A system, method and computer program product for detecting a frequency burst in a received signal at a wireless receiver is disclosed. The invention predicts the current sample of the received signal by filtering the past samples of the received signal through an adaptive filter. A prediction error is further obtained by subtracting the actual current sample and the predicted current sample. The prediction error is then used to adapt the adaptive filter. Since the frequency burst is a substantially predictable signal, the adaptive filter adapts to accurately predict the samples of the frequency burst. Therefore, the prediction error decreases when the frequency burst is received at the receiver. The end of the frequency burst is identified using the prediction error at each discrete time instant.

The present invention relates to frequency burst detection in wireless communication systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to the detection of the FCH burst in GSM/GPRS systems.
Wireless communication systems such as GSM use a combination of FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access) and TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) to provide access to multiple users. In FDMA/TDMA-based systems, frequency and timing synchronization between the receiver and transmitter is required before they start communicating data. The GSM standard provides a frequency correction burst (FCH burst) for frequency synchronization, and a synchronization burst (SCH burst) for timing synchronization in the Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) carrier. FCH burst is required to achieve frequency synchronization. However, the accuracy of the detection of the frequency burst depends on timing synchronization. On the other hand, reliable timing synchronization cannot be achieved unless frequency synchronization is achieved with an accuracy of at least 400 to 500 Hz. So there is a need to identify the time of the occurrence of the FCH burst without using timing synchronization.
The FCH burst is in the form of 148 samples comprising successive "zero" signals. The zero signals are transmitted by using Gaussian minimum phase shift keying (GMSK). Therefore, the baseband FCH burst manifests itself as a complex sine wave of frequency Rb/4, where Rb is the bit rate of the transmission. This FCH burst is designed to produce a substantially constant frequency shift in the carrier frequency, which may then be used for frequency correction by the GSM receiver receiving the FCH Burst. The GSM receivers detect the FCH burst in the acquisition phase and use its frequency to synchronize their local oscillators. The FCH burst boundary is also detected to synchronize the time slot boundaries with those of the base station.
However, the baseband FCH burst experiences a frequency offset due to limitations in the accuracy of local oscillators, and multipath effects and noise in the transmission channel. Therefore, FCH detection methods must account for the above-mentioned frequency offset, to successfully detect the FCH burst.
Various methods for detecting the FCH burst in the received signal are known in the art. Conventional FCH detection methods use a bandpass filter of constant bandwidth, centered at the expected frequency of the FCH burst (Rb/4). When the FCH burst is passed through a bandpass filter centered at Rb/4, the input and output powers of the bandpass filter are expected to be almost the same. However, for a data burst the output power of the bandpass filter is much lower than the input power. Therefore, the comparison of the input and output powers is used to detect the occurrence of the FCH burst. A method using a constant bandwidth bandpass filter is disclosed in U.S. patent application No. 20030189978A1, titled "Phase Difference Based Frequency Correction Channel Detector for Wireless Communication System", to Lin et al. In accordance with the method disclosed in this patent, the received signal is provided to a phase differentiator. The output of the phase differentiator is then passed through a low pass filter to limit the noise and obtain an un-notched signal. Thereafter, the un-notched signal is passed through a notch filter. The ratio of the powers of un-notched and notched signals is then calculated. When the ratio attains a value below a threshold and continues to be the same for a predetermined time, an occurrence of the FCH burst is declared.
Another approach for detecting the FCH burst uses the correlation between the received signal and a reference signal. The reference signal is chosen considering the expected frequency of the FCH burst. A correlation-based FCH detection method is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,327, titled "Radio Receiver", assigned to Sony Corporation, Tokyo, Japan. The method, in accordance with above patent, involves the sampling of the baseband received signal with an analog-to-digital converter circuit, and obtaining a correlation value of the sampled signal with a predetermined reference signal. The FCH burst is detected depending on the obtained correlation value.
The above-mentioned FCH detection methods exploit the narrow-band nature of the FCH burst. The methods based on a constant bandwidth filters chose the center frequency of the filter based on the expected frequency of the FCH burst. The correlation-based methods also use a reference signal depending on the expected frequency of the FCH burst. Therefore, the performance of these methods depends on the expected frequency of the FCH burst. In the presence of large frequency offsets, such methods fail to detect the FCH burst accurately, since the frequency of the received FCH burst differs substantially from the expected frequency.
The accuracy of methods based on a constant bandwidth filters also depends on the choice of the bandwidth of the filter. Choosing a large bandwidth allows the detection of the FCH burst, even in the presence of a relatively large frequency offset. However, large bandwidth filters are prone to false detections. On the other hand, choosing a smaller bandwidth reduces the probability of false detections, but is unsuitable for detecting the FCH burst in the presence of large frequency offsets, since it results in misses of some occurrences of the FCH burst.
A variation of the method based on constant bandwidth filter uses a bank of bandpass filters. In such methods, the filters are chosen with different central frequencies. These central frequencies are chosen so that they cover a large range of frequency offsets around the expected frequency of the FCH burst (Rb/4). The detection is performed by comparing the input and output powers of all the filters. This variation is more effective in reducing the misses as well as false detections. However, this improved performance is achieved at the cost of computational complexity. The number of filters required for the successful detection of the FCH burst increases with the frequency offset. Therefore, the method becomes computationally inefficient for large frequency offsets.
Another approach for detecting the FCH burst uses an adaptive bandpass filter. Methods based on adaptive filters involve the adapting of the filter parameters depending on the frequency of the received signal. One such method is disclosed in European Patent No. 0717512A2, titled "Coarse Frequency Burst Detector for a Wireless Communications Systems, Such as for Use with GSM", and assigned to AT&T Corp. This method involves obtaining the baseband signal from the received signal and derotating the baseband signal. The derotated signal is then filtered through a moving average (MA) filter with adaptive averaging window size. Thereafter, the magnitude of the output of the MA filter in used to tentatively identify the filtered burst as the FCH burst. The frequency of the tentatively identified burst is then used for the frequency compensation of the original baseband signal. The frequency compensated signal is then filtered again with a MA filter with a window size, which is larger than the one used for the previous filtering. The output of the MA filter is then used to confirm the tentatively detected FCH burst. Therefore, the method adapts a combination of frequency compensation and adaptive averaging window-size to accurately detect the FCH burst. The method takes a two-step approach in which the window-size adaptation and frequency compensation has to be performed for all tentatively detected bursts. This makes the method computationally inefficient.
Another method, using an adaptive filter, is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,688, titled "Frequency and Time Slot Synchronization Using Adaptive Filtering", and assigned to Motorola, Inc. Schaumburg, Ill. The method, in accordance with the above patent, involves the filtering of the received signal with an adaptive band-pass filter and buffering the received signal in a memory. The energies of the input signal and the filtered signal are estimated and the gain of the filter is adapted, based on the difference between the energies. Further, the pole of the filter is adapted so that the pass-band of the filter encompasses the received signal. The minimum value of the adapted gain signifies a narrow-band signal and is used to detect the FCH burst in the received signal. Since the method calculates the filter parameters to be adapted at each sample, a substantial amount of computation is required for each sample of data. Additionally, the filter used is an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter. Since the pole of the filter is adapted to the frequency of the received signal, a control logic is required to avoid the instability of the filter. This control logic further adds to the computational complexity of this method.
The above-mentioned FCH burst detection methods using non-adaptive filters suffer from either misses or false detections. Further, the performance of these methods is sensitive to the frequency offset present in the received signal. The adaptive filter based methods providing accurate FCH burst detection with fewer false detections, are computationally complex. Therefore, there exists a need for a computationally efficient method, which can detect the FCH burst with fewer misses or false detections. Further, there exists a need for a FCH detection method that is insensitive to the magnitude of frequency offset in the received signal.

System and method for frequency burst detection for GSM/GPRS


The disclosure concerns a coating robot for coating components, having a robot base, a rotatable robot member, a pivotable proximal robot arm with two arm parts which can be rotated relative to one another and are connected to one another by a bearing ring, a pivotable distal robot arm, a robot hand axis, a connecting flange at the free end of the robot hand axis for connecting an application device and with a line arrangement which is guided from the robot base to the connecting flange for the application device. The disclosure provides that the line arrangement is passed through the first bearing ring between the two arm parts of the proximal robot arm.

