A cylinder head (3) for an axial flow rotary valve (1). The head comprises a bore (2) having an axis and adapted to house an axial flow rotary valve (1), a window (8) in the bore through which at least one port (12, 13) in the valve periodically communicates with a combustion chamber (9) as the valve rotates, at least two axially extending slots (21) in the bore, adjacent opposite sides of the window, each of the slots being adapted to locate a floating elongate gas sealing element (20), and at least one spark plug hole (7) adjacent to the bore and adapted for mounting a spark plug associated with the valve. The head further comprises at least one elongate axially extending cooling passage (24, 25 26) disposed between the bore and the spark plug hole, adjacent to one of the slots, the passage having a substantially constant cross section and extending axially at least over the length of the slots.

The present invention relates to internal combustion engines having axial flow rotary valves incorporating an inlet and an exhaust port in the same valve. Each valve rotates with small clearance in a bore in the cylinder head of the engine. The ports terminate as openings in the periphery of the valve. During rotation, these openings periodically communicate with a similar window in the cylinder head allowing the passage of gas from the valve to the cylinder and vice versa. The clearance between the valve and the bore is sealed by an array of floating seals preferably having two elongate axial seals adjacent opposite sides of the window, each located in a slot in the cylinder head bore. For combustion efficiency and packaging reasons, the spark plugs are typically adjacent the cylinder head bores and the axial seal slots, and in the case of a multi-cylinder engine, the spark plugs are between the cylinder head bores of adjacent cylinders. Multi-cylinder inline engines with each cylinder having a single axial flow rotary valve are arranged with the axis of each valve substantially perpendicular to the crankshaft axis. U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,532 (Bishop) discloses an axial flow rotary valve engine having these features.
All internal combustion engines require cooling of the cylinders and cylinder heads. In water or liquid cooled engines, the engine is typically connected to a radiator through two pipes. A bottom pipe is generally connected to a water pump mounted on or in the engine that pumps coolant through the engine and out through a top pipe back into the radiator.
The cylinder heads and blocks of liquid cooled internal combustion engines are typically machined from castings. The cooling passages are formed during the casting process using cores. The process and techniques of casting cylinder heads and blocks with cooling passages formed by cores is well known. However, the layout of multi-cylinder axial flow rotary valve engines presents difficulties in cooling the head that cannot be overcome by providing cast cooling passages and the solutions applicable to other types of rotary valve are not suited to axial flow rotary valves.
In any engine it is essential to identify the areas that are subjected to the greatest heat load and to provide adequate cooling to these areas. Prior art methods of cooling axial flow rotary valve engines with an array of floating seals have not adequately identified and addressed all of the cooling requirements of this type of engine. In an axial flow rotary valve engine there are four sources of significant heat input to the cylinder head.
Firstly, there are the axial gas sealing elements. The axial seals are subjected to high heat loads from the hot combustion gases. These combustion gases provide the pressure to energise the axial seals in a similar manner to a piston ring by pressing them against the circumferentially outermost sides of the axial slots, remote from the window, and against the valve itself. Heat is also transferred to the axial seals from the hot outside diameter of the valve and the only heat path available to cool the seals is through the sides of the axial slots remote from the window. The axial seal temperature must be maintained at a sufficiently low level to ensure that the oil used to lubricate the surface of the valve does not carbonise.
Secondly, there is the area surrounding the nose of the spark plug. The nose of the spark plug is defined as that area of the spark plug extending from the spark plug gap to the spark plug seat. In conventional spark plugs this area is coincident with the threaded portion of the spark plug. The nose of the spark plug is exposed directly to the hottest part of the combustion chamber as this is where combustion commences and is thus subject to heat transfer from the hot combustion gases for the entire combustion period. In conventional poppet valve engines this high localised heat input adjacent the spark plug nose is handled by having generous cast cooling passages around the spark plug boss adjacent the threaded portion of the spark plug mounting hole.
Thirdly, there is the portion of the combustion chamber surface immediately surrounding the end of the spark plug that is exposed to the combustion chamber. Just as the spark plug receives a very high localised heat input due to its location at the point of first combustion so does that portion of the combustion chamber surface immediately surrounding the end of the spark plug nose. A typical axial flow rotary valve engine has a section of the combustion chamber surface that extends from the nose of the spark plug, up into the window, to the bore in the cylinder head, which has a very small volume contained behind it. This section of the combustion chamber has a very large surface area to volume ratio and will consequently see a very high heat input and high temperature rises. This problem is compounded by the fact that this volume is located a long distance from any cooling passages in previous designs such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,532 (Bishop).
Finally, there are the circumferentially innermost surfaces and the floors of axial slots, which are exposed to the hot combustion gases that are used to energise the axial sealing elements. These surfaces put heat into the same small volume described above in relation to the third source of heat. This further increases the surface area to volume ratio of that portion of the head contained between the combustion chamber surface, the axial slot and the spark plug.
These four heat sources converge in the area contained between the spark plug, the bore in the cylinder head, the window and the combustion chamber. As a result this area is subject to very high localised heat loads and this area is the most heavily heat stressed area in any rotary valve assembly of this type. Furthermore, in an inline multi-cylinder axial flow rotary valve engine there is no room to accommodate a cast cooling passage around the spark plugs and it is difficult to arrange a flow of water past the spark plug.
Adequate cooling of this area is critical for two reasons. Firstly as discussed above, the axial seal temperature must be kept at a level below that required to carbonise the lubricating oil on the surface of the seal. Secondly, the very high temperatures generated in this area when they are not adequately cooled causes localised buckling pushing the cylinder head and axial seals radially inwards towards the rotary valve with consequent seizing of the rotary valve in the cylinder head.
Rotary valve designs to date have either failed to address this problem, as evidenced by the engines disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,532 (Bishop) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,801 (Ficht et al), or have chosen less optimum rotary valve arrangements that allow the spark plug to be located well away from the bore and the seal slots, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,321,699 (Britton). In the former case, the designs have supplied cooling water to those areas least in need of cooling and have failed to provide cooling in those areas where cooling is critical.
The engine disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,532 (Bishop) has cooling that is typical of the prior art and it illustrates the problems associated with cooling the cylinder head of an axial flow rotary valve engine using cast cooling passages. The cooling passages in the head are cast in a similar manner to those of a typical poppet valve engine. A water jacket is also cast into the cylinder block, surrounding the cylinders. The coolant is delivered to one end of the water jacket and passes through the water jacket from one end of the engine to the other. As coolant passes through the water jacket, it is bled off into the cast cooling passages in the head through holes in the bottom of the head. The coolant then flows through the cast cooling passages between the rotary valves to the top of the head where it then flows to a single collection point. Generally, the coolant is returned to the same end of the engine as it was delivered.
In this arrangement, the coolant flow in the cylinder head to the collection point travels through cast cooling passages in the cylinder head located above the rotary valves. This has the disadvantage that these passages above the rotary valves must be of sufficient cross section to ensure that the entire engine coolant flow can pass through it without excessive pressure drop. As the maximum coolant flow rates are high, the flow area will need to be large which adds considerably to the height of the engine. Furthermore the total volume of coolant in the cooling system is larger than would otherwise be necessary. The total volume of coolant is an important issue as it determines how fast an engine reaches operating temperature from a cold start which in turn has a direct effect on exhaust emissions.
The unique difficulties of cooling axial flow rotary valve engines having a single rotary valve per cylinder compared to poppet valve engines and other types of rotary valve relate to the large diameter of the axial flow rotary valves (typically up to 75% of the cylinder bore size) and close cylinder bore spacing of modern engines leaving little room between adjacent rotary valves for cast cooling passages. Furthermore, the spark plugs must be accommodated in the limited spaces between the valves, and in order to position the spark plugs as close to the centre of the cylinder as possible, they must be positioned as close as possible to the cylinder head bores and the axial seal slots. This leaves insufficient room to cast a cooling passage between each cylinder head bore its associated spark plug. This is illustrated by FIG. 7 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,532 (Bishop) where there are no cooling passages between each cylinder head bore and its associated spark plug. At best, the cast cooling passages only cool approximately half the periphery of each spark plug mounting hole. Furthermore the portion of the periphery that can be cooled is subject to a much smaller heat load than the portion that cannot be cooled.
The area surrounding the axial seal slot adjacent the spark plug mounting hole is the hottest region in the cylinder head and the engine disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,532 (Bishop) does not have any cooling in this area. Providing cast cooling passages that extend into these regions is impractical.
The problems with using cast cooling passages to cool an axial flow rotary valve engine are exacerbated by the holes connecting the cast cooling passages in the head with the cylinder block water jacket being constrained by geometry considerations to lie some distance from the centre line of the cylinders, and hence some distance from the spark plugs. The flow through these holes directs coolant towards the top of the head, rather than towards the spark plugs, and consequently the spark plugs are located in a stagnant area where there is relatively little coolant movement. This problem is further exacerbated if the holes feeding coolant to the head are located on both sides of the spark plugs, in which case coolant is fed towards the spark plugs from both sides preventing a strong flow of coolant past the spark plugs. This problem can be partially addressed by fitting baffles in the cast passages above the holes feeding coolant to the head. These baffles direct coolant flow towards the spark plugs. However, they dramatically increase the complexity of the cylinder head assembly and require access to the cast cooling passages for fitment.
The problem of cooling an axial flow rotary valve engine using cast cooling passages is made even more difficult in the case of engines having two spark plugs per cylinder. In these designs the rotary valve is typically positioned in the centre of the cylinder and the spark plugs are located on either side of the valve. This means that in a multi-cylinder engine there are two adjacent spark plugs between each pair of rotary valves, further limiting the available space around the spark plug bosses for cast cooling passages.
Other types of rotary valve, such as radial flow valves and valves having cut-outs in their periphery, can be arranged in multi-cylinder engines with their valve axis parallel to the crankshaft axis. These types of rotary valve have the advantage of simpler drive arrangement and cooling requirements compared with axial flow rotary valves but their performance is inferior. These types of valve are typically formed in one or two shafts, each extending the length of a multi-cylinder inline engine. In this case, the cast cooling passages can simply be arranged to surround the valve and extend from one end of the engine to the other in close proximity to the outside diameter of the valve, which is not possible in an axial flow rotary valve having its axis perpendicular to the crankshaft.
Rotary valve arrangements having the valve formed as a single shaft extending the length of the engine parallel to the crankshaft generally have their spark plugs placed under the valve near the periphery of the cylinder, pointing towards the side of the engine. This spark plug location is possible because, unlike a multi-cylinder axial flow rotary valve engine, there is no adjacent rotary valve to interfere with. Typical examples of this arrangement are disclosed in DE 2460164 A1 (Volkswagenwerk AG) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,321,699 (Britton). This arrangement has the advantage that the spark plugs are remote from the valve leaving ample room for generous cooling passages between the valve and the spark plugs. However, it is well known that a spark plug located adjacent the cylinder wall results in poor combustion performance.
Rotary valve arrangements having the valves formed in two shafts extending the length of the engine overcome this issue by placing the spark plug between the valves at or near the cylinder centre, which is the optimum position from a combustion perspective. A typical example of this arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,685 (Doland et al). In this type of arrangement, the axis of the valves is generally well outside the cylinder leaving ample room to cast cooling passages between the valves and the spark plug. However, this type of arrangement has the obvious disadvantage of requiring two valves instead of one.
The present invention seeks to provide a cooling system for axial flow rotary valve engines that ameliorates one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art.

