A thermal management system for an aircraft is provided. The aircraft includes a primary air conditioning system which compresses and cools outside air to create inside air. The inside air pressurizes the internal volume of the aircraft and ventilates a first object in the internal volume. An exhaust exhausts a portion of the inside air to allow more outside air to be drawn into the aircraft. A cooler cools a coolant which in turn controls temperature of at least two objects in the internal volume.

It is necessary on large, modern aircraft to ventilate the interior of the aircraft and to provide temperature control. Some examples of these uses include:                a) Cabin, flight deck, crew rest, lavatory, and galley ventilation and temperature control for crew and passengers        b) Flow to clear smoke from the flight deck        c) Flow to prevent lower lobe smoke from penetrating into the cabin or flight deck        d) Cargo compartment ventilation and temperature control for animals and perishables        e) Equipment cooling
Traditionally, outside air (also known as pack air or conditioned air) has been the primary means of meeting the various aircraft air conditioning requirements. From the outside, the air is typically brought in via an engine, or an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), bleed air extraction and one or more downstream air conditioning packs. A significant amount of energy is required to bring outside air into a pressurized aircraft during cruise where ambient pressures are low. In the case of the use of engine bleed air, the prior art systems typically elevate the air to pressures far beyond the needs of the cabin, thereby disadvantageously consuming enormous quantities of energy.
Once pressurized, this outside air is conditioned by the air conditioning packs to control the temperature of the cabin, flight deck, and in some cases the cargo bay. The larger the heat loads in these areas, the colder the temperature of, or the greater the flow rate of, the air that must be supplied. Consequently the prior art systems require (depending on the system employed) more energy, air conditioning equipment weight and (or) ram air usage drag to accommodate the larger heat loads.
For instance, one prior art system includes a cooling pack and a mixing manifold. Outside air is fed from a source of compressed outside air, such as an auxiliary power unit driven compressor or the main engine compressor, into an outside air line. The air line directs the air to the cooling pack which cools the outside air below the lowest temperature required by the air conditioning demands. Thus the air conditioning pack also removes the waste heat introduced into the air by the compression to, or above, cabin pressure. Note, also that the Bleed Air System may remove heat upstream of the air conditioning pack. From the air conditioning pack, another air line directs the compressed, cooled, outside air to a mixing manifold. In the meantime, air inside the aircraft is being warmed by heat loads and is concurrently entraining humidity.
Previously employed solutions also use a recirculation fan to collect the inside air and to feed the resulting recirculation air to a recirculation line. The recirculation line then directs the recirculation air back to the mixing manifold. Within the mixing manifold, the recirculation air and the cool, compressed, outside air mix to form inside air once again. Another air line directs the inside air flowing from the mixing manifold to the interior of the aircraft. In particular, the previously developed systems feed the inside air to all interior sections of the aircraft in parallel.
Unfortunately, as noted, the outside air surrounds the aircraft at low pressure during long distance cruise. The low pressure of the outside air imposes the burden of compressing the outside air as it is drawn into the aircraft. That compression burden adds to the need for large, heavy, energy consuming equipment onboard the aircraft where space, weight, and energy are at a premium.
Another solution entails bleeding off high pressure air from sources readily available onboard, for instance using engine bleed air. However, such sources elevate the pressure of the bleed air well above that needed for inside air. If the amount of air being compressed could be reduced, the associated energy could be more beneficially employed to propel the aircraft. In the alternative, the size or fuel consumption of the engine could be reduced.
Prior art air conditioning systems have also attempted to provide a relatively constant volumetric flow to the cabin for ventilation and cooling. Typically, the nominal, cruise, outside air, inflow rates are well above the FAR/JAR (Federal Aviation Regulations and Joint Aviation Requirements) requirements associated with cabin, flight deck, crew rest, lavatory, and galley ventilation and temperature control for crew and passengers. Moreover, the government has recently made the regulatory requirements related to maintaining the cabin and crew compartments below temperature and humidity thresholds more stringent. To meet these regulations and to address reliability concerns, backup ventilation systems have been implemented in some recent aircraft designs, thereby adding to the weight and complexity of the aircraft.
Moreover, even when the outside air is at sea level atmospheric pressure (e.g. the aircraft has landed), the outside air must still be drawn into the aircraft and cooled to provide cabin temperature control. To do so still requires running an engine or auxiliary power unit. Either of which creates noise and pollutants at airports where both noise and pollutants must be controlled. Nor is providing the outside air from ground support equipment desirable as this solution requires additional mechanical equipment in the crowded area of the terminal. In some cases the added equipment also produces noise and pollutants.
Thus, it would be desirable to reduce the need for outside air to provide onboard air conditioning.

High efficiency aircraft cabin air supply cooling system


A highly economical basement wall providing strength and comfort comparable to conventional basement wall structures includes a metal sill, a plurality of spaced apart metal wall studs, a metal decking secured to the plurality of metal wall studs, and a metal reinforcing stud welded to the plurality of metal wall studs. Each of the reinforcing studs is also welded to the sill and extends upwardly from the sill to a height of about 25% or less of the height of the metal wall studs.

This invention relates to habitable basements, and more particularly to a basement wall system that facilitates rapid construction at a low cost.
Basement walls for residential buildings have generally been constructed of concrete. Typically, spaced apart vertical forms are assembled at a building site, and concrete is poured into the space defined between the forms. After the concrete has been poured, it must be allowed to set or cure for a period of several days, and often as much as two weeks or even longer. Construction of a building having a poured concrete wall must be completely suspended during the time which the concrete is curing. This delay in construction is undesirable because it usually results in a delay in progress payments and/or final payment to the builder, and can often be associated with reduced profits and/or higher costs.
Another disadvantage with concrete basement walls is that they have relatively high capacity for absorbing and conveying moisture through capillary action, and, as a result, basements with concrete walls tend to be damp and clammy. This problem cannot be completely overcome by providing the concrete wall with a water-resistant barrier coating or layer because moisture can still be transported from the ground through the footing, and into, and through, the concrete walls.
A further disadvantage with concrete basement walls is that they have relatively low thermal insulating properties. As a result, conventional basements having concrete walls tend to be relatively cool and generally uncomfortable during the winter months.
The above referenced application (Ser. No. 09/033,736) upon which priority is claimed in this application discloses an improved basement wall system that overcomes many of the problems with the prior art, and allows rapid construction of a highly moisture resistant, comfortable basement, that in most cases can be constructed at a substantially reduced cost as compared with many conventional habitable basement structures. Although the disclosed basement wall system provides many advantages over conventional basement wall structures, it has now been discovered that the same advantages can be achieved with an improved structure that further reduces construction costs.
In one aspect of the invention, there is provided a highly economical basement wall structure that can be utilized to define a habitable basement that provides strength and comfort that equals or exceeds that of conventional basement wall structures. The basement wall in accordance with this aspect of the invention includes a metal sill, a plurality of spaced apart metal wall studs, metal decking secured to the plurality of metal wall studs, and a metal reinforcing stud welded to each of the plurality of metal wall studs. The wall studs extend upwardly from the sill to a height of the habitable basement, and the reinforcing studs extend upwardly from the sill to a height of about 25% or less of the height of the wall studs.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a habitable building basement that meets or exceeds applicable construction standards in most or all localities is provided. The habitable building basement includes a concrete basement floor and a basement wall extending upwardly from the basement floor, wherein the basement wall and basement floor define a habitable basement. The basement wall includes a metal sill, a plurality of metal wall studs welded to the sill and extending upwardly from the sill to a height of the habitable basement, metal decking secured to the plurality of metal studs, and a metal reinforcing stud welded to each of the plurality of metal wall studs. Each of the reinforcing studs is also welded to the sill and extends upwardly from the sill to a height of about 25% or less of the height of the metal wall studs.
These and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims and appended drawings.


A system and method for storage and continuous delivery of a plurality of data files in a data stream are disclosed. The system and method include storing at least one data file of the plurality of data files, allowing each user to select the at least one data file for delivery, and transferring data from the first disk and the second disk alternately over a bus to at least one user. The at least one data file includes a plurality of data blocks and is stored by storing the plurality of data blocks in a first disk and a second disk. The first and second disks further include a plurality of blocks. Storing the at least one data file further includes the steps of (a1) storing a data block of the plurality of data blocks in a next available block of the first disk, (a2) storing a next data block of the plurality of data blocks in a corresponding block on the second disk, and (a3) repeating steps (a1) and (a2) until the at least one data file is completely stored. The at least one data file is stored on a first plurality of adjacent blocks in the first disk and a second plurality of adjacent blocks on the second disk. The method includes performing a first seek operation to find a next block on the second disk while a read and data transfer is performed for a current block on first disk and performing a second seek operation on the first disk to find a next block on the first disk while a read and data transfer is performed for a current block on the second disk.

