This invention comprises a control interface between a machine and a physical object. The invention includes an infrared transmitter for transmitting a first infrared signal to an object. Upon striking the object, the infrared signal is reflected forming a reflected infrared signal. An infrared receiver receives the reflected signal from the object and the reflected signal is transformed into a second signal which may be either an analogue type or a yes/no threshold type, representative of a distance between the object and the receiver. The second signal is coupled to the machine. The apparatus is a cordless touch-free controller interface for use with a machine. The present invention is ideally suited for controlling cursor position for use with computers and also with video games.

Controlling the position of a cursor is important when using certain types of machines such as a computer or video games. Cursors have been controlled by keyboard keystrokes. Improved ergonomic interfaces include a joystick, mouse and trackball. Using these devices, a computer operator has a better "feel" for adjusting cursor position relative to control operation. However, each of these devices requires the operator to move a physical object which is hard wired to the machine. Such a practice can be cumbersome or inefficient requiring the operator to retrieve and deposit the object for each use.
There are other non-keyboard devices which must be moved for controlling a cursor. These devices include such means measuring the doppler shift, combining infrared and ultrasonic transceivers, transmitting light from a light pen at the display screen, or affixing a radio transmitter or receiver to the head of the user. Such methods and devices are shown in Baker, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,764, King et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,999, Davison, U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,159, Herrington et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,648, and Mueller et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,250.
Lefkowitz, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,348, discloses a cordless control interface between a physical object such as a part of the human body, and a machine. Movement of the physical object in a defined field is sensed, and signals corresponding to such movement are received, detected, amplified and produced as an input signal to the machine to move an element of the machine in the same direction as, and in an amount proportional to, movement of the object. In one embodiment, the machine is a video game system and the element is a display signal.
The Lefkowitz apparatus comprises planar antennas, such as sheets of metal and the antenna is coupled to a detunable oscillator. If a physical object, such as a human hand, is placed into the field of the oscillator, the presence of the hand due to body capacitance is communicated to a tuned circuit in the form of added capacitance to the combination of circuit capacitance causing an alteration in the frequency of the active oscillator. Such alteration is in the form of the lowering the operating frequency. Accordingly, the position of the hand is sensed. By moving the hand, the capacitance changes.
The sensed object is electrically coupled as a capacitance into the circuit of Lefkowitz through one or more antennas. The position of an electrically inert object, having no ability to effect the capacitance of the system, cannot be detected and located. Therefore, electrically inert objects cannot be used to control a cursor using Lefkowitz. In certain applications, such as video or computer games, a player may wish to wield an object, such as a sword, baseball bat or the like, to enhance the realism of play. Where such objects are electrically inert for safety or other reasons the object cannot be sensed.
The oscillations are typically in the radio frequency range. Accordingly, these devices are expensive to manufacture. Further, governmental restrictions are placed upon radio frequency devices requiring adherence to government restrictions.
An ideal cordless cursor control device would merely sense the position of any physical object, for example, the operator's hand without requiring the operator to move an object or requiring the use of expensive radio frequency oscillators. Such a device would be extremely easy for the user to operate. Further, such a device would greatly simplify and enhance the playing of video games.


The present invention provides an improved connection for circuit substrates. The circuit substrates are connected at concave and convex portions at their ends. The concave portion is formed such that the inside width is larger than the entrance width. The convex portion fits into the concave portion. Thereby, a connected portion of the circuit substrates has increased tensile strength. Furthermore, abnormality of the connected portion of the circuit substrates may be easily perceived.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor packages and, more particularly, to a connection structure for connecting circuit substrates.
2. Description of the Related Art
Integrated circuits (IC) have specific needs. Functionally, they require signal and power supplies. ICs can operate at high temperature and require heat dissipation. Furthermore, ICs damage easily by humidity, shock or thermal stress. Proper packaging satisfies these requirements.
In semiconductor package fabrication, circuit substrates or package substrates may use lead frames, printed circuit boards, ceramic substrates or tape wiring substrates. Strip-type circuit substrates may be used for simultaneous fabrication of a plurality of semiconductor packages. Single-type circuit substrates may be used for a single semiconductor package.
Tape wiring substrates and printed circuit boards may be flexible and thin, for example 150 μm to 200 μm thick, allowing the semiconductor packages to be fabricated with a reel-to-reel process. In a reel-to-reel process, the strip-type circuit substrates are wound on two reels and spaced at predetermined intervals and move from one reel to the other reel. The semiconductor package fabricating method using the reel-to-reel process allows mass production of packages, thereby increasing productivity. In conventional reel-to-reel processing, when a circuit substrate 10 ("a first circuit substrate") reaches its end, a new circuit substrate 20 ("a second circuit substrate") should be connected to the first circuit substrate 10). In general, the ends of the first and second circuit substrates 10, 20 are cut and connected to each other using an adhesive tape 30 to form a connected portion 40.
Currently, the connection between the circuit substrates 10 and 20 depends on the adhesive tape 30. The tensile strength of the connected portion 40 decreases considerably compared with an intact circuit substrate.
The reel-to-reel process occasionally deforms or otherwise damages the connected portion 40. Thus, a poorly connected portion may tear off at a tape feeder (not shown) or cause ajam.
Further, if the adhesive tape 30 expands, a gap between the first circuit substrate 10 and the second circuit substrate 20 occurs, causing a transfer fault. Specifically, the tape feeder utilizes guide holes formed on the circuit substrate at predetermined intervals and feeds the circuit substrate. If the adhesive tape 30 connecting the circuit substrates 10 and 20 expands abnormally, the guide holes in the connected portion 40 have irregular pitches, consequently generating the transfer fault. Evading detection with the naked eye, this expansion range of the adhesive tape 30 generally resides between 120 μm and 130 μm, as shown in FIG. 5.

Connection structure of circuit substrate


Self-adhesive dental restorative composition comprising (i) 10 to 40 percent by weight based on the total weight of the composition of a mixture of hydrolysis-stable polymerizable monomers of the following formula (I): wherein R is a m+n valent organic group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and optionally 1 to 5 atoms selected from the group of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur atoms; A independently represents a moiety of the following formula (II): wherein L is a hydrogen atom, a C1-6 alkyl group, a C3-8 cycloalkyl group, a C6-14 aryl group or a group of the following formula (III) wherein R′ is a hydrogen atom, a C1-6 alkyl group, a C3-8 cycloalkyl group, or a C6-14 aryl group; X is O, S, NH or NR″ wherein R″ is a C1-6 alkyl group, a C3-8 cycloalkyl group, a C6-14 aryl group; a is 0 or 1; M is a group of the following formula (IV) wherein Y is O, S, NH or NR′″ wherein R′″ is a C1-6 alkyl group, a C3-8 cycloalkyl group, a C6-14 aryl group; b is an integer of from O to 3; c is O or 1; d is an integer of from O to 3; provided that when b is O, then Y cannot be O; x is 0 or 1; y is 0 or 1; provided that x and y cannot be both 1, and provided that x cannot be 1 when L or a group of formula (III) is a hydrogen atom, and provided that when x is 0 then a is also 0, and provided that when y is 0 then b is greater than 0 or c is 0; B independently represents an acidic group; m is an integer of from 1 to 5; n is an integer of 0 to 3; and m+n is at least 2; (ii) 60 to 90 percent by weight based on the total weight of the composition of a filler; and (iii) an initiator system; wherein the portion of monomers of formula (I) wherein n is greater than 0 is at least 1 percent by weight based on the total weight of the mixture.

Dental adhesives containing a filler are known. EP-A 0 335 645 discloses an adhesive composition comprising a monomer mixture containing a vinyl monomer having an acidic group in the molecule and a vinyl monomer copolymerizable with said vinylmonomer, a filler, and a self-curing initiator system. The adhesive composition of EP-A 0 335 645 is handled and stored as a two-pack system. Namely, liquid components and powder components are independently filled in two different packs, and at the curing and bonding step, necessary amounts of the liquid and powder components are taken out from the packs and they are kneaded together. The adhesion strength to dentine obtained are less than 1.9 MPa.
Dental materials based on polyfunctional amides are known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,953,832 which contain specific polymerizable amides and optionally strongly acidic polymerizable monomers such as dipentaerythritol pentamethacryloyloxy dihydrogenphosphate. Filler containing compositions are suggested. However, U.S. Pat. No. 6,953,832 does not disclose a self-adhesive composite.
Dental composites are used to replace natural tooth material. Accordingly, dental composite materials are required to provide a high mechanical resistance over the entire lifetime of the dental restoration after curing. In order to provide mechanical strength and for reducing polymerization shrinkage of the composite, dental composites contain a large amount of filler. Due to the large amount of filler, the viscosity of the uncured composite is usually high and adhesion of the cured composite to dentine is low. Due to the high viscosity, a highly filled dental composite can usually not be provided as a two-pack composition because reliable homogeneous mixing of the packs would be problematic prior to the application of the composite.
Moreover, an increase of the adhesive properties of the composite by incorporating acidic adhesive monomers into the composite deteriorates the shelf life of a one-pack composite prior to curing due to the hydrolysis of polymerizable monomers by acidic group containing components. Moreover, after curing, acidic groups will remain in the bulk of the cured composite so that the acidity is present throughout the lifetime of the cured composite restoration representing a continuing potential for activation of hydrolyzable groups.
In order to avoid the formation of a marginal gap by providing an adhesive bond between the cured composite and the tooth, composites are usually applied to a dental surface treated with a bonding agent, such as a dental adhesive. The application of a dental adhesive represents an additional step requiring additional time and representing a source for problems due to an additional interface between the adhesive and the composite.


