A low noise amplifier includes a cascode device which includes at least a first and a second transistor having a terminal in common. The output terminal of the second transistor is the output terminal of the cascode device and is coupled to the output terminal of the amplifier. The amplifier includes a first circuit means suitable for the polarization of the second transistor. The first circuit means is positioned between a supply voltage and another terminal of the second transistor. The amplifier includes a second circuit means connected to the output terminal of the cascode device and is operative at a given frequency (ω). The first circuit means includes a first series of a resistance and a capacitance and the second means has a second series of a resistance and a capacitance. The first series is coupled between the other terminal of the second transistor and ground and the second series is coupled between the output terminal of the cascode device and ground. The values of the resistances of the first and of the second series are much lower than the module values of the respective capacitive impedances of said first and of said second series at said given frequency (ω).

Low noise amplifiers are frequently used in various electronic devices. A fundamental characteristic of such amplifiers is linearity.
A low noise amplifier can be considered as a non-linear system whose input-output characteristic can be modeled by a series of powers truncated at the third order. If the input signal Vi is constituted by two tones at respective frequencies ω1 and ω2, i.e., Vi=A1×cos(ω1×t)+A2×cos(ω2×t) with ω1 almost the same as ω2, with ω1=ω and ω2−ω1<<ω and A1=A2, we have linearity that can be characterised by a parameter of intermodulation of the third order IM3 in relation to a certain level of power of the two input tones or by the intercept of the third order IP3. In fact we have
  IM3  =      10                          log              P3      P1      where with P1 the power of the tone at ω1 is indicated while with P3 the power of the spurious tones at 2ω2−ω1 or at 2ω1−ω2 is indicated. As in a real amplifier the two spurious tones do not necessarily have equal Amplitude. There are two different IM3, i.e., the IM3low referred to the spurious tone 2ω2−ω1 and the IM3high referred to the spurious tone 2ω1−ω2 with IM3 being the maximum between IM3high and IM3low. The intercept of the third order IP3 of a non-linear system is linked to the parameter IM3 by the relation:
      IIP3              [      dBm      ]        =            Pi                    [        dBm        ]              -                  IM3                          [          dB          ]                    2      where IIP3 is the intercept of the third order in input to the non-linear system and Pi is the power of the signal in input to said non-linear system; since in a real amplifier we have the parameters IM3high and IM3low, we also have the parameters IIP3high and IIP3low: In addition we have that the intercept of the third order OIP3 relative to the signal in output from the linear system is given by:OIP3[dBm]=IIP3[dBm]+G[dB]where G is the gain in decibels of said non-linear system. For OIP3 we have the parameters OIP3high and OIP3low.
A low noise amplifier that presents good performance in terms of linearity is shown in the article "Effect of out-of-band termination on intermodulation distortion in common-emitter circuits", IEEE MTT-S Dig., vol. 3, pages 977-980, June 1999 by V. Aparin and C. Persico. The low noise amplifier described comprises a bipolar transistor in common-emitter configuration and particular circuits for the polarization of the transistor, for the input adaptation and for the output adaptation. The parameter IM3 calculated for a bipolar transistor Q1 in common-emitter configuration, shown in FIG. 1, depends on numerous factors amongst which the impedances of input Z1, of load Z3 and of degeneration of emitter Z2. If the signal in input to the transistor Q1 is constituted by two tones at frequencies ω1 and ω2, we have that the parameter IM3 depends on values Z1, Z2 and Z3 at the frequency Δω and at the frequency 2ω where the frequency ω is equal to the frequency ω1 and almost the same as the frequency ω2 and Δω=ω2−ω1<<ω. Therefore by suitable choosing the values Z1, Z2 and Z3 it is possible to minimize the parameter IM3 without influencing the performance of the circuit at the operative frequency ω.
FIG. 2 shows the implementation of a low noise amplifier described in the abovementioned article. In the circuit topology described it is possible to set independently one from the other the values of the input impedance Zs at different frequencies, that is at the operative frequency ω (Zs((ω)), at low frequency Δω (Zs(Δω)), and at double the operative frequency 2ω (Zs(2ω)). The amplifier of FIG. 2 comprises a bipolar transistor Q2 and inductances Lb, Lc and Le connected to the respective base terminals, collector and emitter. The inductance Le is connected to a terminal of a microstrip ML4 having the other terminal connected to ground while the inductance Lc is connected to the supply voltage Vcc by means of the parallel of a resistance R3 and of another microstrip ML5. The inductance Lc is connected to the output terminal OUT by means of the series of an inductance L1 and a capacitance C5 in which another capacitance C4 is connected between the terminal in common of the inductance L1 and of the capacitance C5 and ground. The inductance Lb is connected to the supply voltage Vcc by means of the series of another microstrip ML3, a resistance R1 and a resistance R3; between the terminals of the resistance R1 and ground two capacitances C3 and C2 are positioned. The inductance Lb is connected to the input terminal IN by means of the series of another microstrip ML2 and of a capacitance C1; another microstrip ML1 is positioned between the terminal IN and ground. The capacitance C3 has a much higher value than the capacitances C1 and C2.
At the frequency Δω, since the capacitance C3 is a short circuit, the capacitances C1 and C2 are open elements and the values of the impedance offered by the inductance Lb and by the microstrip ML2 are almost nil, we have the input impedance Zs(Δω) that is equal to the resistance R1.
At the frequencies ω and 2ω the capacitances C1 and C2 have negligible impedances while the microstrip ML1, having length l1=λ/4, behaves like an open circuit at the frequency ω and like a short circuit at the frequency 2ω. Therefore at the frequency ω the impedance Zs depends on the inductance Lb and on the length l3 of the microstrip ML3. At the frequency 2ω the impedance Zs depends on the inductance Lb, on the length l2 of the microstrip ML2 and on the length l3 of the microstrip ML3. Setting the length l3 and the inductance Lb at the operative frequency ω the resistance R1 and the length l2 of the microstrip ML2 can be chosen to vary the impedance Zs at the frequencies Δω and 2ω to obtain the maximum linearity. The microstrip ML5, having length λ/4, behaves like an open circuit at the frequency ω and like a short circuit at the frequencies Δω and 2ω. Such a low noise amplifier has the disadvantages of poor insulation between input and output, a low stability and the interdependence between the output adaptation and that in input.


