A filter structure comprises a filter having an input port and an output port and a carrier to which the filter is attached having a reference potential area. The input port includes a first pad for receiving an input signal and a second pad for a first reference potential related to the input signal. The output port has a third pad for outputting an output signal and a fourth pad for a second reference potential related to the output signal. A first connecting wire contacts the second pad at a first connection point and the reference potential area at a second connection point. A second connecting wire contacts the fourth pad at a third connection point and contacts the reference potential area at a fourth connection point. A distance between the second and the fourth connection point is smaller than a distance between the first and the third connection point.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a filter and a method for the design of a filter, specifically to a reception filter for a duplexer having an optimized bonding diagram and an improved isolation and stop band suppression, and a method for its design.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today, high-frequency filters are used in a wide range of applications, wherein different filter types produced in different technologies are used depending on application and requirement profile. In many cases, it is useful to produce filters in a particular technology optimized for filter applications and then to connect them with the rest of the circuit produced in another technology. One example for this are bulk acoustic wave filters (BAW filters) or thin film resonator filters (TFR filters), which are produced on a special substrate and are then connected to the surrounding circuit produced in another technology. When, however, two high-frequency components are to be connected, there is the problem that, when producing a connection, there is a discontinuity of the wave guiding structure. This results in parasitic effects which may affect the properties of the overall structure to a higher or lesser extent. Examples of such effects are a discontinuous change of the wave impedance, which may lead to reflections, and coupling and radiation effects which may produce couplings between remote circuit parts. In the following, the connection of a BAW filter or a TFR filter to a carrier material is discussed by way of example. It may, for example, be a reception filter implemented as thin film resonator filter in a duplexer for a wireless communication terminal. However, the description is transferable to all cases in which a high-frequency filter having a filter input and a filter output is connected to a carrier material with the aid of connecting wires.
If a filter having an input port and an output port is used in which the reference potentials of the input port and the output port are separated from each other, two conductive connections have to be established at each port. Both a signal line and a reference potential line have to be inserted between the actual filter and the carrier material comprising conductive structures at the input port and at the output port. A relevant criterion for the evaluation of the overall filter is the filter characteristic as it may be measured on the carrier material. This filter characteristic particularly includes the parasitic effects caused by the connecting wires. Two effects are dominant. On the one hand, it is unavoidable that the connecting wires represent a comparatively high inductance. This inductance may lead to detuning of the filter, whereby pass frequency ranges and/or stop frequency ranges are shifted. Furthermore, the inductances of the connecting wires change the adaptation of the filter, which shows in a change of the filter characteristic and an increase of losses. Besides, a coupling between the filter input and the filter output may be generated by the connecting wires. Such a coupling may result in the stop attenuation of the overall filter in a stop range being reduced, which means a deterioration of the filter characteristic.
Due to the above effects, it is necessary to optimize the connection between the actual filter and the carrier material, which, in most cases, is established by bond wires. Here, the reference potential connections are particularly important.
Previous approaches rely on optimizing the bond connection at the input port of the filter and at the output port of the filter separately. In particular, the ground connections at the input port and the output port are also optimized separately. The optimizing goal according to prior art is to achieve a minimum inductance of the ground connections and a minimum coupling between input and output ports. The low coupling involves both the bond wires for the reference potential (ground) and the bond wires for the active signal lines (input signal, output signal).
FIG. 3 shows a top view of a possible duplexer circuit. It is designated 410 in its entirety. It comprises a transmission filter 420 and a reception filter 422 mounted on a laminate carrier 424. The duplexer circuit 410 further comprises an antenna terminal 430 and a transmitter terminal 432 and a receiver terminal 434. Both the transmission filter 430 and the reception filter 422 are connected to the laminate carrier by bond wires. The transmission filter comprises an input pad 440, an output pad 442 and three reference potential pads 444, 446, 448. The input pad 440 and the output pad 442 are attached to opposite narrow sides of the transmission filter 420. The reference potential pads 444, 446, 448, however, are located along a broadside of the transmission filter 420. The input pad 440 of the transmission filter 420 is connected to a metallization on the laminate carrier 424 by a first bond wire 460 running across the first narrow side 470 of the transmission filter. The first bond wire 460 does not run exactly perpendicular to the first narrow side 470 of the transmission filter 420, but is slightly inclined with respect to the perpendicular. Similarly, the output pad 442 is connected to a metallization from the laminate carrier 424 via a second bond wire 480. The second bond wire 480 runs across the second narrow side 490, wherein it is slightly inclined in its direction with respect to a direction perpendicular to the narrow side 490. The reference potential pads 444, 446, 448 are also connected to corresponding metallizations from the laminate carrier 424 via bond wires 510, 512, 514. The bond wires 510, 512, 514 for the reference potential run substantially perpendicular to the broadside 520 of the transmission filter 420. This applies particularly to the bond wire 510 associated with the input and the bond wire 514 associated with the output. These two bond wires 510, 514 are both perpendicular to the broadside 520 of the transmission filter 420. The distance between the points at which the bond wires 510, 514 contact the laminate carrier 424 is equal to the distance between the points at which the bond wires 510, 514 contact the transmission filter.
The reception filter 422 is also connected to metallizations on the laminate carrier 424 via bond wires. All terminals of the reception filter are located along a first narrow side 540 and a second narrow side 542 opposite to the first narrow side 540. Along the first narrow side 540, the reception filter 442 comprises an input pad 550 and a reference potential pad 552 associated with the input. Similarly, the reception filter 422 comprises an output pad 560 and an associated reference potential pad 562 along the second narrow side 542. The reference potential pad 552 on the input side is part of a reference potential area on the reception filter 422. The same applies to the reference potential pad 562 on the output side. The reference potential areas on the input side and the output side on the reception filter 422 are isolated from each other. The input pad 550 on the reception filter is connected to a metallization for the input signal on the laminate carrier 542 via a bond wire 570. The reference potential pad 552 on the input side is connected to reference potential areas on the laminate carrier 424 via three parallel bond wires 572, 574, 576. All bond wires 570, 572, 574, 576 on the input side run perpendicular to the first narrow side 540. The bond wires 572, 574, 576 for the reference potential are each chosen as short as technically possible and practicable. The same also applies to the bond wires 580, 582, 584, 586 on the output side. Thus it is to be noted that, in a conventional prior art duplexer circuit 410, the bond wires of the reception filter 422 on the input side and the output side run perpendicular to the first narrow side 540 and the second narrow side 542 of the filter, and that the reference potential wires 572, 574, 576, 582, 584, 586 are chosen as short as possible.
FIG. 5 shows an equivalent circuit diagram of a reception filter having a filter structure according to prior art. The equivalent circuit diagram describes a reception filter structure such as it is present in a prior art duplexer circuit 410. The entire equivalent circuit diagram is designated 610. The heart of the filter structure is the equivalent circuit diagram 620 of the reception filter. The equivalent circuit diagram 620 comprises four terminals. The input of the reception filter is formed by the input terminal IN with which there is associated a reference potential terminal GND_IN on the input side. The filter output is formed by an output terminal OUT and a reference potential terminal GND_OUT associated therewith.
The effect of the bond wire connecting the input pad 550 of the reception filter 422 to a metallization on the laminate carrier 424 is described by an inductance 630 whose magnitude may be estimated at 0.4 nH. Similarly, the bond wire 580 connecting the output pad 560 of the reception filter 422 to a conductor structure on the laminate carrier 424 may be modulated by an inductance 632 whose magnitude may also be estimated at 0.4 nH. The inductances 630 and 632, respectively, are connected in series to the input terminal IN and the output terminal OUT, respectively, of the reception filter model 620. Furthermore, one has to take into account the inductance of the bond wires connecting the reference potential area 552 of the reception filter 422 on the input side to a reference potential area on the laminate carrier 424. As these bond wires 572, 574, 576 are very short and as three bond wires are connected in parallel, the inductance is less than that of the bond wire 570 for the input signal. In an equivalent circuit diagram, the input side connection of the filter to the reference potential on the laminate carrier may be modulated by an inductance 640 which may be estimated at 0.25 nH. The same applies to the output side connection of the reception filter 422 to a reference potential area on the laminate carrier 424. Again, there will be an inductance 642 of about 0.25 nH. The distance of the connection points at which the bond wires 572, 574, 576, 582, 584, 586 for the reference potential on the input side and/or on the output side contact a metallization on the laminate carrier 424 is comparatively large (larger than the larger dimension of the filter). Therefore, an inductive coupling between the corresponding connection points on the input side and the output side may be considered as negligible. Correspondingly, a coupling inductance 650 on a metallization area (reference potential area) of the laminate carrier is to be regarded as very large. In a simplified modeling, the value of the coupling inductance 650 approaches infinity, which means that the impedance of the coupling inductance is very high. A large coupling inductance therefore means little coupling. Furthermore, the filter structure includes vias. They contribute an inductance of about 50 pH. The corresponding inductances are designated 660 and 662, respectively. Thus, the result is an equivalent circuit diagram of the filter structure in which two inductances 640, 642 are connected in series to the reference potential terminal GND_IN on the input side and the reference potential terminal GND_OUT on the output side, respectively. The inductances are each connected to the reference potential via the via inductances 660, 662. There is a coupling inductance 650 between the two branches whose value is assumed to be infinitely large in the present modeling, corresponding to a negligible coupling.
EP 1202455-A2 describes a variety of possibilities how to optimize the characteristic of a filter mounted to a carrier material by means of bond wires. The reference essentially follows the above rules. A fundamental goal of an embodiment according to the reference is to reduce the coupling between input and output ports. For this., the bond pads associated with the input port and the bond pads associated with the output port are arranged at a maximum distance from each other. Thus, the current loops of the filter input and the filter output are as distant as possible from each other. The area of the current loops at the filter input and the filter output is to be minimized according to the reference. This may be achieved by the bond pads associated with a port (i.e. active signal terminal and the associated reference potential terminal) being as close to each other as possible both on the actual filter substrate and on the carrier material. Furthermore, the reference teaches to use the shortest bond wires possible. In order to shorten the bond wires, it also helps to design the filter substrate as thin as possible. Finally, the reference recommends to design bond wires associated with different ports as orthogonal as possible, because this also helps to reduce the coupling. The cited reference also teaches to optimize the individual ground connections of the filter separately, whereby the inductances of the ground connections are typically minimized. It is a disadvantage of such an approach that the stop band suppression of a filter is thus narrow-band. Under certain circumstances, minimizing the bond wire inductances may further require additional inductances, for example for adaptation, which have to be realized on the carrier material. The result is that a larger housing is required than would be necessary without the use of external inductances.

