A frequency tracking circuit and method comprising a master crystal oscillator circuit is used for frequency tracking between a handset and a base station comprising a calibration subsystem for taking a temperature measurement, a reference control circuit for determining a numerical value needed to align a handset frequency with a base station frequency, an adder for adding the numerical value to a previous numerical value determined by the reference control circuit, a latch for latching the output of the adder, and a low precision master crystal oscillator for clocking the frequency of the latch. The most significant bit from the latch is input into a phase/frequency detector for forcing a voltage controlled oscillator to track a desired frequency.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to producing an accurate desired output frequency and channel spacing while using crystals with much lower tolerance requirements than normally required and no "pull ability" requirement. More particularly, it relates to a system and method for producing an accurate desired output frequency and channel spacing using a numerically controlled oscillator ("NCO") instead of a conventional integer reference divider to generate a reference frequency used in a frequency synthesizer.
2. Background of Related Art
Cord less telephone, cellular, and wireless local area network ("LAN") and personal area network ("PAN") and user terminals generally employ frequency synthesizers to generate signals, including transmitter output signals, local oscillators, etc. Each user terminal's synthesizer generates these frequencies based on a local master oscillator, invariably a crystal oscillator. Such crystal oscillators have finite tolerances.
A typical way to synchronize two communicating units has been to make one of the units a timing slave to the other unit. In a digital cord less telephone, for example, a base station may serve as a timing master and a handset may serve as a timing slave. In such an arrangement, the receive timing of the handset may be derived from the base station transmission timing via a signal received by the handset from the base station. The transmit timing of the hand unit may then be derived, for example, from the receive timing as is typical. In this manner, synchronization of the timing among the base station and the handset is achieved.
A typical arrangement for achieving synchronization according to this typical synchronization scheme employs a phase lock loop in the slave unit, presumed herein to be the handset (for purposes of discussion only, and not intended to be limited to that case). The phase lock loop serves to lock on the signal received by the handset and to recover a timing signal, i.e., a clock signal, from that received signal. The received signal itself is then utilized by the handset to dictate the handset timing. In this configuration, transmit timing of the handset is derived directly from the receive timing, and the phase lock loop is employed to compensate for jitter of the received signal and to lock on that signal in order to derive transmit timing. When the received signal so dictates timing of the handset, the handset acts as a timing slave to the base station, thereby resulting in synchronization.
The frequencies generated by user terminals and base/master stations must align accurately for proper system operation and to avoid undue interference to users of adjacent channels. These factors generally result in the necessity to use relatively high precision (and therefore relatively expensive) crystal oscillators in both the user terminals and the base/master stations.
Some current cord less telephone systems use a varactor diode to adjust a frequency of a handset's master oscillator, in combination with a processor-based software algorithm, driven by an estimate or measurement of a frequency offset between a handset and its companion base station, to control a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The DAC's output is used as a control voltage to the varactor diode to align the handset's master oscillator with that of a companion base station.
A disadvantage of using a varactor diode is that it is frequently an additional external component, along with additional associated passive components, on a printed circuit board ("PCB"), taking up valuable PCB area and adding cost. External varactor diode circuits also subject the master oscillator to a certain degree of vulnerability to external noise modulation of the varactor diode, thus degrading the spectral purity of the handset's master oscillator. Careful design and layout can minimize this latter disadvantage, but the risk still exists, sometimes requiring additional shielding and filtering which further consume PCB area and adds cost.
Additionally, the crystal employed in the handset's master oscillator must be specified for a specific degree of "pull ability", which adds to the cost and can result in the necessity of employing larger crystal packages than would otherwise be necessary, were it not for the "pull ability" requirement.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional circuit utilizing a master crystal oscillator circuit 1 connected to one side of a phase/frequency detector 2. A second input to the phase/frequency detector 2 is produced by the output of modulus control logic 3. A dual modulus prescaler 4 feeds the modulus control logic 3 and receives a signal from the modulus control logic 3. A voltage controlled oscillator 5 outputs to the dual modulus prescaler 4 and receives a filtered control voltage, filtered by low pass filter 6, from the phase/frequency detector 2.
In operation, master crystal oscillator circuit 1 produces a square-wave Fref that is applied to a first input of phase/frequency detector 2. The phase/frequency detector 2 produces a voltage based on the difference between the square-wave produced by master crystal oscillator circuit 1 and the frequency of the signal produced by modulus control logic 3. Phase/frequency detector 2 produces a control voltage that is output to VCO 5. The control voltage contains a ripple component at Fref that causes undesirable sidebands at the VCO 5 output frequency +−Fref. Low pass filter 6 removes the ripple components, suppressing these "reference spurs," dampens transient responses, such as when changing frequencies, and is used to optimize settling time and other loop parameters. One output from VCO 5 is output to a dual modulus prescaler 4, which alternately divides the frequency produced by VCO 5 by either a P or P+1 value.
Modulus control logic 3 is controlled by two values A and N, where A is always smaller than N. A and N are programmable counters that decrement simultaneously to their terminal counts and are decoded in the modulus control logic to control the dual modulus prescaler's 4 value to be either P or P+1. A represents the number of cycles of the VCO output for which the dual modulus prescaler 4 divides by P+1. N represents the number of additional cycles of the VCO output (after counter A has decremented to its terminal count) that dual modulus prescaler 4 divides by P. A modulus control signal from the modulus control logic block 3 feeds back to the dual modulus prescaler 4 to change its divisor from P+1 to P, and vise versa, according to the state of the divide-by-A and divide-by-N counters. The output of the A counter in the modulus control logic block 3 is the VCO signal divided to Fref, which is applied to the phase/frequency detector 2. In this manner, the control voltage produced by the phase/frequency detector 2 forces the VCO 5 to converge onto a desired frequency.
FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional master crystal oscillator circuit using a digital-to-analog converter 7 connected to a varactor 8. The varactor 8 outputs a control signal to varactor that controls master crystal oscillator 9, whose output is thereafter divided by the "reference divider" 10 to create a reference frequency for a frequency synthesizer.
In operation, the DAC 7 produces a control voltage for varactor 8 based on a software algorithm. The software algorithm can be adjusted during the manufacturing phase of the circuit to compensate for individualistic characteristics of the master crystal oscillator 9. Varactor 8, based on the control voltage produced by DAC 7, adjusts the frequency produced by the master crystal oscillator 9.
The frequency produced by the master crystal oscillator 9 is divided by the divider 10 by a value R. R is typically the channel spacing between the different possible channels available for transmission and reception. A square-wave reference frequency Fref is output from the divider 10 to the phase/frequency detector 2 in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 illustrates a second conventional master crystal oscillator circuit using a master crystal oscillator 13 connected to an initial calibration adjustment circuit 11, a temperature compensation circuit 12 and a divider 14.
In operation, the initial calibration adjustment circuit 11 is set or programmed during manufacture of the master crystal oscillator circuit to set the master crystal oscillator to operate on the desired frequency at some nominal temperature.
Temperature compensation circuit 12 may be comprised in a variety of ways from a variety of components such as a varistor/resistor bridge or other temperature sensing device, a micro controller, non-volatile memory, a digital-to-analog converter, a varactor, etc. The temperature compensation circuit 12 changes the varactor control voltage value according to variations in temperature to produce a constant output frequency. The varactor performs as the varactor in FIG. 2, wherein the varactor "pulls" the frequency of the master crystal oscillator 13 to adjust the frequency produced by the master crystal oscillator 13.
The frequency signal produced by the master crystal oscillator 13 is divided by divider 14 by a value R. R is typically the channel spacing between the different possible channels available for transmission and reception. The resulting square-wave reference frequency Fref is output from the divider 14 to the phase/frequency detector 2 in FIG. 1.
It should be noted that in some implementations it is possible to combine the initial calibration circuit and the temperature compensation circuit into a single dual-purpose circuit that serves both purposes.
There exists a need for an apparatus and method that offers a higher level of integration and does not rely on expensive high accuracy crystals. There exists a need for crystals with a specified "pull ability" combined with relatively complex circuits, and a varactor and associated circuitry for the generation of an accurate desired output frequency and channel spacing in user terminals which align appropriately with the frequencies and channel spacings of a companion base/master station.

Method of calibrating PLL frequency synthesizers to precise frequencies with low tolerance crystals in their master reference oscillators


The invention concerns a device for measuring the position of a lower positioning reference system with respect to an upper positioning reference system located above the former, comprising a pendulum including a pendulous mass and a metrological wire fixed on one side to the pendulous mass and on the other to the higher reference system, and a first proximity sensor capable of supplying a signal representing the position or the variation of position in the vertical direction of a planar zone of the surface of the pendulous mass relative to the lower reference system. Second and third proximity sensors, both optional supply each a signal representing the position or variation of position of a zone of the wire relative to the planar vertical surfaces of measurement related to the lower reference system and perpendicular to each other.

