Methods and apparatuses for mobile device location via a network based local area augmentation system. In one embodiment a plurality of base stations each has a known location. Each base station includes a positioning receiver to generate base station location information and a link to a network to transmit the base station location information. A correction information calculation module is coupled to the network to receive base station location information from each of the base stations via the network. The correction information calculation module calculates correction information as a function of the base station location information and the known location for all of the base stations.

1. Field
The present disclosure pertains to the field of location systems. More particularly, the present disclosure pertains to techniques for providing improved precision location information using a network based local area augmentation system.
2. Description of Related Art
Mobile communication technologies have recently enjoyed substantial growth and are likely to continue to experience increasing growth and acceptance in the near future. Currently, many cars, trucks, airplanes, boats, and other vehicles are equipped with devices that allow convenient and reliable mobile communication through a network of satellite-based or land-based transceivers. Advances in this technology have also led to widespread use of hand-held, portable mobile communications devices.
Many customers of mobile communications systems also find desirable an accurate determination of their location. Such information may be reported to a remote location to provide various location-based services. For example, a cellular telephone in a vehicle or carried by a person offers a convenient communication link to report location information. Services such as directions or the location of nearby facilities of a desired type may be provided based on the location information relayed. In current systems, location information is generated by traditional positioning systems, including a satellite-based positioning system such as the global positioning system (GPS) using NAVSTAR satellites, the Russian GLONASS system, or the European EUTELSAT system, or a land-based positioning system, such as LORAN-C. These approaches, however, may not be suitable for particular applications that require highly accurate and/or reliable location information.
One known technique for providing improved location information involves the use of differential GPS calculations (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,170). Such systems may use a single fixed base station in a known location with a GPS receiver to generate correction signals. These correction signals are relayed to the mobile device (e.g., a phone), where they can be used to improve the accuracy of the location information derived by a GPS receiver in the phone. The use of a single base-station based correction information computation engine and a single tower's GPS receiver to perform calculations may be convenient; however, the accuracy and reliability of such systems may still not be sufficient for applications that benefit from highly precise location information.
Some other prior art systems utilize various fields of antennas or receivers to generate correction information. For example, a local area augmentation system (LAAS), also known as a ground based augmentation system (GBAS), may be used in airplane navigation and landing systems (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,484). Such systems employ multiple ground receivers or beacons in fixed locations aligned along a runway. These receivers each individually transmit correction information to the GPS receiver in the airplane, which performs computations including all the information from the multiple receivers. This type of arrangement may be impractical for cellular phone and other consumer-oriented location devices because additional radio frequency receivers are needed to receive information from the runway beacons and because the multiple beacons each provide data requiring substantial additional computations at the GPS receiver. Such complicated processing may disadvantageously burden the processing resources and/or the power (e.g., battery) resources of a mobile device. Moreover, wide deployment of many such beacons solely for the purpose of a positioning system would be a costly undertaking.
Additionally, one other prior art location technique is a wide area augmentation system (WAAS). The WAAS also provides supplemental correction data in order to establish better locations. One such system is being deployed with a limited set of antenna stations (currently 25) being deployed throughout the United States. This system, however, also relies on radio-frequency transmission of correction information. Moreover, correction data from single, widely spaced antennas may not provide sufficiently accurate correction information to allow sufficiently precise location calculations to be performed for some applications.

Method and apparatus for mobile device location via a network based local area augmentation system


A method is disclosed for routing a telephone call over a computer network such as the internet. On determination that the call is to be handled in this way, temporary computer network addresses are allocated to the calling party and called party by their respective local exchanges. The calling party local exchange determines the computer network address of the called party local exchange from a dedicated server.

This invention relates to a method of handling a telephone call, and in particular to a method which allows long-distance telephone calls to be routed over the internet, to take advantage of the fact that this may be more cost effective for the telephone subscriber than relying on the normal telephone network.
WO96/20553 describes one possible communication system, in which the internet is used for an intermediate leg of a long-distance telephone call. Voice mail or facsimile messages can be sent to a subscriber, and will be stored at a dedicated node in the network, from which they may be retrieved by the subscriber. This document also describes an arrangement whereby one such subscriber may route a long-distance telephone call to another such subscriber, with the internet being used for an intermediate leg of the transmission, between the dedicated access nodes to which the two subscribers are connected.
However, this system requires that each subscriber should be registered with the network of dedicated access nodes, before the internet can be used to route a telephone call between them.
This invention relates to a method, and to a telephone exchange for use in such a method, which allows a telephone call to be routed over the internet, without requiring any specific registration by either of the subscribers. In preferred embodiments of the invention, when a calling subscriber indicates that he wishes a particular call to be routed over the internet, he is allocated an internet address for the duration of the call. His local telephone exchange determines which local exchange serves the called party, and establishes an internet connection thereto. The local exchange of the called party allocates an internet address to the called party for the duration of the call. This address is returned to the calling party""s exchange, thus allowing establishment of a connection over the internet for speech/data transfer between the calling and called parties.
Thus, the call can be routed over the internet without requiring either subscriber to have taken any special steps such as registering with a particular service provider, before the call is placed.
Moreover, the invention allows the call to be routed over the internet while using a desired telephone network protocol such as ISUP. This means that the use of the internet is transparent to the user, there is no feature of the call which appears different from a call which is routed over the normal telephone network. Moreover, the use of a telephone network protocol such as ISUP means that all services supported by ISUP, including IN services if available in the version of ISUP, are available even though the call is routed over the internet.


A line-conditioning test unit query system automatically queries direct access test units of respective telephone facilities that are used for conditioning and testing telephone lines, to obtain data representative of usage by the test units. A centralized usage tracking or polling processor is programmed to execute a polling routine, which sequences through dialing directory listing each test unit of the network. The polling processor generates tone signal-formatted commands to which the test units respond with synthesized voice messages containing usage parameter data. Using a speech-to-text conversion operator, the routine converts synthesized voice responses from the queried DATUs into digital data for storage in a relational database, from which usage reports are derived.

The U.S. Pat. to A. Chan et al, No. 4,841,560, and the U.S. Pat. to D. Heins et al, No. 5,528,660, assigned to the assignee of the present application and the disclosures of which are herein incorporated, describe line-conditioning devices that allow a single field technician or craftsperson to test a subscriber line without requiring participation by another technician at the far end of the line of interest (in the central office). For this purpose, such line-conditioning devices are installable in telephone system facilities (central offices) of a network, and are configured to be remotedly called or accessed `directly` by a craftsperson for the purpose of performing prescribed line-conditioning operations that are observable by the craftsperson's test set. Such a line-conditioning device is typically referred to as a direct access test unit or DATU.
More particularly, as diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 1, a typical telephone network facility such as a central office 12 includes a central office switch 14, central office test devices 16, and a direct access test unit (DATU) 18. The central office test devices 16 are capable of providing an interface with various operational support systems of a data center 20, such as a service vehicle dispatch, outside plant record database, automated testing systems, and electronic network schematics.
The line-conditioning device (DATU) 18 provides the craftsperson with the ability to interactively apply test signals to a telephone line under test, and thereby selectively conduct a number of tests of a line under test (LUT), by invoking specified key combinations (sequences) from the craftsperson's telephone test set 22, which cause the transmission of tone signals (dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals) to which the DATU is programmed to respond. Communications from a respective DATU to the craftsperson's test set are effected by means of synthesized voice messages sourced from the DATU, which are then audibly or visually presented to the craftsperson, depending upon the type of communications device being employed.
In order to enable the telephone service provider to monitor DATU usage, each DATU includes a set of usage parameter registers or counters that keep a record of every access by a test set. To monitor DATU usage, it has been conventional practice for network personnel to access a respective DATU within a bank of such circuits (which may literally involve hundreds of DATUs) by manually keying in tone signal-formatted messages using essentially the same procedure employed by a field technician to access a DATU for testing test a line. Since response messages produced by the DATU are formatted as synthesized voice reply messages, it is necessary for the individual accessing the DATU to listen to the reply message and manually record its contents, so that they may be entered into a spreadsheet database for subsequent analysis. Once the contents of the usage registers have been read, they are cleared. To access another DATU, the operator must then repeat the procedure. Because conventional usage access to each DATU is manually controlled, it is subject to user errors, is labor-intensive and is extremely time consuming. (Indeed, it is not uncommon for system personnel to spend on the order of four hundred hours or more per month calling into all the DATUs of a system).

Automatic polling of direct access test unit to obtain usage data


The present invention is directed to a battery charger for charging a battery pack. The battery charger includes a plurality of components including a power supply. The battery charger also includes a temperature sensor that senses the temperature of at least one of the plurality of battery charger components, for example a transformer. The battery charger power supply is adjusted based on the temperature of the at least one of the plurality of battery charger components.

