A memory device is provided. The memory device includes a memory layer and a fixed-magnetization layer. The memory layer retains information based on a magnetization state of a magnetic material. The fixed-magnetization layer is formed on the memory layer through an intermediate layer made of an insulating material. The information is recorded on the memory layer with a change in a magnetization direction of the memory layer caused by injecting a spin-polarized electron in a stacked direction. A level of effective demagnetizing field, which is received by the memory layer, is smaller than a saturation-magnetization level of magnetization of the memory layer.

The present application relates to a memory device including a memory layer storing a magnetization state of a ferromagnetic layer and a fixed-magnetization layer with a fixed magnetization direction, where the magnetization direction of the memory layer is changed by flow of an electric current. The present application also relates to a memory including such a memory device, which is suitably applied to a nonvolatile memory.
A high-density DRAM, which can be operated at high speed, has been used as a random access memory in information equipment, such as a computer.
However, the DRAM is a volatile memory from which information disappears when the power is turned off. Therefore, a nonvolatile memory, from which information does not disappear, have been demanded.
Furthermore, as a candidate of the nonvolatile memory, attention has been paid on a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) in which information is recorded based on magnetization of a magnetic material. Thus, the development of MRAM has been progressed.
MRAM allows electric current to pass through each of two different address wiring lines (a word line and a bit line) which are approximately perpendicular to each other to generate an electric field of electric current from each address wiring line. The current magnetic field inverts a magnetization of the magnetic layer of the magnetic memory device located at the intersection of address wiring lines to record information.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram (perspective view) of a MRAM typically used in the related art.
A drain region 108, a source region 107, and a gate electrode 101, which constitute a selection transistor for selecting each memory cell, are formed on a portion separated by a device-separating layer 102 of a semiconductor substrate 110, such as a silicon substrate.
In addition, a word line 105 extends in the depth direction as shown in the drawing and is located above the gate electrode 101.
The drain region 108 is formed so that it can be used in common by selection transistors located on the right and left sides as shown in FIG. 1. The drain region 108 is connected to a wiring line 109.
Furthermore, a bit line 106 extends in the transverse direction as shown in the figure and is located above the word line 105. A magnetic memory device 103 having a memory layer, in which a magnetization direction is reversed, is arranged between the word line 105 and the bit line 106. The magnetic memory device may be, for example, formed of a magnetic tunnel junction device (MTJ device).
Furthermore, the magnetic memory device 103 is electrically connected to a source region 107 through a horizontally-extending bypass line 111 and a vertically-extending contact layer 104.
An electric current flows through each of the word line 105 and the bit line 106 to apply a current magnetic field to the magnetic memory device 103. As a result, the magnetization direction of the memory layer in the magnetic memory device 103 can be reversed, thereby recording information.
Furthermore, the magnetic layer (memory layer) for recording information may need to have a predetermined magnetic coercive force for stably retaining the information recorded in the magnetic memory, such as MRAM.
On the other hand, a certain level of an electric current should be passed through the address wiring line for rewriting the recorded information.
However, the address wiring line is thinly formed with the device in MRAM being miniaturized. Thus, a sufficient electric current is hardly passed through the address wiring line.
Attention has been focused on a memory, in which a magnetization direction is reversed with a spin injection, as one in which the magnetization direction can be reversed with a less level of an electric current (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-17782 (JP 2003-17782 A), U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,223, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005-018439 A1, PHYs. Rev. B., 54.9353 (1996), and J. Magn. Mat., 159, L1 (1996)).
Reversing the magnetization direction with a spin injection is carried out such that a spin-polarized electron passed through a magnetic material is then injected into the other magnetic material to reverse the magnetization direction of the other magnetic material.
For example, an electric current is perpendicularly passed through the film surface of each of a giant magnetoresistive device (GMR device) and a magnetic tunnel junction device (MTJ device) to reverse the magnetization direction of at least part of the magnetic layer of these devices.
Furthermore, reversing the magnetization direction with a spin injection has an advantage in that the magnetization direction can be reversed without increasing an electric current even if the device is miniaturized.
Referring now to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the configuration of a memory in which a magnetization direction is reversed with a spin injection as described above will be described. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the memory and FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the memory.
Device-separating layers 52 separate a semiconductor substrate 60, such as a silicon substrate, into parts. The separated part is provided with a selection transistor for selecting each memory cell. In other words, the selection transistor includes a drain region 58, a source region 57, and a gate electrode 51. The gate electrode 51 also functions as a word line extending in the depth direction as shown in FIG. 2.
The drain region 58 is formed so that it can be used in common by selection transistors located on the right and left sides as shown in FIG. 2. The drain region 58 is connected to a wiring line 59.
Furthermore, a memory device 53 having a memory layer with a magnetization direction to be reversed with a spin injection is arranged between the source region 57 and a bit line 56. Here, the bit line 56 extends in the traverse direction as shown in FIG. 2 and is arranged above the source region 57.
The memory device 53 is, for example, formed of a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device. In the figure, the reference numerals 61 and 62 denote magnetic layers, respectively. One of the two magnetic layers 61, 62 is provided as a fixed-magnetization layer with a fixed magnetization direction and the other is provided as a free-magnetization layer on which the direction of magnetization can be changed.
In addition, the memory device 53 is connected to both the bit line 56 and the source region 57 through upper and lower contact layers 54, respectively. Therefore, the magnetization direction can be reversed with a spin injection by passing an electric current through the memory device 53.
Such a memory in which a magnetization direction is reversed with a spin injection has a simplified device structure in comparison with the typical MRAM illustrated in FIG. 1, so that the memory has an advantage of being integrated in high density.
In addition, when a magnetization direction is reversed with a spin injection, electric current for writing may not increase even the miniaturization of an element is progressed in comparison with the typical MRAM in which a magnetization direction is reversed with an external magnetic field.
In MRAM, writing lines (word lines and bit lines) for writing are formed in addition to a memory device so as to write (record) information by a current magnetic field generated by passing an electric current through each of the writing wiring lines. Thus, it is possible to feed a sufficient amount of electric current required for writing information into the writing line.
On the other hand, in the case of a memory in which a magnetization direction is reversed with a spin injection, the magnetization direction of a memory device may be reversed by the spin injection with an electric current passing through a memory device.
As described above, information can be written (recorded) by directly feeding an electric current to the memory device. Thus, a memory cell may be formed by connecting a memory device to a selection transistor so as to select the memory cell where the information is recorded. In this case, an electric current passing through the memory device is restricted to a certain level of electric current (saturated electric current of selection transistor) that is passed through the selection transistor.
Therefore, writing may need to be carried out with an electric current lower than the saturated electric current of the selection transistor. Accordingly, the efficiency of spin injection may need to be improved to lower the electric current passing through the memory device.
In order to increase the level of a read signal, it may be necessary to secure a high rate of magnetic resistance change. Thus, it is effective to provide a memory device with intermediate layers in contact with both sides of a memory layer as a tunnel insulating layer (tunnel barrier layer).
When the tunnel insulating layer is used as an intermediate layer as described above, the amount of an electric current passing through the memory device may be restricted to prevent the tunnel insulating layer from dielectric breakdown. From this point of view, it may be necessary to control the electric current in the spin injection.
The electric current level is proportional to the film thickness of the memory layer and the square of saturated magnetization of the memory layer. Thus, these factors (the film thickness and the saturation magnetization of the memory layer) may be adjusted in order to lower the electric current level (see, for example, F. J. Albert et al., Appl. Phy. Lett., 77,3809 (2000)). In addition, for example, Nguyen et al. discloses that the electric current level can be decreased by lowering the magnetization level (Ms) of a recording material (see, for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005-018439 A1).
However, on the other hand, the memory may function when storing information written by such electric current. In other words, the stability of a memory layer to heat fluctuation (thermal stability) may need to be secured.
The memory device in which a magnetization direction is reversed with a spin injection has a small volume of the memory layer in comparison with the MRAM in the past. Thus, it can be considered that the thermal stability may be decreased.
If the thermal stability of the memory layer may not be secured, the reversed magnetization direction may be reversed again by heat and a writing error may thus occur.
Therefore, thermal stability is an important characteristic for the memory device using the magnetization reversal with a spin injection.
Therefore, for allowing the memory device in which a magnetization direction of a memory layer is reversed with a spin injection to act as a memory, an electric current required to reverse the magnetization with a spin injection may be reduced to the saturated electric current or less. In addition, it may be also required to ensure thermal stability for firmly retaining the written information.


The present invention discloses a modified bismaleimide resin and preparation method thereof; under conditions of N,N-dimethylformamide serving as a catalyst, biomass-based 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid and thionyl chloride are acylated to obtain 2,5-furan diformyl chloride, which is then dissolved in dichloromethane with a biomass-based eugenol; under tertiary amine conditions an esterification reaction takes place, and a fully biomass-based bis(4-allyl-2-methoxyphenyl)furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid ester is thus obtained; same is used for preparing a modified bismaleimide resin. The bismaleimide resin prepared by the present invention has excellent thermal properties and rigidity; the preparation method uses 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid from biomass as well as eugenol; the raw materials are green and environmentally friendly and renewable; the invention also has the feature of a simple production process, and has broad prospects for application in such fields as aeronautics and astronautics, electronic information, electrical insulation.

