A push-pull dynamic amplifier is operable in reset and amplification phases. The amplifier includes first NMOS and PMOS input transistors that are electrically coupled to a first input terminal and a first output terminal. Second NMOS and PMOS input transistors are electrically coupled to a second input terminal and a second output terminal. First and second reset switches are electrically coupled to the first and second output terminals, respectively. A power supply switch is electrically coupled to the first and the second PMOS transistors, and a ground switch is electrically coupled to the first and the second NMOS transistors. During the reset phase, the reset switches are closed and the power supply switch and the ground switch are opened. During the amplification phase, the reset switches are opened and the power supply switch and the ground switch are closed.

Dynamic amplifiers are power efficient because they do not consume static power. For this reason, they are widely employed in energy-constrained systems, particularly as a preamplifier for voltage comparators, and as inter-stage amplifiers for pipeline, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), and pipelined successive approximation (SAR) ADCs.
FIG. 1 shows a prior art dynamic amplifier circuit 10. NMOS transistors M1 and M2 are input transistors, M3 is a ground switch, and PMOS transistors M4 and M5 are power supply switches. When the clock signal ϕ is low, the amplifier is reset. M4 and M5 are ON, pulling the output terminals OUT1 and OUT2 to the power supply voltage VDD. M3 is turned off, which turns off the input transistors M1 and M2. No current flows during this time, except for a small amount of leakage current. When the clock signal ϕ goes high at t=0, M3 turns on, connecting the sources of M1 and M2 to ground. Assuming the input voltages VI1 and VI2 are greater than the threshold voltage VT of the NMOS transistors, M1 and M2 immediately begin to conduct current.
We define a common-mode input voltage VIC and the differential input voltage VID as follows:
                              V          IC                =                                            V                              I                                                                                1                                      +                          V                              I                                                                                2                                              2                                    (        1        )                                          V          ID                =                              V                          I                                                                                1                                -                      V                          I                                                                                2                                                          (        2        )
The common-mode input voltage VIC is thus the average of the two input voltages. The differential input voltage VIC is the difference between the two input voltages.
The input voltages VI1 and VI2 can be expressed in terms of VIC and VID:
                              V                      I                                                                          1                          =                              V            IC                    +                                    V              ID                        2                                              (        3        )                                          V                      I                                                                          2                          =                              V            IC                    -                                    V              ID                        2                                              (        4        )
Assuming both M1 and M2 are in strong inversion, their drain currents are given by:
                              I                      D                        1                          =                                                            k                ′                            2                                                                  (                                                      V                                          I                                                                                1                                                        -                                      V                    T                                                  )                            2                                =                                                    k                ′                            2                                                                  (                                                      V                    IC                                    +                                                            V                      ID                                        2                                    -                                      V                    T                                                  )                            2                                                          (        5        )                                          I          D2                =                                                            k                ′                            2                                                                  (                                                      V                                          I                                                                                2                                                        -                                      V                    T                                                  )                            2                                =                                                    k                ′                            2                                                                  (                                                      V                    IC                                    -                                                            V                      ID                                        2                                    -                                      V                    T                                                  )                            2                                                          (        6        )
where
            k      ′        =                  1        2                          μ        n                                    C                      o                        x                                            (                      W            L                    )                      ,μn is the mobility of electrons, COX is the oxide capacitance per unit area, W is the gate width, and L is the gate length of the transistor.
At the beginning of the amplification phase, both output voltages VO1 and VO2 are held at VDD by the capacitance C1 and C2 at output terminals OUT1 and OUT2. In most cases, C1 and C2 are parasitic capacitances, and their values are matched, i.e.:C1=C2=C  (7)
As M1 and M2 begin to conduct, their drain currents discharge the capacitances C, and the output voltages drop linearly as a function of time. The output voltages are then
                              V          O1                =                              V            DD                    -                                                    I                                  D                                                                                1                                                          t                        2                                              (        8        )                                          V                      O                                                                          2                          =                              V            DD                    -                                                    I                                  D                                                                                2                                                          t                        2                                              (        9        )
We define a common-mode output voltage VOC, which is the average of the two output voltages, and a differential output voltage VOD, which is the difference between the two output voltages:
                                                                        V                OC                            =                                                                                V                                          O                                                                                1                                                        +                                      V                                          O                                                                                2                                                                      2                                                                                =                                                                            V                  DD                                -                                                      t                                          2                                                                                C                                                                                (                                                                  I                                                  D                                                                                1                                                                    +                                              I                                                  D                                                                                2                                                                                )                                                                                =                                                                            V                  DD                                -                                                      t                    C                                    ·                                                                                k                        ′                                                                                (                                                                              V                            IC                                                    -                                                      V                            T                                                                          )                                                              2                                                                                (        10        )                                                                                V                OD                            =                                                                            V                                      O                                                                                1                                                  -                                  V                                      O                                                                                2                                                                                =                                                                            -                                      t                    C                                                                                (                                                            I                                              D                                                                                1                                                              -                                          I                                              D                                                                                2                                                                              )                                                                                =                                                                            -                                      t                    C                                                  ·                                                      k                    ′                                                                          (                                                                  V                        IC                                            -                                              V                        T                                                              )                                                  ·                                  V                  ID                                                                                (        11        )
We also define the common-mode voltage drop VDR from VDD:
                              V                      D                        R                          =                                            V                              D                                D                                      -                          v              OC                                =                                    t              C                        ·                                                            k                  ′                                                                  (                                                            V                      IC                                        -                                          V                      T                                                        )                                            2                                                          (        12        )
The differential voltage gain avd is then:
                              a          vd                =                                            V              OD                                      V              ID                                =                                                    -                                                      k                                                                  ′                                                                          (                                                                                V                              Ic                                                        -                                                          V                              T                                                                                )                                                                    2                                                        C                                                          t                        =                          -                                                V                                      D                                        R                                                                                V                    IC                                    -                                      V                    T                                                                                (        13        )
An incremental analysis yields more insight into the gain of the dynamic amplifier.
If the differential input voltage VID is small, an incremental transconductance parameter gm can be used to relate the drain current with the gate-to-source voltage:
                                          I                          D                            1                                =                      I            +                                          g                                  m                                    1                                                                                V                  ID                                2                                                                                I                          D                            2                                =                      I            -                                          g                                  m                                    2                                                                                V                  ID                                2                                                                        (        14        )
We define a common-mode drain current IDC, which is the average of the two drain currents:
                              I                      D                        C                          =                                                            I                                  D                                    1                                            +                              I                                  D                                    2                                                      2                    =          I                                    (        15        )
where gm1 and gm2 are transconductances of M1 and M2, respectively. Since M1 and M2 are matched and have nearly equal drain currents,gm1=gm2=gm=k′(VIC−VT)  (16)
From Eqn. (14),
                                          V                          O                                                                                1                                =                                                    V                                  D                                    D                                            -                                                                    I                                          D                                            1                                                                          t                                C                                      =                                          V                                  D                                    D                                            -                              It                C                            -                                                                    g                    m                                                                          V                    ID                                                      t                                                  2                                    c                                                                                V                          O                                                                                2                                =                                                    V                                  D                                    D                                            -                                                                    I                                          D                                            2                                                                          t                                C                                      =                                          V                                  D                                    D                                            -                              It                C                            +                                                                    g                    m                                                                          V                    ID                                                      t                                                  2                                    c                                                                                (        17        )
The differential output voltage is then
                              V                      O                        D                          =                                            V                              O                                                                                1                                      -                          V                              O                                                                                2                                              =                      -                                                            g                  m                                                                  V                  ID                                                t                            C                                                          (        18        )
and the common-mode output voltage is
                              V          OC                =                                                            V                                  O                                    1                                            +                              V                                  O                                    2                                                      2                    =                                    V                              D                                D                                      -                                                            I                                      D                                        C                                                                  t                            C                                                          (        19        )
The corresponding differential gain is
                              a          vd                =                                            V              OD                                      V              ID                                =                                    -                                                                    g                    m                                                      t                                C                                      =                                                                                k                    ′                                                                          (                                                                  V                        IC                                            -                                              V                        T                                                              )                                                                  t                            C                                                          (        20        )
which is the same result as in Eqn. (13).
The common-mode output voltage starts at VDD at the beginning of the amplification phase, and ramps down according to Eqn. (19). When the common-mode output voltage reaches the saturation voltage VDS,SAT of M1 and M2, the transistors M1 and M2 enter the triode region reducing the differential gain significantly.
As indicated in Eqn. (20), the differential voltage gain increases linearly with time, provided both M1 and M2 remain in saturation region. Once the desired gain is achieved at time, for example, t=Ta, the switch M3 is turned off to "freeze" the output voltages. With M3 turned off, M1 and M2 stop conducting, and the voltages at the output terminals OUT1 and OUT2 stop changing.
One key advantage of the dynamic amplifier compared with conventional amplifiers is that there is no DC standby current; thus the power consumption is significantly lower than that of conventional amplifiers. The power is consumed only to charge the capacitors C1 and C2 from VDD−VDR at the end of the amplification phase back to VDD. The energy consumed per amplification cycle is shown to be:E=C·VDD·VDR  (21)
It can be shown from Eqns. (12) and (15) that the energy E per amplification cycle is equal to VDD times the total drain current ID1+ID2 for the duration Ta.E=VDD·(ID1+ID2)Ta  (22)
Eqn. (22) indicates that the energy per amplification cycle corresponds to the amplifier conducting current for the duration Ta of the amplification. Once one of the input transistors enters the triode region, the drain current decreases and the rate of the output voltage drop decreases as both output voltages decay toward ground. This causes the gain to decrease. Therefore, the maximum gain is achieved with maximum VDR before the input transistors reach the triode region, which is given by:VDR,MAX=VDD−VDS,SAT=VDD−(VIC−VT)  (23)
The maximum voltage gain is then
                              a                      vd            ,                          ma                                                                                x                                      =                                            V                              DR                ,                MAX                                                                    V                IC                            -                              V                T                                              =                                                    V                                  D                                    D                                                                              V                  IC                                -                                  V                  T                                                      -            1                                              (        24        )
FIG. 2 is a graphical representation 20 of the differential voltage gain as a function of time t for dynamic amplifier circuit 10. It increases linearly with time until the gain reaches a maximum at Topt, past which point gain begins to decrease sharply, because the input transistors M1 and M2 enter the triode region.
Typically, VIC−VT is a few hundred millivolts in strong inversion, and in nanoscale CMOS technology, VDD is only on the order of 1V. Thus, the maximum possible gain of the prior art dynamic amplifier is severely limited. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the window of time during which the amplifier provides the gain greater than the minimum desired gain of avd,min is between T1 and T2. This time period is short, especially in high-speed amplifiers. In order to "freeze" the output voltage in the region, the switch M3 must be turned off between T1 and T2. Thus, the timing between turning M3 on and then off is critical in obtaining the desired gain.
Noise in the amplifiers is the dominant factor in determining the signal-to-noise ratio of the system. The drain currents of M1 and M2 contain thermal noise, and the output voltages exhibit random-walk noise during the amplification phase.
The thermal noise spectral density of a MOS transistor biased in strong inversion saturation region is given by:
                              S                                (            f            )                          =                              8                        k                        T                                3                                      g              m                                                          (        25        )
where gm is the transconductance of the transistor, k is Boltzman's constant, and T is the absolute temperature.
Noise bandwidth can be derived from Parseval's theorem:
                              N                    B                    W                =                  1                      2                                      T              a                                                          (        26        )
The input-referred noise from the two input transistors M1 and M2 is then
                                          v            n            2                    _                =                              2                                                                                S                                                  (                  f                  )                                            ·              NBW                                =                                    8                                                                                k                                                                                T                                      3                                                                                T                a                                                          g                m                                                                        (        27        )
When the reset switches at the drain of M1 and M2 are turned off, thermal noise in these switches is sampled on C giving output-referred-mean-square noise on each side of the output:
                                          v            o            2                    _                =                              k                        T                    C                                    (        28        )
The noise in Eqn. (28) is often referred to as reset noise.
The differential-output-referred-mean-square noise is then twice that in Equation (28);
                                          v                          o                            r                        2                    _                =                              2                        k                        T                    C                                    (        29        )
Referring the output noise to the differential input, the noise in Equation (29) is divided by the square of the differential gain avd
                                          v            ir            2                    _                =                                            2                            k                            T                        C                    ·                      1                          a              vd              2                                                          (        30        )
where the differential gain avd is given by Eqn. (20). In typical circuits, the input referred thermal noise in Eqn. (27) dominates, and the input-referred-reset noise in Eqn. (30) can be ignored. It can be seen from Eqn. (27) that given the amplification time Ta, the device transconductance must be high for low-input-referred noise.
It would be desirable to overcome one or more deficiencies in the prior art. For example, it would be desirable to provide a dynamic amplifier that does not require the high timing precision (e.g., in turning on and off M3) to obtain a desired gain.