An image processing device includes: an image acquisition section that acquires captured image data captured using an image sensor including color filters corresponding to bands, and corresponding to a plurality of frames; an alignment processing section that performs an alignment process on the captured image data to generate integrated captured image data; a reference band selection section that selects a reference band from the bands using an output image in a preceding frame; a reference image generation section that performs an interpolation process on image data included in the integrated captured image data and corresponding to the color filter corresponding to the reference band; and an interpolated image generation section that performs an interpolation process on image data included in the integrated captured image data and corresponding to the color filter corresponding to a band differing from the reference band based on a reference image to generate an interpolated image.

The present invention relates to an image processing device, an imaging device, an image processing method, an information storage device, and the like.
An imaging device has been known in which an R (red)-band color filter, a G (green)-band color filter, and a B (blue)-band color filter are provided on the front side of an image sensor in order to capture a full-color image. It is effective for an imaging device that includes a single-chip image sensor to generate an interpolated image referring to information about a band that makes it possible to accurately acquire a high-frequency component in order to generate an interpolated image that includes a large amount of high-frequency component and has high resolution.
A band that makes it possible to acquire a high-frequency component must be placed with high sampling density, and have a high correlation with the color characteristics of the object. JP-A-2009-94577 discloses a technique that switches the band referred to when generating the interpolated image corresponding to the color characteristics of the object.
A multiband imaging technique has attracted attention as a means for accurately reproducing the color of the object. A multiband imaging device may capture a plurality of images, or utilize a plurality of cameras. For example, JP-A-2003-87806 discloses a technique that utilizes a single-chip multiband image sensor that is provided with color filters corresponding to four or more bands.

Image processing device to generate an interpolated image that includes a large amount of high-frequency component and has high resolution, imaging device, image processing method, and information storage device


Provided is a method and apparatus for controlling congestion of a node in an ad-hoc network comprising: classifying a channel state into a busy channel state and an idle channel state and then monitoring the channel state; performing contention for acquiring a channel with neighboring nodes when data to be transmitted is present during the monitoring of the channel state; calculating an available bandwidth on the basis of the channel state when wins the contention; and determining the amount of data to be transmitted on the basis of the available bandwidth. The nodes in the ah-hoc network monitor their own wireless channel state so as to obtain channel contention information, calculate an available bandwidth from the channel contention information, and control a transmission amount on the basis of the available bandwidth. Accordingly, the nodes can avoid excessive traffic which exceeds channel capacity. Channel contention, which is the most immediate and important cause of a decrease in network performance, can be loosened.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for efficiently controlling congestion of nodes in a wireless mobile ad-hoc network (hereinafter, referred to as an "ad-hoc network") to which much attention has been given as a networking technology in a ubiquitous environment due to the development of wireless connectivity and mobile technology.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present, there is no standard media access method dedicated to an ad-hoc network. Therefore, the IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol is generally used as a media access method in ad-hoc networks. A transmission control protocol (TCP) is widely used as a transmission protocol in ad-hoc networks.
The TCP is a standard transmission protocol which is the most widely used Internet protocol. The TCP has been proposed for reliable data transmission and efficient congestion control in cable networks. The TCP provides a method of controlling congestion based on a congestion window by taking into consideration a round-trip time (RTT) which is a packet round-trip time between a transmission node (sometimes, referred to as a source node) and a reception node (sometimes, referred to as a destination node).
When initial data transmission is smoothly achieved, the transmission amount is increased gradually while increasing the size of the congestion window. However, if packet loss occurs, congestion is assumed to occur at an intermediate node on a path between the transmission node and the reception node. Therefore, the size of the congestion window is decreased rapidly at a TCP transmitter side (an additive-increase-multiplicative-decrease (AIMD)
In the cable network, which has a reliable transmission network, the method of controlling congestion in the TCP is superior. However, in the ad-hoc network, in which the reason for the packet loss is fundamentally different from that of the cable network, performance is remarkable decreased. In the ad-hoc network, much of the packet loss is caused due to channel contention which is caused by excessive traffic that exceeds channel capacity.
In the ad-hoc network, in which the reason for the pack loss is different from that of the cable network, there is a limit to the amount by which the performance can be improved by the conventional method of controlling congestion in the TCP. Accordingly, a new method of controlling congestion for only the ad-hoc network is necessary.
An example of a conventional method of controlling congestion in the ad-hoc network is a method of restricting the size of the congestion window in the TCP using the number of hops between the transmission node and the reception node. The conventional AIMD method of controlling congestion in the TCP generates temporary excessive traffic in the ad-hoc network so as to cause serious packet loss. Therefore, this method has been proposed to decrease traffic burstness by restricting the maximum size of the congestion window to a reasonable level. In this method, since the size of the congestion window is restricted to one quarter of the number of hops between the transmission node and the reception node, traffic overload can be avoided. Accordingly, the packet loss can be significantly decreased. However, the restriction in the size of the congestion window lowers the throughput of nodes, so that the overall performance in the network is lowered.
As another example of the conventional method of controlling congestion in the ad-hoc network, there is a method of controlling congestion by taking into consideration a path failure which can occur due to nodes having mobility. In other words, when the packet loss occurs due to path failure, the data transmission is interrupted so that path recovery can be performed. After the path recovery is achieved, the transmission node restarts the data transmission to prevent possible packet loss during the path recovery. This method provides a solution to the path failure by taking into consideration the mobility of nodes in the ad-hoc network. However, the fundamental cause of the packet loss has not been taken into consideration.
Another example of a conventional method of controlling congestion in the ad-hoc network is a method of adaptively controlling congestion by classifying the packet loss that occurs in the ad-hoc network according to the cause of the packet loss. In other words, the packet loss is classified into packet loss due to path failure, packet loss due to physical errors caused by wireless media, and packet loss due to excessive traffic. The method of controlling congestion is applied differently depending on the cause. This method not only spends a long time finding the cause of the packet loss but it also is difficult to accurately find the cause. Therefore, this method is in danger of misjudging the cause, and a long time is required to control congestion.
Another example of a conventional method of controlling congestion in the ad-hoc network is a method of controlling congestion using transmission amount-based control (sometimes, referred to as a rate-based control), which is different to the congestion window-based control provided by the TCP. Unlike the conventional method of controlling congestion based on the congestion window, this method can avoid traffic overload to loosen the channel contention. However, since control of the transmission amount is performed on the basis of the RTT between the transmission node and the reception node, the overall throughput in the network may decrease.
As described above, the methods of controlling congestion proposed for the ad-hoc network do not take into consideration the channel contention which is the most immediate and important cause of packet loss.

Method and apparatus for controlling congestion of nodes in ad-hoc network

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


According to an embodiment, a reception circuit is configured to receive a reception signal from a transmission circuit through a receiving AC coupling element. The transmission circuit transmits a transmission signal through a transmitting AC coupling element. The receiving AC coupling element is AC coupled to the transmitting AC coupling element. The reception circuit includes a variable gain amplifier, a hysteresis circuit and a first control circuit. The variable gain amplifier is configured to amplify the reception signal with a variable gain to output an amplified signal. The hysteresis circuit has hysteresis in an input/output characteristic, and is configured to output an output signal according to the amplified signal. The first control circuit is configured to control the gain so that an amplitude of the amplified signal approximates a reference amplitude.

A communication system including a transmission circuit that transmits a transmission signal through a transmitting inductor, and a reception circuit that receives a reception signal through a receiving inductor inductively coupled to the transmitting inductor is known. The reception circuit restores, from the received signal, a transmitted original data pattern.
In this communication system, an amplitude of the reception signal varies according to a voltage or a temperature, and the like. Therefore, the reception circuit may not be able to accurately restore the transmitted data pattern.

Reception circuit and communication system


A process for inducing cardioplegicarrest of a heart in situ in a patient's body, comprising maintaining the patient's systemic circulation by peripheral cardiopulmonary by-pass, occluding the ascending aorta through a percutaneously placed arterial balloon catheter, venting the left side of the heart, and introducing a cardioplegic agent into the coronary circulation. This procedure readies the heart for a variety of surgical procedures that can be performed percutaneously through lumina in the catheter. An aortic catheter for use in the process is also described.

The use of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary by-pass for cardiac support has become well established. This use has, however, involved median sternotomy or less commonly thoracotomy with all of the trauma that necessarily accompanies such a major surgical procedure.
The present invention contemplates, at least in its preferred embodiments, the possibility of effective ascending aortic occlusion, cardioplegia, venting, right heart deflation and topical cooling in association with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary by-pass all without necessitating a median sternotomy or other thoracic incision.

