A re-configurable test socket system and test socket architecture are described involving a combination of particular micro elements and re-useable macro elements that can be reused and reconfigured for testing a wide variety of different semiconductor and integrated circuit (IC) DUT packages having different shapes, sizes, and terminal configurations.

Test socket systems are essential and widely used in design, development and manufacture of integrated circuit and semiconductor packages in the electronic arts. Such systems are typically limited by the particular architecture of the actual test socket that connects between terminals of such integrated circuit packages and the test equipment in final testing stages of design, development, prototyping and manufacturing of integrated circuit packages being tested or examined and are commonly referred to by an acronym DUT, meaning 'Device Under Test'. Ideally, test sockets establish an electrical connection between terminals of a DUT and test equipment in a manner that both mechanically protects the IC terminals and minimizes interference with the electronic functionality of the IC package being tested.
Performance parameters required of test sockets directly relate to the operating frequencies, and electrical current capacity of high-performance DUT. Inductive, capacitive and resistive properties of test sockets must be minimized to preclude corruption or skewing of measured parameters generated by the DUT.
Z-axis anisotropic conductive, elastomer sheets shown in cross-section in FIGS. 1a, 1b, & 1c are a key element in existing test socket systems. Such anisotropically conductive elastomer sheets are commercially available from several manufacturers, and they are incorporated into the present invention as a component, without alterations. In particular, as shown in FIG. 1a, the electrically insulative sheet of a silicone elastomer 100 has a matrix of high density of electrically conductive columns 101 of embedded balls. The individual balls within each vertical column are in physical contact, for assuring electrical conduction perpendicularly relative to the sheet (Z-axis). Lateral electrical conduction in the X-Y plane of the sheet is precluded the insulating silicone material separates each individual column 101. As shown, the conductive ball columns 101 make electrical contact only with conductive traces 102, on a top surface of printed circuit board (PCB) 103 that are the located directly below them, leaving all other conductive ball columns unconnected. Similarly, the ball columns will only make electrical contact with electrical contacts located directly above the ball column. (See U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,587, R. E. Weiss, et al)
In FIG. 1b the Z-axis conductive sheet 100 is located between the printed circuit board 103 and a copper pillar terminal 104 of a semiconductor package DUT 105. A downward force, F, impressed on the DUT 105 compresses the elastomer sheet 100, buckling in the conductive ball columns 101 located directly beneath copper pillar 104. Both balls of buckled columns 101 and the balls at the ends of the ball columns 101 respectively remain in electrical contact with each other within the buckled column 101 and at the ends with the copper pillar 104 and the conductive traces 102 of the printed circuit board PCB 103 maintaining electrical connection between the PCB 103 and the copper pillar terminal 104. As in the uncompressed case, the insulating silicone material 100 separates each individual ball column 101 for precluding electrical conduction in the X-Y plane.
FIG. 1c shows a cross-section diagram of another type of Z-axis conductive elastomer sheet where the silicone insulating elastomer sheet 100 has a matrix of embedded electrically conductive, tilted parallel wire studs 107 available from Shin-Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd. (See http://www.shinpoly.co.jp/business/connector/) The top and bottom ends of each individual wire stud slightly extend beyond the top and bottom surface of silicone sheet 100 for assuring Z-axis electrical conduction through the sheet. Similarly, electrical conduction in the X-Y plane of the sheet 100 is precluded by the insulative silicone material embedding the wire studs 107. Conductive traces 102, located at the top surface of printed circuit board PCB 103 and solder ball 108 of semiconductor IC package (DUT) 105, are slightly offset horizontally relative each other to accommodate tilt of wire studs 102 as the elastomer sheet is compressed for preserving and minimizing resistance to electrical conduction between the traces 102 and the solder balls 108.
FIG. 2 is a cross-section diagram of a typical prior art flip-chip semiconductor device test socket 118, having a Z-axis conductive elastomer sheet 100 as contactor mechanism. (See also FIG. 5, Weiss, et al, supra). The main body 117 of the test socket 118 is precisely positioned by aligning pins 116 on, and is secured to a test PCB 103 by mounting bolts 115. The test PCB 103 has conductive metal contactor patterns 112 located beneath solder bumps 113 of the DUT 105, slightly offset relative to the bump pattern 113. The bumped DUT 105 is precisely positioned relative to the PCB pattern by means of a rectangular cavity formed within the lower center portion of the main body 117 of the test socket 118. Lid 119 is rotated counter-clockwise around pin 111, and held in that position while DUT 105 is placed into position above the Z-axis conductive elastomer sheet 100. After device insertion is completed, lid 119 is rotated clockwise, and then locked in position by latch mechanism 120. The amount of downward force applied to the semiconductor die 105 is controlled by coil spring 121.
Typical semiconductor test sockets that having mechanical features like those shown in FIG. 2, occupy approximately one to four square inches of printed circuit board space. As known in the testing art, for RF semiconductor devices other advanced power management switching integrated circuits, large mechanical structures enclosing semiconductor IC DUT packages affects placement of capacitive bypasses, couplings and other critical components in proximity of the DUT. While such critical components can often be placed on the opposite (bottom) side of the testing printed circuit board (PCB), parasitic inductance of such conductive paths through the PCB often can interfere with proper operation of the DUT.
Also, the complex mechanical designs of typical prior art test sockets (FIG. 2) present a number of fabrication challenges. Fabrication is labor intensive, and high mechanical precision must be maintained, while using conventional mechanical machine shop fabrication techniques and extensive tooling changes. Economically, fabrication costs of such prior art test socket systems typically require minimum quantity orders in multiple thousands of dollars range.
FIG. 3 shows a cross-section representation of another prior art test socket system that utilizes special "Y"-shaped contactor tips 123 on pins embedded in insulated casings 124, anchored to the test PCB 103 by means of solder connections. (See also U.S. Pat. No. 6,819,127, D. R. Hembree.) A DUT 105 is placed in a recessed cavity formed by casing 124. A conductive sheet 128 is laid over the DUT, and a downward force, applied by appropriately shaped clips 127, is transferred to the DUT by means of rigid lid 126 for establishing and maintaining electrical contact between the connector tips 123 and solder ball connectors 108 on the bottom face of the DUT 105.
The test socket systems like those shown in FIG. 3 do reduce fabrication costs and physical size, but at the expense of significantly increased parasitic inductance associated with the long contactor leads 129. Another problem with test socket system like those of FIG. 3 is the apparent lack of compliance range. Also the heights of the solder balls connectors 108 on the bottom face of a DUT typically vary (are not co-planar). Accordingly some solder balls connectors on the DUT may not electrically connect with by the "Y"-shaped contactor tips 123 of the long leads 129 while others may be deformed (damaged) by the connection. The invented test socket system and test socket architecture addresses and overcomes these kinds of prior art difficulties, e.g., the necessity for 'interposer elements 34" for effecting electrical connection between a micro array of DUT connectors and a macro array of extending tips of test socket terminals as taught by Hembree, supra. (See U.S. Pat. No. 6,819,127 FIGS. 3a, 3b & 7b)
Other problems with prior art test socket systems and test socket architectures relate to the increasing complexity and number of input/output connectors of current and evolving integrated circuit packages. Also, end-user demand mandates ever smaller and more compact (thin) volumes for electronic appliances, requiring very small volume chip packages with dimensions ranging from tens to hundreds of microns (μm). These trends necessitate architectural reductions in size of mechanical the elements of IC packages, in particular terminals that interconnect IC packages with other electronic components of a particular appliance.
In the past, test socket manufacturers have relied upon conventional mechanical engineering and associated expensive labor intensive, above-and-beyond machine shop techniques to meet the ever-increasing demand for complex testing system and appropriate architecture for test sockets. Currently developed and contemplated IC/semiconductor packages also come in a variety different shapes, sizes, terminal configurations, and machine specific form factors many of which require specially designed test socket architectures to accommodate final testing stages involved in design, in development, in prototyping and in manufacturing of semiconductor/integrated circuit packages.
Versatile, re-configurable test sockets for testing a wide variety of IC/semiconductor packages [DUT] of different sizes, and terminal styles having re-useable elements are currently unavailable from the test socket industry. In short, alternative advanced manufacturing technologies for test sockets must be developed in order to realize high performance electronic appliances at low manufacturing cost.

