Light shows are produced by a plurality of individuals at a gathering using a plurality of personal wireless cellular devices wherein each device is carried by a respective individual and wherein each device has a programmable digital processor and a controllable light show illumination source. A light show application program resides on each personal wireless cellular device for providing coordinated control of the light show illumination sources. An event server stores at least one event sequence corresponding to a predetermined gathering and including at least one timed action. The event sequence is downloadable by the plurality of personal wireless cellular devices for activation of the controllable light show illumination sources in accordance with the event sequence. The system further includes a synchronizer in each device for initiating the timed action. The synchronizer may be a clock or a proximity detector (such as a Bluetooth connection with nearby users).

The present invention relates in general to coordinated use of wireless cellular handset displays, and, more specifically, to a wireless data network system for creating light shows at gatherings of users of wireless devices.
Portable wireless devices such as cell phones have greatly enhanced their users' ability to interact with each other in numerous ways. They have also given users remote access to digital data networks for both sending and receiving digital information using their handsets. As a result of all the technological capabilities that have been introduced, the devices have become an integral part of many aspects of people's lives such as conducting business, socializing, and entertainment.
It would be desirable to enrich the social interaction and enhance the shared entertainment experience at gatherings of users, such as at community events. Lighting displays have long been a part of group entertainment, with certain colors being associated with seasonal occasions, sports teams, or other particulars of a gathering. Colors are a powerful communications medium that can stimulate certain feelings or can communicate meaningful information to the participants. Light shows presented as part of these types of community events are most often done with fixed lighting sources in a venue under control of the venue or entertainment artists without any involvement of the audience, which passively observes the light show. Audience members may sometimes bring a light source (e.g., a flashlight, candle, or cigarette lighter) to use at an event, but any such use is essentially uncoordinated with other audience members.
Some of the most satisfying entertainment or educational events often include audience participation. Despite the great entertainment value that would result from audience participation in light show displays, there has been no effective way to synchronize and control lighting sources held by individuals.

Synchronized light shows on cellular handsets of users at a gathering


A method of controlling an operating condition of a seat belt warning mechanism and a power window of the vehicle is provided. The method, implemented by a computing device of the vehicle, includes detecting, using a sensor of the vehicle, an animal in an interior of the vehicle, activating, automatically and without user intervention, an operating mode for the vehicle responsive to detecting the animal, and controlling, based on the operating mode, an operating condition of a seat belt warning mechanism of the vehicle and an operating condition of a power window of the vehicle.

Conventionally, vehicles include systems with one or more sensors installed therein may be used to detect one or more objects external to these vehicles. For example, proximity sensors, motion sensors (and other sensors) may be utilized detect approaching vehicles, pedestrians, and so forth. The data collected about these vehicles and/or pedestrians may then be accessible to drivers of vehicles to enable them to take appropriate actions, for example, evasive actions.

Methods and systems for controlling operating conditions of vehicle components

TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.


A signal processing circuit is configured by connecting a plurality of basic circuits connected in series, each of the basic circuits comprising an arithmetic circuit subjecting a first input signal and a second input signal to a signal processing; a first selection circuit outputting the first input signal or an output signal of the arithmetic circuit; and a second selection circuit outputting the second input signal or an output signal of the arithmetic circuit, so as to make it possible to change operations of the circuit as a whole by properly making a selection on which signal should be output with the aid of the first and second selection circuits, and to execute different signal processing on a single circuit depending on the selection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a signal processing circuit, and in particular to a signal processing circuit capable of performing two or more types of circuit operations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data processing conventionally required by many of communication standards such W-CDMA as a mobile communication standard, and IEEE802.11a or IEEE802.11b as a wireless LAN standard has been carried out by using scrambler, convolutional encoder, cyclic redundancy check (CRC) circuit, quasi-random encoder based on linear feedback shift register and so forth. There are also adopted a Viterbi decoder, a matched filter, and fast Fourier transformation (FFT) composed of a butterfly routine executing complex multiplication and complex summation.
Patent Documents 1 and 2 listed below respectively describe a quasi random number generating circuit using a linear feedback shift register. Patent Document 3 listed below describes a variable CRC generation circuit. Patent Document 4 listed below describes a scrambler.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 63-67628    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 63-204919    [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 4-292018    [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 3-52432
The conventional scrambler and CRC generator are configured as separate fixed circuits because of their differences in the processing. It has also been necessary for the conventional scrambler and CRC generator to modify position or the number of taps depending on every different communication standard. As a consequence, the scramblers, for example, even having the same function should have been configured by hardware dedicated for the individual communication standards, and by the separate fixed circuits.


A receiver having a function of a direct current offset, and including a receiving section for receiving a radio frequency signal, an analog signal processing section for amplifying, band-converting and frequency-converting an analog signal inputted from the receiving section, and an AD converting section for converting an output of the analog signal processing section from an analog signal to a digital signal. Also included is a digital signal processing section for processing the digital signal converted by the DC converting section. The receiver further includes an offset detecting element, provided in the digital signal processing section, for detecting a direct current offset signal produced in the receiving section or a frequency converting section, an offset holding element, provided in the digital signal processing section, for holding the direct current offset signal detected by the offset detecting element, a DA converting section for converting the direct current offset signal detected by the digital signal processing section into an analog signal, and a first offset correcting element, provided in the analog signal processing section, for correcting the analog signal on the basis of the direct current offset signal converted by the DA converting section into the analog signal.

