It is an object of the invention to provide a portable wireless apparatus capable of maintaining high quality of a communication in various using configurations obtained by a two-axis hinge mechanism.

Conventionally, there has been known an antenna device to be used for a portable wireless apparatus, for example, a cell phone as shown in FIG. 11. FIG. 11 is a view showing an appearance of a portable wireless apparatus mounting a conventional antenna device thereon. A cell phone 400 uses a TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) method having a diversity function. More specifically, the cell phone 400 has two antennas 401 and 402 and compares received electric field intensities of the antennas 401 and 402 by utilizing a spare time for a communication, thereby selecting either of the antennas which has a higher received electric field intensity.
The antenna 401 is a whip and helical antenna of an extension type, and is operated as a whip antenna when it is extended from a housing and is operated as a helical antenna when it is accommodated in the housing. The antenna 402 is a built-in antenna such as a reverse F antenna.
FIG. 12 is a view showing an appearance of a portable wireless apparatus using a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) method. For a radio communication using the CDMA method, a communicating operation is continuously carried out differently from a radio communication using the TDMA method, that is, a spare time is not generated in the radio communication. For this reason, it is hard to implement the diversity function utilizing the spare time In a conventional portable wireless apparatus 500 using the CDMA method, only one antenna is provided. While the only one antenna 501 is a whip and helical antenna of an extension type in FIG. 12, it may be a built-in antenna such as the reverse F antenna.
In the portable wireless apparatus mounting one antenna thereon, however, there is a problem in that the performance of the antenna is considerably deteriorated and quality of the communication is reduced in the case in which the antenna is pressed with a hand or fingers. According to a measurement carried out by the inventors, a receiving sensitivity is deteriorated by approximately 5 dB when a finger is put on the antenna portion, and is deteriorated by approximately 15 dB when the antenna portion is held in a hand as compared with a state in which the finger or the hand does not touch the antenna portion.
In recent years, particularly, an antenna of such a type as to be provided in a housing of a portable wireless apparatus has spread to enhance a designing property and to improve a convenience in a pocket accommodation. In such a built-in antenna, an antenna portion is covered with a hand or fingers more easily than an antenna protruded to an outside so that the problem is much more remarkable.
FIG. 13 is a view showing an appearance of a portable wireless apparatus using a CDMA method having a built-in antenna, A portable wireless apparatus 600 using the CDMA method is a folding type portable wireless apparatus for solving the problem, and has an upper housing 601 and a lower housing 602 which are supported rotatably around a hinge portion 605. A first antenna 603 is provided in the upper housing 601. Moreover, a second antenna 604 is provided in the lower housing 602. In addition, the portable wireless apparatus 600 is provided with opening/closing detecting portions 606 (600a and 600b) for detecting the opening and closing states of the upper housing 601 and the lower housing 602.
FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a structure of an antenna device mounted on the folding type portable wireless apparatus 600. The antenna device is comprising the first antenna 603, the second antenna 604, a change-over switch 608, an RF portion (wireless circuit) 609, a control portion 607 and the opening/closing detecting portion 606.
In many cases, generally, a communication is being carried out in a state in which the portable wireless apparatus 600 is opened. A user holds the lower housing 602 or the hinge portion 605 in a hand, thereby carrying out a communication. For this reason, the hands or fingers of the user touch a tip portion T of the upper housing 601 with difficulty. In the case in which a result of detection carried out by the opening/closing detecting portion 606 is an opening state, therefore, the control portion 607 transmits, to the change-over switch 608, a control signal for connecting the first antenna 603 to the RF portion 609, thereby connecting the first antenna 603 to the RF portion 609.
The first antenna 603 is a one-wavelength dipole antenna in which high quality of a communication can be obtained in a talking state. Moreover, the opening/closing detecting portion 606 is constituted by the permanent magnet 606a provided in the upper housing 601 and the magnetic force detector (for example, a Hall element) 606b provided in the lower housing 602. When the upper housing 601 and the lower housing 602 are closed, the permanent magnet 606a and the magnetic force detector 606b are close to each other so that a magnetic force detected by the magnetic force detector 606b is increased. On the other hand, when the upper housing 601 and the lower housing 602 are opened, the permanent magnet 606a and the magnetic force detector 606b separate from each other. For this reason, the magnetic force detected by the magnetic force detector 606b is reduced. By utilizing this fact, the detection of the opening/closing operations of the upper housing 601 and the lower housing 602 is carried out. The opening/closing detecting portion may have a structure in which the magnetic force detector is provided in the upper housing 601 and the permanent magnet is provided in the lower housing.
In a state in which the portable wireless apparatus 600 is closed, a waiting condition is set in many cases. In the case in which the user holds the portable wireless apparatus 600 in a hand, a position which is hard to touch with the hands or fingers is placed in the vicinity of the hinge portion 605. For this reason, in the case in which a result of the detection carried out by the opening/closing detecting portion 606 is a closing state, the control portion 607 transmits, to the change-over switch 608, a control signal for connecting the second antenna 604 to the RF portion 609, thereby connecting the second antenna 604 to the RF portion 609. Since the second antenna 604 is of an unbalanced power feeding type for radiating an electric wave from a ground pattern on a printed board in which the RF portion 609 is disposed, it has a high radiation efficiency and is suitable for waiting. By detecting the opening and closing states of the portable wireless apparatus 600 and selecting a suitable antenna for the respective states depending on the result of the detection, thus, it is possible to enhance the quality of the communication.
In recent years, moreover, a portable wireless apparatus mounting an image pick-up device (a camera) thereon has spread. There has been known a portable wireless apparatus which mounts a plurality of antennas thereon, detects visual information in the vicinity of the portable wireless apparatus by means of the camera and decides an electric wave propagation environment from the visual information, thereby selecting an antenna (for example, see Patent Document 1). In more detail, the portable wireless apparatus calculates an angle thereof with respect to a perpendicular line from a ground based on an image picked up by the camera and selects the most suitable antenna for a plane of polarization of an electric wave to arrive based on information about the angle, thereby implementing an excellent antenna characteristic.
With the spread of the portable wireless apparatus mounting the photographing device thereon, moreover, a user has demanded the appearance of a portable wireless apparatus having a two-axis hinge mechanism which has conventionally been mounted on a video camera (for example, see Patent Document 2).
FIG. 15 is a view showing an appearance of the portable wireless apparatus mounting the two-axis hinge mechanism thereon. A portable wireless apparatus 700 has such a structure that an upper housing 702 and a lower housing 703 are connected to each other through a two-axis hinge portion 701. Moreover, an image pick-up device (camera) 704 is provided in the lower housing 703. The portable wireless apparatus 700 can be used with the housing opened as in the folding type portable wireless apparatus 600 in the case in which a telephone function is used, and can fix a screen into such a position as to be easily seen (a photographing state) to carry out photographing when the image pick-up device is used. Thus, it is possible to enhance the convenience of the user.
Furthermore, a portable wireless apparatus mounting a plurality of image pick-up devices thereon has been started to appear. By mounting the image pick-up devices, it is possible to properly use the image pick-up devices in the case in which a user himself (herself) is to be photographed and the case in which an object is to be photographed.
(Patent Document 1) JP-A-2001-103002 Publication
(Patent Document 2) JP-A-11-247840 Publication
However, the conventional portable wireless apparatus has the following problems and an improvement thereof has been demanded. More specifically, the potable wireless apparatus having a two-axis hinge mechanism has various using configurations which cannot be obtained by the folding type portable wireless apparatus but the two-axis hinge mechanism. In such using configurations, particularly, it is hard to always maintain high quality of a communication in the portable wireless apparatus using the CDMA method.
In the portable wireless apparatus mounting the image pick-up device thereon, when visual information in the vicinity thereof is detected to carry out a switching control for an antenna, it is hard to maintain the high quality of the communication if the hands or fingers of the user approach the antenna.
The invention has been made to solve the problems and has an object to provide a portable wireless apparatus capable of maintaining high quality of a communication in various using configurations obtained by a two-axis hinge mechanism.

Abstract: A portable wireless apparatus (100) having a two-axis hinge portion includes a first antenna (102) which is suitable for a talking state and a second antenna (104) which is suitable for a waiting state. The first antenna (102) or the second antenna (104) is selected based on a result of opening/closing detection decided from an angle α of a first axis (106) and the result of opening/closing detection decided from an angle β of a second axis (107). Consequently, it is possible to select either of the antennas which is not influenced by hands or fingers of a user.


