A method regulates the time constant matching of a DC/DC converter phase, further to a variation of a load applied to an output of said phase. Such phase being associated with a coil network, with a series RL circuit and a reading network 10, with a series RC circuit connected in parallel to the coil network. The method includes an acquisition step, suitable to acquire the trend of a voltage detected across the capacitance CD of the reading network 10, transforming it into a current trend, a detection step suitable to identify a variation above a certain threshold value of said current trend, an identification step, enabled by said detection step, suitable to determine a slope of said current trend and a regulation step suitable to adapt the value of said resistance RD based on said slope determined by said identification step.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for regulating the time constant matching, for example, in DC/DC converters.
The invention particularly, but not exclusively, relates to a method to be used in DC/DC converters, for example in voltage regulator module (VRM) applications, and the following description is made with reference to this field of application for convenience of illustration only.
The invention further relates to a corresponding regulation device for regulating and controlling the time constant matching in DC/DC converters.
2. Description of the Related Art
As it is well known, the evolution of the electric characteristics of processors for PCs, WORKSTATIONS and SERVERS obliges manufacturers to search for new solutions meeting the CPU requirements that include: high precision in the supply voltage, for instance +/−0.8% under steady state conditions and +/−3% under transient conditions.
In order to ensure an accurate supply, which respects more and more restrictive specifications, it is desirable to precisely know the value of the current flowing in the coils of the DC/DC converter used as power supply unit.
In order to ensure such a precision degree, designers are induced to use a current estimate method exploiting the parasitic resistance of each coil of the DC/DC converter.
The use of this method however introduces a drawback due to the real value offset of the components employed by the respective nominal value, jeopardizing the reading precision and thus the current estimate.
By analyzing the DC/DC converter it is observed that the parasitic resistance of each coil is not directly accessible and this so as to be able to draw the current information it is necessary to use an added electric network or reading network, placed in parallel to the coil and formed by a resistance RD and by a capacitance CD, as for example shown in FIG. 1.
By now analyzing the transfer function, reported in the formula (1.1), between the voltage Vsense developing across the capacitance CD and the current IL flowing in the coil, the presence of a term can be noted which depends on the frequency and which is also called doublet.
A variation of the doublet can alter the read current information. More precisely, an overestimate of the current which flows in the coil is performed, if the time constant of the reading network, CD RD is lower than the time constant L/RL also called coil network. Whereas, in the opposite case there is a under-estimation of the read current.
                                          V            sense                                          (            s            )                          =                                            I              L                                                  (              s              )                                ·                      R            L                    ·                                    1              +                              s                                                  L                                      R                    L                                                                                1                  +                                      s                                                                                C                        D                                            ·                                              R                        D                                                                                ︸                            doublet                                                          (        1.1        )
In order to have a correct current estimate it is thus necessary that the time constants of the reading network and coil network are equal, such correlation is also called "time constant matching." This condition does not normally occur due to the variation from the nominal value of the values of the components used as above hinted at, which negatively influences the time constant matching.
Let's remember that the components can depart from their nominal value due to a statistic variability, from a dependence on the temperature or simply from an ageing thereof.
Through tests carried out by the Applicant it has been observed how the use of standard components leads to differences between the two time constants which can also reach ±30%.
Thus, against a variation of the current required by the load, such difference can cause, on the DC/DC converter regulated output voltage, overelongations or subelongations which can jeopardize the tolerance band imposed by the specifications.
The effect of the overelongations and of the subelongations on the output voltage with respect to a constant ideal value is shown in FIG. 2 and it is due to a wrong Time Constant Matching.
As far as it is known, no specific solutions exist in the literature for correcting a wrong time constant matching.
A possible solution for trying to solve and/or to limit the entity of the overelongations and subelongations effects, is the use of particularly precise components, both in the coil network and in the reading network, and an oversized output capacitance.
Such solution however implies extremely high component costs linked to the precision required and, moreover, the use of such components also implies high costs in terms of area occupied on the motherboard.
Let's now analytically analyze an equation for the calculation of the tolerance band (TOB) i.e. of a DC/DC converter tolerance band with reference to the output voltage.
                              TOB          manuf                =                                                                                (                                                                                VID                            ·                                                          k                              VID                                                                                ︸                                                reference                                            )                                        2                                    +                                                            V                      AVP                      2                                        ·                                          (                                                                                k                                gm                                2                                                            ︸                                                        Current                                                    Sense                                                +                                                                                k                                ESR                                2                                                                                n                                ph                                                                                sense                                                    element                                                                    )                                                                      ︸                            STATIC                        +                                                                                V                    AVPdyn                    2                                    ·                                                                                (                                                                                k                                L                                2                                                            +                                                              k                                C                                2                                                                                n                              ph                                                                                )                                                ︸                                            TimeConstant                                        Matching                                                  ︸                            DYNAMIC                                                          (        1.2        )            ±TOB=TOBmanuf+Vripple+VTC  (1.3)
In particular, the equation (1.3) defines the calculation for the determination of the tolerance band, which however needs the value of the TOBmanuf defined by the equation (1.2).
As it can be observed, the equation (1.2) shows the dependence of the tolerance band on some characteristic parameters dependant on the typology of the used reading or sensing network. By introducing such parameters it is possible to understand which weight the single blocks, which compose a DC/DC converter, have in the global calculation of the TOB.
The equation (1.2) collects the static and dynamic variations relative to the DC/DC converter and, for obtaining the total contribution, they are quadratically summed.
The contribution of the time constant matching in the equation (1.2) is given by the third addend, wherein the terms KL and KC appear which are respectively the coil statistic variation and the capacitance CD one. Whereas, the term nph indicates the number of the phases of each DC/DC converter and the term VAVPdyn indicates the variation of the output voltage against a variation of the required current Idyn.
The terms Vripple and VTC, reported in the equation (1.3), indicate the deterministic variations of the output voltage.
Let's now analyze the equation (1.4) which allows to highlight a residual difference between the two time constants equal to 4%.
                                                        4                                                                                %                        =                                                                                K                        L                        2                                            +                                              K                        C                        2                                                                                n                      ph                                                                      ⇒                                  n                  ph                                            =              7                                ,          8                                                                    where                                :                                                                                K            L                          =                              10                                                                          %                                                                          and                                                                                K              C                                =                      5                                                                          %                                              (        1.4        )
As it can be observed, with current and known DC/DC converters a residual difference between the two time constants equal to 4% can be reached by using an eight-phase system so as to allow a greater mediation of the unbalance of each phase.
However, systems with such a high number of phases are out of the normal trend for DC/DC converters, which require reduced costs and minimal uses of areas in the motherboard.
Moreover, it is good to consider that the above indicated result of the equation (1.4) solution has been obtained by using particularly precise components and, in a particular way, as regards the output capacitance, a capacitor with COG dielectric has been used, which has a great precision, a lower dependence on the temperature and a lower aging effect with respect to the normal capacitors. However, such types of COG capacitors have a more than double cost with respect to the common capacitors.

Method for regulating the time constant matching in DC/DC converters


Methods, systems, and devices for providing matching security between data stores are described. In a database system, an operational data store may store transactional datasets and an analytical data store may store analytics datasets generated based on the transactional datasets. For these analytics datasets to efficiently inherit the security configurations of the transactional datasets, security information may be embedded in datasets retrieved from the operational data store during a data acquisition procedure. This security information may be converted into an embedded multiple-value field for storage in the analytical data store. The analytical data store may receive a query for data in a dataset, and may determine security descriptors associated with the user sending the query. The analytical data store may then filter the data based on comparing these determined security descriptors with the security information in the multiple-value field, and may transmit a query response with the filtered data.

A cloud platform (i.e., a computing platform for cloud computing) may be employed by many users to store, manage, and process data using a shared network of remote servers. Users may develop applications on the cloud platform to handle the storage, management, and processing of data. In some cases, the cloud platform may utilize a multi-tenant database system. Users may access the cloud platform using various user devices (e.g., desktop computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets, or other computing systems, etc.).
In one example, the cloud platform may support customer relationship management (CRM) solutions. This may include support for sales, service, marketing, community, analytics, applications, and the Internet of Things. A user may utilize the cloud platform to help manage contacts of the user. For example, managing contacts of the user may include analyzing data, storing and preparing communications, and tracking opportunities and sales.
In some cases, the cloud platform may be supported by a number of data stores within a database system. Some of these data stores may contain operational data (e.g., transactional data), which may be generated or uploaded to track times, reference values, or both for data transactions. Other data stores may contain analytical data, which may be generated based on transactional data using one or more predictive functions, operations, or heuristics. Users may query for analytical data from these analytical data stores to aid in making business decisions, projecting future data transactions, etc. In some cases, the operational data may be protected using security configurations, where certain users are not allowed access to specific data objects or data records in the operational data store according to the security configurations. However, in these cases, the analytical data store may fail to enforce the same security configurations for the analytical data, or may introduce a large amount of query processing latency in order to enforce the same security configurations. In some cases, this increased query processing latency may be perceivable to a user querying for analytics data, not allowing for "live" query handling at the analytical data store.