Cylinder head for rotary valve internal combustion engine


In one embodiment, a writing data generation method is for generating writing data used by a multi-charged particle beam writing apparatus. The writing data generation method includes referring to library data in which a vertex sequence including a plurality of vertices is registered, and extracting a portion of an outer line of a figure contained in design data, the portion corresponding to the vertex sequence, and representing the extracted portion by information which identifies the vertex sequence and information which indicates a connection method for the plurality of vertices of the vertex sequence, and generating the writing data.

With an increase in the packing density of LSIs, the required linewidths of circuits included in semiconductor devices become finer year by year. To form a desired circuit pattern on a semiconductor device, a method is employed in which a high-precision original pattern (i.e., a mask, or also particularly called reticle, which is used in a stepper or a scanner) formed on quartz is transferred to a wafer in a reduced manner by using a reduced-projection exposure apparatus. The high-precision original pattern is written by using an electron-beam writing apparatus, in which a so-called electron-beam lithography technique is employed.
As an electron beam writing apparatus, a multi-beam writing apparatus with an improved throughput is known, that emits many beams at once using, for instance, a multi-beam. In the multi-beam writing apparatus, for instance, electron beams discharged from an electron gun are passed through an aperture member having multiple holes to form a multi-beam, and blanking control is performed on each beam in a blanking plate. Beams which are not blocked are reduced by an optical system, and a desired position on a writing target mask is irradiated with the beams.
When electron beam writing is performed using a multi-beam writing apparatus, first, the layout of a semiconductor integrated circuit is designed, and design data is generated as the layout data. The writing data to be inputted to the multi-beam writing apparatus is generated by dividing polygonal figures contained in the design data into multiple trapezoids. For each trapezoid, one vertex is defined as an arrangement origin, and the writing data has the coordinate data of the arrangement origin, and data indicating displacements from the arrangement origin to other three vertices.
When a figure with a curve such as an elliptical figure is contained in the design data, writing data is generated by approximating the figure with a polygon. When approximation is made with high accuracy, there is a problem in that the number of vertices and the number of figures increase, thus the data volume of the writing data becomes enormous.

Writing data generation method, computer-readable recording medium on which program is recorded, and multi-charged particle beam writing apparatus


An ink jet printer comprises a cap for covering nozzles for jetting ink, wherein the cap has a suction opening and a atmosphere-communicating opening in the neighborhood of its one end portion in the lengthwise direction, and an ink absorption body formed in the cap, wherein the height of the ink absorption body in the area other than the neighborhood of the suction opening is higher than its height in the neighborhood of the suction openings, and carries out a restoration processing through suctioning ink from the nozzles.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an ink jet printer, and in particular, to an ink jet printer which makes a cap for suctioning ink (hereinafter also referred to as a cap simply) provided become closely attached to the nozzle surface of ink, and by making the pressure inside the cap reduced to suction ink from the nozzles, practices a restoration processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
If an ink jet printer is not used for a long period of time, water content vaporizes from its ink nozzles, which raises the viscosity of the ink in the nozzles, and clogging up of the nozzles occurs. If printing is done in such a state, because no ink is jetted from the nozzles clogging up, white streaky unevenness is generated in the output image, to degrade the output image.
In order to avoid such a condition, the nozzle surface is covered with a cap at the time of a maintenance operation, a negative pressure is generated by a suction means such as a pump, and ink is suctioned from each of the nozzles. By doing this, a foreign object or the like is suctioned, and the nozzles are restored to become in the optimum state. By the practice of such a maintenance operation, the quality of print is maintained.
As regards the sequence of the restoration processing at this time, a failure of jetting owing to the clogging up of the nozzles is restored through the processes of "suction" (The cap is made to be closely attached to the nozzle surface, and ink in the portions clogging up is suctioned by the pressure reduction inside the cap.), "wait" (If the inside of the cap with reduced air pressure is suddenly opened, air is suctioned from the nozzles; therefore, one should wait until the pressure becomes close to the atmospheric pressure to prevent this.), "leak" (By making the inside of the cap communicate with the atmosphere, no significant difference of pressure between the inside of the cap and the atmosphere is to be produced when the cap is detached.), "detachment" (The cap is detached from the nozzle surface.), and "wipe" (Surplus ink adhering to the nozzle surface is wiped off.). However, the nozzle surface is still in a state of being in contact with ink even immediately after the suction of ink, and in many cases, a large amount of ink adheres to the nozzle surface, also after the cap is detached from the nozzle surface to make the nozzles open.
Up to this time, it has been disclosed in the publication of the unexamined patent application H7-68766, a technology in which a porous ink absorbing body for absorbing ink is incorporated inside the cap, suction is carried out with the detachment speed of the cap from the ink jet head lowered, and the amount of ink adhering to the nozzle surface is reduced.
However, in this method, there is a problem that a long time is required for the detachment of the cap from the ink jet head, which makes long also the sequence time required for a maintenance operation.
Further, as regards the cap disclosed in the publication of the unexamined patent application H7-68766, because approximately all the part of the inside is occupied by the ink absorption body, a pressure loss is easy to be produced at the time of suction owing to the ink absorption body itself becoming a resistance to the suction.
With the above-mentioned points of problem taken into consideration, the inventors of this invention investigated about it to form the ink absorption body to be thin. However, in that case, at a position in the cap far from its suction opening, that is, at a position close to the end portion in the lengthwise direction of the cap, the suction force is not sufficiently effective. For that reason, bubbles are easy to remain, and it has been found that there is produced a new problem that, when the cap is detached from the ink jet head, ink with bubbles mixed is kept attached to the nozzle surface.
As the result, this brings about a phenomenon that ink containing bubbles existing close to the above-mentioned position far from the suction opening is suctioned from the nozzles owing to a capillary phenomenon and causes a failure of jetting to occur. Therefore, if this method is used in a suction process at a slow detachment speed in such an apparatus as described in the publication of the unexamined patent application H7-68766, it means that an insufficient maintenance operation requiring a long time is carried out, which causes the necessity of carrying out a maintenance operation again; therefore, this increases the amount of waste ink to result in useless consumption of ink.
Further, in recent years, for the purpose of making the speed of ink jet printers and the definition of the recorded image higher, there is a tendency to increase the number of nozzles of ink jet heads.
Therefore, it also results in the caps for suctioning ink becoming longer-sized. As the result, as described above, in the neighborhood of the nozzles located far from the suction opening, there is a higher possibility of bubbles remaining, and the possibility of a failure of jetting also becomes higher in accordance with it.


