There is a transparent armor system. The system comprises a transparent front region comprising a strike-face layer. The front region includes a mass of a type of material characterized by having sufficient energy absorption capacity and energy dissipation properties to reduce radial tensile stresses and hoop tensile stresses caused by an impact at the strike face to a set reduced level. The impact has impact energy caused by an impact projectile having a mass hitting the strike-face layer. The system further comprises a transparent back region comprising a potassium-sodium exchanged glass characterized by having a surface compression of at least about 50,000 psi and a compression case depth of at least about 200 microns. The potassium-sodium exchanged glass is present in one of a layer and a plurality of layers in the back region. There are also associated methods of making and methods of using.

Transparent armor is a sub-set of ballistic armor. Ballistic armor is generally designed to provide protection of personnel and equipment from ballistic projectiles, explosive ordnance, and forces and objects from detonation of improvised explosive devices (collectively hereinafter "projectiles"). One purpose for ballistic armor, including transparent armor, is to provide a means of disbursing the kinetic energy of projectiles to prevent them from reaching their target. Although this may be accomplished by interposing a large mass of any of a number of different materials between the target and the incoming projectile, experience has shown that a much more efficient means of energy disbursement is provided by suitably engineered ballistic armor structures wherein layers of different materials act to disrupt and disperse the energy of an incoming projectile. Such structures strive to maximize the amount of material which may be acted upon to absorb and disburse the energy of the projectile, while at the same time breaking or deforming the projectile and distributing these resulting fragments into a wider area. Such structures further strive to minimize the total amount of materials required for the protection of a specific area.
Ballistic armor structures generally contain one or more layers of material engineered to spread the force of the impact by deforming, deflecting, or fragmenting the ballistic projectile while the ballistic armor itself may undergo deformation or localized fragmentation. The deformation and localized fragmentation processes of the ballistic armor structure absorb a large portion of energy from the projectile while simultaneously spreading the impacted area to involve more material in successive layers. Both hardness and toughness of the ballistic armor structure are required for these functions.
In the field of ballistic armor structures, the initial layer of material used to disrupt the incoming ballistic projectile is often referred to as the "strike face", or alternatively, the "hard face". The strike face is typically a layer of relatively hard and tough material designed to deform, and in some cases fragment or blunt, to absorb at least some of the energy of the incoming projectile, thereby distributing the projectile's energy. Following the strike face, there are commonly other layers specifically designed to absorb the remaining energy of the impacting material and pieces of the previous strike face. These layers are, often referred to as the "backing" or "back layers".
The process of energy absorption and disbursement of the incoming projectile by the ballistic armor structure is generally intended to result in deformation, displacement and/or localized fracture of the strike face, and deformation and/or displacement of the baking, but without penetration through the ballistic armor structure by any fragments of the ballistic projectile. Selection of materials for these distinct functions and attention to construction and coupling of the various layers is often used to optimize performance of the ballistic armor structure for an intended use.
Great advances have been made in selection of materials for optimizing the performance of ballistic armor structures. Use of high-strength, hard, and in some cases "tough" ceramics like aluminum oxide, boron carbide, titanium diboride and silicon carbide for the strike face; and rigid or soft laminates of fibrous materials such as fiberglass, aramid, or polyethylene fiber for the backing have greatly reduced the mass and bulk of protective structures. These advances, unfortunately, have not been readily applicable to those areas where a transparent protective structure is required. The high-strength, hard ceramics and the laminated fibrous backing materials are not transparent; and so none are adaptable to transparent protective structures.
The need for transparency in transparent armor substantially limits possible choices of materials for fabrication of the strike face of transparent protective systems, especially if aerial density is a factor. Although recent advances have been demonstrated in use of crystalline or highly processed materials such as, hot-pressed spinel, aluminum oxynitride (ALON) ceramics, or melt grown aluminum oxide (sapphire) crystal sheets for the strike face, manufacturing cost and other limitations would seem to restrict their use in many applications, or to limit their utilization to serving as just a strike face layer in an overall transparent armor system.
One common material used for fabrication of the strike face in transparent armor is borosilicate float glass or soda lime glass, a material which is neither very hard, nor very tough, and which has a relatively high specific density. This results in the need to greatly increase the aerial mass and bulk of transparent armors in order to preserve effectiveness against projectiles. Such increase in aerial mass and bulk ultimately results in a conventional transparent armor having an increased weight per level of protection provided by the transparent armor.
A similar situation exists in regard to the materials used in the backing layers. The fibrous laminates traditionally used in the backing layers of ballistic armor structures are not transparent. Traditional backing and fragment catching layers for transparent armor are often un-reinforced sheets of polyacrylic or polycarbonate polymer, although some advances have been made in the use of optimized copolymer compositions for these layers. Thus, for most transparent armor applications, the common solution is a strike face of multiple layers of borosilicate float glass with a backup layer or layers of a polymer sheet to catch fragments, bound together with a conventional transparent adhesive.
Another approach has been to utilize a strike face layer of one of the harder materials, such as a spinel, an ALON ceramic or a sapphire and to use borosilicate float glass or soda lime glass in the backing layers. However, even this approach has limitations when the transparent armor system is challenged by a large and/or high velocity projectile or by multiple hits from multiple projectiles.
When an ordinary glass plate, such as those used in the previously-developed transparent armor systems described above, is impacted by a high velocity projectile, fractures may be created at both the impacted surface as well as the back surface. The front surface cracks are Hertzian in origin where the response of the material varies with the extent of penetration. During penetration, the impacted material is compressed as well as sheared aside. At the edge of the plastically densified region, the (radial) "bearing stress" often creates a ring crack which commonly propagates into a fracture cone through the thickness. At greater indentation, the plastic shearing often generates hoop stresses which, in turn, can give rise to radial cracks ("Palmqvist cracks") originating from the edge of the sheared zone on the top surface. Median cracks commonly appear at the lower edges of the densified region. During elastic recovery after projectile impact, the Palmqvist cracks and the median cracks commonly meet up to produce "half-penny" cracks. Additionally, lateral cracks at the lower edge of the densified region are often generated. When impacted by a blunt projectile, material under the impact in a transparent armor system may densify without much shearing. The traveling stress wave on the surface ("Rayleigh wave") often generates high radial stresses which progressively produce concentric cracks.
The compression and shear waves that travel in-line through the glass in the back layers of the transparent armor reflect from the back surface to become tensile waves. These, then, produce tensile stresses which are the highest at the back surface of the last non-polymer ply in the transparent armor. The glass is bent outwards, often leading to large cracks generated at the back surface. In glass having a modulus of rupture (MOR) of 35 MPa, as with glasses in previously developed transparent armor system, it is no surprise that, in the baseline configurations made using seven plys of 9.5 mm soda lime silicate (SLS) float glass (e.g., STARFIRE® by PPG), nearly all of the back glass plys usually show extensive cracking which, in turn, greatly reduces visibility.
A substitute material to SLS could potentially be of great benefit in terms of maintaining integrity of the back plys to maintain transparency in a transparent armor system challenged by a large and/or high velocity projectile or by multiple hits from multiple projectiles. In addition, it would be useful to provide a transparent armor system that reduces areal density (AD). Such a transparent armor system would be particularly useful if it could be achieved without merely resorting to utilizing only the costly harder materials, such as spinel, ALON ceramic or sapphire.
Given the foregoing, what is needed are transparent armor systems with improved properties to preserve transparency in a transparent armor system challenged by a large and/or high velocity projectile or by multiple hits from multiple projectiles, without the above-identified limitations of previously-developed transparent armor systems.

