A method for operating a LED lighting system has three or more LED emitters of different colors. The method allows finding the optimal drive setting for each LED emitter of the system, taking into account a specific target color. The method involves providing calibration data for each LED emitter at a plurality of values of drive setting and junction temperature, and executing a drive recursion loop calculating the drive setting of each emitter based on an input value for the temperature of each emitter and in view of the target output color and of the calibration data. Advantageously, this can be accomplished without measuring the color emitted by the LED lighting system, that is, no color feedback is required. A LED lighting system implementing the method is also disclosed.

Light-emitting diodes (LED) light sources, emitting either white light or colored light, are used for numerous applications such as interior and exterior lighting, decorative lighting, entertainment and the like. It is a recognized problem of the lighting industry that LED light sources must be carefully controlled in order to provide the best possible trade-off between requirements such as good electrical efficiency, high light intensity, color stability and color rendering.
In LED lighting systems having multiple LED emitters, the driving conditions of each emitter must be properly calibrated and controlled. Optimum driving conditions for each emitter must simultaneously take into account a specific target output color point as well as specific target light source intensity, and maintain both parameters stable over variations of environment temperature. In order to minimize the cost and complexity of a lighting system, it is desirable that appropriate LED driving conditions be obtained without resorting to color feedback, i.e., without measuring the light source emitted color, as this would require using expensive color sensors.
Identification of an appropriate drive condition for each LED emitter of a lighting system is nontrivial, since the color emitted by a LED emitter depends on the injected current and the LED junction temperature. As the LED dissipates heat when lit, the junction temperature is itself dependent on a number of parameters including the injected current, the junction voltage drop, the environment temperature and the efficiency at which the heat flowing from the junction to the environment is dissipated.
The drive condition of LED sources is often controlled by acting on the time-averaged forward current injected in the LED using some kind of current pulse modulation. A typical example is a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) drive where the LED intensity is typically controlled by adjusting the duty cycle of a pulsed current waveform having constant predetermined maximum and minimum values (the latter being possibly set to zero). Various PWM schemes are known in the literature and may use a fixed or variable pulse frequency, constant or variable current values and complex waveforms. However, pulsed drive methods are affected by electromagnetic interference (EMI) problems and suffer from limitations on the achievable modulation depth. Furthermore, recent physiological studies demonstrate that slow PWM may create uncomfortable flickering of light. Minimizing the perceived flickering requires high frequency (>300 Hz) PWM, which may be hard and costly to implement.
PWM is nevertheless often chosen for LED driving as it is an energy efficient current modulation method. Furthermore, its implementation is relatively straightforward as the LED intensity is an approximately linear function of the PWM duty cycle.
Constant Current (CC) regulation is an alternative driving method that creates no flickering, low EMI and allows for larger variations of LED intensity. However, it can be energetically inefficient and cause large color variations.
Depending on the application, one method may be preferred over the other. Hence, it would be advantageous to provide a color control method which is applicable with all LED drivers, independently on the type of current control scheme.
Several methods based on simple linear models relating the junction temperature of each LED emitter to the emitted color are known in the art. However, these methods are effective only over a limited range of temperatures where the linear approximation is valid. Such methods may be inadequate for outdoor lighting subjected to largely-varying temperatures over the year. Furthermore, the temperature of a LED emitter can be highly dependent on the LED casing and the efficiency of the heat dissipation in the lighting source design. Dimming control adds to this problem as a LED dimmed to low intensity will experience a junction temperature near the environment temperature, while a fully lit LED may have a junction temperature many tens of degrees above the temperature of the environment.
The quality of the light generated by a LED lighting system affects the perceived colors of an illuminated scene: the color rendering property of a LED system is then another factor to be taken into account. Color rendering can be characterized using the CRI (color rendering index), which is a color rendering metric standardized by the CIE (Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage), or the CQS (Color Quality Scale), which is an alternative metric proposed by the NIST. For example, it is recognized in the literature that a CRI of at least 90 is desirable for lighting applications. The quality of color rendering is particularly meaningful for LED lighting systems that generate white light. A minimum of three primary colors are required for additive color synthesis of white light. LED lighting systems with only three LED emitters cannot provide white light with a CRI of at least 90. LED-based lighting systems having four or more LED emitters with different "primary" colors can be used to reach or to exceed the CRI threshold of 90 if appropriately controlled. However, one faces additional challenges when controlling LED lighting systems having more than three LED emitters with different "primary" colors. There remains a need in the field of high-end lighting applications employing additive color synthesis of white light for a LED control method capable of providing simultaneously a specified target white shade, a specified target intensity, and maximum color rendering as permitted by the controlled LED system.
The method should further allow maintaining these specified targets for the intensity and white shade over variations of environment temperature. Shades of white light are typically described by the light CCT (Correlated Color Temperature), but can also be described as a target color point in an appropriate color space.
There remains a need for a LED control method capable of maintaining a specified target light color over variations of light intensity (LED dimming) and environment temperature, without resorting to color feedback.
The known control methods rarely use the optimization of a color rendering metric as parameter for the control of LED emitters. In fact, the implementation of control methods that optimize the LED output according to a color rendering metric may be very demanding in terms of resources. The CRI color rendering metric (CRI) and many alternatives (such as the CQS) are based on a measurement of the light source spectrum. This requires the use of a spectrometer, a complex instrument that measures the light source spectrum. It is not convenient to include color feedback based on such an instrument as its cost is high.
Finally, there remains a need for a practical control method for operating a LED lighting system that can be effective over a large temperature range, and is applicable for various LED casing designs and for large dimming levels.

Controlled operation of a LED lighting system at a target output color


Fasteners, and related methods, for securing deck boards to a support joist are disclosed. In one embodiment, the fastener comprises a base portion and a cap portion on the base portion. In some embodiments, the base portion includes an opening formed therethrough for receiving a securing device, and legs extending from an upper surface of the base portion and between edges of adjacent deck boards to define a spacing between the adjacent deck boards. The cap portion can include an opening for receiving the securing device therethrough to secure the fastener to the support joist. In addition, the cap portion may include legs extending around the base portion and comprising teeth extending therefrom that bite into grooves formed in the edges of the adjacent deck boards when the securing device secures the fastener to the support joist, thereby securing the deck boards to the support joist.

Decks and other outdoor structures are becoming increasingly popular as homeowners spend more time outside of their homes. Decking assemblies typically include horizontal floors raised above the ground. Often such decking assemblies are attached adjacent to residential and commercial buildings. Other uses for such decking assemblies are boardwalks, boat docks, stairs, benches and bridges. Such decking assemblies are often formed from a substructure formed with joists and headers. Several deck boards are then transversely fixed across the joists of the sub-frame, in a generally parallel relationship, by way of nails or screws driven through the top surface of the boards.
The use of nails with wooden deck boards in conventional decking assemblies, however, exhibits several shortcomings, such as compromised structural integrity, difficulty in assembly, and limited aesthetic appeal. For example, with hammering it is easy to miss the head of the nail and cause unsightly dents and scratches on the top surface of the boards. Additionally, both nails and screws are prone to rusting, thus discoloring the top surface of the boards and weakening the nail. This, in turn, compromises the structural integrity of the decking assembly. Also, nails and screws have the tendency to cause wood to split, and to work up from their placements when stressed, further compromising the structural integrity of the decking assembly. Moreover, it is difficult to achieve a uniform spacing for each deck board.
Other shortcomings of conventional wood decking assemblies include the vulnerability of wood to dramatic climate changes. This results in the constant expansion and contraction of conventional wood decking assemblies, which often causes cracking and weakens the entire structure. Additionally, the appearance of nails and screws from the top of the deck boards of conventional decking assemblies results in an aesthetically displeasing appearance. Equally as significant, the use of nails or other fasteners driven into wood boards makes disassembly and repairs of decking assemblies difficult. As such, disassembled boards typically include nail markings and holes from previous assembly, and are not easily re-used. In assemblies that employ screws instead of nails, pre-drilling of the decking boards could be done to avoid wood splitting and other problems, but this adds further time and expense to the decking project.
Additionally, homeowners are also building more elaborate and expensive decks. Because of the expense involved in such decks, customers often do not want to be limited to conventional "soft" lumber for the primary deck boards and other decking structures. Specifically, the beauty and lifespan of soft lumber products can be significantly less than hardwoods, such as cumaru and Brazilian walnut, and modern synthetic materials, such as weatherproof composite. Unlike conventional treated lumber deck boards, which are typically nailed or screwed to underlying joists as described above, hardwood deck boards and composite deck boards are typically secured with alternative fastening means.
For example, clip-on boards have been proposed as an alternative to nails. These deck boards are usually shaped in such a way as to dictate only one manner of installation. This asymmetry can cause problems with installation and maintenance, when later needed. Additionally, clip-on boards are typically not secure and can be removed without any tools, making them structurally weak. Similarly, tongue and groove deck boards have been proposed to be used in association with anchor clips that bend into place. However, this often results in a weaker structure with clips that are susceptible to rust and loosening. Moreover, tongue and groove assemblies typically do not allow for drainage of water, that accompanies a typical freeze and thaw cycle.
In view of the problems associated with these alternative techniques for deck assembly, hidden fasteners have gained popularity for composite and hardwood decks. Hidden fasteners or clips provide a more finished appearance free of visible nail and screw holes. Such hidden fasteners are typically inserted into pre-cut or biscuit jointer slots formed in the edges of the deck boards, and then screwed to the underlying joists to hold the deck boards against the joist. Unfortunately, conventionally available deck fasteners and clips suffer from several limitations that limit their utility. For example, many conventional fasteners are constructed of brittle materials and easily break when installed if over-tightened. Even if such fasteners do not break during installation, they often do not provide significant holding force for the deck boards, which may result in loose deck boards over time. Conventional deck fasteners are also often difficult to install and do not effectively grip the deck boards, often causing the boards to shift relative to one another, especially over time, resulting in uneven gaps between the deck boards. Accordingly, an improved hidden deck fastener, and related method of assembling a deck, that is desirable that does not suffer to shortcomings of known decking assemblies techniques.

