A hearing aid includes: a hearing aid housing; a microphone coupled to the hearing aid housing for reception of sound and conversion of the received sound into a corresponding first audio signal; a signal processor in the hearing aid housing for processing the first audio signal into a second audio signal compensating a hearing loss of a user of the hearing aid; a wireless communication unit connected to the signal processor for wireless data communication; and an attachment member connectable to the hearing aid housing; wherein the wireless communication unit is coupled with an antenna having a first pole element and a second pole element for emission and reception of an electromagnetic field; and wherein at least a part of the first pole element extends in the attachment member, and the second pole element extends in the hearing aid housing.

Hearing aids are very small and delicate devices and comprise many electronic and metallic components contained in a housing small enough to fit in the ear canal of a human or behind the outer ear. The many electronic and metallic components in combination with the small size of the hearing aid housing impose high design constraints on radio frequency antennas to be used in hearing aids with wireless communication capabilities.
Conventionally, antennas in hearing aids have been used for receiving radio broadcasts or commands from a remote control. Typically, such antennas are designed to fit in the hearing aid housing without special concern with relation to the efficiency of the antenna.
A variety of hearing aids are known, including so called behind-the-ear hearing aids, in-the-ear hearing aids, receiver-in-the-ear hearing aids, etc. Some hearing aids have been designed with a cable or a sound tube connecting hearing aid elements positioned behind the ear of a user with hearing aid elements position in the ear of a user. It has been suggested to use such cables or sound tubes for accommodating antenna elements. For example in U.S. Pat. No. 8,300,863, a hearing aid having a cable or a sound tube connecting the hearing aid to a receiver in the ear of a user or to a speaker in the ear, respectively, is configured for wireless communication via an antenna, and the cable or sound tube comprises a conducting element forming at least part of the antenna. Furthermore, EP 2 088 804 discloses a hearing aid having a cable comprising one or more conductors for connecting a hearing aid housing with a transducer in the ear of a user. To enable wireless communication, a wireless transceiver in the hearing aid may be connected to one of the transducer cables to provide a monopole antenna, or the wireless transceiver may be connected to two transducer cables to provide a dipole antenna for the wireless transceiver.


This invention provides fall protection systems, in metal building construction, and methods of installing such systems. A given such system comprises a suspension fabric, supported by a grid-work of longitudinal and lateral support bands. At least one of the lateral support bands is a relatively softer steel having greater elongation properties, while having lower yield and tensile strengths. The balanced properties better distribute the force of a falling object to the respective members of the fall protection system so as to limit the force which must be tolerated by the suspension fabric, such that the system can catch and hold a dropped test load, or a worker falling onto such system, without catastrophic failure of the suspension fabric.

This invention relates to buildings, building components, building subassemblies, and building assemblies, and to methods of constructing buildings. This invention relates specifically to components, subassemblies, and assemblies, as parts of the building, and to the issue of worker safety during the construction of buildings.
From time to time, injuries occur during construction of buildings, including to workers who fall from elevated heights. The focus of this invention is to enable a building contractor to reduce, desirably to eliminate, the number of incidents of worker injuries resulting from workers falling from elevated heights while working on construction of the building.
Governmental safety organizations, for example the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the US, have promulgated required safety standards, and safety practices to generally provide safety systems which capture and support workers who are working at substantial heights above supporting surfaces, to protect such workers, namely to stop a fall, and to support such workers if/when such workers do fall. But it is up to the industry to create fall protection systems which meet the required standards.
Pre-engineered metal building systems are the predominant method of non-residential low rise construction for buildings. Existing fall protection standards have substantial impact on the contractors involved in such pre-engineered metal building systems.
One way a worker can be protected, according to the standards, is for the worker to wear a safety harness which is tied, by a strap, to the building structure at elevation such that the harness/strap combination stops any fall which the worker experiences before the worker encounters an underlying surface such as a floor or the ground. Use of such safety harness is known as "tying off". But tying the harness to the building limits the worker's mobility, as well as the worker's range of movement. Thus, tie-off harnesses are not viewed favorably in the industry because of worker inefficiency.
Another way workers can be protected is for the building contractor to erect safety nets in order to provide leading edge protection against falls. Cost and maintenance of such safety nets, as well as the equipment and expense required for erecting and dismantling the net and associated equipment, and moving and storing the net and equipment, can be a substantial increment in the per square foot cost of especially the roof insulation system being installed.
With the anticipation of expanded enforcement efforts by government safety officials, building erectors have increased incentive to find ways to meet the existing fall protection requirements.
Another acceptable fall protection system is a passive system wherein a fabric, such as a solid sheet, a woven sheet, or a net-like material, is suspended at or below the work area, optionally supported by a grid of crossing support bands, far enough above any underlying supporting surface to catch and support a worker who falls, thereby to act as a passive fall-protection system.
OSHA has defined a drop test procedure whereby a such passive fall protection system can be tested. According to the test procedure, a 400 pound weight is dropped onto the fall protection system under stated conditions to determine whether a given system meets the required safety standards. For purposes of complying with government regulations, any system used as a fall protection system need only meet the OSHA-mandated standards related to dropping such 400 pound weight. Of course, the real humanitarian objective is to prevent worker injuries if/when a worker falls from an elevated work location. Thus, any fall protection system which is effective to catch and safely hold a falling worker has operational value, even if such system does not meet OSHA standards.
According to one aspect of the prior art, currently in use in the metal building industry, and intended to meet government fall protection standards, a purported fall protection system uses crossing longitudinal and lateral metal bands extending under the cave, under the ridge, and under the intermediate purlins, and a fabric is installed above the bands and under the purlins, extending across the entirety of a respective bay of the building being constructed, thereby providing a suspended fabric intended to catch and support a falling worker in that bay. Insulation is ultimately installed on the top surface of the fabric whereby the fabric ultimately functions as the vapor barrier portion of the building ceiling insulation system in the finished building.
Testing has shown that currently-available such systems meet the government-mandated drop test standard at certain locations in the bay of a metal building under construction, while failing such drop test at other locations. Typically, such systems fail the drop test adjacent an edge of the bay, where any worker accidental fall is most likely to occur. Thus, the user cannot be assured that a falling worker will be caught and supported at whatever location he/she falls from the elevated work location. Such failure can result in worker injury, along with the numerous detrimental results of such injury, as well as resulting government citations associated with the resulting injury, and associated monetary fines and/or assessments, civil lawsuits, and the like.
Accordingly, there is a need for a novel passive fall protection system for use during construction of metal buildings which effectively catches and supports a falling worker working at an elevated height anywhere in the corresponding bay being worked on, and which system meets all governmental safety standards.
There is also a need to provide a portion of a building insulation system which functions to provide effective fall protection during construction of the building, while meeting the existing governmental fall protection requirements.
These and other needs are alleviated, or at least attenuated, or partially or completely satisfied, by novel products, systems, and/or methods of the invention.


An atomizer is provided for dispensing liquids into the air. In some implementations, a device is provided for generating atomized fluid specifically, but not exclusively, for production of small droplets of scented oil and other fluid-based fragrances, among other types of liquids. In some embodiments, the device comprises a tube-shaped element having a proximal opening and a distal opening, wherein media positioned inside the tube is forced out of the proximal opening via an aperture plate.

There are many methods for producing fragrances, including ones used in a variety of environments and systems. Some are passive, such as those with degrading media such as those in household air fresheners, to more sophisticated systems using active devices that control the release of scented media into the air.


Systems and methods for operating a switching converter are disclosed. The switching converter includes a high-side transistor coupled between a voltage input and a switching node and a low-side transistor coupled between the switching node and ground. The switching converter also includes a high-side driver coupled to drive a gate of the high-side transistor, a charge pump coupled to the high-side driver, and a bootstrap circuit, which includes a pass transistor coupled between the charge pump and the switching node, and a pull-down transistor coupled between the charge pump and ground.

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users may be information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information may be handled, how the information may be handled, how much information may be processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications.
Information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and/or software components that may be configured to process, store, and/or communicate information. Information handling systems may also include one or more power supplies to power one or more other devices in the information handling system. Switching power supplies may be utilized, for example, to efficiently convert a higher-voltage supply (e.g., a battery or an external source) to a lower voltage suitable for use by other components (e.g., a processor or a memory) within the information handling system.