Method of occluding a patient's ascending aorta and returning oxygenated blood to the patient from a bypass system


In a CMOS logic circuit destined to function at a relatively high supply voltage such as to require the formation of graded diffusions in the structure of N-MOS transistors, a NAND configuration is used which comprises a staked pair of N-MOS transistors. This permits to restrict the number of graded diffusions to be formed in N-MOS structures only to the drain regions which are directly connected to an output node. In clocked CMOS circuitry where transfer transistors are normally used between gates, the advantages in terms of enhanced speed and ability of the circuit to be compacted by cutting the number of N-MOS structures necessarily provided with drain extension regions as in prior art circuits, are remarkable.

The mechanism of the aging and/or failure of N-MOS transistors caused by the phenomenon of impact ionization taking place under particular bias conditions of the gate of the transistor versus its source while the drain is biased at a relatively high voltage in respect to the source potential, is well known and debated in literature.
This problem occurs every time a N-MOS transistor having its drain biased at the supply voltage by a preceding switching on of the P-MOS transistor portion of a CMOS inverter, switches on as a consequence of a raising of the gate voltage. The flow of electrons crossing the channel region of the transistor is accelerated by a synergistic combination of electric fields due to the "summing" of the effects of the V.sub.GS and V.sub.DS voltages. This causes additional carriers to be driven to the drain coming from electron-hole pairs generated by the impact of high kinetic energy electrons with orbitant electrons of the atoms of the crystal lattice in the drain region. This mechanism generates an additional current known as "substrate current" which adds to the drain-source current. This additional current is highly dangerous because even if a low level (in the order of few .vertline.A) may produce locally a direct biasing of the substrate in respect to the source region of the transistor, thus triggering on a parasitic bipolar transistor in parallel to the real N-MOS. The V.sub.DS voltage to which this parasitic bipolar transistor switches on is known in literature as the snap-back voltage. This phenomenon may be destructive for the metallic connections (contacts) of the N-MOS, which must convey a far augmented current than the design current. Even where complete failure is avoided, the mechanism at the base of the snap-back phenomenon is such as to cause in time a degradation of the electrical characteristics of the N-MOS transistor. This degradation (aging) due to the presence of high energy electrons in the channel, is cumulative in time, thus producing a progressive loss of functionality of the N-MOS transistors which is even more feared than an instantaneous failure, because the "microscopic" behavior of the integrated circuit varies with time due to the alterations which have occurred at the level of single N-MOS devices, the threshold voltage (V.sub.th) and transconductance (gm) of which tend to subtly change with time.
It is known that impact ionization and its negative effects may be countered by forming graded drain diffusions (known also as drain extensions). These graded drain diffusions may be obtained by forming a second diffused region having a lower dopant concentration than that commonly used for the drain region proper. The use of drain extensions results in increasing the V.sub.DS voltage to which the snap-back phenomenon takes place and reducing the aging process caused by impact ionization, by creating, during the switching on the N-MOS transistor, an electric field of reduced intensity near the drain region of the transistor by virtue of the graded diffusion. Frequently in certain circuit applications, it is necessary for the same prevention reasons, to also form the source diffusion in a similarly graded manner, i.e., provide the N-MOS transistor with "bilateral" (drain) extensions.
The raising of the snap-back voltage causes a reduction of the electrical performance of the N-MOS transistor that is provided with drain extensions, in terms of reduced speed and increased ON-resistance.
Moreover, under the aspect of the fabrication technology of these devices, the necessary use of a dedicated "drain extension" mask, beside complicating the fabrication process, makes the N-MOS transistors more cumbersome in terms of layout and more sensitive to misalignment problems and therefore more difficult to be reduced in size through compacting technologies, also known as "shrinkage processes," toward which any circuit evolves in time for exploiting the improvements that the photolithographic techniques and apparatuses constantly go through.
Thus, while using drain and source extensions solve some problems, it creates new problems, including reduced speed performance and increased power requirement.
All the above-mentioned problems are most frequently encountered in mixed analog-digital integrated CMOS circuits, wherein two different supply voltages are normally present: a low supply voltage (5 V) for the internal logic circuitry which interfaces with the analog portions of the integrated circuit operating at such a higher supply voltage in order to ensure a large dynamic voltage swing.
The logic circuits operating at high supply voltage are therefore potentially sensitive to said snap-back problems constitute parts of the integrated circuit which, because of the large use of graded junctions, raise remarkable problems of increased criticality when attempting a compacting of the integrated circuit for exploiting at best improved fabrication techniques which may have become available.
Therefore, there is a need of logic circuits, i.e., for CMOS logic gates, capable of operating at a relatively high supply voltage and wherein the need of forming graded diffusions in the structure of N-MOS transistors be minimized in order to maintain characteristics of high speed for the propagation of data through the logic gates and ensuring a low internal ON-resistance of the same transistors.
The present invention provides an effective solution to this specific technical problem.

High voltage CMOS circuit with NAND configured logic gates and a reduced number of N-MOS transistors requiring drain extension


A heat dissipation structure for hand-held mobile device includes a supporting body having a first and an opposite second side and including at least one heat dissipation area. In the heat dissipation area, a heat dissipation element is correspondingly fitted without increasing an overall thickness and volume of the supporting body for the hand-held mobile device. With the heat dissipation element fitted in the heat dissipation area on the supporting body, heat produced by the hand-held mobile device during operation thereof can be quickly transferred to the heat dissipation element for dissipating into ambient air.

The currently available hand-held mobile devices have higher and higher performance gained by using a multi-core central processing unit (CPU) having two, four or even more cores. However, with the multi-core CPU that has largely increased operating speed, the heat produced by the hand-held mobile device during operation thereof also disadvantageously increases, which necessitates more efficient heat dissipation solution for the hand-held mobile device.
According to a conventional technical means, a piece of graphite material is correspondingly attached to a heat source of the hand-held mobile device to enable good transfer of heat from the device to an external environment via the graphite material. However, to meet the demand for compactness and light weight, the current hand-held mobile devices all have a very limited internal space, which is too small to accommodate an additional graphite material. In other words, the use of the graphite material would inevitably increase the overall thickness, volume or weight of the mobile devices. It is therefore an important and challenging issue as how to provide a heat-dissipation structure that can be mounted in a hand-held mobile device to effectively solve its problem of heat dissipation without increasing the overall thickness, volume or weight thereof.

Heat dissipation structure for hand-held mobile device


A wireless handset phone, virtual image display coupled to the wireless handset phone and pointing device for pointing on the virtual image display are included. The communicator may also include a limited-function computer. The virtual image display uses optics to create the virtual image. The pointing device may include a virtual selector; that is, an array of sensors or switches to accommodate different users' hands.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to communication devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to personal communication devices including both audio and a display.
2. Background Information
A major market (predicted to be over $1.5 billion dollars annually by 2000) is beginning to develop for compact devices combining cellular (or other wireless) telephones with a limited-function computer. An early example of this class of devices being called "personal communicators" is the IBM/Bell-South "SIMON". In its present form, the SIMON adds a relatively small computer (8086-class, moving to 80386-class), plus a backlit, touch-sensitive display to a cellular telephone. This combination of computer, wireless communication, and enabling software creates a powerful productivity tool which allows a single device to provide wireless telephony functions, personal information management (e.g., electronic calendar and address/phone number listings), as well as two-way wireless transfer of digital data.
Some of the limitations of these devices have heretofore included the difficulty of viewing the data display while communicating over the phone, the weight and fragility of the relatively large LCD display, the relatively high power required for the back-lit monochrome display, and the even higher cost and power to provide a color display.
Furthermore, the touch- and stylus-based user interface generally requires two hands to operate and precludes the simultaneous use of the phone handset and the computer functions, except in a speaker-phone mode where the user would have to speak to the unit while holding it in front of him. While speech-based operation will be added to these devices in the future, a practical speech-based user interface still requires the user to see a display during use. The reason is that for speech navigation, the user needs to see the set of allowable selections (the menu items), while for dictation mode, the user would like to see the progress of the speech-to-text translation.
As an alternative to SIMON-like designs which make it difficult to utilize the phone handset in the normal, private (non-speakerphone) mode while also viewing the display, it has been suggested that the personal communicator should be fashioned like a pair of glasses or goggles, with a view-finder like "projection" display and a speaker and microphone all built into the "frames" of the headset. While this interaction paradigm may eventually become common and widely accepted (probably by today's video-game generation), it is not as natural or convenient for the user who frequently needs to make a quick phone call or needs to just briefly check some e-mail.
Another possible alternative is to make a SIMON-like device where the display can be detached from the unit and held in the front of the user by the hand opposite the one holding the phone. An infrared or other wireless link between the phone and the display would allow data coming over the main handset to be relayed to the display. Although this design does allow simultaneous viewing/talking, it requires two hands for simple operation and makes pointing or selecting an item from the display a difficult (possibly three-handed) operation.
Thus, a need exists for an improved personal communication device including both audio and a display.

