The black level of the NTSC portion of an EDTV broadcast signal is set to a level N, typically twice as high as the normal 7.5 IRE units. This signal characteristic motivates the viewer or the automatic black level circuits of the NTSC receiver to raise the receiver's black level to about the same N IRE units for optimum reception of the transmitted signal. EDTV enhancement signals are transmitted in the range of +N to -N (for example, +15 to -15) IRE units. Since the NTSC receiver is adjusted to blank all signals below N IRE, the EDTV enhancement signals between +N and -N IRE levels do not trigger the display in the NTSC receiver, thereby maintaining the upper and lower band areas at a uniform black level without unwarranted speckles or other interference.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting signals for an Extended Definition Television System (EDTV) for reception on standard NTSC television receivers with minimal interference from the enhancement portion of the EDTV signal. The described EDTV video transmissions are imaged in letter box format when received by a typical NTSC television receiver.
The current operating standard for television transmissions in the United States is defined by the National Television Systems Committee (NTSC). This standard was approved for monochrome transmission by the Federal Communications Commission in 1941 and further expanded for NTSC color television systems in 1954.
Newer systems associated with High Definition Television (HDTV) set higher standards of resolution for the transmission of television images as compared to the NTSC standard. While the HDTV standard will deliver a better TV image, the transmission of this HDTV image is generally incompatible with existing NTSC receivers. Therefore, a migration path to transition to this better quality HDTV image in the face of the large existing installed base of incompatible NTSC receivers has to be found. It is clearly desirable to transition from the NTSC system to the HDTV system in a smooth, gradual way where an intermediate standard compatible with both the NTSC and the HDTV systems allows use of the existing NTSC receivers while concurrently providing some the benefits of the higher image quality of the HDTV transmissions.
Such a system, designed as an intermediate step to minimize the impact of the transition to HDTV, is generally identified as a "letter box" Extended Definition Television (EDTV). A letter box type EDTV transmission presents an image on a standard NTSC receiver that contains the information related to the full width of the originally transmitted EDTV image and maintains the original 9 by 16 aspect ratio of the EDTV image. To fit the 9 by 16 aspect ratio EDTV image into the 3 by 4 aspect ratio of the NTSC display requires the introduction of top and bottom bands in the display. The EDTV transmission reproduced by the NTSC receiver must therefore accommodate these bands.
The bands are ideally black and uniform, and appear above and below the active image area displayed by the NTSC-only compatible receiver. Geometric considerations of displaying a 9 by 16 ratio image into a 3 by 4 aspect ratio display dictate that 180 lines per field be used by the NTSC receiver to display the EDTV image. Since the NTSC has a total of 240 display lines, the 60 remaining lines are divided into two groups, with 30 lines forming the upper band and 30 lines forming the lower band. It is important that these bands be uniform and non-changing so as not to interfere with viewing the 180 line EDTV image on the NTSC display.
The letterbox EDTV system generally transmits the added, or enhancement information required by the full EDTV image within the time associated with the top and bottom band areas around the NTSC image just before and after the transmission of the NTSC compatible portion of the image. Such letter box type system have been described for example by Norihiro Suzuki et al. in "Experimental Hardware for Proposed Letter Box Wide Aspect EDTV", SMPTE Technical Conference, October 1990, New York City, N.Y. and W. F. Schreiber et al., "Single Channel HDTV System, Compatible and Non-compatible", presented at the 2nd HDTV workshop, Italy, March 1988, as well as Y. Kanatsugu et al., "Development of MUSE Family Systems", IEEE Transactions of Consumer Electronics, Vol. 35, No. 3, August 1989, pp. 153-158.
In a typical letterbox EDTV system, the EDTV video source signal originally contains 480 lines of video information per frame, split into two components. The first, or low pass (NTSC component) signal contains 360 video lines per frame (180 lines per field). The second, or high pass (EDTV enhancement) signal portion contains 120 video lines per frame (60 lines per field) plus blanking (22.5 lines per field).
A problem exists when the EDTV signal is viewed on an NTSC only receiver. The EDTV related information present in high pass components (i.e., the top and bottom bands containing the information necessary to enhance the quality of the EDTV image) can occasionally modulate the display lines of the bands in the NTSC receiver so that the bands are non-uniform in appearance. This modulation can produce, in the band areas of the NTSC receiver, speckles or wavy lines that detract from the enjoyment of the NTSC image and interfere with the quality of the NTSC image displayed on the NTSC receiver.
The undesirability of having the NTSC receiver display even faintly visible marks in the top and bottom band areas has led to proposals for systems to "blank" those areas. For example, in the system described in "Matrix Conversion for Improvement of Vertical-Temporal Resolution in Letter Box Wide-Aspect TV" by N. Suzuki at SMPTE Journal, February 1991, the amplitude of the output of the high pass filter from the video transmitter is compressed to limit the dynamic range of the high frequency signals and therefore reduce the visibility of the modulation of the bars.
Another system for reducing the interference associated with the top and bottom bands is described in "Transmission Method of Side-Panel Signals--A Technique to Hide Side-Panel Signals" by Ashibe et al. of the NEC Corporation, Japan, which proposes to split the high pass information normally associated with the bands into a high and a low energy group. The low energy group is transmitted during the duration of the bands while the high energy group is transmitted during the normal overscan period of the NTSC receiver when the beam forming the image is not visible on the display of the receiver. This allocation of the high energy group signals at a time when the display is not produced reduces the probability that some of the EDTV enhancement signal may inadvertently modulate the NTSC receiver during the top or bottom band forming period.
In view of the present limitations associated with EDTV television systems, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an EDTV letter box system whose transmission of EDTV signals is such that when viewed on an NTSC receiver, the upper and lower bands have a uniform appearance unmarred by the unwanted display of enhancements related to the EDTV image.

Method and apparatus for transmission of signals for an extended definition television system

Matsushita Electric Corporation of America


An adaptive train model (ATM) for predicting train consist reactions to specific stimuli using a system including at least one measurement sensor located on the train consist, a data base, and a computer. The ATM collects sensor data as the consist is moving, determines a consist force balance utilizing the sensor data and the computer, determines a set of consist coefficients using the computer, and predicts train consist kinetic characteristic values using the consist force balance and the set of consist coefficients.

This invention relates generally to predictive modeling, and more particularly to predicting train consist reactions to specific stimuli.
Typically, when a train consist moves from one location to another, knowledge of the effects of incurred stimuli of the consist as the consist moves along the tracks is useful for increasing the efficiency consist movement. Therefore, a train consist predictive model would aid railroad transportation companies in improving operations. However, modeling the movement of a train consist is complex and time consuming.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an effective method of modeling movement of a train consist so that kinetic characteristics, such as stopping distance, speed, and acceleration can be determined and utilized to improve the movement of freight from one location to another.


A sensor to simultaneously detect light and acoustic waves is presented. The sensor includes one or more optical fibers and a diaphragm disposed near one end of at least one of the one or more optical fibers. The diaphragm is configured to vibrate upon incidence of acoustic waves from an arc flash and reflect a light beam into at least the one of the one or more of the optical fibers. A semi-transparent region is disposed around the one or more optical fibers to diffuse light originating from the arc flash into at least one of the one or more optical fibers.

The invention relates generally to arc flash detection and, in particular, to arc flash sensors.
Electric power circuits and switchgear equipment have conductors separated by insulation. Air space often serves as part or all of this insulation in some applications. If the conductors are too close to each other or voltage exceeds the insulation level, an arc can occur between conductors. Air or any other insulation (gas, solid, or liquid) between conductors can become ionized, making the insulation conductive and thereby enabling an arcing event. Arc events may induce temperatures that can reach as high as 20,000° C., vaporize conductors and adjacent materials, and release an explosive energy that destroys surrounding circuits.
An arc flash is typically the result of a rapid energy release due to an arcing fault between two phases or between one phase and a neutral or ground. An arc flash can produce high heat, intense light, and acoustic waves similar to that of an explosion. However, an arc fault current typically includes a much lower magnitude as compared to a short circuit current, and circuit breakers do not necessarily react to such lower magnitudes of current. Typically, arc flash mitigation techniques use standard fuses and circuit breakers. However, such techniques have slow response times and are not fast enough to mitigate an arc flash.
One technique to mitigate arc faults is to reduce the response time of arc sensors. For example, reduced response time may be achieved by detecting specific characteristics of the arcing event such as light. Optical sensors detect light within an enclosure and determine the occurrence of the arc flash event. However, such a method of light detection may lead to erroneous arc detection when stray light or light from other sources is detected. Further, such methods do not provide information regarding the location of the arcing event. Other techniques include implementing pressure sensors within the enclosure to detect arc flash induced pressure changes. Such methods, however, result in delayed detection as pressure build-up takes a significant amount of time.
There is a need for improved arc flash prevention mechanism that has an improved response time and minimizes false alarms.


