An embossing foil includes a layer which can be written upon, together with a magnetic layer for data storage purposes. Between the magnetic layer and the writing layer, the foil has a layer with a barrier effect to prevent the writing layer from being attacked by solvent contained in the magnetic layer. The foil may further comprise between the magnetic and writing layers, a structure producing an optical diffraction effect such as a hologram, with the writing surface and said structure being so arranged that nonetheless said structure can still be read, including by machine.

The invention relates generally to embossing foils and more particulary to hot embossing foils.
U.S. Pat. No. 4 376 006 discloses an embossing foil construction comprising a backing foil and a transfer layer which can be released therefrom and which comprises at least a magnetic layer consisting of a dispersion of magnetisable particles in a binding agent. A metal layer and a layer of lacquer are provided on the side of the magnetic layer which is towards the backing foil, while the magnetic layer is possibly provided with an adhesive layer, on the side thereof which is remote from the backing foil, for fixing the transfer layer to a substrate to which it is to be applied. That design seeks to afford the possibility of the magnetic embossing foil also being produced in bright, attractive colours, for which purpose the magnetic layer, which is generally dark, is covered by the metal layer. Purely decorative purposes are therefore the consideration in that respect.
It is conventional practice for for example cheque cards, credit cards, savings books and similar security documents and items to be provided with magnetic strips, strips which can be signed thereon or structures which have a particular optical effect in order thereby to make it possible to store certain items of data or to enhance the safeguards against forgery. An advantage when using magnetic strips is that it is very easily possible to provide for suitable storage of relevant data in the magnetic strip. However, there is the disadvantage that forgery or erasure is a comparatively simple manner with the usual forms of magnetic strips. In principle that depends on the way in which the magnetic strip is applied. It is true to say that for many areas of use, it has been found to be advantageous for the magnetic strips to be applied by means of embossing foils such as hot-process embossing foils because in that case the strip can be easily applied to the security document or like item, and it is even possible for the magnetic strip to be coded before being applied to the document or card in question.
Some forms of security documents or items, for example credit cards and cheque cards, additionally include an area or panel for bearing a signature thereon, with the card being valid only after having been signed in the appropriate area. Signature areas of that kind are already being produced using embossing foils, in which connection the attempt has already been made to improve the safeguards in regard to forgery of the card by virtue of the signature areas having a background of a specific nature, for example by means of a suitable imprint, by using a background material which changes in colour when an attempt at erasure is made or which reacts with the writing liquid to undergo a change in colour, and so forth. In the past however the signature surfaces were always produced in a separate working operation at a location which was provided only specifically for that purpose, as it was assumed that the signature had to be at a location which was not used for other purposes. Any magnetic strips on the same card were always disposed completely separate from the area which was intended to bear the signature of the card holder.


A multiphase electric motor control device includes: a bridge circuit including phase circuits each including a high potential side switching element, a low potential side switching element, and a current detector, a PWM control unit that outputs PWM signals to the switching elements; a control unit that acquires phase current values at a timing synchronized with a triangle wave; and a current value estimation unit that estimates a phase current value of one phase based on phase current values of other phases. In a case where an ON time of the PWM signal output to the low potential side switching element of the one phase from the PWM control unit is shorter than a predetermined time, the control unit acquires the phase current values which are detected by shifting the timing by using the current detectors of at least the other phases.

In the related art, a technology is known which accurately detects phase current values of each phase so as to control switching elements of a bridge circuit which rotatably drives a multiphase electric motor, using PWM control.
For example, JP-A-2013-219905 discloses a control device of a multiphase rotary machine which appropriately secures a current detection time, while stabilizing control of a three-phase rotary machine. The control device includes a shunt resistor as current detection means between a lower MOS of an inverter unit and a negative electrode of a battery. While lower MOS's of two phases are turned on and a lower MOS in the other one phase is turned off, among three phases, the shunt resistor detects currents flowing through shunt resistors in the two phases in which the lower MOS's are turned on. The control device estimates a current in the one phase in which the lower MOS is turned off, using the Kirchhoff's law, and calculates a duty updating value during an updating period which is half a calculation period of a duty command value, by using linear interpolation based on the duty command value. In a case where the duty updating value of any one phase exceeds a maximum duty corresponding to a shortest detection time required for current detection which is performed by the shunt resistor, the duty updating value of each phase is increased. Thereby, while the lower MOS's in the two phases except for the phase are turned on, the current detection is performed, and thus, it is possible to appropriately secure time for the current detection which is performed by the shunt resistor.
In addition, JP-A-2010-220414 discloses a motor control device which ensures current detection with high accuracy and increases a voltage utilization ratio. In a case where an ON time of any one of respective switching elements on a low potential side corresponding to each phase is shorter than a detection time of a current value, in a drive circuit, the motor control device estimates a phase current value of an undetectable current phase, based on current values of two phases except for the undetectable current phase corresponding to the switching element. In addition, when the current detection is performed by using the estimation, the motor control device holds a switching state of a switching arm corresponding to the undetectable current phase, while the current detection of the two phases except for the undetectable current phase which is a basis of the estimation is performed. That is, since a high potential side switching element is maintained to be turned on and a low potential side switching element is maintained to be turned off, the motor control device outputs a motor control signal which prevents noise that is generated by the switching operation from being mixed thereinto. Thereby, although an output voltage limitation which is set to secure a detection time of phase current values of all phases is abolished, the motor control device can ensure current detection with high accuracy, and as a result, it is possible to increase the voltage utilization ratio.

Multiphase electric motor control device


An absorbant cloth having an agitating feature. The cloth is formed from a base material which exhibits a high degree of absorbancy. In order to achieve this high degree of absorbancy, the base material preferably exhibits a very large surface area, such as a synthetic lamb's wool. The cloth additionally has one or more areas of a rough, bristled material which is efficient at transmitting mechanical forces from movement of the user's hand to the stain. The bristled material is preferably a synthetic fabric, such as that commonly used for indoor/outdoor carpeting. In a preferred embodiment, the absorbant material and the bristled material are formed in alternating bands.

Most non-professional cleaning is performed by hand, using a cleaning agent (such as a shampoo or a solvent) and some sort of hand held apparatus for applying, working and lifting the cleaning agent. For example, floors, walls, vinyl wallcoverings, upholstered furniture, shower walls and tile, car interiors, etc. are all typically cleaned by hand, as is spot cleaning of carpet stains. Even in professional cleaning applications, hand cleaning methods are used to supplement machine cleaning methods. For example, a carpeted room may be cleaned by any number of professional cleaning devices designed to clean large areas of carpet in minimal time. But even with the use of such cleaning devices, it is usually necessary to clean the awkward areas, such as around the carpet edges or on stairs, by hand.
When cleaning surfaces by hand, it is necessary to apply the cleaning agent to the hand held cleaning apparatus, and to then use the hand held apparatus to apply the cleaning agent to he surface to be cleaned. The hand held apparatus is then used to work the cleaning agent into the surface in order to loosen the dirt or stain therefrom, such as by agitating the hand held apparatus on the surface in the area to be cleaned. This mechanical force acts in conjunction with the chemical action of the cleaning agent to loosen and break the bond between the stain and the surface. Finally, the hand held apparatus is used to lift the loosened dirt as well as the excess cleaning agent from the surface, leaving the surface relatively clean.
There are basically two types of hand held apparatus known in the prior art for hand cleaning: cloths (including sponges) and brushes. Cloths have the advantage that they are absorbant. Because they are capable of absorbing and holding a relatively large quantity of liquid and liquid-born dirt, cloths are well-suited to both applying the cleaning agent to the stain and to lifting the loosened dirt and excess cleaning agent from the surface. However, because of the soft and pliable nature of such cloths, they are relatively inefficient agitating devices for use in working the cleaning agent into the stain.
Brushes, on the other hand, contain many stiff bristles which are very effective at transmitting mechanical forces produced by movement of the user's hand to the surface to be cleaned. This efficient transmission of agitating forces to the stain makes brushes ideal for loosening stains from the surface to be cleaned. However, because of the stiff and straight nature of such brush bristles, they are not very absorbant and therefore relatively inefficient for applying the cleaning agent to the surface or lifting it therefrom.
These different characteristics of cloths and brushes mean that neither of them display all of the desired characteristics of a hand held cleaning apparatus, namely absorbancy and the ability to efficiently transmit mechanical agitation forces to the stain. There is therefore a need in the prior art for a hand held cleaning apparatus which is both absorbant and which will efficiently transmit agitation forces to the stain. The present invention is directed toward meeting this need.


