A process for the production of a high voltage, MIS integrated circuit or a substrate incorporating double implantation MIS transistors creates transistors whose sources and drains consist of double junctions and whose gates are formed in a semiconducting layer. The initial process includes a first implantation of ions of a given conductivity type in the substrate and at a given dose, in order to form there the first source and drain junctions, followed by a second implantation of ions of the same type as the first, at a higher dose than that of the first implantation in order to form the double junctions. The process is characterized in that between the first and second implantations, a conductive layer is epitaxied on said first junctions and on the gates, the second implantation being formed through the epitaxied layer in such a way that the double junctions are partly formed there.

With the reduction of the critical dimensions of integrated circuits and, more particularly, the width of the gate of MIS transistors, it has proved necessary to modify the construction processes for the sources and drains of said transistors.
Thus, the smaller the gate width, the greater the lateral diffusion of the source-drain implantation beneath the gate becomes, so that it is more disadvantageous. In addition, the MIS transistor may become more sensitive to the puncturing phenomenon between the source and the drain corresponding to the leakage current between the source and the drain for a zero gate voltage. Finally, the reduction of said gate width leads to a premature ageing of the MIS transistor through the injection of hot carriers into the gate insulant. This phenomenon becomes more prejudicial as the concentration of the dopants at the edges of the transistor gate becomes high.
For all these reasons, type n and also type p transistors are now produced by a double implantation process, referred to as the low doped drain or LDD process and which solves the aforementioned problems for technologies in which the gate width is typically below 2 micrometers. This process becomes absolutely indispensable in submicron technologies.
This overall process is more particularly described in the IBM EP-A-0 054 117. It essentially consists of forming the gate of the transistors in a polycrystalline silicon film, thermally oxidizing the substrate and the gate of the transistors, carrying out a first low dose implantation, forming spacers on either side of the transistor gate and then carrying out a second high dose implantation in order to form the double junction sources and drains of the transistors.
The first low does implantation makes it possible to considerably reduce the dopant concentration perpendicular to the gate of the transistors and therefore partly solve the aforementioned electrical problems. The second high dose implantation is necessary for fulfilling the function of the source and drain of the transistors, because the resistance of the junctions obtained by the low dose implantation is too high.
In order to ensure that said high dose implantation is not superimposed on the low dose implantation zone, it is necessary to move it physically away from the edge of the gate. This is brought about by carrying out the second implantation through spacers or spacing strips. These spacing strips are obtained by the isotropic deposition of an insulating film on the complete structure, followed by the full plate etching of said insulating film in order to form the spacers on the gate edges.
During the production of the spacers, there is generally a large consumption (several dozen nm) of the field insulant (generally field oxide) used for the electrical insulation of the transistors. This field insulant consumption modifies its electrical properties, which can favor the formation of parasitic transistors in said insulations.
Moreover, the aforementioned IBM process does not make it possible to obtain MIS integrated circuits operating with a high supply voltage. Moreover, the transistors obtained have a low transconductance. The term high supply voltage is understood to mean voltages of 8 V for transistor gate widths of 500 nm, a voltage of 5 V for gate widths of 300 nm and a voltage of 3 V for gate widths below 200 nm.
In order to obviate these disadvantages, R. IZAWA et al proposed a modification to the IBM process described in the IEDM article 87, pp 38-41 "The impact of gate-drain overlapped LDDD (GOLD) for deep submicron VLSI'S". In this process, successive formation takes place on the thermal oxidant of the substrate of a first polycrystalline silicon coating, a second thermal oxide and a second polycrystalline silicon coating. This is followed by the etching through an insulating mask of said second polycrystalline silicon coating and then the first low dose implantation into the substrate through the second thermal oxidation coating, the first polycrystalline silicon coating and the first thermal oxidation coating. Following the low dose implantation, spacers are formed by the deposition of a second oxide coating on the complete structure and then the full plate etching of said oxide coating.
By using the spacers as a mask, an etching takes place of the first polycrystalline silicon coating, followed by an oxidation of the etched edges of said first silicon coating. Only then does the high dose second implantation take place.
The use of a first polycrystalline silicon coating permits an overlap of the transistor gate over the weakly implanted source and drain areas, thus reducing the electrical resistance of said low implantation areas. Moreover, this process makes it possible to increase the transconductance of the transistors, as well as the current in their channel.
Unfortunately, the transistors obtained have an inadequate resistance to puncturing between the source and the drain, thus limiting the supply voltage applied to said transistors. The limited puncturing resistance of "GOLD" transistors is due to the fact that n+pn+ or p+np+ transistors are buried beneath the channel of the, respectively, n-pn- and p-np- transistors.
In addition, this process suffers from performance difficulties. More particularly, the etching of the second polycrystalline silicon coating requires a selectivity higher than 100 relative to the second silicon oxide coating, bearing in mind the limited oxide coating thickness necessary for avoiding the obtaining of a floating gate, which is difficult to carry out with the etching procedures used.

Process for the production of a high voltage MIS integrated circuit


A keypad having three-dimensional patterns and a method for manufacturing the same. The keypad includes a base layer, a light-guiding plate, a pattern layer, a shielding layer and a keycap layer. The light-guiding plate is overlapped on the base layer. The pattern layer is provided on the light-guiding plate. A plurality of three-dimensional patterns is provided on the front surface of the pattern layer. The shielding layer is coated on the back surface of the pattern layer, and is formed with a plurality of hollowed regions to correspond to the three-dimensional patterns. The keycap layer is overlapped on the pattern layer and formed with a plurality of keycaps to correspond to the three-dimensional patterns. In addition, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing keypad having three-dimensional patterns. Via the above arrangement, the recognition and aesthetic feeling of each three-dimensional pattern can be increased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a keypad and a method for manufacturing the same, and in particular to a keypad having three-dimensional patterns and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Prior Art
With the progress and development of technology, modern consumers request electronic products such as mobile phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), ultra mobile personal computer (UMPC) to be designed in a more personalized and delicate manner. However, these electronic products can be only operated via keypad so as to transmit signals from a user to the electronic products or vice versa. Moreover, the user requests the keypad of the electronic product to be varied continuously. Therefore, it is an important issue for the manufacturers of keypad to develop keypad of more competitiveness to satisfy the request of modern people.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-340059 discloses a conventional keypad and a method for manufacturing the same. As shown in FIG. 1, the keypad includes a base layer 10a, a pattern layer 12a, a keycap layer 14a and a colored light-transmitting film 17a. The front surface of the pattern layer 12a is provided with three-dimensional patterns 121a. The keycap layer 14a is provided with troughs to correspond to the three-dimensional patterns 121a and the keycap layer 14a is overlapped on the front surface of the pattern layer 12a. The back surface of the pattern layer 12a is printed with the colored light-transmitting film 17a. The base layer 10a is adhered to the underside of the light-transmitting film 17a. With the above arrangement, a keypad can be achieved. Further, the method for manufacturing the keypad includes a step of overlapping a pattern layer and a keycap layer. First, a bottom plate and three-dimensional patterns are integrally formed. The three-dimensional patterns protrude from the top surface of the bottom plate. Next, the top surface of the three-dimensional pattern is printed. Then, the three-dimensional patterns of the bottom plate are embedded in the keycap layer via a hot welding process.
Further, Japanese Patent publication No. 2000-331554 discloses another kind of keypad and a method for manufacturing the same. According to this method for manufacturing the keypad, cavities having three-dimensional patterns are formed in an inner surface of a keycap layer. The inner surface of the keycap layer is printed with a light-shielding film. Then, the inner surface of the cavity having three-dimensional patterns is coated with a light-transmitting colored film. In this way, the method for manufacturing keypad can be completed.
Although the above-mentioned keypad and the method for manufacturing the same can obtain keypads having three-dimensional patterns, Patent Publication No. 2000-340059 only teaches a step of printing on the top surface of the three-dimensional patterns. Therefore, the whole shape of the three-dimensional pattern cannot be displayed sufficiently, and thus the recognition and aesthetic feeling thereof are not good. Further, since both the above-mentioned patent publications do not provide a light-guiding plate, the illuminated area is relatively small and thus it can be only applied to a relative small keypad or single keypad. Therefore, for a keypad having a large operating area, the conventional keypad cannot satisfy this requirement for use.
Further, China Patent Publication No. CN2544299Y discloses another keypad assembly, which includes a keypad layer, a first pattern layer, a refracting layer and a second pattern layer. The keypad layer is a light-transmitting body. The first pattern layer is an opaque body that is overlapped with the keypad layer. The first pattern layer is provided with first patterns formed by hollowed portions. The refracting layer is a translucent body that is located below the keypad layer and the first pattern layer. The underside of the refracting layer is formed with a back surface. The second pattern layer is an opaque body that is attached to the back surface of the refracting layer. The second pattern layer is provided with second patterns formed by hollowed portions. The light emitted by light-emitting elements is projected toward the keypad layer from the underside of the second pattern layer, so that the first and second patterns can be displayed on the keypad layer, thereby achieving a multiple displaying effect. Although the above-mentioned keypad assembly has a multiple displaying effect, it relies on the fact that the first and second patterns are formed on the first and second pattern layers respectively. As a result, the total thickness of the keypad would be large and thus increasing the weight thereof. Therefore, it is not suitable for the electronic products that tend to be produced toward more and more compact. Further, the light-emitting element is formed underneath the second pattern layer, increasing the total height. As a result, the thickness of the electronic product cannot be reduced sufficiently. Moreover, the refracting layer is a translucent body, so that the recognition and aesthetic feeling of the displayed second pattern are not good.

