RF programmable SAW filters achieve selectable filter performance by providing tunable input and output interdigital (IDTs) with different synchronous frequencies and substantially reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) associated with RF signals not of interest. The RF programmable SAW filter includes tunable input and output IDT's, with the input and output IDT's having different input and output IDT synchronous frequencies. The input signal is divided into multiple output signals along multiple signal paths that are applied to an input tap weight network wherein the amplitude of each output signal may be varied individually. The individually weighted signal paths are then applied one each to individual IDT input electrode fingers in a means for IDT input, which is characterized by a synchronous frequency Fin. The IDT input means generates an acoustic wave that propagates to a means for IDT output, which is characterized by a synchronous frequency Fout, where Fin and Fout are not the same. The electrical signals generated in the IDT output means are processed through an output tap weight network, and the output signal is formed as a weighted sum to provide a selectable center frequency, a selectable bandwidth, a minimum insertion loss, a maximum sidelobe rejection level and a selectable filter transfer function, or phase/magnitude profile.

Rationale for a Selectable Performance Filter and Critical Characteristics Thereof
Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) programmable transversal filters with a limited degree of selectable performance are well known in the art. A fixed input interdigitated transducer (hereinafter IDT) and an output array if individual finger taps are disposed on each SAW substrate of such filters. Selectable performance is attained by connecting each of the output finger taps through a corresponding array of variable gain amplifiers, and forming the overall filter output as the summed output of the amplifier array. Several significant limitations, disadvantages and shortcomings have been encountered with such prior art filters. Center frequency tunability is restricted to essentially the passband of the fixed input IDT. Bandwidth tunability is accomplished in a cumbersome manner by varying the effective length of the output array, and is limited to those bandwidths associated with the output array delay length. Furthermore, the weighting circuit must perform a complex multiplication to provide unaliased center frequency tuning.
Communications receivers are often faced with the problem of trying to receive a weak communications signal in the presence of one or more strong interfering signals. Whereas the receiver may have sufficient sensitivity to receive the weak signal against a "quiet" background, when the background includes one or more strong interfering signals, the receiver will be desensitized to a level determined by the strength of the largest interfering signal and the dynamic range of the receiver. In these situations, it is highly desirable to include some sort of RF filtering at the receiver front-end in order to attenuate the interfering signals prior to the first gain stage. The critical RF parameters of the selectable performance front-end filter can be derived through a simple analysis of a generic receiver circuit. The analysis begins by considering the signal set as illustrated in FIG. 1. Desired signal 1 and undesired higher power interference signal 2 are present simultaneously but at different frequencies. These signals are applied to a generic, wide-open receiver as shown in FIG. 2. The major components of the receiver are antenna 10, RF amplifier 11, detector 12, IF amplifier 13 and comparator 14. The input to RF amplifier 11 is considered to be hard limited to a maximum power level Psat. RF amplifier 11 is characterized by gain G, noise figure F and noise power bandwidth B0. Detector 12 is characterized by a tangential signal sensitivity TSS.
In a "quiet" RF enviromment, one can use an amount of gain G given byG=[TSS−(N+F)]  (1)for maximum system sensitivity to weak signals. With a strong interference signal of P>(Psat−G), conventional automatic gain control (AGC) circuitry will reduce the system sensitivity by 1 dB for each 1 dB of P>(Psat−G) up to the hard limit, i.e., there is a potential loss in sensitivity up to a value of G. This process is illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 3(a) presents the power levels of desired signal 1 and undesired higher power interference signal 2 at the receiver input. These signals are compared to the thermal noise input to the receiver given by N=kTB0, the thermal noise at the input to the detector given by N+F, the largest input signal level that maintains maximum signal sensitivity given by Psat−G(ideal), the TSS of the detector and the hard limit Psat. Given that the power level of undesired higher power interference signal 2 exceeds Psat−G(ideal), the AGC will reduce the gain to a value such that Psat−G(actual) is equal to the input power level of interference signal 2. FIG. 3(b) presents the resulting power levels of desired signal 1 and undesired interference signal 2 at the detector. These signals are compared to the same levels as in FIG. 3(a), along with the minimum detectable signal level given by TSS-G(actual). Both desired signal 1 and undesired signal 2 are increased by the value of G(actual), however this reduced value of gain is not enough to raise desired signal 1 being above the minimum detectable signal level.
One can add an RF filter 25 to the receiver front-end as illustrated in FIG. 4. The other major components of the receiver are as before antenna 20, RF amplifier 21, detector 22, IF amplifier 23 and comparator 24. RF filter 25 is characterized by bandwidth B, insertion loss I, and sidelobe (rejection) level S. The power of the undesired interference signal 2 is reduced by S dB. If the sidelobe (rejection) level is greater than the gain, that is, for S>G, the undesired interference signal 2 does not desensitize the receiver. At the same time, the insertion loss of RF filter 25 reduces the power in desired signal 1 by I dB, which for a constant noise floor, reduces the receiver sensitivity by I dB. However, the noise floor is increased by a factor of (F/I) arising from noise in RF amplifier 21 and decreased by a factor of 10log(B/B0) since the input thermal noise is band-limited by RF filter 25. If the decrease in noise floor due to the bandwidth reduction exceeds the noise increase due to the filter noise figure (≈1/I), then additional RF gain can be added for increased sensitivity. These considerations are illustrated in FIG. 5, wherein the signal power levels at the detector are illustrated for the receiver with front-end filter of FIG. 4. Desired signal 1 is first reduced by insertion loss I from an initial level of Psoi and then increased by gain G to a net power level of Psoi+G−I at the detector. In contrast, undesired interference signal 2 is first reduced by sidelobe (rejection) level S from an initial level of Psoi and then increased by gain G to a net power level of Psnoi+G−S at the detector. Thus, compared to a wide open system with RF bandwidth B0 as illustrated in FIG. 4, the sensitivity in a quiet RF environment is degraded by I+(F/I)−10log(B/B0), but the sensitivity in the presence of strong interference is improved by as much as G−[I+(F/I)−10log(B/B0)] provided that S>G. The net result is a figure of merit for the system performance improvement resulting from RF filter 25 essentially given by sidelobe level S, which establishes how well the desensitization is obviated, minus the insertion loss I, which establishes how much the quiescent performance is degraded.
History and Background of Programmable SAW Transversal Filters
The above considerations, of course, presuppose that the filter center frequency and bandwidth are chosen so as to include desired signal 1 in the passband, and to exclude the undesired interference signal 2. Taking all of these factors into account, if RF filter 25 included a selectable center frequency, a selectable bandwidth, a minimum insertion loss, a maximum sidelobe (rejection) level and a selectable filter transfer function (phase/magnitude profile) the filter would seem to overcome the disadvantages, shortcomings and limitations of prior art devices. The ability of RF filter 25 to meet the performance goals depends in part on the choice of filter topology, and in part upon the technology used to implement RF filter 25. Prior developments in the field of programmable transversal filters based on surface acoustic wave devices and closely related fields that provide useful guidance on these choices are reviewed in "Design of a Selectable Performance Front End Filter Using Acoustic Surface Wave Resonators," by R. Pastore, J. A. Kosinski, W. N. Porter, and H. L. Cui, in Proceedings of the 1997 IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium, May 1997, pp. 858–866.
Filter and device topologies considered previously include IDT arrays, filter banks, variable wave velocity devices, dispersive delay devices, convolvers, correlators, matched filters and transversal filters. These devices have been implemented primarily using SAW technology. A device based upon acoustic charge transport (ACT) technology is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,798 titled "Programmable Transversal Filter" issued Jul. 6, 1993 to B. J. Hunsinger and J. E. Bales. Devices based upon charge coupled device (CCD) technology are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,522 titled "Mask Programmable Charge Coupled Device Transversal Filter" issued Sep. 16, 1986 to R. H. Dyck, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,199 titled "Programmable Analog Transversal Filter" issued Jul. 5, 1977 to D. R. Lampe, M. H. White, and J. H. Mims.
IDT arrays have been used to obtain selectable bandwidth. However, this technique requires unrealistically large delay paths to obtain narrow filter bandwidths. The filter bank approaches have achieved good electrical performance over limited ranges of center frequency and bandwidth. However, broadband tunability using this technique would require a substantial number of channels, also leading to prohibitively large devices.
Variable wave velocity has been used to obtain selectable delay time. However, this tuning is limited to a small fraction of the nominal wave velocity. Selectable center frequency also has been demonstrated using structures based on dispersive devices. However these structures are somewhat complicated and have inherent blanking time and bandwidth limitations.
Transversal filters have demonstrated selectable bandwidth and selectable center frequency as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,887 titled "Miniature Digitally Controlled Programmable Transversal Filter Using LSI GaAs Integrated Circuits" issued Feb. 7, 1995 to D. E. Zimmerman, J. W. Colver, and C. M. Panasik. To date, however, this selectability has been over a limited range determined in part by the use of a conventional input IDT structure. Promising results have been reported in regards to insertion loss (10 dB) and dynamic range (>70 dB), with less promising results reported for sidelobe levels (35 dB).
The full range of physical implementations have been reported, including discrete piezoelectric devices, hybrid devices using thin film piezoelectrics deposited on semiconducting substrates, and monolithic implementations using piezoelectric semiconductors.
Silicon, silicon-on-sapphire (SOS), and gallium arsenide have been used to implement the required tap weight and control circuits. Silicon has advantages with respect to cost and processing, while gallium arsenide has advantages with respect to critical circuit parameters.
Both passive and active tap weight control elements have been implemented. Active tap weight control elements have been based primarily on FET's, with a lone reference to bipolar technology. An alternative approach for tap weight control using fixed gain amplifiers and switch arrays is disclosed in Kosinski U.S. Pat. No. 6,492,884, entitled "Programmable Transversal Filter," issued on Dec. 10, 2002.
A wide variety of piezoelectric materials have been used to date, including piezoelectric ceramics, piezoelectric semiconductors, piezoelectric thin films (polycrystalline) and conventional single crystals. The most popular material to date has been single crystal lithium niobate.
Operating Principles of the Prior Art SAW Filters
The performance goals for RF filter 25 can be obtained readily with an ideal transversal filter 30 as illustrated in FIG. 6. In transversal filter 30, the input signal is applied to an input terminal 31 and propagates through a series of N delay elements 32. The time delay through each delay element 32 is denoted τn. The signal is sampled between the delay elements 32, with each such sample following a path through one of N corresponding gain or weight control element 33 and thence to a summation element 34. The filter output 35 thus is formed as a weighted sum of the N delayed signal samples. Transversal filter 30 is, in theory, capable of producing an arbitrary transfer function
                              H                                (            f            )                          =                              ∑                          n              =              1                        N                                                        a              n                                                                  ⅇ                                                      -                    j2                                                                                π                                                                                f                                                                                τ                    n                                                              .                                                          (        2        )