Method and apparatus for positioning and contacting singulated semiconductor dies


According to the invention, a cleat for sport shoes has a locking pin for automatically locking the pin in a receptacle of the sole of the shoe through a spring, and a release mechanism for moving the spring to a releasing position upon rotation of the cleat for releasing the cleat.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention comprises a sport shoe with a sole that holds a removable cleat attached to the sole, wherein the cleat has a locking section that reaches behind a receptacle in the sole.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A sport shoe of this type is known, for example from EP 0 815 759. The sport shoe has a sole with cleats removably attached to it, wherein the cleats are held at the sole through a shape locked connection and a securing device. This shape-locked connection is accomplished by means of a multi-cornered socket on the cleat and a complementary receptacle in the sole, for example, whereas the securing device is a screw on the cleat and a threaded opening in the sole. The shape-locked connection and the securing device are arranged perpendicular to the surface of the sole. Handling this type of cleat is relatively cumbersome, since first the connection between the screw and the screw opening has to be made when replacing a cleat, whereupon the hexagonal shape has to be placed in the right position with its complementary receptacle. The user is thus forced to hold the cleat in position with one hand while tightening the screw with the other hand.
Another type of connection of a round cleat to the sole of a sport shoe is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,923. The cleat is pressed into a receptacle in the sole with the help of a tool and is then rotated until locking tabs that protrude from the cleat reach behind an undercut in the receptacle. The disadvantage to this embodiment is that when inserting a cleat, two procedures have to be done: one involves the insertion of the cleat into the receptacle and the other involves rotating it into the correct locked position. If cleats have to be replaced quickly, which frequently occurs in practice, a device of this type is cumbersome.
Another embodiment has been made known through DE 198 50 449 in which preferably elongated cleats are first inserted into a receptacle in the sole and then are locked into a position that reaches behind the receptacle by means of a screwed connection and a locking hook. In this case, as well, manipulation is not very easy, similar to the prior art mentioned above.
It is easier to insert a cleat into the sole of a sport shoe as described in the embodiment according to DE 298 07 082 U1 in that the cleat only has to be pressed into the receptacle. Nevertheless, the cleat is secured using an expanding core that has to be fixed to an opening of the cleat in order to lock the cleat in its position. Moreover, removing the cleat is very cumbersome since first the expanding core has to be removed from its locked position in order to then be able to remove the cleat from the receptacle. Particularly for dirty soles, this can be very difficult to do and can take a lot of time.


A thermal protection device is for an integrated power MOSFET transistor including an interdigitated array of source regions and drain regions defined in a well region of the monocrystalline silicon substrate, and gate structures overhanging channel regions defined between adjacent source and drain regions. The thermal protection device may include a temperature sensor and a comparator for generating an over temperature flag signal usable for turning off the overheated power transistor. The thermal protection device may sense, in a very accurate manner, the temperature of the power MOS and may include a circuit for forcing a fixed current through a small number of source regions of the interdigitated array separately connected from the other source regions electrically connected in common of the power transistor; and a comparator, integrated on the substrate outside the well region, comparing the source voltage present on the small number of separately connected source regions with a threshold voltage for producing on an output the over temperature flag signal.

During operation, power MOS transistors warm up and accidentally may reach temperatures high enough to cause their failure. For this reason, it is important to know the so-called Safe Operating Area (SOA) of MOS transistors, for ensuring that they function in safe operating conditions.
FIG. 1 illustrates a SOA. A Safe Operating Area of a transistor corresponds to a set of the working points of the transistor bordered by certain curves. These curves are calculated for a certain drain-source voltage and a certain working temperature of the transistor. Typically, they indicate limit functioning conditions for safe operations of a power transistor at a certain working temperature when a square drain-source voltage pulse is applied.
The typical approach to prevent failures of power transistors includes integrating together with the power MOS a protection device that monitors the current flowing in the transistor and the voltage across it (Vds). If the working point identified by these two values approaches a border of the SOA, the protection device intervenes to keep the working point inside the SOA.
An important parameter to be considered for determining the SOA of a power MOSFET is its working temperature. It is a well known fact that the SOA of a transistor shrinks when the working temperature increases. Therefore, a certain driving voltage appropriate for driving a power transistor at a certain temperature, may damage it if the working temperature of the power transistor is higher.
Indeed, a protection device capable of considering all variables that may influence the SOA of a transistor is practically impossible to implement. For this reason, certain protection devices overprotect the power MOS transistor, thus strongly limiting it functioning, while other protection devices though allowing a full exploitation of the capabilities of the transistor, may be unable to prevent failure by overheating under any condition.
To prevent power transistors from heating up to a temperature potentially dangerous for its integrity, a temperature sensor may be realized near the power MOS or inside it, for sensing its working temperature. The protection device of the power MOS may thus limit power dissipation when the working temperature exceeds a pre-established threshold.
Commonly, a suitable temperature sensor is realized in the form of a bipolar transistor, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,119 assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
A drawback of this approach may be that the sensor is generally integrated on the chip at a certain distance from the power MOS, and it may not sense exactly the real working temperature of the MOS transistor. Moreover, parasitic activations of this sensor, caused by below ground voltages of the drain of the power MOS (in case of an N-channel MOS) are likely to occur.

Thermal protection device for an integrated power MOS


A closure cover for sealing a liquid container including a body having an orifice for dispensing the liquid in the container, and a rotating disk pivotally attached to the body and providing an effective seal for the dispensing orifice. The effective seal is created by a downward force upon a sealing gasket, such force being the result of the rotation of the disk member containing a ramp which is moved under a cam on the body.

The present invention relates to closure covers for liquid containers. More particularly, the invention concerns a simple, inexpensively manufactured closure cover having an opening for dispensing the contents of the container, a vent opening spaced therefrom, and a rotatable disk for closing the respective openings and insuring that the container is properly sealed when said rotatable disk is in a closed position.
Liquid containers for drinking or pouring purposes, that are formed of plastic material, are well known. Commonly, as for example when such containers are intended for use in the retail dispensation of either hot or cold liquids, they are formed with thermally insulated bodies. The bodies may take the form of a double shell construction with the space between the shells containing a heat insulating medium, such as polyurethane foam. Typically, the container at its open, upper end is provided with a closure cover that helps maintain the temperature of the contents of the container as well as to protect against liquid spillage. For liquid dispensing purposes the closure cover is provided with a pair of openings, one of which is particularly suitable for drinking or for pouring the contained liquid. The other opening in the closure cover defines a vent opening for ensuring proper flow from the dispensing opening. A number of different configurations and devices are normally used to seal such openings.
The present invention is directed to the design and construction of a simple, inexpensive combination of a container closure cover with dispensing and venting openings and a disk that rotates to effectively seal the openings, especially when the container is rotated or falls onto its side or is inverted.


A method and apparatus for control channel transmission and reception is provided herein. In particular, the use of a partitioned and structured control channel is provided that leverages the benefits of common control while maintaining favorable aspects of dedicated control. During operation, control information is distributed over a number of partitions (201). Each Pi is encoded (607) with monotonically non-increasing reliability level. Control information for a given remote unit can be distributed on one or several partitions, from Pl to Pk, where Pk is encoded with the lowest reliability level that can be decodable by the remote unit at an acceptable error rate.

Communication systems typically employ control channels to transmit information such as resource allocation assignment messages and other signaling messages. Modern cellular systems currently under development support a wide variety of options and modes, and utilize advanced physical layer and MAC layer techniques. For instance, in the IEEE 802.16e standard, there are multiple frame sizes, coding schemes, or optional antenna modes. The resource allocation can use a frequency-diversity or a frequency-selective assignment policy. While all these techniques have the potential of significantly improving the system performance of communication systems, they also require a lot of additional signaling. Because of this additional signaling, the amount of resources allocated to the control channel needs to be significantly higher than for existing systems.
An imprudent control channel design can bring the amount of overhead needed for the control information to unreasonably large values. In some cases, increasing the control channel size to support an option might offset all the gains (in terms of spectral efficiency) of that particular option, or could even reduce spectral efficiency. Therefore there is a need for a method and apparatus for control channel transmission and reception that efficiently controls channels and offers the necessary flexibility to support multiple options while occupying a limited amount of physical resource.