The present invention relates generally to a receiver built in a potable radio terminal for use in a radio communication system, and a radio communication system using the same. More specifically, the invention relates to a small receiver having a function of removing a direct current offset (which will be hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9cDC offsetxe2x80x9d if necessary), which is an undesired DC component produced in a direct conversion receiving system or a superheterodyne receiving system, and a radio communication system using the same.
In recent years, with the rapid progress of radio communication systems, it has been greatly required to decrease the size and price of radio terminals. As a receiving system complying with such a request, the direct conversion receiving system has been attracted. Referring to the drawings, the construction and operation principle of a direct conversion receiver will be described below.
FIG. 1 shows a basic construction of a direct conversion receiver. A high frequency signal received by an antenna 2 of a receiving section 1 is amplified by a RF amplifier 11 in an analog signal processing circuit 10, and then, divided into signals of two lines. The signals of two lines are mixed with carrier waves, which are supplied from a local oscillator 18 and which have substantially the same frequency as that of the received signal, by means of mixers 16 and 17, respectively, and then, directly frequency-converted into base frequency bands (base bands). The local oscillator 18 is directly connected to the mixer 16, and connected to the mixer 17 via a xcfx80/2 phase-shifter 19. Therefore, the signals of two lines frequency-converted into the base bands have phases shifted by xcfx80/2 from each other. The base band signals of two lines pass through low-pass filters (each of which will be hereinafter simply referred to as a xe2x80x9cLPFxe2x80x9d) 22 and 23 serving as channel selectors to remove undesired frequency components, respectively. Thereafter, the base band signals are amplified to desired signal levels by means of base band amplifiers 26 and 27, respectively. Then, the amplified base band signals are analog-to-digital converted by means of an analog/digital (which will be hereinafter simply referred to as an xe2x80x9cA/Dxe2x80x9d) converted 3, and then, demodulated to original data by means of a digital signal processing circuit 40 serving as detection/demodulation means.
In this direct conversion receiving system, since the received signals are directly frequency-converted into the base bands, there is no intermediate frequency, and there is no image response in theory. Therefore, there is an advantage in that it is not required to provide a very steep filter for removing image although such a filter is essential to the superheterodyne system. In addition, since the LPFs 22 and 23 for channel selection can be formed as large scale integrated circuits (LSIs), there is an advantage in that it is possible to decrease the size and price of receivers with the rapid progress of LSIs in recent years.
Although the direct conversion receiving system is suitable to decrease the size and price, there are the following problems. Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, such problems will be described below.
In FIG. 2A, a reference carrier wave necessary for the frequency conversion in the mixer 16 (or 17) is supplied from the local oscillator 18. Although it is desired that the isolation between the local port 16a and the RF port 16b of the mixer 16 is infinity, it is about 30 dB in fact. Therefore, the reference carrier wave inputted from the local port 16a is leaked toward the RF port 16b, and a part thereof is reflected on the output side of the RF amplifier 11 to be a reflected wave 32 to be inputted to the mixer 16 again. Alternatively, the part of the leaked reference carrier wave passes through the RF amplifier 11 to be leaked into the antenna 2 to be emitted from the antenna 2 to the outside as shown by reference number 34, and then, reflected on a reflector 36 to be inputted to the antenna 2 again to be a reflected wave 35 which is inputted to the mixer 16 again. In the mixer 16, these reflected waves 32 and 35 are mixed with the reference carrier waves outputted from the local oscillator 18 (self mixing). Since the reflected waves 32 and 35 have the same frequency as that of the reference carrier wave, the reflected waves appear as direct current output components (which will be hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cDC offsetxe2x80x9d) in the output of the mixer 16 by the self-mixing.
FIG. 2B shows such a DC offset on the axis of frequency. That is, in the direct conversion system, since a desired wave is frequency-converted into a base frequency band containing a DC component by nature, a DC offset component 7 produced by reflection is suppressed on a desired wave 6. It is known that the DC offset of this type causes the deterioration of receive error rate particularly in delay detection. As a ratio of D (=desi red wave) to U (=DC offset component) (which will be hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cD/Uxe2x80x9d) in order to obtain a desired receiver error rate, it is required to attenuate the DC offset component, for example, until about 20 to 30 dB can be obtained. However, the reference carrier wave supplied from the local oscillator 18 usually has about 0 dBm, so that the produced reflected waves 32 and 35 usually have a higher level than a desired wave level to be received by nature. Therefore, it is required to provide means for removing only the DC offset component on the output side of the mixer 16 in order to obtain a desired D/U.
As an example of conventional methods for removing the DC offset, there is a method using AC coupling means (which will be hereinafter referred to as an xe2x80x9cAC couplexe2x80x9d) 30 and 31 in the output of the mixers 16 and 17, as shown in FIG. 1. This method is effective when the DC offset is always constant. However, when the DC offset fluctuates with time, there is the following problem. FIG. 3(a) shows the output of the mixer 16 having no AC couple when a DC offset 104 is superposed on a desired wave 108. It is assumed that the DC offset 104 is changed to a DC offset 105 at time txe2x80x2 103. This corresponds to the fact that the circuit operation conditions of the RF amplifier 11 in FIG. 2A is changed. For example, this corresponds to the fact that the output impedance of the RF amplifier 11 varies to allow the reflected mount 32 to fluctuate in a case where the gain of the RF amplifier 11 is switched at time txe2x80x2 103 on the basis of a control signal 33 outputted from the digital signal processing circuit 4.
At the time, a difference 106 between the DC offset 104 before time txe2x80x2 103 and the DC offset 105 after time txe2x80x2 103 in FIG. 3(a) causes the fluctuation of DC offset. In such a case, the state that the AC couple 30 is applied to the output of the mixer 16 is shown in FIG. 3(b). That is, a transient response 109 corresponding to a time constant of a AC couple 30 occurs over a period of time 107 under the influence of the difference 106 of DC offsets. When a signal to be received incomes before the transient response 109 falls, the desired wave is under the influence of the DC offset, so that the deterioration of the receive characteristic occurs. That is, even if the AC couple 30 is used, the influence of DC offsets can not be removed. In addition, in a case where the AC couple 30 is used, a part of the desired wave is removed with respect to a desired signal containing a DC component as shown in FIG. 3(b) by the frequency characteristic 8 of the AC couple shown in FIG. 2B, so that there is a disadvantage in that the receive characteristic is deteriorated.
The aforementioned method for providing means for switching the gain of the RF amplifier 11 is often used in order to increase the receive dynamic range particularly n a direct conversion receiver. In addition, this method is usually used in order to prevent the useless consumption of a battery in a small receiver. Since such a battery saving control for a RF circuit also changes the operation condition of the circuit, the same fluctuation of DC offset occurs. Therefore, it is necessary for a small receiver, particularly for a direct conversion receiver, to prevent the influence of the aforementioned fluctuation of DC offset.
As can be seen from the above descriptions, the rate of fluctuation of a DC offset generally corresponds to the rate of fluctuation of a reflected wave inputted to the mixer 16 again. This was explained mainly with respect to the reflected wave 32 from the RF amplifier 11 in FIG. 1. On the other hand, in FIG. 2A, in a case where a wave radiated from the antenna 2 is reflected on the reflector 36 to be inputted to the mixer 16 again, the amount of DC offset in the output of the mixer 16 also fluctuates in accordance with the rate of the change of state of the outside reflector 36. For example, in a case where the outside reflector 36 is a moving vehicle, the amount of DC offset varies at the same rate as a fading pitch produced on the basis of the moving speed.
This situation is shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b). In FIG. 4(b), reference number 111 denotes a TDMA frame, which periodically receives received slots 112 and 116 periodically assigned to their terminals. FIG. 4(a) shows DC offsets, and reference number 105 denotes a relatively high-speed fluctuation of DC offset produced in accordance with the fading pitch. On the other hand, reference numbers 113 and 114 also denotes DC offsets, which are relatively slow fluctuated components of DC offsets which are changed by carrying out the battery saving or the gain switching at time txe2x80x2 103. Therefore, in the direct conversion receiver under an actual environment, the high-speed fluctuation of DC offset is mixed with the low-speed fluctuation of DC offset. For that reason, for practical use, it is desired to more flexibly remove the influence of the fluctuation of DC offset in accordance with the cause of DC offset and the temporal fluctuation of DC offset.
In addition, the same problems as the aforementioned problems with the respect to the fluctuation of DC offset occur, not only in the aforementioned zero IF receiver, also in so-called superheterodyne receiving system shown in FIG. 5, wherein a received frequency is frequency-converted into an intermediate frequency, and then, frequency-converted into a base band again. That is, FIG. 5 shows a basic construction of a receiver having an analog orthogonal demodulating section. In this receiver, a high-frequency signal received by a receiving section 1 containing antenna 2 is amplified by the RF amplifier 11. This signal is frequency-converted into an intermediate frequency by means of a frequency-converting section 12.
That is, the high-frequency signal is multiplied by a reference signal outputted from a local oscillator 13, by means of a mixer 14 of a frequency converting section 12, and the wide-area components produced by the multiplication is removed by a band-pass filter (BPF) 15. Thereafter, the received signal frequency-converted into an intermediate frequency by means of the frequency converting section 12 is divided into signals of two lines. Then, these signals are mixed with carrier waves, each of which has substantially the same frequency as that of an intermediate frequency signal supplied from the local oscillator 18, by means of the mixers 16 and 17 to be frequency-converted (orthogonal-demodulated) into a base frequency band. The local oscillator 18 is connected to the mixer 16 and also connected to the mixer 17 via the xcfx80/2 phase-shifter 19. Therefore, the signals of two lines frequency-converted into the base band have phases shifted by xcfx80/2 from each other. From these base band signals of two lines, undesired frequency components other than desired channels are removed by low-pass filters (LPFs) 22 and 23 serving as channel selectors. Thereafter, these signals are amplified to desired signal levels by base-band amplifiers 26 and 27, and then, A/D converted by the A/D converter 3 to be demodulated to original signals by a detector built in the digital signal processing circuit 4. Furthermore, although it is required to provide an image removing filter down-stream of the RF amplifier 11, the description of this filter will be omitted hereinafter.
The operation of the superheterodyne receiver having the construction shown in FIG. 5 is the same as that of the aforementioned zero IF receiver. Therefore, there are the same problems as those of the temporal fluctuation of DC offset, which have been described referring to FIGS. 2 through 4.
In addition, in the aforementioned receiver having the orthogonal demodulating section and the zero IF receiver, it is required to switch the gain of the radio section. Referring to FIGS. 6 through 10B, examples of conventional methods for switching the gain will be described. FIG. 6 shows an example of a conventional zero IF receiver, to which a method for switching the gain of a radio section is applied. In FIG. 6, an analog signal processing circuit 10A has the same construction as that of the analog signal processing circuit 10 of FIG. 1, except that the AC couples 30 and 31 are not provided. In FIG. 6, the radio section is, e.g., the analog signal processing circuit 10A including a RF amplifier 11, mixers 16 and 17 and amplifiers 26 and 27.
In FIG. 6, and IQ signal 117 upstream of a detector 36 is picked up to be inputted to an intensity detecting/comparing circuit 37 for detecting and comparing the received field intensity. The received field intensity is calculated by means of the intensity detecting/comparing circuit 37 to be compared with a reference voltage 38. Thus, optimum gains to be set in the RF amplifier 11, the mixers 16, 17 and the amplifiers 26, 27 are determined to output gain control signals 121. That is, gain control signals 118, 119 and 120 are supplied to the RF amplifier 11, the mixer 16, 17 and the amplifiers 26, 27. The gain switching control is carried out by setting the gains of the respective circuits in accordance with the received field intensity, e.g., as shown in the table of FIG. 7. In FIG. 7, five receive modes including modes A through E are provided by combining the gains of the radio section so that a receive dynamic range of 100 dB can be ensured.
However, in a case where the radio-section gain switching shown in FIG. 6 is carried out, there is the following problem particularly with respect to DC offsets. Referring to FIGS. 8A through 9B, this problem will be described. FIGS. 8A through 9B show only one channel of the IQ channels of the zero IF receiver of FIG. 6. It will be now described that the DC offset output of the mixer 16 fluctuates by switching the gain of the RF amplifier 11. FIG. 8A shows the state of mode E in FIG. 7, i.e., the state that the gain of the RF amplifier 11 is set to be 0 dB. On the other hand, FIG. 9A shows the state of mode D, i.e., the state that the gain of the RF amplifier 11 is set to be 20 dB. It is assumed that the gain of the RF amplifier 11 is switched from the state of FIG. 8A to 20 dB of FIG. 9A (from mode E to mode D in FIG. 7) by a RF-amplified gain switching control signal 118 outputted from a control section (not shown).
At this time, with respect to the amount of a wave reflected on the RF amplifier 11 after outgoing the local oscillator 18 to pass through the mixer 18, the amount of a reflected wave 124 of FIG. 7A is different from that of a reflected wave 125 of FIG. 9A. Because the output impedance of the RF amplifier 11 of FIG. 8A is different from that of FIG. 9A. In both cases of FIGS. 8A and 9A, a direct current (DC) component produced by the self-mixing is superposed on a desired signal component 123 to produce a mixer output 122. For the aforementioned reason, a mixer DC output DCLOW in FIG. 8 is different from a mixer DC output DCHIGH in FIG. 9A. Therefore, when the gain of the RF amplifier 11 is switched from 0 dB (the state shown in FIG. 8B) to 20 dB (the state shown in FIG. 9B) (from mode E to mode D in FIG. 7), a fluctuation of DC offset being a difference between DCLOW and DCHIGH occurs at the output of the mixer 16.
As mentioned above, even if the gain of the mixer 16 is constant (the changed component of the gain of the mixer when the mode is switched from mode E to mode D=0 dB), the fluctuation of DC offset occurs at the output of the mixer 16 in accordance with the switching of the gain of the RF amplifier 11.
The aforementioned phenomenon that the DC offset output fluctuates does not always occur only when the gain of the RF amplifier 11 is changed. Similar to the gain change of the RF amplifier 11, the fluctuation of DC offset occurs by the change of the gains of the mixer 16 and the amplifier 26. Moreover, in circuits having different gains, the output DC components of the respective circuits are different from each other, so that the fluctuation of DC offset occurs when the gain of the circuit is switched.
If such a fluctuation of DC offset occurs during a call, it is required to very quickly correct the fluctuation of DC offset. Referring to FIGS. 10A and 10B, this aspect will be described. FIG. 10A shows a received time slot of TDMA, and FIG. 10B is an enlarged view of the received time slot. In FIG. 10A, T denotes a TDMA frame length. After a received time slot 126 assigned to its terminal is received in mode E of FIG. 7, the mode is changed to mode D at a gain switching timing 129, and it is considered to receive the next slot 127. The DC offset is changed from D to E at the gain switching timing 129. In a case where the DC offset is corrected, it is required to correct the DC offset before the starting time 180 of the received time slot. However, in a system having a very short frame length T, a desired operation time may be unavailable. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 10B, in a case where it is required to carry out the gain switching of modes A, B, C, D and E of the received time slot 127 assigned to its terminal, it is required to instantaneously correct the DC offset. In a case where the DC offset can not be instantaneously corrected, the DC offsets A, B, C, D and E in the respective receive modes are different from each other as shown in FIG. 10B. Therefore, the fluctuated component of DC offset is superposed on a desired signal, so that the receive characteristic is greatly deteriorated.