The implementation of transversal filter 30 as a tapped delay line using conventional SAW technology is illustrated in FIG. 7. SAW transversal filter 40 is comprised of input IDT 42 and output IDT 43 deposited on the surface of piezoelectric substrate 41. Each IDT is composed of interdigitated fingers 45 alternately connected to busbars 44. The delay times τn are determined by the locations of the IDT fingers 45 along the propagation direction 46 and the SAW propagation velocity. The individual tap weights an are established by techniques such as overlap, withdrawal, or phase-reversal weighting, and are implemented as fixed weights determined by the geometry of the IDT fingers 45. The summation operation is performed by the busbars 44 connecting the IDT fingers 45.
The SAW device geometry is primarily defined by the finger locations xn of the fingers 45 of input IDT 42 and by the finger locations ym of the fingers 45 of output IDT 43 as defined in FIG. 7. The transfer function for SAW transversal filter 40 for the case of unapodized (equal finger length) IDTs can be written
                                          H                                      (              f              )                                =                                    ∑                              n                =                1                            N                                                                  I                n                                                          ⅇ                                                      -                    j                                                                                2                                            π                                                                                f                                                              v                      s                                                                                x                    n                                                                                ∑                                      m                    =                    1                                    M                                                                                J                    m                                                                          ⅇ                                          j                                                                                2                                                    π                                                                                f                                                                          v                          s                                                                                y                        m                                                                                ,                            (        3        )            where In and Jm represent the input and output IDT tap weights respectively. For unapodized IDTs, In=Jm=1 and H(f) is of the formH(f)=Hin(f) Hout(f)  (4)
Note that generic transversal filter 30 provides for a baseband or lowpass filter response, whereas SAW transversal filter 40 produces a bandpass response. This is a result of the polar nature of the piezoelectric effect, which requires that IDT fingers 45 have alternating polarity, implemented via the alternating connections of fingers 45 to busbars 44. Consequently, the SAW tap weights incorporate a factor of
                                                        (                              -                1                            )                        n                    =                                    cos                                            (                                                      2                                        π                                                                                f                      0                                                                                x                      n                                                                            v                    s                                                  )                                      =                          cos                                            (                                  2                                    π                                                                                f                    0                                                                                τ                    n                                                  )                                                    ,                            (        5        )            which is equivalent to frequency translation of the baseband response to a carrier frequency f0. This implicit frequency translation mechanism can be extended to essentially arbitrary frequency translation to fc by incorporation of an additional factor of exp[j2π(fc−f0)] in the IDT tap weights. This principle is the basis of a tunable output IDT as employed in the partially programmable SAW transversal filter disclosed by D. E. Zimmerman, J. W. Colver, and C. M. Panasik in U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,887. In the tunable IDT, the tap weights are not established as fixed values by the by the geometry of the IDT metallization using conventional overlap, withdrawal, or phase-reversal weighting techniques and connection to a common set of busbars. Rather, the tunable IDT fingers are formed as independent conductive stripes, and the tap weights are established by circuit elements interposed between the tunable IDT fingers and the summation circuit in order to effect the required tuning factor of exp[j2π(fc−f0)] in the IDT tap weights.
The programmable SAW transversal filters reported to date such as that of U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,887 are only partially programmable, in that they use conventional, fixed input IDTs in combination with tunable output IDTs. This partially programmable SAW transversal filter topology is illustrated schematically in FIG. 8. FIG. 8(a) illustrates the topology for the case of real tap weights, and FIG. 8(b) illustrates the topology for the case of complex tap weights. In FIG. 8(a), input signal 50 is applied to conventional IDT 51, which then generates an acoustic signal that passes to finger array 52. The electrical signals generated in finger array 52 are processed through tap weight network 53, and the output signal 55 is formed as the weighted sum via summation circuit 54. As shown in FIG. 8(b), complex tap weights are implemented using two parallel channels coupled through 90° hybrid couplers 56 at both input and output ports. In the SAW device implementation, input IDT 51 and finger array 52 are implemented as a piezoelectric device 60 as illustrated in FIG. 9. Piezoelectric device 60 is comprised of piezoelectric substrate 61, upon which are deposited conventional input IDT 62 and tunable output IDT 63. Conventional input IDT 62 is comprised of interdigitated fingers 65 alternately connected to busbars 64. Tunable output IDT 63 is comprised of independent fingers 66 each having a separate bonding pad 67 used to connect to the external tap weight circuitry. As in a conventional fixed SAW device, the partially programmable SAW transversal filter geometry is primarily defined by the finger locations xn of the fingers 65 of input IDT 62 and by the finger locations ym of the fingers 66 of output IDT 63 as defined in FIG. 9.
It is significant to note that, for the partially programmable SAW transversal filters considered to date, the periodicity of the fingers in both input and output IDTs is the same. That is, the input and output IDTs in the prior art share a common synchronous frequency. While promising in some aspects, the partially programmable SAW transversal filter topology of the prior art is inherently limited in meeting necessary performance goals such as selectable center frequency, selectable bandwidth, minimum insertion loss, maximum sidelobe (rejection) level and selectable filter transfer function (phase/magnitude profile). Thus there has been a long-felt need for a filter that meets these requirements and does not suffer from the disadvantages, shortcomings and limitations of the prior art devices.
Limitations of the Prior Art and Approaches Considered to Overcome the Limitations
A first limitation on center frequency tunability arises from the use of a fixed input IDT, in that low insertion loss can only be obtained for center frequencies falling within the input IDT coupling bandwidth. This limitation is illustrated in FIG. 10(a) for the case of complex tap weights implemented as illustrated in FIG. 8(b). The transfer function 70 of the fixed input IDT and the untuned transfer function 71 of the tunable output IDT share a common synchronous frequency 72. The transfer function 70 of the fixed input IDT is maximum at the synchronous frequency 72, and since the total transfer function of the filter is the product of the input IDT transfer function 70 and the output IDT transfer function 71, the untuned filter transfer function is essentially the same as the transfer function 71 of the untuned output IDT. However, the application of frequency tuning to the output IDT results in a new, tuned output IDT transfer function 74 centered at a tuned frequency 73 different from the synchronous frequency 72. In this case, the product of the input IDT transfer function 70 and the tuned output IDT transfer function 74 results in a tuned filter transfer function 75 that is an attenuated and distorted version of the transfer function 71 of the untuned output IDT. A tunable input IDT would overcome this limitation, thus creating a fully programmable SAW transversal filter. The advantages of such an arrangement as well as the case for complex tap weights are illustrated in FIG. 10(b). The untuned transfer function 76 of the tunable input IDT and the untuned transfer function 71 of the tunable output IDT share a common synchronous frequency 72. In the fully programmable SAW transversal filter, frequency tuning is applied to both input and output IDTs resulting in tuned input IDT transfer function 77 and tuned output IDT transfer function 74 both centered at a tuned frequency 73 different from the synchronous frequency 72. In this case, the product of the tuned input IDT transfer function 77 and the tuned output IDT transfer function 74 results in a tuned filter transfer function essentially the same as the tuned output transfer function 74 without the attenuation and distortion of the prior art partially programmable SAW transversal filter. However, it should be noted that the advantages illustrated in FIG. 10 accrue only for the case of complex tap weights, thus requiring a complicated dual channel hardware implementation.
The limitation inherent in single channel implementations of real tap weights is illustrated in FIG. 11 for both (a) partially programmable and (b) fully programmable SAW transversal filters. Whereas complex tap weights provide unambiguous frequency translation, the use of real tap weights results in aliasing of the tuned IDT passband. In the untuned partially programmable SAW transversal filter, the transfer function 80 of the fixed input IDT and the untuned transfer function 81 of the tunable output IDT share a common synchronous frequency 82. The untuned output IDT transfer function 81, and hence the untuned filter transfer function formed as the product of the input and output IDT transfer functions both feature a single passband. However, when frequency tuning is applied using real tap weights, the output IDT transfer function develops two allowed passbands 83 and 84, each of which is a copy of the original untuned output IDT transfer function 81 displaced symmetrically above and below the synchronous frequency to new passband center frequencies 85 and 86. In consequence, the tuned filter transfer function exhibits two allowed passbands 87 and 88, each an attenuated and distorted copy of the original untuned transfer function.
The situation is not significantly different for the simple fully programmable SAW transversal filter of FIG. 12. The simple fully programmable SAW transversal filter 100 is comprised of piezoelectric substrate 101, upon which are deposited tunable input IDT 102 and tunable output IDT 103. Tunable input IDT 102 is composed of independent fingers 105 each having a separate bonding pad 104 used to connect to the external input tap weight circuitry. Similarly, tunable output IDT 103 is also composed of independent fingers 106 each having a separate bonding pad 107 used to connect to the external output tap weight circuitry. As in conventional SAW devices and partially programmable SAW transversal filters, the fully programmable SAW transversal filter geometry is primarily defined by the finger locations xn of the fingers 105 of input IDT 102 and by the finger locations ym of the fingers 106 of output IDT 103 as defined in FIG. 12. It is significant to note that for the simple fully programmable SAW transversal filter as illustrated, the periodicity of the fingers in both input and output IDTs is the same. That is, the input and output IDTs in the prior art share a common synchronous frequency. As illustrated in FIG. 11(b), the substitution of a tunable input IDT with untuned transfer function 89 simply leads to aliased tuned input IDT passbands 90 and 91. The shift from partial to full programmability reduces the attenuation and distortion of the overall filter transfer function, but does not eliminate the limitation of passband aliasing in the simpler and hence inherently more desirable single channel device using real tap weights.
The prior art also suffers from limitations on selectability of the passband bandwidth. The bandwidth of the IDT passband is approximately 1/T where T is the delay time required for the acoustic wave to propagate across the IDT. A longer IDT has a longer delay time and hence a narrower bandwidth, while a shorter IDT has the opposite characteristics. By turning taps on and off, the active length of the tunable output IDT can be varied from as short as ½ wavelength to as long as (N−1)/2 wavelengths where N is the number of active taps. Thus, the maximum active length of the tunable output IDT limits the minimum bandwidth of the prior art filter.