Conventional computer data streams are usually accessed randomly. In such a file system, a user generally moves from place to place in the file without requiring continuous playback of the entire file. In addition to not being presented all at one time, typical data files are relatively small.
A different type of data is continuous media data. Continuous media data files are used to store and deliver data such as movies or music titles. For continuous media data files, the data stream is delivered in order, rather than in a random fashion chosen by the user. In addition, the data files are typically very long. A karaoke or music video title, for example, is approximately four minutes long and about 40 megabytes (MB) in size.
Typical computer systems store data in blocks. Each block has a disk block size. The disk block size is the smallest amount of information that the computer system can access. The location of each block on the disk is marked by a pointer. To access a file, the pointer is moved to each block in the correct order.
When conventional computer systems store a data file on disk, the locations of the block or blocks holding the data are typically chosen randomly. When reading a file, the disk pointer may have to move to a new, randomly chosen location for each block of data. In order to move the disk pointer to a new block, conventional systems perform a seek operation. The seek operation determines the location of the new block and moves the pointer to the new block's location on the disk. The system can then read the data in the new block and deliver it to the user.
Conventional systems using small computer system interface ("SCSI") buses and disks often deliver data from the SCSI disk over a SCSI bus. In order to deliver a stored data file, conventional systems using SCSI disks and buses perform several operations. The system reads the command from the SCSI bus, disconnects the SCSI disk from the SCSI bus, seeks the appropriate blocks on the SCSI disk, reconnects to the SCSI bus, then reads and transmits the data over the SCSI bus. Typical fast SCSI buses can transmit data at a rate of approximately ten to forty megabytes (MB) per second. However, typical fast SCSI disks are capable of delivering accessed data at a rate of only five megabytes (MB) per second. Thus, conventional SCSI disks do not utilize the full capacity of typical SCSI buses when transmitting data at the disks' maximum rate.
Continuous media computer systems are employed to provide real time delivery of lengthy continuous media data files. A single computer using conventional architecture may be capable of playing a single continuous media stream for a single user. However, one computer may not be capable of providing real-time delivery of continuous media streams for many users at one time. In general, conventional computer systems may be too slow to access and deliver the blocks comprising the continuous media data file in real time. This difficulty is partially due to the rate at which conventional systems can deliver the data.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for faster delivery of continuous media data files, particularly for multiple users. The present invention addresses such a need.

System and method for striping data across multiple disks for continuous data streaming and increased bus utilization


A power plug includes a base, an upper cover attached to the base, a base-side cover adjacent the base and removeably attached to the upper cover, an output cord, a leakage current detection and protection circuit for detecting a leakage current in the output cord, and an electrical connection mechanism for electrically connecting and disconnecting an input side and an output of the power plug. The leakage current detection and protection circuit and the electrical connection mechanism are attached to the base and disposed substantially within a space enclosed by the base and the upper cover. A plurality of connecting ends of the circuit extend from the space enclosed by the base and the upper cover into a space enclosed by the base-side cover and the upper cover. Wires of the output cord are connected to the connecting ends, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a power plug with a leakage current protection circuit (LCDI), and in particular, it relates to a power plug with a leakage current protection circuit used in appliances such as air conditioner, refrigerator, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the wide use of household electrical appliances, more attention is being paid to the safety of using such appliances. A power plug with leakage current protection function is described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2006/0061924, published Mar. 23, 2006.

Power plug with leakage current detection and protection circuit


A multilayer molded article having good appearance is produced by providing a preheated fiber-reinforced resin sheet between a pair of upper and lower molds, and supplying a thermoplastic resin melt and optionally a foam sheet between the upper mold and the fiber-reinforced resin sheet. The thermoplastic resin melt is supplied through a resin supplying opening provided in the lower mold, and through a hole made in the fiber-reinforced resin sheet and the foam sheet. During the supply of the resin melt or as soon as the resin supply is finished, the molds are closed to further flow, and the resin melt is formed to produce a mu molded article made of the fiber-reinforced resin sheet, a skin layer of the thermoplastic resin and optionally the foam sheet therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multilayer molded article. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multilayer molded article comprising a fiber-reinforced resin sheet layer and a skin layer having good surface conditions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since an article which is produced by press molding a fiber-reinforced resin sheet is excellent in strength, and in particular, a glass fiber-reinforced resin article, has larger reinforcing effects and is advantageous in view of production cost, it is used in applications where strength of the article is required, for example, in vehicle parts. But, an molded article of the fiber-reinforced resin sheet has poor appearance and no soft feeling. To improve such defects, a multilayer molded article having a laminated skin layer on the fiber-reinforced resin sheet is proposed. Hitherto, such multilayer molded article has been produced by bonding a core layer of the fiber-reinforced resin sheet and a premolded skin layer, or by injecting and foaming a foamable resin such as a polyurethane resin between a core layer of the fiber-reinforced resin sheet and a skin layer, to integrate them together.
However, the conventional methods for producing the multilayer molded article comprising the fiber-reinforced resin sheet and the skin layer have many steps and include high production costs.

Process for producing multilayer molded article


Disclosed herein relates to pharmaceutical engineering, and more particularly to a micro reaction system and a method for preparing 2-methyl-4-amino-5-cyanopyrimidine using the same. An acetamidine hydrochloride solution and an (dimethylaminomethylene)malononitrile solution are separately pumped into the micro reaction system including a micromixer and an agitating microchannel reactor in communication at the same time for a continuous condensation-cyclization reaction to obtain 2-methyl-4-amino-5-cyanopyrimidine.

2-methyl-4-amino-5-cyanopyrimidine has a structure of formula (I):

and is a key intermediate in the synthesis of vitamin Bi. German patent No. 671787, French patent No. 819596, Norwegian patent No. 59015 and Swiss patent Nos. 193951 and 193952 all disclosed a method for synthesizing the compound (I), in which malonate was used as a starting material, and reacted with triethyl orthoformate to prepare ethoxymethylene malonate. The ethoxymethylene malonate was condensed with acetamidine hydrochloride to synthesize 2-methyl-4-hydroxy-5-alkoxycarbonylpyrimidine, which was subjected to chlorination, amidation and dehydration to prepare the compound (I). This method had multiple synthesis steps and a low yield of final product due to a relatively poor condensation efficiency (60%), and thus it was greatly limited in the industrial application. Todd and Bergel (J. Chem. Soc., 1937, 364) used cyanoacetate as a starting material to react with triethyl orthoformate to prepare ethoxymethylene cyanoacetate, which was condensed with acetamidine hydrochloride, and subjected to amidation and dehydration to obtain the compound (I). By comparison, the latter had a shortened process route, but struggled with a poor yield (32%) of the condensation of ethoxymethylene cyanoacetate and acetamidine hydrochloride.
As disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,655,716, 3,742,015, 3,900,511, 3,965,141 and 3,966,791, 3-(dimethylamino)propionitrile or N,N-dimethylformamide diethyl acetal, as a starting material, was converted into an intermediate 3-(dimethylamino) acrylonitrile, which was then subjected to a Vilsmeier reaction with dimethylformamide/phosphorus oxychloride to synthesize 3-dimethylamino-2-cyano-acrolein. Finally, the 3-dimethylamino-2-cyano-acroleine was reacted with O-acetylhydroxylamine hydrochloride to obtain (dimethylaminomethylene)malononitrile, which subsequently underwent amination and cyclization to obtain the compound (I). This strategy had a long synthetic route, complicated process, high cost and serious environmental pollution, and thus it was also not practicable for industrial production. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,689,498, 3,792,076, 3,853,946 and 3,901,888, 3-dimethylamino-2-cyano-acrolein was synthesized using the above-mentioned method, and then reacted with hydroxylamine hydrochloride to synthesize 3-dimethylamino-2-cyanoacrylamide, which was then condensed with acetamidine hydrochloride and dehydrated to obtain the compound (I). Unfortunately, this method was limited by harsh reaction conditions during the preparation of 3-(dimethylamine)acrylonitrile, high requirements for the equipment and high cost of N,N-dimethylformamide diethyl acetal.
It has been published in some patent literatures (German patent No. 3641604 and European patent No. 55108) that acetonitrile, as a starting material, was reacted with ethyl formate/sodium methoxide to prepare sodium 3-hydroxyacrylonitrile, and the sodium 3-hydroxyacrylonitrile experienced formylation and alcoholysis to synthesize 3-dimethoxypropionitrile, which was subjected to formylation, cyclization and oximation to obtain the compound (I). Japanese patent No. 58128356 disclosed a method for preparing the compound (I) by subjecting sodium 3-hydroxyacrylonitrile to formylation, methylation, cyclization and oximation subsequently. Nishihira and Nakai (Kagaku Kogaku, 1991, 55, 433) and Yoshida et al. (Nikkakyo Geppo, 1992, 45, 6) reported a synthetic route, in which acrylonitrile was used as a starting material, and reacted with nitromethane to synthesize 3-dimethoxypropionitrile, which was subjected to formylation, butylation, cyclization and oximation to obtain the compound (I). These methods all had long synthetic routes, complicated process and high cost.
Grewe et al. (Physiol. Chem., 1936, 242, 89; Naturwiss, 1936, 24, 657) reported that malononitrile and triethyl orthoformate were condensed to synthesize ethoxymethylene malononitrile, which was then condensed with acetamidine hydrochloride to obtain the compound (I). Though this method had shortened synthetic route, the yield of the condensation of ethoxymethylene malonate and acetamidine hydrochloride was still unsatisfactory.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,235,638, 2,271,503, and 2,184,720, German patent Nos. 667990 and 670635 and Japanese patent No. 55505070 also adopted malononitrile as a starting material to condense with triethyl orthoformate to prepare ethoxymethylene malonate, which was then subjected to ammonolysis with ammonia gas to produce (dimethylaminomethylene)malononitrile. The (dimethylaminomethylene)malononitrile is then cyclized with iminoethoxyethane hydrochloride to obtain the compound (I). Though the method had a short synthetic route, the final cyclization required 1.8 equivalents of iminoethoxyethane hydrochloride with high price, increasing the total cost.
As suggested by world patent No. 2012/075677, Chinese patent No. 103261173 and Fener Chen et al. (Org. Process. Res. Dev., 2012, 16, 57), a cheap chemical cyanoacetamide was also suitable as a starting material for the preparation of the compound (I). Specifically, cyanoacetamide was dehydrated in situ to produce malononitrile, and the malononitrile was reacted with a Vilsmeier reagent to obtain (dimethylaminomethylene)malononitrile, which was then condensed with acetamidine hydrochloride to obtain the compound (I). This method had reduced cost and simplified process route, however, it still struggled with complicated operation of the condensation between (dimethylaminomethylene)malononitrile and acetamidine hydrochloride, a low yield (only about 60%), time-consuming reaction (15-20 h) and high energy consumption.
These methods are all carried out in traditional batch reactors. In view of this, there is an urgent need for those skilled in the art to develop a rapid, simple, economical, low-energy consumption and efficient method for continuously preparing 2-methyl-4-amino-5-cyanopyrimidine (I) with high yield to overcome the defects in the existing methods.