Lithium ion batteries have an associated impedance and more specifically a resistance to their construction. This impedance results in an increase in the voltage of the cell past the state of charge (SOC) voltage during a time of charging. The voltage increase is directly related to the resistance of the cell and the rate of current being applied to the cell. While charging, this voltage increase may cause the cell to exceed a high voltage threshold and the battery charger to terminate charge before the cell reaches it full charge. When the charging current is stopped the cell voltage will fall to its true SOC voltage which is lower than the desired charge voltage. The result is a cell that is not fully charged.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional battery charger 100 and battery pack 102. When the battery pack 102 is to be charged, the battery pack 102 is electromechanically coupled to the battery charger 100. The "+" power terminal 104a of the battery pack 102 is coupled to the "+" power terminal 106a of the battery charger 100 and the "−" power terminal 104b of the battery pack 102 is coupled to the "−" power terminal 106b of the battery charger 100. In addition, a plurality of battery pack taps 108a, 108b, 108c, 108d—connections to a node between adjacent battery cells 110—are coupled to a corresponding plurality of battery pack signal terminals 112. When the battery pack 102 is coupled to the battery charger 100 the plurality of battery pack signal terminals 112 are coupled to a corresponding plurality of charger signal terminals 114. The plurality of charger signal terminals 114 are coupled to a cell voltage monitor 116 of the battery charger 100.
The battery charger 100 also comprises a charge controller 118 and a power supply 120. The charge controller 118 connects and disconnects the power supply 120 from the battery pack 102, effectively enabling and disabling charging of the battery pack 102. The power supply 120 receives input power from an external power source. The external power source may be, for example, an AC mains line. The power supply 120 conditions the received AC power and generates a power supply power signal. The power supply 120 is coupled to the charge controller 118 and provides the power supply power signal to the charge controller 118. The power supply 120 may condition the received power by rectifying the AC power signal into a rectified AC power signal. The power supply 120 may also condition the received power signal or the rectified AC power signal by adjusting the current signal provided to the charge controller 118 and the battery pack 102. The charge controller 118 may include a switch that may be placed in a closed state to transfer power to the battery pack 102 or in an open state to prevent the transfer of power to the battery pack 102. The battery charger 100 may also include a current controller 122. The current controller 122 is coupled to the power supply 120. In the conventional battery charger 100 the cell voltage monitor 116 is also coupled to the current controller 122. The current controller 122 may receive control signals from the cell voltage monitor 116 and provide control signals to the power supply 120.
The cell voltage monitor 116 is coupled to the battery charger signal terminals 114 and as such, receives information regarding the voltage levels of the battery cells 110. Based on the information the cell voltage monitor 116 receives from the battery pack 102 the cell voltage monitor 116 generates and sends control signals to the charge controller 118 and/or the current controller 122. The battery pack 102 may also include a temperature sensor 124. The battery pack temperature sensor 124 is positioned near the battery cells 110 and is coupled to a battery pack signal terminal 112a. This signal terminal 112a is coupled to a corresponding battery charger signal terminal 114a which is in turn coupled to the charge controller 118 and/or the current controller 122. Based on the signals received from the battery cell taps 108 and/or the battery temperature sensor 124, the current controller 122 and/or the charge controller 118 can control the charging power/current supplied from the battery charger 100 to the battery pack 102, as will be described in more detail below.

Battery charger and method of charging a battery


The subject of the present invention is a process for producing adherent cells comprising:                a. introducing a suspension of adherent cells into a culture vessel containing microcarriers in a culture medium;        b. amplifying the cells by performing a plurality of cell passages in the same culture vessel wherein each cell passage subsequent to the first is carried out:                    i) by using all or part of the cells produced during the previous cell passage after having subjected the cells to enzyme treatment to detach the cells from the microcarriers, and            ii) by introducing culture medium and an increasing amount of microcarriers into the culture medium; and                        c. harvesting the cells produced during the last cell passage, optionally after having subjected the cells to enzyme treatment to detach cells from microcarriers.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject of the invention is a process for producing adherent cells to microcarriers, according to which adherent cells are introduced into a culture vessel which contains microcarriers in a culture medium, and a plurality of cell passages is carried out in the same vessel, each time using all or part of the cells of the preceding cell passage for carrying out the next cell passage. The invention also relates to the implementation of this process for the production of biological agents, used in particular to prepare vaccines or drugs.
2. Summary of the Related Art
In the 1980s, the development of the technology of cell culture on microcarriers facilitated the large-scale production of adherent cells and consequently the production of biological agents. The production of adherent cells intended for the production of biological agents for pharmaceutical use must nevertheless observe a certain number of regulatory constraints, among which the prohibition of the use of adherent cells beyond a certain number of "cell passages" because of the risk of morphological and/or biological transformation of the cells. This is in particular the case of cells of the Vero line.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,912 describes a process that is convenient at an industrial scale for producing an industrial batch of cells from a cell seed originating from a working cell bank. It is based on a succession of cell passages, each in different bioreactors, the working volumes of which increase during the successive cell passages. This makes it possible each time to increase the amount of microcarriers while at the same time maintaining an optimal concentration of microcarriers in the culture medium that is usually comprised between 1 and 5 g/l. The cell biomass thus increases during the successive cell passages until the desired industrial batch of cells is obtained. The transfer of the cells from one bioreactor to another bioreactor is carried out after having detached the adherent cells from their microcarriers by means of treatment with trypsin and then by blocking the action of the enzyme by introducing serum proteins or serum into the medium so as to preserve as much as possible the integrity of the cells. The cell suspension obtained is then transferred (in the presence or absence of the used microcarriers) into a larger bioreactor which contains a greater amount of naked microcarriers. However, this method of industrial production of adherent cells requires the use and the handling of a large amount of material, which has an impact on the production costs for the biological agents.
In order to reduce the production costs for adherent cells intended for the production of biological agents, EP 1060241 proposes a faster production method that no longer requires the production to be reinitiated from a cell seed originating from a working bank each time it is desired to obtain an industrial batch of cells. The method consists in transferring, after each cell passage, most of the cells (80 to 90% of the cell biomass) to one or more other bioreactors so as to continue to amplify the cell biomass and to constitute an industrial production batch of cells, while the remaining 10 to 20% of the cells are maintained so as to keep a stock "of feeder cells" from which further batches of cells can be produced. This method nevertheless has the following drawbacks:                the cell batches produced display a certain heterogeneity insofar as they do not all have the same number of cell passages.        The maintaining of a stock of "feeder" cells in culture at the time of each transfer operation inevitably leads to an "aging" of the cells which is directly linked to the number of cell passages carried out, and can therefore be used only for a limited period of time for the regulatory reasons already mentioned.
To avoid the use of a proteolytic enzyme such as trypsin that is detrimental to cell integrity, Ohlson et al in Cytotechnology (1994), vol 14, p 67-80 describes a "bead to bead cell transfer" technology in the absence of any proteolytic enzyme treatment. The close contact between microcarriers covered by adherent cells and naked microcarriers favours the transfer of cells to the naked microcarriers where the cells can proliferate. Therefore, to increase cell growth, naked microcarriers are added to the culture medium containing microcarriers covered by adherent cells while stirring intermittently the medium to favour the contact between the microcarriers. Nevertheless the cell population which is obtained is dissynchronised with cells in various stages of the cell cycle. This can be of major concern for the production of biological agents.

Abstract: The invention also relates to the implementation of this process for the production of biological agents, serving in particular to prepare vaccines or drugs.


An electrical interconnection (100) includes a plug connector (1) and a receptacle connector (2) mated with each other, each connector including terminals thereof. Every two adjacent terminals (12, 21) of each connector have mating sections (124, 224) disposed in an opposed relationship with each other such that when the plug connector mates with the receptacle connector, mating forces of the mating sections of the plug connector and the receptacle connector are substantially equal to zero. As such, there is no damage happens to an insulative body of the plug connector or the receptacle connector, which is set for holding the respective terminals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the art of electrical connectors, and more particularly to an electrical interconnection including a pair of mated connectors placed between two parallel circuit boards.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrical interconnection including a pair of mated connectors is placed between two parallel circuit boards for establishing electrical continuity between the two circuit boards. In generally, one of the mated connectors includes a plurality of contact terminals arranged in a series of adjacent columns, with mating sections structurally different than mating sections of deflectable terminals of the other connector and adapted for electrically mating with the respective mating sections of the other connector. A problem with a conventional electrical interconnection is that greater mating forces generated during mating the terminals of the first connector with the terminals of the second connector will result in the crack or damage of an insulative housing, which is set for holding the terminals of the first connector or the second connector. It is contemplated that a suitable arrangement of the terminals between the first connector and the second connector is set in order to reduce the mating forces therebetween, thereby preventing the insulative housings of the first connector and the second connector from being damaged.