A method is presented for fabricating an electrically isolated MEMS device having a conductive outer MEMS element, and an inner movable MEMS element spaced apart from the conductive outer MEMS element. The inner element includes a nonconductive base having a plurality of conductive structures extending therefrom. The conductive components are formed by plating a conductive material into a pre-formed mold which defines the shape of the conductor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and, in particular, relates to the fabrication of electrically isolated MEMS devices using plating techniques.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) components are being progressively introduced into many electronic circuit applications and a variety of micro-sensor applications. Examples of MEMS components are electromechanical motors, radio frequency (RF) switches, high Q capacitors, pressure transducers and accelerometers. In one application, the MEMS device is an accelerometer having a movable component that, in response to acceleration, is actuated so as to vary the size of a capacitive air gap. Accordingly, the current output of the MEMS device provides an indication of the strength of the external stimulus.
One current method of fabricating such components, often referred to as surface micro-machining, uses a sacrificial layer, such as silicon dioxide, that is deposited and bonded onto a substrate, such as single crystal silicon which has been covered with a layer of silicon nitride. A MEMS component material, for example polycrystalline silicon, is then deposited onto the sacrificial layer, followed by a suitable conductor, such as aluminum, to form an electrical contact with the ambient environment. The silicon layer is then patterned by standard photolithographic techniques and then etched by a suitable reactive ion etching plasma or by wet chemistry to define the MEMS structure and to expose the sacrificial layer, which may comprise silicon dioxide. The sacrificial layer is then etched to release the MEMS component. This leaves only a single material, the structural material.
One significant disadvantage associated with current surface fabrication techniques involves the lack of electrical isolation that is achieved. The present inventors have discovered that a MEMS device may be used as a current or voltage sensor, in which the device may receive high voltages at one end of the device, and output an electrical signal at the other end of the device to, for example, a sensor. The output could be a function of the capacitance of the MEMS device, as determined by the position of a movable MEMS element with respect to a stationary element. However, because the entire movable MEMS element achieved using conventional surface fabrication techniques is conductive, the input and output ends of the MEMS device are not sufficiently isolated from one another, thereby jeopardizing those elements disposed downstream of the MEMS output.
Another significant disadvantage associated with current surface fabrication techniques is that the process is inherently limited to thin structural layers (on the order of 1 to 2 xcexcm) due to stresses which may be introduced during the fabrication. The thinness of the layers limits the amount of capacitance that can be obtained in the sensor portion of the MEMS device, and thus limits the magnitude of any output signal. This in turn limits the overall resolution obtainable
It is therefore desirable to provide a method for fabricating a MEMS device using surface fabrication techniques having greater thickness than that currently achieved to enhance sensitivity, while providing sufficient electrical isolation for the device.
The present inventors have recognized that a MEMS device may be fabricated using an insulating material, a sacrificial material, a mold material, and a conducting mechanical structural layer that may be plated onto an insulating substrate.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a method for fabricating a MEMS device, comprising the steps of providing a substrate having an upper surface, and depositing a sacrificial layer onto the upper surface of the substrate. A nonconductive layer is then deposited onto the upper surface of the sacrificial layer. Next, a mold is deposited onto the substrate, wherein the mold has at least one void aligned with the insulating layer. A-conductive material is then deposited into the at least one void to form conductive elements extending from the nonconductive layer. Finally, the mold and sacrificial layer are removed to release a movable element including the nonconductive layer and conductive layer from the substrate.
The conductive material may be electroplated or electrolessplated onto the nonconductive layer.
All of the aforementioned aspects are not necessary to carry out the invention. Furthermore, these and other aspects of the invention are not intended to define the scope of the invention for which purpose claims are provided. In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which there is shown by way of illustration, a preferred embodiment of the invention. Such embodiment also does not define the scope of the invention and reference must be made therefore to the claims for this purpose.

Method for fabricating an isolated microelectromechanical system device


Systems and methods for out of band notification of a hard drive status change may be provided. In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include a processor, a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, a hard disk drive communicatively coupled to the processor via an input/output (I/O) bus for communicating I/O data between the processor and the hard disk drive, and an indicator configured to provide a user-detectable indication of I/O activity occurring on the I/O bus. The hard disk drive may include general purpose input/output (GPIO) terminal independent from the I/O bus and communicatively coupled to the processor, and the hard disk drive may be configured to assert the GPIO terminal in response to an occurrence of a status event of the hard disk drive.

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Information handling systems often include hard drives for storing instructions and data. In many information handling systems, it is desirable for hard drives to be able to communicate status information to a processor of the information handling system. For example, a processor may query a hard drive for the internal temperature of the hard drive, so that the processor may set an appropriate fan speed for appropriately cooling the hard drive. Traditional approaches of communicating drive status are "in-band" methods, in which the processor queries a hard drive for status information over an input/output (I/O) bus for which data communications between the processor and hard drive are undertaken, and the hard drive responds with status via the I/O bus. This approach requires continual polling of the hard drive status or require that the hard drive continually broadcast status information. Because such polling and/or broadcasting uses the data path of the I/O bus used for data transfer (e.g., reads and writes of data), data I/O throughput is negatively affected.

Systems and methods for out of band notification of hard drive status change


An automatic flushing system for a tank-type toilet. The automatic flushing system includes one or more infrared transmitters that transmit an infrared signal to a sensing area directly in front of a toilet bowl of the toilet. The presence of a user in the sensing area is detected by the system from a reflection of the transmitted infrared beam off of the user. Detection of the user in the sensing area for a predetermined minimal period of time causes an automatic courtesy flush. Once the user has left the sensing area, the automatic flushing system will provide a main flush. The automatic flushing system includes a lift arm operated by a flush motor positioned within the toilet tank. Activation of the motor causes the lift arm to push against a flush arm in the toilet tank to flush the toilet. The lift arm is positioned beneath the flush arm to allow for manual flushing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an automatic flushing system for a toilet and, more particularly, to an automatic flushing system for a tank-type toilet that utilizes infrared radiation beam sensors, and is used in conjunction with an automatic toilet seat raising and lowering device.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
For various and well understood reasons, such as the passage of germs that could lead to sickness, it is generally desirable to be able to use a toilet without touching the toilet or touching the toilet as little as possible, especially for toilets in public facilities. One way in which the need to make physical contact with a toilet has been reduced is the incorporation of automatic flushing systems. Not only do automatic flushing systems reduce physical contact with the toilet, these systems also reduce problems such as user abuse, odor, unflushed fixtures, excessive water consumption, and the like.
One type of known automatic flushing system for public facilities is available from ZURN Industries of Sanford, N.C. The ZURN flushing system uses an infrared transmitter and detector to sense the presence of a user so as to automatically flush the toilet after the user has been sensed, and has left the area immediately in front of the toilet bowl. The ZURN automatic flushing system provides a number of features that make it a valuable system for limiting physical contact with the toilet. These features include a courtesy flush immediately after a user is detected so as to freshen the bowl and remove residue from the fixture. The main flush follows after the user has moved away from the fixture. The courtesy flush can be manually switched on or off. Other features include an adjustable detection range, operation indicator lights, and a maintenance override system.
Other known features for toilets also reduce the amount of physical contact necessary with the toilet. U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,524 issued to Veal, assigned to the assignee of the instant invention, and herein incorporated by reference, discloses a toilet seat device that automatically causes a toilet seat to be either raised or lowered in response to a switching mechanism. The automatic toilet seat device includes a float switch within the tank of the toilet that causes the toilet seat to automatically be lowered when the float switch is activated by the flushing action of the toilet. The automatic raising and lowering of the toilet seat allows the toilet seat to be raised and lowered without actually being contacted by the user.
Improvements can be made to known automatic flushing systems to extend them to tank-type toilets, and automatic flushing systems that operate in conjunction with an automatic toilet seat activating device to further lessen contact with the toilet. It is one object of the present invention to provide such an automatic flushing system.


According to the present invention, an animal hair fiber can significantly be modified by fixing the supercontraction of the fiber which is a disadvantage in itself. The process for modifying the animal hair fiber according to the present invention comprises pretreating the animal hair fiber with a cleaving reagent for crosslinkage of the fiber and then treating the pretreated fiber with an supercontracting reagent. Furthermore, the process for preparing a bulky wool yarn according to the present invention comprises treating an mixed yarn with the supercontracting reagent, said mixed yarn consisting of the pretreated animal hair fiber with the cleaving reagent for crosslinkage of the fiber and a non-pretreated animal hair fiber.

