A magnetic sensor for detecting the presence of a magnetic sample proximate a sensing region. A magnetoresistive element is positioned in a biasing region of the sensor which is spaced apart from the sensing region. A magnetic circuit provides a magnetic field to the sensing region and the biasing region. The magnetic field biases the magnetoresistive element positioned in the biasing region. A circuit detects changes in the magnetic field in the biasing region as a function of changes in the resistance of the magnetoresistive element whereby changes in the magnetic field caused by the presence of a magnetic sample proximate the sensing region are detected.

The invention relates generally to magnetoresistive (MR) sensor materials and, particularly, to a thin film sensor which has a lanthanum-manganite (La--MnO.sub.3) based magnetoresistive element and which generates highly uniform gap magnetic fields for biasing the element.
In general, "magnetoresistance" refers to a resistance change produced in a magnetic sample when it is subjected to a magnetic field. This phenomenon typically occurs in magnetic materials in which the electrical resistance of the material is dependent upon the direction of magnetization in the material relative to the direction of current flow. One such material is a magnetically soft alloy of metal known as permalloy (e.g., approximately 80 at. % Ni and 20 at. % Fe). Permalloy and like materials are often referred to as low field MR materials.
In low field MR materials, the resistance changes as a function of the magnetization and current directions in the material according to: EQU .rho.(H)=.rho.(0)+.DELTA..rho..sub.max .multidot.cos.sup.2 (.theta.)
where .theta. is the angle between the direction of magnetization and the direction of current flow in the material; .rho.(0) is the isotropic resistivity; and .DELTA..rho..sub.max is the change in .rho. for the angle between the magnetization and current directions being changed from 0.degree. to 90.degree. (i.e., .DELTA..rho..sub.max is the maximum magnetoresistivity). Typically, .DELTA..rho..sub.max is only a few percent of .rho..
In general, the anisotropy field, which is defined as the field required to change the direction of magnetization by 90.degree., is fairly small at relatively low field strengths (e.g., only several to approximately 100 oersted (Oe)). Anisotropy is the directional dependence of magnetic properties, leading to the existence of easy or preferred directions of magnetization. In other words, magnetic materials have a better magnetic characteristic along one axis than along any other. The changes in resistivity are nearly linear for .theta..apprxeq.45.degree.. Often, some combination of longitudinal and transverse biasing is used to offset the direction of the magnetization from that of the current direction to cause the magnetoresistive effect. One common biasing mode is a barber pole arrangement of conductors on the magnetoresistive surface to skew the current direction between these conductors away from the magnetoresistive longitudinal direction.
Magnetoresistive sensors use the characteristics of certain MR materials to detect magnetic field changes. One use for magnetoresistive sensors is reading information from magnetic recordings. Such a sensor, often referred to as a magnetoresistive read head, has current flowing in one end and out another. When the recording medium, which has a changing magnetization pattern due to the information stored on it, moves relative to the read head, the stray fields from the medium cause a change in the direction of magnetization. Thus, the resistance of the head changes. By using a constant current source to drive the head, the change in resistance can be measured by determining the change in voltage across the read head's terminals.
A disadvantage with low field magnetoresistive sensors is that the relative signal levels are usually small. In other words, sensitive circuits (e.g., bridge type circuits) are needed to detect the changes in resistance.
In contrast to low field MR materials, high field MR materials (e.g., La-manganite) exhibit little or no change in resistance due to directional changes in magnetic field. Rather, the resistance of a high field MR material changes upon application of a magnetic field primarily as a function of the applied field magnitude. The change occurs as the material essentially undergoes a metal-insulator transition when subjected to the magnetic field. Due to this transition, the changes in resistance levels are a greater percentage of the overall resistance in high field MR materials. Therefore, sensors using high field MR materials permit less complex electronics for detecting and processing resistance changes.
The use of high field MR materials as magnetoresistive sensors, however, differs from the traditional uses of MR materials in several respects. For example, since the magnetoresistance arises from a metal-insulator transition in La-manganite, the resistance change is very large but only occurs over a relatively narrow temperature range which defines the transition. Another difference is that there is no directional dependence of the resistance with respect to the current flow and magnetic field direction. And lastly, the magnetic fields required to bias the material for high magnetoresistive sensitivity are relatively large and much greater than those required in traditional magnetoresistive sensing elements. These differences present practical problems in implementing the sensors.
Therefore, a uniform biasing field provided by a small scale geometry is desired for practical operating reasons. Further, it is desired that such geometry be fabricated by film deposition methods and permit temperature isolation of the magnetoresistive element.
As stated above, presently available magnetoresistive sensors detect the presence of an externally applied magnetic field. In other words, such sensors detect the presence of a magnetized material such as a magnetic recording medium. For this reason, such sensors are not suited for a number of uses other than magnetic recording read heads such as position and/or rotation sensing, bar or dot code reading. Therefore, a magnetoresistive sensor is desired for detecting the presence of magnetized or magnetizable material, as opposed to magnetized material only.

Magnetoresistive sensor magnetically biased in a region spaced from a sensing region


A circular hole cutting apparatus comprising a support frame, having a forward end, a rearward end, a lower end, and an upper end; the forward end forming a cutting bit mounting means, capable of rotatably retaining a cutting bit so that the upper end of the cutting bit may upwardly extend from the upper end of the support frame, and so that the lower end of such a cutting bit may downwardly extend from the lower end of the support frame; and the lower end of the support frame forming a radius arm mounting means, the radius arm mounting means being capable of adjustably retaining a radius arm, so that the rearward end of the radius arm may alternately extend rearwardly from the rearward end of the support frame and retract forwardly from positions rearward of the rearward end of the support frame.

Circular hole cutters such as the tool described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,146,675 issued Sep. 1, 1964, to Anderson utilize a side cutting milling bit rotatably driven by a source of rotational torque such as a portable electric drill, to cut a circular holes of varying sizes in materials such as sheet steel. The milling or cutting bit of such a tool is guided in a circular path about a radius point by a support frame which has mounted thereon in compass fashion the bit and the radius point. It is desireable that such circular hole cutters include an elongated support frame so that the radius point may be adjustably mounted along its length, allowing circular holes having a wide range of diameters to be cut by the hole cutter. It is also desireable that such a circular hole cutter have a control handle extending forwardly from its forward end to better control the tool as cutting progresses. However, any extension of the length of such a hole cutter introduces limitations on areas in which the hole cutter may be utilized. For example, where an elongated hole cutter has its radius point adjusted to allow the hole cutter to cut a small hole, the framework of the hole cutter extending rearward of the radius point may come into obstructive contact with nearby walls, pipes or other obstacles near the desired hole. Also, a handle element protruding forwardly from such a hole cutter may prevent the hole cutter from being utilized to cut holes in close proximity to an obstruction such as a wall or a ceiling. Thus, it is desireable to construct a circular hole cutter which may be configured as a long span, forward handle assisted, cutter for cutting large diameter holes with the assistance of a forward protruding handle, and alternately configured as a short span cutter having no forward handle, for cutting holes in tight spaces.
It is also often desireable to cut circular holes in stratified materials such as sound insulated sheet metal having a layer of sound insulating material underlying the sheet metal. A rotatably driven side cutting milling bit is ideally suited for cutting the top layer of sheet metal. However, a milling bit may be an inefficient means of cutting the underlying insulation. Typically, the cutting action of a knife blade is a better means of cutting such underlying insulation. Where such stratified material is to be cut by a rotatably driven milling bit guided in a circular path by a hole cutting tool, it is desireable that the tool provide for mounting of and simultaneous guiding of a cutting blade, such blade being capable of cutting at a depth deeper than and along the same circular path as the milling bit.
The instant inventive circular hole cutting tool provides the desireable trait of alternate long and short configurations, utilizing forward telescoping and retracting handle a rearward telescoping and retracting radius arm; and the desireable trait of a cutting blade mounting means for simultaneous blade cutting and milling bit cutting of stratified materials.


