center G of the inertia member, and accordingly, the actuating member 12 and the inertia member 15 are moved downward. When the upper end of a first hole 15c abuts against a first support boss 16, the inertia member 15 is inhibited from further moving downward, and when a step part 12c abuts against the upper end the movement inhibiting part 15a, the actuating member 12 is inhibited from further moving downward, by means of the inertia member, thereby the actuating member 12 will not move to the release position.

The present invention relates to a seat belt apparatus which is incorporated in a seat in an automobile or other transportation means, so as to restrain the passenger in order to protect the same upon occurrence of abnormal condition such as collision between vehicles or the like, and in particular to a seat belt apparatus incorporating a pretensioner which pulls a buckle engaged with the tongue toward the vehicle body side so as to fasten the seat belt in order to inhibit the passenger from moving forward upon abrupt deceleration caused by occurrence of an abnormal condition such as collision between vehicles or the like.
At present, a seat belt apparatus is incorporated in a seat in an automobile or other transportation means in order to protect the passenger upon occurrence of an emergency condition such as collision between vehicles or the like. The seat belt apparatus of such a kind incorporates, in general, a tongue attached to the seat belt, and a buckle device to which the tongue is locked, and by engaging and disengaging between the tongue and the buckle device, the seat belt can be simply worn or taken off.
Further, in such a seat belt apparatus, the seat belt is wound on a wind-up reel in a retractor by a relatively weak force, and accordingly, the seat belt is freely pulled out normally so that no oppression is exerted to the passenger since the wind-up force of the retractor is relatively weak. Further, by locking the rotation of the wind-up reel in the pay-out direction of the seat belt upon abrupt deceleration of a vehicle caused by collision between vehicles or the like, the forward movement of the passenger is inhibited.
By the way, in a conventional seat belt apparatus, the seat belt is slightly paid off due to further fastening of the seat belt by wind-up upon locking the rotation of the wind-up reel in the case of abrupt deceleration. Further, since the seat belt is likely to be relatively loosely worn, the seat belt is normally slack, and further since it is pulled by the inertia force of the passenger, the seat belt is elongated by a slight degree. Due to such pay-out, slack and elongation of the seat Pelt, the passenger is moved forward upon deceleration, and accordingly, it is sometimes impossible to restrain the passenger.
Accordingly, seat belt apparatuses incorporating a pretensioner have been developed, in which the pretensioner is operated upon abrupt acceleration so as to pull the buckle device in order to fasten the seat belt, thereby it is possible to inhibit the passenger from being moved forward, in a more positive manner.
As the pretensioner, there has been developed a pretensioner such that reactive gas is generated upon deceleration, and a piston is operated by the gas thus generated to fasten the seat belt. The pretensioner actuated by the reactive gas can be formed in a relatively simple manner, and it can be rapidly respond upon necessity to rapidly fasten the seat belt.
Further, there is provided a pretensioner using a spring as a drive source for actuating the pretensioner.
However, in such a pretensioner, a large acceleration is at first produced in the pulling direction of the pretensioner since the buckle device is pulled abruptly by a predetermined degree upon operation, and a predetermined deceleration is produced after the movement of the buckle device by the predetermined degree. Accordingly, the actuating member which is adapted to release the engagement with the tongue provided to the buckle device is moved in the releasing direction by its inertia, and therefore, there is a risk of releasing the engagement with the tongue.
Accordingly, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 3-208752 discloses a belt lock for a safety system in which during the operation of the pretensioner, when a large deceleration acts upon the buckle device during the operation of the pretensioner, tile engagement between the tongue and the latch member in tile buckle device is prevented from being released, by restraining the actuating member from moving in the releasing direction. This belt lock has a lever which is swingably supported at its intermediate part to the housing, and which is provided at one end with a compensating weight and is coupled at the other end, relatively rotatably to the actuating member so that when the actuating member tends to move in the releasing direction by an inertia upon occurrence of a large deceleration, a force in a direction opposite to the direction of the inertia force acting upon the actuating member is applied to the actuating member through the intermediary of the lever by the inertia force acting upon the compensating weight in order to restrain the actuating member from moving in the releasing direction.
Accordingly, the engagement between the tongue and the buckle device is prevented during the operation of the pretensioner.
However, with such a belt lock in the safety belt system, since the inertia force acting upon the compensating mass has to cope with the inertia force of the actuating member, the compensating mass should be made to be large. Accordingly, the weight of the belt lock becomes large. Further, although it is possible to decrease the compensating mass, the lever ratio should be made large in this case, and accordingly, the length of the lever on the compensating mass side has to be relatively large. Thus, the belt lock becomes large.
Further, in the case in which the compensating mass is increased or the length of the lever on the compensating side is increased, since the lever is coupled to the actuating member, this compensating mass should be swung upon normal releasing operation of the actuating member, and accordingly, a relatively large force is required, resulting in heavy manipulation touch and in unsatisfactory manipulation feeling.
Further, since the large compensating mass should be swung, not only the strengths of the support shaft for supporting the lever and the coupling part between the other end of the lever and the actuating member should be ensured up to certain degrees, but also the relative motion between the lever and support shaft and the relative motion between the other end of the lever and the actuating member should be made to be smooth. Accordingly, it is necessary to increase the degree of accuracy in process and assembly so that the cost thereof becomes high.
Further, since a force caused by the inertia force acting upon the compensating mass acts upon the actuating only in a direction opposite to the inertia force of the actuating member, a case such that the movement of the actuating member cannot be surely inhibited, sometimes occurs.
The present invention is devised in view of the above-mentioned problems, and accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide buckle device in a seat belt apparatus which can surely inhibit the actuating member from moving in the releasing direction upon operation of the pretensioner, and which can be formed to be compact and cheap, and which can offer a satisfactory manipulation feeling.


A method for producing a ceramic layer on a surface formed from a Ni base alloy, includes the following steps: producing on the surface a ceramic layer containing ZrO2 as a main constituent; producing a gas phase having a temperature in the range from 400 to 900° C., in which a vapor formed from a salt melt with the components alkali chloride, alkali sulphate and ZnCl2 is contained in a carrier gas formed from an inert gas with an addition from 0.5 to 10% by weight HCl; and bringing the ceramic layer into contact with the gas phase for a period of time that is sufficient for an intermediate layer having a thickness of at least 0.1 μm to form between the ceramic layer and the surface.

