A wire winding apparatus produces a coil of a desired shape quickly and inexpensively. An element wire to be wound on a winding frame is supported while a predetermined tension is applied to the element wire. When the element wire is shifted from a turn to another turn during the winding of the element wire around the winding frame, the element wire is regularly aligned by utilizing the tension applied to the element wire.

The disclosures of Japanese Patent Application Nos. HEI 11-086216 filed on Mar. 29, 1999, and HEI 11-135770 filed on May 17, 1999 including their specifications, drawings and abstracts are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a wire winding apparatus and, more particularly, to a wire winding apparatus for producing a coil by winding an element wire, and to a coil producing method.
2. Description of Related Art
A known wire winding apparatus has two rollers that are disposed in a sandwich positional relationship relative to a winding frame to guide an element wire so that the element wire wound on the winding frame in proper alignment is prevented from shifting sideways.
Another wire winding apparatus has been proposed (in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. SHO 64-43046) which has members for guiding an element wire to be wound. In this apparatus, two guide members are disposed in a sandwich positional relationship relative to a winding frame. When an element wire is wound on the winding frame, the guide members are alternately shifted by one pitch in a direction of the winding process.
However, both the wire winding apparatus described above have a problem of failing to wind an element wire on a winding frame with a high winding density. More specifically, when the winding of an element wire is shifted from one turn to the next turn, a small gap is formed between the turns of the element wire. Each of the aforementioned apparatus guides and holds an element wire wound on the winding frame in proper alignment, but does not guide or hold an xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d-curved portion of the element wire that is needed for a turn shift of the winding. Therefore, a gap is formed at the position of a turn shift. Such gaps lead to a reduced number of times that the element wire can be wound, that is, a reduction in the number of turns of a coil to be formed. Employment of such a coil in an appliance (or machine), such as an electric motor, an electric generator or the like, adversely affects the performance of the appliance (or machine).
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to produce a desired coil at high speed and a low cost. It is another object of the invention to shift an element wire from one turn to the next turn while properly aligning the turns of the element wire. It is still another object to align turn shift portions of an element wire while adopting a simple apparatus construction that does not require replacement of component parts and, therefore, improve the productivity corresponding to omission of an alignment tool replacing time. It is a further object to provide an apparatus capable of accomplishing the aligned winding of a thick rectangular wire on a trapezoidal bobbin or formation of a pyramidal coil with proper alignment, which cannot be accomplished by conventional general-purpose bobbin winding apparatus.
To achieve one or more of the aforementioned and/or other objects, an aspect of the invention provides a wire winding apparatus for forming a coil by winding an element wire. The apparatus includes a winding frame which is rotatable and on which the element wire is wound during rotation of the winding frame. The apparatus also includes an element wire support that is movable in a direction of a rotating axis of the winding frame, and that supports the element wire and applies a predetermined tension to the element wire. The apparatus further includes a turn shift portion shaper that contacts the element wire and forms a turn shift portion in the element wire by utilizing the tension applied to the element wire by the element wire support, when the element wire is shifted from a turn to another turn during winding of the element wire around the winding frame.
The above-described apparatus is capable of aligning turn shift portions of the element wire with good regularity. Since the apparatus forms turn shift portions by utilizing the tension applied to the element wire, the apparatus construction can be simplified. Furthermore, if the turn shift portion shaper in the invention is prepared as an add-on kit, an apparatus according to the invention can be realized easily by improving the element wire supporting device of a general-purpose bobbin winding apparatus through the use of the add-on kit.
In the wire winding apparatus described above, a site of the turn shift portion shaper that contacts the element wire may be movable within a predetermined range of space adjacent to the winding frame. Therefore, when the element wire winding layer is changed, the direction of contact of the turn shift portion shaper with the element wire can be changed, so that there is no need to replace a component part for forming a turn shift portion. As a result, a coil can be produced at high speed and low cost, thereby improving the production efficiency.
Furthermore, the above-described apparatus may further have a construction in which a rotational position of the winding frame is detected and, based on a value detected thereby, the driving of the element wire support and the turn shift portion shaper is controlled. This construction makes it possible to more reliably form a turn shift portion at a proper position and therefore speedily form a coil.


The game is played by a minimum of two players, an action player and a banker player. A dealer administers the game. A banker player outlays a maximum amount he is willing to risk, establishing a bank. Cards are dealt with the object of obtaining special hands or an aggregate score of a predesignated number. If a players aggregate total exceeds the predesignated number his score is adjusted by subtracting a fixed numeric value. Hence, every player has a chance to win even when going over the predesignated number. Wagers are settled between the banker player and the other players by application of an order of prevalence. If the banker player loses, the banker satisfies the extent of the actions player's wager from the proceeds in the bank. If the banker player wins, he receives the wager of that player. Play ends when either the bank is depleted or when all wagers have been settled.

1. Field of the invention
The invention relates in general to a game of chance and skill and, in particular, to such a game to be played in a wagering environment which, at all times, utilizes unique rules that apply an order of prevalence between a banker player's hand and action player's hand to determine a winner, and includes unique playing pieces of which any value may be assigned thereto.
2. Description of Related Art and Other Considerations
Various wagering games have been proposed wherein the players play against the "house" or another player who is acting as a "banker". To be successful, such games must not only hold the interests of the players as noted in Nelson et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,268, but they must also have rules that potential players can quickly learn, and move at a relatively fast pace. Attention is invited to Richard L. Frey, rev., "The New Complete Hoyle Revised" (New York:Doubleday, 1991), 3-14, 513-527, 541-548, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, for a detailed description of various recognized forms of card games, including the game Blackjack.
The game of Blackjack is a fast moving game that has easily learned straightforward rules, however the game generally requires very little skill on the part of the player. For instance, in Blackjack, a player may choose additional cards in an effort to obtain twenty-one, however once the player goes over twenty-one there is no possibility for that player to win. Because of this, the game of Blackjack inherently contains the undesirable characteristic of loosing the interest of many players since going over a predesignated number, such as twenty-one, results in the impossibility of winning. Hence it is desirous to eliminate this characteristic.
However, in eliminating this characteristic it is desirous to, among other things, maintain easily learned rules, otherwise participation of new players is discouraged. This occurs because, as the rules of a game become more complex, the "learning curve" of a game increases, which, in turn, discourages participation of new players who refuse to take the time to learn the rules. Hence there is a need for a game of chance and skill that, among other things, eliminates the impossible win situation while, at the same time, maintains easily learned rules.
The problem of devising an easily learned, fast moving game, wherein the combined elements of play are presented so as to maintain a high degree of interest in the players has generally eluded previous workers in this art. Those concerned with these problems recognize the need for an improved game. These and other problems have been overcome according to the present invention.


Movable valve apparatus having conditioned lubricating surfaces are described. An example valve includes a valve packing having a graphite packing ring disposed within a bonnet of the fluid valve and a stem or shaft has a conditioned surface to hold a lubricating material. The conditioned surface of the stem or shaft is disposed within the bonnet and moves the lubricating material relative to and in contact with the graphite packing ring during operation of the fluid valve.

Fluid valves, such as rotary valves, linear valves, etc., typically include a fluid flow control member that is disposed in the fluid path and that is operatively coupled to an actuator such as, for example, a pneumatic actuator, a manual actuator, etc. A valve stem or shaft operatively couples the flow control member to the actuator, which moves the flow control member between an open position and a closed position to allow or restrict fluid flow between an inlet and an outlet of the valve. Typically, the valve stem or shaft extends between the flow control member and the actuator through a bonnet coupled to the valve body.
A valve packing or packing assembly is often employed to prevent leakage of process fluid to the environment through the valve body along the valve stem or shaft. The valve packing may include a plurality of springs and/or packing seals disposed along a portion of the valve stem or shaft to provide a seal. Some known valve packings employ a high-spring rate loading device or spring assembly (e.g., Belleville springs) to provide a relatively high load over a relatively small range of deflection or compression.
Failure to provide a desired packing stress to the packing seals may cause an improper seal. For example, a packing stress that is too low may cause the process fluid to leak to the environment through the packing seals. A packing stress that is too large (e.g., greater than a maximum recommended packing stress) may cause some types of packing seals (e.g., graphite seals) to transfer material to a valve stem or shaft, thereby causing build-up of material (e.g., graphite) on the valve stem or shaft and damaging the packing seal. Additionally or alternatively, packing stresses that are too high may increase packing friction between the packing seals and the valve stem or shaft, which may reduce valve performance and/or the operational life of the valve packing and/or the valve stem or shaft.