Method for manufacturing key-pad having three-dimensional patterns


A high throughput rheology machine measures transient response to a material subject to the decaying oscillation to determine nonlinear characteristics of the material with a single test cycle.

The present invention relates generally to rheometers for characterizing the dynamic properties of soft materials under stress and in particular to a rheometer providing reduced test time, increasing throughput and decreasing material degradation.
Rheometers are material testing devices, originally used for testing liquid viscosity but more generally applicable to testing any deformable material with respect to the dynamic relationships between stress and strain.
A typical, rotational or sheer type rheometer may provide two opposed plates between which the material to be tested is placed. One plate may be stationary and the other plate may be rotated to impart a rotational shear to the material. The movable plate is instrumented to measure the motion and the force of resistance to movement of the movable plate by the material.
In large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) measurements, the movable plate is oscillated through a predetermined range of large amplitude (many degrees) movements at different frequencies. At each set of amplitudes and frequencies a hysteretic shear stress-strain curve is acquired to provide detailed characterization of the material's dynamic qualities.
LAOS has been successfully applied to a broad range of materials including non-Newtonian fluids, food materials, and the like, but has the drawback of requiring extended measurement times required as the rheometer cycles through many different amplitudes and frequencies. These long measurement times limit throughput and in some cases can accelerate the degradation of the sample, for example, by heating, dehydration, or mechanical breakdown.


The present disclosure relates to a 5G or pre-5G communication system for supporting a higher data transmission rate than a 4G system, such as LTE. Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a device and a method. To this end, an antenna unit may comprise a dielectric substrate, a dielectric cover on the dielectric substrate, and a slot antenna array formed in a metal layer arranged on or in the dielectric substrate. The slot antenna array may be configured to generate a traveling wave which propagates in the dielectric substrate and the dielectric cover, and may have at least two groups (first and second groups) of slot elements. Each slot element of the second group may be shorter than any slot element of the first group, and slots of the first and second groups may be arranged to be opposite to each other so as to make pairs of slot elements. In a pair of slot elements, the distance from the slot element of the first group to the slot element of the second group may be selected such that a phase shift is provided between 90 degree radiation waves thereof. The pairs of slot elements may be arranged out of alignment such that even-numbered pairs of slot elements are offset from odd-numbered pairs of slot elements.

To satisfy demands for wireless data traffic having increased since commercialization of 4th-Generation (4G) communication systems, efforts have been made to develop improved 5th-Generation (5G) communication systems or pre-5G communication systems. For this reason, the 5G communication system or the pre-5G communication system is also called a beyond-4G-network communication system or a post-Long Term Evolution (LTE) system.
It is considered that the 5G communication system will be implemented in millimeter wave (mmWave) bands, e.g., 60 GHz bands, so as to accomplish higher data rates. In the 5G communication system, beamforming, massive multi-input multi-output (MIMO), full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), an array antenna, analog beamforming, and large-scale antenna technologies have been discussed to alleviate a propagation path loss and to increase a propagation distance in the ultra-high frequency band.
For system network improvement, in the 5G communication system, techniques such as an evolved small cell, an advanced small cell, a cloud radio access network (RAN), an ultra-dense network, a device to device (D2D) communication, a wireless backhaul, a moving network, cooperative communication, coordinated multi-points (CoMPs), and interference cancellation have been developed.
In the 5G system, advanced coding modulation (ACM) schemes including hybrid frequency-shift keying (FSK) and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) modulation (FQAM) and sliding window superposition coding (SWSC), and advanced access schemes including filter bank multi carrier (FBMC), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), and sparse code multiple access (SCMA) have been developed.

Antenna and wireless communication device including antenna


The present disclosure is directed to embodiments of devices for capturing obstructions within passageways. The devices disclosed herein may include a flexible tubular body forming multiple flexible members arranged in a helical pattern. These flexible members may be expandable to form one or more cages when the tubular body is expanded to an increased diameter state. The cages may be generally centered around the longitudinal axis of the tubular body between the two ends of the body. Also disclosed herein are methods for capturing obstructions within passageways, methods for obtaining tissue samples from body passages, and methods for making devices for capturing obstructions within passageways.

Treatment of obstructions within passageways is a common challenge faced by medical professionals. These obstructions can occur within body passages such as the ureter, pancreaticobiliary ducts, bowel passages, and airways, or within tubing connected to patients such as external drainage tubing, feeding tubes, intravenous tubes, or chest tubes. Removing these obstructions in a simple and cost effective manner, as well as in a manner involving the least amount of discomfort for the patient as possible, is a goal shared by medical practitioners and medical product manufacturers alike.
In one typical example, calculus or stones in the urinary tract or kidneys arise because of the breakdown of a delicate balance in the body. Specifically, the kidneys must conserve water to function, but they must excrete materials that have a low solubility. These opposing requirements must be balanced during adaptation to diet, climate and activity. The problem is mitigated to some degree because urine contains substances that inhibit crystallization of stone forming minerals. However, when urine becomes supersaturated with insoluble materials, because excretion rates are excessive and/or because water conservation is extreme, crystals form and may grow and aggregate to form a stone.
Although small crystals are readily voided from the kidney with urine, the larger stones may become dislodged from the kidney and enter the ureter or occlude the uretero-pelvic or uretero-vesical junction, causing pain and obstruction. Although some stones can ultimately traverse the ureter, their passage may produce pain and bleeding. The pain can be so severe that narcotic drugs are needed for its control.
Removal of stones from the kidneys or urinary tract can be effected medically or surgically. A well known surgical approach involves passing a flexible basket in a retrograde manner up the ureter from the bladder, and using the basket to capture the stones. Another surgical technique, known as extracorporeal lithotripsy, entails transmission of high-intensity shock waves from outside the body to fragment the stones within the body. The resulting stone fragments are then voided with urine. Yet another surgical technique, percutaneous ultrasonic lithotripsy, requires the passage of a rigid cystoscopy-like instrument in the renal pelvis through a small incision in the flank whereupon stones are broken up by a small ultrasound transducer and removed directly. Another surgical technique is laser lithotripsy via a ureteroscope. All of these procedures, which can be quite painful, are elaborate and expensive, and do not always result in complete removal of the stones and fragments.
Stents are used to decompress ureteral obstruction, ensuring that urine drains from the kidney to the bladder. It has also been recognized that placement of a stent within the ureter can help small stones and stone fragments to transit the ureter. In a typical procedure involving a stent, a guide wire is passed through the ureter to the renal pelvis. A hollow, flexible, cylindrical stent is then advanced with a pusher over the guide wire. The guide wire and pusher are then extracted from the stent and the body, leaving an open lumen for urine to pass through. However, because the lumen defined by the cylindrical stent is even smaller than the ureter itself, all but the smallest stones and sludge are precluded from passing therethrough. Some fragments are able to pass around the ureteral stent but larger stone fragments are unable to pass.


A reception device and program for the reception device that uses a scalable video coding (SVC) method to ensure best-effort image data transmission even when stream-type data is transmitted through a transmission control protocol (TCP). The reception device includes a frame detecting unit configured to detect a base layer reception completed time point indicating a time at which a base layer of a frame to be reproduced is formed using the received image packet, a timer unit configured to detect an expiration of a timeout period beginning at the earliest from the base layer reception completed time point, and a reception completed packet processing unit configured to transmit a reception completed packet to the transmission device, the reception completed packet indicating that at least one transmitted image packet is not received after the expiration of the timeout period detected by the timer unit.