Providing matching security between data stores in a database system


A device for sterilizing containers may include a treatment head having an outlet window for the passing of charge carriers therethrough, a charge carrier generation source for generating charge carriers, an acceleration device disposed above the outlet window, and a cooling device for cooling the outlet window. The acceleration device accelerates the charge carriers in the direction of the outlet window. The cooling device includes a feed opening for a gaseous medium. The feed opening is disposed beneath the outlet window and directs the gaseous medium at least partially from below to the outlet window.

WO 2007/145561 A1 describes a method of sterilizing containers. In this case the container is divided into two regions to be sterilized and these two regions are sterilized by electron beam apparatus in the two regions.
An electron gun, which is capable of being introduced into the interior of a container through the opening thereof, is known from WO 2007/095205 A2.
WO 97/07024 describes a method of sterilizing product containers. In this case an electron gun is provided in the form of tubes and the sterilization is carried out by an electron beam. DE 101 34 037 A1 describes an apparatus and a method of plasma sterilization. EP 1 120 121 A2 describes an apparatus for the sterilization of containers by means of ultraviolet light.
A technique for the internal sterilization of a container by means of electrons is known from DE 198 82 252 T1. In this case an electron radiation source is provided which directs the radiation into the interior of the container from the outside. However, in the case of the apparatus described here, which are guided into the interior of a container—for example through the opening—in order subsequently to sterilize the inner wall, various problems arise, particularly with respect to heating.
It may be desirable to make available an apparatus and a method which permit an efficient sterilization even at high levels of performance.

Device for sterilizing containers by way of charge carriers


An electrical terminal is disclosed where the terminal is formed of an electrically-conductive metal substrate such as copper alloys, aluminum alloys or stainless steel with the substrate having a codeposited composite coating of titanium nitride and gold or silver on the surface. The coating provides wear resistance in high temperature and vibration environments while retaining and demonstrating low friction and low contact resistance properties.

Modern automotive vehicles have an increasing content of electrical and electronic devices that require wires with electrical terminals at the ends for their use in vehicles. This increased electrical content in the vehicle occurs at the same time that there is also an increase in the number of components attached or fixed around the engine in the underhood engine compartment of the vehicle. This congestion in the engine compartment reduces ambient cooling of the compartment area and leads to higher temperatures in the compartment. Because the operating engine causes or experiences some vibration, underhood electrical connections on passenger cars and trucks can be exposed to temperatures above 150.degree. C., combined with severe vibration. Some electrical terminal contact materials, such as, for example, gold, have high softening temperatures and can withstand operating temperatures above 150.degree. C. However, high vibration can quickly degrade their contact properties. Vibration can cause microscopic relative movement at electrical contact interfaces that quickly wears away existing contact materials. The result is unstable or intermittent connection resistance, which can adversely affect vehicle performance.
The vibration resistance of a connector can be improved by minimizing the relative movement at contact interfaces. This normally requires improved connector locks, seals and wiring harness strain relief features, all of which add to the cost of the wiring of the vehicle. An alternative to minimizing terminal movement is to develop electrical contact materials with improved wear and temperature resistance. It is an object of this invention to provide a new terminal coating material with outstanding wear resistance and good high temperature electrical performance.

Low friction metal-ceramic composite coatings for electrical contacts


Tomato plants exhibiting fruit with increased BRIX content are provided, together with methods of producing, identifying, or selecting plants or germplasm with an increased BRIX phenotype and lacking undesirable leaf necrosis. Such plants include tomato plants comprising introgressed genomic regions conferring increased BRIX without necrosis. Compositions, including novel polymorphic markers for detecting plants comprising introgressed alleles providing increased BRIX without necrosis, are further provided.

Fruit quality and flavor are important traits in tomato breeding, particularly for the development of commercial varieties. Although fruit quality alleles have been identified in tomato, efforts to introduce these alleles into cultivated lines have been hindered by a lack of specific markers linked to the alleles, as well as the presence of deleterious alleles genetically linked to fruit quality alleles that lead to unacceptable plant traits such as leaf necrosis. The use of marker-assisted selection (MAS) in plant breeding has made it possible to select plants based on genetic markers linked to traits of interest. However, accurate markers for identifying or tracking desirable traits in plants are frequently unavailable even if a gene associated with the trait has been characterized. These difficulties are further complicated by factors such as polygenic or quantitative inheritance, epistasis, and an often incomplete understanding of the genetic background underlying expression of a desired phenotype. In the absence of accurate and validated markers for use in MAS, it may not be feasible to produce new plant lines exhibiting a certain fruit quality without unacceptable necrosis.


Concepts and technologies are described herein for processing queries from a user's computing device initiating a query. In one embodiment, responding to the query involves searching for results based on the user's location and a list of federated enterprises. A clearinghouse server receives the query and determine a location of the user by accessing a location information database. The clearinghouse server then uses the location information in formulating a query to a search engine, by including location information with the user's query. The results are then processed in light of the list of federated enterprises. The processing may include ordering the search results, filtering the search results, or allowing enhanced forms of communications between the user and a selected party associated with the federated enterprise. The results are provided to the user. The enhanced forms of communication include instant messaging and video conferencing.

Many forms of communications now use the Internet as a backbone network. This allows a more comprehensive set of control capabilities to be offered to users for different forms of communication, such as voice, video conferencing, email, instant messaging, and other forms. This rich set of control capabilities is facilitated by using graphical user interfaces on communication devices that allow easy selection of control options by the user, and allow detailed information to be provided in response to a user's search requests.
These communication devices, often in the form of smartphones or computers, often offer tools to aid in storing, organizing, and searching contact information. These tools are useful for organizing the user's personal contacts, which can include contact information for various forms of communication with a person. For organizing enterprise-wide information, enterprise based tools may be used to organize contact information. Typically, users do not desire to popular their entire business enterprises' contact list into their smartphone. Enterprise-wide tools can be used, for example, to identify a colleague in the same enterprise based on job function and can provide enterprise contact information to the user (e.g., telephone number, email address, IM address, etc.).
If the name of the person to be reached ("target" or "target contact") is known beforehand to the user initiating the communication ("user"), the identification of the target's communication information may be as easy as looking up the person's name in the user's smartphone or enterprise based contact search engine. If the target contact is not a work colleague, but a person from another enterprise, then the user's enterprise directory may not be useful in ascertaining the target contact's communication address information.
Thus, it can be difficult to determine the target's contact information if the target's name information is 1) not maintained in the user's smartphone or laptop, and 2) not a work colleague. The user can rely on public directories to ascertain the target contact's published telephone number, but many times even the telephone number information is not generally available. Further, public directories frequently do not contain the target's email address, IM address, or address forms. It is even more complicated if the name of the target is not known, and the user only desires to speak to a person with a particular job function, skill set, or location in a different enterprise (e.g., customer service manager for a retail store in a certain location).
In many instances, identifying the appropriate target individual is implicitly based on the user's location. For example, initiating a request to identify a customer service manager for a particular retail store may be predicated on the particular retail store based near the user's location. In many other instances, the appropriate target contact is implicitly associated with an enterprise that has a business relationship with the user's employer (i.e., the "user's enterprise").
Thus, providing information to a user's search request for establishing communications with a target contact depends in part on the user's location and previously established business relationships. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.


Certain embodiments relate to an adjustment indicator mechanism for a door closer including a tubular portion and an adjustment screw mounted to the tubular portion. A housing is configured for mounting to the door closer, and includes a channel and indicia adjacent the channel, each of the indicia corresponding to a respective size of the door closer. An adjustment transmission includes a first component configured for coupling with the adjustment screw. An indicator transmission is engaged with the adjustment transmission and mounted in the housing. An indicator is movably mounted to the housing such that a portion of the indicator is visible via the channel. The indicator is engaged with the indicator transmission such that movement of the indicator transmission causes the indicator to selectively align with the indicia to thereby indicate the current size of the door closer.

