A communication system may include a radio frequency (RF) detector and an RF transmitter having a selectable hopping rate and a selectable hopping frequency window. A controller may be configured to operate the RF transmitter at a selected hopping rate and at a selected hopping frequency window based upon the RF detector.

Wireless communication systems may be susceptible to signal interferers that may degrade, obstruct or disrupt communications to the point where communication becomes difficult or impossible. These signal interferers may be unintentional or intentional. Unintentional interferers include spurious emissions, i.e., radio frequency (RF) spurs, due to the non-linear characteristics in transmitters or unwanted coupling between electronic components. Unintentional intermodulation at the transmitter or receiver may also occur when paired RF spurs on either side of two or more signals appear in a non-linear circuit. Additional unintentional interferers include the harmonics that occur when duplicate copies of a signal appear at some multiple of a fundamental frequency, or co-channel interference that occurs when crosstalk exists between different radio transmitters using the same frequency. In some cases, unintentional adjacent channel interference occurs when RF spurs created by extraneous power from a wireless communications signal exist in an adjacent channel. In more rare cases, a malfunctioning or improperly designed or installed signal booster can cause unintentional out-of-band RF spurs. All these factors result in unintentional signal interference.
Intentional interferers, on the other hand, may be more problematic because jamming devices are intentionally designed to emit RF noise at specific frequencies, such as over different communication bands, overpower signals at a receiver, and block the intended communication signal from reaching the receiver. In some cases, the jammers not only disrupt RF signals, but also operate RF devices that intercept and monitor the intended communications, which may include decrypting intercepted messages. In other examples, one may intentionally monitor and jam communications to assess the operational capability of legitimate transmitters and craft countermeasures when users of legitimate transmitters and receivers adjust their wireless communications to overcome the jamming signal.
There are known techniques used in an attempt to counter a signal jamming. For example, adaptive modulation systems are often employed in direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) communications systems by increasing the spread spectrum spreading rate and making a more robust signal constellation as a coding option in the physical layer. It is also possible to modify the link layer and route around jamming to avoid detection and signal exploitation, such as may be employed with a wireless MANET (Mobile Ad Hoc Network). Although these changes in the physical layer or link layer are effective in some cases, the adaptive modulation encoding of the physical layer increases the spreading and may require a more robust constellation that sacrifices the data rate. Routing around the jamming signal in a wireless MANET link layer in some cases is technically not feasible.
Other countermeasures externally amplify the communication signal, for example, using a separate power supply in an attempt to overpower the interfering signals, or employ steerable antennas, such as a single element or array, to achieve directionality and nulling of the interfering signals. Not all equipment allows this function, however. The other countermeasures described above may also be limited because any external signal amplification may be insufficient to overcome the interfering signals and may require a separate power supply, which may be impractical in the field. Antenna arrays are not always practical for small platforms used in mobile applications. For example, a quarter waive antenna in the C, S and L bands is about 2, 3, and 8 centimeters in length respectively. However, at the lower frequencies, e.g., the UHF and VHF frequency ranges used in some wireless communications, the length of the quarter waive antenna increases up to 33 centimeters for UHF communications and 250 centimeters for VHF communications. This may make an antenna array impractical at lower frequencies.
Another technique to counter signal interferers is to employ some form of wireless Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) modulation. In an FHSS communication system, radio signals are transmitted by rapidly switching a carrier among many frequency channels, usually based on a pseudorandom sequence known to both the transmitter and receiver. FHSS communication systems therefore spread their signal over rapidly changing frequencies in usually a defined RF bandwidth or frequency spectrum at a fixed hopping frequency window and operating at a fixed hopping rate. Examples include frequency hopping communications, such as in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz frequency spectrum. The available frequency band in FHSS communication systems is usually subdivided into sub-frequencies, and the emitted RF signals rapidly change or "hop" among the sub-frequencies in a predetermined order, but stay within the hopping frequency window and while maintaining the same hopping rate, while only changing the sub-frequencies.
Some wireless FHSS communications systems frequency hop at a fixed rate with a hopping rate that is as fast as the transmitter and receiver can operate within a defined frequency hopping window. Reactive jammers need to operate at that same hopping rate to keep up with the transmitter and receiver. If the hopping rate is faster than what the attempted active jammer technically can accomplish or detect, then there is no need to switch frequencies or the type of communications. If the attempted jammer reacts multiple times when different frequencies are changed, the attempted jammer may end up revealing its location.
Some FHSS communication systems sense the spectrum across a frequency band, i.e., the frequency hopping window, using a dynamic spectrum analyzer (DSA) as an RF detector to determine if interference levels on the frequencies used for hopping are above a threshold and thus causing an unacceptable packet error rate (PER). If a threshold is exceeded, any frequencies subject to interference may be removed from an original hop set to manage the packet error rate. Other frequencies within the frequency hopping window may be substituted for those removed frequencies. Bad frequencies that had been removed may be reassessed and reclaimed periodically to manage the spreading ratio.
Even with these FHSS communication systems, an attempted jammer may passively listen and learn the electronic capabilities used by the legitimate communication transmitters and receivers. The attempted jammer may correct its electronic countermeasure (ECM) capabilities to neutralize the legitimate communication system's capabilities at any given time and place. Further improvements may therefore be needed in FHSS communication systems to overcome attempts to interfere by jamming and listen in on the legitimate FHSS communication systems.

Communication system having selectable hopping rate and hopping frequency window and associated methods


Approaches for forming an oxide cap to protect a semiconductor device (e.g., a fin field effect transistor device (FinFET)) are provided. Specifically, approaches are provided for forming an oxide cap over a subset (e.g., SiP regions) of raised source drain (RSD) structures on the set of fins of the FinFET device to mitigate damage during subsequent processing. The oxide spacer is deposited before the removal of a nitride capping layer from the FinFET device (e.g., by a hot phosphorus wash). The oxide cap on top of the RSD structures will be preserved throughout the removal of the nitride capping layer to provide hardmask protection during this process.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to the field of semiconductors, and more particularly, to forming a nitride spacer to protect a FinFET device.
2. Related Art
A typical integrated circuit (IC) chip includes a stack of several levels or sequentially formed layers of shapes. Each layer is stacked or overlaid on a prior layer and patterned to form the shapes that define devices (e.g., field effect transistors (FETs)) and connect the devices into circuits. In a typical state of the art complementary insulated gate FET process, such as what is normally referred to as CMOS, layers are formed on a wafer to form the devices on a surface of the wafer. Further, the surface may be the surface of a silicon layer on a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer. A simple FET is formed by the intersection of two shapes, a gate layer rectangle on a silicon island formed from the silicon surface layer. Each of these layers of shapes, also known as mask levels or layers, may be created or printed optically through well-known photolithographic masking, developing, and level definition (e.g., etching, implanting, deposition, etc.).
The FinFET is a transistor design that attempts to overcome the issues of short-channel effect encountered by deep submicron transistors, such as drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL). Such effects make it harder for the voltage on a gate electrode to deplete the channel underneath and stop the flow of carriers through the channel—in other words, to turn the transistor off. By raising the channel above the surface of the wafer instead of creating the channel just below the surface, it is possible to wrap the gate around all but one of its sides, providing much greater electrostatic control over the carriers within it.
While FinFET technology can provide superior levels of scalability, new challenges can arise in designing and/or fabricating these devices. For example, processes used to remove materials during the fabrication process can have unintended effects on other components of the device. These effects can be exacerbated by the unique shapes that these components may assume in the FinFET model.

Preventing EPI damage for cap nitride strip scheme in a Fin-shaped field effect transistor (FinFET) device


The invention relates to a trip assembly for use in an electro-mechanical device, such as a circuit breaker. The trip assembly is used for interrupting the flow of current upon the detection of excess current in a circuit breaker and comprises a trip bar, a stationary armature bracket, a movable armature, and a spring. The movable armature includes a first end coupled to a base portion of the armature bracket, and a trip-actuating surface being disposed proximate a trip finger of the trip bar. The spring is directly coupled at its respective ends to a spring-support portion of the armature bracket and to a spring tab of the movable armature.