The invention relates to a device for measuring variations of position between two positioning reference systems located at different heights.
Various types of reference systems, i.e. devices acting as reference for positioning elements in space, are known in the field of topographic measurement. Certain reference systems are three-dimensional, others are one- or two-dimensional.
A conventional standard three-dimensional reference system in the field of topographic measurement is formed by a metrological sphere of calibrated diameter, known under the name of Taylor or Hobson sphere, acting as an optic sight.
When we are only interested in levelling of elements in space, i.e. when all that is required is to measure or monitor the relative altitude of each element with respect to the reference system, the latter can advantageously implement hydrostatic means. An example of such a device is disclosed in the document FR 2,656,418. The device comprises closed pots placed respectively at each of the points to be measured. These pots are partly filled with a liquid and are connected by liquid conducting tubes opening out at the bottom so as to form a liquid circuit, and by gas conducting tubes. Each pot is equipped with a capacitive proximity sensor placed above and at a distance from the upper surface of the liquid it contains and designed to supply a position signal in the vertical direction of an area of this upper surface of the liquid in this pot. The device comprises in addition means for comparing the signals supplied by the sensors so as to be able to provide information on the relative position of the pots, and consequently of the points, with respect to one another or with respect to a vertical reference position. Each of the pots of such a device constitutes a levelling reference system in so far as the altitude (absolute measurement) or difference in level (relative measurement) of its base with respect to that of a reference pot is accessible.
The foregoing devices do not however cover all the requirements of precise measurement and monitoring of the level differences or level difference variations between points situated at large distances from one another. Certain large civil engineering structures do in fact require levelling reference systems to be set up situated at different heights. Such is the case for example in dams, mine shafts or underground particle accelerators. Two levelling reference systems situated at different altitudes, at a distance of several meters, then have to be able to be joined to one another to be able to establish the relative variations of their co-ordinates. This connection must be made without adverse implications on existing levelling reference systems and therefore has to be able to be adapted to the latter.
The object of the present invention is to provide a solution to this problem by means of a device for measuring the variation of position of a lower positioning reference system with respect to an upper positioning reference system located above the former, and comprising:
a pendulum comprising
a pendulous weight and
a metrological wire fixed on one side to the pendulous weight and on the other side to the upper reference system, and
a first proximity sensor designed to supply a signal representative of the position or the variation of position in the vertical direction of a flat area of the surface of the pendulous weight with respect to the lower reference system.
In this form, the invention finds a direct application in measurement of mining subsidence. The positioning reference systems may be of any type. Naturally the invention is used to full advantage when the reference systems are at least levelling reference systems, i.e. when they can act as reference for relative altimetric measurements. In practice, the flat area of the surface is preferably rectified and arranged perpendicularly to the wire.
The device preferably comprises in addition a second proximity sensor designed to supply a signal representative of the position or the variation of the position of an area of the wire with respect to a first flat vertical measuring surface securedly affixed to the lower reference system. The device then enables the horizontal movements of the lower reference system in the axis perpendicular to the vertical measuring plane to be monitored. Typically, such a device can be used to perform monitoring of the thrust of the arch of a dam.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the device comprises in addition a third proximity sensor designed to supply a signal representative of the position or the variation of position of an area of the wire with respect to a second flat vertical measuring surface securedly affixed to the lower reference system and perpendicular to the first flat vertical measuring surface, the device then enables the variations of three-dimensional co-ordinates of the lower reference system with respect to the upper reference system to be accessed. It enables the verticality between the two reference systems to be checked.
A metrological wire is a wire with a low thermal expansion coefficient in the measurement field. Ideally this wire must also have a high longitudinal stiffness so as to only undergo a very small elongation when it supports the pendulous weight. Invar constitutes an alloy combining the mechanical properties sought for. Alternatively, the wire can be made of piano wire or any other material with a mechanical strength, geometry and resistivity equivalent to invar. Another alternative is a carbon fibre wire. However the elongation of the wire, which is greater than for invar, and its variations according to the temperature and humidity, then have to be taken into consideration. In practice, the latter solution will be able to be implemented in dry environments with a stable temperature. The pendulous weight must also be chosen to suit the wire used so as to only generate a very slight elongation while keeping the wire taut.
Preferably at least one of the proximity sensors is a capacitive sensor, sensors of this type having proved their qualities of precision, ease of implementation and reliability over long periods, so that they prove particularly well suited for the type of applications envisaged in surveillance of civil engineering structures. Various types of capacitive measurements can be implemented. If the metrological wire used is electrically conducting, a short current impulse can for example be sent on the wire with a time constant of about one nanosecond. This impulse induces electrostatic charges between two metal plates by influence. Measurement of the charge difference provides quantitative information on the deviation of the wire with respect to the mid-plane between the two plates. If the wire is constituted by a material with a high electrical resistivity, for example carbon fibres, the second and third proximity sensors are then advantageously formed by distance meters of the type described in greater detail in the document FR 2,741,147. Naturally, other proximity measuring principles can be adopted by the metrology specialist.
Preferably, the device further comprises means for processing the signals supplied by the proximity sensor or sensors, comprising means for sampling at a given frequency and computing means enabling an average of the signal taken over a given number of samples to be calculated. The sampling frequency is chosen so as to dampen out the variations due to the residual pendulum phenomenon and therefore is chosen at a value greater than twice the frequency proper of the pendulum. Should the variations due to the longitudinal vibrations of the pendulous weight induced by the stiffness of the wire also require to be dampened out, it may be useful to select a frequency twice the longitudinal frequency proper of the spring weight system formed by the pendulous weight and the wire. However, this variation proves in practice to be insignificant provided that care has been taken to choose a wire of sufficient stiffness. The device enables continuous monitoring by calculation of a moving average. Alternatively, the processing means comprise a software storing the successive low points and high points of oscillation of the pendulum in memory and then computing an average from these points over a time interval greater than the pendulum period. The value obtained is retained if the standard deviation of the set of samples is lower than a preset threshold value above which it is considered that the pendulum is disturbed.
According to one embodiment, the upper reference system and/or lower reference system comprise a metrological sphere centred on a chamfered metrological bore and/or a measuring pot designed to be integrated in an altimetric measuring network by hydrostatic means and/or an electronic GPS reference system and/or an altimetric reference system with a taut horizontal wire.
The different levelling reference systems envisaged are not necessarily redundant in so far as they are each designed to enable levellings with different means and connections to different networks with different precisions. In practice, it is in fact rare for a structure to be equipped with a totally unified measurement system. It is therefore useful to leave some scope in the choice of levelling method.
According to one embodiment, the upper reference system and/or lower reference system are securedly affixed to a connection unit for connection to a taut-wire axial alignment measurement network. The document FR 2,741,147 describes an example of a device of this type comprising a resistive wire stretched along a longitudinal reference axis, arranged near to elements to be aligned and dynamically earthed. A measuring electrode equipped with a guard electrode and arranged in the measurement plane situated close to the taut wire is excited by an AC signal. A capacitive measuring bridge delivers a measurement signal representative of the position of the electrode with respect to the wire in a direction perpendicular to the measurement plane.
According to one embodiment, the upper reference system and/or lower reference system are securedly affixed to a connection unit to an absolute or relative distance measurement network. The connection unit can then be formed by a support bore of a metrological sphere. The absolute measurement can be obtained by measurement with the xe2x80x9cdistinvarxe2x80x9d type distance meter developed by the CERN. Alternatively, absolute or relative distance measurements can be obtained by means of an interferometer.
The device therefore presents a great modularity.


Systems and methods for falling particle receivers are disclosed that include shield or deflector structures around the receiver aperture to reduce wind effects and/or heat losses from the falling particles. External and internal structures are disclosed that can be tailored to reduce particle, thermal, and radiative losses from within the cavity receiver due to external wind and the falling particles that are irradiated within the receiver. Structures of varying shapes, sizes, and composition (transparent, reflective) are described.

A popular design of concentrating solar power (CSP) systems use mirrors to concentrate and direct sunlight to the top of a tower where a CSP receiver collects energy by heating a heat transfer fluid, such as a molten salt or water/steam. The fluid may be used to drive an engine connected to an electrical power generator or store energy for later use. Within the field of CSP, there is interest in using falling solid particles as the heat transfer medium, as opposed to steam or molten salt, because high melting point (MP) particles, such as those with MPs greater than 1000° C. may be used. Recent testing has shown that a significant amount of particles can be lost through the solar receiver's aperture (the aperture is the opening in the receiver where the concentrated sunlight is focused) due to wind currents, air entrainment, and convection within the receiver.
A need remains for methods and systems that can shield the falling particles of a falling particle receiver from wind and reduce particle and heat losses through the aperture.