Micro reaction system and method for preparing 2-methyl-4-amino-5-cyanopyrimidine using same


A linear generator apparatus includes first and second elongate coaxial bodies that are axially movable relative to one another with a reciprocating movement. The first body is axially and freely movable relative to the second body within a predetermined displacement range or free zone. A helical spring connecting to both first and second bodies biases the first body toward the free zone relative to the second body when outside of the free zone. An electrical power generator mounted on both first and second bodies generates power when the first and second bodies axially move relative to one another within the free zone and beyond. The invention also relates to a suspension system for motor vehicle that includes a coil spring and the apparatus in replacement of a conventional shock absorber.

It is well known in the art to use the energy of vehicles traveling, such as in braking for example. This is becoming more and more a necessity nowadays considering the increasing electrical consumption of today's vehicles for various electronic devices. Moreover, the also increasing demand of electrical or hybrid vehicles requires designers and engineers to come up with ways to have better and innovative ways of recuperating and storing the energy to be used in a limited space. Considering also that the number of batteries that can be used is limited, other ways of improving energy collecting apparatuses need to be developed and improved. The irregularities of road surfaces offer another source of energy for which efficiency results have been so far too limited for practical use. One should further be aware, as many studies in the art show, that a very high percentage of road irregularities is of amplitude ranging between about 1 mm and about 6 mm.
In the previous art, application for U.S. Patent No. 2003/0034697 of Goldner et al. published on Feb. 20, 2003, discloses an electromagnetic linear generator and shock absorber. That application and the numerous patents referred therein do not provide for a means to maximize or optimize the zone in which the central magnet array assembly operates. Furthermore, the systems presented do not seem to show other considerations such as ensuring the apparatus has a mechanical endurance that is viable over long-lasting mileage and includes a system to switch to an active suspension when the apparatus works outside the preferred operational zone. In Table 4 of the disclosed document, the smaller wire gauge presented is 18 (1 mm diameter or 1 mm×1 mm square cross section) whilst the air gap spacing is no greater than 0.020 inches (approximately 0.5 mm); one must therefore ensure the wire thickness fits along with the air gap suggested and consider the temperature range in which the apparatus operates. In another aspect of the invention the coil windings of this publication are shown positioned side-by-side.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved apparatus with a relatively simple configuration.


The present invention provides an improved pixel readout circuit that compensates for common mode noise during a read out operation. This is accomplished by using a differential readout of the signal and reset value from the desired pixel compared with the reset value from a reference pixel. In this manner common mode noise can be offset and therefore minimized. In one embodiment of the invention, the reference pixel is the nearest neighbor pixel in the same row. In another embodiment, the reference pixel is the nearest neighboring pixel in a different row.

There is a current interest in CMOS active pixel imagers for possible use as low cost imaging devices. An exemplary pixel circuit of a CMOS active pixel sensor (APS) is described below with reference to FIG. 1. Active pixel sensors can have one or more active transistors within the pixel unit cell, can be made compatible with CMOS technologies and promise higher readout rates compared to passive pixel sensors. The FIG. 1 exemplary pixel cell 10 is a 4T APS, where the 4T is commonly used in the art to designate use of four transistors to operate the pixel. A 4T pixel has a photodiode 162, a reset transistor 184, a transfer transistor 182, a source follower transistor 186, and a row select transistor 188. It should be understood that while FIG. 1 shows the circuitry for operation of a single pixel, and that in practical use there will be an M times N array of pixels arranged in rows and columns with the pixels of the array accessed using row and column select circuitry, as described in more detail below.
The pixel cell 150 includes the photodiode 162 which converts incident photons to electrons. The electrons are passed to a collection node A by transfer transistor 182. A source follower transistor 186 has its gate connected to node A and thus amplifies the signal appearing at Node A. When a particular row containing cell 150 is selected by a row selection transistor 188, the signal amplified by transistor 186 is passed on a column line 170 to the readout circuitry. The photodiode 162 accumulates a photo-generated charge in a doped region of the substrate. It should be understood that the CMOS imager may include a photogate or other photon to charge converting device, in lieu of a photodiode, as the initial accumulator for photo-generated charge.
The gate of transfer transistor 182 is coupled to a transfer control signal (tx) line 180, thereby serving to control the coupling of the photodiode 162 to the node A. A reset voltage source Vrst is coupled by conductive line 163 through reset transistor 184 to node A. The gate of reset transistor 184 is coupled to a reset control line rst 190 which serves to control the reset operation in which Vrst is connected to node A. The row select control line 160 is coupled to all of the pixels of the same row of the array. Voltage source Vdd is coupled to column line 170 by conductive line 165 through transistors 186 and 188. Although not shown in FIG. 1, column line 170 is coupled to all of the pixels of the same column of the array and typically has a current sink at its lower end. The gate of row select transistor 188 is coupled to row select control line 160. The Vrst power supply is typically connected to the Vdd power supply, so that the Vrst voltage is equivalent to Vdd (e.g., Vdd_pix).
As known in the art, a value is read from pixel 150 in a two step process. First, node A is reset by turning on reset transistor 184 and the reset voltage (e.g., Vrst) is read out to column line 170 by the source follower transistor 186 through the activated row select transistor 188. Second, after pixel reset, a charge integration period occurs during which the photodiode 162 converts photons to electrons. After the integration period, transfer transistor 182 turns on and the integrated charge is passed by transfer transistor from the photodiode 162 to node A, where it is amplified by source follower transistor 186 and passed to column line 170 by row access transistor 188. As a result, the two different values—the reset voltage and the signal voltage—are readout from the pixel and sent by the column line 170 to the readout circuitry where each is sampled and held for further processing as known in the art.
All pixels in a row are read out simultaneously onto respective column lines 170 and the column lines are activated in sequence for pixel reset and signal voltage read out. The rows of pixels are read out in sequence onto the respective column lines.
FIG. 2 shows an exemplary CMOS active pixel sensor integrated circuit chip that includes an array of active pixel sensors 230 and a controller 232 which provides timing and control signals to enable reading out of signals stored in the pixels in a manner commonly known to those skilled in the art. Exemplary arrays have dimensions of M times N pixels, with the size of the array 230 depending on a particular application. The imager is read out a row at a time using a column parallel readout architecture. The controller 232 selects a particular row of pixels in the array 230 by controlling the operation of row addressing circuit 234 and row drivers 240. Charge signals stored in the selected row of pixels are provided on the column lines 170 to a readout circuit 242 in the manner described above. The pixel signal read from each of the columns then can be read out sequentially using a column addressing circuit 244. Differential pixel signals (Vrst, Vsig) corresponding to the read out reset signal and integrated charge signal are provided as respective outputs Vout1, Vout2 of the readout circuit 242.
FIG. 3 more closely shows the rows and columns 349 of CMOS active pixel sensors 350. Each column includes multiple rows of sensors 350. Signals from the active pixel sensors 350 in a particular column can be read out to a readout circuit 352 associated with that column. The read out circuit 352 includes sample and hold circuitry for acquiring the pixel reset and integrated charge signals. Signals stored in the readout circuits 352 then can be read sequentially column-by-column to an output stage 354 which is common to the entire array of pixels 330. The analog output signals can then be sent, for example, to a differential analog circuit and which subtracts the reset and integrated charge signals and sends them to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) or the reset and integrated charge signals are each supplied to the analog-to-digital converter.
As fabrication techniques get better an increasing number of digital processing circuits are being implemented on the same chip as an image sensor. This increases substrate noise coupling to a pixel, which can compromise the signal to noise ratio of the image sensor core. The substrate noise occurs when spurious noise signals are injected locally into the substrate through ohmic or capacitive coupling, thereby breaking the equipotentiality of the substrate.
Accordingly, when the reset signal and the integrated charge signal are read out at different times, the potential of the local ground may not be the same. The sensing node A (FIG. 1) of each pixel is capacitively coupled to a local ground and is dynamically affected by local substrate noise. The common mode noise, including ground noise, during the reset phase is Vcm1 and during the signal phase is Vcm2. If Vsig is the signal voltage and Vrst is the reset voltage, then the differential voltage Vdiff=(Vsig+Vcm2)−(Vrst+Vcm1). Since Vcm2 does not equal Vcm1, they do not cancel out in the differential signal, and instead adversely affect the pixel signal ultimately produced.
One way of dealing with substrate noise is to use a dummy circuit, similar to a pixel circuit, and located near the pixel circuit, but shielded from light as a reference signal source. Theoretically, the pixel and dummy circuit would see the same substrate voltage which can then be correlated in processing. But this will cause a decreased fill factor for the pixels, and for some architectures will cause an increase in KTC (thermal) noise.
It would be desirable to have a pixel readout circuit that compensates for substrate and other common mode noise that is encountered during a pixel read out operation.