Bootstrap controller for switching power supply


A method and apparatus for particle collection (30) that is characterized by co-aerosolizing fluids (62) into an air stream (34) containing the particles to be analyzed to significantly enhance their collection and identification efficiency is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a sampling methodology. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for improving capturing efficiency of airborne particulates and for providing immediate sample treatments which serve to enhance post-collection detection or identification systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Particulate materials, dispersed in air, pose major threats to the health and safety of the populace. For example, the EPA has strict regulations for respirable dust particles, which may bear allergens capable of triggering severe allergic reactions such as, for example, asthma, in susceptible individuals. Building engineers are plagued with particulate materials, which may include microorganisms, causing sick building syndrome. The FAA and the military have requirements to detect minute particles for identification of explosive materials that may pose a threat to personnel. Finally, the threat of biological warfare requires systems that can efficiently collect and analyze minute quantities of airborne toxins, bacteria, and viruses. All of these critical applications require efficient concentration and collection of airborne particulate materials over a broad particle size range.
For optimum performance, the collection technology must rapidly provide the sample in a form that can be measured by the detector or sensor. For example, many biological sensors operate on a sample that is presented as a solution or suspension in water. For this type of detection device, the collection of sample must be gentle enough to minimize disruption of surface antigens present on the biological agents. On the other hand, sensors based on detecting chemical components of the particles generally require that the particles be disrupted in some manner to free the molecules of interest for detection. For these types of sensors, high-speed impaction onto solid phase surfaces, such as a metal plate coated with mineral oil, provides reasonable collection efficiency and the requisite disruption of the particulate into molecular components. Furthermore, for sensors that employ focused energy, such as a laser, in the detection scheme require that the sample be highly spatially localized on a surface. An example of this technology is laser ionization mass spectrometry. In this technique the particles in the air must be localized in a single sample spot of less than the diameter of the laser beam or ionization region to be effectively analyzed. In one embodiment, this area is required to be a circle with a diameter of the order of about one (1) millimeter.
A variety of sampling devices configured to separate and deliver the material to be tested by a sensor are designed based on how the sample is originated: whether it comes from air, liquid, solid objects, surfaces, or from human tissue. There are several issues that make sampling for biological agents particularly challenging. Firstly, some forms of analysis require living organisms for detection and, therefore, the collection technology must not "harm" the sample. Secondly, the target microbe is generally only one component of a complex matrix of biological elements and chemical compounds that may affect the detection process, so the sample must often be purified to some extent. Finally, the sample must be highly concentrated for a rapid analysis.
Among general types of sampling devices designed to accomplish one or more of these objectives that are of a particular interest within the context of the present invention are viable particle-size impactors and virtual impactors, cyclone samplers and bubblers. Each of these technologies is briefly described below.
A viable particle-size impactors typically has multiple stages. Each stage contains a number of precision-drilled orifices that are appropriate for the size of the particles to be collected in that stage, and orifice sizes decrease with each succeeding impactor state. Particles in the air enter the instrument and are directed towards the collection surface by the jet orifices. Any particle not collected by that stage follows the stream of air around the edge of the collection surface to the next stage. The collection plate is typically a petri dish with agar or other suitable growth medium.
A virtual impactor is similar to a viable particle-size impactor, but uses a collection probe instead of a flat plate as its impaction surface. Air flows through the collection probe and the collected particles are transported to other portions of the collector for additional concentration. By controlling the flow in the impactor, it is possible to adjust the cutoff size to the particles collected. By passing the collection probe airflow into successive virtual impactors, the particles can be concentrated many times the original air concentration before collection.
A cyclone is an inertial device that is commonly used in industrial applications for removing particles from large airflows. A particle-laden air stream enters the cyclone body and forms an outer spiral moving downward towards the bottom of the cyclone. Larger particles are collected on the outer wall due to centrifugal force. Smaller particles follow the airstream that forms the inner spiral and leave the cyclone through the exit tube.
A bubbler or impinger operates by drawing aerosols through a current inlet tube to create a jet. Usually the jet is submerged into the liquid contained in the sampler. As the air passes through the liquid, the aerosol particles are captured by the liquid surface at the base of the jet. In order to collect the smallest particles possible, the jet is typically made with a small critical orifice causing the flow to become sonic. Sampling small particles requires that due consideration be given to the variables that affect aerodynamic characteristics of the particulates, namely the size, number, randomness, and independence thereof. In particular, the size of the captured particulates can radically affect the collection efficiency of the cyclone and virtual impactor devices. The wetted-wall cyclone, and multi-stage virtual impactors feeding into true fluid impactors collect large volumes of air (on the order of about 1000 L/min), concentrate the respirable aerosol particles and impinge these into several milliliters of aqueous collection fluid. With proper tuning, these samplers provide high collection efficiency for particles greater than approximately one (1) micrometer in size. The collection efficiency drops precipitously for particles smaller than one micrometer. The central phenomenon exploited for operation of these devices is impaction of the particles, traveling at the proper velocity, onto a liquid collection surface. Upon the impact, the particles "splash down" into the fluid thereby minimizing particle bounce and reaerosolization into the exhaust airstream. While such samplers provide reasonably gentle capture, the relatively large volumes of collection fluid employed in this system lead to a dilution of the collected sample that makes sample cleanup and detection more difficult. Furthermore, the large volumes of collection fluid, when used for a long period of time, provides high logistics burden for fielded systems.
An alternative strategy, directed to overcome the disadvantages of the above-discussed impactors, is based on collection of sample by impaction onto a polymer tape. Developed at the Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University (JHU/APL), a sampling system, equipped with a polymer tape, features a two-stage virtual impactor particulate concentrator. The latter typically collects air at a rate of 800 L/min and outputs air that is concentrated by a factor of 20×for particles greater than approximately 1 um, at a rate of 15 L/min. The output air enters a five (5) jet true impactor that directs the particles toward the polymer surface where a fraction of them collect on the surface. Generally, however, a large fraction of the particles strike the surface of the tape, bounce off, and are reaerosolized into the airstream. These particles either deposit on an undesirable surface in the sampler or are lost in the exhaust air. The collection efficiency and spot localization for this approach have been found to be low.
To minimize particle bounce and therefore to enhance both the collection efficiency and spot localization, the sampling system designed by JHU/APL has been provided with a polymer tape coated with mineral oil, vacuum grease or an adhesive compound. However, this system requires an oily or sticky coating on the sample tape that tends to deposit on other mechanical motion components of the sampling system resulting in unacceptable performance. Furthermore, the collection efficiency for smaller particles such as viruses, certain types of bacteria and finely dispersed explosives still desires to be higher. Overall, the present technology may have the following deficiencies: (1) relatively low collection efficiency, particularly at small particle sizes; (2) harsh, dry environment in samplers that causes low viability for bacteria and viruses; and (3) poor focusing of deposited material.
Thus, despite the intense activity in the recent past to advance and develop bioaerosol samplers, a need remains for a method and an associated aerosol collector that would enhance particle collection efficiency for current samplers and particularly, for collectors utilizing solid-surface sample tapes. It would also be desirable to provide a method and apparatus characterized by improved identification of the collected particles.

Method and apparatus for enhanced particle collection efficiency


An apparatus for displaying an image to an observer. The apparatus comprises a display screen upon which stripes of the image appear in at least three distinct phases. The apparatus comprises a light blocking shutter disposed in front of the display screen forming a stripe pattern which lets through only ⅓ of each stripe of the image on the display screen during each of the at least three distinct phases. The apparatus comprises a computer connected to the display screen and the light blocking shutter which changes the phases so in each phase the stripe pattern is shifted laterally, which renders 2 3D scenes corresponding to the eyes of the observer, which produces a proper left/right orientation pattern for each of the three phases and which interleaves the left/right orientations into three successive time phases as red, green and blue, respectively. The apparatus comprises an eye tracker for identifying the locations of the observers' eyes and providing the location to the computer. A method for displaying an image to an observer.