The present invention relates to a process for modifying an animal hair fiber.
It is known that although the animal hair fiber contracts to 30-40% of its original length when it is immersed in liquid ammonia, said fiber returns nearly to its original length if it is immersed in the water. For this reason, a technique to utilize industrially this supercontracting phenomenon of the animal hair fiber is not yet established.


A push pull chain is provided with chain links that are connected to each other by respectively one chain joint, designed in a space-efficient manner. The chain joints of a first chain section with their joint axes have a first orientation, whereby the joint axes of the chain joints of a second chain section are arranged in a second orientation that is twisted around the longitudinal axis of the push pull chain or whereby they can be set to this orientation. In addition, a pertaining chain drive is provided.

Push pull chains can be found in diverse forms in the state of the art. In most cases, they are plate-link chains with alternating internal and external chain links that are connected by means of a chain joint. The internal and/or external plate links or special stiffening brackets (links) are shaped in a way that the chain can be made bend-proof in one swivel direction of the chain joint. This is ensured for a lineally guided (straight) chain or slightly over-swiveled chain joints so that thrust powers can be subsequently transmitted. The chain joints can still be swiveled in the other swivel direction and the chain can be guided accordingly, i.e. around a chain wheel. Also the drive of such a chain is generally ensured by means of a chain wheel. Of course, these chains can usually also transmit traction forces. Push pull chains which belong to the class of anti-backbend chains are used, for example, in door locking systems, window lifting systems etc. The use of push pull chains occasionally requires more space especially if the chain is to be rolled up for the purpose of storage or for the drive. In some cases, this space requirement hampers the use of push pull chains.


A sense amplifier has a transimpedance amplifier capable of producing an output voltage level proportionate to a current variation sensed going into a bitline. A transconductance device is configured to produce varying bitline current in response to the transimpedance amplifier output voltage. The transconductance device is capable of utilizing the transimpedance amplifier output voltage as feedback to produce a bitline clamp voltage level. The transimpedance amplifier configured to produce an output voltage proportionate to a cell current of a selected memory cell and provide an output signal corresponding to a memory cell state. An output amplifier is coupled to the transimpedance amplifier and capable of producing an output signal level proportionate to the transimpedance amplifier output voltage. A bias circuit is coupled to the transimpedance amplifier and the output amplifier, the bias circuit is capable of producing reference mirror currents through the transimpedance amplifier and the output amplifier.

In memory design, a sense amplifier is a critical analog circuit. In EEPROM and flash memories the sense amplifier function is twofold. First, the precharge of a bitline to a proper value of clamp voltage is significant for providing calibrated sensing of a selected memory cell. A sense amplifier performs a critical function in assuring the bitline is precharged to a clamp voltage of sufficient magnitude to ensure proper sensing of memory cell current. Second, sensing a selected memory cell current flowing through the bitline is also critical. Magnitude of the memory cell current depends on the state of the cell and must be determined promptly and accurately in order to sustain a high level of system performance.
With reference to FIG. 1, a prior art sense amplifier 100 is based on a differential structure 130 in order to compare a current coming from a selected memory cell (not shown) to a fiducial current coming from a reference cell (not shown). The fiducial current flows on a reference bitline 110 and a memory cell current flows on a bitline 120 from the selected memory cell. The differential structure 130 compares the relative magnitudes of the voltages on the reference bitline 110 and the bitline 120. As different memory cells with differing states (i.e., cells storing either a 1 or a 0) are selected, the current flowing on the bitline 120 varies, producing different voltage levels at the corresponding input to the differential structure 130. The differential structure 130 amplifies the voltage difference and provides a corresponding voltage level to an output amplifier 140. The output amplifier 140 in turn amplifies and inverts the voltage level and provides it to the sense amplifier output terminal OUT.
With reference to FIG. 2, a prior art single-ended current sense amplifier 200 has a precharge circuit 205 to maintain a stable voltage on a bitline BITLINE, a sensing circuit 210 coupled to the bitline BITLINE for sensing an amount of current flowing into the bitline BITLINE, a direct current amplification circuit 215 coupled to the sensing circuit for amplifying the current sensed on the bitline BITLINE, a current-to-voltage conversion circuit 220 for converting the sensed current to a voltage, and a voltage amplification circuit 225 for amplifying the voltage at the sense amplifier output. The sense amplifier also includes an overshoot filtering circuit 230 to filter out positive glitches on the bitline BITLINE.
Generally, a single-ended structure provides an advantage by eliminating a need to have a reference cell and a comparator circuit as are commonly used in differential sense amplifier structures. The single-ended amplifier provides a savings in test time and in the amount of die area used by the sense amplifier circuit. Additionally, the single-ended structure provides other advantages over the standard differential structures such as providing less sensitivity to mismatched circuit components, less process variation sensitivity, and improved access time at low supply voltages.

Single-ended sense amplifier for very low voltage applications


An inert gas lighting system, which system has a plurality of letters or characters arranged in sequence and a high tension dielectric terminal box operatively disposed between adjacent pairs of said characters. Each box has a terminal block centrally disposed therein for the attachment of high voltage cable leads thereto connecting adjacent letters. The use of thermosetting V5 plastic for the construction of the terminal box enables the entire unit to be molded, sealed and grounded as required. Installation, maintenance and repair of such signage is enhanced.

Neon and like inert gas lighting systems which utilize high voltage molecular excitation to activate the gas contained therein are very popular for the identification of businesses, governmental agencies, and like establishments because they provide a brilliant, attractive, and attention getting visual effect. With the increased use and complexity of such signs (herein referred to generally as "neon signs"), there is a need to simplify wiring and structural requirements so that they may be more easily installed, maintained and repaired.
The manufacture and maintenance of neon lighting systems is presently governed by regulations directed to structural integrity and safety. Inert gas excitation provides the color and light associated with so called neon signs which consist of evacuated tubing which is filled with neon or other inert gas to provide the desired color(s) and brilliancy when subjected to a high voltage discharge. The high voltages required to produce the desired lighting effect has heretofore required the use of sturdy structures made from dielectric materials to contain the high voltage. See; Paragraph 600-8A of the National Electric Code (NEC) 1984 edition. Currently commercial light units suffer from frequent deterioration or fracture of the wire. The presence of an open or broken wire is a relatively common occurrence which usually requires the services of a journeyman electrician to locate and replace. The laborious tracing of the circuitry to locate and isolate the defective wire and replace it inevitably requires the system to be completely rebalanced in order to reestablish the original color and brightness of the display.
Heretofor when several letters or characters make up a given display, a plurality of cable members, each adapted to have a P-K style metallic glass lined electrode housing mounted on each end thereof, had to be cut precisely to size, strung through the flex cable or electrometallic tubing, the P-K style housing and carefully and individually secured to the electrode contact at each end thereof. Next, the electrode housing at one end of the cable would be inserted in the socket provided by one letter and the housing at the other end thereof would be connected in a similar manner to the adjacent letter. This operation would be repeated until the entire sequence of characters was connected in series. The transformer associated therewith to produce the 2,000-15,000 volts required in the secondary circuit, would be connected at one terminal to the letter or character first in the sequence and at the other terminal, to the letter last in the sequence to complete the circuit. This process was extremely tricky and tedious, because if the cable is cut a bit too short it was wasted and if it is cut a bit too long, it bunched and became a prime site for a subsequent short.
When a "short" developed in such a wiring scheme, the sign either flickered or went dark. Each cable segment then had to be methodically jumped out, i.e., an auxiliary cable was extended between adjacent electrodes until the offending segment was identified. The defective segment was then removed and replaced. When the procedure did not reveal a defective cable segment, then the individual characters or letters were tested by grounding out the individual circuits to see if they glow. This procedure was time consuming, tedious and, because of the possible need to create new cable segments and mount electrode housings thereto, a journeyman electrician was required to complete the "trouble shoot".
Thus it is apparent that a definite need exists to find better means and methods to wire such high voltage inert gas lighting systems and it is toward that need that the present invention is directed.