Circuit breakers are well-known and commonly used to provide automatic circuit interruption to a monitored circuit when undesired overcurrent conditions occur. Some of these overcurrent conditions include, but are not limited to, overload conditions, ground faults, and short-circuit conditions. The component that senses and switches the circuit breaker to a TRIPPED position, i.e., a position in which the flow of current through the circuit breaker is interrupted, is a trip assembly. The trip assembly uses, in general, a spring-biased latch mechanism to force a movable contact away from a stationary contact.
Generally, a trip assembly includes a magnetic yoke, a movable armature, and a trip bar, which includes at least one trip finger. The movable armature is positioned such that a predetermined distance, a magnetic gap, exists between the movable armature and the magnetic yoke. The magnetic gap can be used to determine the current level required to trip the circuit breaker. For example, assuming that all other conditions are the same, a higher magnetic gap will require a higher level of current for tripping the circuit breaker, while a lower magnetic gap will require a lower level of current for tripping the circuit breaker. When the current level rises above a predetermined level, a magnetic force is generated through the magnetic yoke and the movable armature is magnetically attracted towards the magnetic yoke. During its motion toward the magnetic yoke, the movable armature comes in contact with the trip finger and actuates the trip bar, which in turn switches the circuit breaker to the TRIPPED position.
In one type of trip assembly, used in a calibrating circuit breaker, the movable armature is connected to the trip bar using a spring, which has one end directly connected to the movable armature and one end connected to the trip bar via a calibration screw. Because of manufacturing defects, the magnetic gap generally varies from pole to pole and, consequently, each pole of a circuit breaker must be individually calibrated. By adjusting the screw, which results in either increasing or decreasing the magnetic gap, each pole of the circuit breaker can be calibrated to perform as intended.
One problem associated with this type of trip assembly is that each of the circuit breaker poles must undergo a calibration process before installation, a process that is expensive and time-consuming. Additionally, some circuit breakers have to go through a recalibration process after installation, a process that increases the cost and decreases the productivity associated with the use of the circuit breakers. Eliminating the calibration process and the recalibration process associated with the manufacturing and the use of circuit breakers would result in decreased costs and increased productivity. The present invention exploits these and other advantages.

Direct force armature for a trip assembly


A window shade (16) including a sheet of translucent shade material (1) to provide shade from light, a panel (3) with an electrically powered motor, light-emitting diodes (LED's) (6) and a speaker (11) for producing motion, light and/or sound, and suction cups (4) for detachably attaching the sheet of shade material (1) to a window.

Window shades have been in existence for a long time, in particular for detachable attachment to windows of cars or of premises, for providing shade from sunlight. Some such devices are provided with graphics and/or other decorations to increase the aesthetic appeal of the shade.
When young children, e.g. toddlers or babies, are carried in a car or placed next to a window in a flat, a driver or parent may find it desirable to attract the attention of the young children. However, such means for attracting the attention of young children may not come handy. It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a window shade in which the aforesaid shortcomings are mitigated, or at least to provide a useful alternative to the public.


A television program management system capable of downloading, displaying and processing data relating to various television programs and for outputting commands for changing channels etc. on the basis of this date- The system has a programmable processing unit connected with an interface and a program memory. The programmable processor has connections that control the display and a switching device between the program processor and a processing and treatment device. The display may be a teletext display.

There are several systems allowing a television viewer to be informed about the programs on the different channels he can receive and eventually to easily choose the channels to record. In any case the existing systems are mainly limited to displaying on the television screen data such as the number of the channel to which the receiver is tuned or other information or messages in overlays. In general these systems do now allow an automatic selection from the choice of programs and a selection (or starting signal) of the program automatically selected based on downloaded data. in other words the current systems allow one to obtain and display information but they are incapable of automatically triggering based on this information a particular action wanted by the television viewer (see for example documents WO 91 00 670 and EP 0,572,090).
Programming systems are also known for televisions which allow one to select in advance a channel number and the starting and ending times of programs, but these programming systems only use data inputted manually by the television viewer and cannot taken into account other preexisting or external data such as the type of show or whether it is being aired simultaneously with another show of interest to the same viewer (simultaneous shows).
Other known systems using teletext are conceived only for automatic starting at the appropriate time of the recording of a show on a videocassette recorder, see for example EP 0,503,070 and EP 0,460,520. In particular these systems do not exercise any control over the television itself such that their possibilities remain limited.


A questionnaire is presented to a user in a more efficient manner in which the user is more likely to participate. The questionnaire is sent electronically to the user's vehicle and presented audibly to the user. The user responds audibly to the questions in the questionnaire. The user's responses are converted to text and sent back to the provider server for tallying.

Service providers often provide questionnaires to their customers asking them to rate the service provided (for example). Generally, response rates to these questionnaires are very low, and largely self-selected, i.e. those with serious complaints are much more likely to respond, which skews the survey results of the questionnaires. Generally, users do not take the time to respond to such questionnaires. Survey takers often have similar low response rates.


A method for analyzing faults affecting a transmission line network includes at least one line segment having a plurality of ends, the method comprising the steps of: acquiring, at at least two ends of the line network, a measurement of a signal being propagated in the network, applying a time reversal to each signal measurement, for each segment of the line network, constructing a cost function dependent on the time and the distance from a point of the segment to an end of the network, searching for at least one extremum of the cost function over all of the segments of the line network and retaining the coordinates of the extremum, deducing therefrom the presence of a fault at a position and an instant of occurrence that are given by the coordinates of the extremum.

Cables, or more generally transmission lines, are omnipresent in all electrical systems, for power supply or information transmission. These cables are subjected to the same constraints as the systems that they link and can be subject to failures. In particular, intermittent faults can occur and it is important to be able to detect and locate such faults in order to improve the maintenance of the cables.
This problem is all the more difficult to resolve when it involves a transmission line network composed of numerous line segments interconnected with each other by junctions.
One known solution for spatially and temporarily locating an intermittent fault in a cable network is based on the principle of time reversal introduced by Mathias Fink in the reference "M. Fink, "Time Reversal of ultrasonic fields-Basic principles", IEEE Trans. Ultrason., Ferroelec., Freq. Contr. vol. 39, no. 5, pp. 555-566, 1992."
This principle was established first in the field of acoustics but was found to be also applicable in the field of electromagnetism and then generally in all fields governed by wave propagation laws.
The equations for propagation of a wave in a transmission line are expressed as follows:
                              ∂          2                        V                    ∂                  z          2                      =                  LC                                                    ∂              2                                    V                                ∂                          t              2                                          +                        (                      RC            +            LG                    )                                              ∂            V                                ∂            t                              +      RGV                                    ∂          2                        I                    ∂                  z          2                      =                  LC                                                    ∂              2                                    I                                ∂                          t              2                                          +                        (                      RC            +            LG                    )                                              ∂            I                                ∂            t                              +      RGI
I and V respectively represent the current and the voltage in the transmission line.
R, L, C and G respectively represent the resistance, the inductance, the capacitance and the conductance of the transmission line.
When the losses in the transmission line are disregarded, the resistance and the conductance can be considered as being zero and the above equations then take the following form:
                    ∂        2                  φ              ∂              z        2              =      LC                                ∂          2                        φ                    ∂                  t          2                    φ=φ(z,t) represents the current or the voltage. The absence of first-order derivative in the above equation leads to the existence of a second solution φ=φ(z,t) which corresponds to the first solution φ=φ(z,t) time-reversed.
This principle can be used in particular to locate a fault at a point of a cable network which can be seen as a secondary emitting source. In effect, an intermittent fault of short-circuit type can generate a shock wave whose source is at the point of the fault and which is propagated to the ends of the cables which make up the network.
This principle is represented schematically in FIG. 1 for a simple transmission line with two ends A and B and a fault occurring at an instant t0 and at the point d. The fault behaves as a source positioned at the point d and which, at an instant t0, generates a shock wave which takes the form of a pulse. This shock wave generates signals which are propagated from the location d of the fault. These signals can be recorded by measurement units (for example oscilloscopes) at the ends A and B of the line and denoted S(A,t) and S(B,t).
In a second phase, the recorded signals are time-reversed S(A,−t), S(B,−t). Next, by re-injecting the time-reversed signals at the same points (A, respectively B) where they were measured and synchronously, it is possible to make the same shock wave generated initially by the fault reappear at the point where the fault occurred.
To be able to locate the fault, it would be necessary to be able to simultaneously record, at all points of the transmission line, the current and voltage in order to detect the instant and the location of the re-focusing of the shock wave.
In practice, such processing is not possible and it is replaced by a digital method which consists in solving the equations with the partial derivatives introduced previously to calculate the current and the voltage at any point of the transmission line network and at each instant in order to determine the position and the instant of occurrence of the fault by searching for the maximum energy.
This digital solving phase can prove extremely costly in computation time and memory occupancy, all the more so when the cable network is large and/or the location is finely resolved.
In order to reduce the complexity of execution of the digital solving phase of a conventional method based on time-reversal, the invention proposes a method which consists in expressing, in a simplified manner, the voltage (or the current) at any point of a cable network and at any instant and in searching for the extrema of this function by using a constrained optimization algorithm.