Filter structure and method for the design of a filter


A Common radio resource management method is performed in a mobile radio communication network employing different radio access technologies that overlap over a geographic area subdivided into cells belonging to the domains of respective controllers which are connected to each other in overlapping or adjacent domains and to a core network by means of relevant interfaces. The controllers calculate new traffic-related Information Elements to be exchanged over the existing interfaces to the aim of planning handovers and/or cell reselections towards adjacent cells either of the same or different RAT. Cell capabilities and mobile terminal capabilitiess being also specified by respective IEs. Diversely from the conventional traffic-related IEs based on Cell Load parameters or Free Capacity, the new IEs include indications of the “availability” of bearer services in the cell in terms of maximum bitrate, either guaranteed or not guaranteed, that can currently be allowed to each bearer service.

With the introduction of 3rd Generation UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) systems the multi-RAT (Radio Access Technology) opportunities will be put in foreground. The former 2rd Generation PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network) includes: GSM 900 MHz, DCS 1800 MHz (Digital Cellular System), GSM EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service); PCS (Personal Communication System), etc. In the new 3rd Generation UMTS two CDMA radio access techniques have been defined, respectively known as: TDD (Time Division Duplex) UTRA (UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access), in which transmission directions are distinguished in the time domain, and FDD (Frequency Division Duplex) UTRA, in which transmission directions are distinguished in the frequency domain. The FDD UTRA is used by the WCDMA (Wide band Code Division Multiple Access) system. The TDD UTRA technique foresees in its turn two options: HCR (High Chip Rate) TDD at 3.84 Mcps, and LCR (Low Chip Rate) TDD at 1.28 Mcps. The Applicant and CWTS (Chinese Wireless Telecommunication Standards) committee are furthermore engaged in the development of a TD-SCDMA (Time Division—Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access), standard which is based on the 3GPP 1.28 Mcps TDD physical layer and on the reuse of the GSM-GPRS higher layer functions and procedures, offering the operators a technology able to run on most of the deployed GSM network elements.
Both 2nd and 3rd Generation PLMNs are standardized by international authorities whose aim is that of making the operation of the systems of the various manufacturers each other compatible. In particular, GSM had been described in the relevant Technical Reports (TR) issued by the Special Mobile Group (SMG) of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), while UMTS is described in the Technical Specifications (TS) issued by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) in the ambit of the ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union). At the time of writing, the SMG does not exist anymore and the related GSM work has been taken over by 3GPP that incorporate standardisation of both GSM and UMTS systems.
FIG. 1 shows a multi-RAT (Radio Access Technology) PLMN that will be soon completed in Europe. The new Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) shares the existing GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) Core Network CN with the GPRS service. Relevant GSM RAN (Radio Access Network) in FIG. 1 is the so-called GERAN (GSM EDGE RAN), corresponding to the ultimate GSM RAN based on new EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) techniques that allow higher data rates in GSM, e.g. higher modulations. The Core Network CN is connected to one or more BSS (Base Station Subsystem) of the GSM, and to one or more RNS (Radio Network Subsystem) of an UTRAN (Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network). The UMTS system of FIG. 1 is described in the TS 23.002 (CN) and TS 25.401 (UTRAN). Both the UTRAN and BSS are connected, on air, to a plurality of User Equipment UE/MS, each including a Mobile Equipment ME with a respective USIM card (UMTS Subscriber Identity Module). The present invention applies to UEs of single but preferably multistandard type: so that they are indicated as UE/MS (without limitation, often the only term UE is indicated). The UTRAN includes a plurality of Node B blocks each connected to a respective Radio Network Controller RNC by means of an Iub interface. A node B includes a Base Transceiver Station BTS connected to the UEs through an on-air Uu interface. The upper RNC is a Serving S-RNC connected to the Core Network CN by means of a first Iu(CS) interface for Circuits Switched and a second Iu(PS) interface for Packet Switched of the GPRS. It is also connected to an Operation and Maintenance Centre (OMC). The RNC placed below can be a Drift D-RNC and is connected to the upper S-RNC by means of an Iur interface. The UTRAN with the served UEs constitute a Radio Network Subsystem (RNS) disclosed in TS 23.110.
The GSM-BSS block includes a plurality of BTSs connected to a Base Station Controller BSC by means of an Abis Interface and to the UEs through an on-air Um interface. The BSC is interfaced to the Core Network CN by means of a Gb interface (packet switched) and is further connected to a Transcoder and Rate Adaptor Unit TRAU also connected to the Core Network CN through an A interface. It is also connected to an Operation and Maintenance Centre (OMC).
The CN network includes the following Network Elements: Switching Centre MSC/Visitor Location Register VLRi, Gateway MSC GMSC, Interworking Function IWF/Transcoder TC, Camel Service Environment CSE, Equipment Identity Register EIR, Home Location Register HLR, Authentication Centre AuC, Serving GPRS Support Node SGSN, and Gateway GPRS Support Node GGSN. The following interfaces are visible inside the CN block: A, E, Gs, F, C, D, Gf, Gr, Gc, Gn, and Gi. The IWF block translates the Iu(CS) interface into the A interface towards MSC/VLR block. The TC element performs the transcoding function for speech compression/expansion concerning UTRAN (differently from GSM where this function is performed outside the CN network) also connected to the MSC block through the A interface. The GMSC is connected to the MSC/VLR through the E interface and to a Public Switched Telephone Network PSTN and an Integrated Services Digital Network ISDN. Blocks CSE, EIR, HLR, AUC are connected to the MSC/VLR through, in order, the Gs, F, C, and D interfaces, and to the SGSN node through the Gf and Gr interfaces. The SGSN block is interfaced at one side to the S-RNC inside UTRAN block by means of the Iu(PS) interface, and to the BSC inside the GSM-BSS block through the Gb interface. At the other side the SGSN node is interfaced to the GGSN node through the Gn interface. The last block is connected through the Gi interface to a packet data switching network of the IP (Internet Protocol) type and/or the X.25 type. The Core Network CN of FIG. 1 consists of an enhanced GSM Phase 2+, as described in TS 23.101, with a Circuit Switched CS part and a packet Switched part (GPRS). Another important Phase 2+ is the CAMEL (Customised Application for Mobile network Enhanced Logic) Application Part (CAP) used between the MSC and CSE for Intelligent Network (IN) applications. CAP is described in TS 29.078.
In operation, the MSC, so as the SGSN node, keep records of the individual locations of the mobiles and performs the safety and access control functions. More BSS and RNS blocks are connected to the CN Network, which is able to perform intrasystem handovers between adjacent RNSs or between adjacent BSSs, and intersystem handovers between a RNS and an adjacent BSS. UTRAN in respect of GSM further improves data service by making possible greater throughputs and the asymmetrical traffic typical of the Internet Protocol (IP). The network of FIG. 1, which only represents a minimal part of a world-wide network, shall allow the routing of a telephone call inside an International UMTS/GSM Service Area subdivided into National Service Areas. By way of the hierarchical structure of the network, each National Service Area is subdivided into the following nested domains of decreasing area: PLMN Service Area; MSC/SGSN Service Area; Location Area LA (CS-domain) uniquely defined by its LAI (Location Area Identity) code; Routing Area RA inside the SGSN Service Area as a partition of the CS Location Area; Cell Area where the UE is actually located in the radio coverage of a target Node B or BTS.
Many protocols are deputed to govern the exchange of information at the various interfaces of the multi-RAT network of FIG. 1. These protocols are largely based on the Open System Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model for CCITT (Comité Consultatif International Télégraphique et Télephonique) Applications (Rec. X.200). The OSI model is partitioned into seven layers. From the point of view of a particular layer, the adjacent lower layer provides a "transfer service" with specific features. The way in which the lower layer is realised is immaterial to the next higher layer. Correspondingly, the lower layer is not concerned with the meaning of the information coming from the higher layer or the reason for its transfer. Historically the problem of designing a well reliable signalling system has been posed in the PSTNs domain. For this aim a CCITT Signalling System N° 7 has been developed to provide an internationally standardised general purpose Common Channel Signalling (CCS) system. CCS is a signalling method in which a single channel conveys, by means of labelled messages, signalling information relating to, for example, a multiplicity of circuits, or other information such as that used for network management. Common Channel Signalling can be regarded as a form of data communication that is specialised for various types of signalling and information transfer between processors in telecommunications networks. The signalling system uses signalling links for transfer of signalling messages between telephone exchanges or other nodes in the telecommunication network served by the system. Relevant SS7 standards are published, and regularly updated, as ITU-T Q.7xx Recommendations. SS7 signalling as been gradually enriched with new functions suitable for the incoming digital PLMNs, the Intelligent Networks, and the Packet Switch service. To support PLMNs, a Mobile Application Part (MAP) has been developed by ETSI. MAP (TS 29.002) is the most important Level 4 Application Part, because it regulates the mobility aspects of the users. Typical MAP functions are, e.g.: store routing information in the HLR register, update and clear VLR location information, delivery & updating user profiles in the HLR and VLR, IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) check, Inter-MSC handover, etc.