To form a sharp edge portions of an electron emission part of a field emission type cathode to face an electron application surface. At least an electron emission part 40 of a field emission type cathode K is constituted by stacking thin plate-like conductive fine grains 30 and the field emission type cathode K is formed so that the plane direction of the thin plate-like fine grains of the electron emission part 40 crosses an electron application surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a field emission type cathode, an electron emission apparatus and an electron emission apparatus manufacturing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been proposed various types of electron emission apparatuses having field emission type cathodes, such as a planar display apparatus, i.e., a panel type display apparatus. As for an apparatus for making a bright image display, a cathode ray-tube type structure for striking an electron beam on the fluorescent surface of an image formation plane to thereby emit light, is normally adopted.
As proposed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 1-173555, a conventional planar display apparatus of a cathode ray-tube type structure is such that a plurality of thermoelectron emission cathodes, i.e., filaments are provided to face a fluorescent surface, thermoelectrons generated by these cathodes and secondary electrons resulting from the thermoelectrons are allowed to direct toward the fluorescent surface and that according to an image signal an electron beam excites the respective colors on the fluorescent surface to cause light emission. In this case, as the image plane becomes larger in size, the filaments are provided in common for many pixels, that is, many red, green and blue fluorescent substance trio forming the fluorescent surface.
Accordingly, as the image plane becomes, in particular, larger in size, the arrangement and assembly of the filaments become more complicated.
Furthermore, to make the planar display apparatus of the cathode ray-tube structure small in size, the length of the electron gun is decreased and the deflecting angle of electrons is widened to shorten the depth dimension of the apparatus. However, since the image plane of a planar display apparatus is becoming wider in recent years, the development of thinner planar display apparatuses is desired.
In the meantime, as for the conventional planar display apparatus, there is proposed an apparatus using field emission type cathodes or so-called cold cathodes. The structure of an example of such planar type display apparatus will be described hereinafter with reference to the drawings.
The planar display apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 15 consists of a fluorescent surface 101, a planar white light emission display apparatus main body 102 having field emission type cathodes K arranged to face the fluorescent surface 101 and a planar color shutter 103 arranged to contact or face the front surface of the apparatus at the side at which the fluorescent surface 101 is arranged.
In the display apparatus main body 102, as shown in FIG. 15, a light transmitting front panel 104 and a back panel 105 face each other through a spacer (not shown) holding the panels 104 and 105 at predetermined intervals. The peripheral edges thereof are airtight sealed by glass frit or the like and a flat space is formed between the panels 104 and 105.
An anode metal layer 160 and the fluorescent surface 101 entirely coated with, for example, white light emission fluorescent material in advance are formed on the inner surface of the front panel 104. A metal back layer 106 such as an Al film as in the case of an ordinary cathode ray-tube is coated on the surface of the fluorescent surface 101.
On the other hand, many cathode electrodes 107 extending in perpendicular direction in, for example, a band-like manner are arranged in parallel to one another and coated on the inner surface of the back panel 105.
An insulating film 108 is coated on the cathode electrodes 107 and gate electrodes 109 extending to be almost orthogonal to the extension direction of the cathode electrodes 107, for example, horizontally are arranged in parallel to one another on the insulating film 108.
Holes 110 are formed at the crossings of the cathode electrodes 107 and the gate electrodes 109, respectively. In these holes 110, conical field emission type cathodes K are formed to be coated on the cathode electrodes 107, respectively.
Each of the field emission type cathodes K is made of a material, such as Mo, W and Cr, which emits electrons by a tunnel effect when applied with a field of, for example, about 106 to 107 (V/cm).
To help understand the configuration of a cathode structure including the field emission type cathode K, the gate electrode and the like which constitute the planar display apparatus 100 of the above-stated conventional structure, one example of the configuration as well as its manufacturing method will be described with reference to manufacturing step views shown in FIGS. 16 to 19.
First, as already described with reference to FIG. 15, cathode electrodes 107 are formed on the inner surface of the back panel 105 along one direction, e.g., vertical scan direction.
Each of the cathode electrode 107 is configured such that a metal layer made of, for example, Cr is formed entirely by deposition, sputtering or the like and selectively etched by photolithography, to thereby form the cathode electrode 107 into a predetermined pattern.
Next, as shown in FIG. 16, on the patterned cathode electrode 107, an insulating film 108 is coated on the entire surface thereof by sputtering or the like and a metal 111 such as high melting point metal of, for example, Mo or W, finally constituting a gate electrode 109 is formed on the insulating film 108 by deposition, sputtering or the like.
As shown in FIG. 17, a resist pattern made of, for example, a photoresist, though not shown therein, is formed. Using the resist pattern as a mask, anisotropic etching such as RIE (reactive ion etching) is conducted to the metal layer 111 to thereby form a band-shaped gate electrode 109 in a predetermined pattern, i.e., extending in the horizontal direction orthogonal to the extension direction of the cathode electrode 107 shown in FIG. 15. Also, a plurality of small holes 111h, for example, are provided at crossings of the gate electrodes 109 and the cathode electrodes 107, respectively.
Next, through these small holes 111h, chemical etching with which the gate electrode 109, that is, the metal layer 111 is not etched but the insulating layer 108 is isotropically etched, is conducted, thereby forming holes 112 each having a width larger than the width of the small hole 111h and a depth corresponding to the entire thickness of the insulating layer 108.
In this way, as shown in FIG. 15, holes 110 are formed out of the holes 112 and the small holes 111h at crossings of the cathode electrodes 107 and the gate electrodes 109, respectively.
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 18, a metal layer 113 made of, for example, Al or Ni is coated on the gate electrode 109 by oblique deposition. The oblique deposition is carried out while rotating the back panel 105 in the plane, so that round holes 114 each having a conical inner periphery are formed around the small holes 111h, respectively.
In that case, the deposition of the metal layer 113 is carried out with a selected angle with which the metal layer 113 is not coated in the holes 112 through the small holes 111h.
Through the round holes 114, a field emission type cathode material, that is, a metal, such as W or Mo, having a high melting point and a low work function is deposited on the cathode electrode 107 in the hole 112 perpendicularly to the cathode electrode surface by deposition, sputtering or the like. In that case, even if deposited perpendicularly, the cathode material is formed to have an inclined surface continuous to those of the metal layer 113 around the round holes 114. Thus, if the cathode material reaches a certain thickness, the holes 114 become closed. As a result, in the respective holes 112, conical, dot-like cathodes K each having a triangle cross section are formed on the cathode electrodes 107, respectively.
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 19, the metal layer 113 and the cathode material formed on the layer 113 described with reference to FIG. 18 are removed. By doing so, dot-like cathodes K of conical shape, that is, each having a triangle cross section are formed in the holes 110 on the band-like, that is, stripe cathode electrodes 107, respectively.
The insulating film 108 exists around the cathodes K, whereby the cathodes K are electrically isolated from the cathode electrodes 107 and a cathode structure is constituted such that the gate electrodes 109 having electron beam transmitting holes formed out of the above-stated small holes 111h to face the respective cathodes K are arranged.
In this way, the field emission type cathodes K are formed on the cathode electrodes 107, respectively. Further, the cathode structure having the gate electrodes 109 crossing above the cathodes K is arranged to face the white fluorescent surface 101.
In the display apparatus main body 102 constituted as stated above, high plate voltage which is positive relative to the cathodes is applied to the fluorescent surface 101, that is, the metal back layer 106. Besides, voltage with which electrons can be sequentially emitted from the field emission type cathodes at, for example, the crossings of the cathode electrodes 107 and the gate electrodes 109, is applied between the cathode electrodes 107 and the gate electrodes 109, for example, voltage of 100V is applied to the gate electrodes 109 with respect to the cathode electrodes 107 sequentially and according to the display contents. Thus, electron beams are directed toward the white fluorescent surface 101 from the tip end portions of the cathodes K.
As a result, a white picture having light emission patterns corresponding to the respective colors in a time-division manner is obtained from the display apparatus main body 102. In addition, synchronously with the time-division display, the color shutter 103 is switched to thereby fetch lights corresponding to the respective colors.
Namely, red, green and blue optical images are sequentially fetched, thus displaying a color image as a whole.
As stated above, in the planar display apparatus 100 of the conventional structure shown in FIG. 15, the field emission type cathodes K facing to the fluorescent surface 101 are formed to be conical and have a triangle cross section by the manufacturing steps described with reference to FIGS. 16 to 19, and the electric field is concentrated on the tip end portions of the cones to thereby emit electrons.
Nevertheless, as the present development of technology progresses, it is desired that the electron emission parts of the field emission type cathodes K constituting this planar display apparatus 100 are formed to be more efficiently sharp.
Furthermore, as already described with reference to FIGS. 16 to 19, if cathodes K are formed, the radius of curvature of the tip end portion of each cathode K is relatively low or several tens of nanometers, e.g., about 60 nm. To satisfy today""s high resolution, it is necessary to form a finer tip end portion so as to efficiently concentrate an electric field and to efficiently emit electrons.
Under the circumstances, the inventors of the present invention continued dedicated efforts and studies and have eventually provided a field emission type cathode, an electron emission apparatus and an electron emission apparatus manufacturing method capable of making the electron emission part of a field emission type cathode K constituting a planar display apparatus finer and sharper to allow concentrating the field more efficiently.
A field emission type cathode according to the present invention is a field emission type cathode arranged to face an electron application surface, characterized in that at least an electron emission part of the field emission type cathode is formed by thin plate-like conductive fine grains; and a plate surface direction of the thin plate-like fine grains of the electron emission part is arranged to be a direction mainly crossing the electron application surface.
An electron emission apparatus according to the present invention is an electron emission apparatus having field emission type cathodes arranged to face an electron application surface, characterized in that at least electron emission parts of the field emission type cathodes are formed by thin plate-like conductive fine grains; and a plate surface direction of the thin plate-like fine grains of the electron emission part is arranged to be a direction mainly crossing the electron application surface; and if an electric field is applied, electrons are emitted from end faces of the thin plate-like fine grains of the electron emission parts of the field emission type cathodes.
An electron emission apparatus manufacturing method according to the present invention is characterized by comprising the steps of: forming a photoresist pattern having predetermined holes on formation surfaces of field emission type cathodes constituting an electron emission apparatus; dispersing thin plate-like conductive fine grains into a solvent and making an coating agent; coating and drying said coating agent on said photoresist pattern; and removing said photoresist pattern, and in that a plate surface direction of said thin plate-like fine grains in said holes and on wall portions of said holes is arranged to be a direction mainly crossing said electron application surface.
According to the field emission type cathode of the present invention and the electron emission apparatus having the field emission type cathodes of the present invention as constituent elements, the electron emission parts of the field emission type cathodes are formed by thin plate-like fine grains and also the plate surface direction of the thin plate-like fine grains are arranged to be a direction mainly crossing the electron application surface. Thus, by applying an electric field to the field emission type cathodes, the electron beam emission parts are sharpened and the electric field is efficiently concentrated.