Techniques are disclosed for providing isolation between a pair of partially overlapping antennas. An example electronic device includes a first antenna coupled to a first transceiver through a first signal path comprising a first feed, and a second antenna coupled to a second transceiver through a second signal path comprising a second feed. The first antenna and second antenna partially overlap. The example electronic device also includes compensation circuitry coupled to the first signal path and the second signal path and configured to generate a compensation signal that provides analog cancellation of an interference signal received at the second antenna from the first antenna.

The number of integrated wireless technologies included in mobile computing devices is increasing. These wireless technologies include, but are not limited to, WIFI, WiGig, and Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) technologies such as Long-Term Evolution (LTE). Each wireless technology specifies certain certification standards that pertain to antenna isolation. At the same time, the available space within the device for the antennas that support these wireless technologies is shrinking, making it more difficult to maintain suitable antenna isolation. Radio Frequency (RF) filters such as Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) filters are often used to provide antenna isolation. However, such devices add complexity and cost to the design of the system. Additionally, RF filters usually require some frequency separation for proper operation. Therefore, RF filters may not be suitable for adjacent frequency bands with no guard band between them.
The same numbers are used throughout the disclosure and the figures to reference like components and features. Numbers in the 100 series refer to features originally found in FIG. 1; numbers in the 200 series refer to features originally found in FIG. 2; and so on.


A memory card connector (34) includes an insulative housing (36) having a terminal-mounting section (36a) which mounts a plurality of conductive terminals (44) having contact portions (44a) for engaging appropriate contacts on a memory card. The housing at least in part defines a card-receiving cavity (40) for receiving the memory card. A card eject mechanism (46) includes a slider (50) movably mounted on the housing. The slider is engageable with the memory card for movement therewith into and out of the cavity between an inserted connection position and a withdrawal position. A slide lock member (52) is mounted on the connector, independent of the eject mechanism, and is engageable with the slider to hold the slider in its inserted connection position. An ejection control member (54) is mounted on the housing for releasing the slide lock from engagement with the slider to allow the slider and memory card to be ejected.