Method and device for deducing presence of faults in a transmission line network

COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES


A dual fuel pump fuel extraction system for saddle fuel tanks. A primary modular reservoir assembly (MRA) includes an electric primary fuel pump located in the primary sump of a saddle fuel tank and a secondary MRA including an electric secondary fuel pump located in the secondary sump of the saddle fuel tank, wherein both the primary and secondary fuel pumps extract fuel from the primary sump and simultaneously transfer fuel between the primary and secondary sumps so as to thereby ensure both the primary and secondary fuel pumps have fuel, without starving one before the other, until fuel becomes depleted from the saddle fuel tank.

Automotive saddle fuel tanks have a tank shell configured with a centrally disposed bight in the bottom thereof. The bight provides an exterior concavity which is intended to provide accommodation for drivetrain and/or exhaust components of the motor vehicle to pass freely therethrough. While providing free space at the exterior of the tank shell, the bight also provides a riser within the fuel tank which effectively creates two sumps on either side thereof, wherein the two sumps conjoin in the space of the fuel tank higher than the height of the riser. In view of the presence of the bight, wherein the riser creates two separated sumps, attention must be carefully given to the fuel extraction system.
FIG. 1A is a sectional schematic view of a conventional saddle fuel tank 10. The tank shell 12 defines a bottom 14 and an oppositely disposed top 16, wherein a bight 15 provides a concavity 18 exterior to the fuel tank and a riser 20 interior to the fuel tank, in turn providing a primary sump 22 and a secondary sump 24.
The saddle fuel tank 10 has a fuel extraction system in the form of a single modular reservoir assembly (MRA) 25. The top 16 of the tank shell 12 carries primary and secondary modular reservoir assembly (MRA) covers 26, 28, wherein the primary MRA cover is a part of the single MRA 25. An inlet check valve 30 provides an entry for fuel into the fuel tank 10, wherein the primary sump 22 is identified as the sump first filled by fuel introduced from the inlet check valve. An in-tank disposed electric fuel pump 32, when energized, pumps fuel from the primary sump 22, through a strainer 35, and, via a feed line 34, out of the fuel tank through the primary MRA cover 26, and, via a feed line 36 to a fuel filter 38 situated in a filter assembly 40, whereby the fuel is then filtered by the fuel filter 38.
Fuel which is not used by the engine is returned, via a return port 42 on the fuel line 44 upstream of the filter 38, to the fuel tank 10 through the primary MRA cover 26 and, in turn, through a return line 46, to an in-tank pressure regulator 48. The in-tank pressure regulator 48 maintains a set pressure of the fuel in the fuel line 44 upstream of the return port 42, and bypasses fuel via a return line 50 to a scavenge jet pump 52. The scavenge jet pump 52 scavenges bulk fuel 54 into a primary sump reservoir bucket 56, wherein the bucket is connected to the primary MRA cover 26 by rods (not shown). Additionally, feed fuel from the electric pump 32 is bled off via a bleed line 58 to run a transfer jet pump 60. The transfer jet pump 60 draws fuel from the secondary sump 24 via a transfer line 62 into the primary sump reservoir bucket 56.
The aforedescribed saddle fuel tank fuel system is limited by the fact that only one pump can be placed at the primary sump, since the primary and secondary MRA covers are only 4.5 inches in diameter.
What remains needed in the art is a dual electric pump saddle tank fuel extraction system which avails itself of both the primary and secondary sumps for fuel extraction system packaging, wherein fuel is continually available to both electric pumps without starving one before the other when fuel becomes depleted.

Dual fuel pump configuration for saddle fuel tanks


An improved monoblock laser cavity is made by elongating the Optical parametric oscillation (OPO) cavity. This can be accomplished by changing the coatings on the OPO material and Q-switch and by elongating the OPO cavity to approximately 2 to 3 times the OPO crystal length. The increase in the length of the OPO cavity will improve the beam divergence of the laser.

The present invention is an improvement to the monoblock laser described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,556,614, entitled, Monolithic Solid State LASER Assembly and Method of Manufacture, issued Apr. 29, 2003. This patent is incorporated herein by reference with only the necessary parts being duplicated in this specification.
The invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,556,614, is a photon pumped laser cavity assembly consisting of a pair of coaxial rods made from laser gain material with precisely cut side-faces and end-faces. Some of the end-faces are covered by at least one of a dielectric or metal coating highly reflective to the laser output beam, a wafer of polarizing material, and a dielectric or metal coating partially reflective to the laser beam. More details of this prior art will be described in the Detailed Description of the Invention
Laser range finders are becoming an increasingly vital component in high precision targeting engagements. The precise and accurate range to target information is an essential variable to the fire control equation of most weapon systems. Unfortunately, current fielded laser range finders are bulky, heavy and expensive. These laser range finders were not developed with the idea that would be carried by forces.
The monoblock laser described in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,556,614 makes the development/fabrication of a very low cost, compact laser range finder feasible. Unfortunately, the beam divergence of the monoblock laser is rather larger (>8 mRad)(low brightness laser) which means a sizable optic is required to collimate the monoblock laser output.
Accordingly, there is in a need in the prior to make monoblock lasers brighter by decreasing the beam divergence of the laser. The present invention addresses this need.

United States of America as represented by the Department of the Army


A method and apparatus for providing one or more operating voltages and currents to one or more auxiliary loads by tapping an LED array driven by an LED driver providing a drive voltage to the LED array, and/or supplying an operating voltage to the LED driver itself using such a tap.

Using LEDs for lighting applications is becoming more and more popular as the cost of LEDs drops due to manufacturing improvements. LED lighting often utilizes an array of individual LEDs, such as a plurality of LEDs connected in series, to increase the amount of light outputted to a desired amount. Such LEDs are often utilized in devices that have other components as well. However, the voltage at which an LED array operates is often much higher than the operating voltage of the other components. Adding additional circuitry in order to supply a range of voltages to operate both the LED array and the other auxiliary components adds additional weight, complexity, and cost to the devices. Desirable would be a way to avoid this additional circuitry and cost while providing the proper voltages to both the LED array and to at least some of the auxiliary components.


Interfacial tension between first and second immiscible liquids is determined using a device in which entrance and exit channels are connected by a cavity with wider cross-section. A flow of the first liquid enters the cavity as a jet and breaks into droplets within the cavity. Passage of a droplet through the exit channel feeds back to perturb the jet entering the cavity. An alternating signal applied to a heating element perturbs the incoming jet and is progressively scanned over a frequency range which includes the system's resonant frequency (frequency of droplet formation with no signal to the heating element). A bandwidth of frequency is observed in which the frequency of droplet formation is phase locked to the frequency applied to the heater. The ratio of resonant frequency to this bandwidth is a measurement of the interfacial tension between the two liquids.

Interfacial tension is a property of the interface between two immiscible liquid phases and is analogous to surface tension at the interface between a liquid and a gas. It is thus a relative property of two liquids in contact. Interfacial tension can be defined as free energy per unit area of interface. Methods and devices for determining interfacial tension between two immiscible liquids are known. For instance, pendant drop methods, spinning drop methods. These methods are designed to exploit a balance between forces generated by the interface with gravity or centripetal acceleration respectively. Other methods utilize a probe, e.g., a plate or wire, that crosses the interface. In these methods, the force exerted by the interfacial tension on the probe is directly measured using a balance. A microfluidic sensor is disclosed in US20090019924 and another in US20110197664 (previously published in French as WO2009/125119). The latter relies on observation of the flow of one liquid within another and determines interfacial tension between the liquids from the flow rate at which the manner of flow changes from a jet to a stream of droplets. In this case the interfacial tension force is balanced by the viscous force introduced by the flow.


The hub for the rotor (22) of a wind energy turbine (10) comprises a hollow body (28) rotatable around a rotation axis and provided with at least one flange (34) for mounting to the hollow body (28) a bearing for a rotor blade (26) and at least two stiffening webs (38) integrally formed with the hollow body (28) and radially extending within a flange area (36) of the hollow body (28) surrounded by the flange (34) to the center (40) of the flange area (36), wherein at least two openings are provided within the flange area (36) of the hollow body (28).

One concern in wind energy turbine is weight of the nacelle. In particular the rotatable parts of the nacelle should have a rather low weight. This is true in particular for modern high power wind energy turbines.
One approach for reducing weight is to reduce the wall thickness of the rotating elements of the nacelle. However, reducing the wall thickness does result in a reduced strength and stiffness of the rotating element. In particular, the hub of the rotor is subjected to forces resulting from wind acting on the rotor blades and forces resulting from loads due to the rotation of the hub. The hub must be stiff enough so that these forces do not cause deformations. In particular within the flanges for mounting the bearings for the rotor blades the hub must be designed rather stiff so that an ovalization can be prevented which in turn would damage the rotor blade bearings and pitch drives.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a hub for the rotor of a wind energy turbine which has a relative low weight and is stiff enough in order to withstand the loads which during operation of the wind energy turbine acts on the hub.