In the past few decades, petroleum and coal are important raw materials for producing fuels, chemicals and polymer materials. However, the non-renewability of petroleum and coal resources and the urgency of sustainable human development require the development of a new type of renewable material, while biomass material just meets the urgent needs of mankind.
Biomass is characterized by its renewability, wide distribution and large annual production, but its utilization efficiency has so far been very low. How to efficiently convert renewable biomass resources into usable polymer materials has aroused the interest of the whole world and received great attention. Most of the biomass materials widely existed in nature is aliphatic compounds, which have poor thermal properties. Therefore, eugenol and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid stand out with excellent thermal stability of their aromatic structure. Eugenol, accounting for about 80% of clove oil, is a renewable, low-toxic, relatively low-cost (about $5 per kilogram) biomass material. 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid is listed in the top ten green chemicals by U.S. Department of Energy and has been used in the synthesis of nylon, polyester and polyurethane and the like. However, under the requirements of scientific and technological progress and economic development, it has been extensively studied in recent years because high-performance resin may be applied to high-end fields with its excellent performance, but the use of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid and eugenol in high performance resin is little.
As a representative high performance thermosetting resin, bismaleimide (BMI) resin has outstanding integrated performance including outstanding thermal oxidation resistance, heat resistance, mechanical properties, good hot/wet resistance and excellent dielectric properties, etc, so BMI resin plays an important role in aerospace, electronic information, electrical insulation and other high-end areas. Unfortunately, BMI resin without modification has some shortcomings such as high melting point, poor solubility, high molding temperature as well as high crosslinking density and big brittleness of cured BMI resin, and thus cannot meet the requirements of processing and service. Up-to-date, the most mature and effective modification technology of BMI resin is using allyl phenyl compounds as modifiers; this technology is a hot research area of BMI modification in the whole world, and the researches are mainly focused on N,N′-(4,4′-methylenediphenyl) dimaleimide (BDM). 2,2′-Diallyl bisphenol A (DBA) is the mostly often used allyl phenyl compound modifier for BDM. However, DBA is made from diallyl bisphenol A ether (BBE) through Claisen rearrangement, while BBE is predominantly synthesized by the reaction between bisphenol A and chloropropene or bromopropylene, and all of them are derived from petroleum and coal resources. On one hand, bisphenol A is completely dependent on petroleum and coal resources, which is the largely used for modifying BDM resin, so this fact does not match with the concept of green and sustainable development. On the other hand, with the improvement of quality of life, there is a growing demand for health and safety in production and daily life; however, bisphenol A brings a great threat to people's health because it has similar structure with estrogen, and thus making the growing demand for bisphenol A-free products. Therefore, developing an environmentally friendly and green biomass-based BMI modifier with low toxicity is greatly important for resource protection and human health.
Recently, some literature reported the modification of BMI by biomass-based allyl phenyl compounds, however, most of them are not prepared by full biomass. 5,5′-Bieugenol (BEG) is the only fully biomass-based allyl phenyl compound that is used to modify BMI (Ref: Mitsuhiro Shibata, Naozumi Tetramoto, Ayumi Imada, Makiyo Neda, Shimon Sugimoto. Reactive & Functional Polymers, 2013, 73, 1086-1095), but the conversion rate of BEG is only 60%, in addition, the modified BDM resin does not simultaneously have high flexural modulus, glass transition temperature (Tg) and initial thermal decomposition temperature (Tdi). When the mole ratio of BEG to BDM is 0.5:1, the Tg and Tdi value of modified resin are 285.8° C. and 423.1° C., respectively, while the flexural modulus of the modified resin is as low as 2.7 GPa; when the mole ratio of BEG to BDM is 1:1, the Tg and Tdi value of modified resin are only 201.2° C. and 419.0° C., respectively, and the flexural modulus of the modified resin is lower than 1 GPa. These thermal properties and flexural modulus of the modified resins are worse than those of BMI resins modified by DBA based on petroleum and coal resources. The reason is that BEG is obtained by direct connection of two molecules of eugenol, and then the molecular structure of BEG shows a biphenyl structure that has a large steric resistance, so the Diels-Alder addition reaction between BDM and double bond of intermediate is difficult to take place, and the cured resin has degraded thermal properties and flexural modulus due to reduced crosslinking density.
Therefore, it is an interesting and valuable project to prepare a fully biomass-based allyl phenyl compound for modifying BMI and endow the modified BMI resin with good thermal performance and high flexural modulus.

Modified bismaleimide resin and preparation method thereof


Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatuses for illuminating the surface of a wheel with one or more light source assemblies positioned within the rotating reference frame of the wheel. The amount of light from the light source assemblies reflected from the wheel surface is greater than the amount of light, from the light source assemblies, that is directed away from the wheel surface. The light source assemblies may include a shield to reduce the amount of light that is directed away from the wheel surface. The light source assemblies may include various light-directing devices to direct light toward the wheel surface and to help reduce the amount of light from the light source assemblies, that is directed away from the wheel surface. The surface of the wheel may be modified to help direct the light, reflected from the wheel surface, to a specified observation region.

For many years there has been an interest in wheel ornamentation and, in particular, wheel lighting for automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, and other wheeled vehicles.
The motivation for wheel lighting is a combination of aesthetic and safety enhancement. As early as 1926, there is patent lore on those seeking to achieve lighting of the wheel, for example, Styer, U.S. Pat. No. 1,643,593. Over a hundred patents have been filed in regard to the quest to achieve the general goal of wheel lighting.
Prior art wheel lighting has been focused, for the most part, on the placement of lights on or near the wheel for ornamentation or safety. In such cases, the lights are in clear view of the observer and the primary light that reaches the observer is direct light from the source, not reflected light off the wheel surface to the observer.
A wheel light that illuminates the surface of the wheel can provide an observer with an aesthetically pleasing display of the wheel. Prior art wheel lighting schemes have achieved illumination of the wheel surface to obtain such an effect by reflecting light off the wheel surface. For example, Cabanatan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,426, teaches a scheme that employs a rigid arm mounted to the frame of an automobile. At the end of the rigid arm, a light bulb is mounted in an electrical socket, which in turn, is electrically connected to the power source of the automobile. One prior art scheme employs fiber optics to direct light, generated on the frame of the vehicle, to the wheel surface.
Such schemes are costly and difficult to implement due to the mounting required and the number of distinct automobile frames that must be accommodated.
Prior art wheel illumination schemes avoid positioning the lights on the wheel due to a number of concerns, including robustness and space availability. However, mounting the lights on the frame of a vehicle is less elegant and not as aesthetically pleasing. Moreover, the frame-mounted wheel illumination device increases the overall width of the vehicle, thereby increasing the required clearance and likelihood of damage.

Methods and apparatuses for illuminating wheel surfaces


A method for producing soluble preparations of neutral glucan polymers is disclosed. The method involves treating whole glucan particles with a unique sequence or acid and alkaline treatments to produce soluble glucan. The soluble glucan can be purified to obtain a physiologically acceptable solution of neutral glucan molecules. A soluble neutral glucan preparation is obtained which forms a clear solution at a neutral pH and is equilibrated in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Glucans are generally described as polymers of glucose and are derived from yeast, bacteria, fungi and plants. Glucans containing a .beta.(1-3)-linked glucopyranose backbone have long been known to have biological activity, specifically they have been shown to activate the immune system.
Neutral .beta.(1-3) glucan polymers are limited in their utility in parenteral pharmaceutical applications, however, because they are not readily soluble in physiological media. DiLuzio, U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,046 and Williams et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,402. The primary reason for the inherent insolubility of .beta.(1-3) glucans is their tendency to form tightly associated triple-helical fibrils which resist hydration. For this reason, attempts to develop soluble .beta.(1-3) glucans depend on chemical substitution with charged groups, such as phosphate (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,739,046; 4,761,402), amine (U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,471) or other functional groups (e.g., sulphate) which change the native conformation of the glucan molecules and may affect their biological and pharmacokinetic properties.