Business applications running on a content delivery network (CDN) having a distributed application framework can create, access and modify state for each client. Over time, a single client may desire to access a given application on different CDN edge servers within the same region and even across different regions. Each time, the application may need to access the latest “state” of the client even if the state was last modified by an application on a different server. A difficulty arises when a process or a machine that last modified the state dies or is temporarily or permanently unavailable. The present invention provides techniques for migrating session state data across CDN servers in a manner transparent to the user. A distributed application thus can access a latest “state” of a client even if the state was last modified by an application instance executing on a different CDN server, including a nearby (in-region) or a remote (out-of-region) server.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to execution of Web-based applications in a content delivery network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Enterprises can expand their business, increase efficiency, and enable new revenue streams by extending their business applications over the Internet to customers, partners, and suppliers. One way to enable enterprises to shift the operational burden of running a reliable and secure Web presence is to outsource that presence, in whole or in part, to a service provider, such as a content delivery network (CDN). A content delivery network is a collection of content servers and associated control mechanisms that offload work from Web site origin servers by delivering content (e.g., Web objects, streaming media, HTML and executable code) on their behalf to end users. Typically, the content servers are located at the "edge" of the Internet. A well-managed CDN achieves this goal by serving some or all of the contents of a site's Web pages, thereby reducing the customer's infrastructure costs while enhancing an end user's browsing experience from the site. In operation, the CDN uses a request routing mechanism to locate a CDN edge server electronically close to the client to serve a request directed to the CDN. Sites that use a CDN benefit from the scalability, superior performance, and availability of the CDN service provider's outsourced infrastructure.
Many enterprises, such as those that outsource their content delivery requirements, also implement their business services as multi-tier (n-tier) applications. In a representative n-tiered application, Web-based technologies are used as an outer (a first or "presentation") tier to interface users to the application, and one or more other tiers comprise middleware that provides the core business logic and/or that integrates the application with existing enterprise information systems. The Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE™) is a technology and an associated component-based model that reduces the cost and complexity of developing such multi-tier, enterprise services. The J2EE runtime environment defines several types of application components that can be used to build services. These include (a) Web tier components (e.g., servlets, JSP pages, Java beans, filters, and web event listeners), which are components that typically execute in a web server and respond to HTTP requests from web clients, and (b) Enterprise tier components (e.g., session beans, entity beans and message driven beans, which may be developed as Enterprise JavaBeans™ (EJB™)), that include the business logic and that execute in a managed environment to support transactions. Runtime support for J2EE application components are provided by so-called "containers," with a Web container supporting the Web tier components, and an Enterprise container supporting the Enterprise tier components. Containers execute the application components and provide utility services. J2EE-compliant servers provide deployment, management and execution support for conforming application components.
Provisioning server-side Java applications or application components to run on CDN edge servers presents complex deployment and operational issues. A solution is described in commonly-owned, copending application Ser. No. 10/340,206, filed Jan. 11, 2003, titled "Java Application Framework For Use In A Content Delivery Network." According to that document, given edge servers in the CDN are provisioned with application server code used to execute Web tier components of an application (an "edge-enabled application"). Business applications running on the CDN using this framework can create, access and modify state for each client. Over time, a single client may access a given application on different CDN edge servers within the same region and even across different regions. Each time, the application may need to access the latest "state" of the client even if the state was last modified by an application on a different server. The difficulty arises when a process or a machine that last modified the state dies or is temporarily or permanently unavailable. Thus, an important problem that needs to be solved in the context of a CDN in which an application framework is supported is the management of user session state.
As is well-known, components in the web-tier of an enterprise application, such as servlets, typically store user session state in objects. These objects are stored in the web-tier container. Throughout a user session, the state of the session is made available to all servlets within the web-tier container, e.g., through a mechanism such as a map (hash) lookup. While this scheme may work for single process web containers, it cannot be scaled to work within a CDN, where an end user may be mapped, within the same session, to a set of servers within the CDN region or across one or more regions.
The present invention provides several solutions to address this problem.

Managing web tier session state objects in a content delivery network (CDN)


A computer program product for locating first and second objects each having substantially the same physical characteristics, and the ratio of the distance between the first and second objects and the size of each object is substantially invariant, the computer program product comprises: a computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of: displaying a digital image on a graphical user interface; inputting to the interface an approximate position of each object for forming initial input positions; determining an estimate size of each object based on the distance obtained from the initial input positions of the first and second objects; forming a first searching window for the first object; the center of the first window is determined by the input position of the first object and the size of the first window is determined by the estimate size of the first object; reiteratively positioning a template on the first search window for determining a location that gives a best match of the first object relative to the template; forming a second searching window for the second object; the center of the second window is determined by the input position of the second object and the size of the second window is determined by the estimate size of the second object; and reiteratively positioning a template on the second search window for determining a location that gives a best match of the second object relative to the template.

Identifying objects in an image is performed in a variety of image processing functions. For example, in correcting for red-eye in images, the human eye is located and the undesirable red portion in the eye is replaced with a more aesthetically pleasing color. In the "KODAK" digital print station, the image is displayed on a touch screen and one eye is repeatedly touched for further zooming in on the red portion of the eye upon each touch. The red portion of the eye is then identified by searching for red pixels in the area defined by the zooming process, and the identified red pixels are replaced with a predetermined color for making the image more aesthetically pleasant. The process is then repeated for the other eye.
A neural networks method of locating human eyes is disclosed in Learning An Example Selection for Object and Pattern Recognition, The AI-Lab, MIT by K. K. Sung, November 1995. This method discloses training the a neural network to recognize eyes with acceptable distortion from a pre-selected eye template. The operator repeatedly distorts the original eye template and all variations produced from distorting the eye are labeled as either acceptable or unacceptable. The distorted samples, i.e., the training images, and the associated labeling information are fed to the neural network. This training process is repeated until the neural network has achieved satisfactory recognition performance for the training images. The trained neural network effectively has stored a plurality of possible variations of the eye. Locating an eye is done by feeding a region in the image to the neural network for determining if a desired output, i.e., a match, occurs; all matches are identified as an eye.
Although the presently known and utilized methods of identifying eyes are satisfactory, they are not without drawbacks. The touch screen method requires constant human interaction of repeatedly touching the touch screen for zooming in on the eye and, as a result, is somewhat labor intensive. Still further, the neural network method requires extensive training and is also computationally intensive in the matching process because an exhaustive search has to be performed for all the possible sizes and orientations of the eye.
Consequently, a need exists for improvements in the method of locating objects in an image so as to overcome the above-described drawbacks.

Computer program product for locating objects in an image


A technique for confining secondary electrons on a wafer is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as an apparatus and method for confining secondary electrons in plasma-based ion implantation. The apparatus and method may comprise a magnetic field portion of a magnetic field configuration placed under a target wafer for generating a magnetic field above the target wafer for confining secondary electrons on the target wafer. The apparatus and method may also comprise a magnetic field above the target wafer that is substantially parallel to an upper surface of the target wafer. The apparatus and method may additionally comprise a magnetic field portion comprising at least one of a plurality of coils, one or more current-carrying wires, and a plurality of magnets.