The present invention is an improvement to previously known systems for controller area networks and the method of communicating across such networks. The system and method introduces interpolated time markers to provide higher resolution bit container, for communicating data bits across the data bus of a three-wire controller area network. The interpolated time markers allow devices on a controller area network to effectively double tie amount of bandwidth available for communication and can in some cases even further increase the bandwidth beyond a factor of two.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved method and system for communicating across a controller area network at a higher data rate while providing power to a plurality of devices wherein the controller area network uses only three wires to provide both power and data to the devices on the network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Communication between devices enables multiple devices to operate together thereby enhancing the individual devices operating capability. For example, computers across a network can communicate with one another, even around the world, providing information and sharing resources, thereby enhancing the ability of any single computer connected to the network to accomplish tasks. Increasingly, all devices are being networked together to provide synergy and enhanced communication between the devices increasing the effectiveness of each device on the network. Many of these networks are limited to small scale networks known as controller area networks. Such networks may be limited to spaces such as within a vehicle, home, or office. Regardless of the size of the network, the effectiveness of a network in allowing the connected devices to interoperate with maximum efficiency is inherently limited by the bandwidth, or communication speed, across the network. Depending on the needs of the devices connected to the network, limited bandwidth may reduce the amount of data communicated between the devices. In fact, as the number of devices on the network increases, the bandwidth needed by the devices also increases, sometimes exponentially. An overloaded network with a small bandwidth may eventually reach a point where the devices on the network cannot operate effectively with one another.
The speed of communication across the network is generally measured in the number of bits per second, bps, transmitted across the data bus. Increasing the number of bits per second that can be transmitted across the data bus increases the amount of information that can be communicated. Early modem technology operated at only 120-300 bits per second which allowed only a small amount of real-time data to be communicated across the data link. However, newer communication networks, such as Ethernet for connecting homes feature much higher communication rates ranging from 10 million bits per second to 1 billion bits per second or more across the data bus. These advanced communication networks, however, require sophisticated hardware and software to achieve the data rates disclosed and are not suitable for simpler systems because of the increased cost and overhead.
One specific type of communication system known in the art is an HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) communication system developed by Honeywell and known by the trade name Enviracom™. The Enviracom™ system has been put forth by Honeywell as a method of communicating between HVAC products, including thermostats, furnaces, cooling units and control panels, to enhance the effectiveness of the HVAC system within a particular structure or small group of structures. The advantage to this system is that the protocol and method of communicating across the network are well-known in the art and publicly disclosed. A growing number of HVAC products incorporate the Enviracom™ communication system to increase the effectiveness of the products and allow some interoperability between products of different manufacturers.
In the prior art system, a number of HVAC devices, whether thermostats, controllers, furnaces, are connected to the network with three wires. Two of the three wires provide a limited power supply to the connected devices. In the basic, well-known implementation, the two power lines provide an alternating current power source across the power lines to the devices which can be used to power the electronics of the connected device. More importantly, the third line, a data line is used to transmit and receive data across the network. The three lines, two power and one data, can be connected between each device in a variety of different configurations, including star topology, daisy-chaining, or a combination of the two.
The network of all the data lines between the individual devices on the network forms a data bus wherein any device on the network can communicate with each and every other device connected elsewhere on the network, even if the two communicating devices are located on opposite sides of the network topology. This type of communication network structure is well-known in the art and is not limited to the Enviracom™ system nor the present improvement.
Generally speaking, the Enviracom™ communication system provides 24 volts of alternating current power across the power lines at a frequency of 60 Hz. This corresponds to the natural frequency of the electrical grid in North America eliminating the need to modulate the frequency of the power lines which is more complicated than stepping down the voltage from ˜120 Vac to 24 Vac. While primarily providing a power signal across the controller area network, the power lines also serve a secondary purpose in providing a pseudo-clock signal of approximately 120 Hz for use in reading the data line. In a 60 Hz sinusoidal waveform, such as that transmitted across the power lines, the sinusoidal signal has two zero-crossings per cycle. In the communication system, the zero-crossing can be used as a clock for regulating the data transmitted across the data bus. The 120 zero-crossings per second of the 60 Hz allows for 120 bits of data to be communicated across the data bus per second, or one bit of data communicated between each zero-crossing in the previously known implementation.
The data bus also features a sinusoidal signal that is also at 60 Hz, but can feature a lower maximum and minimum voltage depending on the physical dimensions of the network. In between each zero-crossing of the power signal, the data bus is modulated to communicate the appropriate bit across the data bus. For example, if the data line contains a high-amplitude signal then a 1 bit is being transmitted across the bus, while if the data line contains a low-amplitude or even zero-amplitude waveform within the bit container then a 0 bit is being transmitted across the bus. This simple form of communication within a controller area network is extremely effective when communicating small amounts of data across the bus and will be better explained with reference to the figures and detailed description.
Although the controller area network communication system does allow for communication across the network with only a minimal amount of wires providing both power and data to the devices on the network, the practical limitation of using 60 Hz alternating current for the power limits the effective bandwidth of the communication system to 120 bps if using the simple modulation previously described. It would be greatly advantageous to provide an improvement to the current system for increasing the bandwidth of the controller area network without requiring expensive or sophisticated hardware changes. It would be desirable if this communication system used similar forms of amplitude modulation without increasing the complexity of the system thereby allowing current hardware to implement the technique with only minor software modifications.
In view of the aforementioned shortcomings, an improved system and method for communicating across a controller area network providing a higher bandwidth than is currently taught is needed.

System and method of transmitting data within a three-wire network


This invention relates to the process of manufacture of resin treated mercerized cellulose fibers and fibrous products prepared therefrom and is directed particularly to a method of improving permeability and bulking properties and reducing water retention value (WRV) of a conventional high permeability bulk pulp. The invention also includes the improved cellulose fibers, cellulosic sheet materials containing said fibers, and products therefrom (such as automotive oil and air filters).

This invention relates to a process for manufacture of resin-treated, mercerized cellulose fibers and fibrous products prepared therefrom and is directed particularly to a method of improving permeability and bulking properties and reducing the water retention value (WRV) of a mercerized, high porosity bulk pulp. The invention also includes the improved cellulose fibers, cellulosic sheet materials containing said fibers, and products manufactured therefrom (such as automotive oil and air filters).
Cellulose fibers currently available in the market do not exhibit all desired properties for use in certain applications. For example, in the manufacture of automotive oil and air filters, it is desirable that the fibers exhibit reduced WRV and produce structures (e.g., filters) with high permeability and bulk with adequate sheet strength. However, one commercially available fiber produces structures with high permeability and bulk but does not have adequate sheet strength. Another commercially available fiber produces structures with higher permeability and bulk, but is brittle and loses permeability under conventional refining conditions. Another commercially available fiber produces structures with high permeability and bulk, but has an undesirably high WRV. Thus, there is a need in the art for improved cellulose fibers having reduced WRV that can produce structures with high permeability and bulk.
Attempts have been made to improve conventional manufacturing processes to obtain cellulose fibers of desired properties. For example, Shaw et al. describe in U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,470 that swellability, which is a result of water absorption, can be reduced by treating fibers with a substantive polymeric compound and fluff-drying. Adjusting parameters for improving quality of cellulose fibers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,913 to Wodka; U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,463 to Lindberg et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,086 to Graef; U.S. Pat. No. 2,926,116 to Keim et al.; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,200,036 and 5,015,245 to Noda. All patents (and references therein) cited herein are incorporated by reference. However, cellulose fibers that exhibit the desired properties as described herein have not been previously reported.

Resin-treated mercerized fibers and products thereof


A semantic extraction system leverages domain expert knowledge, to impart meaningful business information aiding ordinary knowledge consumers in understanding large/complex data volumes and models thereof. Certain embodiments may comprise a layered structure comprising an information uplifting layer, a semantic processing layer, and a visual representation layer. Referencing domain knowledge model(s) created by human domain experts, the information uplifting layer extracts and maintains meaningful information in a semantic structure. The semantic processing layer then processes this extracted information for various different business analysis purposes. Finally, the visual representation layer allows the analyzed and aggregated information to be arranged and visualized via a range of interactive tools. The overall layered structure is powered by the domain knowledge models, which capture specialized knowledge from experts in different domains. Such domains can include industry and enterprise characteristics, data visualization, and model structure and function.

Embodiments relate to manipulation of database data, and in particular, to domain knowledge driven semantic extraction systems.
Unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Modern Business Intelligence (BI) systems combine large amounts of operational data with analytical tools, in order to present complex and competitive information to planners and decision makers. Such BI systems seek to improve timeliness and quality of inputs to the decision-making process, by providing information such as: capabilities available in the enterprise; state of the art; trends; and future market directions; technologies; regulatory environment; and competitor actions and implications of those actions.
Factors such as the emergence of the data warehouse as a repository, advances in data cleansing, increased capabilities of hardware and software, and the evolution of web architecture, have each combined to create an enriched business intelligence environment. However, in the era of "big data", rapid growth of data volume and complexity underscores the importance of precisely acquiring meaningful information from the data.
Specifically, the large volumes of data available from different business domains in heterogeneous structures or metrics, tends to exhibit bewildering complexity beyond the expertise of an average business customer. Such an average business customer would have difficulty in acquiring professional knowledge in different business domains. But, in most cases, assistance from domain experts is expensive or unavailable.
Thus, a fundamental challenge exists in extracting information that fits the insights of domain knowledge, and then delivering that information in a manner useful to an average business customer.
Accordingly, there is a need for domain knowledge driven semantic extraction systems.

Domain knowledge driven semantic extraction system


A lacrosse stick with an improved head and shaft connection is provided. The lacrosse stick comprises a head having a throat with a mounting hole therein, an elongated shaft attached to the head, the shaft having its own mounting hole, and a plug slidably disposed partly or entirely inside the hollow shaft to reinforce the shaft/head connection. The plug is inserted into the shaft such that the plug opening is aligned with the mounting holes on the head and shaft so that a screw or other attachment means can be inserted therethrough.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sporting equipment. More particularly, this invention relates to the improved attachment of a lacrosse stick head to a tubular lacrosse stick shaft.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an attempt to make lacrosse sticks stronger and lighter, manufacturers make the shaft out of hollow, thin walled, tubing. The tubing is made from a variety of alloys, but commonly from alloys of aluminum or titanium. The cross-sectional shape of the shaft is typically eight sided. The head typically is made of a polymer frame with a flexible mesh material tied to the frame with strings. The lacrosse stick is completed by fastening the head to the shaft.
Current methods of attaching the head to the shaft require a sheet metal screw to attach the head to the shaft with the screw gripping the shaft sidewall. Since the shaft sidewall is thin, the attachment is not strong enough in competitive play. The screw, and therefore the head, becomes loose and repair of the attachment is necessary. Any repair that can be done quickly is very unreliable.
Kohler and Sherman (U.S. Pat. No. 6,916,259) propose a head with a plug protruding from it to accept the screw for attachment. The head proposed by Kohler et al. solves the attachment problem, but it is not versatile. The head may not work well on a variety of shafts, and may not be available in the head design that some players prefer. Enos and Huling (U.S. Pat. No. 6,949,037) propose a quick release fastener for securing a lacrosse head to the shaft. Their method allows for quick repair, but the shaft and head need to be modified for their particular attachment method. This reduces the flexibility of using a variety of heads on a variety of shafts, and sacrifices attachment strength.
Thus it is an object of the present invention to provide a means of attaching a lacrosse stick head to a tubular lacrosse stick in a low cost manner.
Another object of the invention is to provide a means of attaching a lacrosse stick head to a tubular lacrosse stick that can be used with a variety of head shaft combinations.
Further and additional objects will appear from the description, accompanying drawings, and appended claims.