Systems and methods for shielding falling particles within a solar thermal falling particle receiver

National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC


A system and method for providing digital data communications over a wireless intra-body network is presented. A physical protocol layer is logically defined with an identifier uniquely assigned to a plurality of implantable devices in an intra-body network. Functions are specified within the physical protocol layer to transact data exchange over a wireless interface. A slave implantable device is activated in response to an activation signal transmitted through the wireless interface by a master implantable device. A wireless communications link is established between the slave implantable device and the master implantable device upon matching of the identifier assigned to the slave implantable device. Data is communicated intra-bodily over the communications link.

In general, implantable medical devices (IMDs) provide in situ therapy delivery, such as cardiac resynchronization, defibrillation, neural stimulation and drug delivery, and physiological monitoring and data collection. Once implanted, IMDs function autonomously by relying on preprogrammed operation and control over therapeutic and monitoring functions. As necessary, IMDs can be interfaced to external devices, such as programmers, repeaters and similar devices, which can program, troubleshoot, recharge and exchange parametric and physiological data, typically through induction or similar forms of near-field telemetry.
Typically, therapy delivery and physiological data monitoring and collection are performed in conjunction with a closed-feedback loop that includes one or more sensors provided with each IMD. For example, sensors included on the distal end of electrode leads of an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) can monitor intracardiac electrical activity preceding and subsequent to therapy delivery. However, the feedback is limited only to the activity sensed within the intracardiac area immediate to each sensor and such feedback may be insufficient to determine whether the therapy was effective. Moreover, additional physiological parameters that might be helpful in ascertaining therapy efficacy, such as blood pressure, chemistry or body temperature, remain unavailable to the ICD due to the limited functionality provided by the local electrode lead sensors.
Certain IMDs can be supplemented with additional implantable sensors to monitor physiological data in other locations of a patient's body, such as described in Medtronic, Inc., "Research Presented at ADA Annual Meeting Demonstrates Accuracy and Feasibility of Artificial Pancreas Components," News Release, http://www.medtronic.com/newsroom/news—20020617b.html (Jul. 17, 2002), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. Currently, such sensors can interface to an IMD through a wired interconnection or can operate autonomously. Neither approach provides a satisfactory solution. Wired interconnections are highly invasive, potentially requiring an intra-body tunnel to channel interconnect wires. Such intra-body tunneling exposes the patient to possible adverse side effects, including injury to internal tissue and organs, infection and discomfort. In addition, coordinating communications with the IMD becomes increasingly complex with the addition of each additional wired sensor, which also requires an interconnection interface and dedicated set of interconnect wires.
Autonomous operation avoids the side effects of wired interconnections and instead relies upon the external download of stored physiological data. External data download can be critical, as most implantable sensors have limited on-board storage, often only available for storing episodic data observed over a recent time period. Externally downloaded physiological data, though, can only be made available to the IMD indirectly by relay through an external device. As a result, the downloaded physiological data is untimely and of less use than real time physiological data received directly from each implantable sensor.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,024,248, issued on Apr. 4, 2006, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,273,457, issued on Sep. 25, 2007, both describe an implantable sensor interfaceable via an external acoustic transducer. The sensor functions autonomously to monitor pressure or physiological parameters. The acoustic transducer transmits acoustic signals into a patient's body to interface with the implantable sensor, which downloads pressure measures recorded by the sensor. Each individual sensor is a stand-alone device and is not configurable into a network arrangement allowing direct communication between implantable sensors and IMDs.
Therefore, there is a need for an approach to providing non-wired interconnectivity between a plurality of implantable devices, including one or more IMDs and one or more implantable modules and preferably supporting configuration as a master-to-slave or peer-to-peer network configuration.
There is a further need for an approach to providing a network communications protocol facilitating the data exchange between wireless modules within an intra-body digital data communications network, preferably providing both physical and application layers to support a plurality of application types.
There is a further need for an approach to providing flexible external interfaces between a plurality of external devices and implantable modules configured into an intra-body digital data communications network. Preferably, such an approach would support communication with a programmer, repeater or special purpose device, such as a recharger, through high efficiency interfaces.

System and method for providing digital data communications over a wireless intra-body network


The present invention discloses an adhesive article. The adhesive article comprises a first layer comprising a transparent film, the first layer having a first major surface and a second major surface. Additionally, the adhesive article comprises a second layer comprising a fluid transport substrate, the second layer having a first major surface and a second major surface, the first major surface of the second layer being in contact with the second major surface of the first layer and a third layer comprising a fluid transportable ink, the third layer being associated with the second major surface of the second layer. The adhesive article then comprises an adhesive layer.

An adhesive article, for example a tape or a label that indicates fluid exposure is desirable for many uses. For example, such an adhesive article may help detect minor leaks in water tight pipes. Additionally, these adhesive articles may be useful for detecting water exposure of electronics, especially hand-held electronics. For example, an adhesive article that indicates water exposure would be useful for manufacturers of electronic devices, for example cellular phones, personal digital assistants, hand held computers, battery chargers, or small electric appliances, to help determine functional failure. The adhesive article may be placed on the electronic device, either within the electronic portion of the device or on an external casing. If the device had been immersed or a sensitive component contacted with a fluid, such as water, the warranty could be voided or the cause of failure determined.
Some adhesive articles used for fluid indication describe a layer of ink on a substrate. The ink is displayed in a pattern that is altered upon exposure to water. For example, the ink may be in stripes or dots, which blur upon exposure to water. Some additional adhesive articles have a transparent cover film to prevent smudging of the ink prior to water exposure. Other adhesive articles utilize an ink that changes color upon the exposure to water.


The invention pertains to a process for improving the charging and discharging capacity of storage batteries at low temperatures. The improvement in the charging and discharging of storage batteries is accomplished by raising their temperature, using for this purpose the energy stored in the batteries. The process is conducted in such a way that the temperature and at least one value characterizing the state of charge are measured before the beginning of the heating and during the heating and the storage battery is discharged through an electrical component introducing thermal energy into it, at which time the discharge is terminated when either the target loadability in the discharging or charging was achieved or the state of charge decreases below a threshold value.

The performance capacity of electrochemical energy storage systems generally diminishes strongly with decreasing operating temperature. This is especially true when dealing with the capability to supply discharge currents which, relative to the capacity of the battery, are one-hour discharge current. In order to counteract this fundamental property of storage batteries various solutions have already been proposed. Thus it is known, for example, that storage batteries may be heated by an external energy source. Use is made of this fact in storage batteries in the military sector which are constantly being recharged in readiness operation. This process is also employed in storage batteries installed in satellites. Furthermore, the above-noted process is used in so-called high-temperature batteries in which the storage battery cells which are combined to form a battery are electrically heated from an external energy source during the charging process. The use of latent heat storage systems to keep storage batteries above a minimal temperature is also known. Further, it has been proposed that the energy stored in the storage batteries be used for heating batteries. This process is utilized especially for high-temperature batteries used for electrotraction, because such batteries are no longer ready to operate below a certain minimal temperature. The temperature of these batteries must therefore always be held above the system-specific minimal temperature, and if necessary the electrical energy stored in the battery is used to increase temperature.
In German patent DE-A 41 42 628, a process and an apparatus are proposed for heating a storage battery in which a power transistor serves as the heating element which is arranged in the battery and is operated by temperature control. The battery is heated as a function of the battery temperature and battery voltage, a lower limiting value being defined for the battery voltage beyond which no heating is performed. In order to avoid unnecessary heating of the battery from its own power supply, a trigger switch is provided. Alternatively, to the proposed trigger circuit which consists of a temperature sensor and a power transistor, a PTC resistor can also be used in combination with a trigger circuit.

Process for improving the charging and discharging capacity of storage batteries


There are disclosed catalyst formulations and methods for the preparation of oxygenated lower aliphatic compounds. The methods comprise applying a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a catalyst formulation under reaction conditions, wherein the catalyst formulation is a solid which may comprise: an active metal, a mixed metal component comprising one or more of a metal A, a metal B, a metal C, and a promoter. In certain embodiments one or more of the metals and the promoter may be present as compounds. In a first embodiment the catalyst comprises a noble metal and an alkali metal promoter, mixed oxides of cerium, zirconium and molybdenum, and an alkali metal promoter. Carbon monoxide and hydrogen may be reacted in the presence of the catalysts disclosed to produce mixtures enriched in lower aliphatic alcohols and particularly ethanol. Various catalyst preparation methods are disclosed including autoignition and gel-sol methods.

A number of catalysts are known for the conversion of syngas, a mixture of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen, to alcohols. For the production of alcohols other than methanol, an obstacle in making the conversion process economically viable is the conversion selectivity of the catalyst. Ethanol is a desirable product for use as a fuel additive but it is not efficiently produced by some of the known catalysts.
A first group of catalysts, the promoted methanol catalysts, usually contain copper oxide or zinc and an alkali metal promoter such as potassium or cesium. These catalysts have high selectivity to methanol and isobutanol and produce very little hydrocarbons. A second class of catalysts include copper and cobalt or other Group VIII metals such as iron. They produce primarily mixtures of methanol, ethanol and propanol, but usually also have high selectivity to hydrocarbons. A third class of catalysts contains molybdenum sulphide as the main component. Selectivity to methanol can be reduced significantly, but again the selectivity for hydrocarbons is high.