Ion implantation is a process of depositing chemical species into a substrate by direct bombardment of the substrate with energized ions. In semiconductor fabrication, ion implanters are used primarily for doping processes that alter the type and level of conductivity of target materials. A precise doping profile in an integrated circuit (IC) substrate and its thin-film structure is often crucial for proper IC performance. To achieve a desired doping profile, one or more ion species may be implanted in different doses and at different energy levels. A specification of the ion species, doses, and energies is referred to as an ion implantation recipe.
In conventional ion implantation, ions are extracted from a plasma source and are typically filtered (e.g., for mass, charge, energy), accelerated and/or decelerated, and collimated through several electro-static/dynamic lenses before being directed to a substrate. By contrast, in plasma-based ion implantation, a substrate is immersed in plasma. A negative voltage is applied to the substrate and ions are extracted through a subsequent sheath between the substrate and plasma.
Several types of plasma sources exist, such as capacitively-coupled plasmas (CCPs), inductively-coupled plasmas (ICPs), glow discharges (GD), and hollow cathode (HC), to name a few. Of these examples, ICPs are typically better suited for conditions of interest in ion implantation because of lower electron temperature and higher electron density when compared to CCPs. An example of an ICP is radio frequency (RF) plasma.
A cross-sectional view of a typical radio frequency plasma doping system (RF-PLAD) 100 is depicted in FIG. 1. The plasma doping system 100 includes a plasma chamber 102 and a chamber top 104. The chamber top 104 includes a conductive top section 116, a first section 106, and second section 108. The top section 116 has a gas entry 118 for a process gas to enter. Once the process gas enters the gas entry 118 of the top section 116, it flows on top of a baffle 126 before being evenly distributed in the chamber 102. The first section 106 of the chamber top 104 extends generally in a horizontal direction. The second section 108 of the chamber top 104 extends from the first section 106 in generally a vertical direction. A planar coil antenna 112 having a plurality of turns wraps around the second section 108. A helical coil antenna 114 having a plurality of turns typically sits on the first section 106 and surrounds the second section 108. The first and second sections 106, 108 are typically formed of a dielectric material 110 for transferring RF power to the plasma inside the chamber 102.
An RF source 130, e.g., an RF power supply, may be electrically connected to at least one of the planar coil antenna 112 and the helical coil antenna 114 by an impedance matching network 132 that maximizes power transferred from the RF source 130 to the RF antennas 112, 114. When the RF source 130 resonates RF currents in the RF antennas 112, 114, the RF antennas 112, 114 induce RF currents into the chamber 102 to excite and ionize process gas for generating a plasma in the chamber 102.
The geometry of the first and second sections 106, 108 of the chamber top 104 and the configuration of the RF antennas 112, 114 are chosen so that a uniform plasma is generated. In addition, electromagnetic coupling may be adjusted with a coil adjuster 134 to improve uniformity of generated plasma.
A platen 124 is positioned in the chamber 102 below the baffle 126. The baffle 126 may be grounded or floating. A target wafer 120 is positioned on a surface of the platen 124, which may be biased by a voltage power supply 128, so that ions in generated plasma are attracted to the target wafer 120.
Referring to FIG. 2, a conventional substrate or target wafer 120 is shown. Upon energetic ion bombardment on the wafer 120, secondary electrons are typically produced. For example, a 10 keV BF2+ ion produces approximately 6 secondary electrons upon impact with a silicon (Si) wafer. Thus, for every positive ion implanted, a +7 charge results on the wafer 120. At low pressures (e.g., a few mTorr), most of these electrons are transparent to bulk gas or plasma and may end up colliding with the baffle 126 to cause sputtering or heating up. At higher pressures (e.g., several tens of mTorr), an appreciable fraction of these secondary electrons may collide with bulk gas resulting in ionization and/or dissociation. Consequently, bulk density distribution and implant dose are greatly affected by unconfined secondary electrons.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a technique for confining on a wafer secondary electrons in plasma-based ion implantation to overcome the above-described inadequacies and shortcomings.

Technique for confining secondary electrons in plasma-based ion implantation

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.


A robotic arm can clean an end-of-arm tool using a cleaning station. The end-of-arm tool can be positioned at an introduction position with a portion of the end-of-arm tool in contact with a cleaning agent contained within the cleaning station. The end-of-arm tool can be positioned at a scrubbing position with the end-of-arm tool in contact with a cleaning surface. And the end-of-arm tool can be positioned at a drying position for drying of the end-of-arm tool.

Modern inventory systems, such as those in mail order warehouses, supply chain distribution centers, airport luggage systems, and custom-order manufacturing facilities, face significant challenges in responding to requests for inventory items. The inventory systems can include robotic manipulators that can engage with and manipulate the items. For example, the robotic manipulators can include an end-of-arm tool with an engagement surface that interacts with the items. However, during manipulation of the items, the engagement surface can become contaminated and may not be able to correctly manipulate the items. The inventory system may need to be stopped for an extended period of time while the engagement surface is repaired or replaced.

Cleaning station for robotic end effectors


Methods, systems, and/or devices are provided that permit data transmissions over unused television channels. A method operational in a receiver device, includes monitoring one or more repurposed channels within a television broadcast frequency spectrum for data waveforms, wherein waveforms of different bandwidths coexist within the one or more repurposed channels, and at least a larger waveform has a first bandwidth larger than a channel bandwidth for each repurposed channel. The method also includes receiving a waveform over a repurposed channel from among the one or more repurposed channels, wherein the received waveform has a second bandwidth smaller than the channel bandwidth. The method further includes processing the received waveform by applying a downclocking factor to a clock of the receiver device that causes the receiver device to process the received waveform according to the second bandwidth to obtain a data payload from the received waveform.

Access terminals, such as laptop computers, personal digital assistant devices, mobile or cellular phones, personal media players, or other devices with a processor, that communicate through wireless signals are becoming increasingly popular and are used more frequently. Many access terminals are adapted to communicate via Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), and several emerging wireless communications standards have been developed and are being developed for facilitating such WLANs.
The Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers (IEEE) has developed various WLAN standards (or revisions) under the umbrella of its IEEE 802.11 standard. IEEE 802.11 denotes a set of WLAN air interface standards developed by the IEEE 802.11 committee for short-range communications (e.g., tens of meters to a few hundred meters). Such WLAN networks are often referred to as "WiFi" or "wi-fi" networks and allow electronic devices to communication wirelessly (e.g., exchange data, access other networks, etc.).
However, the available frequency spectrum for such wireless networks is quite limited and there is an ever increasing need for bandwidth demanded by wireless communications systems. As such, reuse of, and/or co-existence with, existing frequency spectrum allocations is desirable. One relatively recent development corresponds to implementing a WLAN using white space (also referred to as whitespace). "White space" may refer to radio frequencies allocated to a broadcasting service but not used locally (e.g., within short range). In the U.S., the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Report and Order (R&O) recently opened up an opportunity of unlicensed usage of the white space. Use of white space for implementing a WLAN according to the IEEE 802.11 standard is being developed under an amendment to the IEEE 802.11 referred to as IEEE 802.11af. "White-fi" is a term being used to describe the use of a Wi-Fi technology within the TV unused spectrum, or TV white space. Television channels have typical bandwidths of 5 MHz in the U.S., but bandwidths may be different (e.g., 6 MHz, etc.) in other countries.
The specification of IEEE 802.11af proposes "clocking down" an 802.11n 20 MHz signal by different factors for different bandwidths (BWs). Such a design expands cyclic prefix (CP) length and symbol duration by a down clocking factor, for example by a factor of 4 (to 3.2 μs) in 5 MHz transmissions. Such design may raise various issues. First, such a design may present provisions for much greater delay spreads only in 5 MHz mode. A large delay tolerance may be needed for 10 and 20 MHz modes too due to larger range if TV White Space (TVWS) signals. Secondly, co-existence of different BW devices within a basic service set (BSS) may not be supported. For example, a 5 MHz device may not be able to decode a preamble of a 10 MHz transmission since the symbol durations are different. Thirdly, overlapping basic service set (OBSS) co-existence may not be supported.
Consequently, there is a need for solutions that permit the co-existence wi-fi transmissions in television white space.

Data transmission coexistence within television white space channels


A device and a method for manufacturing a rotor blade for a wind energy installation, wherein the rotor blade includes at least two rotor blade shells which are bonded together, includes a holding device arranged to hold a rotor blade shell such that at least one bonding surface on the rotor blade shell and/or on a web attached to the rotor blade shell is exposed. The bonding surface of the rotor blade shell can be bonded to a further rotor blade shell. The device further includes a robot arm arranged to apply adhesive to the at least one bonding surface, a carriage on which the robot arm is mounted, and a guide device mounted on the holding device. The carriage is mounted on the guide device so as to be movable. The guide device is arranged to guide the carriage and the robot arm along the holding device, in particular along the bonding surface.

Rotor blades for wind energy installations are often assembled from two separately manufactured rotor blade shells. In this context, the two rotor blade shells are bonded to one another at bonding surfaces respectively provided in the region of the leading edge or nose, as it is referred to, and the trailing edge, as it is referred to. Further, one or more webs can be provided in the interior of the rotor blade, via which the two rotor blade shells are additionally bonded together.
In the realization of the bonding required in each case, in particular its width, the metering of the quantity of the adhesive paste on the surfaces which are meant to produce a bond between one blade shell and another, or between the blade shells and the webs, plays an important role. It is already known to adjust, by the speed at which an application nozzle is manually passed over the bonding flanges by an operator, the amount of the adhesive being applied. In this context, the adhesive is provided by a pump unit with an attached supply unit, which are mounted on a trailer and are typically moved along the shape of the rotor blade by a forklift truck. However, the amount of adhesive applied in this way in each individual cross section of the bond is not always reproducible in a reliable manner. Further, this process is labor-intensive.