Door closers are typically installed to doors to provide a closing force that biases the door to a closed position. The strength of the closing force corresponds to the "size" of the door closer (which is typically measured on a scale of one to six), and certain existing door closers include mechanisms by which the closing force can be adjusted. While certain existing closers include adjustment indicators that indicate the strength of the closing force, many such indicators suffer from certain drawbacks, such as those related to visibility of the indicator and/or accessibility of the adjustment mechanism. For these reasons among others, there remains a need for further improvements in this technological field.


The present invention relates to an interspecific tree and more particularly to a new and distinct variety broadly characterized by a medium size, moderately vigorous, hardy, and very productive tree. Being self-unfruitful, the present variety requires cross pollination from an apricot, plum, or interspecific variety that blooms during the mid to late season, such as ‘Blackred V’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,576). The present variety produces a moderate amount of blossoms and pollen to entice strong bee activity to facilitate pollination. The fruit matures under the ecological conditions described in late July, with first picking on Jul. 27, 2013. The fruit is large in size, full black in skin color, orange yellow in flesh color, clingstone in type, oblate in shape, and very good in flavor.

In a continuing effort to improve the quality of shipping fruits, I, the inventor, typically hybridize a large number of peach, nectarine, plum, apricot, and cherry seedlings each year. I also grow a smaller number of open pollinated seeds of each of these fruits. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of interspecific tree which has been denominated varietally as 'Plumgiant II'.
During a typical blooming season I isolate as seed parents both individual and groups of different plum trees by covering them with screen houses. A hive of bees is placed inside each such house, and bouquets to provide pollen from different plum, apricot, and interspecific plum-apricot hybrid trees are placed in buckets near the trees approximately every two days for the duration of the bloom. During 2001 one such house containing three unpatented plum trees and two interspecific trees was crossed by me in this manner. To pollinate these trees I selected bouquets from several sources of apricot and interspecific plum-apricot hybrid trees without keeping specific written details. Upon reaching maturity the fruit from these trees was harvested and the seeds were removed, cracked, stratified and germinated as a group with the label "H8B". They were grown as seedlings on their own root in my greenhouse and upon reaching dormancy transplanted to a cultivated area of my experimental orchard located near Le Grand, Calif. in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley). During the summer of 2005 the claimed variety was selected by me as a single plant from the group of seedlings described above. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of interspecific tree, I asexually reproduced it by budding and grafting in the experimental orchard described above, and such reproduction of plant and fruit characteristics were true to the original plant in all respects. The reproduction of the variety included the use of 'Nemaguard' (unpatented) rootstock upon which the present variety was true to type.
The present variety is most similar to 'Plumgiant I' plum tree (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,705) by being self-unfruitful and by producing fruit that is clingstone in type, entirely black in skin color, good in flavor, and that matures in the mid season, but is distinguished therefrom by producing fruit that is slightly smaller in size, that is oblate in shape instead of globose, that is orange yellow in flesh color instead of white, and that is less prone to internal browning.


An electrically operated seat slide apparatus includes a lower rail fixed to a floor of a vehicle body, and an upper rail slidably disposed to the lower rail. A seat is connected to the upper rail. A screw shaft is disposed inside the upper rail. A nut is threadedly connected to the screw shaft and connected to the lower rail. A motor is disposed to side of the upper rail. A gear box is fixed to the upper rail to transmit a rotation of the motor to the screw shaft. Additionally, first and second plates are provided for allowing an impact load applied to the upper rail to be directly transmitted to the screw shaft so as to prevent the impact load from being transmitted through the gear box to the screw shaft, and for setting a moving range of the nut.

This invention relates to an electrically operated seat slide apparatus, and more particularly to the seat slide apparatus having a device for directly transmitting an impact applied to an upper rail to a lower rail without transmitting to a gear box.
Seat slide apparatuses are classified into manually operated seat slide apparatuses and electrically operated seat slide apparatuses. The manually operated seat slide apparatuses are arranged to manually move a seat in a fore-and-aft direction, whereas the electrically operated seat slide apparatuses are arranged to move a seat in a fore-and-aft direction by a rotational force of an electric motor.
One of the electrically operated seat slide apparatuses is disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2001-239861. In this electrically operated seat slide apparatus, an upper rail to which a seat is connected is disposed inside a lower rail fixed to a vehicle body. A screw shaft is rotatably disposed inside the upper rail. Two of such a combination of the upper rail, the lower rail and the screw shaft are respectively disposed parallel both on left and right sides. The screw shafts are connected to an electric motor disposed at one of the upper rails so as to be rotationally driven in timed relation to each other. A nut member is threadedly connected to each screw shaft and further connected to the lower rail. Stoppers are connected to each screw shaft at the positions near the opposite ends of the screw shaft by being caulked in order to restrict the movement of the nut member.
In order to allow a high load applied to the upper rail during a collision to be transmitted through the screw shaft to lower rail, two flanges are fixed on the screw shaft and located spaced apart a certain small distance from each other, and a load receiving member is connected to the upper rail and interposed between the two flanges. This load receiving member is fitted in a fitting opening formed in the upper rail and fixed therein by a push-nut or the like.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2006-335153 discloses another electrically operated seat slide apparatus in which the upper section of a rail-side stopper is bifurcated to form two stopper plate portions which are respectively fitted in fixation openings of an upper rail and caulked to be fixed in positions.
A further electrically operated seat slide apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 9-123807. In this electrically operated seat slide apparatus, an upper rail to which a seat is connected is disposed inside a lower rail fixed to a vehicle body. A motor is disposed to the upper rail so as to simultaneously rotationally drive two screw shafts which are located respectively on right and left sides of a seat. Two nut members connected to the lower rails are respectively threadedly connected to the right and left side screw shafts. Additionally, two stoppers are connected to each screw shaft at its positions near the opposite ends by caulking the screw shaft, in order to stop a relative movement of the nut member.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 10-203209 discloses a further electrically operated seat slide apparatus in which a damper is disposed on a lead screw and located on the side of a nut member. The damper is interposed between a damper holding section and a nut member-side plate. When the nut member strikes against the nut member-side plate, the nut member-side plate relatively rotates to the damper so that no torsion is applied to the damper.

Electrically operated seat slide apparatus


A game system, for soliciting donations to charities and organizations as a promotion to expose charitable groups or other organizations to a wider range of potential donors as well as to expand the locations currently available. To encourage such donations the system includes a sub-system that provides the donor and non-donors alike with an opportunity to play a game of chance with the credits that the person receives with each donation. The donor may then save such credits or play them, and to the extent a person wins, a promotional prize will be awarded.

This invention relates generally to charitable fund raising promotions, and, in particular, to an automated charitable solicitation device and system that includes a promotional game feature. The game feature is used not only to increase exposure of these organizations to potential donors, such as those interested in making donations to charities and civic organizations, but also to expand the locations in which such funds can be solicited. A distinctive feature of this system is the unique manner by which donations are solicited in conjunction with and instant win game. Credits are given for each donation given on an instant win game and an opportunity to play the game is presented. Yet another distinctive feature also allows non-donors the same opportunity to play the instant win game. This promotional play feature allows playing of the game without making any donation and still exposes the charities to the general public.
Obtaining donations by charities and civic organizations has become increasingly harder due to the increased number of groups, organizations, and individuals looking to solicit funds from donors. Additional limitations are found in the limited ways in which the offers to donate to the charities are currently being offered. Therefore, charitable solicitors, fundraisers, and providers are continuously looking for new and unusual ways of attracting attention to their individual charities or organizations.
Most charities rely on repetitive donations. To maintain these donations, charities regularly use displays at retail outlets such as stores and restaurants, walk-a-thons, bake sales, and periodically use telethons, radiothons featuring famous stars, and some prize promotion games. Certain areas allow for charitable gaming, such as bingo, at pre-existing locations with restricted operational hours to raise funds for theses groups. But, this is the exception rather than the rule.
Prize promotions are often tied to products and services throughout the country and have become so common it is expected by the consumer. It is reported that over seventy-five percent of corporate industry uses some form of promotion in the sale and advertisement of their products and companies.
Therefore, it is advantageous to a charitable solicitor or fundraiser to be able to provide a distinguishable and unique promotion in order to expose their organizations purpose and goals encouraging not only current donors to remain loyal but to attract new and repetitive donors to their cause. What is needed is a modern method of soliciting such donations that is efficient and low cost and adds a promotional value to the donation. This method should also move the promotional game out of a typical paper medium and into a unique interactive video medium that modern society has become so accustomed.