A device converts between electrical duplex and optical signals. In one embodiment, such a device includes an echo cancellation circuit that reduces the echo from an incoming optical signal.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure pertains in general to data communications, and more specifically to communications using electrical duplex signals and optical signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
For certain applications, particularly for small form factor devices such as mobile phones, it may be desirable to reduce the pin count on electrical connectors. One way to do this is to use duplex communications, where a single channel on the electrical connector is used to both transmit an out-going signal and to receive an incoming signal. However, as the volume of data to be transmitted increases, for example due to more and higher resolution video, the electrical duplex channel may limit the distance over which these signals can be transmitted.
Therefore, there is a need for better approaches to data communication.


An electrostatic protection circuit in a semiconductor device includes a first first-conductivity type well extending in a first direction over a semiconductor substrate, a second first-conductivity type well extending in a second direction over the semiconductor substrate and perpendicular to the first direction with one end coupled to a first long side of the first first-conductivity type well, and a second-conductivity type well formed around the first first-conductivity type well and the second first-conductivity type well. It also includes a first high-concentration second-conductivity type region extending in the second direction on a surface of the second first-conductivity type well and a first high-concentration first-conductivity type region extending in the second direction on a surface of the second-conductivity type well while facing the first high-concentration second-conductivity type region.

The present invention relates to semiconductor devices and more particularly to semiconductor devices which have an electrostatic protection circuit.
With the evolution of the CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) process, constituent elements of a semiconductor integrated circuit have become more vulnerable to electrostatic discharge (ESD) and how to design the electrostatic protection circuit has become more important. A thyristor element (SCR: Silicon Controlled Rectifier) provides a high ESD protection performance per unit area and is known as an effective ESD protection element. However, for the thyristor element to demonstrate its performance potential, it is essential to design the thyristor element layout carefully.
Japanese Patent No. 4312696 describes the layout of a semiconductor device with a thyristor element as an electrostatic protection circuit as an example. In the electrostatic protection circuit described in Japanese Patent No. 4312696, two high-concentration P-type regions as thyristor element anodes are disposed in one N-type well (a thyristor element anode is hereinafter referred to as an "SCR anode"). Between the two SCR anodes, a high-concentration N-type region as a trigger TAP for connection with a trigger element is disposed. In addition, high-concentration N-type regions as thyristor element cathodes are disposed on the surfaces of P-type wells which face the two SCR anodes (a thyristor element cathode is hereinafter referred to as an "SCR cathode").

Semiconductor electrostatic protection circuit device


Display device (1) comprising an illumination system (3) having a radiation source (17; 31, 35) for supplying a radiation beam. The display device (1) also comprises a diffusing display panel (5). This panel (5) consists of an optically active diffusing medium (7) which is switchable between a transparent, polarization-maintaining state and a diffusing, depolarizing state for the radiation beam. The medium (7) is present between a first polarizer (9) having a first state of polarization and a second polarizer (11) having a second, complementary state of polarization. At least the first polarizer (9) is a reflecting polarizer and polarization-converting means (10) are arranged at a side of the first polarizer (9) facing away from the display panel (5).

The invention relates to a display device comprising an illumination system having a radiation source for supplying a radiation beam, and at least a diffusing display panel comprising an optically active diffusing medium which is switchable between a transparent, polarization-maintaining state and a diffusing, depolarizing state for the radiation beam, and a first polarizer having a first polarization effect and a second polarizer having a second, complementary polarization effect, said polarizers enclosing the medium.
The invention also relates to a diffusing display panel.
The display devices under consideration may be grouped into two types, viz. image projection devices and flat-panel display devices.
An image projection device is a device in which an image generated by means of a display panel, for example a diffusing panel, is imaged at a relatively large distance and in a magnified form on a projection screen by means of a projection lens system. The illumination system for this device comprises, for example a radiation source and a beam-concentrating optical system.
In a flat-panel display device an image is also generated by a display panel. The dimension of this device in the direction transverse to the display panel is relatively small, much smaller than the dimension of an image projection device. In a flat-panel display device a viewer directly watches the display panel so that this device may also be referred to as a direct-vision device. The illumination system used may be, for example the assembly of a radiation source and an optically transparent plate of, for example PMMA used as a waveguide, while the radiation source is formed as a peripheral illumination system for this waveguide, as described, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,809. The illumination system may alternatively be a known blacklight illumination system.
The display device may be, for example a video display device or a monitor of a computer system, or the display device for an instrument panel.
In a display device in which the display panel comprises a TN LCD panel, an acceptable contrast can be achieved only within a limited viewing angle. The viewing angle may be increased by making use of diffusing display panels. Since the increase of the viewing angle will be at the expense of the contrast, the diffusing display panel is arranged between two absorbing polarizers having complementary states of polarization. Such display panels are known per se from, for example the article: "A full-colour TFT-LCD with a polymer-dispersed structure" by H. Yoshida et al. in Japan Display '92, pp. 631-634. The display panel described in this article has a PDLC layer (Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystal) as an optically active diffusing medium which is enclosed between two absorbing polarizers having complementary directions of polarization. The PDLC layer consists of a liquid crystalline material which is dispersed in the form of drops in a transparent polymer material. If no voltage is applied across the layer, the molecules within the drops have a given net orientation, but the orientation between the drops themselves is different. The radiation from a radiation source is polarized by the first polarizer. By diffusion within the PDLC, the polarized radiation is depolarized and consequently substantially 50% is passed by the second polarizer towards the viewer. The display panel is in the bright state in this case. However, if a voltage is applied, in other words if picture information to be displayed is applied to the display panel, and the molecules are thus subjected to an electric field, the molecules within the drops will orient substantially perpendicularly to the substrate and the PDLC itself becomes transparent. The radiation from the radiation source is again polarized by the first polarizer but passed unobstructed through the PDLC and consequently absorbed by the second polarizer. In this case the display panel displays a dark picture.
The PDLC within a pixel is thus switchable between a diffusing and a transparent state, which corresponds to a light-transmissive and an opaque state, respectively, of the relevant pixel of the display panel.
A drawback is, however, that only 25% of the light supplied by the radiation source can be used for the formation of a picture, even when ideal absorbing polarizers are used, because a loss of substantially 50% occurs in both polarizers due to absorption of the unsuitable direction of polarization. There should be sufficient light for the viewer, both in a direct-vision device and in an image projection device.
To compensate for the loss of light in the polarizers, high-power lamps must be used in both devices, which lamps consume much electric power, have a shorter lifetime and may have to be cooled.
If a portable direct-vision display device is used, the batteries will have a shorter lifetime because they must feed a high-power lamp. Moreover, a higher intensity will lead to hotter polarizers.
If an image projection device is used, the device should be provided with a radiation source having a high intensity.
Since the light intensity incident on the polarization means is high in both cases, the polarization means are considerably heated due to the absorption. Since these polarizers are present proximate to the display panel in the devices under consideration, it may be necessary to incorporate a cooling system, which renders the display device more complicated and more expensive and produces a troublesome noise.

Display device having a diffusing display panel and a reflecting polarizer


A dynamic floating breakwater or dock device is disclosed which is generally T-shaped in cross-section, having a platform beam, a vertical beam and a keel member. The density of the device varies from top to bottom, such that the platform beam is the least dense and the keel member is the most dense, with the overall density of the device remaining less than that of water. The center of gravity of the device is located in or near the keel member, such that the device will pivot when encountering oncoming waves, the pivoting motion in conjunction with the vertical motion acting to create anti-waves which cancel or lessen the oncoming wave. The device is preferably constructed of a concrete having lightweight material such as polystyrene beads used for the aggregate.

This invention relates generally to floating dynamic breakwater or dock structures used to damp or reduce oncoming waves. More particularly, the invention relates to such breakwaters which are generally T-shaped in cross-section and which have a varying density such that the breakwater is lightest at the top and heaviest at the bottom.
Floating docks or platforms are well known in the art, as are fixed barriers to protect against wave damage, known as breakwaters. In many dock situations, it is useful if the dock acts as a breakwater as well, since incoming waves and wakes can cause damage to boats moored along the docks. Typically though, such docks are constructed concentrating only on the floating characteristics with little regard given to breakwater considerations.
It is an object of this invention to provide a dynamic breakwater device which can be utilized as a dock or platform, the device being constructed such that oncoming waves are cancelled or significantly damped.
It is a further object to provide such a device having a generally T-shaped cross-section and constructed with varying density, such that the device is less dense in its upper portion and most dense in its lower portion.
It is a further object to provide such a device constructed of concrete for ease of formation, where the concrete incorporates lightweight filler materials as the aggregate to reduce its density.