Abstract: RF programmable SAW filters, RF partially programmable SAW filters, RF fully programmable SAW filters and a method for making programmable RF SAW filters are provided.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


A lighting control device and method are disclosed herein. The lighting control device includes a control unit and a control request unit. The control unit sets up a virtual multiple lighting control unit corresponding to a lighting control command received from a lighting management device. The control request unit selects a wireless light fixture corresponding to a light fixture ID included in the lighting control command, and makes a lighting control request to the selected wireless light fixture. The control unit transfers a response to the lighting control request to the lighting management device, and thus allows a corresponding lighting switch to control the wireless light fixture.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a lighting control device and method and, more particularly, to a device and method that control a wireless light fixture using a virtual multiple terminal relay so that a master-slave bus type wired lighting network can accommodate a wireless lighting network.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order for a wired lighting network to accommodate a wireless lighting network, a specific configuration that is capable of performing the function of connecting wired communication with wireless communication like a gateway is required.
For example, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2009-0093099 entitled "Wide-area Lighting System based on Wired/Wireless Communication" discloses technology that transfers control commands, generated by a lighting drive terminal, to a ZigBee gateway via a wired interface, performs protocol conversion using the ZigBee gateway, and controls light fixtures via ZigBee wireless communication.
As described above, technology, such as a gateway for supporting a basic wired interface for wired/wireless network lighting convergence, has been developed already.
However, there is a need for technology that is capable of, when a new light fixture is additionally installed or lighting layout is changed in an existing wired lighting network, integrating an easy-to-install wireless lighting network with the existing wired lighting network, which has not been developed yet.

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A vehicle refueling system including a controller disposed in a vehicle, a fuel nozzle communicator arranged adjacent a fuel intake conduit, connected to the controller and communicating information from the vehicle to refueling systems outside thereof and a securely attached vehicle identifier assembly including a vehicle identification chip disposed in an identification portion, an output portion defining a connector coupled to the controller and a neck separating the identification portion and the connector, the vehicle identification chip including a data store containing identification data, the data store being connected to a data output in the output portion-via connectors passing through the neck, the neck securely fitting into the vehicle""s chassis, the neck having a breaking strain lower than that of the remainder of the system, whereby an attempt to remove the vehicle identification chip from the vehicle by removal of the output portion, causes breakage of the vehicle identifier assembly at the neck.

The present invention relates to electronic identification systems and more particularly but not exclusively to electronic identification systems for use with vehicle refueling systems.
Vehicle refueling systems, in which a vehicle is provided with a way of identifying itself to a fuel provider, are known from Israel Patent Application Nos. 111,802 and 107,784, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference. These applications deal in essence with a system in which an inductive ring is placed around the upper end of the fuel intake pipe of a vehicle. The ring is connected up to a source of identification information regarding the vehicle, owner, charge account number, type of fuel required and the like. The information is transmitted via the inductive coil to a receiver, which may conveniently be placed on the refueling pipe, and thus relayed to the fuel provider. Such systems are popular with organizations that run large fleets of vehicles and they allow vehicle refueling to be carried out without fuss and charged to a central account and for data concerning refueling operations to be collected.
A difficulty with the prior art as represented by the two patent applications listed, is that if the source of identification information can be removed from the vehicle and taken to another vehicle then the owner of the second vehicle may be able to obtain fuel at someone else""s expense. A previously proposed solution to this problem has been to connect up the system to the vehicle main computer but this introduces the problem of having to reprogram the main computer whenever any changes are made. Furthermore the main computer may itself be stolen.
It should furthermore be borne in mind that the problem is not so serious when the identification source is merely stolen. The lack of the source will become apparent at the latest the next time an attempt is made to refuel the car, and at that point the account can be canceled. What is more serious is if an attempt is made to remove the source, clone it and then replace it. In this case it is not possible to determine that anything is wrong until a statement of account is received. Even at this point such an occurrence may go unnoticed if the vehicle is part of a large fleet or it is a vehicle that is generally heavily used. Even if the problem is spotted It is not certain that compromise of the identification source will be blamed for the occurrence. The driver may initially be blamed for making unauthorized use of the vehicle.
As the identification source is most likely located within the recesses of the vehicle there is no advantage to using a standard tamper evident seal around the chip. The standard tamper evident seal requires visual inspection to determine whether tampering has taken place, and such a product would require regular visual checks inside the fuel intake, which would be unpopular with users.
According to the present invention there is provided an identification device comprising an identification portion, an output portion and a neck separating said identification portion and said connection portion. The identification portion comprises a data store containing identification data. The data store is connected to a data output in said output portion via connectors passing through the neck, and the neck is adapted to be fitted into the structure of an item to be identified, such as a vehicle. The neck has a breaking strain which is lower than that of the remainder of the device so that if an attempt is made to extract the device from the structure then the neck will break. The output of the device may be arranged to output data to a fueling device. The neck has a breaking strain which may be equal to or less than one fifth of that of the remainder of the device, and in a particularly preferred embodiment may be equal to or less than one tenth of the strain.
A preferred embodiment of the device may be inserted into the structure of the vehicle by means of the following steps,
a) inserting a sleeve into a hole in said structure, said sleeve having a cylindrical outer wall with a first diameter and an entrance portion having a second diameter which is smaller than said first diameter,
b) inserting a resilient collar into said neck of said device, said collar defining a diameter larger than said second diameter, and
c) inserting said stem of said device, with said collar, through said entrance portion of said sleeve.

