An identification document manufacturing method makes an identification document with an optically variable security feature by forming a lens structure in the document's lamination layer along with image information. The method provides image information arranged to include at least two different images. The method uses pressure to form a lens profile in a laminate, including combining the laminate with ink representing the image information to form the document. The document is formed together with the laminate and ink such that the lens profile enables display of the at least two different images when the document is viewed at different predetermined angles. An information bearing document comprises a core layer, an image layer depicting at least two different images, and a laminate layer. The laminate layer is pressed on the core layer such that it forms a lens profile that enables display of the at least two different images when the document is viewed at different predetermined angles.

Identification documents (hereafter "ID documents") play a critical role in today's society. One example of an ID document is an identification card ("ID card"). ID documents are used on a daily basis—to prove identity, to verify age, to access a secure area, to evidence driving privileges, to cash a check, and so on. Airplane passengers are required to show an ID document during check in, security screening, and prior to boarding their flight. In addition, because we live in an ever-evolving cashless society, ID documents are used to make payments, access an ATM, debit an account, or make a payment, etc.
Many types of identification cards and documents, such as driving licenses, national or government identification cards, bank cards, credit cards, controlled access cards and smart cards, carry thereon certain items of information which relate to the identity of the bearer. Examples of such information include name, address, birth date, signature and photographic image; the cards or documents may in addition carry other variant data (i.e., data specific to a particular card or document, for example an employee number) and invariant data (i.e., data common to a large number of cards, for example the name of an employer). All of the cards described above will hereinafter be generically referred to as "ID documents".
In the production of images useful in the field of identification documentation, it is oftentimes desirable to embody into a document (such as an ID card, drivers license, passport or the like) data or indicia representative of the document issuer (e.g., an official seal, or the name or mark of a company or educational institution) and data or indicia representative of the document bearer (e.g., a photographic likeness, name or address). Typically, a pattern, logo or other distinctive marking representative of the document issuer will serve as a means of verifying the authenticity, genuineness or valid issuance of the document. A photographic likeness or other data or indicia personal to the bearer will validate the right of access to certain facilities or the prior authorization to engage in commercial transactions and activities.
Identification documents, such as ID cards, having printed background security patterns, designs or logos and identification data personal to the card bearer have been known and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,970, issued Sep. 18, 1973 to M. Annenberg; in Great Britain Pat. No. 1,472,581, issued to G. A. O. Gesellschaft Fur Automation Und Organisation mbH, published Mar. 10, 1976; in International Patent Application PCT/GB82/00150, published Nov. 25, 1982 as Publication No. WO 82/04149; in U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,775, issued Mar. 31, 1987 to T. Raphael, et al.; in U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,949, issued Apr. 19, 1988 to G. S. Sethi, et al.; and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,987, issued Nov. 16, 1993 to J. W. Luening, et al. All of the aforementioned documents are hereby incorporated by reference.
The advent of commercial apparatus (printers) for producing dye images by thermal transfer has made relatively commonplace the production of color prints from electronic data acquired by a video camera. In general, this is accomplished by the acquisition of digital image information (electronic signals) representative of the red, green and blue content of an original, using color filters or other known means. These signals are then utilized to print an image onto a data carrier. For example, information can be printed using a printer having a plurality of small heating elements (e.g., pins) for imagewise heating of each of a series of donor sheets (respectively, carrying sublimable cyan, magenta and yellow dye). The donor sheets are brought into contact with an image-receiving element (which can, for example, be a substrate) which has a layer for receiving the dyes transferred imagewise from the donor sheets. Thermal dye transfer methods as aforesaid are known and described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,271, issued Nov. 4, 1986 to S. Brownstein and U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,989, issued Jun. 18, 1991 to Y. H. Chiang, et al. Each of these patents is hereby incorporated by reference.
Commercial systems for issuing ID documents are of two main types, namely so-called "central" issue (CI), and so-called "on-the-spot" or "over-the-counter" (OTC) issue.
CI type ID documents are not immediately provided to the bearer, but are later issued to the bearer from a central location. For example, in one type of CI environment, a bearer reports to a document station where data is collected, the data are forwarded to a central location where the card is produced, and the card is forwarded to the bearer, often by mail. Another illustrative example of a CI assembling process occurs in a setting where a driver passes a driving test, but then receives her license in the mail from a CI facility a short time later. Still another illustrative example of a CI assembling process occurs in a setting where a driver renews her license by mail or over the Internet, then receives a drivers license card through the mail.
Centrally issued identification documents can be produced from digitally stored information and generally comprise an opaque core material (also referred to as "substrate"), such as paper or plastic, sandwiched between two layers of clear plastic laminate, such as polyester, to protect the aforementioned items of information from wear, exposure to the elements and tampering. The materials used in such CI identification documents can offer the ultimate in durability. In addition, centrally issued digital identification documents generally offer a higher level of security than OTC identification documents because they offer the ability to pre-print the core of the central issue document with security features such as "micro-printing", ultra-violet security features, security indicia and other features currently unique to centrally issued identification documents. Another security advantage with centrally issued documents is that the security features and/or secured materials used to make those features are centrally located, reducing the chances of loss or theft (as compared to having secured materials dispersed over a wide number of "on the spot" locations).
In addition, a CI assembling process can be more of a bulk process facility, in which many cards are produced in a centralized facility, one after another. The CI facility may, for example, process thousands of cards in a continuous manner. Because the processing occurs in bulk, CI can have an increase in efficiency as compared to some OTC processes, especially those OTC processes that run intermittently. Thus, CI processes can sometimes have a lower cost per ID document, if a large volume of ID documents are manufactured.
In contrast to CI identification documents, OTC identification documents are issued immediately to a bearer who is present at a document-issuing station. An OTC assembling process provides an ID document "on-the-spot". (An illustrative example of an OTC assembling process is a Department of Motor Vehicles ("DMV") setting where a driver's license is issued to person, on the spot, after a successful exam.). In some instances, the very nature of the OTC assembling process results in small, sometimes compact, printing and card assemblers for printing the ID document.
OTC identification documents of the types mentioned above can take a number of forms, depending on cost and desired features. Some OTC ID documents comprise highly plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or have a composite structure with polyester laminated to 0.5-2.0 mil (13-51 .mu.m) PVC film, which provides a suitable receiving layer for heat transferable dyes which form a photographic image, together with any variant or invariant data required for the identification of the bearer. These data are subsequently protected to varying degrees by clear, thin (0.125-0.250 mil, 3-6 .mu.m) overlay patches applied at the print head, holographic hot stamp foils (0.125-0.250 mil 3-6 .mu.m), or a clear polyester laminate (0.5-10 mil, 13-254 .mu.m) supporting common security features. These last two types of protective foil or laminate sometimes are applied at a laminating station separate from the print head. The choice of laminate dictates the degree of durability and security imparted to the system in protecting the image and other data.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a front view and cross-sectional view (taken along the A-A line), respectively, of an exemplary prior art identification (ID) document 10. In FIG. 1, the prior art ID document 1 includes a photographic image 12, a bar code 14 (which may contain information specific to the person whose image appears in photographic image 12 and/or information that is the same from ID document to ID document), variable personal information 16, such as an address, signature, and/or birthdate, and biometric information 18 associated with the person whose image appears in photographic image 12 (e.g., a fingerprint). Although not illustrated in FIG. 1, the ID document 10 can include a magnetic stripe (which, for example, can be on the rear side (not shown) of the ID document 10), and various security features, such as a security pattern (for example, a printed pattern comprising a tightly printed pattern of finely divided printed and unprinted areas in close proximity to each other, such as a fine-line printed security pattern as is used in the printing of banknote paper, stock certificates, and the like).
Referring to FIG. 2, the ID document 10 comprises a pre-printed core 20 (such as, for example, white polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material) that is, for example, about 25 mil thick. The core 20 is laminated with a transparent material, such as clear PVC material 22, which, by way of example, can be about 1-5 mil thick. The composite of the core 20 and clear PVC material 22 form a so-called "card blank" 25 that can be up to about 30 mils thick. Information 26a-c is printed on the card blank 25 using a method such as Dye Diffusion Thermal Transfer ("D2T2") printing (described further in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,594, which is incorporated hereto by reference in its entirety.) The information 26a-c can, for example, comprise an indicium or indicia, such as the invariant or nonvarying information common to a large number of identification documents, for example the name and logo of the organization issuing the documents. The information 26a-c may be formed by any known process capable of forming the indicium on the specific core material used.
To protect the information 26a-c that is printed, an additional layer of overlaminate 24 can be coupled to the card blank 25 and printing 26a-c using, for example, 1 mil of adhesive (not shown). The overlaminate 24 can be substantially transparent. Materials suitable for forming such protective layers are known to those skilled in the art of making identification documents and any of the conventional materials may be used provided they have sufficient transparency. Examples of usable materials for overlaminates include biaxially oriented polyester or other optically clear durable plastic film.
Because ID documents 10 can be used to enable and facilitate personal identification, it often is desirable to manufacture the ID document 10 in a manner to deter counterfeiting and/or fraudulent alteration. There are a number of known ways to increase the security of ID documents 10, including methods that incorporate additional information or security features and methods that adapt existing information on the card to help prevent or make evident fraud. For example, numerous types of laminations have been employed in which the information-bearing surface is heat or solvent-laminated to a transparent surface. The materials for and the process of lamination are selected such that if an attempt is made to uncover the information-bearing surface for amendment thereof, the surface is destroyed, defaced or otherwise rendered apparent the attempted intrusion.
While an identification card that essentially cannot be disassembled without being destroyed may provide suitable resistance against fraudulent alteration, it might not significantly challenge all attempts of counterfeiting. The counterfeiting of identification cards also can involve the fabrication and issuance of identification cards by persons not authorized to do so. Such counterfeiting presents additional and different security problems to the art. One possible way of preventing fraudulent fabrication and issuing could involve strict control over the possession of the materials and equipment involved in the fabrication of the identification card. In some instances, however, this approach is impractical and/or impossible, especially if any of the materials involved are commercially available and used in other applications.
One response to the counterfeiting problem has involved the integration of verification features that are difficult to copy by hand or by machine. One such verification feature is the use in the card of a signature of the card's issuer or bearer. Other verification features have involved, for example, the use of watermarks, biometric information, microprinting, fluorescent materials, fine line details, validation patterns or marking, and polarizing stripes. These verification features are integrated into an identification card in various ways and they may be visible or invisible in the finished card. If invisible, they can be detected by viewing the feature under conditions which render it visible. At least some of the verification features discussed above have been employed to help prevent and/or discourage counterfeiting. However, at least some of the features can be expensive and, in the case of features hidden from casual visual inspection, require specialized equipment and trained operator for authentication. It would be advantageous if an ID document included a security feature that would be difficult to reproduce either in a counterfeited document or by the fraudulent alteration of an original, but would for authentication require neither specialized equipment nor trained operators.
One possible solution to the desire to provide visible, self-authenticating security features on cards is using a so-called lenticular lens and lenticular image. A lenticular image is comprised of a sequence of images that are interlaced to form a singular image, where each individual image (or frame) is viewable at a different angle to the viewer when viewed through a lenticular lens. These various images are termed views.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,946 ("the '946 patent") issued Sep. 26, 1989 describes a tamperproof security card comprised of a transparent upper layer having narrow parallel lenses on the outer surface, and an image containing substrate, the two layers forming a lenticular system by which images on the substrate are selectively visible depending upon the angle from which the card is viewed. The disclosure of this patent, insofar as it relates to the structure and operation of lenticular systems, is incorporated herein by reference. The embodiments disclosed in the '946 patent appear to contemplate having lenticular lens material over the entire surface of a card. In addition, the '946 patent states that the individual data image which is to be viewed through the lenticular lens is formed by laying down a photographic emulsion on an image substrate layer by means of a lenticular system (col. 3, lines 11-20).
It can be difficult to print variable/personalized information on ID documents using known methods, especially if the variable/personalized information varies in type, size, and location from card to card and if it is not desired that the entire card incorporate a lenticular lens feature. Because registration of the image to the lens can be important in ensuring good transitions in image appearance from one view to another, known systems have used simpler lenticular lens features, such as using the same pair of images (e.g., a pair of logos) on every card. A number of known systems, such as the '946 patent, also utilize the lens itself as a means to lay down the image to be viewed by it. One prior art system even uses a laser to engrave an image through the lenticular lens. Using the lens to create an image can be impractical for high volume applications (such as the aforementioned CI systems), where variable image data is printed on a core or substrate and/or on a laminate affixed to the core or substrate. In some situations, using a lens to create an image might limit the quality of the resultant image, because the angle at which the information is written requires a high degree of precision, increasing manufacturing costs.
Some other known systems print the multiple images on the lens itself, instead of on the substrate to which the lens attaches. Printing on the lens can make it difficult to achieve good registration between the lens and the image, which can result in poor image transition from one image to the other as image is viewed at varying angles. Printing on the lens also can limit the ability to handle images of varying sizes. Further, printing on a lens can be very difficult to do in high volume manufacturing environments such as making drivers licenses, because drivers licenses can have several formats which vary for different holders (e.g. under 21 driver, learners, and driver ID), and the aforementioned CI type driver license system can produce licenses for more than one state, which might involve using different art work and security features in different locations. It is inconvenient and expensive to have to change consumables (e.g., lens sheets) to enable varied printing.
It could be advantageous if the variable or personalized information associated with a card bearer could be used as a security feature, in a manner where the security feature is difficult to detect and/or duplicates, yet still able to be printable on the card at the time of card personalization. It could be advantageous if an identification document with a multiple image lenticular lens feature that uses personal information could be manufactured using conventional, inexpensive consumables already being used in the manufacture of identification documents (e.g., without requiring the use of expensive lenticular lens sheets). It further could be advantageous if an identification document could have a personalized full color multiple image lenticular lens feature.
The invention provides methods for making identification documents and identification documents with optically variable security features. One method provides image information arranged to include at least two different images. The method uses pressure to form a lens profile in a laminate, including combining the laminate with ink representing the image information to form the document. The document is formed together with the laminate and ink or dye such that the lens profile enables display of the at least two different images when the document is viewed at different predetermined angles.
An information bearing document comprises a core layer, an image layer depicting at least two different images, and a laminate layer. The laminate layer is pressed on the core layer such that it forms a lens profile that enables display of the at least two different images when the document is viewed at different predetermined angles.
Systems and methods are provided for making a secure ID card with multiple images. Printed information in the form of an interlaced image (which includes the interlacing of at least two images) is provided to an information-bearing layer. A substantially transparent film material is provided to substantially cover the information-bearing layer. A lens profile is embossed in a selected portion of the film material, such as the portion that at least partially covers the interlaced material. The portion of the interlaced image that is covered by the lenticular lens will present a different appearance depending on the angle at which the interlaced image is viewed. With the arrangement of the first embodiment, a secure ID card with multiple images security feature can be provided on a portion of the ID card while information on the other portions of the ID card are not obscured by the lenticular lens. In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the lenticular lens can be fabricated prior to ID card construction and aligned with the ID card in order to provide the multiple images security feature on a portion of the ID card.
A method for making a secure ID card with multiple images is provided. Information is provided to an information bearing layer, the information constructed and arranged to be, capable of providing multiple images when printed information is viewed at different predetermined angles through an appropriate lens. At least a portion of the information is covered with a substantially a transparent film material. A lens profile is embossed on at least a second portion of the film material, the embossing forming a lens on the film material, the lens enabling the information to display multiple images when the information-bearing laminar assembly is viewed at different predetermined angles.
One embodiment provides an information bearing document having at least first side, the information bearing document comprising a core layer, an interlaced image, and a lenticular lens. The interlaced image is formed on the core layer, the interlaced image comprising at least two images constructed and arranged to provide at least two images when then interlaced image is viewed through a predetermined lenticular lens through at least two different predetermined angles. The lenticular lens is operably coupled to at least a portion of the interlaced image, the lenticular lens constructed and arranged be operable with the interlaced image to enable at least two images in the interlaced image to be viewable through the lenticular lens at two different angles.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be even more readily apparent from the following Detailed Description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In addition, in the figures, like numbers refer to like elements.