Memory cards are known in the art and contain intelligence in the form of a memory circuit or other electronic program. Some form of card reader reads the information or memory stored on the card. Such cards are used in many applications in today's electronic society, including video cameras, digital still cameras, smartphones, PDA's, music players, ATMs, cable television decoders, toys, games, PC adapters, multi-media cards and other electronic applications. Typically, a memory card includes a contact or terminal array for connection through a card connector to a card reader system and then to external equipment. The connector readily accommodates insertion and removal of the card to provide quick access to the information and program on the card. The card connector includes terminals for yieldingly engaging the contact array of the memory card.
The memory card, itself, writes or reads via the connector and can transmit between electrical appliances, such as a word processor, personal computer, personal data assistant or the like. The card may be used in applications such as mobile or cellular telephones which are actuated and permit data access after identifying an identification code stored on a SIM (subscriber identification module) card. The SIM card has a conductive face with an array of contacts, and the mobile phone has a SIM card connector with terminals for electrical connection with the contacts of the SIM card to ensure the subscriber identification confirmation.
A typical memory card connector includes some form of dielectric housing, which is covered by a metal shell. The metal shell may be stamped and formed of sheet metal material and formed substantially into a box-shape. The metal shell and the housing combine to define a card-receiving cavity. One end of the cavity is open to form a card-insertion opening. The dielectric housing may be generally L-shaped or U-shaped and includes a rear terminal-mounting section at the rear of the cavity, and at least one longitudinal side wall section extends forwardly from one or both ends of the rear section at one or both sides of the cavity. The metal shell has a top plate substantially covering the dielectric housing, with side plates extending downwardly over the side wall sections of the housing. One or both of the side wall sections of the housing define the sides of the card-receiving cavity.
Some card connectors include a card eject mechanism whereby the memory card is simply inserted into the connector, and the eject mechanism is used to facilitate removal of the card from the connector. Some eject mechanisms include slider members which engage the memory card for movement therewith into and out of the connector. Latches, cams, eject devices and other operative components then are operatively associated with the slider rather than the memory card itself. One type of card eject mechanism includes a heart-shaped cam slot in the slider, with a pin member operatively biased into the heart-shaped cam slot, and with a spring member to normally bias the slider in a direction of withdrawal of the memory card. This type of card eject mechanism is called a "push/push type" ejector in that the memory card first is pushed into the cavity of the connector to a latched operative position, and a second push on the card is effective to release the card and allow the spring to eject the card from its latched position. Some prior art memory card connectors of the character described above are shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2002-252047; 2002-319451 and 2003-68399.
Such push/push type eject mechanisms continue to have various problems. For instance, after the memory card first is pushed into the cavity of the connector to a latched operative position, it is necessary that the memory card project partially from the connector while being held in the latched position so that it is accessible for the second "push" when it is desired to eject the card from its latched position. Therefore, such electrical appliances as digital cameras, cellular telephones and other electronic devices must be sized or notched so that the rear end of the card is partially exposed to enable the second "push" on the card. Partial exposure of the card can cause erroneous or inadvertent pushing of the card into the cavity, thereby causing an undesired ejection of the card. This can lead to the card being lost. In addition, notching of the rear of the connector to partially expose the card involves costly manufacturing processes. This is particularly true with the ever-increasing miniaturization of such connectors. Some connectors may not even be constructed to allow for such notching. The present invention is directed to solving these problems by providing a system wherein it is not necessary for the card to be exposed at the rear of the connector in order to effect ejection of the card therefrom.


Atomic oxygen atoms are routed to a material through a sufficiently tortuous path so that vacuum ultraviolet radiation is obstructed from arriving at the surface of the material. However, the material surface continues to be exposed to the atomic oxygen.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,704 relates to a means of separating ions which are being accelerated to a set of targets. The separator is a curved chamber which is used to magnetically steer charged ions. A second deflector redirects the ions and reverses the charge prior to reaching a divider portion used to separate ions by mass.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,131 is concerned with an ion recovery system having an electric field diversion component. A flow of particles traverses a chamber, the particles being either charged or neutral. Neutral charges are unaffected by the electric deflection unit while charged particles are recovered along an ion recovery surface. The neutral particles pass through an opening in the wall to escape.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,964 describes a means of separating neutral and charged atomic beams using a diffraction grating. A neutral beam diffracts at a different angle than the charged beam under conditions of low incident angles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,305 is directed to an apparatus used for ion implantation of silicon substrate in which a resolving magnet is used to steer an ion source to a set of acceleration units. The resolving magnet redirects charged particles 180.degree. in route to the target material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,327 describes a fiber optic wave carrier which is used to convey an ionizing radiation from a source to a target. The fiber is in the shape of a tube which is capped at one end, thereby preventing the passage of air while allowing the transmission of ions. A collection of small obstructions located at the distal portion of the chamber reflects the ions to produce a wider beam.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,126,575 relates to a broad beam ion implantation device having a redirection unit for steering an ion beam and broadening it to a set of accelerators prior to striking the target.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,098 describes an ion beam contamination sensor having a means to establish a baseline spectrum, a means to measure the detected spectrum, a comparison of the detected and baseline spectra, and a means of producing the resultant of these to spectra. If the result is outside the range of acceptable parameters, the implantation process is discontinued.

Method and apparatus for producing a thermal atomic oxygen beam

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


An integrated circuit is provided that includes a substrate incorporating a semiconductor photodiode device having a p-n junction. The photodiode device includes at least one capacitive trench buried in the substrate and connected in parallel with the junction. In a preferred embodiment, the substrate is formed from silicon, and the capacitive trench includes an internal doped silicon region partially enveloped by an insulating wall that laterally separates the internal region from the substrate. Also provided is a method for fabricating an integrated circuit including a substrate that incorporates a semiconductor photodiode device having a p-n junction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to integrated circuits, and more specifically to integrated circuits that include photodiode-type semiconductor devices.
2. Description of Related Art
To produce a good photodiode is tricky. This is because it has to be sensitive to light and only the space charge region of the junction is capable of collecting the carriers generated by the light excitation, because of the electric field existing in this region. Now, a photodiode is more sensitive the larger the space charge region. This means that the doping gradient at the junction is low. However, if the doping gradient is low, the capacitance of the junction is also low. Now, the role of a photodiode is to store, in this junction capacitor, the carriers generated in the space charge region.
The solution normally used consists in increasing the doping gradient of the junction and the voltage applied to this junction. It is thus possible to obtain a wide space charge region combined with a high junction capacitance. Typically, a voltage of greater than 5 volts must be applied if the doping levels are high. However, current submicron integrated circuits do not allow high voltages to be used since in these technologies, the maximum supply voltage is less than 3.3 volts.

Fabrication process for integrated circuit having photodiode device


High impact polystyrene having a predominant core-shell morphology is made by polymerizing styrene in the presence of polybutadiene using toluene as a solvent. The thermoplastic polymer composition is characterized by a continuous phase of polystyrene containing dispersed graft copolymer particles having a core-shell structure with a polystyrene core occluded inside a polybutadiene shell. The styrene is desirably batch polymerized using styrene/toluene mixtures of about 70:30 by weight in the presence of from about 9 to about 15 weight percent polybutadiene while flashing off the toluene solvent.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to thermoplastic compositions utilizing polymers of monovinylaromatic compounds which have been modified with rubber to increase their impact strength. More particularly the present invention relates to the production of high impact polystyrene (HIPS) predominantly containing graft copolymer particles having a core-shell structure with a polystyrene core occluded inside a polybutadiene shell. The predominant core-shell morphology of the invention is preferably achieved through the use of toluene as a solvent in the batch polymerization of styrene in the presence of polybutadiene.
2. Description of Related Art
Three terms commonly used by those of skill in the art to describe the morphologies of graft copolymer particles in HIPS are core-shell, cell and maze. The correlation between improved gloss in HIPS and the number of graft copolymer particles exhibiting a core-shell morphology is also well known. A considerable amount of grafting is required in order to produce the core-shell morphology. The conventional method for achieving a higher concentration of core-shell graft structures in HIPS is through the use of SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber) block copolymers, or SBS or BSB terpolymers, as the rubbery components. In the case of styrene-butadiene copolymers it is common to use styrene-butadiene diblock polymers that contain 60 to 80 percent polybutadiene blocks and 20 to 40 percent polystyrene blocks.
Although economics favor the use of polybutadiene instead of SBR as the rubbery component in HIPS, conventional batch polymerizations of styrene using polybutadiene in hexane or cyclohexane solvents tend to produce cell structures as the predominant morphology. Using ethylbenzene as the solvent and polybutadiene as the rubber component in the production of HIPS produces significant quantities of all three morphologies. These results are unsatisfactory where the HIPS is intended for use in applications requiring higher gloss.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,327 discloses thermoplastic compositions comprising a polyphenylene ether and a rubber modified polystyrene resin containing a majority of core-shell structures having a polystyrene core inside a shell of polybutadiene.
Japanese Patent 2038435 discloses a rubber-modified styrene composition wherein the rubbery polymer is present in both core-shell and cell morphologies. Disclosed core-shell structures include styrene type polymer cores within rubbery polymer shells made of natural rubber, polybutadiene rubber, polyisoprene rubber, styrene-butadiene copolymer rubber, styrene-isoprene copolymer rubber, butyl rubber, and ethylene-propylene rubber.
Japanese Patent 2057311 discloses a rubber-modified polystyrene resin for use in making injection blow molded products. The resin comprises a polystyrene continuous phase and dispersed rubber particles having a core-shell structure in which polystyrene cores are enveloped with shells of rubber films. The average particle size ranges from 0.3 to 2.0 microns, and the resin has a graft rubber content of 1-15 weight percent. The rubbers disclosed for use in the invention include polybutadiene, polybutene and polyisoprene. The rubber particles are said to give high transparency, surface gloss and strength to the molded products.
The invention disclosed herein is a rubber-modified thermoplastic composition made by polymerizing a monovinyl aromatic polymer in the presence of rubber and a solvent to produce a resin having a core-shell morphology. According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, HIPS having a predominant core-shell morphology is made by polymerizing styrene in the presence of polybutadiene using toluene as a solvent. The thermoplastic polymer composition of the invention is characterized by a continuous phase of polystyrene containing dispersed graft copolymer particles having a core-shell structure with a polystyrene core occluded inside a polybutadiene shell.
A particularly preferred HIPS of the invention is produced when the styrene is batch polymerized using styrene/toluene mixtures of about 70:30 weight percent ratios in the presence of from about 9 to about 15 weight percent polybutadiene, while flashing off the toluene solvent. The solubilized polybutadiene is preferably either high or medium cis, and the peroxide initiator level preferably ranges from about 250 to about 500 ppm. A preferred temperature profile for the polymerization is about 110xc2x0 C. for about 75 minutes, followed by about 130xc2x0 C. for about 60 minutes and about 150xc2x0 C. for about 60 minutes.