Lacrosse stick with improved head and shaft connections


By using a rare earth metal having a minimal content of impurity metal element, machining it into a member and cleaning with an organic acid-base capping agent, there is obtained a rare earth metal member composed entirely of a rare earth metal and containing not more than 100 ppm of impurity metal element in a sub-surface zone, which member is characterized by a high surface purity, a large grain size, minimized grain boundaries, and improved halogen resistance or corrosion resistance.

Semiconductor manufacturing equipment and flat panel display manufacturing equipment such as LC, organic EL and inorganic EL manufacturing equipment use a halogen-base corrosive gas atmosphere. To prevent workpieces from impurity contamination, components of these equipment are made of high purity materials, and their surface purity is crucial.
The semiconductor manufacturing process uses gate etching, dielectric etching, resist ashing, sputtering, CVD and other equipment. The liquid crystal manufacturing process uses etching and other equipment for forming thin-film transistors. These manufacturing equipment are equipped with plasma generating mechanisms allowing for microfabrication with the goal of higher integration and the like.
In these manufacturing processes, many equipment utilize halogen-base corrosive gases such as fluorine and chlorine gases as the treating gas because of their reactivity. Fluorine-base gases include SF6, CF4, CHF3, ClF3, HF, NF3 and the like, and chlorine-base gases include Cl2, BCl3, HCl, CCl4, SiCl4 and the like. When radio frequency or microwaves are applied to an atmosphere filled with such gases, the gases are activated into plasmas. Since members in the equipment are exposed to the halogen-base corrosive gases or plasmas thereof, they are required to contain a minimal amount of metal other than the principal constituent material and to have high corrosion resistance.
Prior art materials capable of imparting corrosion resistance against halogen-base gases or plasmas thereof to meet these requirements include ceramics such as quartz, alumina, silicon nitride and aluminum nitride, anodized aluminum, and spray coated substrates in which the foregoing materials are sprayed to the substrate surface to form a spray coating. JP-A 2002-241971 discloses a plasma-resistant member in which a surface region to be exposed to plasma in corrosive gas is formed of a metal layer of Group IIIA in the Periodic Table having a thickness of about 50 to 200 μm.
Regrettably, the ceramic members require an increased machining cost and suffer from the problem of particles left on the surface. When the ceramic members are exposed to plasma in a corrosive gas atmosphere, corrosion gradually takes place, though to a varying extent, whereupon crystal grains spall off from the surface region, causing so-called particle contamination. Once spalling off, particles are likely to deposit on or near the semiconductor wafer, lower electrode or the like to exert negative impact on etching precision or the like, detracting from the semiconductor performance and reliability.
The ceramic members are characterized by the elimination of electric conduction and cannot be used as radio-frequency grounding members requiring electric conductivity. At the site where such characteristics are required, anodized aluminum parts are often used, but suffer from problems like a short life and release of AlF particles. At such a site, members having sprayed thereon yttrium oxide (Y2O3) having better halogen plasma resistance have been recently used.
However, the advanced plasma environment has a propensity for increasing energy, raising a problem that spark partially generates due to a tipping of the plasma balance. It is believed that the spark generation is attributed to the dielectric material which is sprayed on the surface of conductive material, and specifically, microscopic surface irregularities on the sprayed coating and open pores therein extending to the substrate. Efforts have been made to reduce the size of surface irregularities and pores, but these countermeasures are unsatisfactory.
One probable means for solving the problem is to set in a plasma environment an electrically conductive part which allows a direct current component to escape to the ground so as to avoid spark generation. There have been found no members that enable this idea.
As discussed above, JP-A 2002-241971 discloses a plasma-resistant member in which a surface region to be exposed to plasma in corrosive gas is formed of a metal layer of Group IIIA in the Periodic Table. The thickness of the metal layer is about 50 to 200 μm, but its electric resistance is described nowhere. In the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the reaction product of the process gas with a workpiece will deposit on members in the equipment chamber, and periodic cleaning is thus needed for removal of the reaction product deposits. In the event that the corrosion resistant member is a layer of about 200 μm thick, however, this corrosion resistant layer can be readily abraded away to expose the underlying substrate during the operation of polishing and cleaning for removal of the reaction product deposits. Thus this member cannot maintain the desired corrosion resistance on repeated use.
In the current semiconductor device art, there is an increasing propensity for feature size reduction and overall diameter increase. Concomitantly, the so-called dry process, especially etching process uses low-pressure high-density plasma. As compared with conventional etching conditions, the low-pressure high-density plasma has great influence on the plasma-resistant member, making more serious the problems including erosion by plasma, contamination of member components caused by the erosion, and contamination with the reaction products of surface impurities.
In general, unwanted metal elements or impurities that cause defectives in the semiconductor manufacturing process include Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn, Al and the like. Among others, Fe, Cu, Ni, Zn and Cr are unwanted. Accordingly, not only equipment components, but also members for securing the components have to be plasma resistant.
While metal machining tools are used for cutting, grinding and otherwise machining of members, the machined members are contaminated on their surface. When used in a halogenic plasma atmosphere, such contaminated members become the causes of particle contamination and erosion.