Computer graphics, even when rendered in high quality, still appears flat when displayed on a flat monitor. Various approaches toward creating true stereoscopy have been proposed so that the objects that are simulated will look as though they are really in front of the observer [Okoshi, T. Three-Dimensional Imaging Techniques. Academic Press, New York 1976. ISBN 0-12-525250-1; L. Lipton, et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,226, Stereoscopic Television System, Jun. 11, 1985; and L. Lipton, and J. Halnon. Universal Electronic Stereoscopic Display. Stereoscopic Displays and Virtual Reality Systems III, Vol. 2653, pp. 219–223, SPIE, 1996], all of which are incorporated by reference herein]. These fall into various categories. The most common form of stereo display uses shuttered or passively polarized eyewear, in which the observer wears eyewear that blocks one of two displayed images from each eye. Examples include passively polarized glasses, and rapidly alternating shuttered glasses [L. Lipton, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,226, Stereoscopic Television System, Jun. 11, 1985, incorporated by reference herein]. These techniques have become workhorses for professional uses, such as molecular modeling and some subfields of CAD. But they have not found wide acceptance for three dimensional viewing among most students, educators, graphic designers, CAD users (such as engineers and architects), or consumers (such as computer games players). Studies have shown that observers tend to dislike wearing any invasive equipment over their eyes, or wearing anything that impairs their general ambient visual acuity [D. Drascic, J. Grodski. Defence Teleoperation and Stereoscopic Video. Proc SPIE Vol. 1915, Stereoscopic Displays and Applications IV, pages 58–69, San Jose, Calif. Feb. 1993, incorporated by reference herein]. This consideration has motivated a number of non-invasive approaches to stereoscopic display that do not require the observer to don special eyewear.
A graphical display is termed autostereoscopic when all of the work of stereo separation is done by the display [J. Eichenlaub, Lightweight Compact 2D/3D Autostereoscopic LCD Backlight for Games, Monitor, and Notebook Applications. Proc. SPIE Vol. 3295, p. 180–185, in Stereoscopic Displays and Virtual Reality Systems V, Mark T. Bolas; Scott S. Fisher; John O. Merritt; Eds. Apr. 1998, incorporated by reference herein], so that the observer need not wear special eyewear. A number of researchers have developed displays which present a different image to each eye, so long as the observer remains fixed at a particular location in space. Most of these are variations on the parallax barrier method, in which a fine vertical grating or lenticular lens array is placed in front of a display screen. If the observer's eyes remain fixed at a particular location in space, then one eye can see only the even display pixels through the grating or lens array, and the other eye can see only the odd display pixels. This set of techniques has two notable drawbacks: (i) the observer must remain in a fixed position, and (ii) each eye sees only half the horizontal screen resolution.
Holographic and pseudo-holographic displays output a partial light-field, computing many different views simultaneously. This has the potential to allow many observers to see the same object simultaneously, but of course it requires far greater computation than is required by two-view stereo for a single observer. Generally only a 3D lightfield is generated, reproducing only horizontal, not vertical parallax.
A display which creates a light field by holographic light-wave interference was constructed at MIT by [S. Benton. The Second Generation of the MIT Holographic Video System. In: J. Tsujiuchi, J. Hamasaki, and M. Wada, eds. +Proc. of the TAO First International Symposium on Three Dimensional Image Communication Technologies. Tokyo, 6–7 Dec. 1993. Telecommunications Advancement Organization of Japan, Tokyo, 1993, pp. S-3-1-1 to -6, incorporated by reference herein]. The result was of very low resolution, but it showed the eventual feasibility of such an approach. Discrete light-field displays created by [J. R. Moore, N. A. Dodgson, A. R. L. Travis and S. R. Lang. Time-Multiplexed Color Autostereoscopic Display. Proc. SPIE 2653, SPIE Symposium on Stereoscopic Displays and Applications VII, San Jose, Calif., Jan. 28–Feb. 2, 1996, pp. 10–19, incorporated by reference herein], and the recent work by Eichenlaub [J. Eichenlaub. Multiperspective Look-around Autostereoscopic Projection Display using an ICFLCD. Proc. SPIE Vol. 3639, p. 110–121, Stereoscopic Displays and Virtual Reality Systems VI, John O. Merritt; Mark T. Bolas; Scott S. Fisher; Eds., incorporated by reference herein], produce up to 24 discrete viewing zones, each with a different computed or pre-stored image. As each of the observer's eyes transitions from zone to zone, the image appears to jump to the next zone. A sense of depth due to stereo disparity is perceived by any observer whose two eyes are in two different zones.
Direct volumetric displays have been created by a number of researchers, such as [Elizabeth Downing et al. A Three-Color, Solid-State, Three-Dimensional Display. Science 273,5279 (Aug. 30, 1996), pp. 1185–118; R. Williams. Volumetric Three Dimensional Display Technology in D. McAllister (Ed.) Stereo Computer Graphics and other True 3D Technologies, 1993; and G. J. Woodgate, D. Ezra, et.al. Observer-tracking Autostereoscopic 3D display systems. Proc. SPIE Vol. 3012, p. 187–198, Stereoscopic Displays and Virtual Reality Systems IV, Scott S. Fisher; John O. Merritt; Mark T. Bolas; Eds., all of which are incorporated by reference herein]. One commercial example of such a display is Actuality Systems. A volumetric display does not create a true lightfield, since volume elements do not block each other. The effect is of a volumetric collection of glowing points of light, visible from any point of view as a glowing ghostlike image.
Autostereoscopic displays that adjust in a coarse way as the observer moves have been demonstrated by [G. J. Woodgate, D. Ezra, et. al. Observer-tracking Autostereoscopic 3D display systems. Proc. SPIE Vol. 3012, p.187–198, Stereoscopic Displays and Virtual Reality Systems IV, Scott S. Fisher; John O. Merritt; Mark T. Bolas; Eds., incorporated by reference herein]. The Dresden display [A. Schwerdtner and H. Heidrich. Dresden 3D display (D4D) . SPIE Vol. 3295, p. 203–210, Stereoscopic Displays and Virtual Reality Systems V, Mark T. Bolas; Scott S. Fisher; John O. Merritt; Eds., incorporated by reference herein] mechanically moves a parallax barrier side-to-side and slightly forward/back, in response to the observer's position. Because of the mechanical nature of this adjustment, there is significant "settling time" (and therefore latency) between the time the observer moves and the time the screen has adjusted to follow. In both of these displays, accuracy is limited by the need to adjust some component at sub-pixel sizes.
The goals of the present invention have been to present a single observer with an artifact-free autostereoscopic view of simulated or remotely transmitted three dimensional scenes. The observer should be able to move or rotate their head freely in three dimensions, while always perceiving proper stereo separation. The subjective experience should simply be that the monitor is displaying a three dimensional object. In order to be of practical benefit, the present invention provides a solution that could be widely adopted without great expense and that would not suffer from the factor-of-two loss of horizontal resolution which is endemic to parallax barrier systems.
These goals imposed certain design constraints. The user responsive adjustment could not contain mechanically moving parts, since that would introduce unacceptable latency. The mechanism could not rely on very high cost components and needed to be able to migrate to a flat screen technology.
The significance of the present invention is in that it enables a graphic display to assume many of the properties of a true three dimensional object. An unencumbered observer can walk up to an object and look at it from an arbitrary distance and angle, and the object will remain in a consistent spatial position. For many practical purposes, the graphic display subjectively becomes a three dimensional object. When combined with haptic response, this object could be manipulated in many of the ways that a real object can. Ubiquitous non-invasive stereo displays hold the promise of fundamentally changing the graphical user interface, allowing CAD program designers, creators of educational materials, and authors of Web interfaces (to cite only some application domains) to create interfaces which allow users to interact within a true three dimensional space.


A composite catalyst for an electrode is described, including platinum for dehydrogenation, an element E for water dissociation, and a material MOx for stabilization of the element E, wherein x ranges from 0 to 3.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to the renewable energy technology, and more particularly to a composite catalyst for an electrode and to an electrochemical cell, such as a fuel cell or direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), that includes an anode with the same thereon.
2. Description of Related Art
Among new energy technologies, fuel cell is particularly promising. The most promising type of fuel cell ought to be the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), for methanol is cheap, safe, easy to store and deliver as compared with hydrogen, and higher in the electrochemical activity as being an alcohol having the least carbon number. In a prior-art DMFC system, the anode catalyst material usually includes platinum (Pt). However, at low temperature, methanol is incompletely oxidized to produce CO on pure platinum electrode, where strong chemisorption of CO takes place on the active sites and poisons the catalyst. As a result, methanol oxidation as well as the electrochemical performance of the anode is significantly lowered.
For pure Pt anode for DMFC, the catalyst is easily poisoned due to incomplete oxidation of methanol, so that the development of pure Pt catalysts is limited. Hence, many researchers turned to study bimetallic catalysts like PtRu. However, PtRu catalysts suffer from problems like Ru dissolution during the electrochemical reaction.