In addition, in conventional direct conversion receivers, the LPFs 18 and 19 can be formed as LSIs. However, due to the dispersion of cut off frequencies based on the dispersion of elements formed as LSIs, the channel selection can not be sufficiently carried out, and desired signals may be removed, so that the receive characteristic may be deteriorated.
As mentioned above, in conventional direct conversion receivers, there is a problem in that the receive error rate is deteriorated by the DC offset produced when the received signal is processed by the analog signal processing circuit. In addition, in superheterodyne receivers, there is also a problem in that the receive error rate is lowered by the temporal fluctuation of the DC offset.
In addition, there is a disadvantage in that, even if it is tried to remove the DC offset by only the AC couple, it is not possible to completely remove the influence of the DC offset due to the transient response in the AC couple when the temporal fluctuation of DC offset occurs. Moreover, since the AC couple removes a part of signal components with respect to received signals having DC signal components, the receive characteristic may be deteriorated by removing the part of the signal components, so that there is a disadvantage in that the offset removing function can not be sufficiently provided by only providing the AC couple in the analog signal processing section.
In addition, there is a disadvantage in that a good call can not be accomplished by a system using such a receiver, since the receive error rate is deteriorated due to the DC offset produced when the signal thus received is processed by the analog signal processing circuit.
In addition, in a conventional receiver having an orthogonal demodulating section, there is a problem in that the receive characteristic is deteriorated by the DC offset produced in the analog signal processing section. In addition, although the DC offset may be detected to be corrected, there is a problem in that the detection and correction of the DC offset take a lot of time. Therefore, in a case where the amplitude of the receive level is rapidly changed or in a case where the receive level is indefinite, there is a problem in that it is not possible to respond to the fluctuation of the DC offset produced when the gain of the required radio section is quickly switched.
In addition, there is a problem in that the receive characteristic is deteriorated by the dispersion in cut off frequency of the filter formed as a LSI. Due to the DC offset produced when the signal thus received is processed by the analog signal processing circuit and due to the deterioration of the receive error rate caused by the dispersion in cut-off frequency of the filter, there is a problem in that a good call can not be accomplished by a system using such a receiver.
Moreover, in a case where the DC offset is detected, if a signal wave having a DC component other than the DC offset to be detected is received, the DC offset can not be accurately detected. Therefore, if a radio wave used for another radio communication system is received by an antenna, there is a possibility in that the DC offset can not be accurately detected due to the incoming wave.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to eliminate the aforementioned problems and to provide a receiver, which can accurately remove the DC offset in accordance with the temporal fluctuation of DC offset produced in an analog processing section, and a communication system using the receiver.
In order to accomplish the aforementioned and other objects, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a receiver comprises: a receiving section for receiving a radio frequency signal; an analog signal processing section for amplifying, band-converting and frequency-converting an analog signal inputted from the receiving section; an AD converting section for converting an output of the analog signal processing section from an analog signal to a digital signal; a digital signal processing section for processing the digital signal converted by the DC converting section; offset detecting means, provided in the digital signal processing section, for detecting a direct current offset signal produced in the receiving section or a frequency converting section; offset holding means, provided in the digital signal processing section, for holding the direct current offset signal detected by the offset detecting means; a DA converting section for converting the direct current offset signal detected by the digital signal processing section into an analog signal; and first offset correcting means, provided in the analog signal processing section, for correcting the analog signal on the basis of the direct current offset signal converted by the DA converting section into the analog signal.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a receiver further comprises second offset correcting means for digitally decreasing a part of the direct current offset signal held by the offset holding means to decrease the direct current offset.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the direct current offset held by the offset holding means is updated every time the offset detecting means detects an offset.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a receiver further comprises offset distributing means for correcting at least an offset part exceeding a predetermined threshold by the first offset correcting means when an absolute value of an offset detected by the offset detecting means exceeds the predetermined threshold.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the predetermined threshold is a power of 2.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein more significant bite of the offset held by the offset holding means are converted into analog values by means of the DA converting section to correct the offset by the first offset correcting means, and less significant bits of the offset held by the offset holding means are used to correct the offset by the second offset correcting means.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the offset holding means comprises first storing means for holding at least an initial value of the offset detected by the offset detecting means, and second storing means for holding a fluctuated part of an offset varying with time, the fluctuated part being detected by the offset detecting means after the offset is corrected on the basis of the initial value of the offset by the first and second offset correcting means.
According to a eight aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the initial value of the offset stored in the first storing means is detected by the offset detecting means only once, and thereafter, the detected initial value is unchanged.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the initial value of the offset stored in the first storing means is detected to be set when a power supply is turned on.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the initial value of the offset stored in the first storing means is detected every time a predetermined period of time elapses.
According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the initial value of the offset stored in the first storing means is updated when the fluctuated part of the offset varying with time exceeds a predetermined value.
According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the fluctuated part of the offset stored in the second storing means is corrected by the second offset correcting means provided in the digital signal processing section.
According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the initial value of the offset stored in the first storing means is corrected by the first offset correcting means provided in the analog processing section, and the fluctuated part of the offset stored in the second storing means is corrected by the second offset correcting means provided in the digital signal processing section.
According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, a receiver further comprises: means for measuring a received field intensity inputted via the signal input section; means for setting a plurality of gains in the analog signal processing section on the basis of the received field intensity; the offset detecting means detecting a plurality of direct current offset values produced in accordance with the plurality of gains set in the analog signal processing section; the offset holding means holding the plurality of direct current offset values; and the first offset correcting means reading a direct current offset value, which corresponds to a gain set in the analog signal processing section, out of the offset holding means to correct the direct current offset.
According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the analog signal processing section comprises: a pair of mixers for frequency-converting signals perpendicular to each other containing at least an in-phase component and an orthogonal component of the radio frequency signal inputted to the signal input section; and base band filters provided in an in-phase component channel and an orthogonal component channel which are outputs of the pair of mixers, the first offset correcting means being provided at least upstream of the base band filters for correcting the direct current offset produced in the analog signal processing section.
According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the analog signal processing section is set to be a first gain value, and the AD converting section converts an output of the analog signal processing section into a digital value, the receiver further comprising: a overflow detecting circuit for detecting an overflow state of the AD converting section; and control means for controlling the gain of the analog signal processing section so that the gain is set to be a second gain value smaller than the first gain value when the overflow state is detected by the overflow detecting circuit.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the analog signal processing section includes storing means for detecting and storing a direct current offset produced by the inputted radio frequency signal, and the first offset correcting means corrects the direct current offset on the basis of the first gain value read out of the storing means even if only one receive is carried out.
According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, a receiver further comprises analog signal no-input means for no-inputting the analog signal inputted to the analog signal processing section, and wherein the offset detecting means detects the direct current offset when the analog signal is no-inputted, and the first offset correcting means corrects the direct current offset on the basis of the detected direct current offset value.
According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the analog signal no-input means comprises a switch provided between a radio frequency signal amplifier provided in the analog signal processing section and the signal input section.
According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the analog signal no-input means comprises: attenuator connected in parallel to the radio frequency signal amplifier provided in the analog signal processing section; four switches provided upstream and downstream of each of the amplifier and the attenuator; and a fifth switch provided in a connecting line upstream of the amplifier and the attenuator, and wherein a signal supply path extending from the signal input section and the analog signal processing section is capable of causing the analog signal processing section to be in a no-input state even of the signal supply path is always connected.
According to a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the offset detecting means detects the direct current offset by a time mean of outputs of the AD converting section, and the first offset correcting means corrects the direct current offset by subtracting the direct current offset, which is converted into an analog signal by means of the DA converting section, from the analog signal processed by means of the analog signal processing section.
According to a twenty-second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the offset detecting means detects the direct current offset on the basis of the received slot in a time division multiple connection system, and the first offset correcting means corrects the direct current offset on the basis of the detected value of the direct current offset detected by the received slot.
According to a twenty-third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the offset detecting means detects a direct current offset of the current received slot using, as an initial value, a time mean value of direct current offsets detected by the past received slots, and the first offset correcting means corrects the detected direct current offset of the current received slot.
According to a twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the offset detecting means comprises: a cumulating/adding circuit for cumulating/adding digital signals inputted from the AD converting section; and a divider circuit for dividing the cumulated/adding signals, and wherein the offset holding means comprises; a plurality of delay circuits for delaying outputs of the offset detecting means by a predetermined period of time; a plurality of weighting circuits for multiplying the values, which are delayed by means of the delay circuits, by weighting coefficients, which are preset so as to increase as approaching the direct current offset, to output the multiplied values; and an adder circuit for integrating outputs of the weighting circuit to output the integrated value as a direct current offset value.
According to a twenty-fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein each of the weighting coefficients of the plurality of weighting circuits is set so that the older weighting coefficient is light and the newer weighting coefficient is heavy.
According to a twenty-sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein each of the weighting coefficients set in the plurality of weighting circuits varies in accordance with the fluctuating amount of the direct current offset which is detected by the offset detecting means and which fluctuates with time.
According to a twenty-seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver which has a test mode in which a band limitation characteristic of the analog signal processing section is tested, wherein the digital signal processing section comprises: a generator for generating a test signal for testing the band limitation characteristic of the analog signal processing section; and an adder for adding the test signal, which is outputted from the test signal generator in the test mode, to the direct current offset signal, and wherein the first correcting means supplies an output of the adder after being converted into an analog signal by means of the DA converting section, to an input of a band limitation circuit of the analog signal processing section.
According to a twenty-eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the analog signal processing section tests the band limitation characteristic in the analog signal processing section after the direct current offset is detected by the offset detecting means and the direct current offset is held by the offset holding means.
According to a twenty-ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiver wherein the analog signal processing section has a band limitation circuit having a function of adjusting the band limitation characteristic of the analog signal, and the digital signal processing section has a frequency characteristic control means for producing the frequency characteristic control signal in accordance with a difference between a frequency characteristic detected by the test signal supplied to the band limitation circuit in the test mode end a desired frequency characteristic.
According to a thirtieth aspect of the present invention, a communication system comprises: a transmitter for transmitting a radio frequency signal of an information signal containing voice and image; a communication network for transmitting and receiving the radio frequency signal; and a receiver having a function of a direct current offset, the receiver comprising: a receiving section for receiving the radio frequency signal; an analog signal processing section for amplifying, band-converting and frequency-converting an analog signal inputted from the receiving section; an AD converting section for converting on output of the analog signal processing section from an analog signal to a digital signal; and a digital signal processing section for processing the digital signal converted by the DC converting section; offset detecting means, provided in the digital signal processing section, for detecting a direct current offset signal produced in the receiving section or a frequency converting section; offset holding means, provided in the digital signal processing section, for holding the direct current offset signal detected by the offset detecting means; a DA converting section for converting the direct current offset signal detected by the digital signal processing section into an analog signal; and first offset correcting means, provided in the analog signal processing section, for correcting the analog signal on the basis of the direct current offset signal converted by the DA converting section into the analog signal.
According to the aforementioned communication system, since it is possible to decrease a DC offset, which is produced in the analog signal processing circuit, at the input of the A/C converter of the receiver, it is possible to a signal from being distorted by the DC offset in excess of the input range of the A/D converter and to decrease the receiver error rate, so that it is possible to achieve a good communication. In addition, since no AC couple is used, there is no influence of the transient response of the temporal variation of the DC offset. Therefore, it is possible to decrease the deterioration of the receive error rate, so that it is possible to achieve a good communication. Moreover, since it is possible to remove only DC offset components serving as errors to a signal used for a modulation system containing low-frequency components containing DC, it is possible to decrease the deterioration of the error rate of the received signal, so that it is possible to achieve a good communication.
In addition, with the aforementioned construction, even immediately after a call is started, it is possible to roughly offsets by storing the offset value only once when the power supply is turned on, so that it is possible to decrease the deterioration of the receive error rate.