Electrical interconnection with mating terminals


The invention provides an electroacoustic transducer capable of efficiently carrying out conversion from electric signals to sound or from sound to electric signals at low distortion, which requires no special shape nor processing as a magnet, requires no minute setting of the magnetization direction, and sets a distribution of higher magnetic flux densities for effective action with respect to an electric conductor of an acoustic diaphragm than in a magnet plate magnetized in the radius direction although the production process thereof is remarkably simple as in a magnet plate magnetized in the radius direction.

Conventionally, in an electroacoustic transducer called "Gamuzon type speaker," such a type has been used, in which an acoustic diaphragm on which a flat coil pattern of an electric conductor corresponding to a voice coil is formed is installed at a pair of intermediate parts of a magnetic field generator, and a drive current is supplied to the electric conductor, wherein the acoustic diaphragm is vibrated in the perpendicular direction to the plane thereof.
The acoustic diaphragm of the Gamuzon type speaker is structured so that an electric conductor is disposed almost on the entire surface of the acoustic diaphragm, and is featured in that the entire surface is driven at the same phase and favorable transient characteristics may be obtained at a wide range.
For example, (Patent Document 1) discloses an electroacoustic transducer, in which adjacent band-shaped magnets (or band-shaped areas in a magnet plate) are disposed with the N and S poles thereof made different alternately, the entirety of a magnet plate composed of a number of band-shaped magnets is formed to be like a flat plate, the N and S poles are disposed with the directions thereof made perpendicular to the flat plate surface, and an acoustic diaphragm, in which electric conductors are formed, is disposed opposite to the flat surface of the magnet plate.
In the electroacoustic transducer, since the N and S poles are disposed with the directions thereof made different alternately, there are many parts where the directions of the magnetic field are inverted on the acoustic diaphragm and many parts where the magnetic flux density is low. Therefore, the density of magnetic flux to drive the acoustic diaphragm in the direction perpendicular to the plane, that is, the density (hereinafter called a "magnetic flux density for effective action") of magnetic flux (hereinafter called a "magnetic flux for effective action") by which the electromagnetic force operating on the electric conductors of the acoustic diaphragm is turned into the vibration direction was subjected to a large change. Also, it was necessary that the winding direction of the electric conductor is inverted in accordance with the direction of inverting magnetic fields and that the electric conductors are arranged in accordance with a partially existing area where the magnetic flux density for effective action is high. Therefore, it is not possible to form the entire surface of the diaphragm of a planar coil, and a supporting member such as a synthetic resin sheet to support the planar coil is indispensable. Sound inherent to the supporting member adversely influences the sound quality. Further, there is another problem that great unevenness is brought about in the drive force of respective parts of the diaphragm, which becomes a factor by which separate vibrations become a critical problem for reproduction of high quality sound.
Further, (Patent Document 2) discloses an electroacoustic transducer in which two magnet plates having a columnar-shaped magnet and a ring-shaped magnet separately arranged concentrically at the center side and the outer circumference side are opposed to each other, an acoustic diaphragm (planar coil diaphragm) having electric conductors spirally printed thereon is disposed between the two magnet plates parallel to the magnet plates, and the polarities are inverted at the center side and the outer circumference portion with the magnetization direction of magnets turned into the direction perpendicular to the acoustic diaphragm.
In the electroacoustic transducer, since the electric conductors are spirally wound in the same direction, it becomes possible to form the entire surface of the diaphragm of a planar coil. Therefore, it becomes possible that a drive force may be generated on the entire surface of the diaphragm, wherein this is effective in response to such a problem as in (Patent Document 1). However, since the area at which the magnetic flux density is high is made very narrow in the arrangement of magnets the magnetization direction of which is brought into only the direction perpendicular to the diaphragm, it was impossible to widen the area of the diaphragm. Therefore, it is difficult to adopt the electroacoustic transducer as a low frequency range speaker for which the diameter of the diaphragm is increased, wherein use is restricted to a high frequency range speaker in order to use in a state where the utilization efficiency of magnetic flux is high. In addition, since fluctuations in the magnetic flux density for effective action are large at respective positions of the planar coil, it is not possible to obtain a uniform drive force on the entire surface of the diaphragm, wherein a problem of separate vibrations could not be solved.
Thus, since the area at which the magnetic flux density for effective action is high becomes very narrow in prior art magnet plates the magnetization direction of which is brought into only the direction perpendicular to the diaphragm, it is not possible to widen the area of the diaphragm. Although in (Patent Document 2) the area is widened by widening the gap between the respective magnets at the center side and the outer circumference side, which become two partial areas, as a countermeasure, the magnetic flux density for effective action is lowered in this case, wherein the width is restricted. Finally, it is difficult to adopt such prior art electroacoustic transducers as a low frequency range speaker in which the diameter of the diaphragm is increased. In addition, in almost all cases since the magnetization direction is one direction, the distribution of the magnetic flux density for effective action is adjusted by varying the gap between two types of partial areas. With such restricted adjustment, it is difficult to make uniform the distribution of the magnetic flux density for effective action at respective positions of the acoustic diaphragm, and it is difficult to obtain a uniform drive force at the entire surface of the diaphragm.
In order to solve these problems in the prior arts, (Patent Document 3) that the present applicant earnestly researched and developed and to which a patent right was granted discloses an electroacoustic transducer in which, using a magnet plate (hereinafter called a "magnet plate of optimum magnetization angle") that is divided into a number of partial areas and the respective partial areas are turned into magnetization directions in order to increase the use efficiency of a magnet, an acoustic diaphragm in which an electric conductor is spirally wound is disposed parallel to the magnet plate at the front of the magnet plate. Also, the patent document further discloses an electroacoustic transducer having a similar acoustic diaphragm installed therein, using a magnet plate (hereinafter called a "magnet plate magnetized in the radius direction") in which a component parallel to the vibration plane of the acoustic diaphragm is turned into a radius direction of the magnet plate in the magnetization direction of the magnet plate, and in which the angles formed with respect to the vibration plane of the acoustic diaphragm are all fixed.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Published Examined Patent Application No. S35-10420    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Published Unexamined Utility Model Application No. S60-93397    [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent No. 3612319


The subject invention provides an amusement device and method of play using the device, wherein the device includes a gun for shooting a liquid and/or a light beam, wherein the gun comprises a generally elongated barrel, a tank for containing a liquid, a source of power, a pump for pressurizing the tank, valve structures suitable for controlling the flow of the liquid, at least one light source, and a trigger mechanism which may selectively cause a stream of liquid to be discharged and one of more of the light sources to be activated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water amusement device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a squirt gun device wherein activation of the squirt gun also activates the emission of light, and a method of play using the device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Squirt gun devices have been known for a long time. A typical squirt gun device will generally include a gun shaped housing having a barrel shaped portion and a handle portion depending therefrom, a fluid tank, a pumping mechanism in communication with the tank, and a water passage which extends from the tank to an opening located in front of the barrel.
In operation, discharge of fluid from a typical squirt gun is driven by a trigger which is coupled to the pumping device. Squeezing the trigger drives the pumping device to pressurize the tank. The pressure forces fluid to flow from the tank, through the water passage and out of the opening. There are also known squirt gun devices wherein the trigger activates motor coupled to the pumping mechanism.
Typically, squirt guns are relegated to outdoor use where the flowing streams of water do not generally cause any serious property damage or present any potential hazard. However, and obviously, flowing streams of fluid discharged from these squirt guns can damage property. Indoor use may damage walls, floors, and fabrics and can also create serious potential hazards, such as shorting out electrical appliances and outlets, or creating slippery surfaces. As such, squirt guns are typically not used indoors.
Consequently, there would be a benefit in a squirt gun device which has an alternative entertaining use when utilized indoors. Furthermore, to some there may also be an aesthetical benefit in illuminating the squirt gun device during use. What is needed is a squirt gun that uses light sources to provide an alternative entertaining use in conjunction with or aside from the normal discharge of fluid.


