In a target apparatus which stores at least one piece of domain key information in a first area and a plurality of pieces of content key information each associated with any one of the domain key information in a second area, a method for generating data for detecting tampering of the content key information. The method comprises the steps of encrypting the content key information associated with one of the domain key information using a chain encryption technique, extracting data at predetermined positions in the encrypted content key information, concatenating the pieces of data extracted at the predetermined positions in the encrypted content key information to obtain concatenated data, performing a hash calculation with respect to the concatenated data to obtain a hash value, storing check values corresponding to the data at the predetermined positions in plain text, in the target apparatus, and storing the hash value in the target apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus of checking the authenticity of confidential information stored in a target apparatus or the presence or absence of tampering thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Contents relating to copyrighted works, identity information, or the like (e.g., representatively, music data and video data) have to be protected from unauthorized duplication or leakage to the outside. Such contents are stored in an encrypted state in a target apparatus. An authentication process is performed between a host apparatus and the target apparatus before the host apparatus handles the encrypted contents stored in the target apparatus. If the authentication fails, the host apparatus cannot obtain a content key for decrypting the encrypted contents from the target apparatus. If the authentication is successful, the host apparatus can access and use the contents stored in the target apparatus. With such a system, it is possible to prevent an unauthorized host apparatus from decrypting the encrypted contents. Note that the target apparatus is, for example, a memory card, such as an SD card or the like. The host apparatus is, for example, a semiconductor integrated circuit of reading data from the memory card, a set apparatus comprising the semiconductor integrated circuit, or a content distribution apparatus of distributing contents to a target apparatus.
Next, a storage area of a conventional target apparatus and confidential information stored in the storage area will be described with reference to FIG. 17. Note that, in the following description, confidential information refers to information which is required to reproduce contents (e.g. key information, etc.).
The storage area of the target apparatus is divided into a system area 901, a protected area 902, and an ordinary area 903. The system area 901 is an area in which information for performing authentication between the target apparatus and a host apparatus is stored. The host apparatus can access the system area 901 in only a predetermined process in which an access to the system area 901 is permitted. The protected area 902 is an area which cannot be arbitrarily accessed by the user (host apparatus), and can be accessed only after authentication is successful. The ordinary area 903 is an area which can be arbitrarily accessed by the user. In the system area 901, an authentication key is stored. In the protected area 902, an encrypted content key is stored. In the ordinary area 903, encrypted contents are stored.
Next, a method which is used by the host apparatus to decrypt and utilize the encrypted contents stored in the target apparatus, will be described. The host apparatus performs authentication using an authentication key stored in itself and an authentication key stored in the target apparatus. If the authentication is successful, the host apparatus uses these authentication keys to generate an intermediate authentication key. The intermediate authentication key is defined as a key for decrypting the encrypted content key. Therefore, the host apparatus obtains the encrypted content key from the target apparatus, and decrypts the encrypted content key using the intermediate authentication key to generate a content key in plain text (unencrypted form). Further, the host apparatus obtains the encrypted contents from the target apparatus, and uses the content key in plain text to decrypt the encrypted contents to generate contents in plain text. Thereby, the contents can be put to use. By performing the above-described process, only a host apparatus which is successful for authentication can utilize encrypted contents stored in a target apparatus.
In the above-described content decryption, if authentication is successful, an intermediate authentication key is generated, and therefore, if authentication is successful, encrypted contents can be decrypted. Therefore, any authorized host apparatus can utilize encrypted contents stored in a target apparatus.
In recent years, there has been an active movement such that encrypted contents are transmitted via an electronic distribution system to a specific user so that only the specific user can utilize the contents. In such an electronic distribution system, however, the encrypted contents transmitted to the specific user need to be decrypted by only a specific host apparatus possessed by the specific user. However, this requirement is not satisfied by the above-described method.
Therefore, a method has been newly proposed in which a valid domain key is set for only a specific user. When the domain key is set, contents are encrypted using a content key, and the content key is encrypted using the domain key set for only the specific user, but not using an intermediate authentication key. Further, the domain key itself is encrypted using an intermediate authentication key or another key generated based on information of the intermediate authentication key, and is then stored in a target apparatus. Thereby, the confidentiality of the domain key itself is secured.
Confidential information stored in the storage area of a target apparatus when the domain key is thus set, will be described with reference to FIG. 18. Even when the domain key is set, the area of a target apparatus needs to be divided in the same manner as that of conventional target apparatuses in order to maintain compatibility therewith. If both the domain key and the content key are stored in the protected area 902, the domain key is stored in the area having the same security level as that of the content key, though the domain key is a key which is used to decrypt the content key. Therefore, to maintain the security and the compatibility, when the domain key is set, the domain key is stored in an encrypted state in the protected area 902. The content key is stored in an encrypted state in the ordinary area 903.
However, as described above, the ordinary area 903 is an area which can be arbitrarily accessed by the user. Therefore, it is important to certify the authenticity of the encrypted content key stored in the ordinary area 903. In other words, it is important to check tampering thereof.
Note that a technique relating to the present invention is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-203686. In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-203686, a piece of content data is divided into a plurality of portions, a check value is calculated for each portion, and the check value is compared with a check value previously held. Thereby, it is possible to perform a tampering check for only a required portion.
However, a piece of content data is only divided into portions. The technique is basically different from the present invention, in which, as described below, when there are a plurality of content keys corresponding to one domain key, a tampering check is performed by matching of data buried in the domain key in association with these content keys.
Hereinafter, the confidential information stored in the target apparatus will be described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 19. In the protected area 902 of the target apparatus, n encrypted domain keys Ku(1) to Ku(n) (n is an integer of 1 or more) are stored. The domain keys Ku(1) to Ku(n) are given n pieces of domain key management information UR[u](1) to UR[u](n) in one-to-one correspondence.
In the ordinary area 903 of the target apparatus, a plurality of content keys are stored. Each content key corresponds to any one of the domain keys Ku(1) to Ku(n). In other words, one domain key can be used to decrypt a plurality of encrypted content keys. For example, the domain key Ku(1) corresponds to m content keys Kt(1-1) to Kt(1-m) (m is an integer of 1 or more). The content keys Kt(1-1) to Kt(1-m) are given m pieces of content key management information UR[t](1-1) to UR[t](1-m) and m pieces of additional information info(1-1) to info(1-m) in one-to-one correspondence.
Note that, in FIG. 19, a set of the domain keys Ku(1) to Ku(n) and the domain key management information UR[u](1) to UR[u](n) is referred to as a "domain key group UKURE", and a set of the content keys Kt(1-1) to Kt(1-m), the content key management information UR[t](1-1) to UR[t](1-m), and the additional information info(1-1) to info(1-m) is referred to as a "content key group TKURE(1)".
Decryption of encrypted contents requires a content key in plain text. Also, decryption of an encrypted content key requires a domain key. To quickly determine which content key is encrypted using which domain key, a key correspondence table Address List is also stored in the ordinary area. On the key correspondence table Address List, a correspondence relationship between domain keys and content keys is described. For example, the domain key Ku(1) is associated with the content keys Kt(1-1) to Kt(1-m) which can be decrypted using the domain key.
To check if confidential information stored in a target apparatus has been tampered as described above, a method of using a hash function for each piece of confidential information is generally employed. Also in general, when a hash calculation is used to check tampering of confidential information, the hash calculation is carried out over all information relating to the confidential information.
Next, a description will be given of the case where a hash function is used to check tampering with respect to confidential information stored in a target apparatus. Note that the term "Enc" is used as a prefix indicating an encrypted state. For example, "EncUR[u](1)" indicates the domain key management information UR[u](1) which is encrypted.
Encrypted content keys EncKu(1-1) to EncKu(1-m), which can be decrypted using the domain key Ku(1), encrypted content key management information EncUR[t](1-1) to EncUR[t](1-m) corresponding to the encrypted content keys EncKt(1-1) to EncKt(1-m), and additional information info(1-1) to info(1-m) corresponding to the encrypted content keys EncKt(1-1) to EncKt(1-m) are concatenated together to perform a hash calculation. A hash value obtained by the hash calculation is stored into the domain key management information UR[u](1).
Next, in order to decrypt the encrypted content key EncKt(1-1), the host apparatus references the key correspondence table Address List to read the content key group TKURE(1) from the ordinary area 903 of the target apparatus, and performs a hash calculation. Also, the host apparatus uses an intermediate authentication key obtained by authentication to decrypt the encrypted domain key management information EncUR[u](1) stored in the protected area 902 of the target apparatus. Next, the host apparatus extracts a hash value from the domain key management information UR[u](1) obtained by the decryption. Next, the host apparatus compares the hash value obtained by the hash calculation with the hash value extracted from the domain key management information UR[u](1). When these hash values match, the host apparatus determines that tampering is not present, and decrypts an encrypted content key. When the hash values do not match, the host apparatus determines that tampering is present, and does not decrypt encrypted contents.
However, the tampering check method of FIG. 19 requires a huge amount of calculation. Specifically, to check tampering with respect to a single content key (content key Kt(1-1)), the host apparatus needs to read all content keys which can be decrypted using the same domain key and all information accompanying them (the content key group TKURE(1)) from the target apparatus and perform a hash calculation with respect to the read information. Particularly, as the number of contents stored in the target apparatus is increased, the number of content keys is increased. As a result, the number of content keys associated with a single domain key is increased, so that a processing time also increases.
It may be assumed that contents and a content key are distributed as a set of data over a network or the like. In this case, a content key associated with a domain key may be added/deleted. However, in conventional methods, when a content key is added/deleted, a hash calculation needs to be performed again with respect to all content keys corresponding to a domain key (e.g., the domain key Ku(1), etc.) and information accompanying the content keys (e.g., the content key group TKURE(1), etc.), and the calculated hash function needs to be buried into domain key management information accompanying the domain key (e.g., the domain key management information UR[u](1), etc.).

