An adaptive power amplifier that may be used in a wireless communication device is configured to adjust its load line or output impedance, the number of active amplifier cells in each amplification stage, the bias of the active amplifiers, and the supply voltage input capacitive load in accordance with a supply voltage modulation type provided to the power amplifier. The supply voltage modulation types include ET, APT, DC-DC, dual, multi-state or fixed voltage supply voltages. A supply voltage converter, signaled by a baseband processor, generates the selected type of supply voltage modulation for the adaptive power amplifier. The baseband processor may also provide a control interface signal to a controller within the adaptive power amplifier. The controller, based on the received control interface signal provides a configuration signal that configures the impedance, the number of active amplifier cells, the bias of the active amplifier cells, and the supply voltage capacitive load to optimize the adaptive power amplifier based on the supply voltage modulation type.

Many wireless communication protocols provide for transmitters, operating within a communication network, that are capable of transmitting at varying levels of output power. One reason for having varying level of output power is to accommodate the transmitter in wireless mobile communication devices such as wireless telephones, wireless personal data assistants (PDAs), pagers, two-way radios, and other types of wireless devices (all referred to herein as "User Equipment" or "UE"), which may be located at a varying distance from a base station.
Additionally, the increased data rates that have been enabled by modern mobile radio standards (e.g., LTE, HSPA, CDMA, WCDMA, WiMax) have placed increased demands on mobile device (UE) transmitters. While the maximum transmit power for a UE transmitter remains unchanged, the average transmit power of the UE's transmitter can be significantly higher than in the past. This increase in the average transmit power leads to significantly higher power consumption by the overall transmitter circuitry and to additional heat production from the transmitter circuitry due to inefficiencies of prior transmitter designs.
Additionally, multimode wireless devices are designed to transmit communication signals of different signal modulation schemes using a single power amplifier. Therefore, the single power amplifier must also be capable of transmitting at the power output levels required for each of the different RF modulation schemes associated with the modern radio standards (e.g., LTE, HSPA, CDMA, WCDMA, WiMax). Power amplifiers required to transmit signals of different modulation schemes are typically optimized for operation in only one of the various modulation schemes, such as non-linear modulation. As a result, when the power amplifier is amplifying a signal of another modulation scheme, such as linear modulation, the power amplifier is less efficient.
In some situations, different types of modulation schemes have been created with different techniques to provide a supply voltage to a power amplifier so as to make the power amplifier more efficient for the particular type of radio frequency (RF) modulation. One technique for providing voltage to a power amplifier (PA) is called envelope tracking (ET). ET is where the supply voltage to the PA follows or tracks the varying signal envelope of the RF signal that is to be amplified. Yet another technique for providing voltage to a PA is called average power tracking (APT). APT is where the supply voltage to the PA is adjusted based on the average power level of the varying RF signal to be amplified.
For example, when designing a PA to reduce power consumption when an envelope tracking technique is used, a typical PA design combines a standard buck converter to drive average current and a dynamic boost converter to drive envelope peaks. The maximum output voltage of the buck converter will be limited by the maximum voltage of the battery (Vbatt). Yet, the dynamic boost converter will allow the PA to drive voltage peaks (˜3 dB) above Vbatt. The dynamic boost converter that is part of an envelope tracking modulator, which supplies the voltage for envelope tracking is sized to drive signal peaks only, but is not sized to provide the power needed when average power tracking (APT) is the mode of operation. Thus, when this design is used in an APT mode, the PA will be inefficient, clip some of the output signal peaks, and produce more heat.
In general, a power amplifier that is optimized for ET has a higher saturated power capability when compared to a more conventional power amplifier that uses average power tracking or a fixed voltage supply.
Referring to FIG. 1, a general graph of an Icc to Vcc response curve for a power amplifier output is shown. The Vcc is the input voltage to the power amplifier and the Icc is the current in the output of the power amplifier. The input voltage (Vcc) to output current (Icc) curve 110 is also referred to as the power amplifier's response curve 110. The power amplifier (PA) response curve 110 shown is only one representation of a family of PA response curves that result from a single PA. For simplicity, another PA response curve 112 is also shown. Other PA response curves, not specifically shown, may have different slopes in the low Vcc range and different maximum or saturated Icc outputs at the higher Vcc input levels depending, for example, on the bias applied to the PA amplifier stage(s) within the PA.
Two other curves are shown in FIG. 1. One of the curves is an envelope tracking (ET) load line 114. The other curve is an average power tracking (APT) and/or fixed voltage load line 116. The two load lines 114 and 116 are shown to exemplify that for envelope tacking (ET) the optimum load impedance 114 of a PA is very different from the optimum load impedance for an APT or fixed supply voltage load line 116 of the same PA. As such, it is clear that when a PA is designed for optimum performance as an ET PA, the same PA will be substantially less efficient when operated in APT or fixed voltage input situations. In other words, an APT PA, a fixed voltage PA and an ET PA will each have very different impedance load lines that will affect each of their designs so as to function optimally within the transmitter portion of a mobile communication device.
Yet, it has become common in mobile communication transmitters of UEs to require that an ET transmitter be backward compatible (i.e., able to operate in a non-ET mode). This ability for an ET transmitter to be backward compatible is important, for example, in situations where the transmitter supports multiple radio access technologies such as LTE, WCDMA, and CDMA, but wherein not all modes of PA supply voltage modulation for the radio access technologies are supported or configured to be an ET mode. Additionally, there are situations wherein, for example, a transmission of an LTE channel bandwidth is too large to be supported by ET techniques, such that non-ET techniques, such as APT or fixed voltage modulation technologies need to be used by a PA to amplify and transmit the large LTE channel bandwidth.
Additionally, DC-DC converters can be designed to provide the supply voltage (Vcc) to a PA. Such DC-DC converters can be designed to support and provide voltage to an optimized ET PA, meanwhile retain ATP functionality, but there is a much increased expense and component size associated with such a design, which greatly impacts the feasibility of DC-DC supply voltage converter designs. As indicated, PAs can be designed to support both ET and non-ET modes of operation, but in the past when doing so performance and efficiency of the resulting PA has always suffered.
What is needed is a transmit power amp that can be optimized for operation with linear, non-linear, multi-state, average power tracking, enhanced power tracking or envelope tracking modes of supply voltage modulation methods so as to provide an efficient low power consumption adaptive power amplifier regardless of the RF transmit mode of operation (e.g., LTE, WCDMA, CDMA, HSPA, WiMax, etc). Additionally, what is needed is a PA design that can be optimized during operation for ET performance, APT performance, fixed voltage performance, i.e., for multiple supply modulation modes, and maintain functionality and performance at the lowest cost and physical size.

Low power consumption adaptive power amplifier


Provided is a semiconductor package including a package substrate having lands, a first semiconductor device mounted on the package substrate and having a bottom surface on which first lines are disposed, and solder balls respectively electrically connected to the lands of the package substrate with the first lines of the first semiconductor device. The first semiconductor device includes a first substrate, and through-substrate via (TSV) plugs that vertically pass through the first substrate. The TSV plugs are respectively vertically aligned with the first lines, overlap first regions corresponding to 70% or less of diameters of the solder balls from central axes of the solder balls, and do not overlap second regions corresponding to the remaining 30% or more of diameters of the solder balls from the central axes of the solder balls. Adjacent ones of the TSV plugs are arranged at irregular intervals with respect to each other.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide semiconductor devices having through-substrate via (e.g., through-silicon via (TSV)) plugs and semiconductor packages including the same.
With an increase in the integration density of semiconductor devices, a semiconductor device having TSV plugs formed through a substrate of the semiconductor device has been proposed. In general, a disposed location of the TSV plugs is important to improve a reliability of a semiconductor device.

Semiconductor devices having through-substrate via plugs and semiconductor packages including the same


An eyedrop applicator attachment for attachment to a bottle having a large or small threaded neck. The applicator attachment is provided with a hollow cylindrical body, and an eyecup integral with the body at one end. The other end of the body has an opening, and interiorly of the body are two female threads, located coaxially and of different diameters, the threads with the larger diameter being adjacent the open end of the body. Thus, the applicator attachment may be attached to a squeeze bottle with a larger diameter neck, or to a squeeze bottle with a smaller diameter neck. In an alternate embodiment, axially of the threads for engagement with the neck of a bottle, there is an extension having a third female thread, into which a plug is threaded to provide a closure for the nozzle of a bottle attached to the cylindrical body.. In an alternate embodiment, the eyecup is integral with the neck of a bottle, which may be of molded plastic, and provided with a snap fitting for receiving a nozzle insert, there being a cylindrical extension between the neck portion of the bottle and the eyecup which is internally threaded to receive a stopper which is in part hollow to receive and engage with a surface thereof the end of the drop-forming nozzle.. There are also provided an alternate embodiment in which a stopper and an attachment body have mating double threads, and the stopper has gripping means on the exterior or interior thereof. Further, a combined lid and stopper may be provided, with provision for relative sliding and rotatable movement.