Composite catalyst for electrode and electrochemical cell using the same

National Taiwan University of Science and Technology


A surface emitting semiconductor laser system having an outcoupling aperture on a central waveguide. At either end of the central waveguide are means for reflecting a plurality of different wavelengths of light such that multiple wavelengths are outcoupled through a single outcoupling aperture. Means are provided by which the different wavelengths can be independently modulated.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to semiconductor lasers, and particularly to surface emitting semiconductor lasers capable of emitting and modulating a plurality of signals from the same outcoupling aperture.
2. Description of Related Art
Transmission of light through waveguides has been pursued for many types of communications applications. Light signals offer many potential advantages over electronic signals. Light sources are commonly created from semiconductor devices, and include semiconductor devices such as LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) and LDs (Laser Diodes).
Optical fiber is the most commonly used transmission medium for light signals. A single fiber is capable of carrying several different modulated signals within it at one time. For instance, wavelength division multiplexing divides the used bandwidth of the fiber into different channels (each channel containing a small range of wavelengths) and thus transmits several different wavelengths (or signals) of light at once. Using such a system requires sources for the different wavelengths. More wavelengths on the fiber require more sources to be coupled to the fiber.
Efficient coupling of light into a fiber is simplified if the laser beam has a cross sectional profile that matches the profile of the fiber mode(s). Efficient use of light for communications requires that the light have high temporal coherence. Efficient coupling of light to monomode guides requires spatial coherence. Spatial coherence requires the laser to operate in a single lateral and transverse mode. Temporal coherence requires the laser to operate in a single longitudinal mode and implies a very narrow bandwidth, or range of wavelengths.
The most coherent semiconductor lasers use resonators based on grating feedback rather than Fabry-Perot resonators with reflective end facets. Distributed feedback (DFB) lasers use a Bragg reflective grating covering the entire pumped length of the laser. An alternative to DFB lasers is the use of distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) located outside the pumped region.
In conventional DFB and DBR lasers, light is removed through an end facet and the output beams have dimensions entirely controlled by the vertical (i.e., normal to the surface) (x) and lateral (y) size and the composition of the guiding structure. Such output beams typically have a large asymmetry in the beam divergence for effective coupling to optical fibers using spherical lenses, or for other applications requiring beams with low divergence angles.
Near field beam dimensions (in at least one direction) larger than that available from laser facets may be obtained by using a Bragg grating to couple light out of the waveguide normal (or at certain fixed angles) to the waveguide surface. So called second order Bragg gratings have a period equal to the wavelength of light of the guided mode. The second grating order of such a grating reflects some of the light back in the waveguide plane while the first order couples some of the light out of the waveguide in a direction normal to the plane. So called first order (Bragg) gratings have a period equal to one half the wavelength of light in the guided mode, reflect light in the waveguide plane, and do not couple light out of the waveguide. First, second, and third order (etc.) gratings are sometimes referred to as being in resonance. A non-resonant grating couples light out of the waveguide at an angle to the normal and does not reflect any light in the waveguide plane.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,081 to Hirayama et al. appears to show a laser with a distributed feedback (DFB) grating of second order or higher that claims to obtain a Gaussian shaped output beam by narrowing the waveguide or using a chirped grating at the outcoupling portion. They do not seem to recognize that by so doing the resonant wavelength of the grating is altered along the length of the narrowing or chirping. This would be expected to result in an output which will fan in angle along the longitudinal direction rather than produce a simple Gaussian intensity variation emitted normal to the plane as claimed. They do not define the beam shape in the lateral direction. In all versions they choose second order outcoupling gratings which, absent a narrowing waveguide or chirp, would emit light perpendicular to the surface of the laser waveguide.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,432 to Streifer et al. appears to show a grating out-coupled surface emitting DFB laser. The grating period may be chosen to be either resonant or not.
A paper by Bedford, Luo, and Fallahi titled Bow-Tie Surface-Emitting Lasers (IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, Vol. 12, No. 8, August 2000) appears to show a DBR laser with curved second order grating at the ends to couple light out of the waveguide. The same gratings are used for outcoupling and for reflecting the light within the waveguide. They mention the use of non-resonant gratings in conjunction with reflector gratings if emission at other than the direction normal the waveguide plane is desired. The paper appears to show a flared resonator region which allows symmetric outcoupling from both ends of the laser. This facilitates two outputs that are coherent with one another, with emission in the same direction. Such a device is meant to alleviate the complications of controlling the relative phase between the two emitters.
The Tiberio article (Facetless Bragg reflector surface-emitting AlGaAs/GaAs lasers . . . , J. Vac. Sci. Technol., B9(6), 1991) appears to show a surface emitting laser diode that uses first order reflective gratings and either second order (or non-resonant) gratings for outcoupling. Thus, depending on the chosen grating period, the outcoupled beam can be normal or at an angle to the surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,064,783 to Congden appears to show a DBR laser with a grating assisted waveguide coupler that couples light from the laser waveguide to a parallel fiber-like glass waveguide for later coupling to a fiber. Several different lasers are coupled to similar fiber-like glass waveguides in the figures. The fiber axis is parallel to the laser waveguides. This reference mentions that this model is easily attached to a fiber through "butt coupling." The grating acts as a Quasi Phase Matching element to couple the light from the laser waveguide to the fiber-like glass waveguide.
The optical and electronic properties of a semiconductor depend on the crystal structure of the device, which has led to investigative work into fabricating artificial structures or superlattices. By tailoring the crystal structure of a device during its fabrication, the optical and electronic properties can be controlled. The crystal structures of such devices may be controlled, for instance, by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Such techniques are capable of monolayer control (˜5 angstrom) over the chemical composition of a crystal.
Other commonly used heterostructures are quantum wells, in which a single layer of one semiconductor is sandwiched between two layers of a larger bandgap material. Strain is produced by using an epitaxial layer with a different lattice constant than the substrate. This strain has a dramatic effect on the properties of the optical system. Among other things, it can allow bandgap tunability, reduced threshold current, and improved laser reliability.
Strain can also allow laser emission to have tailored polarization. By using appropriate strain, one can produce light predominantly polarized as TE, or TM.

Chip-scale WDM system using grating-outcoupled surface-emitting lasers


A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to determine lane status confidence indicators of lane status predictions such as closures and/or shifting. Lane statuses and corresponding confidence indicators are determined based on probe data, such as probe data collected from vehicle and/or mobile devices traveling along a road segment. Probe data may be partitioned into clusters and compared to partitioned subsets of the probe data. Cluster stability for the segment and corresponding lane status confidence indicators can be determined based on the comparison. Accordingly, determinations of whether to transmit predicted lane statuses to another system, service, and/or user device may be made.

Some traffic-aware routing and navigation systems detect road closure events or slowdowns caused by accidents, road construction, and/or the like by detecting the thru traffic in road segments. Such systems detect average speeds of traffic moving through a particular segment, and provide alerts relating to slowdowns when average speeds of traffic stop or differ substantially from average or normal traffic speeds for the same segment at the same time of day or time of week. In some instances, the alert may include a general cause of the slowdown, such as road construction or accident, and may provide a time estimate of additional time it will take to travel through the segment, in comparison to average or normal traffic conditions.
In many cases, the information related to the general cause such as construction or an accident, is provided to a service from another user who has passed through the area, or may be generated from integrated accident reporting systems, road construction reporting systems, and/or the like.
The information or alerts provided to drivers using such systems may be helpful for determining general traffic speeds for the segment but may not provide details pertaining to lane-level information. For example, in instances in which a segment, such as a segment of a road, includes a plurality of lanes, the segment information is oftentimes not specific as to individual lanes of the segment nor side of the road segment affected. Even if information regarding lane closure or shoulder closure is provided, such systems rely on user input, such as by another driver, or an administrator or customer service representative associated with construction activities, accident responses, and/or the like, to provide the lane-level details to a system prior to dissemination to drivers. In many cases the information may be outdated, inaccurate, and/or not provided in a timely and efficient manner to alert drivers.

Method, apparatus and computer program product for determining lane status confidence indicators using probe data


Method and apparatus to synchronize packet rate for audio information are described.

A Voice Over Packet (VOP) system may communicate audio information over a packet network as a stream of audio packets. An example of audio information may be information from a telephone call. Information from a telephone call may follow a certain temporal pattern. The temporal pattern may be disrupted, however, as audio packets travel through the packet network, or because of clock differentials between a transmit clock and a receive clock. Disruption of the temporal pattern may degrade the quality of the telephone call. Consequently, there may be need for improved techniques to recover the temporal pattern of an audio packet stream in a device or network.