Coating robots are known from the state of the art (e.g. DE 10 2013 109 867 A1, EP 0 511 977 B1, EP 2 213 425 B1), which have a total of seven movable axes, which allows a wide range of motion. These well-known coating robots have a robot base, a rotatable robot member, a proximal robot arm ("arm 1"), a distal robot arm ("arm 2") and a multi-axis robot hand axis. The proximal robot arm is divided into two arm parts that can be rotated relative to each other about the longitudinal axis of the proximal robot arm. A line arrangement with fluid lines and electrical lines leads from the robot base to the connecting flange of the robot hand axis, whereby the line arrangement runs in the area of the proximal robot arm outside the proximal robot arm, i.e. outside the axis between the two arm parts of the proximal robot arm. The pivot bearing between the two arm parts of the proximal robot arm, which can be rotated relative to each other, is thus bypassed by the line arrangement on the outside of the proximal robot arm.
The disadvantage of these well-known coating robots is the routing of the line arrangement, which leads to various problems during operation. On the one hand, the line arrangement protrudes beyond the outer contour of the coating robot, which is undesirable. On the other hand, the line arrangement is also subjected to high mechanical stress.
Regarding the state of the art the following are referenced, DE 100 10 615 A1, US 2006/0294628 A1, US 2013/0260606 A1, DE 694 02 405 T2, DE 10 2004 040 162 A1, DE 10 2010 024 260 A1, DE 101 39 088 A1, DE 10 2009 012 140 A1, DE 20 2013 105 910 U1, DE 20 2013 104 544 U1, US 2008/0223170 A1, US 2016/0089797 A1, WO 2012/028197 A1.


The water-cooled welding torch has a water jacket which places the water in direct contact with the nose-piece of the torch, which guides the welding wire into the arc. The nose-piece contains gas-spreader-holes, which receive the argon etc. from a gas feed tube and convey the gas out of and around the nose-piece. The exit-mouths of the gas-spreader-holes lie further forward (i.e. nearer the arc) than the entry-mouths thereof, and the forward end of the water jacket also lies forward of the entry-mouths.

The kind of welding torch to which the invention relates is coupled to a number of services, including: a means for conveying electrical energy to the welding tip, and for producing an arc; a means for advancing welding rod progressively into the arc; and a means for supplying shielding gas, such as carbon dioxide or argon; to the arc, which serves to prevent oxidation at the arc.
The welding torch may be a component of an automatically guided welding head, or the torch may be designed to be held in the hand, in which case usually the torch including an operable switch means for controlling the welding rod advancer and the electricity supply to the arc. The welding torch may or may not also be coupled to a fume hood and vacuum extraction system.
One of the problems of welding torches is to keep the torch cool, and water-cooled welding torches are currently in widespread use. The manner in which the cooling jacket is arranged on the torch in the conventional designs however, in many cases has proved unsatisfactory.
It is recognised that the water jacket should be as close to the arc as possible, since the excessive heat comes of course from the arc. The more of the torch in the torch that is allowed to become hot, the more troublesome the cooling problem.
One particular problem that arises when the torch is allowed to overheat lies in the electrical insulation material present in the torch. This is generally of plastic material, for example Teflon (trademark), which can deteriorate if overheated. The water cooling jacket therefore should be close enough to the arc that the jacket prevents excessive heat being transmitted to the insulation.
It is recognised that the water jacket must not be allowed to leak. If droplets of water find their way into the weld, the strength of the weld can be seriously impaired.
Thus, the water jacket should extend in the axial sense as far forward as possible in the torch, towards the arc. It is recognised also that the water jacket should be close-in, radially, to the components surrounding the welding wire near the arc.
It is the general practice in torch design to run the wire through a nose-piece, which serves to guide and locate the welding wire immediately prior to the wire entering the arc. Apart from the wire itself, this nose-piece is the component of the torch that lies closest to the arc, and it is recognised that the water in the water jacket should directly touch the material of the nose-piece, if cooling is to be most effective. Most torches include a shroud for directing the gas over the arc; in cooling the torch, it is of little use, for example, to place the water jacket outside this shroud. Some previous designs of water cooled torch in fact have placed the water jacket outside the shroud, or outside the insulation; effectively useless as such measures are, they illustrates the extent to which it is desired to keep the torch cool.
The anti-oxidation or other weld-protecting or weld-enhancing gas approaches the nose-piece via a gas feed tube, and then spreads out around and over the nose-piece. The nose-piece is formed with gas-spreading-holes for thus conducing the gas. The design of the water jacket must take into account the fact that the exit-mouths, through which the gas emerges around the nose-piece, of course cannot be allowed to be compromised by the presence of the water jacket.
The invention is concerned with a design of the nose-piece in which all these varying requirements are accounted for an co-ordinated, and yet in which the nose-piece is cooled effectively.


A conditioning plant comprises a general inlet, a general outlet, a circuit which sets the general inlet in fluid communication with the general outlet, a plurality of users arranged on the circuit, and a balancing system. The balancing system comprises a sensor for detecting at least a real value depending on a difference of intensity between upstream and downstream of the users, of at least a physical parameter of the fluid; the balancing system further comprises a flow regulating organ, and a control device connected to the sensor, acting on the flow regulating organ and configured for enabling memorization of at least a reference value of a same physical parameter of the fluid, comparing the reference value with the real value, commanding the regulating organ to regulate the fluid internally of the circuit such as to maintain the real value substantially aligned with the reference value.

As is known conditioning plants exist that are equipped with systems for adjusting a pressure and/or flow rate internally of a circuit.
A first example, described in application WO2008029987, concerns a conditioning system for temperature control in a determined environment. The system has a control unit directly connected to the users and to the delivery manifold. The control unit receives a signal from the sensors installed in the environment and automatically sends the signal to flow control valves to enable a selective control of the temperature in a plurality of areas into which the environment is divided. The described system requires a control circuit that controls the individual valves, and a corresponding sensor system. The system is therefore extremely complex and expensive.
A second example, in application WO201074921, shows a method for balancing a hydraulic network. Users are connected to the hydraulic network, which users are each provided with the respective valves, positioned at each user. A balancing valve is located upstream of the users. The balancing valve is set to maintain certain setting parameters. The balancing valve is also able to detect the differential pressure across the valve and/or the flow rate, and to keep these values constant.
A third example discloses a regulating system of a conditioning plant, which regulating system includes a mechanical valve. The valve is installed downstream of the users and is also hydraulically connected to a portion of the circuit which is located upstream of the users. The valve is able to balance the pressure on the upstream portion of the circuit of the users with the pressure at the point where it is installed. The regulating system described is able to balance the system while maintaining a predetermined pressure differential between upstream and downstream of the users of the plant. This system is extremely rigid as it is limited by the mechanical characteristics of the valve.


An integrated circuit device may have an internal oscillator for generating a system clock, a trimming logic with a trimming register for adjusting an oscillation frequency of the internal oscillator; a serial data receiver, wherein a serial data stream includes a synchronization signal. The synchronization signal is operable to indicate that the system clock correct, too fast or too slow. The device may further have a circuit for decoding the synchronization signal operable to re-adjust a value stored in the trimming register upon evaluation of the synchronization signal.

CAN signals are asynchronous serial communication signals that do not provide for a separate clock signal. Hence, CAN uses an asynchronous transmission that embeds the clock signal in the transmitted serial data stream. A receiving device must then analyze this signal and reconstruct the clock to synchronize the device to the received serial stream. The Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol is an asynchronous serial bus with Non-Return to Zero (NRZ) bit coding designed for fast, robust communications in harsh environments, such as automotive and industrial applications. The CAN protocol allows the user to program the bit rate, the sample point of the bit, and the number of times the bit is sampled. With these features, the network can be optimized for a given application. The specific bit timing of the CAN protocol is discussed in the application note "Understanding Microchip's CAN Module Bit Timing", AN754, by Pat Richards, published in 2001 which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Timing within the receiving device is generally controlled by an internal or external oscillator of the receiving device. Such oscillators generally provide for limited timing resolution within the device. However, oscillator tolerance in a CAN system needs to be tighter than what is normally achievable with an internal oscillator across operating temperature ranges. This requires CAN modules to be clocked with an external source (crystal, clock, etc.). It is more desirable to have an internal clock source.


A honeycomb structure comprising                porous partition walls which form, by surrounding, a plurality of cells extending between the two ends faces of the honeycomb structure, and an outer wall formed integrally with the partition walls. The cells consist of partial cells of outermost peripheral portion, having incomplete cell sections, which are located at the outermost peripheral portion of the honeycomb structure and are in partial contact with the outer wall, and complete cells having a complete cell section, other than the partial cells of outermost peripheral portion. In the complete cells, a plugged part is formed at one end of each complete cell so that each end face of the honeycomb structure shows a checkerwise plugging pattern. In the partial cells of outermost peripheral portion to be plugged according to the above-mentioned plugging pattern, part of them is plugged in the entire length and formed integrally with the outer wall and remaining cells have each a plugged part only at one end.