A dual band user terminal (10) includes a controller (18) for outputting a BAND signal for specifying operation in one of a first frequency band or a second, higher frequency band; a single frequency synthesizer (46) that is responsive to the BAND signal for outputting an RF signal in one of two frequency bands; and an RF transceiver (11) comprising a dual band receiver that receives RF signals in the first frequency band and in the second, higher frequency band, and a dual band transmitter that transmits RF signals in the same frequency bands. The dual band receiver includes a first receiver chain that operates in the first frequency band as a single conversion receiver having a downconversion mixer that is preceded by a first filter and that is followed by second filter, and a second receiver chain that operates in the second frequency band as a dual conversion superheterodyne receiver having a first downconversion mixer preceded by a first filter and followed by a second filter coupled to a second downconversion mixer followed by a third filter. The downconversion mixer of the single conversion receiver is also the second downconversion mixer of the dual conversion superheterodyne receiver, and the second filter of the single conversion receiver is also the third filter of the dual conversion superheterodyne receiver.

The demand for so called dual mode terminals or stations is expected to increase with time. In the United States of America there is presently at least one system which supports dual mode operation, i.e., digital TDMA and analog FM, also referred to as DAMPS. As the systems such as GSM, PCS, DECT, DCS1800 and TDMA1900 become more widely used there is expected to be a need to have mobile stations which support two modes of operation, such as GSM and DCS1800 or DAMPS and TDMA1900 or DCS1900. A proposed third generation mobile telecommunication systems, such as UMTS (in ETSI) or FPLMTS (in CCIR), is under development. These advanced systems may also require some type of dual mode operation.
In an article entitled "GSM and DECT-A Dual Mode Solution", Mobile Communications International Apr. 21, 1995, pgs. 57-60, B. Rashidzadel et al. describe an RF subsystem in FIG. 3 for a dual mode handset that operates in the GSM frequency band (890-960 MHz) and the DECT frequency band (1880-1900 MHz). In the transmitter portion a single I/Q modulator provides direct modulation at either the DECT or GSM frequency bands, and is connected through a SPDT switch to one of a DECT or a GSM transmitter chain. In the receiver portion separate DECT and GSM low noise amplifiers (LNAs) are used due to the large difference in frequencies. Following the GSM LNA and an image reject filter, the next stage is a dual stage downconversion device implemented as an integrated circuit chipset, e.g. Siemens PMB2402. In the DECT receiver, a number of currently available chipsets which employ an LNA and first downconversion stage are said to be suitable for use. A SPDT switch is employed to select one of the GSM or DECT receive chains for inputting to the last downconverter stage of the dual stage downconversion device. In this approach the second stage of the downconversion chip is common to both the GSM and DECT receive chains, which is said to result in a common second IF signal which can be digitally sampled, digitally filtered (depending on the mode of operation), and suitably demodulated.
In this approach a total of at least three local oscillator signals are required, one for the DECT downconverter, and two for the dual stage GSM, GSM/DECT downconverter. Also in this approach both the GSM and the DECT chains employ a double conversion superheterodyne receiver.
In commonly assigned Finnish Patent Application FI 961465 a dual band transmitter/receiver is disclosed that is based on direct conversion to baseband, wherein a single frequency synthesizer is used for both bands. When operating in the higher frequency band the output of the synthesizer is employed as the mixing frequency, while in the lower frequency band a mixing frequency is obtained by dividing the output frequency of the synthesizer by at least two.

Dual band architectures for mobile stations


A display includes a calculation unit to calculate, when first and second events that occur in an external device are transmitted from the external device, operating time from when the first event is ended by operation for the first event to when the second event is ended by operation for the second event; a storage unit to store operating procedures that are histories of the operation for the second event and the associated operating times; and a display unit to display any of the operating procedures in the storage unit, according to instruction from the calculation unit. When the second event is newly transmitted after the calculation of the operating time is completed, the calculation unit selects an operating procedure used for operation guidance from among the operating procedures based on the operating times and causes the display unit to display the selected operating procedure, thereby executing the operation guidance.

In a control system including a control device that controls a device to be controlled, and a display that displays information collected by the control device, when a problem occurs in the device to be controlled and an alarm is generated, an operator operates the display or a control panel to correct data that has caused the generation of the alarm.
The display of such a control system guides the operator through an operating procedure in order to facilitate operation by the operator. An operation support device of Patent Literature 1 selects an operating procedure on the basis of the operating time that is the time required for operation and uses the selected operating procedure for operation guidance.

Display, display method, and display system


A connector comprises at least one elastically deformable lamellar flexible electrical contact member and at least one rounded rigid electrical contact member which come into electrical and mechanical contact with each other on relative displacement of the rigid member towards the flexible member in a direction intersecting the general orientation of the flexible member which is thereby tensioned elastically. The free end of the flexible member has a curved area whose concave side faces towards the rigid member and whose radius of curvature is greater than the radius of the cross-section of the rigid member. This curved area is extended by an oppositely curved engagement area.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns electrical connectors.
It is more particularly concerned with connectors having the following functional characteristics:
a large number of operating cycles (typically 5,000 to 50,000), which means that measures must be taken to prevent premature wear of parts rubbing together and to make the electrical contact members self-cleaning, PA1 large areas of contact, which means that the homologous moving parts of the connector must be able to provide satisfactory electrical contact over the full length of a relatively large insertion travel with relatively wide dimensional tolerances, PA1 moderate insertion and (end of travel) latching forces, as is usually the case with connectors where end of travel locking is provided by a mechanical member external to the connector proper: in this case the latching force must be limited (because it will be provided by the external member) and the connector must accommodate relatively wide dimensional tolerances (cf. the previous characteristic) because the mechanical precision of mating (mechanical approach of the mobile members) and that of the insertion travel depend on the external member rather than on the connector itself.
2. Description of the prior art
The cooperating members of a connector comprise at least one rigid conductor member which comes into mechanical and electrical contact with a flexible (i,e, elastically deformable) contact member relative to which it can move, These members are referred to hereinafter as the "rigid member" and the "flexible member" but in practise the rigid member is also called a "pin" or "male member" and the flexible member is then called a "socket" or "female member".
In a first type of connector shown in FIG. 1 the rigid member 1 extends in a longitudinal direction .DELTA. and the flexible contact member(s) 2 are substantially parallel to the direction .DELTA.. To make the electrical contact the rigid member 1 is moved in the longitudinal direction .DELTA., the effect of which is to push back the free end of the flexible member(s) in a transverse direction, i.e. in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction .DELTA. (as shown in dashed outline in the figure).
This connector structure has several advantages.
First of all, it is possible to obtain a long travel without difficulty because the deformation of the flexible members (transverse separation) depends only on the diameter of the rigid member and the travel in the longitudinal direction .DELTA. may therefore be made longer without difficulty when designing the connector.
Secondly, because the length of the contact path (i.e. the locus of the successive points of contact over the length of the insertion travel) is equal to the travel of the connector, self-cleaning of the point of contact by rubbing is ensured without difficulty.
Finally, this type of connector requires only a moderate insertion and latching force: in FIG. 3 the curve I shows the F/d (insertion force/insertion length) characteristic of this type of connector. The curvilinear segment OA shows the force required to deform radially the flexible members 2; when the deformed position is reached there is a peak A whose amplitude may be limited by an appropriate choice of the cooperating shapes. Then, if insertion is continued (segment AB) the insertion force is substantially constant over all of the usable travel D.
However, this type of connector is subject to premature wear, precisely because the point of contact, which is practically fixed, travels a great distance along the rigid member because the length of the contact path is the same as the mechanical travel of the connector.
In a second type of connector shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2 and which is the type to which the invention relates the flexible contact member extends in a generally transverse direction substantially perpendicular (or strongly oblique) to the direction .DELTA. in which the rigid contact member 1 extends. Connection is then achieved by relatively simple end bearing on the free end of the flexible member which bends progressively as the rigid member 1 is inserted.
Because the length of the contact path is much reduced as compared with the previous example, wear is much reduced, improving durability. On the other hand, self-cleaning is much reduced because the contact path is reduced.
However, the major drawback of this type of connector is that it requires a relatively high insertion force, especially at the end of travel: in FIG. 3 the curve II shows the respective F/d characteristic. Note that after a small force (segment OA') which is that required to reach the point A' at which satisfactory electrical contact is provided, on further insertion of the rigid member the force required increases very rapidly (segment A'B') because of the progressively increasing resistance due to the lever arm of the flexible member, which is increasingly strongly loaded. Also, the usable travel D' is much reduced as compared with the previous example.
These drawbacks (high insertion force and reduced travel) are particularly troublesome in the applications mentioned above where the two members of the connector are latched together by a member external to the connector proper: the maximum force F.sub.max permitted for latching the connector is then very quickly exceeded; also, the relatively short travel D' cannot compensate adequately for dimensional tolerances and therefore requires very careful construction of the external latching member because it is the dimensional accuracy of the latter which determines the functional quality of the connector.
One object of the present invention is to propose a connector which remedies these various drawbacks and provides long travel, low insertion force and high reliability (low wear and self-cleaning).