Catalysts and processes for the manufacture of lower aliphatic alcohols from syngas


An apparatus and method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic component, in which film carrier tapes for mounting electronic component provided with a plurality of electronic component mounting portions in multiple strips in a transverse direction are exactly used and which can be inspected simultaneously, so that inspection efficiency can be greatly enhanced. Furthermore, the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic component are separated into individual strips after inspection and can be taken up on individual reels without a winding shift. A film carrier tape for mounting electronic component in multiple strips which are unwound from an unwinding device, is cut into individual film carrier tapes for mounting electronic component in stripes strips by a slit device, then caused to run in parallel with each other and simultaneously inspected in an inspecting section, then they are simultaneously taken up on a plurality of take-up reels attached to an identical take-up shaft of a take-up device in parallel with each other, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic component which finally inspects the defect of an appearance before shipment of a film carrier tape for mounting electronic component (TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) tape, a T-BGA (Tape Ball Grid Array) tape, a CSP (Chip Size Package) tape, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) tape, a COF (Chip on Film) tape, a 2 metal (double-sided wiring) tape, a tape for multilayer wiring and the like) (which will be hereinafter referred to as a "film carrier tape for mounting electronic component) and then displays the defect of a product on a defective product through punching or the like, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
Although a demand for a printed wiring board for mounting an electronic component such as an IC (an integrated circuit) or an LSI (a large scale integrated circuit) has rapidly been increased with the development of an electronics industry, a reduction in a size and a weight and an enhancement in a function of an electronic apparatus have been required. For a method for mounting these electronic components, recently, a mounting method using film carrier tapes for mounting electronic component such as a TAB tape, a T-BGA tape and an ASIC tape has been employed. In particular, an importance has been increased in an electronic industry using a liquid crystal display (LCD) in which an enhancement in fineness, a reduction in a thickness and a decrease in the area of the frame of a liquid crystal screen are demanded, for example, a personal computer.
In such a film carrier tape for mounting electronic component, quality thereof has been inspected. Conventionally, there has been executed an inspecting method for carrying out a visual inspection to be a human visual inspection (a transmitted light inspection or a reflected light inspection) and displaying a defect for a defective product through punching, inking, dry ink or the like as a result of various quality inspections of a disconnection, a short circuit, a dent (i.e. reducing portion of wiring lead width), a projection and furthermore a pattern defect thereof, a plating defect, a deformation of the shape of the tape, and a defect of solder resist and the like.
For this reason, there has conventionally been proposed an inspecting apparatus in which a film carrier tape for mounting electronic component in one strip provided with one or more electronic component mounting portion in a transverse direction is unwound out of an unwinding device. Further, in the conventional inspecting apparatus, a predetermined inspection in an inspecting section is carried out and the same tape is taken up by a take-up device (for example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-35891, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-227401, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-182061, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-256278 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-92692).
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 13, in a conventional inspecting apparatus 100, a film carrier tape 102 for mounting electronic component in one strip, which is provided with one or more electronic component mounting portion in a transverse direction, is wound upon an unwinding reel 104. The unwinding reel 104 is attached to an unwinding shaft 108 of an unwinding device 106, so that the film carrier tape 102 for mounting electronic component is unwound out of the unwinding device 106.
The film carrier tape 102 for mounting electronic component which is unwound out of the unwinding device 106, is subjected to a visual inspection in an inspecting section 110, for example. Then, if a defective portion is present, a defect is displayed by a defect display device 112 such as punching.
After the visual inspection and the defect displaying step are ended, thus, the film carrier tape 102 for mounting electronic component is wound upon a take-up reel 118 attached to a take-up shaft 116 of a take-up device 114.
In the method in which the film carrier tape 102 for mounting electronic component in one strip is unwound out of the unwinding device 106 and in which the predetermined inspection in the inspecting section 110 is carried out and in which the film carrier tape 102 is taken up by means of the take-up device 114, however, the inspection is carried out in every strip in the inspecting section 110.
As a result, the film carrier tape 102 for mounting electronic component, which can be inspected one at a time, is the film carrier tape wound upon one reel. Under the existing circumstances in which a mass production is required, therefore, an inspection efficiency is still more insufficient.
In a method for manufacturing a film carrier tape for mounting electronic component, moreover, a film carrier tape for mounting electronic component, which is provided with a plurality of electronic component mounting portions in multiple strips in a transverse direction (so-called "multiple take-up"), has recently been manufactured in order to enhance productivity.
When such a film carrier tape for mounting electronic component in multiple strips is to be inspected, a slit step of previously cutting the film carrier tape into individual film carrier tapes for mounting electronic component in strips is carried out by using a slit device and an inspection is executed every strip for the film carrier tape thus slit.
More specifically, a warpage is generated in the transverse direction of the film carrier tape for mounting electronic component in multiple strips. For this reason, an accurate inspection cannot be carried out. Moreover, when the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic component in multiple strips are slit after a visual inspection, it is necessary to carry out again an inspection for an inner lead bend, a flaw, a foreign matter and the like. Furthermore, the slit step is carried out before the inspection due to the restrictions on the equipment of a user. The inspection is executed of every strip for the slit film carrier tape.

Apparatus and method for inspecting film carrier tape for mounting electronic component


A bevel setting tool having a rectangular plate, both sides of which are marked with reference indicia and a moveable fence that slides longitudinally on a stud that passes from the fence through a slot centrally located in the plate and into a locking knob. The fence and knob may be disassembled so that the fence can be positioned on either side of the plate.

It is often necessary to mark and transfer an angle when doing woodworking and similar processes. The conventional tool for transferring an angle is a sliding bevel. While this tool is quite useful in transferring an angle from one work piece to another, problems are often encountered when trying to transfer an angle from a work piece to a typical woodworking power tool such as a table saw, where angles are set by reference to scales graduated in degrees. Often there is not enough registration space on the saw or other tool to allow a sliding bevel to be used accurately. It is also often necessary to lay out a specific angle for items such as dovetail joints. A typical sliding bevel is useful for this process; however, sliding bevels rarely have angular graduations and those that do make it difficult to accurately set angles by reference to the graduations.
Homemade and commercially available angle setting reference tools such as one marketed under the name "Bevel Boss" have long been available, but these tools are relatively large, can be somewhat difficult to use, and can rarely be used successfully to directly establish or mark an angle on a work piece.
Accordingly, there is a need for a compact tool capable of establishing a wide range of angles with significant accuracy and that can be used for directly transferring an angle to or establishing an angle on a work piece.


The present invention relates to a method for generating a decision tree using an inference engine in a ubiquitous environment. In the method, a data table for a data event set is generated based on information collected by at least one sensor. Subsequently, a weight value of the data event set is established, and an entropy is calculated based on the established weight value (here, the entropy is a scale for classifying the information collected by the sensor into respective classes). In addition, the decision tree for the collected information is formed based on the calculated entropy.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inference engine, and more particularly relates to a method for generating a decision tree by adaptively inferring desired results based on a current situation by using an inference engine in a ubiquitous environment.
(b) Description of the Related Art
In general, knowledge systems including an expert system emulate inference performed by an expert. The knowledge system typically uses an inference engine to interpret an expert's knowledge that is encoded and stored in a knowledge base. In addition, the expert system uses the expert's knowledge to solve difficult problems, and the inference engine is a core part of the expert system.
To infer a low data context sensed by a plurality of sensors in the knowledge system and input it to the knowledge system, reasoning mechanisms including a first order logic, a temporal logic, and a fuzzy logic, or learning mechanisms including a Bayesian network, a neural network, and a reinforcement learning have been conventionally used. The above mechanisms have problems of speed and memory in a mobile communication ubiquitous environment. Particularly, when a new sensor is additionally provided to a knowledge system, various problems and limited conditions may occur.
In addition, an algorithm C4.5 that is widely used to generate a decision tree of the inference engine may process an unknown value (i.e., a missing value). However, when a data event set additionally having a new attribute is input to the system, it has no appropriate solution for processing the unknown value.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Method for making decision tree using context inference engine in ubiquitous environment

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute

The Industry & Academic Cooperation in Chungnam National University


A device for transferring objects comprises a feeder group provided with a screw which is rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof. The screw bears at least one container lodged between two steps of a thread thereof; the container housing an object to be transferred. The container exhibits a through-hole by which it can be freely appended to the screw, in such a way that the container can be transferred in a direction of the axis of the screw in two directions by effect of a rotation of the screw. The device comprises a magazine bearing a plurality of screws, each of which can be selectively coupled to the screw of the feeder group, in order to enable a transfer to or from the magazine to be made of a predetermined number of containers. The device is particularly useful in hospitals for automatic dispensing of single doses of medicine.