The present invention relates to an eyedrop applicator attachment for squeeze-type eyedrop bottles, and to an integral bottle and eyecup construction.
There have been provided various constructions of attachments for bottles for dispensing eyedrops which include an eyecup intended to hold open one or both of the eyelids, so as to enable drops which are dispensed from the squeeze-type bottle, or the like, and to enter into the eye. West U.S. Pat. No. 2,516,818 provides a medicinal applicator including an eyedrop dispensing nozzle, an eyecup, and a threaded cap for attachment to the neck of a bottle. Mock U.S. Pat. No. 2,585,264, Erwin U.S. Pat. No. 3,016,898, and Mings U.S. Pat. No. 3,279,446 provide generally similar constructions. In addition, McClure U.S. Pat. No. 248,448 provides an eyedrop applicator attachment for a squeeze bottle, and including a cap for the end of the eyecup. While these constructions have been generally effective in enabling the dispensing of eyedrops into the eye of the patient with minimum loss and with substantial effectiveness, there have been found to be problems in the commercially supplying eyecup attachments, and therefor the utilization of them.
Eyecup attachments are not generally provided with the conventional squeeze-bottle eyedrop container which has an attached drop dispensing nozzle. Thus, it is left to the purchaser to acquire from a separate source an eyecup attachment for attachment to the squeeze bottle for the eyedrops.
It has been discovered that there are a large number of producers of small plastic bottles for use as eyedrop dispensers, and that there have now been substantially standardized several different sizes of such bottles, designated in the trade as Size No. 13 and Size No. 15. The Size No. 13 is provided with threads on the neck of the bottle having an outer diameter of approximately 13 mm; the Size No. 15 bottle is provided with threads on the neck having an outer diameter just slightly smaller than 15 mm. In addition, it is now the universal practice for bottles of medication to be produced with some form of tamper-proof construction, and in some cases this is an outstanding bead at the end of the neck, to accommodate and to cooperate with a tamper-proofing seal. It has been determined that the outside diameter of such beads on the Size No. 13 bottles is not always small enough to fit inside the conventional closure cap for the Size No. 15 bottle.
Substantially all of the known above noted Size No. 13 and Size No. 15 bottles have the same pitch threads, which is 0.083 threads per inch. It has been found, additionally, that the distance from the end of the thread of the bottle which is at the distal end of the neck to the end of the bottle, and to the shoulder on an inserted dropper nozzle is a dimension which varies from 0.03 to 0.1 inches. Another important aspect of the eyedrop applicator bottles now being marketed is the distance from the noted tamper-proof seal to the above noted shoulder on the nozzle, which on the Size No. 13 bottles is 0.35 inches. The foregoing factors necessarily enter into the construction of any eyedropper attachment which can be attached to substantially all of the various eyedropper bottles now being sold.


An in-vehicle charger of an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle is provided. The in-vehicle charger comprises: a rectification and voltage-stabilizing circuit, which inputs, rectifies and stabilizes a commercial power; a traction battery charging circuit, which is electrically connected with the rectification and voltage-stabilizing circuit, and which charges a traction battery; a control communication circuit, which is electrically connected with the rectification and voltage-stabilizing circuit, and which controls the traction battery charging circuit; and a starting battery charging circuit, which is electrically connected with the rectification and voltage-stabilizing circuit, and which starts charging of a starting battery under control of the control communication circuit.

The power battery of an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle comprises two parts: a starting battery and a traction battery. The starting battery is used to start the engine or motor of the vehicle, or to supply power to the vehicle body electric system before starting the vehicle. The traction battery is used to supply power to the motor after starting the vehicle, and the supplied power drives the motor to rotate the vehicle wheels.
The conventional in-vehicle charger of the electric vehicle or the hybrid electric vehicle only charges the traction battery. When the electric vehicle or the hybrid electric vehicle has not been started in a long time, the starting battery may feed power as a result of the static power of the vehicle body electric system. Although the electric energy of the traction battery may be converted and input to the starting battery via a DC/DC converter, the traction battery itself may also feed power due to self-electricity consumption or static power of the electrical apparatus connected with the traction battery. The starting battery and traction battery are simultaneously in feedback electricity state, which is required for charging both the traction battery and the starting battery. However, it may not be feasible to convert and input the electric energy of the traction battery to the starting battery via the DC/DC converter due to low voltage in the vehicle body electric system. The low voltage may be a result of the battery manager needs of the power supply during the charging process, and the feeding of the traction battery. Thus, the conventional in-vehicle charger may not be able to charge the traction battery when the starting battery and traction battery are simultaneously in feedback electricity state.


Embodiments of the present invention provide a security protection method and apparatus for performing security protection during service interruption occurring in a switch network. In an embodiment of the present invention, a transmitting-end device selects each sub-route from a plurality of sub-routes one by one to transmit a call to an opposite-end device; when a trunk device receives the call, it analyzes a route condition from the current selected sub-route to an opposite-end device; the trunk device determines whether to transmit the call to the opposite-end device or report a blocking message to the transmitting-end device according to the route condition; if the transmitting-end device receives the blocking message, then the transmitting-end device excludes the current selected sub-route, judges whether all the sub-routes are excluded, and determines whether to continue selecting a next sub-route or end selecting the sub-routes according to the judgment result.

The services provided by the current telecommunication network are become more and more integrated, and with the higher and higher integration ability of telecommunication equipment, call loss of large area may occur once any abnormity appears in the equipment, therefore, the secure and reliable operation of the network becomes very important.
In the current switch network, a service and switch unit includes a switch, an SS (Soft Switch), an SCP (Service Control Point), and an AS (Application Server). Since the covering area is large, the secure intercommunication between the soft switch and the other network elements has become a problem that both the operators and the manufacturers focus on. Now, there are various solutions for the secure intercommunications between the soft switch and the smart network SCP, and between the soft switch and the AS.
In a first-class toll network constituted by soft switches, there are particular requirements for the security problem of the communication between soft switches due to the particularity of the network.
FIG. 1 shows a network topological graph of a first-class toll network constituted by soft switches in the prior art A soft switch SS1, and a soft switch SS2-1 and a soft switch SS2-2 are respectively located in different provinces, the soft switch SS1 centrally connects calls in a large district 1 (a plurality of provinces constituting a large district), the soft switch SS2-1 and the soft switch SS2-2 centrally connect calls in a large district 2; the soft switch SS1 and the soft switch SS2-1 and the soft switch SS2-2 are interconnected, each of which has a TMG (Trunk Media Gateway), i.e., TMG1, TMG2-1, and TMG2-2, respectively.
FIG. 2 shows a network topological graph of another first-class toll network constituted by soft switches in the prior art A soft switch SS1, and a soft switch SS2-1 and a soft switch SS2-2 are respectively located in different provinces, the soft switch SS1 centrally connects calls in a large district 1, and the soft switch. SS2-1 and the soft switch SS2-2 centrally connect calls in a large district 2; the soft switch SS1 and the soft switches SS2-1 and SS2-2 are interconnected, and the two soft switches SS2-1 and SS2-2 in the large district 2 only have one TMG2-1.
As illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, since the traffics centrally connected by respective soft switches are quite high, in the case that fewer TMGs are configured, it should be ensured that tee tandem between the large districts will not be influenced when a TMG fails.
Please refer to FIG. 3 as well, which shows a secure intercommunication solution between soft switches in the prior art.
In this prior art the backup disaster-recovery of the core routing device is realized by a router 301 and a router 302, that is, the two first sub-routes are backups in terms of physical device. Furthermore, in the case of the interruption of the direct routes (i.e. the first sub-routes) of the two soft switches SS1 and SS2, a call is transferred to a switch 304 via a second sub-route.
That is to say, the disaster recovery solutions for solving the service interruption between soft switches at present have two strategies: (1) disaster recovery is realized by network equipment; and (2) in the case of the failure of all network equipments, a call is guaranteed to be normal by a second sub-route. In particular; the strategy 1 is to perform the backup disaster-recovery by hardware, the soft switch provides an IP interface through an interface board of primary backup or load sharing, and the bearer network accesses the soft switch of the opposite end via two different IP channels. The strategy 2 identifies the failure of the first sub-route by the soft switch of the local end, and answers the call to the soft switch of the opposite end via the second sub-route directly.
The secure intercommunication solutions in the prior art can prevent the problem of service interruption caused by the failure of the route between soft switches. In particular, in the above prior art, when the soft switch detects that the first sub-routes are unavailable via the hardware and protocol of the local end, it does not select the sub-routes during a call, and transfers the call directly via the second sub-route. However, the deficiency of the above prior art lies in failing to consider the situation of service interruption caused by the failure of the TMG of a soft switch or the full blocking of office-directed tails occurring at the opposite end. Therefore, when the failure of the TMG of a soft switch or the full blocking of office-directed trunks occurs at the opposite end, since the soft switches will continue to transfer the call in the selected sub-route, the complete interruption of services between large districts may occur in the first-class toll network constituted by soft switches. To be brief, in the soft switch networks of the prior art only the situation of the route failure between soft switches is considered, whereas the situation of the route failure at the soft switch of the opposite end is not taken into account.
Consequently, there is a need for a security protection method and apparatus for performing security protection during service interruption occurring in a switch network which can prevent the occurrence of the complete interruption of services between large districts in a first-class toll network constituted by soft switches when the failure of the TMG of a soft switch or the full blocking of office-directed bunks occurs at the opposite end.

