A mixer-first receiver operates to generate filtering and analog-to-digital conversion concurrently and adaptively, while removing an LNA before a mixer to enable integration with digital baseband circuits. A plurality of switching capacitor arrays are integrated with a hybrid analog-to-digital filtering component. Switching capacitor arrays of the plurality of switching capacitor arrays can be selectively modified to perform both the filtering operation and the conversion operation together. The same switch capacitors of a switching capacitor array can be utilized in one phase of a clock cycle for the filtering and in another phase of the clock cycle for the conversion.

Adaptive radios capable of dynamically trading off energy for signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) slack can enable significant power savings, but developing a fully reconfigurable analog front-end, which achieves suitable performance in digital-optimized process technology presents a major challenge to building low-power adaptive radios. Two of the major functions of an analog receiver front-end-blocker include rejection filtering and low-noise amplification for digital CMOS processes. However, a challenge remains to implement these functions while reducing manufacturing cost and leveraging the advantages of high-speed digital process technologies.
For example, mobile communication platforms require multiple radios to operate simultaneously, creating co-existence issues. For example, a Wi-Fi receiver co-existing with an LTE transmitter needs to handle the LTE blocker (i.e., resulting interference signal) and hence needs high linearity to ensure the receiver is not saturated. However, such high linearity receivers consume a significant amount of power, which is disadvantageous for mobile devices that utilize a battery for power.

Digital intensive hybrid ADC/filter for LNA-free adaptive radio front-ends


Novel vaccines include polypeptides that comprise regions corresponding to a chemokine and a hapten. The hapten can be an amino acid sequence corresponding to the Meningitis Related Homologous Antigenic Sequences (MRHAS) of bacterial and viral agents known to cause meningitis. Protective immunity in a host susceptible to meningitis can be induced by inoculating the host with immunogenic amount of such a vaccine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to polypeptides comprising amino acid sequences corresponding to a chemokine and a hapten that are useful as vaccines. The polypeptides of the present invention may include a hapten that is a Meningitis Related Homologous Antigenic 10 Sequences (MRHAS) from a bacterial or viral agent known to cause meningitis. These peptides induce protective immunity in a host susceptible to meningitis. The present invention also relates to materials useful in the diagnosis of diseases, including meningitis, by providing monoclonal antibodies, peptides, and mixtures and combinations thereof, that are useful in detection of disease-causing organisms.
2. Meningitis
The term "meningitis" is a general one, referring to the inflammatory response to infection of the meninges and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). See Roos, "Chapter 16", in Scheld, et al., eds., 1991, Infections of the Central Nervous System: 335-403.
The fact that the inflammatory response occurs in the proximity of the brain and in the space limited by a rigid cranium, makes these infections serious and life threatening. Most patients exhibit nonspecific clinical signs and symptoms such as fever, irritability, altered mental status usually accompanied by vomiting and loss of appetite. In children one year of age and older, photophobia and headache are common complaints. Specific clinical signs indicative of meningitis are neck rigidity and pain on neck flexion. Brudzinski's sign (neck flexion producing knee and hip flexion) and Kernig's sign (difficulty and pain in raising extended leg) are other Useful clinical signs.
In infants less than 6 months old, early diagnosis of meningitis is difficult because signs of meningitis are not prominent and neck rigidity is often absent. Such patients commonly exhibit fever, respiratory distress, other signs of sepsis, and convulsions. Bulging anterior fontanelle due to increased intracranial pressure may be the only specific sign.
Petechiae (or rash) is, most commonly present in meningococcal infections. In severe meningococcal infections, bacteremia, petechiae and shock may develop with alarming rapidity. Convulsions at some point in the illness occur in about 30% of the cases. This number is 20 often higher in neonates and infants under one year of age. Other acute complications include septic shock, disseminated intravascular coagulation, syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone, increased intracranial pressure, and diabetes ins ipidus. 25 Convulsions and coma appearing with 24 hours accompanied by high fever indicates serious infection. Stutman & Marks, 1987, Clin. Ped., 26:432-438.
A diverse array of both bacteria and viruses cause meningitis, the infectivity of which is dependent on a complex array of factors, including virulence of the organisms, the carrier state, and the host's humoral immune response.
Viral Causes of Meningitis
Viruses generally cause milder forms of meningitis 35 (e.g. meningomyelitis and aseptic meningitis) with a short clinical course and reduced mortality. Agents most commonly associated are coxsackievirus A (types 2,4,7,9,10), B (types 1-6), polio virus, echoviruses (types 1-34, except, 12, 24, 26, 29, 32-34), enteroviruses (types 70, 71), human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), and rubella virus (RV). See Melnick, "Chapter 33" and Cooper, "Chapter 42" in Fields, et al., eds., 1985 5 Virology: 739-794 and 1005-1032, respectively; and Rotbart, "Chapter 3", in Scheld et al., 1991, infra: 19-33.
Rubella is possibly the most common cause of viral meningitis. Rubella is a highly contagious disease, usually associated with childhood, and is characterized by a general rash and a mild fever. Sub-clinical infections are also common. Its clinical aspects have been confused with measles, which it closely resembles. The infection of a pregnant woman poses the greatest risk when infection of the fetus can lead to spontaneous abortion or an array of abnormalities called the Congenital Rubella Syndrome in the newborn. Damage most frequently involves cardiac abnormalities, deafness, cataracts, blindness and Central Nervous System (CNS) 20 disorders including microencephaly.
The rubella virion is a spherical, enveloped virus, approximately 60 rim in diameter, and is a member of the Togaviridae. The RV genome is a 10 Kb plus single-stranded RNA. The outer envelope is comprised of 25 lipoproteins derived from the infected host cell, and it appears to have two viral encoded glycoproteins, E1 (58 Kd) and E2 (42-47 Kd), responsible for the hemagglutination activity of the virus. Its core protein is a non-glycosylated nucleocapsid protein with an 30 approximate weight of 33 Kd. It appears that the core; E1, and E2 are all derived from the same parent protein or structural polyprotein. See Clark et al., 1987, Nucl. Acids Res., 15:3041-3057; Dominguez, et al., 1990, Virology, 177:225-238. Three strains of wild type RV 35 (M33, Therien, Judith) and a vaccine strain (TPV77) of RV have been identified and sequenced (Zheng et al., 1988, Arch, Viral., 98:189-197). Between these different wild type strains, there exists minor variations in the amino acid sequence of the structural polyprotein.
The detection of RV in diagnosis has in the past proven difficult, largely because the virus grows to low titers in the tissue cultures and is highly labile, making it technically difficult to isolate and purify (Ho-Terry et al., 1986, Arch. ViroI., 87:219-228).
The detection of RV in the CNS presents additional technical problems. It has been known since 1941 that the RV can infect cells of the CNS (Gregg, 1941, Trans. Ophthalmol. Soc. Aust., 3:3546). However, it has proven difficult to reliably demonstrate the presence of the RV in infected brain tissue. Persistent infection of the CNS has been well documented in the congenital rubella syndrome (Desmond et al., 1967, J. Pediat., 7:311-331), and in the neuropathology of progressive rubella panencephalitis of late onset occurs where the virus has been isolated from brain biopsy material (Townsend et al., 1975, N. Engl. J. Med., 292:990-993; Cremer et al., 1979, J. Gen. Virol., 29:143-153). Less commonly documented are the wide range of neuropathies known to follow exposure to V. These include encephalitis, meningomyelitis, and bilateral optic neuritis (Connolly et al., 1975, Brain, 98:583-594). Moreover, the report of a diffuse myelitis following RV in cells of the nervous system requires further investigation (Holt et al. 1975, Brit. Med. J., 7:1037-1038).
RV-directed polypeptide synthesis in normal rat glial cells in continuous tissue culture has been studied •(Singh & Van Alstyne, 1978, Brain Res., 155:418-421). Unlike a productive rubella virus infection in permissive murine L (muscle) cells, infection of normal glial cells resulted in no detectable progeny virions in tissue culture supernatants and no detectable rubella 33 Kd core protein in infected cell lysates (Pope and Van Alstyne, 1981, Virology, 124:173-180). Furthermore, exposure of infected glial cells to dibutyryl cyclic adenine monophosphate reversed the restriction, resulting in the appearance of the 33 Kd rubella nucleocapsid protein in infected cell lysates and the appearance of mature progeny virions in tissue culture supernatants (Van Alstyne and Paty, 1983, Virology, 124:173-180).
Early diagnostic tests were based on the hemagglutinating properties of its external glycoproteins. Commonly, the hemagglutination inhibition assays relied on the presence of antibodies to the RV hemagglutinin (HA) in the serum samples to inhibit the viral-mediated hemagglutination of chick red blood cells (Herrmann, "Rubella Virus", 1979, in Diagnostic Procedures For Viral, Rickettsial And Chlamylial Infections, 725-766). The presence of high inhibition, indicated the indirect measurement of antibodies to the HA protein, and thereby, a recent rubella infection.
More recent tests employ enzyme-labelled antibodies in the enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assays (ELISA) (Voller & Biowell, 1975, Br. J. Exp. Pathol., 56:338-339), These assays are also indirect tests to measure the amount of circulating antibody to RV as an indication of infection. Indirect ELISA tests for RV employ bound viral antigens on a plastic microwells and the presence of bound antibodies linked to enzymes such as horseradish peroxidase.
There are several problems with the use of the indirect RV ELISA kits. These relate to low antibody titers observed with RV infection, the need for elaborate "cut-off" value calculations to eliminate background binding, the limited use of the test in the detection of low levels of specific viral antigens present in chronic CNS infection, and the tedious and time consuming nature of the test performance.
Furthermore, a live, attenuated rubella vaccine has been developed (Parkman et al., 1966, An. Engl. J. Med., 275:569-574). This vaccine is immunogenic in at least 95% of the recipients, and does confer protection against reinfection, in spite of the fact that it induces antibody levels which are significantly lower than those generated by wild type virus infection. However, a serious drawback associated with the administration of the attenuated vaccine is the significant proportion of adult females that go on to develop rubella-associated arthritis. Furthermore, recently immunized individuals still harbour infectious virus and are therefore infectious, proving dangerous to pregnant women with whom they may be in contact.
Another virus responsible for meningitis is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1). HIV-1 is a human retrovirus which has been identified as the etiological agent of AIDS, an infectious and fatal disease transmitted through intimate sexual contact and exposure to contaminated blood or blood products. HIV-1 is related to the lentiviruses on the basis of its biological and in vitro characteristics, morphology and nucleotide sequences. It is also referred to as Human T cell Lymphotrophic Virus, type III, Lymphadenopathy Associated Virus, and AIDS Associated Retrovirus (Gallo, et al., 1984, Science, 224:500-503; Sarngadharan, et al., 1984, Science, 224:506-508; Barre-Sinoussi, et al., 1983, Science, 220:868-871; Levy, 1984, Science, 225:840-842; Gonda et al., 1985, Science, 227:177-179; Stephan, et al., 1986, Science, 231:589-594). Much interest has been focused on the effect of the long term, persistent infection of the immune system, by HIV-1. Recent information indicates that the virus moves from blood to the lymph nodes and thymus where it remains active, culminating in viremia, a precipitous drop in the CD4+ T-cell count, and one or more of the several symptoms known as AIDS.
However, primary HIV-1 infection itself results in an immediate set of defined clinical features. Commonly, an acute febrile illness resembling influenza or mononucleosis is noted. In addition, lymphocytic meningitis may accompany the febrile illness and the patient may then be presented with headache, stiff neck and photophobia, as well as rigors, arthralgias and myalgias, truncal maculopapular rash, urticaria, abdominal cramps and diarrhea (Ho, 1985, Ann. Internal Medicine, 103:880-883).
While some patients remain asymptomatic for up to 3 months preceding their seroconversion, indicating that HIV-1 infection may be subclinical, primary infection should be included in the differential diagnosis of prolonged febrile illnesses in persons at risk for AIDS. The presence of a maculopapular or urticarial rash, or lymphocytic meningitis is compatible with this diagnosis. Hence, early recognition of the varied syndromes associated with this virus might permit effective treatment before immunologic abnormalities become established.
Currently, one of the most commonly used direct tests for HIV-1 infection employs the following approaches: (i) direct culturing of virus from infected blood or blood cells and subsequent in vitro, propagation of the virus in lymphocyte cultures; (ii) measuring reverse transcriptase levels; (iii) immunocytochemical staining of viral proteins; (iv) electron microscopy; (v) hybridization of nucleic acid probes; and measuring HIV-1 antigens with enzyme immunoassays (Goudsmit et al., 1986, Brit. Med. 2993:1459-1462; Caruso et al., 1987, J. Virol. Methods, 17:199-210).
HIV-1 appears to have at least three core proteins (p17, p24, and p15) that are derived from a core polyprotein called gag polyprotein. See Muesing, et al., 1985, Nature, 313:450-458. The gag polyprotein in the LV isolate of HIV-1 is 478 amino acids long and the three mature core proteins appear to be derived as p17 from amino acid sequence numbers 1-132, p24 from amino acid 30 sequence numbers 133-391, and p15 from amino acid sequence numbers 392-478 (Muesing, infra). Moreover, it appears that the HIV-1 (LAV-1a isolate) also has at least one capsid transmembrane glycoprotein derived from a 861-amino acid long Envelope Polyprotein (Wain-Hobson, et al., 1985, Cell, 40:9-17).
Enzyme immunoassays have clearly shown the diagnostic importance of the presence of the p24 core protein. A correlation has been established between viremia, the decline of antibodies to p24, and the progression of symptoms from the asymptomatic seropositivity to fully expressed AIDS (Lange et al., 1986, Brit. Med. J., 293:1459-1462; Paul et al., 1987, J. Med. Virol., 22:357-363; Forster et al., 1987 AIDS, 1:235-240). A, decline in the p24 level has also been observed to occur inpatients treated with AZT (Chaisson et al., 1986, New Eng. J. Med., 315:1610-1611).
Assays for the direct detection of p24 are currently on the market (Allain, infra; Forster, infra). These assays use the same sandwich format in which serum samples are incubated with bound and enzyme-labelled anti-p24-antibodies to form an antibody/p24-antigen-antibody sandwich. Antigen levels of approximately 50 picograms/ml can be detected, when the antigen concentration is read from a, standard curve constructed with a set of p24 standards of known concentrations. The tests are tedious and time consuming to perform, require dilutions of patients' sera, and do not provide information regarding the comparisons of rising antigen and concomitant declining antibody levels necessary to evaluate laboratory findings.
There are significant difficulties inherent in designing a vaccine which will confer protection against HIV-1. The vaccine must differentiate between HIV-1 and closely-related virus, HIV-2. The rapid rate of HIV-1 mutation requires that the antigen(s) be highly conserved. Moreover, the HIV-1 infection of a small subset of T cells requires the killing of an integral part of the immune cell network, with unknown consequences, to completely eradicate the virus. In addition, vaccinated antigens could enter lymph nodes and stimulate B cells to produce cytokines that in turn stimulate HIV-1 infection of T cells, and thereby having a reverse effect, causing a more rapid onset of AIDS.
Peptides from gp120, gp160, gp41, gp120 +gp41, p17 and p14 are currently being employed for vaccine production by several companies and universities (Spalding, 1992, Biotech., 10:24-29.) However, these peptides are being tested for their ability to solely induce B cells to produce neutralizing antibody.