Field emission type cathode, electron emission apparatus and electron emission apparatus manufacturing method

c/o Sony Corporation 7-35, Kitashinagawa, 6-chome

1519, Mito, Tako-machi, Katori-gun, Chiba-ken

c/o Hitachi Powdered Metals, Co., Ltd. 676, Tako


Solid laundry softening compositions and applications of use are disclosed. Solid laundry softening compositions combine quaternary ammonium compounds with an inorganic carrier to provide a flowable powder for solidification in a pressed or extruded solid composition. A high loading of quaternary ammonium compound in the inorganic carrier, including an inorganic salt, can be further combined with softening boosters, processing aids, surfactants, and/or additional functional ingredients to provide stable solid compositions.

Softening traits are a highly desired combination of properties for textiles such as fibers and fabrics, both woven and non-woven. By the term "softness" it is meant the quality perceived by users through their tactile sense to be soft. Such tactile perceivable softness may be characterized by, but not limited to resilience, flexibility, fluffiness, slipperiness, and smoothness and subjective descriptions such as "feeling like silk or flannel." Various softening compositions are used in the consumer and residential sector along with industrial and institutional settings.
Fabric softener compositions are commonly used to deposit a fabric softening compound onto fabric. Typically, such compositions contain a cationic fabric softening agent dispersed in water. These fabric softening compositions are most often liquid compositions that are delivered into the rinsing bath. Rinse-added liquid softeners have certain benefits. For example, they are easy to handle, e.g., easy to dispense and to measure. The liquid softeners also minimizes the potential for concentrated deposition of the softener on an area of a fabric to cause visible staining. To facilitate the use of liquid softeners, some automatic clothes washers built with an automatic fabric softener dispenser require the fabric softener in liquid form for proper dispensing.
There is an ongoing need and consumer demand for solid fabric softener compositions instead of liquids. This is for multiple reasons. For example, liquid fabric softener products can contain about 90% to about 95% of water. These products require a great amount of packaging material, the transport of large weight (making shipping expensive), and large shelf space in the retail stores. Although liquid concentrated compositions are available, there remain a significant water content in the liquid compositions. Moreover, any liquid formulation will have shorter shelf-stability than a solid composition.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved solid fabric softener compositions to take advantage of their benefits—compactness of the compositions for transportation, reduced shipment costs, less packaging, more readily disposable containers that can be used, less chance for messy leakage, and less shelf space required in the retail stores. Solid formulations are also more stable to storage, and extremes of temperature. Despite these many advantages of a solid composition, it is still a challenge to develop a formulation of a solid softener that has a performance comparable to a liquid softener with the same kind and amount of active content. It is still more challenging to formulate concentrated solids to provide high dosing of the active fabric softening agent.
Quaternary ammonium compounds have long been known in the art for their fabric softening capabilities in liquid formulations. However, it is a challenge to formulate such actives in sufficiently high loading concentrations or wt-% over a solid softener composition. Moreover, it is a challenge to formulate such actives in high loading concentrations or wt-% of liquid or semi solid quaternary ammonium compounds into powdered solids. In particular, having high concentrations of quaternary ammonium compounds in pressed and extruded solids is a challenge as the processing of the solid compositions requires stable, flowable powders to provide the solid compositions. It is a known challenge to formulate quaternary ammonium compounds into flowable powder compositions for solidification.
Accordingly, it is an object herein to provide a solid laundry softener composition that performs at least as well as traditional liquid compositions in a stable solid form.
It is yet another object herein to provide a solid laundry softener that can have a high quaternary ammonium compound loading onto an inorganic carrier to provide a flowable powder to be solidified.
It is still further an object to obtain a flowable powder of the quaternary ammonium compound and inorganic carrier (and other components) to provide a stable, multi-use solid composition, such as a solid block. In still further objects, flowable powder can be used in a flowable powder unit dose or powder dosed directly into a laundry machine.
Other objects, advantages and features will become apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A system for synthesizing data received from a weather radar system includes a digital signal processor, a data synthesizer, a convolution filter, and data storage. The digital signal processor digitizes reflectivity data from a radar antenna. The data synthesizer generates an M×N matrix for a digitized reflectivity data point and populates each element in the M×N matrix with the value of the digitized reflectivity data point. The convolution filter calculates a filtered value for each element in the M×N matrix. The data storage stores the M×N matrix for display.

The majority of weather radar systems utilize a signal processor to digitize an analog weather radar signal and then average a number of samples together to produce one ray of processed precipitation reflectivity. As processing evolved to digital signal processors the technique remained primarily the same. Digitizing sample clocks became variable to a degree. By adjusting the sample clocks, the range resolution of the processing system became more customizable. Pulse sample sizes also became more flexible. Adjustment of the pulse sample sizes made angular resolution variable.
These techniques allowed for sample volume coverage with controllable sample deviation. The limitations of this style of processing became noticeable as display systems became more capable of enlarging the smaller weather areas which demonstrated the higher digitized equality of the radar data as it was represented by a four-sided polygon. In order to better represent the weather data when magnified, a number of data algorithm techniques, and raster display algorithm techniques have been employed.

System and method for synthesizing data in a radar system


A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method comprises depositing a material layer on a semiconductor substrate and patterning the material layer with a patterning material. Patterning forms a patterned structure of a semiconductor device, wherein the patterned structure has a sidewall with a roughness associated therewith. The method also comprises removing the patterning material from the patterned structure and annealing an outer surface of the patterned structure such that the roughness is reduced.

Many integrated circuit manufacturing processes involve the use of a patterning material to facilitate the fabrication of device components. Typically an image in the patterning material is transferred into a material layer of the device. Inherent irregularities in the image transferred into the material layer are often referred to in the field as edge roughness or line edge roughness. As new technologies are implemented to produce smaller device components, line edge roughness become increasingly problematic because it accounts for an increasingly large amount of error in the device component's desired size or shape. Unintended variations in the size or shape of device components can, in turn, cause the device to not perform as expected.
Accordingly, what is needed is a method for forming patterned structures of devices with less line edge roughness.

Annealing to improve edge roughness in semiconductor technology


A communication system in which an operating voltage can be selected from a plurality of interface voltages enables an interface voltage to be switched in a stable manner during operation of the system. When the interface voltage is to be switched, a host device (1) and a slave device (2) perform the switching while maintaining the signal level of buses in a stable manner. This structure enables the communication system to switch an interface voltage using a small number of signal lines.

In recent years, slave devices that have penetrated the market use large-capacity nonvolatile storage elements, such as flash memories, and process data at a high speed. Examples of such slave devices include secure digital (SD) cards and memory sticks. The slave devices are used in, for example, personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile telephones, digital cameras, audio players, and car navigation systems, which function as host devices that can use the slave devices.
In addition to the memory function, the slave devices that have been commercialized recently can also have, for example, wireless LAN functions, network connection functions for wireless communication based on Bluetooth (trademark), positioning functions using the global positioning system (GPS), and input and output functions such as one-segment broadcasting reception functions for terrestrial digital TV broadcasting. Host devices are connected to these slave device to use the functions of the slave devices.
A communication system that includes such a host device and such a slave device tends to process an increasingly larger amount of data every year. This has generated a market demand for increasing the processing speed of an interface between the host device and the slave device. There also is a market demand for maintaining compatibility with the existing interfaces that are widely used in the market so that the existing interfaces will be usable continuously.
To increase the processing speed of the interface while allowing the existing interface circuit (interface device) to be usable continuously, an interface voltage (voltage used in the interface device) needs to be lowered.
With a conventional technique for selecting an operating voltage of a host device and a slave device from a plurality of interface voltages, the host device and the slave device may have a determination key indicating the level of an interface voltage, and the host device may detect an interface voltage of the slave device and then switch the voltage to be supplied to the slave voltage to determine the interface voltage (see, for example, Patent Citation 1).
Patent Citation 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-169631

Interface device for host device, interface device for slave device, host device, slave device, communication system and interface voltage switching method