Rare earth metal member and making method


A blood-circulation monitor including a heartbeat-synchronous-wave sensor, a first judging device for judging whether an arrhythmia has occurred to a living subject, based on a heartbeat-synchronous wave detected by the sensor, a first determining device including a cuff and determining a first blood pressure of the subject based on a first pulse wave produced in the cuff, an information obtaining device for iteratively obtaining a piece of blood-pressure-relating information which changes in relation with blood pressure of the subject, a relationship determining device for determining a relationship between blood pressure and blood-pressure-relating information, a second determining device for iteratively determining, according to the relationship, a second blood pressure of the subject based on each of the pieces of blood-pressure-relating information, a calculating device for calculating a change value of the second blood pressure values, and a second judging device for judging that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, when the first judging device judges that the arrhythmia has occurred to the subject and when the change value does not fall within a reference range.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for monitoring a condition of blood circulation of a living subject.
2. Related Art Statement
There is known a circulation-condition monitoring apparatus which includes a heartbeat-synchronous-wave detecting device which is worn on a patient and detects a heartbeat-synchronous wave from the subject; an arrhythmia judging means for judging whether an arrhythmia has occurred to the patient, based on the heartbeat-synchronous wave detected by the heartbeat-synchronous-wave detecting device; and an alarming device which produces an alarming sound when the arrhythmia judging means judges that an arrhythmia has occurred to the patient. For example, there is known a circulation-condition monitoring apparatus which includes an electrocardiograph (i.e., heartbeat-synchronous-wave detecting device) having a plurality of electrodes adapted to be worn at a plurality of prescribed locations on a living subject to detect an electrocardiogram as a heartbeat-synchronous wave; an arrhythmia diagnosing means for automatically diagnosing an arrhythmia of the subject based on the electrocardiogram detected by the electrocardiograph; and an alarming device which produces an alarming sound when it is judged that an arrhythmia has occurred to the subject.
Since an arrhythmia may indicate that the circulation condition of a patient has worsened, the conventional circulation-condition monitoring apparatus produces an alarming sound when it judges that an arrhythmia has occurred to the patient. However, in some cases, an arrhythmia does not indicate that the circulation condition of a patient has worsened. Therefore, if the monitoring apparatus produces an alarming sound each time it judges that an arrhythmia has occurred to a patient, there will be some cases where an alarming sound is produced when the circulation condition of a patient has not worsened. If those cases are too frequent, a medical staff may keep the alarming device turned off. On the other hand, in other cases, an arrhythmia does indicate that the circulation condition of a patient has worsened. Thus, it is not recommended to keep the alarming device off.
Meanwhile, the circulation condition of a patient can be monitored based on his or her blood pressure. Hence, there had been proposed an automatic blood-pressure monitoring apparatus which continuously monitors whether an arrhythmia has occurred to a patient and, when an arrhythmia has occurred to a patient, automatically measures a blood pressure of the patient. An example of this automatic blood-pressure monitoring apparatus is an automatic blood-pressure measuring apparatus disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application laid open under Publication No. 64-56206. The disclosed automatic blood-pressure measuring apparatus automatically measures, when it is judged that an arrhythmia has occurred to a patient, a blood pressure of the patient, and judges whether the measured blood pressure falls within a prescribed reference range. Since the prior apparatus monitors the circulation condition of a patient based on both arrhythmia and blood pressure, it can considerably accurately monitor the same.
However, there are some cases where, in a state in which an arrhythmia has occurred to a patient, a blood pressure whose value is normal in a state in which the patient has no arrhythmia indicates, in fact, that the patient needs an urgent treatment. That is, there are some cases where the automatic blood-pressure measuring apparatus disclosed in the above-indicated document does not judge that an abnormality has occurred to a patient but, in fact, the circulation condition of the patient is abnormal and the patient needs an argent treatment. Thus, the accuracy with which the automatic blood-pressure measuring apparatus monitors the circulation condition of the patient is not sufficiently high.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a blood-circulation monitoring apparatus which can accurately monitor a condition of blood circulation of a living subject.
The Inventor has carried out extensive studies, and has found that if an arrhythmia is caused by an abnormal circulation condition of a living subject, then the blood pressure of the subject exhibits a great change. Therefore, an abnormal circulation condition of the subject can be accurately identified if an arrhythmia is found and simultaneously the blood pressure of the subject exhibits a great change, even if the blood pressure may not exhibit an abnormal value.
In addition, the Inventor has found that an abnormal circulation condition of a living subject can be accurately identified by employing, when an arrhythmia is present, a reference range whose upper and/or lower limit(s) are/is nearer to a normal blood pressure value than the upper and/or lower limits of a reference range which is employed when no arrhythmia is present.
The above object has been achieved by the present invention. According to a first feature of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for monitoring a condition of blood circulation of a living subject, comprising a heartbeat-synchronous-wave detecting device which detects a heartbeat-synchronous wave from the subject; an arrhythmia judging means for judging whether an arrhythmia has occurred to the subject, based on the heartbeat-synchronous wave detected by the heartbeat-synchronous-wave detecting device; a first blood-pressure determining means including an inflatable cuff which is adapted to be wound around a first body portion of the subject to occlude an artery of the first body portion, the first blood-pressure determining means determining at least one first blood pressure of the subject based on a first pulse wave which is produced in the cuff when a pressure in the cuff is decreased; a blood-pressure-relating-information obtaining means including at least one pulse-wave detecting device which is adapted to be worn on at least one second body portion of the subject to detect at least one second pulse wave from the at least one second body portion without occluding at least one artery of the at least one second body portion, the blood-pressure-relating-information obtaining means iteratively obtaining, based on the at least one second pulse wave detected by the at least one pulse-wave detecting device, a piece of blood-pressure-relating information which changes in relation with blood pressure of the subject; a relationship determining means for determining a relationship between blood pressure and blood-pressure-relating information, based on at least one first blood pressure value determined by the first blood-pressure determining means and at least one piece of blood-pressure-relating information obtained by the blood-pressure-relating-information obtaining means; a second blood-pressure determining means for iteratively determining, according to the relationship determined by the relationship determining means, a second blood pressure of the subject based on each of the pieces of blood-pressure-relating information iteratively obtained by the blood-pressure-relating-information obtaining means; a change-value calculating means for calculating a change value of each of the second blood pressure values iteratively determined by the second blood-pressure determining means; and an abnormality judging means for judging that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, when the arrhythmia judging means judges that the arrhythmia has occurred to the subject and when the change value calculated by the change-value calculating means does not fall within a first reference range.
In the present circulation-condition monitoring apparatus, the change-value calculating means calculates a change value of each of the second blood pressure values iteratively determined by the second blood-pressure determining means, and the abnormality judging means judges that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, when the arrhythmia judging means judges that the arrhythmia has occurred to the subject and when the change value calculated by the change-value calculating means does not fall within a first reference range. Thus, the present apparatus can accurately monitor the circulation condition of the subject. In addition, the pieces of blood-pressure-relating information can be obtained based on the second pulse wave detected by the pulse-wave detecting device without occluding the artery of the second body portion of the subject, and the second blood pressure values are determined based on the pieces of blood-pressure-relating information. Thus, the present apparatus is free of the disadvantage that each time it is judged that an arrhythmia has occurred to the subject, the first blood pressure determining means is operated to occlude the artery of the first body portion of the subject and thereby cause the subject to feel discomfort.
According to a second feature of the present invention that includes the above-described first feature, the circulation-condition monitoring apparatus further comprises an input device which is operable for inputting a low-blood-pressure-subject signal indicating that the blood pressure of the living subject is low, and the abnormality judging means judges, when the low-blood-pressure-subject signal is input through the input device, that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, when the arrhythmia judging means judges that the arrhythmia has occurred to the subject and when at least one of the change value calculated by the change-value calculating means and said each second blood pressure value determined by the second blood-pressure determining means does not fall within a corresponding one of the first reference range and a second reference range. A low-blood-pressure subject exhibits a low blood pressure even when his or her circulation condition may be normal. Therefore, there are some cases where the blood pressure of the subject is so low as to need an urgent treatment even if the change of the blood pressure may not be so great. In the present circulation-condition monitoring apparatus, if the low-blood-pressure-subject signal is input through the input device, then the abnormality judging means judges that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, when the arrhythmia judging means judges that the arrhythmia has occurred to the subject and when at least one of the change value calculated by the change-value calculating means and the each second blood pressure value determined by the second blood-pressure determining means does not fall within a corresponding one of the first reference range and a second reference range. Thus, the present apparatus can reliably judge an abnormality of the circulation condition of the subject whose blood pressure is low.
According to a third feature of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for monitoring a condition of blood circulation of a living subject, comprising a heartbeat-synchronous-wave detecting device which detects a heartbeat-synchronous wave from the subject; an arrhythmia judging means for judging whether an arrhythmia has occurred to the subject, based on the heartbeat-synchronous wave detected by the heartbeat-synchronous-wave detecting device; a blood-pressure measuring means including an inflatable cuff which is adapted to be wound around a body portion of the subject, and iteratively measuring a blood pressure of the subject based on a pulse wave which is produced in the cuff when a pressure in the cuff is changed; a change-value calculating means for iteratively calculating a change value of each of the blood pressure values iteratively measured by the blood-pressure measuring means; and an abnormality judging means for operating, when the arrhythmia judging means judges that the arrhythmia has occurred to the subject, the blood-pressure measuring means to measure a blood pressure of the subject, and the change-value calculating means to calculate a change value of the measured blood pressure value, and judging that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, when the change value calculated by the change-value calculating means does not fall within a first reference range.
In the present circulation-condition monitoring apparatus, the abnormality judging means operates, when the arrhythmia judging means judges that the arrhythmia has occurred to the subject, the blood-pressure measuring means to measure a blood pressure of the subject, and the change-value calculating means to calculate a change value of the measured blood pressure value, and judges that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, when the change value calculated by the change-value calculating means does not fall within a first reference range. Thus, based on both arrhythmia and blood-pressure change, the present apparatus judges an abnormality of the circulation condition of the subject. Accordingly, the present apparatus can monitor the circulation condition of the subject.
According to a fourth feature of the present invention that includes the above-described third feature, the circulation-condition monitoring apparatus further comprises an input device which is operable for inputting a low-blood-pressure-subject signal indicating that the blood pressure of the living subject is low, and the abnormality judging means operates, when the arrhythmia judging means judges that the arrhythmia has occurred to the subject, the blood-pressure measuring means and the change-value calculating means, and judges that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, when at least one of the change value calculated by the change-value calculating means and the blood pressure value measured by the blood-pressure measuring means does not fall within a corresponding one of the first reference range and a second reference range. In the present circulation-condition monitoring apparatus, if the low-blood-pressure-subject signal is input through the input device, then the abnormality judging means operates, when the arrhythmia judging means judges that the arrhythmia has occurred to the subject, the blood-pressure measuring means and the change-value calculating means, and judges that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, when at least one of the change value and the blood pressure value does not fall within a corresponding one of the first reference range and the second reference range. Thus, the present apparatus can reliably judge an abnormality of the circulation condition of the subject whose blood pressure is low.
According to a fifth feature of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for monitoring a condition of blood circulation of a living subject, comprising a heartbeat-synchronous-wave detecting device which detects a heartbeat-synchronous wave from the subject; an arrhythmia judging means for judging whether an arrhythmia has occurred to the subject based on the heartbeat-synchronous wave detected by the heartbeat-synchronous-wave detecting device; a blood-pressure measuring means including an inflatable cuff which is adapted to be wound around a body portion of the subject, and measuring a first blood pressure of the subject based on a pulse wave which is produced in the cuff when a pressure in the cuff is changed; a first abnormality judging means for judging that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, when the first blood pressure value measured by the blood-pressure measuring means is not greater than a first reference value; and a second abnormality judging means for operating, when the arrhythmia judging means judges that the arrhythmia has occurred to the subject, the blood-pressure measuring means to measure a second blood pressure of the subject, and judging that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, when the second blood pressure value measured by the blood-pressure measuring means is not greater than a second reference value greater than the first reference value.
In present circulation-condition monitoring apparatus, the first abnormality judging means judges that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, when the first blood pressure value measured by the blood-pressure measuring means is not greater than a first reference value. In addition, even if the first abnormality judging means does not judge that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, the second abnormality judging means operates, when the arrhythmia judging means judges that the arrhythmia has occurred to the subject, the blood-pressure measuring means to measure a second blood pressure of the subject, and judges that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, when the second blood pressure value measured by the blood-pressure measuring means is not greater than a second reference value greater than the first reference value. Thus, the present apparatus can accurately judge an abnormality of the circulation condition of the subject.
According to a sixth feature of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for monitoring a condition of blood circulation of a living subject, comprising a heartbeat-synchronous-wave detecting device which detects a heartbeat-synchronous wave from the subject; an arrhythmia judging means for judging whether an arrhythmia has occurred to the subject based on the heartbeat-synchronous wave detected by the heartbeat-synchronous-wave detecting device; a first blood-pressure determining means including an inflatable cuff which is adapted to be wound around a first body portion of the subject to occlude an artery of the first body portion, the first blood-pressure determining means determining at least one first blood pressure of the subject based on a first pulse wave which is produced in the cuff when a pressure in the cuff is decreased; a blood-pressure-relating-information obtaining means including at least one pulse-wave detecting device which is adapted to be worn on at least one second body portion of the subject to detect at least one second pulse wave from the at least one second body portion without occluding at least one artery of the at least one second body portion, the blood-pressure-relating-information obtaining means iteratively obtaining, based on the at least one second pulse wave detected by the at least one pulse-wave detecting device, a piece of blood-pressure-relating information which changes in relation with blood pressure of the subject; a relationship determining means for determining a relationship between blood pressure and blood-pressure-relating information, based on at least one first blood pressure value determined by the first blood-pressure determining means and at least one piece of blood-pressure-relating information obtained by the blood-pressure-relating-information obtaining means; a second blood-pressure determining means for iteratively determining, according to the relationship determined by the relationship determining means, a second blood pressure of the subject based on each of a plurality of pieces of blood-pressure-relating information iteratively obtained by the blood-pressure-relating-information obtaining means; a first abnormality judging means for judging that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, when a first blood pressure value determined by the first blood-pressure determining means is not greater than a first reference value; and a second abnormality judging means for judging that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, when the arrhythmia judging means judges that the arrhythmia has occurred to the subject and when a second blood pressure value determined by the second blood-pressure determining means is not greater than a second reference value greater than the first reference value.
In present circulation-condition monitoring apparatus, the first abnormality judging means judges that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, when the first blood pressure value measured by the blood-pressure measuring means is not greater than a first reference value. In addition, even if the first abnormality judging means does not judge that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, the second abnormality judging means judges that the condition of blood circulation of the subject is abnormal, when the arrhythmia judging means judges that the arrhythmia has occurred to the subject and when the second blood pressure value measured by the second blood-pressure determining means is not greater than a second reference value greater than the first reference value. Thus, the present apparatus can accurately monitor the circulation condition of the subject. In addition, the pieces of blood-pressure-relating information can be obtained based on the second pulse wave detected by the pulse-wave detecting device without occluding the artery of the second body portion of the subject, and the second blood pressure values are determined based on the pieces of blood-pressure-relating information. Thus, the present apparatus is free of the disadvantage that each time it is judged that an arrhythmia has occurred to the subject, the first blood pressure determining means is operated to occlude the artery of the first body portion of the subject and thereby cause the subject to feel discomfort.
According to a seventh feature of the present invention that includes any of the above-described first to sixth features, the heartbeat-synchronous-wave detecting device comprises an electrocardiograph which includes a plurality of electrodes that are adapted to be worn at a plurality of prescribed locations on the living subject and which detects, as the heartbeat-synchronous wave, an electrocardiogram through the electrodes. In this apparatus, the electrocardiograph detects electrocardiogram of the subject, and the arrhythmia judging means judges, based on the detected electrocardiogram, whether an arrhythmia has occurred to the subject. Thus, the arrhythmia judging means can identify various sorts of arrhythmias.
According to an eighth feature of the present invention that includes any of the above-described first to sixth features, the heartbeat-synchronous-wave detecting device comprises the inflatable cuff and detects, as the heartbeat-synchronous wave, the pulse wave which is produced in the cuff in a state in which the pressure in the cuff is equal to a pre-set value lower than a diastolic blood pressure value of the living subject. In this apparatus, the cuff as part of the first blood-pressure determining means is used to detect the heartbeat-synchronous wave. Thus, the present circulation-condition monitoring apparatus can enjoy a simple construction, and can be produced at reduced cost.