Apparatus and method for manufacturing a rotor blade for a wind turbine, and a wind turbine

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Service GmbH


A submarine-launched, ice-penetrating sonobuoy is disclosed. The buoy is pedo-shaped with a collapsible obturator tail-fin section removably attached at the tail-end, standard electronics in a mid-section and an explosive nose cone at the front. Immediately after launch, the tail-fin section expands to exert a drag on the buoy to halt any forward motion. The tail-fin section is discarded and the nose cone and mid-section portion rise until the nose impacts the underside of the ice. Upon impact, a pre-selected "shape" charge ruptures the ice and an a spring-antenna, connected to the mid-section, is raised through the hole.

There is always a need, in underwater surveillance, for the data-gathering buoy to establish "air" contact; that is, be able to raise an antenna to allow signal transmission to, or receipt from, an aircraft overhead. In many of the extreme northern or southern parts of the globe, this is almost always difficult due to the thin ice covering (6-18 inches) over the water. The surest way to "plant" a buoy is to send someone out onto the ice to drill a proper-sized hole and manually deploy the system. This method does have many weak points, such as the amount of labor and time necessary and the safety of the crewman to name a few. Buoys launched from the air may not ever deploy through the ice, from the top down, and, until the instant invention, buoys launched from beneath the ice would either fail to break through or damage sensitive components in a powered attempt (such as when submarine launched) to do so.

The United Stated of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A microtome has a blade holder on which a blade is mounted, an anti-roll device for supporting a section preparation that has been produced by means of the blade, and a suction device by means of which the section preparation can be picked up by suction and carried off. The suction device has a nozzle, with an adjustably mounted nozzle body, and a suction channel. Provision is made that the anti-roll device is mounted on the nozzle body and is adjustable, in particular pivotable, together therewith.

The invention relates to a microtome, comprising a blade holder on which a blade is mounted, an anti-roll device for supporting a section preparation that has been produced by means of the blade, and a suction device by means of which the section preparation can be picked up by suction and carried off, wherein the suction device has a nozzle with an adjustably mounted nozzle body and with a suction channel.
A microtome is a cutting appliance with which very thin section preparations from a body, for example biological tissue, can be cut off for subsequent examination. In addition to the uses in medicine and biology, microtomes are also used for the examination of plastics.
A section preparation usually has a thickness of 10−4 m to 10−7 m. On account of this small thickness, the section preparations have a tendency to deform during the cutting process and in particular to form waves or even curls. To prevent this, or at least make it more difficult, an anti-roll device is known which is usually arranged above the blade and, with the latter, forms a slit-shaped passage through which the section preparation is guided, during which process the section preparation is subjected to a slight force intended to stabilize it in terms of its shape. A suitable anti-roll device is known in various designs.
Should the section preparation have deformed despite the use of an anti-roll device, it is then usually no longer suitable for the subsequent examination and has to be carried off and disposed of. For this purpose, it is known to use a suction device comprising a nozzle, with an adjustably mounted nozzle body, and a suction channel via which the nozzle is connected to a vacuum source. The nozzle body and therefore the nozzle are mounted adjustably and can be brought to a suction position, in which a nozzle opening is arranged close to the blade in order to pick up an unusable section preparation by suction. In addition, the suction force that can be generated by the suction device can also be used to support the anti-roll function. For cleaning purposes, it is possible to bring the nozzle body to a non-operational position, in which the nozzle is easily accessible for cleaning.
The anti-roll device is also mounted on an adjustable carrier and can be adjusted between an operational position, in which it acts on the section preparation together with the blade, and a non-operational position, in which the anti-roll device can be cleaned.
Since the installation space available for the adjustable mounting of the anti-roll device on the one hand and of the nozzle body on the other hand is greatly limited, the adjustable mounting of these two structural units is complicated in terms of design and unfavourable in terms of cost.
The object of the invention is to make available a microtome of said type in which an adjustment of the nozzle body and of the anti-roll device is effected in a manner that is simple in terms of design.


A device to absorb energy transmitted through a steering column for a vehicle in the event of a vehicle crash and/or driver impact on the steering wheel includes a slotted member in the form of a saddle bracket for connection to a steering column, a second member in the form of a bolt or the like extending through the slot of the first member and a third member in the form of a strap which is arranged to restrict relative movement between the first and second members upon vehicle crash, etc. The strap is stiff but ductile and is wrapped over the bolt so that, if the steering column collapses, the bolt will move in a direction out of the slot of the first member and run into the strap which is then unwrapped, thereby absorbing energy transmitted through the steering column. The strap can also itself be slotted.

This invention relates generally to a mechanism for absorbing energy transmitted through a vehicle steering column in the event of a vehicle crash or driver impact on the steering wheel and more particularly to an energy absorbing mechanism for an adjustable steering column.
A known problem has been one of how to absorb chest impact energies in a vehicle steering column which is rake and reach adjustable. Rake adjustable steering columns differ from tilt adjustable steering columns in that the pivot point is remote from the steering wheel rather than being close to the steering wheel. Designs in existence tend to rely on crushing or extending a convoluted tube, which have the problem of relatively high tool cost and low natural frequency. Low natural frequency of a steering column can be a problem in vehicles having engines which produce low frequencies, such as diesel engines.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present mechanisms for absorbing energy transmitted through an adjustable steering column in the event of a vehicle crash. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.

Device for absorbing energy transmitted through a vehicle steering column


A method for manufacturing an identity booklet cover provided with a radio frequency identification device having an antenna and a chip (12) connected to the antenna, the method including the following steps:                producing an antenna (12) having contacts (13 and 14) on a support (10),        creating a recess (20) between the contacts (13 and 14),        placing adhesive dielectric material (25, 26) near the contacts of the antenna,        positioning an integrated circuit module (19) on the support so that the groups of contacts of the module are opposite the contacts of the antenna and the encapsulation of the module is in the recess (20),        placing on the face of the support featuring the antenna at least one layer of thermo-adhesive film (40, 50, 60),        placing a cover layer (70) on the layer (or) layer(s) (40 or 50 and 60) of thermo-adhesive film,        laminating all the layers.

Contactless Radiofrequency Identification Devices (RFIDs) are increasingly used for identification of persons moving about in controlled access zones or transiting from one zone to another. A contactless RFID is a device made up of an antenna and a chip connected to the terminals of the antenna. The chip is usually not powered and receives its energy by an electromagnetic coupling between the antenna of the reader and the antenna of the RFID, information is exchanged between the RFID and the reader and particularly information stored in the chip that relates to the identification of the holder of the object on which the RFID is located and to his/her authorization to enter into a controlled access zone.
In this manner, passports can incorporate RFIDs to identify the passport holder. The chip memory contains information such as the identity of the passport holder, his/her country of origin, his/her nationality, visas of different countries visited, dates of entry, restrictions of movements, biometric elements, etc.
Generally, the RFID device is manufactured separately from the passport to be incorporated afterwards by gluing between the cover and the bottom flyleaf of the passport, for example. The RFID device featuring the antenna and the chip connected together is then integrated into a support made of paper, plastic or other (commonly referred to as "inlay").
Such supports generally include at least two stiff layers between which is inserted the RFID device. The drawback of such supports is their lack of flexibility due to their multi-layer structure.

Radio frequency identification device support for passport and its manufacturing method