An assembly device for a computer case and outer cover incorporating: a host case provided with a bottom plate and perpendicular left and right side walls, a circuit motherboard fixed within the holding space, a jack panel of relatively small area and size is located at a tail end of the circuit motherboard, and an electrical circuit is printed on an inverse side of the jack panel; a rectangular outer cover, the outer cover can be assembled/disassembled to/from the rectangular gap of the host case, and the jack panel can be plugged into or withdrawn from the socket, thereby realizing a rapid and convenient method of assembling and disassembling the outer cover to and from the host case.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an assembly device for a computer case and outer cover, and more particularly to an outer cover that effects an electrical connection when assembled on a host case, and when the outer cover is separated from the host case, the electrical connection is disconnected, thereby eliminating the practice and fault of having to assemble or disassemble two connection ports of a prior art flexible flat cable to or from a circuit daughter board of the outer cover and a circuit motherboard within the host case.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
A circuit daughter board embedded within a holding space of an outer cover and a circuit motherboard interior of a host case or server case of prior art are both electrically connected by means of a flexible flat cable, whereby two connection ports of two ends of the flexible flat cable respectively connect to a connection port of the circuit daughter board and a connection port of the circuit motherboard, thereby enabling signals processed by the circuit motherboard to be transmitted to the circuit daughter board for use thereby using the flexible flat cable. Taiwan new model patent M254055 discloses a classical structure of a flexible flat cable, wherein, when connecting ports at two ends of the flexible flat cable are respectively connected to a daughter and mother circuit boards, and more particularly when an outer cover is assembled to a host case, there is the likelihood that the flexible flat cable becomes twisted or overlaps within the interior holding space of the host case. Moreover, the relatively high temperature of the holding space easily causes hardening and degeneration of the flat cable after being disposed for a long period of time under such relatively high temperature conditions, which results in a short circuit or broken circuit, and the further possible loss of effectiveness of a display unit on a surface of the outer cover or a control switch. The flexible flat cable also occupies internal space of the host case, and, moreover, makes contact and attaches to electronic components on circuit boards, thereby producing an increase in temperature at contact surfaces, which easily damages the electronic components (such as chips, memory or CPU).
When disassembling the outer cover from the host case, a user must further disassemble the connecting ports at the two ends of the flexible flat cable from the circuit motherboard and the circuit daughter board. Moreover, prior to assembling the outer cover to the host case, the user must first respectively connect the two end connecting ports of the flexible flat cable to the circuit motherboard and the circuit daughter board. Hence, such a configuration increases operational man-hours when assembling or disassembling the outer cover to or from the host case, and affects conductive reliability of the electrical connection of the connecting ports connected to the circuit motherboard and the circuit daughter board. Moreover, infirm connection of connecting terminals or poor contact with the connecting terminals produces poor signal transmission or loss in effectiveness.
Hence, subject of the present invention is to resolve and surmount existent technical difficulties to invent an assembly device that eliminates the need for a flexible flat cable when assembling an outer cover to a host computer case.

Assembly device for a computer case and outer cover


A round conventional parachute is shown with a small auxiliary canopy for controlling the inflation characteristics of the main canopy, especially large generally axisymmetrical canopies for heavy payloads. The main canopy has a central vent at the apex, and suspension lines descend from the lower edge or skirt of the canopy to risers or harness. The small auxiliary canopy is slidably attached to the suspension lines between the main canopy and the harness. The auxiliary canopy includes a generally hemispherical central inner section made of a low air permeable material and a generally annular flat outer section made of a high air permeable material, preferably one offering little or no resistance to air flow therethrough. The outer section is provided with spaced fittings around the periphery to slidably receive individual suspension lines therethrough. When packed, the auxiliary canopy is located near the mouth of the main canopy to control the shape of the mouth of the main canopy during opening but slides down the suspension lines as the main canopy fully inflates thereby controlling the opening sequence. By controlling the inflation characteristics of the parachute with the auxiliary canopy, the opening forces and/or the time to full open can be reduced, or increased, for a given speed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to parachute systems generally for controlling the opening characteristics of parachutes, especially conventional round parachutes. More particularly, this invention relates to reefing systems or devices for slowing the opening or inflation of round or other generally axisymmetrical parachutes to reduce shock and to control the shape of the lower edge of the canopy during opening, especially in larger parachutes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Parachutes have long been used to lower personnel and unmanned cargo to the ground from airplanes and other airborne craft. A known problem with the use of parachutes is the sudden shock when the canopy of the parachute opens and fills quickly with air. This is especially serious at high speeds where the canopy fills more rapidly. Also, in more recent years, some parachutes have been made with low permeability or zero permeability fabrics, and the opening shock with such parachutes is more severe than with parachutes made with highly permeable fabrics.
Further, as payloads being delivered by parachute have become larger and heavier, the usage of larger parachutes has become necessary. However, such larger parachutes can display undesirable inflation characteristics which limit the practical size of such parachutes. Moreover, it is difficult to control the shape of the lower edge of the large canopy to maintain a symmetric circular shape of the parachute during initial stages of inflation. Such parachutes tend to form in-folded portions and thus do not operate according to the designed inflation characteristics, thus often resulting in structural failure.
Therefore, in the design and use of parachutes for the aerial delivery of a payload, whether for personnel, cargo, or the like, there are several factors to consider. Among these are: (a) the overall flight envelope, including airspeed and altitude, of the aircraft whether fixed wing, helicopter, missile, etc. used to transport and drop the payload to be delivered by the parachute; (b) the overall parachute recovery envelope required for the payload; (c) the minimum acceptable opening altitude; (d) the maximum allowable opening force which can be sustained by the payload or person; (e) other factors such as the allowable weight and pack volume of the parachute. Further, the parachute must be designed to operate with opening forces that do not damage the parachute itself.
One early reefing system to control opening shock was a generally round device, called a "slider" which had rings or grommets around its periphery. All of the suspension lines of the parachute extended through these rings. The panel may or may not have had a center opening and may or may not have been made of a permeable cloth. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,119.
Another device directed to the problem of opening shock is called a reefing line. In this device, a reefing line or cord passes through small rings attached to the skirt of the canopy, and the length of the line or cord determines the reefed diameter of the parachute during inflation. A line cutter then severs the reefing line after a predetermined time delay, allowing the parachute to continue inflation, until the canopy is completely inflated. This system has the disadvantage of being a fixed time delay.
Another device for controlling opening shock is the use of a small canopy mounted inside the main parachute canopy. A series of lines extend from the small internal canopy to the perimeter or lower edge of the main canopy. At high speed, the pressure on the small canopy tensions these lines and prevents the mouth of the main canopy from expanding. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,994. This technique, however, is very sensitive to tuning and manufacturing tolerances, and involves substantial labor in production.
Several other devices to control inflation characteristics of parachutes are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,436, U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,517, U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,564, U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,099, U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,149 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,079. However, the prior art has not previously provided a parachute inflation control device or reefing system which is simple, efficient, effective and reliable in controlling the inflation of conventional round parachutes, including the control of the shape of the lower edge, especially of large canopies.

Device to control inflation characteristics of parachutes


The invention relates to an illumination system for an EUV lithography device, comprising: a first facet mirror having facet elements that reflect EUV radiation, and a second facet mirror having facet elements for reflecting the EUV radiation reflected by the first facet mirror onto an illumination field. At least one of the facet elements of the first facet mirror or of the second facet mirror is designed as a diffractive optical element for diffracting the EUV radiation. In particular, at least one of the facet elements of the second facet mirror is designed as a diffractive optical element for illuminating only a part of the illumination field. The invention also relates to an EUV lithography device comprising such an illumination system, and to a facet mirror comprising at least one diffractive facet element.

The invention relates to an illumination system for an EUV lithography device, comprising: a first facet mirror having facet elements that reflect EUV radiation, and a second facet mirror having facet elements for reflecting the EUV radiation reflected by the first facet mirror onto an illumination field of the illumination system. The invention also relates to an EUV lithography device comprising such an illumination system, and to a facet mirror comprising at least one diffractive facet element.
In illumination systems of EUV lithography devices, especially EUV projection exposure apparatuses, optical elements in the form of facet mirrors are used to generate a homogenization of the radiation generated by an EUV light source on an illumination field illuminated by the illumination system. In this case, a first facet mirror, which is also designated as field facet mirror, is typically used to generate secondary light sources in the illumination system. The second facet mirror is arranged at the location of the secondary light sources generated by the first facet mirror and is designated as pupil facet mirror. The facet elements of the second facet mirror serve for imaging the facet elements of the first facet mirror onto the illumination field. The geometry of the facet elements (e.g. square, rectangular, . . . ) of the first facet mirror therefore typically corresponds to the geometry of the illumination field.
When facet mirrors are used in EUV lithography devices, non-ideal imagings associated with light losses possibly occur on account of manufacturing errors during the production of the facet elements. What has a disadvantageous effect in this case is that the surface form of individual facet elements which is required for imaging or beam shaping cannot be produced precisely enough, or possibly can be produced only with very high expenditure, with conventional production methods.

Illumination system for an EUV lithography device and facet mirror therefor


An integrated circuit package includes an integrated circuit chip having first and second opposing faces and a plurality of pads on the first face of the integrated circuit chip. A plurality of external pins is also included along with a plurality of wires, a respective one of which electrically connects a respective external pin to a respective pad. A conductive lead frame is located adjacent and electrically contacting the second face of the integrated circuit chip. A first wire electrically connects a select one of the pads to the conductive lead frame. A second wire electrically connects a selected one of the pins to the conductive lead frame. Accordingly, power can be distributed to an integrated circuit package with reduced variation across the chip.