Hidden decking fastener and related method of fastening deck boards

Building Materials Investment Corporation


The present invention pertains to a data-providing component securing mechanism for a printing apparatus reservoir. According to embodiments of the present invention, a securing mechanism is provided with an image-formation-material reservoir. The securing mechanism includes a drawer-style support feature having two guiding regions that interact with sides of the data-providing component when it is inserted therein. Upon complete or substantially complete insertion of the data-providing component into the drawer-style support feature, a retention feature is engaged at an opening end of the drawer-style support feature in order to retain the data-providing component in its engaged position. Consequently, the data-providing component can be secured without the use of external bonding agents, and can be removed from the drawer-style support feature intact, thereby allowing such data-providing component to be reused.

Conventional ink jet printing technologies use printheads that have nozzles that eject ink onto a substrate. The ink is provided from one or more ink tanks communicatively connected to the printhead. A challenge in the ink jet printing industry has been to accurately determine when ink has been depleted or is about to be depleted from an ink tank. One conventional solution to this problem has been to attach a data storage device, such as a computer-accessible memory, commonly referred to as a "smartchip," to the ink tanks. The smartchip stores information relating to an amount of ink remaining in the ink tank. As ink droplets are transferred from the ink tank to the printhead and expelled onto the substrate (or are consumed by maintenance operations), a number stored in the smartchip representing the remaining amount of ink is decreased. Alternatively, a number stored in the smartchip representing the amount of ink that has been used (starting from a known initial amount) is increased. In either case, the information is related to an amount of ink remaining in the ink tank. In this way, the information stored by the smartchip may be used to predict when the ink tank will run out of ink.
A smartchip may consist of an integrated circuit chip which is encapsulated such that electrical contacts are provided on one surface. These smartchips have conventionally been manufactured as stand-alone devices without any independent means for attaching them to other devices. Accordingly, some conventional techniques for securing a smartchip to an ink tank 102 have involved the use of adhesives, as shown in FIG. 1. For example, an ink tank 102 has a smartchip 106 attached thereto with an epoxy-dot adhesive 110. In other words, in order to bond the smartchip 106 to the ink tank 102, a machine applies dots of an epoxy adhesive 110 to seams between the smartchip 106 and the ink tank 102 in order to bond the smartchip 106 to the ink tank 102. In these conventional arrangements, solder may be used in place of the epoxy adhesive 110. Another conventional scheme involves applying an adhesive tape or backing 112 on a back side of a smartchip 108. The smartchip 108 with the adhesive tape/backing 112 is then pressed onto the ink tank 104 in order to adhere it thereto.
Shortcomings of these conventional techniques include the use of too little adhesive, which causes poor adhesion. In this case, a risk exists that the smartchip 106, 108 may become dislodged from the ink tank 102, 104 respectively. Alternatively, especially in the case of epoxy dot adhesion 110, too much adhesive may be used. In this case, a risk exists that the adhesive 110 may cover contacts 107 on the smartchip 106. An additional shortcoming of these conventional techniques is that the adhesive may permanently attach the smartchip 106, 108 to the ink tank 102, 104, respectively, especially in the case of too much adhesive or solder being used. In this case, the smartchip 106, 108 may be damaged if detached from the ink tank 102, 104, respectively. This case may be troublesome when ink tanks 102, 104 are recycled and the smartchip 106, 108 is desired to be reused for another device. An additional shortcoming, especially in the case of the pressure backed adhesive 112, is that pressure must be applied to the smartchip 108 in order to attach it to the ink tank 104. In this case, a risk exists that such pressure may damage the smartchip 108.
Accordingly, a need in the art exists for a solution to attaching a smartchip to an ink tank that reduces one or more of the shortcomings described above.

Data-providing-component securing mechanism for printing apparatus reservoir


A method for generating an engineering database using lookup tables includes creating multiple table sets for generating the engineering database, inputting multiple pieces of control information for controlling respective ones of the multiple datasets, and inputting multiple lookup tables corresponding to each of the multiple pieces of control information.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a method for generating a database and, more particularly, to a method for generating an engineering database using lookup tables. In particular, the method relates to the degree of freedom in the kind and number of independent variables.
2. Description of Related Art
When a database is generated using lookup tables, the structure of the lookup table becomes more complicated with an increase in the number of independent variables, and thus the generation of the database is time-consuming. Also, it is problematic in that it is necessary to generate different respective databases for various kinds of independent variables.
Meanwhile, an engineering database is configured such that lookup tables therein contain numeric data and such that the amount of data increases with an increase in the number of independent variables.

Method for generating database using lookup table


An apparatus which determines the load-displacement and flexibility characteristics of an anatomical joint. The apparatus includes a first frame for receiving a first body portion and a second frame for receiving a second body portion which is pivotable with respect to the first body portion. A pivot assembly is interconnected between the first frame and the second frame such that the second frame is pivotable with respect to the first frame about first and second frame pivot axes. The body portions are positioned on the frames such that the first and second joint pivot axes are generally aligned with the first and second frame pivot axes, respectively. Angular potentiometers are used to determine the angular displacement of the second frame with respect to the first frame about at least one of the first and second frame pivot axes upon application of at least one force to the second body portion. Torque sensors are also provided for determining a torque about at least one of the first and second frame pivot axes upon application of the force. The determined angular displacement and torque are indicative of the load-displacement and flexibility characteristics of the joint.

To date, the clinical assessment of joint pathology, such as ligament injuries, equinus and other joint deformities, is subjective in nature. The clinician primarily relies on the manual manipulation of the joint. During clinical examination, the clinician obtains a subjective "feel" for the amount of laxity or stiffness that is present in the involved joint as compared to the clinician's previous experience regarding what the normal joint stiffness should feel like and/or as compared with the intact contralateral joint. This clinical examination is then supplemented by the patient clinical history and by radiological evaluations. Moreover, the assessment of the effectiveness of treatment, be it cast therapy, surgery, etc., is completely subjective and relies to a great extent on feedback from the patient. Consequently, there is a need for a quantitative, reliable technique to assess the flexibility of a joint for the purposes of contributing to the clinical management of joint pathologies.
Aside from the need for a more objective assessment of joint pathologies, there is also a need for providing an objective analysis in the design and evaluation of footwear. That is, there is a need to determine the level of support (three dimensional load-displacement and flexibility characteristics) provided to a joint such as the ankle joint by athletic footwear and to evaluate the quality of fit of this footwear. Currently, athletic shoes and other foot and ankle supporting devices are designed purely on an intuitive basis. There is no objective means for determining the quantitative support provided by a particular footwear design to provide the designer with sufficient feedback to rationally modify the design of the footwear for better performance.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method which will allow a clinician and footwear designer to determine the load-displacement and flexibility characteristics of a joint and footwear, respectively. The present invention is directed to ascertaining the angular and linear displacement of the joint about and along its pivot axes produced in response to applied torques and forces about and along the axes. Accordingly, the present invention provides an objective quantitative, reliable technique to assess the load-displacement and flexibility characteristics of anatomical joints which greatly contributes to the clinical management of joint pathologies as well as to the design of footwear.

Apparatus and method for determining load-displacement and flexibility characteristics of a joint


A semiconductor lamp comprises a housing in which a driver is accommodated and at least one contact pin protruding from the housing outwards, wherein the contact pin is tubular and riveted to the housing and the driver is connected to the contact pin via an electrically conductive connection element which is inserted into a cavity of the contact pin. A method serves for producing a semiconductor lamp, wherein at least one tubular contact pin is inserted into a feedthrough of a housing from outside till the contact pin abuts the housing, the contact pin is next riveted with the housing on the inside and a driver is inserted into the housing, whereby an electrically conductive connection element is inserted into the contact pin. The invention is particularly applicable to LED retrofit lamps for replacing bipin halogen lamps, in particular MR16 lamps.

