The present invention generates graphical user interface (GUI) components with GUI regions on a GUI display using web technology such that the GUI components are substantially independent of the host application. The host application defines a respective size and a respective location for each GUI region on the GUI display. The host application also instantiates a corresponding web browser for each GUI region. Each corresponding browser retrieves and executes an associated web page that defines the appearance and/or the functionality of a GUI region. The web page is written in a standard high-level language such as hypertext markup language such that the appearance and functionality of the GUI regions may be easy to create and modify. Because the web page defining a GUI region can be located anywhere on the world wide web, the functionality of the GUI regions is extensible beyond the capabilities of the host terminal running the host application. In addition, the corresponding browser determines an appropriate time for performing the corresponding functionality of each GUI region. The corresponding browser may also bind to an object model within the host application to provide the host application functions via a GUI region.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to software for creating user interface components on a graphical user interface (GUI) display such as a computer screen, and more particularly, to graphical user interface (GUI) regions that are created by a host application using browsers and web pages such that the appearance and functionality of the GUI regions are substantially independent of the host application and such that the GUI regions may be created using a standardized programming language.
2. Related Information
A user of a computer, whether the computer is a PC or a workstation, has by now interacted with graphical interface components on the computer screen. For example, referring to FIG. 1, a graphical user interface (GUI) display 17 such as a computer screen commonly displays a toolbar 16 within a word processor application. The toolbar 16 of the example is comprised of GUI regions such as buttons. A GUI region is any area on the computer screen that, when interacted with by the user, provides a functionality of the application.
In the word processor application for example, the toolbar 16 has GUI regions that, when interacted with, activate macros or other common functions associated with the word processor application. Each GUI region has an identifying appearance on the toolbar and provides a corresponding functionality when that GUI region is interacted with. For example, a GUI region represented by a picture of scissors provides the functionality of xe2x80x9ccut text selectionxe2x80x9d when clicked on. The user may interact with the GUI region, for example, by clicking on the GUI region with a mouse or staring at that GUI region for a predetermined time period or by any other means that are known to one of ordinary skill in the art.
The toolbar 16 of FIG. 1 is comprised of three GUI regions including a first GUI region 18 for xe2x80x9copening a text filexe2x80x9d, a second GUI region 20 for xe2x80x9ccutting textxe2x80x9d, and a third GUI region 22 for xe2x80x9ccopying text.xe2x80x9d The prior art GUI regions, including the appearance and functionality of the GUI regions, are created by a host application code which is implemented in a programming language such as C++ or by a graphics language program such as VISUAL BASIC(copyright). Referring to FIG. 1 for example, a host application 12, which may be a word processor application, includes a GUI component module 14 which creates the toolbar 16 of the prior art on the GUI display 17. Significantly, for the prior art toolbar 16, the code of the host application defines the appearance and functionality of the GUI regions 18, 20, and 22.
Thus, in the prior art, several disadvantages exist. First, in order to create the appearance and functionality of the GUI regions, the creator needs to be familiar with programming languages that are not high-level user-friendly standardized languages. Furthermore, the host application code typically needs to be compiled before running the host application for creating the GUI regions.
In the prior art, in order to change the appearance and functionality of the GUI regions, the host application code is rewritten with the same programming language used for the original host application code, and this host application code is recompiled into an executable code before running the host application. Such changes to the GUI regions may be desirable for upgrading the appearance and functionality of the regions. However, most users of the host application may not easily comprehend such programming languages such as C++ or VISUAL BASIC(copyright) in order to be able to modify the GUI regions. In addition, the host application code for all users desiring upgrades would need to be changed and recompiled, or alternatively, such users may be forced to repurchase an upgraded host application.
GUI components such as the toolbar 16 is comprised of at least one GUI region such as the buttons of the toolbar 16. Some host applications include a set of available GUI components or GUI regions, and the user can select which GUI components or GUI regions will appear on the GUI display. However, the appearance and functionality of each of the available GUI components and GUI regions are still determined by the host application code.
Accordingly, a need exists for allowing the appearance and functionality of GUI regions of GUI components to be created and changed without rewriting the host application code.
The present invention is described with respect to example GUI regions comprising a toolbar GUI component within a word processing host application. However, one of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that the present invention may be practiced for any other type of GUI regions within any other type of host application from the description herein.
Accordingly to the present invention, GUI regions are generated using web technology such that the appearance and functionality of the GUI regions may be easily created and upgraded. More specifically, the present invention uses a corresponding browser and an associated web page for implementing each GUI region. In this manner, the appearance and functionality of a GUI region is created within a web page using a high-level user-friendly standardized language such as Hypertext markup language (HTML). In addition, because the web page defining the appearance and functionality of the GUI region is located within a predetermined server, that web page can be created or changed on that predetermined server in order to create or upgrade the appearance or functionality of the GUI region for all users.
With the present invention, the size and location of each of at least one GUI region on a GUI display is defined within a host application. In addition, the host application instantiates a corresponding browser that points to an associated web page defining the functionality and/or the appearance for each GUI region. Furthermore, the host application exposes a corresponding host application object to the corresponding browser for the functionality of each GUI region. The corresponding browser for a GUI region determines a respective appropriate time for the functionality of that GUI region with an event handler. The functionality for that GUI region is executed at that respective appropriate time.
The present invention can be used to particular advantage for implementing toolbars within a host application. In that case, each GUI region, that is thus implemented with web technology, is part of the toolbar provided by the host application. In addition, the present invention can be used to permit a user to define GUI parameters such as the location and size of each GUI region placed by the host application on the GUI display. The user may further specify the web page corresponding to each GUI region in building a GUI display.
In another aspect of the present invention, a web page may include an image tag for defining the appearance of the corresponding GUI region. Each web page may also include a hyperlink to at least one other web page and may include a Java applet and/or active controls that perform the functionality of the corresponding GUI region. Each web page may be written in HTML with each browser being HTML compatible. In a further aspect of the present invention, the web page for each GUI region may be located on a predetermined server accessible via the Internet. In this manner, functions associated with each GUI region can be created, modified, and stored on different computer systems.

Standardized and application-independent graphical user interface components implemented with web technology


According to an example embodiment, an amplitude feedback loop may include an RF amplifier, a detector, a comparator, and a Q-enhancement cell. In an example embodiment, the RF amplifier has an output signal, and the detector has an input coupled to the output signal of the RF amplifier and is configured to detect a level of the output signal of the RF amplifier. The comparator circuit may receive as inputs a reference voltage and the output of the detector. Also, the comparator circuit is configured to output a control signal based on a difference between the reference voltage and the output signal of the power detector. The Q-enhancement cell may be coupled to the RF amplifier and have an input coupled to an output of the comparator circuit. A bias current of the Q-enhancement cell may be adjusted based on the control signal output by the comparator circuit.

Wireless transceivers and other circuits are used in a wide variety of wireless and communication systems. A wireless transceiver may typically include a wireless receiver for receiving and demodulating signals, and a transmitter for modulating signals for transmission. The transceiver may typically include a variety of RF (radio frequency) circuits, such as amplifiers, mixers, filters, LO (local oscillator) circuits, etc. The RF amplifiers typically have to operate over wide frequency bandwidths. Channel selection within these frequency bandwidths often results in poor performance at the upper and lower frequencies within the bandwidth.