An image pickup apparatus that can accurately correct an error in the position of a taking lens due to a loss of synchronism of the stepping motor during opening and closing of the lens barrier. The position of a taking lens retractable into the body of the image pickup apparatus is detected. A reference position is provided on one of both sides of a section in which the lens barrier is driven to open and close, the one side being a side on which the lens barrier is not driven to open and close.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image pickup apparatus such as a silver salt film camera, an electronic camera, a digital camera or a video camera and a control method therefor, as well as a control program for implementing the control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in a retractable-lens camera which is provided with a retractable lens, the zooming and focusing of the lens is typically carried out upon extension of the lens by a lens-extension mechanism. For a lens-extension mechanism for a camera of this type, an arrangement in which an annular drive ring with a cam is rotated to move the lens is widely used. Typically, a DC motor is used as an actuator that rotates the drive ring. Recently, however, with the appearance of compact, high-torque stepping motors, it has become possible to drive the drive ring that rotates a cam of the retractable-lens camera using a stepping motor.
Unlike a DC motor, which requires installation of a feedback system for computer control such as a pulse generator mechanism, a stepping motor does not require a pulse generator mechanism and moreover lends itself easily to digitalized computer control of the rotation because the extent of the rotation is determined by the number of pulses transmitted. Accordingly, stepping motors are more compact and less costly than DC motors.
However, controlling the stepping motor by oscillation pulses involves open-loop control, thus making it difficult to detect a loss of synchronism, i.e., when the motor gets out of step and does not rotate even when pulses are sent. When the stepping motor gets out of step, the lens cam phase slips and an error occurs in the position of the lens, leading to malfunctions such as an inability to focus and runaway operation of the lens barrel during retraction and extension of the lens.
Accordingly, in order to detect such losses of synchronism, conventionally, a reset position is provided for the drive ring rotation phase and the drive ring is reset when a certain rotation phase is reached so as to detect slippage of the cam when the motor gets out of step, with the pulse count corrected whenever slippage is detected. Thus, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-214506 describes, in order to accommodate different zoom specifications, applying silver seals at two locations, i.e. a wide-angle side and a telephoto side, and performing lens position detection at both ends of the silver seals, in other words at two locations at the telephoto position and at two locations at the wide-angle position. Moreover, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H07-218809 describes providing a lens reference position intermediate between a first position (retracted state) and a second position (standby state) of the lens for controlling the position of the lens.
At the same time, in such retractable-lens cameras, a technology is used in which a lens barrier (which can be opened and closed) for protecting the lens is provided at an end portion of the lens barrel, with the lens barrier being closed when the lens is retracted. A spring is used to open and close the lens barrier. Typically, when retracting the lens, the lens barrier is driven to be closed by tensioning the lens that biases the lens open. Moreover, retractable-lens cameras are typically powered by battery, and thus a technology in which the lens is retracted when it is determined that the battery capacity is low is also disclosed (refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H09-211528).
However, there have been the following problems with the above-described examples of the prior art:
(1) When opening and closing the lens barrier, a large change occurs in the load applied to the lens. In particular, when closing the lens barrier during retraction of the lens, the actuator that rotates the drive ring must have high torque to tension the spring that opens the barrier. If, for example, an external force is applied to the lens while the barrier is being driven, a large load is imparted to the lens. Consequently, if a stepping motor is used for the actuator, such a stepping motor is likely to get out of step. To avoid such a loss of synchronism, it can be envisaged that the rate of deceleration is increased to compensate for shortage of the torque. However, doing so has the disadvantage of lengthening the start-up time, because the speed at which the lens is extended is reduced.
Therefore, techniques are sought that prevent the stepping motor from getting out of step during driving of the lens barrier without disrupting the speed at which the lens is extended, and that can accurately correct a lens position error due to loss of synchronism on the part of the stepping motor while driving the lens barrier even if such error occurs. However, the prior art has been unable to achieve such techniques.
For example, according to the art disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-214506, although it does enable photographing and zoom position correction because lens position detection is carried out at both ends of the silver seals, that is, at two locations at the telephoto position and at two locations at the wide-angle position, if the stepping motor undergoes a loss of synchronism due to driving of the lens barrier while retracting the lens, because the position of the lens in the vicinity of the retracted position cannot be corrected, the camera might mistakenly determine that the lens has been fully retracted when in fact the lens has not been fully retracted.
Moreover, in the art disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H07-218809, only a single reset position (reference position) is provided at a location intermediate between the first position (retracted state) and the second position (standby state). Accordingly, when driving the lens barrier in the zone between the first position and the second position, when the lens moves in either an extension direction or a retraction direction, the lens necessarily moves through a lens barrier drive zone after being reset while the lens moves to the first position or the second position, and consequently the position of the lens cannot be corrected when the stepping motor undergoes a loss of synchronism in the lens barrier drive zone through which the lens barrier is driven.
(2) As a process carried out when the battery is low, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H09-211528 teaches retracting the lens and putting the camera into a state in which photography is not enabled when the battery capacity is low. However, a drawback of this technology is that photography cannot be continued until the battery is almost fully depleted. Attempting to maintain a state in which photography is enabled even when the battery is nearly drained risks a loss of synchronism of the stepping motor that rotates the zoom drive ring, resulting in a loss of rotation because, with a stepping motor, it is the pulse rate that determines the drive speed even when there is a drop in power voltage, and therefore there is no decrease in drive speed attendant upon a voltage drop.

Image pickup apparatus including a lens barrel opening and closing a lens barrier protecting a lens and control method therefor, and control program for implementing the control method


A magnetic resonance (MR) system and method for generating information about an object is provided. The MR system comprises at least one MR detector configured to sense a plurality of electromagnetic signals and a modulator coupled to the MR detector and configured to modulate optical signals with the electromagnetic signals to generate corresponding modulated optical signals. The MR system further comprises a resonant matching circuit configured for matching an impedance of the MR detector to an impedance of the modulator to achieve at least one of a voltage gain or a noise performance. An optical conduit coupled to the modulator is configured to transmit the modulated optical signals from within a shielded environment to outside the shielded environment. A signal detector coupled to the optical conduit is configured to convert the modulated optical signals to electrical signals.

The invention relates generally to imaging and spectroscopy systems and more specifically to magnetic resonance systems and methods.
High field magnetic systems such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems are typically located inside a shielded environment such as a shielded room. Several MR detectors are used as sensing elements in MRI systems and are used for sensing and transmitting electromagnetic signals. Computer processors are used for processing the electromagnetic signals to generate a corresponding image of an object.
Typically, the computer processors of MRI systems are located outside the shielded room. Coaxial cables are usually used to connect circuits within the shielded room to circuits outside of the shielded room. Isolating the signals propagated through the cables from outside the shielded room to the inside of the shielded room is a major challenge in such applications and is performed in general, to prevent radio frequency interference from degrading image acquisition and processing.
To increase the quality of the images, MRI systems sometimes comprise several magnetic resonance (MR) detectors. Examples of MR detectors include receive coils. One problem when increasing the number of coils is the corresponding increase in the coaxial cable required to connect the coils to the computer processor. Increasing the number of coaxial cables results in various problems such as bulky cables connectors, electro magnetic interference and crosstalk. Another problem with the conductive coaxial cables that connect the MR detector or RF coil to the system is that the conductive cables can form loops, which in turn can induce local heating during-high energy transmit pulses used in MRI which may be a safety concern.
Therefore, there is a need to transmit signals with high fidelity between the MR detectors in the shielded room and a computer processor located outside the shielded room.


A method and apparatus for periodically air-washing a charcoal canister and for testing leak-tightness of a closed fuel supply system of an internal combustion engine in which a reversible electric air pump is installed in a line connecting the fuel system and the canister to the intake manifold of the engine upstream of the choke valve. In one direction of operation of the pump, ambient air is sucked through the canister and fed to the intake manifold to wash the canister and in the other direction of operation of the pump, air is pumped from above the choke valve in the intake manifold to the fuel system to pressurize the system to check leak-tightness thereof. When the engine is turned off, the pump is shut off and the fuel supply system is connected to the canister.

Apparatus for cleaning a charcoal canister in an evaporative emission system of an internal combustion engine is disclosed in EPO 585,527 B1. This apparatus consists of a line connecting the charcoal canister to the air intake manifold of the internal combustion engine downstream of a choke device. Thereby, ambient air can be suctioned through the canister to wash the filter therein of trapped fuel vapor and convey the same to the fuel mixture in the intake manifold. Due to fluctuating suction pressures caused by varying engine load, an irregular cleaning is obtained, which is compensated by a time controlled electromagnetic valve. A considerable cost is necessary for technical equipment and control means to operate this apparatus.
In several states in the U.S.A., an automatic monitoring of all exhaust-relevant components of a motor vehicle engine has been required (OBDII). All functions and components of engine control must be regularly monitored for their action and for their effectiveness. In addition to inspecting the ignition system for misfiring and the catalytic converter, it is also necessary to test for leak-tightness of the fuel tank system i.e. the fuel tank and the hoses of the evaporative emission system. This requirement is intended to prevent leakage of fuel vapor, for example, when the vehicle is stopped in the sun and the engine is shut off, due to poor sealing in the hose connections or due to holes in the hoses. Environmental requirements in California make it necessary for the entire fuel tank system to be tested for leak-tightness during every vehicle trip. A 1 mm hole is defined as the identification threshold.
DE 4,328,090 C2 discloses apparatus to apply suction pressure to the tank by means of manifold vacuum via a tank bleeder valve and to measure any increase in suction pressure with a pressure sensor in the tank. Difficulties in this method, arise firstly from different fuel levels in the tank which must be taken into consideration in the evaluation algorithm, and secondly, because leak-tightness testing with the suction in the intake manifold has the additional disadvantage that in order to evacuate the tank, fuel vapors must be drawn into the intake manifold via the tank bleeder valve. During travel, the fuel in the tank heats up due to injection valve operation and tends to build up fuel vapors and increased pressure. Therefore, leak-tightness testing should occur when starting a cold engine, in order to avoid measurements with distorted values due to the heated fuel. The utilization of this process is thus not suitable for testing in the case of a hot engine.
A proposal is known from PCT-WO96/14505, in which a diaphragm pump, which is driven by suction in the intake manifold, pressurizes the tank system, whose pressure drop is measured after turning off the diaphragm pump to determine lack of leak-tightness. This publication, however, also discloses aspirating the cleaning air into the suction region of the air intake system, which has the disadvantage mentioned above of irregular feed and high costs for technical equipment and control means.