Hitherto, a light-emitting diode (LED) lamp is elaborately assembled from several elements in several process steps in a production line or manually. Conventional MR16 retrofit lamps have a GU5.3 compatible base which comprises two contact pins or simply "pins". An electronic driver 101, shown in FIG. 4A in an oblique view partially, of a conventional LED MR16 retrofit lamp 100 can be supplied with electrical energy through the contact pins 102 and converts it into operation signals for the LEDs (not shown). For this purpose, the driver 101 is equipped with and soldered to the contact pins 102. As shown in FIG. 4B in an oblique view partially, the driver 101 is plugged into a housing 103 during a final assembly of the LED MR16 retrofit lamp 100. In doing so, the contact pins 102 are guided from the inside through respective feedthroughs 104 out of the housing 103 such that they protrude from the housing 103 outwards. The contact pins 102 are fastened to the housing 103 in a form-fit manner without or only with a slight friction-fit. This fastening is not suited to avoid a force transmission to the driver 101 during the plug-in action of the LED MR16 retrofit lamp 100 into a socket, as an insertion force F acting on the contact pins 102 is directly transmitted to the driver 101 during the insertion of the LED MR16 retrofit lamp 100. To absorb the insertion force F before it further affects a housing cover, a cooling element, a light source module, optics and/or still other elements (not shown) through the driver 101 and might destroy the LED MR16 retrofit lamp 100, hitherto expensive and highly precise construction solutions for fastening or additional manufacturing steps are necessary.
Thus, in a known version the driver can be "potted" in the lamp; however, a not negligible possibility remains that the driver can still be pushed out. Further disadvantages are that an additional time-consuming production step for filling the ("potting") mass is necessary, waiting periods for curing the potting mass of up to eight hours are required, a weight of the lamp is increased, a lifetime of the connection of the potting mass to the housing is unknown, additional costs for the potting mass have to be considered and problems concerning the tightness of the feedthroughs during potting the lamp can occur.
In another known version an adhesive can be filled into the housing to secure the contact pins against being pushed out during inserting the LED lamp into the socket. For this purpose, an additional station in the production line is disadvantageously required. Also, a substantial time requirement for curing the adhesive is needed. Moreover, problems concerning the tightness of the feedthrough can occur also with gluing the LED lamp.
In still another known version a circuit board equipped with the LEDs can be screwed to the housing, which, however, can disadvantageously result in a tension on the driver, in particular on its driver circuit board. Additional costs for the screws also arise. Furthermore, problems with a glass bulb can result.

Semiconductor lamp with tubular contact pins


In a method of producing an information recording medium, any recording film is not substantially formed on the slope portions of a substrate in which slope portions having surfaces non-parallel to the surface of the information track of an information recording medium are provided on the opposite sides of the information track. A recording film of a predetermined film thickness is formed on the information track.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of producing an information recording medium, and an information recording medium produced by the method.
2. Related Background Art
Various optical recording media and magnetic recording media are known as information recording media comprising a substrate and recording film formed thereon. An optical recording medium for recording information thereon correspondingly to a change in an optical state detectable by light permits higher density and has been put into practical use as an optical disc or an optical card. Changes in an optical state formed on the optical recording medium include recess and projection bits, the presence or absence and deformation of reflecting film, changes in refractive index, reversal of magnetization, etc. Among these, reversal of magnetization is detected as a change in the polarized state of reflected light, and another form, it is detected as a change in the quantity of reflected light.
Also, in the case of such an optical detection system, a mechanism of tracking and focusing is adopted to direct light to a predetermined place during recording and reproduction. As an element constituting the setup thereof, a groove called a guide groove is usually formed on the medium. This groove is usually not used for recording. However, in recent years, in order to make the density higher, it has been proposed to record on this groove (called the land/groove recording system) as well,, as is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 6-34907.
In this case, the bottom surface of the groove is a flat surface parallel to a land surface and a substrate surface. The groove refers to a portion which is recessionary as viewed from a side on which information tracks are formed. In order to achieve still higher density, it is conceivable to make the track pitch small and achieve narrow tracks, and in that case, as a contrivance for not destroying the data of adjacent tracks, it has been proposed to make the level difference between a land portion and a groove portion, i.e., the depth of the groove, great, as is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 9-161321.
In a recording mode for inducing such a change in the optical state by the application of a laser beam for heating, the size and shape of a state change area (recording mark) formed are determined by a temperature distribution induced on the recording film by localized heating. The temperature distribution induced on the recording film is affected by heat diffusion in the direction of the film surface. Therefore, even when the amount of incident heat per unit time is made constant and a heating area is moved at a constant linear velocity, the temperature distribution formed changes in a complicated manner, depending on the movement distance or the distance from a heated area.
Therefore, when a heating operation simply corresponding to information is performed, the width of a mark formed by an information pattern fluctuates. If such a mark train is time-serially read out by the scanning of a light beam, the timing jitter of mark detection increases and so, there is the risk that the original information cannot be properly reproduced.
To avoid this problem, various recording compensation systems for adjusting the amount of incident heat per unit time or the heating time or the like in conformity with the information pattern have been proposed. But, in this case, there is the problem that recording means becomes complicated.
Also, when using the known magnetron sputter method, a recording film is formed on a substrate on which the interval between information tracks is narrowed for higher density to thereby make a medium. A recording film generally uniform in the direction of the film surface is formed as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B of the accompanying drawings. Therefore, when recording or erasing is effected on the track by the application of a laser beam for heating, there arises the problem of cross write or cross erase that information pits preserved on adjacent tracks are destroyed by the heat diffusion to the adjacent tracks through the film surface.
Also, there has been the problem that the application of a system using guide grooves for servo as well on the opposite sides of an information track as an information track (the land/groove recording system) is difficult because, as shown in FIG. 14C of the accompanying drawings, the width of the groove is narrow. The greater becomes the depth of the groove, the lesser becomes the amount of adherence of the film to the bottom of the groove, such that a recording film having a characteristic equal to a land cannot be formed on the guide groove.
Further, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 6-290496, the inventor proposes a magneto-optical recording medium in which a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer and a third magnetic layer are successively laminated; the first magnetic layer has a magnetic wall coercivity smaller than that of the third magnetic layer; and the second magnetic layer has the Curie temperature lower than the Curie temperatures of the first magnetic layer and the third magnetic layer.
The inventor also proposes a high density recording-reproducing method of displacing the magnetic wall of the first magnetic layer present in the boundary portion of a recording mark by a temperature gradient by the use of this magneto-optical recording medium, and detecting the reversal of magnetization resulting from this displacement of the magnetic wall as a change in the polarized state of reflected light.
In this method, it is desirable to stabilize the displacement of the magnetic wall and to improve the reproducing characteristic that the magnetic wall of the forward boundary portion and the magnetic wall of the rearward boundary portion of the recording mark be separately formed independently of each other.
If a recording film is formed on a substrate according to the prior art to thereby make such a medium, a recording film is formed that is generally uniform in the direction of film surface. It has been difficult to form such a recording mark such that the front and rear magnetic walls are completely separate from each other. The reason why a recording film is formed that is uniform in the direction of the film surface is that molecules and atoms which have flown out of an evaporation source collide with one another before they reach the substrate or collide with inert gas atoms used during evaporation. Therefore, the directions in which they fly become random and they impinge on the substrate at various angles. Therefore, after the formation of the recording film, the opposite sides of the track have been annealed by a laser beam of high output to thereby carry out the process of causing the magnetic film on the side of the track to change in quality or disappear, and form a recording mark so as to extend over this processed portion, thereby separating the front and rear magnetic walls from each other.
There has also been the problem that, because the guide groove is annealed, the application of a system in which the guide grooves for servo on the opposite sides of an information track are also used as information tracks (the land/groove recording system) is difficult. The reason for this is that, as shown in FIGS. 13, 14B and 14C, the directions of the atoms impinging on the aforementioned substrate are random, whereby the number of atoms and molecules adhering to the land portion and adhering to the bottom of the groove before they reach the groove decreases. Therefore, the same characteristic and film thickness as those on the land are not obtained.

Information recording medium and method for producing the same


A device for transcoding during an encryption-based access check of a client device to a databank, which provides a data set in an encrypted area, has: a unit for assigning a specific access level of the client device and for providing a corresponding first group key of the client device as a function of a registration parameter, wherein the client device is allowed access to a first area, which is encrypted using the first group key, and all areas of the database subordinate to the first area as a function of the assigned access level; a unit for providing a classification result depending on a classification of the data set of the particular area by one of the client devices allowed to access the particular area; and a unit for transcoding the data set and/or a data set key for the data set as a function of the classification result.