Method and apparatus for security protection of service interruption in switch network


A refresh address generator includes a refresh sequence buffer and a refresh address generating unit. The refresh sequence buffer stores a sequence of memory groups, each memory group including a plurality of memory cell rows. The refresh address generating unit generates a plurality of refresh row addresses according to the sequence of memory groups stored in the refresh sequence buffer, in response to a refresh signal.

1. Technical Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to memory devices, and more particularly to volatile memory devices, memory controllers, memory systems and a methods of refreshing volatile memory devices.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A volatile memory device, such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), performs a refresh operation to retain data stored in memory cells. If a memory cell has a retention time shorter than a certain refresh period (often pre-defined as a standard), a row of memory cells including such a memory cell should be replaced with a row of redundancy cells. As the size of a memory cell shrinks, the number of memory cells having retention times shorter than a pre-defined or standard refresh period increases. Accordingly, the number of rows of redundancy cells of a conventional volatile memory device should be increased.

Refresh address generator, volatile memory device including the same and method of refreshing the volatile memory device


Disclosed herein are systems and methods for linking items into common matters. Some embodiments of the systems and/or methods may retrieve an electronic document from a source, determine whether the electronic document is associated with a predetermined first matter, and in response to determining that the electronic document is associated with the predetermined first matter, link the electronic document to the predetermined first matter. Similarly, in some embodiments, the systems and methods may further create a second matter and may link the electronic document to the second matter, such that accessing the electronic document can provide other documents linked to the second matter, receive a request for the electronic document, and in response to receiving the request for the electronic document, provide a user option to provide access to the other documents linked to the predetermined first matter.

Field
Embodiments provided herein generally relate to linking electronic items into matters, and particularly to linking electronic legal documents and other legal and non-legal electronic data.
Technical Background
As electronic systems retrieve and store electronic documents for searching, many electronic documents pertaining to an event (such as a legal matter) may be obtained from a plurality of different sources. Additionally, as each of the sources may organize and/or label their documents differently, the electronic systems that retrieve these documents may be unable to associate documents from different sources to the common event. Accordingly, when attempting to organize the documents for later indexing, there may be no indicated relation of the documents. Thus, a user who attempts to locate all documents in the event may be forced to independently search for each document.
More specifically, many current electronic research systems may be configured to acquire electronic versions of legal documents from a plurality of sources. While one document may be retrieved from a court reporter, other documents may be received via public access to court electronic records (PACER) and/or from other sources. Consequently, the documents retrieved may be formatted in such a way that one cannot easily determine whether the documents are part of a common legal matter or whether they are unrelated. As such, in many current solutions, if an end-user of the electronic research system is searching for a complaint and a brief associated with that legal dispute, the search may become cumbersome due to the fact that two independent searches must be performed.

Systems and methods for linking items to a matter

LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.


Aspects of the invention can provide an electrostatic capacitance detection device having M number of row lines and N number of column lines arranged in a matrix of M rows and N columns, and an electrostatic capacitance detection element formed at the intersection thereof. The electrostatic capacitance detection element can include a signal detection element, a signal amplifying element and a column selection element and a row selection element. The signal detection element can include a capacitance detecting electrode, a capacitance detecting dielectric layer, and a reference capacitor. One of a pair of electrodes in the reference capacitor is coupled to the row line. Accordingly, the invention can achieve a superior electrostatic capacitance detection device.

1. Field of Invention
Aspects of the invention relate to an electrostatic capacitance detection device that reads the surface contours of a fingerprint or other target object having extremely small ridges and valleys, by detecting electrostatic capacitance, which changes according to the distance from the surface of the target object.
2. Description of Related Art
As described in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Application No. Hei 11-118415, No. 2000-346608, No. 2001-56204, No. 2001-133213, and so forth, in related electrostatic capacitance detection devices that are used in fingerprint sensors and so forth, a sensor electrode and a dielectric layer deposited on the sensor electrode are formed on a single-crystal silicon wafer. The principle of operation of a related electrostatic capacitance detection device is shown in FIG. 1. One of a pair of electrodes in a capacitor is a sensor electrode, the other is grounded to a human. Further, a dielectric layer is formed on the uppermost surface of the electrostatic capacitance detection device. The capacitance CF of this capacitor changes according to the ridges and valleys in a fingerprint contacting the surface of the dielectric layer. On the other hand, the semiconductor substrate is equipped with a capacitor that forms an electrostatic capacitance CS. These two capacitors are connected in series, and a predetermined voltage is applied. The application of a voltage causes a charge Q corresponding to the ridges and valleys in a fingerprint to be formed between the two capacitors. This charge Q is sensed using ordinary semiconductor technology and the surface contours of the target object are read.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Electrostatic capacitance detection device


In a distributor, a plurality of switches are connected in series with one another on main distribution lines emerging from a receiver switching apparatus, thus forming a trunk. A branch line extends from a junction between each pair of adjoining switches and leads to each load via another switch and a transformer, wherein each pair of switches on the trunk is formed as a single branch unit, and the switch and transformer are united as a power package. In each power package, a supply bushing and a load bushing are placed on the top of a transformer, and shielded with closed housings. A switch is placed in the closed housing for the supply bushing, and a distribution board is placed in the closed housing for the transformer. This configuration enables the disconnection of any branch distribution lines from the main distribution lines and diminishes the installation space.

FIG. 11 shows a conventional distribution system at a building. In FIG. 11, 1 denotes a building. 2 denotes receiver switching apparatus installed in an electric room on the basement of the building 1. 3 denotes a circuit breaker. 4 denotes a high-tension bus. 5 denotes circuit breakers. 6 denotes transformers. 7 denotes molded-case circuit breakers associated with loads. 8 denotes cables to be connected to the loads.
The receiver switching apparatus 2 places received power on the high-tension bus via the circuit breakers 3. Branch circuit breakers associated with loads in the building 1 are connected over the high-tension bus 4. Power is fed to the loads via the transformers 6 and molded-case circuit breakers 7. This equipment is usually installed in a main electric room on the basement. In a large-scale building, the equipment is installed in a sub-electric room, which receives power from the main electric room, on each floor. From the electric rooms, cables are laid radially toward loads.
A prior art relating to loop distribution has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.61-8645, which, however, poses a problem concerning the safety within a cable shaft. Besides, when an attempt is made to modify the rating of a branch transformer, a power cut becomes necessary. Thus, the handling efficiency is poor.
A conventional distributor has the aforesaid configuration that cables are laid radially from an electric room to loads. A lot of cables are therefore required, many man-hours are needed for cable connection, and eventually the construction costs become high. Furthermore, it takes a lot of time to complete the construction.
A conventional loop distribution facility has problems concerning safety and handling efficiency.
The present invention attempts to solve the above problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a distributor that can easily be put into operation with a simple configuration. Another object of the present invention is to provide high-safety distribution equipment for a distributor. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a distributor permitting uninterrupted power feed with high reliability.


An authentication method for authenticating an article in a device includes the steps of a) reading an identification number stored on the article, b) reading an authentication number stored on the article, c) determining an input number based at least in part on the identification number, d) applying an authentication function to the input number to calculate an output number, e) determining that the article is authentic only if the authentication number corresponds to the output number, and f) permitting use of the article in the device if the article is authentic, and disabling use of the article in the device if the article is not authentic.