A pixel circuit includes a first detector which amplifies a voltage obtained by charging and discharging a capacitance with a photocurrent flowing through a photo detecting element and then outputs it to a first data line, and a second detector which outputs an electric charge stored in the capacitance by the photocurrent, to a second data line. The pixel circuit operates in a first operation mode where the first detector is activated, a second operation mode where the second detector is activated and an initialization mode where the photo detecting element is initialized. With a first transistor turned on, the second detector outputs an electric charge stored in the capacitance in the second operation mode, and in the initialization mode a reset voltage set in the second data line is applied to the other end of the photo detecting element to initialize the photo detecting element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a CMOS image sensor and other photo detecting devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensors are often used in a variety of image pickup apparatuses, such as digital still cameras and digital video cameras.
A number of benefits can be gained by choosing a CMOS image sensor. For example, a CMOS image sensor can be produced on the same manufacturing line as general chips, and it can be turned into a single chip together with the peripheral functions. Also, a CMOS image sensor, which can be driven at lower voltage than a CCD type, consumes less power than it.
Each pixel of a CMOS sensor has a structure including a photodiode and a switch using MOSFETs. That is, the sensor has a matrix of photodiodes, each of which has a switch attached thereto, and the potential of each pixel is read out by operating these switches one by one.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a structure of a pixel circuit 200 of a conventional CMOS image sensor. This pixel circuit 200 includes a photodiode PD, a reset transistor M11, an amplifying transistor M12, and an output transistor M13. The reset transistor M11, the amplifying transistor M12, and the output transistor M13 are each an n-channel MOSFET. The reset transistor M11 and the photodiode PD are connected in series between a supply voltage Vdd and a ground voltage GND. A source terminal of the reset transistor M11 is connected to the photodiode PD, and the supply voltage Vdd is applied to a drain terminal thereof. A reset signal RST is inputted to a gate terminal of the reset transistor M11.
A cathode terminal of the photodiode PD, which is connected with the reset transistor M11, is connected to a gate terminal of the amplifying transistor M12. When the supply voltage Vdd is applied to a drain terminal of the amplifying transistor M12 and a source terminal is connected to a drain terminal of the transistor M13, the amplifying transistor M12 functions as a source follower. A source terminal of the output transistor M13 is connected to a data line LD, which is provided for each column of the CMOS image sensor.
In a pixel circuit 200 structured as described above, when a reset signal RST inputted to the gate terminal of the reset transistor M11 goes to a high level, the reset transistor M11 turns on, thereby applying a supply voltage Vdd to the photodiode PD and charging the cathode terminal thereof with the supply voltage Vdd. Next, the reset transistor M11 turns off. In this state, if light strikes the photodiode PD, a photocurrent will flow, and a negative charge will be stored in the cathode terminal of the photodiode PD. At this time, the voltage at the cathode terminal of the photodiode PD changes with the light intensity and the charge storage time.
After the passage of a predetermined storage time, a selection signal SEL is set to a high level, which turns on the output transistor M13. As a result, the voltage at the cathode terminal of the photodiode PD is amplified by the amplifying transistor M12 and outputted to the data line LD. In this manner, a voltage corresponding to the amount of light received by the photodiode is outputted to the data line LD, and an external circuit can read the amount of light received by each pixel circuit.
The following discussion concerns the dynamic range of a pixel circuit of a conventional CMOS sensor as shown in FIG. 1. As described above, in detecting the amount of light received by each pixel, the photodiode PD is charged with a power supply voltage Vdd, a negative charge is stored at the cathode terminal of the photodiode PD during the exposure period, and the charge amount is converted into voltage to determine the amount of light received. Accordingly, if a strong light enters the photodiode PD and the voltage at the cathode terminal of the photodiode PD drops significantly during the charge storage period, then the amplifying transistor M12 will stop amplifying the voltage at the cathode terminal of the photodiode PD. Consequently, the pixel circuit 200 can no longer detect the amount of light having entered the photodiode PD.
Conversely, if the charge storage time is shortened, the voltage at the cathode terminal of the photodiode PD will not drop much, so that strong light may be detected. However, if a weak light enters in this state, then the voltage at the cathode terminal of the photodiode PD will little change, so that the weak incident light may not be detected. With the conventional pixel circuit 200, therefore, the dynamic range is subject to limitation by the amount of initial charge stored at the cathode terminal of the photodiode PD in the reset state. And the conventional technique for widening the dynamic range has been through logarithmic conversion or changing the charge storage time and gain.
Such techniques employ a form of circuit called an active pixel sensor as shown in FIG. 1. This, however, has a problem that the shorter the charge storage time is made, the more the power consumption will be for driving the circuit at high speed. Also, in changing the gain, it is inevitable that the circuit be made larger in scale if the gain is to be set high.


A method is provided for making a composite part. The method comprises the steps of: providing continuous strand material including continuous reinforcing fibers; providing a mold having an inner cavity; placing the continuous strand material in the mold cavity; providing a composite material containing discontinuous reinforcing fibers; adding the composite material to the mold cavity; and molding a composite part from the composite material and the strand material such that the part is reinforced by continuous and discontinuous reinforcing fibers.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,117, assigned to Composite Products, Inc., describes a process for compounding thermoplastic matrix material and reinforcing fibers. This process yields a reinforced matrix material containing discrete or discontinuous reinforcing fibers. The reinforced matrix material is adapted for use in a compression molding process to form a composite part. However, due to the short lengths of the fibers in the matrix material, the strength of resulting parts is not sufficient for some desired product applications, e.g., higher performing automotive bumper beams.
It is known to add a composite material comprising a thermoplastic matrix material reinforced with a continuous strand mat into a mold to form a part. The mat reinforcing fibers are embedded within the matrix material. Because the reinforcing fibers are embedded within the matrix material, it is difficult to selectively place continuous reinforcing fibers in specific portions of a mold so as to form a part having a desired quantity and orientation of continuous reinforcing fibers in selected locations within the part.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved molding process which produces composite parts having improved mechanical properties.

Fiber reinforced composite part and method of making same

Owens Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.


A centrifugal supercharger is disclosed that includes an internal drive mechanism which embodies the present invention. A pair of sprockets are connected to parallel input and output drive shafts and drivingly connected by a taut, high tension, endless cog-belt seated and running on the two sprockets. A plurality of belt stabilizing components are incorporated therein to provide maintenance-free, low-temperature operation of the drive mechanism. These stabilizing components include air ducts formed in the output sprocket, tensioning members formed in the belt, heat-resistant and high-speed ceramic ball bearings and shock absorbing springs that alone and in combination provide a highly efficient drive mechanism.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates broadly to an internal drive mechanism in an air compressor and, more specifically, to a drive mechanism for use in a supercharger for an internal combustion engine or an air compressor of the type driven mechanically by the engine or other power source.
B. Discussion of the Prior Art
It is well known that in a supercharger or air compressor, increasing the volume of air charge delivered to the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine will increase the output of the engine for a given displacement at a given engine speed. There are two basic types of superchargers, centrifugal and positive displacement. The centrifugal type is very efficient, providing the best ratio between unit dimensions and flow volume. The air compression in the centrifugal design is achieved using a scroll or scroll-shaped air chamber having a centrally located air inlet and an impeller rotatably disposed in the air inlet to draw in air and then the compress the air within the scroll. An air outlet connected to the combustion chamber delivers the compressed air to the engine. Centrifugal designs require high peripheral compressor-wheel or impeller velocities approaching or exceeding the speed of sound, which can be achieved with either an exhaust-driven direct-drive turbine compressor wheel combination, or a mechanical drive connected between the engine crankshaft and the input shaft of the supercharger. The overall speed ratio between the impeller and the crankshaft should be, practically, at least nine impeller rotations for every rotation of the crankshaft, and the outer external mechanical drive is usually limited to a step-up ratio of approximately three input shaft rotations for every rotation of the crankshaft. Thus a further internal step-up mechanism is desired to increase the impeller to three or four additional rotations for every rotation of the input shaft.
It is known in air compressors that a step-up ratio of 9 to 1 between power sources and the impeller is desirable. Presently this ratio has been attempted using external step-up drives only; however, such configurations result in relatively low speeds and low flow when compared to an air compressor with an internal step-up drive. Internal drives have in the past not been considered reliable for this intended use.
Previously known internal drive mechanisms have employed planetary traction drives, or gear drives. An example of an internal gear drive mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,459, issued to James Middlebrook. In general, traction drives or gear drives require lubrication, causing unwanted heat buildup, which thereby tends to reduce the density of the compressed air discharge. Planetary step-up ball and/or race drives require preloading of the mechanism to prevent slippage, due to the necessity of lubrication and traction to transmit rotational power. The preloading of these drives and the related lubrication causes further intrinsic heat buildup, thus further reducing the density of the compressed air discharge. Gear drives are undesirably noisy to operate, usually requiring hot engine oil to lubricate the gears and bearings, causing additional heat buildup, which also contributes to a reduction of the air density. In addition, the gear drives must be connected to the engine oil reserve, making them more difficult to install and maintain.


A longitudinally pumped laser including a pumping module having a pumped light source and an input optic, and a resonator having a first reflecting surface serving as an input mirror, a laser medium and a second reflecting surface serving as an output mirror. In order to avoid impairment of the operation of the pumped light source by retroreflected pumped light and/or by leakage radiation from the resonator, without appreciably worsening the adaptation of the pumped light ray to the mode volume of the laser, the pumping module and the resonator are so disposed relative to each other that a first optical axis defined by the pumped light source and input optic defines with a second optical axis defined by the resonator a predetermined angle of intersection greater than 0.degree. and less than about 15.degree., and more preferably in the range of about 0.05.degree. and about 1.degree..