Such a database can provide different datasets of different content in different encrypted areas. Examples of such provided datasets are dynamic data, such as e.g. streaming video or streaming audio data. These can be transmitted as a continuous data stream, what is referred to as a "media stream", from the database to a client or to a client device. The transmission of the continuous data stream takes place via an internet connection, for example. Text or image files would also be further examples of non-dynamic data.
In this case access to one or more of the encrypted areas can be permitted and consequently enabled for a specific group of clients or client devices.
The necessity for different access permissions for different groups of client devices, referred to as different access levels, arises for example as a result of statutory requirements which dictate that data provided via the internet must be classified, in particular in order to prevent unauthorized parties from accessing said data. An example of this is the well-known classification of video data or video films into FSK12, FSK16 or FSK18 and the like.
As far as the service provider of the datasets is concerned, the requirement for classification can also result from the provider's desire or responsibility to provide differentiated content to its different customers or customer communities.
Conventionally, the datasets requiring to be filtered or classified are filtered or classified offline on the server side prior to their transmission. This means disadvantageously that the entire content of the data must be filtered or classified before it can be made available for transmission in order to establish for which customer community or, as the case may be, for which clients belonging to a specific authorization, for example FSK16 or FSK18, specific datasets are to be or can be released.
To provide access control for the different client devices or groups of client devices there conventionally exists a central authority or instance, an application on a server of the database for example, which performs the filtering or classification of the datasets.
Disadvantageously, access control by the central authority or instance is static, i.e. the dataset is classified once in advance and subsequently retains its classification within the database.

Method and device for transcoding during an encryption-based access check on a database


A microelectronic device including an insulator located over a substrate, a semiconductor feature and a contact layer. The semiconductor feature has a thickness over the insulator, a first surface opposite the insulator, and a sidewall spanning at least a portion of the thickness. The contact layer has a first member extending over at least a portion of the first surface and a second member spanning at least a portion of the sidewall.

The present disclosure relates generally to microelectronic devices and, more specifically, to a microelectronic device having a multi-sided source/drain silicide or other contact, a method of manufacture therefor, and an integrated circuit incorporating the same.
Transistors and other semiconductor devices typically include source and drain regions on opposing sides of a gate stack. Vias or other interconnects extend through one or more dielectric layers over the transistors, thereby contacting the source and drain regions to interconnect the transistors. Conventionally, the areas of the source and drain regions contacted by the vias include a silicide layer to decrease resistance between the vias and the source and drain regions.
However, as device scaling continues, the source and drain regions and the silicide contacts become progressively thinner. Consequently, the contact resistance at the junction between the vias and the source and drain regions becomes increasingly difficult to maintain within desired quantitative ranges.
Device scaling is also limited by the diameter of the vias and other interconnects extending through the interlevel dielectric layers of the interconnect structure. That is, while the feature size of active devices may be further decreased, a minimum contact area must be maintained for each source and drain region contacted by a via in order to decrease the contact resistance at the junction thereof and provide sufficient ohmic contact.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a device and method of manufacture thereof that addresses the above-discussed issues.

SOI MOSFET with multi-sided source/drain silicide

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


This invention relates to a process for the production of overbased metal salts of hydrocarbyl dithiophosphoric acid comprising:. a) treating hydrocarbyl dithiophosphoric acid with an effective amount of phosphorus sulfide at a temperature within the range of from about 50.degree. to about 200.degree. C.; and. b) neutralizing the treated hydrocarbyl dithiophosphoric acid with an amount of metal oxide;. whereby the effective amount of phosphorus sulfide is sufficient to form a basic metal salt of the dithiophosphoric acid having a base metal to phosphorus ratio within the range of from about 1.15:1 to about 1.3:1.

This invention relates to a process for the production of metal salts of hydrocarbyl dithiophosphoric acid particularly, overbased metal salts of hydrocarbyl dithiophosphoric acid.
It is well known that various additives can be used in lubricating oils in order to improve certain oil properties and to make a more satisfactory lubricant. For example, antiwear agents are intended to decrease wear of machine parts. Wear inhibitors for incorporation in motor oils and industrial oils are finding greater use as a result of greater stress placed on moving parts in high performance engines. Numerous other additives have been developed for use in such oil compositions to improve the lubricating characteristics thereof and thereby to lessen the wear of the moving parts.
Of the antiwear agents, the metal salts of hydrocarbyl dithiophosphoric acid, such as the diaryl and dialkyl dithiophosphates, especially zinc dithiophosphates, have long been used as antiwear additives and antioxidants in hydraulic oils, motor oils, automatic transmission fluids and the like. Processes for the production of metal salts of hydrocarbyl dithiophosphoric acid are well known. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,838,555; 3,848,032; 4,085,053; 4,123,370; 4,215,067; and 4,263,150 incorporated herein by reference. In a typical reaction, four equivalents of a hydroxy compound are reacted with phosphorus pentasulfide in the presence of a catalyst. Once formed, the hydrocarbyl dithiophosphoric acid is then separated from the reaction mass, and subsequently neutralized with an excess of metal base such as zinc oxide.
An important characteristic in determining the antiwear properties of the overbased metal salt of hydrocarbyl dithiophosphoric acid is the metal to phosphorus ratio. Typically, the metal to phosphorus ratio should be no less than about 1.15:1 and most preferably greater than about 1.20:1. However, variations in reactants and process conditions result in undesirable variations in the metal to phosphorus ratios of the products thus formed. If the metal salt of dithiophosphoric acid has too low a metal to phosphorus ratio, blending of the reaction product with a product having a higher metal to phosphorus ratio is required. It is desirable therefore to provide a process which will more consistently result in a clear reaction product having a metal to phosphorus ratio of no less than about 1.15:1.

Process for metal salts of hydrocarbyl dithiophosphoric acid


The present invention is directed to a packaging system and apparatus for transporting digital media, such as DVDs or compact discs. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the packaging system includes an inner pocket made of high-density polyethylene fiber material for retaining digital media such as DVDs or compact discs, a protective jacket made of reinforced material such as cardboard into which the inner pocket may be inserted, a light-weight envelope with an opening into which the protective jacket and the inner pocket containing the digital media may be inserted, where the envelope has a detachable lid for sealing the envelope.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a system and apparatus for protecting digital media such as compact discs or DVDs so as to provide protection of the digital media during physical transport of the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Internet has popularized the purchase and rental of digital media via mail. Rather than purchasing or renting DVDs or video game discs (e.g., Xbox, Play Station, or Game Cube games) from traditional rental stores, many consumers are using the Internet to select and rent or purchase digital media, which are typically delivered to the consumer via U.S. mail or via any number of the commercial mail carriers. The ability to rent or purchase digital media over the Internet eliminates the need to visit traditional stores, and in many instances allow the consumer to select from a greater selection of available digital media.
Because digital media such as DVDs or compact discs are relatively thin and can be damaged from excessive bending or mangling, and because fragile items can be subject to a variety of damage causing conditions during mail transport, it is necessary to protect the digital media during transport in order to prevent damage to the digital media. One conventional method of mailing digital media is to simply use the manufacture's original protective packaging, such as the original compact disc or DVD casing. However, due to their relatively large size and heavy weight, it can be expensive to mail the digital media in their manufacturer original packaging.
Another method of transporting digital media via mail is to use thick cardboard like envelops so as to provide rigid support to the digital media contained therein. Because thick cardboard envelope are heavier than regular envelope, they are more expensive to acquire and to mail.
The present invention aims to overcome the disadvantages of the above-discussed methods by providing a system of protection for digital media during mail transport while keeping the cost of transporting the digital media to a minimal level.

System and apparatus for protecting digital media


A built-in test system for aircraft indication switches comprises a plurality of aircraft indication switches and a first resistor adding network having input resistors individually connected to first contacts of different ones of the indication switches. The test system further includes a second resistor adding network having input resistors individually connected to second contacts of different ones of the indication switches. Output circuitry is provided for coupling outputs of the first and second resistor adding networks to an electronic control unit for the aircraft.

This invention relates to test systems for aircraft indication switches and is particularly useful in connection with thrust reverser indication switches on turbojet powered aircraft.
Most present day turbojet aircraft employ thrust reverser mechanisms for reversing the direction of jet flow from the engines for purposes of braking the forward movement of the aircraft. Inadvertent deployment of the thrust reversers during normal flight can adversely affect the performance of the aircraft, even to the point of losing control of the aircraft. For these reasons, various indication switches are associated with different parts of the thrust reverser mechanisms for monitoring their status and warning of undesired conditions. Unfortunately, one or more of the indication switches may themselves become defective and cause an alarm that may be falsely identified as a system failure. It would be desirable, therefore, to be able to identify the occurrence of a switch failure as a switch failure and not a thrust reverser or other system failure and to identify the particular switch that failed. This would enable appropriate corrective action to be taken with a minimum negative impact to thrust reverser or other system availability.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a device capable of detecting and identifying that the occurrence of a thrust reverser or other system switch failure is not indicative of an actual thrust reverser or other system failure.
One aspect of the present invention provides a built-in test system for aircraft indication switches for identifying the occurrence of a switch failure and the identity of the particular switch that failed. The test system comprises a plurality of aircraft indication switches for providing information on various aircraft functions. The test system further includes a first resistor adding network having input resistors individually connected to first contacts of different ones of the indication switches. The test system also includes a second resistor adding network having input resistors individually connected to second contacts of different ones of the indication switches. The test system additionally includes circuitry for individually coupling the outputs of the first and second resistor adding networks to an electronic control unit for the aircraft.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of testing aircraft indication switches. This method includes the step of monitoring first contacts of a group of aircraft indication switches for obtaining first indications of switch status. This method also includes the step of monitoring second contacts of the same group of aircraft indication switches for obtaining second indications of switch status. The method further includes the step of comparing the first and second indications for determining the occurrence of a switch failure.
For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further advantages and features thereof, reference is made to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the scope of the invention being pointed out in the appended claims.