Apparatus and method for detecting rotor (12) position in a switched reluctance motor (18) having multiple stator phases (A--A', B--B', and C--C'). A multiplexer (48) intermittently connects a known resistor (54) to a non-conducting stator phase. Circuitry (62 and 68) detects the amplitude of the current passing through the resistor (54) and the phase difference between the varying voltage and the current passing through resistor (54). The resulting signal is proportional to the position of rotor (12).

The switched reluctance (SR) motor has become widely used for its high efficiency and flexible control characteristics. The SR motor does not require permanent magnets and produces torque by the variable reluctance principle. In operation of the SR motor, it is necessary to synchronize phase excitation pulses to the position of the rotor. The rotor position information is thus necessary to determine the switching instants for proper control of speed, torque, and torque pulsations.
Previously, shaft position transducers have been commonly employed to determine the rotor position in SR motors. Such transducers have included a magnetized ring along with Hall effect sensors or of opto-interrupters with a slotted disk that produces pulses at particular intervals. Such position sensors, however, are relatively expensive and may tend to reduce the system reliability due to electromagnetic interference and temperature effects.
An indirect method of rotor position sensing is described in Macminn et al., "Application of the Sensor Integration Techniques to the Switched Reluctance Motor Drive," IEEE Industry Applications Conference Record 1988, pp. 584-588. In this technique, short duration, low level voltage pulses derived from the commutating signals are applied to the two unenergized phases of an SR motor and the resulting current pulses are measured to obtain an indication of the impedances of the unenergized motor phases and an estimation of the rotor angle. The circuitry for implementing this method, however, is rather complex and relatively expensive.
Other techniques for indirectly sensing the position of an SR motor include dwell angle modulation in an "open loop" system, as described in J. T. Bass, et al., "Robust Torque Control of Switched Reluctance Motors Without a Shaft Position Sensor", IEEE Trans. on Ind. Elec., Vol. 1E-33, No. 3, pp. 212-216, August 1986; and in J. T. Bass, et al., "Simplified Electronics for Torque Control of Sensorless Switched Reluctance Motor", IEEE Trans. on Ind. Elec., Vol. 1E-34, No. 2, pp. 234-239, May 1987. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,166 by the present applicant, entitled "Position Sensor Elimination Technique for the Switched Reluctance Motor Drive", issued Dec. 10, 1991, describes an indirect rotor detection technique which senses the motor phase inductance by generating a frequency modulated signal from an oscillator connected to the stator windings.
However, each of the above-noted prior art techniques have not been wholly satisfactory due either to excessive complexity, inaccuracies caused by induced parasitic currents, or lack of fully adequate running performance over a wide range of torque load and inertia. A need has thus arisen for a simple, cost-effective, technique to detect the rotor position of an SR motor.

Method and apparatus for sensing the rotor position of a switched reluctance motor without a shaft position sensor


The positive sequence voltage on the power line is measured at a given time, i.e. the present time, and also for one cycle earlier, and the ratio thereof is then compared against a threshold value of 0.9. There are four other supervisory tests which also must be true for a loss of potential condition to be indicated. These include determination of change in positive sequence current and angle and zero sequence current and angle. If the change in those values is smaller than selected thresholds, then a loss of potential condition is indicated.

In many power system protective relays, including microprocessor-based digital relays, the three phase AC voltages on the particular power line associated with the relay are measured and then applied, after being significantly reduced in magnitude by voltage transformers, to various protective elements in the relay, including distance elements and directional elements, among others, which use the reduced AC voltages to determine the presence (or lack thereof) of a fault on the power line. In addition, these AC power line voltages (phases A, B and C), sometimes referred to as potentials, are also used to produce the polarizing signals for various logic and other control circuits in the protective relay. Hence, the three phase AC power line voltages or potentials are critical input signals for proper operation of the relay and their accuracy is thus quite important.
When one or more of these AC voltages (A, B or C phase) are eliminated due to loss in the system of a voltage transformer, a protective fuse or similar protective device such as a molded case circuit breaker which protects all three phases, false outputs from the protective elements or other logic circuits can result. These false outputs can ultimately produce either a false trip signal which will cause a circuit breaker on the line to open, or in other cases there will be a failure to trip the line circuit breaker when there is in fact a fault on the line. Either of these results is quite undesirable.
For instance, in the case of a directional element in the relay which uses the calculated negative sequence voltage of the power line for the task of supervising distance elements and ground overcurrent elements, the correct calculation of the negative sequence voltage requires all three of the phase voltages (phases A, B and C). The advantage of using negative sequence voltage is that the resulting directional signal, specifically, the indication of a forward or reverse fault relative to the position of the protective relay, is independent of the magnitude of the load current or the direction thereof.
However, when a protective fuse for a particular phase line blows or similar local protective device operates, the resulting loss of the associated AC voltage on that phase line will result in an erroneous negative sequence voltage value, which in turn may result in the directional element giving a false fault direction.
Hence, it is important that the relay be able to determine a loss of potential, such as due to a blown fuse, declare accordingly a loss of potential condition and block use of any resulting output determination from elements or circuits such as described above.
In the case of blown fuse(s), the number of fuses that blow (one, two or three, for the three phases) at the secondary winding of the voltage transformer depends upon the nature of the short circuit or other condition on the load side (downstream side) of the fuse. In the situation where a molded case circuit breaker is used, all three potentials (phases A, B and C) are eliminated from the relay input information at once, regardless of the type of short circuit at the load. The loss-of-potential determination circuit in that particular case is designed to detect the loss of any of the phase voltage(s). The loss of a phase voltage or voltages in effect blocks the operation of those parts of the relay using phase potentials (voltages) directly or calculated results from equations which assume all three potentials to be present.
Most digital relays include loss of potential (LOP) logic which is capable of detecting whether one or two fuses are blown. In some cases, the LOP logic can also determine whether fuses are blown. Such LOP determinations are more sophisticated than merely determining whether all three potentials are missing, such as described above. A relatively recent LOP circuit which has been effective in most circumstances is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,679, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.
Even with the more sophisticated LOP detection circuits, such as described in the '679 patent, however, there are particular system conditions which are not well covered. One such condition involves a power line condition of a heavy load and relatively weak voltage sources, i.e. a weak positive sequence source impedance behind the protective relay. In such a case, the necessary positive sequence voltage threshold value for the LOP circuit cannot be achieved. The LOP logic in that situation must be disabled, which is disadvantageous.
Another condition involves the completion of LOP calculations (and LOP pickup) prior to an instantaneous trip signal being produced by a protective element in the relay, when a true LOP condition exists. For instance, under certain conditions, such as where the line is heavily loaded and the magnitude of the load current is large, the distance elements in the relay will normally pickup very rapidly, creating in effect a "race" between the LOP logic which will ultimately block the output of the distance elements, and the distance elements themselves actually operating first and producing a trip of the line circuit breaker. While there are techniques which can be used to minimize this risk of a race and the instantaneous protective elements operating in extreme load conditions, even such techniques are not adequate. The only solution in such cases, which is undesirable, is to add time-delay to the instantaneous protective elements.
Accordingly, it would be desirable for an LOP circuit to be less susceptible to various system conditions and more reliable under all operating conditions.

Loss of potential determination for use in protective relays for electric power systems

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.


A mobile communication system has a mobile phone in which a voltage is set corresponding to the characteristic variation of a PA even when a PA having characteristic variation is used. The mobile phone employs a polar loop method, which comprises an antenna (1) for transmission and reception of signal waves; an antenna switch (2) for switching the transmission mode and the reception mode; a BBLSI (3) having a function to control the transmission and reception; an RFIC (4) having a function for modulating and demodulating the transmitted and received signals; and a PA (5) for amplifying up to the target output power by means of the amplitude modulation at the time of the transmission.

According to the examinations made by the inventors of the present invention, with respect to the apparatus for mobile communication system such as a mobile phone, the following techniques are known.
For example, in a mobile phone, a PA in which a semiconductor amplifier device such as a MOSFET or a GaAs-MESFET is used in an output section of the transmission side is built in addition to a base band LSI (hereinafter, referred to as BBLSI) as a control circuit device having a function to control the transmitting and receiving of signal and a radio frequency IC (hereinafter, referred to as RFIC) as a radio frequency circuit. The PA amplifies up to the required output voltage for communications and then outputs the output voltage.