Integrated circuit packages are widely used in consumer, commercial and military applications. With the current advances in the state of the art, higher density and higher speed integrated circuit packages are being produced. However, as the density and speed of integrated circuit packages continues to increase, it becomes more important to ensure the stability of power which is distributed throughout the integrated circuit and to reduce electrical noise which may be generated by the power distribution.
FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C illustrate a conventional integrated circuit package 10. As shown, an integrated circuit chip 6 includes first (top) and second (bottom) opposing faces. A plurality of pads 4 are formed on the first face of the integrated circuit chip 6. A plurality of external pins 2 are provided. A plurality of wires 12 electrically connect a respective external pin 2 with a respective pad 4. A lead frame 8 is also included for mounting the integrated circuit chip 6 thereon.
As shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C, power is distributed within the chip 6 of a conventional integrated circuit package 10 by providing an electric current 14 from a power source 18 to the chip 6 and the lead frame body 8 through the bonding wire 12. Accordingly, the power transmitted to a block "a" within the integrated circuit 6 may be derived from the following equation: EQU Va=Vs-i.times.(RL+RW+RS.times.square number)<Vs
wherein Va represents the potential of the block a; Vs represents the voltage of the power source 18; i represents the electrical current 14; RL represents the resistance of the lead; RW represents the resistance of the bonding wire 12 and RS represents the resistance of a wafer substrate of the chip 6.
It will be understood that the resistance of the integrated circuit chip may reach several hundreds of ohms. Due to this resistance, a voltage drop may occur at point 16 on the chip. Accordingly, across the chip, internal voltage differences may occur. This may cause latch-up of the circuits on the chip or other improper operations. In order to avoid these problems, the density, speed or margins of the circuit may need to be relaxed. Moreover, the limitation on a number of power pads which are available on the chip may also create power supply voltage drop, latch-up or other noise problems.

Lead frame bonding power distribution systems


The present invention relates to a method for updating strapdown inertial navigation solutions based on a launch-centered earth-fixed (LCEF) frame (g frame). The present invention uses the g frame as a navigation reference frame of a medium-to-short-range surface-to-surface missile. This is beneficial to establish a relative relationship between the missile and the ground so as to keep the same missile parameters required by a missile control and guidance system. The calculation of a navigation algorithm in the g frame is moderate, which is suitable for an embedded system.

A suitable navigation reference frame is conducive to the design and application of the flight vehicle navigation and guidance system. The local level (LL) frame describes the attitude and position of the carrier in the near-space motion, and the launch-centered inertial (LCI) frame (a frame) describes the attitude and position of the ballistic missile and the carrier rocket. The LCEF frame can be used to establish a motion equation of the rocket relative to the ground, and is suitable for medium-to-short-range surface-to-surface missiles. It is possible to choose the LCEF frame as the navigation coordinate system to quickly resolve the attitude and position of the missile relative to the launch point, which is beneficial to the data interaction with the flight control and guidance system. The methods for updating the strapdown inertial navigation solutions based on the LL/LCI frame are mature, but there is no perfect method for updating the strapdown inertial navigation solutions based on the LCEF frame.

Method for updating strapdown inertial navigation solutions based on launch-centered earth-fixed frame


A method for the production of a lamellar reflective polymeric body is provided and includes the steps of providing a first stream of a first heat plastified polymeric material and a second stream of a second heat plastified polymeric material, and encapsulating discrete portions of the first polymeric material in the second polymeric material by coextruding the polymeric materials to form a plurality of ribbon-like layers of the first polymeric material within a matrix of the second polymeric material to form the reflective polymeric body. The layers of the first polymeric material are arranged to have their major interfaces aligned substantially parallel to the major surfaces of the body such that at least 30% of light incident on the body is reflected. The ribbon-like layers may be further divided into a series of platelet-like layers to produce layers which are discontinuous in all major planar dimensions by passing the ribbon-like layers through a reciprocating feed plate or valve.

The present invention relates to a multilayered polymeric body of optically thick, thin, and/or very thin plate-like or ribbon-like layers of one or more polymers within a matrix of another polymer, which body reflects light and can be fabricated to have a silvery or hued (i.e., gold, copper, etc.) metallic appearance, or a nonconventional hued (i.e., blue, green) appearance, or even an iridescent appearance, and to methods of producing such a polymeric body.
Conventional methods for fabricating reflective surfaces include forming such surfaces of highly polished metals. Because of the high costs and fabricating problems involved in using metals, more recently fabricators have used plastic surfaces which contain thin coatings of metal thereon. Thus, metal coated plastic articles are now commonly found as both decorative and functional items in a number of industries. Such articles are used as bright work for consumer appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, dryers, radios, and the like. These types of articles are also used by the automotive industry as head lamp reflectors, bezels, radio knobs, automotive trim, and the like.
Typically, such metal coated plastic articles are formed by electroplating or by the vacuum, vapor, or chemical deposition of a thin metal layer on the surface of the article. Additionally, such coatings are subject to the chipping and flaking of the metal coatings as well as corrosion of the metal over time. If additional protective layers must be applied over the metal coating to protect it, additional labor and materials costs are involved. Further, there may be environmental disposal problems with some metal deposition processes.
One such vacuum metallized deposition system to produce bright work and automotive decorative trim is taught by Eisenfeller in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,713,143, 4,431,711, and 4,407,871. That system deposits minute specular islands of indium metal on a dielectric substrate. The metal is then encapsulated in a clear polymer.
The preparation of multilayer articles of polymers are known, as are methods and apparatuses for making such articles. For example, such multilayered articles may be prepared utilizing multilayer coextrusion devices as described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,773,882 and 3,884,606 to Schrenk. Such devices are capable of simultaneously extruding diverse thermoplastic polymeric materials in continuous layers having substantially uniform layer thicknesses. The number of layers may be multiplied by the use of a device as described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,647 to Schrenk et al.
Im et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,623, teaches a multilayer laminated article which includes a polycarbonate as one of the alternating continuous layers. The articles of Im, however, are intended to be transparent rather than reflective and to exhibit optical properties comparable to a pure polycarbonate polymer.
Alfrey, Jr. et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,176, teaches a multilayered highly reflective thermoplastic body fabricated using thin film techniques. That is, the reflective thin film layers of Alfrey, Jr. et al relied on the constructive interference of light to produce reflected visible, ultraviolet, or infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Such reflective thin films have found use in decorative items because of the iridescent reflective qualities of the film.
The films of Alfrey, Jr. et al are extremely sensitive to thickness changes, and it is characteristic of such films to exhibit streaks and spots of nonuniform color. Further, color reflected by such films is dependent on the angle of incidence of light impinging on the film. Thus, such films are not practical for uses which require uniformity of reflectivity. Moreover, such films are not practical to thermoform into articles where uniformity of light reflectance is needed as localized thinning of the layers during thermoforming causes alterations in the reflective characteristics of the films.
Moreover, both the Alfrey, Jr. et al films and the multilayer films and articles made up of substantially continuous layers, such as those described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,122,905 and 5,122,906, have some limiting characteristics inherent in their construction. The continuous layers must adhere to themselves to hold the film together. This may necessitate the use of intervening adhesive layers which could adversely affect the optical properties of the film and certainly add to the overall thickness of the film. Further, no gas or other fluid can be permitted at the interface between any of the layers as this may contribute to the delamination of the layers. Additionally, each of the materials used in the layers exerts an effect on the overall mechanical properties of the film. For example, if one of the polymers used is brittle, the layers of brittle material will have an effect on the overall properties of the multilayer film.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a polymeric reflective film, sheet or body which can be fabricated into a variety of parts and which can exhibit a uniform reflective appearance or a silvery iridescent appearance over a range of processing conditions and part geometry. There is also a need for a polymeric reflective film or body which will hold together even if some or all of the individual layers do not, there is a need for a body in which gas or other fluid can be present at layer interfaces without adversely affecting the optical and mechanical properties of the body, and there is a need for a multilayer reflective body which has mechanical properties which are substantially independent of the mechanical properties of at least some of the layers in the body.

Method of producing a lamellar polymeric body


A low-profile additive composition is disclosed which comprises ethylene glycol, at least one nonpolar diol, adipic acid and trimellitic anhydride. The low-profile additive, when included in an unsaturated polyester resin systems, for use in making sheet molding compositions, provides improved processing characteristics such as viscosity thickening plateau, paste viscosity and phase separation during maturation when the unsaturated polyester.