Circuit with Q-enhancement cell having feedback loop


The present synthesizer includes functionality for changing over from a current note to the following notes that results in natural and expressive combinations and transitions. The method of the present invention incorporates an delay (actual, functional, or look ahead) between receiving control data inputs and generating an output sound. This period of delay is used to modify how notes will be played according to control data inputs for later notes. The input to the synthesizer is typically a time-varying MIDI stream, which may be provided by a musician or a MIDI sequencer from stored data. An actual delay occurs when the synthesizer receives a MIDI stream and buffers it while looking ahead for changeovers between notes. A functional delay occurs in a system in which the synthesizer has knowledge of note changeovers ahead of time. A look ahead delay occurs when the synthesizer queries the sequencer for information about the stored sequence ahead of when the synthesizer needs to generate the output for the sequence.

Music synthesis generally operates by taking a control stream such as MIDI input and generating sound associated with that input. MIDI inputs include the instrument to play, pitch, and loudness. Other MIDI inputs may include MIDI modulation control, and vibrato speed.
Simply generating a signal that has the correct pitch and loudness produces a very poor, synthetic sound. All music needs time varying elements, such vibrato, to sound natural.
In addition, natural music does not switch abruptly between one note and another in a step-wise fashion. Rather, there is a period of transition, starting before the changeover from one note to the next begins and continuing for some time after the changeover ends.
In addition, the contour of a note as it changes over time, and the shape of the transition from one note to the next, is highly dependent on the context of the note within a musical phrase. Just as a skilled reader processes written text as phrases rather than individual words or syllables, a skilled instrumentalist processes groups of notes as musical phrases. The musical phrase forms a single shape or acoustic gesture in the mind of the performer. This shape is translated, almost unconsciously, into detailed physical actions on the instrument. Connecting notes to form phrases is essential to expressive performance.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,316,710 to Lindemann describes a synthesis method which stores segments of recorded sounds, particularly including transitions between musical notes, as well as attack, sustain and release segments. These segments are sequenced and combined to form an output signal. U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,322 to Lindemann describes a synthesis method which uses dominant sinusoids combined with a vector-quantized residual signal. U.S. Pat. No. 6,111,183 to Lindemann describes a synthesizer which models the time varying spectrum of the synthesized signal based on a probabilistic estimation conditioned to time-varying pitch and loudness inputs.
A need remains in the art for improved methods and apparatus for transitioning between successive notes in a natural and expressive manner, and for shaping notes as a function of their context within a musical phrase.

Expressive music synthesizer with control sequence look ahead capability


A performance board for allowing a device under test and a testing apparatus to be electrically coupled with each other, includes a base substrate on which the device under test is mounted, a first adaptor part provided with a plurality of coaxial connectors for allowing a plurality of coaxial cables electrically coupled to a plurality of first pins of the device under test respectively and the testing apparatus to be electrically coupled with each other and a second adaptor part provided with a plurality of via holes for allowing a plurality of wirings electrically coupled to a plurality of second pins of the device under test respectively and the testing apparatus to be electrically coupled with each other.

Recently, an SOC device in which various circuits such as an RF front-end circuit, a baseband circuit, a logic test circuit and the like are on one chip becomes increased. Accordingly, a demand for a testing system capable of performing various tests corresponding to the SOC device such as an RF test, a baseband test, a logic test and the like with high precision becomes strong.
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a conventional SOC testing system. In the conventional SOC testing system, a plurality of via holes 12 provided in a performance board 10 and a plurality of pogo pins 16 provided on an upper surface of a test fixture 14 are coupled with each other mechanically and electrically. In addition, a plurality of via holes 18 provided on the lower surface of the test fixture 14 is coupled to a test head of a testing apparatus mechanically and electrically. Wiring patterns 20 provided on the performance board 10 allows a device under test 22 and the via holes 12 to be coupled with each other, and coaxial cables 24 provided in the test fixture 14 and the via holes 18 allow the pogo pins 16 and the testing apparatus to be coupled with each other, so that the device under test 22 and the testing apparatus can be coupled with each other. Further, the testing apparatus supplies test signals to the device under test 22 via the performance board 10 and the test fixture 14 to perform the logic test or the like.
FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a conventional RF testing system. In the conventional RF testing system, an RF test head 28 mounted on a performance board 26 and a test fixture 30 are electrically coupled with each other by coaxial cables 32 such as semi-rigid cables and coaxial connectors 34 such as SMA (Sub Miniature type A) connectors. In addition, the test fixture 30 and a testing apparatus are electrically coupled with each other by coaxial connectors 36 and coaxial cables 38. And, the testing apparatus supplies test signals to the device under test 22 via the coaxial cables and the coaxial connectors to perform the RF test or the like.
In addition, in order to automatically couple a prober mounting the device under test and the test head of the testing apparatus each other using the blind-mate connector, a floating mechanism of the blind-mate connector has been proposed (c.f. Japanese Patent Applications Publication Nos. 1998-106677 and 1998-107100).
In the SOC testing system shown in FIG. 1, although the performance board 10 is easily attached to or detached from the test fixture 14 so that the operability is good, in case of the RF test there is a problem such as a performance error caused by the frequency characteristics of the via holes 12 or the wiring patterns 20, the cross torque between the wiring patterns 20, the drawing-around of the wiring patterns 20, a performance error caused by the terminal process of the coaxial cables 24 and/or the like. In addition, in the RF testing system as shown in FIG. 2, although the device under test 28 and the testing apparatus are electrically coupled with each other by the coaxial cables and the coaxial connectors so that the frequency characteristics are good, there is a problem that the operability in attaching or detaching the performance board 10 to or from the test fixture 14 is bad because of the coaxial connectors 34, e.g. the SMA connectors.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a performance board and a testing system, which is capable of overcoming the above drawbacks accompanying the conventional art. The above and other objects can be achieved by combinations described in the independent claims. The dependent claims define further advantageous and exemplary combinations of the present invention.


There is provided a technique for fabricating a thin film transistor having excellent performance. A configuration is employed in which when the thin film transistor is in an on-state, the flowing direction of the on-current coincides with the direction of crystal growth. With such a configuration, grain boundaries of the crystalline silicon in the active layer will not block the on-current. Further, when the thin film transistor is in an off-state, the off-current is always orthogonal to the grain boundaries of the crystalline silicon. The grain boundaries of the crystalline silicon effectively suppresses the off-current in such locations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device utilizing a crystalline thin film transistor and a method of manufacturing the same and, more particularly, to a thin film transistor (TFT). The present invention can be applied to thin film transistors of any type such as planar and reverse staggered types.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, techniques for fabricating thin film transistors on an inexpensive glass substrate have been rapidly advancing. Especially, thin film transistors utilizing a thin film semiconductor as an active layer have made remarkable progress. Silicon films are commonly used as thin film semiconductors, and thin film transistors utilizing amorphous silicon films have already been put in use.
However, progress in the development of active matrix type liquid crystal displays and the like wherein a pixel region and a driving circuit are integrated has resulted in an increased need for thin film transistors for such driving circuits operating at a high speed. As a result, conventional thin film transistors utilizing amorphous silicon films have become insufficient to achieve required characteristics.
Under such circumstances, there is a recent trend toward thin film transistors whose active layer is constituted by a crystalline silicon film obtained by crystallizing an amorphous silicon film. In a crystalline silicon film (excluding single crystal silicon films), however, the presence of trap levels of a high density at grain boundaries of the crystalline silicon results in migration of carriers through such traps which causes an off-current to flow.
Such an off-current is a current flowing through the channel region of a thin film transistor in the off-state. The off-current can prevent charge stored in the thin film transistor from being maintained for a long time when the transistor is used as a switching device for a capacitor formed by a pixel electrode or the like in a liquid crystal display or the like.