In some embodiments, an electronic device in communication with a display and a touch-sensitive surface displays a user interface, and while displaying the user interface, the electronic device receives touch input comprising a contact detected on the touch-sensitive surface. In some embodiments, in response to receiving the touch input, and in accordance with a determination that the touch input satisfies first criteria, wherein the first criteria include a requirement that the contact continues to be detected in a predefined region of the touch-sensitive surface for longer than a time threshold, the electronic device displays a first indication that further input of a first type detected at the touch sensitive surface will cause the device to display a first system user interface. In some embodiments, in accordance with a determination that the touch input does not satisfy the first criteria, the electronic device forgoes displaying the first indication.

User interaction with electronic devices has increased significantly in recent years. These devices can be devices such as computers, tablet computers, televisions, multimedia devices, mobile devices, and the like.
In some circumstances, system controls or notifications are accessible through user interfaces on such a device, and user interaction with such a device entails accessing such user interfaces. Enhancing these interactions improves the user's experience with the device and decreases user interaction time, which is particularly important where input devices are battery-operated.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Accessing system user interfaces on an electronic device


Certain embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods for improving a service flow of a mobile device based upon a different level of its available battery power. If the battery power availability is below a predefined threshold, then one or more power-saving techniques can be triggered that increase an air time of the mobile device and provide savings of power consumption at different rates using a different level of clock rate.

The current wireless communication protocols range from a 4th generation (4G) such as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), to a 3rd generation (3G) such as an Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and an Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) standard, to a 2nd generation (2G) such as a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM). All of these communication protocols consider a service flow feature and a Quality of Service (QoS) feature of every connection link between a mobile device and a base station, but these particular features are not integrated with any issues related to battery availability of the mobile device.
Unfortunately, if battery power at the mobile device becomes low, then the mobile device cannot guarantee that the service flow feature and the QoS feature can be correctly implemented.

Methods and systems for dynamic service flow using available battery power


An attachable and detachable continuously supplying ink container comprises two or more shell bodies that are separated from each other and substantially sealed. Each shell body is provided with an ink filling port having a cap, an air filter and an ink outlet port. Each shell body may form a continuously supplying ink container after it has been filled with ink. The ink container can supply ink to a corresponding print head or cartridge by means of a tube being connected with its ink outlet port. Each shell body of the ink continuously supplying container is provided with a connecting part for connecting an adjacent shell body of the continuously supplying ink container. Several shell bodies may be connected to each other and form a unit via the connecting parts. Accordingly, this provides convenience of use and a reduction of manufacturing cost and user cost.

The present invention relates to an ink-supplying container for an ink jet printer, especially to a continuously supplying ink container of an attachable and detachable type.
An ink jet printer generally utilizes an ink cartridge containing a certain amount of ink as an ink supply source. For users who frequently print large numbers of pages, frequent replacement of the ink cartridge is necessary and inconvenient. One solution for reducing the frequency of the ink cartridge is a relatively large container used for containing ink. Ink from the larger container is directly supplied to the ink cartridge or the print head via a tube. This solution has effectively solved the problem of replacing the ink cartridge frequently. However, a color printer may require a four-color, six-color, or seven-color ink cartridge depending on different design requirements. Therefore, the prior art requires four, six or seven containers separated from each other. The separated containers contain ink liquid of different colors. The advantage of this solution is only one set of manufacturing moulds are required. However, the containers are separated from each other which makes this solution inconvenient to use.
In order to solve the problem described above, another solution has been proposed which uses a unitary ink cartridge. This solution is convenient to use, but the manufacturers must produce several sets of the moulds, such as a four-color unitary mould, six-color unitary mould, seven-color unitary mould and so on. Although this solution is convenient to use, it is relatively expensive to manufacture and use.

Attachable and detachable continuously supplying ink container

Print-Rite. Unicorn Image Products Co., Ltd. of Zhuhai


A chip package carrier is disclosed, which includes a first circuit layer, a second circuit layer, a core layer, a third circuit layer, a first dielectric layer between the first and third circuit layers, a fourth conductive layer including at least a solder ball pad, a second dielectric layer between the second and fourth circuit layers and at least a capacitor device, wherein the core layer has at least a first through-hole; the third circuit layer is disposed above the first circuit layer and includes at least a die pad; the capacitor device is disposed in the first through-hole. The capacitor device herein includes a first pillar electrode covering the wall of the first through-hole, a cylindrical capacitor material disposed in the first pillar electrode and having a first blind hole, and a second pillar electrode disposed in the first blind hole and connected to the die pad.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a circuit board, and more particularly, to a chip package carrier and a fabrication method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Along with the progress of the semiconductor technology, a chip nowadays employs a lot of transistors disposed therein and arranged in high density, and a lot of pads are disposed on a surface of the chip, wherein the chip is usually mounted on a chip package carrier and then packaged to form a chip package. The chip package carrier today usually has embedded capacitor devices, so that a chip package carrier with the embedded capacitor devices can reduce the amount of surface mounted capacitor device disposed thereon.
FIG. 1 is a sectional diagram of a conventional chip package carrier with a chip mounted thereon. Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional chip package carrier 100 includes two copper circuit layers 110a and 110b, two dielectric layers 120a and 120b, two solder mask layers 130a and 130b, a via plug 140 and an embedded capacitor device 150, wherein the chip package carrier 100 is electrically connected to a chip 10 through a plurality of solder bumps S1.
The embedded capacitor device 150 is disposed between the dielectric layers 120a and 120b, and the dielectric layers 120a and 120b respectively cover both the opposite surfaces of the embedded capacitor device 150. The copper circuit layers 110a and 110b are respectively located on the dielectric layers 120a and 120b, and the via plug 140 is connected between the copper circuit layers 110a and 110b.
The copper circuit layer 110a includes a plurality of traces 112a and a plurality of pads 114a, and the copper circuit layer 110b includes a plurality of traces 112b. The solder mask layer 130a covers the traces 112a and makes the pads 114a exposed; the solder mask layer 130b covers the traces 112b. The solder bumps S1 are connected between the pads 114a and the chip 10 so that the chip 10 is electrically connected to the chip package carrier 100.
The embedded capacitor device 150 includes an upper electrode 152a, a lower electrode 152b and a ceramic dielectric layer 154, wherein the upper electrode 152a does not contact the lower electrode 152b, and the ceramic dielectric layer 154 is disposed between the upper electrode 152a and the lower electrode 152b. In addition, the chip package carrier 100 further includes a pair of via plugs 160a and 160b, wherein the via plug 160a is connected between one of the pads 114a and the upper electrode 152a, and the via plug 160b is connected between another of the pads 114a and the lower electrode 152b, so that the chip is electrically connected to the embedded capacitor device 150.
The shorter distance D1 between the chip 10 and the embedded capacitor device 150, the less noise interference on the chip package carrier is, which is particularly obvious and important in a high-frequency signal propagation. Since the embedded capacitor device 150 usually has a low alignment accuracy, the embedded capacitor device 150 must take a wiring route through the via plugs 160a and 160b and the solder bumps S1 to connect the chip 10. However, when the number of the embedded capacitor devices 150 is too large, the horizontal disposition space of the conventional chip package carrier 100 is not sufficient to dispose the embedded capacitor devices 150 in horizontal disposition mode. On the other hand, to solve the above-mentioned problem, the size of the chip package carrier 100 must be increased, which makes the dimensions of a conventional chip package from being shortened. In this regard, many relevant companies have made great efforts and expect a solution to shorten the horizontal disposition space of the embedded capacitor device 150 and increase the signal transmission quality of the chip package carrier 100.