In the past, ceramic-made honeycomb structures have been used as a diesel particulate filter (DPF) for capturing fine particles present in automobile exhaust gases, particularly diesel fine particles.
Generally, these honeycomb structures comprise porous partition walls which form, by surrounding, a plurality of cells extending between the two end faces of the honeycomb structure, and an outer wall formed integrally with the partition walls; and, in the honeycomb structures, a plugged part is formed at one end of each cell so that each end face of the honeycomb structure shows a checkerwise plugging pattern with the two patterns being complementary to each other.
FIG. 5 is a plan view which partially shows the end face of such a honeycomb structure having plugged parts are formed (a plugged honeycomb structure); and FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view which shows an example of the c-c section structure of FIG. 5. As shown in these figures, it is ordinary in a conventional, plugged honeycomb structure 21 that, in the partial cells 5 of outermost peripheral portion, having an incomplete cell section, which are located at the outermost peripheral portion of the honeycomb structure and are in partial contact with the outer wall 4, as well as in the complete cells 6 having a complete cell section, other than the partial cells 5 of outermost peripheral portion, a plugged part 8 is formed at one end of each cell and each end face of the honeycomb structure shows a complete checkerwise pattern (a houndstooth check).
When, as above, a plugged part is formed in plugging-necessary cells and no plugged part is formed in plugging-unnecessary cells, in all the cells including the partial cells 5 of outermost peripheral portion, the resulting honeycomb structure, when used in a DPF, etc., can provide a maximum effective filtration area when used as a filter. It is deemed to be ideal. However, the partial cells 5 of outermost peripheral portion are in contact with the outer wall 4 of the honeycomb structure and, as compared with the complete cells 6, have an irregular shape (a partially-chipped shape) and are small in area; therefore, formation of plugged part 8 is difficult in the partial walls 5. Particularly in those partial cells 5 of outermost peripheral portion having a very small area of less than 5% of that of each complete cell 6, formation of plugged part 8 needs much trouble and labor.
In order to reduce such labor and increase the mechanical strength of honeycomb structure, there is known a honeycomb structure in which the partial cells of outermost peripheral portion are plugged with a heat-resistant material or with the same material as for the honeycomb structure, or the partial cells are plugged in the entire length and formed integrally with the outer wall (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). There is also known a honeycomb structure in which not only the partial cells of outermost peripheral portion but also part of the complete cells present inside to the partial cells are plugged (see, for example, Patent Document 3). However, when not only the partial cells of outermost peripheral portion but also part of the complete cells, inside to the partial cells are plugged and formed integrally with the outer wall, there have been problems of large reduction in effective filtration area and increase in pressure loss, when used in a DPF, etc.
Patent Document 1: JP-B-1988-12658
Patent Document 2: JP-A-1995-246341
Patent Document 3: JP-A-2004-154768

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A reticle includes an image area having one or more electrically conductive portions susceptible to damage by an electric field and an electric field sensor feature, the sensor feature adapted to be at least as susceptible to being altered by the electric field as the electrically conductive portions of the image area, the sensor feature being located in a position which is more readily viewable to show alteration than the electrically conductive portions of the image area.

Transmission photomasks (reticles) used in the production of semiconductor devices are often constructed using conductive metallic films (for example, chromium), or other films, such as MoSiON, deposited onto a transparent substrate, such as quartz. A pattern is etched into this film and then is projected by photo-reduction onto a semiconductor wafer coated with a photosensitive layer. By this means, a replica of the pattern on the reticle is produced in the film on the semiconductor wafer, which replica is greatly reduced in size. Through further and repeated processing of the wafer, a three-dimensional microcircuit is built up.
Such reticles may contain a multitude of isolated conductive features supported on an electrically insulating substrate. These conductive features, which together make up the pattern that is to be projected onto the wafer, can have differing electrical potentials induced on them if the reticle is placed into an electric field. The presence of differing electric potentials on neighboring conductive features can cause electrical discharge between the features in a process that is referred to as field-induced electrostatic discharge (ESD). Furthermore, the features may also be damaged by such induced potentials even when an electrostatic discharge does not take place in a process referred to as electric field-induced material migration (EFM).
The degree of damage that a reticle will suffer as a result of such exposure to an electric field is difficult to predict, since the induction process is dependent upon the detailed structure of the pattern on the reticle, its orientation with respect to the electric field, and its proximity to surrounding objects which might perturb the electric field and concentrate such field through certain areas of the pattern. This makes it difficult to define how frequently a reticle should be inspected for damage in normal use to prevent production of defective wafers. Furthermore, any electric field-induced damage that is sustained by a reticle maybe subtle, highly localized, and difficult to detect during routine reticle inspections. Even though the damage may not be detected in the reticle inspection tool, it may affect the lithographic process.
The damage to the reticle may cause the image projected on the wafer to deviate from that which is expected and which is required for correct functioning of the finished semiconductor device. This is referred to as Critical Dimension (CD) deviation. When a reticle becomes damaged in such a way, defective devices can be produced; and this may not be discovered until the complete device has been built and is tested. Discovery of defects at this late stage in the production process results in significant financial losses to the semiconductor industry.
Electrostatic damage to reticles has been such a prevalent factor in semiconductor production for many years that various novel approaches have been suggested for countering it. In 1984, U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,841 described one of the first methods for making a reticle with an integral conductive layer capable of dissipating electrostatic charge. In 1985, JP Patent No. 60,222,856 described a means of connecting the various mask elements with filamentary conductive lines to avoid potential differences between them. Since those first two approaches, many variants involving conductive coatings, featuring interconnects, and charge dissipating structures have been proposed (e.g., JP Patent No. 62,293,244 (1987); U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,192 (1998); U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,754 (1999); KR Patent No. 196,585Y (2000); U.S. Pat. No. 6,180,291 (2001); TW Patent No. 441,071 (2001); KR Patent Publication No. 2001/057347 (2001); U.S. Pat. No. 6,291,114 (2001); U.S. Pat. No. 6,309,781 (2001); JP Patent Publication No. 2002/055438 (2002); US Patent Publication No. 2002/0115001(2002); U.S. Pat. No. 6,440,617 (2002); U.S. Pat. No. 6,569,576 B1 (2003); TW Patent No. 543,178 (2003); KR Patent Publication No. 2003/085946 (2003); JP Patent Publication No. 2004/061884 (2004); US Patent Publication No. 2004/076834 (2004); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,803,156 (2004)). These solutions increase the complexity and cost of reticle manufacture, plus they add process steps which can introduce defects or inhomogeneity to the reticle. Coatings may delaminate, or they may be easily damaged during handling and reticle cleaning. Furthermore, some of the coatings that have been suggested may degrade due to exposure to energetic UV light that is used in today's leading edge lithography systems; hence, their transparency may alter with time. All of these potential problems probably explain why such solutions are not in widespread use today and why reticle ESD damage continues to be a problem in the semiconductor manufacturing industry.
If the reticle itself cannot be made inherently ESD protected, an alternative solution is to enclose the reticle inside a conductive container, which will provide ESD protection by shielding the reticle from electric fields. Such a solution is described in PCT Publication No. WO 2004/032208. This will protect the reticle while it is inside the container; but semiconductor manufacturing requires the reticle to be moved outside the container on many occasions, during which time the reticle might be exposed to electric fields. Since electric field exposure during normal use of the reticle may gradually change the image on the reticle in a way that is detrimental to the final device that is being manufactured, it is important to be able to monitor a reticle's exposure to electric fields.
US Patent Publication No. 2003/0052691 describes a portable, compact sensor device that is capable of detecting the ESD events in a semiconductor manufacturing facility through their radio emissions. This has been suggested as a means of detecting ESD events in reticles by placing a sensor in the reticle handling environment or in/on the reticle carrier. However, such RF pulse sensing devices can only report the ESD event after the reticle is damaged, and EFM cannot be detected since there is no electrical discharge event. They also are likely to be sensitive to false alarms, owing to the highly charged nature of a semiconductor manufacturing facility.
A more effective and reliable means is required for routinely sensing whether a reticle has been exposed to an electric field. Such a sensor that could warn of a hazardous exposure before the reticle itself becomes damaged would be very desirable.

Reticle containing structures for sensing electric field exposure and a method for its use


Systems, methods, and formulas are disclosed for producing a shaped baked good with a rounded shape. In one embodiment, the formula may include a high melting point fat and a granular sugar at a weight ratio of about 1:1 to form a rounded cookie piece that minimizes flattening during baking. The cookie composition may be formed by passing a cookie dough between opposing rollers or press plates to form a web. The web may then be baked, rehydrated, separated, and deflashed to form individual rounded cookie pieces.

Currently available cookie dough compositions result in baked cookie pieces that have spread and flattened during baking and cooling. These flattened surfaces have a tendency to "double" during coating operations such as panning with chocolate. That is, due to the rotating tumbling action of the coating pan, the flattened surfaces will come together and two pieces will become coated in chocolate instead of having each piece individually coated in chocolate. When two pieces are coated together, they are referred to as a "double". These "doubles" are considered undesirable from a consumer perspective and should be avoided. Therefore, there is a need to create a cookie piece that retains a rounded shape after baking and cooling and can then be coated with less "doubling".
Turning now to prior art patents, U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,669 (the '669 patent) shows pyramidal cookie pieces coated with chocolate to form rounded lentil shapes. However, the '669 patent does not teach the compositions, specifically with regard to the fat to sugar ratio. Additionally, the '669 patent does not provide a rounded or lenticular cookie piece—only a pyramidal cookie bit. U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,582 generally describes a compressed baked composition that is subsequently baked but there is no teaching of shape and no teaching of fat to sugar ratios or sugar particle sizes.