Apparatus for mobile communication system which performs signal transmission by amplitude modulation and phase modulation


A toy kitchen including a main unit and at least one island. Each island is removably coupled to the main unit in one of at least two positions. The island includes a frame and a coupling mechanism attached to the frame. The coupling mechanism is configured to removably couple the island to the toy kitchen in at least one position. A repositionable toy kitchen includes a first unit extending along a first longitudinal plane and a second unit extending along a second longitudinal plane. The second unit is positionable adjacent to the first unit in a first position, in which the first longitudinal plane is angled with respect to the second substantially vertical longitudinal plane, and a second position, in which the first and second longitudinal planes are substantially coplanar. A toy kitchen also may include a main unit and at least two countertop sections coupled to the main unit.

Children enjoy engaging in activities that are realistic, attractive, amusing and instructive. Children particularly enjoy imitating various activities encountered in everyday household life, including entertaining, cooking, and performing routine household chores, such as washing dishes. Toy kitchen sets enable children to participate in role playing, including entertaining, cooking, cleaning and assisting others.
Existing toy kitchen sets typically include a single upstanding structure having a general rectangular shape and a front play area. The toy kitchens typically include a number of conventional toy kitchen accessories accessible to a child from the front play area. The toy kitchen accessories can typically include a sink, a stove, a set of cabinets, a set of shelves, a microwave, a dishwasher, a refrigerator or other conventional accessories. Existing toy kitchen sets can also include a single counter top extension typically pivotally connected to the kitchen set.
Existing toy kitchens, however, have a number of drawbacks. Modern, full size kitchens often include an island which may be positioned apart from the other structures of the kitchen or may be positioned to outwardly extend from one of the structures of the kitchen. The islands can be equipped with any of the typical conventional kitchen accessories such as, for example, a sink, a stove, a set of cabinets and a set of shelves. Existing toy kitchens typically do not include an island. Existing toy kitchens also typically include only a single front play area, which is typically sized to generally only comfortably accommodate only one child. Additionally, existing toy kitchen sets are typically not reconfigurable to enhance the children's play and to maintain the children's attention for an extended period of time.
Thus, there is a continuing need for a toy kitchen set which includes an island having at least one toy kitchen accessory. What is needed is a toy kitchen which can be easily reconfigured into a number of different positions to attract and maintain the attention of children. There is also a continuing need for a toy kitchen set which defines distinct play areas for enabling more than one child to actively play with the toy kitchen. What is also needed is a toy kitchen that can be readily displayed within the existing shelving limitations of toy retailers.

Toy kitchen set with repositionable island


A method of forming an extrusion die fabricated from sinterable ceramic or metal powders, for use in forming honeycomb monolith structures including machining of the die in the green state or after partial densification. Alternatively, all or part of the machining can be performed after full densification or sintering.

The invention relates to a method of fabricating objects having narrow intersecting slots, such as dies, from powders by forming slots and holes in a pre-form before it is sintered.
Typically, dies for cellular extrusions are formed from solid steel blocks by drilling feed holes in the entrance portion of the die and cutting slots in the exit portion of the die such that the holes generally intersect the slots. Dies can also be made by stacking plates which have the appropriate feed holes and slots so that they generally intersect when stacked.
Monolithic dies for extruding cellular structures are usually made using straight round feed holes which communicate from the inlet side of the die to the slots in the outlet face of the die. This is because straight round feed holes are often easier and least expensive to make. However, straight round holes can lead to problems since shoulders are formed where the holes intersect with the slots. In addition to the problem of high wear, this creates high back pressure during extrusion. There are other problems associated with the traditional method of forming dies. For example, for very thin-walled cellular extrusions which require thin slots, dies made by the above methods have proved both difficult and expensive due to the extra processing steps often required to produce useful dies. For example, it has been suggested to coat the slots in certain dies for example, with iron boride, chromium carbide, aluminum oxide, titanium carbide and the like, in order to produce narrow slots.
To avoid the sometimes abrupt changes in cross-sectional area of the feed holes at their junctions with the discharge slots, it has been suggested in co-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,215 issued to Peters et al., to form feed holes having a gradual or continuous transition of flow cross-sectional area and shape commencing at the entrance portion or end of the feed hole and terminating at the exit portion or end of the feed holes, where longitudinal and lateral flow through discharge slots commences. In the reference die, the cross-sectional area at any location along the length of any feed hole is less than at any location upstream thereof. While the suggested die eliminates the high bending forces on the die and also substantially reduces abrasive wear, it is relatively expensive to manufacture since each hole and slot combination must be cut individually.
It is therefore, the object of the present invention to provide a relatively inexpensive and easy method of making geometrically complex dies for extruding thin walled cellular structures.

Method of making extrusion dies from powders


A terminal that communicates with a base station monitors a physical downlink control channel that is arranged in a physical downlink control channel region and that specifies transmission of broadcast information, obtains higher layer control information that specifies monitoring in an extended physical downlink control channel region, which is different from the physical downlink control channel region, and, in a case where the higher layer control information has been obtained, monitors an extended physical downlink control channel that is arranged in the extended physical downlink control channel region and that specifies the transmission of the broadcast information instead of the physical downlink control channel arranged in the physical downlink control channel region.

In a radio communication system such as LTE (long term evolution) or LTE-A (LTE-advanced) developed by the 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) or wireless LAN or WiMAX (worldwide interoperability for microwave access) developed by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), a base station (a base station device, a downlink transmission device, an uplink reception device, or an eNodeB) and a terminal (a terminal device, a mobile station device, a downlink reception device, an uplink transmission device, or UE) each include a plurality of transmission and reception antennas, and realize high-speed data communication by spatially multiplexing data signals using a MIMO (multi-input multi-output) technology. In addition, especially in LTE and LTE-A, high spectral efficiency is realized by using an OFDM (orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing) scheme in a downlink while suppressing peak power using an SC-FDMA (single-carrier frequency-division multiple access) scheme in an uplink.
FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a communication system in LTE. In FIG. 21, a base station 2101 transmits control information regarding downlink transmission data 2104 to a terminal 2102 through a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) 2103. First, the terminal 2102 detects the control information, and when the control information has been detected, extracts the downlink transmission data 2104 using the detected control information. This downlink transmission data might be transmission data intended for the terminal 2102 or might be transmission data shared by a plurality of terminals, such as paging or system information (NPL 1 and NPL 2.)

Terminal, base station, communication system, and communication method


A pressure exchanger for transfer of pressure energy from one fluid flow to another with direct mounting of a rotor in a housing. The rotor has a central supply manifold for lubricating fluid and step-shaped bearing surfaces with reduced gap clearance towards each rotor end. The lubricating medium flows towards a manifold at each end and from there to the low pressure side via the axial gap clearance. During axial movement of the rotor the manifold pressure increases when the gap clearance decreases at one end while the opposite occurs at the other end, resulting in an axially centering force in the gap surfaces. In the same way steps in the radial bearing surfaces generate a centering force, since a radial movement will cause an increased pressure gradient when there is a reduction of the gap clearance and a decreased pressure gradient when there is an increase in the gap clearance. The end pieces also have a curved countersink at each low pressure port which increases the drainage from the manifold. The rotor's ducts may be equipped with curved pressure partition walls. The end pieces have a pressure duct with direct connection to the high pressure port which pressurizes a limited segment of the pressure plate in order to balance deformations. The end pieces' inlet passages are designed with perpendicular flow cross sections in the form of segments of a circle.

The invention relates to a pressure exchanger for transfer of pressure energy from one fluid flow to another, wherein the pressure exchanger comprises a housing with an inlet and an outlet duct for each fluid flow, a rotor which is arranged for rotation about its longitudinal axis in the housing, and which has at least one through-going duct, which extends from one end of the rotor to the other end, considered in the axial direction, and alternately connects the inlet duct and the outlet duct for one fluid with the outlet duct and the inlet duct respectively of the other fluid and vice versa during the rotation of the rotor.