The general protocol architecture of the signalling used in the network includes an Access Stratum with a superimposed Non-Access Stratum (NAS). The Access Stratum includes Interface protocols and Radio protocols for exchanging User data and control information between the CN and the UE. These protocols contain mechanisms for transferring NAS messages transparently, i.e. the so-called Direct Transfer DT procedures. The NAS stratum includes higher level protocols to handle control aspects, such as: Connection Management CM, Mobility Management MM, GPRS Mobility Management GMM, Session Management SM, Short Message Service SMS, etc. Said general protocol architecture is designed in horizontal layers and vertical planes, taken as logically independent of each other. At the various RAT interfaces, two main horizontal layers are present: an upper Radio Network Layer and a lower Transport Network Layer, in the latter the Physical Layer corresponding to the Level 1 is present. Three vertical planes are generally present, respectively: a Control Plane, a User Plane and a Transport Network Control Plane. The User Plane includes the Data Stream(s) and the data Bearer(s) for the Data Stream(s). Each data stream is characterised by one or more frame protocols specified for those interfaces. The User Plane is used to transport all user data, e.g.: speech data or packet data. The Control Plane includes several Application Protocols used for all control signalling which is procedure specific. The Control Plane also includes the Signalling Bearer(s) for transporting the Application Protocol messages. The Transport Network Control Plane is used for all control signalling within the Transport Network Layer; it does not contain any Radio Network Layer information. The Transport Network Control Plane acts as plane between the Control Plane and the User Plane, it enables the Application Protocols in the Control Plane to be totally independent from the technology selected for data bearer in the User Plane. The Layer 1 functions are the ones that interface to the physical medium (e.g.: optical fibre, radio link, copper cable) to offer the clock extraction capability and transmission quality control. The physical medium shall comply with some well known standards, i.e. SDH, SONET, Ex, Tx, etc. The ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) is used on Layer 2 of the UTRAN's Transport Network Layer; to say, for all 3 Planes of the Iu (TS 25.412), Iur (TS 25.422) and Iub (TS 25.432) interfaces. The ATM mode enables the transmission of Real Time (RT) data, such as speech & video, as well as Non-Real Time (NRT) data, such as packet data, computer files and graphics.
FIG. 2 shows the main protocol stacks of the CS and PS Control Plane referred, without limitation, to the only UMTS network of FIG. 1. A similar figure exists even for the GSM part. At the bottom of FIG. 2 the following elements: UE, Node B, D-RNC, S-RNC, CN and the respective interfaces Uu, Iub, Iur, Iu [Iu(CS), Iu(PS)] are depicted. The bottom part of the Control Plane includes the Transport Layer upon which the Radio Protocols and the protocols of the Non Access Stratum reside. The Transport Layer includes the elements of the Transport Network Layer, to say: the L1 and L2 layers and an Access Link Control Application Part (ALCAP). The NAS protocols are also indicated in FIG. 2. With reference to FIG. 2, the Transport Plane on the Uu interface is the same as described in the User Plane, it consists of Level 1 UTRA FDD or TDD mode and Level 2 protocols MAC (Medium Access Control) and RLC (Radio Link Control). The Transport Plane on the Iub, Iur and Iu interfaces again consists of the same Level 1 as described in the User Plane. ATM and AAL1-3 are used as Layer 2 signalling protocols, in particular the ALCAP application part. The indicated Radio Protocols are the following: RRC (Radio Resource Protocol), NBAP (Node B Application Part), RNSAP (Radio Network Subsystem Application Part), RANAP (Radio Access Network Application Part). In operation, RRC is used as Layer 3 protocol for controlling the information transfer between UE and UTRAN. RRC messages carry all the information required to set-up, modify, or release Radio Links (RL), which carry in their payload higher layer NAS signalling and enable UE mobility in RRC Connected mode. NBAP is used as Layer 3 protocol on the Iub interface. It carries common signalling or dedicated signalling between C-RNC and Node Bs. RNSAP is used as Layer 3 protocol on the Iur interface. It supports basic inter-RNC mobility and DCH traffic, as well as CCH traffic transmission. RANAP is used as Layer 3 protocol on the Iu interface. It is used for signalling between UTRAN and the Core network CN. RANAP is responsible on Iu for e.g.: Paging, RAB (Radio Access Bearer) management, S-RNC relocation, security and overload control, and the NAS signalling transfer. The indicated NAS Protocols are the following: MM (Mobility Management), GMM (GPRS MM), SM (Session Management), and CM (Connection Management). MM supports function such as: UE attach/detach, security functions, and location/routing area updates. SM supports Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context activation/de-activation for PS connections. CM is used for Circuit Switched Call Control, Supplementary Services, and SMS support. Besides RANAP and RRC contain Direct Transfer procedures for transparent NAS message transfer between UEs and the Core Network CN.
The main purpose of the network of FIG. 1 is that to route speech signals and packet data among different points of a wide geographical network assuring in the meanwhile the possibly best Quality of Service (QoS) to the end user. QoS is an important aspect of the GSM and UMTS specification, consequently. To reach a prefixed QoS a lot of parameters are continuously measured and the measures reported to the various entities involved in this task, both for uplink and downlink. In the following some examples of QoS concepts are given for GPRS and UMTS. GPRS QoS is specified in TS 22.060 (former GSM 02.60) and TS 23.060 (former GSM 03.60). An individual QoS profile is associated with each PDP (Packet Data Protocol) context. The QoS profile is considered to be a single parameter with multiple data transfer attributes. It defines the quality of service expected in terms of the following attributes:    precedence class,    delay class,    reliability class,    peak throughput class, and    mean throughput class.
There are many possible QoS profiles defined by the combinations of the attributes. A PLMN may support only a limited subset of the possible QoS profiles. During the QoS profile negotiation defined in subclause "Activation Procedures", it shall be possible for the MS (Mobile Station, presently considered as the UE) to request a value for each of the QoS attributes, including the HLR-stored subscribed default values. The network shall negotiate each attribute to a level that is in accordance with the available GPRS resources. The network shall always attempt to provide adequate resources to support the negotiated QoS profiles.
The service precedence class indicates the relative importance of maintaining the service commitments under abnormal conditions, for example which packets are discarded in the event of problems such as limited resources or network congestion. The precedence classes are defined in High, Medium, and Low priority.
The delay class defines the maximum values for the mean delay and 95-percentile delay to be incurred by the transfer of data through the GPRS network(s). The delay parameter defines the end-to-end transfer delay incurred in the transmission of SDUs (Service Data Unit) through the GPRS network(s). This includes the radio channel access delay (on uplink) or radio channel scheduling delay (on downlink), the radio channel transit delay (uplink and/or downlink paths) and the GPRS-network transit delay (multiple hops). It does not include transfer delays in external networks. Four delay classes exist. As a minimum the PLMN shall support the best effort delay class 4.
The reliability class defines the probability of loss of, duplication of, mis-sequencing of, or corruption of SDUs.
The peak throughput is measured in units of octets per second. It specifies the maximum rate at which data is expected to be transferred across the network for an individual PDP context. There is no guarantee that this peak rate can be achieved or sustained for any time period, this depends upon the MS capability and available radio resources. The network may limit the subscriber to the negotiated peak data rate, even if additional transmission capacity is available. The peak throughput is independent of the delay class, that determines the per-packet GPRS network transit delay.
The mean throughput is measured in units of octets per hour. It specifies the average rate at which data is expected to be transferred across the GPRS network during the remaining lifetime of an activated PDP context. The network may limit the subscriber to the negotiated mean data rate (e.g., for flat-rate charging), even if additional transmission capacity is available. A "best effort" mean throughput class may be negotiated, and means that throughput shall be made available to the MS on a per need and availability basis.
UMTS QoS is specified in TS 23.107. There are four different QoS classes:    conversational class;    streaming class;    interactive class; and    background class.
The main distinguishing factor between these QoS classes is how delay sensitive the traffic is: Conversational class is meant for traffic which is very delay sensitive while Background class is the most delay insensitive traffic class.
Conversational class mainly regards telephony speech (e.g. GSM). But with Internet and multimedia a number of new applications will require this scheme, for example voice over IP and video conferencing tools. The maximum transfer delay is given by the human perception of video and audio conversation. Therefore the limit for acceptable transfer delay is very strict, as failure to provide low enough transfer delay will result in unacceptable lack of quality. The transfer delay requirement is therefore both significantly lower and more stringent than the round trip delay of the interactive traffic case.
Streaming class is characterised by that the time relations (variation) between information entities (i.e. samples, packets) within a flow shall be preserved, although it does not have any requirements on low transfer delay. As the stream normally is time aligned at the receiving end (in the user equipment), the highest acceptable delay variation over the transmission media is given by the capability of the time alignment function of the application. Acceptable delay variation is thus much greater than the delay variation given by the limits of human perception.