Chip package carrier and fabrication method thereof


Disclosed is a preamplifier circuit of a magnetic record regeneration apparatus with a write system and a read system, certainly verifying a write function in a short period of time. The preamplifier circuit includes, in the write system, a write driver; a current-voltage conversion circuit for converting the write current from the write driver into a corresponding voltage; a waveform shaping circuit for converting the output voltage from the current-voltage conversion circuit into a full-wave rectified waveform; a peak-hold circuit for holding a peak value of the output from the waveform shaping circuit; a filter circuit for outputting an average voltage of the output from the waveform shaping circuit; and a determination circuit for determining that the write driver is abnormal based on each output status of the peak-hold circuit and the filter circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a magnetic record regeneration apparatus and, more particularly, to a method of verifying whether writing (write) and readout (read) functions of a preamplifier circuit operate properly or not, and to a magnetic record regeneration apparatus using the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, along with sophistication of information processing, ensuring credibility of data is becoming an important element. Especially, in magnetic record regeneration apparatus, the most important function is to verify whether data has been able to be recorded on a recording medium or not.
In fact, when writing, data are recorded onto the recording medium by write currents inverted along with inversion of write data, passing through a magnetic head. A detection circuit in a preamplifier circuit can detect disconnection in circuit wiring of a system for writing and disconnection on the head side.
In other words, as verification means of the write system, the own error detection function of the preamplifier can determine defects of other than the preamplifier (such as defective connections).
However, for failures of the preamplifier itself, for example, output current values, verification means does not exist until now and, therefore, it is problematic that functional decline cannot be detected if write currents is reduced by damages of circuit parts due to ESD (electrostatic destruction) of the preamplifier circuit.
For example, as a characteristic of write currents, in order to perform writing sufficiently, a rising portion of a waveform has an overshoot. Therefore, if the write current is reduced such that this overshoot cannot be obtained due to ESD (electrostatic destruction), this reduction can not be detected.
Therefore, conventionally, by providing verification (verifying readout) processing after write operation, the write operation is guaranteed. As a method of the guarantee, some propositions have been made. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 1993-41041, a method is described for deciding whether data are correctly written into a recording medium or not by comparing the write data with the read data.
Also, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 1999-16129, a method is described for comparing and deciding read waveforms.
Further, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 1993-41041, a method is described for knowing failures beforehand by deliberately deteriorating a read signal processing system for failure prediction.
Further, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 1986-10577, a method is disclosed for banning writing beforehand if Write-unsafe is detected when writing is performed in an idle state.
However, all of these methods decrease own access performances of apparatuses and are unrealistic methods which are hardly used.
Further, although Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-15751 discloses an invention for verifying a function of a head amplifier for readout in a magnetic head, descriptions are not made for verifying a write function, i.e., verifying whether data is recorded into the recording medium or not, which is most important function, in first place.

Method of verifying preamplifier circuit functions, and magnetic record regeneration apparatus using the same


An apparatus for separating out and removing screenings from wastewater includes a screening device having a screen surface through which the wastewater flows during operation of the screening device and screenings carried along in the wastewater are at least intermittently retained. The apparatus includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor monitors the screenings in the area upstream from the screen surface and/or in the area of the screen surface. The controller outputs a message when the screenings have one or several properties which have been defined and have been recognized by the sensor. In addition, a method for operating the apparatus and a system including the apparatus are provided.

Corresponding screening devices are sufficiently known from the state of the art and are utilized, for example, for removing coarse screenings (wood, stones, etc.) from wastewater flowing in a sewer. For this purpose, the screening device is generally integrated into the sewer in such a way that the screen surface, proceeding from the channel bed, extends upward vertically or at a slight slant. In order to enable the screenings retained by the bar screen forming the screen surface to be discharged, the screen surface mostly extends above the maximum water level to be expected in the sewer.
Due to a revolving operation of clearing elements, which are assigned to the screen surface and are driven with the aid of a drive, the screenings are finally conveyed upward, along the front side of the screen surface, in the direction of an outlet and, there, are removed from the clearing element or elements, for example, with the aid of a scraper.
A screening device of the generic type is described, for example, in conjunction with FIG. 1 of US 2013 0264269 A1, which entire patent application publication is hereby incorporated herein by this reference for all purposes.
During the operation of the arrangement, it can happen over and over that screenings enter the area of the screening device, which can cause damage to the screening device or a malfunction thereof due to the shape, size, or weight of the screenings, or even the material from which it is made, or other properties thereof. If, for example, an extremely large branch or a life preserver made from plastic is captured by a clearing element or a discharge unit (for example, a conveyor auger) and is conveyed into the area of an outlet, the screenings may become jammed there, and so subsequently delivered screenings can no longer be removed.
The problem is solved by an arrangement, a system, and a method having the features described below.

Arrangement and method for separating out and removing screenings from wastewater


Embodiments of User Equipment (UE) and methods for fast handover failure recovery in a 3GPP LTE network are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the UE may initiate handover (HO) failure recovery by transmission of a random-access channel (RACH) 2 message when both a radio-link failure (RLF) timer and a time-to trigger (TTT) timer are concurrently running. The RACH 2 message may be a message transmitted on a random-access channel for radio-resource control (RRC) connection re-establishment. The RLF timer may be activated as part of a radio-link monitoring (RLM) process based on radio-link conditions with a serving cell, and the TTT timer may have been activated as part of a HO process based on a measurement reporting event.

When a mobile device (e.g., cell phone, UE) with an active or ongoing communication connection (e.g., voice or data call) is moving away from the coverage area of a first cell and entering the coverage area of a second cell, the communication connection is transferred to the second cell (target cell) in order to avoid link termination when the device gets out of coverage of the first cell (source cell). This "transfer of a connection" is termed handover or handoff. There may also be other reasons for performing a handover, such as load balancing.
In cellular networks, particularly 3GPP LTE heterogeneous networks, handover is becoming increasingly important for device mobility, particularly with the increasing use smaller cells and coverage areas overlaid with smaller cells. Some new use cases that are currently under discussion in 3GPP's RAN working groups (WGs) are dealing with "small-cell enhancements". The concept of small-cell enhancements involves deployment of additional low-power nodes under the macro-layer coverage for capacity extension and coverage improvement purposes. In small-cell enhancement situations, devices need to be handed over between these smaller and larger cells.
One issue with handover is handover failure. Handover failure may occur during certain conditions, such as when a device is undergoing radio-link failure. When handover failure occurs, service interruption may occur. This service interruption may be unsuitable for many applications.
Thus, there are general needs for techniques to reduce handover failure. There are general needs for techniques to reduce the service interruption time resulting during handover failure. There are also general needs for improved handover techniques that reduce handover failure with small-cell enhancements.

User equipment and methods for fast handover failure recovery in 3GPP LTE network


A structure and a method are provided to implement a reset scheme for an integrated circuit supporting a variety of testing and debugging equipment. The control and I/O pins of the integrated circuit are each set to a high impedance state when the signals of a reset pin and a mode pin are both asserted. If the signal on the mode pin remains asserted at the time the signal on the reset pin is negated, the control and I/O pins of the integrated circuit remain in the high impedance state until the next time the signal on the reset pin is asserted. Otherwise, the control and I/O pins of the integrated circuits are enabled upon negation of the signal on the reset pin. In one embodiment, the mode pin is multiplexed with an pin used for receiving interrupt signals during functional operation.

Among methods developed to test a system incorporating a component (e.g. a microprocessor), are the use of an "in-circuit emulator" (ICE), and the use of a "clam-shell" tester. Therefore, it is desirable for the component to provide support features to facilitate the use of these testing methods For microprocessor-based system designs, support during system reset and immediately after system reset is particularly important. This is because, during and immediately after reset, the microprocessor has very limited information about the environment and must often be responsible for initializing the environment upon its own reset. In the following discussion, the component under test is referred to as the microprocessor under test. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the principles discussed below are applicable to testing of many components including those not commonly known as microprocessors.
Normally, when a reset signal is sent to a microprocessor, a sequence of events is triggered over a period of time known as the "reset period." During the reset period, the control output signals of the microprocessor are typically "negated", i.e. driven to the inactive or non-asserted states by the microprocessor, to allow external state machines and control structures to reset at the same time the microprocessor is being reset.
In an ICE testing environment, however, the reset requirements are different. ICE testing is often performed during design time, when the system is not fully debugged. The ICE provides diagnostic facilities beyond that provided by the microprocessor under test. For example, setting up break points, single-stepping etc. are very commonly provided by an ICE. In order to provide real time testing, the microprocessor under test performs much of its normal functions in the system, but is disabled as to certain functions, which are performed by the ICE under auspices of the ICE's extensive diagnostic facilities. Hence, under ICE testing, the microprocessor under test must remain active during most, if not all, of the testing process. Very often, the ICE includes a copy of the chip under test which is known to be functioning properly. During reset, however, when a microprocessor under test resets from its limited knowledge of the environment, both the microprocessor under test and the ICE will attempt to drive the control signals negated, which may be undesirable under certain situations. It is more desirable that, during the period of reset under such situations, the ICE should be given control of the system and the control output signals of the microprocessor under test should remain tristated, i.e. in a high impedance state. After the reset period, however, it is desirable that the microprocessor under test be allowed to perform normal functions.
Clam-shell testing is often used during manufacturing of a board including the microprocessor (i.e. after system design is fully debugged) to inject test patterns for uncovering manufacturing defects, such as an open circuit or a defective part. In clam-shell testing, especially for a surface-mounted microprocessor, the microprocessor is not removed from the system. Instead, the tester "clamps" onto the microprocessor and completely takes over control of the external circuit from the microprocessor. At all times during clam-shell testing, the output terminals of the microprocessor under test must remain inactive, i.e. all the output terminals must be tristated. Therefore, under the clam-shell testing scheme, the microprocessor must remain tristated during and after the reset period. This requirement is in conflict with that needed for supporting ICE testing, as described above.
In the prior art, a microprocessor such as the R3000 available from Integrated Device Technology, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif., provides support for tristating the microprocessor output pins after reset to support clam-shell type testing. However, no circuit is known to support both ICE and clam-shell testings in the manner discussed above.