Pressure exchanger having a rotor with automatic axial alignment

c/o Energy Recovery Inc., P.O. Box 65157


An approach to DRAM memory chip packaging leveraging the chip center position for wire bond pads to minimize time-of-flight and impedance effects resulting from stacking in a BGA application. A top layer of a dual device stack of center bus chips is stacked with an offset in a single direction with respect to a bottom layer of the dual device stack. The top layer of chips may be wire bonded to the opposite side of the module substrate. The center bus may be made to traverse to the substrate between two memory devices on the lower layer. To assemble the offset stacking devices into a high density module, devices are placed sequentially on a module substrate such that approximately one half of the protruding lower memory device is used as a support for the overhanging upper memory device chip of the next device stack.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and to a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a semiconductor device structured to accommodate a high density of integrated circuit chips, and a technique for stacking these chips.
2. Description of Related Art
Memory (DRAM) packaging is entering a transition from TSOP to ball grid array at the single chip level. Since the 1970's, high-end server users of DRAMs have doubled their memory density by piggyback stacking of single chip devices. With the advent of area array footprints for DRAM, piggyback stacking is more difficult. Where peripheral lead frame packages lend themselves to piggyback stacking, Ball Grid Array's (BGAs) do not. DRAM memory chip packaging differs from other wirebonded devices in that addressing pads are positioned in the center of the chip rather than at its periphery. To stack area array modules, one or more wiring layers must be added between the vertical decks of the stack to fan signals out to the periphery of the lower device, then back into the BGA beneath it. This adds cost for additional substrates, as well as increased impedance, electrical noise, and time-of-flight delays to the circuit paths due to the additional wiring.
Vertical stacking of memory chips and packages has been the traditional method for doubling memory density on a given surface area. Electrical connections peripheral to the chip are used for common signals between the upper and lower devices. With decreasing memory access times, the impedance effects of memory packaging are becoming technology driven limitations. Generally, two or more memory chips are stacked one on another, while keeping their directions or orientations the same. The bonding pads of one memory chip are disposed in proximity to the bonding pads of the other memory chip. The upper memory chip is stacked over the lower memory chip.
For peripheral lead packaging of chips with center bond buses, packaging must include circuit traces to fan signals to the periphery. When using area array packaging of chips with center bond busses, stacking requires increasing the upper device trace length to fan out signals from the center to the periphery, and then back to the lower device. For example, in center bond bus DRAM in FBGA, center stacking of one chip to another causes signals from the top chip to travel a much greater distance traversing around the lower chip in order to escape the stack. Complex wiring structures having multiple solder interconnects are used to accomplish the wiring of this signal circuitry in the prior art. The resultant wiring generally exhibits higher impedance and degraded reliability than a non-stacked version.
FIGS. 1A–1C depict examples of the prior art stacking of chips having bus wiring at the edge of the chip and with center bond busses. Stacked integrated circuit chips 10 and 12 are shown with bus wiring 14, 16 attached to the substrate 18. In FIG. 1A, IC chips 10, 12 are stacked, one on top of another, with the bus wiring traversing in parallel directions to the substrate. In FIG. 1B, two chips 20, 22 with center busses 24, 26 are shown in a stacked configuration. Connecting the top IC 22 requires extending the bus wires 26 over the chips to the substrate 28 below. Connections for the bottom IC 20 may be made directly down onto the substrate top surface (not shown), or through a gap 29 in the substrate, with attachment to the substrate bottom surface or an inner layer therein. In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 1C, chips 30, 32 with center bus bonds 34, 36 are stacked over substrate 40 and attached by adhesive cement 38 therebetween. Again, connections require extension of the bus wires over each chip to the substrate.
In U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0180060, published on Dec. 5, 2002 and issued to Masuda, et al., entitled "SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME," memory chips are mounted over a base substrate with one of them being overlapped with the upper portion of the other. They are stacked with their faces turned in the same direction. The bonding pads of one of the memory chips are disposed in the vicinity of the bonding pads of the other memory chip. Importantly, Masuda teaches offsetting the second semiconductor chip in a direction parallel to the first semiconductor chip and in a direction perpendicular to the first chip, such that the bus wires at the edge of each chip are offset when connected to the substrate. This facilitates visual inspection of the bus wire connections.
In International PCT Application No. WO 01/80317 issued to Helder on Oct. 25, 2001, entitled "SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENT COMPRISING SEVERAL SEMICONDUCTOR CHIPS," semiconductor chips of a chip stack are arranged in an offset manner in relation to one another. Each chip is then connected to the series of conductors of the carrier substrate by electric connections. Importantly, Helder does not teach using chips having a center bus, nor are attachment schemes for center bus bonds disclosed.
The present invention avoids the added increase in trace length for connections from the upper device in the stack. Packaging is simplified in that long, multiple interconnects for escape of signals from the upper device are avoided. This configuration reduces cost while simultaneously increasing reliability. Electrical impedance, noise, and signal time of flight characteristics for the upper device are improved.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for promoting size and thickness reduction through the stacking of integrated circuit memory chips.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for stacking chips having center bus bonds.
A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and method for reducing the manufacturing cost of a semiconductor device having a plurality of semiconductor chips stacked on one another.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for decreasing memory access times and impedance effects through semiconductor topology.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a method for assembling offset stacked chips onto a memory module such that module memory density is nearly doubled, while retaining the advantages of offset stacked devices.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.

Overlap stacking of center bus bonded memory chips for double density and method of manufacturing the same

International Business Machines Corporation


A safety cable cutter used for cutting a cable used in servicing an oil and gas well. A centrifugal arm roller and a guide roller are mounted on top of a frame. The cable is received on the rollers as the cable is lowered down a well bore. Mounted on ends of the centrifugal arm roller is a centrifugal arm attached to an arm coil spring. The coil spring holds the centrifugal arm next to the end of the roller. Opposite ends of a clamp attached to a cutter bar are slidably received in a pair of cutter bar guides. When the centrifugal arm roller exceeds a certain speed indicating a free fall of the cable, the bias force of the arm coil springs is overcome and the arms move outwardly. Contact ends of the arms engage the opposite ends of the clamp. The clamp and cutter bar are then moved outwardly and the cutter bar cuts the cable.

(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cable cutter for cutting heavy duty cable and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a safety cable cutter using centrifugal force for cutting the cable. The cable used for lowering various types of service equipment down an existing oil and gas well.
(b) Discussion of Prior Art
In servicing an oil and gas well having various depths of 500 to 1000 feet and greater, heavy wire cable is coiled typically in twenty foot coils next to a well head. An end of the cable is attached to different types of service equipment, such as an electric motor with pump, and then lowered downwardly into the well bore. Should the equipment with cable attached thereto begin to free fall down the well bore, the coils of cable will begin to fly randomly and dangerously next to the well head presenting a great safety risk to a well service company employee working in the well head area. The subject safety cable cutter is designed to eliminate this potential safety risk.
Heretofore, there have been a variety of different types well service equipment used for serving an oil and gas well down hole. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,411 to Pringle, a well service line cutter is disclosed having a down hole energy chamber holding a pressurized gas. When a hydraulic controlled valve is opened in the energy chamber, a piston with cutters move into the well bore for cutting any line in the well. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,312 to Wittrisch, a cable cutting coupling inside the well is described. The coupling includes a tubular body with a slide. The slide includes a severing member for cutting the cable when it is moved from a first position to a second position inside the tubular body. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,115 to Leggett et al., a wireline safety mechanism with a tubular body is disclosed mounted between a lubricator and a stuffing box of a wireline assembly. A wireline cutter is mounted inside the tubular body to cut the wireline and release a wireline blowout tool string that is stuck and blocking a wellhead safety valve and blowout preventor.
None of the above mentioned prior art patents specifically disclose the unique features, structure and function of the subject safety cable cutter placed next to a well head and used to cut a service cable when it begins to free fall down a well bore.