Electrical connector with identification chip


A circular knitting machine for hosiery or the like, which comprises at least one needle cylinder which has a vertical axis and on the lateral surface of which there are axial slots. Each of these axial slots accommodates a needle (106) and an actuation element (110) for the needle (106) which can engage, with one of its ends, the needle (106) arranged in the same axial slot. The needle (106) or the actuation element (110) is provided with a fixed heel (103a), which protrudes radially from the axial slot, and a movable heel (104a) which can be extracted radially on command from the axial slot. Actuation cams are arranged around the needle cylinder and can be engaged by the fixed heels (103a) and by the movable heels (104a) in the extracted position. The machine can perform the usual knitting of known types of machine despite having an actuation cam set which has an extremely small number of actuation cams which can move for activation or deactivation, or none at all.

As is known, double-cylinder circular knitting machines for hosiery generally comprise a lower needle cylinder which has a vertical axis and an upper needle cylinder which is arranged above and coaxially with respect to the lower needle cylinder, said cylinders being actuatable rigidly with each other with a rotary motion about the common axis.
A plurality of axial slots are formed on the lateral surface of the lower needle cylinder and on the lateral surface of the upper needle cylinder. The axial slots of the upper needle cylinder are aligned with the axial slots of the lower needle cylinder. A selector and a slider are generally accommodated in each of the axial slots of the lower needle cylinder, starting from the bottom, while each of the axial slots of the upper needle cylinder accommodates a slider. Between the two needle cylinders, i.e., in the knitting region, in each of the axial slots there is a needle which is provided with two tips or heads, respectively an upper head and a lower head; depending on whether one wishes to provide plain stitches or purl stitches, said needle is moved into the lower needle cylinder so that its knits with its upper tip or into the upper needle cylinder so that its knits with its lower tip.
Since the needle does not have a heel, it is actuated by means of the slider arranged in the lower needle cylinder or by means of the slider arranged in the upper needle cylinder, depending on whether it has to form plain or purl stitches.
The sliders currently used in double-cylinder circular knitting machines for hosiery are constituted generally by an elongated laminar body, which has a first longitudinal side designed to rest on the bottom of the axial slot formed on the lateral surface of the lower needle cylinder or on the lateral surface of the upper needle cylinder.
Said sliders are further provided with two heels, which are mutually spaced along the longitudinal extension of the slider and protrude transversely from a second longitudinal side of the slider which lies opposite the first side.
These heels are used to cause the movement of the slider along the corresponding axial slot of the lower or upper needle cylinder so as to cause the actuation of the needle associated with said slider in the various types of knitting of the machine or to transfer the needle from one needle cylinder to the other.
The slider is further provided, on its first longitudinal side, i.e., on its side directed toward the bottom of the axial slot within which it is accommodated, with a hook-shaped tab, which can engage the lower head of the needle or the upper head depending on whether the slider is in the lower needle cylinder or in the upper needle cylinder.
Around the lateral surface of the lower needle cylinder and around the lateral surface of the upper needle cylinder there are a plurality of slider actuation cams, which define a series of paths with which the heels of the sliders engage when the needle cylinders are actuated with a rotary motion about their axis with respect to said cams. The paths defined by the cams are shaped so as to cause the movement of the sliders along the axial slots of the needle cylinders in which they are accommodated and consequently cause the actuation of the needles that are associated therewith.
In currently commercially available double-cylinder circular knitting machines for hosiery, many of the cams that define the paths for the heels of the sliders are provided so that they can move along a radial direction with respect to the needle cylinders, so that they can be transferred from an active position, in which they are close to the needle cylinders so that they are engaged by the heels of the sliders, to an inactive position, in which they are spaced from the needle cylinders so as to not interfere with the heels of the sliders, or vice versa, in order to allow to vary the paths for the heels of the sliders and consequently vary the types of knitting that the machine can perform.
The presence of these movable cams and of the corresponding actuators, which is necessary in order to produce the various kinds of knitting, has the problem of increasing considerably the complexity of the structure of the entire machine.
Moreover, the presence of these movable cams forces the provision, on board the machine, of an appropriately provided actuation program, which intervenes if an accidental stop of the machine occurs due to failure of the electric power supply and restores the correct position of the movable cams before knitting resumes, since if the machine were to restart without first restoring the correct position of the movable cams the heels of the sliders might break.
In practice, the presence of these movable cams makes it necessary to provide the machine with electronic programs which store the position of the movable cams when the electric power supply is interrupted, and this constitutes a further complication in the production of the machine.
Similar but smaller problems can be observed in single-cylinder circular knitting machines for hosiery, i.e., knitting machines provided with a single needle cylinder, which use needles and optionally sub-needles provided with a heel which protrudes from the corresponding axial slot and can engage paths defined by needle and sub-needle actuation cams, which are arranged around the needle cylinder; some of said cams are movable along a radial direction with respect to the needle cylinder so that they can be moved from an active position, in which they are close to the needle cylinder so as to be engaged by the heels of the needles and/or of the sub-needles, to an inactive position, in which they are spaced from the needle cylinder so as to not interfere with the heels of the needles and/or sub-needles, or vice versa, in order to allow to vary the paths for the heels of the needles and accordingly vary the types of knitting that the machine can perform.

Circular knitting machine for hosiery or the like


A portable communication apparatus including a first housing extending along a longitudinal direction, a second housing connected at substantially one end of the first housing, and a pair of link arms formed on the second housing facing each other, for connecting the second housing to the first housing allowing the second housing to rotate relative to the first housing so that a variety of electronic communication components may be mounted on the second housing, and rotation of the second housing facilitates convenient placement of the electronic component for use.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable communication apparatus, and more particularly to a portable communication apparatus capable of easily adjusting the direction of additional function modules, including a camera lens module, a flash, and an IrDA (infrared data association) module.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, portable communication apparatuses may be classified into various types depending on their appearance, such as bar-type portable communication apparatuses, flip-type portable communication apparatuses, and folder-type portable communication apparatuses. The bar-type portable communication apparatus has a single housing shaped like a bar. The flip-type portable communication apparatus has a flip which is pivotably mounted to a bar-shaped housing by a hinge device. The folder-type portable communication apparatus has a folder coupled to a single bar-shaped housing by a hinge device in such a manner that the folder can be rotated towards or unfolded away from the housing.
Further, portable communication apparatuses may be classified into rotation-type communication apparatuses, sliding-type communication apparatuses, and pop-up-type communication apparatuses depending on how it is opened or closed. In the rotation-type portable communication apparatus, two housings are coupled to each other to allow one housing to rotate open or closed relative to the other while facing each other. In the sliding-type and pop-up-type portable communication apparatuses, two housings are coupled to each other to allow one housing to slide along a longitudinal direction to be opened or closed relative to the other. These variously classified portable communication apparatuses can be easily understood by those skilled in the art.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional bar-type portable communication apparatus has a display device 14 and a key array portion 15 for data input, both of which are positioned on the front portion 11 thereof, as well as a speaker device 13 positioned on the upper end thereof. Referring to FIG. 2, the bar-type portable communication apparatus has a fixed camera lens module 16 on the rear portion 12 thereof.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the bar-type portable communication apparatus it is inconvenient to us in that it is difficult to adjust the direction of the camera lens module 16 because it is fixed. Accordingly, with this design it may be impossible for a user to view the display device 14 each time a picture is taken especially if the user is taking a picture of him/herself.
Meanwhile, current portable communication apparatuses tend to incorporate an increasing number of additional complex functions, such as a camera function, a flash function, and an IrDA function, in addition to the basic function of performing communication. As additional function modules are added to perform additional functions, the mounting space becomes limited. In addition, noise from the additional function modules may affect other electronic components, e.g., an antenna, which is mounted adjacently thereto.


Methods of preparing heterocyclic triazolium-based nitrate salts by a streamlined process are provided. Such salts offer energetic performance as well as pharmaceutical potential.

An alkylated triazolium based nitrate salt has potential in propulsion and/or explosives applications. One of the current, major drawbacks in commercializing these so called ionic liquids or low melting salts is the use of silver salts as ion exchange agents. Use of silver introduces high cost, along with light sensitivity and residual contamination. The elimination of silver salts would decrease the cost of production and virtually eliminate heavy metal waste and contamination.
Accordingly, there is need and market for preparing the above family of salts without the need for silver salts therewith in a more streamlined process of reduced costs.
There has now been developed an efficient method to produce the above family of salts free from the use of silver salts therewith.