Method for the preparation of core-shell morphologies from polybutadiene-polystyrene graft copolymers


In a color reaction method for detecting particular classes of explosives, a sample from a suspect source is subjected serially to the indicated reagents in the liquid phase, the reagents after the first being applied only if no color reaction has been obtained in the preceding test. The second and third reagents only are applied in presence of the preceding reagent(s). The first reagent is an alkaline solution of a diazotizable aminoaromatic azo-dye precursor, which detects nitroaromatic explosives. The second reagent is a strongly acidic reagent containing a nitrate to nitrite ion reducing agent and a diazo-coupler, which detects organic nitrates and nitramines. The third reagent is zinc powder suspended in a liquid, which detects inorganic nitrates. The fourth reagent is an aniline salt in a homogeneous strongly acidic solution including a water-miscible organic solvent, which detects chlorates and bromates. The invention includes also a test kit for use in the method.

The present invention relates to an improved method and kit for detecting explosives selected from nitroaromatics, organic nitrates (sometimes termed colloquially "nitroesters"), nitramines, inorganic nitrates, chlorates and bromates.
Particularly since what has become known as the Lockerbie incident, in which the undetected presence of explosive in an airplane resulted in tragic loss of life as well as material damage, an awareness of the need for rapid and reliable detection of explosives has become apparent. It is also evident that antiterrorist activity, more generally, will similarly make highly desirable, the availability of means for the ready detection of explosives. The present invention seeks to meet such needs, which are felt to an increasing extent at the present time.
An explosives detection kit marketed with the participation of the present assignees has proved highly successful commercially; see Almog. J. et al, J. Energetic Materials, 4: 159-167 (1986), who described a kit for detecting nitroaromatic, nitrate ester and nitramine explosives, the identification of inorganic nitrates being a later addition.
A "Field Spot-Test Kit for Explosives" using chemical reagents in a non-sequential procedure, as well as a portable ultraviolet lamp, has also been described (see Bayton, J. F., Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico, USA, July 1991, NTIS publication # LA-12071-MS DE91 015321). However, this publication gives little or no indication of the sensitivity of the tests described therein. The disclosures of the above-stated literature articles are explicitly incorporated by reference herein.
In spite of the commercial success of a kit for detecting nitroaromatic, nitrate ester and nitramine explosives, based on the Almog et al model (above), this suffers from a number of drawbacks, which the present invention seeks to overcome, which drawbacks may be summarized as follows:
(1) two of the reagents are highly unstable to air and light, so that once the sealed ampoules containing them have been broken for test purposes, the kit has no reliable utility after 24 hours, and it is therefore discarded;
(2) one of the reagents is used in solid form, which, because of less reliable contact than a liquid, with a sample, makes a test utilizing it less reliable than is desirable;
(3) the existing kit does not detect chlorates, which are a possible ingredient of improvised explosives.

Israel Institute For Biological Research


A housing (10) has a lock arm (20) that pivots about a fulcrum (23) that is rearward of a pivoting portion (24) of the lock arm (20). A detection terminal (50) has a rear support (52) supported on the housing (10) rearward of the pivoting portion (24). An action portion (54) of the detection terminal (50) is engaged with the pivoting portion (24) and displaces with the pivoting portion (24). The lock arm (20) deforms during connection of the housing (10) and a mating housing (90) so that contacts (53) of the detection terminal (50) are not in contact with mating detection terminals (97). However, the lock arm (20) returns resiliently when the housings (10, 90) are connected properly so that the contacts (53) contact the mating detection terminals (97).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a detection terminal, a connector and a connector assembly with a detection terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,395 discloses a connector with a housing and a mating housing that are connectable with one another. A detection terminal is inserted into the housing from behind and contacts a mating detection terminal in the mating housing when the housings are connected properly. A resiliently deformable lock arm is cantilevered backward from the front end of the housing, and has an end that is movable vertically relative to the front end.
The detection terminal is below the lock arm, and includes a support that is supported on a front inner wall of the housing. A main body extends obliquely up towards the back from the support. A rear part of the main body is angled to project up to define an action portion that can be pressed by the pivoting portion of the lock arm. A contact projects up in a middle part of the main body along forward and backward directions and can contact the mating detection terminal. The detection terminal includes a press-in portion formed by closely folding back a front end portion of the support so that the folded part extends horizontally. The press-in portion is pressed into the inner wall of an intermediate part of the housing to compensate for a shortage in the holding force of the support. On the other hand, the mating detection terminal is a pin that is long and narrow in forward and backward directions. A rib projects along the upper surface of the mating housing and extends along the mating detection terminal to prevent deformation of the mating detection terminal.
The lock arm moves onto a lock projection on the mating housing in the process of connecting the housing with the mating housing. Accordingly, the lock arm deforms and the action portion of the detection terminal contacts an operable portion and presses the operable portion down. Thus, the contact is held at a non-contact position distanced from the mating detection terminal. The lock arm returns resiliently to engage the lock projection when the housing is connected properly with the mating housing to lock the two housings together. Additionally, the action portion displaces up as the lock arm returns to bring the contact into contact with the mating detection terminal from below. Thus, a detection circuit is closed via the detection terminals and proper connection of the housings can be detected electrically.
The pivoting portion is at the rear end of the above-described lock arm and the action portion is displaced as the pivoting portion is deformed. As a result, the action portion and the contact must be considerably rearward from the front of the housing. The mating detection terminal must extend sufficiently forward to touch the contact. Hence, the mating detection terminal is longer than other signal terminals by the length of this extension, and the above-described rib is essential. As a result, the above-described connector cannot meet demands for miniaturization and costs are high.
The action portion is behind the contact. Thus, an amount of movement of the action portion in a detection process must be larger than that of the contact. Accordingly, the pivoting portion of the lock arm must be able to deform a large amount, thereby further complicating efforts to meet demands for miniaturization of the connector.
The support is at the front end of the detection terminal, and the contact must be farther from the front of the housing if the support is supported in a large area by the housing. This results in the extension of the mating detection terminal, and hence a very large supporting area can not be ensured. Therefore, the press-in portion and main body must be formed separately at opposite sides of the support by folding, which has caused a problem of complicating the structure of the detection terminal.
The invention was developed in view of the above problems, and objects thereof are to miniaturize a connector, to reduce cost and to simplify the structure of a detection terminal.