Methods to clear meningitis causing agents using antibodies to peptides representing epitopic sites for bacterial and viral meningitis causing agents


A method and a system transmit data between a technical apparatus which has a reception unit, a transmission unit and a computer unit, an external device which has a reception unit, a transmission unit and a computer unit, and a mobile terminal which has a reception unit, a transmission unit and a memory unit. The method and system allow registered, authenticated users to use the mobile terminal to perform safe reservation or enabling for a technical apparatus, without requiring an online connection and check between the technical apparatus and the external device for the purpose of authorization and authentication of the user.

The invention relates to a method and system for enabling a technical apparatus.
It is known that, other than the previously exclusively customary conventional keys, different methods can be used as for identification to prove the authorization to use and/or access technical apparatus.
Today, magnetic cards, chip cards, smartcards and/or mobile devices can thus also perform the function of a "key", by which a user can gain access to a technical apparatus and/or can use a technical apparatus, wherein these new identification techniques can be used either cumulatively, alternatively, or instead of the previously customary keys. A "key" in the form of a data record is stored on magnetic cards, chip cards, smartcards and/or mobile devices of this type, which, for example, is transmitted to a receiving unit in a technical apparatus and is evaluated there. If the evaluation reveals that a permitted and valid key has been transmitted, access to and/or use of the technical apparatus is enabled for a user.
New identification techniques of this type are described, for example, in EP 0 913 979 A2 and DE 101 42 967 A1.
According to the current related art, it is similarly possible for a secure connection, for example, an Internet connection, to be set up between a technical apparatus, such as, for example, a (motor) vehicle and an external computer unit. It is possible, for example, to check the authenticity of access and/or usage authorizations of one or more users via a secure connection of this type and, where appropriate, to grant or refuse access and/or usage authorizations.
Examples of such or similar solutions are described in DE 102 37 831 A1 and WO 20071009453A2.
WO 2007/009453 A2 thus describes an identifying and/or locking system for identifying and/or unblocking a technical system comprising at least one controlling receiver unit which executes at least one control function in accordance with a received signal, said technical system further comprising a mobile transmitter unit suitable for transmitting a signal that causes the controlling receiver unit to execute the control function. The controlling receiver unit tests whether a received signal is to trigger execution of a control function while the mobile transmitter unit allows the signal that is to be transmitted to the controlling receiver unit to be defined, modified, and stored. Such a system makes it possible especially to digitally transmit and temporally limit keys.
And from WO 2011/053357 A1, an access control for a vehicle is known in which a vehicle reservation from a wireless communication device is received, the vehicle reservation is authenticated, and access to the vehicle is provided after authenticating the vehicle reservation. The system for vehicle access control includes a vehicle access control component that is configured to provide access to a vehicle and a communication interface for communication with a wireless communication device. Access to the vehicle is provided when a vehicle reservation is received from the wireless communication device.
In some of the hitherto known solutions, when a "new key" of this type is used, a user forgoes a check on the validity of the key used and/or a check with a view to authenticating and authorizing the user using the key, but this is unacceptable in many cases from a security point of view.
In solutions according to the related art which propose a check of this kind, either insufficient secure technical solutions and/or methods are used, or a check can only take place as soon as and as long as a connection exists from the technical apparatus to an external checking device. If the technical apparatus has no connection to the external checking device in such a case, no check on the validity of the authorization can be carried out either, and the technical apparatus cannot e.g. be used by an authorized user.
However, in the solutions known from the related art, an online check cannot simply be foregone, since the security of the authorization would not be adequate. If a "new key" is stored on mobile terminals, such as cellphones, Smartphones and PDAs, additional security problems arise due to the fundamentally inherent manipulability of these terminals.
However, a secure and reliable management of new keys of this type for a technical apparatus is required, particularly in cases where keys that are valid for a limited period of time or reservations for their access and/or use are to be repeatedly generated, as is the case, for example, with fleet vehicles of companies, the vehicle fleet of car-sharing companies or automobile leasing companies.