Specifically, though not exclusively, the invention can be useful in the field of hospital structures for moving, stocking and automatically distributing a multiplicity of single doses of medicines of various types, contained inside special packages.
The present invention proposes a new conception of a device for enabling transport of objects both simply and reliably.
An advantage of the invention is that it provides a device which is usefully applied in the field of complex plants for stocking and distributing objects.
A further advantage is that the device enables stocking of a high number of objects and renders the resulting magazine considerably efficient to manage.
A further advantage is that the device is constructionally simple and economical.
A further aim of the present invention is that it provides a method for transferring objects, of novel conception and simple and easy to put into practice.
The present invention comprises a device for transferring objects including at least one screw having threads. The objects may be supported between steps of the threads and are transferable along an axis of the screw in two directions by effect of rotation of the screw.
These aims and advantages and others besides are all attained by the invention, as it is characterised in the accompanying claims.


A packet mode (e.g. IP) group communication service layer is provided on top of a standard mainstream cellular radio network. Conceptually, the group communication layer includes a pair of basic logical entities, an application bridge and a call processing server (CPS). The bridge and the CPS run group service applications which communicate with group service application(s) in a mobile station MS over the IP connections provided by the radio network. The CPS is responsible for control plane management of group communications. The bridge is responsible for the real-time distribution of VoIP packets to the user terminals according to their group memberships over valid connections programmed by the CPS.

A mobile communications system refers generally to any telecommunications system which enables wireless communication when users are moving within the service area of the system. A typical mobile communications system is a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN). Often the mobile communications network is an access network providing a user with wireless access to external networks, hosts, or services offered by specific service providers.
Professional Mobile Radio or Private Mobile Radio (PMR) systems are dedicated radio systems developed primarily for professional and governmental users, such as the police, military forces, oil plants, etc. PMR services have been offered via dedicated PMR networks built with dedicated PMR technologies. This market is divided between several technologies—analog, digital, conventional and trunked—none of which has a dominating role. TETRA (Terrestrial Trunked Radio) is a standard defined by ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) for digital PMR systems. U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,347 discloses a wireless communications system which uses multicast addressing and decentralized processing in group calls.
One special feature offered by the PMR systems is group communication. The term "group", as used herein, refers to any logical group of three or more users intended to participate in the same group communication, e.g. call. The groups are created logically, i.e. special group communication information maintained on the network side associates specific user with a particular group communication group. This association can be readily created, modified or canceled. The same user may be a member in more than one group communication group. Typically, the members of the group communication group belong to the same organization, such as the police, the fire brigade, a private company, etc. Also, typically, the same organization has several separate groups, i.e. a set of groups.
A group call typically has a long duration (up to days) during which communication takes place quite infrequently and each interaction is typically short. The total active traffic may be, for example, only 15 minutes during a call. Each talk burst or speech item has an average length of 7 seconds in the existing PMR systems. Therefore, the radio channels or other expensive system resources cannot be allocated all the time, because the service becomes much too expensive. Group communication with a push-to-talk feature is one of the essential features of any PMR network overcoming this problem. Generally, in group voice communication with a "push-to-talk, release-to-listen" feature, a group call is based on the use of a pressel (PTT, Push-To-Talk switch) in a telephone as a switch: by pressing a PTT the user indicates his desire to speak, and the user equipment sends a service request to the network. The network either rejects the request or allocates the requested resources on the basis of predetermined criteria, such as the availability of resources, priority of the requesting user, etc. At the same time, a connection is established also to all other active users in the specific subscriber group. After the voice connection has been established, the requesting user can talk and the other users listen on the channel. When the user releases the PTT, the user equipment signals a release message to the network, and the resources are released. Thus, the resources are reserved only for the actual speech transaction or speech item.
There are typically various requirements for group communications in communications systems.
Call set up times must be relatively short, i.e. set up times in the order of several seconds cannot be allowed. When a user initiates a call, or rather, a speech item, he/she should be able to start speaking at the initiation of the set up within few hundreds of milliseconds. The listening parties should hear the talk possibly within approximately a second. This voice delay can be longer because a semi-duplex mechanism is used. These values are only examples.
Group communication requires traffic discipline: one talks and the others listen. Therefore the radio interface is of a semi-duplex type. Only one direction is active at a time. The communications system must be able to control that only one member speaks at a time in a group.
A user can belong to many groups at a same time. Therefore, a communications system must be able to select and prioritize the group the user listens to if there are multiple group communications to the user at the same time.
Not only to traditional PMR users, push-to-talk type of group calls are also attractive to several other types of users, too. For example, private persons might want to have talk groups, such as hobby groups, sport groups, etc. Small business users might also use the push-to-talk type of group communication feature for a more frequent job related communication during a working day within the same work group, either inside the company or within some business community.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A sunscreen composition which includes at least one UV-B active ingredient therein, optionally with a UV-A active, and a phenylethyl or benzyl ester in an amount sufficient to boost the SPF rating of the UV-B active therein.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sunscreen compositions, and, more particularly, to such compositions containing an additive ingredient to boost the SPF rating of a UV-B active therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Sunscreen compositions generally contain an active ingredient to absorb UV-B irradiation of wavelengths from 280 to 320 nm, which can cause erythema burning of the skin. Such compositions also may contain actives that absorb UV-A irradiation of wavelengths from 320 to 400 nm. These agents protect sensitive skin from harmful effects. These active sunscreen compounds (and the active amounts thereof) generally are selected to provide a desired sun protection factor (SPF). This SPF rating is expressed mathematically by the ratio of the irradiation time required to attain the erythema-forming threshold with the UV screening agent present to the time required to attain the same threshold in the absence of the UV screening agent.
An active sunscreen agent which absorbs irradiation in the UV-B range generally contributes much of the SPF rating to a sunscreen composition. Thus, high SPF values ordinarily are obtained by incorporating a large amount of a UV-B absorbing sunscreen compound therein, e.g., octylmethoxy cinnamate and benzophenone-3. However, addition of such compounds in such large quantities can cause skin irritancy as well as increase the cost of the formulation.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a sunscreen composition which includes an additive ingredient which boosts the SPF rating of the composition.
Another object herein is to provide sunscreen compositions which require less UV-B compound to achieve a desired SPF rating for the composition
Still another object of this invention to provide a sunscreen composition including a phenylethyl or benzyl ester compound which boosts the SPF rating of the composition.