Other approaches have been tried for authenticating consumables in a host, but none of these have proven satisfactory. In particular, the background approaches discussed below do not provide an effective anti-piracy deterrent. These previously known approaches do not provide adequate authentication and can often be defeated by copying, spoofing, or similar techniques.
One early technique to authenticate consumables relied on keyed shapes of the consumable. Such keyed shapes can be designed so that only a consumable in the keyed shape will fit into a given type of host. As one example, a particular brand of razor can be adapted to receive only razor blades having a particular keyed shape. As a second example, an ink jet printer can be adapted to receive only refill ink cartridges having a particular keyed shape. The use of such a keyed shape can prevent interchange of consumables between different types of host. That approach is generally ineffective for anti-piracy, however, because the keyed shape of the consumable can be readily observed and easily duplicated.
Also unsatisfactory are the "challenge and response" authentication algorithms used in transponders intended for automobile security systems, such as the Atmel TK556, and equivalents. Automotive security systems were designed for "one lock, few keys" applications, where a single secret number is programmed into each key and each lock. If a host device, such as a printer or a camera, is the "lock," then such challenge-response transponders require that all the keys (media) and locks (printers) be programmed with the same secret number.
It is known to provide encodements on consumables, such as film units and/or hosts such as cameras, for identification purposes and to convey information about the film unit or camera. The term "encodement" very broadly describes a feature of physical media used to communicate one or more pieces of information to a machine. "Encodement" includes alphanumeric text and other indicia, symbols, and the like. An encodement can be detectable by various means, including but not limited to optical, magnetic, and/or punch readers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,166 discloses a device having a transponder and a transceiver. An electrically or electronically programmable read/write memory contained in the transponder is integrally attached to a consumable. The transponder is capable of receiving a first RF frequency electromagnetic field and deriving power and address information therefrom, and then generating a second RF frequency electromagnetic field in response. The second electromagnetic field is characteristic of the data stored in memory. A transceiver is disposed within the host with an antenna and support components for polling each transponder. As instructed by a control logic processor, the transceiver can read manufacturing data from the transponder and write usage and processing data to the transponder for storage in memory.
Radio-frequency identification transponders are widely available in a variety of forms. One form, referred to as "inlay transponders" are identification transponders that have a substantially flat shape. The antenna for an inlay transponder is in the form of a conductive trace deposited on a non-conductive support. The antenna may have the shape of a flat coil and the like. Leads for the antenna are also deposited, with non-conductive layers interposed as necessary. Memory components, RF communications, and any control functions are provided by a chip mounted on the support and operatively connected through the leads to the antenna. Inlay transponders have been used as layers of identification tags and labels to provide encodements that are accessible at a distance. A camera having a radio-frequency identification transponder that can be accessed for writing and reading at a distance is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,119.
Another known type of transponder is a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder. An RFID transponder can typically include a unique identifier installed by the manufacturer in non-volatile memory.
With respect to host devices, it is known to provide a consumable article, such as a print cartridge, with a transponder. The host device, such as a printer into which the cartridge is installed, includes a transceiver for detecting the type of media on the print cartridge. A transceiver and transponder of this general type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,178 to Spurr et al. The Spurr patent discloses a printer adapted to sense the type of media installed and includes a radio frequency transceiver for transmitting a first electromagnetic field, and for sensing a second electromagnetic field. However, Spurr does not teach or suggest a means for authenticating the media bearing the transponder. The information encoded in the transponder in Spurr can be easily forged, thus rendering the system ineffective as an anti-piracy measure.
International Publication Number WO 98/52762 discloses an inkjet printer that uses an RFID tag for identifying the type of paper that is loaded in an inkjet printer. That approach offers contactless communication with a read/write memory that is added to the inkjet roll. That publication, however, does not teach or suggest an authentication method and apparatus in accord with this disclosure.
A need exists, therefore, for an effective anti-piracy measure using a transponder and transceiver for sensing information encoded on a consumable article for use in a host device, such as media for use in a printer.

Method and apparatus for article authentication


In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, an abrasive blast wheel is assembled for cleaning work pieces with abrasive materials. The blast wheel assembly is simplified by securing the blades about the impeller by inserting them into slots in a blade supporting wheel and retaining them therein with a retaining ring that extends over the outer edge of the wheel. Removal and subsequent replacement of the blades is thus simplified because all of the blades may be removed simultaneously by merely removing the retaining ring.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to abrasive blast wheels for cleaning work pieces and more specifically, to a simplified assembly that allows for easier replacement of worn throwing blades, while minimizing the number of components.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Abrasive blast wheels are typically used to deliver abrasive materials at high velocities onto a work piece in order to clean the work piece. The blast wheels are rotationally driven by a motor or other rotational driving device capable of attaining the high speed rotation required in order to properly clean the targeted work piece. Blast wheels generally include several vanes or blades that attach to an impeller or mounting plate. In general, the blades must be a separate component because they must be replaced periodically due to excessive wear caused by the abrasive materials.
A typical blast wheel includes a mounting plate for securing the blades. In general, the prior designs require either a specific tool for removing and replacing the blades, or additional components that cooperate to lock the blade in place. For example, a pin or lug may be inserted into the mounting plate after the blade is installed to prevent radially outward movement of the blades. In general, such designs are either difficult to service or are costly due to the fact that they require additional components.
Another type of blast wheel secures the blades to a mounting plate by inserting the blades from the center of the wheel radially outward into the mounting plate. The mounting plate includes a ridge that prevents further outward movement of the blades. Radially inward movement is then prevented by an additional inner component that contacts the innermost portion of the blade to secure it to the mounting plate. Such a design is again difficult to service due to the fact that a number of components, such as the impeller and supply spout that supplies the abrasive material, must be removed to provide enough clearance to remove the blades.
Other blast wheels attempt to simplify the service process by sliding the blades radially inward into slots on the mounting plate. The blades are then secured by an additional hub component that prevents radially outward movement of the blades while also allowing them to be removed. The hub includes a slot and may be rotated relative to the mounting plate such that the slot aligns with a blade, thereby allowing that particular blade to be removed from the plate. This design reduces the number of components required to secure the blades but requires that each blade be removed one at a time. Each time a blade is replaced, the hub must be rotated until it aligns with the next blade to be removed.
In view of the foregoing limitations and shortcomings of the prior art devices, as well as other disadvantages not specifically mentioned above, it should be apparent that there still exists a need in the art for an improved abrasive blast wheel which is inexpensive to make and easy to replace the worn blades.
It is therefore a primary object of this invention to fulfill that need by providing an abrasive blast wheel that provides a more efficient replacement process for replacing worn blades.
It is another object of this invention to provide a blast wheel that allows multiple blades to be removed and replaced simultaneously.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a blast wheel that requires fewer components for retaining the throwing blades within the assembly.
It is another object of this invention to secure the blades without any screws or pins attaching them to the assembly.
It is yet another object of this invention to secure all the blades with one continuous ring that is easily removed from the blast wheel.

Abrasive blast wheel with improved serviceability


A lock cylinder opening system comprising: a lock cylinder body housing with a direction of elongation defining an axial direction for the system, having a first and a second end, and having a first and a second axial bores; a rotatable first cylindrical plug in the first bore, the first plug having an axially extending key slot from the first end of the lock cylinder; a rotatable second cylindrical plug in the first bore, the second plug extending to the second end; a rotatable opening shaft in the second bore, the opening shaft extending at the first and second ends of the lock cylinder; and a selector unit positioned at the second end, having a mechanical connection with the second plug and receiving the opening shaft, the selector unit adapted to selectively enable and disable rotation of the second plug by rotation of the opening shaft.