A board mounted integrated electronics package assembly is provided with one or more securing elements to attach a heat dissipating device directly to the package. The securing element(s) is located along a periphery of the package and anchors a base of the heat dissipating device to the package, thereby eliminating employment of a secondary heat dissipating material between the package and the heat dissipating device.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to an electronics package configured to receive and secure a cooling attachment thereto. More specifically, the invention relates to a grid assembly and lugs configured to receive and secure a heat dissipating device to the assembly without causing interference with the electronics package and ancillary components thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A die, also known as a chip, is a piece of semiconducting material on which an integrated circuit is embedded. Electronic systems consist of a plurality of chips placed in a package known as a module or component. These package/components are then placed on a Printed Wiring Board (PWB). The combination of the component and the PWB is known in the art as printed circuit boards (PCBs). There are different types of components with drivers, packaging, including a Ball Grid Array (BGA), a Land Grid Array (LGA), and a Plastic Quad Flat Package (PQFP) that are microprocessors, memory chips, etc., that contain an integrated circuit (chip).
A ball grid array (BGA), a land grid assembly (LGA), and any electronic component, hereinafter referred to as a grid assembly (GA), are surface mount or through hole integrated circuit packages in which the chip is attached, soldered, or attached by other means to a printed circuit board. More specifically, the GA is an integrated electronic package. The GA is similar to a pin or ball grid array package in that the GA is used for the purpose of signal transmission or thermal attachment. The GA is placed on a PWB that carries copper pads in a pattern that matches the GA. GAs also have good electrical and thermal performance and occupy less space than leaded packages.
It is known in the art that integrated circuit components are getting larger to accommodate a greater number of functions on the associated device. However, a significant drawback with the larger integrated circuit components is the heat byproduct. The heat produced by these larger devices is not adequately removed by convection from the top surface of the package without the assistance of extra surface area such as that provided by a heat dissipating device, known in the art as a heat sink. One method of removing heat byproduct employs the use of a heat sink that is directly applied to the package. The heat sink may be secured to the device by a bonding process that employs an adhesive. Another aspect of attaching the heat sink to the device is through a clip. There are various known aspects for securing a heat sink to a heat producing device.
One aspect of securing a heat sink to a heat dissipating device utilizes the socket of the processor. Motherboards are sub-categorized by the type of processor sockets therein. The processor socket, also known as a CPU socket, is the connector on the motherboard that houses a central processing unit (CPU) and forms the electrical interface. Common processor sockets use a pin grid array where pins on the underside of the processor connect to holes in the processor socket. With respect to the socket, it is known in the art to integrate attachment elements for a heat dissipating device wherein the socket embraces the electronic components. However, by limiting the heat dissipating device attachment elements to the socket, the socket must be modified to accommodate the attachment elements. Furthermore, socketed components are less frequently used since the socket assembly, though convenient for field replacement, poses a thermal barrier for the device they house. It has become more comment for devices, whether CPU or Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) to be directly soldered to the PWB. Accordingly, there are limitations associated with the socket assembly that affects thermal performance of the socket and the associated chip.
Therefore, there is a need to separate the attachment element(s) of the heat dissipating device from the processor socket of the motherboard or the PWB that they are residing on. This separation will enable the heat dissipating device to embrace the attachment elements with respect to the device independent of the design of the processor socket or the PWB attachment.

Electronics package with integrated lugs for cooling attachment


A flapper for use in a servovalve is described, the flapper comprising a first material and a second material, the first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion and the second material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion and wherein the first and second coefficients of thermal expansion are different to each other. An armature/flapper assembly is also described, which comprises this flapper as well as a plate and a torsion bridge. A method of compensating for alteration of the null of a servovalve due to temperature changes in a servovalve is also described.

A hydraulic servovalve is a servo with a device (either flapper nozzle or jet pipe) used to position the servo. When servovalves are controlled through an electrical signal they are called electrohydraulic servovalves. Servovalves are normally used when accurate position control is required and this position control may be achieved through a closed loop control system, consisting of command sensor, feedback sensor, digital or analogue controller, and the servovalve.
Flapper nozzle systems for use in servovalves are well known. Flapper position is controlled by the electromagnetic torque motor and the torque developed by the torque motor is proportional to the applied current, with currents generally being in the milliamp range. A torque motor consists of two permanent magnets with a coil winding attached to a magnetically permeable armature. The armature is part of the flapper piece. When a current is applied to the coils, magnetic flux acting on the ends of the armature is developed. The direction of the magnetic flux (force) depends on the direction of the current. The magnetic flux will cause the armature tips to be attracted to the ends of the permanent magnets (current direction determines which magnetic pole is attracting and which one is repelling). This magnetic force creates an applied torque on the flapper assembly, which is proportional to the applied current. In the absence of any other forces, the magnetic force would cause the armature to contact the permanent magnet and effectively lock in this position. However, other forces are acting on the nozzle, such that flapper position is determined through a torque balance consisting of magnetic flux (force), hydraulic flow forces through each nozzle, friction on the flapper hinge point, and any spring (wire) connecting the flapper to the spool (which is almost always used in servovalves to improve performance and stability).
As the applied current is increased, the armature and flapper will rotate. As the flapper moves closer to one nozzle, the flow area through this nozzle is decreased while the flow area through the other nozzle increases.
Servovalves can be used to control hydraulic actuators or hydraulic motors. When a servoactuator is used to control an actuator, the servovalve and actuator combination are often referred to as a servoactuator. The main advantage of a servovalve is that a low power electrical signal can be used to accurately position an actuator or motor. The disadvantage is their complexity and the resulting costs of components consisting of many detail parts manufactured to very tight tolerances. Therefore, servovalves are generally only used when accurate position (or rate) control is required.

Flapper and armature/flapper assembly for use in a servovalve


A printing apparatus comprises a plurality of print heads, a moving member that can be moved and that is provided with the plurality of print heads, and a feed mechanism for feeding a medium to be printed. Dots for correcting a feed amount by which the feed mechanism feeds the medium to be printed are formed on the medium to be printed by ejecting ink from a predetermined print head, among the plurality of print heads, while moving the moving member. The predetermined print head is a print head other than the print head, among the plurality of print heads, that is the most susceptible to vibration caused by moving the moving member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to printing apparatuses, liquid ejecting apparatuses, methods of adjusting positions of liquid droplet marks, and liquid ejecting systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
(1) In recent years, color inkjet printers that eject several colors of ink from a print head so as to form ink dots on print paper have become popular as output devices for computers. More recently, relatively large color inkjet printers that use a plurality of print heads to print onto print paper such as roll paper have also been achieved (for example, see JP 2000-158735A). Such color inkjet printers eject ink from the print heads while moving a carriage so as to form dots on the print paper for correcting the feed amount by which the print paper is fed by a paper feed roller.
When moving the carriage and forming dots for correcting the feed amount on the print paper, vibration occurs in the carriage. Since the print heads are provided in the carriage, that vibration is transmitted to the print heads.
Under these circumstances, when ink is ejected from the print heads to form dots for correcting the feed amount on the print paper, desired dots are not obtained, and therefore there is the possibility that correction of the feed amount cannot be carried out appropriately.
(2) Inkjet printers that include recording heads (as liquid ejecting section groups) for ejecting ink (as an example of liquid) and that perform printing by forming dots (as liquid droplet marks) on a medium with the ejected ink are known as liquid ejecting apparatuses having a plurality of liquid ejecting section groups (for example, see JP 9-262992A). Some of them are large-sized inkjet printers that perform high-speed printing on large-sized print paper (such as JIS standard A0 sized paper, B0 sized paper, and roll paper) using the plurality of recording heads. Such a large-sized inkjet printer ejects ink to perform printing while a carriage, in which the recording heads are arranged at appropriate intervals to comply with the size of the paper to be printed, is being moved by predetermined moving means.
When the carriage is moved by the moving means, an external force is applied to a predetermined position of the carriage. This results in bringing about a difference between the behavior of a recording head that is arranged on the side close to the position to which the external force is applied and the behavior of a recording head arranged on the side away from that position when the carriage being moved. Under these circumstances, there is a possibility that the positions of the dots formed on the print paper by the ink ejected from the recording heads are misaligned from initially-set target positions due to this difference in behavior, and that quality in image deteriorates.