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a longitudinally pumped laser including a pumping module with a pumped light source and an input optic, and a resonator with an input mirror, a laser medium and an output mirror. The term "longitudinally pumped laser" denotes that the pumped light produced by the pumped light source is coupled to the resonator in an orientation parallel or at least approximately parallel to the direction of the laser beam produced by the laser. The light may be coupled, for example, by the input mirror of the resonator.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Reissue Pat. No. Re. 34,729 discloses (as shown in FIG. 2a thereof) a laser of the type wherein the pumped light source, input optic and resonator are disposed on a common optical axis. In such a laser all components are usually adjusted so that the path of the pumped light ray between the pumped laser and the mode volume of the pumped laser is optimally adapted so that the pumped light from the laser is absorbed in this mode volume as completely as possible.
A drawback of this arrangement is that pumped light can be retroreflected to the pumped light source by the surface of the resonator facing the pumping module. Furthermore, a portion of the light produced by the laser can exit the resonator as leakage radiation through the first reflecting surface and likewise impinge on the pumped light source. This retroreflected pumped light and/or leakage radiation of the laser can impair the functioning of the pumped light source. The impinging radiation causes heating of the pumped light source, which can influence the intensity and wavelength of the pumped light and damage or even destroy the pumped light source.
If the pumped light source is a laser, specifically a laser diode, and the retroreflected pumped light hits the active surface of the pumped light source (pumping laser), an additional resonator can form between the exit surface of the pumping laser and the entrance surface of the pumped laser. This additional resonator will be unstable and disturb the modes of the pumping laser, causing its power and wavelength to fluctuate and thus resulting in impaired functioning of the pumped laser.
If the pumped laser operates in pulsed mode, the leakage radiation can reach very great intensity even at a very small leakage rate of the resonator and lead to damage or destruction of the pumped light source.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,613 discloses a diode-pumped solid-state laser wherein the optical axis of the laser diode serving as a pumped light source is shifted parallel to the optical axis of the input optic. This is intended to reduce the light retroreflected to the laser diode. A drawback of this arrangement is that the acentric transmission of the input optic leads to image defects which can have an adverse effect on the coupling of the pumped ray into the mode volume. Pumped light sources (specifically laser diodes) are generally produced as a single unit with a corresponding input optic adjusted centrically to the pumped light ray. Acentrically adjusted input optics require elaborate special production of the pumping module, which increases costs.
European Patent No. 632 551 A1 discloses a solid-state laser having a resonator constructed from an output mirror and an end mirror disposed therebeside as well as a crystal serving as a laser medium disposed opposite these two mirrors. The side of the crystal facing away from the mirrors is metalized and the crystal is mounted with this metalized face on a cooling surface. If the laser is to be pumped approximately longitudinally, the pumped light must be irradiated into the surface of the crystal facing the two mirrors. Since the pumped light source can only be disposed at the side of the two mirrors, irradiation is possible only at a certain angle to the optical axis of the resonator (see FIG. 21 of EP 632 551 A1). In this known laser, irradiation of the pumped light at an angle to the optical axis of the resonator thus necessarily results from the arrangement of the other components and is not used for the purpose of keeping reflected pumped light away from the pumped light source. Quite the contrary, the mirror (element 202) shown in FIG. 21 of EP 632 551 A1 causes the pumped light reflected from the surface of the crystal to be retroreflected into the pumped light source.


A known sequence of symbols is located within a transmitted sequence of symbols by estimating the phase differences between offset symbols within a portion or more of the transmitted sequence, estimating the phase differences between offset symbols in the known sequence, and determining that the symbols within the portion or more of the transmitted sequence are the known sequence if the phase difference estimates determined from the symbols within the portion or more of the transmitted sequence are substantially equal to the phase difference estimates determined from the known sequence.

1. Field of the Invention
This application relates generally to the fields of frame synchronization, carrier acquisition and tracking, and locating known symbol sequences within transmitted sequences, and, more specifically, to methods of detecting known symbol sequences in transmitted sequences through differential signal processing.
2. Related Art
In applications where data is transmitted to receivers in the form of discrete groupings of symbols, such as frames, packets or the like, there is a need to identify the frame or packet boundaries so that the data can be recovered and understood. The process of identifying the frame or packet boundaries may be referred to as frame synchronization.
Frame synchronization is typically achieved through cooperative action between the transmitter and receiver. At the transmitter, a known sequence of symbols is embedded within each frame of data symbols at a known offset from the frame boundary. Upon receipt of the transmitted signal, the conventional receiver locates the known sequence through coherent detection. Since the known sequence is located at a known offset from the frame boundary, this procedure also locates the frame boundary.
A problem arises because, with coherent detection, frame synchronization is delayed by the often substantial time it takes for the receiver to determine the correct orientation of the constellation of possible symbols as mapped onto the complex two-dimensional I-Q plane.
Moreover, as an accumulator must be maintained for each of the possible symbol values and their spectral inversion for the purpose of correlating the known sequence with the received sequence for each of the possible orientations of the symbol constellation, coherent detection can be costly. Thus, for a QPSK symbol constellation, eight accumulators must be maintained, one for each of the four possible QPSK symbols, and another for the spectral inversion of each of the four possible QPSK symbols.
Even in applications involving continuous streams of data, knowledge of the positions of known symbols in a data flow can assist if not enable carrier acquisition and tracking, particularly at low SNRs. However, the use of error control codes (ECC) and the like cannot generally assist in carrier acquisition and tracking at low SNRs.

System and method for detecting known sequence in transmitted sequence


A deadbolt lock cover is removably attachable to an anchor plate. While a door is opened, the deadbolt lock cover may be removably engaged with the anchor plate by means of bolts and hooks. When the cover has been engaged with the anchor plate and the door is closed, the interior portion of the deadbolt lock, having the manually operable knob, is inaccessible, being completely covered by the deadbolt lock cover. Thus, the deadbolt lock may only be unlocked by using a key on the outside tumbler of the lock. The cover may include a frame for supporting the bolts and may be of a variety of different geometries.

1. Field of Endeavor
The present invention relates to devices and methods for preventing intrusion into a building by accessing the interior tumbler of a deadbolt. More particularly, the invention relates to a cover that may be secured over the inside portion of a deadbolt lock, thereby preventing a person from actuating a lever and retracting the deadbolt such that a door may be opened.
2. Background Information
It is well known in the art to provide a door with a deadbolt lock. Such locks are generally provided where security is a concern, such as the door of a home, business, or hotel room. The deadbolt is often mounted above the doorknob that actuates the less secure spring loaded latch. The deadbolt lock is operable by a key on the outside. It may be operable without a key on the inside by a simple knob or lever. This enables escape in an emergency without a key. The knob or lever is elliptical in shape so that a user can visually determine whether the deadbolt is locked or unlocked. The long axis of the ellipse is generally vertical when the bolt is in the locked position. When a person is secure behind a deadbolt locked door, that security may be breached by someone with a key, or someone with means to retract the bolt.
It is advantageous to provide a knob or lever on the inside of a deadbolt lock for ease of use as well as for safety reasons. In an emergency, it is generally preferable for the lock to be opened easily and quickly from the inside. However, this may provide a security risk if there is a window close to the deadbolt lock. An intruder may break the glass of the window and reach inside and twist the lever of the deadbolt lock, thereby permitting access through the locked door.
To prevent an intruder from opening the door by reaching through a broken window, one may use a deadbolt lock that may only be opened or closed with a key on both the inside and the outside. However, this results in the deadbolt lock being considerably more difficult to use.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need to provide a deadbolt lock that may be easily opened from the inside, but may not be easily opened by an intruder. It is therefore desirable to provide a deadbolt lock having an easily operated lever on the inside while also preventing access to the lever by an intruder on the outside of a door.


An apparatus and a method of successively capturing high quality image data at high speed are provided. The image input apparatus includes an image sensor for capturing image data from a subject; an image signal processor encoding the image data transmitted from the image sensor to produce digital image data; and a memory for storing the digital image data. The image signal processor decodes the digital image data according to an operating signal from a user and provides the user with the decoded digital image data. Therefore, the high quality image data can be obtained at high speed, and the lifespan of an external memory can be increased.