The present invention relates to a lock cylinder opening system and method and, in particular, it concerns a retrofittable system that can be operated to electrically open a cylinder lock, such as used in doors, with minimal power utilization and one which may also be operated conventionally with a key.
In a conventional mechanical cylinder lock, when an appropriate matching key is inserted into the cylinder lock, the key serves to mechanically align tumbler pins ("unlocked" or "opened" state), allowing the cylindrical plug to be rotated freely to retract a bolt which is typically mechanically connected the cylindrical plug and is driven by the rotated cylindrical plug. Retraction of the bolt is typically referred to as "unbolting" the lock. Conversely, when the cylindrical plug is rotated (usually in a direction opposite that used for unbolting) and the bolt is extended in such a way as to inhibit movement of a door or window, etc. the action is referred to as "bolting" the lock. Following bolting, the key is typically withdrawn from the key slot, the tumbler pins are not aligned, which inhibits free rotation of the cylindrical plug, and the lock is then in a "locked" or "closed" state.
In a conventional mechanical cylinder lock, when an appropriate matching key is inserted into the cylinder lock, the key serves to mechanically align tumbler pins, and thereby allowing the cylindrical plug to be rotated freely to open the lock. Referring now to FIGS. 1A and 1B, which are representations of a prior art cylinder lock 10, with a key 12 inserted into the cylinder lock, and a door lock 15. Door lock 15 includes, inter alia, a shaped slot 16 for receiving cylinder lock 10 and a door lock hole 17 through which a bolt (not shown) is inserted to secure the cylinder lock inside the door lock. Typically, door lock 15 is inserted into a hollowed-out edge of the door (not shown) and cylinder lock 10 is inserted through prepared holes in the door (not shown in the figure) and perpendicularly into and through shaped slot 16, substantially along axis 18. Door lock further includes a bolt 19. Typically, cylinder lock 10, when unlocked, serves to translate bolt 19 into the door lock, so that bolt 19 is substantially flush and the door lock is referred to as "unbolted". When bolt 19 translated out of door lock 15, the door lock is "bolted". Typically, other cylinder locks having a cross-sectional profile and length substantially matching cylinder lock 10 may be replaced or retrofitted instead of cylinder lock 10. Typical names/manufacturers of such cylinder locks include, but are not limited to: Euro Cylinders; Oval Cylinders; Asec 6-pin Euro profile; and Chubb M3. Overall lengths of such cylinders typically vary from approximately 60-110 mm.
Reference is now made to FIG. 2, which is a cross sectional side view of the cylinder lock shown in FIG. 1A. The cylinder lock has a body housing 20, which is bored from one end to the other end and a cylindrical plug 22, which is fitted into the bore, and which may be rotated, as described hereinbelow. A set hole 23 is located approximately in the middle of cylinder lock 10 to typically receive a threaded bolt (not shown in the figure) which is inserted into lock hole 17, to secure the cylinder lock within door lock 15, as described hereinabove in FIG. 1B. Cylindrical plug 22 has a key slot 25 formed axially in cylindrical plug. Key 12 is inserted into slot 25. A pin-tumbler set 30 is located in body housing 20 and in cylindrical plug 22 to serve to lock and unlock rotational movement of cylindrical plug 22. Cylindrical plug 22 and a second cylindrical plug 31 may be mechanically coupled and uncoupled to a rotating tongue 35 by means of a clutch unit (not shown in the figure), which allows either of the two cylindrical plugs to rotate the rotating tongue, which in turn serves to move the bolt of the door lock (refer to FIG. 1B). The cylinder lock shown in FIG. 2 is called a "blind cylinder", in that a key can be inserted into only one side of the lock. However, cylinder lock 10 may also comprise pin-tumbler sets and key slots in respective cylindrical plugs at both ends.
A number of prior art electronic or combination electrical/mechanical lock systems allow a user to open a locked cylinder in a number of ways. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,501 by Fort, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, a combination electrical and mechanical system is described. The system includes a lock having a fixed lock cylinder and a rotatable key slug. A first solenoid is employed in the current system to drive a lock pin, which is normally extended to lock the key slug. Upon insertion of an appropriately aperture-encoded key, light sources and detectors mounted in the lock are used in concert with appropriate circuitry to operate to the first solenoid to unlock key slug. A second solenoid is operable, in response to an electrical power failure, to extend a bolt pin. When the bolt pin is extended a proper mechanical key is inserted and rotated, extension of the lock pin is prevented. A proper mechanical key can be inserted to move a plurality of spring loaded pin tumblers in the lock to enable rotation of the key slug during an electrical power failure.
Fonea, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,147,622, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, discloses an electronic lock system which is also manually operable to drive a lock cylinder to move a lock mechanism which includes at least one bolt. The system includes a bidirectional motor engagable with the lock cylinder. At least one sensor in the lock system is used in conjunction with an angular measurement device and/or stepper motor feedback to provide a level of lock self diagnostics and self testing. The system may also be operated in a mechanical manner. Additional features of the lock system, not related to the capabilities noted hereinabove are also disclosed.
While the prior art includes an array of combination electrical/mechanical lock systems of varying complexity and systems that employ motorized opening of a cylindrical lock, the problem of relatively high power necessary to open the cylinder lock and to bolt and unbolt the door remains. Attempts to solve this problem necessitate employing systems with limited reliability, especially when onboard power is necessary to power motors. There is therefore a need for a combination electrical/mechanical lock cylinder opening system that has the capability to be operated with high reliability over time, utilizing little power, and which can easily be retrofitted to an existing lock installation. The system should be remotely operated to allow unbolting and bolting of the lock and to allow the same operations to be performed in a conventional manual manner in case of an electrical power failure. Furthermore, such a system should be integrated with capabilities of electrically and manually locking and unlocking the lock.


There is provided a radio base station apparatus capable of self-recovery from an AICH abnormal state or notification to maintenance personnel. An RACH preamble detection circuit detects an RACH preamble from an inputted delay profile, and outputs detection information (detection position and reception power) on the detected RACH preamble, to an AICH abnormality determination section. The AICH abnormality determination section determines whether an AICH abnormal state has been caused in which a mobile station retransmits an RACH preamble in spite of a base station having already detected the RACH preamble, based on the detection information. If the AICH abnormal state has been caused, then an AICH/alarm control section controls the transmit power for the AICH or outputs an alarm signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication system, a radio base station apparatus, an operation control method therefor, and a program, and particularly to an improvement of a mobile communication system that a mobile station transmits an RACH (random access channel) preamble to a base station prior to transmitting an RACH message to the base station, and in response to detection of the RACH preamble, the base station transmits an AICH (acquisition indicator channel) to the mobile station.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, the interference-resistant spread spectrum communication method has attracted a lot of attention as one of communication methods applicable to mobile communication systems. In a radio communication system using the spread spectrum communication method, after digitized voce data or image data is modulated with a digital modulation method such as the PSK and FSK modulation methods in a transmitting-side apparatus, for example, the modulated data is converted into a broadband baseband signal using a spread code such as a pseudorandom noise code (PN code), then converted into radio frequency signal, and transmitted.
Meanwhile, in a receiving-side apparatus, the received radio frequency signal is de-spread with the same code as the spread code used by the transmitting-side apparatus, and after that, it is digital-demodulated with the PSK or FSK demodulation method to reproduce the received data.
In a random access control method in a conventional CDMA mobile communication system, wherein each of multiple mobile stations accesses to a base station using an RACH (random access channel) at an arbitrary timing as required and the base station controls its message sending in response to the access, when a mobile station makes a call, it transmits an RACH preamble notifying that an RACH message has occurred, to the base station prior to transmitting the RACH message. In this case, the mobile station selects one signature from among sixteen kinds of signatures at random and generates the preamble from the selected signature.
On receiving the preamble, the base station compares a predetermined threshold with the correlation value. If the correlation value is larger, then it is determined that the preamble has been detected, and an AICH (acquisition indicator channel) corresponding to the signature of the detected preamble is transmitted to the mobile station. The base station searches for all the sixteen kinds of signatures, and the AICH is not transmitted if no preamble is detected. The AICH includes the signature number of the detected preamble, and information "ACK (acknowledge)" indicating that message sending by the mobile station is permitted by the base station or information "NACK (negative acknowledge)" indicating that message sending is not permitted.
If the mobile station receives an AICH corresponding to the signature of the preamble within a predetermined period of time after transmitting the preamble, it transmits a message in the case of "ACK", and exits the random access procedure in the case of "NACK". If the mobile station cannot receive an AICH corresponding to the signature number of the preamble in the predetermined period of time, it increases transmit power by the step width of power ramping (Power Ramp Step) and transmits the preamble again. Generally, mobile stations retransmit a preamble at predetermined intervals, and the step width of power ramping is constant.
Detail description will be now made on the random access control method described above, referring to drawings. FIG. 7 shows the configuration of a conventional radio base station apparatus, and FIG. 8 shows the configuration of a conventional mobile station (radio terminal apparatus). Referring to FIG. 7, the conventional radio base station apparatus comprises a delay profile generation circuit 31, an RACH preamble detection circuit 32 and an AICH generation circuit 35.
The delay profile generation circuit 31 performs correlation calculation between the received signal from the mobile station shown in FIG. 8 inputted into the delay profile generation circuit 31 and each of known RACH preamble codes corresponds to signatures, and generates delay profiles based on the correlation calculation results. In this case, the delay profile generation circuit 31 is activated in a constant cycle of arrival of an RACH preamble.
Each of the delay profiles created by the delay profile generation circuit 31 is outputted to the RACH preamble detection circuit 32. If a correlation peak equal to or above a predetermined threshold is detected from the delay profile, the RACH preamble detection circuit 32 determines that an RACH preamble has been detected. The RACH preamble detection circuit 32 then provides "ACK" indicating permission for the use of resources or "NACK" indicating refusal of the use of resources for each of the signatures of the detected RACH preambles and outputs them to the AICH generation circuit 35 as AICH information. The AICH generation circuit 35 generates and transmits an AICH based on the AICH information.
As shown in FIG. 8, the conventional mobile station comprises a delay profile generation circuit 21, an AICH detection circuit 22, a transmit power control circuit 23 and an RACH preamble generation circuit 24.
The delay profile generation circuit 21 performs correlation calculation using the same spread code as the spread code used by the radio base station apparatus shown in FIG. 7 for the received signal from the radio base station apparatus inputted into the delay profile generation circuit 21, and generates a delay profile based on the correlation calculation result. The delay profile is outputted to the AICH detection circuit 22, and it is determined whether an RACH preamble which the mobile station sent has been detected by the radio base station apparatus and whether resources have been assigned.
In this case, if the AICH detection circuit 22 cannot receive an AICH corresponding to the signature of an RACH preamble within a predetermined period of time after transmitting the RACH preamble, it determines that the radio base station apparatus could not detect the RACH preamble, and therefore outputs an RACH preamble retransmitting control signal to the transmit power control circuit 23 and the RACH preamble generation circuit 24.
On receiving the RACH preamble retransmitting control signal, the RACH preamble generation circuit 24 outputs an RACH preamble signal to the transmit power control circuit 23 after an interval of a predetermined number of access slots, and the transmit power control circuit 23 transmits the RACH preamble signal with power increased by a predetermined value relative to the power used when previously transmitting the RACH preamble signal.
The random access control method described above is disclosed in 3 GPP TS 25.214 V3.9.0, December 2001, pp. 28 to 30, for example.
In such a random access control method, there may be a case as shown below. That is, for a mobile station located near the border of a cell of the radio base station apparatus, for example, it is difficult to receive an AICH. When the mobile station cannot receive an AICH, there is caused an AICH abnormal state (the state in which a mobile station keeps ramping in spite of having sent an RACH preamble with power exceeding a detection threshold set for the radio base station apparatus, while the radio base station apparatus has normally detected the RACH preamble and therefore performs the operation of detecting an RACH message; and as a result, an RACH message cannot be sent), while a mobile station located in the center of the cell, which is in good receiving conditions, can detect an AICH.
In such a case, if there are more mobile stations in the center of the cell than near the border, the phenomenon that the radio base station apparatus cannot receive an RACH message does not appear obviously, and therefore it is difficult for maintenance personnel to find it. The same goes for the case where the phenomenon is caused by a mistake in setting of a transmit power value for an AICH or a failure in the radio base station apparatus. To the user who cannot send an RACH message, however, such condition seems to be a state in which he cannot start communication or a call for a long time (no service state). which will significantly damage his reliability on the communication service.
As described above, there is a problem that even if a mobile station cannot detect an AICH because of bad AICH receiving conditions, recovery from the AICH abnormal state cannot be performed until RACH messages cannot be sent so frequently that maintenance personnel notice the AICH abnormal state and change the setting for the AICH transmit power.