Personal communicator including a handset phone with an integrated virtual image display

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for monitoring at least one bit rate of at least one virtual connection, of a plurality of virtual connections, for which connection cells incoming on a transmission link are checked with respect to their temporal frequency. A temporal, average cell spacing of the incoming connection cells is provided according to an average bit rate of the at least one virtual connection and a bit rate on the transmission link. A central counter is clocked by a central counting clock and a counter value of the central counter is read at each of the incoming connection cells and the counter value that is connection-associated with the at least one virtual connection is stored. A counter value difference is formed from the stored counter value for the incoming connection cell and from the counter value that has been previously stored connection-associated with the at least one virtual connection for a previously arrived connection cell of the same virtual connection. A deviation is calculated of a respectively current cell spacing from the prescribed, average cell spacing for the respectively incoming connection cell using the counter value difference. A monitoring counter value is formed by summing the deviation of the cell spacing. A special handling of the virtual connection is implemented when the monitoring counter value transgress a first threshold value.

The present invention is directed to a method for monitoring at least one bit rate of at least one virtual connection whose connection cells incoming on a transmission link are checked with respect to their chronological frequency.
In, for example, a broad band transmission network for which, for example, an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) is provided, the information to be transmitted can be transmitted in connection cells having a fixed length. As a performance feature of such a ATM network, virtual connections having call-associated bit rates should be capable of being established. A subscriber in this network has the possibility of selecting a suitable bit rate for his use, for example on the basis of a defined service category. Various characteristics can be provided for service categories in the ATM network, for example a medium bit rate, a peak bit rate, a burst length. The medium bit rate is the data rate averaged over a duration of the connection. The peak bit rate is the data rate averaged over a short time interval. A burst of the data rate of a connection occurs when the medium bit rate is briefly exceeded by rate that is a multiple of the medium bit rate. Frequently occurring bursts and, more importantly, long bursts can lead to problems in the switching nodes, for example buffer overflows. A limitation of burst lengths should therefore be provided. Bursts predominantly occur for connections involving data processing and the applications thereof, and often exceed ten times a medium bit rate.
By contrast thereto, normal telephone traffic generates a continuous, i.e. burst-free, data stream that continuously exhibits its maximum bit rate of, for example, 64 k bits/sec, predominantly while a person is speaking. The characteristics of service categories, for example a calculation of a call fee, should take the possible applications into consideration.
Data streams from connection cells of many subscribers are concentrated on common transmission lines in a transmission network. A misbehavior of a subscriber due to bursts in one of these connections can thus also negatively influence other connections. In order to avoid this, the bit rate reported by the subscriber should already be monitored in a connection-associated fashion when accessing the network, i.e., for example, before what is the first switching matrix network for this connection. This should occur with a monitoring according to what is referred to as a policing function.
Many virtual connections having different bit rates should be capable of being simultaneously active on a central office line. Each of the virtual connections on the central office line is assigned a number for identification, referred to as a virtual channel identifier (VCI). Several hundred VCIs must be often individually monitored given a connection of a private branch exchange or of a local network, referred to as local area network (LAN). A policing function having such performance demands has not been realized in the prior art.
A known method for monitoring individual, virtual connections works according to what is referred to as the "leaky bucket" principle. This principle, for example, is described in the Conference Report of iss Is 88, Boston, 1988, Chapter 12.2, (IEEE), in the article "The Policing Function to Control User Access in ATM Networks, Definition and Implementation" by W. Kowalk and R. Lehnert. This enables the monitoring of an established bit rate and of an established burst length. A counter, a threshold, a decrementation value as well as a decrementation clock are provided in connection associated fashion for each of the connections to be monitored. A counter value of the connection associated counter is decremented by the connection-associated decrementing value at periodic time intervals corresponding to the length of the connection-associated decrementation clock. This counter value is set to zero when negative values are reached. This connection-associated counter value is incremented each time a connection cell arrives for the monitored connection associated with this counter value. As soon as this counter value exceeds the connection-associated threshold, special handling for this connection is implemented. The virtual connection can be aborted in this special handling. Instead, a suppression of one or more connection cells can also occur, so that thereafter the connection, as in the case of a brief interruption, can again continue to exist after this reduction of its bit rate. Further, this connection can also continue to exist interruption-free in this special handling. The monitoring of the connection is modified by selecting the connection-associated parameters. The selected, medium bit rate is thus particularly monitored by the decrementation value and the decrementation clock. The maximum burst length is limited by the threshold. These parameters can be different for each of the connections. A respective connection-associated counter is required for each VCI and the connection-associated parameters should be stored connection-associated. For an identical clock for all connections, the decrementation clock can also be globally stored. Since all connection-associated counters must be processed within the respective decrementation clock, only a small number of monitorable connections is possible. As an inadequate method, a plurality of connections can be monitored in common in that their bit rates are monitored as an aggregate. For an upper transgression of the summed-up thresholds, however, a distinction as to which of the subscribers has exceeded his threshold cannot be made.

Method for monitoring a bit rate of at least one virtual connection


There is provided a vehicle abnormality detection method detecting an abnormal state in which a high temperature occurs due to maladjustment of a vehicle bearing mechanism section or vehicle brake mechanism section, and a device thereof and a sensor unit thereof. By use of the sensor unit 100 mounted in a rim 31, an air temperature within a tire 2 is sensed as a first temperature and a temperature (second temperature) of the rim 31 is sensed as a temperature related to at least one of a temperature of the vehicle bearing mechanism section and a temperature of the vehicle brake mechanism section 40. Then a temperature difference between the first and second temperatures is calculated and when the temperature difference is a predetermined value or more, it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the vehicle bearing mechanism section or vehicle brake mechanism section 40. The abnormality is thus detected.

Conventionally, when an abnormality occurs in tire air pressure during running of a vehicle, this may cause an accident; there have thus been developed devices automatically monitoring the tire air pressure to raise an alarm when an abnormality occurs in the tire air pressure. For example, a device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-121281 (Patent Document 1) includes a wheel for mounting a tire, a tire pressure sensing unit and a display unit. The tire pressure sensing unit is arranged in a sensing unit housing slot formed at a predetermined position of a corresponding surface abutting on a tubeless tire of a wheel. Information obtained by sensing a tire pressure is outputted to the display unit as a signal, and the display unit displays the information on tire pressure.
When this device is used, the driver can perceive an abnormal phenomenon such as decrease or increase of the tire pressure at any time before running or during running and early perform a tire inspection or emergency measure.
Further, an abnormality monitoring device for a pneumatic tire disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-103931 (Patent Document 2) includes: a temperature sensing and transmitting unit arranged in a tire air chamber for sensing a temperature in the tire air chamber and transmitting by wireless the sensed temperature information to the outside of the tire; and a burst occurrence prediction unit arranged outside the tire for applying an arithmetic processing to the temperature information and raising an alarm when an abnormality is detected. The burst occurrence prediction unit includes a receiving device receiving the temperature information transmitted from the temperature sensing and transmitting unit, a memory section accumulating the temperature information as time sequence data at a predetermined time interval, a filter section for eliminating abnormal data from the time sequence data, a comparison calculation section comparing a difference between data of plural tires and a difference between change ratios thereof and comparing those with standard values to transmit abnormality information when an abnormality is detected, and an alarm transmitting section receiving the abnormality information and raising a burst alarm.
While this device is comparatively simple, the air chamber internal temperature of each tire can be accurately grasped to thereby predict appropriately an occurrence of burst.
Also, when the brake of the tire is abnormally heated, this may lower the braking force, causing an accident; there have thus been developed devices automatically monitoring a temperature of a tire brake and raising an alarm when an abnormality occurs in brake temperature. For example, a brake heating alarming device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-44976 (Patent Document 3) includes a temperature sensor measuring a temperature of a tire brake, a unit comparing a difference between the brake temperature measured by the temperature sensor and the brake temperature measured after the lapse of a given time relative to the precedent measurement with a preliminarily set value, and a unit raising an alarm in response to the comparison result.
According to this device, the driver can be notified about brake heating caused by an excessive use of the brake, and the braking force can thus be prevented from lowering and also, the brake parts can be prevented from wearing out.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-121281
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-103931
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-44976
Generally, in a leading drum brake used often in trucks or buses, if adjustment is erroneously made, even when the brake is not activated, the brake shoe is opened due to self servo effect that the brake has in principle, thus generating frictional heat.
More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 26, a drum brake 1 includes a wheel cylinder 12 secured to a back plate 11, connecting rods 13a and 13b, an adjuster bolt 13c, a parking brake lever 14, brake springs 15a and 15b, an adjuster spring 15c, an adjuster lever 16, brake shoes 17A and 17B, and a brake drum 18. The brake shoes 17A and 17B having applied thereto a frictional material called a lining (not illustrated) are pressed against the inner side of the brake drum 18 rotating along with the vehicle tire/wheel, and frictional effect caused by this allows deceleration.
Also, the major characteristic of the drum brake is its self servo effect (self boosting effect); that is, when the brake shoes 17A and 17B are pressed against the rotating brake drum 18, force biting into (force pulled into) the brake drum 18 is generated, whereby the brake drum 18 is pressed by stronger force, thus generating stronger braking force.
However, if adjustment of a gap between the brake shoes 17A and 17B and the brake drum 18 is erroneously made using the adjuster bolt 13c and the adjuster lever 16, even when the brake is not activated, the brake shoes 17A and 17B are opened due to the self servo effect and dragged by the brake drum 18, generating frictional heat.
Also, in bearings used in an axle bearing mechanism, when grease filling amount or pressurization is erroneously applied, frictional resistance associated with rotation increases, thus raising temperature.
These phenomena not only increase running resistance of the vehicle, resulting in low mileage, but also raise the temperature of the tire made from rubber being a material easily affected by heat, leading to a burst of the tire at worst.
Similarly to the drum brake described above, in a disk brake, also, maladjustment may cause heating. More specifically, regarding a disk brake device, when it comes to a vehicle provided with Anti Lock Brake System (ABS) proliferating rapidly in recent years, the upper threshold of regular liquid pressure is raised due to mounting of a liquid pressure booster; thus when liquid pressure is lowered in a region exceeding a conventional regular liquid pressure, since piston return amount is insufficient, the pad contacts the brake disk during rotating at the time of non-braking, causing a phenomenon of dragging the pad. Frictional heat is generated by such pad dragging.
The present invention addresses the above problem, with the object of providing a vehicle abnormality detection method for detecting an abnormality in which a high temperature is generated due to maladjustment of a vehicle axle bearing mechanism section or vehicle brake mechanism section, and a device thereof and a sensor unit thereof.