Apparatus and method for periodically cleaning a charcoal canister and for periodically checking leak-tightness of a fuel system of an internal combustion engine


An optical fiber including: (i) a silica based, rare earth doped core having a first index of refraction n1; and (ii) at least one silica based cladding surrounding the core and having a second index of refraction n2, such that n1>n2, said cladding having a plurality of stress rods and a plurality of air holes extending longitudinally through the length of said optical fiber; wherein said optical fiber supports a single polarization mode or poses-polarization maintaining properties within the operating wavelength range.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to optical waveguide fibers, and more particularly to a rare earth doped optical fiber exhibiting single polarization properties and high birefringence.
2. Technical Background
The present invention relates generally to double clad rare earth doped optical fibers, and particularly to single polarization rare earth doped optical fibers suitable for use with high power light sources or in optical fiber lasers and optical amplifiers.

Rare earth doped double clad optical fiber with plurality of air holes and stress rods


A system and method for repairing anterior cruciate injuries in animals is disclosed. The system includes a fixture used to locate a pilot hole in a tibia, a drill guide used to locate and drill additional holes in the tibia, an angle gauge used to position the drill guide so that it is able to locate and drill additional holes in the tibia, a saw assembly that separates the proximal end of the tibia from the shaft of the tibia. The repositioned proximal end may be secured to the tibia by an optional fixation plate or by a suitable adhesive.

Anterior cruciate ligament repair for animals such as dogs have been known and practiced for a number of years. There are several methods of repair, one of which is "tibial plateau leveling osteotomy". In this procedure, the upper portion of the tibia is separated from the upper portion of the tibia, repositioned, and then secured relative to the tibia. In repositioning the tibial plateau, slack in the anterior cruciate can be taken up and the joint can be strengthen and reinforced. See, for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,793.
A drawback with existing procedures it is difficult to make saw cuts that are perpendicular to the weight-bearing axis of tibia.
Another drawback with existing procedures is that it is difficult to accurately reposition the proximal end of the tibia after it has been sawn from the shaft of the tibia.
Another drawback with existing systems is that they are not designed to be used with differently sized animals.
Yet another drawback with existing systems is that securement of the repositioned proximal end of the tibia is difficult and often inadequate.

Apparatus and method for anterior cruciate repair


An anti-microbial composition includes particles having an outer surface onto which an anti-microbial agent has been adsorbed. The particles can be used, for example, for coating the bristles of toothbrushes.

The invention relates to particles having an anti-microbial agent adsorbed on their surface.
Most humans suffer from tooth decay and periodontal disease caused by bacteria in the mouth. As a result, decreasing the number of bacteria in the mouth has long been the target of persons working in the health care field. The most common way of minimizing the number of bacteria is to brush and floss the teeth regularly, and to visit a dental hygienist to have the teeth and gums cleaned thoroughly. Another prior approach to control bacteria in the mouth is to rinse with a solution containing a known anti-microbial agent like chlorhexidine digluconate.
One of the major side effects of rinsing with a chlorhexidine solution is a yellow-brown stain which develops on teeth, tongue, and fillings. Although this stain can be professionally removed, it is not cosmetically pleasing. In addition to the staining, taste disturbances in the perception of sweet and salt may develop, and in a few persons, scaling and soreness of the oral mucosa. The main reason for these side effects is the high concentration of chlorhexidine or salt thereof used in the rinse.
After a toothbrush has been used, there are a large number of bacteria clinging to the bristles, even after the brush has been rinsed. This, of course, is undesirable, and these bacteria typically will multiply on the bristles between uses. To counter this problem, various approaches to making self-sterilizing toothbrushes have been described in the art.

Polymeric particles for dental applications


An information management system has an information management apparatus that receives a data stream with a general-purpose format, which is constituted of data and additional information, from a data-supplying system and separates the additional information from the data stream to hold and manage the data obtained by separating the additional information from the data stream. The information management system has a data storage device that stores the data obtained by separating the additional information from the data stream with the information management apparatus. The data is stored in the data storage device as it is with the data having the general-purpose format.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information management system, an information management apparatus and an information management method. More particularly, it relates to an AV sever system that stores and reproduces audio/video data streams in/from data storage device.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, the AV server system of GCD system has been often used in a broadcast station, an audio/video information distribution system or the like when editing any audio/video information. The AV server system has data recording/reproducing apparatus, data storage device and the like. The data recording/reproducing apparatus encodes and compresses (or performs encoding on) any audio/video information according to any data compression standard such as MPEG when recording the data. Header information such as frame index is added to the coded and compressed audio/video data, thereby producing a data stream with a predetermined data format. The data storage device stores the data stream. In such the AV server with its individual data format.
The data recording/reproducing apparatus reads the data stream from the data storage device when reproducing data, to decode and decompress (or performs decoding on) the data stream. Any decoded and decompressed audio/video data is used as audio/video information. The data recording/reproducing apparatus transmits such the audio/video information to an image display device and/or an audio output device. In such the AV server system, the data stream is managed under any file managements.
Such the AV server system has information-processing apparatus and method, a program recording medium, and a program used therefore (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-336593). The information-processing apparatus has a body-producing unit, a header-producing unit, and a file-producing unit used when it produces any files with a format constituted of a header, a body, and a footer. The body-producing unit produces body information based on input data and the header-producing unit acquires a size of the input data and produces table information to produce header information based on the table information. After producing the body, the file-producing unit combines these pieces of the header information, the body information, and footer information with each other. If an information management apparatus is configured as the above one, any broadcast equipment can perform any file-swapping with a personal computer.

Information management system, information management apparatus and information management method


An object of the present invention is to provide a radio frequency power amplifier of multi stage amplifying method that is designed to reduce instability of output power caused by electromagnetic coupling of bias supply terminals and interconnections of each stage to thereby operate stably. Another object of the present invention is to provide a radio frequency power amplifier that is designed to reduce distortion of output power caused by electromagnetic coupling of bias supply terminals and interconnections of each stage to thereby provide high efficiency. The above objects can be achieved by providing a first interconnection connected to a terminal for supplying a voltage for collector driving to a power amplifying transistor, a second interconnection connected to a terminal for supplying a voltage for collector driving to a second transistor controlling a base bias voltage of the above transistor, and one or more ground parts for electromagnetic shield, wherein the first interconnection and the second interconnection are separated by one or more of the ground parts for electromagnetic shield.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio frequency power amplifier used in cellular phone handset, and more particularly to a voltage power supply method of reducing mutual interference between circuits through a power supply line.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, there has been an increasing demand for cellular phone handset as typified by cellular phones to be more compact in size and lighter in weight, and therefore research and development is being vigorously made to satisfy the demand. Conventional power amplifying circuits for transmission used in cellular phone handset require negative voltage power supply or negative voltage power creation circuit, have many part configurations, and cannot therefore meet the demand of being compact in size and light in weight. Accordingly, heterojunction bipolar transistors of Gallium Arsenide compound semiconductor (hereinafter simply referred to as GaAsHBT) are expected as amplifying devices used in radio frequency power amplifiers for transmission because they are capable of single positive voltage power supply and have excellent radio frequency characteristics.
FIG. 12 shows a conventional radio frequency power amplifier employing GaAsHBT, disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H10-75130. The radio frequency power amplifier comprises: an input impedance matching circuit 401; a power amplifying transistor 410; an output impedance matching circuit 402; and a base bias voltage control circuit 403 for the power amplifying transistor 410. The base bias voltage control circuit 403 comprises a transistor 411 and resistors 420 and 421. The reference numeral 430 denotes power supply for driving the collectors of the transistors 410 and 411, and the reference numeral 431 denotes power supply for controlling the gain of the radio frequency power amplifier, which is applied to the base of the power amplifying transistor through the base bias voltage control circuit. The base bias voltage control circuit, by substantially supplying a base current Ibb of the power amplifying transistor from the power supply for collector driving, is generally used to reduce a current Iapc for gain control to be supplied from the power supply for gain control and thereby reduce current supply capacity demanded to external control circuits to generate a voltage for gain control.
With saturation amplifiers complying with the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) system widely used principally in Europe presently, a trade-off relationship between output power and power added efficiency is a major problem in the development of radio frequency power amplifiers.
Moreover, with linear amplifiers complying with the W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) system, which is one of third generation mobile communication systems, in addition to the trade-off between output power and power added efficiency, a trade-off relationship exists between distortion and power added efficiency, as described in page 36 in "Electronic Technology June, 2000" published by Nikkan Kogyo Shinbun.
Therefore, in the linear amplifiers, reduction in distortion leads to an increase in power added efficiency of radio frequency power amplifiers, which, in turn, leads to an increase in the performance of the radio frequency power amplifiers.


A method and an arrangement for monitoring a deceleration function of a control unit of a motor vehicle affect as little as possible the operability of the control unit in the case of a fault. The deceleration function of a control unit (1) of a motor vehicle inputs a vehicle deceleration independently of the actuation of a vehicle brake operator-controlled element. The input is transmitted via a deceleration interface (5) to a brake system (10) of the vehicle to realize the input. A check is made as to whether a brake intervention of the brake system (10), which is initiated by the deceleration function, is permissible and, at first, only the deceleration function is deactivated when the brake intervention is impermissible.