Interactive class is applied when the end-user, that is either a machine or a human, is on line requesting data from remote equipment (e.g. a server). Examples of human interaction with the remote equipment are: web browsing, data base retrieval, server access. Examples of machines interaction with remote equipment are: polling for measurement records and automatic data base enquiries (tele-machines). Interactive traffic is the other classical data communication scheme that on an overall level is characterised by the request response pattern of the end-user. At the message destination there is an entity expecting the message (response) within a certain time. Round trip delay time is therefore one of the key attributes. Another characteristic is that the content of the packets shall be transparently transferred (with low bit error rate).
Background class is applied when the end-user, that typically is a computer, sends and receives data-files during background processing. Examples are background delivery of E-mails, SMS, download of databases and reception of measurement records. Background traffic is one of the classical data communication schemes that on an overall level is characterised by that the destination is not expecting the data within a certain time. The scheme is thus more or less delivery time insensitive. Another characteristic is that the content of the packets shall be transparently transferred (with low bit error rate).
These classes can be grouped as groups of RT (real time) and NRT (non-real time) services, for example: RT traffic corresponds to the Conversational and Streaming traffic classes, while NRT traffic corresponds to the Interactive and Background traffic classes. Separated uplink and downlink values are considered for the services. Uplink is intended for transmissions from the UE to the Node B, or from the MS to the BTS. Downlink is intended the contrary direction of transmission.
In the scope of a Common Radio Resource Management (CRRM), current GSM and UMTS systems are allowed to exchange cell capacity and load information among RNCs/BSCs.
In the currently standardised Rel5 solution in RNSAP (TS 25.423 v5.6.0) and RANAP (TS 25.413 v5.4.0), the following Information Elements (IEs) concerning GSM and UMTS cells are specified and transferred among RNC/BSCs. We refer here for example to the definitions contained in RNSAP, that are nevertheless reflected in RANAP:    Cell Capacity Class Value: in order to compare the capacity available for user traffic within a cell among different operators' cells. Divided in two values (one for uplink, one for downlink): range: [1 . . . 100].    Load Value: in order to indicate the total load in the cell, as a percentage of the capacity indicated by the Cell Capacity Class Value. Divided in two values (one for uplink, one for downlink): range: [0 . . . 100].    RT Load Value: in order to indicate the load percentage due to RT services relative to the Load Value. Divided in two values (one for uplink, one for downlink): range: [0 . . . 100]. The NRT Load Value is not explicitly defined in the specification because directly obtainable by 100 minus RT Load.    NRT Load Information [0 . . . 3]. The abovementioned NRT Load Value [0 . . . 100] was not felt as sufficient, because of the characteristics of NRT traffic, that can tolerate delays and non continuous transmissions. It was therefore decided to also define an Uplink/Downlink NRT Load Information, where the different values have the following meaning:    0: Low,    1: Medium,    2: High: the probability to admit a new user is low,    3: Overloaded: the probability to admit a new user is low, packets are discarded and the source is recommended to reduce the data flow.
The goal of the Cell Capacity Class Value would be to allow e.g. the RNC that receives this indication to figure out (by combining this information with the load values) whether there is still free capacity in the cell or not, in order to decide whether the cell can be considered as a potential target cell for handover or not.
Coming to the description of the procedures that are used by the current Rel5 solution for the transfer of said IEs, a few different means are foreseen:    between RNCs on the Iur interfaces by usage of the            "Common measurement" procedure (for Load Value, RT Load Value and NRT Load Information IEs) and the        "Information Exchange" procedure (for the Cell Capacity Class IE),            on the Iur-g interface between an RNC and a BSC, and between BSCs by using the same Iur procedures.    between GERAN and UTRAN, and in particular between an RNC and an A/Gb-mode-only BSC, by attaching the load information onto existing inter-RNC/BSC handover/relocation messages,    between A/Gb mode BSCs by attaching the load information onto existing inter-RNC/BSC handover/relocation messages.
A Work Item on improvements of CRRM methods is the subject of the following 3GPP TR 25.891, titled: "Improvement of RRM across RNS and RNS/BSS (Release 6)". In this document a functional model is proposed in which the whole set of radio resources for an operator is considered to be partitioned into "radio resource pools". Making reference to FIG. 3, these radio resource pools are controlled by two different types of functional entities:    RRM entity: functional entity responsible for Radio Resource Management of one radio resource pool, i.e. this characterises the radio resource pool;    CRRM entity: functional entity responsible for a Common Radio Resource Management, i.e. coordination of overlapping/neighbour radio resource pools controlled by different RRM entities. This new CRRM entity is introduced to allow some kind of coordination among different radio resource pools whose radio resources are linked to the same geographic area in the network.
Interfaces and functions are foreseen between a CRRM entity and one or more RRM entities and between two CRRM entities, but not between two RRM entities directly. Information on other systems (e.g. inter system measurements GSM/UTRAN) can be retrieved through either the Core Network interfaces or the Iur-g interface between RNC and BSC. The functional relationships between the entities of the functional model are based on two types of functions: Reporting Information and RRM Decision Support. Interactions of CRRM and RRM with O&M (Operation and Maintenance) for the exchange of configuration information are possible. With reference to the FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 the following CRRM topologies are provided:    1. CRRM integrated into every RNC/BSC (FIG. 4);    2. CRRM integrated only in some RNC/BSCs (FIG. 5);    3. CRRM as a stand-alone server (FIG. 6).
The approach illustrated in FIG. 4 is characterised by the co-location of RRM and responsible CRRM entities. The functional interface between RRM and CRRM is not realised as an open interface in this solution. Only "Reporting Information" is exchanged over open interfaces. The depicted solution is the base of the current Re15 solution, allowing to transfer cell capacity and load information among RNCs and BSCs using the information exchange/common measurement procedures via the Iur and Iur-g interfaces, or handover/relocation procedures via A/Iu interfaces. Only "Reporting Information" function on the interface between different CRRM entities is standardised (mainly as a cell load exchange). The "Reporting Information" function between CRRM and RRM entities and the "RRM Decision Support" is vendor specific since the CRRM entity must be integrated in every RNC/BSC which has to support CRRM. The approach illustrated in FIG. 5 is characterised by the co-location of CRRM with RRM for only one RNC/BSC. This integrated solution is allowing for open interfaces between RRM and CRRM (for the cases where RRM is not co-located with CRRM). The approach illustrated in FIG. 6 implements RRM and CRRM entities into separate nodes. All of the interfaces among RRMs and CRRMs are open.
Thanks to the different topologies of the FIGS. 3–6 an effective CRRM policy based approach is possible for load management. The introduction of an open interface between CRRM and both RNS and BSS allows the collection of traffic load information from several RNCs/BSCs for the aim of taking optimal decisions concerning Handovers and, in an equivalent way for data, Cell Reselections. CRRM entity is not supposed to be consulted for channel switching or for soft handover, since the RRM in RNC/BSC shall handle these kind of cases. The considered handovers are of the following type: between two RNCs; between two BSCs; between an RNC and a BSC, and vice versa. The basic idea behind the "Policy-based CRRM approach" is the standardisation of parameters and information exchange over an open interface between RRM and CRRM entities. This would enable the CRRM entity to provide CRRM policies to the RRM entities, thus allowing the traffic situation in the network to be dynamically adjusted on the basis of a common strategy. In this proposal the CRRM entity only acts as an advisor, so that the RRM entities still take the final decisions (RRM is the master), but based on parameters adjusted by a centralised CRRM. According to this policy, while the RRM entities take the fast decisions required for each Access Request or Handover Request, the CRRM entity works at a slower time scale and provides policies to the RRM entities whenever an update is necessary. In this sense the frequency for a policy update depends on the traffic variations within the involved cells. The updating frequency can also be subject to configuration. The CRRM entity would be able to work on a faster time scale than O&M, in order to dynamically react to traffic load variations in overlapping radio resource pools. The "CRRM policy based approach" describes the functional relationship between CRRM and RRM by three functions:    1. CRRM triggers RRM to report measurement/load information or RRM reports initiated by the RRM entity itself.    2. CRRM can inform RRM about CRRM related information (e.g.: cell capacity and load situation of neighbour cells which are not under control of this RRM function.    3. CRRM sets load targets for the RRM functions for which the CRRM entity is responsible.This can be obtained by the following four procedures:    Measurement Initiating Procedure (CRRM initiated): CRRM triggers RRM to report a load measurement for a cell which is controlled by this RRM function. The report characteristics may be e.g. periodic, on demand, or event driven (e.g. by a load level). The possibility to report load measurements for more than 1 cell at one time should be allowed.    Measurement Reporting Procedure (RRM initiated): Here the RRM may report load measurements per measurement object to the CRRM which is responsible for this RRM.    Neighbour Cell CRRM Information Procedure (CRRM initiated): Based on the measurements received from different RRMs the CRRM derives the "Neighbour Cell CRRM Information" (distinguished per cell and per service) and sends it to all possibly affected RRM instances (neighbour cells in this sense are only those neighbour cells controlled by neighbour RRMs, since for cells of its own RRM no support is needed). This information is then used by the RRM in case of a handover (if cells of neighbour RRMs are involved) to prioritise the target cell.    Load Target Setting Procedure (CRRM initiated): When a load target—which can dynamically be set by CRRM per cell—is exceeded, the serving RRM of the according cell takes autonomous RRM decisions based on the provided policy (Neighbour Cell CRRM Information, e.g. ranking of target cells). This concerns the following RRM decisions:            Handover due to load reasons.        Redirect due to load reasons.The procedure advises RRM to aim at a certain load level within a cell, however the resulting actions must not increase blocking and dropping rates for calls in the corresponding cell.Cell capacity and load situation parameters managed by said procedures constitute as many Information Elements (IE) included in respective fields of relevant messages foreseen in the specifications.APPROACH TO THE TECHNICAL PROBLEM