Semiconductor device with an active layer having a plurality of columnar crystals

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A superelastic alloy exhibiting shape memory or pseudoelastic it properties contains about 46.17 weight percent Au and about 53.83 weight percent In. Such alloys containing the superelastic Auxe2x80x94In2 intermetallic compound which exhibits elasticity can be formed into a gasket or seal that can be deformed at low stress levels while additionally having corrosion resistant properties.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an intermetallic compound possessing superelastic properties, shape memory alloys formed therefrom, and the resulting shape memory articles.
2. Background of Related Art
Alloys which are capable of transforming between martensitic and austenitic parent phases are generally able to exhibit a shape memory effect. The transformation between phases may be caused by a change in temperature. For example, a shape memory alloy in the martensitic phase will begin to transform to the austenitic phase when its temperature rises above the austenite start temperature, As, and the transformation will be complete when the temperature rises above the austenite finish temperature, Af. The forward transformation will begin when the temperature drops below the martensite start temperature, Ms, and will be complete when the temperature drops below the martensite finish temperature, Mf. The temperatures Ms, Mf, As and Af define the thermal transformation hysteresis loop of a shape memory alloy.
Under certain conditions, shape memory alloys exhibit pseudoelasticity, which does not rely on temperature change in order to accomplish shape change. A pseudoelastic alloy is capable of being elastically deformed far beyond the elastic limits of conventional metals. Certain alloys, however, are capable of exhibiting pseudoelasticity of two types.
A first type of pseudoelasticity, xe2x80x9csuperelasticityxe2x80x9d (also sometimes referred to as non-linear pseudoelasticity), arises in appropriately treated alloys while they are in their austenitic parent phase at a temperature which is greater than As and less than Md (Md is the maximum temperature at which the transformation to the martensitic phase can be induced by the application of stress). Superelasticity can be achieved when the alloy is annealed at a temperature which is less than the temperature at which the alloy is fully recrystallized. Alternative methods of creating superelasticity in shape memory alloys are, for example, solution treating and ageing, alloying, etc. An article may be provided with a desired configuration by holding it in that configuration during annealing, or during solution treatment and ageing. An article formed from an alloy which exhibits superelasticity can be deformed substantially reversibly up to 11 percent or even more.
A second type of pseudoelasticity is xe2x80x9clinear pseudoelasticityxe2x80x9d. In contrast to superelasticity, xe2x80x9clinear pseudoelasticityxe2x80x9d is believed not to be accompanied by a phase change. It is exhibited by shape memory alloys which have been cold worked in the martensitic phase, but have not been annealed in the manner discussed above for superelastic behavior. An article formed from an alloy which exhibits linear pseudoelasticity can be deformed substantially reversibly by 4 percent or even more.
Examples of known metallic materials used to form shape memory alloys known in the prior art include nickel-titanium (Nitinol), nickel-titanium-vanadium. nickel-titanium-zirconium, nickel-titanium-zirconium-copper, indium-thallium, and gold-copper-zinc. These alloys have been employed in a wide variety of mechanical, electrical and medical/dental applications, e.g., connectors, couplings, window openers, valve switches, heat-actuated water sprinklers, safety switches, and orthodontal appliances. However, due to their high strength properties, these alloys cannot be deformed at low stress levels such as that encountered in, for example, gaskets or seals. In the case of gaskets, the deformation should be restricted to the gasket and not the flanges. Since these alloys possess high strength and/or high hardness, permanent deformation of the flanges will result. Therefore, these alloys would not be useful when employed as a gasket or seal.
It would therefore be desirable to have a shape memory alloy which can be deformed at low stress levels therefore making the alloys useful as gaskets or seals.
We have discovered that intermetallic compounds derived from Auxe2x80x94In2 exhibit superelasticity such that the intermetallic compounds possess shape memory characteristics when deformed at low stress levels yet also provide sufficient strength to maintain its shape when employed as a gasket or seal. In one embodiment, an Auxe2x80x94In2 intermetallic compound possessing shape memory characteristics is provided which comprises Au and In in a near atomic ratio of about 1:2 which has been heated to a predetermined temperature to melt and form a liquid alloy mixture and allowed to cool at room temperature.
In a second embodiment, a shape memory alloy is provided which includes at least a first phase having shape memory properties containing Au and In with additional alloying elements such as copper and/or nickel and a second inactive carrier phase containing elements selected from the group consisting of Au, In, Ni and Cu. These alloys are advantageously formed as a gasket or seal which possesses pseudoelastic, i.e., superelastic, properties. The seals are particularity useful for liquid oxygen systems.

Gold-indium intermetallic compound, shape memory alloys formed therefrom and resulting articles


A computer-implemented method to determine a part-of-speech (POS) category associated with a word in a text. The method includes determining a first set of candidate POS categories associated with the word based on a dictionary. The method further includes determining one or more contexts in which the word is used in the text based on a first set of rules. The method further includes determining a second set of candidate POS categories from the first set of POS categories based on the one or more contexts. The method furthermore includes determining the POS category from the second set of candidate POS categories based on a second set of rules.

Several techniques have been developed for part-of-speech (POS) tagging. The function of a POS tagger is to associate each word in a sequence of words with a POS category, tag or label. As many words can have multiple parts of speech, the POS tagger must be able to determine the POS category of a word based on the context of the word in the text.
In addition, certain words in the text are ambiguous since they can be used as nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. In such a case, state of the art POS taggers may not be able to disambiguate the text/phrase and will provide inaccurate results. Therefore, there is a need for an improved technique to determine the POS category of a word in a sequence of words.
Generally, POS tagging is more complex in the case of incomplete or incorrect sentences. In real-world applications, documents often contain text composed of incomplete sentences, for example, titles, lists of items, subheadings, and the like. In such cases, POS taggers often incorrectly determine and tag the POS category.
Further, the existing POS taggers use statistical methods due to which the results (the POS tag category assigned to the given word in question) are not tractable at the word level. Thus, this makes the existing POS taggers less usable in generalized contexts. In addition, the existing POS taggers are not extensible without computer programming or without rebuilding the underlying statistical models, which further restricts the usefulness of such POS taggers.

Method and system to determine part-of-speech


A scroll compressor has lubricant flow which communicates lubricant onto a motor protector when adverse conditions are present causing the motor protector to trip the motor and stop further rotation. The lubricant is returned to an oil sump through a normal return path. The normal return path outlet may be positioned above the motor protector such that lubricant will contact the motor protector when adverse conditions are present, or the outlet may be remote from the protector. When the outlet is remote from the protector, a funnel and tubing divert the oil to the motor protector under adverse conditions. Alternatively, a passage communicating with the normal return path is selectively blocked when an adverse condition is present. At that time, lubricant is forced into an alternative oil path, which is positioned above the motor protector.