Motor vehicles are known which include a brake system, for example, an ESP system (electronic stabilization program), which includes a deceleration interface and thereby enables the system to initiate a vehicle deceleration via a bus system connecting control apparatuses. At the present time, the possibility is utilized by a control apparatus for adaptive vehicle speed control to request a vehicle deceleration from the braking system via the bus system connecting the control apparatuses by means of the deceleration interface.
The monitoring concept of the control apparatus for the adaptive vehicle speed control provides for a switchoff of its interface to the bus system connecting the control apparatuses and therewith also a switchoff of the deceleration interface in order to avoid an implausible response of the deceleration interface as a fault reaction.
In contrast to the motor control, the switchoff of the communication via the bus system connecting the control apparatuses means, in the case of the control apparatus for the adaptive vehicle speed control, only the possibly temporary unavailability of a comfort system. If, however, in the motor control, the interface for the system connecting the control apparatuses is switched off, then this can have considerably greater consequences.

Method and arrangement for monitoring a deceleration function of a control unit of a motor vehicle


A multiply accumulate unit (“MAC”) that performs operations on packed integer data. In one embodiment, the MAC receives 2 32-bit data words which, depending on the specified mode of operation, each contain either four 8-bit operands, two 16-bit operands, or one 32-bit operand. Depending on the mode of operation, the MAC performs either sixteen 8×8 operations, four 16×16 operations, or one 32×32 operation. Results may be individually retrieved from registers and the corresponding accumulator cleared after the read cycle. In addition, the accumulators may be globally initialized. Two results from the 8×8 operations may be packed into a single 32-bit register. The MAC may also shift and saturate the products as required.

Multiply-accumulate units ("MACs") perform multiplication and accumulation operations in a single instruction cycle in a processor. Usually, the result of a multiplication operation is added, or accumulated to, another result stored in an accumulator, or register. These units are often used to speed up video/graphics applications as well as digital signal processor operations such as convolution and filtering.
Single instruction, multiple data ("SIMD") style processing has been used to accelerate multimedia processing. Instruction sets for processors often include SIMD instructions where multiple data elements are packed in a single wide register, with the individual data elements operated on in parallel. One example is Intel's MMX (multimedia extension) TM instruction set. This parallel operation on data elements accelerates processing.
As noted above, MAC operations are used to accelerate various applications. In addition to speed, it would be desirable to have an architecture that is capable of handling multiply and accumulate operations for different-sized operands as required by the instruction (i.e., 8×8 operations, 16×16 operations, etc.). It would also be desirable to be able to retrieve individual results of MAC operations and clear the corresponding accumulator. In addition, it would be advantageous to have a MAC unit which could provide the cross-product of operands, pack results into one register, and shift results where desired.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for performing parallel integer multiply accumulate operations on packed data


A lock includes a housing, a locking mechanism and an indicator. The locking mechanism is disposed in the housing and includes a first module and a second module both configured to lock or unlock the lock. The indicator is able to move from an original position to an indicative position outside the housing in response to operation of the first module. However, when being located in the indicative position, the indicator is unresponsive to the operation of the first module.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dual-lock type padlock, and more particularly to a dual-lock type padlock having a double reminding function.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional padlock in accordance with the prior art was disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,877,345 and comprises a housing, a shackle, a number lock module, a key lock module, and an indicator. The shackle is movably mounted on the housing. The housing has a window for exposing the indicator which presents a first color in the window. When the key lock module is unlocked, the indicator presents a second color in the window so as to remind the user that the key lock module has been unlocked. When the number lock module is unlocked, the indicator is reset to present the first color in the window. However, the indicator occupies the inner space of the housing, and the window of the housing is too small. In addition, the user has to see the second color in the window so as to understand if the key lock module has been unlocked, so that such a padlock is not available for the blind people, thereby limiting the versatility of the padlock.
Another conventional padlock in accordance with the prior art was disclosed in the U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0088256A1 and comprises a shackle 14, a shackle sleeve 96, and a housing to lock an article. However, such a padlock only includes a number lock module without providing a key lock module. In addition, such a padlock is not provided with an indicator.
The closest prior art references of which the applicant is aware are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,597,560, 4,751,830 and 6,539,761, each comprising a housing and a shackle to lock an article.

Dual-lock type padlock having double reminding function


A non-volatile memory array includes a semiconductor substrate having a main surface, a first source/drain region and a second source/drain region. The second source/drain region is spaced apart from the first source/drain region. A well region is disposed in a portion of the semiconductor substrate between the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region. A plurality of memory cells are disposed on the main surface above the well region. Each memory cell includes a first oxide layer formed on the main surface of the substrate, a charge storage layer disposed above the blocking oxide layer relative to the main surface of the semiconductor substrate and second oxide layer disposed above the charge storage layer relative to the main surface of the semiconductor substrate. A plurality of wordlines are disposed above the second oxide layer relative to the main surface of the semiconductor substrate.

The present invention relates to a non-volatile memory semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing a non-volatile memory semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a non-volatile memory semiconductor device having a two-bits per cell not-and-gate (NAND) nitride trap memory and a method for manufacturing a non-volatile memory semiconductor device having a two-bits per cell NAND nitride trap memory.
Non-volatile memory ("NVM") refers to semiconductor memory which is able to continually store information even when the supply of electricity is removed from the device containing such an NVM memory cell. NVM includes Mask Read-Only Memory (Mask ROM), Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM) and Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM). Typically, NVM can be programmed with data, read and/or erased, and the programmed data can be stored for a long period of time prior to being erased, even as long as ten years.
Nitride read only memory (NROM) is a type of EEPROM that uses charge-trapping for data storage. An NROM cell is typically composed of a metal-oxide-silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET) having an ONO (oxide-nitride-oxide) layer disposed between the gate and the source/drain of the semiconductor material. The nitride layer in the ONO layer is able to "trap" charge (electrons) when the device is "programmed." Charge localization is the ability of the nitride material to store the charge without significant lateral movement of the charge throughout the nitride layer. NROM utilizes a relatively thick tunnel oxide layer, which typically negatively impacts the time it takes to erase a memory cell. NROM can be contrasted with conventional "floating gate" memory cells wherein the floating gate is conductive and the charge is spread laterally throughout the entire floating gate and charge is transferred through a tunnel oxide layer. Programming (i.e., charge injection) of the charge-trapping layer in NROM cells can be carried out by various hot carrier injection methods such as channel hot electron injection (CHE), source side injection (SSI) or channel initiated secondary electron (CHISEL) which all inject electrons into the nitride layer. Erasing is performed by applying a positive gate voltage, which permits hole tunneling through the ONO top dielectric layer from the gate. Erasing (i.e., charge removal) in NROM devices is typically carried out by band-to-band hot hole tunneling (BTBHHT). However, BTBHHT erasing causes many reliability issues with NROM devices and causes degradation of the NROM devices and charge loss after many program/erase cycles. Reading is carried out in a forward or reverse direction. Localized charge-trapping technology allows two separate bits per cell, thus resulting in a doubling of memory density. The NROM can be repeatedly programmed, read, erased and/or reprogrammed by known voltage application techniques.
NROM has attracted attention because of the two bits per cell operation and simple process flow for fabrication. However, NROM memory encounters fundamental limitations as the design is scaled down because of short channel effect and source/drain punch-through. A typical NROM memory is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,192 (Eitan '192), the contents of which is incorporated by reference herein. The source/drain of NROM is formed by Arsenic implantation into a P-well. The doping is heavy and the source/drain junction is deep in order to produce channel hot electron injection for programming and band to band hot hole for erasing. As result, even with virtual ground array architecture, the cell size of a NROM memory cell is about 8F2-10F2, where F is the feature size. The heavy and deep source/drain limits the scaling of the NROM cell. Further, the large hot electron programming current make it hard to parallel program on the order of kilobytes (kB) which limits the application for data flash.
Another common EEPROM is a metal-nitride-oxide-silicon (MNOS) memory cell. A typical MNOS cell includes a very thin layer of insulating material like silicon dioxide (SiO2) to separate a silicon nitride charge storage region from a gate and from a well region of the semiconductor device. MNOS devices are programmed by applying a positive voltage potential to the gate electrode while forcing the source, drain and well regions to a lower voltage potential. By applying a higher voltage to the gate, an electric field is created causing electrons in the well region and the rest of the semiconductor to tunnel through the oxide layer to the nitride layer. In order for the electrons to be able to tunnel through the oxide layer, the oxide layer must be relatively thin, e.g., 20-30 Angstroms (Å).
Yet another known EEPROM is a silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory cell. FIG. 1 depicts a typical conventional SONOS device 110. The conventional SONOS device 110 includes a silicon substrate 111, a source 114, a drain 112, a well region 115 and a first oxide layer 120 on top of the well region 115. A nitride charge storage layer 124 is provided above the first oxide layer 120 and a second oxide layer 130 is provided above the nitride charge storage layer 124. A polysilicon (poly) gate 125 is disposed on top of the ONO stack 120, 124, 130. By providing the second oxide layer 130 on top of the nitride layer 124 there is an improvement in the ability to control where the charge is stored or "trapped" within the nitride layer 124 during programming operations. Additionally, the second oxide layer 124 prevents holes from entering from the overlying gate 125. A non-volatile memory cell that utilizes asymmetric charge trapping is disclosed in Eitan '192.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,011,725 (Eitan '725), the entire contents of which is incorporated by reference herein, provides a detailed comparison of several of the prior art NVMs including respective programming, erasing and reading techniques. The Eitan '725 patent also discloses a type of SONOS memory cell capable of storing two data bits by localized charge storage techniques.
To program a first bit of typical conventional SONOS devices 110, a program voltage is applied to the drain 112 and to the gate 125 while the source 114 is grounded. The program voltage cause a vertical and lateral electric field along the length of the channel 105 from the source 114 to the drain 112. The electric field causes electrons to be drawn from the source 114 to the drain 112, and as the electrons move along a length of the channel 105, the electrons gain energy to "jump" the potential barrier posed by the bottom oxide layer 120 into the nitride charge storage layer 124 where they are "trapped" or stored. The accelerated electrons that make the jump are referred to as hot electrons. Since the nitride charge storage layer 124 is not really conductive, the electrons cannot spread throughout the nitride charge storage layer 124, but instead remain trapped in a local region closest to the drain 112. Similarly, to program a second bit of typical conventional SONOS devices 110, a program voltage is applied to the source 114 and to the gate 125 while the drain 112 is grounded. The program voltage cause a vertical and lateral electric field along the length of the channel 105 from the drain 112 to the source 114. The electric field causes electrons to be drawn from the drain 112 to the source 114, and as the electrons move along a length of the channel 105, the electrons gain energy to "jump" the potential barrier posed by the bottom oxide layer 120 into the nitride charge storage layer 124 where they are "trapped" or stored. Since the nitride charge storage layer 124 is not really conductive, the electrons cannot spread throughout the nitride charge storage layer 124, but instead remain trapped in a local region closest to the source 114. In order to be able to erase the memory, the programming duration must be limited because as the programming voltages continue to be applied, the width of the charge trapping region becomes wider and therefore harder to erase.
NAND flash memory has become the main stream technology for data flash application due to its smaller cell size and faster program speed and serial access. However, floating gate type NAND flash memory encounters fundamental limitations as the design is scaled down below 70 nanometers (nm). Besides its poor endurance, the interference effect due to parasitic capacitance between the adjacent floating gates severely deteriorates the cell threshold voltage distribution. Notably, SONOS NAND flash memory is free of such technological limitations generating below the design rule of 70 nm. However, SONOS NAND flash memory generally has poor charge retention which prevents SONOS NAND flash memory from being applied in high density NAND flash memory.
It is desirable to provide a non-volatile memory semiconductor device having a two-bits per cell NAND nitride trap memory. It is also desirable to provide an NVM having data retention that is better than SONOS NAND memory.