Method and apparatus for control channel transmission and reception


Polymeric well completion and remedial compositions which form highly pliable impermeable masses of desired rigidity and methods of using the compositions are provided. The compositions are basically comprised of water, a water soluble polymerizable monomer, a polymerization initiator and an oxygen scavenging agent. The composition is usually foamed and contains a gelling agent and a solid filler material to increase the density and/or rigidity of the impermeable mass formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to polymeric well completion and remedial compositions which form highly pliable impermeable masses having desired properties and methods of using such compositions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hydraulic cement compositions have heretofore been utilized in subterranean well completion and remedial operations. For example, hydraulic cement compositions have been used in primary cementing operations whereby casings and liners are cemented in well bores. In performing primary cementing, a hydraulic cement composition is pumped into the annular space between the walls of a well bore and the exterior surfaces of a casing string or liner disposed therein. The cement composition is permitted to set in the annular space thereby forming an annular sheath of hardened substantially impermeable cement therein. The cement sheath physically supports and positions the casing or liner in the well bore and bonds the exterior surfaces of the casing or liner to the walls of the well bore whereby the undesirable migration of fluids between zones or formations penetrated by the well bore is prevented.
Set cement in wells, and particularly the rigid set cement in the annuluses between casing and liners and the walls of well bores, often fail due to shear and compressional stresses exerted on the set cement. Such stress conditions are typically the result of relatively high fluid pressures and/or temperatures inside pipe cemented in well bores during testing, perforating, fluid injection and/or fluid production. The high internal pipe pressure and/or temperature results in expansion of the pipe, both radially and longitudinally, which places stresses on the cement sheath causing it to crack or the bonds between the exterior surfaces of the pipe and/or the well bore walls and the cement sheath to fail in the form of loss of hydraulic seal.
Another condition results from exceedingly high pressures which occur inside the cement sheath due to the thermal expansion of fluids trapped within the cement sheath. This condition often occurs as a result of high temperature differentials created during the injection or production of high temperature fluids through the well bore, e.g., wells subjected to steam recovery or the production of hot formation fluids from high temperature formations. Typically, the pressure of the trapped fluids exceeds the collapse pressure of the cement and pipe causing leaks and bond failure.
In multi-lateral wells wherein liners have been cemented in well bores using conventional well cement slurries which set into brittle solid masses, the brittle set cement often cannot withstand impacts and shocks subsequently generated by drilling and other well operations carried out in the laterals without cracking or shattering.
In wells which are completed in oil containing reservoirs whereby the casing is rigidly cemented in the well bore, one or more rock formations above the reservoir often subside as the oil is produced which causes movement of the rock formations transversely to the well bore. Because the set cement surrounding the casing is rigid and inflexible, the movement of the rock formations often relatively quickly causes the casing to be severed or crushed.
The cement compositions utilized in primary cementing must often be lightweight to prevent excessive hydrostatic pressures from being exerted on formations penetrated by well bores. In some applications, the heretofore utilized lightweight cement compositions have had densities such that the cement compositions can not be displaced into well annuluses all the way to the surface due to the hydrostatic pressure of the cement compositions exceeding the fracture gradient of one or more formations penetrated by the wells. The resulting upper unsupported portion of the casing can and often does experience early damage due to formation cave-ins, subsidence and the like.
Thus, there are needs for improved well completion and remedial compositions and methods which unlike conventional hydraulic cement compositions form highly pliable impermeable masses which can withstand the above described stresses without failure.

Polymeric well completion and remedial compositions and methods


The present invention relates to a wave-filtering device with an adjustable frequency bandwidth installed in an output unit of an integrated system. The wave-filtering device is used for receiving a first output signal comprising an alternating current signal and a direct current bias voltage, and comprises a direct current bias voltage detector for receiving the first output signal and obtaining a control voltage according to the direct current bias voltage. A low-pass wave filter is electrically connected to the direct current bias voltage detector and receives the control voltage so as to adjust the frequency bandwidth. The low-pass wave filter is used for receiving the first output signal and obtaining a second output signal to be the output of the wave-filtering device with adjustable frequency bandwidth. The low-pass wave filter comprises a variable resistance the value of which varies in accordance with the value of the control voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates a wave-filtering device, and particularly relates to a wave-filtering device automatically changing the frequency bandwidth in accordance with the different types of signals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the recent years, due to the advancement of technology, an integrated system has an increasingly improved function of processing video and voice data. For example, in the past, most of the processed voice data is human beings' voice signals, such as the voice on the phone. However, as the network technology advances, electrical music files, such as MP3, are prevailing. Therefore, the output unit of the integrated system has to process two kinds of signals requiring different frequency bandwidths. Some MP3 music files require high fidelity and have frequency bandwidth of 22 KHz. Nevertheless, due to the limitations of the telecommunication laws and regulations, the phone voice has a frequency bandwidth of 3 KHz.
Because noise is inevitably generated during the process of processing and transmitting the signals, the output unit of the integrated system generally has a wave filter for filtering out the unnecessary noise and keeping the voice signals remained. The frequency bandwidth of the wave filter is the criterion for determining which signals to be remained and which signals to be filtered out. However, because the difference between the frequency bandwidths of the MP3 music and phone voice is big, the output unit having only one wave filter with a fixed frequency bandwidth cannot implement the mentioned function.
In order to make the output unit successfully handle the signals with different frequency bandwidths, a digital signal processor (DSP) is provided for this purpose. The digital signal processor comprises a digital wave filter so that the DSP can obtain a digital signal within an appropriate range of frequency after transforming the signal by using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), and then feed the obtained digital signal into a digital/analog (D/A) converter. Therefore, the D/A converter outputs a digital signal within an appropriate range of frequency. However, the DSP is expensive, and the DSP has to cooperate with software so that the spending on the software will increase. Besides, in the hardware, a memory with greater storage capacity is further required for storing the programs. In summary, using the DSP will greatly increase the cost of the integrated system without respect to hardware or software.
Besides using the DSP, another method is provided for enabling the output unit to successfully handle the signals with different frequency bandwidths. Two wave filters with different frequency bandwidths are installed in the output unit. The wave filter with smaller frequency bandwidth is used when outputting the phone voice, and the wave filter with greater frequency bandwidth is used when playing MP3 music files. However, the cost of using two wave filters is high.

Wave-filtering device with an adjustable frequency bandwidth


A band switch with a switchable notch for receive carrier aggregation is disclosed. The band switch has at least one input and an output with at least one series switch coupled between the at least one input and the output. The at least one series switch is adapted to selectively couple the input to the output in response to a first control signal. The band switch also includes at least one shunt switch coupled between the at least one input and a voltage node. The at least one shunt switch is adapted to selectively couple the at least one input to the voltage node in response to a second control signal. In addition, at least one notch filter is selectively coupled to the output in a shunt configuration, wherein the at least one notch filter is configured to attenuate signals within a stop band to attenuate harmonics and distortion.

Demands for cellular downlink data are rapidly increasing as consumers use greater numbers of data intensive applications on their wireless data devices. This trend is encouraging wireless carriers and wireless service providers to explore new ways of increasing downlink data rates. One known method for increasing downlink data rates employs receive carrier aggregation. Receive carrier aggregation allows a wireless device to simultaneously receive data using multiple downlink frequency bands to improve throughput while simultaneously transmitting on another band. Receive carrier aggregation may be either contiguous or non-contiguous. In the case of non-contiguous carrier aggregation, receive carrier aggregation may be applied either intra-band or inter-band. The present disclosure relates to non-contiguous inter-band operation where a second receive band is located at a third harmonic of a transmit frequency.
In non-contiguous inter-band operation where one of the receive bands is located at the third harmonic of the transmit frequency, the harmonics generated in a power amplifier (PA) and front end (FE) switches are not attenuated sufficiently enough to prevent receiver desensitization. Related art methods for reducing receiver desensitization due to harmonics include improving a lower band duplex filter attenuation of the third harmonic of the TX frequency, improving the diplexer low band/high band (LB/HB) isolation, and adding continuously active (i.e., static) notch filters into the TX path, and the implementation of dual feed antennas with inherent LB/HB isolation.
However, these related art methods such as adding static notch filters into the TX path introduces insertion losses that significantly reduce efficiency. Reduced efficiency adversely impacts talk time and data transfer per battery charge of wireless devices. In addition, these related art methods may not significantly attenuate harmonics and distortion on an antenna side of an RF switch. Therefore, a need remains to either reduce the harmonic distortion in components making up the PA and the FE switches and/or include additional filtering in a low frequency transmit (TX) path to attenuate the generated harmonics without significantly impacting efficiency due to insertion losses. Moreover, a notch filter needs to be configured to attenuate harmonics and distortion that are self generated by switches coupled to the notch filter and other devices such as PAs, transceiver duplexers, and the like. Further still, the attenuation provided by a notch filter should prevent significant magnitudes of harmonics and distortion from reaching an antenna.

Band switch with switchable notch for receive carrier aggregation


Consolidated materials comprising a plurality of coated particles dispersed in a tough matrix material are disclosed. The coated particles include a plurality of core particles having an intermediate layer that substantially surrounds each of the core particles. An optional outer layer may be present on the intermediate layer. A matrix contains or substantially contains each of the coated particles, and is formed from at least one third compound including a mixture of W, WC, and/or W2C with Co. The amount of Co in the at least one third compound may range from greater than 0 to about 20 weight %. Methods for providing consolidated materials, and articles comprising such consolidated materials are also disclosed.