Multiple image security features for identification documents and methods of making same


A sampled input signal, e.g. a video signal, is processed to provide output signals appropriate for positions between input samples by interpolating between the input samples using an interpolating transversal filter (110) and filtering the interpolated signal with a second filter (150) the gain of which increases with increasing frequency. The coefficients of the interpolating transversal filter are chosen so as simultaneously to compensate the frequency response of the second filter and to provide a desired position offset of the output samples with respect to the input samples. The interpolation and filtering steps may be reversed in order. Surprisingly the interpolation is improved in quality when it incorporates a de-emphasis operation in this way. The sampling may be the sampling achieved by the video signal line structure. A non-linear circuit (140) such as a gamma corrector may be interposed between the interpolator and the equalizer. The system can in particular be used to process the video output of a telecine, or to process digital audio signals.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for use in signal processing of sampled signals, particularly but not exclusively to an interpolator used for what is known as vertical interpolation of video signals, i.e. for combining and interpolating between the signals occurring on successive lines (as opposed to horizontal or temporal interpolation). Such interpolators may be used in systems such as SECAM or MAC where the two color component signals are transmitted on alternate lines, or in standards converters, or in special effects processors where picture height or width is to be changed, or in a variety of other situations.
International Patent Application No. PCT/GB90/01278 publication No. WO91/03122 (publication date Mar. 7, 1991) describes digital video signal processing equipment including a circuit providing a smooth non-linear processing function such as for example a gamma corrector. In that application it is proposed that high frequency (HF) components resulting from the non-linearity, which may appear as spurious low frequencies due to mirror image spectral reflection (aliasing) in the digital sampling frequency, should be reduced. This is achieved by attenuating high frequency signal components before the gamma corrector, and equalising them thereafter. Both the modifier and the equaliser providing this pre-gamma de-emphasis and post-gamma equalisation respectively may take the form of transversal filters. Neither the modifier nor the equaliser have anything to do with interpolation either vertical, horizontal or temporal.