Charitable contribution station with promotional game piece feature


Transmission system for a vehicle having an input arranged for connection to a drive source, and an output arranged for connection to a load. The transmission includes a transmission. The transmission includes first input shaft, a first output shaft connected to the output, and a first speed transforming gear connecting the first input shaft and the first output shaft, and a second input shaft, a second output shaft connected to the output, and a second speed transforming gear connecting the second input shaft and the second output shaft. The transmission includes a first coupling member, arranged for coupling the input to the first input shaft at a first speed ratio and a second coupling member, arranged for coupling the input to the second input shaft at a second speed ratio. The first and second speed transforming gears together include a plurality of transmission gears, wherein the transmission gears are arranged such that successive shifting through respective first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth gears is effected by alternatingly engaging the first coupling member and the second coupling member.

Transmission systems, such as automatic transmission systems for vehicles are known. Such transmission systems generally have an input arranged for connection to a drive source, such an internal combustion engine, and an output arranged for connection to a load, such as a drive train of the vehicle. One type of transmission system includes a transmission comprising a first input shaft, a first output shaft connected to the output, and a first speed transforming gear between the first input shaft and the first output shaft, and a second input shaft, a second output shaft connected to the output, and a second speed transforming gear between the second input shaft and the second output shaft. Hence, different gears, such as first gear, second gear, third gear, etc. can be associated with the first input shaft or the second input shaft, and can be individually selected.
WO2011/133033A1 describes a transmission system including a first coupling member having a first section which is connected to the input, and a second section which is connected to the first input shaft of the transmission, and a second coupling member having a third section which is connected to the input, and a fourth section which is connected to the second input shaft of the transmission.

Punch Powertrain PSA E-Transmissions N.V.


A driving device of a display device includes a gate driver including a series of shift registers. Each shift register generates an output determined by charging and discharging of a capacitor. The charging of the capacitor is blocked by an output of a next shift register or a signal synchronized with the output of the next shift register or the discharging of the capacitor is blocked by an output of a previous shift register or a signal synchronized with the output of the previous shift register.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device of driving a display device.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display (LCD) or an electro luminescence (EL) display includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix. Each pixel includes a switching element selectively transmitting data voltages, and the switching element includes a typical tri-terminal element such as a metal-oxide-silicon (MOS) transistor. The display device further includes a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines connected to the switching elements. Each gate line transmits a gate-on voltage for turning on the switching elements to be activated and each data line transmits the data voltages to the pixels via the activated switching elements.
The display device further includes a gate driver applying the gate-on voltage to the gate lines, a data driver applying the data voltages to the data lines, and a signal controller for controlling the gate driver and the data driver.
The gate driver starts outputting the gate-on voltage in response to a vertical synchronization signal from the signal controller such that all the gate lines are sequentially supplied with the gate-on voltage. A conventional gate driver includes a plurality of shift registers connected to the respective gate lines for the application of the gate-on voltage. A first the shift register starts outputting the gate-on voltage synchronized with a clock signal in response to the vertical synchronization start signal, while the shift registers except for the first shift register starts outputting the gate-on voltage synchronized with the clock signal in response to outputs of the previous shift registers. The termination of the output of the gate-on voltage in each shift register is closely related to the start time of output of a next shift register.
This is now described in detail.
Each shift register of a conventional gate driver includes an input SR latch and an output AND gate.
The SR latch has a set input terminal for receiving a previous gate output (i.e., an output of a previous shift register) and a reset input terminal for receiving a next gate output (i.e., an output of a next the shift register). The AND gate receives an output of the SR latch and a clock signal and it generates and outputs a gate signal.
The output of the SR latch is low in an initial state where both the previous gate output inputted into the set terminal and the next gate output inputted into the reset terminal are low (or "0"). During the low state of the next gate output, when the previous gate output becomes high (or "1"), the output of the SR latch becomes high. During the low state of the next gate output, the output of the SR latch is kept unchanged even though the previous gate output becomes low again. During the low state of the previous gate output, when the next gate output becomes high, the output of the SR latch becomes low from high. As a result, the output of the SR latch maintains high from the turning point of the previous gate output from low to high to the turning point of the next gate output from low to high, while it becomes low for other times.
The AND gate generates a gate output which has a high value when both the output of the SR latch and the clock signal are high. In detail, the gate output becomes high when the clock signal becomes high from low during the high section of the output of the SR latch, and it becomes low when the clock signal becomes low or the output of the SR latch becomes low.
The conventional gate driver experiences so called a latch-up. The output of the SR latch is well-defined when the set input and the reset input is (0, 0), (1, 0), or (0, 1), respectively, but it is not defined when the set input and the reset input is (1, 1), respectively. Accordingly, there is a problem that the shift register fails to perform a normal operation when both the previous gate output and the next gate output are high due to some reasons.
In particular, the display device selectively receives image signals in various modes and the difference in the image signals in the various modes may make such an abnormal operation during the transition of the image modes.
For example, a period of a data enable signal for defining valid data sections becomes short, or the data enable signal behaves like a valid data section for an invalid data section or vice versa. For the former case, a sufficient reset time of the shift register may not be given, and for the latter case, two of more vertical synchronization start signals are generated or the duration of the vertical synchronization start signal is elongated. These may result in simultaneous output of the gate-on voltage by two or more shift registers. Accordingly, the display device may display an abnormal image, a switch for switching a clock signal and a switch for switching the gate-off voltage may be simultaneously turned on to make short circuit, and signal lines or power supplying lines provided on the display panel may be overloaded to be disconnected.


A gateway (111, 200) and method for routing calls for a wireless communication unit (113) via a selected network (105, 124, 131) comprises an access point (217) supporting a wireless LAN and a modem (203, 229) for wireless connections to a wireless WAN and an interface 227 with a wired local loop (105). The methodology involves using a first network, such as a local loop if available and a second network, such as a packet data WAN 131 otherwise as well as maintaining the busy status of the first network via the second network.

Given the increasing pervasiveness of wide area networks (WANs), such as cellular networks (CNs), and the increased bandwidth and system capacity available for new cellular systems that are being deployed, it is expected that cellular WANs will become legitimate suppliers of broadband network services for residential customers. It is also possible that cellular WANs will provide alternative network access for voice and data with the development of voice over internet protocol (IP) for residential customers.
However, it is also expected that the public switched telephone network (PSTN) via local loops will remain a viable network for ordinary voice communications and further that the tariffs for local loop service will be lower than tariffs for cellular or cellular broadband access. While call forwarding exists this does not address complex call termination options or call origination issues unless unique devices are used or allow for routing via a preferred network.
Therefore, what is needed is a method and apparatus for controlling call routing.

Method and gateway for controlling call routing


A ballast circuit for a gas discharge lamp contained within a resonant load circuit has resistively heated cathodes. A d.c.-to-a.c. converter circuit supplyies a.c. current to the resonant load circuit. The converter circuit comprises first and second switches serially connected between a bus conductor at a d.c. voltage and a reference conductor, and has a common node through which the a.c. current flows. In an arrangement for controlling the converter switches, a comparator circuit compares a signal on a first input node with a periodic reference signal on a second input node, and produces a comparator output signal that changes state when a first one of the compared signals becomes greater than the second of the compared signals, and that further changes state when the second of the compared signals then becomes greater than the first of the compared signals. A circuit generates the periodic reference signal in response to the comparator output signal. A first circuit produces a signal on the first input node upon initial converter energization, for preventing lamp ignition while the lamp cathodes become heated. A second circuit for producing a signal on the first input node for allowing lamp ignition comprises a feedback circuit for sensing a.c. current in the resonant load circuit and producing a feedback signal in proportion to the a.c. current. The feedback signal is coupled to the first input node after a predetermined period of time from initial energizing of the converter circuit, during which period the lamp cathodes become heated.