The invention relates to a method for producing a ceramic layer on a surface formed from a Ni base alloy.
According to the prior art, it is known for example from Yoshiba, M. et al., "High-Temperature Oxidation and Hot Corrosion Behavior to Two Kinds of Thermal Barrier Coating Systems for Advances Gas Turbines", J. Therm. Spray Tech. 5 (1996), 259-268 that ceramic protective layers can be applied to Ni base alloys, for example by means of plasma spraying. The ceramic protective layers are usually oxide-ceramic protective layers, in particular ZrO2 stabilised with Y2O3 (YSZ). Ceramic protective layers of this type improve the corrosion resistance and the wear resistance of a component coated therewith. Apart from this, such ceramic protective layers are used for thermal insulation of components in turbine and engine construction due to their low thermal conductivity and their high reflecting power.
Contact with hot corrosive media results disadvantageously in a flaking of the ceramic protective layers. Yoshiba et al. (see above) observed in hot corrosion tests that an application of a salt melt formed from Na2SO4 and NaCl to a ceramic layer contributes to an improvement of the adhesiveness.
DE 689 11 363 T2 discloses an object which is produced from a Ni base alloy and which is coated with a ceramic protective layer formed from YSZ. To improve the adhesiveness, one or more intermediate layers is/are first deposited on the object prior to the application of the ceramic protective layer.
Lima, C. R. C.; da Exaltação Trevisan, R.: Temperature Measurements and Adhesion Properties of Plasma Sprayed Thermal Barrier Coatings in Journal of Thermal Spray Technology, 8, 1999, 2, 323-327 discloses a method in which first an intermediate layer formed from a metal and a ceramic and then a ceramic layer containing ZrO2 as a main constituent are applied by means of plasma spraying to a substrate produced from a Ni base alloy.
Guo, H. B.; Vaβen R.; Stöver D.: Atmospheric plasma sprayed thick thermal barrier coatings with high segmentation crack density in: Surface & Coatings Technology 186, 2004, 353-363 discloses a method in which a mixture of a polymer and a ZrO2 stabilised with yttrium is applied by means of plasma spraying to substrate produced from a Ni base alloy. The porous ceramic layer with ZrO2 as main constituent thus produced has an improved thermal cycle stability.
The object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages according to the prior art. In particular, a method for producing a particularly adhesive ceramic layer on a surface formed from a Ni base alloy is to be specified.
This object is achieved by the features of the invention. Expedient embodiments of the invention will emerge from the features of the invention.

Method for producing a ceramic layer on a surface formed from an Ni base alloy

FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E. V.


A cellobiohydrolase that can contribute to a synergistic effect on cellulose degradation and the use of such cellobiohydrolase in cellulose degradation are provided. The synergistic effect is achieved by an enzyme preparation for cellulose degradation containing a cellobiohydrolase originating in Phanerochaete chrysosporium and belonging to GHF6 or a variant thereof, and an endoglucanase originating in a different source other than Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of cellobiohydrolase from Phanerochaete for the utilization of a biomass such as cellulose.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, biomass created by the photosynthetic action of plants has shown increasing promise as an alternative to finite petroleum resources. Among these, the utilization of cellulose shows great promise. Cellulose is a polymer in which the sugar glucose is condensed via β-1,4 linkages, and it has a strong crystalline structure due to intermolecular hydrogen bonding. At least three types of cellulose degrading enzymes (cellulases) are required for the efficient degradation (saccharification) of cellulose to a monosaccharide, and it is thought that degradation only becomes possible through the cooperative action thereof (Hereinafter, this effect is referred to as a synergistic effect). These three types of cellulases are an exo-form (cleaving disaccharide units from the ends) cellobiohydrolase (CBH), and an endo-form (randomly cleaving) endoglucanase (EG) that both act directly on the cellulose polymer, and a β-glucosidase (BGL) that acts on oligomers of various sizes produced by these enzymes and breaks them down into monosaccharides.
Degradation of the polymer structure comprising crystalline cellulose presents great difficulties. There is a strong need for enzymes that can fully decompose such a structure, as well as for a combination thereof having a synergistic effect on cellulose degradation.
In light of this situation, combinations of different types of cellulases that can act most synergistically and decompose cellulose efficiently is being widely investigated. For example, it is known that one of the aforementioned three types of enzymes, cellobiohydrolase (CBH), comprises CBHI, a member of glycoside hydrolase family (GHF) 7 that cleaves from the reducing end of the cellulose chain, and CBHII, which is a member of GHF6 and cleaves from the non-reducing end. There have been various published reports concerning cellobiohydrolase. For example, it has been reported that among the forms of cellobiohydrolase produced by Phanerochaete chrysosporium (Pc), which belongs to the genus Phanerochaete, CBHI has a greater synergistic effect on cellulose degradation than CBHII when it is combined with a different type of cellulase. More specifically, a combination of CBHI produced by Pc and CBHI produced by an organism other than Pc was found to be superior to a combination of CBHI produced by Pc and CBHII produced by Pc (Uzcatsgui et al, J. Biotechnol. 19(2-3):271-85). Furthermore, a combination of CBHI produced by Pc (PcCBHI) and EG produced by Pc (PcEG) being superior to a combination of CBHII produced by Pc (PcCBHII) and EG produced by Pc (PcEG) has also been reported (Uzcatsgui et al, J. Biotechnol. 21(1-2):143-59).
It has also been reported that in the case of Trichoderma reesei, which belongs to the genus Trichoderma, the synergistic effect of CBHI on cellulose degradation is greater than that of CBHII when it is combined with a different type of cellulase. For example, it has been reported that a combination of PcEG III and TrCBHI is superior to a combination of PcEG III and TrCBHII (Henriksson et al, Eur. J. Biochem. 259 (1-2):88-95).