Two-bits per cell not-and-gate (NAND) nitride trap memory


The present invention relates to hepatitis B virus (hereinafter it refers to HBV) polymerase containing a histidine tag, RNase H enzyme derived from HBV polymerase and processes for preparation thereof.. More particularly, the present invention relates to recombinant HBV polymerase, its RNase H domain with enzyme activity, expression vectors producing the enzymes in E. coli and processes for preparing the HBV polymerase and the RNase H enzyme which can be easily purified due to their histidine tags.. And the present invention relates to uses of the HBV polymerase and the RNase H enzyme for screening antiviral agents.

The present invention relates to hepatitis B virus (hereinafter it refers to HBV) polymerase containing a histidine tag, RNase H enzyme derived from HBV polymerase and processes for preparation thereof.
More particularly, the present invention relates to recombinant HBV polymerase, its RNase H domain with enzyme activity, expression vectors producing the enzymes in E. coli and processes for preparing the HBV polymerase and the RNase H enzyme which can be easily purified due to their histidine tags.
And the present invention relates to uses of the HBV polymerase and the RNase H enzyme for screening antiviral agents.
HBV is the main virus among hepatitis viruses, which infects more than 300 million people worldwide. HBV causes acute or chronic hepatitis, which results in liver cirrhosis or liver cancer (Tiollais and Buenda, Scientific American, 264: 48-54, 1991; Blumberg, B. S., Background and perspective in advances in hepatitis research, F. V. Chisari, ed., New York, Mason publishing, 1984). Because of molecular characteristics of HBV and its close relation with liver diseases, various researches about HBV have been accomplished.
HBV is a DNA virus, a member of the hepadnaviridae family, which has a spherical structure composed of nucleocapsid and core. HBV genome is a partially double stranded DNA of only 3.2 kb size, which is not a circular form. In detail, HBV genome is composed of four overlapped genes that are the polymerase (P) gene, the surface protein (HBsAg; S, pre-S1, pre-S2) gene, the core protein (HBcAg; pre-C, C) gene and X protein (HBx) gene. Among these genes, X protein gene encodes regulatory protein, and the other genes encode structural proteins of HBV. The polymerase gene occupies 80% of the total genome and encodes 94 KD-sized protein composed of 845 amino acids.
HBV infects hepatic cells by the process described below. The specific receptor of the hepatic cell recognizes the surface protein on the surface of the virion particle and binds with them so as to draw the virion into the hepatic cell. Then HBV polymerase synthesizes the single-stranded part of partially double-stranded DNA in order to obtain complete HBV genome. And the HBV genome of 3.2 kb size is transcribed with cellular RNA polymerase to produce pre-genomic mRNA of about 3.5 kb, core protein (C) mRNA, surface protein mRNA and X protein mRNA. Viral proteins are translated from these mRNAs. Specially HBV polymerase synthesizes an RNA intermediate with its reverse transcriptase activity so as to provide a template for the DNA genome and make a replicasome structure with the pre-genomic mRNA, the core protein and the like, which is called encapsidation process. The HBV genome can be encapsidated easily since 3'-terminus of the polymerase containing continuous glutamic acid residues has affinity with nucleic acids. The above RNA intermediate in the replicasome serves as a template for minus strand DNA synthesis and then the full-length minus strand serves as a template for plus strand DNA synthesis by DNA-dependent DNA polymerase (DDDP) activity of the polymerase so as to make total pre-genomic mRNAs finally. By repeating the above process, more than 200-300 copies of the genomic DNA is maintained in pool and the viral proteins mentioned above are expressed (Tiollais and Buenda, Scientific American, 264: 48-54, 1991 ; Ganem, D. and Varmus, H. E., Annu. Rev. Biochem., 56: 651-693, 1987).
Interestingly, HBV replicates its genome by using the RNA intermediate and reverse transcription even though it is a DNA virus. It is known that retrovirus exploits the reverse transcription to replicate its genome. Particularly, the polymerase of retrovirus is reported to be a multifunctional enzyme which shows DNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity, reverse transcriptase activity, and RNase H activity. It is remarkable that HBV polymerase contains a series of functions necessary for the replication of virus genome. Namely, the following functions: (i) protein primer, (ii) RNA-dependent DNA polymerase (RT), (iii) DNA-dependent DNA polymerase (DDDP), (iv) RNase H activity consist in one polypeptide. The reverse transcriptase activity of HBV polymerase was first reported by Kaplan et al., and has been exploited to elucidate the mecahnism of HBV replication.
As mentioned above, a reverse transcriptase has an active RNase H domain commonly which recognizes RNA/DNA complex and hydrolyzes only the RNA strand selectively. The RNase H activity is indispensable to the reverse transcription, since the reverse transcriptase can replicate DNA continuously only after RNA intermediate is hydrolyzed by the RNase H activity. Although RNase H enzyme is known as a domain of the reverse transcriptase recently, RNase H enzyme was first discovered in the calf thymus by Hausen and Stein, and has been reported from various prokaryotes and eukaryotes (Stein, Hans and Hausen, P., Science, 166: 393-395, 1969).
Generally speaking, an active RNase H domain of HBV polymerase is localized within its C-terminus. The amino acid sequence and nucleotide sequence of the polymerase were reported to be very similar to those of the polymerase of Moloney murine Leukemia Virus. In addition, an active RNase H domain of HBV polymerase was known to synthesize a plus strand primer which can be derived from the pre-genomic RNA putatively. Particularly, it was identified by performing mutagenesis that the conserved sequence in the RNase H enzyme was necessary for viral proliferation. In addition, the RNase H domain plays a role to synthesize a minus strand DNA as well as the plus strand DNA and to perform RNA packaging, which is identified by mutating the RNase H domain of duck HBV polymerase. But it is reported recently that duck HBV polymerase can not recognize binding region .epsilon. within the pre-genomic RNA of human HBV.
Therefore, human HBV polymerase and its RNase H domain should be studied directly in addition to indirect researches by utilizing duck HBV polymerase in order to elucidate human HBV and the mechanism of its polymerase. Hitherto, the surface protein and the X protein which is necessary for the development of vaccines and for the regulation of transcription in proceeding liver cancer respectively has been studied actively. However, HBV polymerase has seldom been exploited although it can be used to develop antiviral agents. Because HBV polymerase is difficult to be separated from virus particle and to obtain sufficient amounts, especially as an active form (Radziwill, G. et al., Virology, 163: 123-132, 1988). Presently, in order to develop novel therapeutical agents for hepatitis, cell lines infected with HBV have been used for screening antiviral agents. However, effective therapeutical agents has not been yet developed, since it takes longer time and costs more for a screening method using cell lines than for screening methods using HBV polymerase or its RNase H enzyme.
Recently in order to elucidate HBV, HBV polymerase and its RNase H domain have been studied as descibed above. Particularly researches for the mass production of above enzymes have been attempted by using recombinant DNA technology. The inventors of the present invention have produced a recombinant HBV polymerase which is expressed from E. coli transformant, measured its enzyme activity and filed a patent application thereof (Korean Patent Application 94-3918). The recombinant HBV polymerase was produced in E. coli as a form of fusion protein with maltose binding protein (MBP), and can be easily purified by MBP affinity column chromatography. But active HBV polymerase is difficult to be obtained massively because the polymerase can be degradaded at the C-terminus and has low purity.
Foreign proteins can be obtained massively by inserting a histidine tag into the proteins by recombinant DNA technology. The nucleotide sequences encoding histidine tag is inserted into the 5'-terminus or 3'-terminus of the gene, and the histidine-tag prevents degradation of the recombinant protein so as to prepare stable enzyme. In addition, the highly active recombinant protein can be purified easily by using histidine tag affinity column as a metal chelating affinity column.
In order to develop effective therapeutical agents, HBV polymerase and its RNase H enzyme have been produced by processes of the present invention. The inventors constructed expression vectors containing HBV polymerase gene with nucleotide sequences encoding a histidine tag at the C-terminus of the recombinant protein and expression vectors containing RNase H domain gene which is derived from the 3'-terminus of the HBV polymerase gene. In addition, HBV polymerase and its RNase H domain have been produced as forms of fusion protein massively in E. coli by using the expression vectors and purified easily by using amylose column and histidine tag affinity column. Thus highly active and stable HBV polymerase and its RNase H enzyme which are not degradaded can be prepared. Furthermore, the inventors have developed novel screening methods for antiviral agents by using the HBV polymerase and its RNase H domain of the present invention.