Reinforced hub for the rotor of a wind energy turbine


Techniques for simultaneously receiving multiple transmitted signals with independent gain control are disclosed. In an exemplary design, an apparatus (e.g., a wireless device, an integrated circuit, etc.) includes a low noise amplifier (LNA) and first and second receive circuits. The LNA amplifies a receiver input signal and provides (i) a first amplified signal for a first set of at least one transmitted signal being received and (ii) a second amplified signal for a second set of at least one transmitted signal being received. The first receive circuit scales the first amplified signal based on a first adjustable gain selected for the first set of transmitted signal(s). The second receive circuit scales the second amplified signal based on a second adjustable gain selected for the second set of transmitted signal(s). The first and second adjustable gains may be independently selected, e.g., based on the received powers of the transmitted signals.

I. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to electronics, and more specifically to receivers.
II. Background
A wireless device (e.g., a cellular phone or a smartphone) in a wireless communication system may transmit and receive data for two-way communication. The wireless device may include a transmitter for data transmission and a receiver for data reception. For data transmission, the transmitter may modulate a radio frequency (RF) carrier signal with data to obtain a modulated signal, amplify the modulated signal to obtain an output RF signal having the proper transmit power level, and transmit the output RF signal via an antenna to a base station. For data reception, the receiver may obtain a received RF signal via the antenna and may amplify and process the received RF signal to recover data sent by the base station.
A wireless device may simultaneously receive multiple transmitted signals. The transmitted signals may be sent on multiple carriers at different frequencies for carrier aggregation. The transmitted signals may travel via different propagation paths and may be received at different received power levels at the wireless device. It is desirable to simultaneously receive multiple transmitted signals with different received power levels such that good performance can be achieved for all transmitted signals.

Independent gain control for multiple receive circuits concurrently processing different transmitted signals


A new cultivar of Chamelaucium, ‘Moonlight Delight’, that is characterized by its large clear white flowers with crimson centers, with the white color retained as the flower age, its red flower buds, its long harvest period as a cut flower, its flowers with overlapping petals, its calyxes with the free apex portion remaining mostly white, and its early blooming habit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chamelaucium, botanically of hybrid origin. The new cultivar will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, 'Moonlight Delight'. 'Moonlight Delight' is a new cultivar of waxflower, an evergreen shrub grown for use as a landscape plant and is particularly suited for cut flower use.
The Inventor discovered the new cultivar of Chamelaucium in August of 2004 as a naturally occurring branch mutation of Chamelaucium 'Stefan's Delight' (not patented) in a field plot at a nursery in Coorow, Australia.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the Inventor by stem cuttings in Coorow, Australia in 2004. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of this cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.


Cases and methods of use of a laptop computer are provided such that the laptop computer need not be removed from the case, enabling use of the laptop computer keyboard, display and ports located on a back edge of the laptop computer while the laptop computer remains in the case. According to example of the invention, a case for a laptop computer is provided having first and second portions formed of rigid material. The first portion is adapted to be secured to a display portion of the laptop computer, and the second portion adapted to be secured to a keyboard portion of the laptop computer. Opening and closing the laptop computer is thereby permitted. A covering flap is also provided to be selectively securable across the connective portion. Another embodiment of the invention is usable with laptop computers having a multi-axis rotation display portion.

Computers, particularly portable computers such as laptop computers, are susceptible to damage caused by impacts. Typically, bags or briefcases are used to attempt to protect a laptop computer during transport. These bags or briefcases are padded and simply form an enclosure from which the laptop computer is removed when the laptop computer is used. Such a bag or briefcase therefore provides no protection when the laptop computer is in use. Also, removal of the laptop computer from the bag or briefcase can be cumbersome and potentially introduce another opportunity for the computer to be damaged while being lifted out of the bag or briefcase.


A method and apparatus for managing a database is provided. A database management system conducts a plurality of database transactions with a plurality of clients. An event may be detected as a result of one of the transactions. The event is mapped to an independent database action. In response to detecting the event, the independent database action is executed without interference from the transaction that caused the event.

Database management systems manage access between clients and databases. With increasing database usage, database management systems are required to handle a larger number of transactions between clients and databases. The interactions between clients and databases are also becoming more complex. Database transactions often involve multiple clients. Furthermore, the type of actions that are typically performed in one transaction increasingly requires additional user-involvement.
Frequently, clients want the database management system to perform some action automatically in response to an event of interest. Consequently, various approaches have been developed to allow database management systems to perform actions in response to events of interest. One such approach involves the use of triggers, alternatively referred to as "synchronous actions". Specifically, users can define triggers that (1) specify an operation, and (2) specify an event. The trigger is then stored in a database system. When the specified event occurs, the trigger is "fired" and the database system performs the specified operation. Unfortunately, the specified operation is performed synchronously relative to the process that caused the event that fired the trigger. Consequently, the performance of the operation that caused the trigger to fire suffers.
Another approach to allow database management systems to perform actions in response to events of interest involves notifications. Such actions are performed asynchronously relative to the database transactions that cause the events of interest to occur. For example, in response to an event of interest caused by a transaction, the database management system signals a notification out to a designated user or client. The sending of the message occurs independent of the transaction that caused the event of interest. The designated user or client may respond to the notification by performing some action indicated by the notification. For example, the user may complete a transaction with the database management system.
Based on the foregoing, it is clearly desirable to provide a mechanism and techniques, for allowing database management systems to perform actions in response to events of interest, that avoid the disadvantages of existing approaches.

Database management system for implementing independent database actions in response to events of interest


The present invention provides a D-glucaric acid-producing bacterium and a method for producing D-glucaric acid. The present invention is characterized in that D-glucaric acid or a salt thereof is produced from one or more saccharides selected from the group consisting of D-glucose, D-gluconic acid and D-glucuronic acid with catalytic action of a specific alcohol dehydrogenase PQQ-ADH (1) and a specific aldehyde dehydrogenase PQQ-ALDH (2), and that D-glucaric acid or a salt thereof is produced by using a microorganism having the PQQ-ADH (1) and the PQQ-ALDH (2) or a processed product thereof in the presence of the one or more saccharides. The present invention can provide a microorganism having improved productivity of D-glucaric acid to be used for production of D-glucaric acid and a method for efficiently producing D-glucaric acid.

Known carboxylic acids derived from D-glucose typically include D-gluconic acid derivatized by oxidation of the aldehyde group of the D-glucose and D-glucuronic acid derivatized by oxidation of the hydroxymethyl group of the D-glucose. A dicarboxylic acid derivatized by oxidation of both aldehyde group and hydroxymethyl group thereof is referred to as D-glucaric acid which is contained naturally in fruit such as apples and grapefruit and vegetables of Brassicaceae such as broccoli and sprouts.
D-glucaric acid can strongly inhibit β-glucuronidase and thus can reduce the risk of development of cancer such as breast cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer and skin cancer (Non-Patent Reference 1). In the United States, D-glucaric acid is contained in dietary supplements in the form of calcium D-glucarate. D-glucaric acid is also used as a raw material for chelating agents, cement additives and the like. Moreover, in 2004, D-glucaric acid was identified by the U.S. Department of Energy as a building block chemical for the biorefinery (Non-Patent Reference 2), and thus is expected as a novel polymer material.
Various methods for preparation of D-glucaric acid have been previously reported including chemical synthesis methods, enzyme methods and fermentation methods. Many chemical synthesis methods utilize D-glucose as a starting material and there have been proposed a method in which nitric acid is used as an oxidizing agent (Patent Reference 1), a method in which platinum is used as an oxidation catalyst (Patent Reference 2) and a method in which 4-acetylamino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl is used as an oxidizing agent (Patent Reference 3).
Further, improved methods have also been previously disclosed in which the selectivity during oxidation reaction is increased and the yield of D-glucaric acid is significantly improved (Patent References 4 and 5). However these chemical synthesis methods are disadvantageous in that production cost is high because the methods require a high amount of chemicals and dedicated facilities and in that substances of environmental concern such as nitrogen oxides may often be produced secondarily.
Meanwhile enzyme methods and fermentation methods are advantageous because of milder reaction conditions and less damage to the environment than chemical synthesis methods. Enzyme methods reported include, for example, a method in which D-glucuronic acid is subjected to the action of a hexose oxidase, aldehyde dehydrogenase and aldehyde oxidase and converted to D-glucaric acid (Patent Reference 6) and a method in which D-glucuronic acid is subjected to the action of glucose oxidase (Patent Reference 7). However none of these methods has been put into practical use because of low reactivity of the enzymes.
Fermentation methods reported include, for example, a method in which myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase gene derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mouse myo-inositol oxygenase gene and uronic acid dehydrogenase gene derived from Pseudomonas syringae are introduced in Escherichia coli in order to convert D-glucose to D-glucaric acid (Patent Reference 8 and Non-Patent Reference 3). However, the maximum yield of glucaric acid is as low as 2.5 g/L which is a level industrially insufficient.