Method and apparatus for signal processing by interpolation and filtering with simultaneous frequency response compensation and offset generation


An intelligent hotspot scattering method includes learning request quantity curves of a plurality of URLs based on an artificial intelligence learning model and performing request quantity prediction on the plurality of URLs, determining a first URL from the plurality of URLs, determining a second URL from the plurality of URLs, and performing a hotspot scattering operation on the URLs. A predicted request quantity of the first URL is greater than or equal to a first predetermined request quantity threshold corresponding to the first URL. A request quantity of the second URL is not predictable and an actual request quantity of the second URL is greater than or equal to a second predetermined request quantity threshold corresponding to the second URL.

In order to reduce the processing delay on the server side and improve the user experience, it is usually needed to scatter/balance URLs (Uniform Resource Locations), especially hotspot URLs.
In the existing technologies, usually, centralized URLs are randomly or evenly distributed to back-end machines (for example, origin node servers clusters, edge node servers clusters) to achieve load balancing for hotspot URLs.
However, in the solutions of the existing technologies, usually, the scattering operation is performed only after the hotspot URLs appear, to dispersedly distribute the requests for the hotspot URLs to multiple machines. Therefore, there are the following shortcomings.
1. No judgment, nor preprocessing, is made on the possible trend of the hotspot URLs in the early stage. The hotspots are directly scattered once they appear. Machines without caches will directly return to the upper node or origin, leading to great waste of traffics.
2. Even if all return-to-origin traffics are redirected back to a unified port by using the intra-group cache sharing scheme, in the case of a large hotspot file size (for example, the file size exceeds 1 G), the hotspot accumulation will not be solved before the machines finish fetching the file. The burden of the unified port is not reduced.
In order to solve the problems, new technical solutions need to be proposed.

Intelligent hotspot scattering method, apparatus, storage medium, and computer device

GUIZHOU BAISHANCLOUD TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A secure text having an authentication code is efficiently created. A key generation part 12 generates secure texts ([x], [α], [β]) of “x”, “α” and “β” that are values satisfying xα=β. A secure text generation part 13 generates secure texts [ai] of random values “ai” for i=1, . . . , N. An authentication code generation part 14 generates authentication codes [γ(ai)] by multiplying the secure texts [ai] by the secure text [α] for i=1, . . . , N. A verification value generation part 15 generates a secure text [w] of a verification value “w” using the secure texts ([x], [α], [β]), the secure text [ai] and the authentication code [γ(ai)]. A verification value determination part 16 determines whether the verification value “w” is equal to zero or not.

Methods of obtaining specific operation results without decrypting encrypted numerical values include a method called secret calculation (e.g., Non-patent literature 1). The method of Non-patent literature 1 performs encryption that allows three secret calculation devices to share the fragments of the numerical value, and the three secret calculation devices perform cooperative operation, which can allow the three secret calculation devices to hold the results of addition and subtraction, constant addition, multiplication, constant multiplication, logical operation (negation, logical conjunction, logical disjunction, and exclusive OR), and data format conversion (integer, and binary numeral) without decrypting the numerical value, in a state of being shared among these devices, i.e., being left encrypted.
Methods of providing resistance to falsification by adding an authentication code when secret calculation is performed include a method in Non-patent literature 2.

Secret authentication code adding device, secret authentication code adding method, and program

NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION


The invention relates to an annular rotary platform (3) for a milking parlour and a mould and method for manufacturing the annular platform. The platform (3) is formed of a cementitious material. The platform comprises on an underside at least one protruding reinforcing portion (3d) formed of a cementitious material.

The present invention relates to an annular rotary platform for a milking parlour, wherein the platform is formed of a cementitious material. The present invention also relates to a mould and a method for manufacturing of such a platform.
The size of a rotary parlour must be adapted to individual farmer's available space and number of cows. A platform of a rotary parlour adapted to receive about 20 to 100 cows is too large to be transported. Therefore, the assembly of rotary parlours in situ is required. Milking cows have a weight of about 600-900 kg. Thus, the platform of a rotary parlour has to have a considerable strength such the platform will not be deflected by the weight of the cows during the rotary motion of the platform and when the cows walk on and back off the platform.
NZ 270 955 shows a rotary milking parlour including an annular platform. The platform consists of concrete and it has a substantially even thickness. A plurality of radially directed steel ribs is arranged on the underside of the platform. Thereby, the annular platform will be substantially stiff in a radial direction but less stiff in a direction along its circular extension. The reduced stiffness in this direction makes it is possible for the platform to maintain a continuous contact, via a circular rail member attached on the underside of the platform, with a number of rolling members arranged below the platform.
However, the manufacturing work of such a platform is relatively complicated since the platform includes a relatively large number of components. Furthermore, such steel ribs are relatively expensive components since they will have the properties of high strength and resistant to corrosion.

Annular rotary platform for a milking parlour, a mould and method for manufacturing of such a platform


A radio communication system adapting TDD/FH, for reducing interference of jammer, preventing third party's hearing, and enhancing frequency usage efficiency. The radio communication system adapting time division duplexing/frequency hopping, having: a data source for providing transmission data or receiving input of reception data; a hop frequency generator for generating frequency changed as frequencies preset at every given time; a frequency modulator for modulating frequency according to the transmission frequency corresponding to the hop frequency with provision of the transmission data; a power amplifier for power-amplifying output of the frequency modulator; an antenna for receiving input of a signal outputted from the power amplifier at a regular time period and radiating the inputted signal or receiving reception data; a bandpass filter for bandpass-filtering reception data received from the antenna depending upon the hop frequency; a switch for connecting the antenna with the power amplifier upon transmission and connecting the antenna with the bandpass filter upon reception; a reception frequency mixer for receiving input of the bandpass-filtered reception signal and mixing the received signal with reception frequency corresponding to the hop frequency; an intermediate frequency mixer for receiving output of the reception frequency mixer and mixing the received signal with an intermediate frequency; and a frequency demodulator for receiving output of the intermediate frequency mixer, demodulating frequency, and again inputting the demodulated frequency to the data source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio communication system of a FM (frequency modulation) modulation/demodulation type and, more specifically, to a radio communication system adapting time division duplexing/frequency hopping.
2. Description of the Related Art
A general radio communication system performs communication using a fixed carrier wave upon communication. That is, after setting the transmission/reception frequency determined in a frequency setter, the communication is performed with the above set transmission/reception frequency until the communication is ended. In a radio communication system of frequency modulation/demodulation, which is a kind of the radio communication systems as described above, data is generated from a data source and input to a low pass filter and lowpass-filtered. Meanwhile, a frequency setter controls a transmission frequency combiner so as to convert the data of the preset transmission frequency. The transmission frequency combiner inputs the transmission frequency corresponding to the transmission frequency preset in an FM modulator, to the FM modulator in correspondence with the control of the frequency setter. At this time, the FM modulator receives the lowpass-filtered data and performs the frequency modulation according to the transmission frequency. Here, the frequency-modulated data is called the transmission data. The transmission data is input to a band pass filter and the bandpass-filtered transmission data is input to a power amplifier. The power amplifier amplifies the bandpass-filtered transmission data which is then again input to another band pass filter which bandpass-filters the amplified transmission frequency prior to being output to a duplexer. The duplexer radiates the bandpass-filtered transmission data through an antenna.
In the meanwhile, upon reception, a signal received from the antenna is input through the duplexer to a tuner and a tuning frequency of the tuner is provided as the same frequency as the frequency preset in the frequency setter. Also, the output of the tuner is input to a low noise amplifier which amplifies the signal and provides the amplified signal to a mixer. The mixer mixes the reception frequency preset in the frequency setter with the reception signal of the low noise amplifier and performs a typical down-conversion.
On the other hand, the output of the mixer is input to a band pass filter and forms a reception signal of the intermediate frequency level. The reception signal is input to another mixer and mixed with an intermediate frequency. The mixed signal is input to an FM demodulator and the output of the FM demodulator as a bandpass signal is input through a low pass filter to the data source.
In the radio communication system of the FM modulation/demodulation as mentioned above, the transmission/reception frequency used in the communication is fixed. Accordingly, it is difficult to perform the communication in the case that there is interference by an intentional or unintentional jammer. Further, since the communication is performed by using the fixed carrier wave, there is a problem in that a third party can easily hear it, intentionally or unintentionally.
The foregoing communication system uses FDD (frequency division duplexing). The FDD is used to discriminate, with certainty, the transmission frequency band and the reception frequency band. It is known to position a guide band between the transmission frequency band and the reception frequency band, in order to reduce the interference between the transmission frequency and the reception frequency. In accordance with this, it results in deterioration of frequency usage efficiency with limited radio wave source in case of the FDD. Also, it is required with the duplexer because of performing the communication with one antenna. Resultedly, the cost may be increased accordingly.
Furthermore, the radio communication system as stated above is affected by the intentional or unintentional jammer, thereby lowering the frequency usage efficiency. It is known to use frequency hopping in some spread spectrum communication systems to avoid intentional or unintentional jammer. Two examples of radio communication systems using frequency hopping are found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,466 to Joseph Kadin and entitled Time Sharing Frequency Synthesizer, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,586 to Shigeki Takeda and entitled Spread Spectrum Communication System.