1. Field
Devices and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relates to a data reception device that receives transmitted image packets transmitted from a transmission device in a data transmitting system, which transmits image data in a stream-type data, and a program used in the data transmitting system.
2. Description of the Related Art
When image data is transmitted via the Internet, a stream-type transmitting method is often used in contrast to a download-type transmitting method. The stream-type transmitting method is a method that may transmit the image data from a transmission device to a reception device that then reproduces the image data in a perceived simultaneous manner to a user.
The image data that has been coded using a scalable video coding (SVC) method may be used when the stream-type transmitting method is executed, to transmit the image data depending on the circuit status or ability of a receiving end.
An extension of the H.264 video coding standards is an example of the SVC method. As shown in FIG. 6, the data structure of the coding may be divided into a base layer, which is formed with the minimum moving image elements needed, and an extended layer which is combined with the base layer to thereby increase image quality.
The base layer is a highly-reliable channel because the base layer is an essential data stream for reproducing an image on the receiving end. The base layer is transmitted and received with high reliability using redundancy checks such as forward error correction (FEC).
On the other hand, the extended layer, which is a less-reliable channel, is divided into a space layer for increasing accuracy of an image, a time layer for increasing frame rates of a moving image, and a signal to noise (S/N) ratio layer for increasing S/N ratios of an image.
The extended layer may not be processed using redundancy checks such as FEC. Further, when the circuit status becomes undesirable, the extended layer may not be transmitted to the reception device. Because the essential base layer is always transmitted to the reception device, the extended layer that is transmitted from the transmission device without errors and the base layer may be combined and decoded, to obtain a transmitted image result that is suitable for the circuit status.
However, according to Japanese Patent No. 3757857, when image data coded using the SVC method (hereinafter, referred to as "SVC image data") is transmitted, a real time protocol (RTP) is used as a transfer protocol, which does not retransmit data. Therefore, the SVC image data may be transmitted having more priority in real-time data transmission rather than priority in reliability of data transmission.
Also, a data transmission system according to Japanese Patent No. 3757857 uses RTP, which does not retransmit data in principle, as a transfer protocol, but rather retransmits a portion of layers.
However, even when streaming moving images and the like, a transmission control protocol (TCP), which maintains reliable transmission by retransmitting data, may be used as a transfer protocol. When transmitting SVC image data through TCP, if a transmitted image packet that failed to be transmitted to the reception device exists, then, all of the non-transmitted image packets are retransmitted. Thus, when transmitting SVC image data through TCP, even if the purpose of data transmission is only to reproduce moving images, transmitted image packets of the extended layers that do not necessarily have to be transmitted to the reception device are still completely retransmitted. Therefore, even though picture quality of moving images may be fixed at best quality, the real-time feature is degraded because of the delay caused during the receiving of every transmitted image packet.
That is, simply by combining TCP and the SVC method, various picture qualities that depend on the circuit status may not be automatically obtained, and the same best-effort image result as using a combination of RTP and the SVC method may not be obtained. Accordingly, because features of the SVC method may not be implemented, data may be encoded in various bit rates depending on the circuit status as in other related technology, or a plurality of encoded moving image data may be provided.
Also, in a data transmission system according to Japanese Patent No. 9-307510, assuming that a transmission device repeatedly retransmits image packets until the transmitted image packets are received as reception completed packets at a reception device, the data transmission system includes features that only use the reception device to ensure that a base layer is received in the reception device, and at the same time, does not retransmit image packets for other non-received extended layers.
Specifically, the reception device may not transmit the reception completed packet for a non-received base layer to the transmission device. At the same time, even when extended layers are not actually received, the reception completed packets for non-received extended layers may be transmitted to the transmission device, causing a forced stop of the retransmission process regarding the non-received extended layer.
Further, in such a reception device, if there is even one transmitted image packet of the extended layers that could not be received in the reception device, then, the retransmission of the extended layers is stopped. Therefore, if the circuit status is undesirable, the extended layers are almost not decoded at all, and only the base layer is transmitted.
In other words, regardless of the circuit status, even if there is a need to provide a minimum protection of the base layer and first-priority extended layer to reproduce a moving image, because the first-priority extended layer cannot be protected, the transmission device may not be able to provide best-effort image data transmission that reflects the user preferences regarding picture quality.

Reception device and program for reception device


In a network system comprising an upper relay and a plurality of lower relays connected to the upper relay with working links, the lower relays are connected with redundant links, and communication is performed through the redundant links when the working links are unavailable. Also, frames passing through a same lower relay are distributed and transmitted to the working link and the detour path (working link—lower relay—redundant link).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to upper and lower relays and a network system, and in particular to a network system and relays (upper and lower relaying devices) composing the network system, especially a device such as a LAN switch performing a layer 2 switching.
Recently, a spread of the Internet, an expansion of an enterprise IP (Internet Protocol) network (intranet), a provision of an IP virtual leased line (i.e. IP-VPN (IP Virtual Private Network) service by carriers (Type I carriers) and an ISP (Internet Service Provider), and the like accompanied by a rapid spread of a personal computer have made IP data communication more and more important.
Also, together with functions and performances of a network itself enhanced, various services such as e-mail, WWW (World Wide Web), integration of voice and data over IP (i.e. VoIP (Voice over IP)), and movie/voice reproduction have been spreading, whereby the total volume of data traffic has been increasing.
Correspondingly, a network itself has become broadband (high-speed), and multimedia data of large capacity has come into widespread use. In such a network, its reliability is critical.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 21 shows a basic arrangement of a prior art network which offers such services. This network is layered into a backbone network 120 of a carrier, an access network 170, and a network 180 composed of general user devices and enterprise user devices accessing the Internet or the like through the access network 170 and the backbone network 120.
The router backbone network 120 is composed of IP switches (or routers) 100_1–100_4, . . . (hereinafter, occasionally represented by a reference numeral 100) connected with links 110_1, 110_3, 110_4, . . . .
In the backbone network 120 where traffic concentrates, a SONET (Synchronous Optical Network) ring or the like, which is technologically expensive but has a function of detouring a path when a fault or failure occurs in a part of the network, is generally introduced.
The access network 170 is composed of aggregation LAN switches connected to the IP switch 100, and LAN switches connected to the aggregation LAN switches. For example, aggregation LAN switches 140, 140_2, and 140_3 (switches 140_2 and 140_3 are not shown) are respectively connected to the IP switch 100_1 with links 130_1–130_3. LAN switches 160_1–160_8 are respectively connected to the aggregation LAN switch 140_1 with links 150_1–150_8.
Enterprise users or general users are connected to each LAN switch. Enterprise users 191_1, . . . are connected to e.g. the LAN switch 160_1 respectively with links 181_1, . . . . General users 192_1–192_q are connected to the LAN switch 160_2 respectively with links 182_1–182_q.
Similarly, an enterprise user (branch) 194 is connected to the IP switch 100_2 through an aggregation LAN switch 141 and a LAN switch 161.
Thus, the access network 170 and the user network 180 are generally supported by an optical Ethernet (R) where a star-type topology is adopted.
Also, the networks 170 and 180 are generally composed of a switched media method LAN switch or the like, and can inexpensively offer a high-speed communication service and an Internet access service by using existing protocols and technologies such as an IP and Ethernet (R).
Specifically, the network 180 is called a broadband access network which includes the followings: (1) FTTH (Fiber To The Home) connecting a user to an IP network of a carrier with a LAN switch; (2) ADSL (Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line) using copper wires which have been used for telephone lines; (3) Wireless LAN, and the like.
Among these, the FTTH is expected in the future, and a construction of an FTTH network connecting end users such as homes and enterprises with optical fibers has already begun.
As described above, the Ethernet (R) technology which has spread within an enterprise network begins to be used for an Internet access or a WAN technology connecting enterprises. However, since the Ethernet (R) technology is a simple point-to-point communication technology, it is inexpensive but basically has no mechanism concerning reliability such as a path detour upon a fault, resulting in a low reliability.
Specifically, the enterprise users, as shown in FIG. 21, connect the head office 191_1 and its branch (e.g. branch 194), or local sites with a VPN service offered by the carriers. Supposing that a fault occurs in a part of the VPN, there is a possibility that communication becomes impossible, which leads to interferences of business operations.
Also, it becomes impossible for the general users to access the Internet when a fault occurs. These lead to a large problem concerning a credibility for the carriers.
While one may conceive to adopt a SONET device or the like having a high reliability for the access network, it is very expensive compared with the LAN switch.
As for the technology to make the Ethernet (R) highly reliable, there is a link aggregation connecting devices with a plurality of Ethernet (R) transmission lines (links).
When a link aggregation technology is adopted for the access network 170 for example, the carriers have to construct the same fibers as the links 150_1–150_8 between an aggregation LAN switch 140 and the LAN switches 160_1–160_8. The constructed fibers become longer as the number of the LAN switches 160 becomes larger.

Upper and lower relays and network system


A straw chopper for an agricultural harvesting unit includes a housing, and a rotor carried by the housing. The rotor includes a center chopping section and a pair of fans respectively positioned at longitudinally outboard ends of the center chopping section. Each fan includes a hub rotatable in a direction of rotation, and a plurality of fan blades connected with the hub at a plurality of angularly spaced locations about the hub. Each fan blade has a generally U-shaped portion with a rear wall and a pair of side walls extending from the rear wall in the direction of rotation.

Straw Choppers are used on agricultural harvesting machines to reduce the size of crop material, other than grain, that is processed by the harvesting machine. Typically, the straw chopper includes a housing that encloses a rotor. The housing is provided with an inlet for receiving crop material other than grain that has been processed and an outlet for distributing the chopped crop material back to the field. The housing is also provided with a bank of stationary cutter knives. The rotor is provided with a plurality of pendulously mounted straw chopper blades that cooperate with the stationary knives to chop the crop material entering the straw chopper. The rotor typically includes a cylindrical tube having a plurality of blade mounts distributed around the periphery of the rotor. The straw chopper blades are pendulously mounted to the blade mounts.
It is known to provide a fan at each longitudinally outboard end of the chopper blades. The fan helps to cast the non-grain crop material from the rear of the combine. The fan may include fan blades having a generally L-shaped configuration, with one leg lying in a plane extending generally parallel to the direction of rotation, and a transverse leg lying in a plane extending generally perpendicular to the direction of rotation. The transverse leg has a radially extending edge which simply allows the air to flow around the edge and off the blade as the blade rotates during use.
What is needed in the art is a fan for a straw chopper having enhanced air flow.