Mobile communication system, radio base station apparatus, operation control method therefor and program


In a method for error detection and monitoring an electronically closed-loop or open-loop controlled machine part, operating parameters and monitoring parameters of machine parts are recorded and stored. A comparison group of comparable machine parts and comparable operating parameters is determined based on the recorded and stored operating parameters and a machine part to be compared. A statistical analysis procedure is used for creating a threshold value based on the determined comparison group, and for detecting a variance of at least one state or at least one of the monitoring parameters based on the threshold value. The variance is assigned to the machine part.

The invention relates to a method and a system for error detection and monitoring for an electronically closed-loop or open-loop controlled machine part for detecting at least one state based on operating parameters or a monitoring parameter.
The following discussion of related art is provided to assist the reader in understanding the advantages of the invention, and is not to be construed as an admission that this related art is prior art to this invention.
In electronically closed-loop or open-loop controlled machine parts, it is usual in accordance with the prior art for the machine part or the device containing the machine part to be operated until a state or a monitoring parameter is outside the target range. In this case, it is possible because of the detection of a state or the presence of a measured variable the monitoring parameters are changed in order to improve the operation of the device. Industrial electronically closed-loop or open-loop controlled machine parts can be e.g. pumps, motors, robots, cranes, etc., or machine parts such as frequency converters, programmable logic conductors, etc.
Error detection generally entails taking various measurements for a plurality of states. However, the very quantity of such measurements often represents a significant obstacle in terms of their effective use in searching for errors. In total several hundred such measurements may be present, of which only one key measurement discloses the true cause of a problem.
None of the other measurements unconditionally indicates the identity of this key measurement. Thus, the successful identification of the key measurement is determined entirely by chance and depends on an opportune time-point or an extensive and time-consuming examination of each available measurement. Furthermore, until now there has not been an effective way of presenting a summary of such measurements.
Normally, the error detection is performed by analyzing a set of parameters/measured values. For example, for error detection of an electric motor a temperature analysis, the vibrations at various points, the electric current and the energy consumption, etc. are measured. The analysis can be based on a simple threshold value/limit value or on complex artificial intelligence algorithms. In addition to the aforementioned problems, the following two basic problems emerge in the prior art:
Firstly, it is difficult to determine the (initial) monitoring configuration. This means that when a machine is to be monitored the correct threshold values must be set for the different parameters monitored. For example, a monitoring system for a motor must be configured such that an alarm is, when the current drawn by a motor exceeds a particular threshold value, for example 2.2 amperes. Since similar machine parts/machines cannot be installed under the same operating conditions, it may be that the threshold values are different, even for similar machine parts. For e.g. the motor that runs in a warm environment, a higher temperature threshold is probably set than for a motor that runs in an air-conditioned environment.
Secondly, a continuous adjustment of the monitoring configuration over the service life of the machine part is necessary. As the machine parts age, i.e. over the time during which the machine is operated, the threshold values for the monitoring parameters also change. For example, for a motor with e.g. 1000 operating hours a higher threshold value for vibrations should be set than for a new motor. Therefore, the monitoring configuration must be readjusted at certain intervals.
The current procedure is that the (initial) monitoring configuration is determined mainly statically and only at the outset. The (initial) monitoring configuration and the adjustment of the monitoring configuration over the service life of the machine part in this case is found merely as a function of the different machine parts and regardless of the operational parameters (referred to below as operating parameters). Influencing factors such as age of the machine, operating conditions of the machine etc. have not been taken into account until now.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved method and a system for error detection and monitoring for an electronically closed-loop or open-loop controlled machine part to obviate prior art shortcomings.

Method and system for error detection and monitoring for an electronically closed-loop or open-loop controlled machine part


A storage phosphor reader which has a stage for moving a storage phosphor in a first direction past a reading station; a storage phosphor extraction assembly mounted on the stage for extracting a storage phosphor from a stationary cassette and for moving the storage phosphor onto and off the stage in second opposite directions perpendicular to the first opposite directions; a plunger assembly mounted on the stage for supporting a storage phosphor during movement of the stage in the first direction, the plunger assembly being movable between an extended position to support a storage phosphor and a retracted position out of contact with a storage phosphor; and a cam and cam follower for moving the plunger assembly from the retracted position to the extended position when the extraction assembly has completely extracted a storage phosphor from the cassette and moved the storage phosphor onto the stage and for moving the plunger assembly from the extended position to the retracted position when the storage phosphor is being moved onto or off of the stage.

In a known storage phosphor reader, a cassette containing a storage phosphor is located at a cassette receiving station where the cassette is clamped to the reader. A storage phosphor extraction mechanism extracts the storage phosphor from the cassette and moves the storage phosphor onto a stage. The stage moves the storage phosphor past a laser scanning reading station where the latent radiographic image stored in the phosphor is converted to a radiographic image signal.
An extraction mechanism used in such reader includes a hook bar assembly and a locating pin (See: U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,309, issued Jul. 19, 1994, inventors Brahm et al). The assembly is initially moved so that the locating pin contacts the front end of the storage phosphor. The assembly is then moved laterally of the cassette until the locating pin falls into a reference opening in the front end of the storage phosphor. The extractor assembly is then moved relative to the cassette to engage the hook bar assembly with the storage phosphor to unlatch the storage phosphor and to subsequently remove the storage phosphor from the cassette onto a stage. Rollers mounted on the stage support the storage phosphor during loading and unloading and during reading. These rollers have been known to interfere with the extraction and insertion process. Moreover, vibration of rollers and supported storage phosphor can occur.