Tough coated hard particles ("TCHP" or EternAloy®) are a novel family of particulate materials. Conventionally, TCHP comprise at least one type of superhard, Geldart Class C or larger ceramic and/or refractory alloy core particles having extreme wear resistance, lubricity, and other properties which are individually coated with thin (e.g., nm) layers of a metal compound having a relatively high fracture toughness, such as WC or TaC. In conventional TCHP, an outer coating of a metal, such as Fe, Co or Ni, is provided around the individual particles. The combination of multiproperty alloys within the TCHP structure allows the combination of normally conflicting performance extremes, including, but not limited to toughness, abrasive wear resistance, chemical wear resistance, and light weight, at levels previously not attained from materials formed from sintered homogenous powders. TCHP materials are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,372,346 to Toth, which is incorporated herein by reference. Methods for consolidating TCHP materials are described in U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2005/0275143, which is also incorporated herein by reference.
The strength of a crystalline substance depends on atomic bonding and dislocation structure. Dislocations are linear atomic lattice defects that may be mobile, or may be pinned and immobile. Normally they are pinned and immobile. In a mixture of two atomically bonded crystalline materials that are combined to form a composite structure, there are upper and lower bound estimates to the elastic modulus of the composite as calculated by the rule of mixtures and the inverse rule of mixtures. Subjected to increasing load, the material deforms elastically until the dislocations in the grains begin to flow or slip, leading to the onset of permanent yielding and limiting useful strength. At particle sizes of approximately one micrometer and below, exceptionally high strengths can develop in such materials, due mainly to image dislocation stresses.
Typically there is a cylindrical strain field around each dislocation that extends outward into the surrounding lattice. Theoretically, this strain field around each dislocation must be balanced by opposing strain fields, otherwise the dislocation will move away from surfaces. When the crystal size is large compared to its strain field, no image stress is created around a dislocation unless it is at the crystal surface. In a sintered material wherein a plurality of crystalline particles are joined by a matrix material, the image stress matches the lower strength of the matrix, but for large crystals this is a trivial correction since most dislocations are not near a surface.
In submicron polycrystalline particles, the strain field may extend into neighboring grains, whose atomic lattice is most likely not aligned with that of the strain field of any neighboring grain. This balancing strain field outside the grain surface restrains movement of the dislocation, thus restraining yielding and increasing strength. As the size of the grains diminishes further, more dislocations are near surfaces and the strength further increases.
In conventional sintered TCHP, which include a core particle coated with an intermediate layer and, optionally, an outer layer of Fe, Ni, Co, or combinations thereof, the thickness of the intermediate layer is relatively thin. Although not precisely understood, it is believed that when the intermediate layer and the optional outer layer (if any) connecting the coated particles in conventional sintered TCHP are thin enough, the strain field actually passes through the outer layer material and into neighboring particles. This can result in the creation of high strength that is not controlled by the material between the TCHP particles (if any). In other words, the mechanical properties of conventional sintered TCHP can be independent of the properties of the outer layer phase, assuming it is crystalline and very thin.
While the transfer of strain fields in conventional sintered TCHP may result in certain improved properties, e.g., strength, it may adversely impact the toughness of the articles formed from such materials. As a result, articles formed from conventional sintered TCHP can exhibit very high strength, but may exhibit insufficient fracture toughness for some applications.
Thus, a need exists in the art for consolidated materials and articles that exhibit improved fracture toughness, relative to conventional sintered TCHP, while maintaining or substantially maintaining the hardness and/or other beneficial properties exhibited by conventional sintered TCHP. The consolidated materials and processes of the present disclosure achieve this goal, e.g., by dispersing TCHP in a tough matrix phase material, and/or by controlling the microstructure of the consolidated article so as to limit the transfer of strain fields between adjacent TCHP particles.

Tough coated hard particles consolidated in a tough matrix material


The present invention relates to antibodies binding to 5T4, including bispecific antibodies binding to 5T4 and CD3. The invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the antibodies and use of the antibodies for therapeutic and diagnostic procedures, in particular in cancer therapy.

5T4 (also known as trophoblast glycoprotein [TPBG] or Wnt-activated inhibitory factor 1 [WAIF1]) is a 72 kDa, single-pass transmembrane protein that contains 8 leucine-rich repeats (LRR) and 7 potential N-glycosylation sites (Zhao et al., 2014 Structure 22, 612-620).
5T4 expression is limited in normal adult tissues, except for placenta (Southall et al., 1990 Br J Cancer 61, 89-95). 5T4 is expressed in many human cancers, including renal, cervical, ovarian, lung, prostate and colon cancer (Stern and Harrop, 2017 Cancer Immunol Immunother 66, 415-426; Southall et al., 1990 Br J Cancer 61, 89-95). 5T4 expression in tumor cells drives tumor development by 1) facilitating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (Damelin et al., 2011 Cancer Res 71, 4236-4246; Carsberg et al., 1996 Int J Cancer 68, 84-92), and 2) inhibition of the canonical Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway and activation of the non-canonical Wnt pathway (Kagermeier-Schenk et al., 2011 Dev Cell 21, 1129-1143). 5T4-targeting antibodies and 5T4-targeting therapies have clinical activity in several cancers known to express 5T4 (including colorectal, lung and renal cancer). For example, naptumomab estafenatox is a recombinant fusion protein that consist of the 5T4-Fab moiety genetically fused to the engineered superantigen variant SEA/E-120. It is currently in clinical trials as an immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), renal cell (RCC) and pancreatic cancer (see e.g. Eisen, et al., 2014 Curr Oncol Rep 16, 370). Furthermore, TroVax® is a modified vaccinia Ankara that expresses 5T4 constructs (MVA-5T4), which shows clinical benefit in colorectal, prostate and renal cancer (see e.g. Stern and Harrop, 2017 Cancer Immunol Immunother 66, 415-426; Scurr et al., 2017 JAMA Oncol 12, 10). Further anti-5T4 antibodies have been described in WO2007106744, WO03038098, WO2011048369, WO2013041687, WO2017072207.
While significant progress has been made on eradication of cancer, there is still a need for further improvement of antibody-based cancer therapy.


A parallel processing, fluid handling apparatus for concurrent temperature controlled preparation of a plurality of cell fraction samples adapted to be used for electron microscopic viewing. The apparatus comprises generally a sample receiving member, a fluid handling means, and a separation means. The sample receiving member comprises a plurality of discrete apertures each adapted to receive a biological sample therein. The fluid handling means for inserting and removing fluid to and from the plurality of apertures substantially in parallel, permits the biological samples to be processed substantially in parallel by the insertion and removal of processing fluid. The separation means permits the parallel isolated separation of the post-processing samples. The post-processing samples are adapted to be polymerized in embedding solution and removed from the sample receiving member.

Biomedical research is requiring more specialised equipment expressly suited for the new demands of burgeoning new fields such as large scale proteomics, which require more automated, parallel processing of complex protocols to be accomplished in reasonable time limits. Proteomics, for example, generally involves the systematic separation, identification and characterization of the proteins present in an given sample of tissue or biological fluid at a given time.
Certain processes in proteomics research are currently very time consuming, require individual sample preparation, and do not lend themselves to accurate reproducibility. As more research laboratories are taking on a proteomics approach, there is increasing demand for scaling-up traditionally used bench methodology by implementing robotic systems capable of high-throughput preparation and experimentation processing.
Electron microscopy is often required in proteomics research, especially as proteomics has evolved from a whole cell based approach to an organellar based approach. Using an electron microscope for identification and verification of sub-cellular and protein targets, requires the careful preparation of cell fraction samples to be studied. Electron microscopy is required to validate the purity of the cell fraction sample preparations by morphometry, and to confirm the localization of proteins within isolated organelles.
The currently employed approach for the preparation of cell fraction samples for electron microscopy involves a time consuming, manual methodology including using a filtration apparatus to deposit the sample onto a filtration membrane, and subsequently exposing the sample to a complex protocol of chemical treatments. Cell fraction samples prepared in this way for electron microscopy must be individually prepared, and take approximately 4 days per sample to complete. This process is overly time and labor consuming, and renders any high-throughput processing of samples impossible. FIG. 1 shows an electron micrograph image of such a prepared sample. The scale line represents 240 nanometers.
WO 00/72968 published Dec. 7, 2000, discloses a multiple fluid sample processor and system capable of high through put combinatorial processes, chemical synthesis and diagnostic arrays, and biological assays and processing. A multi-layered fluidic array comprises a plurality of micro-sized reservoirs and interconnecting channels. A pressure or vacuum pumping system is used for fluid delivery and removal. The device can include an upper reservoir layer, a center distribution plate, and a lower well plate, all of which are stacked vertically and can be releasably coupled together. The bottom plate containing the samples process through the other layers, is detachable from the other plates, and conveyed to another location for subsequent processing of the samples. This is preferably done by robotic or other automated means.