This invention relates to a system which optimizes the flow of a lubricant over portions of a scroll compressor which become hot during reverse rotation or loss of charge, and then selectively passes the heated lubricant onto a motor protector under certain conditions.
Scroll compressors are becoming widely utilized in refrigerant compression applications. In a scroll compressor, a first scroll member has a base and a generally spiral wrap extending from the base. The wrap of the first scroll member interfits with the wrap from a second scroll member. The second scroll member is caused to orbit relative to the first, and refrigerant is entrapped between the scroll wraps. As the second scroll members orbits, the size of the compression chambers which entrap the refrigerant are reduced, and the refrigerant is compressed.
There are certain design challenges with a scroll compressor. As an example, while the scroll compressor efficiently compresses refrigerant when rotated in a proper forward direction, there are undesirable side effects if the scroll compressor is driven to rotate in a reverse direction. Moreover, if the level of refrigerant or charge level being passed through the compressor is lower than expected, there may also be undesirable side effects. Among the many undesirable side effects is an increased heat level at the scroll compressor members.
One safety feature incorporated into most sealed compressors is the use of a motor protector associated with the electric motor for driving the compressor. The same is true in a scroll compressor, wherein a motor protector is typically associated with the stator for the electric motor. The motor protector operates to stop rotation of the motor in the event there is an electrical anomaly, or if the motor protector senses an unusually high temperature. However, the problems mentioned above with regard to reverse rotation and loss of charge typically cause heat to increase at the compressor pump set which is relatively far from the motor. Thus, it may take an undue length of time for the additional heat being generated in the compressor pump set to pass to the motor protector.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Oil utilized as motor protector trip for scroll compressor


A housing for an elongate electrodeless bulb which is energiseable by an rf field such as a microwave field, preferably at or around 2.45 GHz. The housing is constructed of electrically conductive material and is arranged to have a substantially unobstructed opening through which the bulb is visible from outside the housing, and the housing is arranged to hold the bulb in a position which is recessed into the housing such that in use, the bulb is energized by virtue of its position within the housing and adjacent surrounding conductive parts of the housing substantially attenuate the rf field near the opening so that the rf field strength outside the housing is substantially zero whereby visible light or UV light is freely allowed out through the opening.

It is well known that ultraviolet light (UV) may be emitted by mercury/inert gas based plasmas in quartz tubes and that the wavelengths of such emissions is generally between 180 and 420 nm. Applications of such UV light include the disinfection of bacteria, very often because of the UV disturbance of DNA. Another potential application of UV light involves the photopolymerisation of liquids such as inks, adhesives and resins.
Energisation of mercury-based plasmas may be achieved by the striking of an arc across electrodes within the plasma or by the excitation of the plasma by radio frequency (rf) radiation, often at microwave frequencies around 2.45 GHz.
Energisation of UV emitting plasmas by microwave irradiation is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,349 (Spero et al). The advantages of microwave-energised UV emission plasmas over arc-energised plasmas are significant and include the minimisation of degradation over time and the ability to pulse and re-strike plasmas instantly giving many operational advantages in practical situations.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,318 (Spero et al.) discloses a microwave energised UV emission system in which ultraviolet light is emitted over 360 degrees but the light output of this technology and that of other derived and similar patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,403 (Osbourne et al.) is restricted by the attenuation of the conductive mesh that is necessary to direct and contain the microwave radiation in order to efficiently and safely energise the UV emission plasma source.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,348,669 (Little et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,507,030 (Briggs et al) disclose the behaviour of an energised mercury/inert gas plasma in the form of a lossy conductor. This allows the plasma to be used to transmit rf/microwave energy if used as part of a transmission system or to attenuate it if used to block rf/microwave emission or transmission. Such methods have a disadvantage in that in a situation when a bulb is used to block the passage of microwaves, the large dimensions of the bulb and the inability of UV to be passed through an energised plasma make the efficient focussing of such light difficult and in some cases impossible. Many UV process require the high intensity that can only be achieved by focussing of emitted light. (For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,118,130 (Barry))
In addition, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/228,632 (Little and Briggs) discloses the use of tubes that are of a diameter less than 0.5 wavelength of the microwave frequency chosen (typically 2.45 GHz), to block microwave emission from a cavity provided that the length of the tube is beyond cut-off for that wavelength.

Methods and apparatus for generating ultraviolet light


A device for additive-free, catalytically induced oxidation of solid carbon particles and decomposition of chemical compounds, comprising a converter chamber with compartments, in which porous structure catalyst carrier matrix profiles are mounted, so that a space between the internal diameter of catalyst profiles is connected to an inlet connection of the converter chamber, and a space around the external diameter of the catalyst profiles is connected to an outlet connection into the catalyst chamber. The profiles are mounted so that gas particles reach outlets only by passing through porous profiles. Advantageously, a third opening through which liquid, gaseous media, e.g., NO2, O3 or H2O or auxiliary means maybe in front of the porous structures. The porous structures are made of catalytically active material with catalytic action at temperatures below 400° C., preferably below 350° C. and especially below 300° C. The low-temperature below 250° C. by H2O is preferred.

Soot particles consist mainly of elemental carbon (C), which may contain components of high and low volatility in its composition. Without a catalyst and under normal pressure, the C particles burn at temperatures above 500° C. in the presence of oxygen. Hydrocarbons, sulfates, oxides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, etc., may be deposited on the nanostructures of the carbon particles.
The percentage of the volatile components in the exhaust gas varies depending on the load state of combustion equipment or an internal combustion engine. Volatile particle components can be oxidized in the exhaust gas stream more easily than highly coked particle agglomerates. Emissions of diesel engines are referred to as hazardous substances of Class I and as hazardous and cancer-causing substances in the Threshold Limit Values List (MAK-Liste), see Appendix 1 to the Ordinance on Hazardous Substances (Gefahrstoffverordnung).
Emissions from diesel engines are subject to regulations such as the Technical Rules for Hazardous Substances [Technische Regeln für Gefahrstoffe (TRGS)], in which they are classified as carcinogenic. Exhaust gas limit values of <0.15 g/kWh are currently in force in Europe. The limits will be reduced to <0.05 g/kWh in the European Union according to the "EURO IV Ordinance" beginning from 2005. To meet the limit values, a device with a catalytically active carrier matrix with at least one free passage for the exhaust gases is necessary. The provision of many passages through the matrix increases the conversion capacity in the gas stream, which is also called conversion rate Kr.
The device must withstand continuous thermodynamic and mechanical alternating stresses and shock as well as permanent chemical loads. To burn particles in the exhaust gas stream, time must be available in order for energy to be able to act on the particles. Since the soot particles are entrained in the exhaust gas stream at a speed greater than 10 m/sec, and the device must not have a large volume, only a short time is left for the conversion. In order to introduce the needed energy into the particles in a short time and not to compromise the internal combustion engine by an unacceptable back pressure during the process, the following conditions must be met:    1. Open (0.1–0.5 mm) labyrinth channels through the integral carrier matrix monolith,    2. large geometric area of the carrier matrix,    3. large number of contacts (impact) of the particles with the catalyst,    4. selective (multistep) catalytic treatment of the particles and gases,    5. conversion in the temperature window of 180–500° C.,    6. thermal stability of the matrix during exothermal spontaneous reactions,    7. no deposition of ashes at operating temperatures below 800° C.,    8. low back pressure (below 150 mbar),    9. avoidance of the generation of NOx,    10. avoidance of excess NO2,; and    11. avoidance of CO emission.
In compliance with the EURO IV/V exhaust gas limit values the passage channels through the device are dimensioned such that they are many times larger than the largest diameter of the largest particle agglomerate ever occurring. Deposition or accumulation of carbon particles cannot thus occur either in the highly loaded state or in the nonloaded operating state of a combustion equipment. The exhaust gas stream is consequently not compromised by the device as a consequence of the dimensioning of the passage channels, regardless of the load state of the combustion equipment. An increase in the back pressure caused by the accumulation of Carbon particles in the device is ruled out when a controlled regeneration is performed if the engine begins to operate above a defined back pressure. A controlled regeneration can be performed by the control engineering system of the combustion equipment itself or by external measures (e.g., auxiliary heater, electric heater, cavity resonator, dipole excitation, high-voltage discharge, dielectrically pulsed low-temperature plasma).
The use of centrifuges, cyclones, particle filters, and oxidation catalysts for separating particles from exhaust gas streams has been known. Small, lightweight and inexpensive devices that make possible the continuous conversion of respirable carbon particles are needed in small, mobile units. Such devices have not become known for small and mobile units (5–120 kW) and have not been used for such units, either. Contrary to this, catalytic filters and oxidation catalysts are used.
According to their physical principle, particle filters tend to exhaust their filter capacity, and the back pressure, which increases due to clogged filter surfaces, opposes the flowthrough of the exhaust gas, especially the separation of respirable particles. This circumstance is unfavorable for the internal combustion engine arranged upstream of the "aftertreatment." In case of a combination of an internal combustion engine with a filter arranged downstream, the internal combustion engine cannot be operated, e.g., at full load when the filter is already exhausted. This may lead to damage to the internal combustion engine.
Additives for filter burn-off, which burn the solid particles in the exhaust gas continuously or intermittently and in a satisfactory manner, are ecologically objectionable. The regeneration of exhaust gas filter cartridges is complicated in terms of control engineering and expensive in terms of handling. Nonregenerable filters, i.e., "disposable filters," represent an ecological problem. Such exhaust gas cleaning units cannot therefore be considered for wide use based on ecological considerations, especially because the filters are exhausted before the end of the normal life cycle and are to be considered to be special waste in case of disposal.