Conversion of salt halides to nitrate salts

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


A biometric keyboard or other input device, such as a keypad or touch screen, may be part of an input mechanism for inputting user information to a computing system. The mechanism may include biometric sensors associated with the buttons or keys of the input device. A mapping scheme may be used such that the input value forwarded to a processing resource when a user activates one or more of the buttons or keys varies depending on which digit (finger, toe, etc.) was used to activate the key(s) or button(s). Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to information processing systems and, more specifically, to a bio-metric input device such as a keyboard (such as those commonly used for input to a personal computing device), touchpad, keypad (such as that used on a telephone or an automatic teller machine), mouse, touch screen or the like.
2. Background Art
Common current personal computing and/or communicating devices, such as laptop or notebook computers, cell phones, calculators, personal digital assistants, or tablet or palm-held computers, for example, may include an input mechanism used by the system to communicate with a user. The display of a tablet computer, for example, may be touch-sensitive for interactive user input by a finger, stylus or pen-like device. A notebook, laptop, or PC may, on the other hand, accept interactive user input through a keyboard or a pointing device such as a mouse or a touch pad. For a cell-phone, input may be entered by a user via a keypad.
For keyboards, touchpads, keypads and other touch-based input mechanisms, keys or key combinations are commonly pre-mapped to represent certain data values. That is, the data value to be communicated to execution resources of the system may be pre-mapped such that touching a particular key or combination of keys will result in the sending of a pre-defined value to the execution resources. In addition to discrete values (such as an alphanumeric value associated with each key on a keyboard), the mappings may include function values. Where an operation or set of operations is performed frequently, a particular key or key combination (such as, for example, control-alt-delete) may be defined for the frequently-performed operation. The user knows that each button or set of buttons performs a predetermined function each time it is pressed.
In some cases, the key-to-value mapping for a key or set of keys may be configurable by the user. This is similar to some applications where the user may define 'shortcut' keys on a keyboard of a computing device to allow frequent operations to be performed without requiring several levels of menus.
The field of biometrics, or the measuring of a physical characteristic used to recognize the identity or verify the claimed identity of an individual, has emerged as an increasingly reliable methodology for verification (one-to-one) and identification (one-to-many) of individuals. The use of biometrics has become increasingly common to address problems associated with requiring positive identification of individuals. One type of biometrical characteristic is fingerprint information, which can be used to test and either confirm or reject a user's attempt to gain access to an appliance, a premises, etc.


A length in a height direction from each end of a front portion of a return-pass layer (first magnetic layer) may be shorter than a length in the height direction from a midpoint of the front portion. As a result, a recording magnetic field may not be concentrated on and may not return to the ends of the front portion, and the intensity of the magnetic field generated from the ends toward the recording medium may be weakened, whereby it may be possible to appropriately suppress the erasing phenomenon of a recorded signal.

As shown in FIG. 12 (which is a partial plan view showing a perpendicular magnetic recording head), a recording magnetic head using a perpendicular magnetic recording method that magnetizes a recording medium in a direction perpendicular to a medium surface of the recording medium includes a first magnetic layer (a return-pass layer) 1, a second magnetic layer (a main magnetic pole layer) 2, and coil layers (not shown) for inducing recording magnetic fields on the first magnetic layer 1 and the second magnetic layer 2. The return-pass layer 1 and the main magnetic pole layer 2 face each other with a predetermined space interposed therebetween in the thickness direction. An induction field generated by a flow of an electric current through the coil layers is induced on the return-pass layer 1 and the main magnetic pole layer 2, and a recording magnetic field enters the recording medium in the direction perpendicular to the medium surface of the recording medium from a front end surface 2a that is flush with a facing surface of the main magnetic pole layer 2 facing the recording medium. The recording magnetic field passes through the recording medium and reaches the return-pass layer 1.
As shown in FIG. 12, the return-pass layer 1 has a substantially rectangular plan shape in the related art. If the plan shape of the return-pass layer is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, the recording magnetic field that passes through the recording medium and reaches the return-pass layer 1 may be concentrated on and to return to the ends (corners) 1b of a front end surface 1a of the return-pass layer 1 flush with the facing surface. A lower part in FIG. 12 is a graph showing a relationship between a position along the front end surface 1a of the return-pass layer 1 in the track-width direction and the intensity of the magnetic field generated toward the medium. As shown in the lower part of FIG. 12, since a strong magnetic field is generated from each of the corners 1b of the front end surface 1a of the return-pass layer 1, a phenomenon that erases a signal written on the recording medium may occur at each of the corners 1b.
There has been an attempt to position the corners shown in FIG. 12 as far away as possible from the facing surface in the height direction in order to suppress the phenomenon of erasing a recorded signal. That is, as shown in FIG. 13, sloping surfaces 1c and 1c may be formed on both sides of the front end surface 1a of the return-pass layer 1 in the track-width direction (X direction) so that a width between the sloping surfaces in the track-width direction (X direction) gradually increases from the facing surface in the height direction (Y direction).
A structure in which the sloping surfaces 1c and 1c are formed on both sides of the front end surface 1a of the return-pass layer 1 is disclosed in each of JP-A Nos. 2004-39148 and 2004-12740 (corresponding to US Publication Nos. 2004004787A1 and 2004151036A1, respectively).
However, even in the case of the structure shown in FIG. 13, corners 1e are formed between the front end surface 1a of the return-pass layer 1 and each of the sloping surfaces 1c, respectively. As a result, since a recording magnetic field may be concentrated on and return to each of the corners 1e, a strong magnetic field may be generated from each of the corners 1e toward the medium. For this reason, it is not possible to appropriately suppress the phenomenon of erasing a recorded signal in the structure shown in FIG. 13.

Perpendicular magnetic recording head with return pass layer


In a fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell with plural cells and performing processing for limiting a supply current to a load by performing a compensation computation with respect to a system-request current corresponding to a system-request power requested by the system based on the lowest cell voltage in the cells, the compensation computation being performed for limiting the supply current through a PI compensation using, as a reference value, a current value of the system-request current as of the time when the lowest cell voltage falls below a predetermined lowest-cell-voltage acceptable value, values for gains in the PI compensation for limiting the supply current are different from values for gains in the PI compensation for restoring the supply current. The system-request current can be securely limited in any operation statuses, and in addition, the supply current can be made rapidly responsive during the limitation of the current, while the supply current can be stably converged during the current restoration.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fuel cell system provided with a fuel cell having a plurality of cells, and particularly to current limiting processing and current restoration processing while a system-request current is being controlled.
2. Background of the Invention
Among fuel cells for generating electrical power utilizing an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, polymer electrolyte fuel cells are commonly known. The polymer electrolyte fuel cell includes a stack which is constituted from a plurality of stacked cells. The cells constituting the stack each include an anode (fuel electrode) and a cathode (air electrode), and a solid polymer electrolyte membrane having a sulfonic acid group as an ion exchange group is interposed between each anode and cathode.
A fuel gas containing a hydrogen gas (hydrogen-enriched reformed hydrogen obtained by reforming hydrogen gas or hydrocarbon) is supplied to the anode, while an oxygen-containing gas (oxidant gas), e.g., air, as an oxidant is supplied to the cathode. Upon the supply of the fuel gas to the anode, hydrogen contained in the fuel gas reacts with a catalyst in a catalyst layer which constitutes the anode, thereby generating hydrogen ions. The generated hydrogen ions pass through the solid polymer electrolyte membrane and electrically react with oxygen in the cathode. Electrical power is thus generated through the electrochemical reaction.
In a situation where a fuel cell having a plurality of cells is used, when even only one of the plurality of cells becomes unable to generate electrical power, the entire fuel cell becomes unable to generate electrical power. Under such circumstances, for example, JP 2003-187842 A has proposed an invention in which the voltage of each cell is measured and the amount of electrical power that can be output by a fuel cell stack is calculated based on the lowest cell voltage having the lowest value in the measured cell voltages, while the fuel cell stack generates an electrical energy equal to or smaller than the amount of electrical power which can be output, so that, even when the performance of an arbitrary cell is degraded, the fuel cell stack can operate in a suitable operation state in accordance with the degradation of the performance of the cell.
In addition, JP 2005-197008 A has proposed an invention in which a target current-limit value for limiting a power generation current to be taken out from a fuel cell in accordance with the lowest cell voltage VLOW is set, and, when the difference between an actual current-limit value and the power generation current is below a predetermined value, the current-limit value is replaced with the target current-limiting value.
However, in conventional fuel cell systems, when electrical power to be generated by the fuel cell is controlled or a supply current to be supplied to a load is limited under certain conditions, a system-request power, being the reference for the limiting computation, in the fuel cell increases, and the fuel cell system might eventually become unable to perform limiting processing for the power to be generated or the supply current. A possible example would be a situation where, in an automobile equipped with such a fuel cell system, a power to be generated or a supply current is limited when a driver is trying to accelerate the automobile. When the power to be generated or a supply current is limited, the driver feels as if a motor output is insufficient and performs an operation such as further stamping on an accelerator. As a result of the increase in system-request power due to such an operation, the power to be generated or supply current also increases, and consequently necessary limiting processing cannot be performed.
Also, in conventional fuel cell systems, even though there is a difference between the response required in current limiting processing for reducing a supply current and the response required in current restoration processing for increasing the limited supply current, a common response has been set without taking the difference into account. In other words, if one of cell voltages falls below a lowest-cell-voltage acceptable value, a current value of an actual supply current is limited. Then the limited state is maintained until the relevant cell voltage increases and reaches such a acceptable value, and after the cell voltage reaches such a acceptable value, the supply current value is restored to the system-request current. At this time, the current limiting processing is required to rapidly limit a current; however since the current restoration processing has been controlled using the same response as in the current limiting processing, overshooting might occur in the supply current during the current restoration processing. On the other hand, if the response that will not cause overshooting in the current restoration processing is set, it is expected that the response will be poor at current limiting processing.    Patent document 1: JP2003-187842 A    Patent document 2: JP2005-197008 A