A gas discharge lamp, such as a fluorescent lamp, typically utilizes a ballast circuit to convert an a.c. line voltage to a high frequency a.c. voltage which is impressed across a resonant load circuit containing the gas discharge lamp. The resonant load circuit includes a resonant inductor and a resonant capacitor for determining the frequency of resonance of current in the resonant load circuit. The ballast circuit typically includes a series half-bridge d.c.-to-a.c. converter having a pair of power switches that alternately connect one end of the resonant load circuit to a d.c. bus voltage and then to a ground, thereby impressing the mentioned a.c. voltage across the resonant load circuit. Typically, gate-drive circuitry is provided to control the switches of the converter in a regenerative, or self-resonant, manner.
The above cross-referenced patent applications relate to the implementation of regenerative gate-drive circuitry, which beneficially can be implemented in state form. As such, the circuitry does not require the use of a magnetic transformer, as do many prior art circuits, and many of its components can be implemented in an integrated circuit. However, it would be desirable to improve upon the gate-drive circuitry of the above crossreferenced applications, and to include a cathode preheat function, whereby the cathodes of the lamp are heated for a predetermined period of time prior to ignition of the lamp. During the cathode preheat period, it would be desirable to maintain a low lamp voltage to prevent ignition of the lamp before the cathodes are sufficiently heated.

Lamp ballast circuit with cathode preheat function


A controlling device such as a remote control has programming for transmitting a signal response to a plurality of control environments, each environment including a signaling device. Each signaling device in receipt of the signal request sends a signal response having a unique ID which is chosen to be characteristically attenuated by the surroundings of the environment. Because the controlling device can only be in one environment at a given time, and given the attenuation characteristics of the signal response from each signaling device, only one signal response will be received by the controlling device in each environment. Location definitions associated with the received unique ID may be used by programming in the controlling device to recall saved devices states, commands sets, macros, and even to dynamically generate commands based on the location information.

The following relates generally to portable devices such as wireless controlling device systems and, more particularly, relates to a system and method for determining the location or relative environment of a portable controlling device.
Various systems and methods for providing location based information in electronic devices are known, specifically for reporting the location of a portable device within an environment, or for determining in which of several possible environments a portable device is located. For instance, the active badge system developed by Olivetti uses a mobile infrared (IR) transmitter (badge) and specialized fixed IR receivers to determine the location of any person or object to which a particular badge is affixed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,303 also describes a location based computing system wherein one or more specialized radio frequency (RF) beacons transmitting a unique signal are placed in desired locations such that a portable computing system having an RF receiver may detect the unique signal when it is within a specified range and determine its location.
While the active badge system and the system described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,303 perform adequately when simple location based determinations are desired, what is needed is a more precise location based computing system that functions to discern a specific location from among multiple sensed locations in order to enable more advanced location based functions. In particular, more precise location information is required for portable controlling devices that incorporate location based services and functions in order to quickly enable operation of desired appliances at any given time.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide a system and method that functions to accurately determine the location of a controlling device from among multiple control locations, environments, or zones. Additionally, it is further desired to provide a location determination method and system which may take advantage of transmission and/or reception devices already placed into an environment for other purposes.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for controlling device location determination


The present invention provides integrated circuit chips having chip identification aspects. The chips include magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures, and more specifically, include permanent bit strings used for chip identification and/or authentication. Systems and processes for chip identification are also disclosed herein. The MTJ element structures provided herein can have a defined resistance profile such that the intrinsic variability of the MTJ element structure is used to encode and generate a bit string that becomes a fingerprint for the chip. In some embodiments, an oxygen treatment covering all or a selected portion of an array of MTJ elements can be used to create a mask or secret key that can be used and implemented to enhance chip identification.

The present invention generally relates to magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures, and more specifically, to magnetic tunnel junction structures configured for integrated chip (IC) identification.
Integrated circuit (IC) chip cloning and counterfeiting are recurrent issues in many areas, and in particular, in the area of semiconductors. These issues can cost billions of dollars in revenue. Used chips are often still functional and are reused and resold after de-soldering, thereby putting the chips back into the supply chain. Such practices can pose reliability and security risks. In addition, the chips can be cloned or copied, thereby posing additional security risks. Companies often do not report counterfeit chips when they find them. Moreover, some of the reused chips can be found in military hardware, further imposing significant security risks and exposure.
Current methods of integrated circuit (IC) chip identification include eFUSE devices. Such devices are currently used in consumer parts to "mark" chips. eFUSE devices store a bit string that is authenticated at "power on". eFUSE can be easily visible with routine inspection techniques. In some instances, the marking or the unique bit string can be easily read, imaged and copied many times. Accordingly, chips with eFUSE and other conventional means of authentication can be easily cloned and may pose security issues.
Other technologies include static random access memory (SRAM) based identification systems. The power-up of the SRAM cell depends on the Vt fluctuation which can be used to generate a unique bit string. It is, however, not stable over time, voltage and temperature.
Accordingly, there remains a need for more reliable and secure identification and authentication for greater security in the global supply chain of integrated circuit (IC) chips.

Magnetic tunnel junction based chip identification

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


There are provided source-to-source transformation methods for a multi-dimensional array and/or a multi-level pointer for a computer program. A method includes minimizing a number of holes for variable length elements for a given dimension of the array and/or pointer using at least two stride values included in stride buckets. The minimizing step includes modifying memory allocation sites, for the array and/or pointer, to allocate memory based on the stride values. The minimizing step further includes modifying a multi-dimensional memory access, for accessing the array and/or pointer, into a single dimensional memory access using the stride values. The minimizing step also includes inserting offload pragma for a data transfer of the array and/or pointer prior as at least one of a single-dimensional array and a single-level pointer. The data transfer is from a central processing unit to a coprocessor over peripheral component interconnect express.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to signal communication, and more particularly to automatic communication and optimization of multi-dimensional arrays for a many-core coprocessor using static compiler analysis.
Description of the Related Art
Data transfers between a central processing unit (CPU) and many-core processors (e.g., Intel® many-core coprocessors) over peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) are plagued by numerous problems including the lack of an automatic and efficient method of performing the same. For such many-core coprocessors, the only existing solution is the use of virtual shared memory. However, this existing prior art solution is a runtime coherence mechanism with very high data transfer overheads and unsatisfactory performance.

Automatic communication and optimization of multi-dimensional arrays for many-core coprocessor using static compiler analysis


This invention is directed to an improved exhaust gas catalyst for the combustion of gaseous waste products from internal combustion engines, particularly automobiles, and industrial stationary source engines along with a method of making the same. The exhaust gas catalyst comprises a substantially pure alpha-alumina carrier and at least one noble metal selected from platinum, palladium and mixtures thereof, and has excellent stability over long-term use.