The standardised Cell Capacity and cell load Information Elements listed above, that are exchanged between radio network controllers even of different RATs, are largely insufficient to make a CRRM plenty effective. Relevant causes of said insufficiency so as partial remedies to the consequent drawbacks have been disclosed in two patent applications of the same Applicant (SIEMENS) designing the same inventor, namely:    1. EP 02425674.5, filed on 6-11-2002, titled: "TRAFFIC LOAD MANAGEMENT METHOD BASED ON THE EXCHANGE OF SERVICE SPECIFIC FREE CAPACITY INFORMATION ELEMENTS AMONG RADIO ACCESS NETWORK CONTROLLERS".    2. EP 02425675.2, filed on 6-11-2002, titled: "QoS BASED TRAFFIC LOAD MANAGEMENT METHOD IN A MULTI-RAT NETWORK".
The invention disclosed in the first patent application (EP 02425674.5) concerns the opportunity to consider, in addition to the aforementioned standardised Information Elements for Cell Capacity/Load RT/NRT, new service specific Free Capacity Information Elements. These IEs are defined to indicate the available free capacity for a given service by taking into account the capacity that is configured for that service and the actual occupation of this capacity. Service specific Free Capacity IEs take into account free capacity on both dedicated and shared resources, they are exchanged among different radio network controllers to allow the issue of optimal decisions concerning intra-RAT or inter-RAT handovers, or cell reselections for packet data.
Always in the first patent application a centralised dynamical resource reservation method is further disclosed. According to the method, new service specific capacity settings parameters are set by a centralised CRRM entity for every RRM entity. The purpose of these settings is to ask the RRM to reserve a certain amount of resources for certain services. Moreover, the new service specific capacity settings parameters allow for a dynamical resource reservation to specific services with clear benefits on central traffic steering capabilities in a multi-RAT network accessed by a varying population of multi-mode terminals.
The invention disclosed in the second patent application (EP 02425675.2) concerns the impact of traffic load on the QoS. Traffic load in the cells may seriously affect QoS either directly or indirectly. A traffic congestion situation directly affect the overall QoS if the incoming calls are to be refused, so as handovers towards the congested cell. The congestion indirectly affect the experienced QoS when the network is forced to downgrade the actual quality in order to add up new traffic. For example, in the old GSM a cell load dependent activation of Half Rate (HR) channels TCH/H instead of Full Rate TCH/F can be implemented within a cell where dual rate channels are configured. In a more sophisticated way an Adaptive Multi Rate (AMR) code is provided both for GSM and UMTS. According to the method of the secondly cited patent application (EP 02425675.2), in addition to the standardised Information Elements exchanged for the aim of cell load traffic management among RRM entities (via one or more CRRM entities), new Information Elements corresponding to service specific cell QoS Indicators are added up. That enables to distinguish the general service specific QoS situation in the cell, in order to take reliable decisions concerning handovers or cell reselections among different radio access network controllers. The optimal decision is a consequence of an improved strategy for balancing between RT and NRT traffic inside singular cells of a same RAT.
OUTLINED TECHNICAL PROBLEM
As previously said, by exchanging cell information, one RNC can for example know about the service specific free/reserved capacity and/or the QoS situation of a neighbouring GSM cell, or vice versa.
However, even if the above proposals try to save as much as possible of the 3GPP UMTS/GSM Release 5 (Rel5) solution by enhancing it in two of the most critical issues, a number of problems remains:    In relation to the "Cell Capacity Class IE" one of the above proposals was solving the issue of "reserved capacities" for specific services. However, another problem is that "Cell Capacity Class IE" is meant to indicate a "static capacity", but capacity is nowadays a "soft capacity", i.e. a dynamic capacity, therefore it is difficult to give reasonable meaning to such an IE and it is difficult if not impossible to define it for a cell in a way that can be useful for CRRM purposes. Factors that play a major role in determining the "soft capacity" effect are: user mobility, cell breathing, QoS, signalling traffic, higher modulations and specific technologies like HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), EGPRS (Enhanced GPRS), ECSD (Enhanced Circuit Switched Data), E-DCH (Enhanced Dedicated Channel), MIMO (Multiple Input-Multiple Output). All of these factors lead to the impossibility to determine a static capacity in terms of e.g. kbit/s with a sufficient precision: the same cell might support in some cases a maximum of 1220 kbit/s, while in other cases it could support a maximum of 4880 kbit/s, while in other cases where e.g. HSDPA is used this capacity might go up to around 10000 kbit/s. In the end, even assuming that we would fix an average value for the IE for a given cell, the indeterminacy that it would carry would be so high that its applicability would be extremely limited, and it would be impossible to derive from that value any information of user-available capacity in kbit/s for a specific service without considering other cell specific important information that are not part of the Rel5 solution.    In relation to the Load Values, one of the above proposals was solving the issue of "provided vs. guaranteed bitrate". However, more issues are identified in the following. The idea of comparing Load Values is the common basis of CRRM solutions since GSM early phases where the coordination of different BSCs was tackled in standardisation: a "Load Indication Procedure" was defined for this purpose in GSM 8.08 (now renamed as TS 48.008). We are however not aware of any implementation of such ideas in GSM systems. Load values are known to be a basic input to cell specific CAC (Call Admission Control) algorithms that vary among systems and consider cell/system specific thresholds and settings. Therefore it is practically impossible to directly compare load values from different systems without using their specific CAC algorithms. On the other hand, it would be absurd to implement in every RNC/BSC CAC algorithms for every possible technology and every possible cell configuration. Moreover, Rel5 Load Value and RT Load Value are defined as percentages and refer to percentages of the Cell Capacity Class. This gives an indication of a possibility to "calculate" load in terms of occupied capacity, and the possibility to "calculate" a free capacity by substraction from a total capacity that would be indicated by Cell Capacity Class, but this is not possible due to the big indetermination that the Rel5 solution carries. Summarizing, it is conceptually impossible to directly compare load values from different systems, and referencing the load values to an ambiguous indication of static capacity would make it worse.    The Rel5"NRT Load Information" gives again a very undefined and ambiguous information. In general, it does not help to know if the cell can accept a certain NRT service characterised by a Maximum Bitrate, a specific technology, a certain priority or a certain need for the cell change to be made.    All the Rel5 solutions do not say anything about extremely important technologies like HSDPA, EGPRS, HSCSD or ECSD. The Rel5 solution cannot therefore consider at all these kind of resources during inter-RNC/BSC cell changes.
It is therefore evident how the current Rel5 approach to the problem brings to a number of issues that compromise the whole solution. The current Rel5 approach is vague, lacks important information, and the generality of the definition of its IEs make it possible for different kinds of interpretations that all contribute to enlarge the indeterminacy on each IE. Even if it would be easily possible to set some values to those IEs, the indeterminacy that they would suffer would make it impossible to use them consistently in the receiving node, therefore making the whole solution useless. It is highly expected that the current Rel5 solution as it was standardised will never be implemented due to deficiency of achievable gains. Summarizing, the major problem of the prior art, in particular the current Rel5 solution, is identified in the following: it tries to provide a limited and insufficient number of parameters, that are specific to a certain system, to a different system that is in fact not capable to interpret the received information. I.e.: cell capacities and loads are somehow CAC parameters that are system specific, and so are the CAC algorithms in every RNC/BSC with their different thresholds, settings and system specific strategies: the current Rel5 solution is based on the wong approach where CAC parameters specific to e.g. UMTS are provided to CAC algorithms specific to e.g. GSM, therefore creating a fundamental incompatibility or indeterminacy. In the UMTS SRNC case the situation is even worse: GSM specific CAC parameters are provided to the SRNC that does not normally implement any CAC algorithm. Summarizing, the Rel5 solution is based on a totally wrong approach as it brings information to a place that lacks the capability to interpret this information.