Fuel cell system and method for limiting current thereof


Disclosed is an in-mold labeled thermoplastic resin container specifically so designed that the ratio of the product A of the Gurley stiffness (m·kgf) and the 3% elongation load (kgf) of the label-edge part of the labeled area thereof to the product B of the Gurley stiffness and the 3% elongation load of the label-surrounding part of the non-labeled area thereof, A/B, is at most 0.6. The container has good drop impact fracture resistance and has good producibility, and it is lightweight.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a labeled resin container having improved drop impact fracture resistance, and concretely to an in-mold labeled resin container.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the increase in their size, resin containers are required to be lightweight. In in-mold labeled containers, however, the impact strength of the label-surrounded part is lower than that of the other part. Therefore, when such containers drop down from a high place such as a shelf thereof to reach the ground, then they may be broken, starting from the label-surrounded part thereof owing to the drop impact given thereto, and, as a result, there occurs a problem in that their contents may leak out. For improving the drop impact strength of the containers, for example, it has been proposed to specifically define the MFR and the degree of crystallinity of the resin to be used for the containers (e.g., JP-A 2000-72931, 2000-219227, 2000-239480, 2000-254959, 2000-319407, 2002-52601, 2002-187996, 2002-187997). However, in some combinations with the in-mold label to be used for them, the drop impact strength of the containers could not be still satisfactorily improved even though the physical properties of the resin to be used for the containers are specifically defined in various points. In particular, large-size containers with the contents therein are extremely heavy as a whole. Therefore, according to the proposed method, the breakage of the containers starting from the label-surrounded part thereof could not be sufficiently prevented.
In consideration of the problems with the related art as above, an object of the present invention is to provide a labeled resin container which is lightweight and has good producibility and which is improved in point of the drop impact fracture resistance thereof.


A light emitting diode module, a backlight assembly having the light emitting diode module, and a display device having the backlight assembly. The light emitting diode module includes a light emitting device including a light emitting diode chip, a body that surrounds the light emitting diode chip, and a heat releasing member that is in contact with the light emitting diode chip and protrudes from the body. The light emitting diode module also includes a printed circuit board having a hole corresponding to a protruding end portion of the heat releasing member.

(a) Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a light emitting diode module, and more particularly, to a light emitting diode module that is capable of improving heat releasing efficiency and durability, a backlight assembly having the light emitting diode module, and a display device having the backlight assembly.
(b) Discussion of the Related Art
There are various types of display devices. As semiconductor technology has been developed, a small-sized and light-weight liquid crystal display device with improved performance has been provided as a display device.
Liquid crystal display devices have a smaller size, lighter weight, and lower power consumption, when compared with cathode ray tube (CRT) display devices. The liquid crystal display device has been used in connection with almost all information processing apparatuses, for example, small-sized apparatuses, such as mobile phones and portable digital assistants (PDAs), and medium-sized or large-sized apparatuses, such as monitors and TV sets.
Since a non-emission type of display panel has been used in the liquid crystal display device, a backlight assembly is supplies light to the display panel.
A tube-shaped cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) or an external electrode fluorescent lamp (EEFL) has been used as a light source of the backlight assembly. A light emitting diode (LED) having high brightness also has been used as a light source of the backlight assembly. The light emitting diode may be used as a single device, and alternatively, a module including a plurality of light emitting diodes may be used. The light emitting diode used as a light source releases a large amount of heat. The heat may cause defects in the light emitting diode or shorten the life thereof. As a result, the heat may affect a display device having the light emitting diodes.

Light emitting diode module, backlight assembly having the same, and display device having the same


Methods and apparatus for the extraction of DNA from a suspension of cells are described. The methods utilise a hollow membrane filter to separate DNA from cellular debri after lysis of cells. The suspension of cells can be a suspension of cultured cells or cells contained in a body fluid such as blood. An ion-exchange step can be included in methods so that purified DNA is provided. The apparatus (1) comprises a vessl (2) in which cells can be cultured. The vessel has a hollow membrane filter (5) associated with an end thereof. The described methods can be used for extracting genomic DNA from cells but are particularly suitable for extracting plasmid DNA from microorganisms.

The application of recombinant DNA technology frequently involves the use of plasmids or cosmids in the cloning or manipulation of the target DNA. Typically, plasmids or cosmids are amplified by culturing micro-organisms harbouring plasmid or cosmid and ultimately extracting the plasmid or cosmid DNA from the culture. Purification of the extracted DNA is often required.
While automated or semi-automated procedures have been developed for some recombinant DNA techniques, particularly DNA purification and sequencing, many methods are still carried out manually. This is particularly the case for plasmid DNA extraction methods. Conventional methods, such as lysis by alkali or lysis by boiling (see Sambook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2nd Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989) comprise a number of steps, the success of which rely on the skill of the worker. Repetitive application of such methods can thus lead to variation in the outcome of the procedures in the hands of an inexperienced worker.
It is often the case that plasmid or cosmid DNA must be extracted from a number of different cultures. Since micro-titre plates are used in some recombinant DNA techniques, it can be the case that extraction of DNA from hundreds of different cultures is desired. Conventional extraction procedures are not amenable to automation, or even semi-automation. Consequently, extraction of plasmid or cosmid DNA from a large number of individual cultures can constitute a time consuming and labour intensive operation.
There is therefore a need for a method which can be used to extract plasmid or cosmid DNA from cultures of micro-organisms which is simpler and more reproducible than existing procedures. There is also a need for an extraction method which is amenable to automation so that large numbers of cultures can be processed.
Similarly, the application of recombinant DNA technology and DNA analysis involves the use of genomic DNA from animal blood and other body fluids. Conventional methods such as extraction with organic solvents (see Sambook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2nd Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989) comprise a number of steps, the success of which rely on the skill of the worker. Repetitive application of such methods can thus lead to variation in the outcome of the procedures in the hands of an inexperienced worker.
It is often the case that genomic DNA must be extracted from large numbers of samples. This is particularly the case for use of DNA in the polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing. Since microtitre plates are used in some recombinant DNA and genetic analysis techniques, it can be the case that DNA from hundreds of samples is required.
There is therefore a need for a method which can be used to extract genomic DNA from blood and other body fluids which is simpler and more reproducible than existing procedures. There is also a need for an extraction method which is amenable to automation so that large numbers of samples can be processed.


An illumination system for an aircraft interior has an illumination source. An optical module is coupled to the illumination source. The optical module collects the light emissions from the light source and distributes the collected light over a desired area with a specified intensity profile.