The present invention relates to unsaturated polyester resin compositions containing thermoplastic additives. The unsaturated polyester resin compositions have improved viscosity control, phase stability, and tack.
It has long been known in the art of molding thermoset unsaturated polyester compositions that prepolymers of dihydric alcohols and unsaturated dicarboxylic acids may be copolymerized with unsaturated monomers to form molded articles. It has also been known that additional, nonreacting thermoplastic polymers can be added to control the shrinkage that occurs during cure of these resins. These thermoplastics polymers are well-known as "low-profile additives" due to the fact that a "low profile", or highly smooth surface appearance is achieved when these "low profile additives" are used in conjunction with thermoset unsaturated polyester compositions. The unsaturated polyester resin compositions which contain low profile additives are known as "low profile resins" and have improved surface smoothness since the low-profile additives reduce or eliminate the amount of shrinkage that occurs during the cure of the unsaturated polyester resin composition.
Two major systems of low-profile resins currently in use are the one-pack and two-pack systems. The major characteristic that distinquishes the two systems is the degree of compatibility of the low-profile thermoplastic polymer with the unsaturated polyester and styrene. In two-pack systems, if the low-profile additive is incompatible with the unsaturated polyester and monomer copolymer, the resin must be mixed immediately before use in sheet molding composition (SMC) formulations. In one-pack systems, the low-profile additive, unsaturated polyester, and monomer are mutually compatible to the point that no gross phase separation occurs. In both systems, it is the ability of the low-profile resins to compensate for shrinkage that makes them especially useful in SMC formulations.
Thus, shrinkage compensation is the distinguishing characteristic of low-profile resins. The ability of the low-profile resins to compensate for shrinkage is largely a result of a micro-phase separation that occurs during cure for both one- and two-pack systems. Prior to cure, the low-profile additive is at least partly soluble in the polyester/monomer solution. As the polyester/monomer mixture crosslinks and forms a copolymer, the low-profile additive and polyester/monomer copolymer become increasingly less compatible and a two-phase (domain-matrix) type morphology results. This micro-phase separation leads to the formation of a porous structure as the opposing internal stresses of thermal expansion and polymerization shrinkage occur. In many unsaturated polyester resin compositions the porous structure is a result of microfracturing of the curing resins which consequentially gives rise to void formation. It is also known that various unsaturated polyester resin compositions have been developed which have essentially zero shrinkage and which in fact expand upon curing.
The unsaturated polyester resin compositions are used in making sheet molding compound (SMC) formulations which often contain other ingredients such as chemical thickeners. In such SMC formulations, an alkaline material such as magnesium oxide or magnesium hydroxide is added to, for example, an uncured polyester along with fillers, glass fiber, and other standardly used materials. The alkaline material interacts with the residual acidity in the polyester and, usually, in the low-profile additive, to build viscosity. This process is referred to as maturation and usually takes several days. If a two-pack resin system is used, care has to be taken to avoid gross phase separation. After maturation is complete, the thickened SMC formulations are handable and can easily be placed into compression molds either by hand or by machine.
It has previously been established in low-profile additive technology that the acid functionality of the unsaturated polyester or low-profile additive was necessary for control of the thickening or maturation process. For example, the residual acid groups of unsaturated polyesters are one source of carboxylic acids. Thermoplastic additives, such as a polyvinylacetate copolymers, are typically copolymerized with acid functional monomers so that at least one acid functionality is incorporated along the chain of the copolymer. For example, Comstock et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,714 describes a vinyl acetate copolymer that contains an average of at least one carboxyl group per molecule.
Various saturated polyesters have also been used as low-profile additives in unsaturated polyester resins. These saturated polyesters typically contain some residual acid functionality due to the remainder of unreacted carboxyl groups of the starting acids. For example, Hindersinn et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,483 describes saturated polyesters having terminal carboxylic acid groups.
The use of trimelletic anhydride as a comonomer in polyester resins has been described by Chang et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,619 where an unsaturated polyester containing 2,2,4-trimethylpentane diol, isophthalic acid, maleic anhydride and trimellitic anhydride was prepared.
Thomas et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,111 have prepared a dianhydride by reacting 1.5 moles of ethylene glycol with three moles of trimellitic anhydride in order to avoid gellation.
Although generally the use of low-profile additives and thickening agents are known to be effective in improving the thickening characteristics of sheet molding compositions, until now it has previously not been possible to reliably control the viscosity, phase stability and tackiness of unsaturated polyester resin compositions that contain certain thermoplastic low-profile additives.

Thermoplastic low-profile additives and use thereof in unsaturated polyester resin compositions


A treatment tool and tissue collection system, for removal of outer layers of skin to provide a revitalized, fresh skin surface, and a method of using same, comprising a abrasive tipped tool mounted on the end or within the end of a hollow tube, said tube being connected to a source of vacuum. The vacuum aids in maintaining intimate contact between the abrasive tip and the skin during the treatment process and transports the removed tissue to a collection container. The abrasive surface within the tube is a motor driven abrasive pad. Contact between the pad and the abrasive disk is brought about or increased by application of a vacuum through the tube to the skin surface.

This invention provides a treatment tool and tissue collection system for remove of outer layers of skin to provide a revitalized, fresh skin surface. This objective is to remove dead and old skin cells without damaging the remaining skin surface and without the use of powdered abrasive materials because these materials may result in undesirable side effects.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A balloon (10) extending generally axially from an opening (14) at a first end. The balloon comprises an elastomeric film (11) having a first thickness and a plurality of intersecting ribs (12) of a second, greater thickness formed on the film. The ribs are adapted so as to be angled with respect to the axis (13) of the balloon and any axis perpendicular thereto. Such a balloon has increased tear resistance, and can be manufactured with conventional dipping techniques without compromising the integrity of the film. The ribs may comprise a plurality of helices. There is also a former for making such a balloon and a method of using such a former to make such a balloon.

Many balloons are manufactured from elastomeric material. They are typically formed by dipping a generally axial former into a liquid compound. The liquid compound clings to the former and can then be cured and subsequently peeled away from the former. This thereby provides a balloon having a desired shape. As the balloon is formed from elastomeric material it is capable of stretching in use to enable inflation.
As an artefact of the dipping process, the balloon extends generally axially from an opening at a first end. The dipping process also limits the complexity of shapes that can be formed. In particular, formations perpendicular to the axis of the former tool can provide places where air bubbles form or contaminants gather affecting the integrity of the film formed on the mould. Such bubbles or contaminants can weaken the film or reduce its elastic properties.
A problem common to such balloons is the fact that if an elastomeric film is stretched beyond a particular limit, for instance by becoming caught by a sharp edge, a tear can form which will propagate rapidly across the parts of the film under tension. On many occasions the tear will propagate sufficiently far and fast to substantially destroy the balloon. This effect occurs in an inflated balloon when the tear typically propagates at a rate of the order of the speed of sound, resulting in the familiar 'bang' sound when a balloon is burst. This 'bang' can be loud enough to frighten nearby persons. Also, as a result of the speed of propagation of the tear and subsequent recoil of the opposing edges the balloon can be propelled some distance upon bursting. The propelled balloon fragments following bursting could cause minor injuries if they were to hit the eye or facial area of a nearby person. Additionally, in recent years balloons have been developed incorporating internal illumination means such as those described in WO2008/110832. If such balloons should burst, the illumination means can be propelled at a significant velocity and thus may pose an injury risk to nearby persons. Another problem associated with such balloons is that when a balloon bursts, it can burst into several fragments of varying sizes and these can pose a suffocation risk to children if they attempt to eat them.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a balloon which at least partially overcomes or alleviates the above problems.

Seatriever International Holdings Limited


A method for simultaneously producing hydrogen and carbon monoxide by subjecting synthesis gas to a decarbonation in a decarbonation unit, and to desiccation in a desiccation unit. After the decarbonation and the desiccation, the remaining synthesis gas components are cryogenically separated and a hydrogen-enriched gas is recycled upstream from the decarbonation unit and downstream from synthesis gas producing unit.

The present invention relates to a method and an installation for separating a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. In particular, it relates to a method for separating such a mixture using a step of separation by cryogenic distillation.
Carbon monoxide and hydrogen production units can be divided into two parts:                Generation of synthesis gas (mixture primarily containing H2, CO, CH4, CO2 and N2). Among the various industrial methods for producing synthesis gas, steam reforming is the most important. The design of this unit, which comprises a furnace, is based on the required production of CO and hydrogen.        Production of synthesis gas. This comprises:        an amine scrubbing unit to remove most of the CO2 present in the synthesis gas;        a unit for purification on adsorbent bed. This unit generally comprises two bottles in continuous operation, one in production, the second in regeneration phase;        a unit for low temperature treatment by a cryogenic method (cold box) in order to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen (possibly including a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen called Oxogaz) in the quantities and purities required by the consumer. The most common method is scrubbing with liquid methane to obtain pure carbon monoxide with a recovery yield up to 99%, hydrogen the CO content of which generally varies between a few ppm and 1%, and a methane rich waste gas used as fuel.
Methods of this type are described in "Tieftemperaturtechnik" by Hausen et al., Springer-Verlag 1985 pp 417-419, EP-A-837031, EP-A-0359629, EP-A-0790212 and EP-A-1245533.
The thermodynamic equilibrium of the synthesis gas generation unit is favored by low pressure, which results in a lower consumption of raw material, while the synthesis gas purification unit is favored by high pressure in terms of equipment size and electric power consumption.
This is why, and due to the limitation of the operating pressure of reforming furnaces (which operate at a pressure below 45 bar abs.), it may be advantageous and/or necessary to incorporate a synthesis gas compressor in the synthesis gas purification line.
In most cases, the hydrogen produced by the cold box, containing up to 1 mol % of CO, is used as regeneration gas for the purification, and is then sent to an adsorbent purification unit (PSA) before being sent to the end consumer.
In the case in which the hydrogen produced by the cold box is sent directly to the consumer with a CO content specification of a few ppm, this gas can no longer be used as regeneration gas.
Also in the case in which a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen is produced, generally containing 50% hydrogen, the quantity of hydrogen remaining as waste gas is too small to regenerate the purification; it is therefore necessary to find another gas as a regeneration gas.