Built-in test system for aircraft indication switches


A method includes displaying a left panel and a central panel, where the left panel is contiguous to the central panel and oriented on a left side of the central panel. A first selection on the left panel is detected. Content is displayed on the central panel responsive to the first selection. A second selection from the content on the central panel is detected. The central panel is displayed together with a right panel responsive to the second selection. The right panel is contiguous with the central panel and oriented on a right side of the central panel. The left panel is removed in response to the second selection. A third selection on the right panel is detected. The left panel displays choices. The central panel includes different content associated with one of the choices. The right panel includes functions for operation on selected content.

Consumers have an increasing amount of on-demand media content available to them. For example, on-demand media content includes visual content (e.g., movies, television shows, still images), audio content (e.g., music), and software applications (e.g., games).
With an increasing amount of on-demand content available, it becomes more challenging to find and select content of interest. Consumers also have an increasing number of choices on where to buy, rent or consume this content. With the increase of available content and content provider choices, it becomes more challenging for the consumer to find the right content from the right content provider. For example, some content is available free for paid subscribed users; other content is available without charge and without a subscription; and yet other content is available for rent or purchase on an individual basis.
Thus, there is a need for improved techniques for evaluating on-demand media content.

Method and apparatus for content browsing and selection


A method for forming a silicon oxide gate oxide dielectric layer upon a silicon semiconductor substrate employed within a microelectronics fabrication. There is provided a silicon semiconductor substrate. There is then formed upon the silicon semiconductor substrate, empolying thermal annealing of the silicon semiconductor substrate at an elevated temperature in a gas mixture of oxygen, hydrogen and a diluent gas, a silicon oxide gate oxide dielectric layer with enhanced dielectric properties and more precise control of the silicon oxide dielectric layer thickness.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the manufacture of semiconductor microelectronics fabrications. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for forming gate oxide insulation employed in field effect transistors within semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronics fabrications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern microelectronics technology is largely based on the ability to fabricate electronically functional devices of such small dimensions within semiconductor single crystal substrates that the density of electronic devices is approaching 10.sup.6 per square centimeter. This density has been achieved by constant improvements in the methods and materials employed within the microelectronics fabrication art, and by development of ever more simple and compact device designs and structure, Thus, the field effect transistor (FET) is about one order of magnitude smaller in may important aspects of its incorporation into a semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronics fabrication than a comparable bipolar transistor (BIP). It has become increasingly more desirable to employ such field effect transistor (FET) devices in the design of large arrays of electronic circuits to be implemented as semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronics fabrications. Although many forms of the FET device are known, the most widely employed embodiment is the semiconductor FET device fabricated within a silicon single crystal substrate. Such field effect transistor (FET) devices commonly employ a metallic or other conductive material as the gate electrode layer and a dielectric material such as silicon oxide as a gate insulating layer upon a semiconductor substrate, and are therefore commonly referred to as metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices.
A critical component of a field effect transistor is the gate insulation layer. This gate insulation layer comprises a thin dielectric layer across which an electrical potential between an adjacent gate electrode and a semiconductor channel formed between source and drain regions controls the density of electrical charge carriers in the semiconductor channel. Thus the potential difference or voltage on the gate electrode modulates the flow of current in the FET device between source and drain regions without the gate electrode itself conducting any electric current, since the gate dielectric layer blocks any such current form flowing. Thus the FET device operates with a high input impedance which can be readily switched from a conducting to a non-conducting state, which is an important characteristic in the functioning of microelectronics circuit applications.
In order for the FET device to operate efficiently, the gate insulation layer is desirable as thin as is practicable so that the electric field due to the voltage on the gate electrode can be high for small values of the applied gate voltage. From a different perspective, the gate insulation capacitance is desirably as high as practicable, so that the induced charge carrier density in the conduction channel adjacent to the gate insulation region is also high for a given applied voltage. This is equivalent to requiring as thin a gate insulation dielectric layer as is practicable, as before. Typically, the silicon oxide gate insulation in a silicon semiconductor FET device is of the order of 100-200 angstroms in thickness, with applied gate voltages of the order of 5 volts, so that the electric field within the silicon oxide gate oxide is about 2.5.times.10.sup.6 to about 5.times.10.sup.6 volts/centimeter. This electric filed is not far below the maximum electric field that a silicon oxide dielectric material can withstand without electrical breakdown.
The gate insulation for a silicon field effect transistor (FET) device is typically formed by thermal oxidation of silicon to form a silicon oxide dielectric layer, empolying methods and materials developed to produce within that silicon oxide dielectric layer a high quality dielectric material in terms of freedom from defects and uniformity of physical properties. It has been found that high purity oxygen to which certain other high purity gases have been added is the most satisfactory medium for the thermal oxidation of silicon to form useful silicon oxide gate insulation for FET devices within silicon semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronics fabrications, for example, additional gases including but not limited to halogen containing gases such as hydrogen chloride and trichloroethane and reducing gases such as hydrogen and water vapor have been reported to produce beneficial effects when added to pure oxygen to form the silicon oxide gate insulation by thermal oxidation.
Although the thermal oxidation of silicon in high purity oxygen with added gases to form the silicon oxide gate insulation is widely practiced, it is not without problems. The rate of formation of the silicon oxide and the microstructure of the silicon oxide layer are often less than optimum with respect to controlling the thickness and uniformity of the silicon oxide gate oxide layer, which leads to problems in the design, manufacture, yield, performance and reliability of the integrated circuit microelectronics fabrications employing the FET devices.
It is therefore towards the goal of forming within a silicon semiconductor substrate within a semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronics fabrication an improved silicon oxide gate oxide layer that the present invention is more specifically directed.
Various methods and materials have been disclosed within the are of semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronics fabrication to form the silicon oxide gate oxide insulation of silicon FET devices.
For example, Pong et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,210,056, disclose a method for forming silicon oxide gate oxide dielectric layers with improved resistance to electrical breakdown. The method employs annealing of a silicon substrate in nitrogen while increasing the temperature to a level where oxidation of the silicon will take place, and then changing the gaseous environment to a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen to form the silicon oxide in a "wet" oxidizing ambient, followed by a second annealing in nitrogen while first raising the substrate temperature further and then lowering it to the starting point. The method produces silicon oxide dielectric layers with improved resistance to electrical breakdown, presumably by reducing the incidence of defects such as micropores and excessively thin regions in the silicon oxide dielectric layer.
Further, Chau et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,843, disclose a method for forming silicon oxide dielectric layers suitable for use as gate oxide dielectric layers at thicknesses below 100 angstroms. The method employs a multiple oxidation of a silicon substrate, first in dry oxygen with added trichloroethane, which is then followed by oxidation in a "wet" environment of water vapor formed by pre-combustion ("torching") of oxygen and hydrogen to form the water vapor. Finally, an annealing or stabilization step and return to initial conditions is performed in a nitrogen environment. Thicker composite silicon oxide layers may be formed by depositing a first silicon oxide dielectric layer upon the silicon substrate followed by the method of the invention upon which a second silicon oxide layer is formed by a deposition method.
Finally, Yang et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,611, disclose a method for forming a composite silicon oxide dielectric layer fo ruse as a gate oxide dielectric layer in a MOS device. The method employs a first silicon oxide dielectric layer deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (DVD) upon a silicon substrate followed by thermal oxidation in a wet environment produced by pre-combustion of oxygen and hydrogen to form a second silicon oxide dielectric layer intermediate between the substrate and the first silicon oxide dielectric layer.
Desirable in the art of microelectronics fabrication are additional methods and materials useful in forming improved gate oxide dielectric layers within substrates employed within microelectronics fabrications. More particularly desirable are methods for forming silicon oxide gate oxide dielectric layers with improved properties and better control of the formation process within silicon semiconductor substrates empolying thermal oxidation environments.
It is towards these foregoing goals that the present invention is generally and specifically directed.