Common radio resource management method in a multi-RAT cellular telephone network


A satellite heat removal means can be embodied as an original nuclear system feature but is especially adapted to be retrofitted to an existing nuclear reactor system to serve optionally to supplement heat removal from the system nuclear reactor containment upon happening of a LOCA, and to assume all system containment drywell venting in the event reactor core meltdown results in breach of the containment floor structure separating the containment drywell and wetwell space which breach would deprive the containment of a space to which a non-condensable fraction of LOCA generated heated fluid in the containment could be vented, cooled and stored. The satellite heat removal means includes a structural external of but preferably situated alongside the nuclear reactor containment. A heat exchanger surrounded by a pool of cooling water is located in an upper chamber of the structure while a pool of water is present in a lower chamber of the structure. The heat exchanger is communicated with the containment drywell by inlet and outlet conduits so that heated fluid in the containment can enter and be cooled in the heat exchanger with a cooled condensate fraction being returned from the heat exchanger to the containment drywell, and a non-condensable gas fraction vented to the pool of water in the lower chamber. A gas space above the lower chamber pool of water substitutes as the wetwell gas space to which non-condensables vent in place of the containment wetwell gas space that was breached and thus merged with the containment drywell space as an incident of the LOCA.

The present invention relates to passive cooling of a nuclear reactor containment. The invention is particularly directed to an isolation condenser type passive cooling system which can be installed externally of the nuclear reactor containment as well as building structure in which the containment is situated, the cooling system being such as minimizes need to penetrate the containment and building enclosure with cooling system components.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,059,385, 5,082,619 and 5,106,571 disclose use of isolation condensers in connection with passive removal of initial and decay heat loads generated in a nuclear reactor system containment as a result of and upon occurrence of a LOCA, i.e., a loss-of-coolant accident in the system.
The cooling systems disclosed in these pending applications also can dissipate initial heat by venting the reactor pressure vessel and/or the containment drywell space to a suppression pool of water confined in a chamber surrounding the reactor pressure vessel. Venting to the suppression pool also can be used with respect to condensate recovery of the isolation condensers, and non-condensable gasses such as nitrogen, which are cooled in an isolation condenser and separated from the condensate.
Venting from the containment drywell of heated, pressurized fluid and venting of condensate and non-condensable gasses from the isolation condensers to the suppression pool, is possible because a pressure differential exists between these fluids and gasses on the one hand, and the airspace above the suppression pool water on the other hand.
In other nuclear reactor systems, LOCA heat loads are dissipated in different manner. For example, a type of nuclear system that was built in some numbers in the 1960's and 1970's has a containment which includes an upper space in which the nuclear reactor is disposed, and a lower space defining a suppression pool chamber in which cooling water is present with there being an airspace above the water. The upper and lower spaces are separated by a horizontal structural element, e.g., a concrete floor. A concrete pedestal extends upwardly a distance from the concrete floor in the upper space and serves as a mounting on which the reactor pressure vessel is received and supported. A plurality of vertically disposed vent tubes are arranged in circle array in the floor and have entry ends communicating with the upper space, lower outlet ends of these vent tubes locating submerged in the suppression pool water.
On happening of a LOCA, initial heat is dissipated by heated, pressurized fluid present in the upper space or drywell venting through the vent pipes into the suppression pool wherein steam condenses and non-condensable gasses such as nitrogen cool and vent from the pool water to the airspace above the water. Initial heat also can be dissipated by recirculating water from the reactor vessel to a cooling operation (unless a reactor vessel rupture is present), which cooling operation may for environmental safety reason, involve an intermediate heat exchange location and a final heat exchange location, the latter being one outside the containment. Recirculation of the suppression pool water in like manner can be practiced to take into account that the suppression pool will heat up quite quickly. Decay heat dissipation will be handled by the same suppression pool and reactor vessel water recirculation functions. It is to be noted though that these systems do not employ passive heat removal capacity.
While the last-discussed systems are designed to handle any anticipated LOCA heat load, there is a drawback and potential risk that the cooling function of the suppression pool as it regards non-condensable gasses, can be rendered ineffective. Such happening can come about if a reactor core meltdown attends the LOCA. In that event, the meltdown may cause or contribute to a breaching of the concrete floor structure thereby communicating the drywell of the upper space directly with the airspace above the pool in the lower space rather than such communication being indirect through the suppression pool first. The result is that no lower pressure space exists in the containment to which the higher pressure non-condensable gasses can be vented and cooled by passage through the suppression pool.
The systems with the above-recited shortcoming embody massive containment structures. This works against conveniently and simply making system modifications to counter the effects of meltdown as described above and provide for cooling, both as to initial heat removal and the longer term decay heat dissipation.

Retrofittable passive containment cooling system


A rapid reprogramming terminal (RRT) adapted for communication with military aircraft MIL-STD-1553 multiplex data bus which includes generally four avionics and one electronic warfare bus on board each aircraft. The RRT may be used to reprogram all electronic warfare and avionics systems aboard and aircraft including the bus controllers for each avionics or electronic warfare bus and the remote terminals connected to each bus. The RRT includes a high speed digital signal processor which executes functions required to reprogram a remote terminal or bus controller through software stored in an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM). The information required to reprogram a remote terminal or bus controller is stored on an IC memory card which is electrically coupled to the digital signal processor. When the RRT establishes communications with either an avionics bus or electronic warfare bus, the digital data required to reprogram, for example, a remote terminal is transferred from the IC memory card through the digital signal processor in a serial format to an encoder/decoder which converts the digital data to Manchester encoded differential data for transfer via the MIL-STD-1553 multiplex data bus to the remote terminal or bus controller being reprogrammed. The present invention also provides for a verify operation whereby the data stored in the IC memory card is compared with the data in the bus controller or remote terminal being reprogrammed to verify that the data is identical.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to memory loading apparatus and, in particular, to a light weight portable reprogramming and data verifier apparatus which may be used to load data into aircraft avionics and electronic warfare and countermeasure systems and then verify the accuracy of the data.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art there are memory loader and data verifier systems which provide the means for loading data into the avionics aboard military aircraft and thereby reprogram the aircraft avionics. In addition, these prior art systems will verify that the data is loaded correctly into these aircraft avionics and electronic warfare and countermeasure systems. One such device of the prior art is the Memory Loader Verifier, Model ASM-607MLV manufactured by Texas Instruments, while another such device of the prior art is the Advanced Memory Loader Verifier, Model ASM-607AMLV also manufactured by Texas Instruments.
Each of these prior art devices load new data into the avionics and electronic warfare systems aboard aircraft and then verify that the memories have been correctly loaded. The new data is loaded via an aircraft multiplex data bus which generally meets the design requirements of military standard (MIL-STD)-1553. This, in turn, allows for the reprogramming of aircraft on-board avionics and electronic warfare systems.
While satisfactory for their intended purpose that of reprogramming military aircraft on board avionics and electronic warfare and countermeasures systems, these multiple loader verifier (MLV) systems of the prior art leave something to be desired in that they often do not make use of state of the art high speed electronics which results in these prior art MLV systems having a slow operating speed, being susceptible to failure, and being bulky in size. Further, these prior art MLV systems are very expensive to produce.
With the above and other disadvantages known to prior art multiple loader verifier systems the present invention was conceived and one of its objects is to provide a means whereby the avionics aboard an aircraft can be reprogrammed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means whereby the electronic warfare and countermeasures systems aboard a military aircraft can be reprogrammed.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a portable, inexpensive and compact reprogramming terminal for reprogramming the avionics and electronic warfare and countermeasures systems aboard an aircraft.
It is still another object of the present invention to verify that the data loaded from the reprogramming terminal is correctly loaded into the avionics and electronic warfare and countermeasures systems aboard an aircraft.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a reprogramming terminal which uses high speed, state of the art electronics technology to allow for the rapid reprogramming of the avionics and electronic warfare and countermeasures systems aboard an aircraft.
Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as a more detailed description of the invention is set forth below.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