Techniques to synchronize packet rate in voice over packet networks


The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for playing a game of skill in a networked environment. A host server transmits a game data packet to each participant after receiving a request from the participant. Upon initiation of game play, the participants are shown identical game messages so that each participant is playing the same game. After a participant believes they have won the game, a message is sent to the server. The server then evaluates the performance of all the participants and determines a skill level for each participant.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of skill games, more particularly, to an interactive system and method for enabling a bingo-like game to be played in a multi-user environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the game of traditional bingo and similar games of chance the basic elements include a gaming board and a random number-generating device. The game of Bingo, also known as lotto, has been a popular game to play for people of all ages. Traditional Bingo is essentially a lottery where multiple players purchase unique bingo cards comprised of an array of symbols arranged in a particular pre-set pattern. The most common gaming board is a 5 by 5 numerical array, with the centremost location being a blank or "free-space". The game is generally played using between 75 and 90 numbers though it is not limited to these values. On a 5 by 5 gaming board, each column of the array is limited to approximately one-fifth of the numbers, for example a first column contains numbers ranging from 1-15 in the event that 75 numbers are used, and 1-18 when 90 numbers are used. In a second column numbers are selected from the group 16-30 or 19-31 respectively. No duplicate numbers appear on the gaming board.
When the traditional game of Bingo is played, a specific pattern or shape is formed on the gaming board by application of the symbols. When a symbol is called or revealed to a player which coincides with a symbol found on the gaming board, the player marks the symbol on the board to identify it having been called. A series of randomly selected symbols are called until a first player has a set of randomly called symbols coincide with the symbols on the gaming board in the desired pattern or shape specified. A winner is determined by comparison and verification of the series of randomly selected symbols called during game play and those marked on the board to form the specified pattern. Examples of common patterns or shapes that may be used are "X", "L", "T", a line, and the like.
The greater the number of cards the player plays in the game, the greater the chance of winning, in the sense that buying more individual lottery tickets in a field of lottery tickets gives one a greater chance of winning the random draw. The game of Bingo and similar chance games have long been played at churches, in schools, at halls, at resorts, and many other centralized facilities to raise money for charity and for profit where gambling is legal. Typically, people pay to play bingo and similar games of chance primarily to win money. In addition, games of chance have been used by churches, schools, and other centralized facilities as a means to raise money for charity or, profit the sponsoring institution. However, in order to run such charity events, gambling licenses must generally be obtained.
Every Bingo game and similar game of chance has a winning card, such that a player's chance of winning is random and depends upon the number of cards in the game and how many cards they are playing. For example, if a player has 14 cards in a game with 1400 cards the chances of winning for that player is 1 in 100. Chance games are based on statistical odds and are primarily independent of player skill unlike the game of Poker which involves a combination of both chance, on the cards received, and skill on the play of the cards.
In the conventional Bingo parlor, a caller could reveal random numbers to the players, and a plurality of players would mark the game board according to the random numbers drawn from the total numbers available. The caller may be a person drawing from a bin containing all the possible symbols or may be a computerized system which flashes the symbols on an overhead screen. When a player has a BINGO (i.e. 5 in a row, column, diagonal or the requisite game pattern(s)), the player would call out BINGO or any other phrase indicating completion of the requisite pattern. The game pauses while the pattern of the game board is verified by comparing the numbers called against the numbers marked on the game board. Each game proceeds until a player wins (there is always a winner). It is the responsibility of each player to keep up-to-date with the random numbers called and to identify a winning game board.
Today's technology allows for games of all types to be played over computer networks, for example the Internet. Generally online games, such as video games, are available over the Internet. The games may require players to download large files of executable code designed to run on a particular platform. The alternative is to have players access a server site over the Internet, where the server is running software and the players act as a game client. The game client uses a connection to the Internet to interact with the server. The server typically manages a plurality of game clients thus allowing competition in that game to occur between multiple game clients at locations worldwide on that particular server. Online versions of conventional bingo and other games of chance are generally the same. These games have a random number generator and a random number selector. A virtual game board replaces the printed-paper game board. Conventional bingo is a gambling game and is a game of chance. The majority of Internet based chance games are played for fun or for sweepstakes prizes because of jurisdictional restrictions placed on gambling. Online games of chance are most commonly not available for play with any significant monetary remuneration. In addition, bingo parlors generally operate with jurisdictional authorization again because of restrictions place on gambling.
There are a number of prior proposals for implementing a bingo like game on a network. U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,911 teaches a method and apparatus for playing bingo over a wide area network. The system is interactive and contemplates user input while the game is ongoing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,002 teaches a computer-based system and method for playing a bingo-like game to facilitate multi-user play and strategic interaction with the game itself. U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,984 discloses a system for providing large arena games played in real time over a computer network. A server collects information from a game client to determine the moves being played by that game client. This information is collected on a per move basis.
Games of chance typically contain the three basic elements that, for most jurisdictions, distinguish it as a gambling game. These are chance, consideration and reward. However, these games involving an element of chance are typically played where gambling is legal and typically require the host to obtain specific permits and meet particular regulations. The need for permits when hosting games of chance prevents the play of bingo like games on-line for redemption of valuable prizes.
The need for gambling licenses and the like is generally restricted to games of chance. On the other hand, a skilled game involves no chance aspects and relies upon the skills a player possesses to predict the outcome of the game. Such games may generally be operated without licenses and the like.
It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the element of chance from a traditional game of chance so as to create a skill dependent game.

System and method for playing a game of skill


The present invention provides novel salts of raltegravir, viz., meglumine salt, erbumine salt, ammonium salt, tris salt and L-arginine salt of raltegravir and processes for their preparation.

Raltegravir is chemically known as N-(4-fluorobenzyl)-5-hydroxy-1-methyl-2-(1-methyl-1-{[(5-methyl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)carbonyl]amino}ethyl)-6-oxo-1,6-dihydropyrimidine-4-carboxamide. Raltegravir is a potent HIV integrase inhibitor which is used for treatment of HIV infections, AIDS, and Aids Related Complex (ARC). The potassium salt of raltegravir, represented by the structural formula provided below, is marketed in USA under the trade name Isentress® by Merck & Co.

Raltegravir is generically and specifically disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,169,780 B2 and potassium salt of raltegravir is specifically described by U.S. Pat. No. 7,754,731 B2. Raltegravir exhibits poor aqueous solubility where as the potassium salt of raltegravir is significantly more soluble in water and exhibit improved pharmacokinetics in animal models over raltegravir. On the contrary attempts to prepare crystalline sodium salt of raltegravir failed and resulted in an amorphous material.
Extensive study is carried out in pharmaceutical industry for development of different new salts and polymorphs of various drug substances, to obtain suitable salts and forms that possess improved performance characteristics such as aqueous solubility, improved bioavailability, chemical stability, shelf life etc.
Literature survey reveals that raltegravir potassium can exist in different polymorphic forms, which differ from each other in terms of stability, physical properties and pharmacokinetics. Very few documents in prior art are directed towards salts and polymorphs of raltegravir, which are incorporated here by way of reference.
The PCT application WO 2006/060712 A2 discloses two anhydrous crystalline forms of raltegravir potassium viz., form 1 and form 3 and one crystalline hydrate designated as form 2. Form 1 is especially known to exhibit superior bioavailability and improved pharmacokinetics over raltegravir. It can be prepared by crystallization of raltegravir potassium from a mixture of potassium base, raltegravir, water and an alcohol.
Hydrated crystalline form 2 is prepared by sonicating a mixture of raltegravir, KOH, acetone and trace amount of water whereas anhydrous crystalline form 3 is obtained by crystallization of amorphous raltegravir potassium from ethanol.
The PCT application WO 2010/140156 A2 describes amorphous form and crystalline form H1 of raltegravir potassium. The process for preparation of crystalline form H1 comprises of providing a solution of raltegravir potassium in dimethyl formamide, dimethyl acetamide or mixtures thereof and further separating and isolating the solid obtained. The amorphous form is obtained by freeze drying the aqueous solution of raltegravir potassium at −180° C.
WO 2011/024192 A2 describes novel crystalline form A, form B and amorphous form of raltegravir and processes for preparing them.
Salts often improve physical and biological characteristics of mother compounds without modifying primary pharmacological activity, based on mechanism of action. Thus there is a continuing need to obtain new salts of raltegravir having improved physical and/or chemical properties. The present invention satisfies this need by providing new salts of raltegravir with enhanced solubility in water or aqueous media as an essential property of active pharmaceutical ingredients determining the performance of pharmaceutical formulation.


A method of locating a mobile device, and a mobile device utilizing the same are provided. The method, adopted by a wireless communication device, includes: searching for a plurality of signal-source types; in response to the searching, determining whether a first type of signal source is available; setting a search configuration based on availability of the first type of signal source; and searching again for the plurality of signal-source types according to the search configuration.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to power management, and in particular to a method of managing power in Radio Frequency (RF) circuits and a wireless communication device utilizing the same.
Description of the Related Art
Today, a wireless communication device such as a smartphone or tablet can support two or more RF technologies such as a global positioning system (GPS), Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), Bluetooth, and cellular communication including Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution (LTE), and others. While providing convenience, running all RF capabilities on the wireless communication device causes an increase in the power consumption and a decrease in the battery life.
Therefore, a method and a wireless communication device are provided to manage the power for the RF circuits without degrading system performance.

Method of managing power of RF circuits and wireless communication device utilizing the same


A catadioptric lens includes at least two optical elements arranged along an optical axis. Both optical elements are configured as a mirror having a substrate and a highly reflective coating applied to an interface of the substrate. The highly reflective coating extends from the interface of the substrate along a surface normal. At least one of the highly reflective coatings has one or a plurality of layers. The optical total layer thickness of the one layer of the plurality of layers increases radially from the inner area outward.