Transparent armor systems, methods for making and methods for using


An object of this invention is to provide an ink jet printing apparatus that can detect a state causing a printing operation failure without adding a sensor and also enhance the ease of handling on the part of the user while keeping an apparatus cost from rising. For this purpose, in a serial type ink jet printing apparatus, a travel range in which the print head can be moved is detected and it is decided whether the detected travel range is a proper travel range. When, for example, the travel range is determined to be less than a preset range, it is decided that there is an obstacle in a path of the print head and a decision result is displayed. When the travel range is determined to be a certain range, it is decided that the ink tank is not properly mounted on the print head and the corresponding indication is made.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet printing apparatus of a so-called serial type which performs a printing operation by moving a print head in a main scan direction and also moving a print medium in a subscan direction crossing the main scan direction, and more particularly to an ink jet printing apparatus capable of easily detecting the condition of use of the printing apparatus and a method of controlling the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A common serial type ink jet printing apparatus mounts one or more print heads on a carriage that moves in the main scan direction and also removably mounts on the print heads ink tanks accommodating inks to be supplied to the respective print heads. In the ink jet printing apparatus with the ink tanks removably mounted on the print heads, when the ink tanks run out of inks, the inks can be replenished by replacing the old tanks with new tanks filled with inks, facilitating their handling on the part of user.
One conventionally known construction for removably mounting ink tanks on print heads engages a part of each ink tank in a groove formed in the associated print head. In this construction, fitting a part of each ink tank in the groove formed in the associated print head can bring a liquid supply port formed at a bottom of each ink tank into hermetic engagement with an ink receiving port that communicates with a common liquid chamber of the print head. In this type of ink jet printing apparatus, the ink tanks must engage the corresponding print heads properly for supply of ink from the ink tanks to the print heads.
To meet this requirement, conventional ink jet printing apparatus employ a detection means, such as a sensor or switch, to determine whether or not the ink tanks are properly mounted to a mounting portion of the associated print head in order to alert the user when any tank is not properly mounted.
However, such a switch or sensor detects only the mounted state of ink tanks and does not detect any other conditions. Thus, from the standpoint of cost performance, such a detection means is not normally used in relatively inexpensive apparatus. In conventional apparatus therefore, any improper mounting of an ink tank at the start of the use of the apparatus or during an ink tank replacement results in ink failing to be supplied to the associated print head, which in turn causes an ink ejection failure of the print head.
In the serial type ink jet printing apparatus., a trouble may occur in which an obstacle present in a carriage path blocks a proper movement of the carriage.
For example, the user may inadvertently start using a printing apparatus without removing a protective material inserted in the apparatus for its protection during shipping. If power is initially turned on with the protective material (obstacle) left in the carriage path, a reference position of a print head is determined at a wrong position, which prevents the print head position from being recognized correctly in subsequent printing operations. In that case, a print medium fails to be fed at a correct timing with respect to the reciprocal movement of the print head, making it impossible to produce a desired printing operation.
To reliably prevent such a trouble, it is necessary to check for any obstacle present in the carriage path by using a sensor. This sensor, however, is not normally used in inexpensive printing apparatus and the resolving of this problem is entirely left to the user's careful handling during unpacking.

Ink jet printing apparatus and method of controlling ink jet printing apparatus


The present invention relates to a series of novel amido silicone functional taurine derivatives, useful in softening hair, and fiber and conditioning skin. The compounds of the present invention are prepared by the reaction of a carboxy silicone with a taurine derivative to produce novel surface active materials useful in personal care applications like soap bars.

(1) Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a series of novel silicone derivatives of taurine having a fatty amido group present within the molecule. These materials are surface active silicone compounds which are useful in a personal care and related applications.
Since the compounds of the present invention are high molecular weight silicone polymers, they have a high degree of oxidative stability, even at elevated temperatures. In addition, these compounds are non volatile and non irritating to eyes and skin.
The compounds of the present invention are prepared by the reaction of a carboxy silicone with taurine.
(2) Object of the Invention
It is the object of the present invention to provide a series of novel silicone amido taurine polymers, which are substantive to skin and hair and useful in making soap bars.
This substantivity results in superior softening, conditioning and antistatic properties and results in a slick feeling soap bar.
It is another objective of the current invention to provide an amido silicone taurine derivatives which are nonirritating surface active agents. The compounds of the present invention have very low irritation values when applied to skin and eyes. Irritation is a major problem with traditional surfactants.
Application of the compounds of the invention can be from solvent, aqueous dispersion or solution, or applied neat in these process. It is anticipated that the effective conditioning concentration of the compound of this invention ranges from 0.1% to 25% by weight.
(3) Description of the Arts and Practices
Silicone oils (polydimethylsiloxane) have been known to be active at the surface of plastic, cellulosic and synthetic fibers as well as paper. Despite the fact that they are lubricants that are stable to oxidation, their high cost and lack of durability has made them cost prohibitive in most application areas. Silicone oils need to be emulsified prior to application. This requires high pressure equipment, surface active agents and generally results in a milky emulsion. Emulsions have experienced stability problems both in terms of freeze thaw instability and upon heating. This has resulted in minimal acceptance of them in commercial products.
The low efficiency of silicone oils is due to the fact that the oil is very water insoluble. Emulsions are generally prepared which contain silicone dispersed in micelles. While this method of application is easier for processing, much of the oil stays in the surfactant micelle and never gets deposited on the fiber. That which does deposit on the fiber surface remains there by hydrophobic binding, not ionic bonding. Since the polydimethylsiloxane is not bonded the effect is very transient. The product is removed with one washing. Taurine derivatives are known to those skilled in the art. Taurine conforms to the following structure: EQU R--N--(CH.sub.2).sub.2 --SO3 M
wherein R is alkyl, and M is a metal ion preferably an alkali metal such as sodium, potassium, ammonium or lithium.
None of the above incorporate silicone into compound. Consequently, the unique softening and substantivity properties achieved using the compounds of the present invention are not realized with the above technologies.


A fixing device for heating and pressing a recording medium carrying an unfixed toner image or an unfixed ink image to fix the unfixed toner image or the unfixed ink image on the recording medium, includes a heating roller which has a heating source and has an endless peripheral surface moves around an axis, a pressure roller which is pressed onto the peripheral surface of the heating roller, and presses the recording medium passing between the pressure roller and the heating roller onto the peripheral surface of the heating roller, and plural cleaning sections which are provided to make contact with the heating roller. At least one of the cleaning sections is set, at a portion making contact with the heating roller, to have a relatively negative potential with respect to a surface potential of the heating roller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing device used in an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copier or a facsimile for heating and pressing an unfixed toner image or an unfixed ink image carried on a recording medium, to fix the image on the recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the image forming apparatus for forming a visible image with a sticking toner, a fixing device widely used for fixing the toner image on the recording medium includes a heating roller and a pressure roller. In this fixing device, the heating roller and the pressure roller are pressed to make contact each other so that the unfixed toner image is heated/pressed onto the recording medium by interposing the recording medium carrying the toner image into their contacting portion (or a nip portion). The heating roller to be mostly used in such fixing device includes a hollow core of aluminum and a heater disposed in the core, and is coated on its surface with a fluorine-containing resin or the like having an excellent releasing property.
When the recording medium carrying the unfixed toner passes through the aforementioned nip portion of the fixing device, a phenomenon that a portion of the unfixed toner on the recording medium may stick to a surface of the heating roller, that is, the offset may occur. If this toner offset occurs, the image may partially miss, or the offset toner may stick to the coming next recording medium thereby to blot the image.
Besides, the cause for the toner to offset on the heating roller has been newly found to come from the following mechanism.
A kind of the cut paper to be used as the recording medium contains calcium carbonate as the filler. When the recording medium containing the calcium carbonate is clamped and transferred by the nip portion, at which the heating roller and the pressure roller abut against each other, the calcium carbonate sticks as the paper dust to the surface layer of the heating roller. This calcium carbonate is liable to be charged in a positive polarity so that the offset of the toner is induced if the calcium carbonate sticks to the surface of the heating roller.
In most of the related arts, moreover, the heating roller is set to have a potential of the same negative polarity as that of the toner so that an electric repulsive force is generated between the heating roller and the toner charged to the negative polarity thereby to prevent the offset of the toner. If, therefore, the paper containing the calcium carbonate is used as the recording medium, the paper dust of the calcium carbonate or the like charged in the positive polarity is so electrostatically attracted to the surface layer of the heating roller set to have the potential of the negative polarity that it easily sticks to the surface layer. The paper dust of the calcium carbonate or the like having stuck to the surface of the heating roller raises the surface potential of the heating roller so that the toner charged to the negative polarity is electrostatically attracted by the heating roller thereby to cause its offset.
At the nip portion where the heating roller and the pressure roller are pressed to make contact each other, on the other hand, the back of the recording medium, i.e., the surface opposed to the surface on which the toner image is carried, is directly pressed onto the peripheral surface of the pressure roller. If the recording medium is the paper containing the calcium carbonate, much paper dust of the calcium carbonate or the like having the charge of the positive polarity sticks to the back of the recording medium so that it transfers to the surface of the pressure roller when it passes through the nip portion. The paper dust having stuck to the pressure roller transfers to the heating roller abutting against the pressure roller. The paper dust of the calcium carbonate or the like raises, if much having stuck to the surface of the heating roller, the surface potential so that the unfixed toner charged in the negative polarity on the recording medium is electrostatically attracted and transferred to the heating roller thereby to cause the offset of the toner.
Although the device for fixing the toner image has been described on its problems, the printer using ink, the ink jet type image forming apparatus and the like may use a device for fixing the ink image early by inserting the recording medium between the circumferentially moving heating roller and the pressure roller to be pressed to make contact with the former, and by heating and pressing the recording medium so that the ink may be earlier fixed. This device is encountered by the offset of the ink image and by the blotting of the image, if much dust of the calcium carbonate sticks to the peripheral surface of the heating roller, which makes direct contact with the surface of the recording medium carrying the ink image.


