Gate-rounding fabrication techniques can be implemented to increase an effective channel length of a transistor and to consequently reduce the leakage current and static power consumption associated with the transistor. The transistor comprises a substrate region that includes a source region and a drain region. The transistor can also comprise a gate region that includes a main gate portion, one or more gate tips, and one or more corresponding gate-rounded portions. Each of the one or more gate tips is formed at a suitable position along the side of the main gate portion. During fabrication, the junction between the main gate region and each of the gate tips takes on a rounded shape to form a corresponding gate-rounded region. The gate-rounded regions increase the average length of the gate region and the effective channel length of the transistor.

Embodiments of the inventive subject matter generally relate to the field of semiconductor fabrication and, more particularly, to gate rounding for reduced transistor leakage current.
Metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) are typically associated with a leakage current. Ideally, the MOSFET does not conduct current when the MOSFET is biased in an OFF state (e.g., when a bias voltage is not applied between a gate terminal and a source terminal of the MOSFET). However, practically, the MOSFET generates a leakage current because of reverse-bias leakage between the MOSFET's source region and drain region via the substrate (on which the source region and the drain region are implemented). The leakage current can cause the MOSFET to dissipate power ("static power"). In some instances, static power consumption can account for 30% of the total power consumption of an integrated circuit that comprises the MOSFETs. Static power consumption can generate unwanted heat and can drain the power (especially in battery-powered portable electronic devices).

Gate rounding for reduced transistor leakage current


Accordingly, a virtual keypad system for inputting text is provided. A virtual keypad system includes a remote controller having at least one touchpad incorporated therein and divided into a plurality of touch zones. A display device is in data communication with the remote controller and is operable to display a user interface including a keypad, where each key of the keypad is mapped to a touch zone of the touchpad. A prediction module, in response to an operator pressing a given touch zone to select a particular character, performs one or more key prediction methods to predict one or more next plausible keys. A key mapping module remaps the touch zones of the touchpad to the keys of the keypad based on the one or more next plausible keys.

Many electronic consumer products come with remote control devices. These remote control devices can communicate a variety of commands to the electronic product. With the rise in technological advancements to the electronic products, the remote control devices have become complex to operate. For example, modern television remote controls can include selection buttons for volume, channel selection, menu selection, and picture viewing. To operate the remote control, the user must take time away from the program he or she is watching to focus in on the buttons. This can be very distracting to a viewer.
In addition, many internet based services such as online shopping are now being provided through the television. Additional selection buttons such as keypad buttons must be included on the remote control device to accommodate these new services. The new selection buttons serve to increase the complexity as well as the cost of the remote control devices.
The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.


A pixel circuit and an image display apparatus are provided making use of a hysteresis characteristics of a transistor for driving a display element. The pixel circuit comprises: a transistor providing both different first and second relations between a gate voltage value and a drain current value at a transition from off state to an on state, and from the on state transits to the off state respectively; a display element supplied as a drive current with a current controlled by the transistor; and a capacitor element connected to a gate electrode of the transistor. One of the first and second relations is utilized during a first period for setting the drive current to be supplied to the display element. And, the other of the first and second relations is utilized during a second period for supplying the drive current to the display element to effect light emission.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drive circuit for driving a display element such as an organic light-emitting diode (hereinafter denoted by OLED) element and the like, and an image display apparatus using the drive circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
An active matrix (hereinafter denoted by AM) type OLED display has been studied recently as a light emission display device having pixels arranged in a matrix shape, each pixel being constituted of an OLED element and a drive circuit.
FIG. 26 shows an outline structure of a pixel circuit constituted of an OLED element and a drive circuit.
FIG. 27 shows an AM type organic display having the pixel circuits arranged in a matrix shape.
FIG. 28 shows an example of the pixel circuit.
SW1 and SW2 are turned on, and current is supplied from an external (L3) to a TFT (Tr1) in the pixel circuit whose gate and drain are shorted.
A gate voltage value Vg1 of TFT can therefore be set to a voltage at which the external current flows as a drain current.
Current flowing a light emission element can thus be set.
Thereafter, in the state that the gate voltage value Vg1 is retained, SW1 and SW2 are turned off and SW3 is turned on to switch a current path to the OLED element (LED1) side.
Since a voltage between the gate and source of TFT is the same voltage at which the current from the external L3 flows, TFT (Tr1) functions as a current source for supplying a constant current having the same amplitude as that of the external current. Namely, current having the same amplitude as that of the current from the external (L3) flows through the OLED element.
A display element operating by the current drive described above is described in International Publication No. WO99/065011.

Pixel circuit and image display apparatus having the pixel circuit


A buckle guard that includes a flexible buckle guard member with a fastening button opening, a first hook and pile fastener section adjacent to the fastening button opening, and a second companionate hook and pile fastener section provided along an opposed side edge of the flexible guard member; and a garment laundering method includes the steps of (1) providing one buckle guard for each buckle assembly on the garment that includes a fastening button member stitched to a first strap section and a clip fastener member pivotally secured to a second strap member, the clip fastener member including a fastening button passage portion in connection with a semi-circular retaining ring portion; (2) installing each of the buckle guards over a buckle assembly by positioning the fastening button member through the fastening button opening of the flexible buckle guard member and into the semi-circular retaining ring of the clip fastener member and then folding the flexible buckle guard member over until the first and second hook and pile sections are secured together through the fastening button passage portion of the clip fastener member; and then (3) laundering the garment.

The buckle assemblies of garments such as overalls can become damaged during the laundering process and can damage the interiors of washing machines and dryers. It would be a benefit, therefore, to have a buckle guard that could be positioned over the buckle assembly to protect it and the laundering equipment during laundering. It would also be a benefit to have a laundering method that included the step of positioning a buckle guard over each buckle assembly of a garment prior to laundering the garment.

Buckle guard and garment laundering method


A control system includes a control unit. When turning a bidirectional switch element ON, the control unit controls the bidirectional switch element to cause a time lag between a first timing and a second timing. The first timing is a timing when a voltage equal to or higher than a threshold voltage is applied to one gate electrode selected from a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode. The one gate electrode is associated with one source electrode selected from a first source electrode and a second source electrode and having a lower potential than the other source electrode. The second timing is a timing when a voltage equal to or higher than a threshold voltage is applied to the other gate electrode associated with the other source electrode having a higher potential than the one source electrode.

A bidirectional switch element, which is a double-gate (also called "dual-gate") semiconductor element, has been proposed in the art (see Patent Literature 1).
In the bidirectional switch element of Patent Literature 1, a semiconductor multilayer structure is formed over an electrically conductive substrate of silicon with a buffer layer of MN interposed between the substrate and the multilayer structure. In the semiconductor multilayer structure, a first layer of undoped GaN (GaN layer) and a second layer of undoped AlGaN (first AlGaN layer) are stacked in this order from the bottom.
A channel region as a two-dimensional electron gas layer is generated in the vicinity of a heterojunction between the first layer and the second layer.
On the semiconductor multilayer structure, a first ohmic electrode (first source electrode) and a second ohmic electrode (second source electrode) are arranged to be spaced apart from each other. In a region between the first and second ohmic electrodes on the semiconductor multilayer structure, a first gate electrode, formed over the semiconductor multilayer structure with a first p-type nitride semiconductor layer interposed, and a second gate electrode, formed over the semiconductor multilayer structure with a second p-type nitride semiconductor layer interposed, are arranged side by side from the first ohmic electrode toward the second ohmic electrode.
When the bidirectional switch element of Patent Literature 1 is used with the substrate electrically floating, for example, the switching rate thereof when the switch element is turned ON decreases compared to a situation where the bidirectional switch element is used with the substrate grounded.

Control system, switch system, power converter, method for controlling bidirectional switch element, and program

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


In a method for loading media data (M) into a memory of a portable data carrier (10) connected to an external operator device (24), the data carrier (10) receives a loading job, an encrypted data transfer channel (50) is set up between the data carrier (10) and a trustworthy, non-local server (30) on which the media data (M) are held, and the media data (M) are transferred in encrypted form via the data transfer channel (50) and written to the memory of the data carrier (10). A data carrier (10) and a computer program product have corresponding features. In addition, an operator device (24) and a computer program product are provided that are configured to provide a user interface for initiating the method for loading the media data (M). The invention provides a technique for loading media data (M) into a portable data carrier (10), which technique prevents unauthorized copying of the media data (M).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to portable data carriers, such as smart cards or compact memory modules of various types. More specifically, the invention relates to the loading of media data, such as image data or audio data or video data, into such data carriers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable data carriers for the storage of media data are well known in various forms. The article entitled "Das Gigabyte im Geldbeutel" by Clemens Gleich in c't magazine, Heise-Verlag, Issue Aug. 2002, pages 164 to 166, gives an overview of the products currently offered under the trademarks and trade names CompactFlash, SmartMedia, Memory Stick, Secure Digital and MultiMediaCard. A version of the Memory Stick called Magic Gate and also the Secure Digital cards have digital rights management systems to prevent unauthorized copying of the media data. Such systems are described in the article "Blitzgescheit" by Clemens Gleich in c't magazine, Heise-Verlag, Issue August 2002, pages 168 to 172, especially in the box on page 169.
The problem of copy protection for media data that is secure but at the same time does not interfere with legitimate use has still not been satisfactorily solved, however. Security vulnerabilities exist, for example, when the user downloads media data onto the data carrier from a server of the rights holder. The user will usually use for this an Internet browser to access the server and store the media data intermediately on a personal computer belonging to the user. It is only in a second step that the media data are then exported to the data carrier. The media data stored in the user's personal computer are unprotected, however, and can easily be duplicated.
Other general problems of the prior art are concerned with the difficulty of reliable authentication of the eventual recipient of the media data with the server and the difficulty of secure key management.