A method of quantifying the value added by an internal company credit rating system is described. The method includes determining an internal company credit rating for each of a plurality of securities. The internal company credit rating for each of the plurality of securities and an external credit research agency original credit rating for each of the securities are inputted in a ratings history database. Data representative of a change of the external credit research agency original credit rating for at least one security of the plurality of securities to a new credit rating is received. Responsive to the change, data representative of a current price of the at least one security and a benchmark price of the at least one security is received. At least one metric is calculated to determine the number of times the internal company credit ratings for each of the plurality of securities was correct.

For continued growth and development of financial assets, companies utilize credit research systems to determine the applicable securities to invest in for the company. Cash investment credit research processes addresses short term securities distinguishing versus longer term bonds, that are usually less than a year in maturity, fixed income instruments. Credit research systems evaluate credit ratings for securities that a company then utilizes for determining what to invest in, and how much to invest.
For any security to invest in, the pricing of the security and the yield of the security are highly dependent on the credit quality of the issuer of the security. As such, an issuer of a security with a lower credit quality rating, i.e., a higher risk, equates to the security having a higher return due to the higher risk involved. Companies utilize this information to invest more or less in different securities.
When at all possible, goals for investments on a security for a company include lowering risk and increasing return. With respect to the credit rating of an issuer of a security, 1 or 2 basis points may be a huge differentiator.
Currently there is no mechanism to assess objectively the performance of a credit rating system at the aggregate, sector, and/or analyst levels. A robust credit rating process is a prerequisite for providing high risk adjusted returns to investors and ensuring capital preservation. Currently there are no metrics in place to measure a rating effectiveness. No formal process exists to monitor the timing and sequence of internal ratings, agency ratings, and market reaction to those ratings.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a system and method that quantifies the value added by a cash investment credit research agency.

Quantifying the output of credit research systems


A variable impedance circuit includes at least one fixed resistance and a plurality of transistors between a first and a second terminal. The transistors belonging to the plurality of transistors are arranged parallel to one another and parallel to the resistance and are controllable by a plurality of control signals different from one another and configured in such a way as to obtain a total impedance between said first and second terminals that is substantially variable in a continuous manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a variable impedance circuit and apparatus comprising said variable impedance circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Resistive circuits are generally known in which resistance varies linearly; said circuits are, for example, used in devices provided with amplifiers in which it is necessary to obtain a linearly variable gain.
The simplest way to obtain an impedance that varies linearly is to use an MOS transistor operating in a triode zone; nevertheless, if a wide impedance variation is necessary it is not possible to use a simple MOS transistor.
A circuit that enables a wide resistance variation to be obtained is available with the circuit in FIG. 1. In said circuit a resistor Rp is arranged between an input voltage Vinn and ground GND and the terminals thereof are connected to the drain and source terminals of a NMOS transistor M1p having the gate terminal connected to a voltage Vconn. The value of the resistance of the entire circuit increases when the voltage between gate and source of the transistor M1p decreases, i.e. when the transistor moves away from the triode region of operation. This latter situation gives rise to a total non-linear resistance as the resistance of MOS transistor M1p, which in this case is the predominant resistance, varies in a non-linear manner due to the passage of the transistor from the triode region of operation to the saturation region of operation during the swing of the signal Vinn. When on the other hand the resistance of the resistor Rp is predominant, total resistance becomes linear.
Another circuit that enables wide resistance variation to be obtained is the resistor with controlled voltage of patent WO 03/021777. Said resistor comprises an input gate and an output gate and at least two circuit blocks arranged between said two gates. A circuit block has a first impedance that is variable and controllable by means of a first signal and the second circuit block has a second impedance that is variable and controllable by means of a second signal; the two impedances can be controlled in an independent manner. Total impedance is arranged so as to be variable in a continuous manner within a given variation field of the values of the control signals.

Variable impedance circuit and apparatus comprising said variable impedance circuit


A self-adhesive coating for electrical steel and its uses is described. The coating includes 81-99.9 weight parts of aqueous epoxy resin emulsion, 0.07-17 weight parts of curing agent, and optionally 0.3 weight parts of accelerant. The coating optionally contains additives selected from diluent, filler, toughener, colorant, fire retardant, antirusting agent, antisettling agent, thixotropic agent or antifoamer, thickener, pigment dispersant, preservative, and the like. The coating can be used as electrical steel coating. The coating is capable of making electrical steel with a self-adhesive coating by naked-flame heat, and also there are no poisonous organic solvents to volatilize during the entire process. The coating can avoid use of an apparatus for burning organic solvents, which reduced cost.

Most sheets of electrical steel are assembled into a product by welding or rivetting. However, welding fixation may result in a short circuit of edge portion of iron core, thus insulating property decreases. Further, various problems occur due to thermo-deformation, such as degradation of magnetic characteristics. In addition, when welding, burning of coating film generates harmful gases, and cohesion force is also poor. The welding and rivetting methods are not suitable to many mini electric machines thereby. In this case, it is an attractive fixation method to bond sheets of electrical steel to form an iron core. If an adhesive is applied onto each sheet of electrical steel cut off, production efficiency is very low, and the bonding is difficult to control and hardly homogeneous. Thus, to apply an adhesive directly onto surface of steel sheet in roll to form a self-bonding coat will increase subsequent process efficiency greatly.
The electrical steel plate thus obtained can be stored in sheet or roll form for a long time before being used to make an iron core. During storage, the steel plate does not rust, and no problem occurs such as the coating film breaks up. Thereafter, upon heating and pressing the coated surface at any time as desired, an iron core with excellent properties such as high bond strength between layers may be obtained.
Thyssen Krupp Steel EBG Company (Germany) has developed a steel plate with a self-bonding coat, which has multiple properties simultaneously, such as insulating property, corrosion resistance, improved punching property, and property of bonding with each other. When such steel sheets are assembled into an iron core product, they need no welding or rivetting any more, and avoid generation of harmful gases on welding. Further cohesion force between sheets is high enough. The product thus obtained may be used as a long stator iron core of Maglev.
However, the self-bonding coating used by EBG Company is a solvent-based product. A large amount of solvent vaporizes during the baking of the coating. In order to eliminate pollution to the surrounding, an incinerator is needed to burn out the solvent. Furthermore, any naked-flame baking device is not suitable for this product.
An aqueous heat-adhesive coat composition is proposed by Kawasaki (JP 6-21274). It comprises an emulsion of thermoplastic synthesis resin, an emulsion of epoxy resin, a curing agent and a film-forming agent. The composition may be applied onto the surface of steel sheet, and form a self-bonding coat.
Since the composition is formed by mixing an emulsion of thermoplastic resin and an emulsion of epoxy resin, which are not compatible completely with each other, the coat resulted thereby is not homogeneous, not transparent, and has a poor peel strength and shear strength. Further, in order to form a continuous coat without any crack, it is necessary to add a large amount of film-forming agent. This results in significant reduction of peel strength and adhesion strength of the coat. Furthermore, the liquid coating must be formulated in situ before application. It has a short shelf-life and is inconvenient for application.

Aqueous self-adhesive coating for electrical steel and its uses


A method for handing off a connection of a mobile device from a primary VPN to which the mobile device is connected to an angel VPN to which the mobile device may be connected in an Internet Protocol-based multimedia mobile network includes the steps of searching for alternative available routes to a peer, creating the angel VPN for storage in the mobile device and replacing the primary VPN with the angel VPN in a case where the primary VPN is disrupted.

The present invention generally relates to mobile communications systems and more particularly to a scalable system and method for ensuring real-time, end-to-end security in a multimedia mobile network.
Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) VPN has become one of the most efficient technologies for protecting end-to-end transmission security across public networks such as Internet Protocol based multimedia mobile networks. However this VPN implementation suffers from several disadvantages. Most significantly, when roaming between different VPN subnets, a current session may be terminated.
Prior art systems and methods for addressing this problem include providing a flat subnet for supporting thousands of wireless users. This solution is clearly not scalable. Furthermore, it is cumbersome to propagate a single subnet everywhere across a campus. With large subnets, performance is impacted adversely due to a significant number of-broadcasts in each domain. For real-time applications in particular, small CPU-powered devices may be broadcast intensive and too many users in one VLAN will quickly degrade performance and increase latency leading to poor quality stream communication.
Another prior art solution includes the implementation of a proxy Mobile IP. This solution is complex to configure, requiring changes to the LAN routing infrastructure. Furthermore, Mobile IP suffers from problems with network discovery and timing causing breaks that can last several seconds and result in loss of session persistence which ultimately harms real time applications.
A further prior art solution includes the deployment of a wireless switch/gateway within the wireless network. While this solution may solve the issue of secure handoffs to roaming mobile devices, additional burdens to existing VPN concentrators and congestion of network traffic make this solution disadvantageous. Furthermore, this solution may produce significant amounts of delay and prevent the deployment of time-sensitive applications such as voice, video, and real-time data.
While the systems and methods of the prior art provide solutions to the problems associated with roaming between different VPN subnets, there continues to be a need for a system and method that reduces latency and that ensures the security and session continuity as mobile devices roam between different VPN subnets. Such a system and method preferably does not require any changes to the network infrastructure.