Gaseous waste products from the combustion of fuels pose serious health and environmental problems. Exhaust gases from hydrocarbonaceous fuel-burning sources such as stationary engines, industrial furnaces, industrial processes, etc., contribute significantly to air pollution, and the exhaust gases of automobile internal combustion engines have been recognized as a principal source of air pollution. In recent years there has been increasing interest, in view of the large number of automobiles traveling our roads, particularly in urban areas, in controlling the amount of gaseous waste products from automobile exhaust.
Automotive catalytic converters containing exhaust gas catalysts have more or less enabled automobiles to meet current standards established by government agencies to convert a substantial portion of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide to water and carbon dioxide and the NO.sub.x gases to nitrogen and oxygen and/or water. A wide variety of metals and metal oxides, either alone or in combination, supported on various substrates have been utilized. In recent years, most exhaust gas catalysts have employed a combination of noble metals, particularly platinum, rhodium, and/or palladium, as the active materials of the catalyst. Often, the activity of the noble metals is enhanced by the addition of small amounts of other metals which act as promoters.
Typically, exhaust gas catalysts comprise a relatively low porosity ceramic support with a transition alumina coating having a high surface area. The underlying ceramic support is generally prepared by sintering a mold of clay or other ceramic material at a high temperature to impart density and strength. This, however, generally results in a support having a very low surface area. Consequently the ceramic support must be coated with another material having a much higher surface area to contain the noble metals. The procedure of depositing a high surface area "washcoat," as such coating is generally known, onto a low surface area ceramic support is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,742,437 and 3,824,196. The ceramic supports may be provided in any shape, but typically they are in the form of pellets or a honeycomb-type shape commonly known as a monolith.
Gamma-alumina is often used as the washcoat in such exhaust gas catalysts. Although a gamma-alumina washcoat imparts a relatively high surface area to an exhaust gas catalyst, it results in number of undesirable effects. Often the washcoat does not adhere well to the underlying ceramic support under severe thermal stress, or has a level of thermal expansion incompatible with the ceramic support. In addition, gamma-alumina or other transition-alumina washcoats are thermodynamically unstable alumina phases. Eventually this unstable phase transforms to a thermodynamically stable alpha-alumina phase; however, in the process of transforming, the alumina loses surface area and traps noble metals, particularly rhodium, and may change their oxidation state, rendering the noble metals less effective or ineffective. Accordingly, the in situ conversion of an impregnated gamma-alumina carrier to the alpha form does not result in a catalyst of this invention.
Use of relatively large amounts of precious noble metals is a further drawback of conventional washcoated exhaust gas catalysts. This, coupled with the problem of entrapment of the noble metals under thermal stress, makes reclamation of the noble metals from these catalysts difficult. Costly, uneconomical reclamation techniques typically are required that, at best, are able to reclaim only a portion of the noble metals from used catalysts. Only about 5% of the total automobile exhaust gas catalysts employed worldwide are subjected to reclamation. The percentage of noble metals recovered from these catalysts is typically in the range of 60-80% for palladium and platinum and 50-60% for rhodium. As a consequence, the prices of noble metals have risen to very high levels in the last decade.
Conventional washcoated exhaust gas catalysts also require a time-consuming, tedious, cost-ineffective, multi-step preparation procedure. This procedure includes preparation of the support, preparation of the washcoat itself, including impregnation of all the catalytic and promoter components individually or collectively into the washcoat, and application of the washcoat onto the support.
Although washcoated exhaust gas catalysts have acceptable initial light-off temperatures, with age their light-off temperatures often increase, sometimes rapidly. Light-off temperature ("T.sub.50 ") is the temperature at which an exhaust gas catalyst begins to convert 50 percent of the waste products of the exhaust gas into carbon dioxide, water, nitrogen and oxygen. Thus, when an automobile is initially started and for the time until the catalyst reaches its light-off temperature, most of the exhaust gases are not catalytically treated but are simply emitted into the atmosphere.
Stable catalytic activity is becoming a critical requirement with automotive exhaust gas catalysts. Conventional washcoated exhaust gas catalysts lose approximately half of their activity relatively rapidly, i.e., during the first 12,000 miles of use. Often washcoated exhaust gas catalysts actually physically deteriorate. For example, when exposed to thermal shock or high thermal transients, washcoated catalysts can suffer melt-down of the support in the worst case, or sintering, spalling, or rapid deactivation due to the reaction of the catalytic metals with the support or washcoat. New government standards for catalytic converters containing exhaust gas catalysts have much stricter longevity requirements, in that such catalytic converters must perform efficiently for much longer periods of time, i.e., 50,000-100,000 miles of use.

Catalysts comprising substantially pure alpha-alumina carrier for treating exhaust gases

Union Carbide Chemicals & Plastics Technology Corporation


A system that includes an energy device having an active region configured to generate or consume electrical energy provided by an electrical current is discussed. A current limiter is disposed between the energy device and a current collector layer. The current limiter controls the current flow between the energy device and the current collector layer. A plurality of electrochemical transistors (ECTs) are arranged in an array such that each ECT in the array provides localized current control for the energy device. Each ECT includes a gate electrode, a drain electrode, a source electrode, and a channel disposed between the drain and the source electrodes. An electrolyte electrically couples the gate electrode to the channel such that an electrical signal at the gate electrode controls electrical conductivity of the channel. The current collector layer is a shared drain or source electrode for the ECTs.

Electrochemical cells (e.g. batteries) are becoming essential in future electronic and transportation applications. There is significant interest in increasing battery capacity and energy density, reducing the charging time, and increasing the battery lifetime for various mobile applications such as cell phones, laptops, and electric vehicles. One of the major challenges in improving these battery characteristics is the prospect of uncontrolled runaway reactions where current hot spots (due to inhomogeneities in the electrode structure) accelerate undesirable side-reactions or filament formation. Furthermore, any manufacturing defects that result in internal shorts can allow the entire battery capacity to rapidly discharge through the internal short, causing the battery to rapidly heat up and fail catastrophically. In order to design around this potential safety problem, some battery packs include sophisticated thermal and electrical management systems that increase the cost, mass, and volume of the batteries. Even with these sophisticated systems, battery pack designers have no control over current flow within a single cell, which forces them to over-engineer at the battery pack-level.


A cooking grate for a grill, such as a barbecue grill, is comprised of a plurality of generally elongate rail members assembled in a nesting relationship to form a first and second cooking surface. The first cooking surface is formed by a generally flat surface on each of the rail members, the flat surfaces abutting to form a substantially smooth surface, with a plurality of elongate apertures therein through which juices produced by cooking food may flow. Each rail member has a gutter along its length which underlies approximately half of each of the apertures for catching a portion of the juices and diverting it from the heat source below. The grate may be reversed and the gutters form the second cooking surface which is similar to a conventional grate surface.

This invention relates to cooking surfaces for barbecue grills in general, and specifically to a reversible barbecue grill grate that collects cooking fluid and directs it away from the heat source of a grill.
Barbecue grills have become popular for many reasons, but principal among them is that food prepared on them acquires a distinctive flavor unobtainable by other means. This "barbecue flavor" is partly the result of gases and smoke emanating from the heat source of the grill itself, but mostly is the result of smoke and vapors caused by cooking liquids, such as barbecue sauce or other popular sauces, and meat juices falling into the heat source of the grill. It is the smoke and vapor caused by these liquids and juices burning that principally cause and enhance the barbecue flavor.
The burning of these liquids in the heat source of a grill, however, is often problematic. Food juices and cooking liquids often produce "flare-ups" or intense flames as they are ignited by the heat source. These flare-ups negatively affect the barbecue grilling experience in several ways. First, the increased heat from the flare-ups makes it difficult to evenly cook the food on the grill, and often results in charring of the food on the outside while the inside is not fully cooked. This difficulty is heightened when the barbecuer engages in firefighting as well as cooking. Second, the increased heat from the flare-up often produces more food juices, which, in turn, increases the intensity of the flare-up. This can and often does result in an uncomfortable and dangerous situation to the barbecuer and to those around the grill. Third and finally, flareups considerably increase the amount of work required in barbecuing, as the increased and uneven heat of the flare-ups necessitates greater handling of the food on the grill to avoid severely burning it. The increased workload combined with the increased heat generated from flare-ups substantially detracts from the barbecue experience.
Furthermore, frequent flare-ups may reduce the lifespan of the grill. The excess heat and residue from the flare-ups may accelerate the decomposition of the burners and the corrosion of the shell housing. The excess heat of flare-ups may also compromise the lifespan of accessories such as grill rotisseries located over the grill grates and shelves located along the sides of the grill.
The barbecue grill cooking racks and grill plates of the prior art are ill-equipped to counter the problem of flare-ups, and often contribute to them, because they provide unregulated access of cooking juices and liquids to the heat source of the grill. Still other grates in the prior art are of one piece construction, such as molded or cast aluminum or steel, which makes them suitable for indirect heating but which also makes them relatively expensive. Furthermore, if these grates become damaged, rusted, or break they are not economically repairable. Instead, a complete new grate must be obtained, at not insubstantial expense.


A process for electrolessly plating nickel-phosphorous is disclosed which allows for adjusting and maintaining pH by adding, with mixing, a strong alkali, such as alkali metal hydroxides, to the electroless nickel plating solution which has been previously cooled to below about 140xc2x0 F. (i.e. below normal operating temperature) on a regular or continuous basis. Preferably, the strong alkali is a solution of alkali metal hydroxides which contain less than about 700 g/l of alkali metal hydroxide.