Loading media data into a portable data carrier


A receiving apparatus receives an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) signal, including an OFDM symbol, subject to frequency hopping on multiple bands, the OFDM symbol, which functions as a channel estimation sequence, being transmitted multiple times at hopping intervals in a time division manner on each of the bands. The apparatus includes a receiving section for receiving the OFDM signal transmitted on a channel, a Fourier transform section for demultiplexing the OFDM signal into signals of sub-carriers, a channel correcting section for estimating a channel characteristic by using the OFDM symbol functioning as a channel estimation sequence resulting from the demultiplexing into sub-carrier signals and performing channel correction thereon, and a decoding section for performing symbol identification and decoding on the channel-corrected data signal back to the original data signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a receiving apparatus and channel estimating apparatus that receive send signals subject to frequency hopping and perform channel estimation and, in particular, to a receiving apparatus and channel estimating apparatus that average multiple channel estimation results in a time domain and remove an influence of noise.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wireless network has received attentions as a system for freeing from wiring in a wired communication method in the past. The standard specifications relating to a wireless network may include IEEE (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11.
OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) transmission scheme has been expected as a technology that avoids the deterioration of transmission quality due to the fading of wireless signals and increases the speed and/or quality of the wireless transmission. IEEE 802.11a/g, for example, has adopted OFDM modulation scheme as standard specifications for a wireless Local Area Network (LAN). Though a wireless communication scheme called "Ultra Wide Band (UWB) Communication" employing a significantly wide frequency band has received attentions in recent years, the standardization conference in IEEE 802.15.3 has reviewed DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum)-UWB scheme and OFDM_UWB adopting OFDM modulation scheme.
In OFDM transmission scheme, frequencies for carriers are defined such that the sub-carriers can be orthogonal to each other within a symbol period. The expression, "the sub-carriers can be orthogonal to each other", refers to that the peak point of the spectrum of an arbitrary sub-carrier can typically agree with the zero point of the spectrums of other sub-carriers. In OFDM modulation scheme, since send data is divided into and is transmitted in multiple carriers at different frequencies, the band of each of the carriers is narrowed, which may significantly increase the efficiency of frequency application and the resistance to the interference of frequency-selective fading.
A small place such as an office has a problem of the coexistence of multiple wireless networks in a communication environment. Accordingly, frequency hopping (FH) scheme is adopted for flexibly changing the frequency band to use. In this communication scheme, packets are exchanged by changing the frequency randomly every time, and the influence from another system may disturb the communication. However, the continuous change of the frequency may hardly interrupt the communication. In other words, the coexistence with other systems is allowed with good resistance to fading and easy scalability.
For example, a multi-band scheme of OFDM_UWB scheme as described above has been reviewed in which each of the bands from 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz defined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is divided into multiple sub-bands each having 528 MHz, and frequency hopping (FH) is performed among the sub-bands.
FIG. 7 shows an example of the frequency assignment defined by the multi-band OFDM_UWB communication scheme (which will be called "MB-OFDM" hereinafter) (refer to "MBOFDM PHY Specification Final Release 1.0," Wimedia alliance, Apr. 27, 2005 (Non-Patent Document 1), for example). In the shown example, the band of 5 GHz to be used by a wireless LAN is a Null band, and the other band is divided into thirteen sub-bands. The sub-bands are divided into four groups of A to D, and communication is performed by managing the frequency of each of the groups.
FIG. 8 shows a state in which data transmission is performed in the multi-band OFDM scheme by performing frequency hopping on an OFDM symbol in a time domain. In the shown example, Group A having Bands #1 to #3 is used, and frequency hopping is performed by changing the center frequency for each one OFDM symbol, and OFDM modulation is performed by using inverse fast Fourier transform/fast Fourier transform (IFET/FET) having 128 points.
By the way, wireless communication has a problem that a signal transmitted from a transmitting apparatus is subject to the influence of a channel characteristic on the transmission path before being received by a receiving apparatus. More specifically, since a send signal has the phase rotated and the signal amplitude changed on the transmission path, the original data may not be properly decoded from the received signal. Thus, the receiving apparatus may need to estimate the channel characteristic and perform channel correction for correcting the amount of phase rotation and the amplitude of the received signal.
The channel estimation is generally achieved by exchanging a known sequence between a transmitting apparatus and a receiving apparatus. In other words, a transmitting apparatus transmits a training sequence for channel estimation (called "channel estimation sequence" hereinafter) including a preamble of the packet, and the receiving apparatus multiples the received preamble by the known sequence. Thus, the amount of phase rotation and the amount of amplitude change on the transmission path are obtained, and the channel correction can be performed that on the payload by performing an operation of reversing the phase by the amount of phase rotation and putting the amplitude back.
In OFDM transmission scheme, one channel estimation sequence includes one OFDM symbol, for example. Partial sub-carriers of a channel estimation sequence may be lost due to the influence of fading, and proper channel estimation may not be performed as a result. Therefore, moving averaging processing is generally performed on the adjacent multiple sub-carriers in a frequency domain of the sub-carriers included in the OFDM symbol for channel estimation, whereby the influence of fading is removed. Furthermore, in order to avoid the decrease in accuracy of the channel estimation due to thermal noise, which is added during radio frequency (RF) analog processing, a transmitting apparatus transmits a channel estimation sequence multiple times while a receiving apparatus averages the multiple channel estimation values in a time domain. Thus, the influence of thermal noise can be reduced, and the accuracy of the channel estimation can be improved (refer to JP-A-2000-358010, Paragraph No. 0013 (Patent Document 1), for example).
FIG. 9 schematically shows mechanisms for channel estimation and channel correction in OFDM transmission scheme. In this case, the preambles before a payload of a transmission packet from a transmitting apparatus include a synchronization sequence and a channel estimation sequence as shown in FIG. 10. The channel estimation sequence includes two known sequences each having one OFDM symbol.
The receiving apparatus performs RF processing on the received signals transmitted as time-axis signals, performs FFT (that is, OFDM demodulation) thereon and demultiplexes them into sub-carriers aligned in the frequency domain (not shown). Then, the channel estimation part of the packet is extracted and is multiplied by a known channel estimation sequence that the receiving apparatus holds, whereby the correlation value is obtained.
Some sub-carriers aligned in the frequency domain may be lost due to fading caused during transmission. The influence of fading is removed by averaging each sub-carrier included in the channel estimation sequence and adjacent multiple sub-carriers in the frequency domain. Furthermore, the accuracy of channel estimation is improved by averaging, in the time domain, the channel estimation values having multiple OFDM symbols for channel estimation. Then, the channel estimation result therefrom is multiplied by the payload part of the packet, whereby the operation for correcting the amplitude change and phase rotation due to a channel characteristic is performed.
The averaging, in the time domain, of the channel estimation results among multiple OFDM symbols can provide a channel estimation result with higher accuracy excluding the influence of thermal noise, which is added when RF analog processing is performed thereon.
However, a system applying frequency hopping has a problem that the averaging in the time domain causes a frequency error in channel estimation values of bands. Generally, a channel estimation sequence of each frequency channel is transmitted in a time division manner in accordance with a hopping pattern (that is, for each cycle for performing frequency hopping). For example, in a communication system that performs frequency hopping on three bands of Bands A, B and C, when a channel estimation sequence is transmitted in a time division manner by using two OFDM symbols for each band, such as A1 and A2, B1 and B2 and C1 and C2 as shown in FIG. 11, the interval between A1 and A2 increases by the time equivalent to the hopping interval. The phase of the received OFDM signal drifts on each of the bands during the time interval, which causes a large frequency error and an error in channel estimation values in averaging in the time domain. As a result, the bit error rate is deteriorated, which is a problem.

Receiving apparatus and channel estimating apparatus


A retrofit LED lighting system with a combination of a directional downlight component and an indirect uplight component is provided. The system comprises light emitting diodes arranged so as to replicate the function of a legacy light source in a transparent or translucent fixture housing. The LED lamp includes upwards facing LEDs emitting light upwards, and a translucent stem covering the uplight LEDs to allow the light from the LEDs to pass through it. Advantageously, the LED lamp with uplight component and a transparent/translucent stem allows the light to be directed upwards and hence, avoids having a sharp cut-off of light appearing in the middle of the reflector fixture and also avoids a lack of uplight shone on the ceiling.