Vehicle abnormality detection method and device thereof and sensor unit thereof


A backup shoe for a well packer provides high pressure sealing capability without requiring a large setting force or setting stroke of the packer. In a preferred embodiment, a backup shoe has an inner portion with a relatively thin cross-section and an outer portion with a relatively thick cross-section. Additionally, the inner portion has a pivot point between its ends. In a preferred embodiment of a packer utilizing the backup shoe, an element retainer axially contacts the inner portion adjacent its pivot point, and a seal element axially contacts an inner sloping surface formed on the outer portion.

The present invention relates generally to packers utilized in subterranean wellbores and, in a preferred embodiment thereof, more particularly provides an improved backup shoe for utilization with a well packer.
A typical packer generally has one or more seal elements or "rubbers" which are utilized to provide a fluid-tight seal radially between a mandrel of the packer and casing into which the packer is disposed. Such a packer is commonly conveyed into the casing in a subterranean wellbore suspended from tubing extending to the earth's surface.
To prevent damage to the seal elements while the packer is being conveyed into the well, the seal elements are carried on the packer mandrel in a relaxed or uncompressed state in which they are radially inwardly spaced apart from the casing. When the packer is set, the seal elements are typically axially compressed between element retainers straddling the seal elements on the packer. This axial compression of the seal elements causes them to radially inwardly and outwardly extend, thereby sealing against the packer mandrel and against the casing.
The packer usually includes a number of slips which grip the casing and prevent movement of the packer axially within the casing after the packer has been set. Thus, if weight or fluid pressure is applied to the packer, the slips resist the axial forces on the packer produced thereby, and prevent axial displacement of the packer relative to the casing.
If, however, fluid pressure is applied to an annular space radially between the packer and the casing, and above or below the seal elements, which produces a differential pressure across the seal elements, the seal elements may be displaced axially into the annular space between the packer and the casing. Additionally, the seal elements may be displaced into voids, spaces, gaps, etc. on the packer, such as into a radial gap between the element retainer and the packer mandrel. Such displacements of the seal elements may be caused by fluid pressure acting on the seal elements, or may be caused by axial compression of the seal elements when the packer is set.
It is generally undesirable for the seal elements to displace into the abovedescribed gaps, voids, etc. for a number of reasons. For example, if the seal elements displace into the radial gap between the packer and the casing, and it is later desired to retrieve the packer from the well, the presence of the seal element material in the radial gap may make it difficult to axially displace the packer in the casing. More importantly, displacement of the seal element after the packer has been set usually compromises the ability of the seal elements to effectively seal between the casing and the packer mandrel.
Several attempts have been made to solve the problem of undesired seal element displacement or extrusion in a set packer. Typically, the solution involves placing one or more anti-extrusion rings, backup rings, or backup "shoes" axially straddling the seal elements, so that the seal elements must axially traverse the rings or shoes to extrude into the gaps or voids. However, most of these attempts have met with only limited success at best.
Several of the proposed solutions to the problem involve the use of multiple rings or shoes at each axial end of the seal elements. Unfortunately, this increases the cost of the packer, increases the number of parts to inventory, increases the risk that the packer will be incorrectly assembled, etc. Additionally, where it is desired to retrieve the packer after it has been set, multiple rings or shoes increase the risk that one or more of the rings will become jammed between the packer and casing, thereby making retrieval of the packer very difficult.
Some proposed solutions utilize rings or shoes which displace radially outward to contact the casing when the packer is set in an attempt to close off the radial gap between the packer and the casing. Most of these do not also displace radially inward to close off the gap between the element retainers and the packer mandrel, nor do they close off any other gaps or voids on the packer into which the seal elements may displace. This situation is particularly undesirable where seal element material is utilized, such as Aflas, that readily flows into gaps and voids under pressure. In addition, these solutions also suffer from the risk that they will not radially inwardly retract when it is desired to retrieve the packer from the casing.
Still other proposed solutions utilize rings or shoes which have an angled thick outer portion which must be forced outward to contact the casing. The thick outer portion is designed to withstand larger forces applied thereto than could be applied to thinner portions. Unfortunately, these solutions also require large setting forces to be applied to the packer in order to force the thick outer portions radially outward. In attempts to decrease these large setting forces, some have increased an axial distance between the thick outer portion and the seal element, and provided a ramp or extended lever arm therebetween. These attempts have indeed decreased the required setting force, but have consequently increased the axial travel required to compress the seal elements and set the packer.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that it would be quite desirable to provide a well packer with improved backup shoes which do not significantly increase the cost of the packer, increase the risk of improper assembly, require large setting forces or axial travel for setting of the packer, or hamper retrieval of the packer, but which prevent displacement of seal elements into a radial gap between the packer and casing in which it is set, prevent displacement of seal elements into a gap between element retainers and a mandrel of the packer, prevent displacement of seal elements into other voids and gaps on the packer, and which provide a relatively thick outer portion for resistance to relatively large forces applied thereto. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide such improved backup shoes and a well packer utilizing such backup shoes.