The present disclosure provides a method of controlling an automatic engine stop of an automotive system, during a coasting phase. A dynamic speed threshold is calculated as a minimum value of a plurality of dynamic speed values. Each dynamic speed value is calculated as a function of an automotive system parameter such as a steering wheel angle, a steering wheel angle rate, a wheel speed difference, an antilock braking system status, or an electronic stability control status (p5) and/or a road condition such as road grade. The automatic engine stop is enabled when a vehicle speed is lower than the dynamic speed threshold.

It is known that many automotive systems are provided with a controller, normally an electronic control unit (ECU), which is configured to perform, among other functions, a "Stop & Start" (or simply S/S) function. By using this function, the ECU automatically shuts down and restarts the internal combustion engine to reduce the amount of time the engine spends idling, thereby reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
In particular, content of the roadmap of engine manufacturers, aimed to reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, is the extension of the "Stop & Start" potential using a "soft electrification" to meet Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) target, foreseen in 2020. CAFE are regulations in the United States, intended to improve the average fuel economy of cars and light trucks. An extended use of the "Stop & Start" function is realized, by stopping the engine not only if the vehicle speed is zero, but also if the vehicle is slowing down, practically when the vehicle speed is lower than a predetermined threshold. The enhanced S/S during coasting phase is called "Sailing". In other words, there is an ability of the vehicle to shut-off the engine at high vehicle speed, for example at 120 kph or about 75 mph.
In some situation, using the "Sailing" function can decrease drivability and handling of the vehicle. In fact, while during straight driving and flat road condition there is no issue; in real driving conditions the engine shutoff at high vehicle speed may not be desirable. Therefore, a need exists for a new method of controlling an automatic engine stop, which enables the "Sailing" function avoiding the above problems.

Method of controlling an automatic engine stop during coasting phase


A system and method are disclosed which enable a user to locate target data from a temporal broadcast of data. The system includes a transportable identifier that represents the target data. The identifier further includes metadata that provides sufficient information about the broadcast of the target data such that the target data can be acquired when broadcast. The transportable identifier further may be sent to one or more other users to enable such users to locate the broadcast of the target data. As a result, one or more users may employ identifiers to locate the broadcast of the target data and, in turn, monitor and/or store the target data from the temporal broadcast.

Information is distributed in a variety of ways, usually in dependence upon the type of information and the equipment being used to send and receive such information. For example, radio, television and cable networks distribute information by broadcasting signals over predetermined channels in corresponding media. Such broadcasters typically deliver programming according to fixed program schedules to enable users to receive desired program content. Despite best efforts, however, events sometime occur that cause programs to be shifted in time.
Multimedia information has been increasing with the evolution of the Internet and other communication infrastructures. Some multimedia information is available by downloading data files. Other multimedia applications require real-time communications of data, commonly referred to as streaming. While streaming data mitigates the need to completely download large files or take up large amounts of disk storage space to utilize the data, in a manner similar to conventional broadcasting, streaming presents various continuity issues. For example, the success associated with streaming data can vary depending on the available bandwidth and interruptions in the data stream.
In order to facilitate streaming of data over communication frameworks, such as the Internet, various protocols have been developed. For example, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) has developed enhanced Internet integrated service models, such as Resource ReServation Protocol (RSVP), Realtime Transport Protocol (RTP), and RealTime Streaming Protocol (RTSP). It is anticipated that these and other protocols will continue to evolve to facilitate realtime broadcast of data over the Internet. It is contemplated that the continued efforts also will continue to expand such broadcasts to wireless communication frameworks.

Transportable identifier and system and method to facilitate access to broadcast data


Provided is a control method for a robot system including: working units; and a robot having unit related processes that include moving between two of the working units and executing work. The control method includes: determining, in a case of detecting a first working unit that has come into a work required condition, whether an operation of the robot is stopped on a way from a current position to a position of a second working unit; stopping the operation of the robot on the way if determining that the operation of the robot is stopped on the way; and selecting a unit related process corresponding to a working unit other than the first working unit, moving the robot until the robot arrives at a position, and stopping the operation of the robot at the position, if determining that the operation of the robot is not stopped on the way.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control method for a robot system when an abnormality in a working unit that performs predetermined work is detected, and a robot system including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An articulated robot supplies a workpiece, and a working unit automatically performs predetermined work on the supplied workpiece. Generally, in such a case, if an abnormality occurs in the work performed by the working unit, the entire system is stopped, and a worker performs recovery work of the system. In the recovery work of the system, for example, the worker solves the occurring abnormality, then returns the system to an initial state thereof, and restarts the system. This requires enormous time. Hence, up to now, a robot system (robot apparatus) capable of recovery in a short time from abnormality occurrence has been desired.
Under the circumstances, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H07-164285 proposes a robot apparatus. In the robot apparatus, an operation of an articulated robot at the time of abnormality occurrence is stored, and the articulated robot is restarted from the stored operation after the worker solves the abnormality, whereby the recovery time is shortened.
Unfortunately, in the robot apparatus proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H07-164285, when the entire apparatus is stopped based on abnormality detection, the articulated robot may be an obstacle to a working unit in which the abnormality occurs, depending on the stopped position of the articulated robot, and the abnormality may be difficult to solve. Further, in this case, an abnormality solving process is performed by moving the articulated robot using a teaching pendant. Hence, after the abnormality is solved, the articulated robot needs to be returned to an operation started position, and the recovery time increases.

Control method for robot system and robot system


A method for detection of mechanical defects in a semiconductor ingot section which has at least one planar surface, and a thickness at right angles to this surface of 1 cm to 100 cm, involves scanning the planar surface by at least one ultrasound head which is coupled via a liquid coupling medium to the planar surface and, at each measurement point (x,y) producing at least one ultrasound pulse which is directed at the planar surface of the ingot section, recording the ultrasound-pulse echo as a function of time, such that an echo from the planar surface, an echo from a surface opposite the planar surface, and further echoes are detected, with the positions (xp, yp, zp) of mechanical defects in the ingot section being determined from the further echoes.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for detection of mechanical defects in an ingot section composed of semiconductor material.
2. Background Art
In microelectronics, wafers which are composed of a semiconductor material are used as substrates for the production of microelectronic components. Suitable materials are, for example, II/VI compound semiconductors, III/V compound semiconductors or element semiconductors such as germanium or the particularly useful silicon.
The semiconductor wafers are produced by first of all cutting a single-crystal semiconductor ingot into ingot sections with a length of several centimeters up to several tens of centimeters. These ingot sections are then cut into thin wafers with a thickness of about 1 millimeter. Single-crystal semiconductor ingots are produced either without the use of a crucible by means of the so-called float-zone (FZ) process, or by means of the Czochralski crucible-pulling method. Particularly in the case of the Czochralski crucible-pulling method, it is possible for gas bubbles to become trapped in the growing semiconductor ingot. These gas bubbles represent gas-filled cavities in the form of bubbles in the semiconductor ingot, and may have diameters from about 10 μm up to about 10 mm. These gas bubbles are in some cases cut into when the semiconductor ingot is being cut into wafers, so that they are visible on the surface of the semiconductor wafers. Defective semiconductor wafers such as these are segregated before delivery, and are not used for the production of microelectronic components.
Others of the gas bubbles are, however, not cut into during the cutting process, so that the gas bubbles remain as small cavities in the affected semiconductor wafers, although no defect is externally visible. If semiconductor wafers such as these are used for production of microelectronic components, then, depending on their position in the semiconductor wafer, the cavities can lead to failure of individual components, thus reducing the yield from component manufacture.
In order to avoid this, a test method has been used according to the prior art for semiconductor wafers composed of silicon, by means of which each individual completely processed semiconductor wafer is checked for the presence of cavities, before it is delivered and is used for production of components. This method is based on the illumination of one end of the semiconductor wafer with infrared radiation, and the measurement and imaging of the transmission, that is to say of the intensity of the transmitted radiation, on the other end of the semiconductor wafer. Infrared radiation is transmitted through the semiconductor material, with the light being refracted on the boundary surface of a cavity, leading to reduced transmission. This method can be used only for semiconductor materials through which infrared radiation can pass.
This method is applied to surfaces with little roughness, in order to avoid severe light scattering on the surface, and thus reduced transmission. This means that the semiconductor wafers cannot be examined directly after their production by cutting of the ingot sections, but only after further processing steps which smooth the surface, and in the extreme only after they have been polished at the end of the production process. Semiconductor wafers with cavities therefore have to pass through an unnecessarily large number of processing steps before they can be segregated and rejected. However, earlier segregation would be desirable, in order to avoid the costs associated with the processing of defective semiconductor wafers.
The previously described test method also is relatively costly, since it must be carried out on each individual semiconductor wafer. Furthermore, the described method is subject to further restrictions relating to the dopant content, since the light is absorbed by the charge carriers which are released as the dopant content increases, thus greatly reducing the transmitted light intensity.
An ultrasound test method is also known in the prior art, by means of which various mechanical defects are detected in different materials. Until now, the imaging of defects has been restricted to worksection thicknesses of a few millimeters, because the sensitivity of the method decreases at greater depths.
Scanning ultrasound microscopes in which a sample is scanned two-dimensionally by means of ultrasound and in which the sound waves that pass through or are reflected are processed in order to produce an image from them are known from the prior art, for example from DE2504988A1, and international patent application WO01/86281A1 discloses a scanning ultrasound microscope which produces three-dimensional images of a sample. In this case, the images are produced non-destructively, thus resulting in information about the internal structure of a sample. However, the prior art described above is not designed for high-speed data recording of the samples to be examined and for measurement of ingot sections with a length of up to 100 cm. Furthermore, the apparatuses according to the prior art have a limited throughput.