Inert gas lighting system and means therefor


A one cycle power factor correction converter circuit comprising a switch for controlling a DC output voltage of the converter circuit, the switch being switched by a drive signal having a frequency determined by a clock signal; the converter circuit being provided with a DC input voltage and producing the DC output voltage, the DC input voltage being rectified from an AC input; a controller circuit for controlling an on-time or off-time of the switch to set the output voltage and to achieve power factor correction at the AC input; the controller circuit comprising an error amplifier receiving a feedback voltage from the output of the converter circuit and a reference voltage and producing an error signal; a ramp generator receiving the error signal and generating a first ramp signal by integrating a signal related to the error signal; a pulse width modulation circuit receiving the first ramp signal and a signal related to the error signal and producing a pulse width modulated signal by comparing the first ramp signal and the signal related to the error signal; the pulse width modulated signal determining the on-time or off-time of the switch to control the output voltage with power factor correction; further comprising a circuit for terminating the first ramp signal when a predetermined inequality exists between the first ramp signal and a reference signal and for developing the clock signal from the first ramp signal.

The present invention relates to one cycle (also known as single cycle) power factor correction (PFC) converters, and in particular, to a simplified circuit for establishing the ramp signal and clock signal in such converter circuits. In particular, the present invention provides a method and circuit for generating a combined ramp and oscillator signal for such converter circuits.
A critical requirement to achieve near unity power factor, when utilizing the single cycle control architecture, is to establish a pulse width modulation (PWM) ramp reference that integrates the error signal over the switching period (T) of the controller. In this architecture, the bandwidth of the error amplifier that establishes the error signal (COMP) is rolled off such that it is much lower than the switching frequency of the controller. Thus, from one cycle to the next there is little or no change in the COMP signal so it can be considered as a nearly DC signal.
FIG. 1 shows the expected ideal behavior of the ramp signal for two different error amplifier COMP signals, VCOMP1 and VCOMP2. FIG. 2 shows a prior art single cycle control power factor correction boost converter circuit. FIG. 3 shows the internal circuitry of the controller 1 of FIG. 2.
The controller 1 of FIG. 2 controls the switch Q1 to achieve power factor correction. Energy is stored in the inductor L when the switch Q1 is turned on and when it is turned off, the charge in the inductor is transferred to the output and stored in the storage capacitor C to power the load.
The controller 1 operates to increase the power factor of the circuit so that the load approximates a purely resistive load as reflected by the current at the AC input being nearly in phase with the AC voltage.
FIG. 3 shows details of the controller 1 of FIG. 2. The feedback voltage is provided at terminal VFB via the voltage divider R1, R2 and R3 provided across the output of the converter. See FIG. 2. The voltage is fed to an error amplifier EA where it is compared to a reference voltage VREF. The reference voltage establishes the desired converter output voltage. The error signal COMP signifies the deviation of the output voltage from the desired output voltage. The error amplifier output is designated as the voltage COMP. The error amplifier output COMP is provided to a GM amplifier 50 that converts the COMP voltage to a current which charges a capacitor C provided at its output. The capacitor C integrates the input of the amplifier 50 producing a ramp signal RAMP. The ramp signal is fed to a PWM comparator 60 where the ramp signal is compared to the adjusted error amplifier's signal COMP which has been adjusted by a summing stage 52 based upon the sensed inductor current at ISNS sensed across a resistor RS by current sense amplifier CSA. See FIG. 2. In the PWM comparator 60, the comparison of the adjusted error amplifier signal 61 with the ramp produces a pulse when the ramp exceeds this adjusted error amplifier signal 61. The pulse at the output of the PWM comparator 60 is fed via gates 62 and 63 to PWM latch 65 where it resets and turns off the gate drive to the switch Q1 via gate 64 and driver 67. The gate drive of the switch Q1 is turned on by a clock signal provided by a clock oscillator 70 at the beginning of the clock cycle. Accordingly, when the clock pulse occurs, the latch 65 sets the gate high turning the switch Q1 on and when the ramp signal exceeds the error signal, the latch is reset and the gate drive is removed. When the latch is reset, a reset signal is provided to discharge the capacitor C via a switch 80, thereby allowing the single cycle control cycle to begin again.
FIG. 3 shows certain additional fault protective functions including an overvoltage protection OVP function which will reset the latch 65 and turn off the gate drive in the event of an overvoltage condition at the output as determined by the resistor divider comprising resistors R4, R5 and R6 (FIG. 2). In addition, a fault protection, open loop protection and output undervoltage circuit is provided that monitors the feedback signal to provide a fault signal in the event of a fault to turn off the gate drive. Further, there is typically provided a UVLO circuit and a maximum duty cycle unit, as shown in FIG. 3.
Turning now to FIG. 1, at the beginning of each clock cycle, the ramp starts from zero volts and then linearly rises over the switching period. To achieve the desired wave shape, the slope of the ramp must be such that the ramp terminates at VCOMP at the end of the cycle. At the end of the cycle, the ramp is reset to zero volts and the cycle starts again. In the drawing, two different ramps for two different COMP voltages are shown. Both start at zero yet terminate at the same time (T) at the appropriate voltage VCOMPX.
The traditional architecture used to implement the one cycle PFC controller involves providing the clock circuit 70 and the ramp circuit as shown in FIG. 3 which closely matches the components of the clock circuit. The requirement for good power factor correction is that at the end of the clock cycle the ramp voltage equals VCOMP. Any error in this voltage results in significant loss of power factor. Unavoidable mismatches between clock and ramp voltage result in significant loss of power factor. Unavoidable mismatches between clock and ramp components as well as offset terms within amplifiers when utilizing this traditional method lead to significant errors in the ramp. Static trimming of the product helps to mitigate these errors at some operating point. However, it cannot provide sufficient mitigation over the full operating range of the circuit, and is useless if the frequency is user-programmable.
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/207,509 referred to above, an active calibration of the ramp is described. This method comes very close to achieving the desired ramp. In this technique, the ramp slope is adjusted cycle to cycle by a circuit that compares a ramp peak to the error signal. If the slope is too flat, the calibrator increases it on the next cycle. If the slope is too steep, then the slope is decreased in the next cycle. Offset errors and propagation delay issues in the calibration circuit can lead to errors in the ramp. However, these errors are small enough so that this technique provides accurate PFC. Drawbacks to this technique are first, dithering in the calibration circuit leads to dithering in the duty cycle that many systems cannot tolerate and secondly, the circuit is more complex so the silicon required to build the ramp and calibrator can be significant.

Merged ramp/oscillator for precise ramp control in one cycle PFC converter


An overlay is provided for a medication card of the type having a plurality of pharmaceutical products arranged in at least one row. The overlay includes a planar body having a front surface, and a plurality of openings formed in the planar body, with locations of the plurality of openings substantially corresponding to locations of the plurality of products of the medication card. The overlay further includes instructions provided on the front surface of the body for ingesting the plurality of products of the medication card.