Method and system for enabling a technical apparatus


A Global Positioning System (GPS) acquisition method is provided. A GPS signal is first received, comprising a plurality of data bits, each repeating for a bit period. A search space is then formed, comprising a plurality of elements each associated with a presumed offset and a presumed code phase. Before bit-transition of each bit period, element values of the elements are accumulated by substituting the data bits into a coherent-combination algorithm. After bit-transition of each bit period, the element values are accumulated by substituting the data bits into a differential-coherent combination algorithm.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a Global Positioning System, and in particular, to a GPS acquisition method for use in weak signal environments.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a sequence of data bits with bit-transition. In a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, transmission signals are demodulated and digitized into a sequence of data bits. According to GPS L2 civil signal standard, a bit value sustains for a period, such as 20 ms for L2 civil moderate (CM) maximal length code. Bit transition may therefore occur every 20 ms. Pseudo-random number (PRN) codes and carrier signals sent from several GPS satellites must be acquired and tracked for use. A typical receiver channel operates in two modes: acquisition and tracking. In acquisition mode, PRN code phase (measured by start time of the PRN code) and carrier Doppler offset are estimated via a search process. The estimated quantities are then used and continuously updated in tracking mode.
FIG. 2 shows a search space m(n) formed by presumed code phases and presumed offsets. A received GPS signal is typically defined as follows:r(t)=√{square root over (A)}·N(t)·s(t−τ)·ej2πfdt+n(t)  (1)
The parameter A represents the power of the received GPS signal. N(t) denotes a navigation bit value at time t. Each bit value has a span (bit period) of 20 ms. τ is an unknown code phase to be determined. fd is an unknown Doppler offset value in KHz. n(t) is an assumed additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN).
If the received GPS signal r(t) is digitized at a 5 MHz sample rate, 5000 samples are available per 1 ms. For most applications, frequency range of the received signal with Doppler offset falls within ±10 KHz with respect to a center frequency 1250 KHz. To simplify the search for Doppler offset value, the frequency range is coarsely sliced into 21 presumed values, −10 to 10 KHz with a step size of 1 KHz. The search space m(n) is therefore formed to determine the unknown code phase and the unknown Doppler offset value forcibly:m(n)={yi,j(n)|i,jεR,1≦i≦p,1≦j≦q}  (2)
The parameter n denotes an nth bit period, and the nth search space m(n) comprises p*q elements where the amount of possible code phases p is 5000, and the amount of possible offset values q is 21. yi,j(n) is a correlation value corresponding to an (ith, jth) element calculated per code time:
                                          y                          i              ,              j                                                      (            n            )                          =                              ∫                                          (                                  n                  -                  i                                )                                          T                        nT                                                        r                                            (                t                )                                                                                s                                                  (                                      t                    -                                          τ                      i                                                        )                                            ·                              ⅇ                                  j                                                                                2                                    π                                                                                f                    j                                                      t                                                                                ⅆ              t                                                          (        3        )
The parameter T represents the code time (1 ms for this case). τi is the ith presumed code phase, and fj is the jth presumed offset. A total of 5000*21 correlation values are simultaneously calculated within 1 ms, and a peak can be found, with corresponding code phase and offset value thereof used as the acquisition result.
In high SNR situations (e.g. outdoors or in rural areas), the 1-ms correlation is generally satisfactory for detecting code phase and Doppler offset. For weak signal environments (low SNR situation), however, the correlation results yi,j(n) are typically accumulated for multiple periods before selection of a peak as an answer, such that possibility of false detection is reduced. Various conventional accumulation algorithms are readily presented, such as coherent combination (CC), non-coherent combination (NCC) and differential-coherent combination (DCC).
FIG. 3 shows an integral calculated by a conventional coherent combination algorithm. The coherent combination algorithm is presented as:
                              P          CC          N                =                  max                                {                                                                                                ∑                                          n                      =                      1                                        N                                                                                y                                              i                        ,                        j                                                                                (                      n                      )                                                                                                  2                        }                                              (        4        )
Correlation values yi,j(n) corresponding to the (ith, jth) element are accumulated for consecutive code times 1 to N, and their sums squared before selection of a peak therefrom. The coherent combination algorithm provides excellent accuracy for peak detection without squaring loss. As a result of the navigation bit-transition periodically occurring as shown in FIG. 1, however, the integral may be deteriorated. As shown in FIG. 3, a coherent combination integral of a (ith, jth) element in the search space is also referred to as an element value of a corresponding correlation value yi,j(n). The horizontal axis denotes the integration time N (the unit is referred to as code time). The element value grows before the bit-transition occurring at N=10 and 30, and decreases thereafter due to a cancellation effect induced by complex number operations in formula (3). As seen, the element value cannot effectively increase to distinguish a peak from noise.
The non-coherent combination algorithm is denoted as follows:
                              P          NCC          N                =                  max                                {                                          ∑                                  n                  =                  1                                N                                                                                                                                        y                                              i                        ,                        j                                                                                (                      n                      )                                                                                        2                                      }                                              (        5        )
Based on the non-coherent combination (NCC) algorithm, absolute values are taken before summation, alleviating the bit-transition cancellation problem. As SNR decreases, however, an element value calculated from the non-coherent combination algorithm may suffer from squaring loss, making it impractical for weak signal environment. Therefore, a more flexible combination scheme is desirable in GPS acquisition.

Acquisition method for global positioning system


A tray for loading substrates includes a base, an outer frame, plural lateral supporters and plural corner bumps. The base has an upper surface with one or more grooves. The outer frame is located around four edges of the upper surface to thereby form a first space, and has two oppositely arranged first cavities. The lateral supporters are arranged on the base at four edges defining the first space against the outer frame, have second cavities arranged on internal surfaces of the lateral supporters and corresponding to the grooves. The corner bumps are arranged at corners of the outer frame, and are adjacent to the lateral supporters, the base and the outer frame. The corner bumps each have buffer openings to prevent a loaded substrate from damage by collision with the corner bumps. A package box is also disclosed, which can save cost and space in carrying the trays.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tray for loading substrates and a package box for carrying the tray, and more particularly, to a tray for loading differently sized substrates and a package box for carrying the tray.
2. Description of Related Art
For avoiding reduced space utility and increased transport cost in mass transportation, convenient carry and efficient transportation are required for storing or delivering liquid crystal display (LCD) panels. Currently, the boxes used for loading the LCD panels in the trades are sized or stacked as a need for delivering and protecting the LCD panels.
A typical box size for the LCD panels is designed and determined by the size of four middle substrates divided into from a large substrate (i.e., a front-end substrate) in a front-end processing.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a typical substrate arrangement placed in differently sized boxes. As shown, a front-end substrate 10 is divided into four middle substrates A, B, C, D which have different sizes and require corresponding boxes 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d for carry. Thus, molding cost for the boxes is increased and working space utility for the boxes are reduced, and the four boxes, each carrying a different quantity of substrates, increase difficulties in package and material management for the front-end substrate 10.
In addition, the current transportation places the four sized boxes 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d in a large iron case. Accordingly, the available space for use is wasted and the carrying amount is relatively reduced, because the unused space is filled with foaming materials. In this case, since the productivity is increased day by day, such a manner of transportation relatively increases the cost.
For protecting LCD modules so as to avoid the transport losses from collision in carrying, four buffer openings are provided on the corners of the boxes 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, but it makes the operator in a customer's production line incapable of quickly taking the LCD panels out of the boxes.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved tray for loading substrates so as to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.

Tray for loading substrates and package box for carrying the tray


The present invention provides an optical film and a retardation film that each include an acryl resin, and 20 to 65 parts by weight of a graft copolymer including a conjugated diene rubber based on 100 parts by weight of the acryl resin, and an electronic device including the same.