The inventive apparatus for remotely handling bar-like components which define a longitudinal direction includes a gripper mechanism for gripping the component including first and second gripper members longitudinally fixedly spaced from each other and oriented parallel to each other in planes transverse to the longitudinal direction. Each gripper member includes a jaw having at least one V-groove with opposing surfaces intersecting at a base and extending radially relative to the longitudinal direction for receiving the component in an open end between the opposing surfaces. The V-grooves on the jaw plate of the first and second gripper members are aligned in the longitudinal direction to support the component in the first and second gripper members. A jaw is rotatably mounted on and a part of each of the first and second gripper members for selectively assuming a retracted mode in which the open end of the V-groove is unobstructed and active mode in which the jaw spans the open end of the V-groove in the first and second gripper members. The jaw has a locking surface for contacting the component in the active mode to secure the component between the locking surface of the jaw and the opposing surfaces of the V-groove. The locking surface has a plurality of stepped portions, each defining a progressively decreasing radial distance between the base of the V-groove and the stepped portion opposing the base to accommodate varying sizes of components.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for remotely handling bar-like components, and in particular to such an apparatus that can remotely grip, rotate, and move such components in a nuclear environment.
2. Description of Related Art
Devices for handling components in a nuclear environment are useful because they reduce the radiological hazard to workers and improve access to such components. Often these components are irradiation test trains, which have a large length to diameter ratio, and may be visualized as a long length of round bar. The test train is inserted vertically into a nuclear reactor and, when installed, the top end of the test train forms a seal with the reactor head. When a test train must be handled outside of a reactor, it presents a significant radiation and contamination hazard. These test trains are often handled, for assembly and disassembly purposes, within water pits.
The current fixture 10 (FIGS. 1-3) used to handle such test trains, includes upper and lower support members 12, 14 vertically spaced from each other by a support structure 16. The upper and lower members 12, 14 each have a plurality of different sized openings 18 (FIGS. 2 and 3) for accepting a correspondingly sized test train. The upper member 12 (FIG. 3) has a plurality of pins 22 spanning the openings 18 for actively securing the test train in the opening. The lower member 14 (FIG. 2) has no pins and only provides passive support to the test trains. In operation, the current fixture 10 requires a worker already dressed in full protective anti-contamination clothing to don a set of heavy, arm length rubber gloves. The worker must then lay on the deck of the water pit, reach into the contaminated water to remove one of several pins 22 on the upper active support member 12, and, after the test train is loaded, reinsert the pin 22. These actions expose the worker to radiation and contamination hazards. Once the test train is secure, accessibility is restricted because the worker must be careful not to fall into the water. Further, the current fixture does not rotate the test trains to allow the worker other angles of access.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,987 discloses a remotely controlled coupling mechanism in the drive train for nuclear reactor control elements, in which a female connector engages a male connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,150,515 discloses in FIG. 1 an elevator for a rod retained by a curved latch bolt.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,599 discloses a gripper device to remove fuel assemblies from a nuclear reactor. The gripper device has longitudinally spaced upper and lower gripping surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,230 discloses a self locking coupling mechanism for lifting a reactor fuel element.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,473,684; 1,541,986; and 2,153,474 disclose sucker rod elevators and rod clamps.

Apparatus for remotely handling components

The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy


An aluminum nitride sintered body has characteristics such that an amount of total metal elements other than aluminum is smaller than 100 ppm, and a volume resistivity at room temperature is greater than 1.0.times.10.sup.9 .OMEGA..multidot.cm and is smaller than 1.0.times.10.sup.13 .OMEGA..multidot.cm. A metal including member has such a construction that a metal member is embedded in the aluminum nitride sintered body mentioned above. An electrostatic chuck is made by the metal including member mentioned above. In the metal including member mentioned above in which the metal member is embedded in the aluminum nitride sintered body mentioned above, a volume resistivity thereof can be controlled without adding a low resistance material in aluminum nitride.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an aluminum nitride sintered body and a method of producing the same, and to a metal including member used as a function gradient member in which a metal member is embedded in an aluminum nitride sintered body. Moreover, the present invention especially relates to an electrostatic chuck preferably used in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.
2. Related Art Statement
Generally, an electrostatic chuck is used for chucking a semiconductor wafer in film forming steps of transferring, exposing, chemical vapor depositing, and spattering the semiconductor wafer, or in steps of micro-machining, washing, etching, and dicing. As a substrate member of the electrostatic member, a densified ceramics is sometimes used. Particularly, in a field of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, a halogen corrosive gas such as ClF is frequently used as an etching gas or a cleaning gas. Moreover, in order to rapidly heat or cool the semiconductor wafer while the semiconductor wafer is chucked, it is desirable that the substrate member of the electrostatic chuck has a high thermal conductivity. Further, in order not to fracture the substrate member due to a rapid temperature variation, it is desirable that the substrate member has a thermal shock resistivity. A densified aluminum nitride has a high corrosion resistivity with respect to the halogen corrosive gas mentioned above. Moreover, it is known that aluminum nitride has a high thermal conductivity and its volume resistivity is greater than 10.sup.14 .OMEGA..multidot.cm. Further, it is known that aluminum nitride has a high thermal shock resistivity. Therefore, it is preferred to form the substrate member of the electrostatic chuck for the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using an aluminum nitride sintered body.
On the other hand, in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, in order to use the electrostatic chuck as a suscepter for holding the semiconductor wafer, it is necessary to decrease the resistivity of the substrate member. For example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-19831, in order to improve a chucking property of the electrostatic chuck, the volume resistivity of an insulation dielectric layer of the electrostatic chuck is decreased to smaller than 10.sup.13 .OMEGA..multidot.cm by mixing a conductive material or a semiconductive material into an insulation member having a high volume resistivity.
Moreover, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2-22166, ceramic raw materials made of alumina as a main ingredient are sintered under a reduction atmosphere to produce a dielectric ceramic for the electrostatic chuck. In this case, 1-6 wt % of alkali earth metal and 0.5-6 wt % of transition metal, both shown as a weight of oxide, are included in the ceramic raw materials. In this method, for example, a dielectric rate is improved by mixing TiO.sub.2 into alumina ceramics and a volume resistivity is decreased to 10.sup.12 -10.sup.18 .OMEGA..multidot.cm, to obtain a high chucking property.
However, the volume resistivity of a highly purified alumina nitride sintered body is greater than 10.sup.14 .OMEGA..multidot.cm, and thus it is too high to use as the substrate member of the electrostatic chuck for the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. In this case, in order to obtain a sufficient chucking property, it is necessary to form an extremely thin insulation dielectric layer having a thickness smaller than 300 .mu.m. However, if the insulation dielectric layer is thin as mentioned above, there is a possibility of generating an insulation fracture and so on from one of the reaction layers in a surface of the insulation dielectric layer. From this point of view, we understand that it is preferred to make the thickness of the insulation dielectric layer greater than 500 .mu.m.
However, in the known electrostatic chuck made of aluminum nitride, if the insulation dielectric layer is made thick as mentioned above, a chucking property of the electrostatic chuck is decreased, and thus it is difficult to obtain a sufficient chucking property particularly in a low temperature region in which a volume resistivity is high. Usually, a dry etching process is performed under a low temperature of -50.degree. C..about.-60.degree. C., and a highly densified plasma CVD process is performed at about 100.degree. C. In these low temperature processes, it is difficult to obtain a predetermined chucking property stably.
In the electrostatic chuck in which aluminum nitride is used for a material of the substrate member, we think it is effective to add a metal member having a low resistivity in the substrate member as shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-19831. However, in the electrostatic chuck mentioned above, the metal member having a low resistivity and so on is detached from a surface of the substrate member, and thus there is a possibility of being a cause of semiconductor pollution. Therefore, it is not preferred to use the electrostatic chuck mentioned above for a highly purified semiconductor process such as a process for 8 inch wafer.

Aluminum nitride sintered body, metal including member, electrostatic chuck, method of producing aluminum nitride sintered body, and method of producing metal including member


A sensor for blood component analysis that can correct the effect of a hematocrit easily is provided. The sensor includes an analysis portion including a working electrode, a counter electrode, and a reagent portion. The reagent portion includes an oxidoreductase that reacts with the blood component and a mediator, and the blood component is measured by causing a redox reaction between the blood component and the oxidoreductase in the presence of the mediator and detecting a redox current generated by the redox reaction by the working electrode and the counter electrode. In this sensor, the reagent portion further includes a hemolyzing agent (e.g., sodium cholate) for hemolyzing an erythrocyte, and when detecting the redox current, the erythrocyte is hemolyzed with the hemolyzing agent so as to cause hemoglobin released to an outside of the erythrocyte to react with the mediator and a current generated by this reaction also is detected to correct an effect of a hematocrit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of measuring a blood component and a sensor used in the method.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, sensors for blood component measurement have been used for clinical test, self-measurement of blood glucose level by diabetics, etc. The configuration of the sensor for blood component measurement is such that, for example, a cover is disposed on an insulating substrate having a working electrode and a counter electrode on its surface, with a spacer intervening between the cover and the insulating substrate. On the working electrode and the counter electrode, a reagent containing an oxidoreductase, a mediator (an electron carrier), and the like is provided, thereby forming an analysis portion. The analysis portion communicates with one end of a channel for leading blood to the analysis portion. The other end of the channel is open toward the outside of the sensor so as to serve as a blood supply port. Blood component analysis (e.g., analysis of blood glucose level) using the sensor configured as above is carried out in the following manner, for example. First, the sensor is set in a dedicated measuring device (a meter). Then, a fingertip or the like is injured with a lancet to cause bleeding, and the blood supply port of the sensor is brought into contact with the blood that has come out. The blood is drawn into the channel of the sensor by capillary action and flows through the channel to be led to the analysis portion where the blood comes into contact with the reagent. Then, a redox reaction occurs between a blood component and the oxidoreductase so that a current flows via the mediator. The working electrode and the counter electrode detect the current, and the measuring device converts the detected current into an amount of the blood component and displays the value obtained by the conversion.
In the above-described manner, the sensor can measure the blood component. However, since the obtained measured value might be affected by a hematocrit (Hct), it might be necessary to remove the effect of Hct in order to obtain an accurate measured value. One example of a method of removing the effect of Hct is preparing a correction table beforehand using a sample with a known Hct and then correcting the measured value using this correction table (see JP 11(1999)-194108 A, for example). Another example is correcting a Hct using a parameter that has been set beforehand (see WO 02/44705, for example). However, these methods require a laborious correction process such as providing a correction table beforehand or performing a complicated calculation using a parameter.