Electron microscopy cell fraction sample preparation robot


A high-accuracy single-layer capacitive touch panel device with one side for connection includes a substrate, a plurality of conductive lines, and a touch detection circuit. The conductive lines are arranged in parallel on the surface of the substrate and extended from the first side to the second side of the substrate. Each conductive line includes a conductive trace having opposite first edge and second edge and a plurality of triangle sensing electrodes arranged at the two edges of the conductive trace. Each triangle sensing electrode is connected with the conductive trace via a connection part. Each conductive line only has one connection end close to the second side. A touch detection circuit is electrically connected to the connection ends of the plurality of conductive lines through a connection circuit, so as to detect variations of the equivalent resistances and the equivalent capacitances of the plurality of conductive lines.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a touch panel structure and, more particularly, to a high-accuracy single-layer capacitive touch panel device with one side for connection.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently, capacitive touch panels are in widespread use, and are primarily applied in consumer electronic apparatuses, such as PDA, palmtop computer, electronic dictionary, mobile phone, web pad, electronic book, tablet PC, digital camera, self-ordering system, stocktaking machine, POS cash register, credit card POS signature machine, and medical monitoring system.
On the other hand, a resistive touch panel is formed by overlapping an upper ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) conductive layer and a lower ITO conductive layer. The pressure applied to the touch panel will cause the electrodes of the upper layer to conduct with the electrodes of the lower layer. A controller calculates the position of the touch point by detecting the voltage variation of the touch panel. When a user touches a certain point on the screen, a current is caused due to the conduction so as to generate an operation, and a processor calculates the position of the operated point, while a driver translates such an operation into the language that the system can understand.
For the single-layer capacitive touch panel device, it is arranged to connect the two sides of the conductive layer to a detection circuit for measuring the current and voltage variations on the conductive layer. Such skills can be found in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,961,049 granted to Mulligan, et al. for a "Capacitive touch sensor architecture with unique sensor bar addressing", and U.S. Pat. No. 7,735,383 granted to Dattalo, et al. for a "Balanced resistance capacitive sensing apparatus". However, this arrangement needs to dispose the connection wires at two sides of the substrate, resulting in negatively influencing the overall appearance of the touch panel, badly affecting the product design, and erroneously determining the touched point due to the connection wires at the sides.
To solve the aforementioned problem, one solution is to dispose the connection wires at one side of the substrate. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a prior single-layer capacitive touch panel device with one side for connection and its touch detection circuit. As shown in FIG. 1, the prior single-layer capacitive touch panel device 1 includes a substrate 10, a plurality of conductive lines 101-110, and a touch detection circuit 11. Each of the plurality of conductive lines 101-110 is of a bar shape and arranged on the surface of substrate 10 in parallel with each other, and is electrically connected to the touch detection circuit 11 through a connection wire 19. The plurality of conductive lines 101-110 are extended from the first side 10a to the second side 10b of the substrate 10. Each conductive line 101-110 has a connection part 101b-110b close to the second side 10b. The touch detection circuit 11 is electrically connected to the connection part 101b-110b of the conductive lines 101-110 through the connection wires 19, so as to detect the variations of electrical characteristic of the plurality of conductive lines 101-110, thereby determining at least one touch point A on the substrate 10.
The touch point detection of FIG. 1 is performed by detecting the capacitance variations of the plurality of conductive lines 101-110 to determine the Y-direction coordinate of the touch point A (e.g., the conductive line 108), and then detecting the resistance variation of the conductive line 108, so as to determine the X-direction coordinate of the touch point A. Such a detection method encounters a dilemma. When the width of the conductive line 101-110 in increased, the spacing between two conductive lines 101-110 is decreased to facilitate in detecting the capacitance variations of the plurality of conductive lines 101-110. However, because the width of the conductive line 101110 is increased, the resistance of each of the conductive lines 101-110 becomes smaller, resulting in a difficulty in detecting the resistance variations of the conductive lines. When the width of the conductive line 101-110 is decreased, the resistance of each conductive line 101-110 is increased to facilitate in detecting the resistance variations of the conductive lines, but the spacing between two conductive lines 101-110 is increased and thus the capacitance thereof becomes smaller, which is disadvantageous in detecting the capacitance variations of the conductive lines 101-110.
Therefore, it desired for the aforementioned single-layer capacitive touch panel device structure to be improved.

High-accuracy single-layer capacitive touch panel device with one side for connection


A method and apparatus for implementing mathematical functions of the nature of f(x). The range of values for the value of x (e.g., from 1 to 2 when x is represented in a floating point form) is divided into two intervals. Instead of using a single memory, such as a ROM, to store values for f(x) for the range of values for x, the f(x) values are stored in two such memory devices, one for each of the two subdivided intervals of x. Because the spacing between values for x in the two intervals are different, the combined size of the two memory devices is smaller than the size of a single ROM to achieve the same precision for the value of x. A selector circuit is used to select which of the ROM outputs represents the appropriate value for f(x) based on the value of x. The value for f(x) is then supplied to an optimizing element that implements the Newton-Raphson algorithm which makes the value for f(x) more precise.

The present invention pertains to a method and apparatus for implementing arithmetic functions, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for implementing floating point functions using memory, such as Read Only Memory (ROM), to assist in mathematical computations.
Hardware devices, such as microprocessors, typically include dedicated circuitry for performing mathematical computations on operands. For example, circuitry may be dedicated for the calculation of the square root of a single operand. In environments such as Reduced Instruction Set Chip (RISC) designs, space may not be available for circuitry dedicated to the performance of certain mathematical computations. One method for reducing the area occupied by circuitry for computing specific functions is to store pre-calculated approximations for functional results over a particular range of values for the operands in a memory such as a ROM on the microprocessor chip. These approximations are then made more precise by a highly optimized software routine such as the one known in the art as the Newton-Raphson algorithm. The Newton-Raphson algorithm is a successive approximation scheme in which each iteration roughly doubles the number of bits of precision of the previous approximation. The more accurate the first approximation, the fewer number of iterations are required to achieve the end result to a desired precision. An example of such a method is described in chapter 8 of Computer Arithmetic Algorithms by Israel Koren (Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1993) and also shown in FIG. 1. The IEEE standard for the representation of normalized floating point numbers includes a mantissa of m+1 bits and an exponent e having a number of bits such that the normalized, floating point representation of the value x is x=1.b.sub.0 b.sub.1 b.sub.2 b.sub.3 . . . b.sub.m .times.2.sup.e, where b.sub.0 represents 2-.sup.1 or 0.5, b.sub.1 represents 2-.sup.2 or 0.25, etc. Thus, x can represent a number greater than or equal to 1 and less than 2 when the exponent e is ignored (or set to 0). As an example, an interval 1, 2) for x, where the exponential portion of x is ignored, can be subdivided into 2.sup.q intervals, namely x.sub.i, x.sub.i+1), for i=0, 1, . . . , 2.sup.q -1 (as used throughout, "" indicates an inclusive boundary and ")" indicates an exclusive boundary). Each subinterval x.sub.i, x.sub.i+1) has a length of 2.sup.-q. Referring to FIG. 1, a single ROM 1 is shown having q address lines (reference number 3) and p data lines (reference number 5). The first q bits of the mantissa of x (i.e., the most significant q bits of the n-bit mantissa, where n=m+1) are supplied to the address lines of the ROM causing the ROM to output the value f.sub.i as a p-bit value. The value q represents the index i for the interval x.sub.i, x.sub.i+1) The p bits output by the ROM are typically the mantissa for the value f.sub.i which can be a first approximation for the value f(x) ignoring the exponent. As an example, for the function f(x)=1/x, the exponent value (which can be stored in a register 8) is easily computed using external logic 6 rather than having it stored in memory. For instance, the exponent for f(x)=1/x is easily computed as the negative of the exponent for x minus 1 when x and f(x) are represented in normalized, floating point formats. The exponent for the operand x can be stored in a register 4.
In the above, example, the value f.sub.i is an approximation for the function f(x)=1/x over the entire range x.sub.i, x.sub.i+1) After obtaining the first approximation from ROM 1, in each iteration of the Newton-Raphson scheme, the number of bits of precision is doubled as compared to the previous approximation. In FIG. 1, the Newton-Raphson scheme is implemented in optimizing element 7 which can include a processing unit executing software instructions stored in a memory to produce a Mantissa result 9. To reduce the number of iterations performed by the Newton-Raphson scheme requires an increase in the precision of the approximation stored in the ROM 1. In implementing such a system, the entire x domain (or the desired portion thereof) for the function f(x) can be partitioned into n equally sized adjacent partitions x.sub.0, x.sub.1), x.sub.1, x.sub.2), . . . , x.sub.n-2, x.sub.n-1), where n=2.sup.q. For each interval, i, the value, f.sub.i, which is an approximation for the function f(x) over the entire interval x.sub.i, x.sub.i+1), is determined. The length of f.sub.1, represented as a number of bits, p, is predetermined based on a desired precision for that value. All values for f.sub.i are stored permanently in the i'th location of the ROM 1 having a width p. In calculating a value for f(x), the interval partition x.sub.i, x.sub.1+1) in which x lies is determined. Then, the value stored in the ROM 1 for the selected interval partition is retrieved as a first approximation to the value f(x).
Several options are available as to what value f.sub.i should be selected. An optimum choice would be the average of the maximum value for f(x) and the minimum value for f(x) over a given interval x.sub.i, x.sub.i+1). By choosing such a value for f.sub.i, no matter where x falls in the interval, the maximum error d.sub.i for the interval is less than or equal to the difference between the maximum of f(x) and the minimum of f(x) divided by 2. No other choice for f.sub.i will yield a lower value for d.sub.i.
Using a single ROM to calculate an approximation for a function such as f(x)=1/x will unavoidably include an error in the final result. Specifically, such an error has two components: 1) an approximation error representing the error between the actual value for f(x) and the approximation for a given interval f.sub.i ; and 2) a truncation error that results from the ROM having a finite width of p bits. As a worst case, the total error would be an addition of the approximation error and the truncation error but is typically a lesser value. The approximation error is controlled by the parameter q, which has an exponential effect on the size of the ROM (i.e., a ROM having q address lines can have as many as 2.sup.q addressable locations). The truncation error is controlled by the value p, which has a linear effect on the size of the ROM (i.e., each addressable location of the ROM must have p bits).
The function f(x)=1/x is a monotonically-decreasing function of x where the maximum error d.sub.i =(f(x.sub.i)-f(x.sub.i+1))/2 for all i=0, 1, 2, . . . , 2.sup.q -1. Furthermore the second derivative of f(x) (i.e., f"(x)) is greater than 0, thus d.sub.i decreases as x increases. The maximum value for d.sub.i would then be d.sub.0. By replacing the value 1/x with f.sub.i =(f(x.sub.i)+f(x.sub.i+1))/2, the value d.sub.0 is equal to (f(1)-f(1-2.sup.-q))/2<2.sup.-(q+1), which is the bound of the approximation component of the error. As to the truncation error, carrying p bits of accuracy ensures an (absolute) precision of 2.sup.-p =2.sup.e. Because x is between 1 and 2 (ignoring the exponent), the value of 1/x falls between 0.5 and 1, hence the exponent "e," above, equals -1 and the bound on the truncation error is 2.sup.-(p+1) and the total error (which is at most the approximation error added to the truncation error) is 2.sup.-(q+1) +2.sup.-(p+1).
If accuracy is required to be less than a predetermined number E, then the relationship between parameters p and q can be determined. For the value q, 2.sup.-(q+1), which is the maximum approximation error, must be less than E. Thus q can have a value up to log.sub.2 (1/E)-1!. Once the value for q has been determined, the value for p can be calculated accordingly. Given the values for q and p, the size of the ROM is determined. The lower total error that is allowed for a given function, the higher the values for p and q, which leads to a larger ROM. As stated above, space in certain environments such as RISC architectures either may be too costly or not available, thus it may become necessary to decrease the size of the ROM, which results in a sacrifice of accuracy. Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for performing these types of computations that decreases the size of memory needed without sacrificing accuracy.