Flexible reset scheme supporting normal system operation, test and emulation modes


An object of the present invention is to provide fluorescence showing a peak wavelength of excited spectrum within the wavelength range of from 350 to 500 nm and suitable for a white LED emitting yellow light, and a white LED comprising this fluorescence. This object achieved by phosphor for white. LED comprising a silicate fluorescent material and a borate fluorescent material.

It is known that a white LED emitting light which looks white is composed of a light emitting diode emitting blue light and phosphor excited by this blue light to emit yellow light (including yellow green color and orange color). Since the wavelength range of blue light emitted from a light emitting diode is from 350 to 500 nm, phosphor excited by light having this wavelength range and emitting yellow fluorescence is used as phosphor for white LED. Therefore, desirable phosphor is phosphor that has a peak wavelength of excited spectrum within the wavelength range of from 350 to 500 nm, excites efficiently by light in this wavelength range and emits yellow fluorescence.
As the phosphor used for a white LED composed of a light emitting diode emitting blue light and fluorescence excited by this blue light to emit yellow fluorescence and showing a peak wavelength of excitation spectrum within the wavelength range of from 350 to 500 nm, Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-214162A, for example, suggests an oxynitride glass phosphor activated by europium (composition molar ratio: CaO:Al2O3:SiO2:AlN:Eu2O3=29.1:3.2:32.3:32.3:3.1). This fluorescence shows a peak wavelength of excitation spectrum of 480 nm, within the wavelength range of from 350 to 500 nm, however, its peak wavelength of luminescence spectrum is 600 nm and it emits near red fluorescence. Therefore, when this phosphor is used for a white LED, the white LED emit slightly different form white light and this fluorescence is insufficient as the fluorescence for white LED.
As the other example of the phosphor used for a white LED, the compound represented by (Y1−aGda)3(Al1−bGab)5O12:Ce is practically used (Japanese Patent Application No. H10-242513A). Since the peak wavelength of luminescence spectrum contains the blue-green fluorescence having the wavelength of 480 nm with about 20% intensity of the emission, when this phosphor is combined with blue LED, this phosphor emit greenish yellow fluorescence and is insufficient as white LED.


A peripheral device for a computer, including a first portion including electronic circuitry and a light source for emitting light; a second portion selectively detachable from the first portion, the second portion including a light transfer medium for directing light from one end of the light transfer medium to another end; and wherein the one end of the light transfer medium is optically aligned with the light source when the second portion is attached to the first portion, and the light transfer medium directs at least a fraction of the light emitted from the light source from the one end to the another end for display from the second portion.

Computers have become increasingly popular over the years for both business and personal applications. In conjunction with the development of computers has been the related development of peripheral devices designed to increase the functionality of the computers. As an example, Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (hereinafter "PCMCIA") cards are commonly used with portable and desktop computers to provide added features and/or functions. For instance, PCMCIA cards are often configured to function as a math co-processor, a sound card, a modem, etc.
Recent developments have resulted in PCMCIA cards which provide a wireless link between a computer and a network. The wireless connection requires the PCMCIA card to have an antenna. To accommodate this need, some PCMCIA cards have a slot where an external antenna can be connected while other PCMCIA cards have an antenna built in. Moreover, it is also known to have a PCMCIA card with a detachable antenna to allow further flexibility. When the antenna is detached, the PCMCIA card still provides a place for connecting an external antenna thereby allowing versatility in use.
In order to provide a user with operational information related to the PCMCIA card, light emitting diodes (LEDs) are typically mounted at the end of the PCMCIA card consisting of the detachable antenna. This end generally protrudes from the computer when the PCMCIA card is inserted therein to allow the antenna unobstructed access to the airwaves. The LEDs provide a display which indicates to a user information such as whether power is properly being supplied to the PCMCIA card and/or whether the PCMCIA card is busy transmitting or receiving information.
Unfortunately, there are a number of drawbacks associated with the provision of an LED display on the detachable PCMCIA antenna. Such problems stem from the difficulty in providing power to the LEDs. One known solution has been to have a separate power source in the detachable antenna for powering the LEDs. According to another known solution, the PCMCIA card includes a special power connector between the detachable antenna and the main portion of the PCMCIA card for providing power to the LEDs. However, both of these solutions add extra cost, hardware and complexity to the PCMCIA card. The special power connectors can be relatively expensive. Moreover, upon detaching the antenna there no longer is an LED display available indicative of the operation of the PCMCIA card unless a second LED display is also included on the main portion of the PCMCIA card. Thus, there is the necessity for redundant components.
In view of the aforementioned shortcomings associated with PCMCIA cards, there is a strong need in the art for a method and apparatus for providing a light display on a detachable antenna at relatively low cost without the need for a separate power source or special power connector. More generally, there is a strong need in the art for a method and apparatus for providing a light display on a detachable portion of any type peripheral device.

Computer peripheral device with detachable portion and light display


A frequency transposition device including an input terminal for receiving an incident signal SI and a modulator of the one-bit delta-sigma type MDU connected to the input terminal. A generator MGN provides a periodic auxiliary signal SAX with a frequency equal to a desired transposition frequency. A frequency transposer of the Gilbert cell type has a signal input BES connected to the output of the generator, a control input BCO connected to the output of the delta-sigma modulator MDU, and an output BS delivering a transposed signal STR.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to frequency transposition and applies advantageously to, but is not limited to, the field of radiofrequency communications, for example mobile telephone applications, in which the radiofrequency circuits make extensive use of frequency transposition devices, or frequency mixers, both in transmission and reception.
2. Description of Related Art
In transmission, the purpose of the frequency mixers, which in this case are frequency upshift circuits, is to transpose the information from the baseband to around the transmission carrier.
FIG. 1 illustrates schematically the usual structure used for frequency transposition devices of the prior art.
In the top part of FIG. 1, the reference MIX denotes a frequency transposition means, or mixer (here a frequency upshifter), having an input terminal BES for receiving an incident signal SI, for example in the baseband or at an intermediate frequency. The mixer MIX also has a control terminal BCO for receiving a local oscillator signal LO, for example around 2 GHz in a mobile telephone application using CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) systems. The mixer MIX further includes an output terminal BS for delivering the output signal STR that is a transposed signal whose frequency spectrum is situated around the fundamental frequency of the local oscillator signal and odd number rank harmonics. The amplitude of these harmonics decreases proportionally to their rank number, in other words they decrease, in decibels, with a slope of −20 dB per decade.
Thus, in practice, the mixer MIX is followed by a bandpass filter centered around the fundamental frequency of the local oscillator, such that only the part of the spectrum centered around this fundamental frequency is conserved.
The usual structure used for these mixers is a generally differential structure of the Gilbert-cell-type such as is illustrated schematically in the middle part of FIG. 1.
Such a cell is well known to those skilled in the art and only its essential features are recalled here.
More precisely, such a cell comprises a differential transducer block BTC for converting the input signal (voltage) present across the terminals BES into a differential current. Here, this block BTC comprises a stage formed by a differential pair of transistors whose respective bases are connected to the input terminals via two capacitors. The collectors of the two transistors of this stage form the output terminals of this transducer block BTC. The block BTC can, of course, comprise several stages.
The transistors of the stage of the block BTC are biased by conventional biasing means MPL notably comprising resistors together with a voltage source.
A current switching block BCC is connected to the output of the transducer block BTC, in other words to the collectors of the transistors of this block BTC. The switching block BCC alternately routes the current towards one or the other of the two output terminals BS at the frequency of the local oscillator signal LO received at the terminals BCO. This block BCC conventionally comprises two pairs of transistors.
Each resistor ZL, connected between the output terminals BS of the block BCC and the power supply Vcc, represents the output load of the mixer MIX.
The block BTC converts the power or the voltage applied to the input BES into a differential current that is an image, assumed to be linear, of the input signal. This linear signal is then chopped by a non-linear square function (+1, −1, +1, −1 . . . ), produced by the two-way switch BCC, at the frequency of the signal LO, this two-way switch acting as a dynamic current router. The output signal is acquired across the terminals of the differential load 2ZL.
In other words, as also illustrated schematically in the lower part of FIG. 1, the signal STR present at the output terminal BS of the mixer MIX corresponds to the incident signal SI multiplied by +1 (or non-inverted) and then −1 (or inverted) at the rhythm of the local oscillator periodic signal LO, generally amplitude limited at +1 and −1.
Thus, in such a conventional mixer, the control input, or local oscillator input, receives a periodic transposition signal (local oscillator signal) having the desired transposition frequency and with a fixed level of power necessary to drive the transistors of the switching block BCC of the Gilbert cell.
Moreover, the power of the transposed signal is, neglecting losses, equal to the power of the incident signal.
Under these conditions, and with the assumption that a low power incident signal is available which needs to be transmitted, after transposition, with a high power, it is then necessary to carry out a signal amplification which generally comprises an amplification of the incident signal before transposition and an amplification after transposition.
However, where high amplification of the incident signal is necessary in some applications, for example in mobile telephones, this turns out to be particularly difficult to achieve since the linearity of the incident signal needs to be preserved during the amplification so as not to lose information during the mixing (transposition) process.
A need accordingly exists to provide a solution to this problem.