A catadioptric lens is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,717,518.
Such a lens is used in the field of photolithography, for example in a microscope, for the purposes of inspecting a wafer or a mask. Further, the lens can be used as a projection lens for photolithographic imaging of the mask on the wafer.
Such a microscope or projection lens is desirably corrected with respect to optical imaging aberrations in order to have a high imaging quality. The optical imaging aberrations include chromatic aberrations that are expressed by an offset of light of different wavelengths in the direction of the optical axis (longitudinal chromatic aberration) or transverse to the optical axis (transverse chromatic aberration). Usually, chromatic aberrations can be traced back to optical properties of the optical elements, more particularly of the refractive optical units, used in the lens.
However, in the case of high desired properties for the imaging quality (Strehl ratio>85%), the highly reflective (HR) and anti-reflection (AR) coatings on the boundary layers also have a substantial influence on the longitudinal chromatic aberration of the overall system.
The HR and AR coatings on the boundary layers moreover bring about changes in the polarization state of the light, which also lead to imaging aberrations within the meaning of a smearing of the point imaging and hence to a reduction in the Strehl ratio.
It is known that a number of solutions for counteracting chromatic aberrations resulting from the dispersion of the optical materials. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,717,518 discloses a catadioptric imaging system, in which use is made of an achromatic field lens group made of a plurality of optical elements, which are formed from two or more different refractive materials.
However, the known catadioptric imaging system is disadvantageous in that complex coatings are used on every optically effective surface if use is made of light from a broad spectral range, for example a wavelength range between 200 nm and 450 nm, and the coatings may likewise cause chromatic aberrations. It is not possible, or only possible with great difficulty, to correct these chromatic aberrations by way of a suitable choice of the optical elements. The coatings are desirable for designing mirror surfaces with good reflectivity or for maximizing the transmission through lens surfaces. DE 10 2010 004 827 A1 has disclosed a catadioptric high aperture lens for inspecting a wafer in the dark field. The lens consists of a catadioptric lens portion including a Mangin mirror. The Mangin mirror has a perforation, through which the wafer is illuminated and the light scattered back by the wafer is transmitted. The back-scattered light is reflected at a front surface mirror and subsequently reflected at the Mangin mirror, and imaged on a detector via a dioptric lens portion. In the known catadioptric lens, provision is made of a lens element pair, embodied as an achromat and made of different materials, for correcting linear chromatic aberrations of the lens. Here, the mirror surfaces are desirably provided with well reflecting layers (HR coating); the lens surfaces are desirably provided with reflection-reducing layers (AR coating).
However, a disadvantage of the known high aperture lens including a Mangin mirror and front surface mirror, each provided with the appropriate HR coatings, is that chromatic aberrations with a nonlinear spectral profile of third and higher order occur when impinging the lens with light in a broad spectral range, in particular a spectral range between 200 nm and 450 nm wavelength. Correcting such chromatic aberrations using conventional refractive optical elements, such as, e.g., an achromatic lens doublet, is not possible owing to the structure thereof. Moreover, such a correction often already fails due to the fact that suitable optical materials are not available for producing the known refractive optical elements for the desired spectral range of between 200 nm and 450 nm wavelength.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 7,333,271 describes the correction of chromatic aberrations of an imaging system via two dichroic Mangin mirrors. Both Mangin mirrors include a first surface and a second surface in each case, with the reflection of the light at the respective first surface reducing greatly beyond a certain transition wavelength. The light transmitted through the respective first surface is subsequently incident on the respective second surface of the respective Mangin mirror and reflected there. In this system, the transition wavelength and the distance between the surfaces of the respective Mangin mirrors are chosen in such a way that the light path in the overall system remains independent of the wavelength.
However, a disadvantage of this arrangement is that two Mangin mirrors are used for correcting chromatic aberrations. Moreover, a further disadvantage of the present system is that the latter cannot be used for light with a continuous spectral range since the at least two employed wavelengths are desirably clearly separated from the transition wavelength in order to bring about a correction of the chromatic aberrations. A further disadvantage of the arrangement is that the additional light path beyond the transition wavelength are desirably precisely compensated by the second Mangin mirror. Owing to its design, a correction of nonlinear spectral profiles of the chromatic aberration cannot be set on the basis of this system.

Catadioptric lens and optical system comprising such a lens


Disclosed is a power amplification module which has a comparatively small size and is capable of adjusting the rising characteristic of a gain. The power amplification module includes a first gain control current generation circuit which generates a first gain control current changing with a control voltage, a first bias current generation circuit which generates a first bias current according to the first gain control current, a gain control voltage generation circuit which generates a gain control voltage changing with the control voltage, a first transistor which is emitter-grounded and in which an input signal and the first bias current are supplied to a base thereof, and a second transistor which is cascode-connected to the first transistor and in which the gain control voltage is supplied to a base thereof and a first output signal obtained by amplifying the input signal is output from a collector thereof.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power amplification module.
Background Art
In a radio communication system, such as GSM® (Global System for Mobile Communications) or EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution), during a burst operation to continuously send data from a communication terminal, there is a demand for changing power of a transmission signal (burst signal) according to the waveform characteristic defined by the communication standard.
A specific example will be described. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a waveform characteristic defined for a burst operation. As illustrated in FIG. 10, it is desirable to control the level of the transmission signal such that the signal level of the transmission signal falls between an upper limit (LUL) and a lower limit (LDL). As a method of controlling the level of the transmission signal, two kinds of a method of controlling input power with a constant gain of the power amplification module and a method of controlling the gain of the power amplification module with constant input power are known.


Precursors of a scoop and paddle are constituted by different, manually separable, portions of a single blank, defined by a line of weakness. The paddle precursor is at a rear central location of the blank, spaced apart from side edges of the blank so that a forward portion of the remainder forms a scoop receptacle precursor and side edge portions form precursors of scoop handles. Rearwardly convergent fold lines are provided in the forward portion so that, after the paddle is separated, opposite sides of the forward portion can be folded up to erect the scoop receptacle with a pair of handles extending rearwardly therefrom with raised adjacent ends for ease of grasping by a hand spaced safely away from the scoop receptacle eliminating risk of contact with feces or adjacent ground surfaces.

The legal requirement for a person walking a dog to remove dog feces deposited on city streets has been established for many years and there have been numerous prior attempts to provide suitable implements.
Early proposals involving mechanical contrivances often with linked moving parts, requiring cleaning after use have been largely superseded by numerous attempts to provide simpler, less expensive and cumbersome, disposable implements which can be more readily carried by the dog owner and permit feces removal in a sanitary manner and with minimal embarrassment. However, such prior attempts are not considered to be wholly satisfactory successful.
For example, although U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,955 issued to Campbell in 1980 teaches a scoop and paddle formed from a single cardboard blank, the numerous folding steps would increase costs and require, for convenience, that the implement be carried in folded form, the several layers increasing thickness, reducing pocketability. The user also grasps the inside of a rear wall of the scoop increasing risk of inadvertent contact with the feces during use.
Whilst, U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,097 issued to Whitten in 1981 also teaches a scoop formed from a blank, in addition to several folding steps, erection requires flap portions to be threaded into interlocking relation with a common slot which requires some manual dexterity and can be inconveniently time consuming on the street.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,148 issued to Brautovich in 1991 teaches a scoop which can be carried in folded flat condition of less than one-eighth thickness. However, a complex, multipart construction is taught requiring assembly of several different materials and therefore relatively expensive to manufacture.
Although U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,553 issued to Hantover in 1990, discloses formation of two (identical) scoop/paddle structures from a single cardboard blank, the patent also teaches that the implement be carried in folded condition about a bag with the plural layers increasing bulk and reducing pockectablity, while to scavenge feces, the user grasps the inner surface of a bottom wall which also increases risk of inadvertent contact with the feces.
In particular, none of the above implements provide handles extending clear of a receptacle portion of the scoop to enable the user to effectively manipulate the implement or scoop while maintaining his hand safely remote from risk of contact and contamination by the feces.


An agricultural plough (1) including a longitudinally extending support member (2) having a forward portion to be attached to a vehicle to thereby enable the apparatus (1) to be towed by the vehicle; a generally “n” shaped frame (500) fixed to the support member (2) and including a pair of ends (505, 510) located on opposite longitudinal sides and spaced normal to the support member (2); a pair of axles (13, 14) attached to and extending laterally from the ends and providing a pair of laterally extending rotational axes, the axes being located on opposite sides of the member (2) and in a plane extending transversely normal to the member (2) and at an acute angle longitudinally so as to extend rearwardly down, the axes each being inclined by an acute angle of 6 to 12 degrees to a plane extending normal to the member (2) to diverge rearwardly; a plough disc (18, 20) supported on each axle to rotate about the rotational axes, with the discs (18, 20) and axles being configured so that the discs (18, 20) converge rearwardly and downwardly, the discs (18, 20) being displaced rearwardly from the forward portion; a wheel attached to the support member (2) and rotatable about an axis generally transverse of the support member (2), the wheel (12) being located rearwardly of the axles (13, 14); and structure connected to the support member (2) and to be attached to the vehicle, to urge the member downwardly so that the discs (18, 20) are urged into soil and the wheel (12) is urged into contact with a soil surface rearwardly of the discs (18, 20) so that upon forward movement of the vehicle with the discs (18, 20) engaged in the soil, each disc (18, 20) forms a separate groove and a corresponding ridge in the soil between the grooves, with the ridge being engaged by the wheel (12) to urge the soil to cover seeds located in the grooves.