Method for generating data for detection of tampering, and method and apparatus for detection of tampering


A voltage or current controlled current-feedback operational-amplifier based multivibrator provides oscillation based on two current feedback operational amplifiers, three resistors and one grounded capacitor. The multivibrator can achieve almost constant frequency of oscillation and its duty cycle can be adjusted by a control voltage or a control current. The multivibrator can be used for generating pulse-width modulated signals.

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 which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present invention.
Multivibrators are widely used in instrumentation, measurements, control and communication systems. Over the years researchers have developed mutivibrator circuits built around different active elements; for example an operational amplifier (OA), an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA), a plus-type second-generation current-conveyor (CCII+), a operational transresistance amplifier (OTRA) and a current feedback operational amplifier (CFOA).

Voltage or current controlled current-feedback operational-amplifier based multivibrator

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals


A flexible sheet with suspenders is used to safely handle and reposition bed-constrained patients. The suspenders include couplers and are used to secure either side of the flexible sheet to the side railing on a hospital bed. By wrapping the suspenders on one side of the flexible sheet over a patient and connecting them to the opposite side rail, a patient can be switched from a supine position to a turned position. A upper access hole and lower access gap in the flexible sheet then allow attendants to access the patients backside, where treatments can be applied. A flap is otherwise used to cover the upper access hole, being secured to the flexible sheet by a fold and a perimeter of hook-and-loop fasteners. The flexible sheet provides a safe patient handling method that will result in a decrease of workplace injuries.

In the course of treatment hospitals deal with many patients who are confined to their beds, for a multitude of reasons. Caring for said patients comes with a number of difficulties. Whether treating decubitus ulcers (bedsores), providing skin care, or simply changing the bedding, a patient's lack of mobility can make common tasks much more challenging. The difficulties of caring for bedridden patients increase when considering the prevalence of obesity. Something as simple as turning a person becomes taxing when working with bariatric patients. Bariatric care has become an ergonomic problem for health care providers, with many employees suffering back and neck injuries. This incurs extra costs for health care providers and insurance providers, as not only must workman's compensation be paid, but a replacement employee must also be brought in. In order to reduce the difficulty of dealing with bedridden patients, many inventions have been made to aid health care providers.
A common aid is a simple sling that is placed beneath a patient on their bed. The sling is used to help position a patient; a patient can be rolled on their left side or right side, after which the sling is wrapped around and secured to a stable surface, commonly the side rails of the bed. Such slings are beneficial as they hold a patient in place, allowing an attending health care worker to perform other tasks while the patient is turned. However, such slings have room for improvement. Since the sling wraps around the patient providing direct care is more difficult. For example, washing sores and applying creams is complicated by the sling, which often covers or prevents access to sores or other skin areas needing treatment. There exists a need for a patient handling device that allows a health care attendant to directly treat a patient.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a patient sling that can restrain a bedridden patient in a given position. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a patient sling that reduces opportunities for a health care attendant to suffer injury while caring for a patient. It is a further object of the present invention to allow a health care attendant to access and treat a patient while the patient is held in a turned position by the sling. It is a functional object of the present invention to allow a health care attendant to administer skin care, such as applying dressings and treating bedsores, through openings and gaps provided as part of the present invention.

Supporting and maneuverable sling for bed-constrained patients


A turbocharger for use in an internal combustion engine has at least one turbocharger housing, at least one compressor situated inside the turbocharger housing, and at least one turbine situated inside the turbocharger housing. In addition, the turbocharger has at least one sensor device for detecting at least a portion of a gas component of an exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine. The sensor device is at least partially integrated into the turbocharger housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a turbocharger for an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sensor elements for detecting at least a portion of at least one gas component of a gas, such as an exhaust gas, in a measuring-gas chamber, especially in an exhaust-gas tract, are known from the related art. For example, such sensor elements are described in Robert Bosch GmbH: Sensors in the Motor Vehicle, 1st edition 2010, pages 160-165. The sensor elements may be used in the automotive field, for example. The measuring gas chamber in particular could be the exhaust-gas tract of a combustion engine, for instance, and the sensor element a lambda probe. The core of the sensor element, especially the lambda probe, usually is a technical ceramic, which may be destroyed if, for instance, large mechanical tensions occur in the sensor element. For example, tensions, especially mechanical tensions, could be produced by local cooling of the, in particular, hot technical ceramic, for example, especially a ceramic, due to impinging water drops, for instance. Sensor elements known from the related art are normally situated within the exhaust-gas tract in the exhaust direction, especially in the flow direction of the exhaust gas, downstream from a turbocharger and preferably upstream from a catalytic converter, especially a three-way catalytic converter. Water loading, especially in conjunction with an increasing likelihood of impinging water drops, is usually greatest during a cold engine start. In an engine operation with a cold exhaust-gas tract, e.g., during the cold engine start, exhaust-gas moisture may condense on walls, the exhaust-gas tract, for example, encompassing at least one cylinder outlet, at least one manifold, at least one turbocharger, especially at least one exhaust turbocharger, and at least one three-way catalytic converter. An exhaust gas mass flow can carry exhaust gas condensate along, especially in such a way that a high moisture load of a downstream lambda probe often comes about as a result.
The related art describes various strategies for protecting the sensor element, especially the functional ceramic, from damage, in particular damage resulting from stresses. For example, the technical ceramics may be heated to operating temperature only after a so-called dew point end instant has been reached. In a cold state, especially prior to the dew point end, the mechanical stresses in the sensor element caused by the admission of water are generally non-critical. One particular disadvantage of this strategy is a late operating readiness of the sensor element, especially a probe, following the engine start.
In another strategy, the sensor element may be enclosed by a water-proof protective coat, for example, which is able to distribute local cooling, preferably across a large surface. One particular disadvantage in this case may be a limited absorption capacity of the protective coat with regard to moisture. Another disadvantage may be an increased heating power requirement, especially if large exhaust gas mass flows are involved.
The classic installation position of the sensor element, especially the lambda probe, known from the related art, such as between the turbocharger, especially the exhaust-gas turbocharger, and the three-way catalytic converter, may be disadvantageous from the aspect of space utilization. Another, preferably fixated and/or protected installation position of the sensor element, in particular the lambda probe, is desirable. Other installation positions for sensors, especially sensors in the broadest sense, are known from the related art.
Published German patent application document DE 10 2006 058 539 A1 describes a self-ignition engine having a pressure-based combustion control. For example, this laid-open publication describes that an engine may be equipped with exhaust-gas/fuel-ratio sensors, e.g., in an exhaust-gas manifold.
Published German patent document DE 601 02 337 T2, for example, describes a system for aiding in the regeneration of a particle filter in a self-igniting internal combustion engine. In FIG. 1 of this translation of a European patent publication, a lambda probe is disclosed, which is schematically situated between a Diesel engine and a turbocharger, which is followed by an oxidation catalytic converter.
Published German patent document DE 601 30 851 T2 describes a turbocharger control unit. It is stated that the turbocharger system has one or more sensors.
Published German patent application document 10 2008 034 680 A1 describes a cooled turbocharger housing having one or more electronic devices. In one specific development according to the present invention, it is indicated that the electronic device is a sensor device, for instance.
An orientation of a shield tube with respect to the sensor element, especially to a gas entry hole of the sensor element, is generally variable in the related art, for construction-related reasons. A preferably fixed orientation of sensor element/shield tube is desirable. Reaching the operational readiness of the sensor element, especially the lambda probe, more rapidly following an engine start would be desirable. To do so, the admission of water to the sensor element, especially the lambda probe, after the engine start preferably should be reduced. At the same time, for example, a high dynamic response of the sensor element, especially a high dynamic response of the lambda probe, to a change in the oxygen partial pressure should be ensured. In addition, it would be desirable to ensure a uniform and/or protected installation position and/or installed state of the sensor element, especially the lambda probe, in various space concepts.