Method and installation for separating a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide

L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude


According to an embodiment, a smoothing device includes a predicting unit, a calculating unit, and a control unit. The predicting unit predicts a calculation load of operation at a first time slot on the basis of weather prediction information of operation areas in which facility devices that perform environmental control according to control values resulting from the operation based on weather information are installed. The calculating unit calculates a calculation load of operation at a second time slot earlier than the first time slot on the basis of the weather information of the operation areas. The control unit controls an executing device that executes the operation so that part of the operation to be executed at the first time slot is executed at the second time slot.

In recent years, remote energy saving services mainly targeted at buildings are provided. Remote energy saving services are services that provide power supply/demand control such as air conditioning control and lighting control to predetermined areas in buildings or the like through the Internet. Control values used for the power supply/demand control such as air conditioning control and lighting control are calculated by operation executing servers or the like and distributed to facility devices installed in the areas.
It is known to equalize the calculation load of the operation by distributing the operation over a plurality of executing devices such as servers. It is also known to attempt to reduce the calculation load by performing the operation of control values used for power supply/demand control according to weather information. Specifically, it is known to attempt to reduce the calculation load by performing the operation when the weather has greatly changed and not performing the operation when the change in the weather is small.
There are cases, where time slots at which a change in the weather is large and time slots at which a change in the weather is small overlap in a plurality of areas subjected to environmental control. Time slots with a high calculation load and time slots with a low calculation load therefore occur and it has been difficult to smooth the calculation load in the related art.

Smoothing device, smoothing system, and computer program product


A semiconductor light-emitting device having a semiconductor light-emitting chip; a high refractive index lens covering around the semiconductor light-emitting chip; and a resin having fine particles mixed therein that fills a space between the semiconductor light-emitting chip and the lens is provided. In the semiconductor light emitting device, the resin having fine particles mixed therein is composed of an optically transparent resin into which a large number of high refractive fine particles having a mean diameter of 100 nm or less and composed of a dielectric material are mixed uniformly to have a distance 200 nm or less between respective particles.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor light emitting device such as a light emitting diode (LED) or a laser diode (LD).
Recently, a semiconductor light emitting device such as a light emitting diode (LED) or a laser diode (LD) has been employed as a long-life and small-sized light emitting source, and in particular, the LED has drawn attention as a high intensity light source suitable for a backlight light source of a liquid crystal display apparatus.
Heretofore, in a structure for outwardly extracting the light emitted from an LED, it is considered effective for avoiding total internal reflection at an interface between the LED and a portion corresponding to an external lens as high as that of a light emitting portion or a light introducing portion of the LED.
Therefore, it was conceived to form a lens with a glass or a resin having a high refractive index and to cover a chip with the lens.
However, in order to avoid total internal reflection inside the chip, the chip and the lens are only allowed to have a gap smaller than the wavelength. Accordingly, in view of the mechanical tolerance, it is hardly possible to extracting the light using the lens and chip as configured above.
Use of a transparent adhesive having a high refractive index for filling the gap between the lens with a high refractive index and the chip is conceivable. However, such an adhesive having a refractive index n almost reaching 1.7 has extremely high hardness. It has been already found that emission lifetime of the LED is shortened by use of such a hard adhesive causing distortion due to the difference in thermal expansion coefficient between materials. Furthermore, if the resin is peeled off from the chip and/or the lens, optical output significantly drops owing to fully met total internal reflection condition.
Therefore, at present, an LED with low luminous efficiency, in which part of emitted light is taken into the chip and vanishes, is used. Because if a lens with a high refractive index is aimed to reduce total internal reflection of a chip, light extraction effect is difficult to be improved without an adhesive layer having a higher refractive index than that of the lens.
Generally, epoxy resin or silicone resin is often used to seal a cap and a lens. In a case of a power LED which allows current flow therethrough and which emits heat a lot, in particular, it is considered essential to use semisolid one, that is, grease-like or gel-like, such as silicone to seal around the chip.
Here, a structure of a general high-power LED is shown in FIG. 3.
As shown in FIG. 3, a related art high-power LED 100 has a heat sink 120 disposed at the center of a base 110. A semiconductor light-emitting chip 140 is placed and fixed on a sub-mount 130 on the heat sink 120. A silicone resin 150 is filled in a space between the semiconductor light-emitting chip 140 and a plastic lens 160 covering the semiconductor light-emitting chip 140.
The silicone resin 150 has functions of:
(1) dissipating heat generated from the semiconductor light-emitting chip 140 (having a higher heat conductance than air);
(2) relaxing mechanical stress occurred owing to difference in thermal expansion coefficient between materials; and
(3) breaking total internal reflection condition (Frustrated TIR condition) occurred on a chip surface by optically keeping in contact with the surface of the semiconductor light-emitting chip 140.
See Japanese Patent Application Publication 2004-15063 and Japanese Translation of PCT International Application Hei 7-0507823, for example.


A port circuit (108) for a time-division multiplexed (TDM) switching system (100) is designed to effect sub-time-slot operation without external support, as well as to effect conventional, time-slot operation. A clock-frequency multiplier, such as a frequency-multiplexed phase-lock loop (PLL 202), and a multiplier-driven sub-time-slot operation circuit, such as a PLL-driven finite state machine (203), are incorporated into the port circuit. The clock-frequency multiplier and the sub-time-slot operation circuit generate all the additional control signals that are necessary to define sub-time slots and to effect multiple information transfers in a single time slot. The port circuit engages in conventional time-slot transfers with conventional port circuits, whereby it is compatible therewith, and engages in sub-time-slot transfers with other sub-time-slot enabled port circuits, whereby it increases the transfer throughput of the TDM switching fabric. The sub-time-slot operation is selectively enabled and disabled on a per-time-slot basis.

Time-division multiplexing is commonly employed in the switching fabrics of modem communications switching systems. An illustrative example is the TDM bus of the Lucent Technologies Inc. Definity.RTM. private branch exchange (PBX). New applications and technology quickly exhaust the bus capacity of such existing TDM systems. For example, multimedia communications use large numbers of time slots per line-port or trunk-port, while new hardware technology allows ever-more ports to be implemented via each port circuit pack. It is therefore necessary to increase the bus capacity of the TDM systems.
One approach to increasing the TDM bus capacity runs the bus faster, that is, at a higher clock rate. This approach requires a new design for all circuit packs that connect to and use the TDM bus. This translates to large development and upgrade costs. Hence, this approach is suitable for use only in new system designs where compatibility with existing systems is not required.
A second approach to increasing the TDM bus capacity adds a higher-speed multi-phase clock distribution line to the existing TDM bus. This approach allows existing circuit packs to use the existing clock for conventional operation, and allows new circuit packs to use the new multiphase clock for sub-time-slot operation wherein multiple sub-time-slot transfers occur in a single time-slot. An illustrative example of such an approach is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,627. This approach requires new bus backplanes and clock-generation circuitry, which makes upgrades of existing systems difficult and expensive. Therefore, what the art still lacks is a way to increase the bus capacity of TDM systems that is easily retrofitted into existing systems and does not interfere with the operation of, or require changes to, existing port circuit packs and bus backplanes.

Hybrid time-slot and sub-time-slot operation in a time-division multiplexed system


Embodiments of semiconductor devices and driver circuits include a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type, an isolation structure (including a sinker region and a buried layer), an active device within area of the substrate contained by the isolation structure, and a diode circuit. The buried layer is positioned below the top substrate surface, and has a second conductivity type. The sinker region extends between the top substrate surface and the buried layer, and has the second conductivity type. The active device includes a body region of the second conductivity type, and the diode circuit is connected between the isolation structure and the body region. The diode circuit may include one or more Schottky diodes and/or PN junction diodes. In further embodiments, the diode circuit may include one or more resistive networks in series and/or parallel with the Schottky and/or PN diode(s).