Device for the continuous burning of carbon particles


Structures and methods to ease electron emission and limit outgassing so as to inhibit degradation to the electron beam of a field emitter device are described. In one method to ease such electron emission, a layer of low relative dielectric constant material is formed under the surface of the field emitter tip. Another method is to coat the field emitter tip with a low relative dielectric constant substance or compound to form a layer and then cover that layer with a thin layer of the material of the field emitter tip.

Recent years have seen an increased interest in field emitter displays. This is attributable to the fact that such displays can fulfill the goal of being consumer-affordable hang-on-the-wall flat panel television displays with diagonals in the range of 20 to 60 inches. Certain field emitter displays operate on the same physical principles as cathode ray tube (CRT) based displays. Excited electrons are guided to a phosphor target to create a display. The phosphor then emits photons in the visible spectrum. This method of operation for field emitter displays relies on an array of field emitter tips.
Although field emitter displays promise to provide better color and image resolution, one of their problems is that it is difficult to get the field emitter to emit electrons so as to strike the phosphor target to generate the display. Another problem is that video images on these displays tend to take on undesired viewing characteristics over a relative short period of time. These undesired characteristics might be caused by degradation of the field emitter display due to certain conditions near the vicinity of the field emitter displays. These issues raise questions about the commercial success of the displays in the marketplace.
Thus, what is needed are structures and methods to enhance the emission of electrons in field emitter displays while dealing with the degradation of the field emitter over time.

Field emitter devices with emitters having implanted layer


As a paint composition of cationic electrodeposition and a method preparing thereof, the paint composition of cationic electrodeposition comprises about 42 to about 47 percent by weight of a cationic electrodeposition resin composition, about 6 to about 13 percent by weight of a pigment paste composition, and about 40 to about 48 percent by weight of ion exchange water. An electronic part film coated by utilizing the paint composition of cationic electrodeposition on alloy such as an iron, an aluminum, etc. does not include a lead and a tin. In addition, when assembling electronic parts, an error rate is minimized by inhibiting frictional static electricity through anti-static capacity, and the probability of a fire is dirninished by inhibiting static electricity.

1. Field of the Invention
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to a paint composition of cationic electrodeposition and a method of preparing the same. More particularly example embodiments of the present invention relate to a paint composition of cationic electrodeposition which a dried film coated with does not include heavy metals such as lead, tin, etc., and minimizes error rate by prohibiting frictional electricity in assembling electronic parts, and a method of preparing the paint composition of cationic electrodeposition.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrodeposition paint is used in electronic parts, which require a high rust inhibition while coating an object by electrically educing paint particles. For example, an electrodepositon paint is used in a coating of hard disk drive. As an auxiliary memory device of a computer, a hard disk drive analyzes data stored by a magnetic head or records data in a magnetic disk. A base frame is produced by die casting an aluminum alloy in order to protect a hard disk drive, and coating films are continuously formed on the hard disk drive by electrodeposition coating in order to protect the base frame.
Generally, an electrodeposition paint is a cationic epoxy electrodeposition paint, a cationic acrylic electrodeposition paint, an anionic electrodeposition paint, etc.
In the case an electrodeposition film is coated with a cationic electrodeposition epoxy paint, a dried film includes a lead and a tin to improve corrosion resistance of materials. In conventional processes, a cationic epoxy electrodeposition paint including a lead but excluding a tin is used so as to coat the base frame of a hard disk drive. But according as the restriction of environmental contamination progress rapidly in order to remove or reduce harmful material such a lead etc. from the film of electrodeposition paint composition, the removing of a lead has been required from cationic epoxy electrodeposition paint for use of coating base frame of hard disk drive. Hence, researches to exclude factors that may affect drive performance of a hard disk drive by exposing an aluminum alloy have been actively pursued while removing a lead and a tin from usual base frame film of a hard drive disk. Here, the aluminum alloy results from appearance defect of pin to hole phenomena by generation of hydrogen gas in the case of coating. For example, Korean Patent Laid Open Publication No. 2005-0070495 discloses an electrodeposition paint removing a lead and a tin from a dried film.
When coating electronic parts and metallic materials by utilizing the epoxy electrodeposition paint that does not include tin, frictional electricity may be generated in an assembling process. Here, in case that a hard disk drive is completed, a data loss may be generated.
Accordingly, a paint composition of cationic electrodeposition is needed that the dried film coated with on electronic parts of iron and aluminum alloy dose not includes lead, tin etc., may have a surface resistance and a tribocharge within a proper range and prevent frictional electricity from being generated through anti-static capacity.

Paint composition of cationic electrodeposition and method of preparing the same


A residual current device is described that has an amplifier circuit for producing a fault voltage, which is derived from a fault current, a comparison circuit for comparing the fault voltage with a reference voltage, and a reference circuit, which is connected to a power supply unit, for producing the reference voltage as well and an operating voltage for the amplifier circuit. The residual current device also includes an arrangement that, if the output voltage from the power supply unit falls below a predetermined value, raise the reference voltage at least to the instantaneous operating voltage, at least if the fault voltage is less than the reference voltage.