Embodiments of this disclosure relate generally to lighting systems, and more particularly, to an interior illumination and lighting system for passenger cabins in airplanes using micro lens array optics.
In the past, conventional passenger aircraft illumination systems may have used fluorescent and incandescent light sources. However, light emitting diode (LED) based lighting systems may offer several advantages over such conventional systems. These may include smaller source size, lower electrical power consumption, lower weight, and longer operating lifetimes. Thus, presently, many passenger cabins may use illumination systems based on LEDs.
Typical airplane cabin architecture use elongated shapes arranged longitudinally in a manner of continuous strings. It is desirable in the general cabin lighting to have a uniform illumination of the architectural elements. Existing general lighting systems found in the aircraft main cabin may be designed to match architectural features dimensionally in order to achieve a uniform illumination of a desired pattern. Thus existing general lighting applications may make use of continuous linear arrangements of multiple elongated fixtures each of which is based on linear arrays of numerous LEDs.
Aircraft interior lighting usually includes dedicated lighting applications such as task and area lighting. These applications generally utilize mostly spot and flood types of lighting fixtures shining on a specific area or isolated target. Another type of lighting applications is feature lighting. These applications often require complex illumination patterns or close match between the light beam shape and illumination target. Both dedicated and feature lighting may use single LED designs as well as arrays of plural LEDs depending on specific function of the fixture.
All cabin lighting applications assume certain degree of collection of light radiation from the source and redirection of the light towards the illumination target.
Present designs of LED fixtures used in the aircraft interior illumination provide limited control over the spatial distribution of light, which may result in light radiated in undesired directions. Such unwanted light is usually blocked and therefore lost for the purpose of illumination. This loss of light output may need to be compensated by oversizing the lighting system which may lead to increase in weight, cost and energy consumption. Furthermore, the design based on linear LED array may impose certain limitation on the cabin architecture and may increase costs due to the dimensional dependence between a fixture and underlying structural element to which that fixture is attached.
Another implication of the limited control over spatial distribution of light may be inadequate illumination pattern such as uneven light level, dark and hot spots, superfluous illumination. This inadequacy may be especially detrimental for the dedicated and feature lighting applications. One prominent example is a passenger reading light that produces excessively wide light cone that may encroach in to other passengers' space.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method that allows for better utilization of a light output produced by a LED source.

Aircraft interior lighting system using structured micro lens arrays


According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a first metal nitride film on a side surface of a hole extending in a stacking direction in a stacked body. The method includes forming a second metal nitride film on upper and lower surfaces of second layers and a side surface of the first metal nitride film. The method includes forming metal layers in first air gaps inside the second metal nitride film. The method includes removing the second layers and forming second air gaps between the metal layers. The method includes removing the first metal nitride film exposed to the second air gaps and dividing the first metal nitride film in the stacking direction.

A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional memory device is proposed. The method includes replacing a sacrifice layer with a metal layer after forming a columnar section including a charge storage film and a semiconductor body in a stacked body. The stacked body includes an insulating layer and the sacrifice layer alternately stacked. In such a replace process, a method is also proposed, forming a metal layer via a metal nitride film on an inner surface of an air gap between insulating layers formed by removing the sacrifice layer. With increase of the metal nitride film thickness, the metal layer thickness becomes thin relatively. The metal nitride film is provided also between the columnar section and the metal layer, and functions as a barrier metal. The barrier metal is required to have a thickness sufficient for diffusion prevention of elements contained in the metal layer to the columnar section.

Method for manufacturing semiconductor device


It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a display device, which can display images favorably by insulating a short-circuit portion between an anode and a cathode. Further, it is another object of the invention to provide a method of manufacturing a display device, which can prevent intrusion of moisture so as to inhibit deterioration of a light emitting element when the short-circuit portion between the anode and the cathode is insulated. Specifically, the invention provide a method of manufacturing a display device, wherein a reverse bias voltage is applied to the light emitting element including an electro-luminescent material between the anode and the cathode so as to insulate the short-circuit portion between the anode and the cathode at a temperature of from −40° C. to 8° C., more preferably, from −25° C. to 8° C.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a display device having a light emitting element. The present invention further relates to a manufacturing apparatus for a display device.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, a display device using a light emitting element, which is represented by an electro-luminescence (EL) element and the like, has been researched and developed as substitute for a liquid crystal display device. The display device has such advantages as high definition, wide viewing angle, thinness, and lightness because of the self-luminous type. By making use of these benefits, the display device has been expected to be applied to various fields. The light emitting element has a structure in which one layer or a plurality of layers composed of various materials (hereinafter referred to as an electro-luminescent layer) is interposed between a pair of electrodes.
FIG. 11A shows a cross sectional structure of a light emitting layer 22 in which an electro-luminescent layer 11 is interposed between an anode 10 and a cathode 12. The light emitting element 22 has four short-circuit portions 13 to 16. In the short-circuit portions 13 and 14, the anode 10 is shorted to the cathode 12 since an extraneous substance (waste) 17 is adhered to the anode 10. In the short-circuit portion 15, the anode 10 is shorted to the cathode 12 since a pin hole is formed in the electro-luminescent layer 11 due to the formation of a microscopic projection in the anode 10 when the anode is formed. In the short-circuit portion 16, the anode 10 is shorted to the cathode 12 since a pin hole is caused in the electro-luminescent layer 11 due to an uneven surface of the electro-luminescent layer 11.
FIGS. 11B and 11C are top views of a pixel portion 102, wherein a plurality of pixels 101, each of which includes a light emitting element 22, is arranged in matrix. When the short-circuit portions 15 and 16 are formed in several pixels 101 or the extraneous substance 17 is adhered to several pixels 101 in the pixel portion 102 as shown in the drawings, the short-circuit portions are formed between the anode and the cathode such that a current path 24 is formed in each short-circuit portion as illustrated an equivalent circuit diagram of FIG. 11D. In the pixels where such defects are caused, light emission and non-light emission of the pixels are not carried out according to signals. Accordingly, a phenomenon in which an entire device does not emit light since almost all the electric current flows through the short-circuit portions can be caused. Or, a phenomenon in which light emission or non-light emission of a certain pixel is not performed can be caused. These phenomena result in a problem, in which images are not favorably displayed. Therefore, there is a method of manufacturing and repairing a display device, which can display images favorably (see patent document 1). [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-190390
The light emitting element is deteriorated due to various factors. As substances for promoting the deterioration of the light emitting element, for example, moisture is cited. In order to prevent the moisture from intruding into the light emitting element, a sealing treatment is generally carried out to the light emitting element under an inert gas atmosphere.

Method for manufacturing display device and manufacturing apparatus

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A method for reducing randoms variance in a Positron Emission Tomograph (PET) or Positron Emission Tomograph combined with another Medical Imaging device is disclosed. An average of an element of the randoms event (delayeds) sinogram may be estimated by dividing fan sums in delayeds sinogram by singles rates taken from headers of the delayeds sinogram.

Random coincidences are a significant source of noise in, for example, PET. The raw data collected by a PET scanner may be a list of coincidence events representing near-simultaneous detection of annihilation photons by a pair of detectors. Each coincidence event represents a line in space connecting two detectors along which the positron emission occurred. This line may be referred to as the line of response (LOR).
Coincidence events can be sorted into groups of LORs, called sinograms, that represent projection views through the radionuclide distribution within the object being scanned. The sinograms may be sorted by the angle of each view around the axis of the scanner, as well as its tilt with respect to this axis, the latter in the case of 3D acquisitions. A normal PET data set has millions of counts for the whole acquisition, which may include a large component of undesirable scatter and random events. Considerable pre-processing of the data may be required, for example, correction for random coincidences, estimation and subtraction of scattered photons, detector dead-time correction (after the detection of a photon, the detector must "cool down" again) and detector-sensitivity correction (for both inherent detector sensitivity and changes in sensitivity due to angle of incidence).
Consequently, there is considerable interest in developing methods and algorithms that reduce the data variance due to, for example, random coincidence correction. To arrive at the true events in a PET scanner, a subtraction of the random coincidences, measured using a delayed, or offset, coincidence window, from measured prompt coincidence events may be done. However, since random coincidences are statistically uncorrelated with the prompt coincidences, this subtraction will cause a random noise variance to be added to the corrected measured events. The amount of noise added during this correction will be proportional to the noise in the random coincidence estimate used. Thus this subtraction may make methods reducing noise in the estimated random coincidences attractive.
In view of the discussion above, there may be a need to provide a method and a system allowing for reduction of randoms variance. Further, these systems and methods should preferably be easy to implement and/or fast to compute.
It is always sought to improve the image quality in tomography. Consequently, a system and method reducing randoms variance may improve the final image quality in tomography.
Additionally, it may be desirable to provide a system and method that allows for a more accurate and precise reduction of randoms variance. A more accurate and precise reduction of randoms variance may be desirable from an economical and/or technical perspective.

Hybrid method for randoms variance reduction


An apparatus configured to control transmission of wireless energy supplied to an electrically operable medical device adapted to be implanted in a mammal patient, is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an external energy source, an internal energy receiver located inside the patient and being adapted to receive the wireless energy, a stabilizing unit adapted to stabilize the wirelessly received energy in the electrically operable medical device, and a control unit comprising at least one of an internal control unit and an external control unit.