Scalable technique for ensuring real-time, end-to-end security in a multimedia mobile network


A method of growing mixed crystals having at least two lattice sites each having a different number of adjacent oxygen ions from melts of oxidic multi-component systems, homogeneous mixed crystals being grown such that the cations intended to occupy the first lattice site having the highest number of adjacent oxygen ions and to occupy the second lattice site having the next lowest number of adjacent oxygen ions are chosen such that the ratio of the bond length of the cations in the first lattice site to the bond length of the cations in the second lattice site is in the range from 0.7 to 1.5.

The invention relates to a method of growing mixed crystals having at least two lattice sites with each a different number of adjacent oxygen ions from melts of oxidic multi-component systems and also to the use of the mixed crystals produced in accordance with this method.
In order to obtain homogeneous crystals, the requirement must be satisfied that the distribution coefficient of the cations k.sub.eff(kat), in such that the ratio of the concentration of the cations in the solidus phase to the concentration of the cations in the liquidus phase C.sub.s /C.sub.1 is at approximately 1. Crystals suitable for use in technical applications are obtained at low cation concentrations (.ltoreq.0.5 formula units) still with distribution coefficients in the range from 0.90 to 1.20.
Crystals must here be understood to include both monocrystalline and polycrystalline material.
Garnet single crystals are, for example employed as substrates for the production of magnetic and magneto-optical layers. Examples in which such layers of materials are used are: magnetic bubble memories, displays and optical isolators. In addition, garnet single crystals can also be used as substrates for the epitaxial production of semiconductor layers.
A further field of application for garnets are laser crystals and detectors. In these examples garnets are utilized as host lattices for fluorescent ions. In addition to the production of compact laser crystals, garnet single crystals are also employed as substrates for the production of thin layers with laser properties.
Single-crystal layers can be deposited by, for example an epitaxial process, for example a liquid-phase epitaxial process, onto single-crystal substrates. A single-crystal growth of the layer with the necessary perfection can however only be effected when the substrate and the epitaxial layer have substantially the same crystallographical lattice constant. The lattice constant changes with respect to composition, that for each layer composition a substrate with a matched lattice constant is required.
By way of example, desired lattice constants for garnet substrates for the aforementioned applications are located within the range from 1.19 to 1.30 nm. This lattice constant range can not be covered entirely with the garnet compositions which have been known so far.
A solution therefore is the growth of mixed crystals in which the lattice constants across is adjusted the crystal composition. This does not only hold for garnets but in general for growing single-crystal layers on monocrystalline substrates. For technical uses also perowskites and spinels are of increasing significance.
These problems will be described in greater detail with reference to garnet compounds.
Garnet crystallizes with a cubic crystal structure. There are three different lattice sites, (dodecahedral, octahedral and tetrahedral sites) for the cations in the garnet lattice. Cations having the largest ion radii first occupy the dodecahedral site up to 3 formula units and have as their nearest neighbours 8 oxygen ions. Cations having the next but one smallest radii occupy the octahedral site and have 6 oxygen ions as their nearest neighbours, while the smallest cations occupy the tetrahedral site and are surrounded by 4 oxygen ions only. The lattice sites are interconnected contiguous to each other via their sides and their corners. The different lattice sites are characterized by the following types of brackets: dodecahedral site { }, octahedral site [ ], tetrahedral ( ).
Garnets can be described by the general formula {A.sup.3+ }.sub.3 [B.sup.3+ ].sub.2 (C.sup.3+).sub.3 O.sub.12, wherein A, B and C are cations having different radii. In garnets of a simple composition, such as, for example {Gd}.sub.3 [Ga].sub.2 (Ga).sub.3 O.sub.12, the dodecahedral sites are occupied by Gd.sup.3+ -ions, the octahedral and tetrahedral sites by Ga.sup.3+ -ions.
A known method is to produce mixed crystals by mixing two garnets of a single composition (alternatively denoted terminal members). Thus, for example, mixed crystals of the composition {Gd,Sm}.sub.3 [Ga].sub.2 (Ga).sub.3 O.sub.12 can be produced by mixing the two terminal members {Gd}.sub.3 [Ga].sub.2 (Ga).sub.3 O.sub.12 and {Sm}.sub.3 [Ga].sub.2 (Ga).sub.3 O.sub.12. In these mixed crystals the smaller Gd.sup.3+ -ions (r=0.1061 nm) are successively exchanged for the larger Sm.sup.3+ ions (r=0.1087 nm) in the dodecahedral sites. The lattice constants of these mixed crystals increases linearly versus an increasing Sm content from 1.2382 nm up to 1.2438 nm.
Mixed crystals obtained by mixing terminal members have the disadvantage that there is a change in the concentration of the cations occupying the dodecahedral sites in the crystal from the beginning up to the crystal end; for the aforementioned examples this would be the Gd/Sm concentration.
A list for these inhomogeneities is the distribution coefficient of the cations k.sub.eff(kat). This is defined as the ratio of the cation concentration in the crystal to the cation concentration in the melt (k.sub.eff(kat) =C.sub.s /C.sub.l). In the above example the distribution coefficient of gadolinium exceeds 1. This results in an enhancement of gadolinium in the crystal beginning and a corresponding decrease of the Gd concentration in the melt during the growing process in a lower proportion of gadolinium in the crystal end.
Because of the dependence of the lattice constant on the crystal composition the lattice constant increases from the crystal beginning up to the end.
Homogeneous mixed crystals, which are mixed crystals which have an approximately equal lattice constant across the overall length of the drawn crystal, can only be obtained when the distribution coefficient of the cations is approximately 1. Mixed crystals which are produced by mixing two terminal members have however distribution coefficients which deviate relatively large from 1. Because of the resultant poor crystal quality and the change in the lattice constant in the longitudinal direction of the crystal, mixed crystals produced by mixing two terminal members are generally not suitable for use for technical applications. A solution might be the use of multi-component systems which, because of the higher number of cations, provide a greater number of possibilities to optimize the distribution coefficient across the compound. How to achieve this is however not known yet.

Mixed crystals of doped rare earth gallium garnet


This application provides a reference signal indication method and apparatus. The method includes: transmitting, by a terminal device, a phase tracking reference signal (PTRS) to a network device based on a time domain density; and receiving, by the network device, the PTRS transmitted by the terminal device based on the time domain density, where the time domain density is a density in a discrete Fourier transform spread orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DFT-s-OFDM) waveform. Therefore, successful PTRS transmission can be ensured.

With development of a network system, a higher communication rate and a larger capacity are required, and more high-frequency resources are also required. However, a frequency increase is accompanied with an increase of phase noise generated by a random jitter of a frequency device, that is, a local oscillator. Therefore, adverse impact of phase noise in high-frequency wireless communication cannot be ignored. Usually, a transmit end may transmit a PTRS that is known in advance; and a receive end may estimate phase noise based on the received PTRS. Due to relatively high time randomicity of the phase noise, how the transmit end transmits the PTRS is a problem to be urgently resolved.

Reference signal indication method and apparatus


An automated electronic video surveillance system enables a high-resolution mega-pixel camera to capture high quality, detailed, magnified images at multiple locations, simultaneously with an overview of the whole scene. A preferred embodiment requiring no moving parts provides full 360-degree continuous viewing with up to 5× all-digital zoom capability. The system performs continuous surveillance and active resolution allocation in the form of a feedback control subsystem that dynamically allocates resources so that important details within a scene receive appropriate scrutiny, while uninteresting areas are imaged at a lower resolution.

There is growing interest in using high resolution digital cameras or "mega-pixel imagers" in security and surveillance systems. Greater resolution improves accuracy in identifying people and objects and offers digital zoom for more detail. However, there is a practical limit to the volume of video data that can be transmitted from an imager chip, thus limiting access to video details and constraining mega-pixel cameras from delivering their true potential, i.e., all the video data they can capture. For example the AV-3100, which is sold and manufactured byArecont Vision of Altadena, Calif., is one of the fastest 3 mega-pixel cameras currently on the market, but the AV-3100 cannot operate at its full video transfer rate of 30 frames per second. Standard security surveillance cameras deliver images of about 0.4 mega-pixel resolution at a rate of about 30 frames per second. Even 2 mega-pixel resolution at 22 frames per second requires more than a 40 megabytes per second (Mbps) data transmission rate from an imager chip. Most users have difficulty processing streams of data at 40 Mbps. New communications and storage systems lack the bandwidth to handle data rates 5 to 10 times faster than previous generation data rates. When faster speeds become possible, surveillance systems become prohibitively expensive.
One technique for managing large volumes of data entails transferring from the imager chip a portion (e.g., one-eighth of the number of pixels or a VGA quantity of pixels) of the video information to a central location for analysis. This approach carries risk of loss upon transfer of important video data that would represent an event or behavior of interest but post-transfer analysis would not detect. To overcome bandwidth limitations, some companies such as Arecont Vision or CoVi Technologies post-process video information from an imager chip to compress the volume of data transmitted to the rest of a surveillance system. Some modern data compression schemes that conform to industry standards, such as MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and H.263, offer only content-agnostic, lossy data compression. Although most new compression standards (e.g., MPEG-4 and MPEG-4 AVC) allow for object level prioritization of bandwidth allocation and multiple alternatives for scalability (in the case of MPEG-4 SVC), they fail to consider the relative importance of the video content, i.e., different areas within a field of view, such as an area containing human figures v. an area containing a moving tree branch.
While traditional data compression schemes treat all bits of data as though they were of equal value, there is need for an intelligent spatial and temporal resolution allocation mechanism that selectively assigns value to spatio-temporal portions of video content. The resolution allocation mechanism should automatically assign a high value if the data contain relevant and useful subjects within a scene, or a low value if the data contain subjects that provide no useful information. There are currently some tools available for use in intelligently allocating spatio-temporal resolution. For instance, one such value assessment tool offered by video analytics manufacturers is capable of detecting the presence of human beings, vehicles, license plates, and other items of interest.