Turbocharged engine with a sensor device in the turbocharger housing


The within invention improves on the indirect evaporative cooling method and apparatus by making use of a working fluid that is pre-cooled with and without desiccants before it is passed through a Wet Channel where evaporative fluid is on the walls to take heat and store it in the working fluid as increased latent heat. The heat transfer across the membrane between the Dry Channel and the Wet Channel may have dry, solid desiccant or liquid desiccant and may have perforations, pores or capillary pathways. The evaporative fluid may be water, fuel, or any substance that has the capacity to take heat as latent heat. The Wet Channel or excess cooled fluid is in heat transfer contact with a Product Channel where Product Fluid is cooled without adding any humidity. An alternative embodiment for heat transfer between adjacent channels is with heat pipes.

1. The present invention relates to methods of indirect-evaporation cooling of fluids and to heat exchange apparatus for affecting these methods.
2. The invention can be used for air conditioning, as well as cooling liquids and gases in different technological processes. It can be used to cool materials that can be conveyed along the heat transfer surfaces of the apparatus by methods other than fluidization.
The use of Evaporative methods to cool gases is well-known. The use of adjacent channels or heat transfer services to allow an evaporation in one channel to provide cooling for material in the second channel is also well-known, see. Niehart 2,174,060.
The methods and apparatus to cool air through evaporation have proved useful over many years. However they have certain drawbacks and limitations due to their designs.
There is known in the art a method of indirect-evaporation cooling of air, comprising cooling the flow of outside air over a heat exchange apparatus (USSR Patent No. 979796).
The outside air is pushed over a heat transfer surface, or moisture proof plates of the Dry Channel. The apparatus is comprised of a number of vertical moisture-proof plates which divides alternately Dry Channels and Wet Channels. At the outlet from the Dry Channel the flow of air is divided into two flows, namely, the cooled product flow and working flow to the evaporation or wet channel. The cooled flow goes to the consumer, and the evaporative flow is directed in counter flow of the Dry Channel, in the Wet Channel. The flows are controlled by the creation of aerodynamic resistance at the Dry Channel outlet. The heat transfer between the dry and Wet Channels causes heat to be drawn out of the outside air in the Dry Channel across the heat transfer surface and into the evaporation of the water in the Wet Channel. Cooling the air by the heat transfer surface occurs from the inlet of the Dry Channel to the exit. This allows air temperatures at the end of the Dry Channel to approach the dew point temperature of the air entering the Dry Channel.
The essential disadvantages of the described method and the apparatus for effecting same are: 1) the Product Fluid can not be cooled even in an ideal case lower than the temperature of the dew point of outside air; 2) the impossibility of cooling materials other than air or gas and; 3) difficult to realize cooling process for use in vehicles.
In addition to the above indirect-evaporation cooler there is a conceptual method and design apparatus for Evaporating and Cooling Water disclosed in Maisotsenko patent USSR Patent No. 690271 and USSR Patent No. 641260 where by single pass of air is used to cool water. In this method and apparatus the outside air flow is pushed down a Dry Channel with a heat transfer surface between the dry and wet channels and turned 180 degrees at the end of the channel and pushed up in counter flow across the water wetted heat transfer surface. Evaporation of water from the Wet Channel then draws heat across the heat transfer surface cooling the air in the Dry Channel and also cooling the water in the Wet Channel. Enough water is drawn over the Wet Channel to allow evaporation and collection of cooled water at the bottom of the channel which becomes the cooled product. Cooling the air in the Dry Channel allows for water temperatures at the bottom of the channel to approach the dew point temperature of the outside air.
The essential disadvantages of the described method and the apparatus for effecting same are: 1) the water being cooled can not be cooled even in an ideal case lower then the dew point temperature of outside air; 2) The ability to cool only water; 3) This process does not use an induced draft exhaust system and; 4) The description of the materials and accessories needed to design and make the cooler make for impractical application.; 5) Cooling potential of this evaporation process is limited; 6) The heat transfer rate in the channels, especially the Dry Channels is low.
Rotenberg 5,187,946, which is copied from Russian patent 2046257 Maisotsenko, there is disclosed a Wet-Dry Channel heat exchange system with an evaporative cooler. This does not address the issues of the limitation of ambient air, the limited efficiency of this design or the separate product channel being cooled by the wet channel.
The use of desiccants in evaporative coolers is common, see Belding 6,050,100, where the desiccant dehumidifies the air, both the air that goes to a dry side of an indirect evaporative cooler and the air that is separated and sent to the wet side to evaporate the water and cool the dry side air flow for later use. The desiccant is by way of a desiccant wheel. Additionally, the use of the desiccant and separately treating the two air streams in Belding yields a primary stream for the dry side that is more humid and cooler than the drier and warmer secondary stream that is used for the wet side.
Unlike the disclosed invention herein, Belding does not use the same flow for the dry and wet side flows. As a result, the cooling is not great and there is no separation of product so only air can be cooled. Finally, the method requires complex components and separate treatment of the flows with added mechanics and energy requirements.
Lowenstein in 5,351,497 and his paper on xe2x80x9cSeasonal Performance of a Liquid Desiccant Air Conditionerxe2x80x9d ASHRAE Symposia 1995 makes use of liquid desiccant on the dry side of an indirect evaporative cooler. Similar to Belding, the dry side air is separate and is the cooled product air.
Lowenstein uses the liquid desiccant to dehumidify the desired air flow for a living area, and the evaporative cooling is used to aid in absorbing the latent heat that is released by the dehumidification.
Lowenstein""s absorber, throughout makes use of liquid desiccant for dehumidifying air, does not make use of the unique feature of the within application. It does not give the advantages of lower temperature and controlled humidity.
Separate absorbers, using liquid desiccants were also discussed in Martinez and Khan, xe2x80x9cHeat and Mass Transfer Performance Analysis of a Compact, Hybrid Liquid Desiccant Absorberxe2x80x9d, 1996 IEEE. The discussion teaches a result contrary to the within disclosure that such an absorber could not be used alone to condition and cool air for living space.
The objectives of this invention is to make an improved method and apparatus for evaporation of a liquid to provide cooling for gases, liquids or other materials. The invention allows for cooling to a lower temperature than other methods. Its further objective is to make use of the cool product gas flow to cool other materials in an improved way without adding vapor or humidity to the product.
Further objectives of the invention is to make use of drying agents or desiccants to enhance the efficiency of the invention and its ability to cool. A further innovation is to make use of solid desiccants on a membrane or substrate to allow transpiration of vapor and fluid that is absorbed in the dry channel by the desiccants and then released in the wet channel by evaporation processes and thus cool the membrane and the dry channel.
The water vapor transpires through the solid desiccant and membrane.
Additional objects of the invention are to allow the desiccants to be concentrated and recycled to provide more efficiency to the cycle. The invention uses the recycling of the desiccant in combination with the use of the desiccant as part of the wet channel to accomplish both objects.
The main object of the invention is to provide an economical and environmentally safe method of cooling by indirect-evaporation and heat exchange apparatus, wherein the Product Fluid can be cooled to or lower than the dew point temperature of outside air. The object set forth is solved in different ways by using a core piece of heat and mass exchange apparatus in combination with the cooling process or processes that are desired. This core piece of apparatus can deliver cooling fluid by either producing cooled liquid or cooled gas.
The core of the apparatus passes Working Air along a Dry Channel with one side of a heat exchange membrane, then turns the flow 180 degrees and passes this same flow along a Wet Channel in counter flow with the same heat transfer membrane but on its opposite side. Evaporation cooling in the Wet Channel cools the Working Air in the Dry Channel. The Product to be cooled can be: 1. By the passing of the Product to be cooled through a third channel in heat transfer contact with the Wet Channel. 2. An excessive amount of Evaporative Liquid, (being drained off after cooling and passed through a Product Heat Exchanger like water, liquid desiccant, or liquid fuel 3, or other volatile liquid under the applicable pressures). A portion of the Working Air may be drawn out of the apparatus and used directly as a Product.
The unit can be built in a bank of channels. When the Product to be cooled is set in a channel along side the Wet Channel, it may also be in heat transfer contact with the Dry Channels due to the succession of units.
The fluid exiting the Wet Channel surface is considered the Exhaust. The difference in the total energy between the Working Air entering the Dry Channel and leaving the Exhaust is the Product cooling energy available. This is generally measured by the difference in enthalpy and flow. The Exhaust enthalpy is ideally limited by the Working Air temperature entering the Dry Channel at its corresponding saturation enthalpy.
The importance of pre-cooling the air before turning it to the Wet Channel and then obtaining lower temperatures can be understood by realizing that the Wet Channel Working Air starts at the lowest temperature attained in the Dry Channel, generally approaching the dew point temperature of the outside air. Before the Working Air enters the Dry Channel it""s temperature is generally at the outside air temperature. In all indirect-evaporation cooling apparatus for cooling outside air, other than described here, Working Air (used in evaporation) and product air temperatures start at the same point, the outside air temperature, forcing the temperature to approach the higher wet bulb temperature rather than the dew point temperature. Much lower temperatures can be realized with the use of desiccants to dry air in the Dry Channel, or by pre-cooling before going to evaporation as set out here, and lower the dew point temperature attainable.