In recent years, in accordance with the advance in optical technology, various types of display technologies such as plasma display panels (PDP), liquid crystal displays (LCD), organic/inorganic EL displays (ELD) and the like have been suggested and sold in the market instead of a known cathode-ray tube. In the above-mentioned displays, the use of various types of plastic films has been suggested and the required characteristics thereof have been sophisticated. For example, in the case of the liquid crystal displays, in order to obtain the slimness and the lightness and to improve display characteristics, various types of plastic films are used in a polarizing plate, a retardation film, a plastic substrate, a light guide plate.
In the case of the polarizing plate, in general, the polarizing plate has a structure in which the triacetyl cellulose film (hereinafter, referred to as TAC film) acting as the protective film is laminated by using the aqueous adhesive made of the polyvinyl alcohol aqueous solution on the polarizer. However, both the polyvinyl alcohol film used as the polarizer and the TAC film used as the protective film for polarizers have poor heat resistance and humidity resistance. Therefore, if the polarizing plate that is made of the films is used at a high temperature or a high humidity atmosphere for a long period of time, the degree of polarization is reduced, the polarizer and the protective film are separated from each other, or optical properties are reduced. Thus, in terms of the purposes, there are various limits. In addition, in the case of the TAC film, a change in in-plane retardation (Rin) and thickness retardation (Rth) is significant according to a change in the ambient temperature/humidity atmosphere. In particular, a change in retardation in respects to incident light at an inclined direction is significant. If the polarizing plate that includes the TAC film having the above-mentioned characteristics as the protective film is applied to a liquid crystal display, the viewing angle characteristics are changed according to the change in the ambient temperature/humidity atmosphere, thus reducing the image quality. In addition, in the case of the TAC film, a change in dimension is significant according to the change in the ambient temperature/humidity atmosphere and the photoelastic coefficient is relatively high, thus, after evaluation in respects to durability in a heat resistant and humidity resistant atmosphere, a change in retardation characteristic occurs locally, thereby easily reducing the image quality.
As a material to complement the disadvantages of the TAC film, a methacryl resin is well known. However, it is known that the methacryl resin is easily broken or splited to cause problems in terms of transportability during the production of the polarizing plate and the productivity is poor. In addition, in the case of when the acrylate resin is used as the material of the film, since it is required that a casting process is used, there are problems in that it is difficult to perform the production process and the cost is high.
In the case of the retardation film, the film that is made of the styrene resin is a material that shows the optical anisotropic property that the refractive index is increased perpendicular to the alignment direction when the film is stretched and aligned, and it is known that the film is stretched to be used for manufacturing the film having the positive thickness retardation (Rth). In addition, there are advantages in that the styrene resin has the excellent economic efficiency and transparency. However, there are problems in that the heat resistance is insufficienty and the mechanical properties are poor except for the case of when the costly special monomer is used to perform the manufacturing. In addition, in the case of when the polycarbonate resin is stretched to manufacture the retardation film, it is possible to provide the sufficient retardation function, but the change in retardation is significant in respects to the degree of stretching and it is difficult to provide the film having the uniform and stable retardation function.

Optical film and method of manufacturing the same


A single-layer substrate integrated directive broadside beam leaky-wave antenna is provided. Opposite ends of a leaky-wave structure are fed with anti-phase versions of a common signal, resulting in broadside frequencies being set apart from the open stopband. To achieve this, the common signal can be split into two equal length paths, one including a perfect electrical conductor (PEC) reflector and the other including a perfect magnetic conductor (PMC) reflector. Alternatively, the common signal can be split into two paths which differ in length by a half wavelength. A power splitter and feed horns can be used in the respective paths. The leaky-wave structure may have transverse slots which increase in width toward a midpoint of the structure. The antenna can be formed in a single planar portion of a lithographic structure, for example by patterning an upper conductive layer thereof.

Leaky-wave antennas (LWA) have a history of use as inexpensive antennas in implementations in which there is a need for directive beams. In such implementations LWAs may be implemented without need for a complicated feeding network of radiating elements. LWA make use of a simple geometry to excite a number of elements to reach a scanning directive radiation pattern. However, existing leaky wave antennas suffer from a significant problem at broadside frequencies. Operation of an LWA at broadside frequencies has typically been associated with a loss of gain attributable to the creation of a standing wave inside the leaky waveguide structures. This open stopband problem is a recognized impediment to the use of LWA. It would be desirable to overcome such problems so that LWA can be effectively used, for example in the fifth generation (5G) wireless communication systems as well as other applications.
In the last decade, some methods have been investigated to modify the periodic cells of the leaky structures in order to mitigate the open stopband problem, and such modifications may enable the modified LWA to radiate efficiently at broadside frequencies. Unfortunately, these previously proposed solutions result in a complicated antenna structure.
In the conventional designs of waveguide-based periodic LWA structures, the periodic cell dimensions are limited in the transverse direction because of excitation waveguide limitations. Therefore, in order to reach a narrow beam width in the antenna both planes, the leaky structure has to be repeated in the transverse direction to make a 2D array configuration which requires adding power dividing circuits at the beginning and end of guiding lines. As the result increase the complexity of the antenna structure.
Accordingly, the previously proposed solutions are not optimal in all parts of the frequency spectrum, especially at higher frequency bands, and are subject to improvement. Therefore there is a need for new leaky-wave guiding structures and leaky-wave antennas that are not subject to one or more limitations of the prior art.
This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.

Dual end-fed broadside leaky-wave antenna


A pattern forming apparatus maintaining alignment between a mold and a substrate. The pattern forming apparatus includes a press pressing the mold against the substrate in a pressing direction, and a mechanism to maintain orientation of the mold and the substrate perpendicular to the pressing direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for forming a desired pattern and, more specifically, to a pattern forming apparatus using a technology of forming a desired pattern by pressing a mold on which the desired pattern is formed in advance to resin material (generally referred to as nanoimprint technology).
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the width of pattern lines on integrated circuits has reduced in association with an increase in density and speed of semiconductor integrated circuits, and hence further enhancement of capabilities in a method of manufacturing a semiconductor is required. Therefore, a KrF laser (248 nm), an ArF laser (193 nm), and an F2 laser (157 nm) utilizing ultraviolet rays have been utilized in a photolithography machine used for forming a resist pattern in the lithographing step of a semiconductor manufacturing process, and shortening of wavelength of an exposure beam is in progress. At present, development of the photolithography machine using an EUV beam on the order of 10 nm in wavelength is in progress on a global scale.
Shortening the wavelength of the beam used for exposure is advantageous in that the resolution is increased. However, on the other hand, there arise problems such that the cost for development and manufacturing of materials for lenses, which constitutes an optical system, and the cost required for equipment for replacing the optical path with inert gas are high.
As a technology capable of forming fine resist patterns, there is a method in which an electron beam exposure machine using an electron beam. However, according to this technology, a pattern is directly drawn on a wafer, and hence it takes an extremely long time for exposing a single piece of wafer. Therefore, in the actual condition, it can only be applied to experimental manufacture or manufacture of device for specific use, which requires only a very small quantity, and hence cannot be applied to manufacture of devices which require mass-production, such as MPUs, memories, or system LSIs.
In recent years, in order to solve the above-described problems, there are proposed technologies capable of forming an extremely fine pattern at low cost. As one of these proposals, a nanoimprint technology has been a focus of attention (for example, see S. Y. Chou, et. al., Science, vol. 272, p. 85-87, 5 Apr. 1996).
The nanoimprint technology is a technology for transferring a pattern on the resist by pressing a mold 1311 as an original plate on which fine patterns are formed thereon by electron beam exposure against a wafer 1322 as a substrate on which resist 1321 is applied. FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B are explanatory drawing illustrating the outline of this technology.
FIG. 13A shows a case in which a pattern is not yet formed on the substrate, and FIG. 13B shows a case in which a pattern is already formed on the substrate, and a new pattern is to be formed on the pattern. After having formed the new pattern on the resist, etching process is preformed by RIE (Reactive Ion Etching) or the like, and then fine processing is effected on the substrate.
It is already proved that fine shapes on the order of 10 nm can be transferred with the nanoimprint technology. In particular, it attracts attention as manufacturing means for fine cyclic structure on a magnetic recording medium and hence research and development are in full force in various locations.
In the nanoimprint technology, since a pattern is formed by physically moving the resist when imprinting the mold against the substrate, environment may be made into a vacuum so as to prevent air bubbles from entering between the mold and the substrate. Also, a method of imprinting after enhancing flowability of the resist so that the resist can easily be flown upon imprinting by heating the resist in advance (so-called a thermal cycling method) or a method of using UV cure resin as the resist, exposing the resist in a state of being imprinted by a transparent mold, and releasing the mold after the resist has cured (so-called a photo-curing method) are proposed.
When patterning a fine shape of the magnetic recording medium, since precise alignment between the mold and the substrate is not necessary (FIG. 13A), nanoimprint can be applied relatively easily. However, when it is applied for manufacturing the semiconductor devices, for example, a highly integrated circuit such as an MPU or a memory, since the device structure is fabricated by superimposing the fine pattern on the position of the pattern which is formed in the previous process and transferring the same, precise alignment between the substrate as a base and the pattern on the mold is essential (FIG. 13B). When forming the pattern of 100 nm or below, accuracy on the order of 10 nm is required for alignment between the mold and the substrate.
When the mold is pressed against the substrate, the pattern on the mold is not transferred to the resist on the substrate unless the substrate and the surface of the mold come into close contact with each other. The parallelism between the surface of the mold (the surface having the transfer pattern formed thereon) and the surface of the substrate (having the resist applied thereon) may be displaced due to misalignment of the axis in the pressing direction even when the position alignment is performed with a position control mechanism in the apparatus before imprinting. Therefore, the nanoimprint apparatus in the related art has a mechanism to compensate misalignment in attitude between the surface of the mold and the substrate using a resilient leaf spring or the like.
In the structure of the nanoimprint apparatus in the related art, as shown in FIG. 14, when part of the surface of the mold 1411 is unevenly abutted against the substrate 1422 on which the resist 1421 is applied, the mold 1411 is rotated about the position at which the mold comes into contact with the resist 1421 first by an external force generated by a drive unit 1415, and hence the position of the mold may be displaced from the position where the mold is supposed to be aligned. Also, when a large load is exerted to the mold by the drive unit 1415, a resilient spring 1414 may be deformed and displace in the lateral direction, and hence a load to be exerted is limited.
In the structure of the nanoimprint apparatus in the related art, it is difficult to perform a mold pressing operation while maintaining the positions of, and the parallelism between, the mold and the substrate, and consequently, required specifications in terms of accuracy of alignment between the mold and the substrate at the time of the mold pressing operation cannot achieved. Therefore, it is difficult to apply the nanoimprint technology to highly integrated devices.