Frequency transposition method and device, in particular for the control of the transmission power of a cellular mobile telephone


In general, this disclosure describes a multi-zone secure AI exchange. The multi-zone secure AI exchange may be implemented in a multi-cloud, multi-data center environment, where each zone may be in a different cloud or data center. The multi-zone secure AI exchange may include a data repository, a data exchange, and shared services. The data repository may be configured to store algorithms and datasets, each having a respective owning user. The data exchange may receive datasets and algorithms from the data repository, and may perform the algorithms to produce output data. Each of the data repository, data exchange, and shared services may have a different level of security. The data repository may implement the highest level of security, allowing the owner user, and only the owning user, to control how their data and algorithms move in and out of the data repository, or are changed while in the data repository.

Cloud computing refers to the use of dynamically scalable computing resources accessible via a network, such as the Internet. The computing resources, often referred to as a "cloud," can be used for data storage and to provide services to users. These services may be categorized according to service types, which may include for example, applications/software, platforms, infrastructure, virtualization, and servers and data storage. The names of service types are often prepended to the phrase "as-a-Service" such that the delivery of applications/software and infrastructure, as examples, may be referred to as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), respectively.
The term "cloud-based services" or, more simply, "cloud services" refers not only to services provided by a cloud, but also to a form of service provisioning in which cloud customers contract with cloud service providers for the online delivery of services provided by the cloud. Cloud service providers manage a public, private, or hybrid cloud to facilitate the online delivery of cloud services to one or more cloud customers.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) services are now being provided via cloud architectures. For example, training data can be provided from cloud storage systems and used to train a machine learning model. Further, partially or fully trained machine learning models can be provided from cloud storage systems. Moreover, training algorithms can be stored and performed by cloud based service providers.

Multi-zone secure artificial intelligence exchange and hub


A combined lancet and multi-function cap of the disposable type, for use in obtaining blood samples for diagnostic purposes. The lancet includes a needle with a sharp end and an elongated body of plastic material embedding the needle except for its sharp end. The multi-function cap is also made of plastic material and is detachably mounted onto one end of the body to embed the sharp end and keep it sterile until the lancet is used. The multi-function cap includes a ring having a central opening sized to let pass the sharp end of the needle but not the body of the lancet. The multi-function cap also includes a set of legs or a skirt that project from the ring for connecting the same to the mouth of a lancet injector. Thus, the cap also serves as an isolation barrier between the patient's finger and the physical lancet injector. In use, when the multi-function cap is detached from the lancet and is connected to the lancet injector, the ring of the cap extends across the mouth and positively controls the depth of penetration of the lancet in the patient's skin. This ring also serves to lock the needle within the cap after use and thus reduces the danger of accidental finger-stick by a blood contaminated needle. Also disclosed is a lancet injector for use with the above lancet and multi-function cap.

a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a combined lancet and multi-function cap (or tip) of the disposable type, for use in obtaining blood samples for diagnostic purposes.
The invention also relates to an improved blood sampling device also known in the trade as a "lancet injector" or "lancing device", that can be used with the combined lancet and multi-function cap according to the invention for obtaining required blood samples in a very safe and accurate manner.
b) Brief Description of the Prior Art
Lancets are well known devices commonly used in the medical field to make small punctures in a patient's skin in order to obtain small samples of blood. Lancets usually comprise an elongated plastic body from which projects a sharpened metal needle covered by a protective cap that is removed before use of the needle to puncture the skin (see, by way of non-restrictive example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,358,689 to HIGGINS).
Lancet injectors are also well known devices that are used to "fire" or project a lancet toward the skin of a patient in order to puncture the same in an accurate, standardized and consistent manner.
Such devices have originally been devised for use by the patients' themselves, who have to puncture their own skin on a regular basis and are afraid or reluctant to do so "manually". However, they are now commonly used by professional medical staff, essentially because they make the duration and depth of penetration of the lancet needle through the skin very short and small and serve to shield the patient from viewing the actual skin piercing act, and thus they minimize pain and trauma associated with the process.
In the recent years, numerous patents have been granted on lancet injectors of different and improved structures. By way of non-restrictive examples, references can be made to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,139,011 to BENOIT et al, 4,449,529 to BURNS et al, 4,469,110 to SUAMA, 4,527,561 to BURNS, 4,677,979 to BURNS, 4,738,261 to ENSTROM, 4,889,117 to STEVENS, 4,895,147 to BODICKY et al, 4,976,724 to NIETO et al, 4,990,154 to BROWN et al, 5,074,872 to BROWN et al.
A brief review of these patents shows that all the known lancet injectors use metallic coil or leaf springs to push the lancet forward upon actuation and then retract it immediately in order to minimize pain sensation (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,203,446; 4,469,529; 4,527,561; 4,677,979 and 4,889,117).
Some known lancet injectors are also provided with means, usually in the form of a screwable ring or separable multiple sized adaptor caps, to control and adjust the depth of penetration of the needle of the lancet (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,469,110 and 4,895,147).
Some other known lancet injectors are provided with means for allowing ejection of the lancet after use without having to seize it with the fingers to do so. Such is achieved either by use of mechanical ejecting means (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,724) or by use of a separate disposable isolation cap operatively connected to the lancet in such a manner as to act as a protective hood for its needle (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,990,154 and 5,074,872). The basic idea behind this last generation of lancet injectors is essentially to make them safer in use by the professional medical staffs who are more and more concerned with the risk of disease transmission in the case of accidental puncture with a used lancet and resultant exposure to contamination through the trace of blood left on the used lancet.

Combined lancet and multi-function cap and lancet injector for use therewith


An architecture for providing interactive broadband products and services uses existing cable and telephone plant. The architecture includes a central office switch in communication with a head-end server and a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) device such as, for example, a modem emulator, data terminal, set-top terminal or personal computer. The CPE device is provided in communication with the head-end server via cable plant for downstream broadcasts and is further provided in communication with a central office switch via telephone plant for upstream signaling and downstream control messages.

"Broadband" products and services, as they are generally referred to in the art, relate to those services and products which are transmitted using equipment and media which support a wide range of electromagnetic frequencies. For example, any voice communications channel having a bandwidth greater than a voice grade telecommunications channel may be referred to as broadband or wideband. Within the telephone industry, the term "broadband" denotes a very high digital line rate such as the 156 megabits per second (Mb/s) optical line rate of new sonet OC3-level fiber-optic systems.
While interactive broadband services and products are desirable, the new overlay networks necessary for their implementation are today cost prohibitive. Consequently, there exists a need for an interim solution for providing interactive broadband services and products to users which does not require the construction and implementation of an entirely new broadband network. Such an interim solution should utilize the existing network facilities and should not require substantial investment in new equipment or network connections.

Architecture and method for providing interactive broadband products and services using existing telephone plant


A dual port SRAM is shown which comprises first and second word lines and first and second bit lines. A pair of semiconductor memory devices are cross coupled into a bistable circuit for storing true and complement logic levels and are coupled between common and power supply lines. A first access semiconductor is connected between the first bit line and one semiconductor memory device, and its control electrode is connected to the first word line. A second access semiconductor is connected between the second bit line and another of the semiconductor memory devices, and its control electrode is connected to the second word line. A write circuit is provided for applying write potentials to the first bit and word lines to switch the conduction states of the semiconductor memory devices. A further circuit is provided for reducing the voltage level on the power supply line when the write circuit applies the write potentials, the voltage reduction not being greater than 50% of its prereduction level, so that the potential at the second access semiconductor still exhibits a proper logic level in accordance with the memory state of the cell.