1. Field of Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to packaging for pharmaceutical products, and more particularly to an overlay that can be applied to a medication card to provide dosage instructions to the user.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Packaging for dispensing pharmaceutical products includes a variety of presentation options. Reference can be made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,958,690, 4,084,695, 4,253,572, 4,372,445, 4,384,649, 5,377,839 and 6,082,544 and to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0037436 A1 for examples of known medicinal dispensing systems. One type of medicinal dispensing system includes a medication wallet having one or more, e.g., two, three, four or even more blisters that encapsulate pills or capsules, and the like. A typical medication wallet has an outer card or cover, an inner card that is sometimes referred to as a medication card, and one or more blisters containing pharmaceutical products. One type of configuration is a 28-capsule blister having four rows of capsules, each row having seven capsules for each day of the week.
One issue facing pharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmacies with medicines employing wallets is that patients requiring the same medicine often need a different dosage amount. Thus, manufacturers are required to create different wallets to support different dosage amounts although using the same drug product. In addition, pharmacies are forced to order mass quantities of the same drug product in wallets having differing dosage amounts, thereby raising the risk that a particular dosage amount may expire if not used in time. The numerous presentations of the same drug product may also contribute to confusion during the dispensing of the drug product to the patient since differences on the outer package may be difficult to differentiate from one to another. Another issue is that the medicine provided in the medication wallets is disseminated in multiple countries having different languages and requiring different country-specific regulatory language. Thus, the medication wallet must include instructions in multiple languages and contain country-specific regulatory language thereby forcing pharmaceutical manufacturers to print medication wallets directed to these country-specific applications.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A current interrupting device of a sealed battery includes a conductive member that is electrically connected to an external terminal of a battery case; a collector terminal that is arranged inside the battery case; and a reversing plate that is interposed between the conductive member and the collector terminal, and that electrically cuts off the conductive member from the collector terminal by deforming in response to an increase in pressure inside the battery case. An inner peripheral surface of the conductive member is joined to an outer peripheral surface of the reversing plate. An upper surface of the reversing plate does not contact the conductive member regardless of an activation of the current interrupting device.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to technology of a current interrupting device of a sealed battery.
2. Description of Related Art
A sealed battery is a battery configured with an electrode body that includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode being sealed, together with an electrolyte, inside a battery case. A lithium-ion secondary battery is one well-known example of a sealed battery. Some sealed batteries are provided with a current interrupting device that detects overcharge and interrupts current. One such known current interrupting device is a pressure-type current interrupting device that physically interrupts current when the internal pressure of the battery case becomes higher than a set pressure (for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-212034 (JP 2010-212034 A)).
A related pressure-type current interrupting device such as that described in JP 2010-212034 A includes a conductive member that is electrically connected to an external terminal of a battery case, a collector terminal that is arranged inside the battery case, and a reversing plate that is interposed between the conductive member and the collector terminal. The conductive member is formed in a recessed shape that is recessed upward, and the entire circumference of the reversing plate is joined to a bottom portion of the conductive member by welding.
Problems with a related pressure-type current interrupting device 500 will now be described with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a view showing a frame format of the related pressure-type current interrupting device 500.
First, the structure of the pressure-type current interrupting device 500 will be described. The pressure-type current interrupting device 500 is designed to electrically cut off a rivet 540 that serves as a conductive member from a collector terminal, not shown. The pressure-type current interrupting device 500 includes the rivet 540 and a reversing plate 550.
A recessed portion 543 of the rivet 540 is formed in a recessed shape that is recessed upward. A receiving portion 544 is formed on an inside surface of a lower end portion of the recessed portion 543. The reversing plate 550 is formed in a discoid shape. The entire circumference of an edge portion of the reversing plate 550 is joined by welding to an inner peripheral surface of the receiving portion 544 of the rivet 540.
Now the operation and problems of the pressure-type current interrupting device 500 will be described. If the pressure inside the battery case becomes higher than a set pressure due to some sort of abnormality, internal pressure P is applied to the reversing plate 550, causing the reversing plate 550 to deform in such a way that it bends upward.
When the internal pressure P is applied to the reversing plate 550 causing the reversing plate 550 to deform at this time, shearing stress consequently acts on a weld B via a fulcrum of leverage S. If the shearing stress applied to the weld B is greater than a predetermined stress value, the weld B may fracture. Therefore, in a pressure-type current interrupting device of a sealed battery, there is a need to reduce the shearing stress that is applied to the reversing plate when the pressure-type current interrupting device is activated.

Current interrupting device of sealed battery


Generally described, aspects of the disclosed subject matter are directed to dampers having shimmed pistons. In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, the dampers generally include a shaft having a piston with compression and rebound valves extending therethrough. The piston interfaces a shim assembly at the valve outlets such that damping fluid flow is controlled through a set of valves in one direction, and the damping fluid flow is limited through the same set of valves in the opposite direction. In this regard, the shim assembly is configured to deflect away from the piston as a result of damping fluid flow through the first valve. The shim assembly generally includes a ring shim that interfaces a shim stack to provide a configurable preload for the deflectable shims.

A damper provides a damping force in reaction to motion. A damper is typically filled with a damping fluid to provide fluidic resistance to the motion of a piston traveling through the damping fluid. A conventional piston generally includes valves for compression flow of damping fluid and valves for rebound flow of damping fluid. In this regard, shims are used to block one set of valves during each motion of the piston. For example, if the damper is experiencing a compression stroke, the rebound valves are blocked by the rebound shims. Conversely, when the damper is in a rebound stroke, the compression valves are blocked by the compression shims.
Shim configuration can greatly impact the performance and damping characteristics of the damper. Generally, a combination of different thicknesses and sizes of shims (referred to as a "shim stack") is used to tailor the characteristics of the damper during use. Shims are typically metallic discs that are capable of bending with a low rate of fatigue. In this regard, spring steel is often a material used for the shims. When the damper is in a compression stroke, and the rebound valves are blocked by the rebound shims, the compression shim stack is necessarily bent away from the compression valves to allow flow of the damping fluid through the piston. The rate of the flow determines the damping force. If the compression shim stack allows freely flowing damping fluid through the compression valves, the damping effect will be small. If the compression shim stack greatly restricts flow of damping fluid through the compression valves, the damping effect will be high.
Given the influence of the shim stack on the performance and damping characteristics of the damper, the shims are often configured in a manner that provides consistent and repeatable damper performance. The damper can be tuned by adjusting the shim stacks. In one configuration, a shim stack can be preloaded such that the shims do not bend to allow flow through the piston valves until a certain damper speed is reached. In this regard, the low speed travel of the damper has a higher damping force before the shim stack bends to allow flow through the piston valves. A variety of configurations for preloading the shim stack exist in conventional dampers. In one example, a digressive piston is used to apply a preload to the shim stack. Digressive pistons can be expensive and require very specific installations to perform as desired. Another configuration to preload the shim stack is to use a ring shim. In this type of preload configuration, the ring shim is positioned within the shim stack to bend, or preload, the shim stack. Often the ring shim can become misaligned, giving inconsistent performance characteristics for the damper.
Therefore, a need exists for an improved preloaded shim stack configuration that eliminates the performance inconsistencies of the damper, without using a digressive piston. Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to fulfilling these and other needs.


A method for connecting to a network from a mobile terminal capable of forming a high-performance radio channel in a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), and an apparatus implementing the same are provided. The method includes transmitting a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection request message indicating a first release version to the network, receiving an RRC connection setup message indicating a second release version from the network, comparing the first and second release versions, determining whether there is a third release version lower than the first release version and higher than the second release version when the second release version differs from the first, and, if there is the third release version lower than the first release version and higher than the second release version, transmitting an RRC connection request message indicating the third release version to the network when the second release version differs from the first release version.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for connecting to a network from a mobile terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for connecting to a network from a mobile terminal capable of forming a high-performance radio channel in a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), and an apparatus implementing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
UMTS, which is an updated system based on the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) European standard, is a third generation mobile communication system that aims to provide an improved mobile communication service based on a combination of a GSM core Network and a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) network.
A User Equipment (UE), which includes a user terminal in the UMTS, forms a radio channel with a network through a network connection procedure. In the network connection procedure, the UE transfers a currently supportable release version to the network. Accordingly, the network determines and transfers a release version of a radio channel to be allotted to the UE, and the UE forms the radio channel with the network using the received release version. However, when the network does not support the release version provided from the UE, the network optionally determines and transfers the release version to the UE with the result that the UE may use the release version determined in the network. In this case, there arises a problem in that a suitable radio channel between the UE and the network cannot be formed using release versions supported by the UE.

Method and apparatus for connecting to network from mobile terminal


A semiconductor device provides for shielding of resistance elements as well as other elongated passive or active components formed in the structure by diffusion of impurities into a polycrystalline silicon layer or a semiconductor substrate and a conductor is formed on an upper surface of the resistance element having a resistance value lower than that of the formed resistance element. Also, the conductor is formed so as to hold a fixed potential value. This structure prevents an invasion or infiltration of impurities which causes a variation in the resistance value of the resistance element. Further, the conductor functions as shielding from noise from a signal line in close proximity to the resistance element or from external noise by means of fixing the conductor at a fixed potential value thereby maintaining the stability of the resistance value of the resistance element.