Straw chopper with fan having enhanced air flow in an agricultural combine


Methods and apparatus for an optical system for LEDs for control of light output from the LEDs. A plurality of optical pieces may be provided with each being over one or more LEDs and configured to direct a majority of light output from such one or more LEDs toward a desired illumination direction. A shield array may be placed over the optical pieces and include a plurality of openings each sized to at least partially receive one of the optical pieces and a plurality of blocking shields extending upward from and provided partially over one of the openings and one of the individual optical pieces. The blocking shields block stray light rays that are transmitted from one of the individual optical pieces in a backlight direction away from the desired illumination direction.

Digital lighting technologies, i.e. illumination based on semiconductor light sources, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), offer a viable alternative to traditional fluorescent, HID, and incandescent lamps. Functional advantages and benefits of LEDs include high energy conversion and optical efficiency, durability, lower operating costs, and many others. Recent advances in LED technology have provided efficient and robust full-spectrum lighting sources that enable a variety of lighting effects in many applications. Some of the fixtures embodying these sources feature a lighting module, including one or more LEDs capable of producing different colors, e.g. red, green, and blue, as well as a processor for independently controlling the output of the LEDs in order to generate a variety of colors and color-changing lighting effects, for example, as discussed in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,016,038 and 6,211,626, incorporated herein by reference.
In certain lighting fixtures implementing LEDs there is motivation to limit or eliminate the amount of light from the LEDs that is directed from the lighting fixture to areas that are not intended to be illuminated. Motivations to limit such stray light from LEDs may include the desire to achieve compliance with one or more standards. For example, obtaining credit for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications requires conforming to specified spill light levels in lighting layouts. Current designs directed at limiting the amount of stray light from LEDs may significantly reduce the efficiency of light directed at the intended illumination area. Current designs may additionally or alternatively fail to limit stray light to the degree necessary to achieve compliance with one or more standards such as compliance with requirements specified by LEED.
Thus, there is a need in the art to provide an optical system for LEDs for control of light output from the LEDs that optionally overcomes one or more drawbacks of some current designs.

Optical system for LEDs for control of stray light


Methods, systems, and apparatuses are provided for performing joint source channel decoding in a manner that exploits parameter domain correlation. Redundancy in speech coding and packet field parameters is exploited to generate conditional probabilities that a decoder utilizes to perform joint source channel decoding. The conditional probabilities are based upon correlations of parameters of a current frame with parameters of the same or other frames or historical parameter data. Parameter domain correlation provides significant channel decoding improvement over prior bit domain solutions. Also provided are methods, systems, and apparatuses for utilizing received statistics of monitored data bits from which conditional probabilities are generated to perform channel decoding. The techniques described may be implemented at the decoder side and thus do not interfere with transmission standards.

1. Technical Field
The subject matter described herein relates to systems and methods for performing joint source channel decoding.
2. Background Art
The concept of channel capacity was introduced in C. E. Shannon, "A Mathematical Theory of Communication," Bell System Technical Journal, vol. 27, pp. 379-423 and 623-656, July and October, 1948. In this work, Shannon stated that a source with entropy H can be reliably transmitted over a channel with capacity C as long as H<=C. Shannon also introduced the Separation Theorem which stated that the maximum capacity is achievable by treating the source and channel independently. In accordance with this model, and referring to FIG. 1, a source coder is first applied to reduce the rate down to H, and a channel code is subsequently applied (e.g., in a system 102). At the receiver, the channel decoder is unaware of the type of source and outputs the most probable codeword (e.g., in system 102). The source decoder then reconstructs the source without any knowledge of the source statistics (e.g., in system 102).
However, Shannon's Separation Theorem only holds true in the case of infinite complexity and delay, as well as a non time varying (AWGN) channel. When operating with finite complexity and delay on a channel that may vary in time (fading), better performance is generally achievable by jointly optimizing the source and channel coder. In Joint Source-Channel Coding (JSCC), the source and channel are jointly encoded, while in Joint Source-Channel Decoding (JSCD), the source and channel are jointly decoded. These cases are depicted in FIG. 1 as systems 104 and 106, respectively. Of course, a system may also employ both JSCC and JSCD. However, most communications systems employed to date employ little JSCC or no JSCC. Significant gains can still be achieved in these systems by incorporating JSCD.

Joint source channel decoding using parameter domain correlation


A voltage regulator is operated by, during a finite period of a voltage regular start mode having a plurality of current pulses, monotonically increasing the maximum current of the current pulses and a target voltage.

Voltage regulators, such as DC to DC converters, are used to provide stable voltage sources for electronic systems, particularly electronic systems that include integrated circuits. Efficient DC to DC converters are particularly needed for battery management in low power devices, such as laptop notebooks and cellular phones, but are also needed for higher power demand products, e.g., desktop computers or servers. Switching voltage regulators (or more simply "switching regulators") are known to be an efficient type of DC to DC converter. A switching regulator generates an output voltage by converting an input DC voltage into a high frequency voltage, and filtering the high frequency voltage to generate the output DC voltage. Typically, the switching regulator includes a switch for alternately coupling and de-coupling an unregulated input DC voltage source, such as a battery, to a load, such as an integrated circuit. An output filter, typically including an inductor and a capacitor, is coupled between the input voltage source and the load to filter the output of the switch and thus provide the output DC voltage. A controller measures an electrical characteristic of the circuit, e.g., the voltage or current passing through the load, and sets the duty cycle of the switch in order to maintain the output DC voltage at a substantially uniform level. Current-mode control is one way of controlling the switching behavior of the switching components. Current-mode control measures the current across the load and attempts to maintain a specific current over the load.
Voltage regulators for microprocessors are subject to ever more stringent performance requirements. One trend is to operate at ever lower voltage and at higher currents. Another trend is to turn on or off different parts of the microprocessor in each cycle in order to conserve power. This requires that the voltage regulator react very quickly to changes in the load, e.g., several nanoseconds to shift from the minimum to the maximum load, and to have a fast transient response, e.g., to quickly stabilize without significant voltage or current ripple.
Still another trend is to place the voltage regulator close to the microprocessor in order to reduce parasitic capacitance, resistance and/or inductance in the connecting lines and thereby avoid power losses. However, in order to place the voltage regulator close to the microprocessor, the voltage regulator needs to be small and have a convenient form factor.


A method for forming an interlayer insulating film includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a first substrate region with a plurality of metal wiring and a second substrate region having no metal wiring, and then forming an insulating film dummy pattern in the second substrate region, wherein the insulating film dummy pattern has the same thickness as the metal wiring, and then forming an interlayer insulating film over the semiconductor substrate including the insulating film dummy pattern.

Due to increases in capacity and degree of integration of semiconductor devices, semiconductor devices are gradually decreasing in area. Accordingly, to reduce metal wirings in semiconductor devices and a width of the metal wirings in accordance with a reduced area of semiconductor devices, there exists a need for stacked multi-layered metal wirings, i.e., metal wirings that are stacked one above another in multiple layers. Formation of such multi-layered metal wirings essentially necessitates flattening an interlayer insulating film formed on and/or over a lower metal wiring. However, due to the fact that some regions are densely formed with metal wirings, whereas some regions have no metal wirings, flattening, in other words, leveling the uppermost surface, of the interlayer insulating film formed on and/or over the lower metal wiring is difficult. To solve this problem, dummy patterns may be formed in regions having no metal wirings. However, dummy patterns may cause undesirable parasitic capacitance with metal wirings adjacent thereto.

Method for forming interlayer insulating film in semiconductor device


A refrigerator shelf is defined by a glass shelf panel bounded by an integral, injection molded, substantially homogeneous, one-piece frame of polymeric/copolymeric plastic material. The frame includes two thin spaced depending peripheral walls spanned by a plurality of spaced reinforcing webs effecting rigidifying of the frame to afford the shelf appreciable weight bearing and anti-torquing characteristics. A pair of identical relatively broad hooks each including a plurality of vertically extending parallel reinforcing ribs are utilized for interlocking the shelf to relatively broad horizontally aligned openings in a refrigerator inner liner.