Method and appartus for detection of mechanical defects in an ingot piece composed of semiconductor material


A display apparatus includes a control circuit for outputting a timing signal for determining a predetermined time period and a clock signal counted to determine the length of a modulation signal. The display apparatus is capable of switching between a first state in which a first timing signal and a first clock signal are output, and a second state in which a second timing signal and a second clock signal are output. The first time period is shorter than the second time period, wherein the first time period is the predetermined time period determined by the first timing signal and the second time period is the predetermined time period determined by the second timing signal. The frequency of the first clock signal is higher than the frequency of the second clock signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus and a method for controlling the display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-338925 discloses a structure capable of switching control signals to a gate driver and a source driver in accordance with the type of image signal input to a thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD). The types of image signals referred to in this document conform to the National Television System Committee (NTSC), Phase Alternation by Line (PAL), or High Definition Television (HDTV) standard, in which the frame rates of the image signals differ (FIG. 7).

Display apparatus and method for controlling the same


A probe for an atomic force microscope comprises a body having a cantilever portion and a probe portion made from a single-crystal material. The probe portion has a tip formed as a vertex of three planes including at least two crystal planes.

The present invention relates to a scanning atomic force microscope for observing the topography of a specimen surface by making use of an atomic force exerted between substances.
The prior art scanning atomic force microscope uses a probe comprising a cantilever and a probe portion formed over the cantilever which is made of silicon nitride or silicon. The atomic force exerted between the probe portion and the specimen surface is detected as a deflection of the cantilever, a change in the amplitude of the vibration, or a change in the resonance frequency. The probe tip and the specimen are moved relative to each other while maintaining the distance between them constant. Thus, the specimen surface is observed. In this case, it is common practice to utilize an optical procedure for detecting the displacement of the cantilever. Where such an optical procedure is employed, the instrumentation is complicated. Furthermore, various adjustments such as adjustment of the optic axis are necessary. Hence, it has been complex and laborious to handle the instrument.
In connection with them, a cantilever incorporating a piezoelectric detection mechanism for electrically detecting vibrations is described in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 196458/1993. Also, AFM (atomic force microscope) probes using quartz oscillators have been proposed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication Nos. 309803/1988 and 102008/1992.
In the case of the above-cited Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 196458/1993 where displacements of the cantilever are electrically detected without using any optical procedure, a process for forming a thin piezoelectric film is involved. Therefore, the fabrication of the probe is complicated.
In the quartz oscillator probe described in the Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 309803/1988, the quartz oscillator adheres to the probe portion together. This structure is not easy to manufacture. The quartz oscillator probe described in the Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 102008/1992 is not associated with electrical detection. Moreover, no detailed description is made of the fabrication. Accordingly, a method of easily fabricating an atomic force microscope (AFM) probe using a quartz oscillator and a scanning atomic force microscope which is easy to handle have been sought for.
Furthermore, in the AFM probe, sharpening of the probe tip presents problems. Accordingly, it is an important object to provide a method of sharpening the tip.

Probe for atomic force microscope and atomic force microscope


In an outboard motor shift control system to change the shift position by controlling the supply of current to an electric shift motor for driving a shift mechanism, a detent mechanism is equipped for constraining the operation of the shift mechanism and holding the shift position once the shift position has been established, and the supply of current to the shift motor is discontinued upon detection that the shift position has been established. This configuration makes it possible to minimize the power consumption of the shift motor and ensure secure holding of the established shift position.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an outboard motor shift control system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-218812 (particularly paragraphs 0034 to 0045), for example, teaches a system that changes the shift (gear) position of an outboard motor by using an electric actuator to operate a shift mechanism. In this system, a shift rod connected with a clutch is rotated by the output of the electric actuator to move the clutch to a selected position among one where it engages a forward gear, one where it engages a reverse gear and one where it does not engage either of these gears, thereby making it possible to establish the shift position to any of neutral, forward and reverse.
Secure holding of an established shift position requires prevention of unintended clutch movement. In the aforesaid prior art system, therefore, the electric actuator needs to be kept energized so as to continue producing driving force not only when the shift position is being changed but even during holding of the established shift position. This poses a problem of high electric power consumption.


There are provided a memory element and a memory device in which the state of erasing remains stable by deactivation of a localized site(s) formed inside of a resistance change layer. The memory element includes a first electrode, a memory layer, and a second electrode in this order. The memory layer includes a resistance change layer including an n-type dopant or a p-type dopant, and disposed on the first electrode side, and an ion source layer disposed between the resistance change layer and the second electrode.

The present disclosure relates to a memory element storing information, based on any change of electrical characteristics observed in a memory layer including an ion source layer and a resistance change layer, and to a memory device.
A semiconductor nonvolatile memory popularly used for data storage has been a NOR or NAND flash memory. Such a semiconductor nonvolatile memory, however, has been pointed out that there are limitations on microfabrication considering the need for a high level of voltage for writing and erasing, and the limited number of electrons for injection to a floating gate.
For overcoming such limitations on microfabrication, a next-generation nonvolatile memory currently proposed is a resistance change memory such as ReRAM (Resistance Random Access Memory) or PRAM (Phase-Change Random Access Memory) (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2005-197634 and 2009-164467. These memories (memory elements) are each configured to include a memory layer between upper and lower electrodes. The memory layer includes a resistance change layer and an ion source layer. Through application of an electric field to the memory layer by voltage application to the upper and lower electrodes, mobile atoms move in a direction corresponding to the direction of the electric field. The migration of the mobile atoms as such causes a change of resistance between the electrodes so that writing and erasing of data are performed. To be specific, during writing of data, a large number of mobile atoms are introduced from the ion source layer into the resistance change layer, thereby reducing the resistance of the resistance change layer. During erasing of data, by application of a voltage inverse to that applied during writing of data, the mobile atoms introduced into the resistance change layer are moved to the ion source layer side. In the resulting resistance change layer, the electrical conduction path is completely erased so that the resistance change layer is restored to the state before writing of data.


Device-to-device (D2D) contention management systems and methods provide managed offloading of cellular network traffic through a contention-based network. For each link in a group of links between nodes in the contention-based network, a link cost is calculated to determine a number of potential links that may interfere with the link, if activated. Each link is evaluated in the order of ascending link cost to determine whether it complies with predefined conditions and whether activating the link increases or decreases D2D network throughput. If the link increases throughput, the link is activated.

In cellular systems, such as networks operating under the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard initiated by the third-generation partnership project (3GPP) or the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 standard (WiMax), transmissions may travel via an infrastructure path through a core network. When wireless mobile devices (e.g., user equipments or "UEs") are in proximity to one another, the infrastructure path represents a waste of network channel and user battery resources. To avoid this waste and improve UE and network performance, direct communications protocols are being investigated in 3GPP systems for the purpose of offloading data traffic onto direct links between UEs.
While efforts are being made in 3GPP systems to develop a new LTE-based device-to-device (D2D) protocol, there are many D2D protocols that exist in distributed networks, which can be used to offload network traffic onto direct links. Because such D2D protocols are designed for distributed networks, however, they do not have a central management. Thus, the D2D protocols use contention-based procedures to manage radio resources. Since the contention-based D2D protocols are non-cellular protocols, they reside on bands other than the cellular network and are useful for the purpose of offloading cellular network traffic. Unfortunately, the contention-based D2D protocols do not always perform well with respect to user throughput, delay, and/or battery power.

Device-to-device contention management scheme for mobile broadband networks


A resistive touch screen controller provides two-finger gesture recognition. Current mirror circuitry, coupled to the XP/XN and YP/YN conductors, generates a screen current IL corresponding to X/y plate currents, and a corresponding mirror current IL/N. A variable resistor receives mirror current IL/N, and a resistance controller sets the resistance value R1 of the variable resistor, and monitors a variable resistor voltage VR1 based on IL/N*R1. A processor determines calibration voltages for the X and Y plates corresponding to the mirror current IL/N for X/Y voltage values of VR1 for a no touch condition, and X/Y offset voltages VOFS and HOFS of VR1 for a two touch condition. For a two touch condition, the processor determines touch resistance relative to no touch, and generates an adjusted X/Y plate resistance ΔX/ΔY based on VOFS/HOFS, and based on X/Y, determines a distance and angle between the two touches.