A MOSLSI in which a surface of a diffused layer is formed from silicide is improved in electrostatic breakdown voltage to raise the reliability thereof. The MOSLSI includes input and output protection elements each formed from MOS transistors. Each of the MOS transistors includes a field oxide film formed between a drain diffused layer and a gate electrode such that the gate electrode partially extends to a location on the field oxide film. A well having a conduction type same as that of the drain diffused layer is formed below a region which includes the field oxide film and the drain diffused layer. Since a lower portion of the field oxide film exhibits a high resistance, even if a silicide layer having a low resistance is formed on the surface of the diffused layer, the breakdown voltage of the transistor is maintained high. Consequently, local heat generation by a surge is prevented and a high electrostatic breakdown voltage can be achieved.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a semiconductor integrated circuit device which includes MOS transistors and has input and output protection circuits built therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a semiconductor integrated circuit device such as, for example, a MOSLSI, in order to prevent possible breakdown of an internal circuit element thereof by a surge of static electricity or the like applied to an input/output terminal (abbreviation of an input terminal or output terminal) thereof, an input/output protection circuit (abbreviation of an input protection circuit or output protection circuit) is provided between an input/output terminal and an internal circuit. Generally, an input protection circuit and an output protection circuit are each formed from a CMOS circuit wherein an N-channel transistor N1 and a P-channel transistor P1 are connected in series between a power supply potential VDD and a ground potential GND as seen in FIGS. 15(a) and 15(b), respectively.
Meanwhile, in a MOS transistor which forms a semiconductor integrated circuit device in recent years, in order to realize high integration and high speed operation, the gate electrode is formed finely to a dimension of half micron or less and a gate insulating film is formed as a thin film of 10 to 20 nm or less.
Further, in order to reduce the resistance of a diffused layer of the source and the drain or of the gate electrode, a metal silicide technique is employed. By a metal silicide technique, the resistance of the diffused layer is reduced from 100 to 200 .OMEGA./.mu.m.sup.2 to 5 to 10 .OMEGA./.mu.m.sup.2, that is, to approximately one twentieth.
A plan view of the input/output protection circuit shown in FIGS. 15(a) or 15(b) where it is formed on a semiconductor substrate using MOS transistors formed using the metal silicide technique is shown in FIG. 16 while sectional views taken along line A--A and line B--B in FIG. 16 are shown in FIGS. 17(a) and 17(b), respectively. Referring to FIGS. 16, 17(a) and 17(b), a P well 2A is provided on a surface of a P-type silicon semiconductor substrate 1, and the N-channel transistor is formed on the P well 2A and includes N.sup.+ -type diffused layers 3A and 3B, an N.sup.- -type diffused layer 4, a gate insulating film 5, side wall spacers 6 and gate electrodes 7N made of a polycrystalline silicon layer. The P-channel transistor is formed from an N well 8A, P.sup.+ -type diffused layers 9A and 9B, a P.sup.- -type diffused layer 10, the gate insulating film 5, the side wall spacers 6 and gate electrodes 7P. Further, in order to connect a GND terminal 17 to the P well 2A and connect a VDD terminal 19 to the N well 8A, a P.sup.+ diffused layer 9C and an N.sup.+ diffused layer 3C are formed, respectively. For example, a titanium silicide layer 11 is formed on the surfaces of the diffused layers 3A, 3B and and 9A, 9B and 9C by conversion into metal silicide. A field oxide film 12A isolates the N-channel transistor, the P-channel transistor and grounding portions of the wells from each other. An inter-layer insulating film 13 has contact holes 14NS, 14ND, 14NW, 14PS, 14PD and 14PW formed therein on the N.sup.+ -type diffused layers 3A, 3B, 3C, 9A, 9B and 9C, and metal electrodes 15NS, 15ND, 15NW, 15PS, 15PD and 15PW of the first layer are formed in the contact holes 14NS, 14ND, 14NW, 14PS, 14PD and 14PW, respectively. Similarly, the gate electrodes 7N and 7P are connected to metal wires 30N and 30P, respectively, of the second layer which selectively covers over an inter-layer insulating film not shown.
The N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3A which provides source regions for the four N-channel transistors is individually connected to the metal electrodes 15NS, connected to the metal electrodes 15PW which are connected to the P.sup.+ diffused layer 9C which is the contact region of the P well 2A, and further connected to the GND terminal 17. The N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3B which provides the drain regions for the N-channel transistors is connected commonly by the metal electrodes 15ND similarly and connected to either one of an input terminal IN (refer to FIG. 15(a)) and an output terminal OUT (refer to FIG. 15(b)). The gate electrodes 7N of the N-channel transistors are connected to either one of the GND terminal 17 (refer to FIG. 15(a)) and an internal element not shown (refer to FIG. 15(b)) by the metal wire 30N.
The P.sup.+ -type diffused layer 9A which provides source regions for the four P-channel transistors is individually connected to the metal electrodes 15PS, connected to the metal electrodes 15NW which are connected to the N.sup.+ diffused layer 3C which is the contact region of the N well 8A, and further connected to the VDD terminal 19. The P.sup.+ -type diffused layer 9B which provides the drain regions for the N-channel transistors is connected commonly by the metal electrodes 15PD similarly and connected to either one of the input terminal IN (refer to FIG. 15(a)) and the output terminal OUT (refer to FIG. 15(b)). The gate electrodes 7P of the P-channel transistors are connected to either one of the VDD terminal 19 (refer to FIG. 15(a)) and another internal element not shown (refer to FIG. 15(b)) by the metal wires 30P.
Operation when an external surge is applied to an input/output terminal 18 is described now. A strength test of an electrostatic breakdown withstanding voltage by an external surge is performed such that a testing apparatus is connected to the output terminal 18 and a positive or negative surge is applied to the GND terminal 17 and the VDD terminal 19. First, when a surge is applied as a negative voltage to the GND terminal 17, since this acts as a forward voltage to the PN junction between the N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3B and the P well 2A, the forward PN junction is turned on. Then, the surge passes from the GND terminal 17 through the P.sup.+ diffused layer 9C, P well 2A and N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3B and flows to the input/output terminal 18. Then, when a surge is applied as a positive voltage to the GND terminal 17, since this corresponds to a case wherein a positive voltage is applied to the drains with respect to the sources of the N-channel transistors, breakdown occurs at locations immediately below end portions of the gates adjacent the drains, that is, at locations of the N.sup.- -type diffused layer 4, by a potential difference between the drain regions (3B) and the gate electrodes 7N of the N-channel transistors. After the breakdown, current flows from the drain regions (N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3B) to the P well 2A. Thus, the current raises the potential at the P well 2A to a positive potential, and as a result, a forward voltage is applied to the PN junctions between the P well 2A and the source regions (N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3A) and the PN junctions are turned on. Consequently, the current flows from the drain regions (N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3B) to the source regions (N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3A). In other words, NPN parasitic bipolar transistors wherein the collectors are provided by the drain regions (N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3B), the bases are provided by the P well 2A and the emitters are provided by the N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3A are turned on, and consequently, the surge flows from the input/output terminal 18 through the N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3B, P well 2A and N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3A to the GND terminal 17. Then, when a surge is applied as a positive voltage to the VDD terminal 19, since the PN junction between the P.sup.+ -type diffused layer 9B and the N well 8A is turned on by a forward voltage, the surge flows from the input/output terminal 18 through the P.sup.+ -type diffused layer 9B, N well 8A and N.sup.+ diffused layer 3C to the VDD terminal 19. When a surge is applied as a negative voltage to the VDD terminal 19, a phenomenon similar to that which occurs with the N-channel transistors as described above occurs with the P-channel transistors, and PNP parasitic transistors formed from the drain region (P.sup.+ -type diffused layer 9B), N well 8A and source region (P.sup.30 -type diffused layer 9A) are turned on. Consequently, the surge flows from the VDD terminal 19 through the P.sup.+ -type diffused layer 9A, N well 8A and P.sup.+ -type diffused layer 9B to the input/output terminal 18.
As described above, when an external surge is applied to the input/output terminal 18, the surge is discharged as current flows between the input/output terminal 18 and the GND terminal 17 or the VDD terminal 19, thereby protecting the internal circuit elements.
On the other hand, if an external surge is applied as a positive voltage to the GND terminal 17 or applied as a negative voltage to the VDD terminal 19, the NPN or PNP parasitic bipolar transistors are turned on to allow current to flow between the sources and the drains of the transistors. In this instance, however, heat is generated by resistances between the sources and the drains. In order to prevent melting or breakdown of the heat generating portions by the thus generated heat, that is, in order to increase the allowable amount of the on-current, a transistor of an input/output protection circuit generally has a large gate width of several hundreds microns. A transistor having such a large gate width is actually formed from a plurality of transistors arranged in parallel to each other and designed such that, in a layout thereof on a plane, they have an equal gate width 29 as seen in FIG. 16.
It is described above that, in the conventional semiconductor device described above, if an external surge is applied as a positive voltage to the GND terminal 17 or applied as a negative voltage to the VDD terminal 19, parasitic bipolar transistors are turned on and current flows between the sources and the drains of the transistors. Here, if notice is taken of a case wherein a surge is applied as a positive voltage to the GND terminal 17, the current to voltage characteristic of the drain with respect to the source of the N-channel transistors is such as illustrated in FIG. 18. Further, a route along which the current flows in FIG. 18 is shown in FIG. 19. In FIG. 18, if the drain voltage becomes equal to a breakdown voltage VB of the transistors by a surge, then breakdown occurs at locations immediately below end portions of the gates adjacent the drains. Thereafter, current flows from the drain regions toward the P well along a current route A of FIG. 19, and when a point given by V1, I1 is reached, the PN junctions between the P well and the source regions are turned on. Consequently, current flows along the drain region.fwdarw.P well.fwdarw.source region of a current route B of FIG. 19, and the voltage snaps back to a snap-back voltage VS. After the snap-back, the voltage and the current increase with an inclination defined by a sum total of a resistance of a metal wire between the input/output terminal 18 and the drain regions (N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3B), a diffused layer resistance of the drain regions (N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3B), a P well resistance between the drain regions (N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3B) and the source regions (N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3A), a diffused layer resistance of the regions (N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3A) and a resistance of a wire between the source regions (N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3A) and the GND terminal 17. V2 and I2 represent a voltage and a current, respectively, at which the transistors are broken down by heat generation when the voltage and the current increase.
Of the resistances which contribute to the increases of the voltage and the current after the snap-back mentioned above, the metal wire resistances are as low as several .OMEGA., and also the P well resistance between the drain regions (N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3B) and the source regions (N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3A) when the bipolar transistors are turned on is approximately several .OMEGA. per 100 .mu.m of the gate width. The diffused layer resistances of the drain regions (N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3B) and the source regions (N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3A) are as high as several hundreds .OMEGA. absent the surface titanium silicide layer, but as a result of conversion into titanium silicide, also they are as low as approximately several .OMEGA.. Accordingly, since the total resistance is approximately several tens .OMEGA., the voltage increase until the transistor is broken down after the snap-back is small, and as a result, the relationship of VS<V2<VB<V1 is obtained. According to an example of actual evaluation, V2 of the transistor wherein VB was 15 V, VI was 15.5 V and VS was 10 V was 12 V.
Here, a first problem arises from the relationship of V2<VB. In particular, if only one of a plurality of divisional transistors shown in FIG. 16 breaks down due to an offset in timing at which a surge flows, then the drain voltage increases only to V2 in the maximum after it snaps back to VS of the transistor, and consequently, the drain voltages of the remaining transistors do not reach the breakdown voltage and no breakdown occurs with the remaining transistors. As a result, since the surge flows only through the single transistor which has broken down first, if the surge exceeds the electrostatic breakdown withstanding voltage of the single transistor, breakdown by remarkable heat generation occurs and the input/output protection circuit loses its function.
The second problem resides in that the life of the transistor is deteriorated by hot carriers produced by the current I1. This is a phenomenon that breakdown of a transistor occurs at a location immediately below an end portion of the gate adjacent the drain region (N.sup.+ -type diffused layer 3B) and, when the current which thereafter flows passes by the gate insulating film, hot carriers are produced and caught by the gate insulating film, thereby causing a drop of the current of the transistor and further causing dielectric breakdown of the gate insulating film. This phenomenon arises from the current while the voltage increases from VB to V1, and when the voltage is V1, the current is in the maximum at I1.
While the foregoing description is given taking notice of the N-channel transistors, also with the P-channel transistors, problems similar to the first and second problems described above are caused by a similar phenomenon.