A metal-halide lamp generates light by passing an electric arc through a gaseous mixture of vaporized mercury and metal halides. The metal halide lamps have high luminous efficiency and produce an intense white light. The metal halide lamps are used in wide area overhead lighting of commercial, industrial, and public spaces, such as parking lots, sports arenas, factories, and retail stores, as well as residential security lighting and automotive headlamps. Approximately 13% of US commercial space uses metal halide lamps for illumination purpose.
The metal halide lamp, though used widely, suffers from several disadvantages. A cold metal-halide lamp cannot immediately begin producing its full light capacity and requires approximately 5 minutes coming to full brightness. Furthermore if the power is interrupted, even briefly, the lamp's arc will extinguish, and the high pressure that exists in the hot arc tube will prevent re-striking the arc and therefore metal halide lamps must be allowed to cool for up to 20 minutes before they can be restarted.
In addition to having a moderate life span of approximately 10,000 hours and poor lumen maintenance, metal halide lamps are hazardous and risky to use. The metal halide lamps contain a significant amount of mercury and are prone to risk of explosion. Over a period of use, the arc tube gets weak, and since the gases are present at a significantly high pressure, chances for explosion of the metal halide lamps are always there.
The most recent evolution in lighting is solid state lighting based on light emitting diode (LED) technology. The light generation principle is similar to what happens in gas discharge lamps, but now the discharge happens in a solid state material: orbit changing electrons cause atoms to get 'excited' and to subsequently fall back to their ground state thereby releasing its surplus energy in the form of radiation. Advances in microelectronics technology have led light-emitting-diode (LED) technology to generate lighting and special purpose lighting applications. The LEDs have a large lifespan of 50,000 hrs and are RoHS compliant, i.e. they do not contain mercury or other toxic substances.
In view of the aforementioned disadvantages associated with the use of metal halide lamps and the technological advancement in LED technology, there is rising demand for replacing metal halide lamps with LED lamps. However the main concern for replacing metal halide lamp with LED lamp is the considerable labor costs involved in the installation, because it will require the opening of the light fixture to disassemble the existing ballast, whether it be an electronic one, or a magnetic one. Another concern involved in the replacement of metal halide lamps with LEDs is the lack of a recycle scheme for the ballast. Therefore in view of above constraints, it would be advantageous to have LED retrofit lamp that can directly replace the existing metal halide lamps.


A sheet processing apparatus of the invention includes a standby tray on which a sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus is placed, a processing tray on which the sheet dropped from the standby tray is received and placed, and a post-processing mechanism to perform a post-processing on the sheet placed on the processing tray, and further, an electricity removing brush is attached integrally to a rotation shaft disposed in a direction orthogonal to a transport direction of the sheet at a height position between the standby tray and the processing tray. The electricity removing brush comes in contact with a lowermost surface of the sheet placed on the standby tray or an uppermost surface of the sheet placed on the processing tray by rotation of the rotation shaft, and removes the electricity of the sheet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus for performing post-processing of a sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer or a compound machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, some image forming apparatuses are provided with a sheet post-processing apparatus adjacently to a paper discharge unit of an image forming apparatus main body in order to perform post-processing such as sorting of sheets after image formation or stapling of sheets.
In the case where the post-processing such as the stapling is performed on the sheet transported from the image forming apparatus, the sheet is often charged with static electricity. When the sheet is charged, a jam occurs or a trouble occurs in the post-processing. Besides, a discharge operation after the post-processing is not performed well, and defective discharge is liable to be caused. Thus, some post-processing apparatuses are provided with an electricity removing member.
JP-A-2004-99200 discloses a sheet post-processing apparatus for performing a binding processing of sheets. In this sheet post-processing apparatus, after plural sheets are bound, they are discharged by a paper discharge roller, and an electricity removing brush is provided in a sheet transport path.
JP-A-10-250911 discloses a sheet post-processing apparatus for performing post-processing such as stapling. In this example, there is included a guide member to guide a sheet to a processing tray for the post-processing, and an electricity removing member is provided in this guide member.
However, in the above examples, since the system is such that the electricity removing member comes in contact with only one surface of the transported sheet, when plural sheets overlap each other, a satisfactory electricity removing effect can not be obtained.
The invention provides a sheet processing apparatus in which the electrostatic charging of a sheet as stated above is reduced.


Disclosed is an apparatus for associating a cable including a braid with an electronic device and improving electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) shielding between the cable and the electronic device, the apparatus including a tubular member including an outer dimension, and defining a first opening, a second opening, and a cable cavity, the tubular member being configured to associate with the electronic device and the braid of the cable, the outer dimension of the tubular member being further configured to receive a charge from the braid of the cable in a region of the tubular member disposed externally to the electronic device.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates generally to a method and apparatus for associating a cable with an electronic device, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for associating a cable with an electronic device and improving electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) shielding between the cable and the electronic device
2. Description of Background
As data rates for cable assemblies increase, better electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) shielding between cable assemblies and electronic devices has become desirable. EMC is the measure of unintentional generation, propagation and reception of electromagnetic energy, and the unwanted effects that such an energy may induce in an electronic component environment. Current methods for improving EMC performance and shielding include cable clamping, cable braid distribution, and use of conductive foams. These methods have offered only marginal improvements, and can be difficult to implement.
For example, assembly operations on cables that are to be clamped require that a jacket of the cable be "milked back" in the early stages of cable build. "Milking back" the jacket is a labor-intensive process that requires the operator to manually pull the jacket back thereby exposing a braid. After pulling back the jacket to expose the braid the collapsed area of the jacket is taped to secure it. Subsequently at final assembly of the cable, the jacket is manually pulled back up allowing the back shell to be clamped onto the jacket. This operation is a very difficult, time consuming, and manual process, that is compounded by jacket stiffness, which may vary by bulk cable supplier. With some cable assemblies now requiring plenum rated bulk cable, which includes a very stiff jacket, the current assembly operations requiring jacket "milking" actually cannot be incorporated into assembly. As such, more convenient assembly operations, which eliminate the need for jacket "milking," and improved EMC shielding, are both desirable.

Method and apparatus for associating a cable with an electronic device and improving electromagnetic compatability shielding between the cable and the electronic device

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for establishing underwater burial garden comprises drilling one or more holes into an underwater floor surface to a predetermined depth. Each hole in the underwater burial garden may be located at a predetermined location, or plot, respective to any other hole, which may be in an adjacent or nearby plot. A sealed container containing ashes of a cremated individual may be positioned into a hole. The sealed container may be constructed of a material to withstand the underwater environment. A cap may be placed over the hole, thereby containing the sealed container within the hole. The cap may have a plate positioned thereon with text pertaining to the cremated individual, which may be viewable by swimmers and/or boaters.

For centuries, since man has been sailing the seas of the world, people have been buried at sea. From depositing a deceased person's body in the water to sprinkling ashes into the ocean, individuals have for centuries desired their final resting place to be in the oceans of the world.
However, when a deceased person's body or ashes are deposited in the sea, there is generally no fixed location that loved ones may visit, as with a conventional cemetery. Because wave currents may disseminate a person's ashes or body into the ocean, loved ones may not have the ability to revisit a point of deposit or other point that may be reserved in memory of the deceased individual.
In attempt to accommodate some of these concerns, more recent systems have emerged wherein an individual's ashes may be added to sinkable objects that are dropped into the water at sea. These objects may be constructed such that the ashes are mixed into the materials of the sinkable object such as cement. However, these objects may be dropped at depths and/or locations wherein making a return visit for viewing by boat or even by scuba diving may be difficult, improbable, or even impossible. Plus, the size of such sinkable objects may oftentimes be sufficiently large to overcome any affects of water currents and/or other natural affects, thereby increasing both the maneuvering difficulty during manufacturing and placement at sea size and also the associated costs.
Thus, there is a heretofore unaddressed need to overcome the inefficiencies and shortcomings as described above.


This invention provides novel active agents (e.g. peptides, small organic molecules, amino acid pairs, etc.) peptides that ameliorate one or more symptoms of atherosclerosis and/or other pathologies characterized by an inflammatory response. In certain embodiment, the peptides resemble a G* amphipathic helix of apolipoprotein J. The agents are highly stable and readily administered via an oral route.