Stage plunger mechanism for storage phosphor reader


A laterally diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor (LDMOS) device as well as a method of making the same is disclosed. A gate is formed on a semiconductor substrate between a source region and a drain region with one side laterally extending onto a part of a field oxide layer and the opposite side beside the source region. A gate dielectric layer is formed between the gate and the semiconductor substrate, wherein the gate dielectric layer comprises two or more portions having different thicknesses arranged laterally in a way that the thicknesses of the portions gradually increase from one side beside the source doping region to the opposite side bordering the field oxide layer. With such structure, the hot carrier impact is minimized and the gate length can be scaled down to gain Idlin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laterally diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor (LDMOS) device and, more particularly, to a LDMOS device with a reduced hot carrier injection effect.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Power MOS devices, including laterally diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor (LDMOS) devices, are employed in a variety of applications, such as, for example, power amplifiers in wireless communications systems. Especially, LDMOS device using Vg, (gate voltage)=5V seems to become a main stream in the application. The Vd, (drain voltage) of such LDMOS may be a various voltage depending on device's application.
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of a conventional laterally diffused NMOS device. The conventional laterally diffused NMOS device 1 is fabricated on an active area of a semiconductor substrate 10 such as a P-type semiconductor substrate. The active area is isolated by a peripheral field oxide layer 12. Generally, the NMOS device 1 comprises a source doping region 14, a gate 16 and a drain doping region 18. The source doping region 14 is a heavily N-doped region bordering a heavily P-doped region 20, both of which are formed within a P-body region 22. The distance between the drain doping region 18 and the source doping region 14 may be a few micrometers. The drain doping region 18 is a heavily N-doped drain. A gate dielectric layer 24 is formed beneath the gate 16. The gate 16 is formed on the gate dielectric layer 24 and laterally extends over a field oxide layer 26. The field oxide layer 26 is formed in a N-doped drift region 28 between drain diffusion and channel diffusion using a local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) technique. To prevent breakdown of the MOS device operated at a high voltage, the field oxide layer 26 requires a certain thickness. The P-body region 22, the drift region 28, and the drain doping region 18 are all formed within a deep N-well 30 in the semiconductor substrate 10.
However, in the conventional LDMOS, since the thickness of the gate dielectric layer (gate oxide) on the channel diffusion always keeps the same in the whole, a trade off phenomenon is faced:
1. In order to lower Vt, (threshold voltage) of LDMOS or increase Idlin, (linear drive current), a thin gate dielectric layer is preferred in the channel region.
2. Following the term 1,, a serious hot carrier injection (HCI) issue will occur, leading the device to burn out in advance.
HCl in an MOS device generally results from heating and subsequent injection of carriers into the gate oxide of the device, which results in a localized and non-uniform buildup of interface states and oxide charges near and underneath a gate of the device. As is well known in the art, the buildup of interface states, which are typically defined as trapped charges in an interface between an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and an oxide layer formed on the substrate, generally results from a high electric field distribution proximate the silicon/oxide interface. This phenomenon can produce variations in certain characteristics of the MOS device, including threshold voltage, transconductance, drain current, etc., thus undesirably affecting the performance and reliability of the device. It is well known that HCI is a strong function of the internal electric field distributions at the silicon/oxide interface of the MOS device.
Currently, an increased field oxidation layer (FOX) width or an offset of drain side to the gate is used in order to decrease hot carrier injection issue, thus the device pitch is enlarged and Idlin, performance is deteriorated, and finally a high Rdson, (drain-source on-state resistance) is caused, and the performance and reliability of the device are undesirably affected.
Therefore, there is still a need for an improved LDMOS structure and the manufacturing method to reduce the hot carrier effect.

Laterally diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor device and method of making the same


A method and system for analyzing a patent disclosure is disclosed. The method and system comprise a disclosure analysis and a separate claims analysis, such that each analysis may be performed independently. Missing and incorrect reference labels are identified within the disclosure. Antecedent basis and specification support are checked for the claim elements. Terms within the specification that do not have a reference number, but may require one, are identified, provided that they fit the profile of one of a set of particular lexical patterns.

Writing a patent disclosure requires a lot of attention to detail. There are various opportunities for mistakes that cannot be identified with a traditional "spellchecker." For example, in many cases, a word can be inadvertently misspelled as another valid word. Hence a spellchecker will not catch that. For example, if you misspell the word "tool" as "toll," a spellchecker will not usually identify that error. These misspellings can often be identified from the context. However, when identifying elements of an invention in a patent disclosure, great care must be taken, since these terms may be subject to intense legal scrutiny if the patent should ever be involved in a court proceeding. In the aforementioned example of "tool" vs. "toll", it may be possible to identify what is meant by the context. However, consider the case of typing "sulfite," when what is meant is "sulfate." Here, both terms are valid words, and refer to different chemical compounds. This is an example of a "typographical" error having potential legal repercussions. In addition to typographical mistakes, there are issues of proper support of claimed subject matter in the written description, and proper form of the claims in terms of claim numbering and antecedents. Even if these mistakes do not have any legal consequences, clients expect high quality from patent practitioners, and any mistakes may reflect badly upon the practitioner and/or firm. Therefore, what is desired is a system and method for computer aided validation of patent disclosures, to aid in prevention of filing patent applications that contain such mistakes.

Computer aided validation of patent disclosures


The invention provides novel, simple, reliable and effective methods for separating various lipids from biological samples. In certain embodiments, the invention provides HILIC-based UHPLC separation methods. In one embodiment, the methods of the invention offer an efficient and rapid separation of ether glycophospholipids (e.g., plasmalogens) from their diacyl or monoacyl counterparts within the same lipid class. In certain instances, the invention relates to the use of a Waters ACQUITY UPLC® system.

Lipids are essential in maintaining cell structures, and are believed to play important roles in energy storage and cellular signalling. It is further believed that lipids are important in the pathophysiology of diseases, such as, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, infections, diabetes etc. Thus, there is an understanding that studies on the lipids could further our understanding of mechanisms of diseases, including the identification of biomarkers and potential drug targets. However, due to their chemical and structural complexity, low concentrations, and complicated properties, there is a major analytical challenge to separate and characterize lipids of various classes from a biological sample.
Among the lipids, plasmalogens, a class of phospholipids, are widespread in human tissues, consisting of approximately 18% of all the phospholipids in a human body (Hermetter A., Comments Mol. Cell Biophys. 1988; 5:133-149). Plasmalogens are structural membrane components and a reservoir for secondary messengers. It is believed that plasmalogens are involved in membrane fusion, ion transport, and cholesterol efflux. Further, plasmalogens are believed to be a cell internal antioxidant, scavenging reactive oxygen species (Brosche T et al., Exp. Gerontol. 1998; 33:363-9). Despite of the importance recognized with plasmalogens, there has been very limited progress in understanding the exact role and action of plasmalogens due to their poor separation and characterization from other lipids.
Clearly, there is a need for the development of a simple and effective analytical method for separating lipids of different classes (especially, plasmalogens) from biological samples.


A microlens array diffuser operable to generate a substantially diffuse illumination includes an array of microlenses, wherein each microlens has a respective periodicity-influencing characteristic and a respective surface profile. The array of microlenses includes at least two microlenses having respective periodicity-influencing characteristics that differ from one another and having respective surface profiles that differ from one another. Each surface profile is configured to generate a substantially equal field of illumination. The microlens array diffuser can be integrated as part of an illuminator operable to generate substantially diffuse illumination.