Differential readout from pixels in CMOS sensor


An object of the present invention is to provide a treated copper foil laminated with a mesomorphic polymer film having low hygroscopicity and superior high thermal resistance to make a circuit board composite materials having large peel strength and compatibility with fine pattern processes, which a copper foil being deposited with roughening particles to make the treated copper foil having a roughening treated side with surface roughness of 1.5 to 4.0 μm and luminosity of not more than 30, having projections formed from the roughening particles with a height of 1 to 5 μm, preferably 6 to 35 thereof are uniformly distributed in a 25 μm of surface length of copper foil cross-section observed, and its maximum width being at least 0.01 μm and not more than twice of 25 μm divided by the number of projections in the 25 μm surface length.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a treated copper foil improved in peel strength with epoxy resin, polyimide resin, or thermoplastic mesomorphic polymer-based film (hereinafter called "mesomorphic polymer film"), more particularly relates to a treated copper foil laminated with such films for flexible board, high density mount multilayer board, or high frequency circuit board and to a circuit board formed by using the treated copper foil.
2. Description of the Related Art
The recent demand for increasing smaller size and lighter weight of electronic equipments have led to highly integrated electronic components. A composite circuit board for producing flexible board, high density mount multilayer board, high frequency circuit board, etc. used for the above components (hereinafter called "circuit board") consists of conductors (copper foil) and insulator boards to support the conductors. The insulator board secures electric insulation between the conductors and supplies strength for supporting electronic parts connected to the conductor.
The higher the speed of a signal transmit though circuit board, the more important the intrinsic impedance and signal transmission speed of the insulator material of the circuit board. Since these characteristics are closely related with the dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the insulator material, improvement of these properties is required.
As insulator materials for circuit board satisfying the above conditions, phenol resin materials are mainly used. As insulator materials for plating through holes, epoxy resin materials are mainly used. Further, recently, for high speed propagation of signals, insulator materials with smaller dielectric constants and smaller dielectric losses have been developed.
For circuit board requiring heat resistance, heat resistant epoxy resin, polyimide, and other insulator boards have been used. In addition, materials having good dimensional stability, materials resistive to warping or distortion, and materials having small heat shrinkage have been developed.
When flexible circuit board composite materials require heat resistance or solderability, polyimide films have been used. For applications involving printing using carbon ink and not using solder, polyester films are used. Recently, flexible boards have become more complicated and in many cases polyimide films have been favored.
However, dielectric property of polyimide changes greatly with absorption of moisture and also high frequency property drops greatly in humid environment. Further, while having a high heat resistance, it does not melt at high temperature. Therefore, in the case of composite material with copper foil conductor, it is necessary to cast the precursor polyamic acid on the copper foil, then imidize it or to provide a polyimide film with an adhesive layer, then laminate copper foil with it. As a result, the process becomes complicated.
Therefore, mesomorphic polymers have started to be looked at as thermoplastic materials with little change of the dielectric property due to their lower hydroscopicity compared with polyimides and having enough heat resistance to withstand soldering. However, copper film has a low peel strength with mesomorphic polymer compared with polyimide.
The copper foil used for the conductive layer laminated on insulator board is mainly electrodeposited copper foil. Electrodeposited copper foil is usually formed by an electroforming cell such as shown in FIG. 1 and is roughing treated for improving the peel strength or made stainproof by a treater such as shown in FIG. 2.
The electroforming cell shown in FIG. 1 has a rotating drum-shaped cathode 2 (surface formed by stainless steel or titanium) and an anode 1 (lead or precious metal oxide-covered titanium) arranged concentrically with the cathode. An electroplating solution 3 is circulated and current run between the electrodes to deposit a predetermined thickness of copper on the cathode surface. The copper is then peeled off from the cathode surface as a foil. At this stage, the copper foil 4 is an untreated copper foil. The surface of the untreated copper foil which contacted the electroplating solution forms a matte surface, while the surface which contacted the drum-shaped cathode 2 forms shiny side.
The untreated copper foil 4 produced has to be improved in peel strength with insulator board to produce good copper-clad laminate. Therefore, it is continuously treated electrochemically or chemically by the treater shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows the system for continuous electrochemical treatment. The untreated copper foil 4 is treated by running it through electroplating tanks filled with electroplating solutions 5 and 6 using electrodes 7 as anode and the copper foil as cathode so as to deposit granular copper on its surface and thereby improve the peel strength of copper foil with insulator board (resin). This process is the roughing treatment process. This roughing treatment is normally applied on the matte side or shiny side of the untreated copper foil 4. The copper foil after this treatment is the treated copper foil 8 which is laminated with insulator board to make circuit board.
Among epoxy resins, polyimide resins, and mesomorphic polymers, mesomorphic polymers are known to be poor in peel strength with copper foil. Generally, the peel strength of these resins with copper foil is greatly affected by the copper foil's surface roughness Rz defined by "5.1 Ten Point Roughness Average" of "Definitions and Indications of Surface Roughness" in JISB 0601-1994. When considering the surface roughness of copper foil, surface roughness Rz of both untreated and treated copper foil may be referred. When improving the peel strength of untreated copper foil with smooth surface, particularly for resin with which it has poor peel strength, the practice has been to increase the current running though it during the roughing treatment to increase the amount of granular copper deposition and increase the surface roughness Rz. It is true that this method is suitable for improving peel strength, but, for high frequency property, in terms of surface effect, it is not preferable to increase the surface roughness Rz and the amount of roughening particles.
Depending on the type of mesomorphic polymer resin, the increased surface roughness Rz dose not always improve the peel strength. It is known that this is closely related to the shape of projections formed by the roughening particles.
The higher density circuit patterns of printed circuit board is also in more demand. So-called "fine pattern" printed circuit boards are made with circuit patterns by fine lines and pitches. Recently, printed circuit boards formed by high density ultra-fine interconnects with line pitches of 50 to 100 μm and line widths of about 30 μm are required. Improving the peel strength by raising the surface roughness Rz by roughening particles or increasing the amount of deposition is not suitable when forming such fine patterns. It is also possible to roughen the surface of untreated copper foil and reduce the amount of deposition of roughening particles to improve the peel strength, but this is not suitable for obtaining a high frequency property and producing fine patterns.
As a copper foil improved in peel strength with mesomorphic polymer, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2003-64431 proposes a copper alloy foil containing specified metal elements and provided with predetermined thicknesses of surface oxide layer and stainproof layer. However, when making mesomorphic polymer into a film, the rod-shaped molecules become oriented in the planar direction, so the material strength in thickness direction sharply drops. With non-roughened copper foil, the mesomorphic polymer film is easily destroyed at just underneath the boundary with copper foil, so the desired peel strength cannot be obtained.
In order to improve the peel strength of mesomorphic polymer, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications (Kokai) No. 2001-49002 and No. 2000-233448 propose methods for treatment by plasma or UV rays. Even with such methods, however, not enough peel strength is obtained with copper foil having low surface roughness.
Therefore, the development of copper foil having good high frequency property, stability to fabricate fine patterns, and ability to improve peel strength is a crucial demand.