In some system-on-a-chip (SOC) applications that include an inductive load, certain nodes may experience a negative potential during switching, which may lead to significant injection current into the substrate. The charged carriers injected into the substrate may disturb adjacent circuits and adversely affect their operation.
Accordingly, there is an ongoing need for improved device structures, materials and methods of fabrication that can overcome this difficulty and provide improved performance. It is further desirable that the methods, materials, and structures employed be compatible with present day manufacturing capabilities and materials and not require substantial modifications to available manufacturing procedures or substantial increases in manufacturing costs. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the various embodiments will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Semiconductor device and driver circuit with an active device and isolation structure interconnected through a diode circuit, and method of manufacture thereof


The present invention provides playing cards which allow a code to be read reliably from the cards shot out at various speeds. Playing cards (1) are provided with a code (2) not readable under a lighting condition of visible light, but readable under lighting conditions other than the visible light. The code (2) comprises four code elements (3) arranged in two rows and two columns and represents suit and rank information of the playing cards (1). The code elements (3) include at least two types of mark which differ in length in a column direction corresponding to a reading direction of the code (2). Row-by-row combinations of the code elements (3) arranged in a row direction orthogonal to the code reading direction can be identified uniquely and the suit and rank information of the playing cards (1) represented by the code (2) can be identified based on the row-by-row combinations of the code elements (3).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a table game system equipped with playing cards and a card shooter apparatus, and more particularly, to a playing card reading technique suitable for use in table games.
2. Description of the Related Art
In baccarat and other table games, since rules which determine the outcome of the games are complicated, a dealer who deals playing cards on a game table might make an error in deciding the outcome of a game. Besides, players taking part in a table game might switch dealt cards.
To deal with this situation, a technique has been proposed that uses playing cards bearing a code, which having been printed on the front side of the cards (side on which a suit and rank are printed), is invisible to the human eye under conditions of normal use, but identifiable by a predetermined identification device as well as uses a card shooter apparatus which has a capability to read the code out of the playing cards by being provided on a game table (e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-296634).
With the playing cards and card shooter apparatus described above, since the card shooter apparatus can determine the outcome of games if rules for that are stored therein, any error made by dealers in deciding the outcome can be detected.
Also, since dealt cards can be read and checked by the card shooter apparatus, it is possible to prevent cheating such as card substitution by players or the like.
However, in card games using playing cards, due to the nature of the card games, cards are shot out quickly by the hand of a dealer at times, and slowly by a card shooter apparatus at other times. Consequently, readers which read playing cards in a state of rest (e.g., barcode readers) are unsuitable for reading a code from cards in a state of motion (unsuitable for use in table games). Also, code readers which read a code from cards on the assumption that playing cards move at a certain speed by being shot out from a machine are not suitable for reading a code from cards shot out at various speeds (e.g., because of possible read errors).


The present invention relates to a semiconductor cooling arrangement for cooling semiconductor devices, such as power semiconductors. The semiconductor cooling arrangement comprises one or more semiconductor assemblies located in a chamber within a housing. The housing comprises inlet and outlet ports for receiving and outputting a cooling medium. The chamber is flooded with a cooling medium to cool the assemblies. The assemblies themselves each comprise a heatsink and one or more semiconductor power devices thermally coupled to the heatsink. The heatsink comprises heat exchanging elements in the form of a plurality of holes in the heatsink extending through the heatsink from one surface to another surface such that the cooling medium flows through the holes to extract heat from the heatsink.

Electrical and electronic components generate heat as a by-product when they are in use. Overheating usually impacts performance and component lifetime and therefore electrical and particularly electronic components are typically cooled to prevent overheating.
Devices have limitations on the upper temperature at which they may be effectively operated and as limit temperatures are breached so devices may become less efficient and may fail. In most instances devices are unable to recover from failures due to overheating and the whole system in which they are a part becomes unusable, requiring repair or in many cases "burnt out" modules/systems are replaced.
Prevention being better than cure much effort has gone to making systems more robust, but ease of repair is also of value.
Many different approaches have been used to address overheating limitations: Some have sought to increase the operating limit of devices, though the scope for this is limited, whilst the majority of effort has been focussed on removal of heat from devices, sub-modules and systems. In many power electronics applications, heat sinks are used where efficient heat dissipation is required. Heat sinks absorb and dissipate heat from electrical components by thermal contact. For example, a heat sink may be soldered, bonded or otherwise mounted to a power electronic device to improve heat removal by providing a large thermal capacity into which waste heat can flow.
In high power applications the heat sink may be enlarged to improve thermal capacity. However increasing the size of a heat sink increases the weight and volume of a power supply module and correspondingly the cost. In many instances the available space for such modules particularly for automotive applications is decreasing rather than the reverse.
Considerable effort has been applied to cooling of electronic components in computing systems wherein central processing units (CPUs) have many millions of semiconducting devices integrated onto the surface of a silicon die. Though heat loss from any one device is small, integration density has led to total heat dissipation being high and is a severe limitation on speed and lifetime of CPUs.
Some of the technologies for cooling electronic components in computing systems have also been applied in cooling of high power single or low level integration semiconducting switch devices.
In US2011/103019 there is described a liquid tight enclosure providing immersion cooling of an electronic system in which a cold plate is proposed having a liquid conduit for supplying coolant to the cold plate, said cold plate having a bottom surface coupled to an electronic component of the electric system and at least one open port on the side walls. In a particular embodiment coolant supplied by a conduit enters the top of the cooling plate and is partially allowed to exit through side ports, whilst remaining coolant is caused to flow through jets directed onto high heat flux components: Side port apertures and jet orifices being dimensioned to provide optimised cooling of components.
US2011/103019 is particularly directed towards cooling of CPUs in computers and describes cooling of a high powered processor chip mounted on a substrate said substrate being electrically and mechanically attached to a processor module which is further attached to a printed circuit board.
A disadvantage of US2011/103019 is poor heat spreading through said substrate and particularly poor heat spreading through connections to said printed circuit board.
For medium power converter modules there is another order of power dissipation to contend with, currents of 100's of amps and voltages of the order of 1000V in play. For medium power converters semiconducting switch devices are used and US2011/0242760 teaches an arrangement wherein semiconducting switch devices are mounted on laminated busbars so as to maintain electrical isolation between phases.
Prior to US2011/0242760 said lamination in busbars would have been a temperature limiting feature, whereas US2011/0242760 teaches applying a liquid cooled heatsink to the said laminated busbars wherein the heatsink is electrically isolated from the busbar. Removal of heat from busbars and by thermal conduction from electrically isolated switch devices mounted thereon improves overall power capacity, before temperature rise and thermal limitation of insulation layers is again a limiting factor.
US2014204532 provides an alternate mode of cooling of heat dissipating semiconducting devices using impingement jets wherein application of jet cooling (air, or liquid in an air matrix) is controlled locally by thermally deformable nozzles made from shape memory alloy which is thermally connected to semiconducting devices to be cooled. In this way devices may be cooled when required. However US2014204532 is directed towards chip level cooling with impingement jets focussed on backside of flip-chips. Teaching of US2014204532 is to liquid-in-air jets and is thereby limited in its cooling capacity and because cooling is at chip scale, pinout configurations further limit the connectivity of such cooling arrangements.
US2011141690 speaks to the use of a high thermally conductive printed circuit board substrate on one side of which is configured into the surface, features to promote turbulence in an impinging coolant flow whilst the other side of the circuit is configured to have electrical circuitry onto which are mounted power electronic components, for instance components of a power inverter module for use in a vehicle. The electrical circuitry side is electrically isolated from the side configured to promote turbulence.
Substrates such as direct bonded copper or direct bonded aluminium are suggested which comprise a ceramic (usually alumina) sandwich with copper or aluminium outer layers. However though these direct bonded substrates are good thermal conductors they are also expensive to manufacture and difficult to handle and carry out repairs.
Other approaches for improved cooling of power semiconducting devices include direct immersion of components in dielectric fluids and configuring of components to form coolant channels, use of phase change liquid/gas coolant systems to increase coolant effect.
In combination with these approaches particularly for power electronic systems has been optimisation of switching speed of power semiconducting switch devices: Reasoning for this is as follows—the faster the switch speed the less time the switch device spends in resistive mode and hence less joule heating losses in the device—however fast switching speeds increase inductive losses which may also lead to voltage spikes, hence a need for large low inductance busbars and symmetric phase legs in inverter modules and costly overvoltage specified capacitors.
A compromise is reached which inevitably leads to joule heating losses in semiconducting device switches. Despite best attempts all cooling approaches to date have been deficient in their cooling abilities and cooling efficiency of power semiconductor components has been a limiting feature of maximum power handling and power density for power semiconducting switch devices and hence power inverters.
The present invention seeks to increase the power density and maximum power handling of power inverters and semiconducting switch devices respectively, by significantly improving removal of waste heat and at the same time further reducing system wide inductance and corresponding joule heating losses in semiconducting switch devices.
We have therefore appreciated the need for an improved cooling arrangement.