Method and apparatus to reduce the size of rom used in mathematical computatiions


In ARQ where a plurality of mobile stations share and use a single channel for response signals (ACK/NACK signals), a wireless communication base station apparatus can prevent failure of the ARQ control. In this apparatus, a CRC part (114) performs an error detection using CRC for an uplink data, and generates, as a response signal, an ACK signal in a case of CRC=OK or a NACK signal in a case of CRC=NG. A retransmittal determining part (115) determines whether the response signal is for an initially transmitted data or for a retransmitted data. A constellation control part (116) controls, in accordance with a determination result of the retransmittal determining part (115), a constellation pattern to be used in a modulation in a modulating part (105). The modulating part (105) modulates the response signal for the retransmitted data in accordance with the constellation pattern controlled by the constellation control part (116), that is, a constellation pattern obtained by reversing the constellation pattern of the response signal for the initially transmitted data.

Conventionally, in mobile communication, ARQ (Automatic Repeat Request) is applied to uplink data transmitted from a radio communication mobile station apparatus (hereinafter simply "mobile station") to a radio communication base station apparatus (hereinafter simply "base station") in uplink, and a response signal showing uplink data error detection result is fed back to the mobile station in downlink. CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) is performed for the uplink data, and, if CRC=OK (no error), an ACK (Acknowledgment) signal is fed back, and, if CRC=NG (error), a NACK (Negative Acknowledgment) signal is fed back as a response signal to the mobile station.
Recently, to use downlink communication resources efficiently, studies are underway to limit the channels to transmit response signals in downlink to one, and are conducted about ARQ in which this one channel is shared and used by a plurality of mobile stations. Further, in this ARQ, the base station having received uplink data feeds back a response signal to the mobile station after the elapse of a predetermined time period. When a NACK signal is fed back from the base station, the mobile station having received the NACK signal retransmits uplink data to the base station after the elapse of a predetermined time period. Further, in this ARQ, information showing to which mobile station a response signal is addressed does not accompany the response signal (see Non-patent Document 1).
Non-patent Document 1: 3GPP RAN WG1 Meeting document, R1-070245, "Modifications of Uplink Synchronous HARQ scheme," LG Electronics

Wireless communication base station apparatus, wireless communication mobile station apparatus, and method for mapping response signal in ARQ


A duty cycle recording system and method is disclosed for a vehicle with a drivetrain having a plurality of components and sensors. The duty cycle recording system may include a control unit and communication link. The control unit may receive sensor readings, compute damage estimates for drivetrain components based on the readings, and compute estimated remaining life (ERL) estimates based on the damage estimates. The communication link may transmit the computed damage and ERL estimates. The control unit may sample transmission torque and speed sensor readings, and for each sample may populate a three-dimensional histogram of transmission torque and speed the vehicle has experienced.

When designing for both on-road automotive and off-highway machinery applications it is desirable to have a clear and accurate understanding of the duty cycle to which the drivetrain of a specific machine or population of machines is exposed. While a knowledge of the expected range of drivetrain torques and speeds is generally helpful to the design process, it is the amount of time the system spends under various combinations of torque and speed conditions—the "duty cycle"—that primarily determines the degree of damage that drivetrain components incur over the life of the machine.
A significant problem facing mechanical designers and equipment manufacturers today is a lack of comprehensive and accurate off-highway vehicle drivetrain duty cycle information. This situation owes to several factors. Production and operation of experimental machines from which duty cycle data may be collected is costly. The cost of instrumenting test machines for the purposes of duty cycle collection is usually high. The number of experimental machines is typically low, the test periods are usually brief, and test operators are usually few, thus limiting both the quantity and breadth of data available. Obtaining data from customer-owned machines has drawbacks and is often difficult with past instrumentation and data collection methods. Drivetrain laboratory test installations can introduce inaccuracies since overall system dynamics specific to the vehicle cannot be easily replicated with high fidelity in a lab environment. Hence, duty cycles are at best estimates, and at worst guesses, with the general result that drivetrains are overdesigned and over-tested. Without accurate duty cycle data there is also a risk that the drivetrain design or validation testing may fail to account for conditions arising from unforeseen applications of the machine.
A secondary problem is the desire to estimate the remaining life of key mechanical components within the drivetrain on an individual vehicle and to make that data available to the operator or a service technician. Remaining life calculations cannot be done without the ability to collect and store accurate and comprehensive duty cycle data.
Understanding the duty cycle of drivetrain components can be used to inform design and/or maintenance decisions for key individual components of the drivetrain that are subject to fatigue and wear (e.g. gears, bearings). When machine drivetrain duty cycle information is known prior to designing the drivetrain for a new or similar machine, it can be beneficial in numerous ways, for example, to reduce or eliminate drivetrain design and test iterations, to appropriately size individual drivetrain components, to appropriately tailor laboratory durability and reliability testing, etc. When machine drivetrain duty cycle information is known during the period when a machine is produced and sold, it can also be beneficial in numerous ways, for example, to increase machine uptime, to decrease warranty claims and associated costs, to identify individual machines in a population having a high rate of change in damage figures, to plan and schedule maintenance in advance (prognostics/predictive maintenance), etc.
It would be desirable to have a system and method for collecting and processing drivetrain duty cycle information by an onboard system during vehicle usage.

Duty cycle recording system and method for estimation of damage and remaining life of drivetrain components


A reflective display includes a display, a thin-diaphragm transistor backplate, a front-light guiding module, and a front-light unit. The thin-diaphragm transistor backplate is arranged to reflect light, the front-light guiding module is located between the display and the thin-diaphragm transistor backplate, and the front-light unit is provided on the side of the front-light guiding module to irradiate the front-light guiding module. The front-light guiding module includes reflective diaphragms arranged in order along the irradiation direction of the front-light unit. The angle between a reflective diaphragm and the display is between 0 and 90 degrees. By using an array of reflective coating structures for the front-light guiding module, the present invention can better reflect the light from the front-light source to the thin-diaphragm transistor backplate, thereby increasing self-illumination of the reflective display. Therefore, the present application can significantly improve existing reflective displays without significantly increasing costs.