An improved weight estimation apparatus in which an elastomeric bladder is supported on a semi-rigid backer board which is installed in a vehicle seat between the seat cushion and an underlying spring suspension. The bladder is secured onto the backer board, and the backer board is attached to the seat, enabling proper and consistent placement of the bladder relative to the seat surface. The backer board provides the reaction surface for the bladder, and masks non-uniformities of the seat structure. Additionally, the backer board will reduce or eliminate the effect of objects lying on the floor under the seat, which might otherwise pinch the bladder and produce weight estimation errors. Further, the board tends to protect the bladder from damage due to sharp objects, pinching by the suspension elements, and the effects of wires or cables routed through the seat. The backer board may be smooth to provide a uniform reaction surface, or contoured to increase or decrease sensitivity to weight applied on certain areas of the seating surface.

This invention relates to detection of occupant weight in a motor vehicle seat based on the pressure in a fluid filled seat bladder.
Vehicle occupant detection systems are useful in connection with air bags and other pyrotechnically deployed restraints as a means of judging whether, and how forcefully, to deploy the restraint. One fundamental parameter in this regard is the weight of the occupant, as weight may be used as a criteria to distinguish between an adult and an infant or small child.
One prior weight estimation technique is to install an array of variable resistance pressure sensitive elements in the seat, and to sum the individual pressures to determine occupant weight. A restraint system based on this technique is shown and described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,327, issued on Dec. 12, 1995, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In practice, however, such systems tend to be relatively costly to implement, and require a significant amount of signal processing for proper calibration and weight estimation.
It has also been suggested to locate one or more fluid or air filled bladders in a vehicle seat, and to estimate the weight of the occupant based on a measure of the pressure in the bladder(s). However, it has been found that such systems can deliver inconsistent weight estimations because both the seat cushion and underlying suspension, which provide a reaction surface for the bladder, tend to be non-uniform in stiffness. Additionally, it is frequently difficult to properly and consistently install the bladders, and to reliably prevent shifting during use.
The present invention is directed to an improved weight estimation apparatus in which an elastomeric bladder is supported on a semi-rigid backer board which is installed in a vehicle seat between the seat cushion and an underlying spring suspension. The bladder is secured to the backer board, and the backer board is attached to the seat, enabling proper and consistent placement of the bladder relative to the seat surface. The backer board provides the reaction surface for the bladder, and masks non-uniformities of the seat structure. Additionally, the backer board will reduce or eliminate the effect of objects lying on the floor under the seat, which might otherwise pinch the bladder and produce weight estimation errors. Further, the board tends to protect the bladder from damage due to sharp objects, pinching by the suspension elements, and the effects of wires or cables routed through the seat. The backer board may be smooth to provide a uniform reaction surface, or contoured to increase or decrease sensitivity to weight applied on certain areas of the seating surface. A bladder port passes through an opening in the center of the backer board and is routed to a pressure sensor. A temperature sensor disposed in proximity to the bladder provides a temperature signal, and a controller estimates the weight of the occupant based on the temperature and pressure signals. Preferably, the pressure sensor is configured to sense the gage pressurexe2x80x94that is, the differential pressure between the fluid and atmospheric pressurexe2x80x94at the center of gravity of the bladder fluid in order to provide a stable output independent of changing atmospheric pressure and changing orientation of the bladder due to vehicle pitch and roll.

Bladder and support structure for occupant weight estimation


The invention relates to an interconnection for chip sandwich structures by means of which chips can be electrically and mechanically connected to one another face-to-face, and to a method for the production thereof. The invention is intended to create interconnections that can be produced more cost-effectively and more effectively. This is achieved by virtue of the fact that pin- or sleeve-shaped contact elements (3) are arranged between the chips (1, 2), which contact elements create an electrical and mechanical interconnection between the contact pads (4, 5) of the semiconductor chips (1, 2) and are soldered to the latter.

It has been found that the demands for compact handheld products such as miniature PCs, portable navigation systems, databases, telephones etc. is constantly continually rising. These products require particularly small memories with a high storage capacity and must realize rising switching frequencies and power densities without any problems. In order to be able to meet these requirements, recently use has been made of so-called "chip sandwich constructions."
In the case of such chip sandwich constructions, chips at the wafer level are stacked to form a 3-D chip system and preferably contact-connected to one another by the production of wire bridges between the individual chips and planes. One example of this is disclosed in JP 2002164499 A and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,703,651, which is incorporated herein by reference. These customary wirings have the disadvantage of high losses and are therefore extremely unsuitable for chips of the new generation having high clock frequencies.
Furthermore, the wire bonding technology is technologically unsuitable for 3-D chip systems because the outlay for producing the wire bridges is considerable and the risk of short circuits between the wire bridges rises as the contact density increases.
In the meantime, chip sandwich structures have become known in which chips are stacked face-to-face, the production of the direct connections between the chips being relatively complicated. For this purpose, firstly a Cu layer having a thickness of approximately 5 μm is applied to the surfaces that are to be connected to one another. Afterwards, the Cu layer is patterned by means of the techniques of standard photolithography, the locations of the interconnections between the two chips being defined. Afterwards, a solder having an extremely small layer thickness of a few microns is applied and the two surfaces are subsequently pressed against one another and connected to one another under the action of temperature. (INFINEON Galaxy, No. 6, Dec. 2002, page 14 "Chip Sandwich revolutioniert Halbleitertechnologie" ["chip sandwich revolutionizes semiconductor technology"]).
In this way, it is possible to realize shorter interconnections between the chips, thereby enabling clock frequencies in excess of 200 GHz. However, the outlay for realizing these interconnections is considerable owing to the required photolithography.
It is thus necessary to develop a novel connection technology in order to be able to produce the interconnections between chip sandwich arrangements more cost-effectively and more effectively.

Method of fabricating an interconnection for chip sandwich arrangements


An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle which is capable of recycling contaminated liquid in a factory or the like swiftly and efficiently without performing incineration. In order to achieve this object, a contaminated liquid filtration system vehicle is characterized in comprising: vehicle driving unit comprising a driving engine and a driving mechanism; suction unit for aspirating the contaminated liquid within a contaminated liquid collection unit as liquid to be treated; a filtration system constituted by a charged filter device and a charged coalescer type oil water separator for filtration treating the aspirated liquid to be treated; electric power supply unit for supplying a driving power source to the filtration system; delivery unit for returning treated liquid which has been treated in the filtration system to the same or a different collection unit in the factory or the like; and control unit for controlling operations of the filtration system, wherein the charged filter device is caused to advance the filtration of impurity particles by applying a voltage between electrodes within the charged filter device using the driving power source supplied from the electric power supply unit, and the charged coalescer type oil water separator is caused to advance oil water separation by applying a voltage between electrodes within the oil water separator using the driving power source supplied from the electric power supply unit.

In conventional maintenance of contaminated liquid treatment facilities comprising a submerged membrane separator, a maintenance vehicle for a membrane filtration type septic tank which comprises a plurality of exchangeable membrane cartridges, a membrane cartridge case which houses a unit of the membrane cartridges and doubles as a cleaning tank, a storage tank which can be used for many purposes, a pump which aspirates and discharges internal fluid in the tank, and a flexible hose which selectively connects the tank, the membrane cartridge case, the storage tank, and the pump to each other, and which is capable of moving a liquid mixture inside the tank and performing maintenance such as cleaning and exchanging the membrane cartridges in a self-contained manner, has been disclosed (see Japanese Patent Publication 2002-153870).
This maintenance vehicle moves an appropriate amount of the in-tank liquid mixture of the membrane treatment type contaminated liquid treatment facility to the storage tank, thereby exposing each of the membrane cartridges inside the tank above the liquid level. When an extracted membrane cartridge needs to be exchanged due to damage or the like, the membrane cartridge is exchanged to another membrane cartridge carried in the vehicle, and when cleaning is required, the extracted membrane cartridge is stored in the membrane cartridge case and cleaned. Following cleaning, the membrane cartridges extracted from the membrane cartridge case are returned to the membrane treatment type contaminated liquid treatment facility. The in-tank liquid mixture which was removed to the storage tank is then returned to the membrane treatment type contaminated liquid treatment facility, and thus membrane cartridge maintenance is performed.
In general, the various types of concentrated contaminated liquid generated in factories are conventionally disposed of by incineration. In so doing, however, problems such as the generation of dioxins caused by chemical substances contained in the contaminated liquid, dispersion of environmental hormones into the atmosphere, and generation of carbon dioxide upon incineration may arise. As a result of such concerns, in recent years restrictions have been placed on dioxin concentration, chlorine concentration, oxygen concentration, odor, and so on, and it is anticipated that the incineration disposal performed conventionally will become more and more difficult in the future. Hence alternative treatment methods are being sought.
In response to such societal demands, the present applicants have proposed a large number of contaminated liquid treatment devices in Japanese Patent 3155212, Japanese Patent 3236570, and so on. If these treatment devices were to be provided in factories around the country, the problems of such incineration disposal would be considerably reduced. However, the intensity of societal demands for environmental protection is ever increasing, and therefore methods which are simultaneously faster and more efficient are required.
In consideration of the circumstances described above, the problem to be solved by the present invention is the provision of a vehicle which is capable of treating contaminated liquid from factories and the like using methods such as recycling and contamination reduction, quickly and efficiently, and without incineration.