A method for selecting a data output clock signal includes providing a complementary output clock signal pair to a combinational logic circuit, thereby generating a reset control signal. The reset control signal is activated if the complementary output clock signals have different values, and deactivated if these clock signals have the same predetermined value. The activated reset control signal asynchronously resets a pair of series connected flip-flops. The deactivated reset control signal enables the flip-flops to synchronously propagate a fixed logic signal in response to a clock signal of a complementary input clock signal pair. The output signal of the series-connected flip-flops is used to select the data output clock signal from the first complementary clock signal pair and the second complementary clock signal pair.

In a typical quad-data rate system, an internally selected clock signal pair (EC/EC#) is used to output data. That is, the output data is synchronized with the internally selected clock signal pair EC/EC#. The internally selected clock signal pair EC/EC# includes a pair of complementary clock signals, namely, clock signal EC, and complementary clock signal EC#. This terminology is used throughout the present specification. The internally selected clock signal pair EC/EC# is typically selected from either an input clock signal pair K/K# or an output clock signal pair C/C#. Input clock signal pair K/K# typically controls and aligns the timing of the input signals to the system, while output clock signal pair C/C# typically controls and aligns the timing of the output signals from the system. (Thus, 'output' clock signals C and C# are actually input signals.)
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a simple circuit 100 for providing either an input clock signal pair K/K# or an output clock signal pair C/C# as the internally selected clock signal pair EC/EC#. Circuit 100 includes logical AND gate 101 and multiplexer 102. AND gate 101 is coupled to receive the output clock signals C and C# of the output clock signal pair C/C#. If the both of the output clock signals C and C# have a logic high state (e.g., are tied to the VDD supply voltage), then AND gate 101 will provide a clock pulse signal CPULSE having a logic "1" state. Otherwise, the clock pulse signal CPULSE has a logic "0" state.
The clock pulse signal CPULSE is applied to the control terminal of multiplexer 102. If the clock pulse signal CPULSE signal has a logic '1' state, then multiplexer 102 routes the input clock signal pair K/K# as the internally selected clock signal pair EC/EC#. Conversely, if the clock pulse signal CPULSE has a logic '0' state, then multiplexer 102 routes the output clock signal pair C/C# as the internally selected clock signal pair EC/EC#.
The internally selected clock signal pair EC/EC# is provided to data output circuit 103. In response, data output circuit 103 transfers received data values DI as output data values DO. In a typical high speed application, the data output circuit 103 includes a delay locked loop (DLL), which aligns the output data values DO to the internally selected clock signal pair EC/EC#.
FIG. 2 is a waveform diagram illustrating conventional output clock signals C and C#. The output clock signal pair C/C# (and the input clock signal pair K/K#) must conform to certain specifications. For example, each of the output clock signals C and C# typically requires a duty cycle in the range of 40 to 60 percent of one period of the clock cycle (TCYCLE). In addition, within the output clock signal pair C/C#, the time between the rising edges of the output clock signal C and the rising edges of the complementary clock signal C# is typically required to be in the range of 45 to 55 percent of TCYCLE. Hence, it is possible for the output clock signal C and the complementary output clock signal C# to have a logic '1' state for up to 15 percent of the period TCYCLE. In this case, a pulse filter capable of filtering a pulse width greater than 0.15×TCYCLE is required to ensure that the clock signal C and the complementary clock signal C# are not simultaneously detected in a logic '1' state. Failure to filter in this manner would result in the system erroneously providing the input clock signal K/K# as the internally selected clock signal EC/EC#.
Given the above-described clock specifications, it is possible for the erroneous logic '1' pulses of clock pulse signal CPULSE to be separated in time by 40% of the period TCYCLE or more. Thus, the pulse filter is also required to filter pulses having a separation greater than or equal to 0.4×TCYCLE. Failure to filter in this manner would result in the system erroneously providing the input clock signal K/K# as the internally selected clock signal EC/EC#.
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a conventional circuit 300 for solving the above-identified problems. Circuit 300 adds delay chain 301 and logical AND gate 302 between the logical AND gate 101 and the multiplexer 102 of FIG. 1. One input of AND gate 302 is coupled to receive the clock pulse signal CPULSE, and the other input of AND gate 302 is coupled to receive a delayed clock pulse signal CPULSE—D, which is a delayed version of the clock pulse signal CPULSE. The delayed clock pulse signal CPULSE—D is created by routing the clock pulse signal CPULSE through delay chain 301. AND gate 302 provides a clock select signal SELK in response to the CPULSE and CPULSE—D signals. In order for circuit 300 to operate without providing undesired glitches in the clock select signal SELK, delay circuit 301 must introduce a delay (TDELAY) with a duration greater than 0.15×TCYCLE and less than 0.4×TCYCLE. The delay TDELAY must have a duration greater than 0.15×TCYCLE to prevent short glitches in the clock pulse signal CPULSE (as illustrated by the logic '1' states of the CPULSE signal in FIG. 2) from being transmitted to the clock select signal SELK. The delay TDELAY must also have a duration less than 0.4×TCYCLE to ensure that a logic '1' glitch in the delayed clock pulse signal CPULSE—D is no longer being provided to AND gate 302 at the same time that a current glitch in the clock pulse signal CPULSE may exist. That is, a delay TDELAY having a duration less than 0.4×TCYCLE prevents the delayed version of a first glitch in the CPULSE signal from interacting with a subsequent glitch in the CPULSE signal.
The limited range of acceptable delays within delay chain 301 has several disadvantages. First, circuit 300 will only work in a frequency range of 0.15/TDELAY (minimum frequency) to 0.4/TDELAY (maximum frequency). Second, the delay introduced by delay chain 301 will vary with voltage, temperature and process, thereby narrowing the frequency range even further. For example, if the maximum delay is equal to 1.5 times the minimum delay (due to voltage, temperature and process variations), and the highest frequency of operation is equal to 250 MHz, then the lowest frequency of operation is limited to 250 MHz×1.5×0.15/0.4=141 MHz.
While there are circuit modifications that can alleviate this problem (e.g., using analog techniques to get a relatively constant delay TDELAY; using an unsymmetrical delay circuit that delays a logic '1' signal much more than a logic '0' signal), these circuit modifications will not eliminate the frequency dependency problem altogether.
It would therefore be desirable to have an output clock selection circuit that overcomes the above-described deficiencies.