Conventional SRAM systems store binary information in cells comprising a pair of cross coupled inverters. Typically, these systems are "single port" and provide one path for reading information from the cell and for writing information into the cell. Multiport SRAMs are also available which allow completely independent and asynchronous access to each memory cell from a pair of ports (i.e., a dual-port memory). In FIG. 1, a block diagram is shown of a dual port SRAM 10 which has independent read/write circuits 12 and 14. Read/write circuit 12 has access to SRAM 10 through port A whereas read/write circuit 14 has access through port B. Both read/write circuits operate independently and asynchronously and can either write or read into any cell within SRAM 10. Microprocessors 16 and 18 access SRAM 10 through read/write circuits 12 and 14 respectively.
In FIG. 2, a conventional CMOS dual port SRAM cell is shown which consists of 4 memory transistors 20, 22, 24 and 26 and 4 access transistors 28, 30, 32 and 34. Most of the transistors in the circuit of FIG. 2 are n-channel MOS devices, except for transistors 20 and 22 which are p-channel MOS devices. "A port" bit lines 36 and 38 (BL-AT.BL-AC) provide true and complement access to and from the memory cell. Bit lines 40 and 42 (BL-BT, BL-BC)provide true and complement access to the cell port B. Word lines 44 and 46 (WL-A, WL-B) provide word line access from ports A and B respectively. V.sub.DD and GND designate supply and common potentials.
The conventional technique for reading or writing in the cell of FIG. 2 involves the differential sensing of complementary voltages on the pair of bit lines or the driving of the bit lines with complementary data. Thus, when a high state is applied to a word line (e.g., word line 44), access transistors 28 and 32 are rendered conductive. If bit lines 36 and 38 are then driven in a complementary fashion, the memory cell is forced to the state represented on bit lines 36 and 38, notwithstanding its prior memory state. Such a driving method is proven and well accepted, however, the differential driving and sensing techniques require an extra pair of bit lines as well as an extra pair of access transistors, all of which use up valuable semiconductor real estate.
In FIG. 3, a circuit is shown which employs single-ended bit-line writing/reading. Common components and levels to those shown in FIG. 2 are designated by identical numbers or letters. While the cell structure is simplified from that of FIG. 2, it presents operational problems when an attempt is made to switch the cell from the zero state to the one state. Assume that node X is at approximately ground potential due to the conduction of n-channel transistor 24 and the nonconduction of p-channel transistor 20. The low (ground) level at node X causes n-channel transistor 26 to be nonconductive and p-channel transistor 22 to be conductive. As a result, node Y is high (e.g. VDD).
If it is desired to drive node X to the one or high state, the potential on word line 44 is raised and causes access transistor 28 to become conductive. Bit line 36 is likewise raised to the high state (VDD). It is, however, difficult to raise the potential at node X to flip the cell. This is because the concurrent conduction of transistors 28 and 24 results in a voltage divider arrangement, and causes the voltage at node X to be at a potential between VDD and ground. Thus, while the node X potential rises as a result of the conduction of access transistor 28, it does not go sufficiently high to assure that the gate of transistor 26 is driven far enough positive to cause transistor 26 to go into heavy conduction. As a result, the cell may not flip under such conditions.
Similarly, to write a zero at node X (assuming it is already at the one or high state), word line 44 is driven high to VDD and bit line 36 is driven low to ground. It is however, difficult to lower the voltage at node X below a threshold logic level.
This is because when the left side of the cell exhibits the one state, transistor 24 is nonconductive and transistor 20 is conductive. Thus, notwithstanding the fact that bit line 36 drops to the low level, the potential at node X drops to a level determined by the voltage divider comprising transistors 20 and 28. The level at node X may therefore not drop below a logic threshold level that is required to assure the flipping of the cell.
It has been proposed that the operation of the cell in FIG. 3 could be improved by raising the word line "high" above VDD, using dynamic voltage boosting techniques. This solution is neither desirable nor practical because increased voltages across MOSFET's can degrade device reliability.
Other SRAM circuits and methods of operation can be found in the following prior art. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,177, to O'Connor, entitled "Dual Port Complementary Memory", a dual port memory cell is described which employs p and n access transistors to achieve cell simplification. That cell is also described in an article entitled "The Twin-Port Memory Cell", O'Connor, IEEE Journal of Solid States Circuits, Volume SC-22, No. 5, October 1987 pages 712-720. In addition, the O'Connor article considers a number of prior art SRAM circuits, including the circuit shown in FIG. 3 of this application.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,168 to Adlhoch et al., entitled "Dual Port Memory Sense Amplifier Isolation" describes a sense amplifier for a dual-port memory. The column select signal is deactivated as soon as the sense amplifier is set and read, enabling a faster write to the accessed cell. U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,076 to Bowers et al., entitled "Dual Port Random Access Memory", describes a system with CMOS dual-port memory operation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,245 to Ziegler et al., entitled "Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor Dual Port Random Access Memory Cell" describes a CMOS dual-port cell employing six transistors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,945 to Sakurai et al., entitled "Semiconductor Memory Device" describes a memory system with master and local word lines. It also describes the concept of segmented word lines. U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,708 to Hayakawa et al., entitled "Semiconductor Memory Device", describes a memory with a "clear" mode wherein all of the word lines are selected simultaneously, resulting in a faster writing of identical data to all cells in the memory. U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,284 to Ochii et al., entitled "Static Random Access Memory" describes a SRAM cell with polysilicon loads and with means for detecting leaky cells.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,900 to Tsujide, entitled "Memory Device With Different Read and Write Power Levels" illustrates a prior art attempt at solving the problem above-described with respect to the circuit of FIG. 3. In specific, Tsujide describes a single-port memory cell with different read and write power levels. A single-port cell with four storage transistors and one access transistor is described wherein the write power supply level is lowered from the read power supply level. This action enables the voltage applied to the gate of the n-channel memory transistor that is conductive (storing a "O") to be lowered during the write cycle. As a result, the n-channel transistor is rendered marginally conductive, thereby enabling the potential at the input node (e.g. node X) to rise higher. However, because the circuit shown by Tsujide is a single port device, no consideration is given to the logic state on the complement side of the cell.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved SRAM dual port memory cell having a small device count and occupying minimum silicon real estate.
It is another object of this invention to provide a six transistor, dual port SRAM cell wherein asynchronous access to and from both ports can occur.
It is another object of this invention to provide a six transistor, dual port SRAM cell wherein the transistors are not stressed through the use of over potentials.

Dual-port static random access memory cell

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention relates to copolymer complexes of the formula (I):

Light-emitting devices (LEDs) comprising conjugated polymers have become a topic of great interest since the first demonstration of an efficient polymer light-emitting diode. A large variety of polymers, copolymers, and their derivatives have been shown to exhibit electroluminescent properties. Single layer polymer LEDs are typically constructed by sandwiching a thin layer of luminescent conjugated polymer between two electrodes composed of an anode and a cathode, wherein at least one electrode is either transparent or semi-transparent.
Light-emitting layers in the form of a film of a conjugated polymer are used in electroluminescence devices. Examples of such devices are described in WO 90/13148 and EP-A 0 443 861. The configurations of these devices may consist of a simple single layer, bilayers, or blends used to enhance efficiency and tune the emission wavelength, or multilayers that may allow the device to be operated under an applied voltage.
Although good results have been obtained with the application of conjugated polymers in devices, the purity of the emission colour, in particular, is still unsatisfactory. Full colour displays require pure red, green, and blue emission. Obtaining monochromatic emission from conjugated polymers or small organic molecules is still difficult, since their emission spectra typically have a line width (full width at half maximum, or FWHM) of 50-200 nm, arising from inhomogeneous broadening and vibronic progression. Furthermore, in conjugated molecules, light is only generated from the singlet excitons, while the triplet excitons are lost in the non-radiative transitions. From spin statistics, since only 25% of the excitons in conjugated molecules have singlet character, the quantum efficiency of a conjugated polymer LED cannot exceed 25%.
In attempting to optimise monochromatic emission, a great deal of effort has been devoted to the application of rare earth complexes in organic LEDs. Rare earth compounds are excellent chromophores that exhibit intense fluorescence with a narrow spectral bandwidth (FWHM of 5 to 20 nm) and relatively long decay lifetime (10−2 to 10−6s). They are the most widely used materials in CRT displays and inorganic LEDs.
However, the organic LEDs, especially the single-layer LEDs, based on rare earth complexes show relatively low efficiency as well as poor performance. These phenomena may be attributed to the poor ability of organic LEDs to transport charge carriers and inefficiency in energy transfer. Additionally, many of the low molecular weight rare earth complexes undergo decomposition to some extent during film formation by vacuum deposition. Decomposition of the rare earth complexes can be avoided in spin-coated films containing the rare earth complexes dispersed in polymer matrices. A drawback of this technique, however, is that non-uniform blending or dispersion of the dopants may result in phase separation and ionic aggregation.
WO 02/43446, JP 2000327715, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,142 describe polymeric compounds, wherein rare earth complexes are either blended or doped with the polymers, or chelated to non-conjugated polymers. However, these polymers have several drawbacks such as low efficiency and broad emission bands.
Accordingly, there is a need in this field of technology of improved and more efficient polymers, for example, polymers having improved semi-conductive properties and/or mechanical flexibility.