Intelligent high resolution video system


Method of cooling computer equipment that includes pumping coolant into a passageway leading to computer equipment and distributing the coolant from the passageway to heat sinks. The method also includes iteratively adjusting a rate of cooling of electronic devices by the coolant directly or indirectly in dependence upon heat generated by the electronic devices. The method also includes monitoring the respective temperatures of the electronic devices or heat conductive material in thermal contact therewith. The method also includes iteratively calculating the average of the values that said temperatures have at a given time. The method also includes iteratively calculating a spread value indicative of the spread of said values and iteratively adjusting the rate of cooling of the electronic devices by the coolant in dependence upon the ratio of said spread value and a difference between said average and a predetermined maximum acceptable temperature.

Embodiments relate to a method of cooling computer equipment, which equipment comprises a multiplicity of electronic devices with respective heat sinks, the method comprising:    pumping coolant into a passageway leading to the computer equipment;    distributing the coolant from the said passageway to the heat sinks;    iteratively adjusting the rate of cooling of the electronic devices by the coolant which is pumped into the said passageway directly or indirectly in dependence upon the heat generated by the electronic devices.
In previously proposed such methods the rate of flow of the coolant is adjusted in dependence upon the overall difference (Δt) between the temperature of the coolant at the inlet and the temperature of the coolant at the outlet of the computer equipment. However, this does not account for differences in the kind of demand placed on the computer equipment, more especially the individual electronic devices. As a result, the operating temperature of the electronic devices may be maintained at a temperature well below what is a safe temperature, with consequential unnecessary wastage of thermal energy.


An oscillator circuit includes differential variable delay circuits coupled together to form a ring oscillator. Each of the differential variable delay circuits has first and second inputs and first, second, third, and fourth transistors. A constant supply voltage is provided to sources of the first and the second transistors in each of the differential variable delay circuits. A variable supply voltage is provided to sources of the third and the fourth transistors in each of the differential variable delay circuits. Gates of the first and the third transistors are coupled to the first input. Gates of the second and the fourth transistors are coupled to the second input. The oscillator circuit generates a periodic output signal having a frequency that varies based on changes in the variable supply voltage.

The present invention relates to electronic circuits, and more particularly to techniques relating to oscillators.
FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of a prior art voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) 104. VCO 104 is part of a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit. The PLL includes a PLL loop filter 101, a voltage buffer 102, a low pass filter (LPF) 103, and VCO 104. PLL loop filter 101 generates a control voltage VCL that is based on the difference between the phase and the frequency of a reference clock signal and the phase and the frequency of a feedback clock signal. Voltage buffer 102 buffers VCL to generate an oscillator supply voltage VOS.
A supply voltage VCC is filtered by LPF 103 to generate a filtered supply voltage VFL. The filtered supply voltage VFL is provided to a supply input of voltage buffer 102. VCO 104 is a ring oscillator that includes two differential VCO cells 105-106. VCO cells 105-106 are differential inverting delay circuits. The oscillator supply voltage VOS is provided to supply inputs of VCO cells 105 and 106. VCO cell 106 generates a differential output signal OUT/OUTB.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a prior art VCO cell that is used to implement VCO 104. The VCO cell circuit structure shown in FIG. 2 is in VCO cell 105. The VCO cell circuit structure shown in FIG. 2 is also in VCO cell 106. VCO cell 105/106 includes p-channel metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) 201-202 and n-channel MOSFETs 203-206. INP is the non-inverting (+) input of VCO cell 105/106, and INN is the inverting (−) input of VCO cell 105/106. OUTP is the non-inverting output of VCO cell 105/106, and OUTN is the inverting output of VCO cell 105/106. The inverting outputs of VCO cells 105/106 are represented by circles in VCO 104. The oscillator supply voltage VOS is provided to the sources of transistors 201-202.
FIG. 3 is a graph that illustrates the frequency response and the gain of VCO 104. The frequency response of VCO 104 refers to the frequency of differential output signal OUT/OUTB. The gain (KVCO) of VCO 104 refers to the change in frequency of OUT/OUTB versus the change in the control voltage VCL. VCO 104 provides a tuning range for OUT/OUTB from about 1-14 GHz as shown in FIG. 3. The gain of VCO 104 varies from about 7 GHz/volt to a maximum of about 12 GHz/volt over the tuning range of VCO 104.
VCO 104 is very susceptible to generating jitter in output signals OUT and OUTB in response to supply voltage noise in VOS, particularly at high frequencies. Noise in VOS can, for example, be generated in response to noise in VFL or noise in VCL.


A multiple-ply solid state light fixture is disclosed. A panelized, solid state light fixture includes combined layers of material chemically bonded together without a traditional mechanical housing and with relatively few or no fasteners. In example embodiments, the solid state light fixture includes an LED mounting substrate, a thermal material on a non-LED side of the LED mounting substrate, and an optical material on the LED side of the LED mounting substrate. A plurality of LEDs are disposed or mounted, with or without additional packaging, on the LED side of the LED mounting substrate. A chemical bond is created between the substrate and the other layers. This chemical bond can be created, for example, through use of applied fluid or gelatinous compounds that are then solidified, or through the use of adhesives.

Light emitting diode (LED) lighting systems are becoming more prevalent as replacements for existing lighting systems. LEDs are an example of solid state lighting and have advantages over traditional lighting solutions such as incandescent and fluorescent lighting because they use less energy, are more durable, operate longer, can be combined in multi-color arrays that can be controlled to deliver virtually any color light, and contain no lead or mercury.
In many applications, one or more LED dies (or chips) are mounted within an LED package or on an LED module, which may make up part of a lighting system, a light fixture, lighting unit, lamp, "light bulb" or more simply a "bulb," which includes one or more power supplies to power the LEDs. An LED fixture may be made in the form of a fixture to be used in place of or instead of a standard incandescent or fluorescent fixture.
Rigid or semi-rigid materials may be included in a fixture as optical elements, reflectors, support structures and housings external to the LED modules themselves. Typically, a combination of mechanical components is used to complete a fixture assembly. This combination may include a mechanical housing for the electronics, a mechanical housing for the entire fixture, a heatsink, a mounting surface for the LED modules, and lenses or diffusers to provide shape, direction, and/or color mixing for the light emitted from the fixture.


Control and/or drive device for a flying body for ejecting hot gas streams of a combusted fuel combination of at least a first and second component. Device includes a first hollow chamber body structured and arranged to contain first component, a second hollow chamber body structured and arranged to contain second component, a controllable fuel valve arranged between first hollow chamber body and second hollow chamber body to control feed of first component to second hollow chamber body, and a plurality of outlets structured and arranged to eject respective hot gas streams for influencing a flight path of flying body. Second hollow chamber body is formed as a combustion chamber for combusting the at least first and second components within second hollow chamber body to generate respective hot gas streams, and plurality of outlets are connected to the second hollow chamber body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control and/or drive device for a flying body for the ejection of a hot gas stream by combustion of a fuel (propellant) combination.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Such a control and/or drive device is used for example in a so-called Divert and Attitude Control System, which serves to control a flying body during a final approach to a target. For example, a Divert and Attitude Control System is used in order to control a flying body, for example in the final approach to a target. Control and/or drive devices hitherto used for such flying bodies are basically realized with two different drive variants.
The first variant is a so-called solid-fuel drive, in which the drive unit is charged with a solid, pulverulent or paste-like fuel for influencing the flight path of the flying body. A conventional structure involves arranging the whole fuel supply, generally in the form of rod-shaped or tubular fuel batches arranged in parallel, in a cylindrical combustion chamber, where the fuel supply is ignited and also combusted. With such a drive concept it was hitherto extremely difficult to control the combustion of a solid-fuel drive once it had been ignited, to stop an ignition once it had been initiated, or even to reignite the fuel batch. For this reason the procedure adopted hitherto was to combust the whole fuel supply and/or to charge oppositely operating deflection nozzles with an identical gas stream so that the deflection nozzles cancel one another out and an undesirable change in flight path is thereby prevented. However, such a procedure results in a comparatively large loss of fuel during the mission and leads therefore to a poor utilization of the fuel. On the other hand the use of a solid-fuel drive has specific advantages, in particular its relatively simple structure, uncomplicated handling, constant readiness for use, as well as the comparatively low toxicity.
The second variant for realizing a drive unit described above is a liquid-fuel drive, for example based on a complex hypergolic binary substance drive. Such a liquid-fuel drive obtains its thrust from the combustion of liquid propellants and is in principle more complicated as regards structure than a solid-fuel drive described above. Liquid-fuel drives are however very widely used in space travel on account of their generally longer combustion times, their thrust which can be accurately controlled, the problem-free start-up and shutdown, as well as their higher energy content. A serious disadvantage of a liquid-fuel drive however is the toxicity of the fuels.
EP 1 173 668 B1 describes a rocket drive arrangement with a drive system that comprises a plurality of eccentrically arranged rocket propulsion units, in which each of the propulsion units has its own combustion chamber. Each of these propulsion units can be ignited independently of the others. To achieve combustion in a combustion chamber a combustion reaction is initiated between a liquid oxidizing agent and a fuel component. This component comprises granular solid fuel components stored in the respective combustion chambers of the hybrid rocket propulsion units.