Data output clock selection circuit for quad-data rate interface


A digital broadcast receiving device (100) includes: a same broadcast station determination unit (109) that determines that a broadcast station broadcasting programs with the same broadcast times as the broadcast times of programs broadcast by a selected broadcast station in a predetermined interval in program schedules included in broadcast station information stored in a broadcast station information storage unit (108) is the same broadcast station as the selected broadcast station, generates same broadcast station information associating the selected broadcast station with the broadcast station determined to be the same broadcast station, and stores the same broadcast station information in the broadcast station information storage unit (108); and a station selection control unit (107) that, when reception deterioration is detected, controls the broadcast receiving unit (112) so as to switch the broadcast station selection over to a same broadcast station as determined by the same broadcast station determination unit (109) or to a broadcast station indicated by the same broadcast station information stored in the broadcast station information storage unit (108).

In the past, when reception of a program being viewed by use of a receiving device mounted in a vehicle became impossible because of a drop in the receiving level or for some other reason, it was necessary for the viewer to go to the trouble of searching through the broadcast stations one by one to find a receivable station and decide for himself or herself whether or not it was broadcasting the same program.
To eliminate the need for these troublesome procedures, the digital broadcast receiving device described in patent reference 1, for example, decides on the basis of the agreement of program identification information obtained from the broadcast signal whether or not another broadcast station is broadcasting the same program as the program currently being viewed, and when it becomes impossible to receive the program currently being viewed, automatically switches over to another broadcast station that is broadcasting the same program.

Digital broadcast receiving device and station selection method


A mailbox is secured to a support by a tongue and groove connection. The support may be formed of two side by side pieces, which are maintained in assembly by the tongue and grove connection. The two pieces of the support may have mating protrusions and pockets preventing sideway displacement of the support pieces from one another.

Rural mailboxes positioned on the side of roads are exposed to weather conditions, road maintenance work and vandalism. Plastic mailboxes are increasingly favored because they are relatively sturdy, maintain a good appearance over time and resist accidental and deliberate damage. Such plastic mailboxes may include a postal box, a newspaper box and a vertical support, which attaches to a post installed in the ground.


A fueling agent operates a fueling agent client device for collecting and generating transaction data relating to a fueling transaction. The fueling agent client device transmits the transaction data to a fuel management server, for example, via a wireless communications link. The fuel management server stores the transaction data in a transaction record. The transaction data includes final fuel load data indicating an amount of fuel dispensed during the fueling transaction. Selected transaction data is retrieved from the transaction record and is delivered to a data communications system for transmission to a receiver. The receiver may be in the cockpit of an aircraft. An aircraft data communication system may be a digital data link system for transmitting data to and from the aircraft via VHF radio, such as ACARS. The fuel management server may communicate with an aircraft data communication system directly, or indirectly via an airline computer system.

For safety, efficiency, accounting and other purposes, it is important for an airline to carefully track certain data throughout the aircraft fueling process. Such data, which is often referred to as "fuel ticket data," may include fueling transaction data, dispatch details, fuel load and aircraft information. Almost all airlines currently use a paper-based method for collecting, recording and communicating fuel ticket data. Using paper to manually record and communicate fuel ticket data is undesirable because paper records can be lost or misfiled and fuel ticket data can be written incorrectly or illegibly. In addition, fuel ticket data recorded on paper must be manually reentered into computer-based accounting systems.
An aircraft pilot requires fuel load information before aircraft departure so that the aircraft can be properly trimmed. Use of a paper-based method for collecting, recording and communicating fuel ticket data requires manual delivery of fuel ticket data to the pilot, typically in the form of a printed paper ticket. For example, the fueling agent may print a paper ticket containing fuel load information and may carry it to the gate agent to be given to the pilot. The manual exchange of a printed paper ticket adds additional time to the fueling process for each flight. If the paper ticket is lost at the gate, the fueling agent will need to re-print the ticket and return to the gate, adding further delay to the process.
In addition, requiring or allowing fueling agents to physically enter the airline terminal presents a potential security risk. Allowing fueling agents into the passenger gate area may also be undesirable because they may not be dressed in an appropriate manner to be seen by customers. Accordingly, airlines and aircraft fueling companies have a need for an automated system for collecting, managing and storing aircraft fueling information and for communicating fuel ticket data based thereon.


A charging circuit applied to a first electronic device includes a charging interface, a charging module coupled therewith and configured to detect a connection between the charging interface and a second electronic device, and adjust a current output to the second electronic device, a reverse charging protocol module, and a control module. The reverse charging protocol module is configured to determine a reverse charging protocol matched with the charging current of the second electronic device. The control module is coupled with the charging module and the reverse charging protocol module, and configured to acquire the reverse charging protocol determined by the reverse charging protocol module in response to the connection between the charging interface and the second electronic device, and control the charging module to adjust the current output to the second electronic device based on the reverse charging protocol. The charging circuit can increase the reverse charging current.

Mobile phones, tablets, and other electronic devices have limited power storage capacity, and may shut down due to insufficient power when not connected to a power supply. In some situations, a reverse charging function may enable an electronic device to be used as a power source to reversely charge other electronic devices.

Charging circuit, electronic device, charging control method and device

BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.


If arc interruption occurs during AC arc welding, a first AC frequency predetermined for normal welding is switched to a second AC frequency higher than the first AC frequency. This allows the arc to be reignited without applying a high frequency high voltage, thereby preventing the damage of the surface of the weld bead or communication failure due to the high frequency high voltage.