FIG. 1 is a structural diagram illustrating a conventional polycrystalline silicon resistance element and, in particular, a high resistance element which is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A polycrystalline silicon 2 is formed on semiconductor substrate 3 through insulating or oxide film 9 and is connected to aluminum electrodes 4 and 6 through contacts 5 and 7. Insulating film 10 is formed over the top surface of polycrystalline silicon 2 which overlays only aluminum signal lines or an oxide protective film.
FIG. 2 is a structural diagram illustrating a conventional resistance element 12 is formed on semiconductor substrate 13 using a low concentration diffusion or an ion implanted diffusion. Diffused resistor 12, formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate 13, is connected to aluminum lines 14 and 16 through contacts 15 and 17. An insulating or oxide film 10 is formed over diffused resistor 12. The insulating film overlays only either other signal line of polycrystalline silicon or aluminum, or an oxide protective film.
However, in the case of the conventional structure shown in FIG. 2, a depletion layer occurs on the surface of resistance element 12 due to an electrical field from signal line passing to resistance element 12 and causes an increase in resistance value. In case where the depth of the depletion layer reaches to a degree that it is not able to be ignored with respect to the diffusion depth of resistance element 12, the resistance value greatly varies. An ion implanted resistance element with a depth of less than 1 .mu.m and a sheet resistance of 6 to 9 K.OMEGA. illustrates the phenomenon in a remarkable manner, and its resistance value may vary over several percent to several tens of percent.
Similarly, in case a high value resistance polycrystalline silicon 2 relative to FIG. 1, which is protected only by an oxide film 10, its resistance value is often varied due to impurity ions which permeate into the polycrystalline silicon.
A semiconductor element varies by nature its energy level in response to an incident light. Therefore, there has been a disadvantage that a resistance value is varied in response to light such as visible ray, infrared ray, or ultraviolet ray irradiated onto a semiconductor device.

Semiconductor devices with shielding for resistance elements


Endothelial implants restore vascular homeostasis after injury without reconstituting vascular architecture. Endothelial cells line the vascular epithelium and underlying vasa vasorum precluding distinction between cellular controls. Unlike blood vessels, the airway epithelium is highly differentiated and distinct from endothelial cells that line the bronchial vasa allowing investigation of the differential control tissue engineered cells may provide in airways and blood vessels. Through airway injury and cell culture models, tissue engineered implants of the bronchial epithelium and endothelium were found to promote synergistic repair of the airway through biochemical regulation of the airway microenvironment. While epithelial cells modulate local tissue composition and reaction, endothelial cells preserve the epithelium; together their relative impact was enhanced suggesting both cell types act synergistically for airway repair.

Airways, intestines, ureters, fallopian tubes and other tubular structures possess a trilaminate form which offers structural integrity and flow modulation, as well as profound regulation of local inflammation, thrombosis and hemostasis, proliferation and remodeling. In these structures, a loose fibrous adventitia is replete with coursing arterioles, venules and neural forms, a middle muscularis layer provides control of luminal dimensions and tone, and a surface layer contains cells that biochemically regulate the wall response, and sense flow and luminal contents.
In airway disorders—such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)—functional imbalance is tightly associated with remodeling of airway structure. Remodeling can establish an abnormal microenvironment between the epithelium and underlying mesenchyme finally resulting in a pathophysiologic cycle of inflammatory injury and aberrant repair.
Current treatments for airway disorders and disorders of other tubular structures are limited and often have adverse consequences. Treatment options vary with age, health, and the severity of the injury or disease. One objective of the present invention is to provide methods and materials for the treatment of injured, damaged or diseased airways and other tubular structures.

Tissue-engineered endothelial and epithelial implants repair multilaminate tubular airway structure


A method is disclosed for inhibiting or preventing the formation of scale on surfaces in contact with an aqueous system comprising adding to the system an amount effective to inhibit scale formation of a sulfonated organophosphonate compound having the formula: ##STR1## wherein n is an integer from 3 to 10 X is OH or NH.sub.2 ; and water soluble salts thereof.

Most industrial aqueous systems contain alkaline earth metal cations, such as calcium, magnesium, and the like, as well as numerous anions such as bicarbonate, carbonate, sulfate, and the like. When the concentration of the various combinations of cation and anions exceed the solubility of their reaction products, precipitates tend to form until the product solubility concentrations are no longer exceeded. As these reaction products precipitate on the surfaces of the aqueous systems, they form what is known as scale. The precipitation of calcium carbonate is by far the most common form of scale in industrial aqueous systems. This occurs when the ionic product of calcium and carbonate exceeds the solubility of the calcium carbonate and a solid phase of calcium carbonate forms.
The formation of scale in industrial aqueous systems represents a major problem since it reduces heat transfer efficiency on heat exchanger surfaces, increases corrosion problems and reduces flow of the water through the system. The addition of inorganic and, more recently, all organic polyphosphonates to these aqueous systems is known to inhibit scale formation. These compositions are generally added to the system in sub-stoichiometric amounts to the scale forming salt and are known to those in the art as threshold inhibitors. Threshold inhibition describes the phenomenon whereby a sub-stoichiometric amount of a scale inhibitor can stabilize a solution from precipitation. Threshold inhibition generally takes place under conditions where a small amount, e.g. 1 ppm to 100 ppm of a polymeric inhibitor, will stabilize the solution which contains many orders of magnitude greater concentration of scale forming salts.
Iron and iron-based metal-containing alloys, such as mild steel, are well-known materials used in constructing the apparatus of aqueous systems. In these systems water circulates, contacts the ferrous-based metal surface, and may be concentrated, such as by evaporation of a portion of the water from the system. Even though such metals are readily subject to corrosion in such environments, they are used over other metals due to their strength and availability.
It is known that various materials which are naturally or synthetically occurring in the aqueous systems, especially systems using water derived from natural resources such as seawater, rivers, lake and the like, attack ferrous-based metals. The term "ferrous-based metals", as used herein, refers to any ferrous-containing metals. Typical devices in which the ferrous-based metal parts are subject to corrosion include evaporators, single and multi-pass heat exchangers, cooling towers, and associated equipment and the like. As the system water passes through or over the device, a portion of the system water evaporates causing a concentration of the dissolved materials contained in the system. These materials approach and reach a concentration at which they may cause severe pitting and corrosion which eventually requires replacement of the metal parts. Various corrosion inhibitors have been previously used.
Chromates and inorganic phosphates or polyphosphates have been used in the past to inhibit the corrosion of metals which is experienced when the metals are brought into contact with water. The chromates, though effective, are highly toxic and, consequently, present handling and disposal problems. Phosphates are non-toxic. However, due to the limited solubility of calcium phosphate, it is difficult to maintain adequate concentrations of phosphates in many instances. The polyphosphates are also relatively non-toxic, but tend to hydrolyze to form orthophosphate which in turn, like phosphate itself, can create scale and sludge problems in aqueous systems (e.g. by combining with calcium in the system to form calcium phosphate). Moreover, where there is concern over eutrophication of receiving waters, excess phosphate compounds can provide disposal problems as nutrient sources. Borates, nitrates and nitrites have also been used for corrosion inhibition. These too, can serve as nutrients in low concentrations, and/or represent potential health concerns at high concentrations.
In addition, environmental considerations have also recently increased concerns over the discharge of other metals, such as zinc, which previously were considered acceptable for water treatment.
Much recent research has been concerned with the development of organic scale and corrosion inhibitors which can reduce reliance on the traditional inorganic inhibitors. Among the organic inhibitors successfully employed are numerous organic phosphonates. These compounds may generally be used without detrimentally interfering with other conventional water treatment additives. There is a continuing need, however, for safe and effective water treatment agents which can be used to control corrosion.
Many of the organic scale inhibitors and corrosion inhibitors used in industrial aqueous systems (e.g. hydroxyethylidine diphosphonic acid) are themselves very sensitive to calcium hardness and prone to form deposits of their calcium salts. This limits the range of hardness in which such materials can be usefully applied as scale inhibitors or corrosion inhibitors. There is a continuing need for safe and effective water treating agents which can be used to control scale formation and to exhibit corrosion, particularly when substantial calcium carbonate is present in the system water.

Inhibition of scale formation and corrosion by sulfonated organophosphonates


Methods of operation and computer program products for enabling a user to employ a single discrete navigation gesture to select and launch a mobile device destination. The mobile device destination can be a child mobile device destination pointed to by a parent mobile device destination. The mobile device destination can be a user selected mobile device destination from a library of mobile device destinations too long to be depicted simultaneously on a display screen. One embodiment requires a user to draw an additional segment of a single discrete navigation gesture to change one or more instantaneously depicted mobile device destination icons. Another embodiment requires a user to maintain user contact on a navigation item to change one or more instantaneously depicted mobile device destination icons.