Printing apparatus, liquid ejecting apparatus, method of adjusting positions of liquid droplet marks, and liquid ejecting system


A new and distinct cultivar of Senecio plant named ‘Mount Everest’, characterized by its uniform, upright and mounded plant habit; upright, flat, broad and thick leaves; and blue green-colored leaves.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Senecio plant, botanically known as Senecio ficoides, and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Mount Everest'.
The new Senecio plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Paterswolde, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Senecio plants with unique and attractive leaf shape and plant form.
The new Senecio plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2004 of a proprietary selection of Senecio ficoides identified as code name Portugal L52, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Senecio ficoides identified as code name Lin 05, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Senecio plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 2006 as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Paterswolde, The Netherlands.
Asexual reproduction of the new Senecio plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Paterswolde, The Netherlands since 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Senecio plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


A method and apparatus for processing encoded audio data that operates on batches of data having a predetermined time block size. An input/output memory buffer provides a delay from input to corresponding output of 2+x time blocks where x is a predetermined constant and 0<x<1.

The field of this invention is real time audio/video processing. Media files are often delivered for streaming or stored for consumption using compressed data formats. Playing this media data requires decoding/decompressing. This decoding/decompressing should be done in real time while the user is listening to the recovered audio data or watching the recovered video data. Once playing begins any interrupt of flow is generally considered unacceptable by the user.
There are two separate aspects of data processing that might cause problems. The first problem is with computational latency. The decoding/decompressing process requires data processing time. Thus there is a delay in playing audio/video file. The second problem is variability. Most compression techniques provide variable compression dependent upon the nature of the audio/video file being compressed. In addition some parts of the compression technique require varying amounts of data processing for decompression. The variable data rate and variable required data processing for decompression causes variable latency.
There is another artifact of the data processing in decoding/decompressing. The required data processing is generally very serial for each input data sample. Performing the entire serial chain processing for a single sample at a time is considered disadvantageous. Generally these data processing operations operate upon a block of samples. This process generally requires buffering data samples before and after data processing each block of samples.

Real-time scheduling method with reduced input/output latency and improved tolerance for variable processing time


A carrying case for tennis equipment, in the form of a flat panel mounted to the front legs of a foldable tripod. Pockets for tennis racquets, tennis balls and tennis shoes are affixed to the front surface of the panel for easy viewing and easy access. The tripod construction can be folded into a flat panel configuration for carrying in suitcase fashion.

This invention relates to a combination carrying case and stand for tennis equipment, e.g. tennis racquets, tennis balls and tennis shoes.
Various carriers have been devised for carrying tennis racquets and related equipment. U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,103, to A. T. Cowen, discloses a carrying case comprising a main clothing compartment having a zippered access opening, and an auxiliary racquet compartment having a pair of zippered access openings partially closing the compartment with the racquet handle protruding upwardly beyond the case top wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,800 to P. Haggerty, shows a carrying case for a tennis racquet and tennis balls, formed by two rigid hollow case sections hingedly connected together, similar to a conventional violin case construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,845 to F. Intengan, relates to a case for a tennis racquet and tennis balls, formed of two hollow mirror image case sections. Each case section has a contoured interior surface forming a cavity conforming to the shape of the tennis racquet being stored in the case.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,054, to E. Bredehoeft, et al shows a tennis racquet carrier having two slot-like chambers for a pair of tennis racquets and a hinged side panel for closing a tennis ball compartment located beneath the handles of the stored tennis racquets.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,866, to J. Pelavin, discloses a flexible bag for containing items of clothing. An external panel is connected to one wall of the bag to form an external pocket adapted to receive a tennis racquet.
The present invention relates to a combination carrying case and stand for tennis equipment, e.g. three tennis racquets, several tennis balls, and a pair of tennis shoes. In preferred practice of the invention a foldable tripod structure is provided for supporting a fabric panel that mounts a number of individual pockets sized to receive tennis racquets, tennis balls and tennis shoes. For transportation purposes the tripod structure is folded into a narrow flat configuration suitable for carrying in suitcase fashion. At the tennis court the tripod structure is unfolded to form an upright stand; the pockets on the fabric panel are accessed to remove the tennis items for normal usage.
The upright stand is advantageous in that each pocket is fully visible and accessible, such that the person is unlikely to forget to place the tennis equipment in the pockets at home or at the tennis court. By having the individual pockets on an upright panel the pockets are separated and visible, whereby the person can visually check the condition of each pocket (full or empty).
Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the attached drawings and description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention.

Combination carrying case and stand for tennis equipment


An improved machine for welding pleats on fabric that employs a plurality of toothed wheels to index the fabric one pleat at a time. A pusher is positioned between each of a selected pair of adjacent wheels. The pushers are sized and configured to be capable of pushing selected pleats from the wheels to a proper position between the weld stack and anvil for welding. Additionally, the welding stacks are independently pneumatically actuated so that each welding stack may apply the proper welding pressure. A series of air blowers directs a flow of air under a just-welded pleat stripping it from the anvil.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to ultrasonic welding machines and, more specifically, to ultrasonic welding machines for forming tabs on pleats of woven and nonwoven fabric
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is generally known in the blind industry to fold blind fabric into pleats. It is further known that certain advantages may be obtained by providing a tab along pleats of the fabric. These advantages include improved pleat retention, that is the tab allows the fabric to retain its shape and prevents the fabric from losing its creases and going flat. Also, the cording holes and the cords themselves may be located through the tab and can thus be "hidden" from view. It is known to form this tab by ultrasonic welding.
Such tabbed pleats are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,656 to Judkins. FIG. 9, which is a prior art figure derived from a figure of the Judkins patent, depicts such a tabbed pleated shade. Prior art FIG. 9, which includes reference numerals, shows a section of fabric creased so as to form a pleat that extends longitudinally along the section of fabric. A weld line 124 is placed along the length of the pleat at some distance from the creased edge of the fabric so as to form a tab 122 that lies longitudinally along the fabric, parallel with the pleat. Window blind lift cords 128 may then be placed through holes on the tab of the pleated shade. Although welding is the preferred manner of forming the pleat tabs, other means such as sewing or gluing are also common in the industry.
The methods used in the industry for forming tabs on pleats have included the use of machines having a long, toothed spindle. These spindles index the fabric forward pleat by pleat into position to be welded. It is also known in the industry to employ machines that have two or more thinner spindles rather than one long spindle to index the fabric when forming tabs.
A known method of forming a tab on the pleat is through the use of ultrasonic welding. In ultrasonic welding, the overlapping sections of material to be welded are placed upon an anvil. The anvil supports the material during welding.
Located above the material to be welded are the stacks. A stack consists of a converter, a booster and a horn in series, with the horn facing the material. The horn has the function of delivering the energy to the material to be welded. The stacks are lowered to apply a clamping force on the material between the horn and anvil, which results in the material between the horn and anvil being put under pressure. At some point while this welding pressure is mounting, the welding commences. A problem that is present in the art is structure deflection during the welding operation. If the anvil warps or deflects during the welding operation, the welding pressure will vary thus creating inconsistent and possibly defective welds. Similarly, the welding pressure may vary if the supports to which the stacks are mounted deflect.
Once welding is complete, the stack must be moved away from the material so that the welded pleat can be removed from the anvil and the next pleat indexed forward for welding. If the fabric is not positively situated on the anvils during welding, a missed weld or a weld not in its proper location on the blind fabric could result. Thus, an effective system for positively situating the fabric in position for welding is needed.
Typically, stacks are actuated mechanically and mechanical means such as springs are normally employed to insure proper welding pressure. However, if the springs are worn, incorrectly adjusted or otherwise provide too much or too little tension then too much or too little pressure is applied to the material during welding. Too little welding pressure results in bad welds, while excessive welding pressure can cause premature wear to the stack components. Thus, a means of individually regulating the welding pressure of a stack is needed. Another problem with spring loaded systems is that whenever there is a change in any physical characteristic of the fabric, the system may need to be adjusted.


A surrogate multilayered material includes a first fiber reinforced layer; the first reinforced layer including a crosslinked polymer and fibers; a second fiber reinforced layer; the second reinforced layer including the crosslinked polymer and the fibers; a foam layer; the foam layer disposed between the first fiber reinforced layer and the second fiber reinforced layer; where opposite faces of the foam layer are in direct contact with the first fiber reinforced layer and the second fiber reinforced layer; the foam layer having a compressive strength of about 3.5 to about 4.5 MPa, when measured as per ASTM-D-1621-73, and a shear strength of 1.50 to about 2.15 MPa, when measured as per ASTM-C-273.