The main differences between this apparatus and method and previous art are: 1. The means to create a workable method that will function in industry that is both efficient and economical to manufacture. 2. The wide use of fluid types in all channels. The Evaporative Liquid used in the Wet Channel for transpiration cooling can be any thing that will evaporate into the air under the ambient pressure and temperature. The Dry Channel and or the Product Channel of this method can also be a drying channel with the use of a desiccant on the heat exchange surface, or on a different surface within the Dry or Product channel, either liquid or solid to dry the air out while being cooled at the same time. This core design allows for many different types of fluids to be used and effective cooling at low cost. 3. The core method allows for a wider variety in design considerations for cooling different types of products. 4. The heat transfer surfaces on the walls can be varied from impermeable, to micro-sieve, or to perforated. Perforations or capillary channels allows for transpiration conductively from the Dry Channel to the Wet Channel. This has advantages in heat transfer and in efficiencies.
There are many variations that can be used with this core method of the invention that are described here after. The variations fit the wide variety of applications the core method can be used in.
It is always advantages to wet both surfaces of the Wet Channel, both the Dry Channel-Wet Channel heat transfer membrane or wall and the Wet Channel-Product heat transfer membrane or wall, (when a Product Channel is used,) to improve the heat transfer rate.
In high humidity climates it is sometimes advantages to heat the outside air entering or moving through the Dry Channel. At a higher heat, with no change in humidity, there is a greater latent heat capacity due to the ability to take on more moisture before saturation. It is approximately five times faster than the energy spent to gain higher temperatures.
Drying the air could be with desiccants such as Lithium chloride, bromide, calcium chloride, glycol, triethylene glycol etc. This allows cooling below the dew point temperature of outside air when combined with desiccants before or in the Dry Channel because it reduces the moisture content and thus increases the latent heat potential capacity.
In addition liquids, in the applicable pressure and temperature, with dew point temperatures less than that of water in air, such as gasoline, can be used in the Wet Channel. The fluid may be any suitable fluid that has a high vapor pressure at the ambient temperature and pressure so as to enhance the evaporation and thus take the heat of transformation from the remaining fluid.
The Working Air can be dried with a desiccant and then passed through the Dry and Wet Channels. This has the dramatic effect of reducing the temperature of the Working Air and therefore the minimum temperatures that can be obtained. The Product cooling available is the difference between the total energy, enthalpy and flow rate, of the hot Working Air in the Dry Channel and the total Exhaust energy leaving the Wet Channel.
The method can be effectively used to cool water for power plants and other typical cooling applications with return water temperatures closer to the dew point temperature of the outside air rather than the wet bulb temperature. In this case the Working Air is precooled in the Dry Channel and humidified in the Wet Channel. In many uses the temperature of the water to be cooled is warmer than the outside air. This added heat works to the coolers advantage as the temperature of the Working air will be increased which will also increase the available cooling energy. The use of desiccants to dry the air would lower the temperatures of the cooling water further as this is a greater capacity.
The liquid desiccant can be placed in the Dry Channel increasing the heat transfer rate from air to desiccant and desiccant to the heat transfer surface by five to ten times. This allows: 1. The temperature of the exhaust air to more closely approach the air temperature entering the apparatus. 2. The relative humidity of the exhaust to approach the saturation point, and, therefore, increases the energy available for cooling of the product.
Heat pipes can be used between the Wet and Dry Channels, and the Product Channel as well, if desired, creating the need for only one channel for each. This allows for easier configuration of a purely counter flow arrangement of the method.
In addition, using a desiccant in the Dry Channel provides continuous cooling of the desiccant and therefore increasing its absorption capacity and rate, drying the air faster and to a lower temperature.
Regeneration of the desiccant can take place within the core method with the use of a porous heat exchange panel between the Dry and Wet Channels. This panel would be designed to allow water absorbed by the desiccant to be drawn directly to the waterside through the panel by means of: 1. The lower pressure on the waterside. A pressure drop does need to be created between where the Dry Channel ends and the Wet Channel begins. The dry side may have forced draft fans and the exhaust may have an induced draft fan to create a larger pressure drop. 2. By the lower density of water on the waterside causing the water in the desiccant to want to move to the Wet Channel. 3. By the direction of the heat flow to the waterside. The porosity may be to water in liquid or vapor phase.
Depending on the Product to be cooled the Product Channel could have a desiccant used for drying and cooling the product as well.
The regeneration process does have a small loss in energy due to de-mixing of water moving from the desiccant to the Wet Channel, from liquid to liquid, but not going through a phase change. When the exhaust air absorbs this water a vapor change would take place creating a positive energy flow for cooling. The heat transfer rate will be larger due to the lack of a boundary layer in the channel separation wall and the direct connection of water to both sides of the membrane.
Solid desiccants can be used for the heat transfer surface in the regeneration process. Dry desiccants have the advantage of no heat loss from cooled desiccant flowing from the Dry Channel and carrying off some of the cooling energy. However the heat transfer rate from the Working Air to the desiccant is less with a dry desiccant. This desiccant regeneration and drying system could also be used in the Product Channel.
The core method can be efficiently used for air conditioning and cooling systems where liquid fueled engines are used such as in a vehicle. The Evaporative Liquid in the Wet Channel becomes fuel. The Dry Channel takes in outside Working Air for pre-cooling and passing through the Wet Channel. The Product Channel in heat transfer contact with the Wet Channel is cooled. In addition, it is possible to use a solid or a liquid desiccant in the Dry Channel, and liquid fuel and water to the working air in the Wet Channel simultaneously increasing the potential energy of cooling, due to the increased vapor pressure. In addition the fluid in the Dry Channel can be heated for the Dry Channel, before, during or at the end, with exhaust gases from the engine to provide additional vapor potential and thus, latent heat capacity of the working air and cooling product when water is being added to the Wet Channel with the liquid fuel. The desiccant can be re-concentrated with the heat source being the exhaust gas of the engine.
The addition of water in the Wet Channel will produce water vapor in the fuel-air mixture, which is directed to the engine, and it helps to improve the combustion process in the engine of a vehicle.
With vehicles that do not use enough fuel to cool a vehicle, or electric vehicles, core method with water/desiccant system can be used.
Creating a lower pressure in the Wet Channel will increase the vapor drive from water to the air. Increasing the pressure in the Dry Channel will increase the vapor drive to the desiccant. Pressurizing the Dry Channel and pulling a partial vacuum on the Wet Channel will require the insertion of a baffle between the channels to regulate the Working Air flow rate.
Recycling can be accomplished by use of liquid desiccants. Diluted liquid desiccants can be used in the Wet Channel with dry air to remove the water from the desiccants. This concentrated desiccant can then be used to dry the air either within the Dry Channel or outside the apparatus. To create a larger vapor drive difference between the Wet and Dry Channels, a pressure drop must be created between them. In addition the Dry Channel may need to have heat added before, during or after entering it and the Wet Channel may need to have water added to a surface both causing a greater vapor drive potential between the channels.
The method may be used to create cool concentrated desiccant for drying air and then using a more conventional cooling system in another process.
The core method can be efficiently used when working air is redirected from the Dry Channel into and through the Wet Channel, for example, through a plurality of spaced perforations or permeable pores formed in the heat exchange surface.
It can help to increase the coefficient of heat transfer between flows of working air in the Dry and Wet Channels. Also, it can help to transport absorbed water (when we use solid desiccant material) from the Dry to the Wet Channel.
The working heat exchange apparatus for effecting the above-described method will have: 1) A jacket with inlets and outlets for the Product Fluid and the Working Air or other fluids respectively. 2) The Product Channels for the Product Fluid. 3) The communicable Dry and Wet Channels for the Working Air with a heat exchange plate with or without perforations or pores. 4) The Product and Dry and Wet Channels are alternated and separated with plates. 5) A liquid distributor for channels with moisture on the walls such as a liquid desiccant or water. 6) Collecting trays for this liquid. 7) Valves for proper regulation of fluids in the channels. 8) Other components needed for specific function and operation of the apparatus, if pressure regulation is needed.
Counter flow is theoretically the most efficient design, however there are many designs that can be used to produce a more economically viable units using cross flow or some other combination of flow.
The plate or membrane, which is the heat exchange surface between the channels, can be made of wick, plastic, metal or solid desiccant materials or compositions of these materials.
While the description of this apparatus incorporates vertical channels for liquid wetting of airflow throughout the channel, there are various methods of moving liquids such as wicking, high air or vapor velocity, enough partial vacuum to lift the fluid, inclined slopes, etc. Depending on the application and design, the apparatus can be used with panels turned from horizontal to vertical.