The present invention relates to a residual current device.
A residual current device is used to ensure protection against a dangerous fault current in an electrical system. Such a fault current occurs when a live conductive part makes an electrical contact with ground. This occurs, for example, when somebody touches a live part of an electrical system. The fault current then flows via the person to ground, as a body current. The residual current devices which are used for protection against dangerous body currents have to isolate the electrical system from the mains voltage in the event of a fault current that is greater than 30 mA.
The design of a residual current device is described, for example, in the article xe2x80x9cWarum Fehlerstrom-Schutzschalter mit netzspannungsunabhxc3xa4ngiger Auslxc3x6sung?,xe2x80x9d etz, Volume 107 (1986), Issue 20, pages 938 to 945. Outline circuit diagrams and functional principles of a residual current device are described there, in particular in FIGS. 1 to 3. In this case, a distinction is drawn between two different basic types. The residual current device (RED) is a fault-current protective device in which the electrical power required for the switching process is obtained from the fault current itself, independently of the mains voltage. A differential-current or DI circuit breaker is, in contrast, a fault-current protective device in which the electrical auxiliary energy required for the switching process is taken from the mains voltage itself. Such a DI circuit breaker thus requires a mains connection and a power supply unit to operate it. The power supply unit converts the mains voltage into the supply voltage required to operate the DI circuit breaker components.
In such a DI circuit breaker, the voltage induced by the fault current in the secondary winding of the core-balanced transformer is normally amplified in an amplifier. If the fault voltage that is present at the output of the amplifier exceeds a predetermined reference voltage, then the DI circuit breaker trips. This reference voltage is generally provided by a voltage divider that is connected to a power supply unit, which supplies the electronic circuits located in the DI circuit breaker with the operating voltage required to operate it.
Any fault current or dissipation current flowing in an electrical system that is less than the tripping fault current leads to a fault voltage at the output of the amplifier, which is less than the reference voltage associated with the tripping fault current. If the mains voltage is switched off, then the operating voltage falls, and the reference voltage thus also falls, with a time constant that is dependent on the magnitude of the smoothing capacitors. If the reference voltage is less than the fault voltage at a time at which sufficient energy is still stored in the power supply unit to trip the tripping relay, the DI circuit breaker trips incorrectly.
An object of the present invention is a residual current device that avoids a fault operating state caused by the mains voltage being switched off.
The present residual current device according to the invention contains an amplifier circuit for producing a fault voltage that is derived from a fault current, a comparison circuit for comparing the fault voltage with a reference voltage, and a reference circuit, which is connected to a power supply unit, for producing the reference voltage as well as an operating voltage for the amplifier circuit, in which case means are provided which, if the output voltage from the power supply unit falls below a predetermined value, raise the reference voltage at least to the instantaneous operating voltage, at least if the fault voltage is less than the reference voltage.
In other words, if the fault voltage is less than the reference voltage at the time at which the output voltage from the power supply unit falls below the predetermined value, that is to say when the tripping condition for the tripping circuit of the residual current device is not satisfied at this time, the reference voltage is increased at least to the instantaneous operating voltage, which is in the process of falling.
Raising the reference voltage at least to the instantaneous operating voltage, preferably to the instantaneous operating voltage, ensures that the fault voltage derived from the fault current by the amplifier circuit is not less than the reference voltage as the output voltage of the power supply unit falls, since the output voltage of an amplifier circuit is, as a rule, less than the operating voltage used to operate it. This largely avoids incorrect tripping when the mains voltage is switched off.
In a further advantageous refinement of the present invention, the reference circuit contains a first voltage divider, which is connected to the operating voltage, for producing the reference voltage. That first voltage divider is connected to ground via a switching element which can be controlled as a function of the output voltage from the power supply unit. In this way, the reference voltage can be raised to the operating voltage by a simple switching process.
A transistor is preferably provided as the controllable switching element.
In a further advantageous refinement of the invention, the reference circuit contains a second voltage divider for producing a control voltage for the controllable switching element.
The second voltage divider is connected between the output voltage of the power supply unit and ground, and preferably includes a zener diode, which is connected in series, in the reverse direction, between the divider resistors of the second voltage divider, and to the base of a transistor, which is provided as the controllable switching element.
In a further embodiment of the present the invention, the output of the comparison circuit is connected to the reference circuit via a feedback circuit. This ensures that, in the event of a discontinuity in the supply voltage provided by the power supply unit, which may have been caused by actuating a tripping coil, the tripping condition required for the tripping coil to trip, namely that the fault voltage is greater than a reference voltage, is maintained.
In particular, the feedback circuit contains a diode and a resistor connected in series with it, and is connected to a control line which carries the control voltage.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the reference circuit contains a voltage stabilization circuit for producing a stabilized operating voltage from the output voltage. This creates reproducible and stable operating conditions for the residual current device.


The output state of a pulse wave optimum to the user and applied to the head of the user is automatically set while improving the wearability of the electrodes, and different output states of pulse waves can be simultaneously applied to a large number of users. A pulse wave of predetermined pattern is given to the skin near an ear of the user and/or of the back of a hand of the user to directly stimulate and activate the brain. This stimulation is significantly effective especially for colorblindness. By systematizing such a revolutionary therapy, pulse waves of different patterns can be applied to a large number of patients (users), enabling a quick, effective therapy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for applying pulse waves to a human body. Specifically, this invention relates to a system for applying pulse waves particularly to the head of the human body in order to enhance and improve the activity level of the nervous system, particularly the cranial nerve of the human body. More specifically, it is an application system designed to enhance and recover the activity level of the brain by putting electrodes on both ears of the human body and applying the pulse waves between the electrodes through the human body. This invention relates to an application system which can improve and solve various malfunctions and defects relating to the cranial nerve, for example, congenital intelligence impairment (such as Down syndrome), acquired intelligence impairment (such as senile dementia and serious depression), or colorblindness, and which can also enhance and improve intellectual levels such as EQ and IQ of a physically unimpaired person.
2. Description of the Related Art
The applicant developed a method of improving abnormal color sensation of a human body such as anomalous trichromatism and colorblindness by using electric signals, and has achieved desirable effects. The conventional method is to put electrodes on the head of the human body, particularly on both ears, and apply a specific electric pulse signal between the pair of electrodes by means of an application control device. Specifically speaking, a user holds the pair of electrodes with his/her hands respectively and maintains the state in which the electrodes are put on the corresponding ears. The pair of electrodes is contained in pads and the electrode surfaces are covered with sponges soaked in a solution. In other words, the pair of electrodes contacts the user's ears through the sponges. Therefore, an electric signal is applied between both ears.
The applicant discovered from many years of study that application of specific electric signals to the head of the human body can improve abnormal color sensation such as anomalous trichromatism and colorblindness and metabolic disorders such as allergies.
In recent years, for example, senile dementia has become a significant social issue, but curative medicines for senile dementia are limited in their effects. It can be considered that symptoms such as the colorblindness and the senile dementia are attributed to occurrences of dysfunction in the functioning of the central nervous system such as the brain, or impairment of such functioning or an insufficient state of the functioning.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an application system for a human body, which can enhance, improve or ameliorate the comprehensive activity level of the cranial nerve and the central nervous system. Another object of the present invention is to provide an application system for the human body, which can improve abnormal color sensation and also improve and solve senile dementia and congenital intelligence impairment. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an application system for the human body, which can enhance the mental activity level and the intellectual level, such as EQ and IQ, of a physically unimpaired person.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a system which achieves activation of the entire nervous system of the human body, and further to provide an application system which activates the motor nerve to enhance athletic ability.