Method of measuring blood component and sensor used in the method


The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of fabrication of the same, said semiconductor device including a capacitive structure comprising of a lower layer electrode consisting of a silicon material, a capacitive insulating film consisting of a tantalum oxide film and an upper layer electrode, said upper layer electrode comprising at least a titanium nitride film for covering said capacitive insulating film. Said method of fabrication comprises the steps of: forming the lower layer electrode; forming the capacitive insulating film for covering said lower layer electrode; and forming the titanium nitride film for covering said capacitive insulating film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of fabrication thereof, and more specifically to a semiconductor device and a method of fabrication thereof, in which the semiconductor device includes a capacitive structure comprising a capacitive insulating film formed with a Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5 film.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent ultra-large scale integrated circuit (LSI) memories many efforts are paid as an important subject to increase a capacity of a high dielectric tantalum oxide film per unit area.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated in a cross section a capacitive structure of a prior art DRAM with use of a tantalum oxide film. As illustrated in the figure, a device isolation oxide film 202 is selectively formed on the surface of a silicon substrate 201 with a gate oxide film formed thereon, and thereafter a gate electrode 203 serving also as a word line is formed together with impurity diffusion layers 205a, 205b as a source-drain region of a MOSFET formed on the surface of the silicon substrate 201. Simultaneously with the formation of the impurity diffusion layers 205a, 205b, a silicon oxide film 204 (the silicon oxide film includes a gate oxide film, a spacer oxide film, and a silicon oxide film for an interlayer insulating film) is formed.
A node contact is opened through the silicon oxide film 204 on the surface of the impurity diffusion layer 205a and a storage node electrode 206 comprising polycrystalline silicon is connected to the impurity diffusion layer 205a. Further, a capacitive insulating film 207 comprising a tantalum oxide film covering the surfaces of the storage node electrode 206 and the silicon oxide film is formed together with the formation of a plate electrode 208. The capacitive insulating film 207 excepting a portion of the same just under the plate electrode 208 is removed by etching. For the plate electrode 208, there are employed an aluminum (Al) metal film or a tungsten (W) film as a high melting point metal film, and a molybdenum (Mo) film. For the formation of the aluminum metal film there is employed vacuum deposition or sputtering, and for the formation of the tungsten or molybdenum film being the high melting point metal film there is employed sputtering.
The prior art capacitive structure described above however has the following difficulties: First, provided the plate electrode comprises the aluminum metal film, there occurs a reaction between aluminum and tantalum oxide upon film formation to cause a leakage current in the tantalum oxide film to be increased.
Contrarily, provided the plate electrode comprises the high melting point metal film such as a tungsten film, the leakage current through the tantalum oxide film is reduced compared with the case where the aluminum metal film is employed This originates from a fact that use of the high melting point metal film prevents the reaction with tantalum oxide from being produced. However, even the use of such a high melting point metal film as the plate electrode fails to ensure a highly reliable tantalum oxide film because there is left a problem in view of a practical current level.

Semiconductor device and method of fabrication thereof


A system includes a processor configured to receive a navigation route. The processor is further configured to identify a toll instance on the navigation route. The processor is additionally configured to display the toll instance with a preferred payment method on a display. Also, the processor is configured to detect when a vehicle travels past a point where a toll is due for the toll instance and wirelessly instruct payment of the toll using the preferred payment method.

Toll payments are a regular part of many drivers' daily commutes. These systems used to require currency payments, but improvements over the years have made it possible to use wireless payment solutions in order to pay tolls. Typically, this involves mounting a radio frequency tag, associated with a user account, in a vehicle window or somewhere on a vehicle. When the vehicle passes a checkpoint, the tag transmits an ID, usable to charge the user account associated with the tag.
With the advent of vehicle wireless technology, such communication could be handled by built-in vehicle systems. Further, if a vehicle is a shared vehicle or a shared autonomous vehicle, the prospect of linking an account to a mounted tag is not necessarily desirable, because payments would then have to be coordinated to a user (whoever was using the vehicle at the time) account.
Another issue with mounted RF tag payments occurs when a user is reimbursed for business expenses. If the user has two tags, both could get charged, if the user has a business tag, then the business may need to charge the user for uses outside business purposes, and if the user has a personal tag, then the user may need to charge the business for uses while on business travel. All of these scenarios lead to situations whereby the advanced, but still dated, model of RF tags in vehicles for toll payment can cause difficulties for users.

Method and apparatus for managed vehicular toll payments


Methods and devices are provided for managing licenses in gaming networks. Some aspects of the invention are provided as a license manager module that operates as part of a server-based system for provisioning and configuring gaming machines. Security and authentication techniques are provided to prevent unauthorized gaming software usage. Such gaming software may be, for example, downloaded to gaming machines in the network under the control of a gaming establishment's game management server that is in communication with a license manager device. In preferred implementations, a gaming machine is prevented from executing software for a game of chance unless the license for that game is valid and has not expired.

This invention relates to networks of gaming machines, such as slot machines and video poker machines. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and devices for managing and provisioning gaming machines and other devices in a gaming network.
The gaming machines under the control of a particular entity may be globally distributed in many different types of establishments. Casinos, convenience stores, supermarkets, bars and boats are a few examples of establishments where gaming machines may be placed.
Typically, utilizing a master gaming controller, a gaming machine controls various combinations of devices that allow a player to play a game on the gaming machine and also encourage game play on the gaming machine. For example, a game played on a gaming machine usually requires a player to input money or indicia of credit into the gaming machine, indicate a wager amount, and initiate a game play. These steps require the gaming machine to control input devices, such as bill validators and coin acceptors, to accept money into the gaming machine and recognize user inputs from devices, including key pads and button pads, to determine the wager amount and initiate game play. After game play has been initiated, the gaming machine determines a game outcome, presents the game outcome to the player and may dispense an award of some type depending on the outcome of the game.
The operations described above may be carried out on the gaming machine when the gaming machine is operating as a "stand alone" unit or linked in a network of some type to a group of gaming machines. As technology in the gaming industry progresses, more and more gaming services are being provided to gaming machines via communication networks that link groups of gaming machines to a networked computer (which may be a local or a remote computer) that provides one or more gaming services. As an example, gaming services that may be provided by a networked computer to a gaming machine via a communication network of some type include player tracking, accounting, cashless award ticketing, lottery, progressive games and bonus games.
Typically, network gaming services enhance the game playing capabilities of the gaming machine or provide some operational advantage in regards to maintaining the gaming machine. Thus, network gaming services provided to groups of gaming machines linked over a dedicated communication network of some type have become very popular in the gaming industry. In general, the dedicated communication network is not accessible to the public. To justify the costs associated with the infrastructure needed to provide network gaming services on a dedicated communication network, a certain critical number of gaming machines linked in a network of some type must utilize the service. Thus, many of the network gaming services are only provided at larger gaming establishments where a large number of gaming machines are deployed.
One example wherein a group of gaming machines are linked using a dedicated network to provide a network gaming service is a progressive game network. The progressive game services enabled by the progressive game network increase the game playing capabilities of a particular gaming machine by enabling a larger jackpot than would be possible if the gaming machine was operating in a "stand alone" mode. The potential size of the jackpot increases as the number gaming machines connected in the progressive network is increased. The size of the jackpot tends to increase game play on gaming machines offering a progressive jackpot, which justifies the costs associated with installing and maintaining the dedicated progressive game network.
However, there are many aspects of managing and provisioning gaming machines that are still performed manually. For example, in a time consuming process, installing a new game has previously involved manually exchanging an EPROM (e.g. a read-only memory) containing the game on the gaming machine. The software is manually loaded because the gaming software is very highly regulated and in most gaming jurisdictions only approved gaming software may be installed on a gaming machine. Further, the gaming software is manually loaded for security reasons, in order to prevent the gaming software from being obtained by individuals who might use the gaming software to try to find ways of cheating the gaming machine. Other attributes of gaming machines, such as the denomination, pay tables, etc., are also manually configured for similar reasons.
Methods and devices for downloading gaming software for games of chance have been proposed. However, downloading such gaming software presents a number of challenges. For example, hackers could potentially make and distribute unauthorized copies of the gaming software. Even if gaming software were distributed only to authorized customers, it would be difficult to ensure that the subsequent use of this software would be in compliance with the corresponding license agreements.
It would be desirable to provide methods and devices that overcome at least some of these drawbacks of the prior art.

Methods and devices for authentication and licensing in a gaming network