A method for exchange of information between a requesting communication unit and a responding communication unit through an intervening communication unit. The method comprises the steps of transmitting a request for a predetermined information element to the responding communication unit using a first format, intercepting the request for the predetermined information element, searching resources local to the intervening communication unit for the requested predetermined information element, and transmitting the requested predetermined information element to the requesting communication unit. If the requested predetermined information element is not located in local resources, the method includes the steps of translating the request for the predetermined information element into a second format and transmitting the translated request to the responding communication unit, receiving the translated request, transmitting a representation of the requested predetermined information element to the requesting communication unit, intercepting the transmitted representation of the requested predetermined information element, expanding the representation to provide the requested predetermined information element, and transmitting the requested predetermined information element to the requesting communication unit. Apparatus for exchange of information is also described.

In general, the term "embedded system" connotes a combination of computer hardware and software that forms a component of some larger system. Embedded systems are intended to operate without intervention by the larger system of which they form a part, and without the need for frequent control or supervisory inputs from any source. Embedded systems are usually of simple design, and often do not include mass storage components or complex peripherals.
Embedded systems have been placed in vending machines to provide a simple computer network interface to report the need for service or vended product replenishment. Some copying machines in the office environment also utilize embedded systems for reporting of operational status, and embedded systems have been suggested in television set-top boxes designed to provide Internet web browser features through the viewer's television set.
More complex control applications represent a real challenge for embedded systems, however. Because an embedded system generally lacks large-scale storage capability, conventional methods of information interchange that are common over computer networks such as the Internet have generally been eschewed in favor of much simpler protocols.
But the communication capability of the web browser-web server interconnection promises great flexibility for control applications. Graphics-rich web pages with embedded hypertext links offer intuitive status and control environments that are attractive to the designers of embedded control applications.
Caching systems have been suggested as one way to avoid burdening the limited storage capability of embedded systems. In a caching system, a data entity is stored on a system, retrieved, then saved on the referencing device in a cache in order to reduce system overhead in response to subsequent references. However, caching cannot deal with a scenario in which the referenced object has never been stored. Due largely to this limitation, caching is not generally considered appropriate in command and control applications.
Libraries of objects for which a need is anticipated can overcome some of the onerous storage requirements of large objects. But libraries suffer from at least two shortcomings that make their use with embedded systems less attractive.
First, libraries can only store specific objects for which a need is anticipated. A library cannot dynamically support a request for objects of a certain type, for example, rather than a request for an object of a certain name. And, if the requested object type is not located in the library, the library cannot dynamically conduct an ordered search of other libraries in an effort to locate instances of the requested object type, since the order would vary with the type of requested object.
Second, a library cannot store sets of commonly used parameter values, nor can a library make decisions concerning default parameter values, or the best values to use for a given situation described by another set of parameters.
Accordingly, a need arises for an information interchange capability aimed at embedded systems that allows these streamlined microcomputers to implement status and control applications using the graphics capabilities of web browser programs over the Internet and World Wide Web, as well as over other types of computer networks.

Communication system and methods using dynamic expansion for computer networks


The electrical harness system is configured for routing a harness between a rotor yoke and a rotor blade. A recess in an inboard cap member is configured to house a connector and an associated harness. As the recess extends along a radial path in the chordwise direction of the rotor blade, the harness is configured to lie within the recess. Operationally induced centrifugal forces promote positioning the slack of harness within the recess, while the slack in the harness remains available for relative dynamic movements between the rotor blade and the rotor yoke. Such a routing of the harness reduces aerodynamic drag and minimizes damage that could otherwise occur to the harness.

1. Technical Field
The present application relates in general to an electrical wiring system for a rotor hub.
2. Description of Related Art
Certain aircraft include systems associated with a rotating airfoil, such as a rotor blade, that can require electrical power. For example, a rotor blade de-ice system can require electrical power. Conventionally, power is routed to the rotor blade with exposed brackets on the leading edge of the blade to mount an electrical connector. Such a configuration typically causes the bracket to extend out of the rotor blade contour and leaving the wiring harness exposed beyond the profile of the rotor hub. Part of the wiring harness is loose and must be handled carefully during manufacturing and when disconnected from the aircraft. Such a harness configuration increases the rotor hub drag and the vulnerability of the connector to foreign object damage (FOD). Such a configuration can further cause the harness to have a substantial loop in order to carry all the flap, lead/lag, and pitch motions while the centrifugal forces tend to pull the harness outward.
There is a need for an improved wiring system between the rotor hub and the rotor blade.

Electrical wiring system for a rotor hub


A napkin is provided with an adhering portion and an engaging location that can releasably adhere together. The adhering portion is located on an upper side of the napkin and the engaging location is located on the lower side such that the napkin can be wrapped around items of cutlery and secured to form a wrap by engaging the adhering portion with the engaging location. The adhering portion and the engaging location are provided with mutually adhesive material that allows the adhering portion and the engaging location to releasably adhere to each other but which mutually adhesive material does not adhere to the napkin material. A cutlery wrap using the napkin of this design and a method for wrapping cutlery are also provided.

Napkins are used in catering and the home in a variety of different forms. Cloth napkins are generally used for fine dining, whereas disposable napkins tend to be more conventional in higher volume establishments. Amongst the disposable napkins there may also be considerable variation, ranging from high-end cloth-like non-wovens to serviettes dispensed from a bulk dispenser or roll.
One particular use of the napkin is to wrap cutlery as an individual place setting. Such wraps may be prepared in advance, containing e.g. a knife and fork or a knife, fork and spoon. The waiter or restaurant staff can then quickly provide the requisite number of wraps to a table. Alternatively, diners e.g. in a buffet setting can take their own wrap from a pile or basket.
Preparing such wraps is a time consuming exercise involving the steps of:                taking a napkin from a pile;        taking a set of cutlery and laying it on the napkin;        wrapping or rolling the napkin around the cutlery; and        securing the wrap with a clip, band or sticker.
The final step of securing the connection requires an additional element such as the self-adhesive napkin bands available from AmerCareRoyal, LLC of Baltimore, Md. Such an additional element increases the cost of the wrap and adds to the time of production. Additionally, during use, it leads to an additional item of waste that may be present on the table during the meal and is sometimes unsightly.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a napkin that can be used to wrap cutlery to form individual place settings without necessitating the use of a separate clip, band or sticker as is typical in the conventional designs summarized above.

Napkin with adhering portion for wrapping cutlery


A steering control system includes a steering circuit, a primary control circuit and a redundant control circuit. The primary control circuit includes primary proportional control valves, and a primary pilot valve having a thermal bleed of pilot fluid to warm the primary pilot valve when not operating to control the steering circuit. The redundant control circuit includes secondary proportional control valves, and a pressure reducing valve having a thermal bleed orifice allowing fluid flow to warm the pressure reducing valve when not operating to control the steering circuit. The thermal bleeds may also flow past the proportional control valves to raise their temperatures. The circuits of the steering control system are contained in a single valve group housing.