This invention is directed to a shelf for refrigerators, though it is equally applicable for utilization as a book shelf or a shelf associated with most any type of furniture utilizing a cantilevered shelf.
Shelves specifically designed for refrigerators are well known, and typical thereof are the various shelves disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,981 granted on Jun. 11, 1996 to Robert S. Herrmann et al. Each of the shelves of this patent include a cantilevered shelf which is defined by a glass panel and a peripheral frame defined by front and rear frame portions and opposite generally parallel side portions each having spaced ribs which define a groove for receiving a flange of a sliding xe2x80x9ccrisperxe2x80x9d drawer. The side walls each include a projecting hook which are engaged in horizontally aligned openings of a refrigerator compartment. Horizontal ribs afford the frame a modicum of rigidity along the length of the side walls, but no provision is made for front or rear rigidity which can create torque forces sufficient to bend or break the relatively narrow and weak hooks, particularly when the shelf panel and/or the drawer are heavily loaded with products. This difficulty is exacerbated if a relatively heavy/full drawer is pulled forward to gain access to products therein which lengthens the moment arm of the shelf and exacerbates the load applied to the hooks causing damage/destruction thereof. The latter is particularly true when the entire frame is formed of a single piece of molded polymeric/copolymeric synthetic plastic material, such as that disclosed relative to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the latter patent
Reinforcement can be achieved by forming separate rail members and riveting these to the side members of the upper shelf, as shown in FIG. 3 of the latter patent, but though this affords reinforcement, it also increases the overall weight of the shelf and the cost of manufacture/fabrication/assembly thereof.
Additional reinforcement by utilizing metallic side hanger brackets, as is illustrated in FIG. 5a of this patent, creates a relatively sturdy and rigid shelf, though a plurality of separate components must be separately united, some by rivets and some by an integrally injection molded frame which results in slow productivity and high material and end product costs.
It is also conventional to utilize metal side shelf brackets which are united by pairs of parallel rods for rigidity and with the metal side shelf brackets having hooks for hooking into horizontally aligned openings. A slider or sliding shelf formed of a glass panel and an injection molded frame has opposite side walls which are contoured to slide upon rails of the side shelf brackets, much as the manner illustrated in FIG. 10 of the latter patent. If the shelf is not required to function as a slider, the peripheral injection molded frame can be utilized to integrally unite (through molding) the metal side brackets and associated hooks to a glass panel, much in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5 of the latter patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,638 granted on Oct. 3, 1995 to Kevin C. Bird et al. is another example of a shelf having metallic side hanger brackets which are united to a glass panel by an injection molded frame. In this case rigidity is afforded the shelf by double hooks at each of the side brackets which are connected to a horizontal shelf rail bridging vertical posts carrying vertically spaced openings. The overall structure is relatively rigid, but the cost of materials and production is quite high and approaches commercial unfeasibility.
Other patents which disclose variations similar to those just described are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,084 granted on Apr. 4, 1995 to Edmund J. Kane et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,493 granted on Jul. 30, 1996 to Edmund J. Kane et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,777 granted on Aug. 26, 1997 to Robert S. Herrmann et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,809 granted on Oct. 15, 1996 to Edmund J. Kane et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,113 granted on Jan. 6, 1998 to Edmund J. Kane et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,338 granted on Aug. 15, 1995 to Edmund J. Kane et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,589 granted on Apr. 7, 1998 to Robert S. Herrmann et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,880 granted on Apr. 14, 1998 to Edmund J. Kane et al.
All of the patents thus far described are owned by the assignee of the present invention, namely, Gemtron Corporation of Sweetwater, Tenn., USA, a manufacturer of shelving for many well known refrigerator manufacturers who themselves have patents directed to refrigerator shelves, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,204 granted on May 14, 1996 to Scott A. Calvert et al. and assigned to General Electric Company; U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,641 granted on Jun. 26, 1990 to Marc R. Bussan and assigned to Whirlpool Corporation; U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,836 granted on Oct. 3, 1989 to John J. Pink and assigned to Amana Refrigeration, Inc. and others, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,745,775; 5,188,246; 3,633,983; 5,340,209 and 4,736,997 granted respectively on May 24, 1988; Feb. 23, 1993; Jan. 11, 1972; Aug. 23, 1994; and Apr. 12, 1988.
These patents establish the substance of the state of the art in this field and over which the present disclosure is considered a novel and unobvious departure.
In keeping with the foregoing, a novel refrigerator shelf of the present invention is constructed so as to be readily manufactured from a minimum number of components, and in reality only a single component is utilized during manufacture, yet the refrigerator shelf is attractive, stable, rigid, resistant to torque deflection, and can be manufactured rapidly and relatively inexpensively while at the same time being comparatively lightweight when measured against conventional refrigerator shelves. Low cost, attractiveness, strength and adaptability are functional characteristics of the present refrigerator shelf which uniquely distinguish the same from any one or all of the prior art shelves heretofore disclosed.
The refrigerator shelf of the present invention is manufactured from a single piece or panel of glass and injection molding a continuous border thereabout with suspension hooks projecting rearwardly and serving as integral cantilever suspension hooks for the shelf. To this extent, the shelf corresponds to the upper shelf of the first-mentioned patent, but distinguishes thereover in two important and specific features, namely, (1) at a minimum a pair of spaced side frame portions of the frame are each defined by inner and outer substantially spaced walls projecting below a lower surface of the glass shelf panel and between which span a plurality of reinforcing ribs, and (2) the suspension or cantilever hooks are relatively broad and each is provided with at least two vertically disposed substantially parallel spaced reinforcing ribs. The latter two structural features create a refrigerator shelf of extremely low cost, high aesthetics and increased strength including high resistance to torque and heavy product loading.
In further accordance with this invention, front and rear frame portions are likewise constructed from inner and outer substantially parallel spaced walls with reinforcing ribs spanning therebetween which particularly aid in resisting cocking or torquing of the refrigerator shelf.
In addition to the foregoing structural features of the invention, another important feature is that of locating the inner walls of at least the side frame portions beneath and inboard of a peripheral edge of the glass shelf panel which assures underlying peripheral support of the entire glass shelf panel affording maximum strength to the shelf, as well as resistance to cantilevered overloading, torquing or cocking thereof.

Refrigerator shelf with one-piece internally ribbed/reinforced polymeric frame and reinforced suspension hooks


Devices that provide timed-release of target compounds absorbed by, or otherwise integrated into, an external housing. The external housing absorbs and facilitates volatilization of the released compound. A permeable cover can be employed as a regulating mechanism to control the rate volatilization from the external housing. One or more reservoirs containing target compound can be contained within one or more internal chambers of the external housing. The one or more reservoirs can release the target compound for absorption by the external housing and/or to make contact with one or more other reservoirs so as to compromise the other reservoirs and release target compound within. A wick can be employed in certain embodiments to transfer target compound from the internal chamber to the external housing to be volatilized. Continued or sequential release of target compound to recharged the external housing achieves a zero order release rate from the external housing.

There are numerous substances for which sustained, airborne release of controlled concentration is desirable. Of particular interest worldwide are methods and devices capable of releasing substances that repel insects, particularly biting or disease vectoring species. Some of the most effective substances for repelling insects tend to have a high volatility, which allows them to spread more easily throughout an area making them effective spatial repellents. An unfortunate consequence of this high volatility is that they are short-lived and susceptible to environmental factors such as wind, humidity, and temperature.
There is also some evidence that long-range dispersal caused by saturation of a given area can send confusing signals that indicate the presence of a host and actually attract, rather than repel, insects to the area. (M. Debboun, S. P. Frances, and D. Strickman. 2007. Insect Repellents: Principles, Methods, and Uses. pgs. 13-14, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla.). However, some substances are specifically utilized because they have the ability to attract insects. Often, eradication of an insect necessitates that it be attracted to the control or eradication means, whether it be chemical, biological, or mechanical. Some biocontrol substances require contact with, or even ingestion by, an insect. Thus, dispersal mechanisms of a substance that will attract an insect to a specific area are often utilized.
A variety of release mechanisms, including various apparatuses, materials, formulations, and techniques, have been developed to try to provide a sustained, controlled release of volatile substances. Typically, these devices release an initial high concentration, which then tapers off, releasing less of the substance over time. As the amount of substance being released lessens, it can eventually become ineffective, often before the repellent is exhausted. Various binding agents or additives can be added to the repellent to try to slow and control the release and provide longer protection. But these agents and additives dilute the repellent and usually reduce their effectiveness more quickly. Depending upon the release apparatus, the type of substance, repellent or attractant, and environmental factors, an effective amount of the substance can be provided for a few hours and maybe up to a few days before the release mechanism has to be replaced or recharged.
In some situations, it is not possible or feasible to replace or recharge a substance release mechanism regularly or within a short period of time. One example is the use of repellents with livestock. It is well-known that livestock can benefit significantly by reduction of insect annoyance. For livestock farmers and animal breeders, particularly horse and cattle breeders, fighting pests is one of the most expensive and time-consuming issues that they deal with daily. The use of spatial repellents is usually not feasible with roaming livestock. Thus, more common techniques for controlling livestock pests include release mechanisms such as dust bags, impregnated ear tags, repellent misters, or other direct external repellent application to the animal. Pests in animal housing, i.e., barns, stalls, pens, etc., are often controlled with spatial release mechanisms that provide protection within a given area. However, all of these mechanisms exhibit the same disadvantages discussed above, an initial, usually short-term, effectiveness tapering off to an ineffective concentration within a relatively short time period. Needless to say, for a large animal herd, or animals scattered over a large area, repeated applications or recharging of repellent release mechanisms can be tedious and time-consuming.
There is an ongoing need for a release mechanism that can operate with short-lived, volatile insect repellents, attractants, biopesticides, pesticides, or other active ingredients to increase their efficacy and effectiveness over a longer period of time. A release mechanism that can provide an efficient spatial dispersal system with sustained release at optimal levels would be advantageous. Such a release mechanism, could achieve effective levels of protection with less toxic or harsh active ingredients, if such ingredients could be sustained at effective levels. Ideally, such a device would be amenable for use in stationary or mobilized applications, such as, for example, on or around roaming livestock or within their living areas.

Methods and devices for sustained release of substances

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.


A centrifugal blower comprising a cooling air path having an inlet communicating with a blower space and an outlet communicating with the inlet of the motor airflow path, the cooling air path having an upstream portion that extends axially in the direction from the opposite end of the motor toward the drive end of the motor, and the cooling air path having a downstream portion that extends axially in the direction from the drive end of the motor toward the opposite end of the motor.