A double-pane aircraft cabin window arrangement avoids fogging, frosting, or icing of the window without using any active pressure regulating system or other active components. An inner pane and an outer pane are held in a window seal that is mounted in a frame connected to the aircraft fuselage. An interspace is formed between the two panes and sealed by the window seal. A condensation inducing tube is connected by a hose to an adapter tube, which passes through the window seal into the window interspace. The condensation inducing tube is connected in a direct thermally conducting manner to the outer fuselage skin of the aircraft. An open end of the condensation inducing tube is arranged to receive pressurized air from the aircraft cabin interior. As the air flows through the condensation inducing tube, any condensable moisture in the air condenses out on the interior walls of the tube, so that only dry air flows into the window interspace.

Cabin windows that are conventionally used in modern pressurized passenger aircraft typically have a double-pane construction including two window panes spaced apart from one another with a hollow interspace therebetween, whereby the double panes sometimes are intended to provide fail-safe redundancy.
FIG. 1 schematically represents a conventional double-pane cabin window 1' comprising an inner window pane 2' and an outer window pane 3' which are spaced apart from one another and held around their outer perimeter edges in a window seal 8' mounted in a window frame 11' provided on the outer fuselage skin 12' of the aircraft. A hollow interspace is formed between the two panes 2' and 3'. In order to achieve a pressure equalization in this window interspace during flight, and especially during the climb and descent phases of the flight, a ventilation hole 5' is provided at or near the bottom of the inner window pane 2'. This ventilation hole 5' provides an opening from the pressurized passenger cabin into the window interspace. Thus, as a result of any pressure difference between the pressurized cabin interior and the window interspace, an airflow or air exchange between the cabin interior and the window interspace will take place.
Namely, if the pressure in the cabin is greater than the pressure the window interspace, then air will flow from the cabin into the window interspace and achieve a pressure equalization.
Since the outer window pane 3' generally is subjected to a temperature below -30.degree. C. during flight, even the smallest amount of water vapor present in the cabin air that flows into the window interspace will condense of the inner surface of the outer window pane 3'. Of course, greater condensation will occur as the relative humidity of the interior cabin air increases, which is dependent upon the flight condition of the aircraft, and whereby operation of passenger service galleys, the number of passengers, the duration of the flight, and the location and climatic conditions of the flight, are all factors that play a part in the proportion of water vapor in the cabin air. The water vapor laden cabin air will pass through the ventilation hole 5' and thus pass into the window interspace. Especially in situations when the relative humidity of the air is higher than usual, for example in the event of high occupancy of the passenger aircraft, then it is particularly likely that the inner surface of the outer window pane 3' will become fogged by condensation, which may even form a layer of frost or ice due to the very cold external temperatures during flight. As the aircraft then descends into warmer air strata, the frost or ice layer within the window interspace will melt, forming fog or water droplets on the window panes, and in the extreme situation even causing the accumulation or puddling of condensed water at the bottom of the window interspace.


The invention provides for a mobile radio communications device, and related method, arranged for communication by way of at least two RATs and having at least first and second RAT systems and related respective automatic frequency controls for control of an internal clock of the device, the mobile radio communications device further including a search frequency controller for controlling the internal clock during an initial network search, the frequency controller and related method steps being arranged to be initiated at a nominal correction value at the start of the search procedure, and to depart from the said nominal value responsive to one of a receipt of a valid frequency error reading, or receipt of a request for a raster step during an initial network search procedure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to frequency control procedures within an at least dual-mode mobile radio communications device and, in particular, to such a mobile radio communications device including such frequency control means, and a related method of frequency control.
2. Description of Related Art
As is commonly known, the period between which a mobile radio communications device such as a cell phone handset is turned on, and the time at which the device actually acquires a network for communication purposes, is considered dead time from the user's perspective. This can cause irritation and frustration.
While from a user's perspective this period is considered wasted, the handset is nevertheless actively conducting a search through the variously available frequencies in an attempt to identify a relevant network. This search procedure is one that requires significant power expenditure within the handset. Thus with the advent of dual-mode, and the introduction of multi-mode handsets, there is a correspondingly increasing set of frequencies that have to be searched. The procedure for achieving connection to the most attractive cell of the most attractive network then takes proportionately longer, and thus the related energy consumption is proportionally higher.
While current 3GPP specifications require that a dual mode handset searches one complete Radio Access Technology (RAT) at a time, the relative priority given to the different RATs is generally set within the handset. Thus the usual scenario is that, subsequent to the dual-mode handset being activated by a user, the handset will initially search one specified network and will only commence the search of the other of the network if no suitable cells are located during the search of the first network.
Such initial searches generally seek to measure signal strength, or a derivative thereof, and the cells are effectively ranked in accordance with the strength of their signals as detected by the handset. It is generally required that five measurements are taken for each signal frequency spread over a period of at least three seconds so as to arrive at an average reading.
Considering the EGSM 900 band, which contains 172 frequencies, and GSM 1800 band, which contains 374 frequencies, the following is an illustrative example.
The time taken to tune to a frequency and perform relevant signal strength measurements is in the order of 350 us such that the entire frequency set for the two aforementioned GSM frequency bands can be measured in 0.19 seconds. In order to perform the required five measurements to arrive at an average value, a time interval in the order of 0.95 seconds is therefore required. Given the above-mentioned minimum three second averaging period, this leaves just over two seconds of that period which can be employed for other purposes.
Turning to FIG. 1, there is provided a flow diagram illustrating currently known search procedures which, for simplicity, illustrate the operation according to the current art in accordance with two RATs.
The procedure starts at step 1 with activation of the search and, subsequent to that, Automatic Frequency Control (AFC) is initiated with an initial setting of 0 ppm and a selection of the first RAT to be searched is to be made at step 2.
Depending upon which RAT is selected for the initial searching activity, the procedure continues via steps 3A-7A, or 3B-7B each respective step is however, the same in each of the two series.
That is, subsequent to selection at step 2 of the RAT that is to be searched first, the process continues at step 3A, B with application of the appropriate AFC setting. The search then starts, or continues (see later), at step 4A, B and proceeds to a determination at step 5A, B as to whether the AFC has been updated.
If at step 5A, B the AFC has been updated, then the process returns to step 3A, B so as to apply the updated AFC setting to the relevant RAT prior to continuation of the RAT search.
If, however, at step 5A, B it is determined that there has been no AFC update, the process continues to a determination at step 6A, B as to whether the search phase has been completed. If not, the process returns to step 4A, B for continuation of the RAT search. However if, at step 6A, B it is determined that the search phase has completed, a determination is next made at step 7A, B as to whether all searches for the relevant handset have been completed.
If all such searches have been completed, the process continues to step 8 where it is first determined whether or not a suitable cell has been identified and then, as appropriate, onto steps 9A, B to execute a "camp-on" step 9A, or an "end procedure" step 9B as appropriate.
Returning to step 7A, B, if it is here determined that not all possible searches have been exhausted, i.e. that searches need to be conducted in relation to an alternative RAT, then the procedure returns to step 3A, B as indicated by arrows so that a search phase for the other of the two RATs can be initiated. Once the search phase for both of the RATs is identified at step 7A, B has having been completed, the procedure will then continue to step 8 as noted above.
As an alternative to searching the available RATs in the above-mentioned sequential manner, efficiencies in operation can be realised by effectively interleaving the measurements between the different RATs so as to efficiently employ all the time available to the handset and thereby fill any gaps that might otherwise occur. GB-A-2 395 622 provides a description of such an arrangement.
When performing an initial network search, whether by way of a sequential or interleaved procedure, the control of the frequency of the internal clock of the handset is an important factor in performing the search.
Various AFC techniques have been employed in relation to dual-mode devices such as those discussed in the following.
With a handset logically connected to one of two possible RATs, the internal clock of the handset is locked to a clock signal as originating from the logically connected RAT. This is generally achieved by monitoring the difference between the internal clock and the over-the-air signals received from the RAT. When differences between the clock signals are identified, the local internal clock of the handset is adjusted so as to minimise such differences. Such AFC is commonly employed within an at least dual-mode handset and, at any particular time, the frequency of the internal clock is locked to the over-the-air signals from the RAT to which the handset is logically connected. This network is generally identified as the "master RAT" and if handover is to occur from this network to a different RAT, the current frequency setting of the internal clock is transferred, as a seed value, from the frequency controller of the master RAT to the frequency controller of the RAT, i.e. the slave RAT, to which handover is to be made. The RAT frequency controller previously associated with the slave RAT then takes control of the frequency of the internal clock using the clock value as transferred to it as a seed value.
For example, such an arrangement is known from GB-A-2 387 507. This technique takes advantage of the realisation that the transferred setting is known to be within the accuracy limits permissible in the slave RAT.
Of course, when the handset is first activated, and an initial network search is to be performed, there is no accurate value available to be used as a seed value since no network connection has yet been established. Without the benefit of a current network connection, each RAT generally has its own requirements and arrangements as to how the AFC should operate.
As an example, GSM requires the value to be fixed throughout the search procedure and generally relies upon an assumption that any clock frequency inaccuracy will be within the range of reception of the DSP equaliser software within the handset.
As a comparison, a WCDMA equaliser is known to be processing intensive even when running with an accurate clock signal and this translates into a requirement that the error should be relatively small, and generally smaller than those errors that are permissible for GSM systems. In view of this, and in order to search effectively for an initial network connection, it is necessary to raster the AFC setting during the search so as to ensure that all possible errors have been allowed for. For example, with a device handset with an internal clock accurate to ±6 ppm in the absence of AFC, and an equaliser capable of dealing with ±2 ppm error, the AFT correction would then be set to a nominal value, i.e. 0 ppm. For the first of the raster scans, this would allow the equaliser to analyse the range +2 ppm −2 ppm. For the second raster scan, the AFC would then be set to +4 ppm thus covering the range +2 ppm to +6 ppm. The final scan AFC would be −4 ppm and the equaliser would then be able to cover the range −2 ppm to −6 ppm.
As will be appreciated, these initial search procedures for the different RATs are quite different and exhibit quite different characteristics.
These approaches clearly lack compatibility particularly when considering interleaved RAT measurement scanning, and in a situation in which a currently active RAT has control of the AFC.
In particular, since there is currently no exchange of data between different RATs concerning their respective current AFC settings, when control moves from one RAT to the other, the search procedure adopted by each respective RAT maintains its own setting, and applies that setting when it is in control of the radio operation.
Since, as noted above, a 3G RAT will apply a raster step during its search procedure, whereas a 2G RAT will not apply any such step, the 3G section can be set to a +4 ppm (or −4 ppm) nominal value, while the 2G section will of course require use of a 0 ppm nominal value.
In view of this, and each time the RAT changes, the AFC would then have to undergo a step-change of 4 ppm. The time required to allow the internal handset clock to settle after such a relatively large change would prove particularly disadvantageous. In extremis, the clock setting time may be longer than the interval available to perform measurements, and attempting to interleave measurements becomes impossible.