Receiver having DC offset decreasing function and communication system using the same


An information processing apparatus that includes a processor that controls a display to display map data; acquires first altitude data corresponding to a first point on the displayed map data and second altitude data corresponding to a second point on the displayed map data; and controls the display to scroll the map between the first point and the second point based on a difference between the first altitude data and the second altitude data.

In recent years, there have been provided various types of services based on map information. For example, a navigation device provides map information around a current position based on current position information. Further, we can easily view map information of entire world via the Internet. By reference to those pieces of map information, information on various facilities on the map can be obtained, for example.
Further, there is also considered a device for providing information on topography. For example, altitude value information is typically shown by drawing contour lines on a map. Alternatively, the altitude value information is shown by using different colors for each altitude value on the map. With those works, information on the altitude value can be provided visually. Further, in PTL 1, there is disclosed a device for providing a user with gradient physically by using special hardware. This device physically shows the change in the altitude value, that is, the gradient, by changing the neutral angle position of an operation section based on a gradient value.

Information processing apparatus, method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium to control display of a map


An optical module includes: a housing, a heat sink arranged in the housing, a laser emitter arranged on the heat sink, a PCB partially arranged on the heat sink, and an optical system arranged in the housing. The optical module has an optical interface on one end and an electrical interface on the other end. The optical system is arranged between the laser emitter and the optical interface. The PCB is constructed as a rigid board. The laser emitter is electrically connected to the PCB. One end of the PCB is fixed on the heat sink, and the other end of the PCB is constructed as the electrical interface. The optical system transmits light emitted from the laser emitter to the optical interface.