A multiplexer for use with switching apparatus for data communication networks. The multiplexer topology includes two or more groupings, or sections, each containing a plurality of individual channels. Each of the channels has an input buffer amplifier and an output Ft-doubler circuit. The outputs of all of the channels within a each particular channel section are connected in parallel relation, and fed to respective common-base transistor amplifiers. The outputs of all of the common-base amplifiers for each channel section, in turn, are connected in parallel and fed to the inputs of a pair of emitter-follower amplifiers. Through the use of selectively actuated current sources, each multiplexer channel is normally biased off, unless that channel is selected for a switching operation. Bleeder current sources are applied to the emitters of the common-base amplifiers to reduce output jitter from the channels which are biased off. The multiplexer architecture provides high speed operation from channel sectioning, and low power consumption by reducing both the amount of current drawn and the voltage potential necessary, to operate the multiplexer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to multiplexers for use in switching apparatus for communication networks. More specifically, the invention pertains to a high speed, low power consumption, multiplexer, or MUX, including a plurality of inputs and means to route an incoming electrical signal to a single output. The MUX has a circuit topology which includes groupings, or sections, of a plurality of individual multiplexer channels, controlled by selectively actuated current sources. The outputs of the channels within each channel section are connected in parallel relation, feeding a respective pair of common-base amplifiers. The outputs of these common-base amplifiers, in turn, are connected in parallel, to provide a single output channel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Multiplexers are commonly used in a crosspoint switch device to route data signals from any of a plurality of selected input ports to a selected output port, or to a selected plurality of output ports. The typical circuit topology uses a plurality of 2 to 1 or 4 to 1 multiplexers, of a sufficient number to provide the desired total number of inputs. Thus, for example, a MUX array having 60 inputs and 1 output would include a first bank of fifteen, 4 to 1 input multiplexers. This would provide the required total of 60 input ports. The fifteen outputs of the bank of input multiplexers are then fed to the inputs of a second bank of four, 4 to 1 intermediate multiplexers. The last input of the fourth intermediate multiplexer is unused. Finally, the four outputs of the bank of intermediate multiplexers are fed to the inputs of a single, 4 to 1 output multiplexer, having one output channel. To expand this basic MUX array to provide a crosspoint switch with 60 input channels and 60 output channels, sixty of these MUX arrays would be required. The respective inputs of these arrays would be connected in parallel, and their outputs would remain discrete. Even the relatively simple, 60 to 1 MUX array just described uses a total of twenty individual multiplexers. One consequence of this traditional design is high power consumption, as the control circuitry for actuating individual channels within each bank of multiplexers requires relatively high voltages to operate, typically 3.3 volts. The conventional channel selection circuit uses a differential pair of switching transistors. These transistors redirect the output of a single current source within each multiplexer bank to the proper circuit channel. With this arrangement, every time the number of input channels is doubled, a higher supply voltage must be used. If the supply voltage could be reduced, it would result in lower power consumption and less heat dissipated by the MUX.
It should also be noted that the three stage design results in more signal jitter, or time-based waveform distortion, as each signal must be routed through three multiplexers in passing from the input to the output. Of course, any distortion of the signal waveform as consequence of passing through a multiplexer is undesirable.
Consequently, the need exists for a multiplexer which reduces the number of circuit channels which must be instantaneously operative to route a signal.
The need also exists for a multiplexer which maintains high speed operation yet provides a reduction in the overall power consumed by the multiplexer.
The need also exists for a multiplexer using a circuit topology with reduced parasitic capacitance, to provide an increase in operational speed for a given size of a multiplexer, or to maintain the same operational speed with an increase in the size of the multiplexer.
The need also exists for a multiplexer exhibiting reduced signal jitter over prior art designs, for a given size of the multiplexer.
The multiplexer, or MUX, of the present invention is comprised of a plurality of discrete, independently powered, channel sections. Each channel section, in turn, includes a plurality of individual channels, each preferably having an input buffer amplifier and an output Ft-doubler amplifier. Differential circuitry is used for both the buffer and the doubler amplifiers.
The components of each channel are powered by switchable bias current sources which are selectively actuated by a decoder. Only the current sources for the channel selected to route the signal are activated at any given moment. Thus, the channels which are not in use for routing a signal are biased off to save power and reduce dissipated heat.
The differential outputs of the channels within each channel section are connected in parallel, and fed to a pair of common-base amplifiers. Bleeder current sources are connected to the emitters of the common-base amplifiers to stabilize the quiescent state of the amplifiers. This effectively reduces signal jitter for the data passing through the multiplexer, and increases the speed performance of the multiplexer.
The outputs of common-base amplifiers of each channel section are connected in parallel, and may optionally be wired to the inputs of a pair of emitter follower amplifiers, for additional gain through the multiplexer. The outputs of the emitter follower amplifiers then constitute the outputs of the multiplexer.
The ratio of the number of common-base amplifiers to the number of channels within each channel section bears a predetermined relationship. This ratio affects the speed performance of the multiplexer. If the ratio is too low, say 1 to 60 (0.0167), the array will be unacceptably slow in signal routing operations. If the ratio is higher, on the order 6 to 10 (0.60), the speed of the multiplexer will be perfectly acceptable. Ratios between these upper and lower ratios may be acceptable or unacceptable, depending upon the particular application.
Arranging the channels into groups or sections reduces the parasitic capacitance which would otherwise result from a single, large scale parallel connection arrangement of the channel outputs. The lowered parasitic capacitance allows higher speed operation for a given array size.
Using individual current sources to power each individual channel reduces the consumption of power in two ways. First, only one current source is activated at a time to select the desired input channel. Thus, irrespective of the size of the MUX, only one bias current is activated at any moment when a signal is routed. Second, a lower voltage may be used to power the channels, as the prior art differential switch is replaced with a decoder, which only turns on the current source for the selected channel. Using this arrangement, the operating voltage is reduced and it does not need to be increased for a multiplexer with a larger number of inputs.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent in the detailed description and the accompanying drawings to follow.

Multiplexer with channel sectioning, selectivity actuated current sources, and common-base amplifiers


Fluid treatment devices are disclosed. The fluid treatment devices may include a first electrode and a second electrode and a control device which provides an alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode.