Wet oxidation method for forming silicon oxide dielectric layer

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company


An improved shaped article comprising a thermoformed composite sheet, which is a layer of thermoplastic polymer attached to a surface of a lightweight conformable fabric, the other surface of the fabric being attached to a layer of rigid foam, provides the article with improved wall thickness uniformity and impact resistance.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a shaped article comprising a thermoformed composite sheet having an outer surface layer of thermoplastic polymer attached to a surface of a conformable fabric layer. In particular, the invention concerns such a shaped article in which the other surface of the fabric layer of the composite sheet is attached to a layer of rigid foam.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional thermoforming processes are described by Lubin, "Handbook of Composites", Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1982, pages 366-367. Such processes generally involve sequential steps of (a) heating a thermoplastic sheet until it softens, (b) forming the softened sheet in a mold and (c) allowing the formed sheet to cool and harden. When thermoforming is used to mold a thermoplastic sheet into a large article, such as the interior surface of a bathtub, sink, canoe hull, or the like, the sheet undergoes a large increase in area, often by a factor of three or more, along with a corresponding decrease in thickness. However, during thermoforming, regions of the thermoplastic sheet that are subjected to large changes in area and/or contour (e.g., in corners and edges of the shaped article) often suffer from excessive and nonuniform thinning, which in turn leads to lower impact resistance and greater fragility. To compensate for such undesired thinning thinning, extra reinforcement to such regions is provided by using a much thicker starting thermoplastic sheet for the thermoforming. This results in a heavier and more expensive molded article.
Composite sheets comprising thermoplastic sheets laminated to a fabric layer are known for use in thermoforming processes. Although such materials may have been useful in thermoforming, improvements in the formed product are desired, particularly in minimizing thinning of the formed walls and in increasing the impact resistance of the exposed plastic surface.
To alleviate the wall-thinning problems associated with thermoforming of large articles, the present inventor found that considerable improvements in wall uniformity can be achieved by using a thermoformable composite sheet having a layer of thermoplastic polymer adhered to a relatively light, conformable, nonwoven fibrous layer stitchbonded with an elastic thread, which fabric amounts to no more than 20% of the total weight of the composite sheet. Although these composite sheets reduce undesired thinning during thermoforming, the utility of shaped articles formed therewith would be further enhanced if the articles also had improved resistance to cracking under impact. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide increased impact resistance to such thermoformed shaped articles.

Shaped article with thermoformed composite sheet


A level control system for an omnibus, especially a low-loading omnibus, having an omnibus body supported on axles and wheel suspension, is comprised of a compressed air system that is self-contained for each axle. The following vertical adjustments are possible: during a stop of the omnibus at a bus stop, the omnibus body is pivoted about a longitudinal median floor level axis for lowering the omnibus body at a passenger boarding side and the opposite side is raised by internally pumping the compressed air from the pneumatic springs of the boarding side to the pneumatic springs on the opposite side at each axle. After the completion of the stop at the bus stop, the compressed air is returned to the pneumatic springs on the boarding side so that the omnibus resumes its normal position. In this manner, the compressed air is kept in a self-contained system and is not lost to the atmosphere. Accordingly, there is no need to provide further compressed air to the system, thus reducing the amount of energy required for operating such a system; the power necessary for the internal pumping or transfer of the compressed air is small in comparison.

The invention relates to an omnibus and more particularly to a low loading omnibus whose body is supported by pneumatic springs on the axles or on the wheel suspensions.
In the case of low loading omnibuses in accordance with the prior art there has been the possibility of lowering the omnibus body at a bus stop on the side of the vehicle having the passenger doors in order to render it possible for invalid chairs or the like to be wheeled on board and to alight and for baby carriages to be loaded and unloaded. For this so-called kneeling operation--see FIG. 1 of the drawings--air is discharged from the pneumatic springs on one side into the atmosphere, while the vehicle remains fully supported on the pneumatic spring on the other side of the omnibus. Although this design fulfills the intended purpose to a considerable extent, there is the disadvantage of a large power requirement leading to increased fuel consumption and the emission of more exhaust gas, because for refilling the discharged pneumatic springs for lifting the omnibus body to the normal height compressed air has to be supplied by a compressor.


A vehicle occupant safety apparatus (10) comprises a sensor (12) for sensing a vehicle crash condition and a control module (14) for receiving a signal from the sensor (12) and generating a demand-to-fire signal if the crash condition is above a threshold level. The apparatus (10) further comprises a plurality of restraint modules (20) for, when actuated, helping to protect a vehicle occupant. Each restraint module (20) has at least one initiator (22) that is energizable to actuate the restraint module (20). A restraint communication bus (58) transfers the demand-to-fire signal from the control module (14) to the restraint modules (20). A connector (66) is associated with each initiator (22). Each initiator (22) and the associated connector (66) collectively form a transformer (80). The demand-to-fire signal is inductively coupled to the initiator (22) for actuating the restraint module (20).

The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant safety apparatus and, more particularly, to a vehicle occupant safety apparatus having an actuatable restraint module.
A known vehicle occupant safety apparatus includes a plurality of actuatable restraint modules. Each restraint module includes an initiator that is energizable to actuate the restraint module. The initiator includes two pins that extend outwardly from a main body portion of the initiator. A connector is associated with each initiator. The connector includes two receptacles, each sized for receiving a pin of the initiator. When the pins of the initiator are received in the receptacles of the connector, the initiator and the connector become electrically connected. Two electrical wires extend from the connector. One electrical wire connects to each receptacle of the connector. The two electrical wires also connect to a control module. The control module communicates with the initiator via electrical signals that are transmitted through the electrical wires.
Since two electrical wires are associated with each restraint module in a vehicle, the wires of the known apparatus in total require a relatively large space. Additionally, the electrical wires associated with the restraint modules of the vehicle add weight to the vehicle.
The present invention is a vehicle occupant safety apparatus. The apparatus comprises a sensor for sensing a vehicle crash condition and generating a signal indicative of the crash condition. The apparatus also comprises a control module for receiving the signal from the sensor and generating a demand-to-fire signal if the crash condition is above a threshold level. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of restraint modules for, when actuated, helping to protect a vehicle occupant during a crash condition. Each restraint module has at least one initiator energizable to actuate the restraint module. A restraint communication bus is connected to the control module and transfers the demand-to-fire signal from the control module to the restraint modules. A connector is associated with each initiator for receiving the demand-to-fire signal from the control module. Each initiator and the associated connector collectively form a transformer. The demand-to-fire signal is inductively coupled to the initiator for actuating the restraint module.

Vehicle occupant safety apparatus with restraint communication bus and transformer connections


An apparatus for mounting a plate on a plate cylinder includes a plate lockup device, reference pins, and a lamp. The plate lockup device is provided in a gap formed in the circumference surface of the plate cylinder. The reference pins are electrically rendered conductive by an insertion end of a plate inserted to a gripper surface of the plate lockup device, thereby detecting insertion of the plate. The lamp confirms and indicates insertion of the plate from an output from the reference pins.

The present invention relates to a plate mounting apparatus in a printing press, which winds, on the circumferential surface of the plate cylinder, a plate having one end gripped by a leading-side plate lockup device provided in the gap formed in the outer circumferential surface of a plate cylinder, and causes a trailing-side plate lockup device in the gap in the outer circumferential surface of the plate cylinder to grip the other end of the plate, thereby mounting the plate on the plate cylinder.
In a general printing press, leading- and trailing-side plate lockup devices each including a plate lockup table and gripper plates pivotally supported by the plate lockup table are provided in a gap formed in the outer circumference surface of the plate cylinder. The leading end of a plate is gripped by the leading-side plate lockup device by the opening and closing operations of the gripper plates, and wound on the circumferential surface of the plate cylinder by rotating the plate cylinder by almost one revolution, and thereafter the gripper plates are opened and closed so that the trailing-side plate lockup device grips the trailing end of the plate, so that the plate is mounted on the plate cylinder.
In the printing operation, an ink and water are supplied to the surface of the mounted plate to form an image, and the image is transferred to paper being transported directly or through a blanket cylinder, thereby printing the image. In this printing operation, when the plate is distortedly mounted, the image is distortedly printed, degrading the quality of the printed matter. Especially, in multicolor printing, the different colors are misregistered to largely degrade the quality of the printed matter. For this reason, at the time of conventional plate making, U-shaped reference pin holes are formed in the leading end of the plate, and the plate is made with reference to these reference pin holes. Simultaneously, reference pins are provided on the plate gripper portion of the leading-side plate lockup device, and the plate is mounted while engaging the reference pin holes of the plate with these reference pins.
In such a conventional plate mounting apparatus, however, the gripper plates of the leading-side plate lockup device are opened, the end portion of the plate is inserted in the plate cylinder, the U-shaped bottom portion of the reference pin hole is brought into contact with the reference pin to position the plate, and the gripper plates are closed. That is, since whether the reference pin hole contacts the reference pin is confirmed according to the sense of the operator, a skilled operator is required. However, variations caused by the degrees of skills of the operators are inevitable, and satisfactory positioning precision cannot always be obtained. When high-precision positioning cannot be performed, a degradation in printing quality is caused.