Multi-functional copolymers comprising rare earth metal complexes and devices thereof

Abstract: wherein [Ax-[B(C)]y-Dz] denotes a single unit of the copolymer complex that is repeated n times, wherein n is an integer greater than one, and wherein the single unit comprises a conjugated backbone coordinated to a complex (C) comprising rare earth metal(s); x, y and z are numbers greater than zero such that x=y+z; A is independently selected from a group consisting of: fluorene, carbazole, oxadiazole, triphenylamine or derivatives thereof; B is a functional ligand selected from the group consisting of: benzoic acid, 1,3-diphenylpropane-1,3-dione, 1,10-phenanthroline, 2,2-bipyridine, or derivatives thereof; and D is independently selected from a group consisting of: fluorene, carbazole, oxadiazole, triphenylamine or derivatives thereof.


A drapery arrangement includes a drapery fabric, a sliding track, and a plurality of sliding wheels. Each of the sliding wheels includes a sliding hanger, a wheel seat, a central connecting shaft, and a plurality of sliding elements. The wheel seat, having a rotating groove, is adapted to fittedly receive in a toggle cavity of the sliding hanger, wherein the wheel seat has a through connecting channel extended along a radial direction thereof. The central connecting shaft penetrates though the connecting channel enhancing a structural rigidity of the respective sliding wheel, and evenly distributing a load imposed on the sliding wheel. The plurality of sliding elements is rotatably received in the rotating groove for running on a circular sidewall of the toggle cavity, wherein the sliding wheel is slidably mounted on the sliding track for sliding therealong.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to sliding wheels arrangement for a curtain, and more particularly to a sliding wheel slidably suspending a curtain cloth, wherein each of the sliding wheels has an enhanced supporting structure for slidably supporting the curtain thereby.
2. Description of Related Arts
Window curtains are used in buildings mainly for shielding sunlight and to create privacy for people. They are also used for decoration especially for home. A window curtain usually comprises a curtain cloth for shielding sunlight and a sliding mechanism which suspends the curtain cloth and is also capable for sliding along a gliding track for opening and closing of window curtains.
The present invention relates to the sliding wheel of the window curtain. A conventional sliding wheel usually comprises a sliding hanger having a hanging arm to suspend the curtain cloth, a sliding support having a pair of wheel seating jointed together by ultrasonic welding and a plurality of sliding elements installed within to enhance the sliding ability.
Regarding to such conventional sliding wheel, some drawbacks can be found. First, the pair of wheel seating jointed by ultrasonic welding requires extra labor cost. It is often not repairable or replaceable with a single part. The whole wheel seating unit is usually replaced when the unit is damaged. Thus, welding the pair of wheel seating together permanently is not practical in the sense of manufacturing and liability.
Second, the conventional two pieces joint wheel seating may not be secure enough for supporting various kinds of stress from a wide variety of circumstances. For examples, U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,182 discloses a guiding block for pulling a window curtain. The sliding support here in this patent is jointed by a left wheel seat and a right wheel seat with a locking mechanism. The left wheel seat has a left spacer with a through hole on the center thereof as the primary body itself and a convex tube extended from one side and a rib is installed inside the convex tube. The right wheel seat has a right spacer with a through hole on the center thereof as the primary body itself and a convex tube that is extended from one side for insertion and a notch that is longitudinally installed with the convex tube and a circular groove is installed on the outside of the convex tube. The two wheel seats are then jointed together when the right wheel seat is inserted into the left wheel seat where the convex tube of the right wheel seat is enforced through the rib of the left wheel seat. The faces of the rib and the convex tube of the left wheel seat couple with the faces of circular groove and the right spacer of the right wheel seat respectively so that the two wheel seats are locked together. In the case here, the main disadvantage is that there is insufficient support for the wheel seats especially when the sliding wheel is experiencing abnormal stresses. The reason is because both the wheel seats are hollow in center and the hollow convex tubes do not provide enough support when they go under heavy or sudden loading. The existence of the notch of the right wheel seat also decreases the strength of the structure. Another disadvantage of this design is that if one of the wheel seats breaks, then it is required to replace the whole wheel seat.


A process for producing a plastic blow-molded part. A plastically deformable plastic parison with a first subregion and an opposite second subregion is placed between a molding element having a projecting region and a mold interacting with the molding element. A positive pressure is generated between the molding element and the first subregion and within the parison, to keep the first subregion at a distance from the molding element and to keep the first and second subregions at a distance from each other. A stretching region of the first subregion is preformed by moving the molding element in relation to an edge region in the direction of the mold and by generating a negative pressure between the projecting region and the stretching region of the first subregion. The subregions are deformed for generating a positive pressure within the parison.

The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for producing a plastic blow-molded part.
In the production of blow-molded parts, a parison is in most cases negatively preformed for forming the contours. This has the effect that, when there is great stretching, thin points occur in critical regions and may lead to the failure of the component. Although this occurrence can be counteracted by a greater initial wall thickness, this leads to higher material consumption and greater wall thickness variations and to higher component costs overall.
A further disadvantage in the production of blow-molded parts with great stretching is that the surface quality is impaired when producing parts with inserted decorative materials (for example textile, film etc.) on account of the great distortion.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a process and an apparatus for producing a plastic blow-molded part that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art methods and devices of this general type, in which stretchings that are as uniform as possible can be achieved in the parison and the greatest possible remaining wall thickness in comparison with the initial parison can be achieved in the critical regions, it being intended for the use of material to be minimized and the drawing-out behavior and surface quality to be favorably influenced.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a process for producing a plastic blow-molded part. The process starts by providing a plastically deformable plastic parison having a first subregion and an opposite second subregion. The parison is placed between a molding element having at least one projecting region and a mold interacting with the molding element. An edge region of the parison is held in a fixed position which is adapted to a mold parting region of the plastic blow-molded part to be produced resulting in a fixedly held edge region. A positive pressure is generated between the molding element and the first subregion and within the parison for keeping the first subregion at a distance from the molding element and to keep the first subregion and the second subregion at a distance from each other. At least one stretching region of the first subregion is preformed by moving the molding element in relation to the fixedly held edge region in a direction of the plastic blow-molded part and by generating a negative pressure between the projecting region and the stretching region of the first subregion to bring at least the stretching region of the first subregion to bear against the projecting region of the molding element. The first subregion and the second subregion are deformed for generating the positive pressure within the parison, the first subregion being brought to bear against the molding element and the second subregion being brought to bear against the mold.
It is preferably that the first subregion is preformed by generating a negative pressure between the molding element and the entire first subregion, in order to bring the first subregion in its entirety to bear against the molding element.
It may be provided that a negative pressure is generated between the mold and the second subregion, in order to bring the second subregion to bear against the mold.
In a preferred embodiment it is provided that the mold is itself opened by moving two or more mold elements apart and, is closed by moving the mold elements together to a contour of the blow-molded part to be produced. In this case, it may be provided that a negative pressure is generated between the mold or its mold elements and the second subregion.
In one embodiment it may be provided that, a decorative material is introduced on a visible side of the blow-molded part to be produced.
The plastic parison may be a coextruded parison having at least two layers. The parison may in this case have at least one reinforced, preferably fiber-reinforced, layer and an unreinforced layer.
The molding element may be formed by a (first) mold that interacts with the (second) mold. Alternatively, it may be provided that the molding element is formed by a plastic molded part which interacts with the (second) mold. In this case, the plastic molded part is preferably covered with a decorative material.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is further provided, in accordance with the invention, an apparatus for producing a plastic blow-molded part. The apparatus is formed of a molding element having at least one projecting region with openings formed therein which can be connected to a negative pressure source. A molding box surrounds the molding element and can be subjected to negative pressure. The molding box and the molding element are movable in relation to each other and the molding box has a peripheral edge for one of securely holding and securely clamping an edge region of a parison. The apparatus also has a mold disposed opposite the molding element.
It is preferably provided that the contour elements for preforming the parison are disposed in the molding box.
It is preferably provided that the mold is of a divided configuration, mold elements of the mold being movable in such a way that, in the moved-together state, they can be brought to bear against a contour of the molded part to be produced, in particular against the one projecting region of the molding element. It is at the same time expediently provided that the mold elements of the mold are provided with openings that can be connected to a negative pressure source.
In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the preforming mold is formed at least in certain regions as a jointed band with a number of articulation points.
It may be provided that the molding element is configured as a (first) mold which interacts with the (second) mold. Alternatively, the molding element may be a preformed plastic part that interacts with the mold.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a process and an apparatus for producing a plastic blow-molded part, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Process and apparatus for producing a plastic blow-molded part