A design support method capable of verifying correct processing operation of software for controlling a paper transport mechanism by using a computer includes a displaying step of displaying a simulation screen relating to transport of virtual paper on a display unit of the computer, a jam setting step of presetting a condition for causing a paper jam with respect to the virtual paper, a jam causing step of causing the paper jam in accordance with the condition preset in the jam setting step, a selecting step of, when the paper jam is caused by the jam causing step, selecting a sheet of virtual paper, the sheet being subjected to the paper jam, by an instruction from a user, and a deleting step of deleting the sheet of virtual paper selected by the selecting step from the simulation screen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a design support program and a design support method for supporting mechanism control. In particular, the present invention relates to a design support program and a design support method for software for controlling a transport mechanism for transporting a sheet of paper.
2. Description of the Related Art
Transporting sheet objects (i.e., hereinafter "paper") is performed in various machines and apparatuses. For example, image forming apparatuses, such as copiers and printers, transport sheets of paper by using transport mechanisms, such as rollers and guides.
Currently, transporting sheets of paper in only one direction at one speed is very rare. In most cases, the position of a sheet of paper is sensed by a sensor, the sheet of paper is stopped at a predetermined position, or the direction of transport is reversed by reversing the direction of rotation of rollers. Therefore, it is necessary to use software for controlling paper a transport mechanism.
As recent image forming apparatuses have enhanced functionality and productivity, software for controlling the image forming apparatuses have become more complicated, and the number of man-hours needed to find problems, track down the cause of the problems, and correct them has increased.
Under such circumstances, with improvement in performance of recent computers, designing paper transport mechanisms using a simulation technique has become more popular. For example, a system for finding potential failures by calculating the behavior of paper with a simulation has been proposed, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-081600 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,844,819).
In addition to the increasing use of simulation techniques in various cases, a technique for verifying the correct operation of software for controlling a mechanism has also been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-143260 discloses a design support method in which an external event, such as on/off operations of a switch, closing and opening of a cover, and the like, is caused by input from an input device (e.g., a keyboard).
However, conventional simulators for verifying the correct operation of software can simulate an abnormal status but do not have a function of recovering from the abnormal status to a normal status. In particular, conventional methods do not have an interface and a function of deleting a sheet of paper in a simulation when a paper jam is caused during paper transport, and therefore, they cannot return to the normal status and perform the next job.
For a simulator using a real machine, since recovery from the abnormal status is realized by an operation of a user, a function of returning to the normal status is not required. By contrast, for a simulator performing all tasks on a computer, this function is necessary because a returning sequence cannot be verified without it.
In printer control, failures tend to occur when a system recovers from the abnormal status, as well as those that occur when the abnormal status appears. Therefore, recovery from the abnormal status, especially, a paper jam status, is necessary for verification of the correct operation of software for controlling transport mechanism.
In some cases, paper tears and shreds of the paper are left behind while a system recovers from a paper jam. To address such cases, simulating recovery from the abnormal status should be performed. However, conventional design support methods cannot simulate such conditions.

Design support program and design support method


A fusing apparatus includes a fuser roll and a pressure roll which define a nip therebetween. Two heating elements heat the fuser roll. One of the heating elements is configured for heating a first portion of the fuser roll while a second of the heating elements is configured for heating a second portion of the fuser roll. The second portion of the fuser roll is axially spaced from the first portion. A temperature sensing system monitors a temperature of the fuser roll in a first location and monitors a temperature of the fuser roll in a second location which is axially spaced from the first location. A control system determines an amount of power to supply to the first heating element as a function of the monitored temperatures at the first and second axially spaced locations and determines an amount of power to supply to the second heating element as a function of the monitored temperatures at the first and second axially spaced locations.

The present exemplary embodiment relates to a fuser apparatus for an electrophotographic marking device and, more particularly, to control of an operating temperature of a fuser apparatus.
In typical xerographic image forming devices, such as copy machines and laser beam printers, a photoconductive insulating member is charged to a uniform potential and thereafter exposed to a light image of an original document to be reproduced. The exposure discharges the photoconductive insulating surface in exposed or background areas and creates an electrostatic latent image on the member, which corresponds to the image areas contained within the document. Subsequently, the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive insulating surface is made visible by developing the image with a dry marking material. Generally, the marking material comprises pigmented toner particles adhering triboelectrically to carrier granules, which is often referred to simply as toner. The developed image is subsequently transferred to the print medium, such as a sheet of paper.
The fusing of the toner image onto paper is generally accomplished by applying heat and pressure. A typical fuser assembly includes a fuser roll and a pressure roll which define a nip therebetween. The side of the paper having the toner image typically faces the fuser roll, which is often supplied with a heat source, such as a resistance heater, such as a lamp, at the core thereof. The combination of heat from the fuser roll and pressure between the fuser roll and the pressure roll fuses the toner image to the paper, and once the fused toner cools, the image is permanently fixed to the paper.
The paper passing through the fuser absorbs heat from the fuser roll. The temperature of the roll is measured by a thermistor and power is supplied to the resistance heater to maintain the fuser roll at a desired operating temperature. When narrow width paper is fed to the fuser, the side of the fuser roll which does not make contact with the paper tends to heat preferentially. In some fuser assemblies, the heater includes two lamps aligned parallel with the fuser axis, which preferentially heat different sides of the fuser roll. Each lamp is associated with its own control loop with a thermistor for measuring the temperature of the respective side of the fuser roll and controlling the lamp to maintain the desired temperature. Each of the feedback loops operates independently, ignoring the influence of one lamp on the temperature of the other side of the fuser roll, and vice versa. It has been found that, particularly for long print jobs employing relatively narrow paper, the temperature of the side of the fuser roll which does not make contact with the paper can reach unacceptably high levels. If the temperature of the fuser roll becomes too high, the fuser roll, or associated equipment, such as a web cleaning device, can be damaged. Accordingly, the printer is often cycled into a non-operational mode for a period of time to allow the fuser roll to reach a safe operating temperature.

Multivariate predictive control of fuser temperatures


A three-dimensional image evaluation unit (100) for evaluating an input image. The parallax statistic is calculated by measuring the parallax included in the input image by a parallax measuring means (3), the static parallax evaluation value for the calculated parallax statistic and/or a dynamic parallax evaluation value for a temporal change in the parallax statistic is determined by a static parallax evaluating means (4-1) and/or a dynamic parallax evaluating means (4-2) of an evaluating means (4) to evaluate parallax information on the image. An abrupt change in the parallax can be evaluated thereby, and countermeasures against errors in measurement and noise of the image can be taken, so that parallax information on the image can be suitably evaluated.

There is said that a three-dimensional vision is tired compared with an observation of usual 2D image, since an observation state different from daily life is produced. FIGS. 16(a) and (b) are diagrams explaining the observation principle of three-dimensional image, FIG. 16(a) shows right and left screen observed as a three-dimensional image, and FIG. 16(b) shows an observation state respectively.
In FIG. 16(b), numerals 21 and 22 designate a left eye and a right eye of a viewer, respectively, numeral 23 designates a display screen where the screen for right eye and the screen for left eye are overlapped and displayed, numeral 24 designates figure A on the right screen shown in FIG. 16(a), and numeral 25 designates figure A on the left screen shown in FIG. 16(a).
As shown in FIG. 16(b), places in right and left figures A are shifted, so that in the case of paying attention to this, sight lines of viewer are intersected on this side of the screen, and thus the stereo image in figure A seems to dash out from the screen forward. Here, the angle that the sight lines crowd, is referred to as a vergence angle, and a right and left positional deviation is referred to as a parallax. On the one hand, the focus adjustment of eyes is suitable on the screen, so that the adjusting distance of the focus adjustment and the vergence distance to the point that the lines of sight from eyes intersect, are different.
Such an observation state is not generated in the daily life, so that the indistinctness and the unnaturalness might be felt. In the contents that contain a lot of rapid parallax changes to which the parallax is large, and subject dashes out from the screen particularly, it becomes harder to see while a strong stereo effect is obtained, so that it is necessary to avoid audience for a long time.
In consideration of this respect, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 355,808/1999, there is proposed an image system that the parallax amount of the three-dimensional image signal is detected, and the operation that the degree of influence given to the viewer is assumed based on the parallax amount, and the display is switched to usual 2D image or the like, is controlled thereby avoiding the long time audience of the image with a large degree of influence to emphasize the stereo effect. Moreover, in the above patent specification, there is proposed an image system that the parallax amount is controlled so as to decrease the adjustment of eyes and the shift of the convergence, thereby avoiding the long time audience of the image with a large degree of influence.
However, in the above patent specification, a concrete method of evaluating a rapid change in parallax is not shown. Moreover, concrete measures against the error at the measuring and the noise of the image are not shown, so that it is likely not to function well according to the image.