1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to a cranial bone surrogate and to methods of manufacture thereof. In particular, this disclosure relates to a cranial bone surrogate for high speed impact simulations and to methods of manufacture thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
The cranial bone plays an important role in protecting the brain from damage during accidents. Bone generally comprises a multilayered structure having a high stiffness compact bone and a much lower stiffness, low density, porous structure called a trabecular bone. Cranial bone, in particular, comprises a three layer structure. The inner and outer layers are called the "tables" and consist of compact bone, which has a high density and stiffness. There is a layer between the inner and outer tables, which has a much lower density, but acts as an energy absorber and it is termed the "diploe". In order to measure behavior of the cranial bone when subjected to a variety of impacts at different velocities, it is desirable to produce artificial materials (hereinafter termed a "surrogate material") that can replicate bone behavior.
It has been suggested that a conventional surrogate bone material for a femur or vertebrae might include an E-fiber-epoxy composite. However, it is not known how to manufacture such a composite. Moreover, detailed structure and/or dimensions of any such composite are not known. In addition, the femur and vertebrae have different structures from the cranial bone and are never subjected to the same magnitude of forces during an impact test.
Accordingly, there is a long-felt need to develop a surrogate material that behaves similar to bone. The surrogate material can be tested in human surrogate models in a variety of simulated impact environments. By using a surrogate material that replicates the behavior and performance of a real cranial bone in high and low speed impact tests, various measurements can be made during these tests by positioning transducers at various points on the cranial bone. These measurements cannot be made with real or live specimens. In addition, the use of a surrogate material for manufacturing the cranial bone permits the measurement and characterization of the types of fractures that a live person would undergo when subjected to similar forms of impact.
It is therefore desirable to have a surrogate material that replicates the behavior of the cranial bone and that can be mass produced to perform a variety of tests under different circumstances.

Cranial bone surrogate and methods of manufacture thereof


A method is provided for user customization and context-based adjustment of a discontinuous reception (DRx) schedule for a telematics-equipped vehicle. The method includes receiving, by a telematics unit of the vehicle, user input of DRx schedule information; determining, by the telematics unit, that ignition of the vehicle has been switched off; determining, by the telematics unit, an applicable DRx schedule from a plurality of DRx schedules, wherein the plurality of DRx schedules are based on the user input DRx schedule information; and executing, by the telematics unit, the applicable DRx schedule. The method further includes adjustment of the applicable DRx schedule based on a contextual parameter.

Telematics units within mobile vehicles provide subscribers with connectivity to a telematics service provider (TSP). The TSP provides subscribers with an array of services ranging from emergency call handling and stolen vehicle recovery to diagnostics monitoring, global navigation system aided position identification, map services, and turn-by-turn navigation assistance. Telematics units are often provisioned and activated at a point of sale when a subscriber purchases a telematics-equipped vehicle. Upon activation, the telematics unit can be utilized to provide a subscriber with telematics services such as those described herein.
When the ignition of the mobile vehicle is off, the vehicle is placed into a powered-down discontinuous-reception (DRx) or standby state (also called a sleep cycle). Vehicle hardware, such as a telematics unit, may be placed into the standby state or DRx cycle to minimize power drain on the vehicle battery. Even while vehicle hardware is in the standby state or DRx cycle, a network access device (NAD) of the vehicle may consume power while searching for signal or waiting for a command, draining the vehicle's battery.
During standby, the NAD is active and able to receive wireless communications. DRx cycles include both time where the NAD is off and unable to receive wireless communications, as well as time where the NAD is on and able to receive commands wirelessly. During standby and DRx periods, service requests—such as maintenance and diagnostic functions, system updates, vehicle position determination, unlocking of the doors, or vehicle alarm silencing—may be sent to the telematics unit when the NAD is on, and the telematics unit causes appropriate vehicle hardware to be turned on to perform the requested service. DRx cycles consume power, and after a certain amount of time, the vehicle may end the DRx period and switch to an off mode. After being switched to an off mode, the vehicle hardware becomes unavailable for communication.
Conventionally, vehicles are assigned a predetermined standby and DRx schedule that they follow each time the vehicle ignition is shut off, with the vehicles eventually being completely switched to an off mode after the DRx cycles are complete. However, such predetermined DRx schedules do not account for the variability of user behavior and the needs of particular users at particular times.
The above body of information is provided for the convenience of the reader. The foregoing describes a suitable environment for which the described system and method are provided, and is not an attempt to review or catalog the prior art.

Owner selectable and context adjustable DRX timing


The present disclosure discloses a pixel defining layer, a display substrate, and manufacturing methods thereof, and relates to the field of display technology. The pixel defining layer includes: a defining layer body, and a temperature-sensitive polymer layer located on an inner side surface of the defining layer body. The temperature-sensitive polymer layer has a solution temperature threshold, and the hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of the temperature-sensitive polymer layer are different under temperatures of the temperature-sensitive polymer layer higher and lower than the solution temperature threshold. By changing the temperature of the temperature-sensitive polymer layer to be higher or lower than the solution temperature threshold thereof, the temperature-sensitive polymer layer is converted from hydrophilic to hydrophobic. Thus, the pinning effect of the raw material solution on the inner side surface of the defining layer body is reduced and the thickness uniformity of the pixel layer is improved.

Usually, a wet film-forming process such as an inkjet printing process is used to manufacture a display device such as an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) and a liquid crystal display (LCD). The organic solution is printed in a pixel region defined by the pixel defining layer and then dried to form a pixel layer. During drying, due to the solute migration and interface pinning effect caused by the Marangoni convection inside the organic solution, the pixel layer will exhibit a coffee ring in which the edge of the pixel layer is thicker than the center thereof, which may affect the uniformity of the light emission of the pixel layer.

Pixel defining layer including a temperature-sensitive polymer layer, display substrate, and manufacturing methods thereof


A process of data calibration and correction is disclosed that utilizes feedback from a temperature sensor of an x-ray detector to isolate or otherwise select an appropriate calibration or correction map that is specific to the temperature of the x-ray detector during data acquisition. The method is also designed to take into account changes in power transients of an x-ray detector between the acquisition of imaging data and the acquisition of offset data. The method is particularly applicable in optimally selecting and applying gain correction, conversion factor, bad pixel, and offset calibrations.