D-glucaric acid producing bacterium, and method for manufacturing D-glucaric acid

Osaka Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology


When an ATM cell is re-assembled, in order to accommodate fluctuation of delay of arriving ATM cells, the ATM cells are sequentially written in and read out from a re-assembling queue buffer in a first-in first-out manner. A storage depth of the buffer is automatically adjusted so that a delay of the ATM cells becomes minimum. After initializing a storage depth of the buffer, reading out of the ATM cells from the buffer is initiated when the cells are accumulated up to the intermediate depth of the initialized storage depth. Then, overflow or underflow within the predetermined period is monitored by a training control portion. When the overflow or underflow is detected, the storage depth is increased by a predetermined amount and then the ATM cells are again accumulated and read out with monitoring overflow and underflow. The above mentioned process is repeated until the overflow and underflow are not detected. By this, the storage depth of the buffer can be optimized.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system and a method for controlling a re-assembling buffer. More specifically, the invention relates to a system and a method for controlling a re-assembling queue buffer for re-assembling cells in a transmission system, in which CBR (Constant Bit Rate) data is transmitted in a form of a cell.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) communication, there are functions, in which the CBR data to be transmitted is formed into an ATM cell data of a constant bit length, these ATM cells arc transmitted to a TDM (Time Division Multiplex) transmission line as a TDM transmission data, and a TDM reception data is received from the TDM transmission line as the ATM cell. Such functions are referred to as CLAD (Cell Assembly and Disassembly) function, which has been defined in ITU-T as one function of an ATM adaptation layer.
In the ATM adaptation layer, there are a re-assembling function (on the basis of the protocol defined in AAL1) for converting the ATM cell into the TDM transmission data, and conversely assembling function (on the basis of the protocol defined in AAL1) for converting TDM data into the ATM cell.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing re-assembling/assembling function, the reception ATM cells (Cell) are sequentially received in first-in first-out manner in a re-assembling queue buffer 1 and then input to a re-assembling portion 2 with accommodating delay fluctuation amount of respective cells. Thus, the data is re-assembled to be transmitted to the TDM transmission line as the TDM transmission data.
On the other hand, the TDM reception data received from the TDM transmission line are assembled by an assembling portion 3 into the ATM cells to be transmitted.
In the conventional construction shown in FIG. 3, a storage depth of the re-assembling queue buffer 1 for accommodating delay fluctuation of the ATM cell is typically fixed. The delay fluctuation of the ATM cell to be accommodated by the re-assembling queue buffer 1 depends on parameters of number of nodes through which the cell passes, delay fluctuation amount of respective node, line speed and so forth.
Thus, fluctuation of the cell delay amount depending upon various parameters requires variation of the storage depth of the re-assembling queue buffer 1 to accommodate the delay amount depending upon fluctuation. In the alternative, in case where the storage depth of the re-assembling queue buffer cannot be varied, the storage depth of the buffer has to be set to be large enough to accommodate the possible maximum delay fluctuation amount.
The storage depth of the re-assembling queue buffer 1 is the significant factor for defining data transmission delay. In order to reduce the data transmission delay in system, it is required to make the storage depth of the buffer smaller.
Thus, the storage depth of the re-assembling queue buffer should compromise accommodation of delay fluctuation amount of the reception ATM cell and shortening data transmission delay period.

System and method for controlling re-assembling buffer for transmission data in a form of data cell


An authentication server capable of determining securely and accurately whether an access source is a cellular phone or a computer when a content is accessed with being limited to cellular phone users. The authentication server including a transmission delay time measuring unit that measures a transmission delay time between the authentication server and a communication terminal over a plurality of times, a transmission delay time distribution property determining unit that determines whether or not a distribution property of the transmission delay time measured over the plurality of times is discrete, and a content access authentication unit recognizing that the communication terminal is a wireless communication terminal and approving the access to the contents when the distribution property of the transmission delay time is determined as being discrete and recognizing that the communication terminal is a wired communication terminal and denying the access to the contents when the distribution property of the transmission delay time is determined as not being discrete.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to an authentication server and an authentication method by an authentication server that prevent an access from a computer and approve an access from a cellular phone when a content is accessed with being limited to cellular phone users.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
When a content is accessed with being limited to cellular phone users, it is necessary to prevent an access from a computer and to approve an access from a cellular phone. According to a conventional technology, it is determined whether an access source is a cellular phone or a computer by referring to the IP address of the access source.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2005-295297
Patent Document 2: JP-A No. 2007-89065
However, the IP address may be disguised by a computer or may be changed by a cellular phone service provider. Accordingly, it cannot be determined securely and accurately either an access source is a cellular phone or a computer.
In Patent Documents 1 and 2, by measuring a transmission delay time between the two communication terminals, by measuring a transmission delay time between the two communication terminals, one communication terminal of the two communication terminals authenticates the other communication terminal. However, it is not determined whether the other communication terminal is a cellular phone or a computer.
Thus, in order to solve the problem, a first object of a first disclosure is to provide an authentication server and an authentication method by an authentication server capable of securely and accurately determining whether an access source is a cellular phone or a computer when a content is accessed with being limited to cellular phone users.
Recently, cellular phones called smartphones having functions similar to those of a computer are widely used, and the smartphones use the Internet that is generally used. However, since an ID generated in the generally-used Internet is not a unique ID having a high security level, by referring to the ID that is generated in the generally-used Internet, it cannot be securely and accurately determined whether a cellular phone user is a regular user.
In Patent Documents 1 and 2, by measuring a transmission delay time between the two communication terminals, by measuring a distance between two communication terminals, one communication terminal of the two communication terminals authenticates the other communication terminal. However, regardless of the distance between the two communication terminals, it is not determined whether or not the user of the other communication terminal is a regular user.
Thus, in order to solve the problem, a second object of a second disclosure is to provide an authentication server and an authentication method by an authentication server capable of securely and accurately determining whether or not a cellular phone user is a regular user when a content is accessed with being limited to cellular phone users.

Authentication server and authentication method by authentication server


A charge circuit having multi charge stages for charging at least one battery includes: a first current generating circuit for generating a first charge power having a first charge current in pulse form with a first frequency and a first charge voltage to charge the at least one battery; a voltage generating circuit connected to the first current generating circuit for controlling the first charge power having a first charge current in pulse form with a first frequency and a first charge voltage; a voltage control circuit connected to the voltage generating circuit for generating a first constant voltage and/or a second constant voltage; and a second current generating circuit connected to the voltage generating circuit for generating a variant power comprising a variant current in pulse form with a second frequency wherein a charge voltage included in the variant power varies with the second frequency.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a charge circuit/method and in particular to a charge circuit/method using charge current and voltage in pulses to charge batteries.
2. Related Art
Batteries of all shapes and sizes, available in sealed and maintenance-free products, are mass-produced today. Batteries are commonly used to provide a direct-current (dc) source of electrical energy in a wide variety of applications.
Battery charging is accomplished through delivery of an external power source to a battery, thereby ionizing the plates to opposing potentials (voltages or electrical pressures) and reversing the electrochemical process that occurs when the battery is used to supply energy to a load. Refer to FIG. 1 depicting a charge topology of half constant current. The voltage in the battery increases with time, while the charge current decreases gradually. Refer to FIG. 2 depicting a charge topology of constant current. In FIG. 2, the charge current remains constant during the whole charge.
Refer to FIG. 3 depicting a charge topology of constant current and current voltage. The topology in FIG. 3 is a multi-stage charge method, which may reduce the charge time. A multi-stage charger first applies a constant current charge, raising the cell voltage to a preset voltage. The battery is charged to such as 70% in stage 1. During the topping charge in stage 2 that follows, the charge current is gradually reduced as the cell is being saturated.
The charge method illustrated in FIG. 1˜3 may not fully charge the energy into the batteries. Further, the constant charge current in the conventional charge method is difficult to deliver into the battery continuously. For other batteries, like silicone power battery, the internal resistance of these batteries increases with the usage. Thus, charge energy into the batteries becomes more and more difficult. Besides, the ageing of batteries also arise difficulty of charge.
For some large capacity batteries, charge and discharge of the power source to and from batteries is done by chemical reaction. Some production is generated during the chemical reaction process. In these batteries, lead-acid batteries may be assembled to provide the greatest energy density, and have the longest life cycle. In lead acid batteries, the reaction of lead and lead oxide with the sulfuric acid electrolyte produces a voltage. The supplying of energy to and external resistance discharges the battery. Lead Sulfate is generated in the charge and discharge process for lead acid batteries. Lead Sulfate not only results in unfull charge of the batteries, but also decrease of life-span.