Connector, connector assembly and a detection terminal


A method for controlling an idle mode in a broadband wireless access (BWA) communication system. A mobile station (MS) transmits to a base station (BS) a de-registration request (DREG-REQ) indicating a state transition request to the idle mode. The BS transmits to the MS a de-registration command (DREG-CMD) for commanding state transition to the idle mode. The MS transmits to the BS a de-registration acknowledgement (DREG-ACK) in response to the DREG-CMD.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) communication system, and in particular, to a system and method for controlling a state transition of a mobile station having an idle mode.
2. Description of the Related Art
Extensive research into the 4th generation (4G) communication system, which is the next generation communication system, is being conducted to provide users with services that guarantee various qualities-of-service (QoS) at a data rate of about 100 Mbps. In particular, much of the research the 4G communication system is being carried out to support a high-speed service that guarantees mobility and QoS for BWA communication systems such as a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) system and a wireless Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) system. A system based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 standard (an IEEE 802.16 communication system) is one of the typical BWA communication systems.
The IEEE 802.16 communication system is specified as a communication system employing an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) scheme and/or an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) scheme (hereinafter referred to as an "OFDM/OFDMA communication system") to support a broadband transmission network for physical channels of the wireless MAN system.
According to IEEE 802.16 standard, if there is no transmission/reception traffic for a preset amount of time, a mobile station (MS) can operate in an idle mode to minimize power consumption. Therefore, if there is no traffic, the MS transmits a De-Registration Request (DREG-REQ) message to a serving base station (BS) with which it is currently communicating, in order to operate in the idle mode. Upon receiving the DREG-REQ message, the serving BS transmits a De-Registration Command (DREG-CMD) message to the MS to approve a transition operation to the idle mode. Formats of the DREG-REQ and DREG-CMD messages are shown in Table 1 and Table 2, respectively.
TABLE 1SyntaxSizeNotesDREG-REQ message format( ) { Management message type=498 bits De-Registration_Request_Code8 bits0x00=MSS De-Registration requestfrom BS and network0x01=request forMS De-Registrationfrom serving BS andinitiation of MS IdleMode0x02-0xFF=Reserved TLV encoded parametersvariable}
As shown in Table 1, in the DREG-REQ message, a Management Message Type field is used for identifying Medium Access Control (MAC) management messages defined in the IEEE 802.16 standard. A De -Registration_Request_Code field is used to indicate the purpose for a MS to transmit the DREG-REQ message. A Type/Length/Value (TLV) encoded parameters field includes parameter information for authenticating MSs based on information of a security association (SA) made between the MSs and the serving BS.
TABLE 2SyntaxSizeDREG-CMD_Message_Format( ) {Management Message Type8bitsAction Code8bitsTLV_Paging Information48bitsTLV_REG-duration24bitsTLV_HMAC Tuple176bits}
As shown in Table 2, in the DREG-CMD message, a Management Message Type field is used for identifying MAC management messages defined in the IEEE 802.16 standard. An Action Code field is used to indicate a purpose of the DREG-CMD message, and its code values related to the idle mode include 0×05, 0×06, and 0×07. Action Code=0×05 indicates that the serving BS approves the idle mode request from the MS. Action Code=0×06 indicates that the serving BS commands the MS to retransmit the DREG-REQ message after a lapse of time indicated by a TLV_REG-duration field. Action Code=0×07 indicates that the serving BS commands the MS to wait until the DREG-CMD message is retransmitted. A TLV_Paging Information field includes Paging Group ID (PG-ID), PAGING_CYCLE and PAGING_OFFSET parameters, all of which are related to the idle mode operation. The PG-ID parameter is assigned by the system according to a location of the MS. That is, the PG-ID parameter represents the current location information of the MS.
The PAGING_CYCLE parameter indicates a paging cycle determined by the system and based on a paging cycle request from the MS. The PAGING_OFFSET parameter is used when the system determines a time at which it can page a particular MS through a frame number of the BS and the PAGING_CYCLE parameter. A TLV_REG-duration field, which is provided for Action Code=0×06, is used for indicating a time at which the MS can retransmit the DREQ-REQ message. A TLV_HMAC Tuple field is an information field used for authenticating the current serving BS based on information on the SA made between MSs and the serving BS.
The DREG-CMD message is generally transmitted from the BS to the MS in response to the DREG-REQ message. However, in order to command the MS to transition to the idle mode, the BS may transmit the DREG-CMD message as an unsolicited message even when it has not received a transition request to the idle mode from the MS through the DREG-REQ message.
Therefore, the MS's transition to the idle mode is performed at the request of either the MS or the BS. Accordingly, the BS, determining that the MS has transitioned to the idle mode, holds for a predetermined time only the minimum connection information required by the MS for transitioning from the idle mode back to an awake mode and deletes the other unnecessary information.
The minimum connection information refers to session information of a MAC layer or its higher layers, and information related to the security and privacy. The deleted information refers to the information indicating the air interface resources of the MAC layer or its lower layers. In other words, the deleted information is connection constituent information necessary for data transmission/reception in the MAC layer or its lower layers, such as a connection identifier that will be described below.
A format of the connection identifier is shown in Table 3.
TABLE 3CIDValueDescriptionInitial Ranging0x0000Used by an SS duringinitial ranging aspart of network entryprocessBasic CID0x0001~mPrimary Managementm+1~2mCIDsTransport CIDs2m+1~0xFEFFand SecondaryManagement CIDsMulticast Polling0xFF00~0xFFFEAn SS may be includedCIDsin one or moremulticast groups forthe purposes ofobtaining bandwidthvia polling.These connectionshave no associatedservice flowBroadcast CID0xFFFFUsed for broadcastinformation that istransmitted on adownlink to all SS
Each of the fields shown in Table 3 will be described below. An Initial Ranging CID field indicates a connection identifier for a Ranging Request (RNG-REQ) message transmitted by an MS to the BS in order to be allocated a Primary CID and a Basic CID, and every MS should be aware of this value of 0×0000. The MS, in an association process with the BS, transmits an RNG-REQ message to inform the BS of its own MAC address. The BS maps the MAC address of the MS and connection identifiers indicating the MS, i.e., a Primary Management CID and a Basic CID, with the MS.
In addition, the connection identifiers include Broadcast CID, Multicast polling CID, Transport CID, Secondary Management CID, etc.
Although the connection identifiers are used for a header of a MAC frame for identification of the connection as can be understood from Table 3, they can also be used for a MAC Service Data Unit (SDU), like the connection identifiers used for a Traffic Indication (TRF-IND) message.
The BS deletes the connection identifier information of the MS that has transitioned to the idle mode. Therefore, in order to resume data communication in an upper session over the MAC layer, an MS in the idle mode must be reallocated the connection identifiers from the BS. To this end, the MS needs to perform a network re-entry process with the BS. In other words, the MS requires the network re-entry process in order to transition from the idle mode to the awake mode, i.e., a normal service state.
FIG. 1 is a signaling diagram illustrating an MS-initiated state transition process to the idle mode in a conventional BWA communication system.
Referring to FIG. 1, if an MS 100 in the awake mode desires to transition to the idle mode in step 111, the MS 100 transmits a DREG-REQ message with De-Registration_Request_Code='0×01' to a BS 150 in step 113. The De-Registration_Request_Code='0×01' indicates that the MS 100 requests transition to the idle mode. At the time of the DREG-REQ message transmission, the MS 100 activates (or starts) a T32 Timer in step 127. The T32 Timer indicates a time for which the MS 100 waits for receipt of a DREG-CMD message from the BS 150 after transmitting the DREG-REQ message. If the T32 Timer expires, the MS 100 retransmits the DREG-REQ message to the BS 150, determining that the BS 150 has failed to receive the DREG-REQ message.
Upon receiving the DREG-REQ message from the MS 100, the BS 150 transmits a DREG-CMD message to the MS 100 in step 115, determining that the MS 100 desires to transition to the idle mode. The BS 150 transmits the DREG-CMD message to the MS 100, to allow the MS 100 to transition to the idle mode. In this case, an Action Code field in the DREG-CMD message is set to '0×05' to indicate approval of the transition request to the idle mode from the MS 100.
Thereafter, after step 115, the BS 150 holds only the minimum information (session information of upper layers and security information) for the MS 100, and deletes all the other connection information related to an air interface of the MAC layer or its lower layers, in step 125. Herein, the BS 150 starts a Management Resource Holding Timer in step 119 and deletes the connection information in step 125 at a time when the Timer expires in step 123, instead of immediately deleting the connection information. This is to hold information on the MS 100 for a predetermined time, in order to process a possible urgent transmission message from the MS 100 or to allow the MS 100 to smoothly re-enter the awake mode without the network re-entry process. The Management Resource Holding Timer is started or reset during transmission of the DREG-CMD message.
Upon receiving the DREG-CMD message from the BS 150, the MS 100 ends the T32 Timer in step 129 and transitions to the idle mode in step 117, thus minimizing power consumption.
FIG. 2 is a signaling diagram illustrating a BS-initiated state transition process to the idle mode in a conventional BWA communication system.
Before a description of FIG. 2 is given, it should be noted that the DREG-CMD message is an unsolicited message used by the BS to command the MS to transition to the idle mode even though there is no separate transition request to the idle mode from the MS.
Referring to FIG. 2, a BS 250 transmits in step 211 a DREG-CMD message to command an MS 200 in the awake mode (in step 223) to transition to the idle mode. At the same time, the BS 250 starts a Management Resource Holding Timer in step 213, and deletes connection information for the MS 200 in step 221 when the Timer expires in step 219. That is, the BS 250 transmits the DREG-CMD message, taking into consideration that the MS 200 will transition to the idle mode.
Upon receiving the DREG-CMD message from the BS 250 in step 211, the MS 200 transitions to the idle mode in step 215.
FIG. 3 is a signaling diagram illustrating a conventional operation performed when an MS fails to receive a DREG-CMD message.
Referring to FIG. 3, if an MS 300 desires to transition from the awake mode to the idle mode in step 311, the MS 300 transmits a DREG-REQ message with De-Registration_Request_Code='0×01' to a BS 350 in step 315. At the time of the DREG-REQ message transmission, the MS 300 starts a T32 Timer in step 313, and then waits until the T32 Timer expires for receipt of a DREG-CMD message from the BS 350.
Upon receiving the DREG-REQ message from the MS 300, the BS 350 transmits in step 319 a DREG-CMD message to the MS 300 in response to the received DREG-REQ message. In this case, an Action Code field in the DREG-CMD message is set to '0×05' to indicate approval of the transition request to the idle mode from the MS 300. While transmitting the DREG-CMD message, the BS 350 starts a Management Resource Holding Timer in step 317, instead of immediately deleting connection information for the MS 300.
However, if the DREG-CMD message transmitted by the BS 350 fails to correctly arrive at the MS 300 in step 319, the T32 Timer expires in step 321. The MS 300 retransmits the DREG-REQ message to the BS 350 in step 323, since the DREG-REQ message transmitted in step 315 has failed to correctly arrive at the BS 350. At this time, the T32 Timer also restarts in step 321.
The BS 350 transmits a DREG-CMD message in step 325 in response to the DREG-REQ message received in step 323. However, if the MS 300 fails to normally receive even the DREG-CMD message transmitted in step 325, the MS 300 and the BS 350 repeat the operations in steps 315 through 323.
In other words, if the MS 300 fails to receive the DREG-CMD message from the BS 350 in response to the DREG-REQ message, the MS 300 repeatedly retransmits the DREG-REQ message each time the T32 Timer expires, as many times as the preset number of retransmissions.
If the number of retransmissions for the DREG-REQ message exceeds the preset number of retransmissions, the MS 300 initializes a MAC state with the BS 350 (MAC re-initialization) in steps 337 and 339, determining that communication with the BS 350 is dropped. Accordingly, the MS 300 performs a network re-entry process with the BS 350 or another BS.
The BS 350, since it never received the DREG-REQ message from the MS 300, deletes all connection information for the MS 300 in step 343 when the Management Resource Holding Timer expires in step 341.
As described with reference to FIG. 3, if an MS fails to normally receive a DREG-CMD message from a BS in response to a DREG-REQ message, the MS performs MAC re-initialization, thereby acquiring state synchronization between the BS and the MS. In other words, if the BS transmits a DREG-CMD message to the MS, the BS expects that the MS will transition to the idle mode. However, the MS, if it fails to receive the DREG-CMD message, will stay in the awake mode, causing state mismatch between the BS and the MS. However, due to the MAC re-initialization operation of the MS in step 339, state synchronization between the BS and the MS is reacquired.
FIG. 4 is a signaling diagram for a description of possible problems occurring when a conventional BS sends an unsolicited state transition request to the idle mode.
Referring to FIG. 4, a BS 450 transmits an unsolicited DREG-CMD message to an MS 400 in step 413 to command the MS 400 in the awake mode (in step 411) to transition to the idle mode. At the same time, the BS 450, as it expects that the MS 400 will transition to the idle mode, starts a Management Resource Holding Timer in step 415 and deletes connection information for the MS 400 in step 421 if the Timer expires in step 419.
However, the MS 400 will continue to hold the awake mode if it fails to receive the DREG-CMD message from the BS 450. Therefore, the BS 450 will delete the connection information for the MS 400 if the started Management Resource Holding Timer expires in step 419. This means that the BS 450 deletes all connection information for the MS 400, making communication between the MS 400 and the BS 450 impossible.
To make the communication between the MS 400 and the BS 450 possible, the MS 400 needs to perform a network re-entry process with the BS 450. However, the MS 400 does not perform the network re-entry process, because the MS 400 is still under the assumption that it should sill operate in the awake mode. Thereafter, if the MS 400 performs data transmission to the BS 450 in the awake mode in step 423, the BS 450 disregards the message transmitted by the MS 400 in step 425 because it has no connection information for the MS 400.
The BS 450 can allocate the deleted connection information, i.e., connection identifier, for the MS 400 to another MS that performs an initialization process to the BS 450. For example, if a connection identifier used by a first MS is '1', the BS 450 can allocate the connection identifier '1' to a second MS as described above, if the BS 450 deletes the connection information for the first MS. Therefore, the first MS and the second MS hold the same connection identifier, and perform data transmission/reception using the connection identifier. As a result, when the first MS transmits data using the connection identifier '1', the BS 450 may mistake the data for one transmitted by the second MS. Also, when the BS 450 transmits data to the second MS, the first MS may mistake the data for data transmitted thereto. Accordingly, there is a need for a scheme for acquiring state synchronization between a BS and an MS transitioning from the awake mode to the idle mode.