HBV polymerase processes for preparation and uses for screening antiviral agents thereof


Cellulose and sulfated cellulose fibrous meshes exhibiting robust structural and mechanical integrity in water were fabricated using a combination of electrospinning, thermal-mechanical annealing and chemical modifications. The sulfated fibrous mesh exhibited higher retention capacity for human recombinant bone morphogenetic protein-2 than the cellulose mesh, and the retained proteins remained biologically active for at least 7 days. The sulfated fibrous mesh also more readily supported the attachment and osteogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow stromal cells in the absence of osteogenic growth factors. These properties combined make the sulfated cellulose fibrous mesh a promising bone tissue engineering scaffold.

Electrospinning uses an electrical charge to draw fine (typically on the micro or nano scale) fibres from a liquid. It is a robust technique for fabricating polymer fibrous meshes mimicking the extracellular matrices (ECM) of natural tissues. (Pham, et al. 2006 Tissue Engineering 12, (5), 1197-1211.) Electrospinning shares characteristics of both electrospraying and conventional solution dry spinning of fibers. By adjusting the viscosity and surface tension of the polymer solution as well as the voltage, speed and duration of the electrospinning process, polymer fibrous meshes of varied fiber dimensions and mesh thicknesses and porosities could be obtained. (Huang, et al. 2003 Composites Science and Technology 63 (15), 2223-2253; Li, et al. 2004 Advanced Materials 16 (14), 1151-1170.) For in vivo tissue engineering applications, however, these fibrous meshes should also be engineered with proper biochemical microenvironment (e.g., via the retention of tissue-specific biological cues) to help support cellular attachment, direct stem cell differentiation, and guide tissue integration.
Covalent modification of synthetic scaffolds with growth factors was previously attempted for expediting bone tissue repair. (Uludag, et al. 2000 Biotechnol. Prog. 16 (2), 258-267; Gittens, et al. 2004 Journal of Controlled Release 98 (2), 255-268.) This approach, however, risks compromising the bioactivity of the proteins due to substantial structural perturbation. (Katagiri, et al. 1994 Journal of Cell Biology 127 (6), 1755-1766; Uludag, et al. 1999 Biotechnol. Bioeng. 65 (6), 668-672.) By contrast, strategies for retaining protein therapeutics through non-covalent electrostatic interactions are more biomimetic in nature. For instance, sulfated polysaccharides are known for their high affinity for many endogenous proteins within the ECM environment such as various isoforms of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), presumably through favorable electrostatic interactions between the sulfate residues and the basic amino acid residues of the proteins. (Vukicevic, et al. 1994 Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 198 (2), 693-700; Irie, et al. 2003 Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 308 (4), 858-865; Ruppert, et al. 1996 Eur. J. Biochem. 237, (1), 295-302; Takada, et al. 2003 Journal of Biological Chemistry 278, (44), 43229-43235.) Such biopolymers are ideal candidates for the fabrication of synthetic tissue scaffolds. Indeed, chondroitin sulfate, an important sulfated structural component of cartilage tissue, has been shown to enhance bone remodeling of musculoskeletal defects when used in combination with other bone grafting materials. (Schneiders, et al. 2008 Journal of Orthopaedic Research, DOI 10.1002/jor.20719.) The application of electrospun chondroitin sulfate fibrous meshes to augment the performance of 3-dimensional tissue engineered constructs, however, has proven challenging due to their exceptionally high solubility in water. In our hands, for example, methacrylating chondroitin sulfate with glycidyl methacrylate (Li, et al. 2004 Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A 68A (1), 28-33.) prior to electrospinning, followed by covalent crosslinking of the electrospun meshes, failed to improve the stability of the mesh in water.
Thus, an urgent unmet need remains for combining suitable polymers with practical fabrication methods to prepare biocompatible synthetic tissue scaffolds.

Chemically modified cellulose fibrous meshes for use as tissue engineering scaffolds


A motorcycle frame includes hollow left and right frame members that define a fuel-containing volume. Left-center, right-center, left-rear, and right-rear engine supports each depend from a corresponding left and right frame member. Each engine support includes a first portion that is coupled to the frame member and a second portion that is coupled to the engine. Each engine support also includes a stress riser defined between the first and second portions. The stress riser is configured to cause the first and second portions to separate from one another in response to application of sufficient force to the engine or second portion. By causing the first and second portions of the engine mount to separate in a predetermined way, the frame members and the fuel-containing volume are left intact.

The invention relates to a motorcycle frame that defines a fuel storage chamber and includes break-away engine mounts.
Most motorcycles include a frame that supports or interconnects other motorcycle components. Examples of components that are often coupled to the motorcycle frame include a steering assembly and front wheel, an engine, a fuel tank, a rider support assembly, and a swingarm and rear wheel assembly. Known frame designs include twin-spar designs having side beams that extend along sides of the engine from a steering head to a swingarm pivot, trellis frames formed of triangulated sections of tubing extending along the sides of the engine, and cradle frames formed of combinations of tubing, castings, and/or forgings.

Motorcycle frame with fuel-storage and break-away engine mounts


An integrated access system, comprising a first baseband unit (BBU), a remote common public radio interface (CPRI) data exchange unit connected to the first BBU by a first CPRI channel, a first radio frequency card (RFC) board on a socket of the first BBU, a repeater network management object function module, and a base station network management subsystem including the repeater network management object function module and connected to the first BBU by using an operation management (OM) channel. The first RFC board includes a digital up- and down-frequency conversion module, a digital combination and division module connected to the digital up- and down-frequency conversion module, and a CPRI compression and decompression module, and the digital combination and division module is connected to the CPRI compression and decompression module. The first BBU includes a CPRI mapping and demapping module connected to the CPRI compression and decompression module.

LampSite is an indoor coverage solution. LampSite is mainly dedicated to indoor coverage of mobile broadband data. Through digitalization of indoor coverage, indoor coverage construction and maintenance costs are greatly reduced, and mobile broadband experience is continuously enhanced.
With rapid development of the mobile communications market, a user increasingly expects to be provided with high-quality communication whenever and wherever possible. Therefore, a mobile communications service provider begins to dispose repeaters in coverage holes that radio waves can hardly cover, for example, outdoors, inside buildings, and underground, to furthest meet a requirement of the user for a call service. An integrated access system implemented based on LampSite is a dedicated distributed system architecture for supporting a plurality of standards and a plurality of frequency bands. Both a repeater network management subsystem and a base station network management subsystem exist in the integrated access system. A current integrated access system further includes other various product function modules such as a baseband unit (BBU), a remote common public radio interface (CPRI) data exchange unit (which is also referred to as an RHUB), a digital conversion unit (DCU), a remote radio unit (RRU), and a pico remote radio unit (pRRU). The DCU serves as a convergence node. The DCU is configured to support feeding of a radio frequency signal source of a third party. The DCU is a conversion unit for converting a radio frequency signal into in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) data. The DCU is connected to the BBU, the RRU, and the RHUB by using a CPRI channel. The DCU is connected to the repeater network management subsystem by using an operation management (OM) channel. The base station network management subsystem is connected to the BBU by using the OM channel. The RHUB is connected to the pRRU by using an electrical interface of the CPRI channel (which is also referred to as a CPRI-E). The BBU is configured to centrally control and manage an entire base station system. The RHUB implements communication between the BBU and the pRRU. The pRRU implements a radio frequency signal processing function.
In the current integrated access system, at least the following technical problems exist. With continuous improvement of a BBU cell capability and a CPRI capability, the DCU serving as a convergence node gradually becomes a bottleneck. The DCU needs to be connected to the repeater network management subsystem by using the OM channel, and the base station network management subsystem further needs to be connected to the BBU by using the OM channel. This results in a complex composition structure inside the integrated access system. In addition, the repeater network management subsystem and the base station network management subsystem are independent of each other. No maintenance link exists therebetween. The repeater network management subsystem and the base station network management subsystem cannot allocate carrier resources to a shared device simultaneously. Configuration consistency between the repeater network management subsystem and the base station network management subsystem needs to be manually ensured, resulting in low reliability and maintainability.

Integrated access system with baseband unit and base station network management