Three-dimensional image evaluation unit and display device using the unit


A manually or mechanically/hydraulically operable tong of light weight and high load capacity by means of a multi-layer interlocking construction achieved by cutting the shapes from plate steel by known means, assembling the plate sections in suitable order, and retained with each other by cylindrical steel pins (8) forming a multi hinged tool capable of engaging the job circumference on two or more points equally via replaceable jaw dies (15) retained radially and axially.

In reference to pipe handling tools used in the drilling industry, there are those generally referred to as 'pipe tongs' or 'casing tongs'. Many of these are fully or semi automated units and are specific to the oil and gas drilling industry, and not within the scope of the present invention. Prior art tools relating to the present invention are more accurately described as 'manual tongs', 'chain tongs', 'Petol tongs', 'BV tongs', 'Rapspan tong', 'pipe wrench', or 'stilson', and are identified by having a handle, or lever, which serves to permit load being applied by hand, and, if so designed, also permitting the application of mechanical force to that lever.
Prior art tools rely heavily on the casting, forging, machining, and heat treatment processes as necessary to achieve the least practicable weight with the highest possible strength/torque/load capacity, since weight is a critical safety factor when large tools are to be man-handled, such as on waterwell and exploration mobile drillrigs. It has been common for several decades for manufacturers of these drills to fit as standard equipment an adjustable pipe wrench, modified by cutting the handle short, welding a lug to the shortened handle for attachment to a hydraulic cylinder, for the purpose of applying high torque to the drillpipe and drilling tools. Although relatively lightweight and easy to use, it is an inappropriate modification of a hand tool, and has become the accepted norm within the industry, notwithstanding the well documented injuries resulting from this unsafe practice.
These types of breakages are without warning as the component, whether faulty or overloaded, suddenly fails and the tool flies apart, severely injuring any body in its path. U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,558 seeks to minimise these injuries by the addition of a safety device in the case of such failures.
A well known and regarded tool is manufactured by Petol Tool Co, but this tool also is not without its problems in that it is cumbersome to man-handle, and heavily reliant on expensive manufacturing techniques.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,010 seeks to alleviate the downside of the Petol wrench by making a somewhat lighter but equally strong tool, at a lower cost. Although achieving this to a degree, in today's ever-cost conscious environment, it is still considered an expensive tool, due mainly to the extensive machining required in its manufacture.


A brake fluid pressure control unit for a vehicle comprises: a hydraulic block that includes a housing containing an internal channel for a first system and an internal channel for a second system, which individually allow communication with a wheel cylinder for a first wheel and a wheel cylinder for a second wheel respectively, and also containing a detected hydraulic pressure inlet hole leading to a pressure receiving part of a pressure sensor. A first hole included in the internal channel for the first system and a second hole included in the internal channel for the second system can selectively be connected to the detected hydraulic pressure inlet hole by machining such that the depth of either the first hole or the second hole is made greater than the other.

A brake fluid pressure control unit for a vehicle is configured by combining: a hydraulic block incorporating a pump for power drive, pressure increase valves and pressure reduction valves, a pressure sensor, and a reservoir used for taking in brake fluid discharged via the pressure reduction valve from wheel cylinders (wheel brakes) and for supplying it to the pump; an electronic device equipped with an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls driving a motor, the pressure increase valves, and the pressure reduction valves; and the motor that drives the pump. A known example for the brake fluid pressure control unit is disclosed in, for example, the Patent Document 1 described below.
The brake fluid pressure control unit described in the document is used in a two-wheeled vehicle. In the unit, a pair of accommodating holes, right and left, for corresponding pressure increase valves and a pair of accommodating holes, right and left, for corresponding pressure reduction valves are arranged on one face of the housing of a hydraulic block such that the one pair is above the other.
Additionally, a pressure sensor accommodating hole is disposed among the four valve accommodating holes. A motor terminal hole extending from one face to the other of the housing is located above the pressure sensor accommodating hole, and the motor terminal is extended through the hole, thereby electrically connecting an electronic control unit attached to the one face of the housing and the motor attached to the other face thereof.
Furthermore, hydraulic pressures on the downstream side (on the wheel cylinder side) from the pressure increase valves and pressure reduction valves are detected by the pressure sensor.


An apparatus for executing branch predictor directed prefetch operations. During operation, a branch prediction unit may provide an address of a first instruction to the fetch unit. The fetch unit may send a fetch request for the first instruction to the instruction cache to perform a fetch operation. In response to detecting a cache miss corresponding to the first instruction, the fetch unit may execute one or more prefetch operation while the cache miss corresponding to the first instruction is being serviced. The branch prediction unit may provide an address of a predicted next instruction in the instruction stream to the fetch unit. The fetch unit may send a prefetch request for the predicted next instruction to the instruction cache to execute the prefetch operation. The fetch unit may store prefetched instruction data obtained from a next level of memory in the instruction cache or in a prefetch buffer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to microprocessor architecture and, more particularly, to an instruction prefetch mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
In various systems, the front end of a processor core typically includes an instruction fetch unit for generating fetch request to retrieve instructions from an instruction cache. On a cache hit, the fetched instructions are typically stored in a fetch FIFO or fetch queue located between the instruction fetch unit and an instruction decode unit. On a cache miss, a memory request is usually generated and sent to the next level of memory, e.g. a level 2 (L2) cache. The fetch pipeline may then be stalled until the cache miss is serviced. This usually results in a significant performance hit since it delays the execution of instructions.
In other systems, the fetch mechanism may initiate an out-of-order fetching mode while the cache miss is being serviced. During the out-of-order fetching mode, a fetch operation is performed for one or more new instructions. On a cache hit corresponding to a new instruction, the data is typically stored in the fetch FIFO. On a cache miss corresponding to the new instruction, a memory request is usually generated and sent to the next level of memory, e.g. an L2 cache. If there is a cache hit in the next level of memory, the data is typically stored in the fetch FIFO. In this implementation, entries are allocated in the fetch FIFO whether there is a cache miss or cache hit corresponding to the new instruction. Therefore, to perform the out-of-order fetch, the fetch FIFO needs to have space available for the data. Even if the fetch FIFO has available space, it may fill up during the out-of-order fetch mode and stall the process. Furthermore, in this design, the increased size and complexity of the fetch FIFO and corresponding management mechanism may increase die area and cost of the system.


Portable communication devices and related methods for use in supporting voice and/or data communication are provided. One example portable communication device includes a housing, a display device disposed at said housing, a processor disposed at least partially within said housing, the processor coupled to said display device, and an interface connector disposed at said housing and coupled to said processor. The interface connector is configured to couple to a module. The processor is configured to communicate, through said interface connector, via a plurality of communication protocols. The processor is configured to select at least one of the plurality of communication protocols based on the module coupled to the interface connector.

The field of the disclosure relates generally to portable communication devices and related methods, and more particularly, to portable communication device with modules providing one or more accessory functions.
Recently, portable and ultra-portable communication devices, such as smartphones, cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc., have grown in use and popularity among a variety of different types of users. As the market has progressed, more and more functionality has been incorporated into portable communication devices. More generally, as the number of different types of portable communication devices increases, the functionality included therein, as well as the demand for added functionality, also increases. Manufacturers of portable communication devices have responded to the increased demand for functionality by incorporating some additional functionality and opening the relevant operating systems to permit third parties to develop additional functionality.
As the functionality of the portable communication devices increases through effort of manufacturers and/or third parties, the amount and/or type of data accessed, received by and/or transmitted from such devices has also increased. With the increased access to data and the open operating systems provided by manufacturers, security policies are often implemented at the portable communication devices to limit exposure of data accessed by the portable communication device.

Portable communication devices with accessory functions and related methods


The extendable arm of the present invention enables the drilling of holes and installation of fasteners in ceilings directly by an operator standing on the floor below the ceiling. The arm has a foot-actuated lever, a telescopic pole, and a tool cradle. The power or impact tool is mounted on the tool cradle and is brought into contact with the ceiling by depressing the foot-actuated lever which raises the telescopic pole and thereby the tool cradle. Means for remotely actuating the trigger of the impact tool are also disclosed.