Radio communication system adapting time division duplexing/frequency hopping


An image forming apparatus including: an apparatus body; a first unit which can be pulled/pushed from/to the body along a first direction and which includes at least a part of an image forming section for forming an image and/or of a sheet transporting section for transporting a sheet onto which the formed image is transferred, and; a second unit which can be pulled/pushed from/to the first unit along a second direction in a state where the first unit is pulled from the body, the second direction being different from the first direction; and a housing permitting mechanism for permitting the first unit to be pushed into the body by a predetermined operation, the housing permitting mechanism being provided for at least one of the body and the first unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a unit which can be pulled/pushed from/to the apparatus for allowing a user to access to an image formation section and/or a sheet transporting section in the apparatus and having a mechanism for permitting the unit to be housed.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an image forming apparatus for performing high-seed printing process has been developed. Although the printing speed of a so-called high speed apparatus (high speed machine) in standard sheet size (a landscape A4 size) was 40 to 60 sheets/minute a few years ago, it is speeded up to 100 to 120 sheets/minute.
When a sheet jam occurs in such an apparatus, a number of sheets being transported are stopped in sheet transporting paths in the apparatus. To restart printing, all of the sheets remaining in the sheet transporting paths have to be removed by a user to open the transporting paths in the apparatus. However, in a high-speed machine as described above, when a sheet jam occurs, total 5 to 10 sheets may jam at each part of the sheet transporting paths in the apparatus for the reasons such that the sheets are transported at reduced intervals for high-speed printing, the size of the apparatus is large to address high-speed printing, and the sheet transporting paths are complicated and long. Therefore, as compared with an intermediate-speed or low-speed machine, there is a tendency that the work of removing the jammed sheets is complicated. Since it increases the burden on the user, an apparatus for easily removing the jammed sheets has been requested.
To address the request, a method of unitizing a part of the apparatus and enabling the unit to be pulled from the body to largely open the sheet transporting paths when removing the remaining sheets in the apparatus has been proposed. With such a configuration, visibility and operability of the user is improved. An apparatus is also known such that a unit which can be pulled is divided into a plurality of units to address the complicated shape of the sheet transporting paths, a first unit is pulled from the body to the front side (the direction orthogonal to the sheet transporting direction), and then a second unit is pulled to the front side from the first unit (refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 10-143046).
The method of dividing the unit which can be pulled into a plurality of units is particularly effective to the following case. In the case where a switchback section for duplex printing exists in one of the sheet transporting paths, the sheet transporting path may be constructed so that the transported sheet is turned around in a small radius. In such a case, by pulling the first unit, the sheet transporting paths for simplex printing can be mainly opened. Further, by pulling the second unit, the sheet transporting path(s) for duplex printing including the switchback section can be opened.
As another method of pulling a plurality of units, a method of pulling the first unit to the front side from the body and pulling the second unit to a sheet evacuation side (the sheet transporting direction) or a sheet feed side (the direction opposite to the sheet transporting direction) from the body is known.
However, the method of pulling the units in two stages to the front side requires assurance of a large space on the front side so that the units can be pulled. The method of pulling the first unit to the front side and pulling the second unit to the sheet evacuation side or sheet feed side does not require a large space on the front side but requires a space on the sheet feed side or the sheet evacuation side. In many cases, a finisher is attached to the sheet evacuation side and a large-capacity sheet feeder and the like is attached on the sheet feed side. To pull the units, such peripheral apparatuses have to be moved, so that the operation is troublesome. Further, the user has to perform a work of removing sheets on the front side and, further, a work of removing sheets on the sheet evacuation side or sheet feed side. Also from the viewpoint that the user has to change his/her position, the work is troublesome. Another method is therefore considered in which the first unit is pulled in a first direction (for example, to the front side) to open a sheet transporting path in a state where a photoconductor and a developing unit are left in the body and, further, a second unit is pulled from the first unit to a second direction (for example, to the sheet evacuation side) to open the sheet transporting path in the first unit.
In such a manner, a large occupation area is not required and, moreover, sheets can be removed nearby, so that the burden on the user is lighter.
In the method of pulling the first unit to the first direction and pulling the second unit from the first unit to the second direction different from the first direction, as long as the second unit is housed in the first unit, pulling the first unit from the body and pushing back the first unit to the body causes no trouble. However, in a state that the second unit is pulled from the first unit, pushing back the first unit into the body causes trouble because the pulled second unit collides with a side face of the body. As a result, there is the possibility such that the second unit, the first unit, or the body is damaged or deformed and necessary mechanism precision cannot be assured.

Image forming apparatus having unit housing permitting mechanism


A DC/DC converter and a control method thereof are disclosed. The DC/DC converter comprises: an output voltage regulation circuit configured to regulate an output voltage of the DC/DC converter, so as to output a duty cycle regulation signal; a PWM generator electrically coupled to the output voltage regulation circuit and configured to generate a first duty cycle signal according to a first clock signal and the duty cycle regulation signal; a detection circuit configured to output a control signal according to a second clock signal and a feedback signal, wherein the feedback signal is configured to detect whether or not the transient change of an input voltage of the DC/DC converter occurs; and a CBC regulation circuit electrically coupled to the PWM generator and the detection circuit, and configured to receive the first duty cycle signal and the control signal and output a second duty cycle signal.

A DC/DC converter is used in electronic equipment and provides voltage and current conversion for a load or a post-stage DC/DC converter, and also prevents the load or the post-stage DC/DC converter from damaging by an abnormal input voltage. Therefore, a response time to transient change of the input voltage is an important technical parameter for the DC/DC converter. According to the conventional art, the DC/DC converter generally utilizes a PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation) controller to achieve the response to the transient change of the input voltage.
A traditional PWM controller, also known as an analog PWM controller, has a feed forward function to response to the transient change of the input voltage. Generally, this function is realized by regulating a slope of a saw-tooth waveform in the PWM controller. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit of a traditional PWM controller with feed forward function. As shown in FIG. 1, the traditional PWM controller includes a saw-tooth wave generator, a voltage regulation circuit and a comparator. The saw-tooth wave generator works as a feed forward circuit. The voltage regulation circuit receives an output voltage of the DC/DC converter, and compares the output voltage with a reference voltage so as to generate a voltage Vcomp. Then the voltage Vcomp is compared with a saw-tooth wave voltage by the comparator to generate a duty cycle signal. FIG. 2 shows waveforms in a process of realizing the feed forward function by the traditional PWM controller. The saw-tooth wave voltage Vs rises upward at a starting point of each cycle, such that an output signal will be at a high level. Once the saw-tooth wave voltage Vs exceeds the voltage Vcomp, the output signal will remain a low level until a starting point of a next cycle. The saw-tooth wave voltage is generated by an input voltage Vin through a RC charge circuit, and the slope of the saw-tooth wave voltage depends on the input voltage Vin and any change of the input voltage Vin can directly affect the slope of the saw-tooth wave. Therefore, the duty cycle signal output from the comparator changes with the input voltage Vin. The circuit can quickly respond to the change of the input voltage, but cannot distinguish a stable state from a transient state. If the input voltage Vin keeps high level, the slope of the saw-tooth wave keeps high level and thus a high feedback gain will be generated. In other words, the feed forward circuit cannot be implanted very deeply due to the gain of the stable state. On the other hand, once the identification of the stable state of the input voltage is taken into consideration, the circuit cannot achieve a fast response to the transient change of the input voltage Vin.
With the development of the digital control technology, digital PWM controllers have been widely applied to DC/DC converters due to the advantages of high integration and flexibility. Compared with traditional analog PWM controllers, digital PWM controllers have no need of the saw-tooth wave, and it is not necessary for the comparator to output the duty cycle signals. The duty cycle signals are generated directly by a firmware. However, the conventional digital PWM controllers cannot quickly respond to the transient change of the input voltage Vin. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a circuit of a digital PWM controller with feed forward function. As shown in FIG. 3, an independent control loop is introduced in the digital PWM controller. The input voltage Vin is converted into a digital signal through an ADC (Analog to Digital Conversion), and is input to a digital PID controller. A preset algorithm is performed in the digital PID controller, a corresponding value of the duty cycle signal is calculated according to Vin, and combined with a value of the duty cycle signal obtained from an output voltage regulation circuit. The preset algorithm in the digital PID controller may solve the problem of the stable state and transient state, but the response time is too long due to a time delay in ADC and also a program execution time for the firmware and it generally needs dozens of clock cycles to respond to the change of the input voltage.
Furthermore, another problem of the digital controller is that the controller is generally placed at the secondary side of the power converter. The primary side input voltage cannot be directly used as a control signal due to the signal isolation problem. Therefore, the secondary side voltage can only be set as the control signal instead of the input voltage. Although the secondary side voltage is closely related to the input voltage, they are not always identical. For example, in a bridge circuit, the secondary side voltage does not equal to the input voltage because that capacitors at the primary side are used to balance the duty cycle of a primary bridge. In this case, the change of the secondary side voltage fails to absolutely reflect the change of input voltage.