1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the relate to capturing still images of high image quality at high speed.
2. Description of the Related Art
As electronic engineering has been developed, various devices for obtaining image data of high image quality have been widely distributed. For example, professional image input apparatuses such as portable digital cameras and camcorders, camera phones and personal digital assistances (PDAs) having built in cameras are widely used. In the image input apparatus, photons passing through an optical system are converted into electric signals by an image sensor, and the electric signals are converted into various image formats through an image processor.
Personal image input apparatuses have been greatly developed. A few years ago, digital cameras provided images with only two to three mega-pixels. However, digital cameras providing image data of ten mega-pixels or more are now widely used, and are being used instead of conventional analog cameras. Moreover, Internet blogs are being widely used, and thus, general users can share their own image data on Internet.
Recent image input apparatuses provide functions for compression of and reproducing of moving pictures and still images. For example, digital camcorders compress moving picture information using a moving picture codec, store the compressed moving picture data in an external recording apparatus such as an external memory, a tape, or a hard disk drive (HDD), and reproduce the moving picture data. In addition, digital camcorders can compress, store, and recover still images as well as moving pictures. Digital cameras can compress, store, and reproduce still images of high resolution, and can also compress, store, and reproduce moving pictures.
However, as image input apparatuses become more widely distributed, demands placed on image input apparatuses by users increase. Recently, the use of digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras that are for professional usage in order to obtain images of high image quality is increasing, and thus, the center of the camera market is moving toward DSLR cameras from high-end cameras. The user can realize various effects on pictures using the DSLR camera. For example, the user can take a picture of his/her favorite athlete from a far distance using a high-magnification lens, and pictures of celestial constellations with a long exposure time. Moreover, fantastic night views can be photographed using various filters such as a cross filter. In addition, moving subjects, for example, moving cars, athletes during a game, and babies, are photographed using a successive capturing function of the camera.
The successive capturing function is for photographing a subject moving at high speed a plurality of times within a short period of time. The successive capturing function is used when a moving subject is to be photographed, and also used when a subject is photographed successively in order to pick favorite pictures among the successive pictures.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a successive capturing method using an image input apparatus according to the related art.
The image data captured by an image sensor 210 is stored in an internal memory 220 after passing through an image signal processor 250, a pre-processor 255, and a data bus 240. The image data is encoded by a still image codec 260 and stored in the internal memory 220 again, and if necessary, the image data is also stored in an external memory 230. The encoded image data is provided to a display unit 290 through a post-processor 275.
However, there is a problem in the successive capturing method used in the related art. Elements for determining the capture speed are as follows. First, the successive capture speed is determined according to a processing time of the image sensor, the size of the image data, and the resolution. Second, the time taken for compressing and reproducing the image data determines the successive capture speed, and then, a write speed of the external memory that can store the successively captured bit streams can determine the successive capture speed. The successive capture speed denotes the number of successive pictures that can be taken within a predetermined period of time, and generally, denotes the number of pictures taken per second. Among the above elements, the image capturing, the processing time of the image signal processor, and a JPEG encoding operation can be sped up by developments in semiconductor technology, and thus, the successive capture speed can be improved. However, an access speed to the external memory is slower than that of the internal memory, and thus, due to the slow access speed, a bottleneck phenomenon can happen. Therefore, there is a limitation in improving the successive capture speed due to the slow write speed of the external memory that stores the compressed JPEG files.
FIG. 2 is a series of photographs showing results of the successive capturing method according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 2, when a subject who is continuously moving is photographed, a lot of the movements of the subject are lost because the successive capture speed is slow. For example, when an athlete running a marathon reaches the finish line and the athlete is successively captured, the most important shot of the athlete at the finish line, might not be captured. In addition, if a baby who cannot control his/her body by itself is successively captured, it is difficult to obtain natural images of the baby, such as the baby closing his/her eyes. Referring to FIG. 2, the movements of the subject performing a ballet are photographed unnaturally because the successive capture speed is slow.
Another problem of the related art successive capturing method is related to the external memory. If the images are successively captured by a few frames, for example, tens of frames per second, each of the frames that is compressed using a still image codec (for example, motion JPEG (M-JPEG)) is stored as an independent file. However, not all of the frames that are successively captured are effective, and the user selects a favorite one among the tens of frames. Then, the remaining tens of frames are stored in the external memory and deleted later. In this process, the frequent read/write operations of the external memory can reduce the lifespan of the external memory. Moreover, since the image data, most of which is to be deleted, is stored in the external memory, the external memory having a large capacity is required.
Therefore, a technology for reducing the amount of image data stored in the external memory while improving the successive capture speed in the digital image input apparatus is required.

Image input apparatus with high-speed, high-quality still image successive capturing capability and still image successive capturing method using the same


A semiconductor wafer having an active surface separated into device regions with semiconductor chips formed thereon and scribe regions formed between the device regions. The wafer includes an insulating layer formed on the active surface in the device regions. The insulating layer has a first edge and a second edge oriented in a confronting relationship. The first edge and the second edge end at the scribe regions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) device, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for the manufacture of a semiconductor IC device having discontinuous insulating layer regions for protecting the ICs from damage due to a dicing saw blade.
2. Description of the Related Arts
In general, many IC devices or chips are formed on a single semiconductor wafer during a batch processing method, which provides great economic benefit and increases productivity. Individual IC chips, called "die", are separated from the wafer during a wafer sawing or dicing step. Subsequent assembly processes are then performed on the individual chips.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional wafer sawing process step. A wafer 4, having a number of IC devices 6 formed thereon, is mounted to a wafer ring 2. An adhesive tape (not shown) is attached to the inactive back surface of the wafer 4. The adhesive tape supports the separated chips during subsequent process steps, e.g., a die attaching step. The wafer ring 2 is mounted to a wafer sawing machine and the wafer 4 is scribed along scribe lines or scribe regions 8 (dashed lines in FIG. 1) by a saw blade 10, and thereafter separated along such lines to divide the wafer into individual chips.
The wafer 4 is first scribed along the horizontal scribe lines, and then scribed along the vertical scribe lines. During scribing, the saw blade 10 has a revolution speed of about 30,000 to 60,000 rpm. The thickness of the saw blade 10 is about ten times greater than the thickness of the pattern layers on the IC devices. The wafer 4 can be scribed with a diamond-pointed scribing tool or cut by a laser or saw. During scribing, the wafer 4 is partially cut and therefore is not immediately separated into its individual pieces, rather it must be broken after scribing has occurred.
FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of a semiconductor wafer depicting some of the problems that occur during the conventional wafer sawing step. The wafer 4 is scribed along the scribe line 8 by the saw blade 10 which is rotating at a high speed. In the mean time, it is common to form an insulating layer 12 between the neighboring IC devices 6. The insulating layer 12 may be a silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) layer, or an interlayer dielectric for the IC devices having multiple metallization layers. On the insulating layer 12, so-called TEG (Test Element Group) devices may be formed. The TEG devices are used to test the electrical characteristics of IC devices under development and confirm the stability of the existing fabrication processes of the IC devices being developed. Of course, the TEG regions can be removed before the wafer sawing step, since the test results have already been stored.
When the saw blade 10 passes along scribe lines 8 to scribe the wafer 4, the stress due to the rotating saw blade 10 is directly transferred to the fixed wafer 4. The degree of stress on the wafer 4 depends on several factors including the thickness and the revolution speed of the saw blade, scribing depth, and crystal orientation of the wafer. The strongest stress will be observed along arrow lines a' declined by about 45 degrees to the wafer surface as shown in FIG. 2. Pattern layers forming the IC devices 6 are spaced at a sufficient distance from the strongest stress position, and therefore the impact of the rotating saw blade 10 on the pattern layers is somewhat weakened. However, the rotating saw blade 10 causes the insulating layer 12 formed on the scribe line 8 to peel off from the wafer surface. This peeling off of the insulating layer 12 does cause some defects to edge portions of the IC devices 6. These defects to the edge pattern layers may eventually cause failures in the IC devices during subsequent assembly processes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,325, describes a semiconductor chip having dummy patterns of a linear shape on an insulating film, as shown in FIG. 3, in an attempt to prevent peeling of the insulating layer.
Referring to FIG. 3, the disclosed IC device 6 is a light emitting diode chip (LED). A recognition mark 18 is formed on an edge of the chip for recognizing the position of the separated IC chip when the die bonding or wire bonding steps are automatically performed. The recognition mark 18 is formed through impurity diffusion of the same type as the radiating area of the LED chip and is positioned within a recognition area 20.
If the wafer is sawed along the scribe line 14 by the above-described mechanical sawing method, the insulating layer 12 begins to is peel off. If the peeling from the dicing edge 15 reaches the recognition area 20, recognition errors may occur during the steps of die bonding or wire bonding. Therefore, dummy patterns 16 are formed between the recognition area 20 and the scribe line 14 in order to prevent the peeling of the insulating layer from advancing to the recognition area 20. The dummy patterns 16 are aluminum layers which are formed on the insulating layer 12 by vapor deposition of aluminum.
The conventional dummy patterns 16 apparently prevent some damage to a particular area of the chip, e.g., the recognition area 20 caused by the peeling of the insulating layer 12. However, areas of the chip that are not protected by the dummy patterns 16 are still subject to the full effects of the saw blade 10.
Although the conventional dummy patterns, comprising an aluminum metallization layer coated on the insulating layer, somewhat prevent the peeling of the insulating layer, they do have some drawbacks. First, in order to form the aluminum layer with a sufficient thickness to protect the pattern layer of the IC devices, it is necessary to perform the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process for an extended period. Furthermore, the aluminum metallization layer can easily corrode during subsequent assembly processes, thereby causing IC device failures.
The size of the separated IC chips obviously influence the total dimensions of the packaged devices. If the scribing position of the saw blade is close to the IC device, the mounting density of the separated IC device increases by the reduced dimension of the separated IC device. Further, if the scribing area is reduced, the number of the separated IC devices from a single wafer increases, which results in productivity improvements. However, the closer the scribing position of the saw blade is to the IC device, the greater the impact of the saw blade on the IC patterns. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the negative impact of the saw blade while maintaining close proximity of the scribe lines to the IC devices.
If the impact of the saw blade is reduced and the scribing position of the saw blade is closer to the IC device, especially for a package device employing TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) technology, many advantages can be realized. For example, during an inner lead bonding (ILB) process in which metal bumps formed on electrode pads and individual chips are bonded to leads of TAB tape, sagging or sinking of the leads can occur. The sagging lead may cause contact between the leads and edges of the chip thereby causing electrical problems.