In many construction projects, holes are drilled in structural concrete ceilings and other overhead structures, hereinafter referred to as ceilings, for subsequent installation of fasteners for plumbing, electrical and communications wiring, false ceilings, and sprinkler systems. In other cases these fasteners are applied, without pre-drilling of a hole, by an impact tool which uses an explosive charge to propel the fastener into the ceiling. Typically, these operations are conducted while other construction work is being carried out at the work site.
The conventional manner of conducting these operations is to use a hand-held power or impact tool while the operator is standing on a ladder or a scaffold erected at the work site. Scaffolds are often quite large and can obstruct other construction work at the site while in use. Often, the scaffold must first be assembled at one location and after the hole is drilled or the fastener is installed in the ceiling, the operator must dismount the scaffold to move it to another location, and at times, the scaffold must be disassembled and then reassembled at the next location. Assembly and disassembly of the scaffold is very time-consuming and awkward at busy construction sites. Even if the scaffold is equipped with rollers or castors, the scaffold is quite cumbersome and a large path must be cleared in order to allow the scaffold to be moved from one location to another. While it is possible for a single operator to move the scaffold on rollers or castors to another location, this step is very time-consuming and inconvenient.
Alternatively the operator can use a ladder to reach the ceiling. The operation however is still very time-consuming even though the ladder is more readily assembled and moved than is the scaffold. The operator must put the ladder in position and then climb the ladder with the power or impact tool to drill the hole or install the fastener. The operator must then dismount the ladder with the tool, bend over to put the tool on the floor, and move the ladder to the next position. He must then return to the previous position to pick up the power or impact tool and repeat the procedure.
It will be -Appreciated by those skilled in the art, that when the holes or fasteners are to be positioned, on the average, four feet apart, the scaffold or ladder must be moved many times during the project. For each hole or fastener, there is expended much non-productive time for both the operator and other workers in the vicinity.
Furthermore, the drilling of holes in structural concrete ceilings by means of a hand-held drill from a swaying scaffold or ladder is awkward and very hard work. The operator is exposed to noise, dust, and vibrations during the drilling operation and, all the while, he must hold his arms above his head. This type of work is very tiring and cannot be carried out for long periods. This problem is compounded in the use of the impact tool because more force is required to propel the fastener into the ceiling. If the operator loses his balance on the swaying ladder or scaffold during the operation, the tool may fall to the ground injuring workers in the vicinity or worse, the operator may fall off the ladder or scaffold.
Canadian Patent Number 1,218,543 (Klingstedt et al) describes a bore frame, upon which a power drill can be mounted, to enable the drilling of holes in ceilings directly from the floor below. The bore frame has an adjustable tubular body and a tool holder which is connected by a wire over a guide pulley to a handle hingedly attached to the outer tube of the tubular body. In this embodiment of the Klingstedt device, the tool holder moves relative to the tubular body of the bore frame.
In operation of the power drill mounted on the Klingstedt bore frame, the operator must stabilize the tubular body with one hand while operating the handle with the other hand. When the handle is depressed, the chain is guided over the pulley to move the tool holder and the drill upwards to the ceiling. A switch is located on the tubular body for operation of the power drill. The operator must activate this switch with the same hand that is used to stabilize the tubular body. Simultaneously, the handle must be depressed gradually with the other hand to control the feed of the drill.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that, as the drilling operation continues with one hand holding the tubular body and the other hand depressing the handle, the operator's body must bend sideways into a very awkward position. This position of the body could be very painful for many people with back problems, especially after repeating this movement many times in one day. In fact, it may be impossible for some people to move their body in this position particularly while operating the power drill. The operator may even lose his balance in operation of this device. The safety of the operator and other workers at the site could be at risk.
As the drilling operation continues the operator's hands are further distanced from each other and the body position becomes very awkward making it easy for the operator to cause the drill to move sideways unintentionally. Moreover, the hand that is used to stabilize the frame is not totally dedicated to the stability of the frame as it must also be used to activate the switch. This could seriously affect the safety of the operator and other workers at the construction site. The device of the Klingstedt patent is also equipped with a level on the tubular body, presumably to prevent this unintentional movement of the drill. As discussed previously however it could be very difficult for the operator to view the level while simultaneously looking at the ceiling to monitor the operation.
In another embodiment of the bore frame described in Canadian Patent Number 1,218,543, the tool holder is rigidly attached to the tubular body which is movable in a sleeve at the base of the tubular body. The operating handle is hingedly attached to both the base sleeve and the tubular body. Again, the operator must stabilize the tubular body with one hand while operating the handle with the other hand. When the handle is depressed the tubular body moves upward relative to the base sleeve. The drill is operated by pulling a chain with the same hand that is also stabilizing the tubular body to cause a yoke to activate the switch on the drill. The operator must use one hand to push the operating handle in a downwards direction and the other hand to pull a chain causing operation of the drill. Once again the operator is forced into a very awkward position as he bends sideways to operate the handle. The problems discussed earlier are even further compounded in this embodiment because the tubular body is moved upward by depressing the handle. The hand that is stabilizing the tubular body and operating the switch also rises with the tubular body as the other hand pushes the handle downward. Stability of the bore frame and the safety of the operator are very serious concerns.
The present invention overcomes the problems of the prior art by enabling the drilling of holes or the installation of fasteners by an impact tool in a ceiling directly by an operator standing on the floor below the ceiling. The extendable arm of the present invention is convenient for the operator as it can be moved from one location to another by a single operator. The operator is able to stabilize the apparatus with both hands while operating the drill. The operation is more accurate and safer for both the operator and other workers at the construction site.

Extendable arm for power and impact tools


An improved capacitor is provided particularly for use in electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter applications, for example, in an implantable medical device such as a heart pacemaker or defibrillator, to accommodate relatively high pulse currents. The capacitor comprises a plurality of active and ground electrode plates interleaved and embedded within a dielectric casing of ceramic or the like with each active and ground plate being defined by a closely spaced pair of conductive plate elements which significantly increase the total area of each electrode plate, and thereby correspondingly increase the current handling capacity of the capacitor.

This invention relates generally to improvements in capacitor assemblies, particularly of the type used in implantable medical devices such as heart pacemakers and the like to decouple undesired electromagnetic interference (EMI) signals from the device. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved capacitor having a dual element plate configuration for accommodating relatively high pulse currents without degradation or failure. The invention is particularly designed for use in heart pacemakers (bradycardia), defibrillators (tachycardia) and combined pacemaker defibrillator devices.
Ceramic dielectric capacitors are generally known in the art for use in a wide range of electronic circuit applications, for example, for use as charge storage device, a circuit coupling or decoupling device, a filtering device, etc. Such capacitors conventionally comprise a plurality of conductive active and ground electrode plates encased in an alternating stack at a predetermined spacing or gap within a selected dielectric casing material, typically such as a ceramic material formulated to have a selected dielectric constant. The active and ground electrode plates are respectively connected to appropriate conductive termination points or surfaces which facilitate capacitor connection with other elements of an electronic circuit. Exemplary ceramic cased capacitors are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,931,899 and 5,333,095.
In the past, ceramic cased capacitors have been produced by formulating the ceramic casing material into relatively thin sheets. While in a relatively flexible or "green" state before firing, the ceramic sheets are electroded or silkscreened with a refractory metal to define thin conductive plates of selected area. A plurality of these ceramic based sheets with conductive plates thereon are laminated into a stack and then fired to form the sheets into a rigid and dense, substantially monolithic casing structure having the conductive plates embedded therein at a predetermined dielectric spacing.
In operation, the inherent resistance provided by the thin electrode plates results in at least some power loss in the form of plate heating. The plate power loss, and thus the magnitude of plate heating, is a function of electrical current. If the plate current is sufficiently high for even a relatively short period of time, sufficient plate heating can occur to cause capacitor failure, particularly by localized disruption of the thin electrode plates and/or the connections thereof to the conductive termination components. Filter capacitors used in pacemaker and defibrillator applications regularly encounter relatively high pulse inrush currents, and are thus susceptible to overheating and related failures.
One approach to resolving this problem involves increasing the thickness of the electrode plate layers within the capacitor structure. However, a significant increase in capacitor plate thickness is not possible, or desirable or practical through the use of existing electrode plating and silkscreening technologies. Excessively thick electrode plates lead to capacitor plate delamination and related reliability problems. In this regard, it is important for the electrode plates to have a thin and discontinuous structure with ceramic grain growth penetrating through and integrating the entire structure into a rugged monolithic structure. Another approach is to increase the total surface area of the electrode plates, but this concept has required a significant increase in the volumetric size of the capacitor in a manner which is incompatible with many circuit applications.
The present invention overcomes the problems and disadvantages encountered in the prior art by providing an improved ceramic cased capacitor with an embedded electrode plate pattern that is capable of handling significantly higher current loads, without requiring a significant increase in the volumetric capacitor size.

Capacitor with dual element electrode plates


Disclosed is an apparatus and method for executing the handoff process in the wireless networks. The apparatus comprises a processor to execute an identity checking mechanism. When a wireless network station wants to move from a source AP to a destination AP, the wireless network station sends an authentication request message to the destination AP. The identity checking mechanism searches a R0KH table of the destination AP for the R0KH ID contained in the authentication request message, and determines a setting parameter for executing a handoff process. Thereby, the wireless network station may execute the handoff process. A R0KH table of an AP consists of all IDs of R0KHs that can be accessed by the AP.