Touch screen controllers ("TSC") are used in a multitude of commercial products, such as "smart" mobile phones, and can also be found in iPhones® or iPads®. TSC can be used either on resistive touch screens or capacitive touch screens. Capacitive TSCs can generate such information as multi-finger placement on a touch screen. However, capacitive touch screens can also be prohibitively expensive. Therefore, resistive touch screens are sometimes used as a less-expensive alternative.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0277417 A1 to Sarasmo, entitled "Resistive Touch Screen Apparatus, A Method and a Computer Program" is one example of a prior art multi-touch resistive touch screen.
FIGS. 1Ai-1Aii illustrate the Sarasamo resistive TSC approach. F Referring to FIG. 1Ai, a voltage ("V1") is measured across an internal reference resistance 120, as a function of a voltage division between a sensor resistor 110 and the internal reference resistance 120. The prior art TSC recognizes that, for a certain reference voltage V1, a "no touch situation" is indicated, as the voltage V1 is measured as being at a given threshold.
In FIG. 1Aii, in an event of a "single touch", the sensor resistor 110 is bisected or "split" into a first sensor resistor 112 and second sensor resistor 114, and a contact is made at a bottom resistor plate, and the bottom resistor plate is "split" into a first bottom resistor 122 and a second bottom resistor 124. A measurement of voltage V1 is then made over reference resistor 120; this voltage would typically decrease. This decrease in the voltage V1 measured at the reference resistor indicates a "single touch." An amplitude of the reference voltage position of the "single touch" can be used to determine a position of a "single touch."
In FIG. 1Aiii, in an event of a "dual touch", a second part of a resistive screen is touched, represented by a second resistive bisection with a top sensor resistor 132 and 134, and a bottom sensor resistor 142 and 144. This again further lowers a voltage measured across internal sense resistor 120 indicating a "dual touch." Moreover, the voltage measured at the internal reference voltage 120 can indicates a position and orientation of the "dual touch".
The above can be better appreciated in FIG. 1B, an illustration of a prior art method 150 for determining finger positioning.
In FIG. 1B, in a step 160, it is determined whether the reference voltage is above a first, higher threshold ("T2"). If it is, in a step 165, it is determined that no touch has occurred, and the method 150 stops.
In a step 170, it is determined whether the voltage is above a second, lower threshold ("T2"). If it is, in a step 175, it is determined that a "single touch" has occurred, and the reference voltage, and the voltages across the first bottom resistor 122 and the second bottom resistor 124 are measured, and the method 150 stops.
Alternatively, in a step 180, it is then determined that a dual touch has occurred, and the reference voltage, and voltages v2 and v3, which are used for distance of the two fingers input and the orientation of the fingers, are measured.
FIG. 1C illustrates various relationships representing dual finger position and orientation.
In FIG. 2A, a current is measured between a Vcc and a ground for a prior art single touch. However, as is illustrated, characteristics of the bottom plate are not measured only a current through the top plate. For purposes of explanation, a single touch does not affect a measured current.
However, in FIG. 2B, two fingers are used, with two different contact positions, and resistor R2 is in series with resistors R3, thereby increasing current, as a parallel current path through R2 in series with R3 in parallel to R1 has been created as used in a prior art dual touch circuit.
FIG. 3A illustrates prior art calculations that can be made regarding location of two fingers.
FIG. 3B illustrates that for a single touch, a current magnitude of "I", such as through R2, is constant and does not change. For a dual touch, however, current magnitude "I" through R2 is in proportion to a distance between two fingers, but not in proportion to the absolute position of the two fingers.
FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a prior art circuit 400 for measuring an x position that combines both a single touch measurement and a dual motion measurement of a dual touch. In the circuit 400, a voltage is measured across a sense resistor, such as Rx2, to determine an x position of a single touch. Please note that if the current through the resistor Rx2 is below a given threshold, the touch is deemed a dual touch, and a different analysis applies. For a single finger, this lowers voltage across resistor Rx2.
In FIGS. 4A and 4B, coordinates of a single touch is measured by divided resisters of X/Y plate. In other words, where there is a single touch, Rx1 and RX2 are divided. These resistances are measured, and a ratio is generated. A distance between two touches is also measured by resistors of X/Y plate, although these resistors themselves change value.
Rx1 and Rx2 represent a flexible top plate that is touchable, and Ry1 and Ry2 represent a bottom plate. Moreover, these Rx and Ry resistors are oriented in a perpendicular orientation.
In other words, when there are two touches, the values of each of the resistances change, as well as the ratios between the resistances (due to perpendicular orientation). The distance between two touches is calculated based on a difference between a no touch resistance and two touch resistance for these values. In FIGS. 4A and 4B, Rc represents the resistance that is created when part of a circuit is shorted, as is illustrated in FIG. 3B.
However, there are certain drawbacks associated with the above prior art. For example, it can be expensive and cumbersome to have additional, external circuitry for the two finger measurement in a resistive prior art TSC, such as Sarasmo.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved approach to dual gesture recognition.

Apparatus to detect dual gesture on a resistive screen


A method and apparatus for determining attitude information using a down conversion reference and a carrier phase and code phase generator. The apparatus uses individual phase registers for signal received from each antenna to solve the phase difference concurrently. The invention also discloses an attitude sensing method where only one receiving antenna is required. A method and structure for using variable correlation width is also disclosed to optimize noise cancellation under different noise environment.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a global positioning system (GPS) receiver which receives multiple ranging signals to calculate both the position and the attitude of a vehicle. More specifically, this invention relates to the structure of a position processing apparatus which uses the direct code sequence signals from GPS satellites to determine the position and the attitude of a moving vehicle.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
GPS receivers are widely used as navigational tools. An advanced GPS receiver installed in a vehicle, such as an airplane or a boat, receives code sequences from satellites which allows the GPS receiver to measure not only the position but also the attitude of the vehicle. Attitude is defined as the orientation of a vehicle as determined by the relationship between its axes and some reference axes. For vehicles that travel on the surface of the Earth, the reference axes are normally the meridians and the parallels of the Earth. In an aircraft, on the other hand, a third reference axis, an altitude line perpendicular to the surface of the Earth is also used. Thus the attitude of an aircraft includes three components: roll, pitch and yaw.
Compared to a position calculation, an attitude calculation is very sensitive to errors. For example, the antennae receiving the different satellite code sequences must be placed apart from each other at a distance less than the carrier wavelengths of the GPS signals, absent the use of some sophisticated anti-ambiguity technique. Thus, since such carrier signals are typically no more than a few inches long, a small, non-systematic error in a distance measurement may result in a large error in the attitude calculated.
One conventional technique for calculating attitude uses a fully redundant carrier tracking circuit. Under this approach, a separate code sequence processor is provided for each of the antennae, so that each code sequence is assigned to be processed concurrently and independently of the other code sequence processors. Because of this fully redundant design, a GPS receiver built under this approach is typically large and expensive.
One method to reduce the size and cost of such a GPS receiver is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,695 ("Dentinger '695 patent") to M. Dentinger, filed Oct. 6, 1992, issued on Dec. 7, 1993. The Dentinger '693 patent teaches multiplexing the antenna signals through one processing unit, where code sequences from different antennae are acquired at different times and are compared against each other. However, since the attitude of an aircraft changes between code sequence acquisitions, the Dentinger '695 patent's approach is unsuitable for use in an aircraft or a similarly fast-moving vehicle. Moreover, since each code sequence is processed under the control of a different clock signal, the Dentinger '695 patent's approach is not capable of concurrent common-phase error cancellation, thereby resulting in a significant error in the calculated attitude.
To synchronize with the received code sequence of a GPS signal, a GPS receiver typically uses a phase-locked loop to obtain a "code lock" using a locally generated code sequence. Code lock can be achieved by minimizing the phase "lead" of the local code sequence relative to the received code sequence ("early lock"), or by minimizing the phase "lag" of the local code sequence relative to the received code sequence ("late lock"). For a GPS receiver with a wide correlation width, i.e. a GPS receiver capable of achieving code lock over a wide phase range, the lock condition is more susceptible to signal distortion such as multipath which can result in an undesirable error in the pseudo range calculation. Thus, some GPS receivers use a narrow correlation width. However, when noise or a phase drift is present in the GPS carrier signal, the narrow correlation width used in this technique is often inadequate to provide a stable code lock, resulting in frequent out-of-lock conditions.