Battery charge circuit with multi-charge stage and method thereof


In accordance with an embodiment, a method includes receiving, by at least one of a plurality of battery monitoring circuits a frequency synchronization signal and measurement frequency information from a host controller, wherein the at least one of the plurality of battery monitoring circuits is connected to at least one of a plurality of battery blocks; generating, by the at least one of the plurality of battery monitoring circuits, a periodic signal based on a clock signal having a clock frequency, the measurement frequency information, and the frequency synchronization signal; obtaining, by the at least one of the plurality of battery monitoring circuits, at least one measurement value of the at least one of the plurality of battery blocks using the periodic signal; and transmitting, by the at least one of the plurality of battery monitoring circuits, the at least one measurement value to the host controller.

The complex impedance of a battery, such as a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery, may be used to obtain information on the status of the battery. This information may include a temperature, charging state or information on a deterioration, to name only a few. Obtaining this information based on the impedance makes use of the fact that the impedance varies as the frequency of a current driven into the battery or drawn from the battery varies. Detecting the status of the battery may include successively driving alternating currents with different frequencies into the battery, measuring the complex impedance of the battery at each of the different frequencies, and detecting the status based on a variation of the complex resistance over the frequency.
Obtaining status information of the battery based on the impedance requires reliably measuring the impedance.

Method of monitoring a battery, monitoring system and monitoring circuit


Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an improved clutch-brake for a PTO unit. In accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure, a dual direction clutch-brake with a clutch cup is disclosed. When moved in one direction, the clutch cup engages a clutch pack resulting in the input shaft being engaged with the output shaft. When the clutch cap is moved in the opposite direction, the clutch cup engages a breaking member, for example a cover or casing of the PTO unit, which applies a force to the output shaft opposite to the direction of rotation and thereby stops the output shaft from rotating.

The use of a power takeoff device (herein referred to by its common abbreviation "PTO") in association with truck or other vehicle (or stationary engine) transmissions is generally known. Generally speaking, such PTO's often include an input gear, an output gear and a mechanism for engaging the input gear with the output gear so as to rotate the output shaft of the PTO to power an auxiliary device to perform useful work when desired. The mechanism also provides a means for disengaging the input gear and the output gear.
In certain conventional designs, the input gear of the PTO is constantly engaged with the appropriate gear in the vehicle's transmission when installed on the vehicle and is, thus, continuously turning whenever that gear in the vehicle's transmission is turning. In order to provide for selective rotation of the output shaft of the PTO (associated with the output gear), a clutch mechanism is frequently provided between this input gear of the PTO and the output gear. When this output shaft is rotated, useful auxiliary work can be performed. For example, the output shaft may be connected to a hydraulic pump that may be used to operate auxiliary equipment, such as garbage compacting bodies, dump bed bodies (a/k/a, "dump trucks"), garbage trucks or trailers, winches, post hole diggers, and the like. Example PTOs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,306, issued Aug. 6, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 7,070,036, issued Jul. 4, 2006; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,159,701, issued Jan. 9, 2007.
One type of conventional PTO clutch is operated through an aligned multi-disc stack arrangement located between the shaft of the PTO and the gears of the PTO which engage with the gears of the truck's transmission. When an axial force is applied to the disc stack, the individual discs in the stack are forced together such that the interfacial friction between the discs cause the shaft to be rotationally joined to the rotating gears. Engagement and disengagement of the clutch is frequently effected by an electrically operated solenoid valve arrangement, the switch for which is frequently located (along with an appropriate warning light) in the cab of the truck.


Connector, comprising a body of electrically insulating material, contact members fitted in the body, and an outer conductor fitted around the body, the body being provided at a contact side with one or more contact holes for receiving signal pins of a complementary connector and contacting them with the contact members, the outer conductor being provided with one or more strip-type contact springs extending along the connector, for contacting earth pins of the complementary connector, the contact springs being made integral with the outer conductor, an edge of the outer conductor lying at least in the vicinity of the contact side of the body, and the contact springs extending essentially from the said edge along the outer conductor, in such a way that the outer conductor has an essentially uninterrupted outer periphery.

The invention relates to a connector, comprising a body of electrically insulating material, contact members fitted in the body, and an outer conductor fitted around the body, the body being provided at a contact side with one or more contact holes for receiving signal pins of a complementary connector and contacting them with the contact members, the outer conductor being provided with one or more strip-type contact springs extending along the connector for contacting earth pins of the complementary connector, the contact springs being made integral with the outer conductor, and an edge of the outer conductor lying at least in the vicinity of the contact side of the body. Such a connector is known from European patent application EP 0,446,980.
The connector known from the above-mentioned European patent application is provided with contact springs extending in the lengthwise direction of the connector, for contacting the earth pins of the complementary connector. These contact springs are made from the material of the outer conductor by making incisions in said outer conductor in the lengthwise direction, said incisions extending from the edge of the outer conductor lying at the contact side of the connector. This produces a contact spring which is connected to the outer conductor by its end facing away from the contact side, and of which the end lying at the contact side is free. The free end is bent over a short distance in the direction of the contact hole, in order to simplify the mechanical contact with the earth pin in question when joining together the complementary connector and the connector. In order to obtain a good contact with the earth pins, the free end of this known contact spring lying at the contact side is bent upwards slightly relative to the outer conductor, so that the contact spring as a whole has a bent shape, with the result that a satisfactory spring action is obtained.
The above-mentioned design of the contact spring of the known connector has, however, the disadvantage that incisions have to be made in the outer conductor in order to form the contact spring. Due to the fact that the contact springs are bent away from the outer conductor in order to obtain a spring action, the incisions are enlarged to longitudinal slits, which therefore extend on either side of each contact spring between said contact spring and the outer conductor.
When such a connector is used, energy will be radiated out from said longitudinal slits. This is a disadvantage in particular in the case of high signal frequencies, for example of the order of magnitude of 1 GHz. The energy loss which this involves in the connector results in an impedance mismatch. As is known, an impedance mismatch in a signal line produces undesirable phenomena such as reflections of the signal. The occurrence of reflections results in distortion of the signal received.


The method and system for psychological treatment by brain stimulation of the psychologically disordered object provide a possibility to stimulate the simple cells to assist the complex cells, and/or replace the complex cells in order to correctly perform the assigned command. An improved method includes the steps providing a creation of the psychoconduction code based on the simplified symbols, which by the audio, video, kinesthetic and/or olfactory stimulation simple cells to correct or replace the complex cells. An improved system comprises a controlling system comprising a processing system, including a controller and a memory, and a terminal device comprising at least one of a compact disk driver, a floppy disk driver, a printer and a control panel. Also, the improved system comprises an auxiliary equipment and a display connected to the controller, which is connected to the speaker(s).