Apparatus for mounting plate on plate cylinder


An electronic device with external antenna identification function includes a plurality of external antenna modules, each of which includes an antenna and an identification tag unit for generating a specific identification signal to identify the external antenna module according to a query signal, a connection port, a identification tag authorizing module, coupled to the connection port, for outputting the query signal when one of the plurality of external antenna modules is connected to the connection port and for generating a identification result according to the specific identification signal generated by the external antenna module, and a radio transceiver module, coupled to the connection port and the identification tag authorizing module, for transmitting and receiving corresponding radio signals according to the identification result.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electronic device capable of identifying external antennas, and more particularly, to an electronic device capable of automatically identifying connected external antenna modules by reading identification tags set on the external antenna modules.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to satisfy all kinds of applications and wireless communications demands, when designing antennas of mobile terminal apparatuses, signal frequencies, being received or transmitted, have to be taken into consideration for meeting specification requirements of wireless techniques, such as wireless local-area networking (WLAN), Bluetooth, mobile communications, global positioning system (GPS), digital TV and worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), etc. Furthermore, for hand-held mobile terminal apparatuses like mobile telephones, personal digital assistants (PDA) or ultra mobile PC (UMPC), the weight and the volume have to be reduced as much as possible for increasing the carrying convenience. Thus, how to design multi-frequency antennas in limited spaces of the hand-held mobile terminal apparatuses is a major challenge.
In this case, external antenna design can be a primary consideration for achieving the expected performance. General speaking, external antennas have to be connected to radio transceivers of the mobile terminal apparatuses through specific connection ports for receiving and transmitting corresponding radio signals. Therefore, multiple connection ports are required to be set on the mobile terminal apparatuses for each kind of the external antennas. However, with the increase of the wireless technique specifications, doing this not only increases the volume of the mobile terminal apparatuses, but also confuses the users.
Certainly, in order to connect the mobile terminal apparatuses through signal connection port, the external antennas can also be realized as built-in antennas, which integrate various antenna functions into a single external antenna module for receiving and transmitting radio signals corresponding to each kind of wireless technique specifications. Nevertheless, it not only increases the design difficulties, but also can be considered to be a waste when integrating all kinds of antenna functions corresponding to each wireless technique specifications into a single external antenna module.

Electronic device capable of identifying external antennas and related external antenna module


An improved ionizing radiation detector functioning in a proportional chamber mode, for use with X-ray tomography systems, is disclosed. The detector includes an elongated housing enclosing a chamber, a high pressure gas of great atomic weight and substantially opaque to x-radiation in the chamber, anodes and cathodes mounted in the chamber enclosed in the gas, and a voltage supply for supplying a positive voltage to the anode and a negative voltage to the cathode. The housing includes a window substantially transparent to x-radiation. The cathodes are plate-type cathodes and the anodes are composed of a plurality of metal wires extending parallel to the beam direction of the radiation to be detected at spaced intervals within a substantially claim, and the anodes and cathodes are parallel to each other. Means are provided to separately detect the voltage pulse on each anode wire.

The present invention relates to a radiation detector designed to be used, for example, in connection with x-ray tomography systems. The detector comprises a compact chamber with high pressure rare gas of high atomic weight. Cathodes and anodes, which are respectively connected to the negative and positive voltages of the direct current supply are located inside the chamber.
Similar ionization chambers are known which are utilized for detecting both the intensity and the location of x-rays. One example of a detector of this type is the apparatus presented in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,396. The said apparatus comprises an ionization chamber with gas of high atomic weight having a pressure of 10-50 atmospheres. Parallel planar anodes, separated by planar cathodes, are located inside the chamber. The planar anodes and cathodes are placed vertically towards the radiation direction. This apparatus measures the radiation intensity in analoguous form utilizing an electronic circuit, in other words, it measures the ionization current intensity. The drawback of an apparatus of this type is the comparatively slow movement of the positive ions in the chamber and the inaccuracy related the measurement of such extremely weak currents and their conversion into digital form. Crystal detectors, are also known in which the radiation intensity is expressed in analoguous form using a photomultiplier.

Ionizing radiation detector adapted for use with tomography systems


The present disclosure relates to a communication method and system for converging a 5th-Generation (5G) communication system for supporting higher data rates beyond a 4th-Generation (4G) system with a technology for Internet of Things (IoT). The present disclosure may be applied to intelligent services based on the 5G communication technology and the IoT-related technology, such as smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car, connected car, health care, digital education, smart retail, security and safety services.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless communication network. More particularly relates to method and device for managing a system information block (SIB) in the wireless communication network.
2. Description of the Related Art
To meet the demand for wireless data traffic having increased since deployment of 4G communication systems, efforts have been made to develop an improved 5G or pre-5G communication system. Therefore, the 5G or pre-5G communication system is also called a 'Beyond 4G Network' or a 'Post LTE System'. The 5G communication system is considered to be implemented in higher frequency (mmWave) bands, e.g., 60 GHz bands, so as to accomplish higher data rates. To decrease propagation loss of the radio waves and increase the transmission distance, the beamforming, massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), Full Dimensional NEMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, an analog beam forming, large scale antenna techniques are discussed in 5G communication systems. In addition, in 5G communication systems, development for system network improvement is under way based on advanced small cells, cloud Radio Access Networks (RANs), ultra-dense networks, device-to-device (D2D) communication, wireless backhaul, moving network, cooperative communication, Coordinated Multi-Points (CoMP), reception-end interference cancellation and the like. In the 5G system, Hybrid FSK and QAM Modulation (FQAM) and sliding window superposition coding (SWSC) as an advanced coding modulation (ACM), and filter bank multi carrier (FBMC), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), and sparse code multiple access (SCMA) as an advanced access technology have been developed.
The Internet, which is a human centered connectivity network where humans generate and consume information, is now evolving to the Internet of Things (IoT) where distributed entities, such as things, exchange and process information without human intervention. The Internet of Everything (IoE), which is a combination of the IoT technology and the Big Data processing technology through connection with a cloud server, has emerged. As technology elements, such as "sensing technology", "wired/wireless communication and network infrastructure", "service interface technology", and "Security technology" have been demanded for IoT implementation, a sensor network, a Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication, Machine Type Communication (MTC), and so forth have been recently researched. Such an IoT environment may provide intelligent Internet technology services that create a new value to human life by collecting and analyzing data generated among connected things. IoT may be applied to a variety of fields including smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car or connected cars, smart grid, health care, smart appliances and advanced medical services through convergence and combination between existing Information Technology (IT) and various industrial applications.
In line with this, various attempts have been made to apply 5G communication systems to IoT networks. For example, technologies such as a sensor network, Machine Type Communication (MTC), and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication may be implemented by beamforming, MIMO, and array antennas. Application of a cloud Radio Access Network (RAN) as the above-described Big Data processing technology may also be considered to be as an example of convergence between the 5G technology and the IoT technology.
Meanwhile, MTC devices are devices, such as a meter or sensor, which collect and send data to a MTC server or other MTC device over a wireless communication network.
In case of MTC devices, system information (SI acquisition and physical random access channel (PRACH) transmission plays a very important role in a MTC system and they are required to be changed for MTC. Therefore, there is a need to implement various procedures to control network access by MTC devices and minimize the impact on non-MTC devices.
The above information is presented as background information only to help the reader to understand the present invention. Applicants have made no determination and make no assertion as to whether any of the above might be applicable as Prior Art with regard to the present application.

Method and device for managing system information block, physical broadcast channel in wireless communication network

Abstract: A method for managing a system information block (SIB) in a wireless communication network.


Macrocyclic polyester oligomers are converted to linear polyesters by contact at a temperature of about 160.degree.-300.degree. C. with a cyclic titanium catalyst such as di-(1-butyl)-2,2-dimethylpropane-1,3-dioxytitanate, bis(2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propylene) titanate or 1-(1-butoxy)-4-methyl-2,6,7-trioxa-1-titanabicyclo[2.2.2]octane. Such catalysts have high activity and produce linear or branched polyesters of very high molecular weight.