System and method for controlling idle mode in a broadband wireless access communication system


An arrangement for emitting light includes a hermetically sealed casing with a window, a layer of a fluorescent substance arranged within the casing covering at least a major part of the window, an electron emitting cathode arranged within the casing, and an anode. The casing is filled with a gas suitable for electron avalanche amplification. In operation, the cathode and anode are held at an electric potential such that said emitted electrons are accelerated and avalanche amplified in the gas. The layer of the fluorescent substance is arranged to emit light through the window in response to avalanche amplified electron bombardment and/or ultraviolet light emitted from the gas.

One type of a light source is the fluorescent tube. In the fluorescent tube a gas discharge emits ultraviolet (UV) light onto a fluorescent material. The light source suffers from serious drawbacks. For instance, there is always a delay after the power has been turned on until the light source radiates at full power. Further, it needs complicated control equipment, which requires space and adds cost. Also, it is unfortunately necessary to use material having negative environmental effects, such as mercury. Furthermore, the choice of fluorescent material is limited to UV-sensitive materials. Most of these fluorescent materials emit light of a spectral shape, which is not optimal for the eye and human comfort. Finally, this kind of light source is often rather temperature sensitive in that the emission intensity is significantly weaker for a long time after switch-on at low temperatures compared to at high temperatures.
Another type of light source is the cathodoluminescent light source. In a cathodoluminescent light source electrons are emitted from a cathode either by heating the cathode, thus thermally emitting the electrons, or by employing a strong electric field in the vicinity of the surface of the cathodes, thus emitting electrons through field emission.
Examples of field emission cathode light sources employing a strong electric field in the vicinity of the surface of a cathode are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,877,588 and 6,008,575.
The main drawback of a thermally emitting cathode is that large amounts of energy are lost in heating the cathode. The main drawback of both field and thermal emission cathodes is that high emission currents cause the cathode to wear out as all electrons producing the light have to be emitted from the cathode. This implies that a high electron current has to be emitted from the surface of the cathode, which complicates the cathode structure and production thereof. Further, the current cathodoluminescent light sources only operate in vacuum, which requires thick walls around the light source.