Conventional disc planters typically have a frame attachable to a towing vehicle. The frame usually comprises a pair of parallel support arms spaced vertically, one above the other. The arms are hingedly attached to a support plate or beam which is attached to the towing vehicle. A support fame is attached to the other ends of the arms to support the seed planting apparatus. A pair of discs are mounted on the support frame in addition to two press wheels which are spaced from and located behind the two discs. The discs are mounted on an axle to which is attached a disc lever to alter the lateral spacing of the discs relative to one another on the axle. Each pair of discs are arranged to cut a single furrow or groove in the soil into which the seed is deposited. Typically, a plurality of disc planters of the type described above are attached in parallel to the towing vehicle, the disc planters being spaced laterally from one another, to enable a number of rows of seeds to be sown simultaneously.
In operation, the plurality of disc planters are attached to the towing vehicle and the lateral spacing of the discs on the axles on which they are mounted is adjusted to suit the type of seed to be planted. The discs rotate about the axles to cut grooves in the soil as the towing vehicle is driven over the ground on which the seed is to be sown. The soil cut by the discs is typically thrown out in a sideways direction by the discs as it is cut, there being no actual control over the amount or direction of soil thrown. The seeds are dropped into the grooves made by the discs via grain tubes, the outlets of which are typically located between the discs and the press wheels. Once the seed has been dropped into the grooves, the press wheels push the soil into the grooves to cover the seeds. In some conventional embodiments a further wheel or wheels are located between the discs and the press wheels to cover the sown seeds before the soil is compacted further by the press wheels.


In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an integrated circuit includes an input bus configured to receive a plurality of input signals. The input bus extends across a predetermined length of one side of the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit further includes a plurality of logic block circuits coupled to the input bus for receiving one or more of the input signals. Each of the logic block circuits are coupled to at least one of a plurality of destination blocks via a first set of interconnect buses. The logic block circuits are placed along the one side of the die such that the first set of interconnect buses extend substantially orthogonal to the input bus.

The present invention relates to placing circuit blocks and routing interconnect bus lines on an integrated circuit in such a way as to reduce the die area and cost of the integrated circuit.
In many integrated circuits, such as DRAMs (Dynamic Random Access Memories) and SDRAMs (Synchronous DRAMs), there are many large logic blocks, such as input/output ports and row and column decoders, which send and receive electrical signals from each other. These signals are sent along highly conductive interconnect lines such as aluminum or copper interconnect. Alternately, polysilicon can be used. When several of these wires are routed together, the resulting structure is known as a bus. These buses can broadly be broken down into two types, global and local. Global buses run a comparatively long distance around the integrated circuit, connecting two or more logic blocks electrically. Local buses run to neighboring or adjacent logic blocks.
Global buses have a more detrimental impact on an integrated circuit""s die size and performance than do local buses. First of all, global buses are longer in length, and therefore, for a given width, take up more surface area on the integrated circuit. Second of all, logic is generally layed out in rows of gates, with routing channels for wires above and below the rows of gates. This is true whether the logic is layed out in the form of a gate array, hand crafted logic, or done by a program such as an auto place and router. Global buses generally use these routing channels, meaning the channels need to be wider.
Also, since global buses are longer in length than local buses, the amount of parasitic capacitance between each line in the bus to the substrate, active areas, power lines and the like, is increased. Furthermore, the fringing capacitance between lines in the bus increases with line length. In general, larger devices are required to drive this extra capacitance, resulting in a larger die size and higher power consumption. Also, the MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) for an integrated circuit decreases with the increasing temperature that comes with increasing power dissipation. Therefore, long term reliability is also reduced by an increase in the amount of global buses on an integrated circuit.
Table 1 is a command decoder functional truth table of a Synchronous DRAM integrated circuit. Signal levels at inputs {overscore (CS)} (Chip Select), {overscore (RAS)} (Row Address Strobe), {overscore (CAS)} (Column Address Strobe), {overscore (WE)} (Write Enable), and DSF (Define Special Function), are decoded on the integrated circuit into command signals such as LMR (Load Mode Register), LSMR (Load Special Mode Register), and the other entries in column 100.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional command decoder logic block 110 for performing such decoding. Input signals on signal lines {overscore (CS)} 120, {overscore (RAS)} 121, {overscore (CAS)} 122, {overscore (WE)} 123, and DSF 124 are typically carried on signal lines coupled to input pads on the integrated circuit. These input signals are decoded into command signals and output on output command signal lines LMR 130, LSMR 131, RBA 132, RBAWPB 133, CBA 134, CBA_AP 135, BW(_AP) 136, BST 137, PCH 139, PCH_ALL 139, and AREF 140. The input signal lines can be collectively referred to as input signal bus 150. The output command signal lines can collectively be referred to as output command signal bus 160.
Table 2 shows the assignment for each of the bank address bits BA less than 1:0 greater than , and address bits A less than 8:0 greater than  in different command modes. For example, in the Load Mode Register state, the bits on A0 to A3 define the Burst Length for the device. Upon activating the Load Mode Register Command, specific address information is loaded into the command register, thus defining the SDRAM operation with respect to data bursting.
FIG. 2 shows a conventional block and routing placement for an SDRAM integrated circuit 200. Integrated circuit 200 contains a plurality of input pads 210-220, which are coupled to the group of logic blocks 230 by interconnecting wires 240-250. Each pad 210-220 corresponds to one of the address inputs A less than 8:0 greater than  or BA less than 1:0 greater than . The group of logic blocks 230 is coupled to destination blocks including the I/O (input/output) ports 255, the X-decoder 260, Y-decoders 270 and 271, and mode registers 275 and 276, by global buses 280-285. Command decoder logic block (CDLB) 110 has input signal bus 150 as its inputs, and generates output command signal bus 160 as its output as described in FIG. 1. Output command signal bus 160 couples to the group of logic blocks 230. Some of the lines in output command signal bus 160 may also couple to the destination blocks; these lines are not shown for simplicity. This block and routing placement may be done by hand editing, autorouting, cell generation tools and the like. This type of placement has several global buses and lines routed around the area between the pads and the y-decoders. For example, global buses 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, and 285 respectively couple the group of logic blocks 230 with the I/O ports 255, the y-decoder 271, the mode register 276, the x decoder 260, the mode register 275, and the y-decoder 270. The global buses 280-285 along with interconnect line 240-250 consume die area. For example, the group of logic blocks 230 can only be so close to the pads 210-220 as to allow for room for wires 240-250 to be run. Also, the y-decoders 270 and 271 and group of logic blocks 230 must be far enough apart to allow room for global buses 280-285.
As the above makes clear, there is a great motive to reduce the amount and the length of busing on an integrated circuit.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an integrated circuit includes an input bus configured to receive a plurality of input signals. The input bus extends across a predetermined length of one side of the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit further includes a plurality of logic block circuits coupled to the input bus for receiving one or more of the input signals. Each of the logic block circuits are coupled to at least one of a plurality of destination blocks via a first set of interconnect buses. The logic block circuits are placed along the one side of the die such that the first set of interconnect buses extend substantially orthogonal to the input bus.
In another embodiment, the integrated circuit further includes a plurality of input buffers coupled to the input bus for providing the input signals on the input bus. A second set of interconnect buses couple the input buffers to the input bus, and a third set of interconnect buses couple the input bus to the logic block circuits. The second and third sets of interconnect buses extend substantially orthogonal to the input bus.
In another embodiment, the input buffers include a latch circuit for latching the input signals. The input buffers provide the latched input signals on the input bus synchronously with a clock signal.
In another embodiment, the input bus extends across a substantial portion of the length of one side of the integrated circuit.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for placing and routing circuit blocks in an integrated circuit includes the following steps: placing a plurality of destination circuit blocks in predesignated areas of the integrated circuit; extending an input bus across one side of the integrated circuit; placing a plurality of logic block circuits coupled to the input bus along the one side of the integrated circuit such that a first set of interconnect buses coupling the logic circuit blocks to the destination circuit blocks extend substantially orthogonal to the input bus.
In another embodiment, the method further includes the step of placing a plurality of input buffers along the one side of the integrated circuit such that a second set of interconnect buses coupling the input buffers to the input bus extend substantially orthogonal to the input bus.
In another embodiment, the method further includes: duplicating a first one of the logic circuit blocks; coupling the first one of the logic circuit blocks via a fourth interconnect bus to a first one of the destination circuit blocks; coupling the duplicated logic circuit block via a fifth interconnect bus to a second one of the destination circuit blocks; and placing the duplicated logic circuit block and the first one of the logic circuit blocks along the one side of the integrated circuit such that the fourth and fifth interconnect buses extend substantially orthogonal to the input bus.
The following detailed description and the accompanying drawing provide a better understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention.

Method and structure for efficiently placing and interconnecting circuit blocks in an integrated circuit


There is provided an integrated semiconductor source-detector matrix in which solid state photonic diodes are configured as LEDs, disposed on a substrate and coupled to electronic circuits so that the diodes can be individually driven to emit light or to detect light as may be desired. Providing an integrated matrix of light source (emitter) and light sensor units disposed in close proximity results in each unit having nearly coextensive fields of view and illumination. Apparatus, such as bar code and optical readers utilizing such a matrix are shown, and are insensitive to the diffusion and laminate effects. In alternate embodiments the matrix is coupled to remote sensors or another similar matrix to provide optical communication and interchange devices having high bandwidth.

This invention relates to a matrix of integrated semiconductor elements that are operable in either a photoresponsive or photoemissive mode. The present invention is particularly adapted to improving the performance of optical interfaces, optical transmitters, and image detecting apparatus such as bar code scanners or readers, optical heads, and other optical scanners that can be portable and are required to operate with low power consumption.
In conventional mark-sense and imaging apparatus, the light source and light sensor are discrete and have optical paths which generally are not congruent in space. Such an arrangement provides a field of illumination that includes optical patterns of interest, the indicia, but which in general is larger than the light detector's field of view (termed herein the detector's region of sensitivity). The light sensor generates a signal that is specifically responsive to light from the region of sensitivity that is incident on the light sensor.
When the field of illumination is larger than the region of sensitivity, flood illumination is said to be present. In this circumstance the process of accurately interpreting the information content of the indicia being scanned is interfered with, as will now be explained.
In FIG. 11 there is illustrated a typical prior art device wherein LEDs 121, 121 illuminate a field of illumination 124 on target 123. A region of sensitivity 122, being smaller than field of illumination 124, is entirely included within field of illumination 124. The region of sensitivity 122 is viewed by light sensor 127 through optics 125, with field stop aperture 143 and presents a signal to amplifier 129 in response to detected light.
Mark-sense detectors are typically employed in optical scanning devices, such as bar code scanners or readers, in which the output of the detector may be coupled to decoding circuitry. There are a number of known optical effects that can produce errors in the determination of transitions between bars and spaces in a bar code symbol that is situated on a substrate, including the diffusion and laminate effects.
The diffusion effect can be understood with reference to FIGS. 12a and 12b. It results from light, shown representatively as beams 126, that is incident outside the region of sensitivity 122 of a light sensor. Beams 126 enter the substrate 138 on which a pattern is located, and are then scattered internally within the substrate into the region of sensitivity. A fraction of the scattered light is thus ultimately returned to the light sensor via region of sensitivity 122 where it contributes to the received signal level. In scanning applications such as bar code scanning there is another consequence of the diffusion effect. In this application the region of sensitivity travels across dark bars that are separated by fields of light spaces. These spaces are referred to herein as white spaces; however those skilled in the art will understand that areas of high reflectivity are denoted. As the region of sensitivity 122 approaches a dark bar 139, as shown in FIG. 12b, the bar 139 will absorb more light than does a white space of similar dimension. Since some light 128 is absorbed, less is available to scatter into the approaching region of sensitivity. Thus the diffusion effect differs quantitatively when a bar is near the region of sensitivity than when it is not. This can be appreciated with reference to FIG. 13 which shows an analog waveform 130 generated by a bar code scanner utilizing flood illumination which has scanned bar code symbol 132. It will be apparent that the signal minima 137 corresponding to the wide dark bars are quite sharp, while the maxima 135 corresponding to the intervening white spaces are rounded. Furthermore the peaks 136 corresponding to the narrow white spaces between the narrow dark bars 134 are reduced in amplitude relative to maxima 135 corresponding to wide white spaces between the wide dark bars 137. This appearance is predicted by the above discussion of the diffusion effect. If the narrow dark bars could not be resolved due to the modulation transfer function of the reader optical system, the patterns would have been symmetrical about the maxima and minima. While the diffusion effect has been explained in connection with a bar code scanner, it also influences other non-scanning readers of optical patterns as well. In summary, the diffusion effect tends to reduce the apparent white level in the vicinity of dark bars while not affecting the black level.
Another undesired effect of flood illumination in certain imaging applications, such as bar code scanning, is the laminate effect, also known as the overlay effect. Practical bar code symbols often possess protective overlaminates. The laminate effect is caused by the light that is scattered from outside the region of sensitivity being totally internally reflected at the overlaminate-to-air interface onto the region of sensitivity. Reference may be made to FIG. 14 where the laminate effect is depicted diagrammatically. During the lamination process an adhesive flows over the bar code symbol substrate 142, expelling the air between laminate 141 and bar code symbol substrate 142. As a result, the laminate 141 and bar code symbol substrate 142 are in intimate contact and are essentially index matched. When the laminated bar code substrate is illuminated, as with the diffusion effect, some of the incident light rays, such as rays 226a, 226b falling outside the region of sensitivity 122 are scattered from the top surface of layer 142 into overlaminate 141 and are incident on surface 227 at an angle 144 that can exceed the critical angle for total internal reflection. Such light rays 226a, 226b are totally internally reflected into the region of sensitivity 122. A portion of this light is then scattered back toward the overlaminate 141, penetrates it, and finally arrives at the light sensor, where it contributes to the received signal level. As in the case of the diffusion effect, as the region of sensitivity passes over the bar code symbol, some of the incident light will be absorbed by dark bars adjacent to the region of sensitivity, thereby reducing the white space signal level. The magnitude of the laminate effect is a function of laminate thickness, the dimensions of the bar code symbol, reflectance of the bars and spaces, nominal diffusion length in the substrate, and refractive index. While laminate effects are sometimes difficult to quantify, the range of this effect can be quite large. The laminate and diffusion effects are known to degrade the performance of bar code scanners, other types of mark-sense detectors, and image detecting apparatus generally. A laminated bar code symbol typically exhibits both the diffusion and the laminate effects.
It will be recognized that an analogous argument can be made for the case where a small source of illumination is used in conjunction with a large region of sensitivity, so called flood sensitivity. A number of methods have been employed in the prior art that tend to bring the beams of light from the light source and those directed to the light sensor from the target into alignment, establishing a common operational region. The images of the light source and the defined region of sensitivity are generally not congruent throughout a relatively large depth of field. For this reason, all these systems are sensitive to the degrading effects of the diffusion and laminate effects over all or most of their operational depth of field.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,292 to Routt, Jr. et al, there is shown an optical scanner in which source and reflected light beams are coaxially aligned at the target. In this device the region of sensitivity is substantially congruent with the field of illumination only in the immediate neighborhood of the focal plane, and it cannot achieve a larger depth of field without flood illuminating the target.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,531 to Clark et al shows a scanner that has coaxial incident and reflective beams, achieved by a multisurfaced lens arrangement. The beams, while having the same optical axis, could not define a light source image that is congruent to a region of sensitivity except in the focal plane. This device would not be suitable for applications requiring a larger depth of focus where flood illumination is undesirable.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,659 to Bianco et al an apparatus is shown in which a bar code symbol is illuminated by a lamp, and a reflected beam received by a photosensor. The illumination and detection optical axes are not coaxially aligned in the plane of the bar code symbol.
Another problem known to the art concerns the operation of imaging devices when there is ambient light that enters the light sensor and creates additional noise background. This problem has been mitigated by the adoption of lasers and LEDs as light sources or light emitters that cooperate with light sensors tailored to respond selectively to wavelengths emitted by the lasers or LEDs in conjunction with appropriate bandpass filters. Representative of this approach is the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,258 to Ueda et al wherein an optical pattern detector employs a photodiode disposed side-by-side with an LED.
Still another problem in the art which can be attacked by optoelectronic source-detector integration is the well-known problem of microphonic excitation that can cause spurious output of the light sensor. The severity of this problem is lessened when the photodetection system has an inherently high signal-to-noise ratio as does an integrated source-detector.
There has been recent interest in developing image detection and scanning devices having light sources integrated with light sensors such as photodiodes. Manufacture of large area integrated semiconductor arrays is now relatively economical. Techniques of fabricating small light sensing elements and light emitting elements on large area substrates are known. The integration of densely packed minute surface emitting lasers on a substrate using lithographic techniques was reported in by D. Maliniak, "Electronic Design", Aug. 24, 1989, page 19. Such lasers are not only physically small, but also operate with low power dissipation.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,859 to Guha et al there is disclosed a large scale integrated solid state structure that includes light emitting and light sensing p-i-n diodes, used in document scanning applications. In this disclosure the construction of the light sources and light sensors are similar, but the details are optimized for their respective functions.
The use of integrated optoelectronic source-detector technology in imaging applications has thus far been limited. Successful implementation of such components into scanning and imaging devices would advance the optical reading art, as a result of enhanced resolution, increased reading speed, increased accuracy and reduced power consumption. Such devices have broader application to optical information transmission in that they can be incorporated in optical tracking applications as well as optical interfaces of all types, and could be used in optical computers.

Integrated solid state light emitting and detecting array and apparatus employing said array