This invention relates to the polymerization of macrocyclic polyester oligomer compositions. More particularly, it relates to an improved method for such polymerization which is capable of producing novel branched polyesters.
The preparation of macrocyclic poly(alkylene dicarboxylate) oligomers and their polymerization to linear polyesters is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,039,783, 5,214,158 and 5,231,161 and in copending, commonly owned applications Ser. No. 08/369,986 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,744 and Ser. No. 07/978,583 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,117. The catalysts employed for such polymerization include various organotin compounds and titanate esters.
Polymerization using these catalysts is quite successful and affords polyesters having excellent properties and a wide variety of potential applications. However, the catalysts are somewhat sensitive to impurities present in the macrocyclic polyesters, particularly acidic impurities which can include water, hydroxy compounds and carboxylic acids and their anhydrides.
In the presence of such impurities, the catalyst may be partially deactivated and polymerization may be incomplete or may yield polymers with low weight average molecular weights. Attempts to increase polymer yield by increasing the proportion of catalyst in the polymerization mixture cause significant further reductions in the molecular weight of the linear polymer, since the catalyst becomes part of the polymer end group and increased amounts of catalyst compete for the same proportions of structural units in the macrocyclic oligomers.
In copending, commonly owned applications Ser. Nos. 08/262,793, 08/262,795 and 08/262,799 now U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,386,037; 5,389,719, and 5,387,666 respectively, there are disclosed several cyclic tin catalysts which offer improvements with respect to the above-described problems. However, these tin compounds are expensive to prepare and there are environmental and health concerns about their use,
It would be desirable, therefore, to develop safe and inexpensive catalysts with high activity for the polymerization of macrocyclic oligomers containing increased proportions of impurities, especially acidic impurities. It would be further desirable to provide a means for inexpensively converting macrocyclic oligomer compositions to branched polyesters having improved dimensional stability, for use as load-bearing members in automobiles and the like.

Method for polymerizing macrocyclic poly(alkylene dicarboxylate) oligomers


A shaking unit for the generation of one-dimensional oscillating movements of a machine part mass is provided having a coupling part for mechanical coupling to the machine part mass, a counter-mass which is coupled resiliently to the coupler part and, via the latter, to the machine part mass, and a drive system which acts in a sprung manner between the coupler part and the counter-mass. The coupling part may surround the counter-mass as a frame. At least one of two pneumatic springs of the drive system, which are arranged on both sides of the counter-mass, is loaded with a minimum and/or with a maximum load pressure of the pneumatic springs depending on an oscillation state.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a shaking unit and to a method for pneumatic excitation of a shaking unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Shaking units and excitation methods are known for example from EP 0 635 601 A1, WO 2009/138491 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,354. Here, a machine part mass, namely a roll in a paper machine such as a breast roll in a paper machine is excited by way of a shaking unit into one-dimensional oscillating movements parallel to the roll axis. The shaking unit includes a coupling part for mechanical coupling to the machine part mass, whereby EP 0 635 601 A1 and WO 2009/138491 A1 also disclose a counter mass which is coupled resiliently by the coupling part to the machine part mass. The resilient coupling in the arrangement according to WO 2009/138491 A1 is a hydraulic cylinder-piston unit, whereas EP 0 635 601 A1 utilizes a piston-cylinder unit for this function having springs arranged in piston displacements with the assistance of pneumatic springs formed by the piston displacements and a suitable filling gas within the piston displacements. EP 0 635 601 A1 additionally features an auxiliary piston which can be controlled pneumatically in order to cause a suitable oscillation in the desired manner. The arrangements in EP 0 635 601 A1 and WO 2009/138491 A1 have in common that the counter mass must have a relatively high weight and be able to freely oscillate while at the same time supporting a cylinder in which a piston moves back and forth and which is connected rigidly in the oscillation direction with the machine part mass, in other words with the respective roll.
What is needed in the art is a shaking unit of this type or respectively an excitation method of this type which is less complex.

Shaking unit and method for the pneumatic excitation of a shaking unit


An LED apparatus is provided. The LED apparatus includes a plurality of substrate layers, each substrate layer corresponding to one of a plurality of sub-pixels of a pixel; a heat sink plate provided on a first side of each substrate layer, the heat sink plate including a patterned area provided between adjacent substrate layers of the plurality of substrates layers; a fluorescence provided on the heat sink plate overlapping at least a portion of one of the plurality of substrate layers; and a plurality of light emitting diodes, each light emitting diode formed on a second side opposite to the first side of each substrate layer.

1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the exemplary embodiments relate to a light emitting diode apparatus (LED) apparatus and a method of manufacturing the LED apparatus, and more particularly, to an LED apparatus that emits a red, green blue lights and may be used as pixels, and a method of manufacturing the LED apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
When using a light emitting diode (LED) of the related art in a display, three LEDs including red (R), green (G) and blue (B), respectively, are used to create one pixel. Here, the three LEDs are manufactured in different ways. Because the three LEDs are manufactured separately and combined into one LED thereafter, many related processes are involved in manufacturing the LED, and a number of color deviations are likely to occur due to manufacturing temperature and environment.
Further, a red LED and a green LED are manufactured by combining with a glass package including a blue LED and a Quantum Dot corresponding to each of the red and the green. That is, the red LED and the green LED are manufactured by covering Quantum Dot with glass and sealing the same, and the Quantum Dot coverts a wave of a blue light emitted from a lower portion to respectively express red color and green color. Here, the LED is bonded on top of a substrate and connected with an electrode via gold wire and covers the peripheral area with a plastic mold.
The manufacturing process includes separating an LED manufactured as an array of LEDs on a single wafer one by one to bond the LEDs on top of a PCB connected with a structure covered with a plastic mold, connecting + and − electrodes of each to a pad using a gold wire, and on top of it, adhering it with a glass package including a Quantum Dot.
When a Quantum Dot is adhered on top of an LED as such, the Quantum Dot which is vulnerable to heat is heated, thus deteriorating optical conversion characteristics dramatically. Further, a process of manufacturing, separating and packaging an LED in each of wavers is required, thus complicating the process and increasing costs for raw material.
Accordingly, there is a need for an LED which may perform sealing for the purpose of improving heat-proof performance to reduce complexity of process occurring in a LED packaging process of the related art and for the purpose of blocking oxygen and moisture.

Light emitting diode apparatus and manufacturing method thereof


Novel Bis-N-chloramides of aromatic dicarboxylic acids, such as alkyl-isophthalic or alkyl terephthalic acid, or of cycloaliphatic dicarboxylic acids such as cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid, are obtained by chlorinating the corresponding diamides, in an aqueous acid medium at a temperature of about 0.degree. to 40.degree. C.

This invention relates to novel bis-N-chloramides of aromatic and cycloaliphatic carboxylic acids and to methods for their preparation.
Bis-N-chloramides are valuable intermediate compounds, which, among other things, can be used for the preparation of diurethanes, di-ureas, diamines and diisocyanates. So far, only adipic, pimelic, suberic and sebacic acid-bis-N-chloramides have become known from German Pat. No. 909 455 and a publication by Eckert et al. in Rayon+Synthetics+Rayon Staple, 29, pp. 43-53 (1951) as aliphatic representatives of this class of substances. According to the processes described there, these compounds can be prepared with a yield of 37 to 95%.
On the other hand, no suitable process has been known so far for the preparation of aromatic bis-N-chloramides. Only U.S. Pat. No. 3,105,848 describes the preparation of isophthalic bis-N-chloramide by means of the chlorination of isophthalic acid amide. However, when this known process is worked, one obtains isophthalic acid-bis-N-chloramide only in a yield of 3.5% of the theory. Preparation according to this process of the isomeric terephthalic acid-bis-N-chloramide is not possible at all.
Only recently has it become possible to prepare the terephthalic acid-, as well as the isopthalic acid-bis-N-chloramide with a high yield according to a process described in Belgian Pat. No. 812 357. Cycloaliphatic and additional aromatic bis-N-chloramides have so far not become known.
Because of the importance of bis-N-chloramides as preliminary products for industrially important diisocyanates, there has existed a need to create additional compounds of this class substance.

Preparation of bis-n-chloramides of cycloaliphatic carboxylic acids


The invention relates to a droplet actuator device and methods for integrated sample preparation and analysis of a biological sample. A droplet actuator device is provided for conducting droplet operations. The droplet actuator device may include a bottom substrate and a top substrate separated from each other to form a gap therebetween; an arrangement of droplet operations electrodes arranged on one or both of the bottom and/or top substrates for conducting droplet operations thereon; a reagent storage layer comprising one or more compartments bound to the top substrate; and one or more openings arranged to provide a fluidic path from the one or more compartments into the gap, upon breach of a breachable seal separating the one or more compartments and openings.

A droplet actuator typically includes one or more substrates configured to form a surface or gap for conducting droplet operations. The one or more substrates establish the droplet operations surface or gap and may also include electrodes arrange to conduct the droplet operations. The droplet operations substrate or the gap between the substrates is typically coated or filled with a filler fluid that is immiscible with the liquid that forms the droplets.
Droplet actuators are used in a variety of applications, including molecular diagnostic assays, such as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunoassays. Molecular diagnostic assays are used in a wide variety of settings, such as infectious pathogen detection and point-of-care diagnosis. Current microfluidic protocols for sample preparation typically begin with analyte capture beads suspended in a small volume (e.g., 250 microliters (μL)) of lysed sample. Individual droplets are then dispensed and the capture beads are concentrated in a single droplet over a permanent magnet. However, bead dispensing, concentrating, and washing are time-consuming steps and significantly increase the time-to-result of a diagnostic assay. Consequently, new approaches are needed to achieve rapid "sample-to-result" molecular diagnostics for point-of-care use.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.