DC/DC converter and control method of DC/DC converter


In stack packaging, an IC chip in an upper layer and an IC chip in a lower layer are insulated from each other by use of an insulating adhesive and the like. Thus, if an analog IC chip is stacked in the upper layer, a substrate is set in a floating state. Accordingly, there arises a problem that desired characteristics cannot be obtained. A conductive layer is disposed on an IC chip, and an analog IC chip is fixed on the conductive layer. The conductive layer is connected to a fixed potential pattern through a bonding wire and the like. Thus, a fixed potential can be applied to a rear surface (substrate) of the analog IC chip. Consequently, a mounting structure including the analog IC chip stacked in the upper layer can be realized. In addition, versatility of stack packaging for a circuit device including the analog IC chip can be improved, and a mounting area can be reduced. Moreover, characteristics can be improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit device in which a plurality of IC chips are stacked, and more particularly relates to a circuit device in which an IC chip having a fixed substrate potential is stacked in an upper layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with high integration and downsizing of semiconductor integrated circuits, a stacked circuit device is one of configurations which draw attention as a high-integration IC.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a conventional stacked circuit device.
A plurality of wirings 156 are provided on one surface of a substrate 150, and a first IC chip 151 is fixed thereto with an adhesive material 159 interposed therebetween. Moreover, a second IC chip 152 is stacked thereon with an insulating adhesive material 160 interposed therebetween. On surfaces of the respective IC chips 151 and 152, electrode pads (not shown) are provided, respectively, which are connected to the wirings 156 provided on the substrate 150 through bonding wires 153 or the like. The respective wirings 156 are connected to external terminals 154 such as solder balls, which are provided on a rear surface of the substrate 150, through through-holes TH provided in the substrate 150.
The IC chips 151 and 152, bonding wires 153, and wirings 156 are sealed and packaged by use of a sealing resin 155. This technology is described for instance in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-368189.
In the stacked circuit device as described above, fixing of the second IC chip 152 is performed by use of the adhesive material 160 such as a die-attach sheet and an insulating adhesive in order to insulate the second IC chip 152 from the first IC chip 151. Specifically, a substrate of the second IC chip 152 is mounted in a floating state.
However, for example, in the case where an IC chip used by fixing a substrate potential, such as a bipolar IC, is desired to be used as the second IC chip 152, if the second IC ship 152 is stacked in an upper layer, the substrate potential is set in a floating state. Accordingly, there arises a problem that sufficient characteristics cannot be obtained.
Thus, in a circuit device including an IC chip used with a fixed potential, such as the bipolar IC, the IC chip used with the fixed potential is disposed in a bottom layer in the case of stack packaging. Consequently, versatility of the stack packaging is limited.
Moreover, as to devices in which the stack packaging cannot be realized, the IC chip used with the fixed potential is disposed on an approximately planar surface, and the like. Thus, there also arises a problem that a mounting area is increased.


An electron microscope equipped with an x-ray detector whose position is made different, depending on whether the detector is in use or not. The microscope prevents the irradiated position and the image from escaping even when the detector is moved into or out of a valve. A switch is operated to move the detector. The microscope has a deflection current-correcting circuit which supplies correcting currents to the deflection coils in step with the operation of the switch.

In an electron microscope equipped with an x-ray detector, this detector is mounted close to the objective lens and also close to a specimen. As the detector is placed closer to the specimen, the solid angle is increased and thus the detection efficiency can be enhanced. Such an electron microscope is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,399. However, if this detector has a protective film on the front surface, and if the protective film is very thin, then it is necessary to insert the detector into a valve mounted inside a detecting unit except when the detector is in use. Normally, the position of the detector is made different, depending on whether it is in use or not. When the detector is not in use, the detector is placed remote from the objective lens.
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, a specimen 16 is held by a specimen holder 19 between the top polepiece 15a and the bottom polepiece 15b of the objective lens. An electron gun (not shown) emits an electron beam 17 toward the specimen 16. A specimen image is projected onto a fluorescent screen 18. An x-ray detector 33 is contained in a protective housing 32. The detector 33 is cooled by refrigerant supplied from a refrigerant tank 31. The detector 33 is accommodated in a valve 34. The detector 33 is placed at a first position remote from the specimen in order to protect the detector 33 when it is out of use. On the other hand, when the detector 33 is in use, it should be placed at a second position in proximity to the specimen 16 to increase the detection efficiency. Therefore, when x-rays from the specimen 16 should be detected by the detector 33, the valve 34 is opened. Then, the detector 33 is moved to the second position close to the specimen. In order to carry out the above movement, a roller 35 in contact with the protective housing 32 is provided. The roller 35 is connected to a motor 36. The motor 36 is controlled by a driving circuit 37. A switch 38 is connected to the driving circuit 37 for instructing the movement of the detector 33. When the position of the x-ray detector 33 is changed, the position on the specimen irradiated by the electron beam 17 is an error. Therefore, the brightness of the image formed on the fluorescent screen 18 decreases. Further, at the same time the image itself deviates or errors from a first position indicated by P to a second position indicated by Q in FIG. 4 for the following causes. First, the x-ray detector 33 is made of a nonmagnetic material, but a slight amount of residual magnetism exists. When the detector is cooled by the refrigerant, the surface is frozen. This frozen surface is electrically charged by the electron beam. Secondly, a magnetic substance is contained in the mechanism which moves the x-ray detector. The amounts of these errors are relatively small. Hence, where the size of the electron probe is large, as encountered in the prior art instrument, no problem occurs. However, where the size of the electron probe is small, the slight errors become serious, since it is difficult to locate the analyzed point at a desired point after the x-ray detector has been inserted.

Electron microscope equipped with x-ray analyzer


Example embodiments relate to a memory test system having a semiconductor memory device, a coupling circuit and a tester. The semiconductor memory device may include a plurality of first output nodes and a plurality of second output nodes. The first output nodes may be connected to respective first on-die termination circuits that may not be tested, and the second output nodes may be connected to second on-die termination circuits that may be tested. The semiconductor memory device may be configured to generate test signals of the second on-die termination circuits and to provide the test signals to the second output nodes. The coupling circuit may be configured to connect the first output nodes and the second output nodes to communication channels, respectively. The tester may be configured to test a logic state of the test signals of the communication channels.

1. Field of the Invention
Example embodiments relate to semiconductor memory devices, and more particularly, to a memory test system including a semiconductor memory device suitable for testing an on-die termination, and method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, semiconductor memory devices, e.g., Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), may be tested for detecting defects in a wafer process and in a packaging process. In order to reduce test time, a parallel test, in which a plurality of semiconductor memory devices may be tested at once, may be employed. One form of parallel testing may be a merged-data line scheme. During the merged-data line scheme, at least two output pins of the semiconductor memory devices may be combined, and a selected output data may be provided to a tester through the combined output pins.
As design and process of the semiconductor memory devices become more developed, a double data rate (DDR) DRAM may be used. In case of DDR DRAM having over 200 MHz, for example, a termination circuit may be used for preventing distortion of signals during transmission of data. A termination technique may include a motherboard termination technique and an on-die termination technique. The motherboard termination technique may be when the termination circuit is located on a mother board. The on-die termination technique may be when the termination circuit is located on a die. Because signal integrity of the on-die termination technique may be higher than that of the mother board termination technique, the on-die termination technique may generally be used.
In a read mode, the on-die termination circuit may be deactivated. In a write mode, the on-die termination circuit may function as a termination resistor. Further, as an operating speed of the semiconductor memory devices may be increased, an efficient test of the on-die termination circuit may also be required.