A three-wheel pivot-caster assembly that provides mobility for a power tool is described. The pivot-caster assembly includes a first frame assembly with two wheels and a second frame assembly that has a caster assembly which includes a swivel wheel. The first and second frame assemblies may be adjusted to accommodate power tools of various sizes. Additionally, a "stopping" mechanism is provided to maintain the swivel caster in its set position when the power tool is lifted. A straight line action clamp mechanism with locking feature prevents accidental actuation of the swivel caster when the tool is lifted or used over an uneven surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to the field of power tools and, more particularly, to caster assemblies for power tools. Specifically, the invention relates to a three-wheel pivot-caster assembly that provides mobility for a power tool.
2. Description of the Related Art
Power tools have a variety of uses, including the cutting of wood pieces, and often may need to be moved from a storage area to a given work area. Wheel assemblies used to give mobility to a power tool need to be able to adapt to the various tool sizes and be easily activated/deactivated. Some conventional caster assemblies require various frame assembly welds to be adaptable to a variety of tools. One conventional assembly uses a wood frame, which may have a lower reliability due to the possibility of the failure of the wood frame. Also, conventional prior art caster assemblies can become accidentally mobile by lifting the unit, or moving the unit over a low area on the floor.
In some assemblies, wheel brakes apply force to a wheel tread, thereby preventing movement. Brake reliability, however, is often dependent on how tightly the brake knobs are turned, which may be difficult to control. Use of a wheel brake mechanism also fails to provide a visual determination of whether or not the brakes are engaged. Thus, it would be beneficial to have a pivot-caster assembly that is capable of overcoming the shortcomings of conventional methods.


A multi-output DC-DC converter comprising a plurality of converters configured so that an inductor 2 and a main switch 31 are used in common, wherein a first output voltage Vo1 is output from a circuit comprising a diode 41 and a first output capacitor 51, and a second output voltage Vo2 is output from a circuit comprising an auxiliary switch 32, a diode 42 and a second output capacitor 52. The control circuit 80 of the multi-output DC-DC converter has an output detection circuit 81, an oscillation circuit 82, a PWM circuit 83, a frequency divider circuit 84 and a drive circuit 85, and controls a plurality of outputs at high efficiency and reliability.