Safety cable cutter for cutting a cable used in servicing an oil and gas well


A cannula subject to receiving electric charge via capacitive coupling is configured to provide an easily connectable path to remove the charge. The cannula is further configured with a flared distal end to prevent scraping contact with a surgical instrument shaft. Embodiments of the cannula may be used in surgical procedures in which the cannula does not contact the patient.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to surgical instruments, and more specifically to an apparatus for dissipating electric charge on surgical instruments.
2. Art
The use of robotic surgery, for example the use of da Vinci® telerobotic surgical systems, commercialized by Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif., is increasing. Robotic surgery allows complex surgical procedures to be executed with minimally invasive techniques. A smaller incision heals faster, is less painful, is less prone to infections, and leaves less noticeable scarring. Teleoperated surgical instruments under endoscopic view often allow a surgeon to carry out actions that are difficult to do with manual instruments. For these and other reasons, patients, surgeons, and hospital personnel are becoming inclined towards robotic surgery over traditional manual procedures (open or minimally invasive).
Robotic surgery instruments include items such as cannulas, graspers, forceps, scissors, retractors, stabilizers, and other instruments that may or may not be made of metal or other electrically conductive materials. Conductive materials may pose a hazard in a surgical environment because they may become electrically charged. When these materials suddenly discharge, the discharge may cause burns or other injuries to the patient, the surgeon, or other personnel as the charge seeks a path to a lower electric potential. Since the discharge arc may be out of the surgeon's field of view, the surgeon may not realize that a patient burn has occurred. And, since the instruments are long, even if a discharge is sensed, it may be difficult to identify the burn location. In addition, such a sudden discharge may damage the instrument itself if the instrument includes electrical components.
Typically, the energy stored in a surgical instrument from capacitive coupling during robotic surgery is transferred to the patient in two ways. First, the stored charge can be drained by keeping the instrument in direct, physical contact with the patient's body. This constant contact conducts electric charge from the instrument to the patient's tissues, which prevents arcing by establishing an equal electric potential on the patient and the instrument. For example, charge that is induced on an instrument cannula that is placed through the patient's body wall will drain to the patient because of the cannula's direct contact with the patient. Second, the stored electric charge may be drained via capacitive coupling to a second instrument that is in direct, physical contact with the patient. As described above, the contact between the second instrument and the patient then conducts the transferred charge to the patient. For example, unwanted charge may build up on certain portions of a monopolar electrocautery instrument, such as on a metal flexible wrist mechanism that supports the energized end effector. Without a conductive path or effective insulation, this charge may arc from the instrument to the patient and cause injury. But this unwanted charge can be safely transferred via capacitive coupling to the cannula though which the electrocautery instrument extends. The transferred charge is then conducted from the cannula to the patient via direct contact.
To conduct the unwanted charge away from the patient, one or more patient return electrodes, such as those associated with an electrocautery instrument, are placed in contact with the patient. The patient return electrode completes a circuit that safely removes the electric charge from the patient, so that arcing does not occur at some other location on the body.
In certain new robotic surgery procedures, however, an instrument that is subject to capacitive coupling will not come into direct contact with the patient's tissues. Therefore, electric charge buildup on the instrument from capacitive coupling occurs because there is no path to drain the built up charge. In transoral robotic surgery (TORS), for example, an instrument cannula is inserted into oral cavity in order to guide and support a telerobotically controlled surgical instrument, but often the cannula does not contact the patient. Therefore, when an electrosurgical instrument (e.g., a monopolar electrocautery instrument) is inserted through a cannula during a TORS procedure, capacitive coupling between the instrument and its cannula may cause electric charge buildup on the cannula. Since the instrument cannula with the charge buildup is often in close proximity to, although not in contact with, the patient's tissues, sufficiently high charge buildup may cause a dangerous electrical arc between the instrument cannula and the patient. Likewise, a person who inadvertently comes near or touches the charged instrument cannula may be similarly injured, or electrical components that come near or touch the charged instrument cannula may be damaged. Similarly, since there is no suitable conductive path from the cannula, unwanted charge that builds up on a portion of the instrument that extends through the cannula (e.g., on one or more electrocautery instrument components) cannot be drained via capacitive coupling to the cannula, because once charged the cannula itself does not offer a relatively lower electric potential.
Since electrical charge buildup is not being continuously dissipated through the patient's body, the charge will remain concentrated on one or more instruments. This concentrated charge buildup creates a hazardous condition, as described above. Consequently, there is a need in the art to dissipate energy from instruments, and specifically an instrument cannula, that do not contact the patient.
The cantilever aspect of a supporting cannula that does not contact the patient presents another potential problem. When an instrument extends through a cannula, heavy side loading on the instrument's distal end pushes the instrument laterally against the cannula's distal end. During withdrawal (e.g., during a surgical procedure as the instrument experiences numerous small insertion and withdrawal motions as the slave instrument responds to the surgeon's teleoperation master inputs), the distal end of a cannula may scrape against the instrument shaft. This scraping may, in some instances, remove a small piece of the shaft, which may then enter a patient.
In order to assure that a cannula can be inserted through a patient's body wall, the distance between the cannula's inner diameter at its distal end and the outer diameter of the cannula obturator used to pierce the body wall needs to be minimized. Otherwise, cannula insertion through the body wall is difficult. But when the obturator is removed and replaced with an instrument, the cannula's distal end configuration that is needed for proper insertion through the body wall may lead to instrument shaft scraping under high instrument side loads. Therefore, there is a need to prevent scraping contact between a cannula's distal end and the instrument shaft.

Surgical cannula for dissipating electric charge


A method for detecting, in an audio signal including a stream of audio samples (y(n), (y′(n)), ticks in a noisy environment, comprises the steps of applying the signal to a coarse tick detection processor arranged to decide whether it is likely that the signal includes a tick and, only then, enabling a fine tick detection processor to decide, by more thorough processing the audio signal, whether the audio signal represents an audio tick. The coarse processing step preferably includes buffering audio samples (y(n), (y′(n)), determining the maximum and minimum values of each sample, forming their local range, delaying the local range with one or more samples and comparing the difference between the actual local range and the delayed local range with a threshold value (Tc), and, if the difference exceeds the threshold value, outputting a trigger (nc) for enabling the fine detection processor The fine processing step preferably includes buffering audio samples (y(n), (y′(n)), computing, for each buffer content (Bp(n,m)), a Fast Fourier Transformed buffer content (Ec(ω,m)), determining the difference (Fc(ω,m)) between the resulting frequency components, comparing the difference (Fc(ω,m)) to the content of a previously trained fingerprint set (F*(ω,m)) and calculating a correlation coefficient (p(Fc,F*)) between them, comparing the correlation coefficient to a threshold value (TP) and, if the correlation coefficient exceeds the threshold value, outputting a signal indication the presence of a tick in the audio signal.

A pairing protocol is disclosed in International Patent Application WO 2009/014438. This document describes a method to enable two mobile terminals to establish each others identity. One mobile terminal is physically tapped (softly hit) against the other. Both terminals detect the tapping. The terminals send messages identifying themselves and providing information about the detected tapping. When it is determined that the information about the detected tapping of two terminals matches, acknowledgement messages are sent to the mobile terminals to establish the mutual identification.
This method has a problem in that not each relatively loud and short noise is a tick caused by tapping terminals together, where too many "false ticks" affect the ease and usefulness of such a "tap-to-pair" system.
Another problem is that discrimination of ticks from non-ticks, especially in noisy environments needs much processing capacity when implemented in conventional ways, where the processing capacity of (small) mobile terminals is restricted and, besides, the terminal's battery has a limited capacity.
EP 1978508 discloses a method of musical beat detection for Karaoke purposes, among others. A musical tune is composed on the basis of a measure of time, such as a bar and a beat. The bar and beat determine the musical rhythm. The document describes system for determining beat position time points in from audio wave files. It is proposed to detect beat positions from large instantaneous peaks in the time-series waveform. But since beat components cannot be extracted highly accurately from a time-series waveform, an alternative is disclosed wherein a spectrogram is computed using an FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) on the time-series waveform. The system considers portions of the spectrogram at which the power spectrum instantaneously changes significantly. These are assumed to be beat components of the rhythm, due to hitting a drum for example.
EP 1978508 notes that such a beat detection does not provide in accurate beat timing extraction. To improve the accuracy an alignment process is performed on the beat position information of a musical tune or musical tune portions expected to have an identical tempo in the extracted beat position information. Such musical tune portions may be selected based on the variance of beat timing. By realigning the time points according to the tempo more accurate positioning of the beat is realized.
Thus, in EP 1978508 initial coarse detection of beat position from audio data in the audio file is followed by further processing of the detected positions. EP 1978508 does not propose to process the audio data itself more thoroughly. EP 1978508 would not be considered for a pairing protocol, because one cannot expect users of mobile terminals against each other according to a musical rhythm that lasts long enough to provide for a musical tune portion expected to have an identical tempo.

Method for detecting audio ticks in a noisy environment

NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST-NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNO


An inserting apparatus, for inserting documents into envelopes, comprising:                an envelope holder for holding an envelope at least in a document inserting position,        a document inserting path arranged upstream of the envelope holder for feeding a document to the envelope,        an envelope opening device comprising an opening element adapted to be inserted in the envelope to move an envelope throat and an envelope body away from each other, the opening element comprising an opening element inserting finger arranged to be inserted in an inner space of the envelope,        a sensor device with a primary sensor part mounted to the inserting finger and a secondary sensor part mounted to a base part or to the inserting finger of the opening element, wherein the sensor device is adapted to detect if the inserting finger is positioned in between the throat and the body.