Touch sensitive mobile devices employ a touch sensitive screen for simultaneously depicting content and enabling a user to draw discrete navigation gestures. Mobile device operating systems typically display a lock screen requiring a user to draw a discrete unlock gesture to confirm that he has deliberately activated his mobile device. Mobile device operating systems also typically display a home screen for depicting parent mobile device destination icons for enabling a user to launch different mobile device applications including inter alia a phone application for placing a call, one or more messaging applications for sending a message, one or more browsing applications for browsing the internet, and the like. More recent mobile device operating systems combine the functionalities of a lock screen and a home screen into a single combined lock/home screen such that a single navigation gesture activates a mobile device and launches a mobile device application.
Many users have many tens of pre-installed or self-installed mobile device applications and a hundred or more contacts. The present invention affords a more convenient user experience to select and launch a mobile device destination.
Terminology
The following terms are employed in the description and the claims:
Mobile device: Mobile devices in the context of the present invention include inter alia smart phones, tablets, and the like.
User contact: User contact on a touch sensitive screen of a touch sensitive mobile device in the context of the present invention includes inter alia a user placing his finger to physically contact a touch sensitive screen to draw a discrete navigation gesture, using a stylus or similar pointed instrument to draw a discrete navigation gesture, and the like.
Discrete navigation gesture: Single continuous user contact with a touch sensitive screen from an initial user contact thereon to a final user release therefrom. User release from a touch sensitive screen can be intentional to indicate termination of a single discrete navigation gesture or inadvertent, for example, because a user was distracted by someone calling his name, and the like. Discrete navigation gestures include so-called single finger movement actions such as taps, swipes, pinching, complete circles, and the like. Swipes can be straight or curved. Discrete navigation gestures also include so-called multiple finger movement actions consisting of two or more continuous finger movements. The continuous finger movements can include straight finger movements angled to each other, curved finger movements, and a combination of straight and curved finger movements. Adjacent straight finger movements can subtend an acute angle, a right angle to form a draw a letter L or an obtuse angle. A user may pause a single discrete navigation gesture at a particular screen location and continue with the same single discrete navigation gesture.
Types of Mobile Device Destinations
The following types of mobile device destinations are described in the description and the claims:
Mobile device destination: A mobile device destination can include inter alia a mobile device application, a website/URL, a contact person details, a log entry, for example, a missed call, a multimedia item, and the like.
Parent mobile device destination: A mobile device destination which can be selected by a unique mobile device destination icon depicted on a home screen and/or a lock screen. Parent mobile device destinations can have one of three destination functionalities described hereinbelow including optionally pointing to one or more child mobile device destinations. Parent mobile device destinations include inter alia messaging options, a library of applications, favorite websites, favorite contacts, and the like.
Child mobile device destination: A mobile device destination which can be selected and launched from a unique child mobile device destination icon. A child mobile device destination can be typically arrived at from one or more parent mobile device destinations. A child mobile device destination can optionally point to its own one or more child mobile device destinations. Child mobile device destinations can typically number from a few child mobile device destinations to hundreds of child mobile device destinations. The lists of child mobile device destinations can be sorted by different parameters depending on their nature. Typical parameters include inter alia date and time, alphabetical, frequency, and the like.
Library of mobile device destinations: A multitude of similar mobile device destinations of the same type, for example, applications, websites, contact persons, and the like. Libraries of mobile device destinations are typically too long to be depicted on a single display screen.
Mobile device destination set: A multitude of mobile device destinations including at least one parent mobile device destination and at least one child mobile device destination.
Types of Display Screens
The following types of display screens are described in the description and the claims:
Default display screen: A display screen displayed on a touch sensitive screen on detection of user release from the touch sensitive screen not at a display screen icon. The display screen icon can be a parent mobile device destination icon, a child mobile device destination icon, and the like. The default display screen can be defined to be a mobile device's lock screen, its home screen, its combined lock/home screen, and the like. A mobile device can be programmed to have repeatedly display the same default display screen. Alternatively, a mobile device can be programmed to display different default display screens under different circumstances.
Destination display screen: A display screen pursuant to the selection and launching of a mobile device destination.
Home screen: A display screen displaying at least one parent or child mobile device destination icon.
Intermediate navigation display screen: A display screen displayed during the course of a single discrete navigation gesture. During the course of a single discrete navigation gesture, a mobile device can display one or more intermediate navigation display screens.
Lock screen: Lock screens in the context of the present invention are display screens displayed on a touch sensitive screen when a mobile device is in a so-called lock state and the mobile device is operative in a limited way without a user executing a discrete unlock gesture to unlock the mobile device. Lock screens may include, for example, a 3 by 3 grid of points requiring a user to draw a security pattern connecting two or more points.

Methods of operation and computer program products for touch sensitive mobile devices


An electronic device includes an electronic module and an electronic module fixing structure that includes a main body, a position-limiting component slideably disposed on the main body along a first direction, at least one positioning component slideably disposed on the main body along a second direction, and at least one first elastic component. The position-limiting component has a position-limiting portion. The first elastic component is connected between the main body and the positioning component. The position-limiting component resists an elastic force of the first elastic component to limit the positioning component to be at a first position. When the electronic module moves into the main body, the electronic module pushes the position-limiting component to drive the position-limiting portion to move away from the positioning component, and the positioning component moves to a second position by the elastic force of the first elastic component to position the electronic module.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electronic device and a fixing structure thereof, and more particularly to an electronic device and an electronic module fixing structure thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
In the contemporary information era, dependence on electronic devices has been increasing. With the development of compact electronic devices, computer devices featuring compactness, such as notebook computers, tablet PCs, and all-in-one (AIO) PCs, have replaced the desktop computers and become more and more popular in the market of electronic devices.
Generally, the notebook computers, the tablet PCs, and the AIO PCs are all equipped with hard drive modules for storing data. Conventionally, when a user intends to disassemble the hard drive modules from the electronic devices, the user needs to remove screws applied for locking the hard drive modules, and the user then needs to assemble the hard drive modules back to the electronic devices through the screws. Hence, the maintenance or replacement of the hard drive modules is rather inconvenient. In view of the above, how to secure the hard drive modules with simple structural design and easily disassemble the hard drive modules from the electronic devices has become one of the important topics of designing the existing electronic devices.

Electronic device and electronic module fixing structure thereof


A video imaging apparatus for receiving, recording, and displaying images from a motor vehicle in which the video camera rigidly connects to a support member in a headrest protion of a seat in the motor vehicle. A video recorder mounts in a slidable drawer in a seat cushion, which drawer is selectively moveable from a first position recessed in the seat to a second position outwardly of the seat for selective access to the video recorder. The video recorder communicates with the video camera, as well as with a image display device mounted within the motor vehicle.

In recent years, military, taxis, private persons, police and private detectives have added video cameras to their equipment list for video recording of activities, persons, races, passing scenes, patrols and investigations. For police particularly, the video camera provides a visual record of events such as traffic stops, chases, and other incidents of law enforcement. Private detectives also record incidents for evidentiary purposes during investigations.
Various devices have been provided for supporting video cameras in motor vehicles. Stationary investigations allow use of tripods mounted in the motor vehicle to support the video cameras. The tripod readily stands in many vans or other trucks which have room for the legs to spread and thereby provide a stable foundation for using a video camera attached thereto. Tripods however are not readily adaptable for use in passenger vehicles which have limited space in the rear seat portion of the car. Generally, the legs are insufficiently separated for image recording stability.
For military, taxi, and police vehicles particularly, video cameras typically mount on U-shaped brackets attached to the forward portion of the roof adjacent the windshield. The bracket receives the video camera for a forward view through the windshield in order to provide a record of traffic stops, automobile chases, and the like. Other camera mounts have been used to secure video or television cameras within automobiles, such as race cars to provide a driver's perspective during an automobile race being broadcasted on television. One known device for mounting a camera in a car maintains the camera level with respect to the roads surface regardless of acceleration or gravitational forces. The camera is supported on a pendulum suspended from a gimble and constrained with spring and damping elements which match the vehicle suspension system in order to produce equal and opposite rotations of the pendulum in response to the movements of the vehicle.
Other devices are less complicated. One such device mounts a camera in a protective box which attaches to the rear deck of the vehicle near the back window. Telescoping members connect the box to the rear deck. Coil springs absorb shock in order to dampen vibrations communicated to the camera. Another device provides a channel member with a depending plate at one end. The plate is received in a slot of an upper edge of a car seat which normally receives a tongue or support member of a headrest. A distal end of the channel rests on top of the dashboard of the vehicle. A camera mounts with a bolt through an opening in the channel. An elastic hold-down and stabilizing cord is used to secure the distal end of the channel to the dashboard.
My U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/919,298 discloses a transverse bar which connects at opposing distal ends to the supports for headrests in the seats of motor vehicles. The video camera mounts to a pivotable support attached to the transverse bar, whereby the camera may be oriented at a selected angle for recording.
While these devices have generally functioned to support a camera within a car, there are drawbacks to their use. Mounting the camera on a rear deck of a car does not satisfactorily show dashboard information which is useful and important during automobile races. Also this perspective view differs from that seen by the driver. On the other hand, placing the camera closer to the windshield may have the camera to far forward to show the dashboard of the car which had key gauges, such as the speedometer, displaying information about the car. Brackets which are cantilevered in the car are susceptible to vibration as the distal end is not adequately secured. Further, such brackets that mount to the seat slot for headrest supports occupies one of the headrests and takes the space otherwise occupied by a passenger.
Also, surveillance security and other police activities however need the camera to be less visible from casual observation, which the present devices do not provide.
Further, while some video cameras incorporate a recording apparatus within the camera, often, the recorder is a separate component connected to the video camera by communication cables. As a separate component, the recorder is usually permanently mounted to a portion of the wall of the trunk of the motor vehicle. This makes access to the recorder and tapes cumbersome, time consuming, and unsatisfactory. Space within a police vehicle however is at premium for storage of equipment and materials. The video recorder needs to be secure so that it is not independently moving while the vehicle is traveling, yet must be readily and easily accessible for retrieval and exchange of recording tapes.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved mounts for video recording equipment in motor vehicles. It is to such that the present invention is directed.