Method and apparatus of indirect-evaporation cooling


A threat management facility detects a device on an enterprise network and determines whether the device is one of a set of managed devices for the enterprise network. When the device is not one of the set of managed devices, the threat management facility may determine whether the device is manageable. When the device is unrecognized and unmanageable, a portal may provide support to a user of the device by listing the device on an unclaimed device page published by the portal and accessible to authorized users of the enterprise network. An authorized user may claim the unrecognized device from the unclaimed device page and, in the process, may provide additional information regarding the unrecognized device. Once claimed, the previously unrecognized device may be permitted to communicate over the enterprise network.

Enterprise networks can contain valuable information that forms an increasingly attractive target for malicious actors. To limit the risk posed by such malicious actors, access to enterprise networks is often restricted to managed devices. In many instances, it is useful or desirable add certain unmanaged devices to the enterprise network, provided that such unmanaged devices can be brought into compliance with one or more policies of the enterprise network. As networked devices become increasingly ubiquitous and provide increasingly diverse functionality, however, adding unmanaged devices to an enterprise network can require significant administrator resources. Thus, there remains a need for managing admission of devices to an enterprise network while protecting managed devices on the enterprise network and making efficient use of administrator resources.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Managing claiming of unrecognized devices for admission to an enterprise network


A reduced ground plane shorted microstrip antenna comprising: a metal ground plane having a radius of about 0.24λ; a substrate comprising a material having a dielectric constant of at least 4 disposed on top of said ground plane; a metal top layer including a radiating patch disposed on top of said substrate; a shorting wall disposed between said ground plane and said patch; and a power feedline connected to the metal top layer such that the top layer impedance and the feedline impedance match.

1. Field of the Art
The present invention relates to an antenna, and more particularly to a radio frequency identification tag antenna.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A patch antenna (also known as a rectangular microstrip antenna) is a type of radio antenna with a low profile, which can be mounted on a flat surface. It consists of a flat rectangular sheet or "patch" of metal, mounted over a larger sheet of metal called a ground plane. The assembly is usually contained inside a plastic dome, which protects the antenna structure from damage. Patch antennas are simple to fabricate and easy to modify and customize. They are the original type of microstrip antenna described by Howell[1]; the two metal sheets together form a resonant piece of microstrip transmission line with a length of approximately one-half wavelength of the radio waves. The radiation mechanism arises from discontinuities at each truncated edge of the microstrip transmission line. The radiation at the edges causes the antenna to act slightly larger electrically than its physical dimensions, so in order for the antenna to be resonant, a length of microstrip transmission line slightly shorter than one-half a wavelength at the frequency is used. A patch antenna is usually constructed on a dielectric substrate, using the same materials and lithography processes used to make printed circuit boards.
An antenna's power gain or simply gain is a key performance figure which combines the antenna's directivity and electrical efficiency. As a transmitting antenna, the figure describes how well the antenna converts input power into radio waves headed in a specified direction. As a receiving antenna, the figure describes how well the antenna converts radio waves arriving from a specified direction into electrical power. When no direction is specified, "gain" is understood to refer to the peak value of the gain. A plot of the gain as a function of direction is called the radiation pattern.
Antenna gain is usually defined as the ratio of the power produced by the antenna from a far-field source on the antenna's beam axis to the power produced by a hypothetical lossless isotropic antenna, which is equally sensitive to signals from all directions. Usually this ratio is expressed in decibels, and these units are referred to as "decibels-isotropic" (dBi). An alternate definition compares the antenna to the power received by a lossless half-wave dipole antenna, in which case the units are written as dBd. Since a lossless dipole antenna has a gain of 2.15 dBi, the relation between these units is: gain in dBd=gain in dBi−2.15 dB. For a given frequency the antenna's effective area is proportional to the power gain. An antenna's effective length is proportional to the square root of the antenna's gain for a particular frequency and radiation resistance. Due to reciprocity, the gain of any antenna when receiving is equal to its gain when transmitting.
Directive gain or directivity is a different measure which does not take an antenna's electrical efficiency into account. This term is sometimes more relevant in the case of a receiving antenna where one is concerned mainly with the ability of an antenna to receive signals from one direction while rejecting interfering signals coming from a different direction.
A directional antenna or beam antenna is an antenna which radiates greater power in one or more directions allowing for increased performance on transmit and receive and reduced interference from unwanted sources. Directional antennas like Yagi-Uda antennas provide increased performance over dipole antennas when a greater concentration of radiation in a certain direction is desired.
All practical antennas are at least somewhat directional, although usually only the direction in the plane parallel to the earth is considered, and practical antennas can easily be omni-directional in one plane.
The most common types are the Yagi-Uda antenna, the log-periodic antenna, and the corner reflector, which are frequently combined and commercially sold as residential TV antennas. Cellular repeaters often make use of external directional antennas to give a far greater signal than can be obtained on a standard cell phone. Satellite Television receivers usually use parabolic antennas. For long and medium wavelength frequencies, tower arrays are used in most cases as directional antennas.
The general rule in Antenna Theory is that an electrically small antenna is needed to produce low directivity. Thus, half-wave dipole antennas or half-wavelength slot antennas typically have directivities less than 3 dB, which is about as low of a directivity as one can obtain in practice. Conversely, high directivity antennas require many wavelengths in size. That is, antennas such as dish (or satellite) antennas and horn antennas have high directivity, in part because they are many wavelengths long. Thus, small antennas have broad radiation patterns (low directivity), and antennas with large uniform voltage or current distributions have very directional patterns (and thus, a high directivity).
In radio communication, an omni-directional antenna is an antenna which radiates radio wave power uniformly in all directions in one plane, with the radiated power decreasing with elevation angle above or below the plane, dropping to zero on the antenna's axis. This radiation pattern is often described as "doughnut shaped". Note that this is different from an isotropic antenna, which radiates equal power in all directions and has a "spherical" radiation pattern. Omni-directional antennas oriented vertically are widely used for non-directional antennas on the surface of the Earth because they radiate equally in all horizontal directions, while the power radiated drops off with elevation angle so little radio energy is aimed into the sky or down toward the earth and wasted. Omni-directional antennas are widely used for radio broadcasting antennas, and in mobile devices that use radio such as cell phones, FM radios, walkie-talkies, wireless computer networks, cordless phones, GPS as well as for base stations that communicate with mobile radios, such as police and taxi dispatchers and aircraft communications.
In telecommunication, a ground plane is a flat or nearly flat horizontal conducting surface that serves as part of an antenna, to reflect the radio waves from the other antenna elements. The plane does not necessarily have to be connected to ground. Ground planes are particularly used with monopole antennas.
To function as a ground plane, the conducting surface must be at least a quarter of the wavelength (λ/4) of the radio waves in size. In lower frequency antennas, such as the mast radiators used for broadcast antennas, the Earth itself (or a body of water such as a salt marsh or ocean) is used as a ground plane. For higher frequency antennas, in the VHF or UHF range, the ground plane can be smaller, and metal disks, screens or wires are used as ground planes. At upper VHF and UHF frequencies, the metal skin of a car or aircraft can serve as a ground plane for whip antennas projecting from it. The ground plane doesn't have to be a continuous surface. In the ground plane antenna the "plane" consists of several wires λ/4 long radiating from the base of a quarter wave whip antenna.
The radio waves from an antenna element that reflect off a ground plane appear to come from a mirror image of the antenna located on the other side of the ground plane. In a monopole antenna, the radiation pattern of the monopole plus the virtual "image antenna" make it appear as a two element center-fed dipole antenna. So a monopole mounted over an ideal ground plane has a radiation pattern identical to a dipole antenna. The feedline from the transmitter or receiver is connected between the bottom end of the monopole element and the ground plane. The ground plane must have good conductivity; any resistance in the ground plane is in series with the antenna, and serves to dissipate power from the transmitter.
Bandwidth is another fundamental antenna parameter. Bandwidth describes the range of frequencies over which the antenna can properly radiate or receive energy. Often, the desired bandwidth is one of the determining parameters used to decide upon an antenna. For instance, many antenna types have very narrow bandwidths and cannot be used for wideband operation.
Bandwidth is typically quoted in terms of VSWR. For instance, an antenna may be described as operating at 100-400 MHz with a VSWR<1.5. This statement implies that the reflection coefficient is less than 0.2 across the quoted frequency range. Hence, of the power delivered to the antenna, only 4% of the power is reflected back to the transmitter. Alternatively, the return loss-20*log 10(0.2)=−13.98 dB.
As an electro-magnetic wave travels through the different parts of the antenna system (radio, feed line, antenna, free space) it may encounter differences in impedance (E/H, V/I, etc.). At each interface, depending on the impedance match, some fraction of the wave's energy will reflect back to the source, forming a standing wave in the feed line. The ratio of maximum power to minimum power in the wave can be measured and is called the standing wave ratio (SWR). A SWR of 1:1 is ideal. A SWR of 1.5:1 is considered to be marginally acceptable in low power applications where power loss is more critical, although an SWR as high as 6:1 may still be usable with the right equipment. Minimizing impedance differences at each interface (impedance matching) will reduce SWR and maximize power transfer through each part of the antenna system.
Complex impedance of an antenna is related to the electrical length of the antenna at the wavelength in use. The impedance of an antenna can be matched to the feed line and radio by adjusting the impedance of the feed line, using the feed line as an impedance transformer. More commonly, the impedance is adjusted at the load (see below) with an antenna, a matching transformer, matching networks composed of inductors and capacitors, or matching sections such as the gamma match.