The various types of the methods and systems for psychological brain treatments and stimulations are well known in the medical and counseling practice. Some brain treating methods require placement of a probe and sensing, stimulating of the both areas of the brain, especially the intralaminar nuclei. Moreover, stimulation is controlled and offered when certain conditions within the area of interest are detected. Stimulation and sensing include electrical, chemical or combinations thereof. For example, the surgical principles (method) can be applied for "deep" psychological, neurological and/or psychiatric disorders. The surgical method has an extensive history. In the early 1930's, Fulton and Jacobsen first recognized that experimentally induced neurotic behavior in chimpanzees could be abolished by frontal lobectomy. Within a few years, Freeman and Watts developed the first psychosurgical procedure for humans known as the frontal lobotomy. As the inherent physiology of the frontal lobe became more evident, the original freehand procedure of Freeman and Watts became less and less extensive and efficient. By the late 1940's, the method of stereo-taxis, in which the patient's brain is modeled in 3-dimensional space for exquisite targeting accuracy, merged with lesioning techniques resulting in an even more efficacious and safe psychosurgical procedure. Further developments of stereotactic equipment have combined with novel advancements in functional and anatomic imaging as well as intraoperative electrophysiological mapping to encompass the state of the art in the neurosurgical treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders today. While technologically improved and more precise, today's surgical lesioning techniques have the fundamental limitation of being inherently irreversible and are essentially a "one shot" procedure with little chance of alleviating or preventing potential side effects. In addition, there is a limited possibility to provide continuous benefits as the disease progresses and the patient's symptoms evolve. Within the field of neurosurgery, the use of electrical stimulation for treating "deep" psychological, neurological and psychiatric diseases, including such disorders as, for example, movement disorders, etc. has been widely discussed in the literature. In the latest time it has been considered that electrical and/or chemical stimulation holds some advantages over lesioning, inasmuch as lesioning can only destroy nervous system tissue. In many instances, the preferred effect is to electrically stimulate the increasing, decreasing, or blocking of the psychological or neuronal activity. Electrical or chemical impact might be useful in some ways to provide the stimulation and/or modulation of the brain target neural structures.
For instance, the methods by U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,708,064; 6,418,344 and 6,167,311 provide modulation of the brain to affect psychological or psychiatric disorders. The methods provide the treating neurological conditions by proper placement of a probe and sensing, stimulating of the both areas of the brain. Generally, the methods relate to modulating the pathological electrical and chemical activity of the brain by electrical stimulation and/or direct placement of neuro-modulating chemicals within the corresponding areas of abnormal function and activity. In accordance with the inventions, the methods are the surgical treatment of psychiatric disorders (e.g. addictions/substance abuse, obsessive compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, social phobia, major depression, learning disorder, etc.) by implantation of stimulating electrodes and/or drug/chemical delivery micro infusion at the assigned locations.
More particularly, the methods include the following general steps of 1) implanting a device in contact with an intralaminar nuclei of the brain; sensing activity in the specific area of the brain, wherein the specific area of the brain is different than the intralaminar nuclei, and wherein the specific area of the brain is different than the intralaminar nuclei and the sensing activity occurs at a location distal from the device location; and operating the device to modulate the intralaminar nuclei in response to said activity to thereby affect the disorder associated with the specific area of the brain, or 2) placing an electrode in contact with an intralaminar nuclei of the brain and operating the device to provide stimulation to the intralaminar nuclei to thereby affect the psychiatric activity in the specific area of the brain, the specific area of the brain being different than the intralaminar nuclei.
Such methods are not completely saved considering possible malfunction of the electrical/electronic equipment (e.g., higher electrical signal), that might lead to the critical destruction of the brain nervous tissue/cell.
Another method of brain stimulation is described in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,556,868. The method provides the treatment of psychological disorder consisting the group of memory impairment, a learning disorder, impairment of cognitive processing speed, impairment of acquisition of perceptual skills, impairment of acquisition of motor skills, and impairment of perceptual processing. In general, the method comprises the steps of: selecting an appropriate human (or animal) subject and applying to the subject's vagus nerve an electrical stimulation signal having parameter values effective in modulating the electrical activity of the vagus nerve in a manner so as to modulate the activity of preselected portions of the brain. The stimulating electrical signal has to be effective to cause a physiological, structural or neuronal connective alteration in the brain. Neural function in the brain is changed as a consequence of the neuronal connective alteration; thereby changing behavior, or the capacity for behavior, in the human or animal subject.
This method has the same deficiency as the previous patented method, i.e. the electrical stimulation is not completely saved considering possible malfunction of the electrical/electronic equipment (e.g., higher electrical signal), that might lead to the critical destruction of the brain nervous tissue/cell.
The other known devices (U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,520,905 and 6,798,898) also use the portable biosensor. The described in these patents methods classify an individual's personal preference for an image. In common the methods comprise the steps of: viewing an image for a period of time; ranking the image on a scale extending between a "detached" feeling and an "attached" feeling, where "detached" is a feeling of not being able to personally connect to the object or situation depicted in the image, and "attached" is a feeling of a personal connection to the object or situation depicted in their image; providing a portable device having at least one sensor for monitoring a physiological state of an individual carrying the device; recording at least one sensed physiological state over a period of time; analyzing the recorded physiological data to predict the individual's psychological and physiological state; and alerting the individual if the predicted state is determined to require management of said state. A portable biometric device is worn or carried by a user and which senses and records physiological parameters on a continuous basis. A biometric analyzer extracts the physiological activation state of user from one or more measured physiological parameters. A cognitive analyzer which extracts cognitive state from cognitive responses to images. A personal profiler which combines the physiological and cognitive measures obtained from the biometric analyzer and cognitive analyzer to generate an individual's personal image profile for a given state response.
These methods using the principles of the wearing/carrying of the portable device (sensors) can bring the additional stress and discomfort to the psychologically disordered individual, and again include in some way the mentioned above deficiency inherent in electrical contact of the electrical equipment (sensors) with the human body, that might be not completely saved considering the possible malfunction of the electrical/electronic equipment, that might lead to the possible injury. Also, these methods can provide recognition of the individual's physiological and psychological state, but does not provide brain (cell) stimulation (treatment), e.g. such as improving memory and learning capabilities.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,433,977 discloses the apparatus and method for changing critical brain activity using light and sound, exposing the patient to one or more lights placed in close proximity to a patient's eyes wherein the one or more of that lights selectively stimulate the non-dominant eye connected to the non-dominant cerebral hemisphere. The apparatus is presented either by a device that covers the patient's eyes, such as a pair of sunglasses, or devices including sports helmets that are used to protect players' craniums and may be integrated into the protective head gear (e.g., football, bicycle helmets, etc.). Also, the device can include the computer monitors and televisions, which are able to encompass one or more oscillating lights set-up in a proscribed manner on a person's monitor. The light may be displayed in a subliminal alternating checkerboard pattern that would be set to the individual user. The light stimulates the non-dominant cerebral hemisphere greater than the dominant cerebral hemisphere. In this version, the non-dominant cerebral hemisphere is stimulated to a greater degree than the dominant cerebral hemisphere. It is the coordinated stimulation of the non-dominant hemisphere that helps create a balance of integration of excitatory post synaptic potentials (EPSP). The apparatus for selectively stimulating the non-dominant cerebral includes a surface placed in close proximity to a patient's eyes and one or more lights disposed on the surface. The one or more lights stimulate the eye connected to the non-dominant cerebral hemisphere to a greater extent than the eye connected to the dominant cerebral hemisphere at a rate of approximately, e.g., 60/40. By overstimulating the non-dominant hemisphere there is an increase in the patient's ability to maintain a heighten mental status, and in turn sets up for a globality of the increased muscular activity. Alternatively, the surface may be sleeping goggles or the glasses reflecting the light from a source next to the eye (light is reflected from the glass surface) into the patient's eyes.
These method and device are not able to provide an improvement of the individual's learning processes, such as mathematics, alphabet, etc.
Thus, there is a great need in the art for the improved method and system for psychological treatment by brain stimulation of the psychologically disordered object, employing at the same time the correction of the malfunctioning complex cell and/or replacement of the malfunctioning complex cell by the modified simple brain cells, and providing possibility to balance, align and stimulate of the different parts of the brain using different structures and pattern of visual, audio and/or kinesthetic perception, and olfactory expressions having the same meaning.

Method and system for psychological treatment by brain stimulation of the psychologically disordered object


There is provided a lead frame including a plurality of plating layers formed on both an upper surface and a lower surface of a base material including a metal, wherein an upper outermost plating layer of an upper part of the lead frame is a silver plating layer including silver, and a lower outermost plating layer of a lower part of the lead frame is a gold plating layer including gold.

1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to a lead frame, a semiconductor package including the lead frame, and manufacturing the lead frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
A lead frame serves to electrically connect a semiconductor chip to an external device and also structurally support the semiconductor chip. A semiconductor package is manufactured by attaching a semiconductor chip to an upper surface of a lead frame, bonding the semiconductor chip to the upper surface of the lead frame by using bonding wires, and then sealing the upper surface of the lead frame with mold resin.
The semiconductor package manufactured in such a manner is mounted on an external device. In this case, the semiconductor package is connected to the external device, e.g., a printed circuit board, by disposing a solder ball on the lower surface of the lead frame.
However, in a related art, both surface layers of the lead frame are formed of plating layers consisting of the same material, and thus, the upper surface and the lower surface of the lead frame have the same characteristics.

Lead frame, semiconductor package including the lead frame, and method of manufacturing the lead frame