With the development of society, the amount of data is increasing. This requires that optical communication modules transmit data at a faster speed and cost less. Existing 3G technology is unable to meet the complex needs of users and markets. TD-LTE (Time Division-Long Term Evolution, long-term evolution of TD-SCDMA) has emerged as a technology that paves the way from 3G to 4G. Due to the current shortage of optical fiber resources, high cost of new installations, and relatively long distances between base stations, the demand for small form-factor pluggable (SFP+) packaged optical modules has been gradually increasing.
Generally, in an optical module, electrical signals enter a PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assembly) from gold contact fingers and are then outputted to an optoelectronic chip, which converts the electrical signals into optical signals and output them to an optical port through an optical system. The optical port and the electrical interface (gold contact fingers) are both fixed relative to a housing of the optical module. In general, the PCBA is rigid, the optical system is rigid, and all devices have certain dimensional tolerances.
Most optical module packaging technologies now use a flexible circuit board (FPC) to absorb assembly tolerances. But the solder joints between the flexible circuit board and the PCBA introduce relatively large electrical signal attenuation. Therefore, such optical module packaging technologies can only be used for transmission rates below 10G.
With higher transmission rates, the design of optical modules for long-distance transmission requires smaller attenuation of high-speed electrical signals. At the same time, to meet the assembly requirements of the optical module, it is necessary to assemble the gold contact fingers, PCBA, optoelectronic chip, free-space optical path assembly, and optical port. Thus, a problem that needs to be resolved is how to integrate the design for best conversion between and transmission of optical and electrical signals.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


In manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, an interconnect trench and a contact hole are formed in an interlayer insulating film formed over a first-level interconnect on a semiconductor substrate, a barrier film is formed inside of the trench and contact hole so that its film thickness increases from the center of the bottom of the hole toward the sidewalls all around the bottom of the contact hole, a copper film is formed over the barrier film, and a second-level interconnect and a connector portion (plug) are formed by polishing by CMP. In this way, the geometrically shortest pathway of an electrical current flowing from the second-level interconnect toward the first-level interconnect through a connector portion (plug) does not coincide with a thin barrier film portion which has the lowest electrical resistance, so that the current pathway can be dispersed and a concentration of electrons does not occur readily.

With a recent tendency toward miniaturization of interconnects and multilevel metallization in a semiconductor integrated circuit device, a so-called damascene technique for use in the formation of interconnects or the like, by forming a trench in an insulating film and then embedding a conductive film inside of the trench, has been under investigation.
This damascene technique includes a single damascene method of embedding a trench for an interconnect and a trench for connecting between interconnects by two different steps and a dual damascene method of simultaneously embedding these two trenches. As a conductive film to be embedded in these trenches, a copper film or the like having a small electrical resistance is used.
Inside of the trench, a conductive film having a barrier property (which will hereinafter be called a "barrier film") is formed in order to prevent diffusion of a metal into an insulating film, such as the copper constituting the conductive film to be embedded, or in order to improve the adhesion between the conductive film to be embedded and the insulating film.
For instance, in NIKKEI MICRODEVICES, PP 65 to 66 (July, 2000), it is pointed out as a problem that, upon formation of an underlying film on the inside wall of a hole by sputtering, sputter particles move easily at the peripheral part of a wafer, thereby deteriorating the ability to uniformly cover the holes.

Semiconductor integrated circuit device with a connective portion for multilevel interconnection


In a system for the customization of media content metadata, media content metadata includes a plurality of records which are associated with a particular type of media content and each of the records includes a plurality of fields for defining the type of media content. At least one end user device is capable of displaying the media content metadata, and a content server is operable to obtain or receive the metadata from one or more available metadata providers. The content server is also operable to transmit the metadata to the end user device in response to a request from the end user device. A customization scheme is utilized by the content server to customize the quantity of records or the types of fields included within each record which is transmitted to the end user device in response to the request.

Historically, media content distribution systems that provided metadata relating to its distributed media content were typically limited to video distribution systems such as Cable Television (CATV), and Digital Broadcast Satellite (DBS) as well as a few, select terrestrial aerial broadcast systems. These video distribution systems typically incorporated the use of electronic program guides (EPGs) which were able to display informational media content metadata regarding current as well as upcoming video content from the video distribution system. The conventional EPG is basically a combination of all metadata associated with the available media content, which is organized for display to the user in an easily readable format on a display such as a television. Correspondingly, each instance of media content metadata is stored within a listing or record, wherein each listing details specific information about its associated video program. In turn, each listing contains a plurality of fields, each containing textual data and/or graphics of still images or movie trailers that provides useful information regarding the media content.
Nevertheless, many of today's media content distribution systems possess the capability of broadcasting metadata relating to various forms of media content that is distributed through its network. For example, broadcast distribution systems such as radio have implemented a radio data system (RDS) type protocol whereby metadata or other informational content relating to the currently aired program or song is displayed on a display for the user. This RDS protocol is implemented via a relatively small amount of bandwidth that is honed from the total bandwidth of the broadcasted audio signal and is transmitted alongside its associated radio program content. This relatively small bandwidth is adapted to convey metadata in the form of textual information for immediate display for the user. Throughout this specification, the term "bandwidth" is defined to mean a bit rate capacity of a predetermined transmission medium. Other forms of media content metadata that are not sent in-band with associated program content but are accessed independently include the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), and digital music metadata. This digital music metadata may contain information such as lyrics, composer, artist, and the like. Thus it may be seen that currently many different forms of content metadata are available and the media content distribution networks have the capability of broadcasting metadata which is informational to the consumer of its related media content. Media content metadata is defined within this specification to be any data such as text, sound file, movie trailer, box art, image, review, and the like that is associated with media content that can be streamed, transmitted via unicast IP, broadcasted, or played locally on an end user device. Moreover, throughout this specification, the term 'broadcasting' may include any known means of disseminating the metadata to one or more end user devices such as by multicasting, carouselling, and the like.
The early video distribution systems typically utilized an end user device such as a set top box (STB) that was capable of receiving media content and its associated metadata from the network and transforming these into commonly used ATSC, NTSC, PAL, or SECAM formatted signals for use by a display such as a television set. Nevertheless, burgeoning network topologies such as the Internet, cellular networks, satellite networks, wireless networks, and telephonic networks such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN) have enabled numerous types of end user devices to be capable of receipt and display of pertinent forms of media content metadata. There are an increasing array of devices that can access content today including traditional to very advanced STBs, televisions (TV), High Definition Televisions, (HDTVs), Super High Definition Televisions (SHDTV), other home appliances (such as refrigerators), mobile devices (cellular phones, personal data assistants, organizers, electronic calendars, hybrid phones, etc.), personal computers, laptops, game consoles, portable video units, and portable game consoles, wherein all such devices are defined as metadata aware devices due to their ability to receive and process incoming media content metadata.
Metadata generally contains information about the content that would allow the user or system to learn about the content without actually experiencing it. As described hereinabove, metadata also enables the generation of a table of upcoming or currently running media content to allow the user or system to view, record, or do something else with the content such as filter, ignore, or block it. Metadata may include comprehensive text about the media content including start time, stop time, program name, year released, theatrical rating, composer, artist, album, actors, directors, short description, long description, channel and the like, wherein there are dozens of such fields, all of which are well understood among guide data providers. Additionally, this metadata may contain other multimedia components of interest such as pictures, thumbnail images, file icons, game simulations, posters, theatrical trailers, box art (similar to packaged media art), content owner associated advertisements, content service provider associated advertisements, critic reviews, awards, and the like. While metadata is meant to be useful for individuals to know what programs are currently playing or will be playing in the near future, it is also useful for associated systems and applications used for automation, learning user interaction or habits and preference, or perhaps just providing additional information or guidance to the user. Such automated tasks include the blockage of all "R-Rated" media (content television, cable, radio programs, games, music, or art/images with mature ratings, extensions of parental control or identity management) or the recording of all instances of a particular program of interest. Without the availability of media content metadata, the aforedescribed automated features would be rendered essentially useless and the individual is forced to sample all available media content currently playing, or refer to some other piece of information such as a newspaper or some other distribution source or online guide to help them determine what types of media content are to be broadcasted.
A drawback regarding the usage of the aforedescribed media content metadata within media distribution systems is that the level of detail that each metadata record may contain is often times ill-suited for the end user device, which may use this data. In order to provide a thorough description of the media content event, providers of this metadata typically include more information than is necessary for the typical user. The negative ramifications of this modus operandi includes slow dissemination or carouselling of the metadata to the end user device, as well as superfluous usage of memory resources contained therein. While a number of methods currently exist to compress the metadata into a smaller entity that can be transmitted to the devices that require it, such methods assume that much of the available metadata available is required by the end user device. In fact, the most common model is to broadcast all available media content metadata down to the end user device and then let the metadata aware device filter what is needed regardless of its technical capabilities, bandwidth availability, or user preferences. This problem is exacerbated by the wide variety of metadata aware devices currently available in that each has differing capabilities relative to display size and resolution, as well as computer processing capabilities, all of which directly impact the level of detail of each metadata record that may optimally be used thereby.
Another drawback to currently available metadata is that metadata which is pertinent to a particular instance of media content typically doesn't reside within a single authoritative source. That is, content metadata originating from multiple metadata providers may represent a complete set of all available metadata which may be available for a particular instance of media content; however, the obtainment of such a complete set by one particular end user device has heretofore been inaccessible.
Current implementations of content metadata distribution systems have been principally adapted for use with end user devices having generally standardized display capabilities. For example, a metadata distribution system which is adapted for display of metadata on a conventional television would be substantially ill-suited for display upon a typical mobile device such as a cellular telephone. This is due to the fact that mobile devices have displays which are significantly smaller than a television screen and thus are not adapted for display of the relatively large amount of information in a similar manner thereto. What has been missing in the art is the ability to associate the relative amount of metadata that is transmitted to an end user device that is commensurate with the end user device's ability to display that metadata in an intelligible manner.
There is also an increasing issue relative to mobility. As metadata aware devices increasingly are made to roam beyond their original installed location, desirable features such as transportability, interoperability, and self-discovering capabilities become increasingly valuable. For example, if a metadata aware device roams from its usual location within an individual's home to another city, its owner may want the option to either experience content similar to their home base, see what content is available locally, or perhaps even experience a combination of the two. Regardless, the need for metadata handling capabilities in mobile devices from differing geographic locations is on the rise.
Finally an issue regarding the convergence of technologies will be noted. A single end user device may be a music player, interactive video player, smart phone, remote control, digital video recorder (DVR), computer, game console, organizer, and the like, wherein such convergence of either of these devices to another possesses serious implications on the metadata needs as well as capabilities of such a device that are not addressed by heretofore known metadata distribution systems.
A metadata feed is defined as one or more files containing data representative of content that is available to end user devices. The data within the feed may consist of records, each having one or more fields of textual or multimedia information, which could be represented in many different formats including ASCII, binary, etc. and is typically transmitted separately from the content that it represents as an in-band signal or an out-of-band signal.

Integrated media content server system and method for the customization of metadata that is associated therewith


In a perpendicular magnetic recording head comprising a main magnetic pole layer, a return yoke layer, and an auxiliary yoke layer, a plurality of rear magnetic connecting layers intermittently extending to a connecting position with the return yoke layer are provided at the same lamination position as with the main magnetic pole layer on the rear side of the main magnetic pole layer in the height direction. The auxiliary yoke layer is formed by a plurality of divided auxiliary yoke layers intermittently extending on the rear side of the medium-opposing surface in the height direction and magnetically connecting the main magnetic pole layer to the plurality of rear magnetic connecting layers, respectively. In each of the main magnetic pole layer, plurality of rear magnetic connecting layers, and plurality of divided auxiliary yoke layers, the size in the track width direction is defined greater than the size in the height direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a perpendicular magnetic recording head which performs a recording action by applying a recording magnetic field perpendicularly to a recording medium plane.
2. Related Background Art
As is well-known, a perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole layer and a return yoke layer which are laminated with a magnetic gap layer interposed therebetween on a surface opposing a recording medium (medium-opposing surface) and are magnetically coupled to each other on the rear side of the medium-opposing surface in the height direction, and a coil layer which is provided between the main magnetic pole layer and return yoke layer on the rear side of the medium-opposing surface in the height direction and generates a recording magnetic flux upon energization. The recording magnetic flux generated from the coil layer perpendicularly enters a hard magnetic film of the recording medium from the front end face of the main magnetic pole layer exposed at the medium-opposing surface and returns to the front end face of the return yoke layer exposed at the medium-opposing surface through a soft magnetic film of the recording medium. This performs magnetic recording at a part opposing the front end face of the main magnetic pole layer.
Known in such a perpendicular magnetic recording head is a structure equipped with a yoke layer having a large capacity formed on the upper or lower side of the main magnetic pole layer in order to augment the amount of magnetic fluxes accommodated in the main magnetic pole layer (Patent Document (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-221785)). In this structure, magnetic fluxes generated from the coil layer at the time of a recording action are guided to the main magnetic pole layer through the yoke layer, so that the amount of magnetic fluxes released from the front end face of the magnetic pole layer exposed at the medium-opposing surface increases, whereby the recording magnetic field intensity can be enhanced.
When the recording magnetic field intensity is higher, however, the remanent magnetization in the main magnetic pole layer after the completion of the recording action also increases, whereby unintentional writing (pole lockup phenomenon) may be effected on the recording medium by magnetic fluxes leaking from the front end face of the main magnetic pole layer at the time of no recording action (when the coil layer is not energized). For preventing this phenomenon from occurring, it is necessary to define the domain structure of the main magnetic pole layer for stabilizing the magnetization in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the magnetic flux perpendicularly incident on the recording medium, i.e., track width direction, such that unnecessary magnetic fluxes are harder to leak at the time of no recording action. Examples of such a domain structure of the main magnetic pole layer are described in Patent Documents (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-221785, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 05-166130, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-331310, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-147058).

Perpendicular magnetic recording head with divided auxiliary yoke layer


A partition member for a gas discharge display panel having a front substrate with at least one main discharge electrode spaced from a back substrate having at least one auxiliary discharge electrode so as to delimit a gap therebetween. The partition member is adapted to extend substantially parallel to and between the front and back substrates for forming a main discharge space on a front substrate side and an auxiliary discharge space on a back substrate side, the partition member being a metal material member. A gas discharge display panel incorporates the partition member and a system is provided for driving the gas discharge display panel. Also, a manufacturing method is provided for the partition member and gas discharge display panel.

The present invention relates to a gas discharging display panel such as a plasma display panel and a manufacturing method and, more particularly, to an AC-driven gas discharging type display panel suitable for color display and capable of providing a high accuracy and high contrast display and which is inexpensive.
A gas discharging display panel such as a plasma display has such features that a view angle is wide, the display is easy to see because of self emission, and it can be fabricated with a reduced thickness, which is utilized as a display device for OA (office automation) equipments, as well as expected for application uses such as high quality television receivers.
The gas discharging type display panel is generally classified into a DC driven type and an AC driven type. Among them, the AC driven type panel has a memory function by the effect of a dielectric layer covering an electrode and has high luminosity. Further, with application of a protective film, a working life endurable to practical use can be obtained even also for the AC driven type in recent years, and it is put to practical use for example, in multipurpose video monitors.
FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a portion of a plasma display panel which is presently used. The gas discharging type color display panel comprises a back substrate 2 and a front substrate 1 opposed to each other. The back substrate 2 has barrier ribs 3a for maintaining a gap with the front substrate 1 constant, and the front substrate 1 and the back substrate 2 are connected by way of the barrier ribs 3a. In FIG. 4, the front substrate 1 and the barrier ribs 3a of the back substrate 2 are separately shown for ease of viewing.
The front substrate 1 has a structure including display electrodes (transparent electrode) 5, buss electrodes 6 made of a metal conductor, an insulator layer 7 and an MgO film (protective film) 8 which are formed on a front glass plate 4a. The back substrate 2 has a structure including address electrodes 9, barrier ribs 3a and a fluorescent layer 14 which are formed on a back glass plate 4b. A discharging space 3f is formed between the front substrate 1 and the back substrate 2 by disposing and appending the front substrate 1 and the back substrate 2 in parallel with each other such that respective surfaces formed with the electrodes are opposed to each other. The display electrodes 5 and the address electrodes 9 are made orthogonal to each other by way of the discharging space 3f.
FIG. 5(a)-(c) and FIG. 6 show cross sectional views of the gas discharging type display panel of FIG. 4. FIG. 5(a) is a cross sectional view when cutting a portion of the display panel along a plane parallel with the address electrodes 9 and vertical to the surface of the substrates 1, 2. FIG. 5(b) is a cross sectional view at a position A in FIG. 5(a) and the cutting plane is vertical to the address electrodes 9 and vertical to the surface of the substrates 1, 2. FIG. 5(c) is a cross sectional view at a position B in FIG. 5(a) and the cutting plane is vertical to the address electrodes 9 and vertical to the surface of the substrates 1, 2. In FIG. 5(a)-(c), only the cross section is shown for making the drawing easy to view while the constitution which may be seen at the bottom of the drawing paper is not illustrated. Further, FIG. 6 shows a cross sectional view along a plane shown by C in FIG. 5(a).
As shown in FIG. 5(b) and FIG. 5(c), a display cell (also referred to as a discharging cell) is formed between both of substrates 1 and 2 on every set of the transparent electrodes 5a and 5b, and a discharging space 3f is formed by both of the substrates 1, 2 and the barrier ribs 3a. A fluorescent film 14 is formed at the inside of the display cell. Further, discharge gas is sealed in the space 3f in the cell. In the display panel, as shown in FIG. 6, the barrier ribs 3a are in the form of parallel rods, and the discharging space 3f of the cell is continuous laterally (or longitudinally) and is not partitioned by the barrier ribs 3a.
When an AC voltage is applied between the electrodes 5, of the front substrate 1 and the address electrodes 9 formed to the back substrate 2, auxiliary discharging is generated in each of the cells 3f formed by the front substrate 1, the back substrate 2 and the barrier rib 3a. When AC voltage is applied between the parallel electrodes 5a, 6a and the electrodes 5b, 6b formed to the front substrate 1 on each of the cells by utilizing the auxiliary discharging, main discharge is generated. Ultraviolet rays caused by the main discharging causes the fluorescent body 14 coated in the cell to emit light. The display by the display panel is conducted by light from the fluorescent body 14 observed through the front substrate 1.
An example of the gas discharging type display device shown in FIGS. 4-6 is described in Flat Panel Display (1994 (edited by Nikkei Microdevice, 1993), page 198-201).
As a method of manufacturing such a gas discharging type color display panel, the method explained below is known.
At first, a pair of transparent substrates are provided. As the substrate used for the gas discharging color display panel, a soda glass (soda lime glass) plate having a strain point at about 450.degree. C. is generally used.
After printing an electrode paste to a predetermined pattern by a thick film printing method to one of the glass substrates (back substrate) and drying the paste at 100.degree.-150.degree. C., it is baked at 500.degree.-600.degree. C. Then, for forming a display cell as a picture element, a barrier rib-forming paste is printed in a predetermined pattern by a thick film printing method on the surface of the back electrode formed with the electrode pattern and dried at 100.degree.-150.degree. C. This forms a number of cells arranged in a matrix on the back substrate. A thick film thickness (for example, 160 to 200 .mu.m) is required for the barrier rib in order to ensure a sufficient discharging space and such a thickness can not be obtained by use of the thick film printing method only once. Accordingly, printing and drying of the barrier rib-forming paste are carried out a plurality of times. To the interior of the cells formed by the barrier ribs, red, blue and green pastes for the fluorescent body are printed in a predetermined pattern by a thick film printing method and dried at 100.degree. to 150.degree. C. followed by sintering at 500.degree.-600.degree. C. Thus, a back electrode formed with a display cell can be obtained.
A vapor deposition film of a transparent conductor, for example, ITO (indium tin oxide) is formed on the other of the glass substrates (front substrate glass plate), which is patterned to form a number of electrode patterns in parallel with each other such that two electrodes parallel with the row of the cells are disposed on every cells. Then, a buss electrode is formed to each of the electrode portions of the pattern for reducing the resistivity of the electrode. After printing a dielectric paste in a predetermined pattern on the surface formed with the electrodes by a thick film printing method and drying the same at 100.degree.-150.degree. C., it is sintered at 500.degree.-600.degree. C. Further, an MgO film is formed to the surface of the resultant dielectric film by an EB (electron beam) vapor deposition method. Thus, a front substrate formed with transparent electrodes can be obtained.
Then, the front substrate and the back substrate are aligned with the surface of the front substrate formed with the MgO film and the surface of the back substrate formed with the cell being opposed to each other, and edge portions of both of the substrates are covered with lead glass for sealing, and heated at about 450.degree. C. to effect sealing between both of the substrates. Then, air in the gap surrounded with both of the substrates and the sealed portion is evacuated from an evacuation pipe and a discharge gas is entered into the gap by way of the evacuation pipe. Finally, the evacuation pipe is chipped off to seal the discharge gas. With the procedures described above, the gas discharging type color display panel is prepared.
In the foregoing explanation, although the barrier ribs are formed to the back substrate, the barrier ribs may be formed on the front substrate or formed on both of the front substrate and the back substrate depending on the design of the display panel. Further, the electrode or the MgO film may sometimes be formed by a thick film printing method.
The method of manufacturing the display panel described above has a merit capable of manufacturing a display panel relatively easily since the barrier ribs, electrodes, the fluorescent body, etc. are formed by the thick film printing method.
As described above, in the gas discharging type display panel of the prior art, since auxiliary discharging and main discharging are conducted in an identical discharging space, light emission is caused by the auxiliary discharging also in an area where the main discharging is not conducted, so as to bring about a problem that the display panel is not capable of obtaining a sufficient contrast. If sufficient contrast is not obtained, high speed time divisional control has to be applied by a complicated driving method in order to obtain sufficient gradation for full color display. Thus, it is desirable to obtain a sufficient contrast by the structure of the gas discharging display panel.
Further, the thickness of the barrier rib has to be made as large as from 160 to 200 .mu.m in order to ensure a sufficient discharging space, but such thickness can not be obtained by only one time of the thick film printing so that the manufacturing method adopted so far provides the required thickness by repeating printing and drying of the paste for several times. However, with such a procedure, the manufacturing step is made lengthy and since alignment is conducted on every printing, the yield is worsened.
In view of the above, it is considered to dispose a partition wall substrate as an integral part of a partition wall having penetration apertures as a discharging conduction path and barrier ribs and put the partition wall substrate between the front substrate and the back substrate. If the space in the display cell is separated by the partition wall into an auxiliary discharging space and a main discharging space, since light caused by the auxiliary discharging can be shielded, the contrast is increased. Further, if the partition wall substrate having the partition wall and the barrier ribs is manufactured by integral shaping, for example, by a sand blasting method of a glass or ceramic plate as an insulator, since this can be handled as one part, no accurate alignment is required as in the case of forming the barrier ribs with the thick film printing.
However, in the methods described above, since the substrate such as of ceramics requiring difficult fabrication has to be fabricated into a complex shape, the number of steps is increased to increase the cost.

AC gas discharging type display panel with metal partition member


A radiation generating apparatus includes: an envelope 1 having a first window 2 through which a radiation is transmitted; and a radiation tube 10 being held within the envelope 1, and having a second window 15 which is arranged in opposition to the first window 2, and through which the radiation is transmitted; and a radiation shielding member 16 thermally connected to the second window 15, having a radiation transmitting hole 21 arranged in communication with the second window 15, and having a protruding portion protruding from the second window 15 toward the first window 2. A thermally conductive member 17 having a higher thermal conductivity rather than that of the radiation shielding member 16 is connected to the protruding portion of the radiation shielding member 16. The radiation generating apparatus can shield an unnecessary radiation and cool a target with a simple structure and is entirely reduced in weight.

Generally, a radiation tube accelerates an electron emitted from an electron emitting source at high voltage to irradiate a target with the electron to generate radiation such as an X-ray. The radiation generated at this time is emitted in all directions. PTL 1 discloses a transmission X-ray generation apparatus in which X-ray shielding members are placed on an electron incident side and an X-ray emission side of a target to shield unnecessary X-rays.
In order to generate a radiation suitable for radiation imaging, a high voltage needs to be applied between an electron emitting source and a target to irradiate the target with an electron beam with high energy. However, generally, generation efficiency of radiation is extremely low, and about 99% of consumed power generates heat at the target. Since the generated heat increases the temperature of the target, a unit for preventing heat damage to the target is required. PTL 2 discloses an X-ray generation tube in which a cooling mechanism is provided around an X-ray transmission window to increase heat radiation efficiency of the target.

Radiation generating apparatus and radiation imaging apparatus


The present invention relates to an image processing system and an image processing method, an image pickup apparatus and an image pickup method, and an image display device and an image display method, which can faithfully pick up and display the colors of an object. Slit light of an optical image of the object that has passed through a slit 42 is divided into a spectrum by a light divider 43. A light sensor 44 outputs image data based on the spectrum of the slit light of the optical image of the object. A micromirror array 74 causes the exiting of reflection light formed by extracting spectrum portions based on the image data from a spectrum of incident white light from a light divider 73. The spectrum portions of the reflection light exiting from the micromirror array 74 are synthesized by a spectrum synthesizer 77 and are projected onto a screen 111. The present invention is applicable to the image processing system.

In recent years, image apparatuses handling various color images, as typified by TV receivers and video cameras, are in widespread use in the world. Most of these image apparatuses pick up an object and display an image of the picked-up object, on the basis of three primary colors (such as, red, green, and blue).
A system which displays an optical image of an object by dividing a spectrum of the optical image into four or more wavelength bands and recording the optical image, in order to make it possible to faithfully reproduce the colors of the object by using an apparatus handling an image on the basis of three primary colors is proposed (for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-134351 (Patent Document 1)).

Image processing system and method for pick up and display of an object including division of an optical image of the object into a spectrum


A pressure sensor device includes a pressure sensor cell that includes a sensor chip having a diaphragm with piezo-resistors, an amplifying circuit, and various adjusting circuits, and a base member to which the sensor chip is joined, with the diaphragm facing a through hole of the base member. The base member and a metallic member are joined together with a joining member so that their respective through holes communicate with each other. A protective film or filler covers the joining member between the base member and the metallic pipe member. The metallic pipe member is bonded to a resin case, and a signal terminal of the resin case and the pressure sensor chip are electrically connected together by wire bonding, thus forming a pressure sensor cell. The metallic pipe member protrudes beyond an end face of the resin case to support load.

A pressure sensor device is typically mounted on a block, such as an automobile transmission oil-filled block, a hydraulic actuator block, or the like to measure pressure, and typically uses a semiconductor pressure sensor chip, applying a piezo-resistance effect as a sensor element. Such a semiconductor pressure sensor has an arrangement in which a plurality of semiconductor strain gauges are connected in a bridge circuit on a diaphragm made of a material, such as single crystal silicon, that exhibits a piezo-resistance effect. Deforming the diaphragm, due to a change in pressure, causes the gauge resistance of the semiconductor strain gauges to change in accordance with the amount of deformation. The amount of change is output from the bridge circuit as a voltage signal.
FIGS. 26-29 illustrate some known pressure sensor devices. The pressure sensor device shown in FIG. 26 is provided with a joint 1 having a threaded section, a flange member 3 for screwing the joint 1 into a section on which the device is installed, a pressure sensor 2 that outputs a voltage signal corresponding to the amount of change in the pressure as explained above, a circuit board 4 having mounted thereon a circuit chip for processing the output signal from the pressure sensor 2, wire bonding 5 connecting the pressure sensor 2 and the circuit board 4 together, and terminals 6 and 7 for outputting the signal from the circuit board 4 to the outside. The terminal 6 and a terminal stand 8, which supports the terminal 7, are secured to the flange member 3 by a joining member 11. Moreover, a gasket 9 and an O-ring 10 are assembled onto the joining member 11. See for example FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-168718.
The pressure sensor device shown in FIG. 27 is composed of a transducer 12, a hexagonal port 13, a cover 14, an annular sealing gasket 15, a periphery clip 16, a flexible circuit 17, and a base member 18 for outputting a signal to the outside. The transducer 12 is composed of a first conductive film that deforms upon being subjected to pressure, a second conductive film facing the first conductive film with a spacer therebetween, and a circuit for converting an electrostatic capacitance that changes through the deformation of the first conductive film into a voltage signal. See for example FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-202215.
The pressure sensor device shown in FIG. 28 has an arrangement in which, in a sensor case 24 to which are secured connecting leads 19, 20, 21, and 22 that are insulated by hermetically sealing glass 23, a pressure sensor chip 25 is connected to the connecting leads 19, 20, 21, and 22, and the pressure sensor chip 25 is encapsulated in silicone oil by a metallic diaphragm 26. Moreover, the pressure sensor device is protected from above by a metallic hard cover 27. See for example FIGS. 8 and 10 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-55762.
The pressure sensor device shown in FIG. 29 has an arrangement in which the pressure sensor device shown in FIG. 28 is housed in a metallic housing 28 using an O-ring 29, and a connector housing 33, having therein terminal boards 30, 31, and 32 that are electrically connected to the connecting leads 19, 20, 21, and 22, is crimped onto the metallic housing 28, with an O-ring 34 and a spacer ring 35 for securing thereto. The metallic housing 28 has a pressure receiving port 36, a threaded section 37, a fastening section 38, and a stepped portion 39. See for example FIGS. 8 and 10 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-55762.
Moreover, it is known, in a semiconductor pressure sensor, to incorporate an amplifying circuit for an output signal from piezo-resistors. The amplifying circuit is formed from a combination of an operational amplifier and a resistance network comprising thin film resistors integrated on a semiconductor element having a diaphragm section on which the piezo-resistors are formed. In a sensor device using such a semiconductor pressure sensor, the semiconductor pressure sensor is housed in a sealed container. In the container, the space on a side faced by a surface of the semiconductor pressure sensor is kept at a constant pressure. Thus, an arrangement is provided such that the pressure applied to the back of the semiconductor pressure sensor is measured via a pressure introducing port in the container, with the pressure in the container being taken as a reference. See for example Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 1-150832.
In the pressure sensor devices shown in FIGS. 26 and 27, however, numerous parts raise the material and assembly costs. Moreover, in each of the devices, the signal transmission path is made up of numerous parts that require numerous connections therebetween. Specifically, in the device shown in FIG. 26, the signal transmission path includes the pressure sensor 2, the wire bonding 5, the circuit board 4, the circuit chip, the terminal 6, and the terminal 7. In the device shown in FIG. 27, the signal transmission path includes the transducer 12, the flexible circuit 17, the circuit chip, and the base member 18. This increases the failure probability, causing long-term reliability problems. Furthermore, in the device shown in FIG. 26, the direct joint of the joint 1 and the pressure sensor 2 can cause stress, such as when screwing the joint 1, and transmits to the pressure sensor 2. This lowers the accuracy and reliability of the measured signal.
Moreover, in the pressure sensor device shown in FIG. 28, the silicon oil can become polarized by the external noise applied to the terminals and the outside, which can causes electric charges to accumulate on the surface of the pressure sensor chip 25. This can vary the signal output from the pressure sensor chip 25 and lower the reliability of the measured signal. Moreover, an increase in an inner pressure due to expansion of the silicon oil under a high temperature environment and compression of the silicon oil when applying a high pressure produces repeated stresses in the metallic diaphragm 26. This fatigues the metallic diaphragm 26, which is becomes problematic with the long-term reliability. Moreover, in the pressure sensor device shown in FIG. 29, the large area of the section for receiving pressure results in a large applied load to the device. For supporting such a load, rigidity of the metallic housing 28 must be increased. This increases the cost and size of the device.
Moreover, in the pressure sensor device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 1-150832, the external signal terminals for outputting output signals to the outside are glass-sealed at the bottom of the container, and hence the container is assumed to made of metal. The metal container, however, has the disadvantage of being expensive. Furthermore, the external signal terminals and a pressure introducing port are provided on the same side. Therefore, when the pressure sensor device is used for measuring the pressure, while mounted on an oil-filled block, an actuator block or the like, the external signal terminals interrupt the pressure sensor device, making it difficult to mount the pressure sensor device. Therefore, the external signal terminals must be projected on the side opposite to the side on which the pressure introducing port is provided. However, as explained above, when the container is metallic, it is difficult to provide the external terminals on the opposite side of the pressure introducing port.
There still remains a need for a pressure sensor device that can be manufactured with a low cost, have a high long-term reliability, and with measured signals of high accuracy and reliability, and in particular with external terminals disposed on the opposite side of the pressure introducing port. The present invention addresses this need

Pressure sensor device and pressure sensor cell thereof

Fuji Electric Device Technology Co., Ltd.


Embodiments of electrical connectors include features that facilitate circulation of air through and around the electrical connectors. The air can cool the power contacts of the electrical connectors, thereby allowing the power contacts to operate at higher currents that would otherwise be possible.

Power contacts typically experience a temperature rise during operation, due the passage of electrical current therethrough. The temperature rise, if excessive, can melt or otherwise damage the power contact, its housing, and other hardware located in the vicinity of the power contact. The temperature rise in a power contact, in general, is proportional to the current level in the power contact. Thus, the maximum rated current of a power contact is typically limited by the maximum acceptable temperature rise in the power contact.
Increasing the operating current of an electronic device, in general, permits the device to operate at a lower voltage than would otherwise be possible. Manufacturers of electronic devices therefore often request or require power contacts with relatively high current ratings. Consequently, it is desirable to minimize the temperature rise experienced by power contacts during operation.

Electrical connectors with air-circulation features


A game apparatus including a pump carried in a housing and having a chamber with air inlet and air outlet and a piston sliding in the chamber, a release valve, an inflation nozzle for a balloon, and a pipeline in the housing connecting the chamber air outlet, the release valve, and the inflation nozzle. A release valve for the game apparatus including a valve seat, a deflate arm pivotally mounted on the housing, a valve carried on the deflate arm, and a spring engaging the deflate arm and housing for urging the valve onto the valve seat in sealing condition.

This invention relates to a game apparatus and in particular to a game for two or more players, with each player having a set of the apparatus.
The game apparatus includes a mechanism for controlling the inflation of a balloon, with the object of the game being for each player to maintain his or her balloon intact until all the other player's balloons have burst.
A variety of games utilizing balloons are shown in earlier patents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,387 includes an apparatus for compressing a balloon until it bursts, with a game board and pair of dice, with players turning the handle of a press to apply pressure to the inflated balloon.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,299 utilizes the exhaust from an inflated balloon to propel the balloon toward a game board.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,825 shows a game starting with inflated balloons, with a weighted needle positioned above each balloon and with the addition of weights causing one of the balloons to be punctured.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,161 shows another version or a game for puncturing an inflated balloon by applying pressure pins through a sleeve with the balloon therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,593 utilizes an inflated balloon with a diaphragm carrying pins positioned above the balloon, with the diaphragm being depressed by marbles dropped through holes of a board positioned above the diaphragm.
None of these prior patents show a game wherein individual players have balloons which are inflated and deflated by the players' actions, with the actions directed by other game devices such as spinners and cards.