A read method of a flash memory device is provided which comprises reading a plurality of adjacent memory cells connected with a word line different from a plurality of selected memory cells; reading the plurality of selected memory cells one or more times using a plurality of coupling compensation parameters; and selectively latching the read result of the selected memory cells based on the read result of the adjacent memory cells.

The present invention relates to a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a nonvolatile memory device and systems and a reading method thereof.
Semiconductor memory devices may be roughly classified into volatile memory devices and nonvolatile memory devices.
In case of the volatile memory devices, their reading and writing speeds are fast, while they have such a disadvantage that stored contents therein disappear at power-off. On the other hand, in case of the nonvolatile memory devices, stored contents therein are retained even at power-off. For this reason, the nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices may be used to retain contents to be reserved irregardless of whether a power is supplied. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices may include Mask Read-Only Memory (MROM), Programmable ROM (PROM), Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), and the like.
In general, the MROM, PROM, and EPROM are not free to be erased and written by a system itself, so that it is not easy for general users to update stored contents. On the other hand, EEPROM is capable of being electrically erased or written. Application of the EEPROM is widened to an auxiliary memory or to system programming where continuous updates are needed (flash EEPROM). In particular, a flash EEPROM (hereinafter, referred to as a flash memory) exhibits a higher degree of integration than a conventional EEPROM and thus is advantageous in large auxiliary memory applications.
Flash memories may be divided into a NAND flash memory and a NOR flash memory according to interconnections of memory cells and bit lines. The NOR flash memory consumes a much amount of current, so that it is not unfavorable for a high degree of integration. On the other hand, the NOR flash memory is advantageous for a high speed. The NAND flash memory consumes an amount of cell current less than the NOR flash memory, so that it is advantageous for a high degree of integration.
Each of memory cells of a flash memory has a floating gate or a charge trap layer between a bulk region and its control gate. The flash memory stores data by adjusting a threshold voltage of a memory cell via accumulation or trapping of charge on or in its floating gate or charge trap layer. This operation is so-called referred to as a write or program operation.
Each of programmed memory cells has one of threshold voltage distributions each corresponding to N program states or programmed data values (N being an integer greater than or equal to 2). At a program operation, the coupling may arise between a selected memory cell and adjacent memory cells. The coupling causes widening of each of threshold voltage distributions each corresponding to program states and narrowing of an interval between adjacent program states. Such coupling is referred to as the electric field coupling or F-poly coupling.
As due to the coupling, a variation of threshold voltages of adjacent memory cells is large and an interval between adjacent program states is narrowed, it is difficult to read out data from memory cells reliably. As the number of bits stored per cell increases, such a phenomenon may increase more and more.

Flash memory device and systems and reading methods thereof


According to one embodiment, an air conditioner includes a blower device and a heat exchanger. The blower device includes a fan motor, a fan, a fan case and a coupling member. The fan motor includes a first end section and a second end section separate from each other. The fan is coaxially fixed to a rotating shaft. The fan case accommodating the fan and for guiding air discharged from the fan toward the heat exchanger. The coupling member includes a pair of arm sections respectively coupled to the first end section and the second end section, and a bar-like section extending in the axial direction of the rotating shaft across the arm sections and coupled to the fan case. The fan motor and the fan case are integrally coupled to each other through the coupling member.

In an air conditioner including an indoor unit suspended from a beam or the like in the ceiling cavity, the inside of the indoor unit is partitioned into a heat exchanging chamber and a blowing chamber. In the heat exchanging chamber, a heat exchanger configured to carry out heat exchange between a refrigerant and air is arranged. In the blowing chamber, a blower device configured to supply air to the heat exchanger is arranged.
The blower device is provided with a fan motor, multi-blade fan coaxially fixed to a rotating shaft of the fan motor, and a fan case accommodating therein the multi-blade fan. The fan case is an element configured to guide air blown off the multi-blade fan toward the heat exchanger, and is supported by a housing defining the contour of the indoor unit together with the fan motor.
In a blower device including a multi-blade fan, on account of, for example, an imbalance at the center of gravity of the multi-blade fan occurring in the manufacturing process, vibration or the like of the fan motor in operation, there is sometimes a case where the fan case and the housing resonate with each other in a specific rotational speed range to thereby generate noise.
As the countermeasures against the noise, conventionally, although increasing the thickness of the metallic plate constituting the fan case and the housing or reinforcing the fan case has been carried out, a sufficient effect has not been obtained in the present circumstances.
Embodiments described herein aim to obtain an air conditioner and a blower device capable of effectively preventing vibration of the fan case and the housing from occurring and reducing noise.


A backlight assembly includes: a plurality of lamp units; and an inverter which includes a plurality of pattern capacitors, wherein each of the pattern capacitors is electrically connected to a respective one of the plurality of lamp units, wherein each of the pattern capacitors comprises a printed circuit board, and a conductive layer formed on one side of the printed circuit board, and at least one of the plurality of pattern capacitors has a different electric capacity than another of the pattern capacitors.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a backlight assembly and a display device having the same, and more particularly, to a backlight assembly having a uniform brightness and a display device having the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Among a variety of display devices, a display device having a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel is one example, which exhibits improved performance as it takes up less space and is lighter in weight.
A display device with an LCD panel is employed for various kinds of display devices, for example, a monitor, a TV, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a portable multimedia player (PMP).
The LCD panel is a light receiving type of display panel and thus a display device with the LCD panel uses a backlight assembly to provide light to the rear of the LCD panel.
The backlight assembly may use various lamp units such as a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL), an external electrode fluorescent lamp (EEFL), and a hot cathode fluorescent lamp (HCFL), as a light source.
However, when the lamp unit is driven, its lamps generate heat, which increases their respective temperatures. In addition, the temperature of each of the lamps varies depending on its position.
Therefore, since the lamps have different tube currents due to their varying temperatures, the brightness of the light emitted from the lamp unit is not uniform.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a backlight assembly that is capable of generating light having a uniform brightness so that the image quality of a display device can be enhanced.

Backlight assembly and a display device having the same