Attachments are respectively attached to one ends of a pair of light guides, which are integrally formed via a connecting portion, such that the attachments surround the one ends of the light guides. The one ends protrude from a rear face of a receptacle body and are opposed to a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device, respectively. The attachments are inserted and positioned in guide holes formed respectively on the light-emitting device and the light-receiving device, and the optical axes of the pair of light guides and the optical axes of the light-emitting device and the light-receiving device are aligned with each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector for two-way optical communications, the connector being connected to an optical plug holding a transmitting optical fiber and a receiving optical fiber.
2. Description of the Related Art
This kind of connector generally includes a light-emitting device, a light-receiving device, and light guides (light guiding members) for optically connecting the light-emitting device and the light-receiving device to the transmitting optical fiber and the receiving optical fiber of the opposite optical plug. For example, Patent document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-133665) describes a connector configure thus.
In the connector of Patent document 1, a pair of receiving tubes is formed in a connector housing. The optical fibers (ferrules are placed on the ends of the fibers) of an optical plug are inserted in the receiving tubes. Light guides (referred to as sleeves in Patent document 1) are press-fitted into the receiving tubes and fixed at the back sides of the receiving tubes. However, in the fixation structure of such light guides, a stress caused by the press-fit may act on the light guides and the optical property (optical function) of the light guides may be deteriorated by the influence of the stress.
In order to avoid such a problem, the present applicant has already proposed, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-154788 (not publicly known on the priority date), light guides (light guide unit) and a connector using the same in which a pair of transmitting and receiving light guides is combined into a single unit via a connecting portion and the connecting portion is fixed by press fitting, so that a stress caused by the press-fit does not act on the light guides, that is, the optical property of the light guides is not deteriorated by the influence of the stress. Further, the coupling area of the connecting portion and the light guides is minimized to reduce a transmission loss caused by light leaking to the connecting portion integrally formed of the same material as the light guides and reduce cross talk occurring when transmitted light is incident on a light-receiving device of a local station, and components causing leakage of light are eliminated as much as possible.
FIGS. 1 to 5 show the configuration proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-154788. FIG. 1 shows the cross-sectional configuration of the connector. FIGS. 2 and 3 show the configuration of the light guide unit (referred to as an optical coupling member in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-154788) and the configuration of a receptacle body, respectively. FIG. 4 shows the detail of the configuration of the attached light guide unit. FIG. 1 also shows optical fibers held by the ferrules of the opposite optical plug. In other words, FIG. 1 shows the optical fibers and ferrules in a state in which the optical plug is mated and connected. The illustration of optical fiber cores and a clad is omitted (the same in the following description).
The connector includes, as shown in FIG. 1, a receptacle body 10 made of resin, a light guide unit 20, a light-emitting device 30, a light-receiving device 40, a device holder 50, and a shield cover 60. In FIG. 1, reference numerals 71 and 72 denote a transmitting optical fiber and a receiving optical fiber of an optical plug, and reference numerals 73 and 74 denote ferrules respectively placed on the ends of the optical fibers.
In the light guide unit 20 of this example, as shown in FIG. 2, a pair of light guides 21 and 22 shaped like cylinders is combined into a single unit via a connecting portion 23. Further, the light guide unit 20 of this example is integrally formed by resin molding. Collimate lenses 21a and 21b and collimate lenses 22a and 22b are respectively formed on both end faces of the light guides 21 and 22. The illustration of the cores of the light guides 21 and 22 and a clad is omitted (the same in the following description).
The connecting portion 23 is configured as a plate and includes a base portion 24 and a pair of connecting ends 25 and 26 protruded from the base portion 24 in opposite directions along the plate surface. The connecting ends 25 and 26 are respectively connected to the sides (circumferential surfaces) of the axially intermediate portions of the light guides 21 and 22. Areas where the connecting ends 25 and 26 are connected to the circumferential surfaces of the light guides 21 and 22 are not larger than areas halfway around the light guides 21 and 22. Further, a large notch 27 shaped like a letter V is formed on the base portion 24.
As shown in FIG. 1, a recessed portion 11 is formed on the receptacle body 10. The opposite optical plug is inserted to the front of the recessed portion 11, and a pair of receiving tubes 12 is formed in the recessed portion 11. The pair of receiving tubes 12 is formed so as to protrude from a rear wall 13 of the receptacle body 10 making up the bottom surface of the recessed portion 11. The receiving tubes 12 include holes 12a, to which the ferrules 73 and 74 are inserted and fit, and through holes 14 continuing from the holes 12a. The through holes 14 connecting with the receiving tubes 12 are caused to penetrate the rear wall 13 and opened on a rear face (the outer side of the rear wall 13) 13a of the receptacle body 10.
As shown in FIG. 3, a recessed portion 15 corresponding to the outside shape of the connecting portion 23 of the light guide unit 20 is formed on the rear face 13a of the receptacle body 10. Further, guides 16 are formed outside the pair of through holes 14 so as to protrude halfway around the through holes 14. The inner circumferential surface of the guide 16 shaped like a semicylinder and the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 14 are flush with each other. As shown in FIG. 4, six protrusions 17 are formed on side wall surfaces formed along the depth direction in the recessed portion 15. The protrusions 17 are formed on positions at the same distances from the rear face 13a in the depth direction of the recessed portion 15, and the protrusions 17 are hemispherical in cross section.
The light guide unit 20 is attached to the receptacle body 10 by inserting the light guides 21 and 22 into the pair of through holes 14 from the rear face 13a of the receptacle body 10 and press-fitting the connecting portion 23 into the recessed portion 15. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4, the protrusions 17 are pressed and brought into contact with the connecting portion 23, so that the connecting portion 23 is positioned and fixed. At this point, the ends of the light guides 21 and 22 protrude on the side of the rear face 13a of the receptacle body 10, and a half of the circumference of each of the ends of the light guides 21 and 22 is held by the guide 16.
As shown in FIG. 1, the light-emitting device 30 and the light-receiving device 40 are stored and held in the device holder 50. In this example, the device holder 50 is stored and held in the shield cover 60. The shield cover 60 is attached to the receptacle body 10 from the rear face 13a, so that the light-emitting device 30 and the light-receiving device 40 are opposed to the end faces of the light guides 21 and 22, respectively. At this point, the pair of guides 16 formed so as to protrude on the rear face 13a of the receptacle body 10 is engaged and positioned in guide holes 31 and 41 formed on the light-emitting device 30 and the light-receiving device 40, respectively. Thus the optical axes of the light guides 21 and 22 and the optical axes of the light-emitting device 30 and the light-receiving device 40 are aligned with each other.
The transmitting optical fiber 71 and the receiving optical fiber 72 of the opposite optical plug are optically connected to the light-emitting device 30 and the light-receiving device 40 via the light guides 21 and 22, respectively. The transmitting optical fiber 71 and the receiving optical fiber 72 are held by the ferrules 73 and 74 and inserted into the receiving tubes 12.
In the connector configured thus, the light guide unit 20 is attached to the receptacle body 10 by press-fitting and fixing the connecting portion 23 into the recessed portion 15 of the receptacle body 10. Thus a stress caused by the press fitting does not act on the light guides 21 and 22, so that the optical property of the light guides 21 and 22 is not deteriorated by the stress.
Further, only the connecting ends 25 and 26 of the connecting portion 23 are connected to the light guides 21 and 22 and thus the coupling area of the connecting portion 23 and the light guides 21 and 22 is reduced. Thus leakage of light from the light guides 21 and 22 to the connecting portion 23 is suppressed. It is therefore possible to achieve a connector having high light transmission efficiency and less cross talk.
Incidentally, in the connector of FIGS. 1 to 5, the pair of guides 16 is formed so as to protrude on the rear face 13a of the receptacle body 10 and the guides 16 are engaged in guide holes 31 and 41 formed on the light-emitting device 30 and the light-receiving device 40, respectively. Thus the optical axes of the light guides 21 and 22 and the optical axes of the light-emitting device 30 and the light-receiving device 40 are aligned with each other (alignment). In this case, the connecting portion 23 is present between the light guides 21 and 22, and the light guides 21 and 22 are inserted into the through holes 14 from the rear face 13a of the receptacle body 10. For this reason, the guides 16 cannot be cylindrical. The guides 16 are, as described above, shaped like semicylinders to avoid the connecting portion 23.
Therefore, the guides 16 configured thus cannot hold the entire circumferences of the light guides 21 and 22. Thus, for example, in the event of molding strain on the receptacle body 10 and the light guide unit 20, misalignment may occur between the light guides 21 and 22 and the light-emitting device 30 and the light-receiving device 40.
FIG. 5A shows this state. FIG. 5A shows an example in which molding strain occurs on the receptacle body 10 and FIG. 5B shows an example in which molding strain occurs on the light guide unit 20. FIGS. 5A and 5B are both exaggerated for purposes of illustration. In FIGS. 5A and 5B, reference numerals 32 and 42 denote lenses formed on the light-emitting device 30 and the light-receiving device 40, respectively.
As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, when molding strain occurs on the receptacle body 10 or the light guide unit 20, the centers of the guides 16 formed into semicylinders in the receptacle body 10 and the centers of the light guides 21 and 22 are displaced from each other. On the other hand, the guides 16 are engaged in the guide holes 31 and 41 formed on the light-emitting device 30 and the light-receiving device 40, respectively. Thus the lenses 32 and 42 of the light-emitting device 30 and the light-receiving device 40 are respectively placed on the centers of the guides 16. Hence, when molding strain occurs on the receptacle body 10 or the light guide unit 20, the lenses 32 and 42 of the light-emitting device 30 and the light-receiving device 40 and the centers of the light guides 21 and 22 are displaced from each other as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, resulting in misalignment between the light guides 21 and 22 and the light-emitting device 30 and the light-receiving device 40.
Such misalignment causes a large loss of optical coupling between the light guides 21 and 22 and the light-emitting device 30 and the light-receiving device 40 and seriously deteriorates the optical property of the connector.

Connector for two-way optical communications


An improved hydrofoil system is provided for boats with planing-type hulls Two hydrofoils, one mounted adjacent to each chine, are provided in a submerged position. The attack angle of each hydrofoil is controlled independently by a hydraulic cylinder or the equivalent thereof. Because both positive and negative attack angles of each hydrofoil may be presented, the hydrofoil system disclosed has the ability to raise and lower the bow, raise and lower the stern, provide lateral stability and also act as an auxiliary rudder by rotating the boat about its longitudinal axis. The submerged hydrofoil system is intended for use with boats with planing-type hulls.

It is known to use trim planes or hydroplanes, mounted from the transom to lower the bow of boats with planing hulls to reduce the time it takes to achieve the planing condition. However, the ability to control the wetted area of planing hulls has been narrowly limited to the single function of forcing the bow down by the use of transom-mounted trim planes. However, this single function is insufficient for various hull designs and sea conditions. Namely, there is a need for a hydrofoil system that will not only lower the bow, but raise the bow, improve lateral stability and assist in steering the boat as may be required for various hull designs and sea conditions.
An understanding of the contribution made by the present invention requires an understanding of planing boat hulls and previous hydrofoil designs or trim planes for planing hulls. Boats having planing hulls are designed to operate most efficiently at speeds where the hull "planes" on top of the surface of the water and a minimum area of the hull is in contact with the surface of the water. Typically, about one-half to two-thirds of the hull surface area is wetted at planing speeds. However, the extent of the wetted area may vary. With hulls having a transom deadrise, or an upward angle from the keel to the chine, of 10 degrees or more, less than one-half of the hull area may be wetted at planing speeds. Depending upon the hull design, as little as one-fourth of the hull area may be wetted during high speed operation.
When a boat accelerates, the natural tendency of the boat is to push the stern down and raise the bow. This stern-down, bow-up position is an inefficient use of engine power and fuel. Because the planing condition of the hull increases both speed and fuel efficiency, the primary goal of most hydrofoil or trim planes designs is to force the bow down to a horizontal angle thereby promoting planing of the hull and reducing the time for the boat to achieve the planing condition. Unfortunately, the existing designs perform this function only and do not address other performance and handling problems that arise.
For example, when the sea conditions are quite rough, it is desirable to raise the bow thereby causing the face of the waves to hit the boat hull rather than the tip of the bow causing the boat to take on water. Further, as stated above, many planing-type boat hulls employ a transom deadrise When the transom deadrise, or angle from the keel to the chines, is 10 degrees or more, the boat is less stable because the hull is not flat, but is V-shaped. Therefore, extra stability it desirable, especially during rough sea or water conditions Previous hydrofoil designs do not address this lateral stability problem.
Further, prior hydrofoil designs fail to acknowledge that dual hydrofoils can act as a quasi-rudder and assist in the steering and control of the boat. This additional function of the hydrofoils is desirable for rough handling boats and would be essential if the rudder system broke or because dysfunctional.
Thus, there is a need for transom-mounted hydrofoils that not only act to lower the bow, but also act to raise the bow and provide lateral stability and directional control. Hence, the opportunity to add additional safety and handling features to a boat with a planing-type hull should not be foregone as it is when current hydrofoil or trim systems are employed.