In terms of environmental issues, aluminum and magnesium materials have been used in recent years for buildings, vehicles, etc. because of their lightweight and highly recyclable natures. These materials are generally joined by AC arc welding. However, in the case of applying AC arc welding to, for example, an aluminum material, arc interruption may occur when the polarity is switched from positive (the electrode is negative) to negative (the electrode is positive) or vice versa.
Arc interruption reduces workability, and also cools the melt pool, possibly causing weld defects. The conventional way to solve these problems is to regenerate the arc by applying a high-frequency high voltage between the electrode and the base material.
The operation of a conventional AC arc welding device to address arc interruption will be described as follows with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 is a schematic configuration view of the conventional AC arc welding device. FIG. 10 shows the change in welding control signals with time when arc interruption occurs during conventional AC arc welding control.
The operation of the AC arc welding device having the structure shown in FIG. 9 will be described with reference to FIG. 10. This is a non-consumable electrode AC arc welding device in which a positive-polarity period and a negative-polarity period are alternated.
In FIG. 9, AC arc welding device 1 includes welding output unit 2, AC frequency controller 3, current detection unit 4, arc interruption detecting unit 6, and high-voltage generator 16. Welding output unit 2 outputs a welding output. AC frequency controller 3 controls an AC frequency. Current detection unit 4 detects a welding current. Arc interruption detecting unit 6 detects arc interruption from the detection result of current detection unit 4. High-voltage generator 16 applies a high voltage between electrode 9 and base material 12. Electrode 9 is provided in welding torch 10. The welding output from welding output unit 2 is applied between electrode 9 and base material 12 so as to create arc 11 used for welding.
In FIG. 10, a time E1 is when the arc is extinguished, and a time E2 is when the arc is reignited.
In FIG. 9, welding output unit 2 includes primary and secondary inverters for alternating the positive-polarity period and the negative-polarity period based on the output of AC frequency controller 3. Welding output unit 2 receives commercial power (for example, three-phase 200V) from outside of AC arc welding device 1 and outputs welding voltage and current suitable for welding.
A negative polarity means that arc plasma electrons move in the direction from base material 12 to electrode 9, and that electrode 9 is positive, and base material 12 is negative. A positive polarity, on the other hand, means that arc plasma electrons move in the direction from electrode 9 to base material 12, and that electrode 9 is negative, and base material 12 is positive.
Current detection unit 4, which can be composed of a current transformer (CT), detects the welding current, and sets an arc interruption signal high when arc interruption occurs, and low when the arc is present.
Arc interruption detecting unit 6, which can be composed of a CPU, determines the occurrence of arc interruption from a current detection signal received from current detection unit 4.
AC frequency controller 3, which can be composed of a CPU, controls the welding output at a predetermined AC frequency, and outputs positive and negative control signals determined based on the AC frequency to welding output unit 2.
Welding output unit 2 includes IGBTs or other similar devices which switch the output polarity based on the positive and negative control signals. When the positive control signal is high, welding output unit 2 changes the output polarity such that electrons move from electrode 9 to base material 12, thereby providing the positive-polarity period. When the negative control signal is high, on the other hand, welding output unit 2 changes the output polarity such that electrons move from base material 12 to electrode 9, thereby providing the negative-polarity period.
The welding current and voltage from welding output unit 2 are supplied to welding torch 10 to create arc 11 between the tip of electrode 9 and base material 12 so as to perform AC arc welding.
High-voltage generator 16 applies a high frequency high voltage (generally, 12 kV) between electrode 9 and base material 12 when the arc interruption signal received from arc interruption detecting unit 6 is high. When the arc interruption signal is low, high-voltage generator 16 stops applying the high frequency high voltage.
As shown in FIG. 10, the arc interruption signal goes high at the time E1 when the arc is extinguished during normal welding. High-voltage generator 16 applies a high frequency high voltage (for example, 12 kV) to regenerate the arc between electrode 9 and base material 12.
Applying the high frequency high voltage between electrode 9 and base material 12 breaks the isolation between them, thereby regenerating the arc. At the time E2 when the arc is regenerated, high-voltage generator 16 stops applying the high frequency high voltage.
AC frequency controller 3 operates at an AC frequency predetermined for normal welding both while the arc is being interrupted and when the arc is present.
As described hereinbefore, according to the conventional method for performing AC arc welding using AC arc welding device 1, the arc is regenerated by applying a high frequency high voltage at the occurrence of arc interruption (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).
In this conventional method, however, the high frequency high voltage applied to reignite the arc at the occurrence of arc interruption may damage the surface of the weld bead or cause communication failure due to the high frequency high voltage.

Alternating-current welding method and alternating-current welding device

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


A hammer with simplified structure and reduced costs that maintains its capability as a mass body to impart a touch weight. The hammer is configured such that it is possible to fix the two mass plates to the metal base plate by means of a single rivet. Therefore, the number of places in which the rivet holes are drilled and disposed in both mass plates and the metal base plate are kept to a minimum, and it is possible to limit the lightening of the weight of both mass plates and the metal base plate by that amount. As a result, since it is possible to configure the base plates and the metal base plate with smaller dimensions while maintaining the required weight, the capability as a mass body to impart a touch weight can be maintained while preventing the enlarging of the hammer overall.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hammer and a keyboard system and, in particular, to a hammer having a simplified structure and reduced costs and that maintains its capability as a mass body to impart a touch weight. The present invention also relates to a keyboard system comprising the hammer. In addition, the present invention relates to a chassis and, in particular, to a chassis in which the chassis main body and the control member are formed as a single unit and with which it is possible to miniaturize the design of the electronic musical instrument overall.
2. Description of Related Art
For some time, hammers have been installed in keyboard systems that are used in electronic pianos and the like. These hammers are provided for each key (for example, 88 keys) and are configured such that, when a key is pressed or released, because the corresponding hammer is linked to the key and swings, a touch weight is imparted that is the same as that for an acoustic piano.
With this kind of hammer, the arrangement of the layout must be limited to the space in the keyboard system, and the hammers are required to be formed in relatively complex shapes. In addition, weight is also needed in order for the hammer to function as the mass body that imparts the touch weight. Because of this, the hammer is furnished with a hammer main body constructed from a resin molding, which has a comparatively large degree of freedom for the shape and a load constructed from a metal material having a high relative density, enabling the weight to be increased. It is normal for the configuration to be such that the load is attached to the tip of the hammer main body.
Here, as the structure for the attachment of the load to the hammer main body, the method is known with which the weight is fixed to the hammer main body by means of riveting. For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Kokai) Number 2000-122652, a hammer is cited in which two mass plates (loads) are attached to the left and right attachment surfaces of the hammer main body so as to sandwich the hammer main body between them. By means of this hammer, after concave portions in both mass plates are aligned with protrusions on each of the attachment surfaces of the hammer main body and the plates are positioned, rivets are driven into each of the two rivet holes that have been drilled into the hammer main body and both mass plates. Thus, by this means, the two mass plates are fixed to the attachment surfaces of the hammer main body (Patent Reference 1).
In addition, it is usual for keyboard systems that are used with electronic pianos and the like to be configured with a chassis, a plurality (for example, 88) of keys that are supported axially so that they swing and that are lined up and disposed on the chassis in the left-right direction, and a plurality of hammers that are linked to the pressing or releasing of each of the keys and, by swinging, impart a touch weight that is the same as that of an acoustic piano. Here, it is necessary that the chassis be provided with a support section for supporting the keys and the hammers, making it possible for them to swing, and a control member that controls the swinging of the keys and the hammers, which swing due to the pressing or releasing of the keys. Alternatively, a guide member can be provided that guides the keys in the up and down direction at the time of pressing or releasing. For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Kokai) Number 2000-122852, a technology is cited in which the unit is furnished with a connecting bar that connects and fixes a chassis that has been divided in the left-right direction. The connecting bar forms the control member discussed above (Patent Reference 1).
Specifically, on each of the chassis, which have been divided into a plurality in the left-right direction, is respectively formed a support section that supports the keys on the rear edge section, a support section that supports the hammers on the center section, and a guide member that guides the keys on the front edge section. The front edges and the rear edges of each chassis are connected and fixed by a long shaped connecting bar. In addition, the bottom portion of the connection bar that connects and fixes the front edges of each chassis forms the control member that controls the lower limit of the swinging of the hammers.
However, with the attachment structure discussed above, it is necessary to drive high-cost rivets into a multiple number of places and the component count increases. In addition, since it is not possible to position each of the mass plates in the circumferential direction with respect to the hammer main body using only the alignment of the protrusions used for positioning and the concave portions, special work is required to position each of the rivet holes with the others. As a result, component and assembly costs increase because of the increase in the component count as well as the added complexity of the attachment work, and the product cost of the hammer overall rises.
Because of the plastic processing ability at the time of caulking, rivet metal having a comparatively low relative density such as aluminum and the like is used. Thus, when the number of locations in which the rivet holes are drilled in the mass plates is in proportion to the number of rivets employed, the weight of the hammer overall is lightened by that amount and it is not possible for the function of the mass plates that impart the touch weight to be fully manifested. In that case, the necessity arises to make the mass plates larger so as to maintain the required weight. This leads to the enlarging of the hammer overall.
In addition, with the chassis structure discussed above, since the connecting bar and the guide member are disposed on the front edge of the chassis, there is the problem that the space for arranging the wiring (the electrical cabling) and the edge plate (the wooden plate that is disposed below the front edge of the white keys) and the like is reduced by that amount. As a result, when the electronic musical instrument is assembled, the wiring and the edge plate protrude further outward than the front edge of the white keys by the amount for the disposition of the connecting bar and the guide member. Thus, the electronic musical instrument becomes larger and its appearance is blemished.
In addition, when the connecting bar and the guide member are arranged on the front edge of the chassis in this manner, the position for the arrangement of the hammers must be shifted toward the rear edge of the chassis; since the chassis is extended toward the back, the electronic musical instrument becomes enlarged by this amount also.
The present invention solves the problems discussed above and has as its object the provision of a hammer and a keyboard system that has a simplified hammer structure and, while designing for a reduction in the component and assembly costs, maintains the capability of the mass body to impart a touch weight. In addition, it has as its object the provision of a chassis in which the chassis main body is molded in a single unit with the control member and that makes possible the reduction in size of the electronic musical instrument.


A separable modulator architecture is disclosed. The modulator has a mirror suspended from a flexible layer over a cavity. The flexible layer also forms supports and support posts for the mirror. An alternative separable modulator architecture has a mirror suspended over a cavity. The modulator is supported by supports and support posts. The support posts comprise a flexible layer over support post plugs. A bus structure may be formed upon the flexible layer arranged over the support posts.