Contaminated liquid filtration system vehicle


An exemplary method for selecting a resource for handling a call in a distributed call-routing system comprises obtaining, at a local call-routing proxy, a request for a resource to handle a call from a local automatic call director, distributing the request to a plurality of remote call-routing proxies, each remote call-routing proxy being configured to obtain responses to the request from a plurality of servers storing data relating to a plurality of resources, process the responses from the servers to produce a first reduced number of responses and send the first reduced number of responses to the local call-routing proxy, processing responses from remote call-routing proxies at the local call-routing proxy, enabling the local automatic call director to obtain a second reduced number of responses, and enabling the local automatic call director to select a resource to handle the call.

Call centers generally function to assist people seeking a product or a service. Calls to a call center may come from the traditional telephone network (e.g., the POTS) through the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or via voice over IP (i.e., VOIP). Calls received from the POTS can be translated to VOIP calls at a media gateway. VOIP calls may also be referred to as IP calls. IP calls directed to a particular telephone number can generally bypass a media gateway and be forwarded directly to a soft switch or an automatic call director. An automatic call director generally functions to direct calls to different resources within the call center (e.g., an interactive voice response system, an agent, etc.).
A call center generally includes telephony infrastructure, computing infrastructure, and access to agents for handling calls. The computing infrastructure may include clusters of computing devices and applications running on the computing devices to perform various call center functions. For instance, the functions of an automatic call director may be implemented in an application running on a computing device accessible to the call center.
Each cluster of computing devices may be independent of other clusters. Alternatively, multiple clusters of computing devices may be connected to each other in a distributed call-routing system.
As call volume increases, it is desirable for a call center to have access to a distributed call-routing system having efficient load sharing capabilities.


A high resolution impedance adjustment (ZQ) calibration method using a hidden least significant bit (HLSB) is provided. The high resolution ZQ calibration method generates a data input/output (DQ) code of n+1 bits without a calibration time increase by adding the hidden least significant bit (HLSB) to a ZQ code of n bits output in a ZQ calibration operation of an impedance adjustment (ZQ) pad. A change in a termination resistance of the DQ pad is reduced as small as possible by the DQ code of n+1 bits.

Example embodiments of the disclosure relate to a semiconductor integration circuit, and more particularly, to a high resolution impedance adjustment (ZQ) calibration method using a hidden least significant bit (HLSB) without a calibration time increase and a memory device employing the same.
Electronic devices include a plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits (or semiconductor chips), which make hardware configurations complex. In accordance with the demand for miniaturization and lightweight of electronic devices, a multi-chip package in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are mounted in one package is provided to reduce the number of mounted parts. In addition, to minimize the transmission time of signals interfaced between semiconductor chips, a swing width of signals decreases. As the swing width of signals decreases, semiconductor chips have a greater influence on external noise, and a signal reflection caused by an impedance mismatch in an interface becomes significant. To solve the impedance mismatch, semiconductor chips include a ZQ pin and receive a ZQ calibration command from the outside to perform a ZQ calibration operation, thereby controlling impedance matching.
In accordance with the trend of demand for high-capacity memory, a multi-chip package in which a plurality of memory chips (or dies) independently operating through different channels are mounted in one package is provided. In a multi-chip package channel, each of the memory chips performs a ZQ calibration operation on signal lines that transmit commands, addresses, and data of the corresponding memory chip. In this case, the ZQ calibration operation needs to be performed as much as the number of memory chips mounted on the multi-chip package. For example, if eight memory chips are mounted in a multi-chip package, eight ZQ calibration operations need to be performed, and the multi-chip package needs to complete the ZQ calibration operation during a ZQ calibration time specified in the package specification.
In addition, as an operation speed of the multi-chip package increases, data transmitted to the memory chips of the multi-chip package has a data eye diagram state. The data eye diagram shows an overlap of multiple data transitions representing jitter due to noise, which may appear as a waveform distorted by an environment of a signal line or a channel through which data is transmitted.
Accordingly, signal integrity (SI) of data transmitted to the memory chips of the multi-chip package is important. The SI characteristic of data is affected by a termination resistance change determined by a data driver, and it is desirable to reduce the termination resistance change.
When data is transmitted to the memory chips of the multi-chip package, if a precise calibration resolution is provided to reduce the termination resistance change of the data, a state in which an eye opening area of the data eye diagram is symmetric and the maximum eye may be found, which will be beneficial to improve the data SI characteristics.

High resolution ZQ calibration method using hidden least significant bit (HLSB)


The present disclosure provides a battery heating system and a control method thereof. The battery heating system includes a main positive switch, a main negative switch, an inverter, a motor, and a battery management unit. The inverter includes a first phase bridge arm, a second phase bridge arm and a third phase bridge arm connected in parallel. A motor controller in the inverter is configured to output a drive signal to a target upper-bridge-arm switch unit and a target lower-bridge-arm switch unit, so as to control the target upper-bridge-arm switch unit and the target lower-bridge-arm switch unit to be periodically turned on and off. The battery management unit is configured to collect state parameters of the battery pack. When the state parameters of the battery pack meet preset heating conditions, a control signal is sent to the motor controller to control the motor controller to output the drive signal.

With development of new energy, new energy is used as power in more and more fields. Due to advantages of high energy density, recyclable charging, safety and environmental friendliness and so on, batteries are widely used in new energy vehicles, consumer electronics, energy storage systems and other fields.
However, use of a battery in low temperature environment is subject to certain restrictions. Specifically, discharge capacity of the battery is degraded seriously in low temperature environment, and the battery cannot be charged in low temperature environment. Therefore, in order to be able to use the battery normally, it is necessary to heat the battery in low temperature environment.
At present, the battery may be heated by providing a special thermal cycle container for the battery and indirectly heating heat-conducting material in the thermal cycle container to conduct heat to the battery. However, this heating method takes a long time and the heating efficiency is low.

Battery heating system and control method thereof

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited


The invention concerns a multifunction probe for aircraft. The probe measures the total pressure and measures the total temperature of an air flow surrounding the aircraft. The total pressure is measured by a first tube, the so-called Pitot tube oriented substantially along the axis of the air flow surrounding the aircraft, the total temperature is measured by a second tube open to the air flow and oriented substantially in the axis of the air flow. The first tube is situated inside the second tube. The invention also concerns a process for shaping a heating wire forming means of deicing of the multifunction probe. The process includes: winding the heating wire helically around a first mandrel, inserting the first mandrel into a second hollow mandrel, continuing the winding of the heating wire around the second mandrel, and placing the heating wire, thus formed, inside the two tubes and being fixed therein.

The invention concerns a multifunction probe for aircraft, which probe makes it possible in particular to measure the total pressure Pt and the total temperature Tt of an air flow surrounding the aircraft.
The measurement of these two parameters, total temperature and total pressure, helps to determine the actual velocity of the aircraft. Advantageously, the multifunction probe furthermore comprises means for measuring the static pressure Ps and the angle of incidence α of the air flow surrounding the aircraft. All the parameters necessary for determining the modulus and the direction of the velocity vector of the aircraft are thus available.
French patent application FR 2 802 647 filed on Dec. 17, 1999 in the name of THOMSON-CSF describes such a probe comprising a Pitot tube for measuring the total pressure Pt of the air flow and means for measuring the total temperature Tt in the form of a first channel whose air inlet orifice substantially faces the flow and of a second channel comprising a temperature sensor. The second channel bleeds off part of the air circulating in the first channel. In the embodiment described in French patent application FR 2 802 647, the Pitot tube and the first channel belonging to the means for measuring the total temperature Tt are substantially parallel and disposed in the vicinity of one another.
In practice, the first channel is advantageously disposed above or below the Pitot tube but not on one of its sides. This disposition makes it possible for the means for measuring total pressure Pt and the means for measuring total temperature Tt not to mutually disturb one another when the angle of incidence of the air flow, situated in the vicinity of the probe, is modified. On the other hand, this disposition tends to increase the projection of the probe with respect to the skin of the aircraft. Specifically, it is necessary for the air inlet orifices of the Pitot tube and of the first channel both to be situated outside a boundary layer situated in the immediate vicinity of the skin of the aircraft and in which the air is unsuitable for a good measurement of temperature or pressure.
The increase in the projection gives rise to greater fragility of the probe that would have to be alleviated by increasing the dimensions of the mast or of the airfoil carrying the Pitot tube and the first channel. The invention makes it possible to avoid this defect by reducing the projection of the probe.
Moreover, the probes mounted on aircraft are subjected to considerable temperature variations and, sometimes, to conditions under which ice may develop, in particular inside the Pitot tube or the channels allowing the measurement of total temperature Tt. The ice disturbs the measurements and, to avoid it, the probe comprises means for warming itself. These means comprise, in general, a wire warming the probe through the joule effect. This wire is coiled in the walls of the Pitot tube and in that of the channels allowing the measurement of total temperature. To produce the heating wire, use is commonly made of an electrical conductor comprising an iron and nickel alloy shrouded in a mineral insulant such as alumina or magnesia. The insulant is itself shrouded in a nickel or inconel sheath allowing the wire to be brazed to the body of the probe. Before the brazing operation, the heating wire is formed for example by winding it around cylindrical mandrels comprising reference marks making it possible to position the heating wire on the mandrels. When producing the form of the heating wire for a probe such as described in French patent application FR 2 802 647, it is impossible to wind a heating wire on two parallel mandrels. One of the mandrels then has to be offset from the axis in order to perform the operation of shaping the heating wire. Subsequently, the two mandrels are brought back parallel to one another to give the heating wire its definitive form. The latter operation of moving the mandrels is traumatic for the heating wire since it gives rise to torsional stresses in the heating wire. There is a risk that these stresses may fracture the sheath of the heating wire and consequently may reduce its reliability.
To alleviate this problem, it is possible to use two separate heating wires, one to warm the Pitot tube and the other to warm the first channel of the means for measuring total temperature. This solution is not desirable since it multiplies up the electrical connections of the probe with the aircraft on which it is mounted.
The invention makes it possible to produce a probe measuring the total pressure Pt and the total temperature Tt, which probe is equipped with a single heating wire. The inter-disposition of the various elements of the probe makes it possible to avoid any abnormal torsion of the heating wire.