Means for improving the performance of planing-type boat hulls


Systems and methods include obtaining a network state of a network having a plurality of nodes interconnected by a plurality of links and with services configured between the plurality of nodes on the plurality of links; utilizing a reinforcement learning engine to analyze the services and the network state to determine modifications to one or more candidate services of the services to increase a value of the network state; and, responsive to implementation of the modification to the one or more candidate services, updating the network state based thereon. The modifications can include changes to any of routing, modulation, and spectral assignment to the one or more candidate services.

Optical networks, as described herein, include Layer 0 (photonic) and/or Layer 1 (Time Division Multiplexed (TDM) layers that provide connectivity between network nodes. As is known in the art, an optical network includes network elements interconnected via network links (optical fibers). At Layer 0, the connectivity is via optical channels that occupy the optical spectrum on the optical fibers. At Layer 1, the connectivity is via TDM connections such as Optical Transport Network (OTN) connections. As described herein, optical channels and TDM connections can be referred to as services. Optical networks are dynamic, meaning services are continually added, deleted, moved, etc. As such, an optical network can become fragmented, meaning services are not optimally routed. Network operators perform de-fragmentation or re-grooming to rearrange services more optimally.
There are various techniques known in the art for improving, i.e., defragmenting, a network. For example, commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 10,298,356, Châtelain et al., "Optimal partial reconfiguration of Spectrum in Optical Networks," the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, describes techniques for finding a sequence of steps to defragment a network to minimize wavelength use. Châtelain et al. describes several techniques, such as Integer Linear Programming (ILP), Tabu searches, and Genetic Algorithms (GA). The GA approach for partial re-grooming relies on a two-step optimization procedure: (1) identifying the services to re-groom (to re-configure) that yield the greatest spectrum recovery, and (2) determining the sequence in which the services need to be re-groomed to minimize the spectrum assignment conflicts between services, and the number of maintenance windows. The figure of merit used by the GA in the first step is essentially a measure of maximum link congestion. When performing re-grooming, the GA elects the candidates that maximally reduce link congestion, therefore increasing overall network capacity.
An ILP formulation has also been proposed for re-grooming, in Jaumard, Brigitte, Hamed Pouya, and David Coudert. "Wavelength De-fragmentation for Seamless Migration." Journal of Lightwave Technology 37.17 (2019): 4382-4393, the contents are incorporated by reference. In this case, an ILP framework combined with a heuristic to identify dependencies and possible spectrum assignment conflicts are used to determine the route and/or spectrum assignment of the services to re-groom. The procedure also determines the sequence in which the services are to be re-configured. This is achieved in a single step, where the figure of merit is the blocking rate, defined as the number of services that were successfully deployed over the total number of services to add.
Both the GA and ILP based re-grooming approaches suffer from the same fundamental issues as described as follows. These approaches are limited in considering multiple signals from the network, such as spectral occupancy of each edge. This severely limits their adaptability in de-fragmentation scenarios that are often driven by varying and evolving customer preferences and objectives. These approaches have limited utility for making incremental changes to a network. For example, if one wants to make a few changes now and update the de-fragmentation solution later if the network state changes. This is often required since re-grooming operations are usually performed over a long time span due to the need for interrupting services and setting up maintenance windows. Furthermore, while re-grooming operations are conducted, new services may be added to the network, further complicating the task. The GA and ILP frameworks cannot cope with these dynamic changes.
With these approaches it is difficult to design systems which can present an operator with options for possible changes to make at a given de-fragmentation step along with their expected values. Operators may wish to select defragmentation actions based on a number of factors such as those which are easily captured by a cost for example latency, as well as intangible measures such as which parts of the network have historically been more challenging to work on. For example, at any given step, a network operator may want to prioritize services that are using a given set of edges or prioritize a certain type of services. GA and ILP only consider history within the current simulation run. They cannot generalize to other starting points, and they cannot learn from previous de-fragmentation outcomes. These approaches do not include topology information or any other signals from the network and only rely on single figure of merit that cannot capture the complexity of real-life re-grooming operations. Finally, ILP becomes difficult or impossible to solve for large networks.
Reinforcement learning (RL) is an area of machine learning inspired by behaviorist psychology, and, in the context of networks, it is concerned with how software agents ought to take actions in an environment to maximize some notion of cumulative reward. In general, RL seeks to learn what to do given a problem, i.e., an optimal mapping from its current state to some action, to maximize the received reward signal in the long-run. Often, a software agent does not have any a priori knowledge of its operating environment and must discover which actions yield the most reward by trying them out. This leads to the trade-off between exploration and exploitation. The agent must exploit what it already knows to obtain rewards but also needs to explore to make better actions in the future.
In N. C. Luong et al., "Applications of Deep Reinforcement Learning in Communications and Networking: A Survey," arXiv:1810.07862v1, Oct. 18, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, the authors describe several applications of reinforcement learning in network optimization. Examples include path routing for wireless networks, traffic engineering, and routing. These are two examples of existing network de-fragmentation, and various other similar publications are known. Commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20190138948, entitled "Reinforcement learning for autonomous telecommunications networks," filed Nov. 9, 2018, the contents are incorporated by reference, describes various techniques for optimizing packet services.
Some aspects of reinforcement learning in optical networks are described in X. Chen et al., "Deep-RMSA: A Deep Reinforcement-Learning Routing, Modulation and Spectrum Assignment Agent for Elastic Optical Networks" OFC 2018, and X. Chen et al., "DeepRMSA: A Deep Reinforcement Learning Framework for Routing, Modulation and Spectral Assignment" arXiv 2019, the contents of each are incorporated by reference. In the 2018 paper, Chen et al. employ a state space for a given service request that consisted of the source and destination nodes as well as the requested bandwidth and the full spectral utilization of all links on a small eight edge, six node network with 64 spectral slices per edge. A Routing, Modulation and Spectrum Assignment (RMSA) algorithm was used to find the k-shortest paths for each service request, and the RL algorithm learned to pick which of the k paths to use in order to minimize the future blocking probability. Of note, the action space contained the full spectral utilization of each edge but they do not indicate which edges a given path crosses. The RL agent needed to learn the behavior of the RMSA algorithm so it could infer the relationship between path index k for a source-destination pair and the spectral utilization on each edge that is crossed by that path. It is expected that this would have made training difficult, and the solution very sensitive to any change in network state for the behavior of the RMSA algorithm. Note that Chen et al. is addressing the RMSA problem and not attempting to re-groom the optical network.
In the 2019 paper, Chen et al. describe an RL framework for selecting the best path and wavelength assignment for a given service request to avoid future blocking. In their approach, a service request arrives, and an RMSA algorithm determines the k-shortest paths between the source and destination nodes as well as J possible spectral assignments for each path. For each of the K×J combinations, it also captures the starting index and spectral width of the assigned spectrum as well as the average size and number of available spectral slices along the path. With this information, the RL algorithm used an action-based method to select the best path and spectral assignment from the K×J possibilities that were presented at each time step. This approach was shown to reduce blocking probability by 20.3%. Chen et al.'s algorithm is presented with very limited network topology and spectral fill information, which is mostly limited to path-based metrics of the starting index of the first available spectral window and measures of available bandwidth along that path. There are no obvious means for the Deep Neural Network (DNN) to consider spectral utilization on edges which are close to the ones used by the kth path or even to understand the relationship between paths used by different A-Z service requests. The state and action spaces are limited to the source and destination nodes and measures of spectral utilization along each of the paths determined by the RMSA algorithm. It does not contain information about which edges are contained in the path.
Of note, these aforementioned approaches do not suggest or describe using reinforcement learning for re-grooming an optical network.

Reinforcement learning for optical network re-grooming


A connector includes a housing, a base extending from an outer surface of the housing, and a deflectable, cantilever locking arm extending from an outer surface of the base. A window is formed in the locking arm at a location proximate the base. The locking arm and base are shaped to resist breakage of the locking arm and base when the lock arm is bent away from the outer surface of the housing.