Method for producing neutral glucans for pharmaceutical applications


A light source device includes a light emitting element and a wavelength conversion device. The wavelength conversion device includes a stationary member, a moveable carrier made of a transparent material carrying one or more wavelength conversion materials and moveable relative to the stationary member, and a stationary first filter. The first filter is fixed on the stationary member and disposed adjacent the moveable carrier. The excitation light from the light emitting element passes through the first filter and illuminates the wavelength conversion materials on the moveable carrier. The wavelength conversion materials convert the excitation light into converted light as the output of the light source device. The size of the first filter is smaller than the size of the moveable carrier and smaller than a carrying area of the moveable carrier that carries the wavelength conversion material. A wavelength conversion method using the wavelength conversion device is also described.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to wavelength conversion methods and light source devices using the same. Such light sources are useful in lighting and projection system.
2. Description of the Related Art
An important aspect of light source technology development is enhancing the output brightness and power simultaneity. Taking as examples light sources for projection devices, headlights or illuminating lamps for transport devices such as vehicles, motorcycles, boats or airplanes, searchlight etc., conventional light sources use ultra high power (UHP) lamps for providing white light. A color conversion device such as multi-segmented color wheels are used to generate desired red, green and blue light.
With the development in solid-state light sources, in particular light emitting diode (LED), light source systems increasingly adopt solid-state light source as a light emitting source, to overcome the shortcomings of UHP lamps such as high driving voltage, and long waiting time when turning on/off. Other benefits of solid-state light sources include improved color effect of monochromatic light, enhanced color gamut, extended life of the light source system, and reduced power consummation.
An LED light source system typically uses a monochromatic LED and a wavelength conversion device having wavelength conversion materials to generate various colored light. The wavelength conversion materials may include phosphors, quantum dots, fluorescent dyes, nano light emitting materials, etc. The light conversion device may employ, for example, a color wheel that carries one or more types of phosphors. The excitation light produced by the LED is introduced onto the rotating color wheel, and the different wavelength conversion materials generate converted light of different colors. For example, in a typical three primary colors projection system, a blue light produced by a LED light source is introduced onto the rotating color wheel with multiple segments carrying a different wavelength conversion material to generate red, green, blue light sequentially.
When the phosphor absorbs an excitation light, it emits a converted light with a Lambertian distribution in all directions. To improve efficiency in a wavelength conversion device 10, as shown in FIG. 1, a first filter 101A is provided on one side of the phosphor layer 102 (carried on a color wheel) for transmitting the excitation light and reflecting the converted light emitted by phosphor. Further, a second filter 103A is provided on the other side of the phosphor layer 102 for adjusting the light spectrum or the output angle of the output light. The second filter may have different segments with optical characters such as high-pass, low-pass, band-pass etc. that correspond to the converted light from different segments of the color wheel.
However, the cost of the filter, especially the first filter, is high. The cost of the filters can be about 60 percent to 80 percent of the total cost of the light conversion device.

Light source, wavelength conversion method, wavelength conversion device, and system for light source


Provided is an in-field apparatus and method for automatic localization of a fault having occurred at power transmission lines of a power supply system, the in-field apparatus includes a preprocessing unit configured to process measured voltage and/or current raw time series data of the power transmission lines to provide a normalized raw data and/or feature representation of the measured raw time series data, and an artificial intelligence module configured to predict an optimal evaluation time used for evaluation of the measured voltage and/or current raw time series data to localize the fault based on the normalized raw data and/or feature representation.

A power supply system of a power supply grid can comprise several power transmission lines to transport electric currents between nodes of a power supply system. Most power supply systems comprise 3-phased transmission lines L1, L2, L3. During the distribution of electrical power via the 3-phased power transmission lines of the power supply grid unexpected failures can occur due to various causes. For example, one or more electrical loops formed by the power transmission lines can comprise a short circuit caused by a falling tree or branch during a storm. This event might cause a short circuit between at least two power transmission lines or between two power transmission lines and earth. Further, a power transmission line might be interrupted by a falling tree or other events. Such failures impact a reliable and safe operation of the power supply system. Accordingly, it is necessary to detect these kind of failures or faults by protective devices within the power supply system. Further, measures have to be taken in the power supply system to prevent a propagation of faults within the remaining power supply grid.
In a conventional power supply system protective devices are normally installed at both ends of power transmission lines connecting two nodes of the power supply system. This protective device can constantly monitor an electric current voltage of every loop formed by the power transmission lines. In case a fault does occur, the normal power supply signal forming a phased sine wave is disturbed by the anomaly or fault. In this case the protective device does trigger the generation of a fault record and can shut down the affected power transmission lines. Given the fault record that does contain the raw signals i.e. the current voltage signals of every power transmission line within a predetermined time interval of e.g. 200 ms as the error occurs the protective device can execute a series of steps to determine the fault location for instance by performing impedance calculations based on the parameters optimal measurement point and optimal window size. The accuracy of the calculated fault location does strongly depend on the choice of these two parameters that are in turn determined based on the raw signals.

Method and apparatus for automatic localization of a fault


A digital delay locked loop uses a delay array to delay an input signal by an amount indicated by a delay code. A phase of the resulting delayed signal is compared to a corresponding phase of the input signal, and dependent on the comparison, the delay code is updated to indicate whether the delay array needs to provide more delay or less delay. The digital delay locked loop also uses a detection circuit that monitors for a predetermined condition of the delay code. In response to detection of the predetermined condition, the delay code is automatically reset to a value different than a value of the delay code present at a previous reset or initial startup of the digital delay locked loop.

As shown in FIG. 1, a typical computer system 10 has, among other components, a microprocessor 12, one or more forms of memory 14, integrated circuits 16 having specific functionalities, and peripheral computer resources (not shown), e.g., monitor, keyboard, software programs, etc. These components communicate with one another via communication paths 19, e.g., wires, buses, etc., to accomplish the various tasks of the computer system 10.
In order to properly accomplish such tasks, the computer system 10 relies on the basis of time to coordinate its various operations. To that end, a crystal oscillator 18 generates a system clock signal (referred to and known in the art as "reference clock" and shown in FIG. 1 as SYS_CLK) to various parts of the computer system 10. Modern microprocessors and other integrated circuits, however, are typically capable of operating at frequencies significantly higher than the system clock, and thus, it becomes important to ensure that operations involving the microprocessor 12 and the other components of the computer system 10 use a proper and accurate reference of time.
Accordingly, as the frequencies of modern computers continue to increase, the need to rapidly transmit data between circuit interfaces also increases. To accurately receive data, a clock signal is often transmitted to help recover data transmitted to a receiving circuit by some transmitting circuit. The clock signal determines when the data should be sampled by the receiving circuit. In some cases, the clock signal may change state at the beginning of the time the data is valid. However, this is typically undesirable because the receiving circuit operates better when the clock signal is detected during the middle of the time the data is valid. In other cases, the clock signal may degrade as it propagates from its transmission point. Such degradation may result from process, voltage, and/or temperature conditions that directly or indirectly affect the clock signal. To guard against the adverse effects of poor and inaccurate clock signal transmission, a delay locked loop ("DLL") is commonly used to generate a copy of the clock signal at a fixed phase shift with respect to the original clock signal.
FIG. 2 shows a portion of a typical computer system in which a DLL 30 is used. In FIG. 2, data 32 is transmitted from a transmitting circuit 34 to a receiving circuit 36. To aid in the recovery of the data 32 by the receiving circuit 36, a clock signal 38 is transmitted along with the data 32. To ensure that the data 32 is properly latched by the receiving circuit 36, the DLL 30 (which in FIG. 2 is shown as being part of the receiving circuit 36) regenerates the clock signal 38 to a valid voltage level and creates a phase shifted version of the clock signal 38. Accordingly, the use of the DLL 30 in this fashion ensures (1) that the data 32 is properly latched by triggering the receiving circuit 36 at a point in time in which the data 32 is valid and (2) that the clock signal 38 is buffered by the receiving circuit 36.
DLLs, as suggested above, are widely used in the interfaces between integrated circuits (e.g., memory circuits, microprocessors, etc.). Various DLL architectures (e.g., digital DLLs, analog DLLs, open loop DLLs, closed loop DLLs, etc.) have been implemented to achieve fast locking, low jitter, and robust operation across a wide range of process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) conditions.

Digital delay locked loop with extended phase capture range


The present invention is directed to methods for optimizing package and silicon co-design of an integrated circuit. A composite bump pattern for an integrated circuit is created based on a first library including at least one bump pattern template. PCB and Die constraints of the integrated circuit are then reviewed. A partial package design for the integrated circuit is generated based on a second library including at least one partial package template. A partial silicon design for said integrated circuit is started. A full package design for the integrated circuit is then completed. A full silicon design for the integrated circuit is completed.

Modern semiconductors are assembled in either wirebonded or flipchip packages. In either case, the package provides the interconnect between the fine geometries of the silicon design and wider pitches at the circuit board level. The package also serves as environmental protection for the silicon die. With increasing IO (Input/Output) densities and total IO counts, faster signaling speeds, and sharper IO slew rates, the package interconnect has become an integral part of both the silicon and board level design considerations. Specifically, it has forced the need for packages which are highly tuned and customized to a particular silicon design and board application. This level of customization may result in highly detailed studies and extensive development schedules during package and silicon co-design.
Various silicon and package co-design environments exist with varying levels of automation. Invariably, these conventional solutions are comprised of three, sometimes four, components (see, e.g., FIG. 1). Each major component of the solution, namely the Silicon Design, the Package Design, the Board Design, and the Electrical Modeling, are completed by appropriate engineering teams. Use of automation is commonly used across all four areas. The level of automation often propagates results across each of the four areas. For example, the silicon designer may view the package design in-place as the chip IOs are assigned. Likewise, the package designer may view the silicon design and locations of IO circuits in-place so that the positioning of package wirebond fingers of flipchip bump pads can be optimized. Since there is a high degree of interaction in each of the four areas, the work flow for converging on a solution requires piecemeal progress on each topic. In other words, the total solution is achieved by locating IO circuits in the silicon design, completing components of the package design, conducting electrical modeling, conducting board layout studies, conducting further optimization of the silicon, making further changes to the package, re-visiting the electrical modeling, and so on (see, e.g., FIG. 2). It is noteworthy that there is no fixed or exact sequencing of effort in the areas of Silicon Design, Package Design, Board Design, or Electrical Modeling. Design specific constraints often dictate the number of times and at which points each area is revisited.
The conventional approaches ensure all Package Design, Silicon Design, Electrical Modeling, and Board Layout considerations are addressed collectively. The level of closure in each step of the work flow may be varied. For example, a very rough silicon IO assignment may be completed before conducting some initial package design work. Likewise, a near final IO assignment may be conducted before some initial package design work starts. This level of granularity may be varied with each application of the conventional approaches for a specific Silicon and Package co-design exercise. The level of granularity may be dictated by the complexity of constraints in each of these four areas.
However, the conventional approaches have the following disadvantages. First, in practice, the conventional work flow may be highly iterative. For example, the silicon designer may opt to place a specific SERDES (Serializer/Deserializer) high-speed IO interface at a particular die location. This may force the package designer to optimize the respective region of the package design. As a side-effect, this may require other components of the package design to be adjusted. Undesirable impacts of these changes may only be exposed during electrical modeling, which may force the silicon designer to move other IO circuits on the die, or reconsider the necessity of the specific SERDES placement location. Moreover, the conventional approaches may result in long Silicon and Package co-design development cycles since each area need be re-evaluated multiple times, and in some cases, completely restarted. Furthermore, the conventional work flow has no closed loop controllability and as a result, it becomes difficult to predict cycle times for a given Silicon and Package co-design exercise. In addition, supporting such a work flow requires extensive resourcing to service the many and often fine grained iterations between Silicon, Package, Board Designs and Electrical Modeling. Resources must be assigned in all four areas, and permanently available to re-evaluate changes as required. The manpower resourcing of the conventional approaches is therefore very costly. Further, extensive tool automation and tool investment are required to assist in cross-propagating Silicon, Package, Board, and Electrical data. Invariably, design teams use a combination of off-the-shelf EDA (Electronic Design Automation) tools coupled with their own internal utilities to bridge data from one system to another. This often requires costly tool investment and development.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a package and silicon co-design solution to the foregoing-described problems.

Methods for optimizing package and silicon co-design of integrated circuit


A system and method are disclosed for observing a change of mass inside a grinding unit as a part of a grinding process with a storing unit. The change of mass is derived from a mass balance for the grinding unit and a mass balance for the storing unit.

Grinding processes have been used in industrial processes, such as for cement and minerals production and for food processing. The purpose is to grind raw material to an adequate grain size. Thus, the surface is increased so that subsequent chemical reactions or mechanical separation processes can take place more efficiently.
A large amount of electrical energy is consumed in the grinding processes. For example electrical energy cost is the second largest cost position in the cement production process. For that reason grinding optimization systems are widely used in industry.
These optimization systems rely on the amount of mass inside the grinding unit which is related to a filling level or filling degree. This quantity changes continuously for instance due to the variable hardness of the material to be ground. Measuring inside a grinding unit is not possible during operation because of the grinding work and resulting dust. An additional issue is that an output from the grinding unit can not be measured directly because the mass transport is done by convection either with water or with air.
A measurement principle outside of the grinding unit, which is also known as an "electric ear" and which is widely used such as for ball mills, detects noise or vibration of a mill shell with a microphone. The idea is that when the mill is becoming empty, the noise or the vibration level is higher than when the mill is filling up. The results however can be unreliable and often useless when there is a poor accuracy of the measurements. Performing a spectral analysis of the noise and identifying a relative share of selected frequencies can slightly improve the accuracy. But an air gap between the mill shell and the microphone which can make the method very prone to interferences from neighboring sources of noise, and the thick walls of the shell which unpredictably influence different frequencies, can still lead to an insufficient accuracy.
DE 19933995 discloses a measurement system for observing a mass inside a ball mill using microphones directly attached to the wall of the mill shell. The system analyzes an intensity and spectra of the noise, and combines them with measurements of the phase angle of the mill to gain additional information about the movement of balls inside the mill. But the proposed solution can suffer from an unpredictable influence and an insufficient accuracy.

Method of observing a change of mass inside a grinding unit


A technique for controlling the position error signal of a disk drive using a disk recording a servo burst signal for controlling an on-track position of a head includes: checking whether the position error signal is a high level from the region recording the servo burst signal, marking the servo sector including the region as a defective servo sector when the position error signal is repeatedly detected to be at a high level in the region, and performing servo control by using the position error signal detected from the servo sector positioned ahead of the defective servo sector when a defective servo sector has been detected in a data read or write operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a servo control of a disk drive, and more particularly a technique for controlling a position error signal for securing a servo control of high reliability.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally a hard disk drive is widely used as a auxiliary memory for writing data transmitted from a host computer and transmitting data to a host computer by reading it. A servo control consists of a track search mode for moving a head to a target track to write and read data by detecting servo information in a disk and a track following mode for positioning a head on a center line of a target track.
In an earlier hard disk drive, a disk is rotated by a spindle motor. A head is positioned above the surface of the magnetic disk and installed on a arm extended vertically from an arm assembly of a voice coil motor. A preamplifier preamplifies a signal picked up by the headduring reading and drives the head for writing encoded write data sent from a read/write channel unit onto a magnetic disk during writing. The read/write channel unit is connected to the preamplifier, A/D converter and a disk data controller and supplies read data to the disk data controller by detecting a data pulse from a signal preamplifier in the preamplifier and encoding and decoding it in order and write data sent from the disk data controller to the preamplifier by encoding it. The read/write channel unit supplies an analog reading signal to the A/D converter by detecting it from a preamplifier signal from the preamplifier.
The A/D converter, connected to the read/write channel unit, receives an analog reading servo reading signal and supplies it to a microcontroller by converting the analog reading signal to position error signal digital data and also supplies an output current from a voice coil motor driver to the microcontroller by converting it into a digital signal. The microcontroller, connected to the disk data controller, controls track detection and track following. The voice coil motor driver, connected to the voice coil motor and the D/A converter, controls the operation of the voice coil motor by control of the microcontroller.
The voice coil motor moves the head on the magnetic disk in accordance with the direction and level of the driving current supplied from the voice coil motor driver.
It is essential to confirm the position of the head in advance of writing and reading data onto the hard disk drive. The microcontroller moves the head to a target track by a preprogrammed servo control algorithm and it further controls the head to be positioned on the center line of the track for reading and writing data after moving the head to a target track. For servo control, a track's own information, "gray code data" and comparison information, "burst data", which are normally called servo information, are written on each track of the disk by its manufacturer.
Two bursts are written on each track in advance as part of the servo information. An A burst and an B burst are written on adjacent tracks alternately, wherein each burst is written on one side of a center line of a track in one track and positioned continuously in the direction of the circumference without overlapping each other. These A and B bursts are detected by the head.
The position error signal is defined to be the difference between the detected A burst detection level and the detected B burst detection level.
The microcontroller controls the head to follow the center line of the track by using the position error signal corresponding to a change of its position. However, it is almost impossible for the position error signal to be zero due to the vibration of the magnetic disk or head and the circuits and apparatus in a hard disk drive. Thus, the position error signal value is changing according to a change of the position of the head.
When there is a defect in a written burst on a track, a problem occurs in that it is impossible to detect a position error signal from a burst region located next to the burst region having a defect. For solving the problem, two earlier methods are as follows.
One method is the maintenance of a servo defect map. This method is the same as the method treating a defective data sector when executing self-test in a hard disk drive. In other words, the microcontroller ignores a position error signal detected from a relevant servo sector by referring to a list of maintenance cylinders when the head is at the relevant servo sector after writing a servo sector repeatedly generating a high state of a position error signal on a maintenance cylinder.
The other method is to swap a track of a servo sector generating a high state of a position error signal for a surplus track.
For executing the two methods, it is necessary for the microcontroller to store a defective track, resulting in an occurrence of a problem of increased overhead of its capacity. The method of swapping a track has a problem in that normal servo sectors of the relevant track of a defective sector can not be used and a surplus track must be used instead.
The following patents each disclose features in common with the present invention but do not teach or suggest the specifically recited technique for controlling the position error signal of a disk drive in accordance with the present invention: U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,135 to Akin Jr. et al., entitled Fault Tolerant Servo Address Mark For Disk Drive, U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,348 to Strang Jr., entitled Method And Structure For Locating And Skipping Over Servo Bursts On A Magnetic Disk, U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,207 to Moon et al., entitled Servo System For Providing Increased Recording Density And Improved Operation Of The AGC Circuitry, U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,297 to Tsujisawa, entitled Head Positioning System For Compensating For Erroneous Detection Of Recorded Position Error Information, U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,617 to Brunnett et al., entitled Disk Drive Head Positioning Servo System Utilizing Encoded Track Zone Information, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,433 to Anderson et al., entitled Disk Drive Servo Control.

Technique for controlling the position error signal of a disk drive


A wearable electronic device includes a device body having a wireless communication module, a wearing unit connected to the device body for being worn on a user, an antenna module entirely embedded inside the wearing unit, and a conductive unit is partially disposed in the wearing unit and electrically connected to the antenna module and the wireless communication module.

Field of Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to an electronic device. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a wearable electronic device.
Description of Related Art
With the development of electronic and wireless communication technology, an electronic device is integrated with a normal wearable unit to be a wearable electronic device for being worn on or carried with a user's body. The wearable electronic device, for example, can present in a form of a wristband, a card hanger, a pair of glasses or a headphone etc. The wearable electronic device is provided with an antenna module, and the antenna module is installed in a main housing (e.g., caliber) of the wearable electronic device for exchanging electric data or signals with an external device.
However, in practice, since the main housing (e.g., caliber) of the wearable electronic device unavoidably has metallic decorative pieces thereon, the antenna module installed in the main housing (e.g., caliber) can be interfered with or shielded by the metallic decorative pieces so as to degrade the expected antenna efficiency of the antenna module. As a result, not only the total data transmission performance of the wearable electronic device is reduced, but also the anticipated capability of the antenna module cannot be measured correctly.
Therefore, how to provide a solution to effectively solve the aforementioned inconvenience and shortages and to increase the competitiveness of industries shall be seriously concerned.


Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for maintaining multiple copy versions of component values in a system. A database includes entries for components in a system, wherein there is one entry for each of a plurality of component values associated with a component, wherein each entry indicates a range of copy versions for which the component value applies. A copy operation is performed at a current time to create a current copy version. A determination is made as to whether the component values for the components at the current time have changed since a previous copy version. The previous copy version is maintained in the database and immediately precedes the current copy version. For each component value that has changed, the entry for the component having the open indicator as the end copy version is updated to indicate the previous copy version as the end copy version.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer program product, system, and method for maintaining multiple copy versions of component values in a system.
2. Description of the Related Art
State information for a computing environment may be stored in a computer database, consisting of multiple tables, that track the current state of some environment (E), as well as the historical changes of E at different points-in-time. As E changes over time, historical information is saved in the database tables, such that E1, E2, E3, etc. represent the historical state of E at some point in time T1, T2, T3, etc. in the past. Each such En is termed a "snapshot" of E.
The entire environment E may be saved in multiple tables S1, S2, S3, etc. where each table contains multiple rows of information. Each row represents the state of a particular component of E at a particular point in time. For instance, Sxyz can denote the row in table Sx for component Cy at time Tz. Therefore, a snapshot of the environment En at a time Tn can be expressed by the set of rows S11n, S12n, S13n . . . S21n, S22n, S23n, . . . Sm1n, Sm2n, Sm3n . . . where m is the total number of tables in the database. To record a new historical snapshot for E at time t+1, a new set of rows S11n+1, S12n+1, S13n+1, . . . S21n+1, S22n+1, S23n+1, . . . Sm1n+1, Sm2n+1, Sm3n+1 . . . may be written to the database.
To avoid the database from growing too large, the administrator may limit the overall time range T1 . . . Tn of snapshot copies represented in the database.
There is a need in the art for improved techniques for storing multiple snapshot copies of a system environment.

Maintaining multiple copy versions of component values in a system

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing physical addresses of data storage media within a data storage library. The library maintains a data table of storage slots and the media stored in those slots. The data table may contain addresses for storage slots that are not physically present or accessible within the library. Hardware such as storage slots may be added or removed without causing an inconsistency within the data table of assigned addresses. Addresses may be recorded as the particular frame, column, and row that describe the location of a particular storage slot. Each data storage media is associated with a particular host. The data table of the library maintains a record of data storage media and the host affinity the media corresponds to.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to managing addresses of data storage media and more particularly relates to managing physical addresses of data storage media within a data storage library.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automated data storage libraries are known for providing cost effective storage and retrieval of large quantities of data. The data in automated data storage libraries is stored on data storage media that are, in turn, stored on storage shelves or the like inside the library in a fashion that renders the media, and its resident data, accessible for physical retrieval. Such media is commonly termed "removable media." Data storage media may comprise any type of media on which data may be stored and which may serve as removable media, including but not limited to magnetic media (such as magnetic tape or disks), optical media (such as optical tape or disks), electronic media (such as PROM, EEPROM, flash PROM, Compactflash™, Smartmedia™, Memory Stick™, etc.), or other suitable media.
Typically, the data stored in automated data storage libraries is resident on data storage media that is contained within a cartridge and referred to as a data storage media cartridge. An example of a data storage media cartridge that is widely employed in automated data storage libraries for mass data storage is a magnetic tape cartridge.
In addition to data storage media, automated data storage libraries typically contain data storage drives that store data to, and/or retrieve data from, the data storage media. The transport of data storage media between data storage shelves and data storage drives is typically accomplished by one or more robot accessors (hereinafter termed "accessors"). Such accessors have grippers for physically retrieving the selected data storage media from the storage shelves within the automated data storage library and transport such media to the data storage drives by moving in the X and Y directions.
Libraries typically use internal addressing to identify cartridge slot locations within the library. We shall refer to library internal addressing as a library address or a physical address. Libraries typically present cartridge slot locations to host applications by way of an address, commonly referred to as an element address. We shall refer to the hosts view of library reported addressing as a host address or a logical address. In some designs, the library address and the host address for any particular cartridge location is one in the same. For example, all physical storage shelves in the library may be assigned an address beginning with a starting address and incrementing by one for each sequential slot in the library. This address information is presented to host applications that in turn send commands to the library to move cartridges based on the address information. In some designs, the library address and the host address for any particular cartridge location is different. For example, the library may be partitioned into several logical libraries. Each logical library may be attached to different host computers such that the host computer associated with one logical library has no awareness of any other logical libraries and associated cartridges. In this example, cartridges associated with one logical library may have the same logical address as cartridges associated with another logical library even though the library maintains unique physical addresses for each cartridge in the library. Virtualization of the storage slots in a library is another example of why the library address and the host address may not be the same address, for any particular cartridge location in the library. The library keeps a map of host (logical) storage addresses to actual library (physical) addresses when performing move operations and when reporting cartridge locations to a host application. The mapping of the logical address to the actual physical address must be maintained in a consistent fashion by the library so as to ensure proper movement of the intended cartridge. As described above, a storage slot may be mapped between a host (logical) address and a library (physical) address. In addition, a host address may only be mapped to an occupied library address wherein library virtualization is only concerned with where actual cartridges are located and any empty slot is arbitrarily chosen by the library for placing media. Herein, mapping addresses may refer to a mapping of storage slots that contain media, storage slots that do not contain media and combinations thereof.
Commands from multiple hosts to move cartridges can be on the library work queue awaiting execution as the library handles the incoming commands. As one command completes, a subsequent command from the queue can be dispatched. All queued commands and any additional incoming commands are built and performed based on the logical to physical mapping. In libraries, such as the IBM 3584 Automated Tape Library, it is possible to add or remove storage to or from a column in a manner that would affect the previous logical to physical mapping of the storage addresses. This may cause the logical to physical mapping of the library to no longer be consistent with the new physical layout of the library. As a result, any attempt to execute cartridge movement commands could have unexpected results. The cause of this inconsistency between the queued commands and the new physical layout is that current storage libraries assign physical element addresses based on the actual physical slots in the library. Additionally, physical addresses within the data storage library are unable to remain consistent if components comprising the library, commonly known as frames, are rearranged, inserted, or removed from the storage library.
Further, data storage libraries are often dynamically partitioned into logical libraries, and each logical library is associated with a different host application. The host application may be software running on a host machine so that each host application has access to the storage and the drives of their corresponding logical library. Due to security concerns, media, such as cartridges, are not shared between different host applications. The logical/physical mapping may be abstracted further to include virtualization of the storage slots. Before the virtualization addressing occurs, cartridges may be associated with a particular host based on the physical location of the cartridge in the library. After the virtualization addressing process has occurred, such an association between cartridge and host is no longer based on physical locations of cartridges in a library. Instead, the association may be based on an identifier inherent to the cartridge.
Current static partitioned libraries store a table in non-volatile storage that provides the physical addresses associated with a particular host. However, a specific element for statically partitioned libraries will likely not be associated with the same physical address when a library converts to dynamic partitioning and employs the virtualization addressing method. Once configuration to dynamic partitioning is complete, such locations in the table will no longer correlate to the physical address upon which the table was built.
From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for an apparatus, system, and method that manages physical addresses of data storage media before and after virtualization addressing methods have been applied. Beneficially, such an apparatus, system, and method would enable multiple hosts to access data storage media within the library after virtualization addressing has occurred.

Apparatus, system, and method for managing addresses and data storage media within a data storage library


An apparatus for superimposing an image represented in a predetermined dot arrangement on a video signal. The apparatus includes an inputting device, a memory, a storage block selecting device and a signal switching circuit. The memory has an arrangement of a plurality of storage blocks, each of which includes an arrangement of a plurality of unit storage cells each for storing one bit. The inputting device inputs externally prepared binary signals. The storage block selecting device selects a predetermined storage block for every inputted bit information. All the unit storage cells in the selected storage block store the inputted bit information. The signal switching device sequentially reads the contents stored in each unit storage cell in synchronization with a video signal, switches the video signal and a predetermined superimposing video signal to each other in accordance with the contents and outputs the same. As a result, each dot represented by a plurality of dots in the reproduced video signal after being superimposed. The signal represented by the inputted binary information is reproduced on a picture frame as an expanded image.

1. Field of the Present Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for superimposing a signal on another signal, and more particularly, to an apparatus used in video equipments to overlay external information on a video signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Apparatus for interposing information such as titles on a picture have been used in built-in-camera VTR (Video Tape Recorder) and the like. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a typical example of a conventional apparatus of this kind. Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional apparatus includes an A/D (Analog/Digital) converter 12 which from a terminal 10 receives a luminance signal (hereinafter referred to as Y signal) such as a video signal produced by a video camera or reproduced by a VTR to digitize the same based on a certain signal level and converts the same into digital serial data; a shift register 16 connected to the A/D converter 12 and a terminal 14 for converting the serial data and parallel data, for example, of 8 bits into each other in synchronization with a clock signal supplied from the terminal 14; a timing generator 22 connected to the terminals 14, 18 and 20 for generating an address signal showing a position on an image of a portion being processed of the video signal, and in accordance with the processing mode, generating a signal indicating operation timing for elements included in the superimposing apparatus in response to a horizontal synchronizing signal H.sub.D and a vertical synchronizing signal V.sub.D of the video signal inputted from the terminals 18 and 20; a memorv 24 connected to the shift register 16 and the timing generator 22 for storing the parallel data converted by the shift register 16 in the address selected by the address signal from the timing generator 22 and for outputting the stored contents of the address selected by the address signal from the timing generator 22 to the shift register 16; a color synthesis circuit 26 connected to the shift register 16 for outputting a component signal for different colors of RGB (Red-Green-Blue) for displaying the title in multi-color in response to a signal which is read out from the memory 24 and converted into the serial data by the shift register 16, in accordance with the colors specified by a controller (not shown) or the like; and a display circuit 32 for mixing each of the component signals of RGB and a video signal inputted from a terminal 28 to be superimposed and outputting the mixed signals to an output terminal 30.
Each of the signals produced by the timing generator 22 includes a writing control signal WE for controlling a timing of writing the data to the memory 24 and a reading control signal OE for controlling a timing of reading the data from the memory 24.
The display circuit 32 includes a matrix circuit for synthesizing, for example, a Y signal and color difference signals of the title from the component signal; a circuit for producing a luminance blanking signal and a chroma blanking signal showing a timing of switching between the Y and the color signals of the title and those of the picture to be superimposed respectively; and a switching circuit responsive to the blanking signal for switching between the signal of the title and the signal of the picture at a high speed.
Referring to FIG. 1, an operation of a conventional superimposing apparatus will be described. The apparatus has two operation modes. The first is a title-image storing mode for reading a title image and storing the same into the memory 24. The second mode is a superimposing mode for overlaying the title stored in the memory 24 on a video signal inputted from the terminal 28. The modes are switched to each other by an operator by means of an operation panel (not shown).
In the title-image storing mode, a Y signal of a video signal showing a title taken by a camera is inputted from the terminal 10. Inputting the title is carried out by, for example, hand-writing the title on a white paper and converting the title into video signals by a video-camera or the like. The A/D converter 12 compares a level of the Y signal with a given level of a reference signal to convert the Y signal into the digital data by outputting a value of "0" when the level of the Y signal is higher than that of the reference signal and otherwise outputting a value of "1".
The digital data is inputted to the shift register 16. The shift register 16 shifts and stores 8 bits of the serial data at a time and outputs the same as the parallel data of 8 bits to the memory 24. H.sub.D and V.sub.D, inputted to the timing generator 22, synchronize with the Y signal inputted from the terminal 10. The synchronization is carried out by extracting only a sync signal from the video signal outputted from a video camera taking a title and amplifying the same.
The timing generator 22 outputs a signal showing a vertical and horizontal positions of the Y signal being processed on the picture frame in response to the clock, H.sub.D and V.sub.D. The signal indicates an address in which the data is stored in the memory 24.
When storing all the data of the title image inputted from the terminal 10 in the memory 24 is finished, a hand-written title image is stored in the memory 24 as the image represented by two different values each representing a background portion and a title portion, respectively.
Now, the apparatus operates as follows when the title image stored in the memory 24 is superimposed on a video signal inputted from the terminal 28.
A video signal taken by, for example, a video camera, or reproduced by a VTR is inputted from the terminal 28.
The horizontal synchronizing signal H.sub.D and the vertical synchronizing signal V.sub.D of the video signal inputted from the terminal 28 are inputted to the terminals 18 and 20 respectively. The timing generator 22 outputs an address signal representing a position of a pixel on the picture frame and a OE signal indicating the timing of the reading from the memory 24 in response to the clock, H.sub.D and V.sub.D. The contents of the address specified by the address signal are outputted to the shift register 16.
The shift register 16 converts the parallel data of 8 bits read out from the memory 24 into the 8-bit serial data by serially shifting and outputting the same.
The color synthesis circuit 26 outputs a component signal of RGB for displaying a title in a color specified by the operator in response to the serial data from the shift register 16.
The display circuit 32 mixes the above-described component signals and the video signal from the terminal 28 and outputs the mixed signals to the output terminal 30. On this occasion, the display circuit 32 switches the blanking signals at a high speed in response to those signals such that an image of the title is outputted for the part where the title characters exist and video signals are outputted for the rest of the part.
A signal outputted from the output terminal 30 is recorded on, for example, a video tape. The recorded signal is reproduced by a home television or the like.
For displaying the title stored in the memory 24, various functions are provided such as improving fineness of the display, reversing the title character and the background, displaying the title in a desired color, so-called "wipe" for displaying and/or erasing the title from a predetermined position or in a plurality of directions, "scrolling" for parallel-transferring the entire title picture on the frame and the like. In some cases, memories capable of storing the data of a plurality of frames for the title characters are provided. In some cases, the titles can be changed from one to another.
As described above, a conventional superimposing apparatus is very convenient which provides an easy and real video shooting and/or a video editing. However, there still exist such problems to be solved as the following.
Conventionally, a title picture is formed by hand-writing characters on paper, a white board or the like and converting the same into video signals. The title is represented by two different values with reference to luminance levels of character or pattern portions and a background. If contrast of an object is not sufficient or the background portion is spotted, the title picture may not be reproduced satisfactorily. In many cases it results in reduced sharpness of an image of a character profile. In accordance with a conventional method, hand-written characters can be inputted with relative ease. However, printing characters cannot be easily made a title. Even though some titles are used repeatedly, it is necessary to make a new one each time. Namely, the conventional apparatus has a problem in its operability and quality of a superimposed picture.

Apparatus for superimposing character patterns in accordance with dot-matrix on video signals


A debris mitigation system for use in a radiation source. The debris mitigation system comprises a contamination trap. The contamination trap comprises a debris receiving surface arranged to receive liquid metal fuel debris emitted from a plasma formation region of the radiation source. The debris receiving surface is constructed from a material that reacts with the liquid metal fuel debris to form an intermetallic layer on the debris receiving surface.

A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that instance, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the IC. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g. comprising part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned.
Lithography is widely recognized as one of the key steps in the manufacture of ICs and other devices and/or structures. However, as the dimensions of features made using lithography become smaller, lithography is becoming a more critical factor for enabling miniature IC or other devices and/or structures to be manufactured.
A theoretical estimate of the limits of pattern printing can be given by the Rayleigh criterion for resolution as shown in equation (1):
                    CD        =                              k            1                    *                      λ            NA                                              (        1        )            where λ is the wavelength of the radiation used, NA is the numerical aperture of the projection system used to print the pattern, k1 is a process dependent adjustment factor, also called the Rayleigh constant, and CD is the feature size (or critical dimension) of the printed feature. It follows from equation (1) that reduction of the minimum printable size of features can be obtained in three ways: by shortening the exposure wavelength λ, by increasing the numerical aperture NA or by decreasing the value of k1.
In order to shorten the exposure wavelength and, thus, reduce the minimum printable size, it has been proposed to use an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation source. EUV radiation is electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength within the range of 5-20 nm, for example within the range of 13-14 nm. It has further been proposed that EUV radiation with a wavelength of less than 10 nm could be used, for example within the range of 5-10 nm such as 6.7 nm or 6.8 nm. Possible sources include, for example, laser-produced plasma sources, discharge plasma sources, or sources based on synchrotron radiation provided by an electron storage ring.
EUV radiation may be produced using a plasma. A radiation source for producing EUV radiation may excite a fuel to generate a plasma which emits EUV radiation. The plasma may be created, for example, by directing a laser beam at a fuel, such as droplets of a suitable material (e.g., tin), or a stream of a suitable gas or vapor, such as Xe gas or Li vapor. EUV radiation emitted by the plasma is collected using a radiation collector, which receives the EUV radiation and focuses the EUV radiation into a beam. The radiation source may include an enclosing housing or chamber arranged to provide a vacuum environment for the plasma. A radiation source which uses a laser beam in this way is typically termed a laser produced plasma (LPP) source.
In addition to generation of plasma, exciting the fuel may also result in the unwanted generation of particulate debris from the fuel. For example, where a liquid metal, such as tin, is used as a fuel, some of the liquid metal fuel will be converted into an EUV producing plasma, but debris particles of the liquid metal fuel may be emitted at high speeds from the plasma formation region. The debris may be incident on other components within the radiation source, affecting the ability of the radiation source to generate an EUV producing plasma or to provide a beam of EUV radiation from the plasma to other components of the lithographic apparatus. The debris may also travel beyond the radiation source and become incident on other components of the lithographic apparatus.

Debris mitigation system, radiation source and lithographic apparatus


Captured or input image data is converted into an image of a size of a specific number of pixels. Then, predetermined plural types of different effects are applied to image data obtained through the conversion. Several types of image data items with the applied effects are arranged and simultaneously displayed.

Various types of terminal devices such as a mobile phone terminal device including an imaging unit have become widely available. For example, mobile phone terminal devices referred to as smartphones in which various types of application programs may be installed and which include an imaging unit have become widely available. Installing an image-editing application program in the smartphone allows various types of effect processes to be performed on an image that is captured and obtained by the imaging unit, and allows the image to be stored.
Patent Literature 1 describes that, in a mobile phone terminal device including an imaging unit, effect processing is performed on a captured and obtained image, and the image subjected to the effect processing is stored in a memory or the like.

Terminal device, image display method, and storage medium


A transmitter (116) for transmitting a secure access signal to a system (117) for providing secure access to a controlled item (111) is disclosed. The access is dependent on information contained in the secure access signal. The transmitter (116) comprises a biometric sensor (121) for receiving a biometric signal and a processor (1005) for matching the biometric signal against members of a database (105) of biometric signatures. The transmitter (116) comprises enabling means (e.g., 127) for enabling an inductive circuit, based on the matching of the biometric signal, to transmit the secure access signal conveying the information to the system (117) upon the inductive circuit being placed within range of a radio frequency field emitted by the system (117).

FIG. 1 shows a conventional arrangement for providing secure access. A user 401 makes a request, as depicted by an arrow 402, directed to a code entry module 403. The module 403 is typically mounted on the external jamb of a secure door. The request 402 is typically a secure code of some type which is compatible with the code entry module 403. Thus, for example, the request 402 can be a card number stored within a conventional proximity card used to direct the request 402 to a card reader 403. Alternatively, the request 402 can be a sequence of secret numbers directed to a keypad 403. The request 402 can also be a biometric signal from the user 401 directed to a corresponding biometric sensor 403. One example of a biometric signal is a fingerprint. Other physical attributes that can be used to provide biometric signals include voice, retinal or iris pattern, face pattern, palm configuration and so on.
The code entry module 403 conveys the request 402 by sending a corresponding signal, as depicted by an arrow 404, to a controller 405 which is typically situated in a remote or inaccessible place. The controller 405 authenticates the security information provided by the user 401 by interrogating a database 407 as depicted by an arrow 406. If the user 401 is authenticated, and has the appropriate access privileges, then the controller 405 sends an access signal, as depicted by an arrow 408, to a device 409 in order to provide the desired access. The device 409 can, for example, be the locking mechanism of a secure door, or can be an electronic lock on a personal computer (PC) which the user 401 desires to access.
Current systems as depicted in FIG. 1 utilise a communication protocol called "Wiegand" for communication between the code entry module 403 and the controller 405. The Wiegand protocol is a simple one-way data protocol that can be modified by increasing or decreasing the bit count to ensure uniqueness of the protocol among different security companies. The Wiegand protocol does not secure the information being sent between the code entry module 403 and the controller 405.
More advanced protocols such as RS 485 have been used in order to overcome the vulnerability of the Wiegand protocol over long distance routes. RS 485 is a duplex protocol offering encryption capabilities at both the transmitting and receiving ends, i.e. the code entry module 403 and the controller 405 respectively in the present case. The length of the path 404 nonetheless provides an attack point for the unauthorised person.
Proximity cards have become a popular means for emitting the request 402, since proximity cards are cheap, easy to use and convenient to carry for the user 401. Typically, proximity cards comprise an inductive circuit including an integrated circuit (IC), a capacitor, and a coil, which are connected in series within the card. When a proximity card 410 is placed within range of the code entry module 403 (or "card reader"), the code entry module 403 presents a field that excites the coil and charges the capacitor, which in turn energizes the IC on the proximity card 410. The IC then transmits a card number stored within the IC, via the coil as transmit antenna, to the code entry module 403. The field emitted by the code entry module 403 for older proximity cards is typically around 125 kHz. The field emitted by the code entry module 403 for newer proximity cards is typically around 13.56 MHz. These newer proximity cards are typically in the form of contactless RFID cards which are also known as "contactless smartcards". Proximity cards have a communication range of 0-80 mm in most instances, allowing the user to place the card 410 within 80 mm of the code entry module 403 in order for the card to be read by the code entry module 403. The term "communication range" refers, in the described example, to the distance to within which the proximity module 126 and the code entry module 130 must be brought in order for their respective transmit/receive antennas to be able to achieve satisfactory communications.
Conventional proximity cards (e.g., 410) used for emitting the request 402 may be lost by the user 401, and the lost proximity card 410 may be used by an unauthorised person to gain the desired access. In fact, there has been a high incidence of such fraudulent activity with conventional proximity cards where unauthorised persons steal the cards. As a result many users have looked to upgrade their proximity card secure access systems with other more secure systems. However, the cost of such up-grades is high due to the necessity to re-wire buildings and facilities to implement the upgrades.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Transmitter for transmitting a secure access signal


The invention describes a method and system, for mapping non-magnetic soils in terms of their local permittivity and velocity of the traversing electromagnetic waves, by measuring the straight-line attenuation and elapsed time between transmitters and receivers located within tubes inserted into the soil.

Mapping the soil underneath ground is of great interest in many areas. Before constructing anything above ground, houses, roads and bridges, it is essential to know what is beneath them. Mapping the deep soil characteristics including its compressibility, its conductivity, its moisture content and the presence of voids and air cavities whether natural or man-made, are parts of the general construction requirements.
The general theory of tomography is well known (see for example Principles of Computerized Tomographic Imaging, IEEE Press 1988—by A. C. Kak and Malcolm Stanley). In principle mapping what is inside an object, is nothing more than solving a set of (n) independent equations of (n) unknowns, part of high school algebra. In the case of a substantially round object, for example a cross section of the human body, the number of independent equations may be established by "looking" at the object from (n) different directions around it, where every "view" is slightly different, but in the total all the necessary different combinations may be viewed.
Looking at the Tomography theory from this simplistic point of view, the major problem in "soil tomography" is that it is hard to view an object in the soil or a portion of it, from all the angles around it, in the soil. The second major difference is the "straight-line-rays" technology; while in a medical CT, a collimated X-Ray beam, may be viewed as a "straight-line-ray", there is no such technology in "soil tomography". Viewing a focused electromagnetic beam as a "straight-line-ray" is a good approximation only at microwave frequencies, that do not penetrate the soil, but not at meter long wavelengths, that do penetrate it.
The soil tomography literature is replete with papers trying to circumvent these basic limitations; see for example "Giroux et al. in Computers & Geosciences 33 (2007) 126-137".
It also has to be realized that the attempts to define the soils in general, in terms of their conductivity(σ), permittivity(∈r) and permeability (μ) and their respective functions of frequency, is an approximation of the reality; the field measurements in soils often do not fit theory, but in very gross lines. Consequently soil maps too, based on further approximations needed to accommodate certain mathematical techniques often misrepresent reality of specific cases. Consequently simple models that have a limited validity and assumptions applicable to specific cases are of great practical value.
Compressible soils and air cavities whether natural or man-made, like abandoned mines, may cause over time, instabilities of structures such as roads, bridges and hi-rise buildings built over or near them. Mapping the underground soil before erecting any structures over or near them is essential, before and after construction, as the underground may change in time due to many factors, some natural and some man-made.
In agriculture, soil moisture and its compressibility are major factors dependent on the structure and composition of the deeper layers and consequently need to be mapped ahead of time.
In archeology too, a method for mapping underground air cavities at moderate depths, without damaging the top layers, is of great value, specially under sites previously discovered and partially excavated. Mapping of the deeper layers may point to where to excavate instead of digging on intuition only, consequently saving time and money.
Enforcing border controls and stopping traffic of illegal merchandise is a problem in many countries given the fact that, a large part of the illegal traffic has been driven underground, mainly using existing natural conduits, water tubes, and drains. The policing of these known routes have pushed traffickers to dig and excavate sophisticated new conduits in isolated areas. Consequently a method for prospecting for passageways in the underground soil is of great benefit for policing border lines.

Method and apparatus for mapping the underground soil


A bidirectional optical add-drop multiplexer adds and drops optical signals having specific wavelengths among the WDM optical signals transmitted bidirectionally through one of the optical transmission lines connected between neighbor nodes in a bidirectional WDM ring network.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM: Wavelength Division Multiplexing) optical communication network, and more particularly to an optical add-drop multiplexer which adds and drops optical signals having specific wavelengths of WDM optical signals bi-directionally transmitted through a single transmission line at each remote node in a WDM ring network.
2. Description of the Related Art
As of late, metro/access networks for connecting central office nodes and subscribers are attracting more attention as home communication traffic increases due to spread of the Internet. Methodology must be available for easily increasing the capacity of the networks to match the increase in demand for ultra high speed services, and the methodology must be economical in order to accept the many new subscribers. The metro/access networks, if implemented to operate in a WDM system, can transfer WDM optical signals by a plurality of wavelengths regardless of transmission methods or speed. Thus the networks can efficiently transfer the traffic at a high speed and on wide bandwidths.
Optical WDM bidirectional hubbed ring networks can be employed as metro/access networks useful in this regard. An optical WDM bidirectional hubbed ring network has the shape of a ring, and is formed by a single line which connects the central office and a plurality of remote nodes with each other. WDM optical signals having two WDM channels are transmitted through the single line in directions opposite to each other. For instance, WDM optical signals having odd wavelengths and even channels are transmitted in one direction and in the reverse direction, respectively. The central node is connected not only to the remote nodes but also to other networks. The remote nodes are established nearby areas of high subscribers concentration, and serve to connect the central office to subscribers. Therefore, each remote node must be able to drop, for its own use, specific signals transmitted from the central office and add specific signals to the optical transmission line for conveyance to the networks. Accordingly, each remote node comprises optical add-drop multiplexers which add or drop optical signals having specific wavelength among the bidirectional WDM optical signals in the optical WDM bidirectional hubbed ring networks.
As shown in FIG. 1, the bidirectional optical add-drop multiplexer constituting a remote node in an optical WDM bidirectional hubbed ring network separates two WDM optical signals by using optical circulators 104, 118 each having three ports. Two WDM optical signals are respectively inputted through optical transmission lines 100, 102 connecting both sides of the remote note to two neighbor nodes (not depicted), in the shape of a ring network. That is, the lines 100, 102 are each portions of the same single transmission line connecting the nodes of the ring network. The bidirectional optical add-drop multiplexer adds and drops optical signals having specific wavelengths by means of optical circulators 106, 114 and an optical channel selector 110 located in a first side and optical circulators 108, 116 and an optical channel selector 112 located in a second side. Here, the optical signals added or dropped in the same direction of the multiplexer have the same wavelength. Namely, if optical signals inputted in the first direction of the multiplexer are dropped, optical signals having the same wavelength are added and transmitted in the same direction.
When the bidirectional optical add-drop multiplexer shown in FIG. 1 receives optical signals having wavelengths λ2, λ4, λ6 corresponding to three channels 2, 4, 6 from the optical transmission line 100 connected with a first of two neighbor nodes, an optical signal of wavelength λ2 is dropped and a signal of the same wavelength may be added. Likewise, when optical signals having wavelengths λ1, λ3, λ5 corresponding to three channels 1, 3, 5 are received from the optical transmission line 102 connected with the second neighbor node, an optical signal of wavelength λ1 is dropped and a signal of the same wavelength may be added.
In particular, the optical signals having wavelengths λ2, λ4, λ6 are inputted to a port 104a of the optical circulator 104 through the optical line 100 and those having wavelengths λ1, λ3 and λ5 are inputted to a port 118a of the optical circulator 118 through the optical line 102. The optical circulators 104 to 108 and 114 to 118 are 3-port optical circulators having three ports circularly arrayed. As already known in the art, each port of the optical circulators 104 to 108 and 114 to 118 outputs the optical signals to the next port according to the sequence arrayed in clockwise or counterclockwise direction in FIG. 1.
The optical signals having wavelengths λ2, λ4, λ6 inputted the port 104a of the circulator 104 are outputted to a port 104b and progress along an upper route shown in FIG. 1, which extends from an optical circulator 106 through an optical wavelength selector 110 to an optical circulator 114. In the same manner, the optical signals having wavelengths λ1, λ3, λ5 inputted the port 118a of the circulator 118 are outputted a next port 118b and progress along a lower route shown in FIG. 1, which extends from an optical circulator 116 through an optical wavelength selector 112 to an optical circulator 108. The optical wavelength selectors 110, 112 select the wavelengths λ2, λ1 as reflection wavelengths, respectively. Thus, the optical signals having the wavelengths λ2, λ1 are reflected by the optical wavelength selectors 110, 112, respectively and the other signals not being reflected pass through the optical wavelength selectors 110, 112
As described above, the optical signals having the wavelengths λ2, λ4, λ6 inputted to a port 106a of the optical circulator 106 from the port 104b of the optical circulator 104 are outputted to a next port 106b and then inputted to the optical wavelength selector 110. The optical signal having the wavelength λ2 is reflected by the optical wavelength selector 110, again inputted to the port 106b of the optical circulator 106 and dropped by outputting to a port 106c of the optical circulator 106. The other optical signals having the other wavelengths λ4, λ6 pass through the optical wavelength selector 110 and are inputted to a port 114b of the optical circulator 114. Concurrently, an optical signal having the wavelength λ2 to be added is inputted to a port 114a of the optical circulator 114. Thus, the optical signal of wavelength λ2 to be added is outputted to the port 114b of the optical circulator 114, reflected by the optical wavelength selector 110, and inputted to the port 114b of the optical circulator 114 with the optical signal of the wavelengths λ4, λ6. Accordingly, the optical signals of the wavelengths λ2, λ4, λ6 from the port 114c of the optical circulator 114 are inputted to a port 118c of the optical circulator 118 and transmitted through the optical line 102 by outputting to the port 118a of the optical circulator 118.
Analogously, the optical signals of the wavelengths λ1, λ3, λ5 inputted to a port 116a of the optical circulator 116 from a port 118b of the optical circulator 118 are outputted to a port 116b and inputted to the optical wavelength selector 112. The optical signal of the wavelength λ1 is reflected by the optical wavelength selector 112, inputted to the port 116b and dropped by outputting to a port 116c. The other optical signals of the other wavelengths λ3, λ5 pass through the optical wavelength selector 112 and are inputted to a port 108b of the optical circulator 108. An optical signal of the wavelength λ1 is added by means of port 108a. The optical signal of the wavelength λ1 to be added is outputted to the port 108b, after reflection by the optical wavelength selector 112, returns to the port 108b with the optical signals of the wavelengths λ3, λ5. Therefore, the optical signals of the wavelengths λ1, λ3, λ5 from the port 108c are transmitted through the optical line 100 by being outputted to the port 104a.
As described above, when the bidirectional optical add-drop multiplexer drops optical signals inputted in one direction, the bidirectional optical add-drop multiplexer adds an optical signal having the same wavelength as that of the dropped signals to the other optical signals and transmits them in the same direction.
Disadvantageously, since both added and dropped signals of the same wavelength are reflected by the same optical wavelength selector, the cross talk of the added optical signal degrades the quality of the dropped optical signal.
To prevent the above problems, the optical wavelength selectors must have an isolation of above 30 dB. However, the optical wavelength selectors having high isolation are very expensive, so that the cost of the multiplexer increases.
Another technique used to resolve the above problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,926,300, entitled "OPTICAL ADD-DROP MULTIPLEXER", filed on Jul. 20, 1999. This multiplexer not only uses respectively different optical wavelength selectors for the added optical signal and the dropped optical signal but also uses optical isolators between two optical wavelength selectors so that it can prevent the declination of the transmission characteristics resulting from leak components, which are not reflected but transmitted.
However, according to the U.S. Pat. No. 5,926,300, although the add-drop multiplexer can prevent the declination of the transmission characteristics resulting from such leak components, the number of the optical wavelength selectors increases and the optical isolators are supplemented. Accordingly, the structure of the multiplexer becomes complex and therefore the cost of the multiplexer also increases.
As described above, the typical bidirectional optical add-drop multiplexer has the same wavelengths for both the added and the dropped optical signal, and both the added and the dropped optical signal are reflected by the same optical wavelength selector. Thus, the resulting cross-talk between the optical signals added and dropped degrades optical signal quality characteristics. Accordingly, preventing the above problems requires a multiplexer having a complex structure and higher cost.

Bidirectional optical add-drop multiplexer