The present disclosure relates to fluid treatment devices and in particular to electrical fluid treatment devices.
It is known to reduce scale in a water based fluid by wrapping a pipe transporting the water based fluid with a wire having an alternating current passing there through. An exemplary system is the EasyWater™ brand water treatment system available from Freije Treatment Systems located at 4202 N. Awning Court, Greenfield, Ind. 46140. Further, it is known to place electrodes in direct contact with a water based fluid as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/493,094, assigned to Drexel University, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a fluid treatment device for treating a fluid passing from a first location to a second location is provided. The fluid treatment device comprising a first electrode positioned between the first location and the second location, a second electrode positioned between the first location and the second location, and a control device coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode to provide an alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode having a plurality of opening there through to permit the fluid to pass from a first side of the first electrode to a second side of the first electrode. The second electrode having a plurality of opening there through to permit the fluid to pass from a first side of the second electrode to a second side of the second electrode. In one example, the fluid as it travels from the first location to the second location passes from the first side of the first electrode through the plurality of openings in the first electrode to a region between the first electrode and the second electrode and through the plurality of openings in the second electrode to the second side of the second electrode. In a variation thereof, the first electrode and the second electrode are screens. In another example, the fluid treatment device further comprising a third electrode positioned proximate the second side of the second electrode. The third electrode having a plurality of openings there through to permit the fluid to pass from a first side of the third electrode to a second side of the third electrode and the third electrode being electrically coupled to the first electrode. In another example, fluid treatment device further including a cover is coupled to the first electrode. The second location being an opening to an intake pipe. The cover keeping debris spaced apart from the intake pipe. In a further example, the first electrode includes a plurality of louvers and the second electrode includes a plurality of louvers. In a variation thereof, the plurality of louvers of the first electrode are generally vertically spaced apart and the plurality of louvers of the second electrode are generally spaced apart. A first louver of the plurality of louvers of the first electrode being positioned between a pair of louvers of the plurality of louvers of the second electrode. In still another example, the fluid treatment device further comprises a frame having a first holder which receives the first electrode and a second holder which receives the second electrode. The first holder and the second holder keeping the first electrode and the second electrode spaced apart. In a variation thereof, the first electrode and the second electrode each include a plurality of spaced apart tubular members. A first tubular member of the first electrode being offset relative to the second electrode such that the first tubular member of the first electrode is positioned generally between a pair of tubular members of the second electrode.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a fluid treatment device for treating a fluid is provided. The fluid treatment device comprising a fluid conduit having an interior through which the fluid travels; at least a first electrode and a second electrode placed in direct contact with the fluid within the fluid conduit, and a control device coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode to provide an alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the fluid passes from a first end of the elongated body to a second end of the elongated body. At least the first electrode located within the fluid conduit. The first electrode being an elongated body having a rounded first end and a rounded second end, the first electrode is supported by the fluid conduit. In an example, the elongated body of the first electrode is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the fluid conduit. In a variation thereof, the second electrode generally surrounds the fluid electrode. The fluid passing between the first electrode and the second electrode. In a further variation thereof, the second electrode is a first section of the fluid conduit. In yet a further variation, the first electrode is supported by a second section of the fluid conduit. In still a further variation, the second section of the fluid conduit is insulated from the fluid. In another variation, the first electrode is supported by the fluid conduit in a region outside of the first section of the fluid conduit. In a further variation, the first section and the second section are coupled to the control device. In still a further variation, the fluid flows in a direction generally parallel to a longitudinal extent of the first electrode.
In a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a fluid treatment device for treating a fluid is provided. The fluid treatment device comprising a fluid conduit having an interior through which the fluid travels, at least a first electrode and a second electrode placed in direct contact with the fluid within the fluid conduit, the first electrode located along the longitudinal axis of the fluid conduit; and a control unit coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode to provide an alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode. The fluid conduit including a first portion, a second portion parallel to the first portion, and a third portion parallel to the second portion. Each of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion positioned along a longitudinal axis of the fluid conduit. The fluid traveling from the first portion to the second portion and then to the third portion. The first electrode is positioned in the second portion of the fluid conduit such that the fluid in the first portion of the fluid conduit is spaced apart from the first electrode. At least a first portion of the fluid in the second portion contacts the first electrode, and the fluid in the third portion of the fluid conduit is spaced apart from the first electrode. In an example, at least a second portion of the fluid in the second portion of the fluid conduit contacts the second electrode. In a variation thereof, at least a portion of the second portion of the fluid conduit is the second electrode. In another variation thereof, the second portion of the fluid conduit supports the second electrode.
In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a fluid treatment device for treating a fluid is provided. The fluid treatment device comprising a fluid conduit having an interior through which the fluid travels, the fluid conduit including a first portion and a second portion insulated from the first portion, the fluid flowing from the first portion into the second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion act as a first electrode and a second electrode, respectively; and a control device coupled to the first portion and the second portion, the control device providing an alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first portion having a first cross-sectional area and the second portion having a second cross-sectional area. The second cross-sectional area being generally equal to the first cross-sectional area.
In yet a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a fluid treatment device for treating a fluid is provided. The fluid treatment device comprising a fluid conduit having an interior through which the fluid travels, the interior of the fluid conduit having a first cross-sectional area; at least a first electrode and a second electrode placed in direct contact with the fluid within the fluid conduit, the first electrode and the second electrode arranged to provide a fluid passage having a second cross-sectional area generally equal to the first cross-sectional area; and a control device coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode to provide an alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode. At least the first electrode is supported by the fluid conduit. In an example, the first electrode includes a plurality of electrode members, each electrode member having a generally straight longitudinal extent and a curved transverse extent. In a variation thereof, a radius of the curved transverse extent of each electrode member is greater than a radius of the fluid conduit.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the control device monitors a conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein at least one characteristic of the alternating potential difference is adjusted by the control device based on an indication of the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode. In an example thereof, the indication of the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode provides an indication of a conductivity of the fluid. In a variation, at least one characteristic includes a peak voltage of the alternating potential difference. In a further variation, the peak voltage of the alternating potential difference is increased in response to a reduction in the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode. In another variation, the peak voltage of the alternating potential difference is decreased in response to an increase in the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode. In another example, the at least one characteristic includes a duty cycle of the alternating potential difference. In a variation thereof, the duty cycle of the alternating potential difference is increased in response to a reduction in the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode. In another variation thereof, the duty cycle of the alternating potential difference is decreased in response to an increase in the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode. In a further example, the at least one characteristic includes a peak voltage and a duty cycle. In a variation thereof, in response to an increase in the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode the control device first reduces the peak voltage until a threshold peak voltage is reached and subsequently reduces the duty cycle of the alternating potential difference. In a further variation, the threshold peak voltage corresponds to a target power to be applied to the water based fluid. In still another example, a period of the alternating potential difference is adjusted by the control device to enhance resonance in the water based fluid. In a variation, the period is adjusted by varying the period through a range of periods. In a further variation, the period varies between about 1 kHz to about 9 kHz. In a further variation thereof, the period varies between about 1 kHz to about 7 kHz. In still a further variation, the period varies between about 2 kHz to about 8 kHz. In yet still a further variation, the period varies between about 3 kHz to about 9 kHz. In still another variation, the period is at least about 3 kHz.
In a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a fluid treatment device for treating a fluid is provided. The fluid treatment device comprising a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and a fluid conduit connecting the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet; a first electrode positioned to contact the fluid within the housing; a second electrode positioned to contact the fluid within the housing; and a control device coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode to provide an alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode. The fluid passes through openings in the first electrode as the fluid travels from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet and the fluid passes through openings in the second electrode as the fluid travels from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet. In an example, the fluid treatment device further comprises a filter housing having a first portion with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and a second portion threadably engaged with the first portion. The first portion and the second portion cooperating to hold the housing such that the fluid inlet of the housing is in fluid communication with the fluid inlet of the filter housing and such that the fluid outlet of the housing is in fluid communication with the fluid outlet of the filter housing.
In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a fluid treatment device for treating a fluid is provided. The fluid treatment device comprising a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and a fluid conduit connecting the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet; a first electrode positioned to contact the fluid within the housing; a second electrode positioned to contact the fluid within the housing; a heating element positioned within the housing, the heating element heating the fluid prior to reaching the fluid outlet; and a control device coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode to provide an alternating potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode. The control device monitors a conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode. In an example, at least one characteristic of the alternating potential difference is adjusted by the control device based on an indication of the conductivity between the first electrode and the second electrode. In another example, the control device is positioned within the housing.

Method and apparatus for treating a fluid


Disclosed are systems and methods for ensuring fault tolerance of antivirus protection realized in a virtual environment. An example method includes collecting, by a antivirus agent in a virtual machine, information about available security virtual machines that provide at least one or more resource-intensive methods of antivirus checking of programs running on the virtual machine; analyzing the collected information to determine a location of the virtual machine relative to the security virtual machines and determine priorities for each of the security virtual machines based on the location of the virtual machine relative; forming a list of the available security virtual machines according to the priorities of the security virtual machines to identify a primary security virtual machine; connecting the virtual machine to the primary security virtual machine; and requesting the primary security virtual machine to perform at least antivirus checking of one or more programs running on the virtual machine.