Electrical connectors typically comprise one or more conductive contacts at least partially protected by non-conductive housing structure. Often, such electrical connectors include one or more locking features configured to position the connector or its housing structure relative to a mating connector and/or some other structure such as, for example, a wall of a device within which a mating connector resides, a junction box, a vehicle, and the like. One example of such an electrical connector includes a locking feature comprising a flexible arm extending from the housing of the connector and including a feature (e.g., a hook) that is configured to engage a complementary feature (e.g., a loop) on a mating connector or other structure.
Often, the locking arm of such connectors are configured and positioned so as to define a space between the locking arm and the outer surface of the connector housing. This space may be configured to accommodate the housing structure of a mating connector (e.g., to form a seal), and the locking arm may also be configured to deform sufficiently to enable it to engage a corresponding locking feature on the mating structure. Accordingly, the locking arm may be configured as a cantilevered beam structure, fixedly attached to a base structure at one end and extending from the base structure over the connector housing to mate with a corresponding feature on a mating element. The base structure, then is positioned on the connector housing.
Unfortunately, experience has shown that connectors having such cantilevered locking arms are prone to a number of problems related to the failure and lack of reliability of the locking arm. For example, during assembly, foreign matter may become lodged within the space between the locking arm and the outer surface of the connector housing, resulting in excessive deformation of the locking arm as it is mated. Similarly, the locking arm may inadvertently catch one or more wires or other structure in a host device. If the trapped wire and the connector are subsequently moved relative to one another, the wire may cause the locking arm to deform excessively (e.g., displacing the locking arm away from the adjacent surface of the connector housing). Still further, while such connectors are handled during packaging, assembly or repair of a host device, they may be passed through small holes or may otherwise be physically manipulated within cramped spaces, commonly resulting in excessive deformation of the flexible arm of the locking feature. Such deformation may be considered excessive if it significantly exceeds the level or frequency of deformation normally associated with the intended function of the arm, which is to engage and accommodate a corresponding structure (e.g., to traverse a retainer step on a mating connector).
As a result of such excessive deformation, the locking arm of the connector may become weakened through fatigue or may even fail at a location where stresses are concentrated such as at the point where the arm is fixed to the base. As a result, the reliability of the position assurance and/or locking function, and therefore of the connector and possibly its host device, may be compromised.
Prior attempts to address this issue have produced locking arm designs that include a groove formed into the flexible arm and its base, such that the cross-sectional area of the material at both the base of the arm and in the arm itself is smaller than the cross-sectional area where the arm and its base is fixed to the connector body. In practice, when the arm of such connectors are deformed beyond a strain limit inherent in the material, a hinge is induced at or near where the arm meets its base. Unfortunately, this solution often causes the material displaced at the induced hinge of the bend to buckle (i.e., to "bunch up"), causing additional material interference as the arm deforms. Such material interference, in turn causes additional strain to be concentrated in the vicinity of the induced hinge.
Accordingly, a need exists for a connector having a flexible arm that can resist, or better tolerate, deformation of the arm away from the connector housing, while avoiding excessive material interference in the area of the induced hinge.

Connector with locking arm having a window


A sensor arrangement comprises a first sensor element for converting a physical quantity into a first electrical signal and at least a second sensor element for converting said physical quantity into a second electrical signal. The first sensor element has a first sensitivity while said second sensor element has a second sensitivity different from said first sensitivity. The first sensor element is operatively coupled between terminals of said sensor arrangement and said second sensor element is operatively connected between said terminals of said sensor arrangement via a temperature controlled switching element so that in a first state of said temperature controlled switching element, said second electrical signal combines with said first electrical signal to form a sensor output signal, and in a second state of said temperature controlled switching element, the contribution of said second electrical signal to said sensor output signal is substantially reduced with respect to a respective contribution in said first state of said temperature controlled switching element.

Seat occupancy sensors are nowadays commonly used in automotive vehicles in order to improve the efficiency of secondary seat restraint systems, such as e.g. the vehicle airbags or the seat belt pretension systems. The seat occupancy sensors usually comprise a plurality of individual switching elements, which are arranged in an array configuration and associated to a seating surface of the vehicle seat. The individual switching elements are typically configured as pressure sensors, e.g. force sensing resistors, in which an electrical resistance is depending on the force acting on the seat.
In a possible application of those seat occupancy sensors, an actual seat occupancy status is determined by means of the seat occupancy sensors and, in case of a car crash situation, the airbags associated with the respective seat are deployed only if the actual seat occupancy status requires such deployment. In a different application, the signal of the seat occupancy sensors are used in a seat belt warning system for generating a warning signal if a specific vehicle seat is occupied and the corresponding seat belt is not fastened.
One issue with those seat sensor systems is related to the temperature dependent behavior of the switching elements and/or the environment in which the switching elements are arranged. In fact due to the behavior of the seat material (trims, foams, and suspension and seat structure) and sensors in different temperatures, the sensing capability of sensors is affected. Often with colder temperature, the sensor and seat (i.e. the whole sensing system) will get more insensitive, whereas, at higher temperatures, the whole system can get more sensitive and as a result, the force/pressure behavior is changing (harder vs. softer).
This means that in order to reliably detect an occupancy of a vehicle seat in a low temperature range, it would be preferable to have rather sensitive sensors/sensor features (cells) to make sure to reliably detect the occupant. At a higher temperature range on the other hand, the high sensitivity of the sensor cells may cause the sensor to be triggered by undesired low weight objects such as a bag placed on the seat. It follows that for the high temperature range, it would be preferable to have less sensitive sensors/sensor features (cells) so as to avoid detection of undesired objects on the seat. In other words for low temperatures up to a temperature Tx, one would prefer a sensitive sensor/sensor cell, while above a temperature Tx to high temperatures one would prefer an insensitive sensor/sensor cell. In the environment of an automotive vehicle, the temperature ranges may e.g. from LT=−40° C. to Tx for the low temperature range and from Tx to HT=85° C. Depending on the material used for the seat/sensor, Tx may be approx. 45-65° C.
It will be noted that depending on the application, the sensitivity of a sensing system may decrease with decreasing temperature or increase with decreasing temperature. This means that depending on the application it may also be interesting to have an insensitive sensor/sensor cell for low temperatures up to a temperature Tx and a more sensitive sensor/sensor cell above a temperature Tx to high temperatures.

Temperature range optimized sensor system

IEE International Electronics & Engineering S.A.


A process for preparing an electronic package comprising: (a) providing a ceramic housing defining an internal cavity for receiving a micro device and having one or more interface portions; (b) treating the housing to form a tungsten layer on the interface portions; and (c) overlaying a palladium layer on the tungsten layer.

The packaging of micro devices is a complex field of endeavor. As used herein, the term "micro device" refers collectively to (1) microelectronic devices, such as semiconductors and integrated circuits, (2) micromechanical devices, which include static micro-machined structures such as micromirrors, multiplexers, cross-connects, optical filters and attenuators, and (3) microelectro-mechanical systems (MEMS), which include moving micro-machined structures, such as configurable micromirrors, switches, configurable multiplexers, optical filters and attenuators, and the integrated circuits used to control them.
Typically, a micro device is packaged in a housing which has a cavity to contain the micro device and an aperture through which the micro device is inserted into the cavity. The aperture of the housing is capped by a lid or cover. In the case of optical micro devices, the lid may comprise an optically clear material such as quartz or glass.
Mating and fastening the lid to housing presents a number of challenges. Among other considerations, the seal between the housing and lid must be capable of withstanding the mechanical stresses induced by vibration and by differences in the thermal expansion characteristics of the various materials used in the package. Often such stresses are sufficient to break the seal, or otherwise stress the cap to the point it cracks or develops unwanted conditions. Furthermore, in certain applications, a micro device package must be hermetically sealed. For example, it may be necessary to insulate the micro device from humidity and external elements which can degrade its performance or life, or to contain a special atmosphere within the housing to improve the performance of the micro device. A hermetic package requires that the seal between the housing and lid be not only robust, but also impervious to gaseous contaminants that could impede the operation of the micro device if they leaked into the cavity. Hermetically-sealed micro device packages are of particular interest herein.
To form a hermetic seal between the housing and the lid, it is common practice to use a metallic seal—i.e., a solder seal—between the housing and the lid. The solder seal is achieved customarily by treating the ceramic to form a narrow layer of tungsten. Tungsten is a well-known surface preparation for ceramic materials as it provides a good interface between the ceramic material and other metals, such as nickel, which are used in forming a solder seal. In this respect, nickel is also well known as a "primer" or base metal upon which other materials can be layered to facilitate a solder seal.
Although nickel is an excellent interface between tungsten and other metals for a solder seal, it tends to be magnetic which can be problematic. For example, in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), any magnetic properties of the electronics used in the imaging equipment can negatively affect the quality of the images produced. Consequently, metallurgies using iron (Fe), nickel (Ni) or cobalt (Co) and their alloys cannot be used in micro device packaging if completely non-magnetic properties are to be achieved. Recently, this need has been addressed by attempting to render Ni non-magnetic by alloying it with other materials such as copper. To this end, current technologies employ nickel and copper deposited electrochemically in multiple thin layers. The multiple layers are thermally sintered to form a quasi non-metallic alloy. Although, theoretically, the alloy formed should be non-magnetic, applicants have discovered that this is not the case, and that micro device packages using this approach still have detrimental magnetic properties.
Therefore, there is a need for a micro device package which is not only hermetically sealed, but also non-magnetic. The present invention fulfills this need among others.

Non-magnetic, hermetically-sealed micro device package