Centrifugal blowers typically include impellers having a plurality of blades that redirect an incoming airflow toward a radial direction as the airflow moves from the impeller inlet to the impeller outlet. The blades are typically attached to a hub for rotation therewith. An electric motor rotates the impeller at the required speed. The electric motor requires cooling and therefore has an airflow path through the motor.
In automotive climate control applications (i.e., heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), water can enter the inlet of a climate control blower assembly. The water must be prevented from propagating from the blower inlet to the inner workings of the electric motor. Some previous methods to prevent water from entering the motor have been unsuccessful; others, while successful, require the motor cooling air path to be created by joining the blower assembly to the main climate control module that includes the volute.
Other cooling air paths involve positioning the cooling hole or inlet high in the volute, just downstream of the volute tongue. The path then turns downward towards the motor flange where the motor flange assembles to the volute. The motor flange and a cover/cap piece then form the rest of the air path towards the bottom of the motor. The high position of the cooling path inlet is effective at preventing water from entering, but the cooling path design requires design details in both the volute and the blower assembly.

Cooling channel for automotive HVAC blower assembly


A method is provided for the modification of microbial metabolism using a unipolar magnetic field. By applying a unipolar magnetic field to microbes under controlled conditions, changes in the rate and/or efficiency of metabolism are produced.

The search for a biological effect due to magnetic fields has a long history dating back a hundred years. The literature on biomagnetic effects on the growth and development of various organisms has been quite extensive showing both positive and negative findings. Among the positive findings attributed to strong magnetic fields are: altered growth rate, enzyme activities, cellular metabolism, DNA synthesis and animal orientation.
A wide variety of methods have been reported in the literature which are directed to the use of magnetic energy as a diagnostic technique and also for the treatment of diseases in warm blooded animals including humans. For example, magnetic energy has been utilized quite successfully over the past several years to promote the formation of osteoblasts in conjunction with the healing of bone fractures. In many instances markedly improved results in healing times have been achieved by the application of magnetic energy to the site of bone fractures and other injuries.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,337,776, which issued Aug. 22, 1967, there is disclosed an apparatus for generating magnetic fields which are indicated to be particularly useful for biomedical applications. Although the patentee is not specific as to individual applications, he does state that magnetic fields generated by the apparatus can decrease metabolism and reacts on the spastic syndrome.
A magnetic probe is disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,327 which issued May 23, 1972 and states that the probe can be employed in relatively inaccessible locations, such as in body cavities of animals to cause relaxation of muscle tissue.
A magnetic medical treatment device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,620 which states that the effects of a magnetic field upon a living body is dissociated by polarization and induced currents and is effective in controlling the sympathetic nervous system.
On May 3, 1977, U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,590 issued to A.R. Davis discloses an apparatus and method for treating seeds in a unipolar magnetic field. It is indicated in the patent that this treatment enhances the germination rate of the seeds, as well as providing plants having greater sugar content, increased protein and other desirable features.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,935 which issued Jan. 16, 1979 also to A.R. Davis, a method is disclosed and claimed which uses magnetic fields for clinical examination of animals to determine damaged, diseased, abnormal or malfunctioning parts of the body. Changes in tensioning and relaxation of the body extermities are an indication of body abnormalities.
A method for treating cancer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,952 which issued Nov. 18, 1986 and which involves timing an electromagnetic energy to the resonant energy absorption frequencies of the intracellular structures of the selected cells and then exposing a subject to this tuned electromagnetic energy field. The field can also be tuned to the frequency which has been calculated to be closest to the resonant frequency of the cancer cells and furthest from the normal cells.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,953, which issued to the same patentee, disclosed the identical procedure for the treatment of atherosclerotic lesions. In this process, metabolic and activity varying substance such as ferric hydroxide and dextran were employed and by applying the proper resonant energy, the heat in the diseased cell is increased by an increment sufficient to kill the diseased cell but not sufficient to kill normal cells.
In a patent issued to Robert T. Gordon on May 5, 1987, U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,359, a process is described and claimed for the treatment of cancer in a host organism which comprises providing to the host organism minute particles capable of being inductively heated and which are of a size which can be absorbed into cancer cells. Thereafter the organism is subjected to an alternating electromagnetic field to heat the particles at that point in metabolic time when the maximum difference in magnetic susceptibility between the cancer cells and normal cells within the region occurs, and then continuing the inductive heating to increase intracellular temperature to selectively kill the cancer cells.
Previous developments of directional magnetic fields began in 1936, when A.R. Davis first discovered that the north and the south magnetic pole fields each exhibited unique properties with respect to their effects on various forms of life. This discovery was slow to be accepted because of investigations by others who confused Davis's directional polarities magnetic fields with those which are simultaneously emitted by horse shoe type magnets and by AC-powered electromagnets. The common belief over the years relating to magnets has been that they emanate the same potential of type of energy. This belief has been found to be a misconception, since the two poles of a magnet are totally different in electric potential and effect. Correspondingly, the application of the respective poles to living systems has been found to produce quite different results. More specifically, it has been shown that magnetic energy has an effect on cells such as blood cells, nerves, bacteria, et al.
Preliminary investigations regarding biological effects of exposure to magnetic fields have indicated a polarity dependence. Cells are deemed to be bioelectric in nature, function and behavior and studies have indicated that directional magnetic fields enhance biological activity. Moreover, due to the orientation of such cells and of the metal elements and other ions contained therein, the blood cells have been found to decrease certain biological effects when exposed to the north pole and to increase other biological effects when exposed to the magnetic south pole. This same type of reaction has been noted in connection with other type cells of the body, it having been observed that, as a general matter, the application of north pole energies to an existing unhealthy or abnormal condition tends to have an arresting, quieting or relaxing effect, to induce an overall healing reaction akin to the body's own defense mechanism. On the other hand, the application of south pole energies tends to have a strengthening, activating effect, which has been found useful in treating some abnormal conditions, particularly those associated with a slowing or weakening in function. Cancer cells exposed to the north field show a significant decrease in the number of surviving cells after a period of incubation. Conversely, the same type of cells, when exposed to the south field, indicated an increase in the number of surviving cells compared to the unexposed controls. A more detailed description of magnetic pole energies can be found in Davis et al, Magnetism and its Effects on the Living System, Acres U.S.A., Kansas City, Mo. (1974) and Davis et al, The Magnetic Effect, Acres U.S.A., Kansas City, Mo. (1975).
The north pole, which is defined as the north seeking pole, is now believed to provide a negative form of energy while the south pole, which is defined as the south seeking pole, is believed to provide a positive form of energy. It has also been found upon examination of the electron paths associated with the fields surrounding the respective poles that the south pole end of a magnet provides a right hand spin of electrons, i.e., a clockwise rotation of electron movement, as contrasted with the north pole electron spin, which provides a left hand spin or counterclockwise rotation of its electron field.
It has been further observed that the lines of magnetic energy leave the south pole to re-enter the magnet at the Bloch Wall where the 180 degrees phase takes place, and leave the Bloch Wall at that point to go on as the north pole energy to re-enter the magnet at its north pole.
Magnetic enhancement or retardation of bacterial or cellular growth rates has been reported in the literature. For example, Davis and Rawls presented numerous examples of enhancement to seeds and various types of cellular growth (Davis, A.R. & Rawls, Jr., W.C., Magnetism and its Effects on the Living System, Acres, U.S.A., Kansas City, Mo. 1974). Bornstein reported magnetic inhibition of bacterial growth in burn wounds (Bornstein, L.A., in Argosy, June, 1968). Investigations sponsored by Bio-Magnetics Systems, Inc. have shown that unidirectional magnetic fields inhibited or increased the growth of cancer cells, depending on the field polarity, as disclosed by A. Trappier et al., in Evolving Perspectives On The Exposure Risks From Magnetic Fields, Journal of Nat. Med. Assoc., 82:621-624, September 1990.

Magnetically modified microbial metabolism


A flex cabling having a socket connector at one end and a pair of terminal caps at the other end. The flex cabling is plastic or the like into which at least one run of flat conductor material or wire is embedded extending from a pair of polarized terminals in the socket connector to the respective terminal caps. The flex cabling provides a one-piece unitary construction and the terminal caps are insertably receive the respective terminals on the battery. The terminals of the socket connector are marked with positive and negative indicia so that a mismatch of polarity from a plug of a battery charger cannot be misaligned. Misalignment is further avoided by providing a keyway in the cabling socket connector so that the connectors of the plug from the charger can only be inserted into the terminal openings of the socket connector in proper orientation. A panel is pivotally or slidably carried adjacent to the terminal openings so that the terminal openings may be covered to prevent dirt, debris, or any foreign matter from entering into the socket.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of electrical plug and socket connectors, and more particularly to a novel connector for use between a battery charger and a battery wherein the socket connector is connected to the terminals of the battery by an elongated flexible strap so that the socket connector can remain with the battery after battery installation.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the past,. it has been the conventional practice to employ storage batteries for supplying power to various electronic circuits, components and equipment, motorcycles, boats, recreational vehicles or the like. In these situations, the battery may not be used for long periods of time so that the charge greatly diminishes and when the operator desires to use the vehicle, the battery is dead or it does not have sufficient energy to perform the electrical functions. In this instance, a battery charger is then employed to recharge the battery. This requires a time-consuming procedure and the operator is delayed in using his vehicle.
In some instances, tricklechargers are attached to the battery when the vehicle is not in operation so that a slow charge is provided to the battery whereby the battery is ready for use when the operator desires even after a long period of vehicle non-use. In connection with the use of trickle chargers, care must be taken that the charge not be overdone or the battery may explode. Also, great care must be taken when placing the terminals of the trickle charger with the terminals of the battery so that the polarization is matched. A mismatch will also cause an explosion and great damage to life and limb as well as property.
Therefore, a long-standing need has existed to provide a socket connector for receiving the plug of a charger whereby a mismatch of polarity is avoided and the socket connector is available for use in situ without the necessity of having to remove the socket connector at the conclusion of the charging procedure.
Accordingly, the above problems and difficulties are avoided by the present invention which provides a flex cabling having a socket connector at one end and a pair of terminal caps at the other end. The flex cabling constitutes a flexible member such as plastic or the like into which a run of flat conductor material or wire is embedded extending from a pair of polarized terminals in the socket connector to the respective terminal caps. The flex cabling including the terminal caps and the socket connector form a one-piece unitary construction and the terminal caps are adapted to be placed over and to insertably receive terminals on the battery. The terminals of the socket connector are marked with positive and negative indicia so that a mismatch of polarity from the plug of the battery charger cannot be misaligned. Misalignment is further avoided by providing a keyway in the socket connector so that the connectors of the plug from the charger can only be inserted into the terminals of the socket connector in proper orientation. The socket connector further includes a panel which may be pivotally or slidably carried adjacent to the terminals so that the terminals may be covered to prevent dirt, debris or any foreign matter from entering into the socket.
Therefore, it is among the primary objects of the present invention to provide a novel socket connector for interconnecting the plug of a charger with the terminals of a battery so that misalignment of polarity cannot be experienced and which further provides a flexible cable interconnecting the terminals of the socket with the terminals of the battery.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel interconnecting means between the connectors of a battery charger plug and the sockets in a connector so that misalignment of polarity cannot be experienced.
A further object resides in providing a flex cabling polarity socket connector which is detachably connected to the terminals of the battery by means of caps which insertably receive the terminals.


A dispenser for liquid is provided having a relatively stiff or rigid container above a resiliently deformable reservoir structure. The container is coupled to the reservoir structure and the container has a bottom outlet inside the reservoir structure which also includes a discharge structure leading from the inside to the outside of the reservoir structure. Liquid is dispensed when the user causes relative movement between the container and the reservoir structure to increase the pressure in the reservoir structure and to thereby force liquid from the reservoir structure through the outlet passageway.

Products in liquid form have for many years been packaged in a variety of containers suitable for shipping, displaying, handling and eventual sale. These containers have been made in a great variety of shapes and sizes with different types of closures. They include glass containers, and containers of synthetic plastics materials which have been molded and generally formed into shape. Also, because of the nature of these plastics materials, the closures can be of many various types including screw caps, flip tops, and simple bonded seals. The containers provide for releasing liquid either by opening a closure and pouring the contents or by a dispensing device such as a pump.
The present invention provides structures which take advantage of principles taught in U.S. patents Ser. Nos. 4,324,349; 4,635,828; 4,645,097; 5,033,653; and 5,427,279 to Kaufman all of which are examples of what have become known as "Kaufman dispensers". These patents teach dispensers which have no moving parts and yet satisfy the requirements of clean dispensing with temperature compensation to permit the dispenser to be subjected to a designed temperature range without significant inadvertent dripping or dispensing caused by temperature variations.
The structures shown in the Kaufman patents have a reservoir for liquid to be dispensed in communication with a main part of the dispenser in the form of a container where the major volume of the liquid is contained. Air is trapped above the liquid in the container under a negative pressure which prevents the liquid flowing from the container into the reservoir and out through a discharge passageway. Dispensing can be initiated in several ways. For instance embodiments are provided in the earlier patents which are caused to dispense by squeezing the container. The resiliently deformable container rebounds to its original shape when squeezing is discontinued so that air is sucked back into the passageway and the container is set up in a new condition of equilibrium.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,279 teaches embodiments which demonstrate dispensing by deforming the reservoir to cause dispensing. While the two approaches to actuating the dispenser appear similar in operation, the effects are different. When the container is squeezed, air in the container is compressed to allow liquid to flow from the container into the reservoir resulting in a pressure build up in the reservoir which drives liquid out through the discharge passageway. The action will vary as the volume of air in the container increases and the flow is controlled to some extent by liquid viscosity because the flow starts in the container and must pass into the reservoir before finding the discharge passageway. By contrast, when the dispenser is actuated by deforming the reservoir, pressure is built up in the reservoir directly resulting in flow of liquid from the reservoir through the discharge passageway. The latter approach gives a quicker response with less resistance to flow and the amount dispensed is more consistent no matter how much liquid remains in the container.
In all embodiments shown in the aforementioned patents, as the air is sucked back, liquid is essentially cleaned out from the discharge passageway and some of the air finds its way through the liquid to finish above the liquid in the container and some remains in the reservoir. It is the space in the reservoir above the liquid which effectively provides the temperature compensation. As temperature increases, the negative pressure above the liquid in the container becomes more positive resulting in some flow into the reservoir, and liquid will consequently rise in the reservoir and displace air out of the passageway. This action can continue within a range of calculated temperature compensation. Various structures are taught in the aforementioned patents to accommodate temperature compensation.
Deformable containers used to actuate dispensing must meet two conflicting criteria. Firstly the container must be sufficiently stiff to resist collapsing caused by the negative pressure built up inside the container above the liquid, and secondly, the container should be sufficiently supple to permit deformation by finger pressure to cause dispensing. It has been found that in some situations the user prefers to apply a load to the container using a full hand or elbow and it is therefore desirable to provide a dispenser which permits this action and yet separates the aforementioned conflicting criteria. Such a dispenser would require the use of a relatively stiff or rigid container to receive the load and transmit the load. It is among the objects of the present invention to provide such a dispenser which does not suffer from such conflicting criteria.

Dispenser with resilient reservoir structure


A vehicle body is made to be more compact by disposing a steering damper at an even lower position. A top bridge includes a steering damper mounting portion, on which a steering damper is mounted, disposed rearwardly of a head pipe and downwardly of an upper surface of the top bridge. The steering damper includes a steering damper main body disposed on upper portions of main frames and a first link mounted on an input shaft of the steering damper main body and extending in a forward direction of a vehicle body. The steering damper mounting portion and the first link are pivotally movably connected to each other via a second link.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved saddle riding type vehicle having a steering damper.
2. Description of Background Art
A known arrangement of a saddle riding type vehicle having a steering damper includes a steering damper disposed between a vehicle body frame and a top bridge that connects left and right portions on an upper end of a front fork. See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-170074.
In this arrangement, the saddle riding type vehicle includes a steering damper which will be described below with reference to FIG. 2 of Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-170074.
A steering damper 41 includes a damper base portion 82, a damper main body 84, and a link mechanism 87. The damper base portion 82 is disposed on upper portions at front ends of a pair of left and right main frames 21, 22 (reference numeral 22 is not shown) that constitute a vehicle body frame. The damper main body 84 is disposed at an upper portion of the damper base portion 82. The link mechanism 87 has a first end disposed on an input shaft 86 included in the damper main body 84 and a second end swingably disposed on an upper surface of a top bridge 15 of a front fork.
If the steering damper 41 is disposed at a high level at the front portion of a vehicle body, a front cover 66 covering an area upward of the steering damper 41 is also disposed at a high level, resulting in a large front portion of the vehicle body.

Saddle riding type vehicle having steering damper


A method and device for automatically taking pictures of faces has a device for aligning and setting a camera to automatically take pictures of human faces, especially in connection with the electronic further processing (storage, identification, etc.) of face images. The face of a person is detected with the help of an opto-electronic image processing device to localize the direction of the person and his/her face, as a result of which, as a function of at least one positioning signal of the image processing device, a sensor aligning device (2) controls the viewing direction of the camera (8). The invention permits complete pictures, rich in detail, to be taken of faces (portraits) from a distance of several meters by means of a stationary camera without the need for any manual operations.

The invention relates to a method and device to automatically take a picture of a person's face.
DE 42 38 743 A1, published May 19, 1994, discloses a controlling device for a videophone where two portrait cameras are used. A precondition for camera functioning is that the face is close to the camera. Thus, from the start, the face fills a large area of the camera image. The person operating the device first has to position the face accurately in front of one of the cameras. This generates a video image which is stored by an image memory. The actual picture taken subsequently is compared with the image in the form of a reference image stored in the image memory. If the position of the image changes, a correction signal is generated accordingly, with the camera following. In this way, the position of the last image is compared with the position of the new picture, with the camera being controlled accordingly. The second portrait camera is not activated until the range covered by the first camera supplies an unfavorable viewing angle for a reproduction. For change-over purposes, use is made of the deflection angle of the respective camera in action. The change-over takes place when the deflection angle exceeds a certain value. To ensure accurate functioning, it is necessary, first, to affect a manual setting operation. Subsequent control takes place in such a way that the camera follows the subject after its displacement. However, this can only take place in a narrow range. If the subject or face leaves the effective range, it is necessary for a new positioning operation to take place in front of one of the two cameras as well as a manual presetting operation because there is no reference image suitable for subsequent controlling purposes.
DE 31 46 552 C2, published Nov. 17, 1983, discloses a device with two cameras with different image angles. The camera with the smaller image angle serves as a search camera by means of which an observer searches an observation range. Such a device is used for military purposes and serves to possibly identify camouflaged objects in the far distance by means of the teleoptics of the camera with the small image angle. In addition to the image produced by the camera with the small image angle and a correspondingly small imaging range, a survey picture is produced which shows the surroundings of the image detail. If the viewing range of the camera with the small image angle is changed, the position of a marking indicating to the viewer the alignment of the search camera (camera with the small image angle) in the survey picture changes at the same time. In consequence, the two cameras are always moved jointly. For this purpose, the cameras are arranged in a joint adjusting device which is rotatable vertically and horizontally.
EP 05 78 508 A2, published Jan. 11, 1994, discloses a device with a built-in video camera which may be pivoted and inclined by actuators. For the user, this device practically constitutes a standard video camera having a special feature in that any faces positioned in the vicinity in front of the picture taking optics are automatically looked at by the camera. Inside the camera, an image processing device is provided in which a simple abstract face model is stored. The model substantially consists in assuming an image region which is characterized by a certain hue and which, upwardly, is delimited by a second image region with a dark grey color value (hair region). However, the device is effective only if the face is positioned almost completely in the viewing range of the camera. This results in a conflict of objectives of, on the one hand, achieving a high-resolution face image and, on the other hand, of keeping the scale of the image small enough for the tracking mechanism not to break down. In consequence, the device described in the above publication can function satisfactorily only in those cases where the face is positioned closely in front of the camera within a narrowly delimited region, as is the case with video telephones or video conference work stations.

Method and device for automatically taking a picture of a person's face

C-VIS Computer Vision und Automation Gmbh


The lever comprises a main plate portion, a supporter portion, and an arm. The main plate portion is laid in parallel with a predetermined plane. The supporter portion extends from the main plate portion. The arm is supported by the supporting portion and is bendable in a predetermined direction. The predetermined direction is not equal to a direction perpendicular to the predetermined plane. The arm is provided with a first engagement portion. The housing comprises an accommodation portion and a second engagement portion. The second engagement portion is formed in the accommodation portion. The housing accommodates and rotatably supports the main plate portion in the accommodation portion so that the lever is provided with rotary movement between a first position and a second position. The lever connector is connected to the mating connector and the first engagement portion is engaged with the second engagement portion upon rotation of the lever from the first position to the second position.

This invention relates to a lever connector having a lever, rotation of which effects connection/disconnection of the lever connector with a mating connector.
A lever connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,733,313B, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The disclosed lever connector comprises a housing and a lever. The housing supports the lever so that the lever is rotatable between a disconnection position and a connection position in a predetermined plane. The lever is provided with a locking portion that is bendable in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined plane. Upon rotation of the lever from the disconnection position to the connection position, the locking portion is engaged with another locking portion provided to the mating connector. The lever connector is thus locked at the connection position.
There is a need for a lever connector with a low profile, especially, for a thinner lever.

Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, Limited


Content addressable memory devices may include a priority encoder therein and a first tier of CAM arrays arranged side-by-side relative to each other, on a first side of the priority encoder. A priority class detector is also provided for efficiently communicating match information that is generated during a search operation. The priority class detector passes match information from a selected priority class of rows in a selected one of the CAM arrays in the first tier to the priority encoder. This operation to pass match information is performed in response to detecting a match in the selected priority class when a search operation is performed. The priority class detector performs operations to locally encode match lines associated with a respective CAM array by priority class. These match lines are associated with a plurality of consecutive rows or consecutive pairs of rows that are arranged in a repeating priority class sequence comprising different priority classes. The priority class sequence may be an alternating priority class sequence, with each physically even row (or even pair of rows) in a CAM array being associated with one priority class and each physically odd row (or odd pair of rows) in a CAM array being associated within another priority class. Alternative priority class sequences may also be provided.

In many memory devices, including random access memory (RAM) devices, data is typically accessed by supplying an address to an array of memory cells and then reading data from the memory cells that reside at the supplied address. However, in content addressable memory (CAM) devices, data within a CAM array is not accessed by initially supplying an address, but rather by initially applying data (e.g., search words) to the array and then performing a search operation to identify one or more entries within the CAM array that contain data equivalent to the applied data and thereby represent a "match" condition. In this manner, data is accessed according to its content rather than its address. Upon completion of the search operation, the identified location(s) containing the equivalent data is typically encoded to provide an address (e.g., block address+row address within a block) at which the matching entry is located. If multiple matching entries are identified in response to the search operation, then local priority encoding operations may be performed to identify a location of a best or highest priority matching entry. Such priority encoding operations frequently utilize the relative physical locations of multiple matching entries within the CAM array to identify a highest priority matching entry. An exemplary CAM device that utilizes a priority encoder to identify a highest priority matching entry is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,370,613 to Diede et al., entitled "Content Addressable Memory with Longest Match Detect," the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Additional CAM devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,706,224, 5,852,569 and 5,964,857 to Srinivasan et al. and in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,101,116, 6,256,216 and 6,128,207 to Lien et al., the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
CAM cells are frequently configured as binary CAM cells that store only data bits (as "1" or "0" logic values) or as ternary CAM cells that store data bits and mask bits. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, when a mask bit within a ternary CAM cell is inactive (e.g., set to a logic 1 value), the ternary CAM cell may operate as a conventional binary CAM cell storing an "unmasked" data bit. When the mask bit is active (e.g., set to a logic 0 value), the ternary CAM cell is treated as storing a "don't care" (X) value, which means that all compare operations performed on the actively masked ternary CAM cell will result in a cell match condition. Thus, if a logic 0 data bit is applied to a ternary CAM cell storing an active mask bit and a logic 1 data bit, the compare operation will indicate a cell match condition. A cell match condition will also be indicated if a logic 1 data bit is applied to a ternary CAM cell storing an active mask bit and a logic 0 data bit. Accordingly, if a data word of length N, where N is an integer, is applied to a ternary CAM array having a plurality of entries therein of logical width N, then a compare operation will yield one or more match conditions whenever all the unmasked data bits of an entry in the ternary CAM array are identical to the corresponding data bits of the applied search word. This means that if the applied search word equals {1011}, the following entries will result in a match condition in a CAM comprising ternary CAM cells: {1011}, {X011}, {1X11}, {10X1}, {101X}, {XX11}, {1XX1}, . . . , {1XXX}, {XXXX}.
Applications using CAM devices include database management, disk caching, pattern and image recognition and artificial intelligence. CAM devices are also well suited for use in routing network traffic, such as in network address lookup or packet switching. A network switch comprising a CAM device having entries therein arranged in sectors is illustrated as FIG. 1 of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/962,737, entitled "Content Addressable Memory (CAM) Devices That Can Identify Highest Priority Matches in Non-Sectored CAM Arrays and Methods of Operating Same, filed Sep. 25, 2001, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Each of the illustrated sectors is organized to contain only entries having the same number of actively masked bits, with the number of masked bits identifying entries of same priority.
FIG. 1 herein illustrates a conventional CAM device having a plurality of CAM arrays therein arranged in a plurality of rows and columns. The CAM arrays in the first, second, third and fourth rows are illustrated as CAM00–CAM07, CAM10–CAM17, CAM20–CAM27 and CAM30–CAM37. A respective row priority encoder is also provided between each pair of CAM arrays. Thus, as illustrated, the CAM device of FIG. 1 includes sixteen (16) row priority encoders (shown as Row Priority Encoder00-Row Priority Encoder33). These row priority encoders perform final encoding of all match information generated by a respective pair of CAM arrays. A respective global word line decoder is also provided for each row of CAM arrays. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, each global word line decoder provides word line signals on global word lines to the CAM arrays of a respective row during reading and writing operations. Unfortunately, the CAM device of FIG. 1 may not achieve sufficiently high integration or sufficiently low power consumption because each of the row priority encoders typically consumes substantial chip area and requires substantial duplication of circuitry. Moreover, the pitch between global word lines that span across each row of CAM arrays may not be sufficiently large to achieve high yield and reliability when CAM arrays having many rows of normal and redundant CAM cells are utilized.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,307,767 to Fuh also discloses a CAM device having a plurality of CAM arrays therein that are electrically coupled to a central priority encoder. In particular, FIG. 3 of the '767 patent illustrates a prior art CAM device having a central priority encoder 120 that receives match control signals from multiple CAM arrays 101–116 during a lookup operation and then, in response, generates an output address of a highest priority matching entry. FIG. 4 of the '767 patent discloses a CAM system having a plurality of CAM arrays therein that are assigned different priority levels. Circuitry is provided for identifying which of the plurality of CAM arrays has one or more matching entries of highest priority and then latching match control signals from the identified CAM array. These latched signals are provided to a respective priority encoder, which generates a respective address of a highest priority matching entry in the identified CAM array.

Content addressable memory (CAM) devices having priority class detectors therein that perform local encoding of match line signals