Structure of a position processing apparatus


Products, compositions, and methods for using one or more small particles to facilitate the delivery of one or more antihistamines to a human body are disclosed. In some aspects, methods are disclosed that utilize small particles that may be integrated with one or more guiding antibodies that detect and bind to high affinity immunoglobulin E receptors associated with various types of target cells, such as mast cells, basophils, and dendritic cells. Methods in accordance with the present disclosure may use small particles that are configured to contain relatively high concentrations of at least one form of at least one antihistamine and deliver the antihistamine(s) to areas within a human body where one or more actions associated with an allergic reaction may be in progress and/or where one or more actions associated with an allergic reaction may be likely to occur.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure.
Antihistamines are often used to counter the effects caused by the histamine molecules released during an allergic reaction. However, antihistamines cause side effects when used to treat an allergic reaction. For example, H1 antagonists, one type of antihistamine, are transported across the blood-brain barrier and thereby cause unwanted side effects to the central nervous system, including drowsiness, confusion, blurred vision, difficulty sleeping, nightmares, hallucinations, difficulty emptying the bladder, and constipation.
Antihistamines are typically delivered orally by pills, tablets, capsules, or liquid; or intravenously especially during emergencies. None of these forms of delivery are ideal because oral antihistamines take a considerable amount of time before taking effect (such as, for example, up to two hours), while intravenous delivery requires painful needles that pose safety concerns and require specific medical expertise that patients may not possess.

Targeted delivery methods and compositions for antihistamines


A method for controlling the dehydrating operation of a drum type washing machine includes a pre-acceleration step for accelerating a drum to a predetermined control starting speed, and a main accelerating step for accelerating the drum from the control starting speed to a target speed along a linear locus having a preset acceleration slope. A deviation of the center of gravity of the laundry and a pre-spinning time period are reduced in the aforementioned control method.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for controlling a dehydrating operation of a drum type washing machine, and more particularly to a method in which a speed of a motor for driving a drum is controlled to be at an optimum during spinning for reducing both a deviation of the center of gravity of a load of laundry, and a pre-spinning time period.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, a washing machine carries out washing, rinsing and spinning operations for the removal of dirt adhering to clothes by actions of detergent and water. The washing machines of the background art include water circulation type (pulsator type), agitating type (washing rod type), and drum type washing machines.
In a drum type washing machine, the detergent, washing water and laundry are introduced into a drum having a plurality of lifters. The washing process in the drum type washing machine includes impact caused by the lifters lifting and dropping laundry, friction between the laundry and the washing water, and the chemical reaction of the detergent as the drum slowly rotates about a horizontal shaft.
Drum type washing machines are being used more frequently in the background art due to several advantageous features. For example, the laundry suffers little or no damage, laundry is prevented from entanglement, the washing effects of pounding and rubbing can be provided, and a relatively small amount of water is used in drum type washing machines.
Referring to FIG. 1, the motor of the drum type washing machine accelerates to a target revolution speed during a spinning operation of the drum type washing machine. The motor is then driven at a constant speed for a preset time period once it reaches the target revolution speed. A gravity deviation of the laundry is sensed from a variation of the revolution speed caused by the deviation of the center of gravity in the drum to determine a starting point of a main spinning cycle. In this instance, if the deviation is within a preset range, the main spinning progresses. If the deviation is not within the preset range, the motor is stopped and the motor is re-started to bring the deviation below the preset level before starting the main spinning.
However, when controlling the motor in the aforementioned manner, the motor speed rises sharply because no particular speed control is provided during the acceleration of the motor to the target revolution. The acceleration is irregular during this period due to both the deviation of the center of gravity of the laundry in the drum and the falling of the laundry in the drum. The deviation particularly increases as the laundry gathers to one side of an inside wall of the drum. Accordingly, the pre-spinning cycle requires repeated and frequent stopping and re-starting of the motor that results in a prolonged pre-spinning time period.
A spinning control method of the background art has a long pre-spinning time period, e.g., from the start of the spinning cycle to the start of the main spinning, because of the constant speed operation of the motor for the preset time period before the main spinning for sensing deviation of the center of gravity for the determination of the start of the main spinning cycle.

Method for controlling dehydrating operation of drum type washing machine


A cover assembly for an electronic device including a laptop or like portable computer, wherein the base is formed of an at least partially protective material and corresponds in dimension and configuration to an outer surface configuration of the electronic device. A retainer assembly comprises a plurality of retaining structures disposed within interior portions of the electronic computer and removably connected thereto so as to maintain the cover assembly in an operative position relative thereto. The retaining structures are disposed and dimensioned to facilitate a complete closure of the electronic device, while remaining at least partially, on the interior of the electronic device. An access structure includes at least one opening formed therein in aligned relation with connecting ports of the electronic device so as to facilitate access to the connecting ports through the at least one opening.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cover assembly for an electronic device, specifically including a laptop computer, having a base removably mounted in an operative, protective position on the electronic device and movable therewith between open and closed positions. A retaining assembly is disposed at least partially on the interior of the electronic device and is structured to facilitate selective and complete closure thereof. The base is structured to provide access to the connecting ports and other operative components of the electronic device, whether it is in the open or closed positions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various electronic devices, including laptop or notebook computers are currently being used in commercial, domestic and educational environments. In particular, the younger generation has made ubiquitous use of small, lightweight portable computers in a school or educational environment, wherein such portable computers are carried from class to class. The portability of the laptop computer also lends itself to being carried or utilized during travel on both private and commercial modes of transportation including airlines, automobiles and the like.
Therefore, laptop computers are designed for substantial portability thereby facilitating an individual's access in almost an unlimited number of locations. As such, one problem commonly associated with the transport and use of a portable computer is the requirement for at least some minimal protection against situations where the computer may be dropped or otherwise be subjected to other traumatic forces. In order to overcome such potential problems, there have been developed a variety of different "carrying case" structures. These known structures are similar to luggage type products, inclusive of shoulder straps, handles, etc.
These known carrying cases are available in a wide variety of styles and sizes and are used not only to protect the computer against damage but also to facilitate the transport of the computer in a convenient and comfortable manner. Also, many of the known carrying case devices are structured to protect the portable computer against adverse weather conditions, as well as damage from being dropped, etc. However, many of the known structures of this type are bulky, somewhat heavy and commonly involve relatively complicated enclosure or locking assemblies. As such, known devices of this type mandate that the computer be removed from the interior of the device, placed on an appropriate support structure then disposed in an open orientation for use.
Accordingly, there is a long existing need in the area of cover assemblies for portable computers, which provide protection from both adverse weather conditions as well as traumatic impact. Such a proposed cover assembly should be lightweight, easily mounted in an operative, protective position on the laptop computer in an efficient manner. Further, such a proposed cover assembly should be capable of maintaining the preferred operative position in protective, covering relation to the portable computer or other electronic device during its use, storage or transport. More specifically, the operative position of the proposed cover assembly is maintained when the computer, etc. is in an open position, such as when it is being used, as well as a closed position, such as when the computer is being stored or carried. The ability to maintain the proposed cover assembly in its operative position thereby eliminates the necessity of removing it in order to use the portable computer as is common place with most protective, carrying case type of structures, now available.
Therefore, a proposed cover assembly of the present invention should be formed of a lightweight material having capabilities which facilitate the protection of the computer from adverse weather conditions, as well traumatic force or impact. Moreover, the various structural and operative features of such a proposed cover assembly should enable the portable computer or like device to be used in an intended, conventional manner. Such conventional use would include it being opened and fully closed, while certain retaining structures associated with the proposed cover assembly remain in place. Thereby the proposed cover assembly would be securely but removably disposed in its intended operative position without interfering with the orientation or use of the portable computer or other electronic device.

Cover assembly for an electronic device including a laptop computer


Disclosed is a timing circuit for generating a clock signal which indicates a timing for discriminating a data signal. The timing circuit includes a branching circuit for branching a data signal in two directions, a duty monitoring circuit for monitoring the duty of a first data signal output from the branching circuit, a duty varying circuit for varying the duty of a second data signal output from the branching circuit, a control circuit for controlling the duty varying circuit on the basis of the duty information output from the duty monitoring circuit so that the duty of the data signal to be output has a predetermined value and a clock signal generator for generating the clock signal for discriminating a data signal which is synchronous with the data signal output from the duty varying circuit.