Arrangement and a method for emitting light


Robotic systems and specialized end-effectors provide for automated harvesting of produce such as fresh market apples. An underactuated design using tendons and flexure joints with passive compliance increases robustness to position error, overcoming a significant limitation of previous fruit harvesting end-effectors. Some devices use open-loop control, provide a shape-adaptive grasp, and produce contact forces similar to those used during optimal hand picking patterns. Other benefits include relatively low weight, low cost, and simplicity.

In the U.S. Pacific Northwest, a large, seasonal labor-force is required for the production of tree fruit crops like fresh market apples, cherries, and pears. The most time and labor-intensive task in fruit crop production is harvesting. In Washington State alone the apple and pear harvest requires the employment of approximately 30,000 additional workers with an estimated harvest cost of $1,100 to $2,100 USD per acre per year. To reduce harvesting costs and dependence on seasonal labor, researchers have developed shake-and-catch systems for the mass harvesting of fruits such as berries, cherries, and citrus. These techniques, which apply vibration to the trunk or branch of the tree in order to separate the fruit, are typically used to harvest fruit destined for the processing market where there are established tolerances for fruit bruising and external defects. There have been some attempts to develop mass harvesting systems for fresh market citrus, cherries, and apples, but the systems demonstrated marginal rates of fruit detachment, were only efficient with compatible tree-training systems, or frequently harvested fruit without stems.
The use of robotics technology is another approach researchers have tried for the harvesting of tree fruit. For economic reasons related to changing labor conditions, scientists and engineers started to actively work on research and development of fruit-picking robots in the 1980s. These earlier research efforts defined the basic functional requirements of a fruit-picking robot as the following: i) locate the fruit on the tree in 3D dimensions; ii) approach and reach for the fruit; and iii) detach an undamaged fruit from the tree and deposit it in a container. In order for a fruit-picking robotic system to be commercially viable, it has to be economically feasible and provide harvesting rates (e.g. fruit/second) comparable to those obtained through manual harvesting. Additionally, the system should minimize damage to both the plant and the harvested fruit to a tolerable level. Despite numerous attempts to transfer industrial robotic technology directly to field based, biologically driven environments, the mechanization of specialty crop harvesting has achieved only limited success primarily due to inadequate accuracy, speed, and robustness.
Fruit in a single crop possess a high level of variability. For example, tree fruit vary in position, shape, size, and growing orientation. Even for the same apple cultivar, parameters such as size and stem length vary widely within a single tree. There also exists a year-to-year variability in these parameters. Fruit removal technique is usually the largest cause of fruit injury. Insufficient automated devices exist for fruit harvesting which are able to accommodate these requirements.
Because of rising labor costs, a high workplace injury rate due to ladder use, and increasing uncertainty about the availability of farm labor, the lack of mechanical harvesting is a critical problem receiving much attention from both federal agencies (e.g., United States Department of Agriculture) and state and local organizations (e.g., Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission).
The basic functional requirements of an apple picking end-effector are to approach and reach for the fruit and then detach an unblemished apple from the tree. In addition to being efficient, productive and economically feasible, it is important that the system not damage the picked fruit, adjacent fruit, or the tree. The end-effector can damage the apple by applying excessive force during picking or by employing inappropriate stem separation techniques. Some different techniques have been investigated for end-effector designs.
Bulanon and Kataoka (Bulanon & Kataoka, 2010) designed an end-effector that used a peduncle holder to apply pressure against the peduncle before removing the fruit with a lifting and twisting motion. Though this technique minimized damage to the fruit, the system was constrained in that the end-effector had to approach the apple horizontally.
Baeten et al. (Baeten, Donne, Boedrij, Beckers, & Claesen, 2008) developed a novel gripper consisting of a flexible silicon funnel that used vacuum suction to activate the gripping function. During field tests the average harvesting time was approximately nine seconds, but stem pulls occurred with approximately 30% of the harvested apples. It was also important to sequence apple selection so that adjoining apples in a cluster would not interfere with the picking process.
Zhao et al. (Zhao, Lu, Ji, Zhang, & Chen, 2011) proposed a cutting end-effector utilizing multiple sensors that demonstrated impressive fruit detachment rates during field tests. Although cutting minimizes the likelihood of stem pulls, it usually requires more complex control requirements, which can lead to higher costs.

Robotic systems, methods, and end-effectors for harvesting produce


A method of making wet rolls includes providing a web of material, applying a wetting solution to the web to produce a wet web, and winding the wet web into a roll. The wetting solution may be applied at an add-on greater than 25%, and the web may travel at a speed of at least 60 meters per minute.

Wet products such as wet wipes have many applications. They may be used with small children and infants when changing diapers, they may be used for house hold cleaning tasks, they may be used for cleaning hands, they may be used as a bath tissue, they may be used as by a caregiver to clean a disabled or incontinent adult, or they may be used in and for a whole host of other applications, where it is advantageous to have a wipe or towel that has some moisture in it.
Wet wipes have traditionally been made in processes in which larger webs of wipes are initially made and than these larger webs are converted into smaller rolls or sheets that can be placed in a dispenser. Embodiments of dispensers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,705,565 and 6,626,395; U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,702,227; 6,537,631; 6,682,013; and 6,659,391, filed Sep. 12, 2000; patent application Ser. No. 09/659,307; 09/660,049; 09,659,311 (abandoned); and Ser. No. 09/659,306, filed Sep. 12, 2000; in application Ser. No. 09/748,618 (abandoned), filed Dec. 22, 2000; in application Ser. No. 09/841,323, filed Apr. 24, 2001; in application Ser. No. 09/844,731, filed Apr. 27, 2001; and in application Ser. No. 09/849,935, filed May 4, 2001, commonly owned, all the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Wet wipes can be any wipe, towel, tissue or sheet like product including natural fibers, synthetic fibers, synthetic material and combinations thereof, that is wet or moist. Examples of wet wipes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,683,143; 6,429,261; 6,599,848; 6,444,214; 6,713,414; 6,548,592; 6,579,570; 6,653,406; and 6,537,663; and application Ser. Nos. 09/565,125 and 09/564,531, commonly owned, all filed May 4, 2000, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,423,804, entitled Ion-Sensitive Hard Water Dispersible Polymers And Applications Therefor, filed Dec. 31, 1998, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
There is a need for improved methods for making wet wipes, particularly for making rolls of wet wipes. Typically, wet wipes are manufactured as a roll of dry sheets and are then soaked in a wetting solution. Among other disadvantages, this method can lead to undesirable variations in the properties and performance of the wipes. It is desirable to manufacture wet wipes such that the wetting solution and its ingredients are uniformly distributed throughout the roll. It is also desirable to manufacture coreless rolls of wet wipes, which can be more conveniently packaged and sold.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for wetting and winding a substrate


An optical drop cable includes optical fiber cores, tension-resistant members, and a single-material outer sheath covering the cores and the tension-resistant members. The bark of a young tree has elasticity, so that if cicadas lay eggs in the bark, the holes in which eggs are laid close and the eggs will not hatch. Cicadas cannot stick their ovipositors into bark having abrasion resistance. Thus, the outer sheath is made of polyurethane resin having rebound resilience equivalent to that of the bark of a young tree, and having high abrasion resistance. By making the outer sheath from such resin having elasticity and abrasion resistance, holes in which eggs are laid close, thus making hatching of the eggs impossible, or cicadas cannot stick their ovipositors into the outer sheaths. Black cicadas will therefore not lay eggs in the outer sheath, preventing damage to or breakage of the optical fiber.

As shown in FIG. 9, optical drop cables 10 are typically used to connect an outdoor optical cable feeder 31 stretched between power poles to individual houses 33 through an optical closure 34. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, optical drop cables 10 typically comprise optical fiber cores 11 and tension (resistant) members 12 provided on both sides of the cores 11 which are covered by resin together with a support wire (suspension wire) 13 (see JP Patent Publications 2002-090593A and 2002-328276A).
As shown in FIG. 9, because such optical cables 10 are used outdoors, cicadas (and other insects) fly to them. Some cicadas deposit eggs directly in bark by sticking their ovipositors into the bark. Others form bite marks in the bark and deposit eggs in the bark through the bite marks.
Among such cicadas, black cicadas have especially strong ovipositors. Thus, if eggs are deposited by black cicadas in the outer sheath 15 of an optical drop cable 10, which is made of resin, their ovipositors frequently damage or entirely break the optical fiber cores (element wires) 11 when the ovipositors are stuck into the outer sheath 15.
In order to prevent the ovipositors of black cicadas from getting stuck in optical drop cables, JP Patent Publications 2002-090593A and 2002-328276A propose to improve notches 14, through which ovipositors are likely to get stuck in the cable.
JP Patent Publication 2006-65288A proposes to provide an outer sheath 15 having a circular outer sectional shape so that black cicadas cannot easily land on the cable.
In particular, in JP Patent Publications 2002-090593A and 2002-328276A, the apex of each notch 14 is oriented so as not to face the optical fiber cores 11, thereby preventing ovipositors from getting stuck into the cable toward their optical fiber cores 11.
But every cicada does not necessarily stick its ovipositor in a direction away from the optical fiber cores 11 (and toward the apex of the notch 14). Some cicadas may stick their ovipositors toward the optical fiber cores 1. In such a case, the optical fiber cores 11 may be damaged or broken.
The arrangement of JP Patent Publication 2006-65288A is effective to a certain extent. But it was discovered that ovipositors were stuck in the outer sheaths 15 of some of such cables. Thus, this arrangement cannot sufficiently prevent ovipositors from getting stuck in optical drop cables.


A motor vehicle includes a conventional tail light arrangement, and also includes an indicator light that can be actuated by a vehicle operator. The indicator light is configured to provide a signal to a driver of another vehicle that the other driver is “tailgating” or otherwise following the lead vehicle too closely. The indicator light arrangement may include a timer that turns the indicator light off a preselected time, such that the light is not turned on again unless the vehicle operator again actuates the switch.

A common problem encountered by individuals driving a vehicle on a roadway involves other drivers who follow the vehicle very closely. Such driving behavior is often referred to as "tailgating". The short distance between vehicles due to tailgating often does not provide sufficient time for the driver of the rear vehicle to react in the event of an emergency or the like. Also, tailgating can be quite annoying to the driver in the lead vehicle.
Accordingly, a method of reducing or alleviating such driving behavior would be beneficial.


A material feeding includes a delivery assembly, a pushing assembly, and a positioning assembly. The delivery assembly deliveries workpieces. The pushing assembly is coupled to the delivery assembly and includes a cylinder. The positioning assembly includes a mounting piece and an engaging piece. The mounting piece is coupled to the cylinder and includes a slantwise slot. The engaging piece is adjacent to the delivery assembly and includes a shaft, the shaft inserts through the slantwise slot to couple the engaging piece to the mounting piece. The cylinder moves vertically to drive the mounting piece, the engaging piece moves horizontally related to the delivery assembly since the shaft slides along the slantwise slot, synchronously the cylinder pushes up the workpieces.

Products normally need to be taken away from an initial position after being processed. A blow apparatus is normally used to generate airflow to blow the products away from the initial position to a better position for easily being taken. However, the blow apparatus may generate overrun airflow by errors, the products may be blown mistakenly. Operators need to manually adjust the products back to a normal position. Hence, operators may spend a large amount of time adjusting the errors, resulting in lowered working efficiency.

SHENZHEN FUTAIHONG PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.


A duct for connection between an exhaust manifold and a high-pressure turbine inlet include a cylindrical duct body defining a longitudinal axis. A frustoconical outlet nozzle connected at one end of the duct body and extending at about eighty-five degrees from the longitudinal axis. The duct further includes an inlet bell connected at the other end of the duct body and extending at about fifty degrees from the longitudinal axis.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to internal combustion engines, and more particularly to turbocharged engines. Other embodiments relate to diesel engines with multi-stage turbocharger arrangements.
2. Discussion of Art
Ships typically carry two types of diesel engines: main propulsion engines and auxiliary engines. Both types of engine generate emissions of PM 2.5 (diesel soot), SO2 (sulfur dioxide), and NOx (nitrous oxides). Some governmental agencies, however, have adopted standards that will limit engine emissions, particularly NOx. For example, some of these standards apply to engines installed on U.S. vessels and to marine diesel fuels produced and distributed in the United States.
NOx emissions vary according to engine speed, combustion temperature, and the quantity of fuel burned. Lower speeds and higher combustion temperatures tend to raise the amount of NOx produced per quantity of fuel burned. As will be appreciated, low speed and high combustion temperature can be desirable characteristics of high-load internal combustion engines such as marine diesel propulsion engines. Therefore, the simplest path for reducing NOx emissions is to reduce the quantity of fuel burned per unit of useful power.
Turbochargers can be useful for enhancing fuel efficiency of piston-cylinder engines, by augmenting the mass and pressure of air inhaled into each cylinder during its intake stroke. However, turbochargers for marine diesel engines can be difficult to fit into the machinery space provided for the engines and their interfacing equipment.
As will be appreciated, it is desirable to minimize the machinery space within large ships, which are built to carry cargo. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a marine diesel turbocharger arrangement that satisfies enhanced emissions standards while not requiring excessive machinery space.

High pressure turbine inlet duct and engine


Rigid polyurethane foams having low thermal conductivity values are produced by reacting an organic polyisocyanate with an organic material having at least two isocyanate reactive hydrogen atoms and an OH value of from about 200 to about 650 in the presence of a blowing agent. The blowing agent is a mixture of 1,1-dichloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane (HCFC-123) or dichlorofluoroethane (HCFC-141b) and from about 0.1 to about 1.0% by weight (based on total weight of the foam forming mixture) water. The foams obtained are characterized by a thermal conductivity of less than about 0.130 Btu-in./hr.ft.sup.2 .degree.F., preferably less than about 0.120 Btu-in./hr.ft.sup.2 .degree.F. These foams are particularly useful as insulation materials.

The present invention relates to a process for producing rigid polyurethane foams having a thermal conductivity of less than about 0.130 Btu-in./hr.ft.sup.2 .degree.F. and to the foams produced by this process.
Rigid polyurethane foams and processes for their production are well known in the art. Such foams are typically produced by reacting a polyisocyanate with an isocyanate-reactive material such as a polyol in the presence of a chlorofluorocarbon blowing agent. It is also known, however, that these chlorofluorocarbon blowing agents pose environmental problems.
Alternatives to the known chlorofluorocarbon blowing agents are currently the subject of much research. Hydrogen chlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) are among the most promising alternatives. However, some HCFCs must be used in larger amounts than the traditional chlorofluorocarbons and often result in foams having thinner cell walls. The HCFCs also tend to migrate from foam cell cavities thereby reducing the insulation value of the foam. Further, HCFCs produce a more thermally conductive foam insulation which reduces the energy efficiency of appliances, e.g., which are insulated with such foams. Consequently, substitution of HCFCs for the traditional chlorofluorocarbons may resolve the environmental problems created by chlorofluorocarbons but it creates an energy efficiency problem. It would therefore be advantageous to develop a process for producing energy efficient, rigid polyurethane foams in which none of the traditional chlorofluorocarbon blowing agents was employed.
One approach to resolving the migration problem of HCFCs has been to use mixtures of the traditional chlorofluorocarbons and the HCFCs. This approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,927,863 and 4,945,119. These blowing agent mixtures do, however, include some of the undesirable traditional chlorofluorocarbons.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,597 discloses a process for producing rigid polyurethane foams in which water is used as the blowing agent. Other optional blowing agents disclosed in this patent include the known low boiling halogenated halocarbons and "azo" blowing agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,804 discloses a process for producing rigid foams in which a mixture of an HCFC and an alkyl alkanoate is used as the blowing agent.

HCFC blown rigid foams with low thermal conductivity