The present invention relates to a multi-output DC-DC converter, for use in a variety of electronic appliances, configured to receive a DC voltage from a battery or the like and to supply controlled DC voltages to a plurality of loads.
An apparatus having a circuit configuration shown in FIG. 8 has been used conventionally as a multi-output DC-DC converter. The input DC voltage Ei of a DC power supply 1 is input to the conventional multi-output DC-DC converter shown in FIG. 8. A main switch 3 formed of an N-MOSFET, an inductor 2, a diode 4 and a first output capacitor 5 are provided to constitute a boost converter (step-up converter). A first output voltage Vo1 is output from the first output capacitor 5 to a first load 6. A control circuit 7 adjusts the ON/OFF period ratio of the main switch 3 to control the first output voltage Vol. The first output voltage Vo1 is stepped down by a series. regulator 8 and output as a second output voltage Vo2 from a second output capacitor 9 to a second load 10.
The operation of the boost converter shown in FIG. 8 will be described below briefly.
First, when the main switch 3 is ON, the input DC voltage Ei is applied to the inductor 2. At this time, a current flows through the inductor 2 and magnetic energy is stored. Next, when the main switch 3 becomes OFF, the magnetic energy stored in the inductor 2 is released via the diode 4 as a current for charging the first output capacitor 5. When it is assumed that the main switch 3 is turned ON/OFF in a constant cycle, the energy output via the inductor 2 in each cycle is higher as the ON period of the main switch 3 is longer, and the first output voltage Vo1 is higher as the ON period of the main switch 3 is longer. In other words, the control circuit 7 controls the first output voltage Vo1 by adjusting the ON/OFF period ratio of the main switch 3. On the other hand, the second output voltage Vo2 obtained from the first output voltage Vo1 is output via the series regulator 8.
In the conventional multi-output DC-DC converter configured as described above, a loss due to the series regulator 8 was caused, thereby lowering conversion efficiency. In addition, since the conventional multi-output DC-DC converter used a configuration comprising a plurality of switching converters, such as the above-mentioned boost converter, to obtain multiple outputs, the number of components increased, whereby an apparatus incorporating such converters was made larger in size and higher in cost.
FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram showing a three-output boost converter configured to control a plurality of outputs by using less number of components (see Official Gazette of Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. Hei 7-40785, for example). Numerals assigned to components shown in FIG. 9 are the same as those shown in the drawings disclosed in the Official Gazette of Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. Hei 7-40785. By the application of an input V11, magnetic energy is stored in an inductor L during a period while a switch S1 makes contact with its contact A. The magnetic energy is released to each output during a period while the switch S1 makes contact with its contact B. At that time, the magnetic energy is distributed to each output via a switch S2. The Official Gazette of Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. Hei 7-40785 discloses a method of controlling the period while the switch S2 makes contact with each contact thereof so that all the output voltages are stabilized and of controlling the switch S1 so that power is supplied to all loads just sufficiently.
An invention having a configuration based on a technical concept similar to that of the Official Gazette of Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. Hei 7-40785 but adopting a different control method has also been proposed (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,239, for example). U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,239 discloses an insulating flyback converter having N outputs and being characterized in that N rectifying and smoothing circuits are connected to one output winding of a transformer via a switching transistor corresponding to the switch S2 of the boost converter shown in FIG. 9. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,239, the switching frequency of a main switching transistor corresponding to the switch S1 is divided by N and allocated to the control of each output. In other words, the switching transistor corresponding to the switch S2 in U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,239 is switched at 1/N of the switching frequency. The ON period of the main switching transistor corresponding to the switch S1 is adjusted in each switching cycle, whereby each output voltage is controlled.
A configuration wherein an inductor is commonly used for a plurality of boost converters is obtained by applying the conventional control method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,239 to the conventional multi-output converter shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram of a boost converter having two outputs, serving as a simple application example of this configuration. FIG. 11 is a diagram. showing the waveforms of signals at the main sections of the configuration. The application example will be described below in detail.
In the boost converter having two outputs, shown in FIG. 10, an input DC voltage Ei is input from an input DC power supply 1. The boost converter comprises an inductor 2, a main switch 14, an auxiliary switch 15, a diode 11, a first output capacitor 5, a diode 12 connected in series with the auxiliary switch 15, a second output capacitor 9 and a control circuit 16. The main switch 14 and the auxiliary switch 15 are each formed of an N-MOSFET, for example. The control circuit 16 controls the main switch 14 and the auxiliary switch 15 so that they are driven in accordance with their respective predetermined ON and OFF periods.
In the boost converter having two outputs configured as described above and shown in FIG. 10, a first output voltage Vo1 is output from the first output capacitor 5 to a first load 6, and a second output voltage Vo2 is output from the second output capacitor 9 to a second load 10. The input/output conditions are represented by Vo1 >Vo2> Ei. When the auxiliary switch 15 is OFF, the inductor 2, the main switch 14, the diode 11 and the first output capacitor 5 constitute a boost converter. On the other hand, when the auxiliary switch 15 is ON, the inductor 2, the main switch 14, the diode 12 and the second output capacitor 9 constitute a boost converter.
In the control circuit 16, an output detection circuit 17 detects the first output voltage Vo1 and the second output voltage Vo2. Furthermore, the output detection circuit 17 outputs error voltages Vel and Ve2 respectively obtained by amplifying the error between the detected output voltage Vo1 and its desired value and by amplifying the error between the detected output voltage Vo2 and its desired value. An oscillation circuit 18 outputs a sawtooth voltage Vt and a clock signal Vt1 each having a predetermined cycle T. A PWM circuit 19 outputs a signal V1 obtained as the result of the comparison between the error voltage Ve1 and the sawtooth voltage Vt and also outputs a signal V2 obtained as the result of the comparison between the error voltage Ve2 and the sawtooth voltage Vt.
A frequency divider circuit 20 receives the signal Vt1 and outputs a frequency-divided signal Vt2. A drive circuit 21 receives the signal V1, the signal V2 and the frequency-divided signal Vt2 and outputs a drive signal Vg14 for the main switch 14 and a drive signal Vg15 for the auxiliary switch 15. Furthermore, as the drive signal Vg14 from the drive circuit 21, the signal V1 is selected and output when the frequency-divided signal Vt2 is low, and the signal V2 is selected and output when the frequency-divided signal Vt2 is high.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the waveforms of the various signals in the boost converter having two outputs shown in FIG. 10 and the waveform of a current IL flowing through the inductor 2.
The operation of the conventional multi-output DC-DC converter during its normal operation will be described below by using FIGS. 10 and 11.
First, it is assumed that at time t0 in FIG. 11, the frequency-divided signal Vt2 is driven low by the clock signal Vt1 and the sawtooth voltage Vt starts rising. At this time, the frequency-divided signal Vt2, that is, the drive signal Vg15, is low, whereby the auxiliary switch 15 becomes OFF. On the other hand, the signal V1 obtained as the result of the comparison between the sawtooth voltage Vt and the error voltage Ve1 becomes high, and this signal is output as the drive signal Vg14. In other words, the main switch 14 becomes ON, the input DC voltage Ei is applied to the inductor 2, and magnetic energy is stored.
When the signal V1 becomes low at time t1, the drive signal Vg14 becomes low, and the main switch 14 becomes OFF. At this time, the magnetic energy stored in the inductor 2 is released as a current for charging the capacitor 5 via the diode 11 since the auxiliary switch 15 is OFF. This current decreases and becomes zero soon.
At time t2, the frequency-divided signal Vt2 is driven high by the clock signal Vt1, and the sawtooth voltage Vt lowers abruptly and then starts rising again. At this time, the drive signal Vg15 becomes high, and the auxiliary switch 15 becomes ON. On the other hand, the signal V2 obtained as the result of the comparison between the sawtooth voltage Vt and the error voltage Ve2 becomes high and is output as the drive signal Vg14. In other words, the main switch 14 becomes ON. At this time, the input DC voltage Ei is applied to the inductor 2, and magnetic energy is stored.
When the signal V2 becomes low at time t3, the drive signal Vg14 becomes low, and the main switch 14 becomes OFF. At this time, the magnetic energy stored in the inductor 2 is released as a current for charging the capacitor 9 via the diode 12 since the auxiliary switch 15 is ON. This current decreases and becomes zero soon.
At time t4, the drive signal Vg15 becomes low, and the operation at time t0 and thereafter is repeated.
The following equations (1) and (2) are established assuming that the inductance of the inductor 2 is L, that the ON period of the main switch 14 while the auxiliary switch 15 is OFF is Ton1, that the ON period of the main switch 14 while the auxiliary switch 15 is ON is Ton2, that the output current to the first load 6 is Io1, and that the output current to the second load 10 is Io2.
                    Vo1        =                  Ei          +                                                    (                                  Ei                  ·                  Ton1                                )                            2                                      4                                            L                ·                T                ·                Io1                                                                        (        1        )                                Vo2        =                  Ei          +                                                    (                                  Ei                  ·                  Ton2                                )                            2                                      4                                            L                ·                T                ·                Io2                                                                        (        2        )
In the conventional boost converter having two outputs, configured as described above, the error voltages Ve1 and Ve2 change so that the first and second output voltages Vo1 and Vo2 are stabilized to their respective desired voltages, whereby the ON period of the main switch 14 is adjusted. In other words, the two boost converters wherein the main switch 14 and the inductor 2 are commonly used are subjected to time-sharing control at half the oscillation frequency of the oscillation circuit 18. Hence, the first and second output voltages Vo1 and Vo2 are stabilized to their respective desired voltages.
As described above, the conventional multi-output DC-DC converter shown in FIG. 8 had a problem of causing a loss due to the series regulator and thereby having low conversion efficiency. In addition, since the conventional multi-output DC-DC converter shown in FIG. 8 used a configuration comprising a plurality of switching converters, such as boost converters, to obtain multiple outputs, the number of components increased, whereby an apparatus incorporating such converters was made larger in size and higher in cost.
On the other hand, in the configuration of the conventional multi-output DC-DC converter shown in FIG. 9, the number of components is decreased by commonly using the inductor, whereby a plurality of outputs can be controlled at high efficiency. In the configuration of the conventional multi-output DC-DC converter shown in FIG. 9, in the case of the control method disclosed in the Official Gazette of Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. Hei 7-40785, the magnetic energy is stored in the inductor L during a period while the switch S1 makes contact with its contact A. This magnetic energy is distributed to each output by the switching operation of the switch S2 during a period while the switch S1 makes contact with its contact B. However, for example, in the case of the converter having three outputs shown in FIG. 9, when the above-mentioned control method is Used, it is necessary to control four periods in one switching cycle of the switch S1. The four periods are a period while the switch S1 makes contact with its contact A, a period while the switch S1 makes contact with its contact B and the switch S2 distributes the magnetic energy to a first output, a period while the switch S1 makes contact with its contact B and the switch S2 distributes the magnetic energy to a second output, and a period while the switch S1 makes contact with its contact B and the switch S2 distributes the magnetic energy to a third output. A switching converter can be made smaller by raising its switching frequency. However, in the method of controlling the above-mentioned four periods, it was difficult to raise the switching frequency. Furthermore, there was a problem of causing switching losses and switching noise during the switching operation of the switch S2.
The above-mentioned problem of being difficult to raise the switching frequency can be solved, just as in the case of the converter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,239, more specifically, by applying the control method wherein the switching frequency is divided and assigned to the control of each output. This is described above by taking the boost converter having two outputs as an example and by using. FIGS. 10 and 11. However, in the conventional converter configured as shown in FIG. 10, the current flowing through the inductor 2 did not become zero in some cases during the OFF period of the main switch 14. In a converter, the current flowing through the inductor 2 is desired to be zero during the OFF period of the main switch 14 because of the following reason.
For example, in the multi-output DC-DC converter shown in FIG. 10, in the case when the first output current Io1 is large and the current flowing through the diode 11 does not become zero during the OFF period of the main switch 14, the current IL flowing through the inductor 2 has the waveform shown in FIG. 12. At this time, the output voltages Vo1 and Vo2 are represented by the following equations (3) and (4).
                              Vo1          =                                                                      T                  +                  Ton1                                                  T                  -                  Ton1                                            ·              Ei                        -                                          4                                                  L                  ·                  T                  ·                  Io1                                                                              (                                      T                    -                    Ton1                                    )                                2                                                                                (        3        )                                Vo2        =                  Ei          +                                                    {                                                                            (                                              T                        +                        Ton2                                            )                                        ·                    Ei                                    -                                                            (                                              T                        -                        Ton1                                            )                                        ·                    Vo1                                                  }                            2                                      4                                            L                ·                T                ·                Io2                                                                        (        4        )
The first output voltage Vo1 can be controlled by adjusting the ON period Ton1 in accordance with the change of the output current Io1. However, since the current flowing through the diode 11 does not become zero during the OFF period of the main switch 14, there is a restriction represented by Vo1<Ei·T/(T−Ton1). Hence, even when Ton2=0, the numerator of the second term in Equation (4) for obtaining the second output voltage Vo2 has a value larger than zero. Therefore, in the case when the output current Io2 is small, the second output voltage Vo2 rises and becomes uncontrollable. At the time of starting when the output has not risen sufficiently or when one of the outputs is overloaded and the voltage of the output lowers, the current flowing through the inductor 2 does not become zero during the OFF period of the main switch 14. In other words, the phenomenon shown in FIG. 12 occurs as a problem.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.