Virtual machines have become very widespread. A virtual machine (VM) is a software environment which ensures the working within one physical ("real") machine (such as a computer or server) of another real computer. Several virtual machines can operate at the same time on one physical machine, which is also known as the "host machine", thereby forming a virtual computer environment. In this case, the virtual machines utilize the same computing resources of the host machine, control of which resources is provided by a monitor of the virtual machines.
The monitor of the virtual machines, also known as a hypervisor, enables the simultaneous working of the virtual machines deployed on the host machine, and also controls the computing resources of the host machine, allocating them among the virtual machines. Thus, the hypervisor allocates a certain number of resources during the deployment of each VM in the virtual environment. Each VM then uses the allocated resources both for the working of its own operating system and to perform the tasks of the user. Moreover, the hypervisor can provide the virtual machines with means of communication and interaction with each other, such as network connections, as if they were different physical machines. Thus, it is possible to create a virtual local-area network on the host machine. Moreover, the capabilities of the hypervisor make it possible to impose various limits on the virtual machines, such as a limit on connecting to the Internet. In this case, a local-area network is formed that is isolated from the external network, which, for example, makes it possible to ensure the security of this network or of the virtual machines, while the communication with the external network occurs through the hypervisor or a specially designated VM. This variant is useful when creating corporate networks whose virtual machines may contain confidential information.
A virtual machine, like any physical computer device (such as a personal computer), is also vulnerable to malicious software. Consequently, there is a need to use an antivirus system for their protection, which is designed to detect and remove malicious software. At the same time, the realization of an antivirus system in a virtual environment has some special features. These are due to the fact that virtual machines do not have a physical hard disk drive (HDD), since this is emulated in the central processing unit of the host machine. Therefore, the input/output (I/O) operations carried out on virtual machines result in substantial burdening of the host machine processor and may even result in prolonged hanging of both of the VM when performing tasks, as well as the host machine itself. Hence, there is a need to reduce the number and volume of the I/O operations performed on the virtual machines. For this reason, a distributed antivirus system is created for implementing an antivirus system to protect a virtual environment, one of the advantages of which being a substantial decrease in the number of disk operations.
Such an antivirus system may be a distributed antivirus system that includes, for example, a virtual machine carrying out the tasks of antivirus checking (also known as a security virtual machine (SVM)), and agents located on each VM in the network and performing functions to enable the working of the SVM (transfer of data, detection and blocking of access to various objects residing on the VM).
However, if a very large number of VMs are deployed within a single host machine, there is also a continual growth in the workload of the SVM, which may result in its failure. Furthermore, scenarios are also possible where the connection between VM and SVM may be broken. Therefore, the antivirus protection in the context of a distributed approach to protection of a virtual environment, especially that of virtual machines, becomes difficult if not impossible. Therefore, for an effective use of the benefits of a distributed antivirus system of protection, it is necessary to ensure the condition of fault tolerance for such antivirus protection in the conditions of a virtual network infrastructure (environment).
Therefore, even though some current antivirus systems are aimed at solving the problem of optimizing the use of the host machine resources, they have one common drawback. The drawback is related to the lack of an assured fault tolerance of the antivirus protection in the conditions of a virtual environment.

System and methods for ensuring fault tolerance of antivirus protection realized in a virtual environment


The present invention moves service control, including call control, for a user element from any number of subsystems to a multimedia subsystem (MS). Call control for originating or terminating a call in any subsystem as well as transferring the call between user elements is anchored at a continuity control function (CCF) in the MS. A call may be transferred by the CCF from a first user element to a second user element in the same or different subsystems upon receiving a request from the second user element. A user may invoke a transfer from the first user element to the second user element by having the second user element send an appropriate request to the CCF. The request may be provided to the CCF by initiating a call from the second user element that is intended for the CCF, when the call with the first user element is active.

Packet communications have evolved to a point where voice sessions, or calls, can be supported with essentially the same quality of service as that provided by circuit-switched communications. Packet communications are generally supported over packet subsystems, which were initially supported by local area networks, but are now supported by wireless local area networks (WLANs). Using WLAN access, user elements can support voice sessions using packet communications while moving throughout the WLAN. As such, WLAN access provides users the same freedom of movement within a WLAN as cellular access provides users within a cellular environment.
In many instances, the coverage areas provided by WLANs and cellular networks are complementary. For example, a WLAN may be established within a building complex in which cellular coverage is limited. Given the localized nature of WLAN coverage, cellular networks could bridge the coverage gaps between WLANs. Unfortunately, WLAN access technology is independent of cellular access technology. Cellular networks generally support circuit-switched communications, and WLANs support packet communications.
For various reasons, a user who is engaged in a call using a first user element would benefit from being able to easily transfer the call to a second user element, which is supported by the same or different access network. For example, a user engaged in a cellular call may wish to transition an active call from a cellular terminal to office, home, or other cellular terminals due to coverage issues or a dying battery. Since these terminals are often supported by different types of networks, such as cellular networks and WLANs, or networks that do not internally support the transfer of active calls, the user is generally faced with initiating a new call to change from one user terminal to another.
For networks that do support transfers from one user terminal to another, the call is parked and then picked up by the new user terminal. Such functionality is generally relegated within a dedicated enterprise network controlled by a private branch exchange. As such, calls cannot be transferred to another network that is outside of the enterprise network. The park and pickup process for transferring calls from one user terminal to another is cumbersome and injects a significant interruption in the conversation. In operation, the transferring user must place the call on hold, dial the number for the new user element to which the call is being transferred, and then wait for the new user terminal to ring before answering the call.
Accordingly, there is a need for a technique to effectively transfer calls from one user element to another. There is a further need to be able to transfer calls from a user element in a first domain to a user element in a second domain, as well as transfer calls between user elements in an efficient manner within a given domain.


Two rotors (3,4) and one stator (2) are arranged coaxially. A common coil unit (6) for individually driving two rotors (3, 4) is provided in a stator (2), and a composite current of an alternating current for driving the first rotor (3) and an alternating current for driving the second rotor (4) is supplied to coil units (6). First salient poles (7B, 7C, 21C, 21D, 21E) facing the first rotor (3), and second salient poles (7D, 21F) facing the second rotor (4), are provided. By setting the number of these salient poles equal to the magnetic pole number ratio of the first rotor (3) and second rotor (4), the number of salient poles is reduced.

Tokkai Hei 8-340663 published by the Japanese Patent Office in 1996 discloses a motor/generator comprising two rotors and one stator coaxially arranged in three layers wherein one of the rotors is driven as a motor and the other is driven as a generator.
In this motor/generator, two, sets of coils are installed in the stator for providing a magnetic field for respective rotors, and two sets of inverters, i.e., current controllers, are provided for controlling respective sets of coils.