Headrest and seat video imaging apparatus


In a solid-state imaging device which includes column analog-to-digital conversion circuits (ADCs) for converting pixel signals output from pixels into digital signals, each of the column ADCs includes a comparator which outputs a result of voltage comparison (comparison result signal) between the voltage of the pixel signal and an analog ramp voltage; a column counter which counts a column counter clock signal, which is either a clock signal or a phase-shifted clock signal, and stores a value represented by upper bits of a count value at a time of change in the comparison result signal; and a first latch unit which stores a value represented by lower bits of the count value. A second latch unit stores the value stored in the first latch unit.

The present disclosure relates to solid-state imaging devices, imaging systems, and method for driving solid-state imaging devices having sensing elements for measuring physical quantities with respect to visible rays, electromagnetic waves, alpha rays, beta rays, etc.
In addition to sensors using charge-coupled devices (CCDs) (hereinafter referred to as "CCD sensors") which prevailed in image sensors, image sensors using metal oxide semiconductors (MOSs) (hereinafter referred to as "MOS sensors") which are fabricated using a standard process used for logic large scale integrated circuits (LSIs) have been widely distributed in the market today. Unlike CCD sensors, a MOS sensor allows a variety of analog and digital circuits to be integrated on a same substrate with a pixel array. A CCD sensor can generate a digital output signal only after the pixel array is coupled with an individual chip having an analog-to-digital (hereinafter "AD") conversion function, such as an analog front-end processor (hereinafter "AFE") specialized for an analog signal amplification function and an AD conversion function, or a digital signal processor (hereinafter "DSP") having an AFE function. In contrast, MOS sensors in which a pixel array and an AD conversion circuit (hereinafter "ADC") are integrated on a same chip are already commercially available.
Various conversion techniques have been proposed for ADCs installed in MOS sensors, including a pipeline AD conversion technique, which is widely used in AFEs, a column-parallel AD conversion technique, which performs an AD conversion operation on a line of pixel data concurrently and in parallel, and a technique which performs an AD conversion operation on all the pixel data concurrently and in parallel.
There is also a demand for such ADCs to operate at a higher speed and with higher accuracy. One example of achieving a higher speed and higher accuracy is a solid-state imaging device installed in an imaging device such as a digital camera, in which a ramp ADC for converting an analog pixel signal into a digital signal is provided in every one or more pixel columns, a column counter provided in each of the ramp ADCs stores upper bits of the digital signal, and a clock signal is supplied to a latch so that lower bits are stored therein, thereby achieving high-speed, high accuracy AD conversion while preventing an increase of clock frequency (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-038726 (Patent Document 1)).

Solid-state imaging device, imaging system, and method for driving solid-state imaging device

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


An acknowledgment packet sending method and device are provided, so as to reduce sending of acknowledgment packets on an air interface, and improve efficiency of air interface resource utilization. After receiving a TCP acknowledgment packet that is sent by a TCP protocol entity unit of a communications device and does not carry data information, an RLC protocol entity unit of the communications device discards the received TCP acknowledgment packet; or determines, according to a sending status of an RLC acknowledgment packet, whether to send a TCP acknowledgment packet to a peer communications device, and performs corresponding processing according to a result of the determining.

In a process of transmitting data in a wireless manner, a network-side device and a user-side device generally follow a hierarchical model for data transmission, that is, an application layer, a transfer control protocol (Transfer Control Protocol, TCP) layer, a network layer, a radio link control (Radio link Control, RLC) layer, a MAC (Media Access Control, Media Access Control) layer, and a physical (Physical, PHY) layer. When the network-side device sends data to the user-side device, the data starts from an application layer of the network-side device, after passing through a transfer control protocol layer, a network layer, a Radio Link Control layer, a media access control layer, and a physical layer of the network-side device, arrives at a physical layer of the user-side device through a transmission link, passes through a Radio Link Control layer and a network layer of the user-side device, and finally, arrives at an application layer of the user-side device; and vice versa.
To avoid a case in which a data loss or a data error occurs in a data transmission process, a receive data acknowledgment mechanism is introduced into the foregoing data transmission process, where an acknowledgment at the TCP layer is to ensure correctness of transmitting a data packet at the TCP layer, and an acknowledgment at the RLC layer is to ensure correctness of receiving a data packet at the RLC layer. In a condition provided with acknowledgments at both the RLC layer and the TCP layer, a data packet transmission procedure is shown in FIG. 1.
Currently, a TCP acknowledgment packet (TCP ACK; ACK: Acknowledgment, acknowledgment) is sent in two manners: piggybacked (that is, sent together with a data packet) and independently sent (that is, data is not included in the TCP acknowledgment packet, and only header information is included). A format of a TCP data packet header is shown in FIG. 2, where a 4-bit (bit) header length indicates a quantity of pieces of 32-bit information that appears in a TCP packet header. A TCP packet header is a maximum of 60 bytes (byte), and is generally 20 bytes.
During one time of data packet transmission, an RLC-AM mode (that is, an RLC acknowledged mode; AM: Acknowledged Mode, acknowledged mode) is used, where both an RLC layer and a TCP layer at a receive end device may send an acknowledgment packet, and receiving of a TCP acknowledgment packet may trigger sending of an RLC acknowledgment packet again. During transmission of a single data packet, particularly, transmission of a single small data packet, one data packet at the foregoing application layer is corresponding to a maximum of three acknowledgment packets on an air interface (Air Interface, air interface, that is, an interface between a mobile terminal and a base station). When an independent TCP acknowledgment packet appears, a data packet is relatively large, which causes a waste of air interface resources, and a large quantity of acknowledgment packets cause interference to other communication data.

Acknowledgment packet sending method and device


A method of forming a printed circuit board or circuit card is provided with a metal layer which serves as a power plane sandwiched between a pair of photoimageable dielectric layers. Photoformed metal filled vias and photoformed plated through holes are in the photopatternable material, and signal circuitry is on the surfaces of each of the dielectric materials and connected to the vias and plated through holes. A border may be around the board or card including a metal layer terminating in from the edge of one of the dielectric layers. A copper foil is provided with clearance holes. First and second layers of photoimageable curable dielectric material is disposed on opposite sides of the copper which are photoimageable material. The patterns are developed on the first and second layers of the photoimageable material to reveal the metal layer through vias. At the clearance holes in the copper, through holes are developed where holes were patterned in both dielectric layers. Thereafter, the surfaces of the photoimageable material, vias and through holes are metalized by copper plating. This is preferably done by protecting the remainder of the circuitry with photoresist and utilizing photolithographic techniques. The photoresist is thereafter removed, leaving a circuit board or card having metalization on both sides, vias extending from both sides to the copper layer in the center, plated through holes connecting the two outer circuitized copper layers.

This invention relates generally to the formation of circuit boards or cards or the like, and more particularly to the formation of circuit boards or cards having 2 signal planes and one power plane (2S/1P) wherein the power plane is sandwiched between two layers of photopatternable dielectric material and on which layers of circuitry for the signal planes is disposed.

Two signal one power plane circuit board

International Business Machines Corporation