Memory test system including semiconductor memory device suitable for testing an on-die termination, and method thereof


A method for enhancing data rate of an advanced micro-controller bus architecture (AMBA) having an AHB system and an APB system includes simultaneously receiving control signals outputted from a plurality of master devices of the AHB system, and controlling a plurality of peripheral slave devices of the APB system according to the control signals outputted from the plurality of master devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a method and apparatus for enhancing data rate of an advanced micro-controller bus architecture, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus, used in the advanced micro-controller bus architecture, for controlling peripheral slave devices via directly receiving control signals outputted from more than one master device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With rapid development of integrated circuit technology, the integration level of a chip has been developed higher and higher, and thereby integrating a complex system into an independent System-on-Chip (SoC) becomes achievable. Compared to a system formed on a circuit board, the SoC has advantages of weight, volume, performance, cost and so on. However, since the SoC implements a complete system, signal transmissions in the SoC become complicated. Therefore, the prior art provides an advanced micro-controller bus architecture (AMBA) for accomplishing an on-chip bus.
The AMBA, provided by ARM Corporation for a high-performance embedded system bus, is an open and free protocol, which defines Advanced High-Performance Bus (AHB), Advanced System Bus (ASB), Advanced Peripheral Bus (APB), Test Methodology, and so on. The AHB and ASB are applicable to high-performance and high clock-rate system modules, where the ASB adopts a bidirectional data bus to read and write data. The APB is applicable to low power-consumption external devices, detailed description of which can be downloaded from an ARM website "www.arm.com". Brief description of Advanced High-Performance Bus and Advanced Peripheral Bus is described as follows.
Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of a prior art AMBA SoC 10. The SoC 10 comprises an AHB system 12, an APB system 14, and a bridge 16 between the AHB system 12 and the APB system 14. The AHB system 12 comprises master devices (such as embedded processors, direct memory access controllers or other auxiliary operators), slave devices (such as memory or other devices demanding wide bandwidths), and an infrastructure. Within the AHB system 12, all signal transmissions are delivered by the master devices and responded by the slave devices. The infrastructure of the AHB system 12 comprises an arbitrator, a master-to-slave multiplexer, a slave-to-master multiplexer, a decoder, dummy slaves, and dummy masters. What makes the AHB system 12 demand the arbitrator is that the AHB system 12 is a multi-master and pipeline-operation system, allowing only one master device using bus resources at one time. The Decoder takes a task on address decoding, so as to choose one of the slave devices to respond transmission. The multiplexers manager bus-routing for avoiding utilizing a tri-state bus.
The APB system 14 mainly implements a low-speed and low-power-consumption external bus for connecting peripheral devices demanding lower bandwidth, such as an Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART), IEEE 1284 interface, timers . . . etc. Unlike the architecture of the AHB system 12, which is a multi-master structure, the APB system 14 has only one master device, the bridge 16. Therefore, the APB system 14 is much more uncomplicated than the AHB system 12, so that the APB system 14 does not need arbitrators and request or grant signals, and is not a pipeline system.
As mentioned above, the AHB system 12 is a multi-master and pipeline-operation system, allowing only one master using bus resources at one time, and thereby the APB system 14 is under control of the AHB system 12 via the bridge 16. Therefore, the bridge 16 can be seen as a slave device with regard to the AHB system 12, and seen as the only one master device with regard to the APB system 14. In other words, since there is only one master device allowed using bus resources at one time in the AHB system 12 and the APB system 14 is under control of the master, efficiency and bandwidth-utility rate of the APB system 14 are restricted by procedures of the AHB system 12. That is, even if there are available system resources, the system resources may be wasted because the APB system 14 must be under control of the AHB system 12. Thus, efficiency and bandwidth-utility rate of the APB system 14 cannot be increased.
Therefore, the prior art AMBA is unable to enhance the efficiency of the APB, which influences on allocation and use of system resources and thereby decreases data-processing speed of the SoC 10.

Method and apparatus for enhancing data rate of advanced micro-controller bus architecture


A device and method for controlling a charging path of a mobile terminal are provided. The charging path control device of a mobile terminal includes a power supply unit touch screen uniting a battery. The charging path control device also includes a charging unit configured to charge the battery by wire from an external power source and charge the battery by wireless from the external power source. The charging path control device also includes a controller configured to control a charging path to one of a wire charging path, wireless charging path, and wired and wireless simultaneous charging path based on a charge efficiency level to perform charge through the charging unit.

Due to remarkable development of information and communication technology and semiconductor technology, spread and use of a mobile terminal rapidly increase. Mobile terminals provide various functions such as a communication function, music reproduction function, text message transmitting and receiving function, digital broadcasting receiving function, short range wireless communication function, and Internet connection function.
The mobile terminal generally uses a battery for portability. Because amperage charged in the battery is limited, it is difficult to use the mobile terminal for a long time. Accordingly, a user should charge a battery through a wire charge cable or should change and use the battery to another battery. In order to solve such inconvenience, nowadays, mobile terminals having a wireless charge function are available. However, the mobile terminal having a wireless charge function can perform only one of wired charge and wireless charge and cannot simultaneously perform wired charge and wireless charge.

Device and method for controlling charging path of mobile terminal


A printed circuit board according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate including a first metal layer, a second metal layer formed on one surface of the first metal layer, and a third metal layer formed on the other surface of the first metal layer, an insulating layer formed on the second metal layer, and a circuit pattern formed on the insulating layer. A cavity configured to accommodate a light emitting element package is formed in the insulating layer. A thermal conductivity of the first metal layer is greater than thermal conductivities of the second metal layer and the third metal layer.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a printed circuit board and a light emitting device including the same.
2. Background
Light emitting elements are devices for converting electricity to light. As representative light emitting elements, there are light-emitting diodes (LEDs), semiconductor laser diodes (LD), etc.
LEDs are devices in which electrons and holes meet at P-N junction areas to emit light when currents are applied thereto. Usually, LEDs are fabricated in a package structure in which they are installed. An LED package is mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) and configured to emit light by receiving currents from an electrode formed on the PCB.
In an LED package, heat generated in an LED may directly affect light-emitting performance or a lifespan of the LED package. When the heat generated in the LED stays therein for a long time, dislocation and mismatch may be generated in a crystal structure of the LED, which may shorten the lifespan of the LED.
Accordingly, techniques for promoting the dissipation of heat generated from an LED have been proposed. For example, a metal PCB having excellent heat dissipating characteristics may be applied to an LED package.
Meanwhile, when an LED package is mounted on a metal PCB, an expensive plating process may be performed to prevent oxidation, thus increasing the cost of the PCB.

Printed circuit board and light emitting device


A lamp unit includes a projection lens disposed on an optical axis, a light source disposed on a rear side of a rear focal point of the projection lens, a reflector configured to forwardly reflect light emitted from the light source toward the optical axis, and a shade configured to shield a part of the light reflected by the reflector. The lamp unit is configured to form a light distribution pattern having a cutoff line. An incidence plane of the projection lens includes a vertical diffusing portion which regulates the cutoff line. The vertical diffusing portion includes a plurality of lens elements extending substantially parallel to a horizontal portion of the upper edge of the shade. A vertical section of each of the lens elements is convex or concave with respect to a reference surface of the incidence plane.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lamp unit for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a projector-type lamp unit configured to form a light distribution pattern having a cutoff line.
2. Background Art
A projector-type lamp unit is one type of lamp unit for a vehicle. Related art projector-type lamp units include a projection lens disposed on an optical axis extending in a front-and-rear direction of the vehicle, a light source disposed on a rear side of a rear focal point of the projection lens, and a reflector which forwardly reflects a light emitted from the light source toward the optical axis.
In order to form a light distribution pattern having a cutoff line, e.g., a lower-beam light distribution pattern, which is also called as a passing-beam light distribution pattern, with a light irradiating from the projector-type lamp unit, a shade is provided near the rear focal point of the projection lens to shield a part of the light reflected by the reflector so that the cutoff line is formed as an inverted projection image of an upper edge of the shade (see, e.g., JP 2004-95481 A).
However, in the related art projector-type lamp units, the cutoff line formed as the inverted projection image of the upper edge of the shade is very clear, and the light is rarely irradiated toward an upper side of the cutoff line. Therefore, there has been a disadvantage in that visibility in a distant region of a road surface in front of the vehicle tends to be insufficient.


Context data management in a contact center environment is provided. For example, a method comprises receiving a given contact instance for a given user of a contact center, wherein the contact center comprises a plurality of communication channels configured to enable the user to initiate a contact instance and wherein the given contact instance is received over one of the plurality of communication channels. The method further comprises one of generating and updating a context data management pattern in response to receiving the given contact instance, wherein the context data management pattern comprises a data structure of one or more records that maintain information relating to the given contact instance received over the one of the plurality of communication channels and information relating to one or more previous contact instances associated with the user received over one or more of the plurality of communication channels.

Customer contact center efficiency is critical for a business both in terms of customer satisfaction and its own productivity. A modern contact center typically provides service to customers via an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system or some other information processing system. The system enables the customer to interact with one or more computing systems that enable the customer to provide input (e.g., queries and responses) via voice input as well as via computer input (e.g., keyboard, pointing device, dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signaling, etc.). The forms of communication between the customer and the system are sometimes referred to as "channels" which may include, but are not limited to, an automatic number identification (ANI) or caller ID channel, a social media channel, a short message system (SMS) or text channel, an email channel, a voice call channel, an online chat channel, etc. Agents that respond to the customer query may be humans and/or automated systems (computer systems). Typically, data is collected and stored by the system corresponding to the customer journey through the customer support process. This data is sometimes referred to as "contextual data," "context data," or simply "context." However, effectively leveraging such context data to facilitate customer interaction can be challenging, especially when customer interaction involves multiple channels in the system.