The wireless networks are an important medium for connecting to Internet. The wireless network is more prone to tapping and theft in comparison with the wired network. Between an access point (AP) and a wireless network station, the use of a security key for authentication and encryption is an important issue for wireless networks. If the AP and the wireless network station do not save the security key in advance, the key will cause the execution of a handoff process when the wireless network station is connected to an AP.
Because the handoff process takes much time, the execution of the handoff process may interrupt the real-time application, such as voice over IP (VoIP). IEEE802.11r protocol defines a three-level key architecture to accelerate the execution of the handoff process and generate a security key.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an exemplary three-level key architecture of IEEE802.11r protocol. Referring to FIG. 1, the first level key is Pairwise Master Key R0, or PMK-R0. PMK-R0 is generated by the first level Master Session Key (MSK) or Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA)-key, and is saved at a wireless network station 101 and a R0 key holder (R0KH). MSK is generated and separately by wireless network station 101 executing the handoff process and by AAA server 103 executing IEEE802.1X authentication. R0KH plays the role of an AAA client to receive and store the MSK from AAA server 103.
The second level key PMK-R1 is stored at wireless network station 101 and a R1 key holder (R1KH). PMK-R1 is generated by PMK-R0. PMK-R1 may be used to generate the third level Pairwise Transient Key (PTK). The PTK is the key for message encryption and decryption between wireless network station 101 and the APs inside the third level.
The aforementioned IEEE802.11r three-level key architecture defines the mobility domain (MD) architecture. As shown in FIG. 1, an MD includes a plurality of R0KHs at first level 131. Each R0KH has connections to a plurality of R0KHs, for R1 from all the R0KHs in the MD, for example, R1KH1 and R1KH2 may obtain PMK-R1 directly from R0KH1, or indirectly from R0KH2. Second level 132 is all the R1KHs. Third level 133 is all the APs of an MD in the following description.
Based on the MD architecture defined in IEEE802.11r protocol specifications, the movement of the wireless network station may be divided into intra-MD movement and Inter-MD movement. The intra-MD movement may be further divided into intra-R1KH movement and inter-R1KH movement. For example, wireless network station 101 switching from AP0 to AP1 is an intra-R1KH movement, and switching from AP1 to AP2 or AP3 is an inter-R1KH movement. These two examples are both intra-MD movements within domain 110. On the other hand, a switching from AP3 in MD 110 to AP4 in MD 120 is an inter-MD movement.
When moving in MD, a wireless network station needs to execute a fast basic service set (Fast BSS) handoff process. For the inter-MD movement, the wireless network station needs to execute an initial MD association handoff process. Through the MD Identity (MDID) embedded in the periodical broadcast of probe and beacon messages by the AP, it is possible to distinguish the inter-MD movement from the intra-MD movement.
The current MDID can be assigned by each vendor; however, there is no guarantee that the MDID assigned by different vendors will be unique. Therefore, when a wireless network station executes an inter-MD movement, the inter-MD movement may be mistakenly identified as an intra-MD movement because of the same MDID, and then the Fast BSS handoff process is executed. In this scenario, during the execution of the Fast BSS handoff process, the AP cannot generate the PTK because the R1KH cannot obtain PMK-R1 from R0KH used by the wireless network station. Therefore, the AP will notify the wireless network station to terminate the Fast BSS handoff process, and to execute the initial MD association handoff process.
FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show the exemplary flowcharts of the initial MD association handoff process and the Fast BSS handoff process, respectively.
In FIG. 1, when wireless network station 101 turns on the wireless network function, wireless network station 101 can connect to the wireless network through AP1 of MD 110, or move from MD 120 to the coverage range of AP1, which can be known from the probe and beacon messages broadcast by AP1 to be an inter-MD movement. Wireless network station 101 executes the initial MD association handoff process in FIG. 2.
In step 201A and step 201B, wireless network station 101 and AP1 execute the open system authentication process. In step 201A, wireless network station 101 transmits an authentication request to AP1. In step 201B, AP1 replies the authentication response to wireless network station 101. After the open system authentication process finishes, AP1 allows wireless network station 101 to transmit IEEE802.11r communication protocol messages to AAA server.
Steps 202A &_202B are association request and association response, respectively. In step 202A, wireless network station 101 transmits an association request to AP1, where the field of the mobility domain information element (MDIE) of the association request message is set as "0" to indicate that wireless network station 101 supports the Fast BSS handoff process. In step 202B, AP1 uses the association response message to store the R0KH1, R1KH1 and MDID in the MDIE field, and transmits the association response message to wireless network station 101.
In step 203, wireless network station 101 executes the IEEE803.1X authentication to AAA server 103 through AP1. After the authentication step is successful, wireless network station 101 and AAA server 103 generate the MSK respectively, and AAA server 103 will transmit the MSK to R0KH1.
Steps 204A & 204B are to generate PMK-R0 and PMK-R1, respectively. In step 204A, wireless network station 101 and R0KH1 execute the key derivation function (KDF) algorithm, respectively, to use R0KH1 with MSK, and the MAC address of wireless network station 101 to generate PMK-R0. In step 204B, PMK-R1 may be generated by using PMK-R0, the MAC address of wireless network station 101, and the ID of R1KH1.
In step 205, wireless network station 101 and AP1 execute the 4-way handshake of IEEE802.11i to generate the PTK. In this step, wireless network station 101 and AP1 generate a random number "SNonce" and a random number "ANonce", respectively, and exchange. AP1 transmits the two random numbers "SNonce" and "ANonce", the ID of R0KH1, the MAC address of wireless network station 101 and the MAC address of AP1 to R1KH1. Then, wireless network station 101 and R1KH1 execute the KDF algorithm, respectively, and use the above parameters, the ID of R1KH1 and PMK-R1 to generate the PTK. After generating the PTK, R1KH1 transmits the PTK to AP1.
After executing the above initial MD association handoff process, wireless network station 101 is successfully connected to AP1, and R0KH1 and R1KH1 will store PMK-R0 and PMK-R1, respectively. PMK-R0 and PMK-R1 may be used to generate a new PTK. Therefore, the time-consuming IEEE802.1X authentication process may be saved to reduce the handoff process time.
When the wireless network station moves within MD1, for example, from AP1 to AP3, the wireless network station may execute the Fast BSS handoff process of FIG. 3.
Because AP1 and AP3 are both in MD1, in step 301A, wireless network station 101 notifies AP3 through the fast transition (FT) authentication request message to execute FT authentication. The authentication request message includes a random number SNonce for generating the PTK, and an MDIE field. The MDIE field includes the IDs of R0KH1, R1KH1, and MDID of MD1.
AP3 knows of the occurrence of the inter-R1KH switch from the authentication request message, and replies an authentication response message to wireless network station 101, as shown in step 301B. The authentication response message includes a random number ANonce for generating the PTK, and an MDIE field. The MDIE field at least includes the IDs of R0KH2, R1KH3, and MDID of MD 110.
After receiving the FT authentication response message from AP3, wireless network station 101 uses random numbers ANonce and MDIE, and with ID of R1KH3, the MAC address of wireless network station 101 and PMK-R0 to generate PMK-R1. The PMK-R1 will be stored in wireless network station 101 and R1KH3. Then, step 302 is to generate the PTK according to the MAC address of wireless network station 101, the MAC address of AP3, SNonce, ANonce, and the IDs of R0KH1 and R1KH3. If wireless network station 101 moves from AP1 to AP0, the old PMK-R1 may be used directly to generate the PTK because AP1 and AP0 are connected to the same R1KH.
As shown in step 303, AP3 transmits the MAC address of wireless network station 101, the MAC address of AP, SNonce, ANonce, and the ID of R0KH1 to R1KH3 for generating a new PTK.
In step 304, according to the ID of R0KH1, R1KH3 requests PMK-R1 from R0KH1. However, if wireless network station 101 moves from AP1 to AP0, this step may be omitted.
After obtaining a new PMK-R1, R1KH3 executes a KDF algorithm to generate the PTK and transmits the PTK to AP3, as shown in step 305. After step 305, wireless network station 101 and AP3 both have the same PTK.
Wireless network station 101 and AP3 then execute step 306 for resource from AP1 to AP3. In this manner, wireless network station 101 may start to use AP3 service.
In the Fast BSS handoff process, the PMK-R0 is re-used to generate the new PTK to accelerate the handoff process. Because the AP will broadcast the probe and beacon response frame with the IDs of R0KH and R1KH used by the AP and the ID of MD embedded in the frame, the appropriate handoff process may be selected after the wireless network station selects the AP, and whether the movement is an Inter-MD movement or an intra-MD movement is determined. Especially, the MAC address may be used to identify R0KH and R1KH, and MDID is managed by the vendors.

Apparatus and method for executing the handoff process in wireless networks

Industrial Technology Research Institute


An LED blinker load assembly (LBLA) (10) that can be integrated into the envelope of an LED light bulb or be attached externally to a rear, front or side LED lamp assembly. The LBLA (10) is comprised of an input circuit (12) and an output circuit (14). The two circuits in combination produce a sufficient current flow to operate an LED load circuit (18) and to cause a conventional vehicle flasher unit (60) to be operated normally.

The use of high-intensity LEDs in vehicles is common because they are reliable, cost-effective and they produce a greater light output using less power than conventional single or dual-filament incandescent light bulbs. Additionally, LEDs require less space and have a longer useful life when compared to incandescent light bulbs.
Prior art has attempted to use LEDs that operate in combination with a vehicle flasher unit to cause a vehicle light to blink ON and OFF whenever a vehicle's right or left turn arm is activated or the emergency flasher button is depressed. A vehicle flasher unit operates with a pair of contacts similar to a conventional relay, with a single exception: one of the relay support arms is made of a bimetallic material similar to the contacts in a home thermostat. The two metals that comprise the bimetallic material have different temperature coefficient characteristics. Thus, when the contacts are heated or cooled they expand or contract at different rates, thereby causing the lights to repeatedly turn "on" and "off", hence the term "blinkers".
A vehicle flasher unit becomes operational when the current applied to the light bulbs also flows through a heater coil that is mounted adjacent the contacts in the flasher unit. When the turn signal and the emergency lights are turned ON, the heater coil heats the contacts, thereby causing one of the metal contacts to heat, which in turn causes it to bend. This action alternately OPENS or CLOSES the contacts of the flasher unit. Once the contacts OPEN, current stops flowing, thereby causing the lights to turn Off. The bimetallic metal cools and it bends back to its original shape, which closes the contacts in the flasher unit and the cycle repeats. This action causes the turn signal lights and the emergency lights to blink ON and OFF.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any literature or patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention.