Content files are managed and tracked in a distributed collaborative computing environment to receive, store, and maintain content descriptor data associated with a distributed content files in a central directory registry. The central directory registry can be accessed by a plurality of remote distributed computing devices via one or more network connections. The remote distributed computing devices create content files using locally hosted software applications. Upon saving the content file to a portable or transient storage device connected to a computing device, content descriptor data comprised of administrative data pertaining to the content file and associated with the content file is created and forwarded to the central directory server.

The present invention relates to utilizing portable storage devices (PSD) within a distributed collaborative computing environment that does not necessarily use or require centralized permanent storage of content.
Within the general computer arts there are many trends. One trend is the proliferation of collaborative computing environments in which multiple users can work with common or shared access computer files or content. Another trend is the ubiquity of portable storage devices including jump drives, memory keys, and/or removable storage media (e.g., compact flash, memory stick, etc.).
Portable storage devices come in a variety of types and form factors. They all share one common characteristic that uniquely qualifies them for inclusion in the present invention, portability. Portable storage devices allow users to store and carry large amounts of information inexpensively. A user need only find a computing device loaded with the requisite application software to access and manipulate the content contained by the portable storage devices. Moreover, if the computing device happens to be connected to a network like the Internet, the user can send and receive content to the portable storage device.
A collaborative computing environment generally refers to allowing multiple users using multiple computing devices to access shared or common files or content. Typically a collaborative computing environment maintains a permanent storage area where the content files are centrally managed. Users access the shared content based on an administrative scheme that defines rules of access to the shared files.

Transient storage in distributed collaborative computing environments

International Business Machines Corporation


Optical waveguide apparatus includes a two-dimensional optical waveguide, a light transmitting unit for transmitting light through the optical waveguide, a light receiving unit for receiving light transmitted through the optical waveguide, and a relaying unit for relaying light transmitted through the waveguide from the light transmitting unit at a place between the light transmitting unit and the light receiving unit to transmit the relayed light to the light receiving unit with the apparatus, the arrangement and flexibility of a light emitting device for converting an electrical signal into an optical signal and light receiving device for converting an optical signal into an electrical signal is large, and an optical transmission can be effectively performed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a two-dimensional optical waveguide apparatus, and an opto-electronic hybrid circuit board that includes an electronic circuit layer and an optical circuit layer in a hybrid form.
2. Description of the Related Background Art
In recent years, cellular phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) have been more and more widely used drastically, and equipment with smaller size, lighter weight and higher performance is desired. However, operation speed and integration of electronic circuit boards increase as the size and weight of equipment are reduced and the performance of equipment is enhanced. Accordingly, appropriate and prompt measures are strongly needed to cope with malfunctions of equipment due to signal delay and electromagnetic interference (EMI). In such a situation, the optical circuit or interconnection is expected to radically solve the above technical problems. The optical circuit or interconnection can reduce the EMI radiated from the wiring, and can transmit optical information at high speed.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9(1997)-96746 discloses the following optical circuit board which makes use of the technical advantage of the optical wiring. In this optical circuit board, an optical wiring portion and an electronic wiring portion are separated from each other, optical switches or optical modulators provided on the board are driven by a voltage signal supplied from electronic equipment, and light propagating through optical waveguides provided on the substrate is modulated. The electrical signal is thus converted into an optical signal, and transmitted. The thus-transmitted optical signal is again converted into an electrical signal by a light-receiving device provided on the board, or another board, and the signal is transmitted to another piece of electronic equipment, or the same electronic equipment. In this construction, the electronic wiring is partly replaced by the optical wiring, but places for executing electrical/optical (EO) signal conversion or optical/electrical (OE) signal conversion are limited since the optical wiring path is comprised of a transmission line (i.e., a line-shaped linear polymer waveguide).
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-199827 discloses an apparatus wherein a 45-degree mirror is used to couple light, which enters or emerges perpendicularly, to the optical waveguide. The 45-degree mirror is thus used to couple light to the waveguide, or couple light transmitted in the waveguide to a light receiving device, and hence the transmission path is inevitably a linear path. Accordingly, when plural transmission paths are to be formed, places where light emitting devices and light receiving devices are situated are limited. Flexibility of board designing is thus small.

Two-dimensional optical waveguide apparatus, and opto-electronic hybrid circuit board using such optical waveguide apparatus


A shackle assembly is shown to include a shackle bracket, wear pads, a shackle stop, shackle plates and elastomer bushings. The shackle bracket includes legs forming portions thereof, which serve as contact surfaces for the wear pads and the shackle plates. By providing conical and lateral stiffness, the shackle bracket legs allow for the use of a more versatile elastomer bushing. The elastomer bushing preferably includes voids vertically separated with respect to each other and the elastomer layer preferably is in the form of a bowtie-shaped configuration, which enhances vertical, conical and torsional performance. A first redundancy feature is in the form of a shackle stop secured between the shackle plates. The shackle stop provides longitudinal control of the axle in the event the opposite limb of the leaf spring is broken, the vehicle is generally traveling in a given direction and the vehicle is subject to deceleration. A second redundancy feature is in the form of fingers forming portions of the shackle plates, which provides longitudinal control of the axle under the same conditions, but when the vehicle is generally traveling in an opposite direction. The redundancy features are activated under other conditions as well.

The present invention relates generally to vehicle components, and more particularly, to shackle assemblies used to connect vehicle suspension components to a vehicle frame.
Shackle assemblies are typically used in a variety of vehicle suspensions to connect vehicle suspension components to a vehicle frame. Conventional shackle assemblies are typically used in leaf spring front suspensions, but typically do not use elastomer bushings. In a conventional shackle assembly, the suspension side loads are carried through the conical loading of the non-rubber bushings through the shackle plates. These shackle assemblies primarily rely on the bushing properties and shackle plate stiffness to provide for suspension lateral and conical stiffness.
One recognized problem of conventional shackle assemblies is their ineffectiveness in providing sufficient suspension lateral and conical stiffness, primarily due to the large distance spanned between the shackle plates. Conventional assemblies cause the suspension to be laterally compliant due to conical deflections in the bushings and bending in the shackle plates.
In order to accommodate for this lateral stiffness, conventional shackle assemblies ordinarily rely on the uniform rigidity and shape of the non-rubber bushings and/or shackle plates to react to side loads. Those skilled in the art will recognize that conventional shackle assemblies require strong, stiff, heavy, and, therefore, costly bushings and shackle plates. Those skilled in the art will further recognize that the non-rubber (i.e., strictly metal) bushings used in conventional assemblies are unable to provide vertical compliance. Accordingly, conventional shackle assemblies could undesirably induce compressive stress in the leaf spring.
Another item not present in the prior art is that conventional shackle assemblies typically do not incorporate built-in redundancy features to help provide vehicle control in the event of a broken spring. Suspensions utilizing conventional shackle assemblies traditionally require an additional leaf with "military wrap." Those skilled in the art will recognize that these and similar redundancy features add cost, weight, and complexity to the suspension.
In view of the foregoing, it is desirable to develop a shackle assembly that provides sufficient suspension lateral and conical stiffness.
It is further desirable to develop a shackle assembly that reduces the reliance on the uniform rigidity and shape of bushings and shackle plates to react to side loads.
It is further desirable to develop a shackle assembly that allows for lighter, and, therefore, less costly bushings and shackle plates to be incorporated as component parts thereof.
It is further desirable to develop a shackle assembly having versatile, elastomer bushings with voids oriented to enhance vertical, conical and torsional performance.
It is further desirable to design a shackle assembly that permits additional suspension travel during rebound, or an overhang condition (i.e., an extreme rebound condition).
It is further desirable to develop a shackle assembly that comprises light, and, therefore, low cost redundancy features.
It is further desirable to develop a shackle assembly that incorporates built-in redundancy features.
It is further desirable to develop a shackle assembly that may be accommodated by any conventional leaf spring suspension system (front and/or rear), and at the front and/or rear end of the leaf spring.
These and other desired benefits of the preferred forms of the invention will become apparent from the following description. It will be understood, however, that a device or assembly could still appropriate the claimed invention without accomplishing each and every one of these desired benefits, including those gleaned from the following description. The appended claims, not these desired benefits, define the subject matter of the invention. Any and all benefits are derived from the preferred forms of-the invention, not necessarily the invention in general.


Proppant particulates are commonly used in hydraulic fracturing operations to maintain one or more fractures in an opened state following the release of hydraulic pressure. In complex fracture networks, it can be difficult to deposit proppant particulates fully within the fractures. In addition, low crush strengths may result in problematic fines formation. Polyaromatic hydrocarbons, commonly encountered in various refinery process streams, may serve as an advantageous precursor to proppant particulates. Polyaromatic hydrocarbons may undergo crosslinking under acid-catalyzed conditions in an aqueous solvent in the presence of a surfactant to form substantially spherical particulates that may serve as effective proppant particulates during fracturing operations. In situ formation of the proppant particulates may take place in some cases.

A wellbore may be drilled into a subterranean formation in order to promote removal (production) of a hydrocarbon resource therefrom. In many cases, the subterranean formation needs to be stimulated in some manner in order to promote more effective removal of the hydrocarbon resource. Stimulation operations may include any operation performed upon the matrix of a subterranean formation in order to improve fluid conductivity therethrough.
Stimulation operations may include processes such as acidizing, fracturing, or a combination thereof. Acidizing operations dissolve a portion of the matrix of a subterranean formation to promote more effective fluid flow therethrough. Fracturing operations, in contrast, pump large quantities of fluid into a subterranean formation under high hydraulic pressure to promote formation of a plurality of fractures (channels) within the matrix of the subterranean formation to create a high-conductivity flow path, Both primary fractures extending from the wellbore and secondary fractures extending from the primary fractures, possibly dendritically, may be formed during a fracturing operation.
Proppant particulates are often included in a fracturing fluid in order to keep the fractures open after the hydraulic pressure has been released following a fracturing operation. Highly viscous fluids, often employing a polymer gel, may be employed to promote effective transport of the proppant particulates. Upon reaching the fractures, the proppant particulates settle therein, thereby preventing the fractures from dosing once the hydraulic pressure has been released.
There are oftentimes difficulties encountered during fracturing operations, particularly associated with deposition of proppant particulates in fractures that have been created or extended under hydraulic pressure. Because proppant particulates are often fairly dense materials, effective transport of the proppant particulates may be difficult, even when employing gelled fracturing fluids. Even aided by a gelled fracturing fluid, it can still be difficult to distribute proppant particulates into the more remote reaches of a network of fractures. In addition, fines produced from crushing of proppant particulates within a wellbore can also lessen fluid conductivity, which may decrease production rates and/or necessitate wellbore cleanout operations. Moreover, the polymer gels commonly used to promote effective transport of proppant particulates may not completely break following a fracturing operation, which may lead to formation damage and decreased hydrocarbon resource production.

Proppant particulates formed from polyaromatic hydrocarbons

ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company


A method of and system for capturing and updating travel directions in a user's local address book application. The method comprises the steps of determining a current location profile of the user, calculating a user trajectory using that profile and an intended destination, and adding the current location profile and the intended destination into a historical database. The user's local address book is checked for an entry for the address of said intended destination; and if that entry is not in the address book, the entry is created in the address book. That entry is then checked to determine if a direction/map field of the entry contains directions/map information. If the entry does not contain this information, then this information is mined from a network source and added to the address book. This direction/map information is then displayed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to downloading travel directions over the Internet. More specifically, the invention relates to capturing and updating travel directions in a user's address book application.
2. Background Art
Currently, the method of downloading directions from Internet service providers specializing in maps and directions is a manual process. These directions and maps can be placed into a PC or hand held based devices for immediate use, however, as target/arrival locations change, such directions and maps have to be manually "re-downloaded" to account for these travel adjustments. Additionally, it is a time consuming task, which is neglected often because a user was not able to anticipate the need for directions due to unexpected location changes. Moreover, storage of these directions and maps is cumbersome and lacks portability.
Known solutions to this problem are manual and involve a manual search for directions and maps using Internet service providers such as MapQuest, Mapblast, GIS, etc. These directions are downloaded and placed into a temporary location on a PC or handheld device. Also, directions and maps can be printed for future use, but are very static and cannot change as travel plans change. Map applications exist, such as MS Street and Trips 2004, etc., that can be used to determine directions, but the process of entering departure and arrival locations is manual. These directions and maps can be manually placed into address books in comment style fields, but are static until they are manually updated by invoking the manual process noted above.
Additionally, GPS mapping software common in some vehicles (Hertz Neverlost for example) allows for some dynamic updating of map and directions based upon the user's current location. In such device installations, if a user unexpectedly changes their location from the intended course, the GPS system will recalculate and redisplay a new map with directions based upon the new known location. These navigation systems have to be operating in a real-time mode and can only recalculate based on current location as opposed to calculating a future or anticipated location in an off-line mode.
The drawbacks to known solutions are clear since the various processes are manual. Also, the lack of intelligent address books adds to the problem and becomes a solution roadblock for implementing an automatic system and method.

Automatic travel content capture tool for address book entries


A corneal surgery apparatus capable of accurately obtaining torsion information on an eyeball or positional information on an eye even during laser irradiation or after a cornea is incised into a layer, and of accurately performing corneal surgery with a laser beam. The apparatus, for ablating a cornea of a patient's eye by irradiation of a laser beam, includes an irradiation optical system for irradiating the laser beam onto the cornea, an image-pickup device for picking up an image of an anterior-segment of the eye, a mark detection device for processing the obtained image of the anterior-segment and detecting a mark provided to the eye, a reference position setting device for setting a reference position in which the mark being detected is to be positioned, and a torsion detection device for obtaining torsion information on the eye based on the detected mark and the set reference position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a corneal surgery apparatus which ablates a cornea to change a surface shape of the cornea.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, there is known a corneal surgery apparatus which ablates a cornea by irradiation of a laser beam and changes a surface shape of the cornea to correct a refractive error of an eye. In this kind of surgery, characteristics such as a corneal shape and eye refractive power distribution (or distribution of wave aberration) of a pre-operative patient's eye (eye to be operated on) are measured, and data on corneal ablation is obtained based on the measurement data.
A position (attitude) of the patient at the time of the measurement for obtaining the data on the corneal ablation is generally sitting or standing (a state where the patient's eye faces forward). On the other hand, a position (attitude) of the patient at the time of the corneal surgery is generally lying on his/her back (a state where the patient's eye faces upward). It is known that, in the case of the eye which faces upward contrary to the eye which faces forward, torsion (rotation) of an eyeball occurs. Therefore, there is proposed an optical system for adjusting a condition of the eyeball, which differs at the time of the measurement before the surgery and at the time of the surgery, utilizing an iris image of the eye.
However, during the laser irradiation, or in LASIK surgery (Laser in Situ Keratomileusis) in which an epithelium is incised into a layer to form a corneal flap and then the laser irradiation is performed, the iris image is difficult to obtain since the corneal surface becomes rough. In this case, the torsion information itself on the eyeball is not obtained, or even if obtained, its accuracy gets worse. In addition, also in the case of obtaining positional information on the eye utilizing the iris image, same problems are presented.


A gyricon or twisting-particle display based on nonspheroidal (e.g., substantially cylindrical) optically anisotropic particles disposed in a substrate. The particles can be either bichromal or polychromal cylinders, preferably aligned parallel to one another and packed close together in a monolayer. A rotatable disposition of each particle is achievable while the particle is thus disposed in the substrate; for example, the particles can already be rotatable in the substrate, or can be rendered rotatable in the substrate by a nondestructive operation performed on the substrate. In particular, the substrate can be made up of an elastomer that is expanded by application of a fluid thereto so as to render the particles rotatable therein. A particle, when in its rotatable disposition, is not attached to the substrate. The close-packed monolayer configuration of particles provides excellent brightness characteristics and relative ease of manufacture as compared with certain other high-brightness gyricon displays. The substrate containing the cylinders can be fabricated with the swelled-elastomer techniques known from spherical-particle gyricon displays, with a simple agitation process step being used to align the cylinders within the sheeting material. Techniques for fabricating the cylinders are also disclosed.

The following U.S. patents are fully incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,854, (Sheridon, xe2x80x9cTWISTING BALL PANEL DISPLAYxe2x80x9d); U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,103 (Sheridon, xe2x80x9cMETHOD OF MAKING A TWISTING BALL PANEL DISPLAYxe2x80x9d); U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,098 (Crowley et al., xe2x80x9cMETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING BICHROMAL BALLS FOR A TWISTING BALL DISPLAYxe2x80x9d); U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,594 (Sheridon, xe2x80x9cMETHOD FOR THE FABRICATION OF MULTICOLORED BALLS FOR A TWISTING BALL DISPLAYxe2x80x9d); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,945 (Sheridon, xe2x80x9cWRITING SYSTEM INCLUDING PAPER-LIKE DIGITALLY ADDRESSED MEDIA AND ADDRESSING DEVICE THEREFORxe2x80x9d), U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/572,779 entitled xe2x80x9cPOLYCHROMAL SEGMENTED BALLS FOR A TWISTING BALL DISPLAYxe2x80x9d; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/572,778, entitled xe2x80x9cAPPLICATIONS OF A TRANSMISSIVE TWISTING BALL DISPLAYxe2x80x9d; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/572,819, entitled xe2x80x9cCANTED ELECTRIC FIELDS FOR ADDRESSING A TWISTING BALL DISPLAYxe2x80x9d; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/572,927, entitled xe2x80x9cHIGHLIGHT COLOR TWISTING BALL DISPLAYxe2x80x9d; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/572,912, entitled xe2x80x9cPSEUDO-FOUR COLOR TWISTING BALL DISPLAYxe2x80x9d; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/572,820, entitled xe2x80x9cADDITIVE COLOR TRANSMISSIVE TWISTING BALL DISPLAYxe2x80x9d; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/572,780, entitled xe2x80x9cSUBTRACTIVE COLOR TWISTING BALL DISPLAYxe2x80x9d; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/572,775, entitled xe2x80x9cMULTITHRESHOLD ADDRESSING OF A TWISTING BALL DISPLAYxe2x80x9d; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/572,777, entitled xe2x80x9cFABRICATION OF A TWISTING BALL DISPLAY HAVING TWO OR MORE DIFFERENT KINDS OF BALLSxe2x80x9d; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/573,922, entitled xe2x80x9cADDITIVE COLOR TRISTATE LIGHT VALVE TWISTING BALL DISPLAY.xe2x80x9d All filed concurrently on Dec. 15th, 1995, and two divisional applications from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/572,779, entitled xe2x80x9cPOLYCHROMAL SEGMENTED BALLS FOR A TWISTING BALL DISPLAYxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cPOLYCHROMAL SEGMENTED BALLS FOR A TWISTING BALL DISPLAYxe2x80x9d now U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,409, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/889,762, entitled xe2x80x9cAPPARATUS FOR FABRICATING POLYCHROMAL SEGMENTED BALLS FOR A TWISTING BALL DISPLAYxe2x80x9d filed on Jul. 10th, 1997.
The following copending, coassigned U.S. Patent Applications are related to this case: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/713935, entitled xe2x80x9cMONOLAYER GYRICON DISPLAYxe2x80x9d; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08713,936, entitled xe2x80x9cHIGH REFLECTANCE GYRICON DISPLAYxe2x80x9d; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 081716,675,entitled xe2x80x9cGYRICON DISPLAY WITH INTERSTITIALLY PACKED PARTICLE ARRAYSxe2x80x9d; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/713,325, entitled xe2x80x9cGYRICON DISPLAY WITH NO ELASTOMER SUBSTRATE.xe2x80x9d
The invention pertains to visual displays and more particularly to twisting-ball displays, such as gyricon displays and the like.
Gyricon displays, also known by other names such as electrical twisting-ball displays or rotary ball displays, were first developed over twenty years ago. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,126,854 and 4,143,103, incorporated by reference hereinabove.
An exemplary gyricon display 10 is shown in side view in FIG. 1A (PRIOR ART). Bichromal balls 1 are disposed in an elastomer substrate 2 that is swelled by a dielectric fluid creating cavities 3 in which the balls 1 are free to rotate. The balls 1 are electrically dipolar in the presence of the fluid and so are subject to rotation upon application of an electric field, as by matrix-addressable electrodes 4a, 4b. The electrode 4a closest to upper surface 5 is preferably transparent. An observer at I sees an image formed by the black and white pattern of the balls 1 as rotated to expose their black or white faces (hemispheres) to the upper surface 5 of substrate 2.
A single one of bichromal balls 1, with black and white hemispheres 1a and 1b, is shown in FIG. 1B (PRIOR ART).
Gyricon displays have numerous advantages over conventional electrically addressable visual displays, such as LCD and CRT displays. In particular, they are suitable for viewing in ambient light, retain an image indefinitely in the absence of an applied electric field, and can be made lightweight, flexible, foldable, and with many other familiar and useful characteristics of ordinary writing paper. Thus, at least in principle, they are suitable both for display applications and for so-called electric paper or interactive paper applications, in which they serve as an electrically addressable, reuseable (and thus environmentally friendly) substitute for ordinary paper. For further advantages of the gyricon, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,945, incorporated by reference hereinabove.
Known gyricon displays employ spherical particles (e.g., bichromal balls) as their fundamental display elements. There are good reasons for using spherical particles. In particular:
Spherical bichromal balls can be readily manufactured by a number of techniques. See the ""098 and ""594 patents, incorporated by reference hereinabove, in this regard.
Spheres are symmetrical in three dimensions. This means that fabrication of a gyricon display sheet from spherical particles is straightforward. It is only necessary to disperse the balls throughout an elastomer substrate, which is then swelled with dielectric fluid to form spherical cavities around the balls. The spherical balls can be placed anywhere within the substrate, and at any orientation with respect to each other and with respect to the substrate surface. There is no need to align the balls with one another or with the substrate surface. Once in place, a ball is free to rotate about any axis within its cavity.
xe2x80x9cIn the xe2x80x98whitexe2x80x99 state, the gyricon display reflects almost entirely from the topmost layer of bichromal balls and, more particularly, from the white hemispherical upper surfaces of the topmost layer of balls. In a preferred embodiment, the inventive display is constructed with a single close-packed monolayer of bichromal balls.xe2x80x9d
Ideally, a close-packing arrangement would entirely cover the plane with the monolayer of gyricon elements. However,. Inasmuch as a planar array of spheres cannot fully cover the plane, but must necessarily contain interstices, the best that can be achieved with a single population of uniform-diameter spherical elements is about 90.7 percent areal coverage, which is obtained with a hexagonal packing geometry. A second population of smaller balls can be added to fill in the gaps somewhat, but this complicates display fabrication and results in a tradeoff between light losses due to unfilled interstices and light losses due to absorption by the black hemispheres of the smaller interstitial balls.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a close-packed monolayer gyricon display in which areal coverage surpasses 90.7 percent or approaches 100 percent, without any need for interstitial particles. This can be done by using cylindrical rather than spherical elements. For example, a rectangular planar monolayer array of cylinders can be constructed that entirely or almost entirely covers the plane. With the white faces of the cylinders exposed to an observer, little if any light can get through the layer.
The invention provides a gyricon display having cylindrical, rather than spherical, rotating elements. The elements can be bichromal or polychromal cylinders, preferably aligned parallel to one another and packed close together in a monolayer. The close-packed monolayer configuration provides excellent brightness characteristics and relative ease of manufacture as compared with certain other high-brightness gyricon displays. The cylinders can be fabricated by techniques that will be disclosed. The substrate containing the cylinders can be fabricated with the swelled-elastomer techniques known from spherical-particle gyricon displays, with a simple agitation process step being used to align the cylinders within the sheeting material.
Further, the invention is well-suited to providing a gyricon display having superior reflectance characteristics comparing favorably with those of white paper. A gyricon display is made with a close-packed monolayer of cylinders, wherein cylinders are placed, preferably in a rectangular packing arrangement, so that the surfaces of adjacent cylinders are as close to one another as possible. The light reflected from the inventive gyricon display is reflected substantially entirely from the monolayer of cylinders, so that lower layers are not needed. The areal coverage fraction obtainable with cylinders is greater than that obtainable with a single monolayer of uniform-diameter spheres.
In one aspect, the invention provides a material comprising a substrate and a plurality of nonspheroidal (e.g., substantially cylindrical) optically anisotropic particles disposed in the substrate. A rotatable disposition of each particle is achievable while the particle is thus disposed in the substrate; for example, the particles can already be rotatable in the substrate, or can be rendered rotatable in the substrate by a nondestructive operation performed on the substrate. In particular, the substrate can be made up of an elastomer that is expanded by application of a fluid thereto so as to render the particles rotatable therein. A particle, when in its rotatable disposition, is not attached to the substrate. A display apparatus can be constructed from a piece of the material together with means (such as an electrode assembly) for facilitating a rotation of at least one particle rotatably disposed in the substrate of the piece of material.
In another aspect, the invention provides a material comprising a substrate having a surface and a plurality of nonspheroidal optically anisotropic particles disposed in the substrate substantially in a single layer. The particles (e.g., cylinders) are of a substantially uniform size characterized by a linear dimension d (e.g., diameter). Each particle has a center point, and each pair of nearest neighboring particles in the layer is characterized by an average distance D therebetween, the distance D being measured between particle center points. A rotatable disposition of each particle is achievable while the particle is thus disposed in the substrate. A particle, when in its rotatable disposition, is not attached to the substrate. Particles are sufficiently closely packed with respect to one another in the layer such that the ratio of the union of the projected areas of the particles to the area of the substrate surface exceeds the areal coverage fraction that would be obtained from a comparably situated layer of spheres of diameter d disposed in a hexagonal packing arrangement with an average distance D therebetween as measured between sphere centers. If the ratio D/d is made as close to 1.0 as practicable, the ratio of the union of the projected areas of the particles to the area of the substrate surface can be made to exceed the maximum theoretically possible areal coverage fraction for a maximally close-packed hexagonal packing geometry of a layer of spheres of diameter d, which is approximately equal to 90.7 percent.
The invention will be better understood with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like elements.


The present disclosure proposes a channel quality indicator (CQI) feedback method applicable to a user equipment (UE) using the same method. According to one of the exemplary embodiments, the channel quality indicator (CQI) feedback method would be applicable to a user equipment (UE) and would include steps of at least but not limited to receiving a N×L precoding matrix having N rows and L columns with each of the N rows corresponding to an antenna port and each of the L columns corresponding to a user, wherein N and L are both integers greater than one, performing a channel quality indicator (CQI) calculation for K of the L columns, where 0<K≦L, and K is an integer, determining from the CQI calculation for K of the L columns a preferred column, and transmitting information corresponding to the preferred column.

Precoding has been used as a breamforming technique by weighing a signal stream with an appropriate phase and gain in order to optimize signal transmission at the receiving end. In the advent of the multi-user-multi-input multi-output (MU-MIMO) technology, multiple users could be served by the same radio resource. This could be accomplished by weighing the signal stream of a user or a user group with a precoding vector that is orthogonal from the precoding vectors of other users or user groups.
FIG. 1A illustrates a typical transmitter which operates using a precoding matrix. A type transmitter may have a processor 101 which may have a precoding unit 107 inherent to the processor 101. The processor 101 could be electrically connected to a storage medium 104 such as a disk drive or a flash drive. The storage medium 104 may have a predefined codebook 106 native to the storage medium. The processor 101 would be electrically connected to an analog to digital (A/D) converter and/or a digital to analog (D/A) converter circuit 102 which would be connected to a transceiver circuit 103. The transceiver circuit 103 would be connected to one or more physical antennas 105_1, 105_2 . . . 105—n.
Conventionally, the precoding matrix could be constructed based on a channel state information (CSI) extracted from a user feedback such as a preferred precoder index of a predefined codebook. Assuming that the transmitter is the transmitter of a base station, upon receiving a user feedback, the base station may select an appropriate precoding matrix that corresponds to the user. The selected precoding matrix could be according to the user feedback or independent from the user feedback. After selecting the precoding matrix, the precoding unit 107 or the processor 101 would weigh the signal stream of a user according to the selected precoding matrix. The modified signal stream would then be transformed by the D/A converter circuit 102 into an analog signal which would be up-converted by the transceiver circuit 103. The signal stream would then be transmitted by the transceiver circuit 103 through one or more antennas 105_1, 105_2 . . . 105—n along with other signal streams simultaneously.
FIG. 1B illustrates an example of a codebook in accordance with a current version of the Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard. The codebook contains 16 PMIs numbered from 0 to 15, and precoder tables for each number of layers.
In cases in which the complete channel knowledge is available at the transmitter, two of the most common linear precoding techniques to construct a precoding matrix may include Conjugate Beamforming and Zero-forcing Beamforming. Assuming that H denote a N×L channel matrix between N antenna ports and L concurrent UEs. By using the Conjugate Breamforming technique, a precoding matrix, W, would be constructed as W=cH*, where H* is the complex conjugate of H. In other words, Conjugate Beamforming may simply take the complex conjugate of each channel coefficient in H as the breamforming weight, normalized by c. By using the Zero-forcing Breamforming technique, a precoding matrix, W, would be constructed as W=cH*(HTH*)−1. The Zero-forcing Breamforming technique would employ the CSI to precode the data-bearing symbols so that they sum to zero, or a 'null', at unintended receivers. For these linear precoding techniques, each column of W would serve as the precoding vector of data intended for a specific UE or a specific UE group.
Both of these linear precoding techniques however would require knowledge of H in order to construct W. In practice, this is more feasible for a communication system operating in time division duplex (TDD) mode. Thus, for a communication system in frequency division duplex (FDD) mode at least, the UE would need to report the status of its channel with respect to the base station, in order to form H. This would result a significant increase of data to be transmitted between a UE and a base station. With a codebook based approach that quantizes a channel into a finite set, a UE would merely need to recommend an index that best matches its channel. However, since the number of transmit antennas is large for FD-MIMO (Full Dimension MIMO, also known as massive-MIMO or large-scale MIMO) schemes, feedbacks of CSI report could be an arduous task as the size of precoder codebook has to be large in order to properly capture possible channel directions.
Consequently, in light of the aforementioned problems, in a setting such as FD-MIMO for MU-MIMO operations there could be alternative methods by which feedback burdens could be drastically reduced relative to convention schemes.

User equipment having channel quality indicator feedback mechanism

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A gas fuel injector includes a first header plate; a second header plate spaced downstream from the upstream header plate; and a plurality of venturi tubes arranged in rows and sealably secured to the first and second header plates. Each of the venturi tubes includes an inlet section, a throat section and an exit. The exit is shaped into a pattern that reduces space between each of the venturi tubes at the exit of each of the plurality of venturi tubes.

The present invention relates to a gas fuel injector for a combustor in an engine.
A present thrust of gas-turbine engine technology seeks to attain reduced emissions of nitrogen-oxygen and unburned hydrocarbon compounds (NOx and UHC, respectively). Prior-art techniques for accomplishing such reduced emissions almost invariably result in reduced thermodynamic efficiency or substantially increased capital costs.
NOx compounds are produced by reaction of the nitrogen in the air at elevated temperatures conventionally found in the combustors of a gas turbine engine. NOx formation can be reduced by reducing the maximum flame temperature in the combustor. Injection of steam into the combustor reduces the maximum flame temperature in the combustor at the cost of thermodynamic efficiency. Penalties must also be paid in water use, and water treatment capital and operating costs. The amount of steam injection, and its attendant costs, rises with the amount of NOx reduction desired. Some states and foreign countries have announced targets for NOx reduction that infer such large quantities of steam that this solution appears less desirable for future systems.
NOx compounds can be removed from the exhaust downstream of a gas turbine engine by mixing a reagent such as, for example, ammonia, with the exhaust stream and passing the resulting mixture through a catalyst before venting to the atmosphere. The catalyst encourages the reaction of the NOx compounds with the reagent to produce harmless components. This technique, although successful in reducing NOx compounds to target levels, requires substantial additional capital outlay for the catalyst bed, a larger exhaust system to provide room for the large catalyst bed and spray bars to deliver the reagent into the exhaust stream. The on-going cost of large quantities of the reagent must also be borne.
The maximum flame temperature can be reduced without steam injection using catalytically supported combustion techniques. A fuel-air mixture is passed through a porous catalyst within the combustor. The catalyst permits complete combustion to take place at temperatures low enough to avoid NOx formation. Several U.S. patents such as, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,534,165 and 4,047,877, illustrate combustors having catalytically supported combustion.
Reduction or elimination of hydrocarbon emissions is attainable by ensuring complete combustion of the fuel in the combustor. Complete combustion requires a lean fuel-air mixture. As the fuel-air mixture is made leaner, a point is reached at which combustion can no longer be supported. The presence of a catalyst also permits combustion of leaner fuel-air mixtures than is possible without the catalyst. In this way, catalytically supported combustion aids in reducing both types of environmental pollution.
One problem, not completely solved by the referenced prior-art patents, is attaining a uniform flow field of fuel-air mixture across the entire face of a catalyst bed. That is, the fuel-air mixture and the gas velocity vary across the face of the catalyst bed, resulting in uneven combustion across the catalyst. This reduces combustor efficiency and can permit unburned hydrocarbons to escape to the exhaust.
In the referenced U.S. Pat. No. 4,047,877 patent, for example, liquid fuel and air are injected into a chamber upstream of the catalyst bed. The fuel-air mixture then flows through the catalyst bed, wherein the fuel and air react. As pointed out in this patent, unburned fuel may exit the catalyst. A gas-fuel burner downstream of the catalyst is relied on to burn this unburned liquid fuel.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,165 patent breaks up the catalytic bed into concentric zones, each having its own liquid fuel and air supply. Although the patent proposes that the advantage of breaking the catalytic bed and fuel-air supply into zones is found in the resulting ability to stage fuel to the individual zones, it might be presumed that the resulting smaller area of catalytic bed fed by each fuel-air supply device may improve the uniformity of fuel-air mixture reaching an enabled zone of the catalytic bed.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,845,952 and 4,966,001 disclose a multiple venturi tube device that employs a plurality of closely spaced parallel venturi tubes disposed in a pair of spaced-apart header plates. The venturi tubes are brazed to the header plates and the perimeters of the header plates are sealed to form a plenum into which pressurized gaseous fuel is supplied. The venturi tubes are arranged in a circular pattern that creates numerous large and irregularly shaped recirculation zones at their exit plane. These large and irregular recirculation zones result in poor flameholding resistance at the exit of the premixer. The recirculation zones downstream of the venturi exits created by the spaces between the venturis may allow a burnable mixture of fuel and air to stabilize in these regions.

Multiple venture tube gas fuel injector for a combustor


A thin-film magnetic head having microwave magnetic exciting function, includes a write magnetic field production unit for producing, in response to a write signal, a write magnetic field to be applied into a magnetic recording medium, a line conductor of a microwave radiator of a plane-structure type, formed independent from the write magnetic field production means, for radiating, by feeding there through a microwave excitation current, a microwave band resonance magnetic field with a frequency equal to or in a range near a ferromagnetic resonance frequency FR of the magnetic recording medium, and two conductors separated from the line conductor in a direction perpendicular to a track-width direction of the thin-film magnetic head and parallel to an ABS of the thin-film magnetic head. The microwave radiator is an inverted micro strip waveguide having the line conductor and a ground conductor constituted by the magnetic recording medium. A section of the line conductor, perpendicular to the track-width direction has a rectangular shape. An aspect ratio B/A is within a region from 0.15 to 1.2 or within a region of 7 or more, where A is a length in a lateral direction of the line conductor, which is in parallel with the ABS and perpendicular to the track-width direction, and B is a length in a longitudinal direction of the line conductor, which is perpendicular to the air bearing surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin-film magnetic head having microwave magnetic exciting function for recording data signal onto a magnetic recording medium that has a large coercivity for thermally stabilizing the magnetization, and to a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus with this thin-film magnetic head.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the demand for higher recording density of a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus such as a magnetic disk drive apparatus, each bit cell in a magnetic recording medium for recording digital information has been miniaturized and, as a result, a signal detected by a read head element in the thin-film magnetic head sways due to such as thermal fluctuation. This causes deterioration in a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), and in the worst case, the signal detected by the read head element may disappear.
It is effective for a magnetic recording medium adopted for the perpendicular magnetic recording scheme that is recently put to practical use to increase perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy Ku of a magnetic recording layer in this recording medium. On the other hand, a thermal stabilization factor S that corresponds to the thermal fluctuation is represented by the following equation (1) and is necessary to have in general 50 or more:S=Ku·V/KB·T  (1)where Ku is perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy, V is a volume of crystal grains that form the recording layer, kB is the Boltzmann constant, and T is an absolute temperature.
According to the so-called Stoner-Wohlfarth model, an anisotropy magnetic field Hk and a coercivity Hc of the recording layer are represented as the following equation (2):Hk=Hc=2Ku/Ms  (2)where Ms is a saturated magnetization of the recording layer.
The coercivity Hc increases with the increase in the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy Ku. In a normal recording layer, however, Hk is higher than Hc.
In order to perform desired inversion of magnetization in the magnetic recording layer in response to data sequence to be written, a write head element of the thin-film magnetic head is required to apply a recording magnetic field having a precipitous rising edge and a level up to about the anisotropy magnetic field Hk of the recording layer. In a hard disk drive (HDD) apparatus adopting the perpendicular magnetic recording scheme, a write head element with a single pole is used so that a recording magnetic field is applied perpendicular to the recording layer from an air-bearing surface (ABS) of the element. Since an intensity of this perpendicular recording magnetic field is proportional to a saturated magnetic flux density Bs of the soft magnetic material that forms the single pole, a material with a saturated magnetic flux density Bs as high as possible is developed and is put into practical use for the single pole. However, the saturated magnetic flux density Bs has the practical upper limit of Bs=2.4 T (tesla) from a so-called Slater-Pauling curve, and a recent value of the saturated magnetic flux density Bs of soft magnetic material closes to this practical upper limit. Also, in order to increase the recording density, the thickness and width of the single pole have to decrease from the present thickness and width of about 100-200 nm causing the perpendicular magnetic field produced from the single pole to more lower.
As aforementioned, due to the limit of recording ability of the write head element, high-density recording becomes difficult now. To overcome such problems, suggested is so-called thermal assisted magnetic recording (TAMR) scheme for recording a magnetic signal on a recording layer of the magnetic recording medium under conditions where the recording layer is irradiated by a laser beam for example to increase the temperature and to lower the coercivity Hc of the magnetic recording layer.
Japanese patent publication No. 2001-250201 discloses a TAMR technique in which electrons are radiated to a magnetic recording medium from an electron radiation source to heat a recording part in the magnetic recording medium so that the coercivity Hc is lowered and thus it is possible to record magnetic information on the medium using a magnetic write head.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,133,230 B2 discloses another TAMR technique in which a laser beam from a semiconductor laser element formed in a perpendicular magnetic recording head is irradiated to a scattering member or near-field light probe formed in contact with a main pole of the head so as to produce a near-field light, and the produced near-field light is applied to the magnetic recording medium to heat it and rise the temperature.
However, there are various difficulties and problems in these TAMR techniques. For example, (1) a structure of the thin-film magnetic head becomes extremely complicated and its manufacturing cost becomes expensive because the head has to have both a magnetic element and an optical element, (2) it is required to develop a magnetic recording layer with a coercivity Hc of high temperature-dependency, (3) adjacent track erase or unstable recording state may occur due to thermal demagnetization during the recording process.
Recently, in order to increase sensitivity of a giant magnetoresistive effect (GMR) read head element or a tunnel magnetoresistive effect (TMR) read head element, study of spin transfer in electron conductivity is made active.
US patent publication Nos. 2007/0253106 A1 and 2008/151436 A1, and J. Zhu, "Recording Well Below Medium Coercivity Assisted by Localized Microwave Utilizing Spin Transfer", Digest of MMM, 2005 disclose application of this spin transfer technique to the inversion of magnetization in a recording layer of a magnetic recording medium so as to reduce a perpendicular magnetic field necessary for the magnetization inversion.
According to this scheme, an alternating magnetic field of high frequency is applied to the magnetic recording medium in a direction parallel to its surface together with the perpendicular recording magnetic field. The frequency of the alternating in-plane magnetic field applied to the magnetic recording medium is an extremely high frequency in the microwave frequency band such as several GHz to 40 GHz, which corresponds to a ferromagnetic resonance frequency of the recording layer. It is reported that, as a result of simultaneous application of the alternating in-plane magnetic field and the perpendicular recording magnetic field to the magnetic recording medium, a perpendicular magnetic field necessary for the magnetization inversion can be reduced to about 60% of the anisotropy magnetic field Hk of the recording layer. If this scheme is put in practical use, it is possible to increase the anisotropy magnetic field Hk of the recording layer and thus it is expected to greatly improve the magnetic recording density without utilizing the complicated TAMR system.
However, according to the conventional technique, since the microwave magnetic field radiation means consists of a write coil wound around a magnetic body or of an individual sub-coil separately formed from the write coil, if a frequency of a microwave signal to be applied more increases, radiation of the microwave magnetic field will occur at a part of the write coil or the sub-coil itself and thus it is impossible to radiate microwave magnetic field toward the magnetic recording medium even when the power supply is increased. Therefore, if the frequency of the microwave signal to be applied more increases, it is quite difficult to increase the anisotropy magnetic field Hk of the recording layer.
The applicant has already proposed a method using a plane-structure waveguide such as a coplanar waveguide (CPW) or an inverted micro strip waveguide (I-MLIN) as for a microwave magnetic field emission means in the microwave-assisted magnetic recording system (for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-242400, filed on Sep. 22, 2008).
According to this method, because a distance between a ground conductor or a grand electrode and a line conductor or a signal electrode minimizes, a strong high-frequency electric field or a strong high-frequency magnetic field can be obtained. This operation uses Coulomb's law in charge distribution, in which the electric field E increases inversely proportional to square of distance r between the electrodes, that is, E=kQ/r2, wherein E is an electric field, Q is an electric charge, k is a constant of proportion, and r is a distance between the electrodes. In other words, using is that a strong electric field and magnetic field can be provided in proportion to the square of a distance when the distance minimizes.
FIGS. 14a and 14b illustrate configurations of CPW and I-MLIN as a microwave magnetic field emission means in the microwave-assisted magnetic recording system, respectively. Both of FIGS. 14a and 14b indicate in sections that are perpendicular to the track-width direction of a thin-film magnetic head. Therefore, right and left directions in the figures correspond to the relative moving direction of a magnetic recording medium, and a perpendicular direction to a plane of the figures corresponds to the track-width direction.
In FIG. 14a, reference numeral 140 denotes a line conductor of CPW, 141 and 142 denote a main pole layer and an auxiliary pole layer of a magnetic write head element arranged at top and bottom side (both sides in FIG. 14a) in a laminated direction of the line conductor 140, and 143 denotes a magnetic recording medium, respectively. In this configuration, the magnetic recording medium 143 is not grounded, and the main pole layer 141 and the auxiliary pole layer 142 are grounded to form a ground conductor of CPW. According to such configuration of CPW, when a microwave current is supplied, electrical flux lines 144 are applied to the ground conductor 141 that is arranged at top and bottom sides in the laminated direction of the line conductor 140 but no electrical flux line is directly applied to the magnetic recording medium. Thus, magnetic field 145 produced to flow perpendicular to the electrical flux lines 144 also reduces itself. In other words, the resonance magnetic field 145 in a longitudinal direction (track direction in the magnetic recording medium surface or substantially in the magnetic recording medium surface) that is perpendicular to the direction of the electrical flux lines 144 toward the surface of the magnetic recording medium 143 becomes weak. This resonance magnetic field 145 is a high-frequency magnetic field in a microwave band at or around a ferromagnetic resonance frequency FR of a magnetic recording layer of the magnetic recording medium 143. However, since the resonance magnetic field 145 is directed to the longitudinal direction or the track direction, even if this magnetic field 145 is applied to the magnetic recording layer during the write operation, it is impossible to reduce a coercive force of the magnetic recording layer so as to decrease the write magnetic field intensity, which is necessary for writing, in a direction that is perpendicular to or substantially perpendicular to the magnetic recording medium surface.
Also, in FIG. 14b, reference numeral 150 denotes a line conductor of I-MLIN, 151 and 152 denote a main pole layer and an auxiliary pole layer of a magnetic write head element arranged at top and bottom side (both sides in FIG. 14b) in a laminated direction of the line conductor 150, and 153 denotes a magnetic recording medium, respectively.
In this case, the magnetic recording medium 153 is grounded, and is utilized as a ground conductor of I-MLIN. According to such configuration of I-MLIN, since it is designed that the ground conductor or the magnetic recording medium 153 located below the line conductor 150 becomes the return of the electrical flux lines when a microwave current is supplied, most of the electrical flux lines 154 are directly applied to the magnetic recording medium 153, and also the magnetic field 155 is concentrated toward a lower position at which the magnetic recording medium 153 exists without laterally spreading. It should be noted however that this operation will occur only when a distance between the line conductor 150 and each of the main pole layer 151 and the auxiliary pole layer 152 arranged at top and bottom sides in the laminated direction of the line conductor 150 is larger than a distance between the line conductor 150 and the magnetic recording medium 153 that is the grand conductor.
To maximize the power emitted from the line conductor 150 in the I-MLIN, it is necessary to collect the electrical flux lines from the line conductor 150 and to emit them to the magnetic recording medium 153. However, the shape and the size of the line conductor 150, which can concentrate the electrical flux lines from the line conductor 150 to the magnetic recording medium 153, have never been brought under review.

Thin-film magnetic head having microwave magnetic exciting function and magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus


Apparatus and methods for signal search in a mobile communication system can process input signals in parallel. A signal searcher apparatus in a communication system can include a first sequential storage device and a second sequential storage device for respectively storing PN codes and input signals. The signal searcher can include a plurality of despreading devices that despread in parallel the input signals having I and Q components by respectively using the PN codes. In a case where the length of coherent accumulation is a plurality of the number of despreading devices, additional buffers store (e.g., temporarily) the accumulated despreaded signals each having I and Q components that are equal to the number of searched PN offsets. According to preferred embodiments of the present invention, pilot signals searching speed can be increased and/or the length of PN offset and coherent calculation can be increased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a CDMA mobile communication system and more particularly, an apparatus and method for searching PN offsets.
2. Background of the Related Art
Generally, a Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA) mobile communication system is made up of at least a mobile station and a base station. The mobile communication system signal, which is modulated and transmitted from the mobile station, is received and then demodulated by the base station, and restored to original signals. At this time, the mobile communication signal includes a pilot signal for time synchronization and an electric power control. The pilot signal is spread with a PN (pseudo noise) code, which is specific to each user's mobile terminal, and is transmitted to the base station. The base station can demodulate the received signals from particular PN offsets, which are time delay offsets of multiple path components and can be found by a search operation.
It is possible to search for the PN offsets by executing the despreading of every possible offset. After the despreading with every possible offset, the energies for each offset are estimated. The demodulation of the received signal is performed from the PN offsets having a bigger energy value than a specific threshold value among a plurality of energy values. The device that performs the above-described operations is generally known as "searcher".
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a related pilot signal searcher. As shown in FIG. 1, a searcher 100 includes a PN (pseudo noise) code generator 1, a despreading device 2, a coherent accumulator 3, an energy calculator 5, a non-coherent accumulator 6, and a sorter 8. An input signal received through an antenna (not shown) is input into the despreading device 2 after being separated into an I (in-phase) component and a Q (quadrature) component. When the I and Q component input signals are both input into the despreading device 2, the PN code generator 1 creates corresponding I and Q PN codes for input into the despreading device 2. The PN code generator 1 generates the PN codes corresponding to one PN offset. The I and Q component input signals are input into the despreading device 2 as many as the number determined at the coherent accumulator 3 and the non-coherent accumulator 6. The despreading device 2 despreads the received input signals by using the inputted PN codes and transmits output signals into the coherent accumulator 3. Output signals from the despreading device 2 are the I and Q components. That is to say, the despreading device 2 despreads the first input signal by using relevant first PN code among the PN codes, and then despreads the second input signals that are input after the first input signal using the next relevant PN code. The above-described operations are repeated according to the number of input signals determined by the coherent accumulator 3 and the non-coherent accumulator 6.
The coherent accumulator 3 accumulates each inputted component (I and Q). The accumulated I and Q components yield an energy value by squaring each component and adding both squared results with an energy calculator 5. To estimate the energy value more accurately, the energy value from energy calculator 5 is averaged for a given period of time by the non-coherent accumulator 6. Here, the energy value means an energy value for one PN offset.
To estimate the energy for different PN offsets, the same process described above is again performed except the PN code changes, which is generated with different PN offset by the PN generator 1. The non-coherent accumulator 6 determines averaged energy values for a plurality of energy values, which are the energy values for possible PN offsets. The process is expressed in the following numerical formula, where the energy value of one offset is:
  E  =            ∑              n        =        1            N                          {                                                            (                                                      ∑                                          m                      =                      1                                        M                                                                                I                                                                    (                                                  nM                          +                          m                                                )                                                              ·                                                                  PN                        i                                                                                (                                                  nM                          +                          m                                                )                                                                                )                            2                                      I                                                                                coherent                                                                                accumulation                                +                                                    (                                                      ∑                                          m                      =                      1                                        M                                                                                Q                                                                    (                                                  nM                          +                          m                                                )                                                              ·                                                                  PN                        q                                                                                (                                                  nM                          +                          m                                                )                                                                                )                            2                                      Q                                                                                coherent                                                                                accumulation                                      }            /      N      where I(.) and Q(.) are the input signal of I and Q components, respectively and PNi and PNq mean the PN code for I and Q, respectively. The numerical formula exemplifies M times of coherent accumulation and N times of non-coherent accumulation.
The sorter 8 sorts the multiple averaged energy values for every possible PN offset from the non-coherent accumulator 6 in a descending order. In this way, if sorting is performed based on an energy mean value yielded for every possible PN offset, a finger manager (not shown) allocates PN offsets, which have bigger energy mean value than a specific energy mean value threshold, to fingers. Then, the fingers demodulate the received signal from the assigned PN offsets.
FIG. 2 is a diagram that illustrates a coherent calculation for one PN offset is 32 PN chip and a non-coherent calculation is 4. As shown in FIG. 2, 32 pieces of input signals for the first 32 PN codes are respectively despreaded, their outputted values are accumulated, then an energy value is determined, and the coherent calculation that outputs one energy value can be performed again. For the next 32 PN codes, the next 32 pieces of input signals are respectively despreaded and the coherent calculation, which outputs one energy value, is again performed. Each energy value is calculated by repeating the same process (e.g., as shown in FIG. 2, twice more) and then, through the non-coherent calculation, which calculates the mean value of these energy values (e.g., 4), an energy value for one PN offset can be calculated.
However, as described above, the related art CDMA mobile communication system has various disadvantages. In the CDMA mobile communication system, the searcher of a base station should search for each time delay for every multiple paths and the signals of many user's mobile terminals. With the related art searcher, there has been a limit to searching for a pilot signal in a high speed. Thus, there exists a need to reduce time to search for PN offsets.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.

Apparatus for searching a signal in mobile communication system and method thereof


A semiconductor sensor for improving manufacturing productivity. Opposing electrodes, or a diaphragm electrode and a fixed electrode, form an electrostatic capacity sensing semiconductor microphone on a microphone chip. A through electrode is formed on the microphone chip by a conductor extending between the upper and lower surfaces of the semiconductor substrate. The through electrode directly and electrically connects a MEMS configuration formed by the diaphragm electrode to the wiring of a printed wiring board without using wire bonding.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor sensor incorporating a diaphragm formed on a semiconductor substrate, and more particularly, to an improvement of an electrical connection configuration for increasing the manufacturing productivity for the semiconductor sensor.
Recently, progress in Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) technology for forming a mechanical component (movable component) and an electrical component on a semiconductor substrate has resulted in development of a microscopic semiconductor sensor incorporating a diaphragm formed on a semiconductor substrate. A diaphragm type semiconductor sensor has been applied to acoustic sensors, pressure sensors, acceleration sensors, and etc.
An example of diaphragm type acoustic sensor is an electrostatic capacity sensing semiconductor microphone described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 60-500841. The electrostatic capacity sensing semiconductor microphone includes a diaphragm electrode, which vibrates in accordance with the sound pressure, and a fixed electrode, which is fixed to the semiconductor substrate. The diaphragm electrode is arranged facing towards the fixed electrode. Vibrations of the diaphragm electrode change the distance between the two electrodes. The change in the distance between the electrodes changes the electrostatic capacity of a capacitor formed by the two electrodes. The electrostatic capacity sensing semiconductor microphone outputs a detected signal in accordance with the voltage change resulting from the change in electrostatic capacity.
Japanese National Phase Patent Publication No. 2004-537182 describes a package for protecting a semiconductor substrate (sensor chip) on which a diaphragm type semiconductor sensor is formed. In the package, the sensor chip is adhered and coupled to a printed wiring board with an IC chip on which a control integrated circuit for the sensor is formed. The surface of the printed wiring board is covered with a cover. The diaphragm is exposed from the sensor chip. Thus, the MEMS configuration of the diaphragm and the like is normally formed in the surface of the semiconductor substrate located opposite to the side to which the printed wiring board is adhered. Thus, in the prior art, the IC chip or the wiring of the printed wiring board is wire bonded to the sensor chip in the package.
To perform wire bonding, a bonding electrode pad must be formed on both surfaces of the printed wiring board and the sensor chip. The electrode pad increases the area for the printed wiring board and the sensor chip and enlarges the package module of the semiconductor sensor.
In wire bonding, a manufacturing defect may be caused due to ultrasonic vibrations generated when connecting wires to the bonding electrode pad. A normal semiconductor device that does not have a MEMS configuration has a rigid bulk structure in which there is substantially no gaps, fine linear portions, and thin portions. Thus, such a semiconductor device has a relatively high resistance with respect to ultrasonic vibration. Comparatively, a semiconductor sensor incorporating movable components such as a diaphragm often includes gaps, fine liner portions, and thin portions. Thus, there is a tendency for manufacturing defects to be caused by ultrasonic vibrations. Particularly, in a microphone for detecting sound, the rigidity of the diaphragm cannot be significantly increased since sensitivity must be increased. Thus, a microphone is more likely to be affected by ultrasonic vibrations than other types of diaphragm semiconductor sensors, such as a pressure sensor, an acceleration sensor, and the like.
Wire bonding increases the manufacturing cost. Generally, gold or aluminum is used for the bonding electrode pad. In a semiconductor device that does not include a MEMS configuration, aluminum, which is relatively inexpensive, is often used as the material for the bonding pad. However, in a semiconductor sensor including a MEMS configuration, a sacrifice layer must be removed with hydrofluoric acid to form movable components. Thus, aluminum must have high solubility with respect to hydrofluoric acid. As a result, gold, which is more expensive, must be used. This increases the manufacturing cost.


An integrated patch antenna is disclosed. The integrated patch antenna receives at least a first and second band of signals. The integrated patch antenna includes a bottom metallization and first and second upper metallizations disposed about a dielectric material to receive the first and second signal bands. The first and second signal bands may be, for example, a satellite digital audio radio systems (SDARS) band and a global positioning system (GPS) band.

It is known in the art that automotive vehicles are commonly equipped with audio radios that receive and process signals relating to amplitude modulation/frequency modulation (AM/FM) antennas, satellite digital audio radio systems (SDARS) antennas, global positioning system (GPS) antennas, digital audio broadcast (DAB) antennas, dual-band personal communication systems digital/analog mobile phone service (PCS/AMPS) antennas, Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) antennas, Tire Pressure Monitoring System antennas, and other wireless systems.
Currently, patch antennas are typically employed for reception and transmission of GPS [i.e. right-hand-circular-polarization (RHCP) waves] and SDARS [i.e. left-hand-circular-polarization (LHCP) waves]. Patch antennas may be considered to be a 'single element' antenna that incorporates performance characteristics of 'dual element' antennas that essentially receives terrestrial and satellite signals. SDARS, for example, offer digital radio service covering a large geographic area, such as North America. Satellite-based digital audio radio services generally employ either geo-stationary orbit satellites or highly elliptical orbit satellites that receive uplinked programming, which, in turn, is re-broadcasted directly to digital radios in vehicles on the ground that subscribe to the service. SDARS also use terrestrial repeater networks via ground-based towers using different modulation and transmission techniques in urban areas to supplement the availability of satellite broadcasting service by terrestrially broadcasting the same information. The reception of signals from ground-based broadcast stations is termed as terrestrial coverage. Hence, an SDARS antenna is required to have satellite and terrestrial coverage with reception quality determined by the service providers, and each vehicle subscribing to the digital service generally includes a digital radio having a receiver and one or more antennas for receiving the digital broadcast. GPS antennas, on the other hand, have a broad hemispherical coverage with a maximum antenna gain at the zenith (i.e. hemispherical coverage includes signals from 0° elevation at the earth's surface to signals from 90° elevation up at the sky). Emergency systems that utilize GPS, such as OnStar™, tend to have more stringent antenna specifications. Unlike GPS antennas, which track multiple satellites at a given time, SDARS patch antennas are operated at higher frequency bands and presently track only two satellites at a time.
Although other types of antennas for GPS and SDARS are available, patch antennas are preferred for GPS and SDARS applications because of their ease to receive circular polarization without additional electronics. Even further, patch antennas are a cost-effective implementation for a variety of platforms. However, because GPS antennas receive narrowband RHCP waves, whereas, SDARS antennas receive LHCP waves with a broader frequency bandwidth, both applications are independent from each other, which has resulted in an implementation configuration utilizing a first patch antenna for receiving GPS signals and a second patch antenna for receiving SDARS signals.
Because multiple patch antennas are implemented for receiving at least a first and second band of signals, additional materials are required to build each patch antenna to receive each signal band. Additionally, the surface area and/or material of a single or multiple plastic housings that protects each patch antenna is increased due to the implementation of multiple patch antenna units, which, if mounted exterior to a vehicle on a roof, results in a more noticeable structure, and a less aesthetically-pleasing appearance.
Thus, cost and design complexity is increased when multiple patch antennas are implemented for reception of at least a first and second band of signals, such as, for example, GPS and SDARS signals. As such, a need exists for an improved antenna structure that reduces cost, materials, and design complexity.


Improved compositions for dyeing or printing textile materials of natural or synthetic fibers or mixtures of the two comprise polyaspartic acid or a derivative thereof and, if appropriate, wetting agents, emulsifiers, leveling agents, dispersing agents, reducing agents, oxidizing agents, solubilizing agents, defoamers, reist agents, pH regulators, complexing agents or several of these as further components.

The present invention relates to compositions for dyeing or printing textile materials of natural or synthetic fibers or mixtures thereof, which have a content of polyaspartic acid (PAA) or a derivative thereof. The invention furthermore relates to a process for dyeing or printing these textile materials using the compositions according to the invention, and the use of these compositions for dyeing or printing the textile materials mentioned.
In the course of dyeing processes on textile materials of natural and/or synthetic fibers or during printing of these textile materials, problems of a varying nature frequently occur, for example in respect of the levelness, the stability of the liquors or printing pastes or the formation of running creases. In most cases, a satisfactory solution to these problems has been successfully arrived at by addition of auxiliaries which it has been possible to optimize for the problem referred to. In most cases, however, the biological degradability of the auxiliaries employed is unsatisfactory, leading to heavy pollution of the particular waste waters. Examples of auxiliaries with an inadequate biological degradability are sulfonated naphthalene-formaldehyde condensates, oxyethylated fatty amines, ligninsulfonates and polymers or copolymers of (meth)acrylic acid.

Composition for dyeing or printing textile materials


The conference room automation apparatus employs a processor-based integrated movement sensor, lights, cameras, and display device, such as a projector, that senses and interprets human movement within the room to control the projector in response to that movement and that captures events occurring in the room. Preferably packed in a common integrated package, the apparatus employs a layered software/hardware architecture that may be readily extended as a platform to support additional third-party functionality.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
The conference room in most office environments will typically have a projector equipped with an analog video (VGA) connector, or sometimes a digital video connector, designed to be plugged into a user's laptop computer during the meeting. Control and use of the projector is strictly a manual operation. A user must physically plug his or her laptop into the projector, lower the room lights using conventional wall-mounted controls, point the projector at a suitable wall or projection screen, adjust the tilt angle of the projector, and focus. If another presenter wishes to project information from his or her laptop, the first laptop must be disconnected, the second laptop plugged in. If it is desired to project onto a different surface than originally selected, the projector must by manually moved.

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA


A semiconductor structure including a capacitor having increased capacitance and improved electrical performance is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate; and a capacitor over the substrate. The capacitor includes a first layer including a first capacitor electrode and a second capacitor electrode, wherein the first capacitor electrode is formed of a metal-containing material and is free from polysilicon. The semiconductor structure further includes a MOS device including a gate dielectric over the substrate; and a metal-containing gate electrode on the gate dielectric, wherein the metal-containing gate electrode is formed of a same material, and has a same thickness, as the first capacitor electrode.

Metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors and metal-oxide-metal (MOM) capacitors are among the most widely used capacitors in integrated circuits. FIG. 1 illustrates a typical MIM capacitor, which includes bottom plate 2, top plate 6, and insulation layer 4 therebetween. The bottom plate 2 and top plate 6 are formed of conductive materials.
As is known in the art, the capacitance of a capacitor is proportional to its area and the dielectric constant (k) of the insulation layer, and is inversely proportional to the thickness of the insulation layer. Therefore, to increase the capacitance, it is preferable to increase the area and the k value and to reduce the thickness of the insulation layer. However, the thickness and the k value are often limited by the technology used for forming the capacitor. For example, the thickness cannot be less than what the existing technology allows. On the other hand, since the capacitors are often formed in low-k dielectric layers, the ability to increase the k value is also limited.
Methods for increasing the area of the capacitor have been explored. A problem associated with increasing area is that greater chip area is required. This dilemma is solved by the introduction of vertical (multi-layer) capacitors. A typical vertical MOM capacitor 10 is shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of MOM capacitor 10, which includes metal electrodes 12 and 14 separated by dielectric materials. Each of the metal electrodes 12 and 14 forms a three-dimensional structure. For clarity, metal electrode 12 is not shaded, while metal electrode 14 is shaded with dots.
Each of the metal electrodes 12 and 14 includes more than one layer interconnected by vias. FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of a first metal layer (please refer to the middle layer in FIG. 2). Metal electrode 12 includes fingers 122, and bus 121 for interconnecting fingers 122. Metal electrode 14 includes fingers 142, and bus 141 for interconnecting fingers 142. Fingers 122 and 142 are placed in an alternating pattern with a very small space between the neighboring fingers. Therefore, each finger 122/142 forms a sub capacitor(s) with its neighboring fingers 142/122 or a bus 141/121. The total capacitance is equivalent to the sum of the sub capacitors.
FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of the capacitor 10 in a second metallization layer (refer to the top or the bottom layer in FIG. 2), which overlies the bottom metallization layer. Typically, the direction of the fingers in the second metallization layer is orthogonal to the direction of the fingers in the bottom metallization layer. Similarly, electrodes 12 and 14 in the second metallization layer include buses 121 and 141 and a plurality of fingers 122 and 142, respectively. Typically, buses 121 in all the layers have similar shapes and sizes and are overlapped vertically. Buses 141 in all the layers also have similar shapes and sizes and are overlapped vertically. Vias 16 connect buses 121 in the first and the second metallization layers, thereby forming an integral electrode 12. Similarly, vias 18 connect buses 141 in neighboring layers, thereby forming an integral electrode 14.
To further increase the capacitance of MOM capacitors, the regions underlying the bottom metallization layer were also used to form a layer of the MOM capacitors. The resulting structure is similar to the structure as shown in FIG. 2, except that layer 1 of the MOM capacitor 10 is now formed in an inter-layer dielectric layer. Referring back to FIG. 3, in this case, electrodes 12 and 14 are formed of doped polysilicon, and layers 1 and 2 are interconnected by contact plugs, instead of vias.
The introduction of the polysilicon MOM layer results in the increase in capacitance of the MOM capacitors. However, the use of polysilicon causes the degradation of the high-frequency response of the MOM capacitors, particularly at frequencies of about 1 GHz or higher. For example, the Q-factors of the capacitors having polysilicon layers may be degraded by about 74% compared to the MOM capacitors that have all layers formed of metals. Accordingly, new structures and manufacturing methods are needed to take advantage of the increased capacitance by forming a capacitor layer underlying the bottom metallization layer, without sacrificing high-frequency response.

Capacitors integrated with metal gate formation

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


In one example, an ink supply assembly that may be installed into a printer as a single unit while holding ink includes a first sub-assembly having a primary container to hold ink and a secondary container enclosing the primary container and configured to fit inside the printer. The assembly also includes a a second sub-assembly having an ink supply to receive ink from the primary container through a conduit and to deliver ink to a printhead.

Conventional off-axis ink supply systems for higher volume inkjet printers usually include a set of large, replaceable ink containers connected to the printhead(s) through flexible tubes with some sort of backpressure regulation. These ink supply system components are provided separately to the printer factory where they are assembled into the printer.
The same part numbers designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A uniformity and stabilizing system comprising a stabilizing ring used in conjunction with a balanced tire wheel assembly wherein the stabilizing ring destroys, absorbs, and dampens vibrations including those caused by non-uniformities in the tire. The stabilizing ring comprises either a solid ring or a cartridge having at least one interior chamber, the interior chamber filled with a flowable media. The stabilizing ring may be used in combination with balance weights.

A typical motor vehicle is generally characterized as comprising an unsprung mass and a sprung mass. The unsprung mass generally consists of all of the parts of the vehicle not supported by the vehicle suspension system such as the tire/wheel assembly, steering knuckles, brakes and axles. The sprung mass, conversely is all of the parts of the vehicle supported by the vehicle suspension system. The unsprung mass can be susceptible to disturbances and vibration from a variety of sources such as worn joints, misalignment of the wheel, brake drag, irregular tire wear, etc. Because vehicular tires support the sprung mass of a vehicle on a road surface and such tires are resilient, any irregularities in the uniformity or dimensions of the tire, any dimensional irregularities in the wheel rim, and/or any dynamic imbalance or misalignment of the tire/wheel assembly will cause disturbances and vibrations to be transmitted to the sprung mass of the vehicle thereby producing an undesirable or rough vehicle ride, as well as reducing handling and stability characteristics of the vehicle. Severe vibration can result in dangerous conditions such as wheel tramp or hop and wheel shimmy (shaking side-to-side).
It is now standard practice to reduce these adverse vibrational effects by balancing the wheel rim and tire assembly by using a balance machine and clip-on lead weights or lead tape weights. The lead balance weights are placed on the rim flange of the wheel and clamped in place in a proper position, or adhered to the wheel in the case of tape weights, as directed by the balancing machine. In general terms, balance is the uniform distribution of mass about an axis of rotation, where the center of gravity is in the same location as the center of rotation. A balanced tire/wheel assembly is one where the mass of the tire/wheel assembly mounted on the vehicle's axle is uniformly distributed around the axle. Balancing is an improvement and will reduce the vibration of the tire/wheel assembly in comparison to an unbalanced tire/wheel assembly.
Another method of balancing is provided by balancing rings. Balancing rings typically comprise a 360 degree annular tube partially filled with weights (typically less than 50% of the tube) in combination with a damping fluid which typically fills the remainder of the tube. The tubes are typically attached adjacent the wheel flange. The most common commercial balancing ring is produced by Centramatic, which uses steel shot in oil. The balance ring works by making use of centrifugal force to distribute the steel shot inside the tube to compensate for dynamic tire balance. As the tire/wheel assembly rotates, the steel shot in the tube will flow away from a heavy spot of the tire until such time as the out of balance situation is corrected. The centrifugal force holds the weight against the outside of the balancing tube. The key to balancing rings is that the weight in the ring must be able to move within the tube to counter the heavy spot of the tire. Therefore a balance ring does not have a constant mass about its circumference, either at rest or in use on a tire/wheel assembly.
However, even perfect balancing of the tire/wheel assembly does not necessarily mean that the tire will roll smoothly. Even a perfectly balanced tire can have severe vibrations due to non-uniformities in the tire which result in unequal forces within the tire footprint.
A level of non-uniformity is inherent in all tires. In the art of manufacturing pneumatic tires, rubber flow in the mold or minor differences in the dimensions of the belts, beads, liners, treads, plies of rubberized cords or the like, sometimes cause non-uniformities in the final tire. When non-uniformities are of sufficient magnitude, they will cause force variations on a surface, such as a road, against which the tires roll and thereby produce vibrational and acoustical disturbances in the vehicle upon which the tires are mounted. Regardless of the cause of the force variations, when such variations exceed the acceptable minimum level, the ride of a vehicle utilizing such tires will be adversely affected.
While gains have been made in the ability of the average tire shop to diagnose, measure, and correct vibration of a tire/wheel assembly due to imbalance, run out, and non-uniformity force variations, there remains a need in the art to provide stability to the unsprung mass of the vehicle to combat tires that may have excessive force variations due to non-uniformity. It is unrealistic to believe or expect that all of the tires that do not meet the radial force limitations of the vehicle will not find their way onto a vehicle. Accordingly, it would be an advantage to provide a uniformity and stabilizing system to help improve the performance of the population of tire/wheel assemblies as a whole.

Uniformity and stabilizing system for a tire/wheel assembly


A method for measuring a first magnetic field and the temperature of a magneto-resistive transducer includes producing, by the magneto-resistive transducer, a measurement signal dependent on the intensity of the first magnetic field and on the temperature of the magneto-resistive transducer. The method includes establishing a measurement of the intensity of the first magnetic field on the basis of the measurement signal produced and a measurement of the temperature of the magneto-resistive transducer. The method also includes generating a second magnetic field to combine with the first magnetic field to form a resultant magnetic field. The method further includes extracting from the measurement signal, the component which is dependent solely on the second magnetic field and establishing the temperature of the magneto-resistive transducer on the basis of the component extracted.

Known methods for measuring a first magnetic field and the temperature of a magneto-resistive transducer comprise:                the production, by the magneto-resistive transducer, of a measurement signal dependent on the intensity of the first magnetic field, this measurement signal also being dependent on the temperature of the magneto-resistive transducer,        the establishment of a measurement of the intensity of the first magnetic field on the basis of the measurement signal produced, and        the establishment of a measurement of the temperature of the magneto-resistive transducer.
The measurement of the temperature of the magneto-resistive transducer is for example useful for temperature-compensating the measurement of the first magnetic field or the measurement of the current which generates this first magnetic field. It has been proposed in application US 2005/0077890 to use the same magneto-resistive transducer to measure both the first magnetic field and the temperature. In this document, the first magnetic field is generated by a current Im to be measured flowing in an electrical conductor placed in proximity to the magneto-resistive transducer. When the temperature of the magneto-resistive transducer has to be measured, the current Im is interrupted and then replaced with a current Ic whose characteristics are known. The measurement signal generated by the magneto-resistive transducer varies, for a given current Ic as a function of the temperature. Thus, by fixing the current Ic it is possible to measure the temperature with the aid of this magneto-resistive transducer.
This method is particularly advantageous since the same magneto-resistive transducer is used to measure the temperature and the first magnetic field.
However, measurement of the temperature makes it necessary to interrupt the current Im. But, when the current sensor described in US 2005/0077890 is used, for example, to measure the current in a phase of an electric motor, it is not possible to interrupt the current Im.
Prior art is also known from:                US2010/231213A1, and        HAN et Al: "Novel zero-drift detection method for highly sensitive GMR biochips", IEEE Transactions on magnetics, IEEE Service center, New York, US, vol. 42, No. 10, 1 Oct. 2006.

Method and device for measuring a magnetic field and the temperature of a magneto-resistive transducer

Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives


Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an air-based flyer, comprising: a food preparation chamber (1); an air moving device (2) for moving air in the food preparation chamber to generate air flow; a heating device (3) for heating the air flow generated by the air moving device (2) so that the heated air flow can heat the food; an air filter (4) adapted for filtering air from the food preparation chamber (1). The air-based flyer according to the present disclosure avoids discharging fume into the surroundings, and can take away water vapor generated upon cooling timely and improve the cooking quality.

An air-based fryer is an appliance capable of using hot air to cook or fry food. The air-based fryer enables hot air to flow over the food to increase heat transfer to the food and thereby reduce the cooking duration.
Prevalence of the air-based fryer in the market benefits from its capability of preparing food with much less oil as compared with conventional oil fryer. However, the already known air-based fryers still cause fume during use, particularly when fatty food is cooked at a temperature of above 140 centigrade degrees. This cooking fume is one of the main drawbacks of the air-based fryer, as it contains tiny particles to pollute air, and therefore causes long-lasting unpleasant fume smell. In addition, the cooking fume generated by the air-based fryer may further trigger the sending of an alarm of a fume detector or an air purifier.