An integrated circuit package having a carrier and semiconductor circuit chips are disclosed. The carrier has a topography of mesas projected from its surface. Each of the semiconductor circuit chips has a device side surface and an opposite bottom surface, which has a topography of a recess conversely matching a respective one of the mesas of the carrier for self-alignment positioning on the carrier. To offset the variation in the thickness of the semiconductor circuit chips, the width of the recess in each semiconductor circuit chip is controlled so that the alignment of the recess on its respective mesa elevates the bottom surface of the semiconductor circuit chip. Therefore, the device side surfaces of the semi conductor circuit chips are placed in the same plane.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to manufacture of multichip integrated circuit device configurations, and in particular to techniques for assuring that the device sides of chips in such configurations are in the same plane.
2. Background Description
As advances in semiconductor processing occur, the scale of individual integrated circuit devices continues to shrink, making it possible to incorporate increasing amounts of functionality in a single integrated circuit chip. For example, sixteen 1 MBIT Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) chips of equal size in 1984 required a total chip area of 800 mm.sup.2, while a single 16 MBIT design containing the same functionality in 1990 required only 110 mm.sup.2. Thus, although the individual chip size has increased by approximately 50%, the net chip area has been reduced by a factor of 8. Accordingly, as integrated circuit chips are required to incorporate more and more functionality, the size of the chips has been steadily increasing.
However, there are practical problems associated with continually increasing the maximum chip size. A first set of problems relates to the physical limits of present day fabrication equipment. For example, state-of-the-art manufacturing lithography equipment commonly used to expose high resolution patterns through masks onto semiconductor substrates effectively limits chip size to the size of the lithography exposure field of the equipment. The size of the direct exposure field of state-of-the-art manufacturing lithography equipment in the mid 1990s is generally on the order of 25 mm in diameter, allowing square chip design exposure of about 324 mm.sup.2 (18 mm.times.18 mm). Most DRAM chip designs in development are rectangular and tend to be 20 mm.times.10 mm, or larger. While a mask larger than the lithography exposure field of the equipment can be split into multiple smaller masks that are "stitched" together to effectively multiply the size of the lithography exposure field, such "stitching" introduces undesired inaccuracies and occupies valuable space on the semiconductor substrate. A solution to the exposure field/stitching problem is to develop fabrication equipment having a larger exposure field and, therefore, the capability to manufacture larger chips without stitching masks together. However, such a solution would require massive financial investment in research and development.
Additionally, in order for a wafer to produce a large enough number of chips to make the manufacturing of larger chips practical, semiconductor wafers would need to migrate to a larger size, thereby requiring further substantial investment in the development of new crystal pulling equipment, and wafer processing and handling equipment.
Another problem relates to the general trend of wafer yields decreasing with increasing chip size. FIG. 1 summarizes different manufacturing chip yields as a function of the chip edge dimension (square chips). It will be observed that as the chip area increases, the effective chip yields reduce nearly linearly. The different curves relate to different design complexities, with the topmost curve being the least complex and the bottommost curve being the most complex of the three exemplary curves. The decrease in yield with increasing chip size can be attributed to the fact that for the same quality of semiconductor, any defect existing in a larger chip results in an overall greater area waste than is the case with smaller chip wafers. As chip size increases, the cost of manufacturing due to yield degradation becomes prohibitive.
Conventional multi-chip modules (MCM's) avoid the problems associated with producing large chips by combining a plurality of small-sized chips in a larger package. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,364, assigned to IBM, discloses a ceramic chip carrier for supporting an array of chips by means of solder balls. However, such MCMs tend to be extremely expensive due to their multilayered ceramic features and they require significantly more area than the net overall area of the combined set of chips.
Other similar approaches include the High Density Interconnect (HDI) structure proposed by the General Electric Company and generally described in IEEE magazine, 1991, "A 36-Chip Multiprocessor Multichip Module made with the General Electric High Density Interconnect Technology". However, the HDI technology offers poor positional accuracy of chips, preventing the use of a fixed mask to make chip-to-chip connections, and thereby making the process of interconnecting individual chips extremely time consuming and expensive.
An improved integration scheme for combining, in close proximity, a plurality of semiconductor die units is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,814,885 to Pogge et al., which provides an integrated circuit package including a carrier having a surface topography of projections or recesses for supporting individual semiconductor circuit chips having a conversely matching bottom surface topography to permit self-aligned positioning of the chip on the carrier.
However, there is a further need, within the foregoing integration scheme, to provide for differing chip thicknesses, since the chips which are integrated by the self aligning surface projections or recesses will typically originate from different wafer sources tending to have different wafer thicknesses. Typical device wafers vary in thickness from wafer to wafer within about 1-3 .mu.m. When such wafers are used in a precisely integrated chip process, such thickness variations can result in chip-to-chip non-planarities which adversely affect overall process and product efficiency. Where different chip macros are being placed closely together and then interconnected with standard metallization photo masks, it is desirable to have the device side of the chips be planar to each other.
Specific wafer sorting can reduce thickness variations, but remaining differences can create non-planarities of as much as 1-1.5 .mu.m. Individual chips can be polished to the same thickness, but this becomes difficult on a chip by chip basis and requires unique polishing tool capabilities. Another approach is needed to compensate for variations in wafer thickness.

Wafer thickness compensation for interchip planarity

International Business Machines Corporation


There is provided a hybrid vehicle that suppresses the driver from feeling slow. At the time of a predetermined request that requires fuel injection of an engine in the state of motoring the engine under fuel cutting by a first motor at a rotation speed that is higher than an upper limit rotation speed during fuel injection of the engine, the hybrid vehicle waits until the rotation speed of the engine becomes equal to or lower than the upper limit rotation speed and then starts fuel injection of the engine. At the time of the predetermined request, the hybrid vehicle causes the rotation speed of the engine to be decreased by the first motor until the rotation speed of the engine becomes equal to or lower than the upper limit rotation speed.

In a hybrid vehicle configured such that a sun gear, a carrier and a ring gear of a planetary gear are respectively connected with a first motor, an engine and a driveshaft coupled with an axle, that a second motor is connected with the driveshaft, and that the first motor and the second motor transmit electric power to and from a battery, a proposed configuration changes the driving force of the driveshaft at a lower change rate when fuel injection of the engine is restarted in response to an accelerator operation to accelerate the hybrid vehicle in the case of motoring the engine by the first motor with stopping fuel injection of the engine, compared with the case of accelerating the hybrid vehicle in response to an accelerator operation during fuel injection (as described in, for example, JP 2014-201105A). Such control of the hybrid vehicle suppresses vibration of the vehicle that is likely to occur accompanied with an abrupt change in driving force of the driveshaft at the time of restart of fuel injection of the engine.


The present invention provides a connector (18) for use in a beverage dispense system (1), the connector (18) defining a conduit for connecting a beverage line (2) to a beverage supply (4). The connector (18) comprises an electrical sensor (21) (e.g. a capacitive sensor) for measuring an electrical parameter of a beverage within the connector conduit. The electrical parameter and/or changes in the electrical parameter can be used to detect bubbles in the beverage and/or identify the type/brand of beverage.

Draught beverages such as lagers and ciders are typically stored within storage kegs inside a cooled cellar/storage room. A beverage line is used to transport the beverage from a storage keg to a dispensing site, such as a dispense font located on a bar. The beverage line is connected to the storage keg using a keg connector.
The beverage line typically passes through a fob detector having a float within a chamber. When beverage is flowing through the beverage line, the beverage buoys up the float. When the storage keg begins to empty, bubbles of carbon dioxide enter the beverage line such that the float sinks to the base of the chamber and seals off the beverage line from the empty storage keg. In order to reopen the beverage line once a new storage keg has been attached, beverage has to be bled from a valve at the top of the fob detector to remove the bubbles from the beverage line.
GB2511851A discloses a bubble detection system which uses an optical sensor located in the keg connector to sense bubbles in the beverage line. When a predetermined level of bubbles is detected in the beverage line (indicating that the beverage supply is approaching depletion), the sensor sends a signal to a valve which closes the beverage line to allow the beverage supply to be changed.
The optical sensor relies on deflection of the light path by bubbles in the beverage between an optical transmitter and an optical receiver. Any build-up of contaminants e.g. yeast within the beverage line will obscure the light path causing the sensor to erroneously indicate the presence of bubbles within the beverage and unnecessarily effect closure of the beverage line.
There is a need for an improved sensor for monitoring beverage flow and effecting closure of the beverage line if bubbles are present within the beverage flow.
There is also a need for a sensor for monitoring beverage identity (e.g. beverage types (such as beer/cider) and beverage brands) within a beverage flow line and for providing information on beverage types to a remote location such as to the beverage outlet head office or to the beverage source supplier (e.g. a brewery). This information can be used for various purposes e.g. to monitor beverage sales and brand performance or to make predictions concerning future supply requirements.