This invention discloses a FPGA based high-speed low-latency floating-point accumulation and its implementation method. Floating accumulation of this invention comprises a floating-point adder unit, numerous intermediate result buffers, an input control unit and an output control unit. The floating-point accumulation implementation method of this invention is used for gradation of the whole accumulation calculation process to ensure cross execution of accumulation calculation processes and graded storage of intermediate results of accumulation calculation at different levels; meanwhile, the operation in the mode of pure flow line can significantly improve utilization rate of internal floating-point adder, and maintain relatively low latency to output of final results of floating-point accumulation calculation. This invention is expected to improve utilization rate of floating-point adder through dynamic allocation of input data in internal floating-point adder unit, and thereby maintains higher arithmetic speed and relatively low latency while ensuring minimized consumption of logic or DSP resources as required.

Floating-point accumulation arithmetic is an important operation of floating-point calculation, which is extensively applied in such fields as process control and digital signal processing. Although previous floating-point arithmetic system is generally implemented with the help of universal floating-point processor or digital signal processor (DSP), and is characterized by advantages like relatively well-established technologies, optimal implementation tools and simple programming, the processor may often yield to such phenomenon as Cache Miss during calculation due to limitations on its internal structure. This may affect calculation performance of the system. The design based on the universal processor and DSP technologies can only maintain the continuous calculation performance at 10%-33% of the peak value, which is unlikely to obtain higher calculation performance.
In recent years, FPGA technologies have witnessed an accelerated development, which has been transformed from the preliminary application of pure logic substitution to the complicated application of intensive calculation. The newly launched FPGA instruments comprise a large number of DSP units, block RAM (Block RAM and BRAM) and RocketIO GTP receiver unit used for high-speed serial communication in addition to integration of abundant of configurable Logic Block (CLB). Meanwhile, to facilitate debugging of FPGA, FPGA manufacturers have also developed testing tools for on-chip logic analysis (such as ChipScope as developed by Xilinx) that make it possible to implement high-performance calculation on the FPGA in terms of both hardware and software. In the aspect of floating-point arithmetic, FPGA is being increasingly applied owing to its flexible configuration and low power consumption.
A floating-point adder inside FPGA is usually realized with the help of logic resources or configurable DSP module. To obtain a higher arithmetic speed, the floating-point adder usually requires flow lines as many as 10 levels, which may result in higher latency to the output of floating-point adding results. Therefore, FPGA based floating-point accumulator of a conventional design often proceeds with adding for different levels in a sequence from a lower level to a higher level; adding results at each level is to be stored in the internal buffer before being applied to the follow-up arithmetic. In this way, when some accumulations are equivalent to or even below the level of flow line of the floating-point adder, the adder might be at the idle status as the duration for adding flow line to complete an operation is longer than the data input time. This may result in significant latency to the output of final accumulation results as compared with input of original data. Under such circumstance, input of original data on follow-up floating-point accumulation is only available when previous floating-point accumulation is nearly completed, which may result in significant latency. On some occasions with higher real-time requirements, such accumulator is unable to satisfy application demands. Despite of the fact that such problem can be solved by providing more floating-point adders, consumption of FPGA logic resources or DSP module will witness a dramatic increase due to the complexity of floating-point arithmetic.

FPGA-based high-speed low-latency floating point accumulator and implementation method therefor


The invention relates to scanning pulsed laser systems for optical imaging. Coherent dual scanning laser systems (CDSL) are disclosed and some applications thereof. Various alternatives for implementation are illustrated. In at least one embodiment a coherent dual scanning laser system (CDSL) includes two passively modelocked fiber oscillators. In some embodiments an effective CDSL is constructed with only one laser. At least one embodiment includes a coherent scanning laser system (CSL) for generating pulse pairs with a time varying time delay. A CDSL, effective CDSL, or CSL may be arranged in an imaging system for one or more of optical imaging, microscopy, micro-spectroscopy and/or THz imaging.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the application of optical signal processing to mode locked lasers for precision sensing, sampling and spectroscopy.
2. Description of Related Art
Mode locked lasers and frequency comb lasers have provided for advancements in spectroscopy and precision sensing. A mode locked laser was recently combined with a conventional Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) to obtain an improved signal/noise ratio for spectral absorption measurements (J. Mandon et al., 'Fourier transform spectroscopy with a laser frequency comb', in Nature Photonics, vol. 3, pp. 99-102, 2009) and N. Picque' et al., International Patent Application, Publication WO 2010/010437. The use of a frequency comb laser for spectroscopy was suggested by Haensch et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 7,203,402.
As discussed in '435, 'in the state of the art, frequency comb lasers can be understood as constituting a sub-class of mode locked lasers. Both mode locked lasers and frequency comb lasers produce a train of output pulses at a certain repetition rate frep with a corresponding output frequency spectrum, which can be characterized as a line spectrum with individual frequency linesf=fceo+mfrep,where m is an integer and fceo is the carrier envelope offset frequency. The integer m is also referred to as the comb line order. However, in contrast to mode locked lasers, frequency comb lasers require precise control of the repetition rate and carrier envelope offset frequency.
Indeed, a difficulty limiting the widespread use of frequency comb lasers is precision optical phase-locking of the individual comb lines to at least two external reference frequencies in order to obtain a stable frequency comb. However, at least for optical metrology, frequency measurements can be performed without stabilization of individual comb lines by the use of a modelocked laser as a transfer oscillator (J. Stenger et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 7, pp. 073601-1-073601-4, (2002)). Using modelocked lasers as transfer oscillators, frequency ratios or frequency differences between two reference frequencies located in widely separated regions of the optical spectrum (limited only by the spectral extent of the spectral coverage of the modelocked lasers) can be precisely measured. This technique, as applied to the measurement of difference frequencies when using a cw laser (instead of a mode locked laser) as a transfer laser is well known in metrology (C. O. Weiss et al., in 'Frequency measurement and control, advanced techniques and future trends', vol. 79, pp. 215-247 (2000). The cw transfer oscillator is sometimes also referred to as reference oscillator.
As also shown in '435, cw reference lasers can be used to effectively stabilize the differences between the carrier envelope offset frequencies of two modelocked lasers. This information can then be used for spectral calibration of a FTS for spectral absorption measurements constructed from the two modelocked lasers with a resolution limit corresponding approximately to the repetition rate of the modelocked lasers. As described in '435, such dual modelocked lasers are referred to as coherent dual scanning lasers or CDSLs. Moreover, CDSLs based on high repetition rates allow for high scan rates which are beneficial for rapid signal acquisition. CDSLs based on fiber supercontinuum sources further allow very broad spectral coverage for an FTS and other applications.
More generally, two narrow linewidth cw reference lasers can be used to track the difference between the carrier envelope offset frequencies and repetition rates of two mode locked lasers, as disclosed by P. Giacarri et al., 'Referencing of the beating spectra of frequency combs' (International Patent Application, Publication WO 2009/000079) without the need for carrier envelope offset frequency control. However, when applied to Fourier transform absorption spectroscopy, the resolution of this scheme is also limited to the repetition rate of the mode locked lasers, assuming for example that a reference laser is located in between two comb lines and the absolute frequency of the reference laser or the absolute order m of the comb lines is not known. As a result, relatively low repetition rate lasers are implemented which leads to slow data acquisition rates.
In another scheme the beat signal between two comb lines from two separate comb lasers can be directly measured via the implementation of a cw transfer oscillator. Repetition rate fluctuations between the two comb lasers can then be recorded and these recorded repetition rate fluctuations can then be used to simultaneously correct an interferogram between the two comb lasers via implementing a new sampling grid with equidistant optical path length differences (G. Guelachvili et al., World patent application, WO 2010/010444). However, this scheme ideally also uses measurements of the carrier-envelope offset frequencies of the two comb lasers or alternatively implements a second cw laser with a different frequency to which two other comb lines are locked.
Hertz-level resolution in a FTS has been achieved using two frequency comb lasers which are phase locked to two cw lasers which were in turn locked to two high finesse reference cavities as discussed in I. Coddington et al., 'Coherent multiheterodyne spectroscopy using stabilized comb sources', Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 100, pp. 013902 (2008); henceforth 'Coddington'. However, such a scheme requires at least 4 phase locked loops for locking of the frequency comb lasers to the two cw optical clock lasers, plus additional phase locked loops for stabilization of the cw lasers to the reference cavities. Moreover, the achieved Hz level resolution is generally not required in real-world optical spectroscopy, where Doppler broadened absorption lines of line width Δν≈5×10−7 νx at a frequency of νx are typically encountered. For example, in the visible spectral region Δν≈300 MHz.
A further need exists for a simple FTS scheme based on CDSLs which allows high scan rates as well as high spectral resolution. Moreover, there is still a need for a laser based FTS scheme that can measure emission as well as absorption spectra.