The present invention relates generally to diagnostic imaging and, more particularly, to a method and system of calibrating an x-ray detector to reduce artifacts in an image reconstructed from x-ray attenuation imaging data acquired by the x-ray detector.
X-ray imaging is a non-invasive technique to capture images of medical patients for clinical diagnosis as well as inspect the contents of sealed containers, such as luggage, packages, and other parcels. Increasingly, x-ray systems are being used to non-invasively search and/or screen airplane, boat, and train passengers as well as entrants to court buildings, government offices, sporting events, concerts, and other venues of heightened security interest. To capture these images, an x-ray source irradiates a scan subject with a fan beam of x-rays. The x-rays are then attenuated as they pass through the scan subject. The degree of attenuation varies across the scan subject as a result of variances in the internal composition of the subject. The attenuated energy impinges upon an x-ray detector designed to convert the attenuating energy to a form usable in image reconstruction. A control system reads out electrical charge stored in the x-ray detector and generates a corresponding image. For a conventional, screen film detector, the image is developed on a film and displayed using a backlight.
Increasingly, flat panel, digital x-ray detectors are being used to acquire data for image reconstruction. Flat panel detectors are generally constructed as having a scintillator, which is used to convert x-rays to visible light that can be detected by a photosensitive layer. The photosensitive layer includes an array of photosensitive or detection elements that each store electrical charge in proportion to the light that is individually detected. Generally, each detection element has a light sensitive region and a region comprised of electronics to control the storage and output of electrical charge. The light sensitive region is typically composed of a photoconductor, and electrons are released in the photoconductor when exposed to visible light. During this exposure, charge is collected in each detector element and is stored in a capacitor situated in the electronics region. After exposure, the charge in each detector element is read out using logic controlled electronics.
Each detector element is conventionally controlled using a transistor-based switch. In this regard, the source of the transistor is connected to the capacitor, the drain of the transistor is connected to a readout line, and the gate of the transistor is connected to a scan control interface disposed on the electronics in the detector. When negative voltage is applied to the gate, the switch is driven to an OFF state, i.e. no conduction between the source and drain. On the other hand, when a positive voltage is applied to the gate, the switch is turned ON resulting in connection of the source to the drain. Each detector element of the detector array is constructed with a respective transistor and is controlled in a manner consistent with that described below.
Specifically, during exposure to x-rays, negative voltage is applied to all gate lines resulting in all the transistor switches being driven to or placed in an OFF state. As a result, any charge accumulated during exposure is stored in each detector element capacitor. During read out, positive voltage is sequentially applied to each gate line, one gate at a time. In this regard, only one detector element is read out at a time. A multiplexer may also be used to support read out of the detector elements in a raster fashion. An advantage of sequentially reading out each detector element individually is that the charge from one detector element does not pass through any other detector elements. The output of each detector element is then input to a digitizer that digitizes the acquired signals for subsequent image reconstruction on a per pixel basis. Each pixel of the reconstructed image corresponds to a single detector element of the detector array.
As described above, indirect detection, digital x-ray detectors utilize a layer of scintillating material, such as Cesium iodide (CsI), to convert incident radiation to visible light that is detected by light sensitive regions of individual detector elements of a detector array. Generally, the transistor controlled detector elements are supported on a thin substrate of glass. The substrate, which supports the detector elements as well as the scintillator layer, is supported by a panel support. The panel support is not only designed to support the detector components, but also isolates the electronics that control the detector from the image detecting components. The electronics are supported by the panel support and enclosed by the back cover.
Conventional flat panel detectors have utilized a chiller to regulate the temperature of the detector to be within a given temperature range. The chiller, however, adds to the size, weight, and complexity of the detector. As consumer demand for lighter and more maneuverable x-ray detectors has increased, it has become necessary to design x-ray detectors that do not use a chiller to actively control detector temperature. Specifically, increasingly, flat panel detectors are cooled using natural convection. Since natural convection is a passive means of regulating temperature, it can be difficult to timely maintain detector temperature during heavy detector usage periods. That is, as the number of data acquisitions increases within a given time period, so does the thermal load placed on the x-ray detector. If the intervals between data acquisitions are short, the x-ray detector may not sufficiently cool between data acquisitions to maintain a desired thermal equilibrium. As such, the x-ray detector may be placed into use despite the x-ray detector having a non-ideal temperature or a temperature outside a desired temperature range.
As a result of the acquisition of data when the detector is outside the desired temperature range, image quality is affected. That is, during the image reconstruction process, a number of detector calibrations or data corrections are typically applied to improve image quality. These calibrations and corrections usually assume a given temperature for the x-ray detector during data acquisition. Specifically, the calibration and corrective process typically assumes that the x-ray detector has a temperature within a desired temperature range during the acquisition of imaging data. As such, the calibration and corrective processes do not take into account whether the x-ray detector temperature during data acquisition was outside the presumed temperature range. Moreover, the calibration and corrective measures generally ignore the specific temperature of x-ray detector even when the temperature is within the desired range. By failing to take into account the specific temperature of the x-ray detector or that the temperature is outside a predefined temperature range, the calibration and corrective measures may inadequately or improperly applied.
Also affecting the accuracy and precision of x-ray data calibration that is particularly applicable for offset correction is the time interval between the acquisition of x-ray imaging data and the acquisition of offset imaging data. Offset correction is a calibration process whereby an offset image is acquired without x-rays and used to mask acquired imaging data. The theory behind the offset correction technique is that artifacts attributable to the x-ray detector or scan environment itself may be masked from the imaging data acquired with x-rays. In application, the acquired offset data is used to reconstruct an offset image that is subtracted from the imaging data image. This results in a subtraction of the artifacts in the imaging data image that are also present in the offset image and, thus, improves image quality. As a result of the time differences between the acquisition of imaging data and offset data, power transients may introduce artifacts that are not removed in the subtraction process.
It would therefore be desirable to have a process of calibrating acquired x-ray attenuation data that takes into account the specific temperature of the x-ray detector during data acquisition. It would also be desirable to have a calibration technique that reduces the effect of power transients in an offset image used for offset calibration of imaging data.

Method and system of x-ray data calibration


A method and apparatus for generating a simulated reverberation characteristic in an input audio signal having a plurality of channels, each channel transmitting time-synchronized data elements. The method and apparatus imparts a unique delay to each element of a set of time-synchronized data elements and thereafter delays the data element set through a series of delay elements. Each of a plurality of early reflection taps reads in and outputs a unique linear combination of the delayed data elements. The delayed elements are selectively input to at least one summing filter incorporating a plurality of comb filters. The output of the at least one summing filter is selectively combined based upon a summing scheme to provide a plurality of sum output elements. The sum output elements are combined with the early reflection tap output and a preselected combination of the time-synchronized data elements of the input signal to create a simulated reverberation signal.