The present invention relates to methods and arrangements in a wireless communication system supporting cyclic-prefix insertion, using a symbol sequence comprising a number of samples for transmission over a radio channel that enables the handling of very large signal delay spreads. The symbol sequence is built up by a first symbol with CP and a second symbol with CP. The second symbol is a copy of the first symbol with the samples shifted in a way that makes the two adjacent symbols with CP match in regards to the sample order. The symbol sequence may also comprise a third symbol with CP or more, where the third symbol is a copy of the second symbol and with the samples shifted in analogy with the symbol shift described above. The resulting symbol sequence will thus appear as an extended continuous symbol thanks to the precise cyclic shift that matches adjacent symbols. This allows the receiver to place its FFT window anywhere during the extended symbol, e.g. at the end of the symbol sequence thus making it possible to handle a delay spread longer than the CP duration. It also allows to place e.g. two FFT windows and to combine the extracted signal into one SNR improved signal, while still handling a longer delay spread.

The Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) is one of the third generation mobile communication technologies designed to succeed GSM. 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) is a project within the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) to improve the UMTS standard to cope with future requirements in terms of improved services such as higher data rates, improved efficiency, lowered costs etc. UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) is the radio access network of a UMTS system and evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN) is the radio access network of an LTE system. As illustrated in FIG. 8, an E-UTRAN typically comprises user equipments (UE) 850 wirelessly connected to a radio base station 800.
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) has been adopted as the transmission scheme for the radio interface in 3GPP LTE and is also used for several other radio access technologies and standards such as Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB), Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), IEEE 802.11a/g (WLAN/WiFi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), Hiperlan 2, and various Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL). OFDM is a frequency-division multiplexing scheme utilized as a digital multi-carrier modulation method. A large number of closely-spaced orthogonal sub-carriers are used to carry data. The data is divided into several parallel data streams or channels, one for each sub-carrier. Each sub-carrier is modulated with a conventional modulation scheme (such as quadrature amplitude modulation or phase shift keying) at a low symbol rate, maintaining total data rates similar to conventional single-carrier modulation schemes in the same bandwidth. To be a bit more specific, a variant of OFDM, namely Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), is used for 3GPP LTE and allows different users to be multiplexed on different sets of sub-carriers. The uplink in 3GPP LTE is based on Singe Carrier Frequency Division Multiplexing (SC-FDMA), which also can be regarded as DFT pre-spread OFDM with a cyclic prefix (the use of cyclic prefix is described below). An LTE uplink sub frame is schematically illustrated in FIG. 7b.
In traditional Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM), different users are allocated different frequencies, or channels, for their transmission. To avoid interference between these channels the FDM frequencies must be spaced apart, which leads to a waste of frequency spectrum. In OFDM, the frequencies of the sub-carriers are chosen in such a way that they do not interfere with each other—they are orthogonal. This allows for a tighter "packing" of the sub-carriers and increased spectrum efficiency in comparison to FDM. To ensure orthogonality the sub-carriers must have a common, precisely chosen frequency spacing or sub-carrier spacing and this frequency spacing is exactly the inverse of the OFDM symbol duration. Due to its specific structure, OFDM allows for low-complexity implementation for the modulation and demodulation, by means of Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) operations for which computationally efficient Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithms exist.
As the data is divided into several parallel data streams or channels, one for each sub-carrier, the symbol rate of each sub-carrier is much lower than the total symbol rate and the sub-carrier symbol length is thus extended. This reduces the systems sensitivity to inter symbol interference (ISI) due to multipath effects (i.e. different versions of the same signal travelling different paths over the radio interface and thus arriving at the receiver at different points in time, resulting in a signal delay spread). The explanation is that ISI due to multipath depends on the relation between the signal delay spread and the symbol length, so if the symbol length is extended the system will be more robust to multipath effects.
However, although the system is more robust to multipath effects, there will still be some ISI left. This is why a guard interval between the symbols is introduced, allowing multipath to settle before the main data arrives at the receiver. Thanks to such a guard interval, there will be no ISI as long as the delay spread does not exceed the guard interval duration. A commonly used mechanism in different radio access systems, illustrated in FIG. 1, is to insert a cyclic-prefix (CP) 102 in this guard interval in front of the symbol 101. The CP is a copy of the last part 103 of the symbol 101. To avoid confusion, the symbol comprising the CP will be called the "symbol with CP" 100, to be able to distinguish it from a symbol 101 comprising only the useful part. Note that CP insertion can be used in single carrier systems as well as in multi carrier systems.
CP insertion in OFDM implies that the linear convolution inherent in the radio channel can be translated into a cyclic convolution. This cyclic convolution has the benefit to translate into an element wise multiplication when DFT or FFT transforms are considered. Moreover, this mitigates inter-channel interference among the sub-carriers.
In different systems and standards, two or more different CP duration alternatives have been incorporated to cater for the different propagation conditions. In LTE for example, a short CP to use when the delay spread is small has been specified (thus permitting low overhead), as well as a long CP when the delay spread is large (thereby sacrificing throughput somewhat).
In some scenarios, the signal delay spread might however still be larger than the defined CP duration, which would then result in ISI problems. This may for instance arise in the situations schematically illustrated in FIG. 2a-d:
FIG. 2a: Very large cells 200a with severe multipath between the base station 201a and the UE 202a due to the long distances.
FIG. 2b: Single Frequency Networks (SFN) 200b with multiple transmitters sending the same signal from widely separated base stations 201b and 203b to one UE 202b, as for example in DVB and DAB systems.
FIG. 2c: On-frequency repeater stations (RS) 203c inducing a significant delay of the signal forwarded from the base station 201c to the UE 202c.
FIG. 2d: Distributed antenna systems (DAS) 205d where, from a signal processing point of view, it is preferable that signals from different widely separated radio heads, 201d and 203d, are overlapping in time when received by the UE 204d.
In systems with very large distances between transmitters and receivers, such as in cellular systems with large cell sizes (FIG. 2a), another problem is that the received power is quite significantly reduced as well.

Methods and arrangements in a wireless communication system for producing signal structure with cyclic prefix


A switch to be mounted on a design element in the passenger room of a motor vehicle includes a haptic element that functions as a mechanical operater and a visual element. Electrical and/or electronic switch elements are mounted on a flexible conductor element and optionally further electrical and electronic components. A zone of the flexible conductor element which carries the switch elements and an allocated zone of the haptic element are configured such that the corresponding zones can be positioned and fixated in relation to one another and do not establish a permanent electrical connection.