This invention relates to a novel composition and process for its use in electrolessly plating nickel deposits. The composition and process all for the electroless plating of nickel without the use of ammonium hydroxide, which has objectionable odor, complicates water waste treatment and is considered an air pollutant.
Methods for the electroless deposition of metals are now widely known and used in industry to deposit a variety of metals, including nickel onto various substrates. In general, electroless deposition compositions contain a salt of the metal to be deposited, a reducing agent capable of reducing metal ions to the metal in the presence of a catalytic surface, a chelating agent to maintain the metal in solution, and a pH-adjusting agent. Other substances such as stabilizers, brighteners, surfactants and other similar additives may also be present.
Electroless nickel plating solutions are probably the most widely used electroless plating solutions. These plating solutions are a delicate blend of several ingredients, each performing specific functions. They generally contain nickel salt such as nickel chloride, nickel carbonate and/or nickel sulfate. In addition they can be chelated with a variety of organic acids and chelators. The most widely used electroless nickel baths in industry today utilize the hypophosphate ion as a reducing agent and use aqueous ammonia to adjust the pH of the solution. These plating solutions can also employ various stabilizers, buffers, and surfactants. Electroless nickel plating commercially occurs at temperatures ranging from about 175xc2x0 to 195xc2x0 F.
Electroless nickel compositions of this type are generally replenishable in that while they are used to plate nickel, the nickel, chelator, reducing agent and other components may be added back to the bath in concentrated form to replace the constituents used in plating. In this manner, the bath is maintained in peak condition for continuous or repeated use for many metal turnovers. One metal turnover is reached when metal is plated out of the bath in an amount equal to the initial, starting metal content in the bath.
As plating continues however, the pH of the solution will drop and this will need to be monitored and adjusted higher to keep the bath in optimum condition for plating. The pH of the solution naturally drops during plating because the plating reaction produces hydrogen in both gaseous and ionic form. This production of hydrogen obviously continues to acidify the solution as plating proceeds. Generally, pH maintenance is accomplished with the addition of aqueous ammonia and pH is controlled within the range of about 4-7. In addition to the use of ammonia, pH is also controlled to some extent by buffers in the plating solution.
Historically, alkali stronger than ammonium hydroxide, such as alkali metal hydroxides, have not been useful in controlling the pH of electroless nickel solutions of this type, since they have generally been found to adversely affect the stability of the plating solution and/or the quality of the deposit. In some cases they have been found to cause catastrophic solution failure. In part, these difficulties are believed to be due in part to the fact that alkali metal hydroxides lack the ability to chelate nickel ions and that they may cause sharp changes in pH on a localized basis. However, despite these difficulties, efforts continue to develop an electroless nickel hypophosphite plating process which can effectively use alkali metal hydroxides to adjust and maintain pH. It is believed that use of alkali metal hydroxides in this manner would be advantageous since the plating solution would be easier to waste treat than those containing ammonia, and since the concentrated nature of the alkali metal hydroxides can also provide advantages.
Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a process for electrolessly plating nickel which process utilizes, at least in part, alkali metal hydroxides to adjust and maintain the pH of the plating solution.
The inventors herein propose a process for plating electroless nickel from a nickel hypophosphite plating solution wherein a portion of the plating solution is continuously or regularly removed from the plating tank (i.e. the tank where plating occurs), cooled to below about 140xc2x0 F. and placed in a container separate from the plating tank. While in the separate container, the removed portion of the plating solution is mixed, the pH is measured, and alkali metal hydroxide is added with mixing in order to adjust the pH of the removed portion of the plating solution to within the optimum range. The removed portion of the plating solution is preferably then filtered and then it is returned to the plating tank. Replenishment of other materials such as nickel salts, chelators, reducing agent and other additives may occur in the separate container or in the plating tank, however, alkali metal hydroxides are preferably only added in the separate container, with mixing, and after the removed portion of the plating solution is cooled to less than about 140xc2x0 F.

Electroless nickel plating solution and process for its use


Active circuits with active loads linearized via distortion cancellation are described. In one design, an apparatus includes a first stage and a load stage. For an amplifier, the first stage amplifies an input signal and provides an output signal having a larger signal level. For a mixer, the first stage mixes an input signal with an LO signal and provides an output signal. The load stage provides an active load for the first stage and is linearized by canceling distortion generated by the active load. In one design, the load stage includes a first transistor that provides the active load and generates distortion due to its nonlinearity. The load stage further includes at least one transistor that generates a replica of the distortion from the first transistor. The distortion replica is used to cancel the distortion from the first transistor. The first stage may also be linearized with distortion cancellation.

I. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to circuits, and more specifically to active circuits such as amplifiers and mixers.
II. Background
Amplifiers are commonly used in various electronics devices to provide signal amplification. Different types of amplifiers are available for different uses. For example, a wireless device such as a cellular phone may include a transmitter and a receiver for bidirectional communication. The transmitter may utilize a power amplifier (PA), the receiver may utilize a low noise amplifier (LNA), and the transmitter and receiver may utilize variable gain amplifiers (VGAs).
An LNA is commonly used in a receiver to amplify a low-amplitude signal received via a communication channel. The LNA is often the first active circuit encountered by the received signal and hence has a large impact on the performance of the receiver in several key areas. First, the LNA has a large influence on noise performance since the noise of the LNA is injected directly into the received signal and the noise of subsequent stages is effectively reduced by the gain of the LNA. Second, the linearity of the LNA has a large influence on both the design of subsequent stages in the receiver and receiver performance.
The LNA input signal typically includes various undesired signal components that may come from external interfering sources and leakage from a co-located transmitter. Nonlinearity in the LNA causes the undesired signal components to mix and generate cross modulation distortion that may fall within the desired signal bandwidth. The amplitude of the cross modulation distortion is determined by the amount of nonlinearity in the LNA. Cross modulation distortion components that fall within the desired signal bandwidth act as noise that degrades the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the desired signal. The degradation in SNR caused by LNA nonlinearity may degrade the receiver performance and/or impact the design of subsequent stages. For example, more stringent requirements may be placed on the subsequent stages in order to meet the overall SNR specification of the receiver. A more linear LNA may relax the performance requirements of the subsequent stages.
There is therefore a need in the art for amplifiers having good linearity.


A mobile radio communication system is disclosed in which personality information for a radio can be modified in order to permit the radio to roam from one broadcast region to another. Since each broadcast region is serviced by a different gateway, the radios within that region use particular personality information in order to communication with it. When the radios roam from one region to another, the radios request new personality information relevant to the destination region. Each radio uses local identification data to uniquely identify the radio within the system. When the radio roams, the gateway provides the radio with new local identification data relevant to the destination region. The local identification data for each radio in a given region is mapped by the gateway in a memory such that available local identification data can be re-assigned to radios that roam into the gateway region. Then, when the radio leaves the region, the local identification data that was given to the radio is de-allocated such that it is then available to another radio that roams into the region.

Communication networks for mobile radios involve protocols that coordinate the data being communicated between the radios. One such protocol follows the well-known OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) standard, in which communication tasks between networked devices are divided into manageable layers, as shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the communication tasks are divided into application, presentation, session, transport, network, data link, and physical layers within each peer within the communication system. Communication data is packed and unpacked from one peer application to another by applying (or removing) headers AH, PH, SH, TH, NH, etc. to the original user data as it approaches (or leaves) the transmission media.
The present invention generally relates to the data at the transport layer. This layer is the highest level for tasks associated with the communication service provider. That is, the application layer through the session layer are associated with the data end-user and the transport through the physical layers are the responsibility of the communication service provider. As the highest layer associated with communication service, the transport layer has the ultimate responsibility for providing reliable peer to peer communication data delivery.
The transport layer protocol can follow the TCP (transport control protocol) for file transfers or the UDP (user datagram protocol) for terminal emulation applications. In either event, the network protocol (just below the transport layer) can follow the IP (Internet protocol) for transmission on the Internet or an equivalent protocol (such as ENL (EDACS Network Layer) used by Ericsson). When the above protocols are used, the data with its associated headers will appear as in FIG. 2, with application information, a TCP header and a IP header coming from, respectively, the session, transport and network layers. FIG. 3 illustrates a similar data protocol with a UDP header replacing the TCP header.
Occasionally, a communication network will employ a small number of communication managers to negotiate data traffic for a large number of remote devices. The managers are sometimes referred to as servers and the remote devices as peers. This occurs, for example, with mobile radio networks, in which a large number of remote mobile radios communicate with each other through the help of a server, as shown in FIG. 4. Mobile radios are connectionless and thus the radios broadcast their messages to and from the client via broadcast sites and gateways. In a typical mobile radio network, a city will have one or more broadcast sites connected to a network gateway that communicates with the client via wireline communications.

Method and apparatus for assigning personality information to roaming mobile radios


An electronics compartment with a component space which is sealed off from a surrounding environment by walls, including an internal panel arranged in the component space along a wall of the electronics compartment for delimiting an internal channel between the wall and the internal panel. Air flowing in the internal channel can improve transfer of heat through the wall, and consequently, cools electric components in the component space.