The invention relates to an inserting apparatus for inserting documents into envelopes, the apparatus comprising an envelope holder for holding an envelope at least in a document inserting position being an open position of a first upstream end of the envelope for receiving a document, a document inserting path arranged upstream of the envelope holder for feeding at least one document to the envelope in a document inserting direction, an envelope opening device comprising at least one opening element adapted to be inserted in the envelope to move an envelope throat and an envelope body away from each other to bring the envelope in the open position, the opening element comprising an opening element inserting finger arranged to be inserted in an inner space of the envelope.
Such an inserting apparatus is known from practice and may further comprise a document displacement arrangement for displacement of the document at least along the document inserting path into the envelope. Such a displacement arrangement comprises at least one displacement element that is adapted to push the document into the envelope. A drawback of such an inserting apparatus is that in operation it is not certain if the at least one opening element is actually brought into the inner space of the envelope. Consequently, it is not certain if the envelope throat and the envelope body are moved away from each other such that a document to be inserted can be easily inserted in the envelope. The opening element may for instance be moved towards the envelope but due to several reasons is not able to reach into the envelope. The envelope will not be brought in the open position, which can result in a document jam in the inserting apparatus, wherein the document to be inserted may be damaged. Such a jam can be removed by the operator of the inserting apparatus, which is a time costly and thus expensive operation. Furthermore, in case the document is damaged too badly, a replacement document has to be provided. This is especially not desired in case of addressed documents. It is further known from practice to provide the inserting apparatus with a sensor to detect if the opening element did open the envelope throat. However, a drawback of the availability of such a sensor is that in case the envelope width has to be changed, the settings of the apparatus have to be adapted to that new envelope width to be used in the apparatus. Consequently, the sensor settings have to be adapted such that the transmitted signal receives the receiver of the sensor. Adjustment of the settings takes time and can result in mistakes and thus in paper jams. Consequently, a risk of disturbance of the inserting process still exists.


A solid-state image sensing device having: a plurality of sensing means arrayed in the form of a matrix; a charge accumulation means that is connected to the sensing means and accumulates a charge generated at the sensing means; an accumulable charge adjusting means that adjusts the amount of accumulable charge of the charge accumulation means; and a control means that controls the accumulable charge adjusting means. The control means controls the amount of accumulable charge to vary continuously or discontinuously in time series within one imaging period and within a given amount of accumulable charge of the control means.

This invention relates to a solid-state image sensing device and a method of driving a solid-state image sensing device.
When a solid-state image sensing device used as an image pickup device is applied to an electronic camera, it is necessary to secure a sufficiently large dynamic range. Because the dynamic range of solid-state image sensing device is significantly narrower than that of silver film.
So, Japanese patent application laid-open No. 8-9260 (1996) discloses a technique that the dynamic range is enlarged by varying a voltage of substrate within an imaging period to switch the amount of accumulable charge of a photodiode. This conventional technique is explained below.
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing cell part in, e.g. a CCD type solid-state image sensing device. The cell part is composed of a photoelectric conversion section 101, a vertical charge transfer electrode 102, a first charge transfer electrode 105 and a second charge transfer electrode 106.
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view cut along the line I-Ixe2x80x2 in FIG. 1. As shown, the cell part is composed of an N type semiconductor substrate 107, a Pxe2x88x92 type semiconductor substrate 108, an N type semiconductor substrate 109, a P+ type semiconductor substrate 110, a first charge transfer electrode 105 formed with first-layer polysilicon 111, a second charge transfer electrode 106 formed with second-layer polysilicon 112. aluminum film 113 serving as shade film, insulating film 114, and cover insulating film 115.
FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram showing the electronic potential of photoelectric conversion section.
First, in order to reset unnecessary electric charge before accumulating charge into photodiode, a substrate voltage VHsub is applied to the Nxe2x88x92 type semiconductor substrate 107, depleting completely the N type semiconductor substrate 109 composing the photoelectric conversion section 101 and the Pxe2x88x92 type semiconductor substrate 108 with a low concentration formed just hereunder, moving all the unnecessary charge to the Nxe2x88x92 type semiconductor substrate 107.
Such a structure is generally called xe2x80x9cvertical overflow drain structure (vertical OFD)xe2x80x9d (reference: J. of Institute of Television Engineers of Japan, Vol. 37, No. 10 (1983), pp. 782-787.
Subsequently, a substrate voltage Vbsub (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x98substrate voltagexe2x80x99) is applied to the Nxe2x88x92 type semiconductor substrate 107, the photoelectric conversion section 101 starts accumulating a signal charge according to amount of incident light. Hereupon, by adjusting the substrate voltage arbitrarily, such excessive charge that cannot be accumulated in the photoelectric conversion section 101 is moved into the Nxe2x88x92 type semiconductor substrate 107 using the vertical OFD structure, thereby the controlling of amount of accumulable charge is conducted.
Using this technique, the solid-state image sensing device is controlled so that the amount of accumulable charge in solid-state image sensing device is switched sequentially from a first amount of accumulable charge (Qsat(1)xe2x89xa00) to a second amount of accumulable charge (Qsat(2)xe2x89xa00, Qsat(1) less than Qsat(2)) within one imaging period.
By changing the substrate voltage applied to OFD (overflow drain) of solid-state image sensing device at time t(1) within imaging period to conduct this operation, the substrate voltage is controlled so that the amount of accumulable charge in solid-state image sensing device is kept Qsat(1) from the beginning to time t(1) within one imaging period and, after time t(1), switched into Qsat(2).
FIG. 4 shows the relationship (solid line) between an amount of accumulable charge within one imaging period and charge accumulation time, in a solid-state image sensing device having such a function. FIG. 5 shows the relationship (solid line) between an amount of accumulable charge within one imaging period and an amount of light.
Dotted lines in FIGS. 4 and 5 indicate characteristics in the case that the amount of accumulable charge does not vary within one imaging period.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, comparing with the case that the amount of accumulable charge does not vary, the dynamic range can be enhanced.
Namely, by providing a means for switching the amount of accumulable charge in solid-state image sensing device sequentially from the first amount of accumulable charge (Qsat(1) xe2x89xa00) to the second amount of accumulable charge (Qsat(2)xe2x89xa00, Qsat(1) less than Qsat(2)) within one imaging period, the dynamic range can be enhanced.
However, in the conventional solid-state image sensing device, when t(1) is set within one imaging period and Qsat(1) and Qsat(2) are set only under the condition of Qsat(1) less than Qsat(2), the dynamic range may not be improved sufficiently. Also, there may occur a case chat the dynamic range is improved little more than the case that the amount of accumulable charge does not vary. The reason is as explained below.
FIGS. 6A to 6C show the relationship between charge accumulation time where t(1) varies among t(1a), t(1b) and t(1c) and the amount of accumulable charge. FIGS. 7A to 7C show the relationship between an amount of incident light and the amount of accumulable charge. Meanwhile, t(1a) less than t(1b) less than t(1c) is satisfied, t(1b) is the middle point of one imaging period, and 2Qsat(1)=Qsat(2) is satisfied. Dotted lines indicate characteristics in the case that the maximum amount of accumulable charge is constant.
As seen from FIGS. 6A to 6C and 7A to 7C, in case of t(1c). the dynamic range is enhanced comparing with the case that the maximum amount of accumulable charge is constant. However, in case of t(1a) and t(1b), the dynamic range is not enhanced comparing with the case that the maximum amount of accumulable charge is constant.
This is because t(1), Qsat(1) and Qsat(2) are determined only under the condition of Qsat(1) Qsat(2). At this condition, the dynamic range cannot be improved surely comparing with the case that the amount of accumulable charge is constant. Further, the circuit is complicated comparing with the case that the amount of accumulable charge is constant.
Japanese patent application laid-open No. 1-253960 (1989) discloses a solid-state image sensing device where the saturation amount of signal transfer is made larger than the amount of signal charge in saturation of light-receiving element. However, it does not describe about that the amount of accumulable charge is varied in the form of multiple stages within one imaging period.
Also, Japanese patent application laid-open No. 5-22728 (1993) discloses a technique that the amount of accumulable charge is varied according to the gain of amplification circuit corresponding to solid-state image sensing device and the gain of white-balance adjustment circuit. However, it does not describe about that the amount of accumulable charge is varied in the form of multiple stages within one imaging period.
Further, Japanese patent application laid-open No. 10-150183 (1998) discloses a solid-state image sensing device equipped with a drive system that reduces an OFD bias to solid-state image sensing element when reading an amount of charge. However, it does not describe about that the amount of accumulable charge is varied in the form of multiple stages within one imaging period.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a solid-state image sensing device and a method of driving a solid-state image sensing device that the dynamic range is improved effectively.
It is an object of the invention to provide a solid-state image sensing device and a method of driving a solid-state image sensing device that even when the photoelectric conversion efficiency is varied with amount of light, an image that does not give uncomfortable feeling to eyes can be produced.
According to the invention, a solid-state image sensing device, comprises:
a plurality of sensing means arrayed in the form of a matrix;
a charge accumulation means that is connected to the sensing means and accumulates a charge generated at the sensing means;
an accumulable charge adjusting means that adjusts the amount of accumulable charge of the charge accumulation means; and
a control means that controls the accumulable charge adjusting means;
wherein the control means controls the amount of accumulable charge to vary continuously or discontinuously in time series within one imaging period and within a given amount of accumulable charge of the control means.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method of driving a solid-state image sensing device which comprises a plurality of sensing means arrayed in the form of a matrix,
a charge accumulation means that is connected to the sensing means and accumulates a charge generated at the sensing means, an accumulable charge adjusting means that adjusts the amount of accumulable charge of the charge accumulation means, and a control means that controls the accumulable charge adjusting means, comprising the step of:
controlling the amount of accumulable charge to vary continuously or discontinuously in time series within one imaging period and within a given amount of accumulable charge of the sensing means, by the control means.
According to another aspect of the invention, a recording medium that stores a program to make a computer conduct a method of driving a solid-state image sensing device which comprises a plurality of sensing means arrayed in the form of a matrix, a charge accumulation means that is connected to the sensing means and accumulates a charge generated at the sensing means, an accumulable charge adjusting means that adjusts the amount of accumulable charge of the charge accumulation means, and a control means that controls the accumulable charge adjusting means, comprising the step of:
controlling the amount of accumulable charge to vary continuously or discontinuously in time series within one imaging period and within a given amount of accumulable charge of the sensing means, by the control means.