The introduction of statins (e.g., Mevacor®, Lipitor®, etc.) has reduced mortality from heart attack and stroke by about one-third. However, heart attack and stroke remain the major cause of death and disability, particularly in the United States and in Western European countries. Heart attack and stroke are the result of a chronic inflammatory condition, which is called atherosclerosis.
Several causative factors are implicated in the development of cardiovascular disease including hereditary predisposition to the disease, gender, lifestyle factors such as smoking and diet, age, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, including hypercholesterolemia. Several of these factors, particularly hyperlipidemia and hypercholesteremia (high blood cholesterol concentrations) provide a significant risk factor associated with atherosclerosis.
Cholesterol is present in the blood as free and esterified cholesterol within lipoprotein particles, commonly known as chylomicrons, very low density lipoproteins (VLDLs), low density lipoproteins (LDLs), and high density lipoproteins (HDLs). Concentration of total cholesterol in the blood is influenced by (1) absorption of cholesterol from the digestive tract, (2) synthesis of cholesterol from dietary constituents such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats and ethanol, and (3) removal of cholesterol from blood by tissues, especially the liver, and subsequent conversion of the cholesterol to bile acids, steroid hormones, and biliary cholesterol.
Maintenance of blood cholesterol concentrations is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Genetic factors include concentration of rate-limiting enzymes in cholesterol biosynthesis, concentration of receptors for low density lipoproteins in the liver, concentration of rate-limiting enzymes for conversion of cholesterols bile acids, rates of synthesis and secretion of lipoproteins and gender of person. Environmental factors influencing the hemostasis of blood cholesterol concentration in humans include dietary composition, incidence of smoking, physical activity, and use of a variety of pharmaceutical agents. Dietary variables include the amount and type of fat (saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids), the amount of cholesterol, amount and type of fiber, and perhaps the amounts of vitamins such as vitamin C and D and minerals such as calcium.
Low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation has been strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. High density lipoprotein (HDL) has been found to be capable of protecting against LDL oxidation, but in some instances has been found to accelerate LDL oxidation. Important initiating factors in atherosclerosis include the production of LDL-derived oxidized phospholipids.
Normal HDL has the capacity to prevent the formation of these oxidized phospholipids and also to inactivate these oxidized phospholipids once they have formed. However, under some circumstances HDL can be converted from an anti-inflammatory molecule to a pro-inflammatory molecule that actually promotes the formation of these oxidized phospholipids.
It has been suggested that HDL and LDL function as part of the innate immune system (Navab et al. (2001) Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol., 21: 481-488). The generation of anti-inflammatory HDL has been achieved using class A amphipathic helical peptides that mimic the major protein of HDL, apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I) (see, e.g., WO 02/15923).

Peptides and peptide mimetics to treat pathologies characterized by an inflammatory response

The Regents of the University of California


A process using a three-piece mold for making a three-dimensionally shaped glass article having a flat area and a curved/bend area is disclosed. The process includes placing a glass sheet on a mold having a shaping surface with a desired surface profile for the shaped glass article including a flat area and a bend area, moving a flat area plunger toward the glass sheet to compress the glass sheet, heating a portion of the glass sheet corresponding to an area above the bend area of the mold to a temperature above a forming temperature, and moving a bend area plunger toward the heated glass sheet to compress the heated glass sheet. A temperature of the glass sheet in the area above the bend area of the mold is higher than a temperature of the glass sheet in the area above the flat area of the mold when compressing the heated glass sheet with the bend area plunger.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to forming shaped glass articles, for example covers for mobile or handheld electronic devices.
2. Background
Covers for handheld devices are required to be aesthetically pleasing while being functional. There is also a growing trend to have three-dimensionally shaped covers, wherein a portion of the cover is flat and another portion is shaped, for example having a bend or curve. Glass is one of the materials that can be used to make such covers; however processes and apparatuses are needed to form shaped glass articles having a flat region and a bend region. The present disclosure relates to processes and apparatuses for forming shaped glass articles with attributes that make them useful as cover glasses.

Process and apparatus for forming shaped glass articles


C-arm systems and method for making and using continuous C-arm spin acquisition trajectories for dynamic imaging and improved image quality are described. In such systems and methods, a C-arm gantry, coupled to a C-arm support assembly, is adapted to retain an x-ray source and an x-ray detector. The C-arm gantry is selectively rotatable relative to the C-arm support assembly about both a C-arm axis and a pivot-axis to displace the x-ray source and the x-ray detector along a continuous C-arm spin trajectory. The C-arm system is adapted for continuous three-dimensional acquisition of data along the continuous C-arm spin trajectory including a plurality of shorts arcs and a plurality of long arcs. The C-arm system is adapted for continuous three-dimensional acquisition of data along the continuous C-arm spin trajectory to provide continuous three-dimensional imaging of dynamic processes.

The disclosure relates generally to X-ray equipment. More specifically, this application relates to C-arm spin acquisition trajectories of an X-ray machine, and more particularly to C-arm spin acquisition trajectories that enable 3D imaging of dynamic processes.
X-ray machines are known devices that allow individuals, such as healthcare practitioners, to capture images, in a relatively non-intrusive manner, of bones and other tissues, bone density, implanted devices, catheters, pins, and a wide variety of other objects and materials that are within a patient's body. In this regard, the term X-ray may refer to any suitable type of X-ray imaging, including film X-ray shadow grams and X-ray fluoroscopic imaging, which may refer to images that are produced by the conversion of an incident X-ray pattern to a "live" enhanced or intensified optical image that can be displayed on a video monitor, nearly contemporaneously with the irradiation of the portion of the patient's body that is being imaged.
Often, when a practitioner takes X-rays of a patient, it is desirable to take several X-rays of one or more portions of the patient's body from a number of different positions and angles, and preferably without needing to frequently reposition the patient. To meet this need, C-arm X-ray diagnostic equipment has been developed. The term C-arm generally refers to an X-ray imaging device having a rigid and/or articulating structural member having an X-ray source and an image detector assembly that are each located at an opposing end of the structural member so that the X-ray source and the image detector face each other. The structural member is typically "C" shaped and so is referred to as a C-arm. In this manner, X-rays emitted from the X-ray source can impinge on the image detector and provide an X-ray image of the object or objects that are placed between the X-ray source and the image detector.
In many cases, C-arms are connected to a movable support. In such cases, the C-arm can often be raised and lowered, be moved from side to side, and/or be rotated about one or more axes of rotation. Accordingly, such C-arms can be moved and reoriented to allow X-ray images to be taken from several different positions and angles and different portions of a patient, without requiring the patient to be repositioned.
When images are acquired from a number of different gantry angles (i.e., for different orientations of the C-arm with respect to the imaged region of interest), these images may be reconstructed into a volumetric representation of the structures of the object contained in the imaged region. Generally, such an acquisition is performed by using a so-called spin acquisition, i.e., by rotating the C-arm gantry by about 200-220 degrees around a rotational axis. This limitation of the angular range is a consequence of mechanical limitations of the gantry, which, in particular, does not allow for a continuous rotation along a single axis of rotation. However, this angular range also corresponds to the angular range required for (nearly) complete data (e.g., 180 degrees plus the fan angle), and high-quality 3D images may be reconstructed from the collected data. In situations where a sequence of 3D datasets is to be acquired, the spin acquisition may be repeated periodically (and the gantry moved back to the start position in-between spins), or a back-and-forth spin acquisition may be performed, where x-ray image data is acquired during both directions of motion of the gantry.
Current approaches for use of these C-arm devices consist of a sequence of back-and-forth spin acquisitions. Of particular interest is the use of this back-and forth spin using a C-arm in order to acquire data for dynamic 3D imaging, such as perfusion imaging. Specifically, the dynamic nature of the perfusion is accommodated by acquiring a number of consecutive spin datasets, where the delay between consecutive datasets is minimized by acquiring data both on the forward spin, and on the backward spin. However, a significant drawback of this method consists of the fact that there is still a dead-time of about 1.5 seconds between the end of the spin acquisition in one direction, and the start of the acquisition in the other direction. This delay is due mainly to mechanical reasons (allow gantry vibrations to settle). No data is collected during this dead-time, which is mostly due to the fact that the data is from a single, static gantry position, and thereby does not provide any 3D information.
Accordingly, a means for acquiring data along a trajectory whereby this dead-time is eliminated, thereby minimizing gantry vibration and enabling improved image quality as a result of increased data completeness, is desirable.

C-arm system and C-arm spin acquisition trajectories for dynamic imaging and improved image quality and method of use


An electronic equipment enclosure has a lower housing part and a main board fixed relative thereto. A main board connector is fixed to the main board and faces the lower housing part. A sub board is inserted to a temporary attachment position within the lower housing part and faces the main board at the temporary attachment position. A sub board connector is fixed relative to the sub board and mates and connects with the main board connector. A guide rail is movable freely between a lower position and an upper position within the lower housing part. At the lower position the guide rail guides the sub board toward the temporary attachment position. By the guide rail moving from the lower position to the upper position, the sub board is caused to move from the temporary attachment position to the fully attached position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic equipment which has main board and a sub board.
2. Description of the Related Art
With regard to a piece of electronic equipment having a main board and a sub board installed within an enclosure, there are diverse arrangements of the main board and sub board relative to the enclosure.
However, in a case in which main and sub boards are disposed substantially in parallel and a connector is provided on the surfaces of each board facing one another, the sub board being pressed toward the main board so as to mate the connectors together, because of the strong pressing force that is required, the mating is difficult. Additionally, because a large pulling force is required to remove the sub board from the main board for maintenance and the like, this task is also difficult.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention, in consideration of the above-noted drawbacks in the conventional art, to improve the ease of insertion and removal of a sub board disposed substantially parallel to a main board.
In order to achieve the above-noted object, an electronic equipment according to the present invention has an enclosure, a first connection part, a sub board, a second connection part, a guide, and a guide movement mechanism.
The enclosure is partitioned into a sub board housing part having at least one aperture. The main board is fixed relative to the enclosure. The first connection part is fixed to the main board, and faces the sub board housing part. The sub board is inserted from the aperture toward a temporary attachment position, and at the temporary attachment position is disposed opposite the main board. The second connection part is fixed relative to the sub board and, by the sub board at the temporary attachment position moving toward the main board and reaching a fully attached position, mates with and connects to the first connection part. The guide is provided so as to freely move between a first position and a second position of the sub board. The guide at the first position guides the sub board to the temporary attachment position. The guide, by moving from the first position to the second position, causes the sub board to move from the temporary attachment position to the fully attached position, and holds the sub board at the fully attached position. A guide movement mechanism is linked to the guide and, by a driving operation, causes the guide to move from the first position to the second position.
In the above-described arrangement, when the sub board is to be installed, the guide is set at the first position and the sub board is inserted toward the temporary attachment position within the sub board housing part via the aperture of the enclosure. At the temporary attachment position, the sub board is in mutual opposition with the main board.
Once the sub board reaches the temporary attachment position, the guide movement mechanism is driven, so that the guide is caused to move from the first position to the second position. By doing this the sub board at the temporary attachment position moves toward the sub board and reaches the fully attached position, so that the second connection part and first connection part are mutually connected. In this connection the sub board is held and maintained at the fully attached position.
When the sub board is to be removed, the guide movement mechanism is driven and the sub board is pulled out along the guide and exposed from the aperture and, if necessary, the sub board is completely removed from the guide.
That is, the insertion and removal of the sub board relative to the sub board housing part is performed simply, by causing the sub board to move along the guide. The insertion and removal of the sub board relative to the main board in the sub board housing part is performed easily by driving the guide movement mechanism so as to cause the sub board to move. It is therefore possible to easily perform the tasks of inserting and removing the sub board.


The invention relates to a PSE device (2) to be used in a PoE lighting system (1), wherein the PSE device (2) is adapted to receive input power from a power providing system (7). The PSE device (2) comprises a power detection unit for detecting whether the received input power is primary input power or backup input power, wherein the PSE device (2) is adapted to control the power consumption of lighting units (31, 32) depending on the power detection. This allows for an indication of an emergency situation, in which the backup input power is provided, to the PSE device (2) without necessarily requiring data communication means. Moreover, the power consumption of the lighting units (31, 32) can be more efficiently utilized in case of emergency.

WO 2014/111824 A2 discloses a track based DC power distribution system for providing main DC power from a main DC power source to an electrical consumer connected to the track. The DC power distribution system comprises an auxiliary DC power source device which, when the voltage on the track is below a threshold, will provide auxiliary power to the electrical consumer.
WO 2008/134433 A1 discloses a PoE lighting system comprising lighting units connected to a PSE device via Ethernet cables, wherein the PSE device is connected to a server. In a normal operation mode the server receives power from an alternating current (AC) voltage source, the PSE device receives power from the server and the lighting units receive power from the PSE device. In case of emergency, i.e. if the AC voltage source does not provide power anymore, the server may receive power from a battery such that the server can still provide power to the PSE device and the PSE device can provide power to the lighting units. Moreover, in case of emergency the lighting units can receive power from batteries directly connected to the lighting units.
In case of emergency the providable power is strongly limited due to the capacity of the batteries such that after a certain time the providable power will be depleted and the lighting units may not provide light anymore.

Power source equipment device for a power over ethernet lighting system


A drain valve having a temperature responsive member that holds the drain valve in a water conserving mode when water is above freezing yet allows the drain valve to drain when the water is near freezing to prevent freeze damage to the irrigation system.

The concept of irrigation drain valves is known in the art and typical of such drain valves are those shown in King U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,163,779; 5,080,527 and 4,890,640.
Typically, an irrigation system includes a set of spaced, above ground sprinkler heads and underground water supply lines that supply water to the sprinkler heads. In climates where the water can freeze, a set of drain valves are placed at the lowest points of the water supply lines to allow water remaining in the water supply lines to drain out of the water supply lines in order to prevent freeze damage to the water supply lines.
The drain valves, which are located underground and at the lowest points in an irrigation system generally contain an elastomer member, which is mounted over a drain port in the irrigation drain valve. Under a no or low water pressure condition the elastomer is spaced from the drain port thereby allowing water to drain through the drain port. However, as the water supply line pressure increases the pressure within the drain valve also increases which forces the elastomer member against the drain port thereby sealing the drain port and preventing water from draining from the drain valve. Sealing the drain port allows all the water to be directed to the water sprinkler heads. Correspondingly, when the water pressure decreases i.e. the water to the water supply lines is shut off; the resilient elastomer retracts thereby opening the drain ports to allow water in the lines to drain through the drain ports. Thus, an irrigation system with pressure sensitive drain valves automatically drains the water in the water supply lines once the water supply lines are shut off.
While such systems are well suited for colder climates where freezing water can damage the irrigation system the drain valves can allow a substantial amount of water to be wasted during an irrigation season since the drain valves direct the drain water underground and not necessarily to the areas needing irrigation. If some locations water is scarce and a need exists to wisely use the available water. The invention described herein allows water to drain from the drain valve when freezing conditions occur but prevents water from draining from the water supply lines when freezing conditions are not present thus conserving water.
Thus a feature of the invention is a water-saving drain valve having two operating modes, an above freezing mode wherein the drain valve normally remains closed regardless of whether the system water pressure is on or off in order to prevent loss of water from the system and a second near freezing mode wherein the drain valve functions as a conventional drain valve that closes in response to a high system water pressure and opens in response to a low system water pressure to thereby drain the irrigation system and prevent freeze damage.


Example embodiments of this disclosure can provide an apparatus, a system, and a method of correcting for charge lost from a sampling capacitor as a result of an analog to digital conversion being performed. In an embodiment, there is provided a method of operating an analog to digital converter comprising at least a first sampling capacitor used to sample an input signal, where the method can further comprise a correction step of modifying the voltage across the at least first sampling capacitor, the correction step being performed prior to commencing an acquire phase.

There are many types of analog to digital converter technologies such as flash, sigma-delta, successive approximation routine converters, etc. These different styles of converter may be used in combination. In some converter topologies, an input signal is sampled onto a sampling capacitor (or an array of capacitors) prior to the analog to digital conversion taking place. During the sampling operation, charge is exchanged between the sampling capacitor and a circuit driving the analog to digital converter sampling capacitor. The driving circuit may have an impedance such that it takes time to charge and discharge the sampling capacitor to its correct voltage. This time will, to some extent, depend on the voltage across the sampling capacitor resulting from a preceding sample and convert cycle. Adequate performance should be obtained when the voltage across the sampling capacitor at the beginning of the acquire operation corresponds to the previously sampled voltage and has not been perturbed by the operation of the ADC.

Analog to digital converter and a method of operating an analog to digital converter


A method is provided for correlating samples of a received signal and samples of an internally generated/stored sample sequence (“IGSSS”). The method involves performing a first iteration of a first-resolution correlation state. The first-resolution correlation state involves: selecting a first N sets of samples from the received signal; selecting a first set of samples from the IGSSS; and concurrently comparing each of the N sets of samples with the first set of samples to determine if a correlation exists between the same. If it is determined that a correlation does not exist between one of the N sets of samples and the first set of samples, then a second iteration of the first-resolution correlation state is performed. If it is determined that a correlation exists between one of the N sets of samples and the first set of samples, then a first iteration of a second-resolution correlation state is performed.

1. Statement of the Technical Field
The invention concerns correlation techniques for use in communications systems and systems for implementing the same. More particularly, the invention concerns an accurate and efficient correlation technique for communications applications, such as synchronizing communications transmitted from transmitters to a receiver, correcting signal transmission delays, and detecting certain channel impairments (such as multipath).
2. Description of the Related Art
In communications systems, correlation techniques are implemented in correlation devices of receivers. The correlation techniques are employed to obtain timing and phase information of a signal being transmitted from a transmitter and a signal being received at a receiver. This timing and phase information is used to correct for transmission time delays, carrier phase offsets occurring in a signal transmission process, and multiple channel paths occurring in a signal transmission process. More particularly, the timing information is used to correct for propagation time delays occurring in transmission paths. The phrase "transmission path" as used herein refers to a path between a transmitter and a receiver of a communications system that a data communications follows. The path can include, but is not limited to, a communications link existing between the transmitter and receiver. The phase information is used to correct carrier phase offsets in the transmission process.
There are many devices known in the art that implement a variety of correlation techniques. One such device is a pipelined correlator such as that shown in FIG. 1. The pipelined correlator is configured to correlate received signals in real time and at a plurality of time delays. In this regard, it should be understood that the pipelined correlator can be comprised of a plurality of delay devices, a plurality of multipliers, and a plurality of adders forming a summer. As shown in FIG. 1, samples of a received signal are communicated to the delay devices. The term "sample" as used herein refers to a quadrature digital value obtained from a continuous signal in a preceeding digital signal processing. The delay devices are configured to delay the samples in time by a pre-determined amount. Stored samples are communicated to the complex multipliers. The stored samples 1, . . . , N can be digital values obtained from a digital signal processing of a received signal or a pseudo-random number sequence.
The multipliers are configured to statically multiply a stored sample 1, . . . , N by a real-time receive signal. In this regard, it should be understood that each multiplier is configured to compute a product utilizing complex multiply arithmetic. For example, a first multiplier is configured to multiply a stored sample N by a time delayed sample SN of a received signal. A second multiplier is configured to multiply a stored sample N−1 by a time delayed sample SN−1, and so on.
The multipliers are also configured to communicate the products of the complex multiply arithmetic to the summer. Upon receipt of the products, the summer adds the same together to obtain a correlation value. If the correlation value magnitude is less than a pre-defined threshold value, then the relative delay is deemed incorrect (i.e., the desired signal is not considered located). If the correlation value magnitude is greater than a pre-defined threshold value, then the relative delay is deemed correct (i.e., the desired signal or correlation peak has been located).
Despite the advantages of this pipelined correlation technique, it suffers from certain drawbacks. For example, this pipelined configuration is a real time process which prevents post-processing verification of the correlation index values. Once the incoming signal passes the ideal correlation peak with the stored or internally generated values, the signal can't be re-correlated. More particularly, the pipelined configuration is absent of dynamic abilities, such as an ability to change samples and an ability to double-check a suspected correlation peak. This pipelined configuration is also hardware intensive and computationally inefficient since all possible values use full length correlations. The expected number of arithmetic operations required to obtain the correlation peak increases linearly with both the uncertainty window and the correlation length. The phrase "uncertainty window" as used herein refers to the bounded temporal range that includes the minimum and maximum possible signal delay. Correlating over the entire uncertainty window is required to be certain of acquiring the signal. This pipelined configuration is further hardware intensive by requiring N dedicated or re-used multipliers. In this regard, it should be appreciated that the pipelined structure can only generate one correlation value per clock cycle. The correlation value represents the sum of all products, where the number of hardware products is the length of the correlation.
In view of the forgoing, there is a need for a method and system implementing an improved efficiency correlation technique. There is also a need in the improved correlation technique to allow for verification of the correlation index values by relaxing the size of the correlation. The improved correlation technique also needs to be less hardware intensive than conventional correlation techniques. The improved correlation technique further needs to be more computationally efficient than conventional correlation techniques.


Provided is a machining device for machining a rotor arranged in a turbine housing which includes two parts, thereby forming a joint, in situ while the upper housing half is removed. The machining device includes a main part that releasably secures the main part to the lower housing half in the region of the joint, at least one tool holder for receiving at least one machining tool which is secured on the main part directly or indirectly so as to be alignable relative to the main part, multiple telescopic stabilizing elements which can be locked into different longitudinal settings preferably in a continuous manner.

It has been shown that it may be necessary to subsequently machine a rotor, especially mechanically, which is installed in a turbine, such as a gas turbine, and in particular which was already in operation, or to machine components of such a rotor. This is associated with considerable cost since for the subsequent machining of the rotor the turbine housing has to be opened and the rotor has to be removed. Following the removal, the rotor-for example for a mechanical machining by turning or milling—has to be positioned on a work bench, possibly in the factory in which the production of the rotor was carried out, which in addition is associated with costly transportation. Depending on what is to be machined, a complete de-stacking of the rotor may also be required. This entire process costs a great deal of time and manpower and is correspondingly expensive.

Machining device and method for machining a rotor arranged in a turbine housing which consists of two parts, thereby forming a joint, and method for repairing and/or retrofitting a turbine


A network device, which includes a plurality of network ports, a switching unit, a data classification unit, and a rate control unit, is provided. The plurality of network ports is configured to send and receive input data packets. The switching unit is coupled to the plurality of network ports and is configured to switch input data packets from a first port to a second port. The rate control unit is coupled to the switching unit and configured to control a data rate provided to each port of the plurality of network ports. The data classification unit is coupled to the switching unit and to the rate control unit. The data classification unit is configured to classify data packets based on their contents and output a classification to the rate control unit. The rate control unit is configured to perform rate control for input data packets based on the classification of each data packet.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to systems and methods for rate control within a digital communications network. In particular, this invention is related to systems and methods of adjusting the rate control of a digital data within a digital communications network based upon content or type.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data networks are well known. Over the last several years, the proliferation of the Internet has had a significant impact on many industries, especially the computer industry. The Internet has grown into such an enormous structure to which virtually any large or small computer network may be connected. In fact, it is now common place for the vast majority of people to have access to the Internet, either through their business or work and/or through personal accounts. This connectivity has allowed many businesses, universities, governments, etc. to expand to provide their services via the Internet.
Most people or businesses obtain Internet access via an Internet Service Providers (ISP). ISPs provide access to the Internet for their customers usually through membership subscriptions in conjunction with service level agreements (SLAs). ISPs make at least a portion of their income on service fees such as subscription fees, on-demand provisioning of services, etc. One technique employed by ISPs is to regulate the amount of Internet bandwidth (i.e., data speed) that a customer is entitled based upon how much they pay. By regulating the amount of bandwidth available to each customer, ISPs may provide different levels or qualities of service at different rates. At the network level, this type of rate control usually is enforced via some sort of device configuration.
For example, one standard device configuration for controlling the data rate of network access (bandwidth) involves controlling the data flow at a network device, such as a switch, between the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW) and a customer. A network device may be configured to use a rate control method often referred to as the "leaky bucket." The leaky bucket method involves configuring a network device to restrict the amount of data (i.e., data packets) that a customer may receive (e.g., via a port of the network device), by tokenizing the data and setting a threshold. Data packets are assigned a number of tokens by the device based on their size, and once a customer meets the threshold assigned for a period of time, all further packets are dropped during that same period. The amount of data equal to a token, and the amount of tokens a customer is afforded maybe set by the ISP. For example, a token may be considered to be 10 Kbits. A customer may be set to 200 tokens/second, or 2 Mbits/second (Mbps). The device drops any data packets, which are received into the network to be routed to the customer and exceed this limitation.
The leaky bucket method is one well known way for an ISP to control the data rate (bandwidth) that a customer receives. However, there are several drawbacks to the leaky bucket method. Today, Internet users may order and purchase a variety of different services, such as HDTV, video on demand, music, applications, etc. Some of these services often require a large amount of bandwidth. For example, HDTV may require 12–20 Mbps of data. Dropped packets can significantly reduce the quality of such services as video. As a result, there are problems associated with implementing rate control for Internet subscribers.
For example, an ISP may limit a group of its lower paying customers to 1 Mbps bandwidth. The bandwidth may be regulated by a network device, such as a switch in the ISP's network, physically close to and/or connected to the customer's PC. Take the case where one such customer may order HDTV. In order to provide HDTV to the customer, the ISP must provision the network to provide the necessary bandwidth to deliver the HDTV. That is, if the customer is currently limited to data at a rate of 1 Mbps, then certain devices must be reconfigured to provide an increased bandwidth sufficient to provide HDTV without dropped packets. This usually entails physically configuring the network device already regulating the customer's bandwidth, such as a switch, to provide the necessary bandwidth to the customer. However, to configure a switch might include physically interfacing with the switch and programming the switch to provide the necessary bandwidth. Then, after the HDTV has been provided, interfacing with the switch again in order to reset the bandwidth to 1 Mbps for that customer.
Manually configuring a network device to change the bandwidth provided is a time consuming task, which reduces performance (i.e., delays in delivering the network service) and costs more (i.e., time=money). Accordingly, there is a need for new and improved systems and methods for controlling the data access rate of Internet customers that are more flexible in providing higher bandwidth on-demand, inexpensively.

Aggregated rate control method and system


A high-frequency amplifier has a transistor having a transistor input terminal, a transistor output terminal, and ground radiation fins, a first dielectric board having a transistor input matching circuit, and a second dielectric board having a transistor output matching circuit. The transistor is mounted by bringing the ground radiation fins into tight contact with a common ground surface member. The first and second dielectric boards being mounted on the common ground surface member. The first and second dielectric boards are respectively formed with first and second ground conductors on common ground surface member sides thereof. The transistor input terminal and the transistor input matching circuit are connected to each other and so are the transistor output terminal and the transistor output matching circuit. A thin film conductive sheet is continuously inserted to extend from the gap between the first ground conductor and the common ground surface member to the gap between the second ground conductor and the common ground surface member through the gap between the first ground conductor and the common ground surface member. The first dielectric board, the ground radiation fins, and the second dielectric boards are in tight contact with the common ground surface member via the thin film conductive sheet so that the thin film conductive sheet is pressed and fixed between the first and second dielectric boards and the radiation fins, and the common ground surface member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high-frequency amplifier in which discrete transistor input/output terminals, with which radiation fins having a function of an electric ground terminal come into tight contact, and matching microstrip lines on the input/output dielectric boards are connected to each other and, more particularly, to circuit mounting which aims at removing unstable factors in the amplifier characteristics caused by the parasitic inductance produced on the high-frequency ground line due to high-frequency discontinuity of the ground surface near the transistor input/output terminals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As an example of the high-frequency amplifier of this type, for example, a high-frequency power amplifier described in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 62-21618 is known. A conventional high-frequency amplifier (which will be referred to as the first conventional technique) will be described with reference to FIG. 1A. In the example shown in FIG. 1A, 50-.OMEGA. microstrip lines 9 and 21, and an input matching stab 46 and an output matching stab 20, are formed on a dielectric board 37. The microstrip lines 9 and 21, and the input matching stab 46 and output matching stab 20, are used as matching circuits. Holes are formed in the dielectric board 37, having two surfaces covered with copper thin films, around the mounting portion of a transistor 1, and the dielectric board 37 is attached on a common ground surface member 27 with attaching screws 28. The transistor 1 having radiation fins 4 is attached to the common ground surface member 27 with the attaching screws 28 through the holes described above. A transistor input terminal 2 and the input matching stab 46, and a transistor output terminal 3 and the output matching stab 20, are connected to each other by soldering.
As shown in FIG. 1A, the transistor 1 is formed with a plurality of via holes 39, and has ground patterns 11 and transistor emitter ground terminals 45. Voltage-cutting chip capacitors 15 and 25 are respectively arranged on the microstrip lines 9 and 21.
As another conventional high-frequency amplifier, one shown in FIG. 1B is also known (this will be referred to as the second conventional technique). In the example shown in FIG. 1B, the constituent elements identical to those in the example shown in FIG. 1A will be denoted by the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1A. In the second conventional technique, the high-frequency amplifier has first and second dielectric boards 6 and 17 each of which has two surfaces covered with copper thin films. A microstrip line 9 and an input matching stab 46 are formed on the first dielectric board 6, and a microstrip line 21 and an output matching stab 20 are formed on the second dielectric board 17. The first and second dielectric boards 6 and 17 are separately mounted on a common ground surface member 27 with a transistor 1 interposed between them. A transistor input terminal 2 and a transistor output terminal 3 are connected to the input matching stab 46 and the output matching stab 20, respectively, by soldering.
In the first and second conventional techniques described above, major matching circuits each using a distributed or concentrated constant must be arranged on the board immediately near the transistor input and output terminals 2 and 3 in order to achieve various types of matching states with the transistor 1. Usually, to bring the ground conductors on the lower surfaces of the dielectric boards 6 and 17 or the ground conductor on the dielectric board 37 into tight contact with the common ground surface member 27, screw fastening is employed, as described above. Hence, the screws 28 cannot but be arranged to avoid the input matching stab 46 and output matching stab 20 immediately near the transistor input and output terminals 2 and 3.
The positions of the screws are inevitably separated from the transistor input and output terminals 2 and 3. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 2, contact aiming at achieving electrical ground between lower-surface ground conductors 19a and 19b located on the board end faces immediately under the transistor input and output terminals 2 and 3, respectively, and the common ground surface member 27 becomes poor (this contact is indicated as contact points 35a and 35b in FIG. 2).
In addition, also because of surface treatment (solder coating, solder plating, and the like) of the lower surface of the board and the surface microstructure of the common ground surface, not only discontinuity and uncertainty occur in the electrical ground state at the board discontinuous portion, but also unstable contact is caused by a temperature change.
When such unstable contact occurs, as shown in FIG. 2, a high-frequency ground return current 29 flows along a route longer than a forward current 30 because of the discontinuity of the ground line near the lower surfaces 19a and 19b of the transistor input/output connecting portions, and a reverse ground return current 29' occurs at the ground point 35a. When this is expressed by an equivalent two-terminal twin circuit, as shown in FIG. 3, parasitic inductances 36 are produced on the ground return lines immediately near the transistor input and output terminals 2 and 3 that are significant portions in the matching conditions. The inductance itself of each of the parasitic inductances 36 behaves unstably due to a temperature change and unstable contact (uncertainty of the contact points 35a and 35b in FIG. 2) during assembly, thereby changing the matching state. A change in matching state then brings about variations in frequency and temperature characteristics of gain, power, and noise, non-reproducibility of various characteristics, and unwanted oscillation in the amplifier. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, reference numeral 31 denotes a signal source; 32 and 33, 50-.OMEGA. input and output loads, respectively; and 34, ground.
As in the second conventional technique, emitter ground terminals 45 at the two ends of the signal input and terminals 2 and 3 of the discrete transistor 1 are sometimes directly connected to the lower-surface conductor of the second dielectric board 17 by soldering. For this purpose, the transistor 1 and the dielectric board 17 must be temporarily assembled. This temporary assembly is not conveniently performed. Since the common ground surface member 27 avoids the soldering portions of the transistor emitter ground terminals 45 on the lower surface of the dielectric board 17, a complicated structure results.
Depending on the shape of the transistor package, the ground return route cannot be minimized as a secondary effect of this method. Hence, the versatility lacks.
As described above, in the conventional high-frequency amplifier, when obtaining matching of a discrete transistor, although the major matching circuits must be arranged immediately near the transistor input/output connecting portions, the positions of screws necessary for mounting cannot but be inevitably set remote from the input/output connecting portions. As a result, ground of the lower surfaces of the input/output matching circuit portions that highly need ground becomes poor (weak), making the matching state unstable.
More specifically, in the conventional high-frequency amplifier, when bringing the lower-surface ground conductor of a microstrip board (dielectric board), where the discrete transistor input/output matching circuits are arranged, into tight contact with the common ground surface, screw fastening is employed. Electrical ground between the common ground surface and the board lower-surface ground conductors immediately under the input/output connecting portions that are significant for matching becomes discontinuous and unstable, and the various characteristics of the amplifier become unstable.
In addition, in the conventional high-frequency amplifier, since a transistor having a package with a special shape and terminals arranged in a special manner is used, continuity of ground at the matching portion is attained by directly soldering the emitter ground terminal to the ground conductor on the lower surface of the matching board. However, such an amplifier cannot be assembled easily and has a complicated mechanism, as described above.


The invention relates to an active device having variable energy/light transmission properties (100) comprising an active system (1, 12) between a protective substrate (2) and a protective cover (3), selected from an essentially inorganic electrochromic system, a light valve system, a liquid crystal system, a gasochromic system, a thermochromic system, means leakproof to liquid water and/or water vapor, a surround (50) made from at least one metal based part (5a, 5b) on the periphery of the device, the surround being assembled with the cover and with the substrate by assembling means (61′ to 64′) forming at least part of the means leakproof to water vapor.

1. Field
The invention relates to an active device having variable energy/light transmission properties comprising an active system between a protective substrate and a protective cover.
2. Description of the Related Art
The first types of active system related to the invention are essentially inorganic electrochemical systems, in particular essentially inorganic (mineral) electrochromic glazings, which are used to adjust the light and heat transmission, described for example, in particular, in patents EP-867 752, EP-831 360, PCT/FR00/00675, PCT/FR99/01653, the electrolyte being in the form of an essentially mineral layer, all the layers of the system then being essentially mineral. This type of electrochromic system is commonly designated by the term "all-solid" electrochrome. In general, these essentially inorganic electrochromic systems comprise two layers of electrochromic material separated by an electrolyte layer and framed by two electroconductive layers forming electrodes.
Systems called "light valves" also exist: these are polymer based films in which microdroplets are placed containing particles capable of moving into a preferential direction under the action of an electrical field. An example thereof is described in patent WO93/09460.
Liquid crystal systems also exist, having an operating mode similar to the preceding ones: they use a polymer film placed between two conductive layers and in which liquid crystal droplets are dispersed, in particular nematic having a positive dielectric anisotropy. When the film is energized, the liquid crystals are oriented in a preferential axis, thereby allowing viewing. When deenergized, the film becomes hazy. Examples thereof are described in patents EP-238 164, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,435,047, 4,806,922, 4,732,456. Mention can also be made of cholesteric liquid crystal polymers, like those described in patent WO92/19695.
A second type of active system to which the invention is related concerns the layers or stacks of layers of which the properties are changed without electric power supply, under the effect of heat or light: mention can be made of thermochromic layers, in particular based on vanadium oxide, thermotropic layers or mineral or organic photochromic layers, in particular polymers, which may be in the form of polymer films or even gel films. This is in particular the case of thermotropic gels, for example those described in patents EP 639 450, U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,040, WO 94/20294 and EP 878 296.
A fourth type of active system concerns a gasochromic system of which the properties are modified by the passage of a gas in particular comprising hydrogen, and made from a thin layer of WO3 often surmounted by a layer of platinum deposited on the surface of a glass element.
All these abovementioned systems have in common the fact that they may, to a more or less broad extent, be sensitive to mechanical, chemical aggression, or to contact with water, or to exchanges with the exterior.
These are the reasons why, to preserve their satisfactory operation, these active systems are commonly placed against at least one protective supporting substrate. They are usually placed between a protective substrate and a protective cover, for example made from glass, joined together by means of assembly polymer sheet(s) of the thermoplastic type.
Plastic leakproofing means are often provided, for the purpose of isolating the active system from the exterior to the maximum.
Leakproofing means are thus described in French patent 2 815 374, which relates to a laminated glazing with a system of plastic seals composed of a plurality of elements in order to simultaneously perform all the functions of isolation from gases, liquids, dust. Thus, a polyisobutylene based seal (barrier to gases) called butyl seal, is placed between the substrate and the cover, and a polysulfide or polyurethane seal (barrier to liquids), joined to the butyl seal.
However, these seals have several drawbacks. In fact, these seals must at best meet at least three requirements which are not necessarily compatible:                as we have seen, they must isolate the active system from the exterior. They must therefore play a barrier role as effectively as possible, even in the long term, in particular against water or any other solvent, and in its vapor form and/or in its liquid form, they must be capable of withstanding extreme climatic conditions, in particular a high moisture content and/or high temperature,        their utilization, the way in which they are installed, is not necessarily the simplest from the industrial standpoint,        and finally, their mechanical properties may be far inferior to those that may be required.
It is the object of the invention to remedy these drawbacks, in particular by finding means for controlling the durability of such abovementioned devices with active systems, in order to improve and/or better control their reproducibility, particularly by means not putting into question the present manufacturing methods of these glazing type devices, and preferably which may tend to simplify them.

Active device having variable energy/optical properties


A heat exchanger for exchanging heat between fluids comprising a shell and five tube bundles laid out as to collectively form a series of concentric pentagons, wherein each adjacent pair of tube bundles define an angle of 108.degree. and extend longitudinally within said shell and define a central space between them, said central space also extending longitudinally in said shell and being parallel to said tubes; each tube bundle consisting of a plurality of longitudinally extending parallel tubes in end view laid out in a set of parallel lines wherein each tube on a first parallel line with the two nearest tubes each on a second line adjacent to said first line forms an isosceles triangle having one angle of 72.degree. and two angles each of 54.degree.. This allows simple heat exchanger tube layout which is easy to fabricate and provide a compact tube bundle. The tube layout utilizes core tube entry of fluids and can accommodate internal core tubes or bypasses to cope with differential expansion.

Present equipment for heat transfer between fluids in industry is based on tubular heat exchange equipment in which one fluid passes through a tube and a second fluid passes around the outside of the tube with heat transfer through the tube wall. Most heat transfer requirements are sufficiently large that many tubes are needed and which, typically, operate in parallel. The tubes are contained between tube sheets in a heat exchanger shell with the fluid outside the tubes being directed in such a way that significant turbulence is generated to facilitate heat transfer to the tube wall.
Use of heat exchangers for liquid to liquid heat transfer is illustrated in the manufacture of sulphuric acid as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,161--Gordon M. Cameron et al. issued Jan. 22, 1985, U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,353--Gordon M. Cameron, issued Oct. 15, 1985 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,205--Gordon M. Cameron, issued Mar. 31, 1987, wherein hot, concentrated sulphuric acid is cooled by water or a heat transfer fluid, optionally, subsequent to water dilution thereof.
Use of heat exchangers for gas-to-gas heat transfer, particularly, for waste heat recovery is described in "SULPHUR" entitled "Waste Heat Recovery from Sulphuric Acid Plants", Dahya Bhaga, March/April, 1980 published by The British Sulphur Corporation Limited, London, England.
Classically, the key to good exchanger design lies in the most effective use of the available pressure difference between inlet and outlet ends of the shell space to generate heat transfer enhancing turbulence, compatible with appropriate shell construction to give adequate support to the tubes between the tube sheets and to prevent tube vibration and subsequent mechanical damage to the tubes. Baffles are a general means of directing fluid flow and can be arranged to give ordinary cross-flow across the tubes, partial cross-flow in a double segmental design, and an inflow-outflow arrangement referred to as "disc-and-donut" baffling.
Typical heat exchangers use tubes arranged in a variety of cross-sectional layouts, either in in-line or staggered layouts, diagrammatically represented as equilateral triangles, isosceles triangles, square and rotated square pitches and, more recently, a radially symmetrically pitch in which tubes are arrayed in concentric rings with an open core and an open outer annulus. An array of tube layouts in heat exchangers can be seen in Perry, J. H., "Chemical Engineers Handbook", U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,991--Gordon M. Cameron, issued Nov. 9, 1982 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,431--Gordon M. Cameron, issued Sep. 3, 1991.
The heat transfer area required in a heat exchanger is normally proportional to the fluid flow and the number of tubes contained in a shell will rise proportionally to the cross-sectional area of the shell. Baffles are normally used to force the shell fluid to flow from one side of the shell to the other side. The open space between the tubes for flow across the tubes is then proportional to the diameter of the shell which is proportional to the square root of the cross-sectional area. The velocity with which the shell side fluid flows across the tubes is also limited by pressure loss and tube vibration conditions. As a result, with larger units, the baffles which direct the cross-flow (and protect the tubes against damage from vibration) must be moved farther and farther apart as the exchanger gets larger to compensate for the difference between the linear growth of the flow and the shell growth as the square root of the area and flow. The other alternative is to move the tubes farther apart so that there is more room for fluid flow. This alternative leads directly to much larger equipment which is more costly and may also be much harder to obtain.
To reduce potential problems caused by fluid flow, several baffle arrangements have been utilized. These include double segmental baffles, where the fluid only flows across half of the tube bundles, steadying baffles located between flow-directing baffles, and more recently re-introduction of the disc-and-donut baffles in which the area of gas flow across the bundle is significantly larger than for simple cross-flow. Problems due to fluid flow are especially significant in large atmospheric pressure gas-to-gas heat transfer equipment. Use of the correct baffle spacing to keep velocity flow at a reasonable level can require baffle spacing as low as 10 cm in a small unit and up to 3 m in a large heat exchanger.
While many units have a first fluid colder at all times than the second fluid, in many other exchangers there is a temperature cross such that the first fluid leaves the exchanger at a temperature above that of the exiting second fluid. For this arrangement to be practical, the fluids must travel in essentially opposite directions. Since a flow pass across the tubes is not counter-current, the greater the number of cross-flow passes through a tube bundle the more closely the flow will approach the counter current case and the more effective will be the heat transfer.
Good shell flow arrangements in large units need to have adequate baffles to generate heat transfer inducing turbulence, good tube support and provide reasonable and sufficient counter-current flow. Further, such designs must also result in reasonable economic costs commensurate with size.
The tube bundle within the shell space may also be spread uniformly across the shell in a design referred to as a "filled shell". In an alternative layout, the tubing may be confined to only part of the exchanger shell to provide open spaces called "windows". These windows are frequently used to transfer the shell-side fluid from one cross-flow pass to the next cross-flow pass and provide designs referred to as "No Tube In Window" (NTIW) designs.
Classically, tube bundles are laid out in straight lines along the length of the shell wherein fluid flows across or through the straight line tube bundle. With fluid flow in a radial direction the shell circumference increases as the radius of the shell increases. One successful method by which the tube bundle is laid out is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,991--Cameron, wherein the tube bundle is laid out in an array of a plurality of circles such that the tubes are staggered to provide maximum shell fluid velocity set by diagonal gaps between adjacent rings, with the radial spacing between the rings decreasing with increasing ring radius. A severe limitation as to the usefulness of this tube array is that the number of rings of tubes is limited in that there is a minium radial separation below which the tubes on the same radial line are too close for proper fabrication. In practice, it has normally been found necessary to have several families of different tubing densities. With different families, tubes nearer the core normally have large ligaments and fewer tubes per ring while the outer tube families have more tubes per ring with small ligaments. Such an array results in the tube packing being significantly less than theoretical optimal. This is a significant draw back in that the density of tube packing is important in a large heat exchanger as it sets the size of the heat exchanger.
An alternative and improved version of radial tube layout is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,431--Cameron wherein it is seen that the gap between the innermost and outermost rings of a family having constant diagonal ligaments is proportional to the radius of curvature of the innermost ring. U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,431, shows and describes a polygonal, including a generally pentagonal, arrangement. However, each tube is set out on arc and each of the tube bundles has a meta center displaced from the center of symmetry of the tube bundles and from the meta centers of the other tube bundles.
Thus, the single family concept can be extended to larger tube counts. This is achieved by splitting the circle into equal sectors each having a pseudo-center located more remote from the tubes than the axis of the shell. A drawback of this design is that open corners are created which are difficult to fill with tubes and thus provide a possible leak path. This disadvantage is reduced in larger heat exchangers.
Tube layout in a radially, symmetrical exchanger having variable radial gaps is also significantly more complicated than a tube layout having straight lines. The multiple family design is again further complicated. There is, therefore, still a need for a tubing layout pattern which provides a compact heat exchanger tubing bundle to provide good heat transfer and yet is simple to fabricate.

Heat exchanger having improved tube layout