The present invention relates to a timing circuit of an optical receiver in a high-speed optical communication system and, more particularly, to a timing circuit for generating a clock signal which indicates a timing for discriminating a received data signal.
The optical receiver in a high-speed optical communication system converts a data waveform which is distorted during transmission or a data waveform carrying noise into a clean waveform, in other words, executes what is called data regeneration. In such data regeneration, the optical receiver generates a clock signal by using a received data signal, and a discriminating portion reproduces data on the basis of the timing with which the clock signal is generated.
FIG. 19 shows an example of an optical receiver in an optical communication system. The reference numeral 1 represents an optoelectric conversion circuit for converting an optical signal into an electric signal, 2 an equalizing amplifier for equalizing and amplifying a data signal of, for example, 10 Gbps which is output from the optoelectric conversion circuit 1, 3 a timing circuit for extracting a clock signal, which has a frequency same as that of the bit rate, from the data signal received, and 4 a discriminating circuit for discriminating the data signal by using the clock signal which is output from the timing circuit 3. The optical signal transmitted through an optical fiber is converted by the optoelectric conversion circuit 1 into an electric signal, and equalized and amplified by the equalizing amplifier 2. The timing circuit 3 extracts a clock signal from the equalized waveform and triggers the discriminating circuit 4. The discriminating circuit 4 judges whether the equalized waveform is xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d at the point of time of sampling, and restores the original code pulse. Since there is a change in the delay time in the transmission line or the like, the discriminating circuit 4 is triggered by a clock signal which is synchronous with the data signal received.
In optical communication, an NRZ code, an RZ code, etc. is used as a transmission line code. In an optical communication apparatus of not less than 600 Mbps, an NRZ code in which the bands required for the electric circuit and the optical device are not strict is generally used. When an NRZ code is used, since a data signal contains no clock component, it is necessary to generate a clock signal by processing the data signal. A conventional timing circuit of an optical receiver for generating such a clock signal has either (1) a structure (FIG. 20) using a timing filter or (2) a structure (FIG. 21) using a PLL.
FIG. 20 shows the structure of a timing circuit using a timing filter. The timing circuit is composed of a nonlinear extractor 110 for detecting the rising edge and the falling edge of an input data signal, a bandpass filter 111 having a center frequency identical with the bit rate of the data signal, and a limiting amplifier 112 as a narrow band amplifier. The nonlinear extractor 110 includes a branching circuit 110a for branching a data signal in two directions, a delay circuit 110b for delaying a first branched data signal by a predetermined time (xc2xd of the time equivalent to 1 bit), and an EXOR (Exclusive OR) circuit 110c for executing an exclusive OR operation of the second branched data signal and the output signal of the delay circuit 110b and generating an edge signal having a pulse at the rising edge and the falling edge of the data signal. FIG. 22 shows an operating waveform. The EXOR circuit 110c detects the rising edge and the falling edge of the data signal and generates a pulse, the bandpass filter 111 extracts the clock component having the same frequency as that of the bit rate of the data signal, and the limiting amplifier 112 amplifies the clock component to a predetermined amplitude. Herein, the structure of the nonlinear extractor 110 having a combination of a differentiating circuit and a full-wave rectifier has also been proposed.
FIG. 21 shows the structure of a timing circuit using a PLL. The timing circuit is provided with a phase detector 121 for comparing the phases of a data signal and a clock signal and outputting the phase difference, a level converter 122 for converting the output level of the phase detector 121, a loop filter 123 for smoothing the voltage signal corresponding to the phase difference which is output from the level converter 122, and a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) 124 for generating a clock signal having the frequency corresponding to the output of the loop filter 123. As examples of the structure of the phase detector 121, those shown in FIGS. 23 and 24 have been proposed.
The phase detector 121 shown in FIG. 23 compares the phase of a data signal DATA with the phase of a clock signal both at the rising edge and the falling edge of the data signal DATA, synthesizes the phase differences of the data signal at the rising edge and the falling edge, and executes PLL control. The phase detector 121 is provided with two D flip flops (D-FFs) 201, 202 which function as phase detectors, an inverting gate 203 for inverting the logic of the data signal DATA and an adder 204 for adding the outputs of the D-FFs 201, 202.
The D-FF stores the level (xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d) of the clock signal CLOCK input to a data input terminal (terminal D) at the rising edge of each data signal DATA, *DATA input to a clock input terminal (terminal C), and holds the level until the next data signal rises. Therefore, when the phase of the clock signal CLOCK lags behind that of the data signal DATA, as shown in (1) of FIG. 25, the D-FF outputs a low-level (EL) signal D-FF out. On the other hand, when the phase of the clock signal CLOCK leads that of the data signal DATA, as shown in (2) of FIG. 25, the D-FF outputs a high-level (EH) signal D-FF out.
In this manner, the D-FF 201 outputs a signal corresponding to the phase of the clock signal at the rising edge of the data signal, while the D-FF 202 outputs a signal corresponding to the phase of the clock signal at the falling edge of the data signal. The adder 204 synthesizes these signals and outputs a phase detection signal PDS. The timing circuit having a PLL structure controls the phase of the clock signal so that the phase detection signal PDS has a preset level. For example, when the duty of the data signal varies to less than 100%, the rising edge of the data signal lags behind that of the clock signal and the falling edge of the data signal leads that of the clock signal. The phase detector 121 outputs the phase detection signal PDS which corresponds to the difference between the amount of lag and the amount of lead and the timing circuit outputs the clock signal CLOCK so that the amount of lag may be equal to the amount of lead.
The phase detector shown in FIG. 24 detects the rising edge and the falling edge of a data signal DATA and compares the phases of a rising edge signal EGU and a falling edge signal EGD with the phase of a clock signal CLOCK. The phase detector is provided with an edge detector 251 and a D-FF 252. The D-FF 252 outputs the level of the clock signal CLOCK as a phase detection signal PDS when the rising edge signal EGU and the falling edge signal EGD are produced. Since the phase detector is provided with the edge detector 251, the same operation as that of the phase detector shown in FIG. 23 is carried out with only one D-FF.
FIG. 26 is an explanatory view of the relationship between the phase difference xcex8 between the clock signal CLOCK and the data signal DATA and the output (phase detection signal PDS) of the phase detector. In this drawing, the duty of the data signal DATA is 100%, and the phase of the data signal DATA leads the phase of the clock signal CLOCK. The word xe2x80x9cdutyxe2x80x9d will be defined strictly later, but briefly speaking, when the bit rate is f(=1/T), the duty is the ratio of the period T1 of a data signal xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d and T. When the duty is 100% (T=T1), as shown in FIG. 26, the phase relationship between the rising edge of the data signal and the clock signal is the same with the phase relationship between the falling edge of the data signal and the clock signal. Consequently, the waveform of the output (phase detection signal PDS) of the phase detector is a rectangular waveform which alternates with a phase difference period of T/2.
It is possible to fix the phase relationship between the clock signal CLOCK and the data signal DATA by controlling the phase of the clock signal so that the clock signal rises at the position at which the data signal DATA is switched over from a LOW level to a HIGH level. However, in the phase detection signal PDS, the switching characteristic between the LOW level and the HIGH level is steep (the level is binary), continuous phase control of the clock signal is impossible, so that the control becomes unstable. That is, if the clock signal is produced by using the binary phase detection signal PDS and the phases of the data signal and the clock signal are made coincident with each other by feeding the clock signal back to the phase detector, the control becomes unstable at a discontinuous point of the phase detection signal PDS. As a countermeasure, a microsignal having a low frequency is superimposed on the clock input terminal (terminal C) of the D-FF for the purpose of modulation. In this manner, it is possible to provide the phase of the data signal input to the clock input terminal C with perturbation, which enables the phase detection signal PDS to gently incline with the phase difference xcex8 as indicated with the broken line in FIG. 26. Stable control is thus enabled.
In a conventional high-speed communication system, an NRZ code is used, and the duty is approximately 100% before and after transmission. However, with an increase in the transmission speed, the pulse width per bit becomes narrow and the transmission is influenced by a nonlinear effect and the wavelength dispersion of the optical fiber, which leads to a large distortion of the transmission waveform. FIG. 27A shows the waveform of light signal on the transmitter side when the duty is 100% (T=T1), FIG. 27B shows the waveform of transmission light (on the left side) and the equalized waveform (on the right side) when the duty is less than 100% by the distortion, and FIG. 27C shows the waveform of transmission light (on the left side) and the equalized waveform when the duty is more than 100% by the distortion.
As is clear from these drawings, the duty of the received waveform greatly changes due to waveform distortion, and the change is 50% to 120% depending upon the transmission conditions. The duty, by reference to FIG. 27A, is defined as the ratio of the duration (T1) of one pulse at the center of the crest value and one time slot interval (T).
Although it is possible to relieve the distortion of the transmission waveform by inserting a dispersion compensating fiber or the like into a transmission line, since a high cost is required, it is desirable to enable the longest-possible-distance transmission without using such an accessory part. Thus, an optical receiver is required to receive a largely distorted waveform without the need for compensating the wavelength dispersion and accurately reproduce the original data.
As shown in the literature (xe2x80x9cComparison between codes in IM-DD Optical Amplifier Repeater Systemxe2x80x9d by Saito et al, pp 4 to 77, The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, Spring 1992), the transmission characteristics are improved by using an RZ code under some transmission conditions. A timing circuit which can use both an RZ code and an NRZ code is therefore desirable. When an RZ code is used, the duty of the waveform input to an optical receiver is 50%.
A change in the duty exerts a deleterious influence on the operation of a timing circuit. In the timing circuit using a timing filter shown in FIG. 20, if the duty reduces, the phase of the data rising edge detection pulse RP which reaches to a HIGH level at the rising edge of the data signal lags while the phase of the data falling edge detection pulse TP which reaches to a HIGH level at the falling edge of the data signal leads, as shown in FIG. 22. These pulses are synthesized, and a clock component is extracted from the synthesized pulse. Although the phase of the extracted clock component does not change, since there is a cancelled component, the clock component extracted is reduced. When the duty becomes 50%, the phases of the rising edge detection pulse and the falling edge detection pulse become opposite, so that the clock component of the bit rate becomes zero and the nonlinear extractor 110 does not operate normally.
Each of FIGS. 28A, 28B and 28C shows the waveform of the signal output from the EXOR circuit 110c in a case where duty is 100%, 75% and 50% respectively. By reference to FIG. 28C, it is apparent that a clock component whose frequency is identical with that of the bit rate of the data disappears from the EXOR output signal. Like the decrease of the duty, the clock component reduces in accordance with the increase of the duty. FIG. 29 shows the relationship between the duty of the data signal and an extracted clock component.
In the timing circuit using a PLL shown in FIG. 21, if the phase detector 121 has the structure shown in FIG. 24, the timing circuit does not operate normally when the duty becomes 50% in the same way as the timing circuit using a timing filter. If the phase detector 121 has the structure shown in FIG. 23, when the duty becomes small (or large), the waveform of the phase detection signal PDS is such as that shown in (6) of FIG. 30, and an intermediate level MLV between the HIGH level and the LOW level generates. The intermediate level MLV has a length represented by:
(100-duty(%))xc3x97360xc2x0/100.
In FIG. 30,
(1) shows the clock signal CLOCK input to the terminals D of the D-FFs 201, 202;
(2) shows the data signal DATA input to the terminal C of the D-FF 201, wherein the broken line shows the data signal DATA when the duty is 100%, and the solid line the data signal DATA when the duty is less than 100%;
(3) shows the characteristic which shows the relationship between the output (rising edge detection output) of the D-FF 201 and the phase difference xcex8;
(4) shows the inverting data signal *DATA (the inverting signal of the data signal) input to the terminal C of the D-FF 202;
(5) shows the characteristic which shows the relationship between the output (falling edge detection output) of the D-FF 202 and the phase difference xcex8; and
(6) shows the phase detection output (phase detection signal PDS) obtained by synthesizing the output of the D-FFs 201, 202.
In the waveforms shown in FIG. 30, no low-frequency signal is superimposed on the clock input terminal C of the D-FF, so that the phase of the data signal is not provided with perturbation. Actually, however, a low-frequency signal is applied to the clock input terminal C of the D-FF, so that each D-FF output has a gentle inclination (see FIG. 26). In order to make the relationship between the data signal DATA and the clock signal CLOCK constant irrespective of the duty, it is desirable to fix the phase at the point A in (6) of FIG. 30. In order to detect the point A, it is necessary to increase the amount of perturbation which is applied to the phase of the data signal input to the clock input terminal C by the amount corresponding to the difference between the current duty and the duty of 100%. In other words, in order to search for the desired fixed point, the low-frequency component superimposed to the clock reference terminal C is increased. However, there are limits to the amount of phase shift realized by varying the voltage applied to the clock reference terminal C, and it is difficult to secure a large amount of phase shift.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to eliminate the above-described problems in the related art and to provide a timing circuit which is capable of stably operating even if the input waveform of a data signal has a large distortion and the duty of the data signal greatly changes.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a timing circuit which is capable of maintaining the duty of a data signal at 100% even if the data signal has a distortion.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a timing circuit having a simple structure which is capable of accurately operating even if the duty of a data signal changes.
To achieve these ends, in a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a timing circuit for generating a clock signal which indicates a timing for discriminating a data signal. The timing circuit comprises a branching means for branching a data signal in two directions, a duty monitoring means for monitoring the duty of a first data signal output from the branching means, and a duty varying means for varying the duty of a second data signal output from the branching means. The timing circuit further comprises a control circuit for controlling the duty varying means on the basis of the duty information output from the duty monitoring means so that the duty of the data signal to be output has a predetermined value, and a clock signal generating means for generating a clock signal which is synchronous with the data signal output from the duty varying means and indicating a timing for discriminating the data signal.
In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a timing circuit for generating a clock signal which indicates a timing for discriminating a data signal, wherein the timing circuit comprises a duty varying means for varying the duty of a data signal, a duty monitoring means for monitoring the duty of a data signal output from the duty varying means, and a control circuit for controlling the duty varying means so that the duty of the data signal output from the duty monitoring means has a predetermined value. The timing circuit further comprises a clock signal generating means for generating a clock signal which is synchronous with the data signal output from the duty monitoring means and indicates a timing for discriminating the data signal.
In a third aspect of the present invention, wherein there is provided a timing circuit for generating a clock signal which indicates a timing for discriminating a data signal, the timing circuit comprises a duty varying means for varying the duty of a data signal, a clock component detector for detecting the magnitude of a clock component extracted from the data signal which is output from the duty varying means, and a control circuit for controlling the duty varying means so that the extracted clock component is at its maximum. The timing circuit further comprises a clock signal generating means for generating a clock signal which is synchronous with the data signal output from the duty varying means and indicates a timing for discriminating the data signal.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A raindrop detection apparatus includes a light emitting unit for emitting light to an inner side of a windshield, a light receiving unit for receiving the light reflected by an outer surface of the windshield, a first lens unit which is arranged between the windshield and the light emitting unit to convert the light from the light emitting unit into parallel light, and a second lens unit which is arranged between the windshield and the light receiving unit to converge the reflected light at the light receiving unit. The second lens unit is larger than a radial cross section of the reflected light. An amount of raindrop landed on the outer surface of the windshield is detected based on an intensity of the light received by the light receiving unit.