Solid-state image sensing device and method of driving the same


Methods and apparatus for sonically attracting bass fish to a desired location which entails propagating a sound into water constituting a habitat for fish, the propagated sound being an emulation of the sound made by a bass fish striking and eating a live bait species. In one embodiment of the invention, the propagated sound is originated at the location to which the fish are to be attracted by first recording the sound of bass fish striking and then consuming a live bait species at an underwater situs, and then propagating the recorded sound from a selected location.

Brief Description of the Prior Art
It is known that many types of aquatic animals, such as whales, porpoises and frogs produce sounds for social communication involving the functions of reproduction, mate selection, territoriality and defense, among others. Fishermen have used this fact to attract and catch fish by using fishing lures which click or pop or rattle.
Sound is often of significant and particular value under aquatic environmental conditions unsuitable for visual or olfactory chemical communication. For example, the effectiveness of visual stimuli in an underwater location is frequently limited by low light levels, or heavy suspensions of colloidal material or mud particles or the like which severely attenuate the intensity of the light signal over distance. Chemical signals involving the olfactory sense of the fish propagate slowly, are non-directional and are easily diffused by water currents. Even so, in some instances, such as the use of putrefied liver and blood baits for the catching of catfish, the olfactory sense has been useful in the attraction of fish.
When contrasted with the senses of sight and smell, sound, when used in water, has a high speed of propagation, a low rate of attenuation and has directional properties which permit it to be transmitted from a given location in the water outwardly in a given or selected direction. Consequently, sound is valuable for rapid, high speed communication over a considerable distance. There is general familiarity, of course, With the use of acoustic signals in submarine warfare situations, where hydrophones carried by one vessel are used to pick up the sound generated by the screws of another vessel, as such sounds are transmitted through the water to the receiving ship.
Sound is perhaps the most important source of information to fish about the environment around them, because in contrast to the relatively poor properties of water as a transmitter of light, sound is transmitted through water very efficiently. In comparison with air, water is much denser and much less elastic. It thus transmits sound at a velocity which is about 4.8 times its velocity through air, and the attenuation of sound over distance in water is much less than the attenuation of light. As indicated earlier, it has been recognized for a number of years, that depending upon the acoustic properties of the signals, including the frequency and transient characteristics, certain types of sound such as pops, clicks and rattles can be used to effectively attract fish to the location of the sound source.
Sound detection in fishes involves both the inner ear and the acoustico lateralis systems. The inner ear consist of three, semi-circular canals and three otolithic organs, the utriculus, the sacculus and the lagena. The utriculus is essentially a vestibular organ, along with the semi-circular canals, while the sacculus and the lagena are involved with audition. The lateral lines along the sides of the body of the fish include neuromasts which are composed of air cells, sensory cells and cupula, and such lateral lines are sound sensitive.

Method and apparatus for attracting fish to a selected location


According to an aspect, a display module includes a display panel that displays an image on a display surface; an optical member; and a housing that supports the display panel and the optical member. The housing includes a first housing, a second housing, and a third housing that is arranged on a side of the second housing opposite to the first housing side. An end of the first housing on a display surface side of the display panel protrudes toward the center of the display surface to face an outer edge of the display surface. An end of the second housing on a side opposite to the display surface side of the display panel protrudes toward the center of the display surface to face an outer edge of a surface opposite to the display surface. The optical member is provided between the second housing and the third housing.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a display module including a display panel and a support that supports the display panel and to a display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Display devices displays an image on a display surface of a display panel, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel and an organic electroluminescence (EL) panel. The display panel has film-shaped (sheet-shaped) optical members laminated thereon to improve the display quality, for example. The display panel is a plate member the outer periphery of which is supported by another member.
An LCD device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2008-299181 (JP-A-2008-299181) includes, in a housing, a liquid crystal panel, a sheet-shaped optical member (an optical sheet), a light guide plate, a pair of light source mounting substrates, and a plurality of light sources. The LCD device described in JP-A-2008-299181 further includes a second frame and a rubber cushion between the liquid crystal panel and the optical sheet.
In some display devices, the sheet-shaped optical member is fixed to the housing with an adhesive or an adhesive sheet. If the sheet-shaped optical member is fixed to the housing in a manner bonded with an adhesive or sandwiched between some members including a rubber cushion placed in close contact with the sheet-shaped optical member as described in JP-A-2008-299181, for example, distortion, sag, wrinkles, or other failures may possibly occur. Such distortion, sag, wrinkles, or other failures deteriorate an image to be displayed.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a display module and a display device that can support a display panel and a film-shaped member overlapped with the display panel and can suppress the deterioration of images.


A probe for NMR includes a coil for irradiating an RF magnetic field and a coil for receiving an NMR signal, wherein the coil for irradiating the RF magnetic field includes one wire or one sheet of foil, and the coil for receiving the NMR signal is formed of part of the coil for irradiating the RF magnetic field. A lead wire pair is drawn out from a portion on the way of a winding of the coil that comprises one wire or one sheet of foil, and a coil portion between the lead wire pair is assumed to be a second coil.

The present invention relates to a probe for nuclear magnetic resonance.
In the NMR or an MRI, when it is desired that an area which is irradiated with an RF magnetic field and an area where an NMR or MRI signal is received be controlled to a desired position, a plurality of coils, which are switchable, have commonly been used. For example, JP-A-2007-185421 discloses a construction in which, as a receiving system, a plurality of coil groups comprising a plurality of RF magnetic field coils are disposed at positions that prevent spatial interference with at least one of RF magnetic field coils of adjacent coil groups, and the RF magnetic field coils that constitute each coil group are sequentially switched before being used.

NMR probe with magnetic field irradiating coil and NMR signal receiving coil


The present invention discloses an apparatus and method for a method for determining proximity of a device (e.g., a client device). In one example, a key management request is acquired from the device. A measurement request is then transmitted to the device. Afterwards, a measurement reply is received from the device. In response, a determination is made as to whether a measurement parameter associated with the transmitting and the receiving exceeds a predetermined threshold. If the predetermined threshold is not exceeded (i.e., the device is proximate to an associated local network), then a reply to the original key management request is transmitted to the device. Notably, the reply to the key management request is required for the device to establish a secure session with a server from which digital content can be acquired.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to video-over-networks, e.g., video-over-Internet Protocol (IP) networks that utilize digital rights management functions for securely communicating content between network components. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining the proximity of a client device in relation to its local network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital content has recently gained wide acceptance in the public. Such content includes, but is not limited to: movies, videos, music, and the like. Consequently, many consumers and businesses employ various digital media devices or systems that enable the reception of such digital multimedia contents via several different communication channels (e.g., a wireless satellite link or a wired cable connection). Similarly, the communication channel may be a telephony based connection, such as DSL and the like.
Existing content protection systems (e.g., DTCP/IP) associated with the exchange of digital media can typically determine a client device's general location upon the device's registration with a content server in a local network. The general locality of a registering device may be checked by measuring the round-trip time (RTT) associated with the transmitted registration communication. Typically, a client device is required to register on a predetermined periodic basis, e.g., every 48 hours. However, this approach fails to prevent the remote access of restricted or prohibited content in designated "blacked out" areas. For example, a user may register a client device in one area (e.g., customer's home network) and forward the content to the second location (e.g., customer's summer home) that has been designated as a "blacked out" area. A user can therefore effectively bypass the viewing restrictions imposed in a given area. Alternatively, the client device may be physically moved from its local network after the most recent registration. As a result, a user is afforded a considerable amount of time to register a device at one area (e.g., local network), subsequently move the registered device to a second location, and ultimately view content that may be restricted within the second location.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for determining the proximity of a client device to a local network.

Method and apparatus for determining the proximity of a client device