Reduced ground plane shorted-patch hemispherical omni antenna


In accordance with certain embodiments, a computer system having an electronic component, a heat sink having a contact surface disposed against the electronic component, and at least one blower embedded within fins of the heat sink.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art, which may be related to various aspects of the present technique that are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Fans and heat sinks are often mounted in electronic devices to cool the various internal components. For example, computers often have a heat sink and fan mounted to the processor. Unfortunately, these heat sinks only accommodate a single fan above the processor. In addition, fans are often mounted within the computer housing, such as along the walls or within ductwork. The wall mounted fans circulate air through the computer housing, yet airflows are not directed onto specific components. Thus, wall mounted fans are not particularly efficient at cooling specific components. The duct mounted fans are more efficient at cooling specific components, because the ducts direct the airflows onto the components. However, space limitations often preclude the use of ducts.
In computers, such as rack mount servers, fans are typically axial fans having a relatively small diameter, which limits their airflow potential. To compensate for this small diameter, axial fans are operated at a high rotational speed, e.g., 15,000 RPM, to develop the desired airflow. Unfortunately, this high rotational speed creates significant noise. In certain applications, these axial fans may include counter rotating impellers to increase the airflow. As a result, the counter rotating impellers double the number of motors, the power requirement, and the noise output of the axial fan. In servers and other applications, redundancies are desirable to ensure continuous airflow in the event that one of the fans malfunctions or fails to operate. A typical server often has between ten and twenty axial fans and, thus, a rack system can have over one hundred axial fans. Thus, the noise and power requirements of these fans can be quite significant.

System and method for cooling electronic devices

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A closure for the bottle having a cap-like closure part with an inward projection at its edge for clasping an outward projection on the neck of the bottle or the like. In the area of the face edge of the bottle neck the interior of the closure has a sealing surface for seating on the end face of a bottle neck. The sealing surface (5) has a sealing surface part (8) which is formed on the radial inner side of a projection directed away from the base of the closure part axially and clasping around the bottle neck and which is sloped radially toward the interior and axially counter to the screwing direction. The sloping sealing surface part (8) ensures the centering of the seal, improves the sealing effect, and contributes to the opening of the overpressure valve thereby formed, the opening pressure of which can be influenced through the selection of the degree of slope of the sealing surface part (8).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a closure, for a bottle or the like.
2. Description of Related Art
A closure for a bottle or the like is known from DE 42 34 010 A1 which has a cap-like closure part having a backward-facing projection on its edge for clasping an outward-directed projection on the neck of a bottle or the like and which has a sealing surface on its interior in the area of the edge of the face of the neck of the bottle. This sealing surface is situated on a seal, arranged at the base area of the closure part, which has a recess on the side directed toward the base of the cap-like closure part. This recess extends from a radial area on the inside of the contact surface of the seal radially outward toward the edge of the face of the neck of a bottle. The sealing surface for seating on the face edge of a bottle neck is located on the side of the seal away from the base of the cap-like closure, whereby the seal has a projection, away from the base of the closure part, along its outer edge. This projection clasps around the outside of the bottle neck in the axial direction.
The recess in the seal on the side toward the base of the closure part makes it possible for the seal to lift from the face surface of a bottle neck in the event of overpressure so that there is a release of pressure and the bursting of the bottle is avoided. Outside of the recess, such lifting cannot take place, and since the material of the seal is compressible with respect to volume, these areas of the seal form a seat for the closure, which is important in particular in the case of a screw closure. By this means, defined compression forces are produced in the area of the seal where the recess is located. Thus the pressure at which the seal lifts from the bottle neck in the area of the recess is precisely defined independent of the magnitude of the force with which it is screwed on. Movements of the base area of the cap-like closure through arching upward as a result increases in pressure are not used in this closure.
In order to improve the seating effect of the seal in the case of this known closure, this seal has a ring-shaped area in which no compression of the seal can take place. This ring-shaped area is naturally in the area of the face edge of a bottle neck. Since this area is radially very small, it is difficult in practice to assure that the ring-shaped area seats on the bottle neck. As a result of this ring-shaped seating area, the area in which the seal can fit and can lift in the event of overpressure is very small. In practice, this results in sealing problems.
The task of the invention is to create a closure of the type indicated in the introductory clause of the claim in which the disadvantages of the known closure are avoided, i.e., in which in particular the seal effect is improved with relatively large tolerances of width of the face edge of a bottle neck and of the radial position of the same.
The task of this invention is solved through the principle indicated in the characteristic of the claim.


A rotary stage (10) for use in optical projection tomography includes a stepper motor (42) with a rotatable vertical shaft (44) the lower end of which carries a specimen (28) to be imaged so that the specimen is rotated about a substantially vertical axis. The stepper motor (42) is mounted on a table (34) the position of which is accurately adjustable in tilt and in vertical position to ensure that the rotational axis of the specimen is perpendicular to the optical axis (29). The specimen (28) rotates within a stationary chamber (26) and the rotary stage is used with a microscope which provides a three-dimensional image of the specimen.

Optical imaging apparatus for producing three-dimensional images of samples by optical projection tomography is known, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,484. The optical apparatus disclosed in this prior art patent takes a series of digital images of a sample from different angles. These images are fed into an algorithm which use a mathematical transform to reconstruct a three dimensional image. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,484 the specimen is held within a transparent tube which is supported at two points so as to be substantially horizontal, and the tube is rotated using a stepper motor and driving belt to allow different parts of the specimen to be imaged. Light refraction from the tube affects signal quality and use of the tube places a severe constraint on the maximum size of specimen which can be imaged. The apparatus disclosed in this prior art patent has several limitations which affect the potential uses of this imaging technique, in particular it is difficult to introduce the sample into the hollow cylindrical tube, and difficult to adjust the position of the sample.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method which overcome at least some of the aforementioned problems.


A clamping device contains a clamp jaw fixed in vertical direction, a clamp jaw moveable in vertical direction and a force transducer for applying a force to the moveable clamp jaw. The moveable clamp jaw is curved. The force transducer preferably comprises a coil and an iron core. In the non-clamping condition of the clamping device, the moveable clamp jaw is loaded with the weight of the iron core. For clamping, a current is applied to the coil that produces a magnetic field that presses the iron core against the moveable clamp jaw.

Such a transport mechanism is used for example on a Wire Bonder to transport substrates. A Wire Bonder is a machine with which semiconductor chips are wired by means of pressure, ultrasound and heat after they have been mounted onto a substrate. The transport mechanism comprises two guide rails, at least one clamping device moveable back and forth along the guide rails and at least one holding device. The moveable clamping device serves to transport the substrate in transport direction along the guide rails to the bonding station and away from the bonding station. The holding device serves to hold the substrate between the transport phases. The holding device is for example a rigidly arranged clamping device or a roller resting on the substrate that presses the substrate against the guide rail. The roller contains a special bearing that only allows the roller to turn in one rotational direction and blocks the roller in the opposite rotational direction. The solution with the roller is comparatively expensive and has the disadvantage that movement of the substrate in transport direction is always possible as the roller only makes movement impossible opposite to the transport direction. The rigidly arranged clamping device has the disadvantage that the clamp jaw has to be moved in order to clamp the substrate. The moved clamp jaw is a moved mass that, on impacting on the substrate, transmits a certain energy to the substrate and jolts the substrate. Especially with thin substrates—there are substrates that are only 50 micrometers thick—the vibrations can cause the bond wires of already wired semiconductor chips to deform and, under certain circumstances, neighbouring bond wires to come into contact with each other and produce an electrical short-circuit.
Transport mechanisms with fixed and/or moveable clamping devices are known from EP 330'831, CH 679'878 and CH 689'188.

Clamping device and transport mechanism for transporting substrates


The sun visor comprises a plate (1) for fastening to the bodywork of the vehicle and an arm (2) mounted in a hinged manner on the base (1), which in turn constitutes the means of assembly for the eyeshade of the sun visor. The arm (2) has a pair of conductive metallic elements (9) and (9′), located approximately parallel to each other and coated by means of an over-injected material, leaving the end (10) of such metallic elements (9–9′) uncovered to be able to establish contact with strips (7) foreseen in the hole (5) wherein the arm (2) is mounted in a hinged manner, whilst the other end of such elements (9–9′) in one case appears on the exterior in a terminal length (11) and in another of shorter length and defines a terminal end (12) which is uncovered on the arm (2), to be able to establish connection with a contact established on the actual eyeshade of the sun visor, for the enabling or disabling of the electrical device which can interact with said sun visor.