Method and apparatus for the manufacture of a semiconductor integrated circuit device having discontinuous insulating regions


An optical transceiver for converting and coupling an information-containing electrical signal with an optical fiber includes a housing and coupled rigid and flex printed circuit boards. The housing includes a fiber optic connector adapted for coupling with an external optical fiber for transmitting and/or receiving an optical communications signal. The rigid printed circuit board is within the housing and includes an electrical connector for coupling with an external electrical cable or information system device, and for transmitting and/or receiving an information-containing electrical communications signal. A first interface connector is for receiving or transferring the electrical signal. A flexible printed circuit board is also within the housing and coupled to the rigid printed circuit board, including a second interface connector for mating with the first interface connector, and transmitting or receiving the electrical signal to or from the rigid printed circuit board. An electro-optical subassembly on the flex board is for converting between an electrical signal and a modulated optical signal. The flex board is adapted for coupling to the fiber optic connector.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to electro-optic conversion modules, and particularly to connecting rigid and flex circuit boards in parallel optical media converters.
2. Description of the Related Art
The speed of computers and the data transfer between them is ever increasing. Optical data transmission techniques have been developed to provide high capacity signal transmission without many of the physical limitations for electrical cables. Fiber-optic cables have advantageous transmission characteristics, which are utilized with optoelectronic devices such as fiber-optic transceivers by converting electrical signals into optical signals and vice versa at the ends of the fiber-optic cables.
The typical hardware architecture of computers involves circuit boards that are perpendicularly connected with a pin edge or a pin array in lengthy multi-pin connectors, which are laterally arrayed on a mother board. That way, the circuit boards are oriented parallel with their receptacle end showing towards the back end of the computer. The designated ends have mounting sites that carry the cable connectors. The cable connectors typically reach through open slots in the back face of the computer chassis such that the communication cables can be connected from outside.
The core of a fiber optic transceiver is an optoelectronic semiconductor-based module. The transceiver receives and emits light beams perpendicular to its top surface. Since the fiber cable is connected normal to the computer back face as other communication cables, the planar optoelectronic semiconductor preferably has a first distinct orientation which is perpendicular oriented to the circuit board.
To extend the application of the fiber optic transceiver for mass-produced, low-cost computers, it is desired for the individual components to be economical to fabricate, and for the assembly of the fiber optic transceiver to be simple and reliable at the same time. A number of attempts have been made to integrate some of these design considerations and others into a feasible opto-electronic transceiver module package. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,583,902, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention and is hereby incorporated by reference, describes an advantageous opto-electronic transceiver module package, as do others of the references cited and incorporated by reference below.
The optical transceiver of the present invention preferably comprises a parallel optical module that can convert four lane InfiniBand®, Cx4, four port or four channel signals into parallel optical signals. It can preferably interface with an industry standard media dependent interface (MDI) connector on the electrical side. In an MDI connector interface embodiment, the PCB thickness on the electrical side would be preferably about 40 mils. Thus, it is desired to have a rigid board design for making the electrical connection.
The optical transceiver of the present invention preferably can interface also optically interface according to an industry standard manufacturing production order (MPO), which is configured to be in parallel with a PCB surface. The parallel optical module generally uses a VCSEL array for its low cost. The VCSELs emit the light from their top surfaces. It is recognized in the present invention that a flex PCB may be advantageously used to turn the optical axis, which is normal to the plane of the board when VCSELs are used, into parallel with the rigid PCB surface. That is, the plane of the electrical connection end of the board is preferably orthogonal to the plane of the fiber optic coupling end of the board. Thus, a rigid board and a flex board are preferably both used, and it is therefore desired to have a way to couple them together mechanically, so that signals can be transferred between them.
One method would be to design a rigid-flex board such as that illustrated at FIG. 9, which is recognized by the inventors as a schematic illustration in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention. FIG. 9 shows a rigid-flex board, which is a single board that is rigid on one end 52 and that is around 40 mils thick for connecting with a standard MDI connector. The other end 54 of the board is flexible so that it can have an approximately 90° contour to cause the output of the VCSEL array to be parallel to the rigid board, and thus the plane of the end of the board containing the VCSEL array would itself be orthogonal to the rigid board. The interface coupling 56 would involve some form of adhesive or bonding material that adheres to both the rigid and flex materials, or two such materials that adhere to themselves and with each of the rigid and flex materials.
This concept illustrated at FIG. 9 is understandably expensive due to the difficulty in making the board, i.e., it tends to have undesirably long fab cycles. Details regarding implementation of this alternative approach are understood by those skilled in the art, and rigid-to-flex manufacturing may be accordingly obtained from HET, Inc. of Victoria, Minn. or Flex Interconnect Technologies, Inc. of Milipitas, Calif. Moreover, the resulting boards are also prone to have reliability issues. For example, the mechanical or signal coupling at the interface 56 can break down. Therefore, although FIG. 9 schematically illustrates an alternative embodiment that would work to implement rigid-to-flex interfacing to realize an optical transceiver in accordance with the invention, a more advantageous embodiment is described below in the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments.

Fiber optic transceiver module with rigid and flexible circuit boards


A system and method for managing spare bit steering information in a multi-processor system having a global/local memory architecture. During the system boot cycle one of the multiple processors is selected to test global memory and to configure the steering of the spare bits by bank or the like. Each processor tests its own local memory and defines the associated spare bit steering for the local memory. The global memory spare bit steering configuration information, as well as other global memory configuration information, in the selected processor is distributed to the other processors using registers in a commonly accessible atomic semaphore controller or through a commonly accessible block of global memory. Preferably, the selection of the processor to test the global memory is performed so that no single processor always has the responsibility. In this way, the acquisition of global memory spare bit steering information is not linked to the operative status of any one processor.

The present invention relates in general to computer system memories. More particularly, the invention is directed to systems and methods for using spare bits in the context of a global memory shared by a multiplicity of processors.
Systems composed of multiple but coordinated processors were first developed and used in the context of mainframes. More recently, interest in multiple processor systems has escalated as a consequence of the low cost and high performance of microprocessors, with the objective of replicating mainframe performance through the parallel use of multiple microprocessors.
A variety of architectures have been defined for multi-processor systems. Most designs rely upon highly integrated architectures by virtue of the need for cache coherence. In such systems, cache coherence is maintained through complex logic circuit interconnection of the cache memories associated with the individual microprocessors to ensure data consistency as reflected in the various caches and main memory.
A somewhat different approach to architecting a multi-processor system relies upon a relatively loose hardware level coupling of the individual processors, with the singular exception of circuit logic controlling access to the shared global memory, and the use of software to manage cache coherence. An architecture which relies upon software managed cache coherence allows the designer to utilize existing processor hardware to the maximum extent, including the utilization of memory error correction resources such as bank related spare bit steering and data error correction code (ECC) memory configurations. This relative independence of the processors also lends itself to multi-processor systems with extenuated levels of availability, in that one or more processors may be disconnected without disrupting the operation of the remaining processors. Coordination in the access to, and coherency with, a shared global memory is of course somewhat more difficult when the processors are not closely coupled.
One problem that arises with a shared global memory, loosely coupled, multi-processor architecture relates to the management of error detection and correction resources. In such context, the designation and coordinated use of spare bits as well as error correction code bits must be consistent from processor to processor, so that the data in global memory is both consistent and reliable.

Apparatus and method for steering spare bit in a multiple processor system having a global/local memory architecture

International Business Machines Corporation