Context data management interface for contact center


The present invention relates to a new method for successfully inducing the mutation of cell chemokine receptor CCR5 gene into CCR5Δ32 deletion gene by using the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technique. CCR5 is an important co-receptor for entry of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) into human host cells. CCR5Δ32 deletion is a 32-bp deletion in CCR5 coding region, which results in change and premature termination in the sequence following the 185th amino acid. Biallelic homozygous deletion of CCR5Δ32 is naturally resistant to HIV infection, i.e., the people carrying this mutation can't be infected by HIV. The present invention uses both lentiviral packaging system and the CRISPR technique to induce CCR5Δ32 deletion. Due to the characteristics of a wide range of Lentivirus infection, the invention can be applied to cells such as bone marrow stem cells and CD4+ T cells and can be expected to be the therapeutic drug for HIV/AIDS infection or other diseases.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (also named AIDS virus) has been widespread for over 30 years all over the world. HIV/AIDS is a kind of highly infectious disease. HIV can directly attack the human immune system, thus resulting in human immune functional deficiency. Ultimately, the patients will die due to a variety of opportunistic infections and/or tumors. HIV is mainly classified into two types, HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 causes the pandemic all over the world. HIV-2 is only limited in some parts of Africa and in scattered reports of other areas. According to the report of the World Health Organization (WHO), by the end of 2013, there were about 65 million people affected with HIV-1 in total in the world. Among them, about 35 million people were living with HIV, and about 30 million people already died. In 2013, the new cases infected with HIV-1 were about 2.1 million, and the patients who died of AIDS were about 1.5 million in the same year (http://www.who.int). Up to now, there is still no effective anti-HIV vaccine. Although much progress is made in the anti-retroviral drugs and the anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and the virus replication can be effectively controlled, HIV in patient's body can't be thoroughly eradicated. Therefore, HIV/AIDS can't be fundamentally cured. Also, the anti-retroviral therapy requires a long period of time, which will bring side effects, huge mental stress and economic stress in patients.
China was also suffered from HIV/AIDS. In 1989, one case was reported who was a hemophilia patient infected by HIV during blood transfusion. In 1990s', an outbreak of HIV infection happened among the drug-users in YunNan province. Entering the 21th century, the HIV transmission gradually transfers from blood collection and drug-use to sexual transmission (including homosexual and heterosexual transmissions) in our country. According to the report of the Ministry of Health of China and the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, by the end of 2011, it is estimated that there were approximately 780,000 (620,000˜940,000) people living with HIV in China. Among them, the ratio of female was 28.6%; AIDS patients were 154,000 people (146,000˜162,000 people); the HIV morbility of whole population was 0.058% (0.046%˜0.070%). It was estimated that the new HIV-1 infected people was approximately 48,000 people (41,000˜54,000 people) in 2011 and the number of AIDS-related death was approximately 28,000 people (25,000˜31,000 people) in 2011. As well, the HIV epidemic situation is not optimistic in China.
HIV mainly attacks human immune system by firstly identifying and binding CD4+ receptor on cell surface (CD, the abbreviation of Cluster of Differentiation, is the generic term of a class of differentiation antigens located on the surface of cell membrane. The serial number following the "CD" represents one or a class of differentiation antigen molecules). CD4+ receptor is essential for HIV infection. In the following process, HIV molecule needs to interact with co-receptors. The main co-receptors are chemokine receptor CCR5 (C-C Chemokine receptor type 5) and chemokine receptor CXCR4 (C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4). After HIV successfully binds the receptor and the co-receptor, the changes occur in viral structure and cell membrane, which causes virus-cell fusion and virus entry into the target cells. CCR5 is a seven-transmembrane protein (As shown in FIG. 1) and contains 352 amino acids. CCR5 is a kind of normal chemokine receptor on the cell surface, and is also a major co-receptor by which HIV enters into the target CD4+ cells. It was found that some of the European Caucasians enabled to resist HIV infection. The sequencing analysis indicates that normal CCR5 gene of these people is mutated into CCR5Δ32 gene. In CCR5Δ32 deletion, a 32-bp from position 794 to position 825 in CCR5 gene coding region is deleted (As shown in FIG. 2), which makes the changes on amino acids behind position 185 and results in premature termination in protein translation and generation of deleted protein only with 215 amino acids. This kind of deleted protein can't be generally positioned on cell membrane, but can only stay in endoplasmic reticulum because of the loss of three transmembrane regions 5, 6, and 7. The cell having this mutation is provided with the capability to resist HIV infection as it lacks the co-receptors required to fuse with the virus. If both of the CCR5 alleles inside a cell carry Δ32 deletion, the cell is a homozygote and recorded as CCR5Δ32/Δ32; if only one is Δ32 deletion and the other is the wild type, the cell is a heterozygote and recorded as CCR5Δ32/WT. The study indicates that CCR5Δ32/Δ32 homozygous deletion is naturally resistant to HIV infection, i.e., the patients can't be infected by HIV. The people with CCR5Δ32/WT heterozygous deletion are able to extend onset period of AIDS.
In 2009, German doctors reported that a HIV-infected person named Timothy Brown in Berlin was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia after he was diagnosed with HIV infection for 10 years and received four-year anti-retroviral therapy (ART). The doctors gave him allogeneic stem cell transplantation and the donor of stem cell transplantation is CCR5Δ32/Δ32 homozygote. Virus rebound was not found after the second stem cell transplantation and stop of ART for 20 months. The more important was that the virus rebound was still not found after he stopped ART for 7 years. This is the first case in the world that HIV-infected person is considered to be cured or functionally cured, i.e., there is no virus rebound after the stop of ART.
It is investigated that CCR5Δ32/Δ32 deletion homozygote rate is slightly higher in the European Caucasian population (4-10%), but few exists in Africa and Asian population, only 0-0.19% among Chinese. In China, it is unrealistic to reproduce "the Berlin Patient" case by attempting to find CCR5Δ32/Δ32 deletion donors to perform bone marrow transplantation because of the exiguous donors and the risk of allograft rejection. The present invention attempts to use a new method to carry out this mission.
HIV genome is ribonucleic acid (RNA). The classification of HIV belongs to the genus Lentivirus of the Retroviridae family, because HIV has reverse transcriptase. Virus of this genus is known as Lentivirus because it needs the long latent period and the slow disease onset course to cause disease. Lentiviral vector is a gene therapy vector, which is developed based on HIV-1. In lentiviral vector, HIV-1 pathogenic gene is removed and the process of virus infection of a cell is simulated. The lentiviral vector has the ability to infect both dividing and non-dividing cells and is applied for the cells, which are harder to be transfected with an exogenous gene, such as lymphocytes, primary cells, neuronal cells, stem cells, and etc. This vector can effectively integrate the exogenous gene into host cell genome in order to express the exogenous gene stably for a long period of time. During the experiment, it is necessary to co-transfect the target plasmid carrying the exogenous gene and packaging plasmid into packaging cells in order to produce lentiviral particles. The well-packaged pseudovirions will be secreted into an extracellular medium. After centrifugation, supernatant is directly used for infection of host cells. Thus, the well-packaged lentiviral particles infect the host cells, the target plasmid is reversely transcribed to cDNA by reverse transcriptase and integrated into the host cell genome by integrase so as to stably express the exogenous interest gene in the host cells for a long period of time.
Recently, a new genome editing technique—clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) and CRISPR associated protein (Cas) technique has been paid attention gradually and widely used. CRISPR sequence generally exists in bacteria and archaebacteria. It is a kind of immune defense system formed in evolving process, in which bacteria fights against attack of virus of the bacteria—phage. CRISPR locus is generally composed of short highly conserved repeats. Spacers with different length separate the repeats. The spacers are derived from phage or exogenous DNA sequence, which is similar to immunologic memory acquisition. When the phages or exogenous DNA with the same sequence infects bacteria again, the bacteria can recognize and bind the exogenous sequence with Cas proteins, and then the exogenous sequence is cleaved under the action of a series of Cas related proteins in order to achieve the purpose of protecting itself. CRISPR system can be classified into three types according to different Cas proteins involving in defense process. Among them, type II CRISPR system is widely used because of its simplicity. It only requires a Cas9 protein to complete entire cutting process of the exogenous gene sequence. Under natural condition, the type II CRISPR system also requires crRNA (CRISPR RNA) and transcrRNA (trans-activating crRNA) to together guide Cas9 to recognize and cleave the exogenous sequence. For simplicity of this system, the commonly used is crRNA and transcrRNA complex-guide RNA (gRNA), which helps the Cas9 protein to recognize the target sequence. In CRISPR-Cas9 technique, gRNA recognizes the protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) and binds the target sequence. Thus, under the guide of gRNA, the double-stranded DNA at target site is cleaved by the nuclease Cas9, which leads to double-strand break and induction of cell self-repair process. The cell can be repaired by two ways-homologous recombination or non-homologous end joining. These two kinds of repair ways can result in specific gene modification or deletion or insertion of a small number of nucleotide residues, and thus resulting in mutation of the target sequences.
There have been some reports that this technique is used to abrogate the entire CCR5 gene. However, if the entire CCR5 gene is destroyed, the potential risk is unknown. The CCR5Δ32 deletion has been already present in the population. The people with this mutation can survive healthily without any abnormity. Therefore, it is more significant to induce CCR5Δ32 deletion.
The present invention successfully expresses CRISPR-Cas9 in lymphocytes and successfully obtains the monoclonal cells with CCR5Δ32/Δ32 homozygous genotype by using the lentiviral packaging system. It provides a new way for people to treat HIV/AIDS at the genetic level.