At the present time different systems are known of defining a hinged sun visor assembly with electrical device, systems which comprise different elements to fulfil all the functions which are required of the corresponding pieces.
As is known, in a sun visor two fundamental parts or bodies intervene, one corresponding to the base for fastening to the bodywork of the vehicle and the other corresponding to a mobile subassembly formed by a supporting arm which is mounted in a hinged manner on the aforesaid base, and an eyeshade which in turn is also mounted in a hinged manner on said supporting arm.
In the sun visors with electrical device, the mobile arm has a metallic, usually hollow core, to provide rigidity and a plastic coating for aesthetic purposes and for reducing friction, so that the electrical connection between the vehicle and the sun visor is implemented by means of cables and conductors which are hidden inside the actual mobile arm. In some advanced models the conductors are over-injected constituting part of the actual mobile arm.
On the other hand, the electrical connection is implemented by means of electrical connectors, it being necessary to define a male-female unit for the connection between vehicle and sun visor. The mechanical union of the sun visor with the vehicle is implemented through the base of the hinged system.
The different switching devices are implemented by means of mechanisms based on conductive boards with various designs, but in all cases having a common denominator which consists in that it only has a switch function.
The functions of rigidity, electrical connection, switch and hinge, in the known models of sun visors, are provided by different pieces and of different nature, requiring multiple assembly operations during the production of the sun visor, with what this implies in time, cost, risk of poor quality and lack of reliability in use, as well as that the automation of the fabrication process of the end product is made more difficult, increasing the cost of the sun visor.
In a word, the current sun visors with electrical device have a series of restrictions and drawbacks which can be summarized as follows:                Lack of reliability and substantial complexity of the electrical connection between the bodywork or the panel of the vehicle roof and the actual sun visor.        The current means implement the functions of conductor and switch in a complex way with a high number of pieces and of assembly operations for their construction.        Switch functions not integrated in the mobile arm.

Sun visor with conducting arm for vehicles


A method and placement device are provided for moving at least two elements in and opposite to a predetermined direction. The second element is simultaneously moved by means of the first element. The first element is moved in the predetermined direction, whereas the second element is moved relative to the first element in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction and vice versa.

The invention relates to a method for moving at least two elements of a placement machine in, and opposite to, a predetermined direction, in which the second element is moved by means of the first element. The invention also relates to a placement machine suitable for executing such a method.
A conventional placement machine (and its associated method) is disclosed in international patent application WO 97/38567, in which an arm forming a first element is movable in, and opposite to, a Y direction. To the arm is attached a guide forming a second element, which guide is moved along with the arm when the latter is moved in Y-direction. In this machine, the guide is also movable in another direction that extends transverse to the predetermined direction and that is denoted an X direction.
The guide comprises a component placement element by means of which a component can be picked-up from a pick-up plate and subsequently can be placed on a desired position onto the substrate. For this purpose, the arm, the guide, and the component placement element are moved in common in, or opposite to, the Y-direction and the X-direction. Near to the pick-up position and the desired position on the substrate the component pick-up element is temporarily stopped to enable it to pick-up and place the component, respectively. To enable a relatively fast pick-up and placement of components, the relatively heavy arm and the component placement element are moved as fast as possible between the pick-up position and the desired position on the substrate.
The rapid movement of the arm and the component placement element leads to relatively large acceleration and deceleration forces. As the accuracy with which a relatively light component is picked-up or moved should be relatively high, stringent requirements must be placed on the driving and guiding of the arm. This heightened accuracy requirement presents a problem that is not only found in component placement machines, but in any placement machine with which a relatively small mass is to be moved quickly and by means of a relatively large mass.

Method of moving at least two elements of a placement machine


A semiconductor device simulation method includes the step of storing, in a storage unit, a surface potential and threshold voltage obtained by computation, the step of computing thermal drain noise on the basis of the data of the surface potential and thermal drain noise stored in the storage unit, and the step of determining whether or not to reduce thermal drain noise, and reflecting the computation result in simulation of the model when it is determined that thermal drain noise is to be reduced. A drain current Ids of a MOSFET is calculated and substituted into a relational expression for a drain current noise spectrum density obtained from a Nyquist theorem equation, thereby calculating a thermal drain noise coefficient γ of the MOSFET by substituting the current Ids into a relational expression for a thermal drain noise spectrum density which is obtained from the Nyquist logical equation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a simulation model for the design of a semiconductor device which is used to estimate thermal drain noise from the DC characteristics of a MOSFET, a thermal drain noise analysis method using the model, and a simulation method and apparatus which simulate the electrical characteristics or circuit operation of a semiconductor device on a computer by means of the model.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the recent advances in high integration techniques for semiconductor devices such as ICs and LSIs, the generation of noise has become a serious problem as MOSFETs have been reduced in size. FIG. 1 shows the relationship between a frequency f and a drain current noise spectrum density Sid in MOSFETs manufactured by a 100-nm microfabrication technique. As shown in FIG. 1, 1/f noise (noise exhibiting a spectrum distribution almost inversely proportional to a frequency; also called flicker noise) is observed in a low-frequency region, whereas thermal noise (electrical noise caused by thermal agitation of electrons) is observed in a GHz band of high frequencies. 1/f noise and thermal noise are caused by physically different mechanisms. Of such noise, 1/f noise is relatively large and hence can be measured by a conventional DC test technique. Thermal noise is, however, small and hence is difficult to directly measure. For this reason, as the application of MOSFETs to radio-frequency (RF) circuits such as cellphones and wireless LANs has progressed, greater importance has been attached to countermeasures against thermal noise (see, for example, D. K. Shaeffer and T. H. Lee, "A 1.5 V 1.5 GHz CMOS low noise amplifier", IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, vol. 32, pp. 745–759, 1997).
FIG. 2 shows an increase in thermal noise with a decrease in the size of MOSFETs, and more specifically, the drain current noise spectrum density Sid [A2/Hz] as a function of the frequency f [GHz] in the case of gate length Lg=0.18 μm, 0.27 μm, 0.42 μm, 0.94 μm, and 0.97 μm. As the gate length Lg decreases, thermal noise increases. It is expected that when the gate length becomes smaller than 0.18 μm, thermal noise will increase more.
Noise generated in a circuit is one parameter that causes a deterioration in circuit characteristics. In designing a circuit, therefore, it is necessary to accurately predict noise by circuit simulation.
Conventionally, such noise is calculated as γ=⅔ by using the relational expression Sid=4 kTgds0γ for the drain current noise spectrum density Sid which is obtained from the Nyquist theorem equation (see H. Nyquist, Phys. Rev., 32, 110, 1928, "Thermal Agitation of Electric Charge in Conductors").
That is, thermal noise is caused by heat, and the noise spectrum density per unit frequency is constant without exhibiting frequency dependence. This thermal noise has been theoretically explained by Nyquist, and its general expression is:SV=4kTR[V2/Hz]SI=4kTG[A2/Hz]  (1)where SV is the voltage noise spectrum density, SI is the current noise spectrum density, k is the Boltzmann constant, T is the absolute temperature, R is the resistance, and G is the conductance.
Consider the case of a MOSFET. First of all, according to expressions (1), letting Sid be the drain current noise spectrum density, a general expression can be written as follows:Sid=4kTgds  (2)In the case of a MOSFET, however, since a channel conductance gds depends on a bias voltage, gds is fixed to the value obtained when Vds=0, the drain current noise spectrum density is written asSid=4kTgds0γ  (3)and γ (thermal drain noise coefficient) is used to evaluate the characteristics of thermal noise.
Since gds is equal to gds0 when drain-source voltage Vds=0, γ is given as γ=1 by comparing equations (2) and (3). As Vds increases, gds decreases, and hence γ decreases. In the case of a long channel, it has been found experimentally and theoretically that 2/3< γ<1 in a linear region, and γ converges to γ=⅔ in a saturation region.
In the case of a short channel, it was found from actual measurements in R. P. Jindal, IEEE Trans. Elec. Dev. 1986, "Hot-Electron Effects on Channel Thermal Noise in Fine-Line NMOS Field-Effect Transistors" that γ increases to 1 or more. Although the cause for an increase in γ has not been theoretically explained, it is thought, according to G. Knoblinger, P. Klein, M. Tiebout, IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, 2001, "A New Model for Thermal Channel Noise of Deep Submicron MOSFET's and its Application in RF-CMOS Design", that the hot carrier effect is the cause.
As described above, since the value of thermal drain noise coefficient γ actually takes a value ranging from ⅔ to 1, circuit simulation cannot be accurately performed by calculation with γ=⅔.
According to one technique for solving this problem, thermal noise is measured under different bias conditions as in the case of a DC model, and γ is handled as a parameter. As described above, however, thermal noise is small and difficult to measure, and it takes much time to measure it. In addition, since an apparatus for such measurement is not generally used as compared with that for DC measurement, it is difficult to obtain a parameter on the basis of the measurement result on thermal noise.
Under the circumstances, demand has arisen for the development of a MOSFET model which allows high-precision estimation of thermal noise without direct measurement, a thermal noise analysis method, and a simulation method and apparatus which can accurately simulate the electrical characteristics or circuit operation of a semiconductor device on a computer by using a MOSFET model.
As described above, according to the conventional simulation model for the design of a semiconductor device, since calculation is performed with a fixed thermal drain noise coefficient, circuit simulation cannot be done with high precision. In order to solve this problem, thermal noise may be measured under different bias conditions, and a thermal drain noise coefficient may be handled as a parameter. It is, however, difficult to measure thermal noise, and it takes much time to measure it. It is therefore difficult to obtain a parameter on the basis of the measurement result.
Even if thermal drain noise is measured, it cannot be evaluated or analyzed.
In addition, the conventional semiconductor device simulation method and apparatus using this model cannot accurately simulate the electrical characteristics or circuit operation of a semiconductor device formed from microfabricated MOSFETs.