Spatial light modulators used for imaging applications come in many different forms. Transmissive liquid crystal device (LCD) modulators modulate light by controlling the twist and/or alignment of crystalline materials to block or pass light. Reflective spatial light modulators exploit various physical effects to control the amount of light reflected to the imaging surface. Examples of such reflective modulators include reflective LCDs, and digital micromirror devices (DMD™).
Another example of a spatial light modulator is an interferometric modulator that modulates light by interference, such as the iMoD™. The iMoD employs a cavity having at least one movable or deflectable wall. As the wall, typically comprised at least partly of metal, moves towards a front surface of the cavity, interference occurs that affects the color of light viewed at the front surface. The front surface is typically the surface where the image seen by the viewer appears, as the iMoD is a direct-view device.
Currently, iMoDs are constructed of membranes formed over supports, the supports defining individual mechanical elements that comprise the picture elements (pixels) of an image. In a monochrome display, such as a display that switches between black and white, one iMoD element might correspond to one pixel. In a color display, three iMoD elements may make up each pixel, one each for red, green and blue.
The individual iMoD elements are controlled separately to produce the desired pixel reflectivity. Typically, a voltage is applied to the movable wall of the cavity, causing it be to electrostatically attracted to the front surface that in turn affects the color of the pixel seen by the viewer. Since the iMoD is based upon a membrane, however, some objectionable artifacts may occur around the edges of the elements. As the membrane deflects or deforms towards the front surface, it typically does not achieve a uniform flatness. The portions of the membrane that curve away from the fully-deformed membrane held tightly against the front surface are at differing distances away from the front surface, which may result in the objectionable artifacts.
Since the iMoD typically functions as a direct-view device, the back surface of the movable portion of the cavities may be operated upon without negatively affecting the image quality. This may also provide more freedom in other aspects of the manufacture of these devices

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A leadframe with a chip pad for two-sided stacking including a chip pad and a plurality of leads is disclosed. A dielectric adhesive layer is formed on the lower surface of the chip pad and is adhered onto a first trace layer, which has a connecting pad. At least a through hole passes through the chip pad, the dielectric adhesive layer and the first trace layer. An electrically-conductive material is formed inside the through hole for electrically connecting the connecting pad of the first trace layer to the chip pad. When an electronic component is mounted on the lower surface of the chip pad, a plurality of bonding wires having one ends on the upper surface of the chip pads can electrically connect the electronic component to the leads for achieving two-sided stacking of the chip pad.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a leadframe, and more particularly to a leadframe with a chip pad for two-sided stacking and the manufacturing method for the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Multi-chip package (MCP), a packaging technology attracting more and more attentions recently, integrates several chips of various types or passive pieces into a semiconductor package structure, so that the MCP is more available in functions or higher in capacity. A leadframe with chip pad is a commonly used multi-chip carriage and is conducive to the saving of manufacturing costs. Besides, in order to further reduce package size, a chip or a passive piece is respectively stacked on the upper and the lower surface of the chip pad of the leadframe. However, as the conductive path of the chips inside the package becomes more complicated, it becomes more difficult for the layout of the leads of the leadframe to meet the requirements of the multi-chip.
A multi-chip package structure using the leadframe, "Semi-conductor stacking Package Structure", is disclosed in Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 486151. Referring to FIG. 1, the package structure at least includes a chip pad 10, a plurality of leads 20, an upper chip 30, a lower chip 40 and a molding compound 60. Both the chip pad 10 and the leads 20 are components of a leadframe. The leads 20 are disposed on the periphery of the chip pad 10. The upper chip 30 is attached onto the upper surface 11 of the chip pad 10. The lower chip 40 is attached onto the lower surface 12 of the chip pad 10. The chip pad 10 being a metal material can only provide simple connection for grounding. The electrical connection between the upper chip 30 and the leads 20 is achieved by a plurality of first bonding wires 51 formed through wire-bonding. The first bonding wires 51 are formed by placing the upper surface 11 of the chip pad 10 upwards. The electrical connection between the lower chip 40 and the leads 20 is achieved by a plurality of second bonding wires 52 formed through wire-bonding. The second bonding wires 52 are formed by placing the lower surface 12 of the chip pad 10 upwards. Then, the molding compound 60 is used to encapsulate the upper chip 30, the lower chip 40, the first bonding wires 51 and the second bonding wires 52, so the wire-bonding step is made even more difficult. Moreover, the number of the chips packed inside a molding compound is limited, the layout of trace can not be too complicated due to the leadframe and bonding wire, neither can a passive piece nor other surface mounting electronic component be integrated into the upper and the lower surface of the chip pad.

Leadframe with a chip pad for two-sided stacking and method for manufacturing the same

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.


A spark plug according to the invention includes a metal shell, an insulator, a center electrode, a first ground electrode, and a second ground electrode. The metal shell has a threaded portion with an outer diameter in a range of 12 to 14 mm. The first ground electrode is aligned with the center electrode in an axial direction of the spark plug to form a first spark gap across which normal sparks are discharged in normal conditions. The second ground electrode is aligned with the center electrode in a radial direction of the spark plug to form a second spark gap across which side sparks are discharged when the insulator is fouled with carbon deposits. The spark plug has an improved structure ensuring that when the insulator is fouled with carbon deposits, side sparks are discharged without formation of channels on the insulator, thereby recovering the insulation properties of the insulator.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to spark plugs for internal combustion engines. More particularly, the invention relates to a spark plug which has a center electrode, a first ground electrode aligned with the center electrode in an axial direction of the spark plug to form a first spark gap across which sparks are discharged in normal conditions, and a second ground electrode aligned with the center electrode in a radial direction of the spark plug to form a second spark gap across which sparks are discharged when an insulator of the spark plug is fouled with carbon deposits.
2. Description of the Related Art
Existing spark plugs with a plurality of ground electrodes generally include a tubular metal shell, a cylindrical insulator, a center electrode, a first ground electrode, and a second ground electrode.
The metal shell has a threaded portion for fitting the spark plug into a combustion chamber of an engine.
The insulator has a bore formed therethrough in an axial direction thereof and is fixed in the metal shell such that an end thereof protrudes from an end of the metal shell.
The center electrode is secured in the bore of the insulator and includes a first diameter portion, a second diameter portion, and an intermediate portion provided between the first and second diameter portions. The first diameter portion is positioned outside the bore of the insulator and has a free end. The second diameter portion has a diameter greater than that of the first diameter portion. The intermediate portion has a first interface with the first diameter portion and a second interface with the second diameter portion and tapers from the second interface to the first interface.
The first ground electrode has a base end joined to the end of the metal shell and a tip portion that faces the end of the first diameter portion of the center electrode through a first spark gap in the axial direction of the insulator.
The second electrode has a base end joined to the end of the metal shell and a tip portion that faces the second interface of the intermediate portion of the center electrode with the second diameter portion of the same through a second spark gap in a radial direction of the insulator.
In such a spark plug, normal sparks are discharged across the first spark gap in normal conditions of the spark plug.
However, when the insulator of the spark plug is fouled with carbon deposits, "side sparks" may be discharged, instead of the normal sparks, across the second spark gap.
Specifically, with reference to FIG. 9, the electrical field formed in the spark plug tends to concentrate on the second interface 3bc of the intermediate portion 3b of the center electrode 3 with the second diameter portion 3c of the same. In other words, the electrical field generally has a large strength on the interface 3bc. As a result, when the insulator 2 is fouled with carbon deposits, side sparks may be discharged which jump from the interface 3bc to an end 5a of the tip portion 5t of the second ground electrode 5, thereby burning off the carbon deposits.
When the insulator 2 is fouled with carbon deposits, the insulation properties of the insulator 2 are degraded, or even lost. However, with the above arrangement, the spark plug can clean the insulator 2 by itself through burning off the carbon deposits with the side sparks, thereby recovering the insulation properties of the insulator 2.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-93645 and Japanese Patent No. 3272615 disclose spark plugs designed to maximize such a "self-clean" effect by burning off the carbon deposits with side sparks. In those spark plugs, the second interface 3bc of the intermediate portion 3b with the second diameter portion 3c is positioned inside the bore 2b of the insulator 2, and side sparks are discharged along a discharge path Z as shown in FIG. 9, which includes the whole length between the inner and outer edge of the end 2a of the insulator 2.
However, in the above spark plugs, since side sparks pass through the whole length between the inner and outer edge of the end 2a of the insulator 2, a channeling problem tends to occur. The channeling problem here denotes a phenomenon in which the end 2a of the insulator 2 is melted due to the heat energy transferred thereto from the side sparks that creep through the end 2a, thus forming channels along the discharge path Z on the end 2a.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent No. 3140006 discloses a spark plug in which the second interface 3bc of the intermediate portion 3b with the second diameter portion 3c is positioned outside the bore 2b of the insulator 2. However, in the spark plug, the discharge path Z, along which side sparks are discharged, still includes the whole length between the inner and outer edge of the end 2a of the insulator 2. Consequently, the channeling problem still tends to occur.

Spark plug with a plurality of ground electrodes