Medical devices, designed to be implanted in a patient's body, are typically operated by means of electrical power. Such medical devices include electrical and mechanical stimulators, motors, pumps, etc, which are designed to support or stimulate various body functions. Electrical power can be supplied to such an implanted medical device from a likewise implanted battery or from an external energy source that can supply any needed amount of electrical power intermittently or continuously without requiring repeated surgical operations.
An external energy source can transfer wireless energy to an implanted internal energy receiver located inside the patient and connected to the medical device for supplying received energy thereto. So-called TET (Transcutaneous Energy Transfer) devices are known that can transfer wireless energy in this manner. Thereby, no leads or the like penetrating the skin need to be used for connecting the medical device to an external energy source, such as a battery.
A TET device typically comprises an external energy source including a primary coil adapted to inductively transfer any amount of wireless energy, by inducing voltage in a secondary coil of an internal energy receiver which is implanted preferably just beneath the skin of a patient. The highest transfer efficiency is obtained when the primary coil is positioned close to the skin adjacent to and in alignment with the secondary coil, i.e. when a symmetry axis of the primary coil is parallel to that of the secondary coil.
Typically, the amount of energy required to operate an implanted medical device may vary over time depending on the operational characteristics of the device. For example, the device may be designed to switch on and off at certain intervals, or otherwise change its behavior, in order to provide a suitable electrical or mechanical stimulation, or the like. Such operational variations will naturally result in corresponding variations with respect to the amount of required energy.
Furthermore, the position of the external energy source relative to the implanted internal energy receiver is a factor that affects the efficiency of the energy transfer, which highly depends on the distance and relative angle between the source and the receiver. For example, when primary and secondary coils are used, changes in coil spacing result in a corresponding variation of the induced voltage. During operation of the medical device, the patient's movements will typically change the relative spacing of the external source and the internal receiver arbitrarily such that the transfer efficiency greatly varies.
If the transfer efficiency becomes low, the amount of energy supplied to the medical device may be insufficient for operating the device properly, so that its action must be momentarily stopped, naturally disturbing the intended medical effect of the device.
On the other hand, the energy supplied to the medical device may also increase drastically, if the relative positions of the external source and the internal receiver change in a way that unintentionally increases the transfer efficiency. This situation can cause severe problems since the implant cannot "consume" the suddenly very high amount of supplied energy. Unused excessive energy must be absorbed in some way, resulting in the generation of heat, which is highly undesirable. Hence, if excessive energy is transferred from the external energy source to the internal energy receiver, the temperature of the implant will increase, which may damage the surrounding tissue or otherwise have a negative effect on the body functions. It is generally considered that the temperature in the body should not increase more than three degrees to avoid such problems.
It is thus highly desirable to always supply the right amount of energy to an implanted medical device, in order to ensure proper operation and/or to avoid increased temperature. Various methods are known for controlling the amount of transferred energy in response to different conditions in the receiving implant. However, the presently available solutions for controlling the wireless transfer of energy to implanted medical devices are lacking in precision in this respect.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,874 discloses a TET system in which the amount of transmitted energy from a primary coil is controlled in response to an indication of measured characteristics of a secondary coil, such as load current and voltage. The transmitted energy can be controlled by varying the current and voltage in the primary coil, transmission frequency or coil dimensions. In particular, a change is effected in the saturation point of the magnetic field between the coils, in order to adjust the power transfer efficiency. However, it is not likely that this solution will work well in practice, since a saturation point in the human tissue would not occur, given the magnetic field levels that are possible to use. Moreover, if the energy transmission must be increased considerably, e.g. to compensate for losses due to variations in alignment and/or spacing between the coils, the relatively high radiation generated may be damaging or unhealthy or unpleasant to the patient, as is well known.
An effective solution is thus needed for accurately controlling the amount of transferred energy to an implanted medical device to ensure proper operation thereof. Moreover, excessive energy transfer resulting in raised temperature at the medical device, and/or power surges should be avoided, in order to avoid tissue damages and other unhealthy or unpleasant consequences for the patient.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for supplying energy to a medical device


A liquid application device and an inkjet recording apparatus are capable of reducing nonuniformity in application of liquid onto a recording medium, and thereby forming high-quality images on a steady basis. In the present invention, information indicating the lapse of time after the previous circulation operation is obtained. Subsequently, based on the obtained information indicating the lapse of time, a preliminary circulation sequence is determined. Finally, the preliminary circulation sequence is performed based on the determined preliminary circulation sequence.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid application device and an inkjet recording apparatus, and particularly to a liquid application device for applying liquid to a medium for a certain purpose which is, for example, to promote the coagulation of pigment when recording is carried out using an ink which contains the pigment as a coloring material. The present invention also relates particularly to an inkjet recording apparatus which includes a mechanism for applying liquid to a recording medium used in inkjet recording, for a purpose which is, for example, to promote the coagulation of pigment when recording is carried out using an ink containing the pigment as a coloring material.
2. Description of the Related Art
As modes of widely applying liquid or liquid material to a medium, spin coaters, roll coaters, bar coaters, and die coaters are known. These application modes are adopted on the assumption that the application is consecutively performed to a relatively long application medium. As a result, when application media with a relatively small size are intermittently fed, and the application is performed to these media, the problem can occur that a uniform coating film cannot be obtained due to the irregularities of beads of coating material at the start or the end point of the application, for example.
As a configuration capable of solving such a problem, one which is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-070858 is known. This is a die-coater type, in which a rotating rod bar is used, and coating material is discharged from a discharging slit to the rod bar to form a coating film on the rod bar. The formed coating film is brought into contact with an application medium and is transferred thereto as the rod bar rotates. When the coating film formed on the rod bar is not transferred or applied to an application medium, the coating material returns into the head as the rod bar rotates, and the material is collected via a collection slit. In other words, even when the application is not carried out, the rod bar keeps rotating, and the coating material remains forming a coating film on the rod bar. In this way, it is made possible to obtain a uniform coating film even when the application media are intermittently supplied, and the application is intermittently performed thereto.
Among inkjet recording apparatuses, one which utilizes a liquid application mechanism is known. According to the description in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-517341, a doctor blade abutting a roller is used, coating liquid is stored between the blade and the roller, and the coating liquid is applied to the roller as the roller rotates. As the roller rotates, the applied coating liquid is transferred or applied to a base material transferred between this roller and another roller. Also in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 8-072227 (1996), shown is a mechanism which previously applies a treatment liquid insolubilizing dyes before recording, in an inkjet recording apparatus. The description of the first example in this document discloses that the treatment liquid in a replenishing tank adheres to a rotating roller and is thus pumped, and, at the same time, the pumped treatment liquid is applied to a recording paper.
However, with regard to the configurations described in the above documents, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-70858, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-517341 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 8-72227 (1996), the rod bar or the roller rotates, and the application liquid is applied or supplied to the surface of the bar or the roller, in which the area where the application or supply is performed, is opened to or communicates with the atmosphere. For this reason, there arises the problem of vaporization of the application liquid. In addition, there is a possibility that the problem can occur that, when the position of the apparatus changes, this results in the leakage of the application liquid.
Among others, with regard to the inkjet recording apparatuses, such as printers, with the leakage of the liquid due to the position change at the time of carrying taken into consideration, it is difficult to apply the application mechanism described in the above documents to downsized apparatuses.
Meanwhile, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 8-058069 (1996), disclosed is a gravure printing machine having a configuration in which the area is sealed off where ink as the application liquid is applied or supplied to a roller which has a print pattern formed on the surface thereof. With regard to this apparatus, an ink chamber having two doctor blades is brought into contact with the circumferential surface of the roller to form a liquid room (an ink reservoir) between the chamber and the roller.
In the apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 8-58069 (1996), a pump is provided between an ink tank to store ink and the liquid room. The ink in the ink tank is pumped into the liquid room by the pump, so that the ink is supplied from the ink tank to the liquid room. In addition, the ink in the liquid room is sent to a receiving tank which receives the ink discharged from the liquid room.
In that occasion, in a case where the apparatus has been stopped for a long time period, thickening or sticking of the application liquid due to vaporization and precipitation thereof sometimes occurs in the ink room and in a flow channel for sending ink to the ink room. However, with respect to this problem of thickening and sticking of the application liquid in the flow channel, there is no mention in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H08-58069 A.
In a case where the application liquid has vaporized in the channel and thereby has thickened or stuck therein, circulation of the application liquid is sometimes hindered. As a result it is sometimes made difficult to perform favorable circulation to the extent that reliability of the application device can be maintained. For example, when the thickening has occurred in the ink room, viscosity of the liquid to be applied has become higher than usual. In a case where an adequate application has been hindered thereby, partial nonuniformity in the application is sometimes generated. There is concern that this nonuniformity adversely affects the image to be printed eventually such as mottling.

Liquid application device and inkjet recording apparatus