Simulation model for design of semiconductor device, thermal drain noise analysis method, simulation method, and simulation apparatus

Semiconductor Technology Academic Research Center


An image forming apparatus that shifts between a first power state and a second power state where power consumption is less than in the first power state. The image forming apparatus includes a detecting unit that includes a plurality of elements arranged on a line or in a grid to detect heat emitted from an object and a determination unit that determines whether to shift the image forming apparatus from the second power state to the first power state based on a detection result of the detecting unit and that controls the shift.

Field
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to power control of an image forming apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
In recent years, amid growing environmental awareness, attempts have been made to save power of image forming apparatuses such as copying machines. For example, when an apparatus is not used for a predetermined time, or when a user instructs a shift to a low power consumption state (i.e., sleep mode), the apparatus is shifted to the sleep mode to save the power. This sleep mode is provided to achieve power saving by stopping power supply to, for example, a printer unit and a scanner unit.
However, when using the apparatus shifted to the sleep mode, the user needs to press a button to return the apparatus from the sleep mode or needs to wait some time to use the apparatus after pressing the button, which is less convenient for the user. To address this situation, image forming apparatuses with sensors have appeared. This type of image forming apparatus includes a human body detection sensor such as an infrared sensor and a capacitance sensor, and returns from a sleep mode by detecting proximity of a user to the apparatus.
However, depending on the type or usage of the human body detection sensor, the human body detection sensor causes a return by erroneously detecting the user in some cases. For example, in a case where the apparatus is installed at a passage, a return from sleep occurs when the sensor detects a person merely passing by the apparatus, as a user. To prevent this situation, it is conceivable to reduce a detection range of the human body detection sensor, so that the apparatus returns from sleep only when a user stands extremely close to the apparatus. However, in this solution, the user may stand at a position falling outside the detection range or a return from sleep may take a longer time due to a delay in user detection, which is less convenient.
In this connection, one technique has been discussed as follows. This technique detects a human body with a human body detection sensor driven by time division. The presence of the human body is determined when a human body detection signal is continuously output from the human body detection sensor only during a predetermined time interval. When this determination is made, a return from a sleep mode occurs (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-71833). According to the technique in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-71833, a human body is determined to be a user, when being in proximity to the human body detection sensor for more than a given time period. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an unintended return from a sleep mode, without reducing a detection range of the human body detection sensor.
However, in the above-described conventional technique, when a user approaches and then stops in front of an image forming apparatus to take a sheet output from this apparatus, the user is assumed to be a human body present in proximity to the sensor for a predetermined time. Therefore, a return from the sleep mode occurs. On the other hand, when a user who desires to immediately use the image forming apparatus approaches, the user needs to wait for the predetermined time, which is less convenient.

Image forming apparatus with detection unit, control method of image forming apparatus shifting between power states, and storage medium


A storage system comprises a first storage device having a first plurality of hard disk drives and a first controller. The first controller stores data in the first plurality of hard disk drives by stripes. Each stripe includes M data and N parity data allocated to M+N hard disk drives of the first plurality of hard disk drives. A first hard disk drive includes data or parity data of both a first stripe of the stripes and a second stripe of the stripes, while a second hard disk drive includes data or parity data of only one of the first stripe or the second stripe. During data recovery involving failure of one of the first plurality of hard disk drives, the data in the failed hard disk drive is recovered for each stripe by calculation using data and parity data in other hard disk drives for each stripe.

The present invention relates generally to data recovery in storage systems and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for fast data recovery from storage device failure such as HDD (hard disk drive) failure. The invention demonstrates the agility of storage data recovery and ease of use of disk maintenance against disk failure.
Currently, RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) architecture is generally used to protect data from disk failure. For example, RAID5 and RAID 6 each make it possible to recover from one disk failure of the RAID Group. RAID5 and RAID6 are each more efficient for capacity than RAID1 or RAID10. When a disk failure occurs, the storage system recovers data to a reserved "spare disk." It needs to access the entire area of healthy disks to recover data. The time to data recovery depends on disk capacity and disk throughput performance. Generally, the technology growth ratio of capacity is larger than that of throughput. As a result, the RAID approach is slow to rebuild from disk failure and will be slower each year. Long time data rebuild has the possibility of causing long time performance decrement by corrosion between rebuilt disk I/O and normal disk I/O. Long time data rebuild also has the possibility of encountering the next disk failure during data recovery.
Under another approach based on RAIN (Redundant Array of Independent Nodes), the storage system includes a plurality of nodes (disks, storage subsystems, and so on). The storage system stores data to suitably-chosen two or more nodes. When node failure occurs, the storage system copies the data to another node(s) from redundant data. It can be conducive to better rebuild performance by a pillared process. Because the RAID approach needs to reserve one or more spare disk, the rebuild time under the RAIN approach will be faster than that under the RAID approach. The RAIN approach does not need reserved spare disk because it automatically stores redundant data to free space (self-recovery). On the other hand, the capacity efficiency under the RAIN approach is lower than that under the RAID approach.


A collapsible truck cab suitable for military use, especially by airborne combat units, comprises a box-like structure including side walls, side doors, a front wall, and a rear wall, each of which is divided into upper parts and lower parts, and a removable roof of high flexural and torsional stiffness. The upper parts of the wall panels are connected to the lower parts by hinges so that the cab can assume a collapsed position by removing the roof and swinging the upper parts down. A plurality of attachment elements, such as quick action latches, are distributed throughout the cab and are used to snap the wall panels and the roof together. Centering cones and centering troughs are also distributed on contact faces of the roof and the wall panels so that precise alignment of the parts is not required.

The present invention relates to a collapsible driver's cab for a truck. More particularly, the present invention relates to a collapsible driver's cab for a military truck which, because of its collapsibility, can be converted into a compact unit and transported into a combat zone where it can be reassembled quickly and put to immediate use.
A conventional driver's cab for a truck comprises a front wall with a windshield, two side walls, two doors adjacent each of the side walls, a rear wall, a roof, and an understructure which is linked to the chassis of a truck by elastic connecting elements. Such a truck cab is a stiff, box-like structure.
For military purposes, it is desirable that the truck cabs be collapsible into compact units. In particular, it is desirable if the height of the truck cabs can be significantly reduced so that they can be transported to a remote location, for example, to a combat zone, either by air or by ship.
This is especially true in the case of truck cabs to be used by military airborne units wherein the height of the aircraft loading space and of the loading door is limited. Furthermore, unloading of such truck cabs is often from an aircraft hovering slightly off the ground at or near a combat zone. As a result, it is also necessary that the truck cab be suitably insensitive to the shock of unloading from a low height. For military airborne units, it is of course essential that the truck cabs be quickly assembled into vehicles ready for combat use after they are unloaded from the aircraft.
Until now, truck cabs having a soft collapsible canvas roof and a tiltable windshield have been used by military airborne units. However, such cabs have certain disadvantages. For example, because of the soft canvas roof, it is not possible to mount an anti-aircraft gun on the roof of the cabs. Additionally, the roof of the cabs does not provide protection against atmospheric conditions, such as poison gas or radiation.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved collapsible driver's cab for a truck, especially a military truck which is suitable for use by airborne combat units. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a collapsible driver's cab which meets the following set of criteria: the cab should be constructed with collapsible upper wall panels which can be lowered when the cab is to be loaded for transport; the cab, including the roof, should have a high load carrying capacity so that an anti-aircraft gun can be mounted on the roof; the cab should be capable of rapid assembly so that it can be put into service immediately after unloading; the cab should provide adequate protection against heat, cold and hazardous atmospheric conditions; and the cab should have sufficient structural strength so that it can be used in off the road service.