With continuous development of communication technologies, terminal products such as smartphones, tablet and laptops have become essential for the daily life. The terminal products are developed with increased diversification and personalization, and people can work and entertain through terminal devices, such as obtaining the latest news from browsing the terminal devices. The electronic devices are equipped with displays, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display, etc. LCDs, AMOLED displays and other displays require a backlight or self-luminous light source to light up, and the blue light from the light source is harmful to human eyes. As people more heavily use smartphones, tablets and other display products, the incidence of cataracts, macular degeneration, and other eye diseases is increasing. Blue light in the visible light spectrum (e.g., light with a wavelength between 410 and 470 nm) has the greatest negative impact on the eyes. Generally speaking, blue light could harm to human eyes in the following ways:
(1) Increased risk of cataracts: when eyes are exposed to high-energy short-wave blue light with the wavelengths of 410-470 nm, the lens of eyes will absorb part of the blue light and gradually cloud up to form a cataract, and most of the remaining blue light will penetrate the lens and reach the retina to increase the macular toxin in the macula, which will more easily lead to macular degeneration or cataract.(2) Increased visual fatigue: due to the short wavelength of blue light, the focus does not fall on the center of the retina, but a little more forward from the retina. To see more clearly, the eyes will be under tension for a long time, thereby causing visual fatigue. Long-term visual fatigue may lead to the deepening of nearsightedness, double vision when looking at things, viewing wrong lines or paragraphs upon reading, inability to concentrate, blurred vision when working at a close range and other symptoms, affecting learning and working efficiency.(3) Causing insomnia: when entering the sleep state at night, the brain secretes melatonin to help sleep, which can help recover from fatigue and even eliminate cancer cells. But blue light to some extent inhibits the secretion of melatonin, thus affecting the quality of sleep or even stop a person from sleeping. This may also be the reason why one might be unable to sleep if he or she has played a tablet or smartphone before going to bed, it.
In the process of research and practice of prior art techniques, the inventor of the present application embodiment found that, in order to provide users with a more comfortable reading experience, most of the display manufacturers have introduced a display that does not require a backlight or self-luminous light as the way of providing light, that is, the reflective liquid crystal display (RLCD), whose luminous principle is to coat a layer of reflective coating in the display, and fulfill the purpose of generating light through reflecting the external light.
However, the reflective display is not able to emit light, but relies on reflecting the external ambient light to help present images. The terminal devices based on such kind of screen design can well protect the eyesight. However, when a terminal with a reflective display is not illuminated by the external light, the screen cannot properly display the content for users to read, which is not convenient for users to read and thereby lowering the reading experience. Therefore, when the ambient light is weak, it is necessary to add a front-light unit as a solution.
More precisely, the reflective display is a kind of display without using the backlight, but directly use the reflection of ambient light as the screen light source. Reflective displays can be categorized into passive reflective displays and active reflective displays according to the presence or absence of an auxiliary light source. The principle of the passive reflective display to present images is to coat a layer of reflective material on the bottom of the LCD panel to reflect the ambient light. Under a proper ambient light source, the passive reflective display not only has a better display effect, but also can reduce the power consumption to achieve the overall power saving for the product. However, when the ambient light conditions are poor, the passive reflective display will be less ideal due to the reduction of reflected light. In order to solve this problem, the active reflective display technology which further uses an auxiliary light source is proposed. An active reflective display is equivalent to adding a light source to the top of a passive reflective display, so that the screen can be seen clearly even when the ambient light is dim.
The current front-lights basically adopt a light emitting diode (LED) with the light guide plate, so as to downward reflect by converting the light from the LED through the dot pattern provided on the top of the light guide plate, and provide upward light emission through the aforementioned front-light unit provided on the side when in the nighttime or in a dark room, in order to allow users to clearly read even when the external night is insufficient. However, there is still much room to improve the brightness and uniformity of the illumination.


A semiconductor acceleration sensor, which prevents an adhesion of a movable electrode to a first or second fixed electrode due to an electrostatic attracting force generated therebetween. The sensor has a weight portion and movable electrodes formed on both sides of which, and first and second fixed electrodes each engaging with the each of the movable electrodes. Each of the first and second fixed electrodes is disposed in parallel with each of the movable electrodes so that side faces thereof determine a detection interval and non-detection interval larger than the detection interval with side faces of adjoining two of the movable electrodes. Protrusions are formed on both of the side faces of each of the first and second fixed electrodes. These protrusions prevent the movable electrodes from adhering to the first or second fixed electrode in both of the detection interval and non-detection interval.

This application is based upon Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2000-79352 filed on Mar. 16, 2000, and 2000-382422 filed on Dec. 15, 2000, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to semiconductor physical quantity sensors for detecting a physical quantity such as acceleration or angular velocity, especially, to a capacitance-detecting type semiconductor physical quantity sensor.
2. Related Arts
A structure of a differential capacitance type semiconductor acceleration sensor of a prior art is shown in FIG. 1. A semiconductor layer of a supporting substrate 110 has a moving portion 201 and a fixed portion 301 separated from the moving portion 201 by a trench 140 formed by etching.
The moving portion 201 has suspension parts 202 fixed to the supporting substrate 110, a weight portion 210 supported by the suspension parts 202, and two sets of plural movable electrode members 240 connected to both sides of the weight portion 210.
The fixed portion 301 has plural first fixed electrode members 310 and plural second fixed electrode members 320. Each of the fixed electrode members 310, 320 is engaging with each set of the movable electrode members 240. Each of the movable electrode members 240 and the fixed electrode members 310, 320 has a detection surface and a non-detection surface opposite to each other. The detection surface of each movable electrode member 240 confronts the detection surface of each fixed electrode member 310 at one side with a detection interval 400 interposed therebetween to make a first capacitance. The non-detection surface of each movable electrode member 240 confronts the non-detection surface of each fixed electrode member 310 at the opposite side with a non-detection interval 410 interposed therebetween. The detection interval 400 and the non-detection interval 410 are defined between movable electrode members 240 and the fixed electrode members 320 at the right side of the weight portion 210 similarly to the left side. A second capacitance is formed by the detection surface of each movable electrode member 240 and the detection surface of each fixed electrode member 320.
When a physical quantity is applied to the sensor shown in FIG. 1, the weight portion 210 displaces in a displacement direction Y, whereby the detection intervals 40 change, for example, when the first capacitances increase, the second capacitances decrease, and vice versa. As a result, a differential capacitance between the first capacitance and the second capacitance changes by the applied physical quantity. The applied physical quantity is detected based on a change of the differential capacitance. Conventionally, the differential capacitance is detected as a voltage.
However, when an excessively large physical quantity is applied to the sensor, at least one of the movable electrode members 240 hits to at least one of the fixed electrode members 310 and 320, then adhesion (sticking) occurs between at least one of the movable electrode members 240 and at least one of the fixed electrode members 310 and 320 due to an electrostatic attracting force. Consequently, the sensor doesn""t work normally.
For the purpose to prevent the adhesion of the electrode members, protrusions are formed on the detection surface of at least one of the movable electrode member 240 and the fixed electrode members 310, 320. They reduce the electrostatic attracting force significantly. These protrusions are disclosed in JP-A-4-337468, 6-213924, 6-347474, 11-230985, 11-326365 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,295.
However, the protrusions in the prior arts don""t work sufficiently due to the following reason.
As mentioned above, a change of the detection interval 400 between the movable electrode member 240 and the fixed electrode member 310 is opposite to that of the detection interval 400 between the movable electrode member 240 and the fixed electrode member 320. As a result, the direction of the electrostatic attracting force applied to the movable electrode member 240 on the right side of the weight portion 210 is opposite to that of the electrostatic attracting force applied to the movable electrode member 240 on the left side of the weight portion 210. This structure is referred to as a non-symmetrical structure in this application.
For example, in FIG. 1, the movable electrode members 240 on the left side of the axis Y1 are attracted to an upper side of FIG. 1. To the contrary, the movable electrode members 24 on the right side of the axis Y1 are attracted to a lower side of FIG. 1. In addition, a spring restoring force caused by the suspension parts 202 works to restore the movable electrode members 240 to the initial positions against the electrostatic attracting force on each side. As a result, the weight portion 210 vibrates in a direction of the axis Y1 and rotates easily in directions indicated by curved arrows R as shown in FIG. 1.
It may occur that the movable electrode members 240 and the fixed electrode members 310 or the movable electrode members 240 and the fixed electrode members 320 adhere each other in the non-detection interval 410 when the excessively large physical quantity is applied to the sensor, although the non-detection interval 410 is larger than the detection interval 400.
This invention has been conceived in view of the background as described above and an object of the invention is to prevent an adhesion of a movable electrode to a fixed electrode due to an electrostatic attracting force even in a non-detection interval interposed therebetween when the non-detection interval is larger than a detection interval interposed between the movable electrode and an opposite fixed electrode.
According to the present invention, the sensor has a supporting substrate, a movable portion separated from a fixed portion by a trench. The movable portion has a weight portion, and movable electrodes formed on both sides of the weight portion in a displacement direction, and the movable portion is suspended above the supporting substrate. The fixed portion has first and second fixed electrodes each engaging with each of the movable electrodes for forming capacitors.
Each of the first and second fixed electrode is disposed in parallel with the movable electrodes so that the side faces thereof determine specific intervals, a detection interval and a non-detection interval larger than the detection interval, with the side faces of adjoining two of the movable electrodes. Protrusions are formed, for example, on both side faces of the first fixed electrode opposing to the side faces of the adjoining two of the movable electrodes.
According to the present invention, these protrusions prevent the adjoining two of the movable electrodes from adhering to the first fixed electrode at both of the side faces of the first fixed electrode when an excessively large physical quantity is applied to the sensor. The protrusions may be formed on the side faces of the movable electrodes facing the side faces of the first fixed electrode.
Preferably, the protrusions on the both side faces of the first fixed electrode are formed in the same size and the same shape. It may allow stable forming of the protrusions. More preferably, the protrusions on the both sides are disposed symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal direction of the first fixed electrode.


The invention concerns a building having a wall comprising a plurality of structural wall panels, each panel having: a central core at least 80 mm thick formed from a substantially rigid polyurethane foam; and a polyurea or polyurethane skin 1-6 mm thick substantially encapsulating the central core; at least some of the panels incorporating a roof section; and the panels having sufficient 3 structural integrity to provide at least a wall of the building without the need for support beams.