The invention relates to a switch to be mounted on a design element in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle. The switch according to the invention is characterized by a simple secure assembly process as well as by its significant lack of dependence on the design of the haptic element.
By haptic element it is meant, a structural group of the switch which contains the mechanical operating elements required for manually operating the switch. The haptic element can furthermore serve as a visual element, e.g. by suitably configuring the haptic element it is possible to make the function of the switch visible to the user.
From DE 197 38 656 A1 a switch is known whose electrical or electronic switch elements and whose associated operating elements in the haptic element are positioned independently of each other on various parts of the vehicle door. The switch elements and haptic element only come into active connection after they have been fitted together. The drawback here however is that it is necessary to ensure a very close tolerance of the parts which support the switch element and haptic element, which are to be connected together, otherwise faulty positioning may have to be taken into account. DE 43 13 030 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,402 describe groups of switches based on flexible printed conductors. They consist essentially of electrical switch elements which can preferably be used in vehicles having a flexible foil touch panel or separate operating elements held in a console. Even with this technical solution bringing together the electrical switch elements and the haptic element requires considerable effort and great care. Furthermore, switch blocks of this kind considerably restrict the freedom of design since the geometrical arrangement of the individual switch elements determines the positioning of the operating elements of the haptic element. With many design specifications, such as are customary in the automotive industry, there is a great degree of variation in the foil-bound switch elements, unless one always proceeds from the variation having the highest design specification and does not connect up the corresponding switches where the design specifications are lower. However, this leads to an undesirably high use of resources.
The object of the invention is to provide a switch to be mounted on a design element in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, for example on the inner trim of a door, which is cost-effective to manufacture and which can be fitted simply and securely and which can be adapted to any desired design.
According to this, the zones of the flexible conductor which support the switch elements, and the zones or operating elements of the haptic element which are associated with these zones are designed so that the relevant zones can be positioned and fixed relative to each other and can be detached from each other. Furthermore, these zones have no means for establishing a permanent electrical circuit connection. Thus, no permanent electrical contact is produced between the zones on the two sides. The term xe2x80x9celectricalxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9celectronicxe2x80x9d switch elements includes electro-magnetic and electro-optical switch elements.
According to a variation of the invention it is hereby proposed that the haptic element cannot be brought into an electrically conductive connection with the switch elements, i.e. the haptic element has no electrically conductive component parts which can be coupled electrically with the switch elements.
According to another variation of the invention the haptic element can only be brought into electrically conductive connection with the switch elements by actuating an operating element of the haptic element whereby the electrically conducting connection only exists for as long as the switch is located in the switching state produced by actuating the operating element (xe2x80x9cswitch closedxe2x80x9d). With this variation of the invention, the haptic element has no electrical structural elements in the narrower sense (such as e.g. a resistance, a transistor, etc.), but only a contact bridge in the form of a simple electrical conductor with which an electrical connection can be established between two switch elements.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the relevant zones of the conductor and haptic element are formed as mechanical plug connectors wherein a base member of the haptic element has a socket zone, such as e.g. a plug opening with which the zone of the flexible conductor supporting the switch elements can be brought into positive keyed engagement. To this end, the zones of the flexible conductor supporting the switch elements has a mechanical reinforcement element in the form of a frame around the edges, a plate at the back or a cast element incorporating the relevant zone.
A cast element is suitable when using contactless switch systems, such as magneto-resistive sensors or inductive and capacitive close-range approach sensors. The cast element thereby offers, in addition to good protection against mechanical damage, also excellent protection against chemical attack and obviously against dampness. This in turn guarantees that the switch has a high reliability and long service life.
Through suitably configuring the reinforcement element which is connected to the flexible conductor, and also the close-fitting corresponding socket opening in the haptic element, the plug connection can only be established in the proposed position. Forming the reinforcement element, whether it is by sticking a plate onto the reverse side of the conductor or by injection molding a frame round the edge of the conductor or by casting the end region of the conductor, can be undertaken with high precision and efficiency by automated machines.
The mechanical reinforcement elements can also have detent elements for securing the insert position with regard to the haptic element, as well as means for sealing the plug-in zone against dampness. When manufacturing such components it is possible to use twin component plastic injection molding technology so that it is easier to meet the demands required for a seal through the softer of the two plastics.
A further embodiment of the invention proposes designing the zones of the flexible conductor, supporting the switches, and the associated zone of the haptic element as a clamp-fit connection whereby a base body of the haptic element has a socket zone and a fixing element connectable therewith so that the zone of the flexible conductor supporting the switch elements can be clamped between the socket zone of the haptic element and the fixing element. This can be undertaken for example by a fixing element which is connected in one piece with the base body through a film hinge of a plastic base body of the haptic element. After the corresponding zone of the flexible conductor has been supplied to the socket zone of the base body, the fixing element can be swivelled towards the socket zone until its position is secured through detent elements and the conductor is thereby fixed with the switch elements relative to the position of the operating elements.
A further development of this embodiment proposes using a separate clamping plate as the fixing element. In this case the clamping plate should be provided with positive locking elements (e.g. studs) which are associated with matching detent openings (preferably around the edge) of the flexible conductor. These positive locking elements can be arranged so that only an exact positioning is possible between the clamping plate and conductor. The clamping plate is then fixed on the base body of the haptic element by means of a snap-fitting connection.
Basically all types of switch elements can be used if they are suitable for fitting flexible printed conductors. These can be formed, for example, as electrical contact faces which are allocated an electrical contact bridge which is connected to an operating element of the haptic element and closes the electric circuit when the operating element is actuated. Apart from the inductive and capacitive close-range approach switches and magneto-resistive structural elements (e.g. Hall element) already mentioned and which are each assigned a ferro-magnetic metal plate or a permanent magnet connected to an operating element of the haptic element, boxed switch elements are also suitable in the form of SMD (Surface-Mounting Device) switches or switch mats. Furthermore, transponder readers are also suitable as switch elements. Which type of switch is selected by the technician depends decisively on the technical requirements in each individual case.
At this point it should be pointed out that non-electrical principles can be used. By way of example, the switch elements provided on the flexible conductor can be formed as passive or active optical elements which are assigned on the side of the operating elements of the haptic element means for reflection for the purpose of establishing an optical transmission path or means for interrupting an optical transmission path. Further processing of the switch signal is undertaken through the interposition of an opto-electrical converter.
Next to the switch elements there are, where necessary, further structural elements such as for example an optical element for lighting up the switch, a micro controller, resistances, diodes or the like.
The invention utilizes the principle of the plug connection in order to establish in a simple reliable way an active connection between the switch elements and the operating elements of the haptic element without using at the same time (permanent-acting) electrical cable connections which are liable to breakdown. The configuration of the zones of the flexible conductor supporting the switch elements is entirely secondary to the configuration of the haptic element while simultaneously reducing the variety of designs on the switch side. i.e., by means of the technical solution according to the invention (theoretically) any number of geometric arrangements of the operating elements of the haptic element can be fitted with only one variation of cable harness.

Switch to be mounted on a design element in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle