A BIST architecture that allows efficient compression and application of deterministic ATPG patterns while tolerating uncertain bits is provided. In accordance with one feature of the invention, a large number of short scan chains can be configured between a decompressor and an observe selector. The observe selector selectively presents values of specific scan chains or scan cells to an external tester, thereby significantly reducing test data and test cycles. Advantageously, the core of the tested device is not changed as would be the case in BIST architectures including MISRs. Moreover, test points or logic to block uncertain bits do not need to be inserted. Furthermore, the loaded care bits for the scan chains as well as the bits for controlling the observe selector can be deterministically controlled, thereby providing optimal testing flexibility.

1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the present invention relate to a deterministic built-in self test (DBIST) architecture, and particularly to a DBIST architecture tolerant of uncertain scan chain outputs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Larger and more complex logic designs in integrated circuits (ICs) lead to demands for more sophisticated testing to ensure fault-free performance of those ICs. This testing can represent a significant portion of the design, manufacture, and service cost of integrated circuits (ICs). In a simple model, testing of an IC can include applying multiple test patterns to the inputs of a circuit and monitoring its outputs to detect the occurrence of faults. Fault coverage indicates the efficacy of the test patterns in detecting each fault in a universe of potential faults. Thus, if a set of test patterns is able to detect substantially every potential fault, then fault coverage approaching 100% has been achieved.
To facilitate better fault coverage and minimize test cost, DFT (design-for-test) can be used. In one DFT technique, structures in the logic design can be used. Specifically, a logic design implemented in the IC generally includes a plurality of state elements, e.g. sequential storage elements like flip-flops. These state elements can be connected into scan chains of computed lengths, which vary based on the design. In one embodiment, all state elements in a design are scannable, i.e. each state element is in a scan chain. The state elements in the scan chains are typically called scan cells. In DFT, each scan chain includes a scan-input pin and a scan-output pin, which serve as control and observation nodes during the test mode.
The scan chains are loaded by clocking in predetermined logic signals through the scan cells. Thus, if the longest scan chain includes 500 scan cells, then 500 clock cycles are used to complete the loading process. Note that, for simplicity, the embodiments provided herein describe scan chains of equal length. In actual embodiments, DFT attempts to create, but infrequently achieves, this goal. Thus, in actual embodiments, software can compensate for the different scan chain lengths, thereby ensuring that outputs from each test pattern are recognized and analyzed accordingly. This methodology is known by those skilled in the art and therefore is not explained in detail herein.
The test patterns for the scan chains can be generated using an external testing device. Using such a device, an exhaustive test can be done by applying 2N input patterns to a design with N inputs and scan cells. However, this test approach rapidly is commercially impractical as the number of inputs increases.
To solve this problem, deterministic automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) can be used to generate a smaller set of patterns while providing fault coverage close to 100%. Specifically, in deterministic ATPG, each test pattern is designed to test for as many faults as possible. However, even with the reduction in test patterns, deterministic ATPG patterns still require significant storage area in the test-application equipment (tester) for the large number of patterns that are input directly to the scan chains, and for the expected output values from the scan chains. Moreover, this test method has associated inefficiencies because of its off-chip access time.
Alternatively, and more frequently in current, complex ICs, structures can be added to the design that allow the IC to quickly test itself. These built-in self-test (BIST) structures can include various pattern generators, the most typical being a pseudorandom pattern generator (PRPG). After the patterns generated by the PRPG are propagated through the scan chains in the tested design, the outputs are analyzed to determine if a fault is detected.
FIG. 1A illustrates a logic BIST architecture 100 for testing a design 130 having six scan chains 131–136. In this embodiment, architecture 100 includes a linear feedback shift register (LFSR) 110 to implement the PRPG. PRPG-LFSR 110 includes a plurality of sequential storage elements (in a typical embodiment, flip-flops) 111–114 that are connected in series with a feedback loop and one XOR operation (indicated by the circled plus sign). As shown in FIG. 1A, the flow of signals in these interconnected flip-flops is from left to right. Note that a linear feedback shift register has a characteristic polynomial that is expressed in terms of its feedback connections. In this embodiment, PRPG-LFSR 110 implements the polynomial f(x)=x4+x3+1. Other embodiments can implement other polynomials, preferably primitive polynomials.
As shown in FIG. 1B, if an LFSR 180 generates bit sequences, i.e. the test patterns, directly for scan chains 181–184, then those bit sequences differ by only a few bits, i.e. phase shifts. These small phase shifts can undesirably reduce the fault coverage. As a result, in architecture 100, a phase shifter 120 is provided to transform the outputs of PRPG-LFSR 110 into uncorrelated signals. Phase shifter 120 is described in further detail in "Built-In Test for VLSI: Pseudorandom Techniques", by P. H. Bardell et al., page 176, John Wiley & Sons, 1987. Thus, the values from PRPG-LFSR 110 are loaded into scan chains 131–136 in a manner controlled by the various XOR operations in phase shifter 120. In this embodiment, scan chain 131 includes an input scan pin si1 and an output scan pin so1. Scan chains 132–136 include corresponding scan pins si2/so2, si3/so3, si4/so4, si5/so5, and si6/so6, respectively.
Compactor 140 compacts the outputs from tested design 130 and provides inputs to a multiple input signature register (MISR) LFSR 150, which includes a plurality of storage elements 151–154 coupled in series with various XOR operations and feedback loops. In this embodiment, MISR-LFSR 150 implements the polynomial f(x)=x4+x+1. After several cycles, MISR-LFSR 150, described in further detail in "Built-In Test for VLSI: Pseudorandom Techniques", by P. H. Bardell et al., page 119, John Wiley & Sons, 1987, provides a "signature" that is a near-unique checksum for a given sequence of its input values. At this point, the state of MISR-LFSR 150 can be compared to the known "signature" of the fault-free design, wherein a mismatch indicates that at least one erroneous value was unloaded from scan chains 131–136. This erroneous value can be used to determine that a fault exists in tested design 130.
FIG. 1C illustrates a graph plotting fault coverage versus number of pseudorandom test patterns. As seen in FIG. 1C, pseudorandom pattern generation has two disadvantages. First, the final fault coverage is signficantly less than 100%. Generally, a PRPG provides fault coverage in the range of 70–80%, which is unacceptable for many IC applications. Moreover, as the number of test patterns increases, the detection of faults becomes significantly less efficient (as is the case in deterministic ATPG). Specifically, pseudorandom pattern generation is very efficient in removing easy-to-detect faults from a fault list in the beginning of the test process, but is less efficient in removing hard-to-detect (i.e. circuit dependent) faults near the end of the test process. In fact, to achieve acceptable test coverage, the number of PRPG patterns must be significantly larger than the number of deterministic ATPG patterns to provide the same fault coverage. Therefore, using PRPG forces a trade-off between reduced test coverage and reduced tester storage data.
Several solutions have been proposed to address this problem, each having associated disadvantages. In one solution, the number of scan chains can be increased, thereby reducing the number of pattern load/unload clock cycles. However, the tester storage volume is still unreasonably large for typical industry applications. In a second solution, test points can be added to the design, thereby increasing the probability of fault detection by pseudorandom patterns. This solution is undesirable because it increases silicon area and the propagation delay of critical timing paths. In a third solution, the pseudorandom patterns can be biased or modified to test for random-resistant faults. However, this solution adds significant silicon area to the design and/or increases data volume stored in the tester. In a fourth solution, deterministic ATPG patterns can be added to BIST patterns for a more complete test coverage. However, this solution significantly increases the data volume stored in the tester.
Finally, in a fifth solution, the PRPG is initialized, i.e. seeded, such that predetermined scan cells are set to values, after a suitable number of cycles of the PRPG, that achieve detection of targeted faults. The values stored in these predetermined scan cells, called "care bits", are typically much fewer (i.e. on the order of hundreds) than the "don't care bits" (i.e. on the order of hundreds of thousands) stored in the other scan cells. This solution is described in further detail in "LFSR-Coded Test Patterns for Scan Designs", by B. Könemann, Munich 1991. This solution requires serially loading the seeds into the PRPG. In FIG. 1A, four clock cycles are needed to load PRPG-LFSR 110. However, an actual implementation of PRPG-LFSR 110 could include hundreds of storage elements, thereby requiring a corresponding number of cycles to load. Thus, this solution can also significantly increase the test application time. Therefore, a need arises for a pseudorandom pattern generation system and method that minimizes test application time while achieving fault coverage comparable to deterministic ATPG.
Moreover, referring back to FIG. 1A, which illustrates a standard logic BIST architecture 100, tested design 130 can occasionally output uncertain outputs that can corrupt the signature generated by MISR LFSR 150. These uncertain outputs can be caused by floating buses, race conditions, and un-initialized components in the design. Although tested design 130 can be modified to eliminate these uncertain outputs, the inconvenience and inefficiency of changing the design merely for test purposes renders such additional step(s) highly undesirable. Therefore, a further need arises for a system and method that filters the outputs of the scan chains, thereby ensuring that any uncertain outputs are not provided to the MISR.

Deterministic BIST architecture tolerant of uncertain scan chain outputs


The invention relates to a process for making a monofilament-like product from a precursor containing a multitude of continuous polyolefin filaments, comprising exposing the precursor to a temperature within the melting point range of the polyolefin for a time sufficient to at least partly fuse adjacent fibers and simultaneously stretching the precursor at a draw ratio of at least 2.8. With the process according to the invention a monofilament-like product can be made that shows improved tensile properties; making it very suitable for application as e.g. fishing line.

Such a process is known from EP 0740002 B1. In this patent publication a process for making a fishing-line from yarns of filamentous materials is described, wherein a line made from braided, twisted, or twisted and plied yarns of gel spun polyolefin filaments is exposed to a temperature within the melting point range of said polyolefin for a time sufficient to at least partially fuse adjacent filaments while stretching said line at a stretching ratio within the range from 1.01 to 2.5, preferably from 1.35 to about 2.2. It is indicated that applying such stretch ratio to the precursor during the heat exposure is needed in order to keep the filaments under elongational tension, so as to prevent decrease of the strength of the product as a result of thermal molecular relaxation processes. The yarns applied in this process are continuous multi-filament yarns, more specifically such yarns made by so-called gel spinning of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene (UHMWPE), for example yarns commercially available under the trademarks Spectra® or Dyneema®. The monofilament-like products thus obtained in EP 0740002 B1 typically show a tenacity of from 13 to 32 g/d, and an elongation at break of from 1.9 to 3.3%.
Fishing lines are generally monofilaments made from synthetic polymers, having a round, firm structure that allows convenient handling for bait casting, spinning, and spin casting. Such monofilament lines generally have a stiff nature and smooth surface, which combine to reduce drag during the cast and enable longer casts while providing better release from fishing reels. Braided lines containing a multitude of filaments are less suited for fishing lines, because they have a tendency to fray at the end of the line, may entrap water, present an outer surface that is vulnerable to snags and entanglement, and have an opaque appearance that is too visible below water. The process known from EP 0740002 B1 allows making monofilament-like fishing lines from braided or twisted lines made from polyolefin multi-filaments yarns, which lines have specific advantages over braided lines. The performance of such fused lines also compares favourable with that of a conventional monofilament made from e.g. polyamide by melt extrusion in view of is higher tensile strength (or tenacity) and stiffness; but its elongation at break is significantly lower (about 2-3% versus 10-20%). On the one hand, low elongation and high modulus are advantageous for a fishing line, because it allows a fisherman to feel even an initial bite of a fish on a lure. On the other hand, a low elongation results in relatively low total energy absorption upon instant heavy loading, as upon hooking a fish, and may thus result in premature breaking. A line of low elongation, or low elasticity, also more readily injures biting fish. Therefore, it is desirable to have a monofilament-like product made from a precursor containing a multitude of continuous polyolefin filaments that combines higher elongation with comparable stiffness and strength as the known lines, especially the strength of a line containing a knot (knot strength).
There is thus a constant need for fishing lines offering improved performance, especially improved tensile properties. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a process for making a monofilament-like product with enhanced tensile properties.
This object is achieved according to the invention with a process for making a monofilament-like product from a precursor containing a multitude of continuous polyolefin filaments, comprising exposing the precursor to a temperature within the melting point range of the polyolefin for a time sufficient to at least partly fuse adjacent fibres while simultaneously stretching the precursor at a draw ratio of at least 2.7.
With the process according to the invention a monofilament-like product can be made from e.g. a plied or braided construction of polyolefin yarns, which product shows favourable tensile properties, such as a higher elongation at break, as measured in a tensile test as specified in ASTM D885M, more specifically by using a nominal gauge length of the fibre of 500 mm, a crosshead speed of 50%/min and Instron 2714 clamps. The monofilament-like product obtained by the process according to the invention typically shows an elongation at break of at least 4.0%, which makes it very suitable for use as fishing-line, as surgical suture and the like. The monofilament-like product obtained by the process according to the invention also shows high knot strength and knot strength efficiency. The mono-filament-like product obtained further has a pleasant touch or feel and can be easily handled and knotted. Another advantage of the process according to the invention is that it can be applied with high efficiency to twisted or air-entangled multifilament yarns, whereas in the known process braided precursors were applied for best results. The process according to the invention also offers more flexibility, in that a range of products with varying linear density (titer) can be made from one precursor. This means a simplification of the overall production process, and thus a more cost effective production.
It is true that applying a higher draw ratio during thermal fusion of a line containing polyolefin fibres is also suggested in WO 2004/033774 A1, but the process described therein is applied to a precursor containing spun yarn made from short staple fibres, which precursor has a completely different construction than a precursor containing continuous filaments. In addition, in the examples in WO 2004/033774 A1 only a draw ratio of at most 1.8 is disclosed; and elongation at break of a product made tends to decrease with increasing draw ratio.
It is further known that a relatively high draw ratio can be applied in the (post-)stretching steps forming part of the so-called gel spinning process of polyolefin into high-strength fibres; for example in EP 0205960 post-stretching is indicated to improve creep-resistance of multifilament UHMWPE yarn. Said publication, however, is silent on thermally fusing multifilament yarn into a monofilament-like product.
With the process according to the invention a monofilament-like product is made from a precursor containing a multitude of continuous polyolefin filaments. A monofilament-like product is understood to be a product that has an appearance and feel more resembling that of a monofilament than that of multi-filament yarn or cord, but which actually is made from a multitude of continuous filaments that typically have a diameter of less than about 50, often less than 30 micrometer. The monofilament-like product may have a diameter that varies within a wide range, e.g. from about 0.05 up to several millimeters (or more general products of titer from e.g. 10 up to several thousands dtex). A precursor is herein understood to be an article of indefinite length containing a multitude of continuous polyolefin filaments, for example one or more multifilament yarns of titre 50-2000 dtex, and is used as feed or starting material in the process according to the invention. A suitable precursor can be in the form of for example a braided cord, a plied and twisted yarn, cord or rope comprising a number of strands containing polyolefin filaments, but also a single-strand yarn. The precursor contains predominantly polyolefin filaments, i.e. 50 or more mass % of the total amount of filaments, preferably it contains at least 70, 80, 90 mass % of polyolefin filaments, or even substantially consists of only such filaments. This results in a line with high mechanical performance.

Process for making a monofilament-like product


Method and apparatus for drying and/or cleaning a workpiece, such as an electronic part, semiconductor wafer, printed circuit board or the like. As the workpiece is withdrawn from a processing liquid, a selected drying liquid, such as hydrofluoroether (HFE) or an HFE azeotrope, that has a very small surface tension, is volatile, and has a density that is greater than the processing liquid density, is sprayed on, dribbled on or otherwise transferred to an exposed surface of the workpiece. The workpiece can be dried in 7-45 seconds, or less, in most situations and can be cleaned using the invention. Drying and/or cleaning can be performed in a single workpiece process, a single workpiece continuous process or a batch process.

In fabrication of a semiconductor wafer, an electrical or optical component or a printed circuit board, a workpiece will be subjected to one or more cleaning and drying processes in which, ideally, all foreign substances that are not intended to be incorporated in the workpiece are removed. Chemical baths containing strong acids, strong bases or oxidizers, such as HCl, H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, HNO.sub.3, H.sub.2 PO.sub.3, HF, NH.sub.4 OH and H.sub.2 O.sub.2, are often used as part of a cleaning process. These substances are often toxic, chemically reactive, corrosive and/or bioaccumulative and must be handled and disposed of as hazardous substances.
Several workers have disclosed methods for drying parts, including integrated circuits, by use of heated or superheated gases. One attractive method uses a drying vapor of heated isopropanol (IPA), which forms a minimum boiling azeotrope with water and is believed to displace water from the wafer surfaces, and the vapor flows into the vessel at one end and simultaneously flows out of the vessel at another end.
Other workers have disclosed use of a plurality of megasonic beam transducers, located at staggered positions, for cleaning wafers. Each transducer emits a vibratory megasonic beam with an unspecified (very high) frequency in a fixed direction, and the transducer locations are chosen so that the collection of beams irradiate, and thereby clean, all wafer surfaces in a chamber, no matter how the wafers are arranged.
Use of ultrasonic transducers in a chemical cleaning bath to cooperatively remove contaminants and unwanted material layers from semiconductor wafers, medical instruments and other objects of interest is disclosed by other workers. Still other workers have disclosed use of ultrasonic transducers to coat, spray, deposit or otherwise apply a desired material to an object surface, or for ultrasonic fogging.
These approaches use heated or superheated gases or direct beam irradiation to dry or clean an object surface; or they use cooperative action by an ultrasonic beam and an active chemical bath to remove contaminants from, or to apply a desired material to, an object surface. These approaches are complex, usually require operation at high temperatures, often require processing times of one to several minutes, and often require use of specially resistant chamber walls for the processing chamber. The chemicals used are often designated as hazardous substances, requiring special handling.
What is needed is a system that uses non-hazardous substances for chemically cleaning and/or drying workpieces and that is reasonably effective for removing substantially all foreign substances with diameters above a range of sizes, such as 0.1-0.5 .mu.m. Preferably, the system should also be effective for removing liquids from and drying and cleaning workpieces in relatively short time intervals. Preferably, the chemicals used should be recyclable and the energy requirements for the cleaning or drying process should be modest.


The present invention relates generally to a filtration article, such as a protective facemask, a method for using a filtration article, and a method for preparing a filtration article. In particular, the invention relates to a protective facemask that cost-effectively offers a broad spectrum of antimicrobial protection through the use of fibers treated with one or more oligodynamic metal and/or salt of an oligodynamic metal.

Due to the risk of infection by pathogens, such as airborne pathogens, the use of protective facemasks has become part of standard practice in many settings, such as in hospitals and other medical facilities, by those who come into contact with patients. Protective facemasks are also widely used by others, such as medical professionals and other healthcare workers, for example, paramedics and emergency medical technicians, who interact with patients outside formal treatment settings. Typically, a facemask is worn by the medical professional or other healthcare worker to protect both the wearer and patient from transmission of any infective agent. For example, the facemask can be used to protect a healthcare worker from an infected patient. Likewise, the facemask can be used to protect a vulnerable patient from exposure to pathogens, for example a patient undergoing a surgical procedure or an immunocompromised patient. As such, protective facemasks are an essential component of a healthcare worker's personal protective equipment. Of course, it may also be beneficial for certain patients or individuals who are immunocompromised or particularly susceptible or vulnerable to infection to also wear such protective facemasks. Protective facemasks may also be useful for distribution to the general public in cases of epidemics or pandemics, as well as in cases of any widespread release of pathogens or agents containing pathogens, whether intentional or unintentional. An effective facemask represents a critical barrier in preventing the transmission of harmful infections.
Various designs and configurations for facemasks have been previously proposed. One class of masks uses a filter network to trap the pathogens. These facemasks include the surgical type masks commonly worn in hospitals. One example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,044,993 to Bolduc entitled "Microbicidal air filter." Bolduc discloses a system that employs an immobilization network of fibers having antimicrobial agents incorporated and molecularly bonded into its structure. Another class of masks include those that employ filter canisters to trap the pathogens. One example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,765 to Wen entitled "Antiviral and antibacterial respirator mask." Wen discloses a system that employs a filtration apparatus containing both an active stage and passive stage filter in the mask.
The aforesaid designs and other previously proposed facemasks suffer from a number of important shortcomings. For example, some designs may only immobilize and not neutralize the airborne pathogens. Thus, removal of a facemask after use may cause pathogens not completely immobilized to be dispersed into the air immediately around the user. The pathogen may cause an infection if inhaled or may pose a contact transmission risk via the hands during the disposal process. In addition, some of the designs incorporate viscous material into the filter material to capture particulate material, while other designs incorporate complex arrangements of filters inside cartridges. These designs may be impractical for use in facemasks. For example, they may be too complex and cumbersome to routinely use as well as too expensive. In other cases, material harmful to humans, such as fiberglass, iodine, or chlorine, are used as part of the filter medium. Another facemask design uses antibacterial agents that freely detach from fibers of the facemask. These designs have the problem of a rapid loss of their antibacterial activity upon cleaning or washing thereof.
As is apparent from the foregoing, all of the previously proposed techniques to retain and neutralize microbes are characterized to some degree by deficiencies. Accordingly, there is a considerable need for an improved antimicrobial facemask. In particular, there is a need for an antimicrobial facemask that is both effective, safe, comfortable, durable, easy to use and store and relatively inexpensive to produce.


To solve the limit of wall-thickness adjustment of a preform for a small flat container by a flat core by forming the outer side of a step-up-formed large-wall-thickness shell part with reducing wall thickness. A preform 1 for a small flat container whose inside diameter is completely circular and restricted to a small value is used. A shell part 12 is step-out-formed from the boundary between a neck part 11 and a shell part 12 so that the shell part 12 has a diameter larger than the neck part 11. A difference is provided between wall thickness of forward/backward sides 12a and right/left sides 12b of the shell part 12 by forming the outer side of the shell part into an ellipse form or the like from the underside of step-out at with reducing wall thickness. A stepped out part 14 is left like a disk in the underside of the neck part.

When manufacturing a flat container having a thin-walled shell part by blow-molding with stretch or without stretch by using an injection-molded preform, the wall thickness between forward and backward surface sides and right and left surface sides of the shell part of the preform is adjusted to provide a difference in the heat capacity of the shell part. The wall thickness is adjusted by forming the outer side of the shell part into an oval or parallel plane or by using a flat core for an injection core and thereby forming the inner opposed planes of the shell part into parallel planes. However, the wall thickness of the shell part is mostly adjusted by a flat core because the wall thickness can be easily set.
However, in the case of a narrow-mouthed small flat container for eyewash or cosmetics, the inside diameter of a preform is also restricted. Accordingly, the injection core used for the preform is limited to small inner diameter, thus, it becomes very difficult to form both sides of such injection core flat because the injection core has double cooling passages. For this reason, a small flat container which can be manufactured by adjusting the wall thickness of the shell part of a preform by a flat core is limited.
The present invention is made in response to the above situation and its object is to provide a novel preform capable of manufacturing a narrow-mouthed small flat container which is thin in wall thickness and is well adjusted in thickness distribution and to provide a small flat container manufactured by using the preform. The object is attained by solving the limitations on wall thickness adjustment due to a flat core by providing a wall thickness difference (heat capacity difference) indispensable for flat-molding and by preventing the shell part to be blow molded from biasing the wall thickness in flatting.

Preform for small flat container and small flat container


The invention relates to communication processing system and communication processing method which can process data at a high speed by efficiently and smoothly executing data processings for transmission and reception. The system has small scale memory areas which are independent in layers and a large scale memory area which is common to the layers. Data of a small size is transferred to the small scale memory areas and the large scale memory area is released.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to communication processing system and communication processing method which are applied to data that is transmitted to a computer, a peripheral device, or the like via a wire or radio.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, as one of the communication processing systems, there has been known a communication processing system such that an infrared transmitting and receiving apparatus transmits print data from a host computer which is built therein or is externally attached to a peripheral device such as a printer or the like similarly having the infrared transmitting and receiving apparatus and prints.
Data can be also transmitted from the peripheral device such as a printer or the like and, contrarily, data can be also transmitted from the peripheral device to the host computer.
In association with it, an amount of data which is transmitted from the host computer or the like also increases. On the other hand, although the whole function of the peripheral device such as a printer or the like is improved, their resources as well as hardware are not so changed. Therefore, data communicating apparatus and data processing in which a high speed processing can be performed are necessary.
Actually, in a sequence of a communication data processing via a wire or radio, a layer structure which is specified by the OSI is constructed in a form of a combination of software and hardware. Upon transmission, by repeating operations to add information peculiar to a layer to transmission data every layer and transfer the data to the lower layer, final transmission data is formed and the data transmission between the apparatuses is performed. Upon reception, by performing the opposite operations to the received data, namely, by repeating the operations to execute the operation for removing the added information and transfer the data to the upper position, reception data that is equivalent to the transmission data can be derived.
Therefore, since the increase in transmission data is seen as an increase in time which is required for printing in an output apparatus such as a printer or the like, a high speed processing of the reception data or transmission data is necessary.
An example of a protocol processing from an infrared port in the conventional system will now be described with reference to FIG. 5.
FIG. 5 shows an example in which a portion of a data processing which is executed in a layer on the reception side in FIG. 4, which will be explained hereinlater, is extracted. Reference numeral 401 denotes an area where the data received by a physical layer 400 has been written as it is. Areas 402 and 403 indicate layers. Hatched portions 401a, 402a, and 403a are portions which are processed in the layers, respectively. Portions 401b, 402b, and 403b denote data which is transferred to the upper layers.
Actual processings in FIG. 5 will now be described. Only the area 401 is assured as a memory area. As for the areas 402 and 403, a head address and an access right for the memory area are transferred between tasks, thereby sequentially processing in each layer (task). When the processing of the last layer 403 is finished, the access right is transferred to the first layer 401 and the accumulation of the next data is again started. By repeating those processings, data is continuously transferred from the infrared port to a reception buffer.
In the case where the host computer and the printer execute an infrared communication between two apparatuses by using a standardized protocol such as an infrared communication, since each layer sequentially executes the data processing as mentioned above, there is a restriction such that so long as the processing of the data which was previously received is not completely finished in the upper layer, the next data cannot be received. Therefore, since the system is subjected to such a restriction, a problem such that the high speed processing of the reception data or transmission data cannot be executed occurs.

Communications system having a large storing circuit common for all layers and a plurality of small storing circuits for the individual layers respectively


An optical apparatus is disclosed which can control a position of a driven member with precision using a simple control algorithm. The optical apparatus includes an actuator, a driven member, a transmission mechanism for transmitting a driving force from the actuator to the driven member, a first detector for detecting driving of the actuator and for outputting a signal corresponding to a detection result, a second detector for detecting driving of the driven member and for outputting a signal corresponding to a detection result, and a controller for controlling the actuator, wherein the controller determines, after activating the actuator, one of the first and second detectors which the one outputs a signal corresponding to a predetermined driving amount earlier, and controls the actuator based on the signal from the one that has been determined.

Japanese Patent Application, Publication No. 2001-83397 discloses an optical apparatus that includes an autofocus (hereinafter "AF" for short) lens, a first pulse encoder that detects a driving speed and driving amount of the AF lens, and a second pulse encoder that detects a driving speed of an AF actuator, wherein the optical apparatus controls the speeds based on an output from the second encoder when the AF actuator runs and accelerates, and based on an output from the first pulse encoder when the AF actuator decelerates and stops.
Such an optical apparatus includes a mechanism that transmits a driving force from the AF actuator to the AF lens, and the mechanism has a complicated mechanical structure composed of a gear, a focus ring, a manual focus ("MF") ring, etc. This mechanical structure would generate frictions, and the speed detection at one location causes the AF motor to stop or suddenly accelerate in response to a user's manual manipulation. A structure disclosed in the above reference rectifies this shortcoming, and stabilizes the AF action.
Current cameras usually have the AF function, and are required to provide a more precise AF and a shorter focusing time upon the subject.
The precise AF requires a precise encoder used to detect a position of a focus lens.
Nevertheless, the actuator actually drives the focus lens, and a transmission mechanism transmits a driving force applied by the actuator to the focus lens.
The transmission mechanism is configured to connect plural gears and generates backlashes and deflections, causing a difference between the actual driving speed of the actuator and the moving speed of the focus lens.
Therefore, the speed detecting location by the encoder greatly affects a stop position and driving speed of the focus lens. In other words, even though the encoder becomes precise, the accuracy of the stop position does not improve if the driving speed of the focus lens is unstable. A detailed description will now be given of this problem.
FIG. 10 shows a structure of a focus unit driving mechanism that uses a conventional actuator. The driving force of an actuator 130 is transmitted to a gear part 151a in a fixed-position rotating ring 151 via plural gears 131 to 134, and drives the fixed-position rotating ring 151. This force drives a focus unit 102 that is helicoidally connected to the fixed-position rotating ring 151; a focus lens (not shown) in the focus unit 102 moves and is focused upon the subject.
The encoder includes pulse plates 143 and 121, and photointerrupters 104 and 105. The pulse plate has holes at regular pitches in a rotational direction. The rotational amount and rotational speed are detectable by reading the light transmitting state and the light shielding state of the pulse plate using the photointerrupters.
The pulse plate 143 and 121 need a smaller hole pitch for improved position detecting accuracy of the focus unit 102. When the stop position of the focus unit 102 and the speed of the actuator 130 are controlled while the encoder is arranged at a position A in FIG. 10, mechanical looseness, deflections, deformations, etc. may slightly retard a transmission of the driving force of the actuator 130 to the focus unit 102.
In other words, when an output of the pulse plate 143 is detected and controlled at the position A, the rotational amount and rotational speed of the actuator 130 can be precisely detected. However, the detected rotational speed may not correspond to the moving speed of the focus unit 102. In this case, the actual focus unit 102's stop position scatters even when the actuator 130 is controlled to stop for each predetermined driving amount.
On the other hand, when the stop position of the focus unit 102 and the speed of the actuator 130 are controlled while this encoder is arranged at a position B in FIG. 10, the speed control is maintained without influence of the mechanical looseness, deflections, deformations, etc. until the driving force of the actuator 130 transmits to the focus unit.
However, when the actuator 130 is activated with large mechanical looseness (which is caused, for example, by backlashes among gears when the actuator is driven in a direction reverse to the last driving direction), the focus unit 102 does not move due to the mechanical looseness until the looseness is removed. The encoder starts detection after the focus unit starts moving.
In other words, due to no output at all from the encoder just after the actuator 130 is activated, the control accelerates the speed of the actuator 130. When the mechanical looseness is removed, the accelerated driving of the actuator 130 transmits to the focus unit 102 and might cause the moving speed of the focus unit 102 to exceed the predetermined target speed.
Conceivably, in an attempt for a slight driving, for example, this phenomenon would cause the focus unit 102's inertial force to move the focus unit 102 beyond the predetermined driving amount, even when the actuator 130 stops after the focus unit 102 moves by the predetermined amount. In other words, the precise control over the stop position of the focus unit 102 is not available.
One preferable solution for this problem is to arrange photointerrupters at both the positions A and B. However, the above control method that utilizes the speed detections at two positions requires the information of the current driving direction to be stored in a memory, for example, so that the control method can determine whether or not there is looseness in the next driving. In addition, switching of the speed detecting encoders between the positions A and B for the acceleration and the deceleration makes the control complicated disadvantageously.
Moreover, as to the detection accuracy of the driving amount, the accuracy of the output values relating to the driving amount may be worse than the usual one due to a hole pitch difference between the pulse plate 143 at the position A and the pulse plate 121 at the position B, and a relationship between a reducing ratio from the actuator 130 to the pulse plates 143 and 121 and a reducing ratio from the actuator 130 to the focus unit 102. It is therefore not necessarily the best method to switch the speed control based on the output from the encoder at the position A and the speed control based on the output from the encoder at the position B.
In addition, the detection accuracy of the driving amount would differ between DC and vibrating motors applicable to the actuator. This is because the DC motor generally rotates at a high speed with a low torque whereas the vibrating motor rotates at a low speed with a high torque. Therefore, for the same moving speed of the focus unit, use of the DC motor would require a larger reducing ratio and more gears in FIG. 10.
A description will be given of the stop position accuracy, for example, where the DC motor and the vibrating motor are used for the actuators for driving two lenses having approximately the same mechanical structure in driving force and moving speed of the focus unit. While these motors are connected to the pulse plates having the same hole pitch, the number of output pulses of the encoder is detected relative to the rotational amount of the fixed-position rotating ring. As a result, the lens that uses the DC motor has more output pulses due to the above relationship of the reducing ratio.
According to this structure, use of the DC motor would be able to detect a position of the focus unit with higher precision. Use of the vibrating motor as the actuator would provide a worse position detection accuracy than the DC motor due to the above relationship of the reducing ratio.
From this relationship, in order for the lens that uses the vibrating motor to obtain the same position detection accuracy as the lens that uses the DC motor, it is necessary to provide a reduction mechanism between the vibrating motor and the focus lens, and gears that increase the motor's speed between the vibrating motor and the pulse plate.
While a conceivable method might be to associate the speed-increased final gear with the pulse plate for improved stop position accuracy, it would hardly actually improve the position detecting accuracy of the focus unit, since the mechanical looseness increases between the vibrating motor and the pulse plate in addition to the increasing mechanical looseness between the vibrating motor and the focus unit.
Apparently, it is preferable to use two position detecting mechanisms to detect a position of the lens that uses the vibrating motor, i.e., one that omits the speed increasing mechanism by gears and the other that detects a position of the focus unit. In particular, the position detecting mechanism for the focus unit preferably uses a pulse plate having a smaller hole pitch for improved accuracy.
It is thus preferable to detect the position and speed at both the positions A and B in FIG. 10. However, the position detecting accuracy at the position B may be better due to the actuator and the mechanical structure.
In view of these mechanical structures, the speed control should select one of detection systems at two points based on the past and current states. This selection necessity complicates the control and requires a high-performance (or expensive) microcomputer.


A thin film transistor (TFT), a method of forming the same and a flat panel display device having the same are disclosed. The TFT includes a buffer layer and a semiconductor layer which are sequentially disposed on a substrate, a gate pattern including an insulating pattern and a gate electrode pattern which are sequentially disposed on the semiconductor layer, source and drain regions defining a portion of the semiconductor layer below the gate pattern as a channel area, formed by doping the semiconductor layer disposed at both sides of the gate pattern with impurities, and extending from both sides of the channel area, a passivation layer which covers the entire surface of the substrate having the gate pattern, a first metal electrode which penetrates a portion of the passivation layer disposed on the source area and a portion of the source region below the portion of the passivation layer to be electrically connected with the source region, and a second metal electrode which penetrates a portion of the passivation layer disposed on the drain area and a portion of the drain region below the portion of the passivation layer to be electrically connected with the drain region. According to the present invention, a metal is infiltrated into source and drain regions to disperse an electric current when a TFT operates, and thus charge mobility is improved, and damage of a drain region caused by the excessive current density is prevented, leading to the long lifespan and excellent performance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film transistor (TFT), a method of forming the same, and a flat panel display device having the same, and more particularly, to a TFT capable of dispersing an electric current by infiltrating a metal into source and drain regions when the TFT operates, whereby charge mobility is improved, and damage of a drain region caused by the excessive current density is prevented, leading to the long lifespan and excellent performance, a method of forming the same, and a flat panel display device having the same.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A thin film transistor (TFT), which is a type of a field effect transistor (FET), is commonly not only applied to a static random access memory (SRAM) or read only memory (ROM) but also used as a pixel switching element of an active matrix flat panel display device. For example, a TFT is used as a pixel switching element or a current driving element of a liquid crystal display (LCD) device or an organic electro-luminescence display device. A TFT used as such a switching element serves to isolate individual pixels from electrical influence of neighboring pixels and to transmit an electrical signal to the pixels.
A semiconductor employed in a TFT is usually amorphous silicon (amorphous Si) or polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si). When current driving ability of a TFT or mobility of a charge carrier is considered, poly-Si is more suitable for a semiconductor used in a TFT. On the other hand, when a processing temperature or an available substrate is considered, amorphous Si is more suitable for a semiconductor used in a TFT, and thus semiconductors used in TFTs have mostly been formed of amorphous Si so far.
However, charge mobility in a TFT which uses amorphous Si is only about 0.5 cm2/Vs. Therefore, in an LCD which uses a TFT having a channel formed of amorphous Si as a switching element, it is difficult to increase the operating speed. As a result, research on forming a channel of a TFT formed of a material having a higher charge mobility than amorphous Si or changing a structure of a TFT to increase charge mobility has been conducted.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a problem occurring in a conventional TFT.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional TFT includes a buffer layer 2 disposed on a substrate 1. A semiconductor pattern 3 is disposed on the buffer layer 2, and an insulating layer 4 and a gate electrode 5 are disposed sequentially on the semiconductor pattern 3. The semiconductor pattern 3 below the gate electrode 5 functions as a channel area. A source region 6 and a drain region 7 are disposed in parallel to the semiconductor pattern 3.
If the TFT is used as a driving element of an LCD as described above, the TFT has a charge moving path CP1 which is wider in a direction of the drain region 7 from the channel region 3. Charges are concentrated in a local area A while moving to the drain region 7, and thus the extent to which charges are dispersed is increased in the local area A. As a result, there occurs a problem in that the charge mobility is decreased. Also, the charge moving path CP1 becomes almost perpendicular in the drain region 7, and thus stress is continuously applied to the local area A. Consequently, as a time goes by, driving characteristics of the TFT deteriorate, leading to a short lifespan.

Thin film transistor, method of forming the same and flat panel display device having the same

Sungkyunkwan University Foundation For Corporate Collaboration


This invention relates to the improvement in an anti-theft device for the gearshift lever of an automotive vehicle equiped with an automatic transmission. This device comprises a sleeve surrounding and firmly engaging a lower portion of the gearshift lever extending vertically upwardly through a slot opening of the flooorboard of the vehicle and is provided with a L-shaped latching member having a vertical arm being pivotally mounted in the sleeve and a horizontal arm which can be lowered into, concealed within and occupying the slot and a locking means having a semi-circular shaft partially intersecting the pivotal joint or hinge of the latching member thereof. The vertical arm is provided with a pair of arcuate notches at the hinge which can be brought to engage the shaft at either the lowered and a raised and upright position respectively. In either of these positions, the latching member can be locked therein by the turn of the shaft to provide the locking and unlocking functions of the anti-theft device.

Gorden U.S. Pat. No. 1,388,035 shows a locking device for the gearshift lever of an automobile. The device comprises basically a sleeve adapted to be securely fastened to the gear lever , a pivotal arm or latching member adapted to be received in a keeper socket away from the gear lever, and a lock for locking the arm in the socket to hold the lever against the movement at the neutral position for the anti-theft purpose. The device is a relatively simple and straight forward structure, which appears seemingly effective and easy in operation according to Gorden's description. But in practices, this device has serious deficiencies. First, because the socket is an independent structure from the locking device, it must be attached firmly to somewhere else in the body away from the lever. Additional labor is therefore required for the installation as well as holes or punctures must be made onto the body of the vehicle. This may be very difficult for the owner of the vehicle to accept. Secondly, the far reaching distances between the arm, the keeper socket and the lever creates a very large gap which allows foreign matters to be inserted therein and pry the corresponding structure. Thirdly, the insertion of the terminal of the latching arm to the keeper socket is through a pivotal motion of the arm while both the socket and the sleeve are held stationary. In this respect, the socket provides no resistance for the terminal to pivotally move in, therefore, it will not provide any resistance for same to pivotally move out, other conditions unchanged. The only mechanism to keep the terminal in the socket against pivotal movement is the tumbler at the far and hinge end of the arm and this can be easily overcome by prying with a cross bar or any foreign matter at the terminal end of the arm. Once this terminal is pryed out of the socket, the entire anti-theft functioning of this device is defeated.
I have found that the above deficiencies of Gorden's teaching can be overcome by eliminating the socket structure as the receiving vehicle, employing the existing slot opening for this purpose and by replacing the straight latching arm with a L-shaped latching member matching in size and shape of same slot which can be lowered and conceived therein to perform the anti-theft function. The positioning of the lever is also changed from the "neutral" to the "park" position in order to accomodate these modifications. These and other improvements of the structure will become apparent following the specifications and drawings of this application for patent.


Systems and methods for multiple image registration of images of a scene or an object. Receiving image data, the image data includes images collected from different measurements of a single modality or multiple modalities, either at different rotation angles, horizontal shifts, or vertical shifts, of the scene or the object. Estimating registration parameters, using pairs of images, each pair of images includes a reference image and a floating image. Generating parameter matrices corresponding to registration parameters using an image registration process for all pairs of images. Decomposing each parameter matrix into a low-rank matrix of updated registration parameters and a sparse matrix corresponding to the registration parameter errors for each low-rank matrix, to obtain updated registration parameters for robust registration. Using the updated registration parameters to form a transformation matrix to register the images with at least one reference image, resulting in robust registration of the images.

Image registration is of crucial importance in integrating information from images of the same area of interest. For example, pan-sharpening is a technique to fuse a high spatial-resolution panchromatic (Pan) image with its corresponding low spatial resolution RGB (i.e. red, green, blue) color image or multi-spectral (MS) image. In order to achieve good fusion performance, an accurate registration between the Pan and the RGB or MS image is required. Image registration is an interesting developmental topic in image processing and attracts a lot of attention within the image processing technology field. For example, some conventional methods use various techniques to address some of hardware problems. For example, a method described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,087 B1 aims to register multi-view images by minimizing an objective function that characterizes differences between an reference image and a transformed floating image.
The present disclosure addresses the technological needs of today's image processing industries and other related technology industries, by improving the robustness of image registration for multiple rigid transformed images resulting in, by non-limiting example, enhancing image quality with high spatial resolution and high spectral resolution.

Robust image registration for multiple rigid transformed images

Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.


A method for handoff between cells in a communication system includes the network sends a cell individual offset preset for a cell in the active set relative to each of its neighboring cells respectively to a terminal. After measuring the cell in the active set and its neighboring cells, the terminal evaluates the measurement in accordance with the measurement result and the cell individual offset for the cell in the active set relative to its each neighboring cell. The terminal then submits a measurement report to the network in accordance with the measurement evaluation result. The network instructs the terminal to perform a handoff between cells in accordance with the measurement report.

In a cellular mobile communication system, when a terminal, e.g., a User Equipment (UE) moves from one cell to another, the terminal needs to be handed off from the cell it originally resided in to the cell it newly enters. Through the handoff, the location of the terminal and the resource the terminal uses are updated.
Handoff is the most important part in mobility management. It refers to a process in which a link between an original sector and the terminal is replaced by a link between a new sector and the terminal when the terminal approaches the edge of an original serving cell and is to enter another serving cell.
In a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) network, for example, the handoff during a call may be categorized into hard handoff, soft handoff (handoff between cells in different Node Bs) and softer handoff (handoff between sectors in the same Node B), depending on the connection between the terminal and the network, release of the connection and frequency utilization.
Soft Handoff (SHO) means that the terminal does not disconnect from an original Node B when the terminal needs to communicate with a new Node B. In other words, during a handoff between the coverage edges of two or more Node Bs, the terminal first establishes a connection with a new cell by using a same frequency before disconnecting with the original cell, and receives signals from several Node Bs at the same time until certain conditions are met. During the handoff, the terminal communicates with all candidate Node Bs at the same time over a traffic channel (TCH).
The advantage of soft handoff is that it keeps communications uninterrupted when the terminal is crossing a cell edge, which greatly reduces call drops caused by handoff. In addition, soft handoff enables a selective combination of uplink signals and a maximal combination of downlink signals, which further improves the performance of radio links.
Soft handoff in the WCDMA network involves a pilot channel and a cell set. The WCDMA system uses a pilot channel to access and handoff to a channel. The terminal identifies the strongest signal by processing the pilot channel.
The WCDMA system uses the m sequence (short PN code) to modulate the pilot channel. The time offsets of the PN code in different pilots are different, and the offset between two neighboring pilots is 64 chips. The terminal differentiates cells by identifying the offset.
There are three types of cell sets in the WCDMA system: active set, monitor set and detect set.
1. Active set: a collection of cells corresponding to the traffic channels to which the terminal is currently connected.
2. Monitored set: the cells in a monitor set do not belong to the active set but are configured as neighboring cells to the cells in the active set and are sent to the terminal by included in a measurement control message.
3. Detected set: the cells in a detected set neither belong to the active set nor being configured as adjacent cells of the cells in the active set. These cells are not included in a measurement control message.
During a handoff, the terminal often evaluates handoff events in terms of quality.
During the evaluation, a cell individual offset (CIO) is added as an offset value to a cell measurement quality so that the evaluation of handoff event can be more accurate. For each cell in a monitored set, there can be set a cell individual offset. This offset can be either positive or negative. It is add as an offset value to the cell measurement quality when the terminal performs a handoff event evaluation.
As shown in FIG. 1, the dotted curve N1 denotes a threshold for triggering event 1A, the curve N2 indicates the actual signal quality of the primary common pilot channel (PCPICH) of a cell and the curve N3 denotes the threshold after a cell individual offset is added to the actual signal quality of the PCPICH of the cell.
It can be seen from FIG. 1 that, if no cell individual offset is configured, event 1A is triggered at point B instead of at point A. In general, a telecom operator detects a sharp rise of signal quality of a cell in advance by, e.g., a drive test and configures a positive cell individual offset so that event 1A can be triggered in advance and that a cell is added to an active set in time.
In some special scenarios in an actual network, for example, at a street corner or an overhead viaduct, the signal strength of a cell may change suddenly. Therefore, to timely trigger a handoff or avoid unnecessary handoff, it is very important to correctly configure the cell individual offset.
In the prior art, the cell individual offset is configured in allusion to a cell per se. Each cell has one unique cell individual offset. Once the cell individual offset for a cell is configured, it will not change. This unique offset, however, can result in such a problem that the unique cell individual offset for a cell does not apply to all adjacent cells of this cell. For example, assume that cells 1, 2 and 3 are intra-frequency neighboring cells each other, the cell individual offset for cell 1 is set to 3 dB which may intend to optimize the handoff from cell 2 to cell 1 in, e.g., a corner scenario, so that the handoff can be triggered timely. Regarding the handoff from cell 3 to cell 2, however, there is no such a scenario of corner and thus, it is not required to use a cell individual offset for triggering the handoff timely.
In addition, when a cell is added to or removed from an active set, the information of intra-frequency neighboring cells or inter-system neighboring cells needs to be modified accordingly. In this case, the network needs to re-send an updated measurement control message including the added and/or removed neighboring cells, to a terminal. Because the cell individual offset is configured in allusion to a cell itself and is unique, the information of those unchanged cells and the cell individual offset for them do not change even when adjacent cells are added or removed. The unchanged unique cell individual offset for these unchanged cells, however, may be unsuitable for the added adjacent cells.
During the implementation of the present invention, the inventor realized at least the following problems in the prior art: the unique cell individual offset configured for a cell per ser may do not apply to all adjacent cells of the cell. Furthermore, the unchanged cell individual offset cannot reflect the actual change of a cell. Therefore, a handoff event evaluation is not accurate enough in the prior art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A universal adapter assembly for coupling a valve actuator to a plurality of different valves having different actuator engagement configurations includes a plurality of interchangeable connectors, a drive shaft, and an adapter bracket. Each of the plurality of interchangeable connectors corresponds to one of the different actuator engagement configurations. Each of the plurality of interchangeable connectors has a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end is configured to engage a valve control knob of a valve having the corresponding actuator engagement configuration. The drive shaft is configured to engage the proximal end of each of the plurality of interchangeable connectors. The adapter bracket is configured to be coupled to the valve. The adapter bracket is further configured to include an opening to receive the drive shaft. The adapter bracket is further configured to include a set of apertures corresponding to the actuator engagement configuration. The adapter bracket is further configured to secure the adapter bracket to a mounting pad of the valve.

The present disclosure relates generally to control valves for regulating fluid flow in a building. The present disclosure relates more particularly to a universal adapter for mounting an actuator to a fluid control valve.
A valve can regulate the flow of a fluid (i.e. a liquid or a gas) by opening and closing a barrier within the valve that impedes the flow of the fluid through the valve. The barrier may be controllably adjusted or activated by a valve actuator that is coupled to the valve. Many actuators are designed to interface with a particular valve model. Accordingly, some actuators can be incompatible with particular valve models.

Universal adapter assembly for valve actuator


A camera has a release button, a shutter which operates upon depression the release button, light emitting diode that emits light used to record information on the film, a power source, a switch that closes in response to the operation of the release button to provide power to the light emitting diode, the switch having a first contact point connected to the power source and a second contact point connected to the light emitting diode, and a selecting member movably supported between a first position at which the selecting member prevents the closing of the first and second contact points and a second position at which the selecting member does not prevent the closing of the first and second contact points.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a camera in which one of multiple photo frame formats may be designated as the print mode during photo-taking, and more particularly, to a camera in which format information corresponding to the print mode designated during photo-taking is recorded on the film using an optical signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a camera capable of photo-taking using as the photo frame format for printing one of two print modes, high vision format (H format) and panorama format (P format), has been considered.
In the camera described above, format information that indicates which of the two print modes was selected during photo-taking, so that appropriate photographic paper may be selected for printing, is recorded under the photo-taking screen (frame) of the film as optical data. At the processing laboratory, the printer is controlled based on this recorded data so that photographic paper of the size suitable for each photo frame format is selected and printing takes place.
FIG. 7 shows a conceivable construction used to record format information for said two types of print modes in the area of the film where the data recording should occur.
FIG. 7 shows important components inside the camera. Film 1 is pulled out of cartridge 5 inside the camera and wound onto spool 6 as photo-taking progresses. Plate member 37 and light emitting diode (LED) 39 are located at data recording position 35 located at the lower right of frame 25 to record format information. Plate member 37 has light passage hole 38 formed in it such that the light emitted from LED 39 passes through it.
A mode selecting member on the camera main unit selects the print mode. This mode selecting member and the ON/OFF switch for the circuit for LED 39 are connected. In other words, the print mode selected by means of the mode selecting member and the condition of LED 39 (whether it is ON or OFF) when the shutter is released are related as shown in Table 1 below. In this way, the format information corresponding to the print mode is recorded at the lower right of each frame at the same time that photo-taking takes place.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Selected print mode LED 39 Format information ______________________________________ H format OFF No dot points P format ON One dot point ______________________________________
FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of said control operation. The turning ON and OFF of switch 390 is linked with the release button for shutter release, and the turning ON and OFF of switch 391 is linked with the mode selecting member to select the print mode.
Specifically, switches 390 and 391 are grounded on one end and are connected to OR circuit 392 on the other end. Pull-up resistances 393 and 394 are connected to the lines from switches 390 and 391 to OR circuit 392, said resistances being further connected with power source VDD. LED drive unit 395 controls the LED such that it emits light when the signals input from OR circuit 392 have changed from `High` to `Low`. In said control circuit, when switches 390 and 391 are OFF, `High` signals are output from OR circuit 392 at all times, and `Low` signals are output from OR circuit 392 only when switches 390 and 391 are both turned ON. Therefore, the LED emits light and one dot point is recorded only when switches 390 and 391 are both turned is ON.
In the camera described above, two switch mechanisms are used as shown in FIG. 8. In recent years, as electronization of cameras has become advanced, even if two switch mechanisms are used, as long as one or both of said switches are constructed using electronic circuits, the reliability of the camera is not significantly compromised.
However, in inexpensive cameras such as those using `film with an attached lens` (so-called disposable cameras), the use of which has rapidly increased in recent years because of their convenience, because mechanical switches having a simple mechanism are used, two switch mechanisms mean that two areas can cause a bad connection, etc., which is a major factor in reducing their reliability.
In particular, where a bad connection occurs with switch 390 linked to the release button, the camera does not operate and the user therefore can easily perceive the occurrence of a failure, but where a bad connection occurs with switch 391 linked to the switching of the mode, the failure cannot be perceived easily and the user may continue using the camera.


There is provided a pipe in a solar thermal power plant. The pipe includes an inner tube configured for carrying a heated heat transfer fluid, an outer tube surrounding the inner tube, wherein the space between the inner and outer tube is evacuated, and a getter restraint structure configured for maintaining getters in a predetermined position. The getter restraint structure is in contact with the outer tube and otherwise entirely free of contact with the inner tube and/or is in thermal isolation from the inner tube.

Amid concerns over global warming, and forecasts of both the depletion of non-renewable energy sources and rising power demand, suppliers of energy are increasingly seeking alternative primary sources of energy. One such source of energy is solar energy, and one way of utilizing solar energy is with a solar thermal power plant.
One type of solar power plant comprises a solar field which utilizes a "radiation concentrator collector" which concentrates the solar radiation by focusing it onto a smaller area, e.g., using mirrored surfaces or lenses. In this system, a reflector, which is typically parabolic, receives and reflects (focuses) incoming solar radiation onto a radiation absorber, which is formed as a tube. The tube radiation absorber is concentrically surrounded by a treated glass enclosure tube to limit the loss of heat. The collector system further includes means to track the sun.
The tube radiation absorber is made of metal with a coating having a high solar radiation absorption coefficient to maximize the energy transfer imparted by the solar radiation reflecting off the reflector. A heat transfer fluid (HTF), which is typically a liquid such as oil, flows within the tube radiation absorber.
The thermal energy is transported by the HTF to provide energy to, e.g., a thermal-electric power plant to drive one or more power-generation systems thereof, in order to generate electricity in a conventional way, e.g., by coupling the axle of each of the turbines to an electric generator. One such example of a thermal-electric power plant is a steam-electric power plant, which uses thermal energy provided thereto to produce steam to drive turbines thereof, which in turn drive a generator, thus generating electricity.
Throughout the solar field, the HTF flows within a tube, which is partially constituted by the tube radiation absorber. The entire length of the tube should be designed so as to limit thermal losses therefrom. Along much of its length, it is surrounded by a tube or pipe of a larger diameter, with the space therebetween being evacuated in order to limit heat loss due to convection. However, hydrogen may be released within the HTF, either by dissociation therefrom or as a product of a cathodic reaction with the interior of the tub, which escapes via the wall of the tube and enters the evacuated space. In order to maintain high efficiency of the solar power plant, as much of this hydrogen should be removed as is possible.

Getter support structure for a solar thermal power plant


The present invention provides a method and apparatus for detecting and compensating for transmitter phase shift in a radio transmitter. A local oscillator generates a local oscillator signal. A modulator such as an I/Q modulator modulates input signals onto the local oscillator signal to generate a forward signal. That forward signal is amplified and otherwise prepared for transmission via an antenna. The transmitted signal is detected, and a phase adjuster substantially continuously detects and cancels undesired phase shifts in the detected signal caused by elements in the radio chain. A specific, example embodiment of the present invention is provided in a Cartesian feedback system wherein the phase of the feedback signal is detected and aligned with the phase of the original modulated signal, providing uncorrupted I and Q baseband feedback signals.

Radio transmitter power amplifiers, like any electrical components in the radio transmitter chain, can produce distortion in the signal to be transmitted. An undesirable byproduct of the distortion produced by a radio frequency power amplifier is spectral regrowth. FIG. 1(A) illustrates an example of a desired transmit channel frequency band in which the originally transmitted signal should be contained. However, as a result of distortion in the radio power amplifier, spectral regrowth occurs as shown in FIG. 1(B) with a considerable portion of transmitted power falling outside of the desired or permitted transmission band for that radio.
Such spectral regrowth is inherent in spectrally efficient linear modulation techniques such as quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK), quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), and .pi./4 differential quadrature phase shift keying (.pi./4-DQPSK). These modulations are generally very spectrally efficient providing a high ratio of data rate per frequency spectrum used. In general, linear modulation is any modulation which produces changes in the amplitude of the output signal in contrast with angle modulation (e.g., frequency modulation or phase modulation) where only the phase of the signal varies and the amplitude remains constant. Unfortunately, non-linearities in the signal path (produced for example by the power amplifier) cause problems for linear modulation formats in the sense that the transmitted frequency spectrum spreads out and interferes with transmissions on adjacent radio channels.
Cartesian feedback loops may be used to linearize one or more amplifiers of the transmitter amplifier chain. The term "linearize" is used here in the sense that feedback is used to reduce or eliminate distortion products generated or caused by the transmitter amplifier chain. In Cartesian feedback linearization, the radio transmitter power amplifier output is detected, downconverted from radio frequency, and broken down into its in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) components by an I/Q demodulator. The downconverted I and Q components are then subtracted from the input I and Q signals leaving two residual error signals. These error signals contain the unwanted distortion terms generated by the power amplifier chain. Negative feedback is used to reduce these error signals hopefully to zero.
The term "Cartesian feedback" is derived from quadrature modulation. In quadrature modulation, there are two independent orthogonal modulating input signal referred to as the in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) signals modulating onto a single carrier. The I signal is multiplied by a cosine wave at the carrier frequency, and the Q signal by a sine wave carrier. The resultant signals are added to form the composite I/Q modulated signal. Quadrature or I/Q modulation may therefore be viewed as the vector addition of two orthogonal signals, a real component representing the x-axis component in a Cartesian coordinate system and an imaginary component representing the y-axis component. Thus, the similarity of I/Q modulation in the complex domain to two-dimensional Cartesian coordinates gives rise to the name Cartesian feedback.
Radio frequency power amplifiers produce not only distortion products but also phase shifts because of finite time delays in signal propagation. Phase shifts are also caused by cables (e.g., approximately 45.degree. of phase shift per inch of cable for a 1 GHz signal), filters, power splitters/combiners, and almost an component associated with coupling RF signals to and from a power amplifier. One difficulty with these phase shifts is that they are generally unknown and are affected by temperature shifts, frequency shifts, power supply drift, and other factors that are generally variable and difficult to predict.
Such phase shifts are particularly problematic in a feedback-based system. In general, uncompensate phase shifts degrade the performance of the feedback loop causing excess noise output, spurious outputs, and/or system instability. More specifically, in a Cartesian feedback loop, if the phase shift were as much as 90.degree., the demodulated in-phase component (I) would be "replaced" by the demodulated quadrature component (Q). As a result, none of the correct signal would be fed back rendering the feedback loop completely inoperative. In practice, even phase shifts of 15.degree. or more are difficult to tolerate.
One approach to dealing with these undesired phase shifts is to initially try to measure the phase shift in a calibration routine and introduce the opposite phase shift detected during the calibration routine into the loop using, for example, a digital phase shifter. However, this approach would be disadvantageous in that the calibration routine is time consuming and assumes that the phase shift is completely constant over time and environmental variables. This assumption is not correct, and thus, the approach would not compensate for the actual phase shift in real time. Moreover, digital phase shifters have limited resolution which limits the accuracy of the phase compensation. Another difficulty with this approach is presented each time the radio is modified, e.g., a transmitter board, power amplifier, cable, etc. is replaced, requiring recalibration.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for compensating for unwanted phase shifts without suffering the disadvantages and limitations note above. For example, it is an object of the present invention to continuously track and cancel unwanted phase shifts in a radio transmitter chain using a technique and circuitry that is inherently self-calibrating, adaptive, and highly accurate. In a feedback-based transmission system, it is another object of the present invention that such phase shift tracking and cancelling techniques and circuitry do not adversely impact the transmitter feedback loop.
In the context of a feedback based radio frequency transmission system, the present invention provides a method for substantially continuously tracking and cancelling in real time unwanted phase shifts caused by the radio frequency transmitter chain. Initially, a carrier signal is modulated with a difference or error signal based on an input signal and transmitted. The transmitted signal is detected and demodulated to generate a feedback signal. The difference between an input signal and the feedback signal is determined to generate the difference signal. The phase of the detected feedback signal is substantially continuously compensated for undesired phase shifts.
A radio transmitter in accordance with the present invention includes a local oscillator for generating a local oscillator signal, a modulator for modulating input signals onto the local oscillator signal to generate a forward signal, a power amplifier for amplifying the forward signal, and an antenna or other transmission medium for transmitting the amplified signal. A coupler, power splitter, or other sampling device is used to detect the transmitted signal. A quadrature demodulator demodulates the detected signal in accordance with the local oscillator signal whose phase has been adjusted by a phase adjuster connected to the local oscillator and the detector. Demodulating the detected signal using the phase adjusted local oscillator signal effectively cancels undesired phase shifts in the quadrature demodulator detected signal.
In the example embodiment of the present invention as applied to a Cartesian feedback system, the modulator is a first quadrature modulator for modulating in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) signals. The demodulator is a quadrature demodulator that generates feedback in-phase and quadrature signals that are combined with the input in-phase and quadrature signals in corresponding combiners. Thus, the in-phase and quadrature signals provided for the quadrature modulator are difference or error signals generated by the feedback loop.
The phase adjuster in the example Cartesian feedback embodiment includes a second quadrature demodulator. The forward signal is connected to one input port of the second quadrature demodulator, and the sampled or feedback signal is connected to another input port. The second quadrature demodulator generates second set of in-phase and quadrature signals which carry information about the phase shift of the incoming feedback signal. The peak amplitude of these signals are detected by corresponding peak detectors. A second quadrature modulator receives at its in-phase and quadrature input ports the output signals from the first and second peak detectors as well as the local oscillator signal and generates a phase adjusted local oscillator signal.
The second demodulator can be viewed in this example embodiment as a four quadrant phase comparator with the unknown phase shift between the forward and detected signals appearing at its in-phase and quadrature outputs in the four quadrant complex phase plane similar to the Cartesian coordinate system as described above. Since these I and Q outputs are modulated in amplitude by the signal modulation, the peak detectors remove the amplitude modulation components leaving only phase shift information. Mathematically, this is given by EQU (unwanted phase)=arc tan (Q/I),
where Q=output of peak detector "Q" and I=output of peak detector "I". The undesired phase shift information from the detected signal is "passed on" to the second I/Q modulator at its I and Q inputs so that the phase of the local oscillator input to the primary I/Q demodulator in the feedback loop is identical to the phase of the detected signal. With identical phases in the local oscillator and the feedback signal, the original I and Q signals (plus distortion terms) are recovered without cross talk and with correct polarity. As a result, the unwanted phase shift or difference is effectively cancelled.
Another application of the present application for detecting and compensating for undesired phase shift is found in diversity radio receivers. In a diversity radio receiver, two or more radio receivers demodulate signals received from two or more separate antennas. The "best" signal is chosen, e.g., on the basis of greatest received signal strength indicator level (RSSI level), and the best modulated signal is passed to the next radio receiver stage, e.g., audio to a speaker, data stream to a data decoder, or a modulator/upconvertor in the case of a repeater or base station.
Diversity reception is a common technique used to reduce the effects of fading in terrestrial radio systems. When one of the antennas temporarily receives a weak or corrupted signal, typically due to destructive cancellation from multi-path signal reflections, another antenna likely receives a stronger and/or clearer signal. Diversity reception is particularly advantageous for receiving signals from mobile transceivers which are used in a constantly changing environment where the occurrence of signal fading is both frequent and unpredictable.
Diversity receivers, as normally implemented, exhibit most improvement over standard receivers using only a single antenna when one incoming signal is much stronger than another. But when two signals arrive at a dual input diversity receiver at approximately the same signal level, there is little or no signal to noise ratio improvement from switching between signals. So diversity switching offers little improvement in this situation. Some diversity systems blend or mix received demodulated audio signals to obtain better performance under the same-signal conditions, but the increase in signal to noise ratio is limited to 3 dB at most.
The optimum way to use both signals to improve signal to noise ratios is to add the two signals before demodulating. Additive signal combination before demodulation under same-signal conditions provides at least 3 dB of signal to noise ratio improvement, and even more closer to the FM threshold where a small change in input signal integrity results in a large change in demodulated signal to noise ratio. But before the two diversity signals can be added effectively, they must be aligned in phase to prevent destructive interference caused by oppositely phased signals. In addition, such phase alignment must be done dynamically, since the unknown phase difference between the two signals will change with time as relative movement occurs between the transmitting radio and the receiving radio having the diversity receive antennas.
It is an object of the present invention therefore to provide a method and apparatus for compensating for such phase shifts between the two diversity receiver signals. Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to dynamically phase align diversity signals to allow for in-phase combination that results in, among other things, improved signal to noise ratio under same-signal reception conditions.
The first of two diversity antennas passes an RF received signal to the front end of a first diversity receiver which downconverts the received signal to an intermediate frequency. The same down conversion is performed in the front end of the second diversity receiver. For the reasons explained above, the two IF signal have an unknown, changing phase difference. These two IF signals are processed by an I/Q demodulator which, in conjunction with two peek detectors/low pass filters at the I/Q outputs, function as a four quadrant phase comparator. The peak detector outputs provide I and Q inputs to I/Q modulator which receives as its local oscillator input the received IF signal from one of the first and second diversity receivers. The I/Q modulator functions as a phase shifter, rotating the phase of the one received signal to match the phase of the other received signal. After the phase rotation, the two IF signals are than additively combined and routed to main radio demodulator.

Method and apparatus for detecting and compensating for undesired phase shift in a radio transceiver


An image displaying apparatus is provided, which includes: a display unit that displays an image, and which has a horizontal width and a vertical width; an image processing unit which processes the image; and a controller which controls the image processing unit, if an aspect ratio of the image is different from an aspect ratio of the display unit, to extend the image in a first direction until a horizontal width or a vertical width of the image becomes identical to any one of the horizontal width and the vertical width of the display unit, to extend the image in a second direction to maintain the aspect ratio of the image, and to move the extended image in the second direction on the display unit.

1 . Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the inventive concept relate to an image displaying apparatus and an image displaying method.
2 . Description of the Related Art
When an external image is input, a display apparatus converts a format of the input image to be displayable thereon by adjusting a resolution, a size, etc. of the image. Generally, the display apparatus can adjust the resolution and the size of the image adaptively to its inherent resolution.
If the aspect ratio of the input image is not identical to that of the display apparatus, the image may be further contracted or extended in a specific direction. In this case, the original image may be distorted. Otherwise, as the image is displayed on some area of a display part, without fully utilizing the whole area of the display part, an empty space may be generated thereon.

Image displaying apparatus and image displaying method


For lighting equipment for illumination of theatre and show stages and platforms there is designed an equipment for change of rotary gobos comprising a carrier disc supporting interchangeable segments with the gobos. The individual segments (2) are attached at the carrier disc (1) by central holding means, each segment (2) being provided with means for setting the segment (2) on the carrier disc (1). Each segment (2) is provided with a lamella (3) for attachment by the magnetic holding means. The magnetic holding means comprise a magnet (24) in attracted to a ferrous plate (23) attached to the carrier disc (1).

Luminaires with automated and remotely controllable functionality are well known in the entertainment and architectural lighting markets. Such products are commonly used in theatres, television studios, concerts, theme parks, night clubs and other venues. A typical product will typically provide control over the pan and tilt functions of the luminaire allowing the operator to control the direction the luminaire is pointing and thus the position of the light beam on the stage or in the studio. Typically this position control is done via control of the luminaire's position in two orthogonal rotational axes usually referred to as pan and tilt. Many products provide control over other parameters such as the intensity, color, focus, beam size, beam shape and beam pattern. The products manufactured by Robe Show Lighting such as the ColorSpot 1200E are typical of the art.
One device commonly found in automated luminaries are gobo wheels. The expression gobo relates to an image which is to be projected as a slide within a comparatively great distance. Due to a high temperature of the respective light source such an image is typically created on a metal, glass or any suitable base. To increase the achieved effect the gobos rotate, as a moving image attracts more attention than a stationary image. Rotary gobos need not rotate continuously, therefore their rotation depends upon activation of a drive motor. Typically these systems are configured on a circular carrier with a central sun gear surrounded by planetary gears which rotate the gobo when the sun gear rotates. The figures described below illustrate the planetary gears but not the sun gear. In some such systems the planetary gears are rotated by a gear on the periphery of one or more of the planetary gears. In some such systems gears are not employed at all, the rotation is accomplished by friction or belts. In other systems a combination of belts and gears are used.
Generally speaking there exist two basic types of changeable gobo rotary gobo systems, which are applied with minor or major divergences. By the first system, gobos are placed on a carrier disc and the gobos themselves are exchanged. Such a system is technologically simple and cheap, but from a practical point of view it is very cumbersome. In general a lighting equipment designs offer very little working space for any manipulation and often, special tools are necessary. This simple design is used preferably for cheap equipment.
In the second type of system, the carrier disc is furnished with mutually independent segments, one segment for each gobo. In order to change the gobo in these systems complete segments are exchanged. In most cases each segment has a special bearing with grooves matching with counter-pieces on the carrier disc. The design of these systems is very demanding on manufacturability of the system. It is an object of the invention to simplify the design of attachment of gobos at the carrier disc and to simplify and speed up gobo changing procedures.
The foregoing problems are solved by equipment design for a rotary gobos drive comprising a carrier disc supporting interchangeable gobo holding segments in accordance with the present invention. The individual segments being attached at the carrier disc by central holding means, each segment being provided with means for in a non-fixed manner registering the position of the segment on the carrier disc. Further in accordance with the present invention each segment may be provided with a lamella for attachment in the central holding means. In a preferred embodiment the central holding means comprise a system of flexible fingers in a fan-shaped arrangement. The fingers are at inside ends fixed to the carrier disc and on the outside free ends adapted to allow for insertion of the segment lamellas between the fingers and the carrier disc. The fingers may be at their inside ends integrated into one unit. The number of fingers within the unit corresponds to a number of segments to be supported by the carrier disc. Still further in accordance with the invention each segment is provided with a bearing supporting a driver with a gobo. The bearing inside ring is provided for by the driver outer rim and the bearing outside ring is attached to the segment lamella by dismountable connection means. The driver further comprise a flange with a spur toothing, designed for engaging with a mechanism for rotation of the gobos. Dismountable connection means for attachment of the bearing outer ring on the lamella may be preferably utilized as means for attaching the segment on the carrier disc. The carrier disc may be further provided with circular apertures allowing for lighting of gobos, the apertures having their centers located at a common pitch circle and being along own perimeter provided with means for engaging with means for registering the position of the segments on the carrier disc.
According the first aspect of the invention provides a simple seating of a segment with gobos on the carrier disc and for changing of the gobos in a very simple and easy procedure. According to another aspect of the invention the presented solution is also technologically simple with little manufacturing costs.

Magnetic quick-change gobo changer system


An energy transfer system for a household refrigeration appliance. The energy transfer system includes a compartment for enclosing a condenser which is associated with the refrigeration appliance, and a set of conduits for enabling the transfer of outside air into, through and out of the compartment. The system also includes a movable barrier for selectively controlling the transfer of air through the compartment. In one form of the present invention, the system also includes a thermostatically actuated fan for forcing outside air into, through and out of the compartment in response to a predetermined temperature.

The present invention generally relates to domestic refrigerators and freezers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for utilizing cool outdoor ambient temperature levels to reduce the energy required to operate a domestic refrigerator or freezer system.
Virtually every home and apartment in this country has at least one refrigerator for storing perishable food products. Additionally, many households also have a freezer for storing food products over extended periods of time. As a consequence of such widespread usage, these domestic appliances consume a substantial part of the electrical energy which is generated by the nation's utility companies. In this regard, it should be noted that refrigerators are considered to be a relatively inefficient appliance. Indeed, it has recently been reported that aside from electric heaters, refrigerators rank as the next most inefficient appliances in the home. Since even the newest refrigerators consume approximately 700 kwh of electricity per year, it should be understood that a substantial need still exists to increase the energy efficiency of domestic refrigeration appliances.
Accordingly, it is a principal objective of the present invention to provide a system and method which reduces the energy required to operate domestic refrigerator and freezer systems.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide an energy efficient domestic refrigeration system which minimizes the heat generated inside a home when the outdoor ambient temperature exceeds a desired indoor temperature.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a domestic refrigeration system which may be applied to retrofit existing domestic refrigeration units or applied at the factory to new domestic refrigeration units.
It is an additional objective of the present invention to provide a domestic refrigeration system which reduces the quantity of refrigerant needed in the system.

Energy efficient domestic refrigeration system