Method for inducing CCR5Δ32 deletion by using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technique


Disclosed are methods and devices for controlling radio base stations and User Equipments, UEs, in a wireless communication network. Corresponding computer programs are also provided. Embodiments provides mechanisms whereby it will be possible to determine whether an uplink pilot sequences has been contaminated. Further embodiments provides methods and devices for assigning a new uplink pilot sequence to a UE if the uplink pilot sequence assigned to the UE is deemed to be contaminated.

Mobile data traffic is growing exponentially due to the enormous success of smart phones, tablets and other data traffic appliances. The traditional way for increasing the data rate has been to increase the transmission bandwidth. However, the spectrum has become scarce due to the increase in wireless access systems and hence the main challenge for the future wireless access systems is to find alternative solutions to meet high demands on the data rate. One way of handling the increased wireless data traffic is to deploy more radio base stations, RBS, and densify the cellular network. This would however lead to increased interference and higher deployment costs. Another, seemingly simpler option in terms of deployment cost, to increase the data rate is to introduce large antenna arrays at the RBS. The RBS, having excessive number of antennas, can simultaneously schedule multiple User Equipments, UEs, at the same time/frequency band with simple linear processing such as maximum-ratio transmission, MRT, or zero-forcing, ZF, in the downlink and maximum-ratio combining, MRC, or ZF in the uplink. This is often referred to as very large multi-user multiple-input-multiple-output, and is abbreviated by VL-MIMO hereafter. The biggest challenge in deploying VL-MIMO is how to acquire channel state information, CSI, which is essential to gain the potentials of the excessive amount of transmit antennas.
Traditionally, each UE, thanks to the pilot symbols transmitted during downlink phase, estimates the channel gain and feeds it back to the RBS via a reverse link. Since the number of required pilots in the downlink is proportional to the number of BS antennas, these schemes for obtaining CSI might require a fair amount of signaling overhead. The idea is therefore to operate in the time-division duplex, TDD, mode and rely on the channel reciprocity between the uplink and the downlink. More precisely, each UE transmits pilot symbols in the uplink phase which are then used by the RBS to estimate the channel. The amount of required pilots is thus proportional to the number of UEs which is typically much smaller than the number of base station antennas.
Having obtained a good estimate of the physical channel the base station is ready to manipulate the phase and amplitude in order to form beams. In order to form a correct beam, the transmitter, for example a radio base station, needs to be provided with the characteristics of the channel. This may be done by means of a process referred to as channel sounding or channel estimation. A known signal is sent from the radio base station to a UE. This signal makes it possible for the UE to obtain a rough estimate of the channel environment. The UE will then return the estimate of the channel characteristics to the transmitter. The transmitter may then apply phase and amplitude adjustments in order to form a beam directed at the UE. The signal used by the UE to return the estimate may be referred to as an uplink pilot or an uplink pilot sequence.
For a BS, or a radio base station, RBS, provided with a large number of antennas, e.g. a multi-user MIMO system, it is possible to perform such downlink channel estimations by utilizing different approaches such as frequency division duplex, FDD, or time division duplex, TDD.
In the FDD approach, for example, the RBS initiates the channel estimation procedure by transmitting a pilot sequence to all UEs served by the RBS. This will activate each UE and cause it to estimate its own channel to the RBS. Having performed the estimation the UEs forwards the estimated channel to the RBS. In common channel estimation procedures is it of importance that the pilot sequences are orthogonal.
In multi-cell scenarios containing C cells were each cell consists of a RBS with M antennas and N UEs it is hard to assign orthogonal pilot sequences since the number of symbols used in the pilot must be at least M×N symbols long. For a large number of UEs, that is, for N large, this is not a particularly feasible solution. Hence alternatives based on non-orthogonal pilot sequences have been developed. This approach, which re-uses particular uplink pilot sequences, may however lead to a problem referred to as pilot contamination. Pilot contamination occurs when channel estimates at a base station in a particular cell becomes affected by users in other cells. Pilot contamination negatively affects the channel estimation and also acts to degrade the downlink beamforming performance.

Methods and devices for handling and assigning uplink pilots


A ring-like sealing frame (3) and a bump (4) are simultaneously formed on a main surface of a first substrate (1) by patterning a metal paste. A ring-like protrusion (8) having a smaller width than a width of the sealing frame (3) is formed on a main surface of a second substrate (5). The main surface of the first substrate (1) and the main surface of the second substrate (5) are aligned to face each other. The sealing frame (3) is bonded to the protrusion (8), and the bump (4) is electrically bonded to the second substrate (5). A height of the protrusion (8) is 0.4 to 0.7 times a distance between the first substrate (1) and the second substrate (2) after bonding.

For better reliability and characteristics, some mounting methods involve cavity sealing wherein semiconductor devices or MEMS (Micro Electric Mechanical Systems) devices are sealed in a cavity formed between opposing substrates (see, for example, PTL 1 and PTL 2). In the conventional device, two substrates are bonded together with a sealing frame to form an airtight cavity, and electrodes of a circuit in the lower substrate are extracted to the upper substrate (see, for example, PTL 1). When fabricating this structure in wafer processes, bumps and a sealing flame are simultaneously formed by patterning a metal paste so that they are collectively bonded. This method allows collective fabrication of a multiplicity of devices by Wafer Level Chip Scale Package (WLCSP) and has found wider applications in recent years.
One drawback is that fine control of pattern width is difficult because of the poor patterning precision of metal paste. The bonding pattern inevitably has a large area, because of which the pressure applied for the bonding (total load divided by pattern area) is insufficient and sealing properties are unsatisfactory. When an airtight seal is to be provided with an Au metal paste, for example, a pressure of 100 MPa or more is necessary for the bonding. When 5000 chips are simultaneously sealed with 4-inch wafers, a sealing frame of 20 μm width would take up about 10% of the pattern area. To secure a bonding pressure of 100 MPa under this condition, a calculated load of 78.5 kN per wafer would be necessary. Since the upper limit of pressure applicable by an existing pressure application apparatus is about 60 kN, an airtight seal cannot be formed. As a solution to this problem, there has been a method wherein a ring-like protrusion is provided in a portion to be bonded to the sealing frame to allow pressure to be concentrated (see, for example, PTL 1).

Hollow sealed device and manufacturing method therefor


The present invention provides a monolithic inductor developed using radio frequency micro electromechanical (RF MEMS) techniques. In a particular embodiment of the present invention, a tunable radio frequency microelectromechanical inductor includes a coplanar waveguide and a direct current actuatable contact switch positioned to vary the effective width of a narrow inductive section of the center conductor of the CPW line upon actuation the DC contact switch. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the direct current actuatable contact switch is a diamond air-bridge integrated on an alumina substrate to realize an RF switch in the CPW and microstrip topology.

Micro-electro mechanical devices (MEMS) attract large attention in many fields of application that include the wireless, automotive and biomedical industries. Reliable RF-MEMS devices have been fabricated utilizing electrostatic and thermal actuation schemes.
The design of microwave and millimeter wave electronics requires components that provide a capability for impedance matching, and/or tuning. Impedance matching is the process through which signals are made to propagate through a high frequency network with a specific amount of reflection, typically as low as possible.
Two of the most common types of components used for impedance matching are capacitors and inductors. Radio frequency micro electromechanical (RF MEMS) techniques have in the past been used to fabricate state-of-the-art tunable capacitors in a variety of different forms. However, to date much less progress has been made in developing RF MEMS tunable inductors.
Prior art in tunable inductors of the RF MEMS type basically consist of topologies in which RF MEMS switches are used to select between different tuning states. Inductors are integral components in RF front end architectures that include filters, matching networks and tunable circuits such as phase shifters. The most common inductor topologies include planar spirals, aircore, and embedded solenoid designs. In comparison to capacitors, however, relatively few tunable inductor configurations have been published; among those presented, many are hybrid approaches that employ MEMS switches to activate different static inductive sections. Furthermore, less attention has been paid to designs that enable control in the sub-nH range as is potentially desirable for matching purposes in applications that use distributed loading of small capacitances, e.g. in loaded-line phase shifters.
Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) possesses many outstanding material properties such as high thermal conductivity, high stiffness, low thermal expansion coefficient and its chemical inertness prevents from oxidation (up to ˜600° C. in vacuum). These properties of NCD films can be used for high temperature and high power RF-MEMS devices. Furthermore, NCD films also possess low loss when used as a thin film at microwave frequencies.
Accordingly what is needed in the art is an improved tunable inductor of the RF MEMS type.

Tunable micro electromechanical inductor