A rotary piston machine includes a piston arrangement mounted in a gas-tight interior housing, wherein the piston arrangement has at least four individual rotary pistons which are constructed essentially equally and have end faces which are arranged so as to be in alignment with each other. The rotary piston machine further includes sealing assemblies composed of positioning members and sealing rods, wherein a sealing assembly is provided for each gap between adjacent rotary pistons and wherein each sealing assembly includes at least one sealing rod. The center points of circular arcs with two different radii defining the cross-section of each rotary piston are located on the corner points of a rhombus and the center points of the larger circular arcs are located in the corner points with the larger rhombus angles, wherein the larger rhombus angle is greater by 50.degree. to 50.degree. than the smaller rhombus angle. The sealing rods have cross-sectional areas in a direction perpendicularly to the longitudinal axes of the sealing rods which are defined outwardly by a circle. The sealing rods are freely rotatable about their longitudinal axes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary piston machine with a piston arrangement mounted in a gas-tight interior housing. The piston arrangement includes at least four individual rotary pistons which are constructed essentially equally and have end faces which are arranged so as to be in alignment with each other. Each rotary piston is connected to a shaft, wherein the shafts are mounted in the housing so as to be rotatable, wherein the shafts extend through the geometric center axes of the rotary pistons and wherein the shafts are synchronized so as to rotate with each other by means of a gear system. The shafts serve to rotate the rotary pistons in the same direction of rotation about their geometric center axes which extend perpendicularly to the end faces and/or cross-sections of the rotary pistons. The rotary pistons are constructed as straight cylinders whose cross-sections extending parallel to the end faces of the rotary pistons are each defined by four circular arcs with two different radii, wherein the circular arc portions having the same radius also have the same arc lengths, and wherein the circular arc portions are joined alternatingly in connection points where the circular arc portions are connected to each tangentially. The rotary pistons define with their curved circumferential surfaces an inner work chamber, wherein a gap with a periodically changing width is present in each position between adjacent rotary pistons. The rotary piston machine further includes sealing assemblies composed of positioning members and sealing rods, wherein a sealing assembly is provided for each gap between adjacent rotary pistons and wherein each sealing assembly includes at least one sealing rod. The sealing rod has a cross-sectional width which is greater than the width of the gap. The sealing rod is held in its position relative to the gap by means of at least one positioning member which extends between two adjacent rotary pistons. The sealing rod has a length which corresponds at most to the length of the rotary piston.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a known rotary piston machine with sealing assemblies disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,026, the rotors have an elliptical cross-section and the sealing assemblies are composed of sealing rods which partially have round cross-sections and which are rigidly connected to each other through a connecting member. As a result of this configuration, generally only one of the two sealing rods of each sealing assembly rests against the outer surfaces of the rotors, while the other sealing rod projects freely and without contact, as shown in FIG. 8 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,026. Consequently, the sealing rods are not guided, they move back and forth during operation and must be moved into the sealing position with additional aids, for example, the interior pressure. Another disadvantage is the extraordinary high friction between the rigid sealing rods and the circumferential surfaces of the rotary pistons, wherein each rotary piston is contacted at least twice by the sealing rods.
French Patent 657 191 and EP 0 339 034 B1 disclose rotary piston machines which have similar disadvantages with respect to sealing friction. In the embodiment of French Patent 657 191, increased friction results from internal pressure, centrifugal force and rigid sealing rods in frictional direction. In the embodiment of EP 0 399 034 B1, the increased friction results from the wedge-shaped profile of the rigid sealing rods in connection with the internal pressure.


A liquid-jet head includes: a plurality of individual passages communicating with nozzle orifices that jet liquid; a manifold communicating with the plurality of individual passages, in which a surface of the manifold on the liquid-jetting face side is sealed with a sealing member; and a rib provided in the manifold on the sealing member side.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a liquid-jet head and a liquid-jet apparatus that jet a liquid from nozzle orifices, and particularly relates to an inkjet recording head and an inkjet recording apparatus that eject ink as the liquid.
2. Related Art
A liquid-jet head includes: a plurality of individual passages communicating with nozzle orifices; and a manifold communicating with the individual passages. After a liquid is filled into the inside from the manifold to the nozzle orifices, a pressure generator such as a piezoelectric actuator provided in each of the individual passages generates pressure change in the liquid inside the individual passage to jet the liquid from the nozzle orifice.
In the case of such a liquid-jet head, a suction cap is brought into contact with a liquid-jetting face in which the nozzle orifices are open, and cleaning is performed by using the suction cap to discharge the ink inside the individual passages and the manifold through the nozzle orifices to the outside.
However, when a cap member is brought into contact with the liquid-jetting face in a region where the manifold is provided in the liquid-jet head, this brings about a problem that a sealing member, such as a nozzle plate, that seals the liquid-jetting face side of the manifold is deformed.
For this reason, a liquid-jet head in which a cap member is configured to be brought into contact with a liquid-jetting face on an outer side of a manifold has been proposed (see for example JP-A-2006-198812)
However, when the cap member is configured to be brought into contact with the liquid-jetting face on the outer side of the manifold as in JP-A-2006-198812, there is a problem that the cap member is increased in size and also the liquid-jet head is increased in size.

Liquid-jet head and liquid-jet apparatus


The left-right span between a light projection section 5a and a light receiving section 5b of a mapping sensor 5 having an optical axis L1 extending in a left-right horizontal direction is arranged to be narrower than the span of a front opening of a open cassette 12 which is a smaller one of differently-sized containers conveyed to a load port, and the mapping sensor is attached to a mapping device 4. A first protrusion sensor 6 having an optical axis L2 extending in the left-right horizontal direction is attached to the mapping device 4 to be separated from the mapping sensor 5 in a moving direction of the mapping sensor 5. Furthermore, a second protrusion sensor 7 having an optical axis extending in the up-down moving direction of the mapping sensor 5 is provided.

The present invention relates to a wafer mapping apparatus which is configured to recognize semiconductor wafers (hereinafter simply referred to as wafers) stored in a container which is to be conveyed to a load port, and relates also to a load port including the wafer mapping apparatus.
In a semiconductor manufacturing process, a container storing wafers from which semiconductor devices are manufactured is conveyed to a load port which is provided at an entrance of a processing room which is a clean environment therein, and after a door of the load port is opened, the wafers stored in the container are taken into the processing room by a robot or the like. In the container, the wafers are placed on vertically-aligned shelves in the container.
Wafer size has recently increased in accordance with the increased production of semiconductors, and wafers which are 450 mm in diameter will be in use. Currently-popular large wafers which are 300 mm in diameter are stored in a sealed container termed a FOUP (Front Open Unified Pod) and conveyed to a load port. A front opening of the sealed container is connected with an entrance of a processing room in a sealed condition. A lid of the container is opened together with a door of the load port, and the wafers are taken into the processing room (see e.g., Patent Literatures 1 to 3 (Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent No. 4246420, Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent No. 4501755, and Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent No. 4866315)). Previously-popular small wafers which are, for example, 200 mm in diameter are typically stored in an open container termed an open cassette and conveyed, and are taken into a processing room through a load port, in a clean room (see e.g., Patent Literature 4 (Patent Literature 4: Japanese Patent No. 4096213)).
When wafers are taken from a container such as the FOUP and the open cassette described above into a processing room, a wafer mapping apparatus which maps and recognizes the state of the wafers in the container is used, in order to allow a robot or the like to automatically take the wafers. The wafer mapping apparatus is arranged in such a way that, a transmission optical sensor having a horizontally-extending optical axis is, as a mapping sensor, attached to a leading end portion of a mapping device such as a mapping arm and a mapping frame, which device is movable forward, backward, upward, and downward. After the mapping device is moved forward to insert the mapping sensor into the front opening of the container, the mapping sensor is moved in an up-down direction in the container. In this way, the wafer mapping apparatus detects the wafers stored in vertically-aligned shelves. The mapping device is attached to a moving mechanism which is able to linearly move in an up-down direction. As this linear moving mechanism, an elevatable door of a load port may be used.
Such a wafer mapping apparatus is provided with a protrusion sensor which detects a wafer which protrudes forward from the back side of a shelf, in order to prevent in advance of the collision of the wafer with the mapping sensor which moves in the up-down direction in the container (see e.g., Patent Literatures 1 to 4). As the protrusion sensor, Patent Literature 1 recites a transmission optical sensor which is attached to the fixed frame of the door of the load port so that the optical axis of the sensor extends in the up-down direction. As the protrusion sensor, furthermore, Patent Literature 2 recites two transmission optical sensors which are attached to a mapping frame which is movable in the up-down direction so that the optical axis of each sensor extends in the up-down direction, whereas Patent Literature 4 recites a transmission optical sensor which is attached to a mapping arm so that the optical axis of the sensor horizontally extends. Furthermore, Patent Literature 3 recites that, as a first protrusion sensor, a transmission optical sensor is attached to the fixed frame of the door of the load port so that the optical axis of the sensor extends in the up-down direction, and as a second protrusion sensor, a transmission optical sensor is attached to a mapping arm to have a horizontally-extending optical axis. This second protrusion sensor is provided not for preventing the collision of the wafer with the mapping sensor. This sensor is an intermediate sensor for detecting misregistration of wafers which are taken by a robot or the like.
In the meanwhile, it has been demanded to modify a load port which deals with currently-popular wafers stored in a FOUP and 300 mm in diameter to be able to deal with wafers stored in an open cassette and 200 mm in diameter. In response to such demand, there is a proposal that a closed cassette adopter is provided to cover the outside of an open cassette for wafers with 200 mm diameter, the cassette adopter is attached to a load port for wafers with 300 mm diameter, and the wafers with 200 mm diameter stored in the open cassette are taken into a processing room in a sealed condition. To put it differently, the cassette adopter and the FOUP for 300-mm wafers are positioned at the same position and connected with the entrance of the processing room in a sealed condition, and the 200-mm wafers stored in the open cassette and the 300-mm wafers stored in the FOUP are taken into the processing room by a shared robot or the like (see e.g., Patent Literature 5 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-64827)).

Wafer mapping apparatus and load port including same