Electronic and electro-hydraulic steering control systems are currently implemented in vehicle steering systems to take advantage of their versatility over mechanical and hydraulic steering systems. Such control systems commonly use hydraulic power as the muscle for the actual steering function and electrical components as the command for the precision control of the hydraulic components. These control systems are particularly advantageous in excavating machines where the hydraulic power is necessary to move the steering components of the machine. In the event of performance issues or failure of the primary electronic or electro-hydraulic steering control system, a redundant control system is typically implemented in concert with the primary system to take over control of the steering components when necessary.
One such steering control system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,811 issued to Marsden et al. on Apr. 12, 1988. The steering control system for lightweight vehicles is electronically controlled in its primary operation, and has a manually operated mechanical control as a backup to the electronic controls. The steering control system includes an electrically controlled circuit actuated by rotation of a steering wheel for controlling a main pilot operated steering valve as the primary steering control. A hydraulic control circuit is also actuated by rotation of the steering wheel for controlling the same steering valve as a backup control when the electrically controlled circuit is disabled or otherwise not active. The hydraulic steering circuit is disabled when the electrically controlled circuit is activated. The same steering valve is an integral part of both control circuits.
Another example of a steering control system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,712,176 issued to Zenker et al. on Mar. 30, 2004. The reference patent discloses a hydraulic dual circuit steering system with a first circuit having a first control unit and a first steering motor connected with the control unit via working connections, a second circuit having a second control unit and a second steering motor connected with the control unit via working connections, and a changeover valve. The changeover valve activates the first circuit and deactivates the second circuit when the valve is in a first position, and activates the second circuit and deactivates the first circuit when the valve is in a second position. To purportedly improve the steering behavior, the working connections of the second circuit are connected with a pressure source when the changeover valve is in the first position, and the working connections of the first circuit are connected with a pressure source when of the changeover valve is in the second position.
In previously known steering control systems having redundant or backup control circuits, the components of the primary control circuit are provided as a first valve group contained within a first housing, and the components of the redundant control circuit are provided as a second valve group within a second housing. The first and second housings combine to have a significant amount of weight that must be moved by the engine along with the other components and systems of the machine, and claim a significant amount of space within the engine compartment or other compartment within which the steering control system is housed. Moreover, the first and second housings are placed in fluid communication by attaching external hoses there between to transfer steering and/or pilot fluids between the housings so that either the primary or the redundant control circuit can control the operation of the steering components. The points of attachment of the external hoses to the housings create potential leak points in addition to leaks that may develop along the hoses.
In either the primary or the redundant control circuits, fluid flow through the steering control system does not occur when the machine is not being steered by the operator, even when the engine and fluid pumps are running. At startup, pilot valves of the steering control system are typically biased to closed positions where fluid flow through the pilot valves to the steering valve is prevented. While other fluids are circulating in the hydraulic systems of the machine and warming up prior to operation of the machine, the fluids in the steering control system remain stagnant and do not warm up. At cooler temperatures, the fluids in the steering control system may be more resistant to flow, resulting in decreased responsiveness when the operator begins to drive the machine and command the steering control system to move the steering components of the machine. While the primary control circuit operates, the fluids in the redundant control circuit remain stagnant such that the same issues of system responsiveness may be present when steering control is transferred from the primary control circuit to the redundant control circuit.
In view of this, a need exists for an improved electro-hydraulic steering control system providing reduced weight, space claim and leak points. A need further exists for a steering control system having improved fluid circulation when steering of the machine is not being performed, and correspondingly improved responsiveness during cold startup and redundant system cutover.

Electro-hydraulic steering control system


The current invention involves a forward error detection system, especially for use with Low Density Parity Check codes. A parallel SISO structure allows the decoder to process multiple parity equations at the same time. There is a new SISO decoder which allows for the updating of the Log-likelihood-ratio's in a single operation, as opposed to the two pass traditionally associated with the Tanner Graph's. In the decoder, there is a mapping structure that correctly aligns the stored estimates, the stored differences and the SISO's. There is also the ability to deal with multiple instances of the same data being processed at the same time. This structure manages the updates and the differences in such a manner that all calculations on a single piece of data that are processed in parallel are incorporated correctly in the new updated estimates.

The transmission of binary computer data involves the introduction of errors, which must be detected and corrected, if possible. Although the difference between the two binary values, zero and one, seems clear, like the difference between black and white, in practice an electronic device may have difficulty distinguishing the difference. The difference between binary values may be detected as a voltage difference, but electronic noise in a circuit can interfere and render the difference less certain. This uncertainty must be dealt with. One option is to reject the data input and request retransmission. However, this is impossible with some fast flowing digital signals with substantial volume, such as digital TV, and is impractical in many situations. Accordingly, error correction systems have been developed to detect and correct errors. Communication systems often use forward error correction to correct errors induced by noise in the channel. In such systems, the error correction occurs at the receiver. One such system is parity check coding. One example of parity check coding is "low density parity check" coding ("LDPC")
Forward error correction consists of adding redundancy to data. Block codes, such as the LDPC codes, segment the data into blocks. These blocks have additional bits added according to a specified algorithm, to create a codeword. This codeword is transmitted to the receiver over the channel. The data that is transmitted is binary in nature, meaning that it is either a logical "1" or a logical "0". Noise is added by the channel, and the receiver detects each of the bits of the codeword and makes a best initial determination as to whether the bit is a logical 1 or 0. The receiver might also have the ability to assign a confidence in its guess. These guesses are called soft bits.
When a receiver gets a codeword, it is processed. The coding information added to original data is used to detect and correct errors in the received signal and thereby recover the original data. For received values with errors, the decoding system will attempt to recover or generate a best guess as to the original data.
As noted above, the receiver can reject data input containing errors. Retransmission may increase the reliability of the data being transmitted or stored, but such a system demands more transmission time or bandwidth or memory, and in some applications, such as digital TV signals, it may be impossible with current technology. Therefore, it is highly desirable to perfect error detection and correction of transmitted data.
LDPC systems use an iterative decoding process which is particularly suitable for long codewords. In general, LDPC codes offer greater coding gains than other, currently available codes. The object is to use parallel decoding in the LDPC's iterative process to increase speed. In order to accomplish this, the inherent parallelism of an LDPC code must be found and exploited. There is also a need to reduce the amount of memory accesses and total memory required per iteration. To make the LDPC coding work as efficiently and quickly as possible, careful attention must be drawn to the storage of data and routing the data to the storage during the iterations.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,633,856 to Richardson et al. ("Richardson"), discloses two LDPC decoder architectures, a fast architecture and a slower architecture. In the slow architecture, a single iteration consists of two cycles. There is an edge memory consisting of one location for each edge in the Tanner Graph or, equivalently, there is one location for each 1 in the H matrix. There is also an input buffer which requires a memory location for each input variable, or equivalently, there is a memory location for each column of the H matrix. The two memories do not require the same resolution, the high resolution memory is the edge memory, and the low resolution memory is the input buffer. In the fast architecture, a single iteration consists of a single memory cycle. There are two edge memories and a single input buffer required.


An electronic apparatus includes a replaceable device, an apparatus casing, a supporting structure, an abutting structure, and a removable carrier. The supporting structure, the abutting structure, and the removable carrier function as an installation mechanism for installing the replaceable device into the apparatus casing. The supporting structure and the abutting structure are disposed in the apparatus casing. The abutting structure has two side walls oppositely disposed. The removable carrier includes a fixing frame and an actuation part pivotally connected to the fixing frame. The replaceable device is fixed on the fixing frame. When the removable carrier is disposed on the supporting structure, the actuation part can be rotated relative to the fixing frame and alternatively abut against one side wall so that the fixing frame moves on the supporting structure and a connector of the replaceable device is engaged with or disengaged from a connector of the electronic apparatus respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates to an installation mechanism for a replaceable device and an electronic apparatus, and especially relates to an installation mechanism having a removable carrier, and an electronic apparatus with the installation mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional electronic equipment is usually provided with replaceable electronic components, such as hard drives in a computer host, which a user can install, replace, or remove on request. For example, in an installation of a hard drive, it is needed to engage a connector of the hard drive with a connector in the computer host. The user needs to push the hard drive by hand in a force exceeding a resistance force during an engagement of the connectors, so that the connectors can be engaged completely. However, during the engagement of the connectors, the resistance force during the engagement is inconstant so that the user probably pushes the hard drive excessively. In the last stage of the engagement, the hard drive may be moved at a certain velocity leading to an impact on the hard drive and the connectors, or the user keeps pushing the hard drive due to an uncertain state of the engagement, leading to damage to the hard drive and the connectors. During a disengagement of the connectors, the user needs to pull the hard drive in a force exceeding a resistance force during the disengagement, so that the connectors can be disengaged completely. Similarly, the resistance force during the disengagement is inconstant so that the user probably pulls the hard drive excessively. The hard drive moves at a certain velocity after the connectors are disengaged, and probably hits other components or structures in the computer host leading to damage to the hard drive. In addition, for a smooth engagement and disengagement of the connectors of the hard drive and the computer host, the user usually pushes or pulls the hard drive with his hands, leading to an inconvenience to the engagement and disengagement.

Installation mechanism for replaceable device and electronic apparatus therewith