Generally, a raindrop detection apparatus is provided in a wiper control device for a vehicle to detect raindrop landed on a windshield of the vehicle, for example, referring to JP-A-2001-521158 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,183) and JP-A-2001-66246 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,507,015).
The raindrop detection apparatus has a first lens unit that converts light from a light emitting unit into parallel light, a light conducting unit that conducts the parallel light to the windshield and conducts light reflected by an outer surface of the windshield, and a second lens unit that converges reflection light at a light receiving unit.
In this case, light from the light emitting unit passes through the interior of the windshield and is reflected at the outer surface of the windshield, then received by the light receiving unit. The raindrop detection apparatus is designed according to the thickness of the windshield on which the first lens unit, the second lens unit, and the light conducting unit are mounted, so that the light receiving unit can properly receive the light from the light emitting unit.
Recently, the wiper control device is provided for not only a large-sized vehicle but also a small-sized vehicle, to improve a traveling safety even in a rainy weather. Generally, the thickness of the windshield differs according to the vehicle types. For example, the small-sized vehicle has a thinner windshield than the large-sized vehicle. Thus, the raindrop detection apparatus is to be designed responding to the thickness of the windshield, at which the first lens unit, the second lens unit, and the light conducting unit are mounted. Therefore, the manufacturing cost is increased.
Moreover, referring to JP-A-2001-66246, the raindrop detection apparatus is provided with the first lens unit (at side of light emitting unit) that includes multiple small-diameter lenses with a gap arranged therebetween. The first lens unit has a shape and a construction significantly different from those of the second lens unit (at side of light receiving unit), thus making the optical axis design complex. Furthermore, in this case, light emitted to the gap is not used (not received by light receiving unit) to be wasted.

Raindrop detection apparatus with case and lenses integrally configured and circuit board supported by case


A surface mount connector for a flexible printed circuit board of low profile (low height) by providing contacts at a smaller pitch. A connector comprises an insulator, a plurality of contacts aligned longitudinally of the insulator and a slider. The contacts are provided in the insulator with at least one end thereof and a portion of a central area thereof being exposed outward. The slider holds a flexible printed circuit board between the slider and the insulator, longitudinal opposite ends of the slider are connected to opposite ends of the insulator and the contacts are electrically connected to a conductive pattern of the printed circuit board at positions corresponding to a node of the slider.

In an electronic equipment such as a mobile telephone set, a demand to further reduce a size is strong and components used therefor are in many cases of smaller size and of high packing density. In a flexible printed circuit board used in such a small size electronic equipment, an electrode (conductive pattern) pitch is narrowed and a contact pitch in a connector for connection with the printed circuit board is also narrowed to increase the package density.
However, in the prior art slide type of ZIF connector, there is a limit in narrowing the contact pitch by a structural reason. Thus, a connector which allows the reduction of the contact pitch to increase the package density without regard to the type of the connector has been demanded.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a surface mount connector for a flexible printed circuit board which allows the provision of contacts at a smaller pitch and which is of low profile (low height).
It is another object of the present invention to provide a surface mount connector for the flexible printed circuit board which permits automatic insertion of a connector body (insulator) and a slider.
In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a connector comprising an insulator, a plurality of contacts aligned longitudinally of said insulator and a slider, characterized in that said contacts are provided in said insulator with at least one end thereof and a portion of a central area thereof being exposed outward and said slider holds a flexible printed circuit board between said slider and said insulator, longitudinal opposite ends of said slider are connected to opposite ends of said insulator and said contacts are electrically connected to a conductive pattern of said printed circuit board at positions corresponding to a node of said slider.