The present invention is directed to systems for simulating acoustical characteristics such as reverberation. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a system for generating a simulated reverberation signal in electronic musical instruments.
In a natural acoustic environment, for example, a concert hall where a group of listeners may be enjoying a large symphony orchestra or an organ performance, each listener in the auditorium is having a unique experience as a result of his or her location in the hall. Those located near the source of the sound are aware of that closeness due to the presence of sound that is localized in some area of the room. Conversely, those at a greater distance may be less able to focus on the sound but rather feel that it is spread over a wider area. However, all in the hall will experience the spaciousness of the room as the sounds are subtly blurred by the many and various paths taken by the sound from its source to the listener""s ear. Further, when all the sounds cease to emanate from the source, that which is heard as the remaining energy gradually dies away revealing a degree of spaciousness.
There has been much work done in trying to electronically synthesize the reverberation characteristics of notable concert halls in an attempt to impart those qualities to instruments found in smaller quarters. Much of the pioneering effort on this subject was done by M. R. Schroeder, as documented in a paper published in the Journal Of The Audio Engineering Society, July 1962. At the time of that publication the essential resources to accomplish this task were not available to the extent required to produce a convincing result, at least by today""s standards. Over the intervening years, integrated circuits, particularly memory devices and signal processors, have become increasingly more available and capable of operating at ever greater speeds. These developments have contributed to overcoming many of the deficiencies of prior reverberation systems.
Various reverberation systems have been disclosed in several U.S. patents. These include U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,835 to Ichiki which discloses a digital signal processing apparatus including a reverberation effecting circuit. As illustrated in FIG. 5 of that patent, an input signal TC7 is fed to an initial reflecting tone generator section 60 in the reverberation effecting circuit. The initial tone generator produces an initial reflection tone TC1 and TC2 which serves as a portion of the total reverberation characteristic. The reflection tone is obtained by first inputting the initial sound into several delay elements DM1. An output signal DC2-DC9 is then read from the delay elements DM1 and fed to a plurality of multipliers KC5-KC12. The output of the multipliers is summed to provide the initial reflection tone TC1 and TC2. Another output DC10 from the initial tone generator 60 represents the initial input signal TC7 delayed by the delay elements DM1. This signal DC10 is then fed to the reverberating tone generator 61. The reverberating tone generator generates a final reverberation tone TC3 and TC4 which forms another portion of the reverberation characteristic. This is achieved by splitting the input signal to the reverberation generator and feeding the split signals TC5 and TC6 to two parallel comb filters DM2 and DM3. The summed output of the comb filters provides the output for the reverberation tone generator TC3 and TC4. The original input signal left and right, the initial reflecting tone generator output TC1 and TC2, and the reverberation tone generator output TC3 and TC4 are summed to provide Left Output and Right Output signals with the reverberation characteristic. However, in this system the left and right audio signals are combined in a straightforward manner. This system does not take into account the potential for audio signals which will cancel each other out.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,274 to Kimura discloses an apparatus for imparting reverberation to an input sound including a series of shift register delay elements, multipliers, and adders in a feedback loop. The shift registers provide variable delay periods. The reverberation time period, tone volume, frequency characteristic, and density are controlled by the multiplier coefficients and the number of stages in each shift register. This system also fails to take into consideration that different input signals with the same or similar frequencies which will result in a cancellation effect at the adder which sums the input signals.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,571 to Kitamura discloses a device for producing reverberation wherein two early reflection sounds and a reverberation sound are generated from an original sound to produce a full reverberation sound. The early reflection sound and the reverberation sound are produced using separate digital signal processors. The device can therefore process the sounds in different modes without any limitation in time.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,306 to Gerzon discloses a signal processing system which produces a distance effect for a source signal. The system inputs the source signal to a sequence of delays and early reflection simulators. The output of the delays and the simulators are summed to provide an enhanced signal.
These systems fail to adequately take into consideration the likelihood that multi-channel audio signals will include multiple tones which have the same or similar frequencies. Without addressing this situation, the output signal will fail to incorporate the fullness of the input signal.
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for generating a simulated reverberation signal having a plurality of output channels.
The method of the present invention for generating a simulated reverberation signal having a plurality of output channels comprises receiving an audio input signal having a plurality of channels wherein each channel transmits time-synchronized audio data elements representative of the audio sound upon which one wishes to impart the reverberation. The synchronized data elements from the plurality of channels form a data element set. Each data element is given a unique delay. The data elements, each having a unique delay are then passed through a series of several delay elements, repeatedly delaying the data element set. During the delay of the data element set a plurality of early reflection taps are associated with the data element set. Each of the taps comprises a plurality of latch elements equal in number to the number of output channels. Each of the taps is coupled to a distinct linear combination of the data elements at distinct delay periods. Thereafter, the distinct linear combination of the data elements is read into the respective tap. Each tap then outputs a tap output set comprising the distinct linear combination of the data elements.
Thereafter, a uniquely ordered combination of the repeatedly delayed data element set is input to each one of a plurality of summing filters. Each uniquely ordered combination of the repeatedly delayed data element set comprises a plurality of complementary subsets. Within each summing filter each one of the complementary subsets is input into one of a plurality of individual filters. The outputs of the plurality of individual filters of each summing filter are combined and this combination is output from the summing filter.
The simulated reverberation signal is generated having a plurality of output channels. Each output channel comprises a predetermined summation of the outputs of the summing filters, the tap output set element of each of the plurality of taps which corresponds to the output channel and a preselected combination of the time-synchronized data elements of the audio input signal.
The system for generating a simulated reverberation signal having a plurality of output channels comprises a preprocessor stage, a diffused field processor stage and a post processor stage. The preprocessor stage receives the audio input signal and comprises a channel assignment module (CAM), a series of a plurality of memory elements connected to the CAM, and a plurality of early reflection taps. As described above, the audio input signal comprises a plurality of time-synchronized audio data elements forming a data element set. The CAM receives the audio signal and imparts a unique delay to each element of the set of synchronized data elements. The plurality of memory elements includes a first memory element which receives the set of data elements output by the CAM. The data element set is passed from memory element to memory element, each memory element imparting a delay to the data element set. Each early reflection tap has a plurality of latch elements equal to the number of output channels. Each tap is coupled to the series of memory elements at a unique delay period such that the plurality of latch elements of each tap align with a unique linear combination of data elements and each tap reads in the unique linear combination of data elements and outputs a tap data output set comprising the unique linear combination of data elements.
The diffused field processor stage receives the set of delayed data elements and comprises a first processor or generator, a memory element connected to the processor/generator, and a plurality of summing filters connected to the processor/generator. The processor/generator receives the delayed data element set. The processor/generator generates a set of individually unique combinations of the delayed data elements. Each unique combination comprises a plurality of complementary subsets. Each of the summing filters includes a plurality of individual filters equal in number to the plurality of complementary subsets. For each summing filter, the outputs of the individual filters are summed and output from the summing filter. The processor/generator transfers to each of the summing filters a distinct one of the elements of the combinations set and therein each of the complementary subsets is input to a distinct individual filter. The output of each summing filter is output from the processor stage.
The post processor stage receives the output of each summing filter, tap data set of each tap, and a preselected combination of the time-synchronized data elements of the audio input signal and comprises a processor/combiner and a plurality of adders connected to the processor/combiner. The processor/combiner receives the output of each summing filter, the tap data set of each tap, and the preselected combination of the time-synchronized data elements. The processor/combiner, combines the outputs of the summing filter into a sum output set, wherein the number of elements of the sum output set is equal to the number of output channels. For each of the output channels, the processor/combiner transfers to one of the adders a distinct element of the sum output set, the tap data set element of each of the plurality of taps which corresponds to the particular output channel, and a preselected combination of the time-synchronized data elements. Each adder then adds the received elements and provides an output corresponding to the particular output channel. The output of the plurality of adders is the simulated reverberation signal.

Method and system for generating a simulated reverberation audio signal


As geometries of semiconductor devices shrink in size and the number of circuits per unit area increase, a number of the ion implants required to fabricate these devices will use very low energies (as low as 2 keV). In the present invention, a technique is utilized that generates substantial beam currents at low energies utilizing ion sources that are standard in the industry. Molecular ions are extracted from the plasma of the ion source at voltages numerically higher than the desired electron voltage at which the desired atomic ions are to strike the target, and are then dissociated into components which include the desired atomic ions moving with an energy which is a fraction of that at which the molecular ions were extracted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the generation of low energy ion beams with particular emphasis for use in implantation of ions into semiconductor materials
2. Description of the Prior Art
The production of low energy ion beams has increased in importance in recent years, and a significant amount of effort has been expended to enhance the low energy capabilities of ion beam systems, particularly those used in ion implantation.
In FIG. 1, a generic ion beam generation system is shown where an ion beam extraction system (comprising an ion source 1 and an extraction electrode 2) is followed by a sector analyzing magnet 3 and a target 4. The principal approach to increase low energy ion beam production has been to increase the ion beam output from ion sources with low extraction voltages. To produce 10 keV .sup.11 B+ ions from a plasma operating with boron trifluoride gas (BF.sub.3), the extraction supply would be set to 10 kV. Because of the space charge limit law and other limitations, this approach has achieved only moderate success to date.
An alternative approach is to extract molecular ions from the ion source and to allow these ions to impact upon a target. For example, if one desired to produce a low energy beam of boron ions, one may operate the ion source in FIG. 1 with boron trifluoride gas (BF.sub.3). A substantial quantity of BF.sub.2 + ions may be produced and extracted from typical ion sources such as, for example, a Freeman ion source or hot filament Penning Ion Gauge (PIG) source. This molecular ion may then be accelerated, selected by the magnet and impact into the target. Upon striking the target, the BF.sub.2 + ionic molecule will dissociate into boron and fluorine atoms. These components of the molecule will have effective energies, E.sub.Effective : EQU E.sub.Effective =E.sub.Molecule *(M.sub.Atom /M.sub.Molecule)(1)
where E.sub.Molecule is the energy of the molecule M.sub.Atom is the mass of the atom, and M.sub.Molecule is the mass of the molecule.
For the boron ion derived from the BF.sub.2 molecule, the boron ion will have: EQU E.sub.Boron =E.sub.BF2 *(11/49). (2)
Thus, to obtain a boron atom with an energy of 10 keV, the BF.sub.2 molecule would be extracted at 44.55 kV. Significantly higher beam currents may be achieved at this extraction voltage than at the 10 kV extraction voltage used for direct boron extraction from the ion source.
However, a limitation of the molecular ion technique at present is that undesired atoms will impact into the target. In the example above, the fluorine atoms will become resident in the target. This contamination may be unacceptable in a number of processes.

Production of high beam currents at low energies for use in ion implantation systems


A gas separator is here disclosed in which a metal for separating a gas is filled into pores opened on the surface of a porous substrate to close them. The thus constituted gas separator can prevent a material gas from leaking into a purified gas. A method for preparing the gas separator is also disclosed which comprises an activation step of immersing the porous substrate having a pair of surfaces in a solution containing an activated metal, while a pressure difference is set between the pair of surfaces, and a chemical plating step of filling the metal for separating the gas into the pores opened on the surface of the porous substrate to close these pores by chemical plating.

Heretofore, as a technique for obtaining a specific gas from a mixed gas, there is known a separation method by the use of an organic or an inorganic gas separating film. Among the separating films, examples of a hydrogen separating film for use in a film separation method include organic polymeric films of polyimide, polysulfone and the like, and inorganic compound films of palladium, palladium alloys and the like, and examples of an oxygen separating film include films of silver and silver alloys. The palladium film and the palladium alloy films have heat resistance and can obtain extremely high-purity hydrogen.
Palladium and the palladium alloys have characteristics which allow hydrogen to be dissolved therein and which allow hydrogen to permeate therethrough, and by the utilization of the characteristics, a thin film comprising palladium or the palladium alloy has been widely used as a gas separator for separating hydrogen from a mixed gas containing hydrogen. However, the thin film comprising palladium itself is weak in mechanical strength, and so, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 273030/1987, palladium or the palladium alloy is deposited on the surface of an inorganic porous support of a porous glass, porous ceramics, a porous aluminum oxide or the like to increase the mechanical strength of the thin film comprising palladium or the palladium alloy.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 146122/1991 discloses a method for preparing a hydrogen separator which comprises first forming a palladium thin film on the surface of a heat-resistant porous substrate by a chemical plating process, and further forming a silver thin film on the palladium thin film by the chemical plating process, followed by a heat treatment. According to this disclosed method, the hydrogen separator having the porous substrate and the palladium alloy thin film covering it can be obtained. In this palladium alloy thin film, palladium and silver are uniformly distributed by the above-mentioned heat treatment.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,705 discloses a silver thin film for separating oxygen.
However, these gas separators have a drawback that a material gas to be subjected to the gas separation leaks into a purified gas through holes (hereinafter referred to as "throughhole-defects") which extend through the gas separating film comprising the metal for separating the gas. Therefore, the concentration of hydrogen in the purified gas deteriorates as much as the leaked material gas. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 273030/1987 discloses a method for preparing a hydrogen separating film using palladium or the palladium alloy in which the surface of an inorganic porous material is chemically activated, and the palladium thin film is then deposited thereon by the chemical plating process. However, the palladium film formed by the chemical plating process has the holes extending through the palladium film, and the material gas inconveniently flows into the purified gas through these holes. In the method disclosed in this publication, the palladium film is formed on the surface of the porous material, but this palladium film is not formed in the pores.
Furthermore, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 171617/1988, there is disclosed a method for preparing a hydrogen separating film in which palladium is supported on an inorganic porous film, and this method comprises vapor-depositing palladium or the palladium alloy on the inorganic porous film by sputtering or the like, immersing it in an aqueous [Pd(NH.sub.3).sub.4 ]Cl.sub.2 solution, and then carrying out a vacuum deaeration treatment via the inorganic porous film to vaporize a solvent, thereby supporting palladium on the inorganic porous film. However, according to an example, this hydrogen separating film allows not only hydrogen but also nitrogen to permeate therethrough, and therefore it is apparent that the pores in the inorganic porous film are not closed with palladium. Moreover, palladium is held on the porous film by depositing it or vaporizing the solvent from the aqueous palladium solution, but the laid-opened publication has not any description regarding a chemical plating method for reducing divalent palladium ions contained in [Pd(NH.sub.3).sub.4 ]Cl.sub.2.
The silver thin film disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,705 and the hydrogen separator described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 146122/1991 have a similar problem that the material gas flows into the purified gas.
In order to remove these throughhole-defects, there is a method of thickening the gas separating film comprising the metal for separating the gas, but this method has a problem that a gas permeability of the gas separating film deteriorates and hence a gas separation efficiency also deteriorates.
Additionally, this method also has a problem that adhesive properties between the gas separating film and a substrate such as the porous film are weak, and when the hydrogen separator obtained by the method is actually used in a gas separation process, the gas separating film peels in a short period of time. In consequence, such a hydrogen separator cannot be used continuously for a long term in order to do the gas separation.

Gas separator and method for preparing it


An adjustable suspension member of a vehicle suspension system is adapted for supporting a frame of vehicle. The suspension member interconnects first and second components of the vehicle, and enables movement of the first component relative to the second component when the vehicle is in motion. The suspension member includes an elongated swivel link assembly having first and second opposite ends. The first end is operatively connected to the first component of the vehicle, and the second end is operatively connected to the second component of the vehicle. The link assembly swivels about a longitudinal axis defined by the suspension member. The swivel range is greater than 45 degrees.

This invention relates generally to a vehicle suspension system and swivel link assembly. The swivel link assembly is incorporated in one or more elongated members of the suspension system. The suspension members are allowed to fully articulate during suspension travel, thus providing smooth solid motion with no binding, and improved ride and handling.
When a vehicle is in motion, the suspension system is in a dynamic state of balance, continuously compensating and adjusting for changing driving conditions. Today's suspension system is engineered to perform many functions including maintaining correct vehicle ride height, reducing the effect of shock forces, maintaining correct wheel alignment, supporting the vehicle weight, keeping the tires in contact with the road, and control the vehicle's direction of travel. The interconnection and adjustability of various suspension members, such as the upper and lower control arms, is important in effectively performing each of these functions.
Heim joints, or rod end bearings, are commonly used in prior art suspension systems to adjustably interconnect suspension members. The Heim-joint typically comprises a ball swivel and male-threaded shank which connects to a complementary-threaded end of the suspension member. The ball swivel enables simultaneous pivoting and limited swivel adjustment of the suspension member relative to its point of attachment to the vehicle frame or chassis. Swivel adjustment occurs about a longitudinal axis defined by the suspension member. However, due to the construction of the Heim joint, this adjustability is generally limited to a range of 45 degrees or less. The restricted swivel adjustment promotes increased wear at the joint, increased noise, and "binding" of the suspension.

Vehicle suspension system incorporating swivel link assembly


The present disclosure provides a single substrate display panel and fabricating method thereof and relates to a field of display. The single substrate display panel comprises: a parallel electric field substrate; and a display medium layer above the parallel electric field substrate. The display medium layer comprises liquid crystal molecules and a matrix, the matrix encapsulates the liquid crystal molecules so that the liquid crystal molecules form liquid crystal groups. The present disclosure also provides a fabricating method of the single substrate display panel. The present disclosure can achieve single substrate display so as to reduce the weight and thickness of the liquid crystal display panel and improve display quality.

Liquid crystal display has replaced cathode ray tube (CRT) display and been used in a wide variety of display apparatuses.
Conventional liquid crystal display panel typically includes two substrates of a thin film transistor array substrate and a color filter substrate with liquid crystal materials filled therebetween. The orientations of the liquid crystals are controlled by the array substrate in order to display images on the liquid crystal display panel. All conventional liquid crystal display panels include two substrates and consequently have large weight and thickness, therefore they can not fulfill the demands for lighter and thinner liquid crystal device.

Single-substrate display panel and manufacturing method thereof


A white detecting method and apparatus using the same are disclosed, wherein the white detecting method includes steps for using a luminance division and/or using a window division for white detecting. The luminance division detects a white by using at least one color data information existing in a white area, and the window division detects a mean value of at least one color data information existing in the white area as a white. With this, the white which forms a reference in color correction, can be accurately detected, thereby improving a stability of color sense and reducing an error probability in white balancing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a white detecting method and an apparatus using the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a white detecting method which is used in performing a white balancing, and an apparatus using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, even though an imaging apparatus, such as a digital still camera, digital video camera or the like, photographs the same subject, an outward appearance of the color of the photographed subject is varied according to light sources of various conditions, such as solar light found outdoors, muted solar light as occurring on cloudy days, white color lamps as found indoors, fluorescent light, and so forth.
Also, the imaging apparatus faithfully responds to red (R), green (G), and blue (B), or (RGB) components included in the light sources, each of which has a different color temperature, so that it reproduces a blue-toned white if the color temperature is high and a red-toned white if the color temperature is low.
Accordingly, in such cases, there is a need for the blue-toned white and the red-toned white to be shown with pure white. Also, if the color temperature has been changed, it is preferable that a white balance is maintained at the changed color temperature. For this, in the case of an achromatic color subject, a ratio of RGB is controlled to be always maintained at a uniform value, or color difference signals R-Y and B-Y are controlled to be always maintained at zero. Performing such a function is called an adjustment of white balance or a white balancing.
To accurately perform the adjustment of white balance, there is a need to accurately detect a white which forms a reference. Such white detecting methods include one method which searches a luminance of the entire image, divides the searched luminance, receives data of B, R and G according to the respective divided luminances and then detects a most proximate white to a white area, and another method which divides an image into small windows, receives data of B, R and G, that is, color data, of the respective small windows, and then detects a white.
However, the method of using the luminance division may present a problem in that a high luminance of monochrome or the like is mixed in a color data detected as the white. In this case, if a color is corrected on the basis of the detected color data, an error probability is increased. Also, if a plurality of data of B, R and G having different ranges of luminance exist in an area adjacent to a luminance trace, the white is continuously varied, thereby resulting in an error during color correction and a small change in color sense.
Also, the method of using the window division may present a problem in that, since to perform the white balancing, a window most adjacent to a white trace is selected from among the large number of windows and this selected window is frequently changed, thus a minute change in color sense is frequently generated.
Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method for accurately detecting a white while also improving a stability of color sense and reducing an error probability.

White detecting method and apparatus using the same