Optoelectronic modules such as optical ranging systems and proximity sensors typically are configured to operate using diffuse illumination. Such optoelectronic modules may include an illuminator module operable to produce a diffuse illumination in a scene over a particular field of illumination (FOI), and a light sensitive component operable to collect light over a particular field of view (FOV). In typical operation, a substantial portion of the light collected, by the light sensitive component originates from the diffuse illumination that has been reflected from objects in the scene. In some instances a portion of the light collected may be attributed to background light. An illuminator may include a diffuser (e.g., an optical element or series of optical elements) and a light generating component (e.g., LED, VCSEL, or array of LEDs or VCSELs), collectively operable to produce the diffuse illumination.
The illuminator may be tailored (e.g., via the diffuser) to generate a diffuse illumination having particular characteristics that permit optimal performance of the optoelectronic module. These characteristics may include: 1) light distribution within the diffuse illumination over a particular FOI or angular distribution (e.g., spatial power distribution, radiant intensity); 2) termination of the diffuse illumination in space (i.e., the edge characteristics); and 3) high-frequency components within the diffuse illumination (i.e., the presence or absence thereof).
Some illuminators are operable to produce a diffuse illumination having a substantially uniform light distribution (e.g., a uniform spatial power distribution, radiant intensity). Other illuminators are operable to produce a diffuse illumination having a gradually changing light distribution (e.g., a linearly changing spatial power distribution, radiant intensity). A diffuse illumination having higher power near its edges may provide an advantage in some applications. Illuminators operable to generate a uniform light distribution or gradually changing light distribution over a particular FOI may facilitate proximity and/or distance ranging applications, for example.
Some illuminators are operable to produce a diffuse illumination having particularly high-contrast edges in order to utilize light efficiently. For example, since the light sensitive component of optical ranging systems and proximity sensors collect light over a particular FOV, the diffuse illumination need only extend over this FOV. In some instances, when the FOV is greater than the FOI, background light can be collected by the light sensitive component thereby obfuscating proximity and/or distance sensing functions. While in other instances, when the FOV is less than the FOI, light falling outside of the FOV is wasted. Accordingly, a particularly efficient configuration makes use of matched FOI and FOV wherein the diffuse illumination terminates abruptly with high-contrast edges thereby permitting efficient use of resources such as the electrical power used to drive the light generating component.
In addition to the characteristics above, some illuminators produce a diffuse illumination having high-frequency components. High-frequency components may originate from diffractive artifacts and/or interference artifacts. Generally, high-frequency components, or hot spots, result in wasted resources such as electrical power. In some cases they may adversely affect the precision and/or accuracy of the particular application for which the diffuse illumination is intended (e.g., proximity, distance ranging).
Some illuminators can include a diffuser composed of a simple diffusive surface (e.g., sand-blasted surface). Such an illuminator can produce a diffuse illumination having a gradually changing light distribution (e.g., spatial power distribution, radiant intensity); however, the illumination typically would not terminate with high-contrast edges (e.g., the illumination could have substantially Gaussian characteristics). Further, such a diffuser would exhibit particularly high back scattering (i.e., some light incident on the diffuser would not contribute to the diffuse illumination) resulting in reduced operational efficiency.
Some illuminators include a diffuser composed of a microlens array. A microlens array diffuser can overcome some of the limitations of the diffuser described above. For example, the profile of each microlens within the microlens array diffuser can be configured to produce a precisely controlled light distribution, and can be configured to produce an illumination with high-contrast edges. However, such a microlens array diffuser may exhibit significant diffractive artifacts and interference artifacts thereby leading to non-optimal performance. Generally, diffractive artifacts are generated from each microlens within the microlens array diffuser (e.g., at the edges of each microlens) as a result of the relatively small clear aperture size of the microlenses. Further, interference artifacts, generally, are generated from the periodic arrangement of the microlenses within such a microlens array diffuser.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to achieve an illuminator operable to generate a diffuse illumination having: 1) a uniform light distribution or gradually changing light distribution over a particular FOI, 2) high-contrast edges, and/or 3) minimal high-frequency components.


A consumable for use in a printer has a consumable section (for example, paper or ink ribbon) which is consumed during printing operation of the printer, and an RFID tag that stores the specification data of the consumable section. The printer has a printing section and a wireless receiver for data communication with the RFID tag. The printing section is controlled according to data obtained from the RFID tag through data communication.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer and also to consumables which are consumed while a printer performs printing.
2. Description of the Background
A printer consumes various consumables during printing operation. In receipt printers incorporated into POS (Point of Sale) terminals, a typical consumable is receipt paper. In label printers, a typical consumable is label paper. In thermal printers, a typical consumable is heat-sensitive paper. In thermal transfer printers, recording paper and ink ribbon are typical consumables.
Different consumables have different physical properties. Therefore, the printing conditions of the printer must be adjusted depending on the properties of the consumable to be used. For example, in a thermal printer, the electrical energy supplied to the thermal head must be adjusted depending on the properties of the heat-sensitive paper to be used. Another example is a thermal transfer printer that adjusts the printing speed depending on the combination of recording paper and ink ribbon to be used.
However, adjusting the various printing conditions depending on the properties of various consumables is a troublesome task. Conventional printers require that printing conditions be adjusted according to the consumables to be used and therefore have the problem that these troublesome adjustments of the printing conditions are required.

Printer and consumables for use in printer


A portable endoscope having a light guide for transmitting light to illuminate an object. The light guide has an entrance end portion disposed in a control part. An illuminating light supply unit contains a power supply for supplying the illuminating light to the light guide. The illuminating light supply unit is detachably connected to the control part. A lamp serving as a light source of the illuminating light is provided such that when the illuminating light supply unit is detached from the control part, the lamp is left in the control part.

The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japanese Patent Application No. 9-246267 (filed on Sept. 11, 1997), which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable endoscope in which an illuminating light supply unit for supplying illuminating light to a light guide is detachably connected to a control part of the endoscope.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In portable endoscopes having a light-emitting member for illumination provided in an endoscope control part, an entrance end portion of a light guide for transmitting light to illuminate an object is generally disposed in the control part, and an illuminating light supply unit is detachably connected to the control part. The illuminating light supply unit contains a light source lamp for supplying illuminating light to the light guide. The illuminating light supply unit further contains a battery or the like that serves as a power supply for the light source lamp.
When the illuminating light supply unit is not connected to the control part, the light source lamp need not be turned on. However, if the doctor forgets to switch off the light source lamp in the illuminating light supply unit as detached from the control part, it takes a long time for the doctor to become aware of the fact in many cases because the endoscope is not used. Consequently, the power supply battery is consumed uselessly.
The occurrence of such a problem can be prevented by providing, in addition to the hand-operated switch, a switch that performs a switching operation in response to attaching and detaching the illuminating light supply unit to and from the control part. This is, however, undesirable because provision of such a switch causes the structure to become complicated and large in size.


If a rectangular area extracted from image data is smaller than a predetermined size, the rectangular area is judged as a text area. If a rectangular area has ground pixel rate of no less than 66%, labeling pixel rate of less than 67%, and marginal pixel rate of no less than 50%, the rectangular area is judged as a large text area, and otherwise as a ground area. If a rectangular area having no less than 10 straight lines, or both no less than four straight lines and labeling pixel rate of no more than 12%, has an edge pixel rate of no less than 5%, the rectangular area is judged as a table area, and otherwise as a graph area. If a rectangular area has less than four straight lines or labeling pixel rate of greater than 12%, the rectangular area is judged as a photograph area.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an image processing program, and specifically to an art for compressing image files with maintaining character legibility.
(2) Related Art
In recent years, document digitization has been done increasingly in various fields, and now digital files are transmitted and received as e-mail attachments. Moreover, along with the spread of color scanners, color documents also have become converted into digital files.
In digitization of color documents, if an A4-size full color document is scanned at a resolution of 300 dpi for example, the digital file has a size of as large as approximately 25 MB. Accordingly, in general digital files of color documents (hereinafter referred to as "image file") are compressed, and then attached to e-mails.
In order to attach an image file to an e-mail, the image file needs to be lossy-compressed to sufficiently reduce a size of the image file. If an image file is lossy-compressed at a high compression ratio, a character is difficult to be read. Also, if an image file is lossy-compressed at a compression ratio in which a character can be read, the size of the image file cannot be fully reduced. Accordingly, compact PDF arts using a compression method determined depending on whether an area includes a character have been developed.
As one of such compact PDF arts, the following art is known. An image file is referred to determine character areas and non-character areas. The character area is binarized with maintaining a high resolution, and is integrated with another character area. And then, the integrated character area is lossless-compressed. Therefore, character legibility can be secured. Also, a lowering-resolution is performed on the non-character area, and simultaneously lossy-compression is performed on the non-character area. Therefore, a higher compression ratio can be achieved.
However, documents to be converted into digital files using a color scanner include documents such as magazines and catalogs including many illustrations and photographs, in addition to general business documents including texts and tables. Moreover, there is a great variety of fonts and colors used in such documents.
In conventional arts, each pixel which constitutes image data is connected to each other, and then label processing is performed on the pixels to determine an object. An area surrounded by a rectangle circumscribing the determined object and having no more than a predetermined size is judged to be a character area.
This allows the processing to be easily performed, thereby reducing processing loads. However, there is a great variety of documents to be digitized, as mentioned above. Therefore, an area that should be judged as a character area might be misjudged as a non-character area, and the misjudged area is lossy-compressed, thereby deteriorating character legibility in decompressed image data.
Particularly, if a character is included in a table or a figure, misjudgments tend to occur, thereby deteriorating character legibility.

Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and image processing program

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.