It is known to use panels for buildings, having a central insulating layer sandwiched between two outer layers, all supported by wall beams or the like. The outer layers may be of sheet metal, wood, cement or any other suitable material. The inner layer may be polystyrene. Such panels tend to be heavy and require a crane to lift into place. Sometimes such the panels undesirably delaminate, or in other words the outer layer separates from the inner layer. In panels with a core of polystyrene, delamination tends to occur from the edges. The outer layer pulls away from the core, sometimes drawing polystyrene with it, causing damage.
It is an object of a preferred form of the invention to go at least some way towards addressing one or more of the above problems. However, it should be appreciated that the invention has more general application, and so any objects or advantages applicable to the preferred embodiment should not be seen as a limitation on the scope of claims expressed more broadly. The object of the invention per se is simply to provide the public with a useful choice.

Building formed of encapsulated structural foam panels


A household tool for gathering and picking material comprising two rake head and handle units arranged side by side, overlapping, or crisscrossed with both rake heads arranged in substantially the same orientation. The units are temporarily held in this position by several possible fasteners along the length of the units. One version allows both units to be completely disconnected when in the pick-up mode. Another version is additionally joined quasi-permanently at a pivoting joint that allows the units to swing in opposite directions when their undersides are substantially facing each other. One or both of the handles can be extended for raking and retracted for picking. Each unit has a fixed or adjustable hand grip or arm grip for less fatigue when picking. The rake head may partly overlap to provide more picking-up capacity and more stability to the components.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to tools particularly to a tool for collecting and disposing of yard debris and other similar material.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
There are numerous ways of collecting yard debris. The more sophisticated ones involve a gadget that blows all the leaves and other light debris into a pile after which the same gadget sucks the gathered debris into a special sack. However, raking is still the most common means of collecting garden debris for the average consumer. It does not consume electricity or gasoline and provide safe good old-fashioned fun and exercise for the family. Rake heads come in many different shapes, sizes and quality each laying claim to a more efficient and better way of gathering wet leaves, gathering more leaves per stroke, "feels like bamboo", etc. They all accomplish just one thing, that is, gather the debris into a pile.
There are several types of rakes commercially available mainly through specialty catalogues that can pick up the gathered debris and deposit them into a collection bag.
One type of picking rake consists of two rakes, their rake heads facing each other and their handles joined scissors style at a point somewhere along their handles. The resulting combination picks up debris like giant tongs with each of the user's hands grasping the end of each rake handle. This is a very awkward way of picking up leaves. The fulcrum or pivoting point interferes with the line of sight of the user when used for picking up leaves. The unit is positioned vertically over the debris when picking and is subsequently lifted at another point closer to the rake head to enable the unit to clear the top of the collection basket before the handles are parted and the debris is released. It is not effective for picking if used even slightly inclined because the weight of the debris and the torque derived from the long moment arm is too much for the user to overcome. Furthermore, this combination provides the same span as a single rake head and for twice the weight.
Another type comprises a rake head and shovel combination but was shown in prior art to be heavy and complicated to operate. A shovelful is also not a large volume thereby requiring more effort and time to get the job done.
A third type consists of two half-rake heads that can fold toward each other via an intricate string trail spread on the face of each half-rake head. The user pulls the end of the string to effect the folding. The string movement is hampered when the string trail gets clogged by debris adhering to the nooks and crannies of the rake head. Furthermore, the volume of debris picked per fold is not much thereby requiring again more time and effort.
Still another type consist of a dome shaped rake head with tines arranged radially on its perimeter when in the raking mode. When the user pulls a slider along the handle, the tines collapse inwardly to envelope a ball of debris like what a person's five fingers would do to pick up something the size of about a handful. This type of rake head is laborious to fabricate and can be limited to the use of metal wires. Consequently, the pick-up volume is not much unless the circular rake head is considerably extended. Doing so with metal tines poses a safety hazard to users and other creatures nearby. Collapsing a larger head also requires more effort. The dome-shaped rake head is not as efficient in the raking mode as an ordinary planar-shaped one.
Still another prior art item as presented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,540 is a combination of basically two rake heads facing each other. One hand ends at a pivot connection between the two rake handles. This shorter handle rests on the longer handle in the raking mode. The rake head attached to the longer handle has tines extending in two opposite directions, one for picking and one for raking. Picking debris is accomplished by turning the combination over and allowing the rake heads to separate by virtue of the weight of the rake with the shorter handle. The debris is then sandwiched between the two rake heads and delivered to a collection basket by lifting both handles of the rake. While the pick-up volume is good, the method is awkward and cumbersome. This combination provides the span of a single rake head and for about twice the weight.
Another type consists of a regular rake head and handle that has an optional detachable scooper anchored onto the top face of and completely overlapping the rake head. To pick up debris, the user has to bring up the rake head and manipulate the fasteners which is not an easy and quick process at all. The rake and the scooper are used together to pick up debris but the user still has to stoop and bend to do so.
In general, prior art picking rakes have low pick-up volumes and at best the same raking efficiency for about twice the weight of a regular rake. Some pick-up methods need some "getting used to". They generally do not conform to the natural tendency exhibited by a person when attempting to lift something bulky which simply consist of extending one's arms outward sideways, moving your arms toward each other and enveloping the bulky something. Again, prior art methods for picking up debris are awkward, cumbersome, and thus require more physical and mental effort.

Picking rake with dual handles and dual rake heads for gathering and picking material


Media processing devices, media processing device control methods, and computer-readable recording mediums storing programs that can be executed by control units that control media processing devices are provided. In one embodiment, a media processing device has a plurality of operation units that process roll paper and checks as a plurality of recording media, and a central processing unit (CPU) that controls the operation units by executing commands received from a host computer. When the CPU detects during a normal operating mode that commands for any of the operation units cannot be executed, the CPU switches to a limited operation mode in which commands for that operation unit cannot be executed, but commands from the host computer can be received and commands for other operation units can be executed.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a media processing device having a recording unit that records on a recording medium, a control method for the media processing device, and a recording medium that stores a program executed by a control unit to control the media processing device.
2. Related Art
When recording cannot continue for some reason, such as running out of paper, in a recording device that records on a recording medium, the recording device typically reports an error and stops printing.
Hybrid devices that combine other functions with the functionality of a printer are now common. See, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. JP-A-H03-225593. The device taught in JP-A-H03-225593 has a function for recording a journal in addition to functioning as a recording device for printing receipts. The device taught in JP-A-H03-225593 can also continue printing only receipts when there is no paper for recording a journal.
The device taught in JP-A-H03-225593 can thus simultaneously print receipts and a journal. However, because receipts and the journal normally record the same information, it is quite difficult to continue printing receipts after the journal paper supply runs out and then print the journal at a later time.
However, hybrid devices that have functions other than recording functions include devices that record unrelated information on different recording media, and devices with functions other than recording on recording media. When recording on the recording medium is disabled in such devices, there is no way to prevent the entire system from stopping operation.

Media processing device, control method for a media processing device, and recording medium storing a program executed by a control unit that controls a media processing device


A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a battery disconnect unit (BDU) and a cartridge. The BDU includes a first positive terminal, a first negative terminal, a second positive terminal, a second negative terminal, a first current path, a second current path, a first switch, and a second switch. The first current path is between the first positive terminal and the second positive terminal. The second current path is between the first negative terminal and the second negative terminal. The first switch is disposed in the first current path. The second switch is disposed in the second current path. The cartridge includes a first terminal, a second terminal, and a current path between the first terminal and the second terminal. The first terminal is configured to connect to one of the terminals on the BDU.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in HEVs use one or more propulsion systems to provide motive power. The propulsion systems include an electrical system that receives power from a battery pack. A battery pack typically includes one or more battery modules that each includes a plurality of high-voltage cells (or batteries) such as lithium ion cells. A battery management system controls current flow between the battery pack and the electrical system.
The battery management system includes a battery disconnect unit (BDU) and a battery control unit (BCU). The BDU is the primary interface between the battery pack and the electrical system. The BDU includes electromechanical switches that open or close high current paths between the battery pack and the electrical system. The BDU provides feedback to the BCU such as voltage and current measurements. The BCU controls the switches in the BDU using low current paths based on the feedback received from the BDU.


Power may be controlled for a multi-core processor that includes a processor having a first core and a second core. A first power conversion unit independently supplies a supply voltage to the first core, and a second power conversion unit independently supplies a supply voltage to the second core. The first core can be configured to supply a voltage identification signal for the first power conversion unit, and the second core can be configured to supply a voltage identification signal for the second power conversion unit that is different from the voltage identification signal for the first core.

This description relates to a power control apparatus and method for controlling a multi-core processor.
With the increased demand for high-speed processors, multi-core processors are being utilized instead of single-core processors. A multi-core processor, which contains multiple cores in a single processor, can share and process a task among the cores, and thereby improve overall processing capability. Since the cores of the multi-core processor can share other common system components, it is possible to manufacture a system with a lower cost and in a smaller size, as compared with the case of using multiple single-core processors.
Since a multi-core processor operates multiple cores, the multi-core processor typically consumes more power than a single-core processor. The increased power consumption reduces the operating time of a battery that supplies power to a portable computer. As the power consumption increases, the amount of heat generated by the system may also increase.

Controlling power supply in a multi-core processor