Known electronics compartment have walls which seal off a component space from the surrounding environment. In a known solution the temperature of the air inside the component space rises due to heat generated by electric components present in the component space. The heated air is in contact with the walls of the component space and consequently heat is conducted through the walls to the surrounding environment of the component space.
However, known electronics compartments can have insufficient cooling. Due to the insufficient cooling, the temperature inside the component space may rise to a level where damage may occur.


The handling of metadata being provided in different formats shall be simplified. Therefore, it is suggested to provide metadata in a first metadata structure having a first format and providing a second metadata structure having a first format and providing a second metadata structure having a second format, wherein link data are deposited in the second metadata structure. The link data point to metadata in the first metadata structure. Thus, it is possible to trealize synchronous and automatic editing of metadata and its mirror metadata.

Usually, metadata are stored in a local database in an individual format. Based on these database metadata, an essence may be found easily.
For data exchange among a plurality of applications, the Material exchange Format (MXF) as developed in the Pro-MPEG Forum (www.pro-mpeg.org.), is an format exemplary that can be used for such an exchange operation. The MXF data format has many advantages. An important advantage of the MXF is that is supports metadata functionality. This means that the MXF makes it possible to interchange or store essence user data together with their associated metadata.
When applying the MXF in a local computer system, metadata can exist both in a local metadata database and each MXF file. It is impossible to realize synchronously metadata editing for metadata in the local database and metadata in MXF files. Thus, the metadata provided in the two different formats have to be edited twice.


A bridge apparatus is provided for interfacing or bridging between a wired network having wired communication devices and wireless devices. The bridge apparatus of the present invention is typically used in a warehouse inventory control system. In one embodiment, the bridge apparatus includes two more radios having different modalities in order to provide different modality and/or types of coverage to different wireless devices. In another embodiment, a single bridge apparatus offers different coverage areas. The bridge apparatus has a filter device for filtering data received from the wired network, and forwards the filtered data to a wireless device. Thus, data can be forwarded to the wireless devices from the wired network without a need for protocol conversion. In another embodiment, a bridge apparatus functions both as an access point to filter data received from the wired network, and as a base station to convert protocol information included in data received from the wired network.

In warehouse inventory control, it is known to use handheld wireless units communicating with a central computer through one or more base stations. The central computer is typically provided in a wired Local Area Network (LAN). The base stations handle data traffic between the central computer and the handheld wireless units. Each base station is provided with a radio through which data received from the central computer is transmitted to the handheld wireless units, and vice versa.
The wired LAN uses a wired network protocol, such as Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) for communications between wired communication devices. Wireless networks have much lower capacity and higher error-rate compared to wired networks. The common wired protocols are very inefficient and often not suitable for wireless networks. Thus, the wireless devices use a wireless network protocol which is designed for use over a wireless network.
A typical base station monitors messages on the wired network. When the base station recognizes that a message on the wired network is intended for one of the wireless handheld units, it strips all of the wired network protocol information from the message and replaces it with wireless network protocol information. For this reason, a base station is sometimes called a protocol converter.
There exist base stations for connecting a wired network and wireless devices, such as those connecting cellular phones and public telephone systems. However, these base stations are very complicate and costly to manufacture. Accordingly, they are generally not suitable for warehouse inventory control.
In order to connect two networks, it is known to use bridges and routers. A bridge connects two networks which use the same protocols. The bridge reads data received in its input. It creates a table of end-stations indicating the direction of the connection of the end stations. The bridge forwards the data as appropriate. However, it does not deal with connections between two networks which use different protocols. Further, existing bridges are designed for connecting two wired networks. A router can act as a protocol convertor. It alters packets to connect two networks which use different protocols. However, existing routers are generally designed for connecting two wired networks.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,397 issued to Mahany on Aug. 13, 1996 discloses an access point which is a base station provided on a wireless local area network with which roaming portable or mobile computer devices can connect and communicate. Each access point uses two wireless adapters and a low level protocol processor. The second adapter is essentially a backup in the event that the first adapter fails, thus improving the reliability of the access point and the entire network. Otherwise, the access point of Mahany functions in the same way as a typical base station described above, and does not provide any other additional functionality.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an apparatus which can bridge a wired network and a plurality of wireless devices of different types or modalities, without performing protocol conversion, and which is simple and suitable for warehouse inventory control.

Apparatus and method for bridging a wired network and wireless devices


A drag mechanism includes a first drag unit, a second drag unit and a switching mechanism. The first drag unit brakes a spool shaft of a spool. The first drag unit includes a first drag knob that is immovable in a back and forth direction and rotatably mounted on an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical portion. The second drag unit brakes the spool shaft in a position frontward of the first drag unit. The second drag unit includes a second drag knob that is immovable in a back and forth direction and rotatably mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion. The switching mechanism switches the first drag unit between a drag enabling state and a drag disabling state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a drag device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a drag device for a spinning reel that is arranged at a rear portion of a reel unit of the spinning reel.
2. Background Information
A spinning reel is furnished with a drag mechanism which brakes rotation of a spool in a line releasing direction to prevent the fishing line from breaking. Among the types of drag devices, a drag device including two, strongly and weakly operating switchable drag units that are arranged at a rear portion of a reel unit is known (see, for example, Japanese Utility Model Post-Grant Gazette Pub. No. H08-10284).
The known drag device includes a first drag unit that is arranged at a rear portion of a reel unit, a second drag unit that is arranged in a position frontward of the first drag unit and a switching mechanism that switches the first drag unit between a drag enabling state and a drag disabling state. The first drag unit is used to apply a strong drag force on a spool to brake the spool in order to prevent the fishing line from breaking when a fish is caught on tackle. For example, when a fish, such as a sardine, is used as a swimming live bait, the second drag unit is used to apply a weak drag force on the spool to brake the spool to the extent that the swimming live bait fish cannot release the fishing line too much.
The first drag unit includes a closed-ended cylindrical first drag knob, a pressing member, and a plurality of first pressed units. The first drag knob is threaded into a cylindrical portion that is formed at the rear portion of the reel unit. The pressing member is integrally rotatable with and connected to the first drag knob with a screw. The first pressed units are pressed by the pressing member. The second drag unit includes a cylindrical second drag knob and a plurality of second pressed units. The second drag knob is threaded into the cylindrical portion in a position frontward of the drag knob. The second pressed units are pressed by the second drag knob.
The switching mechanism includes a switching member, first and second engagement members and a switching lever. The switching member is non-rotatably mounted to a spool shaft and movable in the axial direction between a first position and a second position, which is frontward of the first position. The first and second engagement members engage the switching member. The switching lever moves the switching member between the first and second positions. The first engagement member is provided with the first pressed units on the periphery thereof, and non-rotatably engages the switching member when the switching member is located in the first position. The second engagement member is provided with the second pressed units on the periphery thereof, and constantly non-rotatably engages the switching member.
In a spinning reel constructed in this manner, when the switching member is moved to the first position by the switching lever, the first drag unit operates to provide a strong drag force. On the other hand, when the switching member is moved to a position frontward of the second position with the switching lever, the first drag unit is placed in the drag disabling state. Thus, only the second drag unit operates and provides a weak drag force. The drag force of the first drag unit is adjusted by the first drag knob. For example, as the first drag knob is rotated in a threadedly-tightened direction, the first drag knob and the first pressing member are moved forward and gradually but strongly press the first pressed units to provide a strong drag force of the first drag unit. As the first drag knob is rotated in the opposite direction, the first drag knob and the first pressing member are moved backward to provide a weak drag force of the first drag unit. Similarly, for example, as the second drag knob is rotated in the threadedly-tightened direction, the second drag knob is moved forward and gradually but strongly presses the second pressed units to provide a strong drag force of the second drag unit. As rotated in the opposite direction, the second drag knob is moved backward to provide a weak drag force of the second unit.
In the above-described spinning reel, when the first and second drag knobs are operated and rotated for drag-force adjustment, they are moved back and forth since both the first and second drag knobs are threaded into the cylindrical peripheral surface. Accordingly, a gap occasionally appears between the first drag knob and the second drag knob in a position frontward of the first drag knob, or between the second drag knob and the rear portion of the reel unit. If such a gap appears, foreign substances such as dirt and residue of bait gets into the drag knob. In this case, the first or second drag knob becomes difficult to rotate. This may deteriorate operability of the first or second drag knob.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved drag device for a spinning reel that prevents foreign substances from getting into a drag knob as much as possible in the drag device of the spinning reel which includes two switchable drag units.
This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.