Optical signal processing with modelocked lasers


A firing mechanism of an explosively actuated tool for driving a fastener into a substrate includes a cocking rod and sear for entraining the firing pin with the firing pin being releasable on cocking by rotation of the sear. The cocking rod and sear form a structure subject to an axial and rotational bias by a coil spring anchored at one end to the structure and at the opposite end to a mounting which during assembly of the mechanism is rotated to apply torsional loading to the spring and is then locked into a housing of the mechanism in an angular orientation in which torsional loading is maintained in the spring.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to explosively actuated tools for driving a fastener such as a pin into a substrate such as concrete or steel.
2) Description of the Prior Art
Explosively actuated tools for driving a fastener such as a pin into a substrate such as concrete or steel conventionally comprise a driving piston which is driven forwardly along the barrel of the tool upon detonation of an explosive charge to drive into the substrate a fastener within the forward end of the barrel. Tools of this type conventionally comprise a safety mechanism whereby to fire the tool, the firing mechanism must be cocked by pushing the forward end of the barrel against the substrate. This causes the barrel to retract through a limited distance into the housing of the tool and this movement, in turn, cocks the tool and enables firing of the tool. This safety mechanism is designed to ensure that the tool can only be fired in its operative position pressed against the substrate and various forms of cocking mechanism responsive to the retraction of the barrel within the tool are well known per se to those skilled in this art.
In International patent application PCT/AU90/00018 (WO 90/08628) there is disclosed a tool of the type just described in which the firing pin is held in its cocked position by a rotary sear which is displaced rearwardly during cocking by pressing the forward end of the barrel against the substrate. The sear entrains the firing pin during the cocking action against the bias of the firing pin spring. The sear itself is mounted on a cocking rod which, on cocking, is displaced rearwardly against the bias of a separate compression coil spring. This coil spring not only applies a forwards axial bias to the cocking rod and sear carried thereby, but also a rotational or torsional bias in a sense to pivot the sear into engagement with the firing pin. In existing tools of this type currently in production, the cocking rod and firing pin are mounted in a housing of block-like form. The coil spring which axially and rotationally biases the cocking rod extends rearwardly from the cocking rod to be received in a blind bore at the rear end of the housing. During assembly, insertion of the rear end of the spring into the bore induces a twist in the spring to provide the torsional bias. The twist which can be achieved in this way is typically not more than about 90°. As a consequence, the coil spring must itself be sufficiently strong to provide the required torsional bias just with a twist of approximately 90°.
After the tool has been fired, the driving piston is within the forward end of the barrel and appropriate action must be taken to reset the piston into a rear position within the barrel in preparation for the next driving stoke. In many existing tools, resetting is accomplished by a manual action involving the operator drawing the barrel forwardly from the housing of the tool while the piston is restrained so that the piston then lies within a rear part of the barrel which is then retracted manually back into the housing. However, tools with semi-automatic or fully automatic resetting systems are now widely produced. One form of semi-automatic resetting system involves resetting of the piston when cocking the tool and an example of this is described in International patent application PCT/AU99/01097 (WO 00/35638). This type of resetting system necessarily requires the application of a greater force needed to cock the tool as one or more additional springs are incorporated as part of the resetting mechanism and are loaded during cocking. Thus, cocking must take place against the combined forces of the spring(s) of the resetting mechanism, the firing pin spring, and the cocking rod/sear spring.


A polymer melt filtering device comprising a housing with an inflow (3) and an outflow (4) for the polymer melt, in addition to a slider (5) which can be sealingly displaced therebetween, perpendicular to said inflow and outflow. The slider (5) consists of filtering layers (7) which are supported in cavities (8) and which can be selectively placed in between the inflow and outflow. The housing is comprised of two parts (1, 2) that are arranged in such a way that their front surfaces face towards each other. The inventive device is characterised in that one of the parts of the housing (1, 2) is floatingly mounted; in that the parts of the housing are reinforced in the middle area of the housing by beads (11), whereby the edges thereof (pressure surfaces 12) are slanted towards the outside or are conical; and in that the parts of the housing (1, 2) are maintained by clamping plates (12-15) which can be placed against each and which encompass and clamp the beads (11).

1. Field of the Invention
Device for filtering polymer melts having a housing provided with an inflow as well as an outflow for the polymer melt in which a slide is seal-tight arranged between the openings of the inflow and the outflow so as to be moveable in a direction transverse to the inflow and the outflow, which slide has filter layers supported in cavities and correlatable with the inflow and outflow as desired.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such devices for filtering polymer melts, in which the filter layers contained in the filter cavities are movable, as desired, into the melt flow by displacement of the parallelepipedal or cylindrical slides, are known in various embodiments. The housing in which the slide is slidably arranged can be of a one-part construction or can be comprised of several mechanical component groups which are fixedly connected to one another, for example, by screws. In all of these arrangements, however, the sealing of the highly pressurized melt flow relative to the exterior is a problem, especially since the slides should be slidable as easily as possible and the sliding movement of the surfaces gliding on one another should exert only a minimal resistance against sliding despite the acting pressure.
In order to realize these problematic sealing configurations, it has been customary so far to provide very long sealing surfaces so that the melt will play itself out in the formed narrow gap, i.e., its pressure will decrease along this gap with minimal gradient. On the other hand, the parts to be sealed relative to one another have been manufactured in the past with very tight tolerances and high pressing forces have been exerted which require complex spring elements for their stabilization and which require with regard to the sealing rings a very high hardness as well as minimal frictional resistance and minimal erosion in order to be able to perform the required movement with acceptable expenditure. DE-A 17 29 396 suggests a complex arrangement which, when the sliding movement is started, relieves the seal and, after completion of an adjusting movement, realizes a high compression force by means of a wedge drive. Finally, it is also possible to employ minimal pressing forces when extremely high fitting tolerances and thus correspondingly high manufacturing expenditures are employed. In all of these cases, however, an undesirable high mechanical expenditure in combination with a limitation of the movability results.
FR 1 210 419 shows cylindrical components with outwardly projecting beads whose flanks are outwardly inclined and which are surrounded by two clamping ring halves that are moveable toward one another. A tube socket surrounding a perforated plate is provided as a seal. No measures are provided in the connecting area to move, remove or exchange parts so that no suggestions can be taken in regard to filter exchange arrangements.
The invention therefore has the object to provide a device of the aforementioned kind which is of a simple configuration, allows a relatively inexpensive manufacture by providing a relatively wide tolerance range and which furthermore makes it possible to move the slide, having the filter layers to be exchanged, with relatively minimal forces and without significant wear of the guiding and sealing surfaces.
This object is solved by the features listed in the characterizing portion of the claim 1. They make it possible to operate with relatively minimal pressing forces without losing effectiveness of the seals so that the required forces for movement as well as the wear resulting from the movement of the guide and sealing elements is minimal.
Expedient, advantageous, and inventive further developments of the subject-matter of the invention can be taken from the following dependent claims.

Polymer melt filtering device with changing filter packets


The present invention discloses an on chip decoupling capacitor structure having a first decoupling capacitor with one electrode formed in the conductively doped silicon substrate and a second electrode made of conductively doped polysilicon. The second electrode is a common electrode to a second decoupling capacitor overlying and thereby coupled in parallel to said first decoupling capacitor. The second capacitor's first electrode is the common electrode and its second electrode is made of conductively doped polysilicon. The electrodes made of the conductively doped polysilicon may be further enhanced by forming a silicided material, such as tungsten silicide, thereon. The decoupling capacitors' dielectric can be formed from high dielectric constant materials, such as TEOS, oxide, nitride or any combination thereof. The second decoupling capacitor could be fabricated over field oxide and used as a single capacitor having a first and second conductively doped polysilicon electrodes (either silicided or non-silicided) with a capacitor dielectric sandwiched in between.

Decoupling capacitors on semiconductor devices are essential components used to filter much of the noise that may be present between operating supplies such as power and ground. Some fabrication processes construct decoupling capacitors on a silicon substrate by forming one electrode into the substrate itself and then forming a second electrode out of an overlying conductive material with the two electrodes being separated by a dielectric material.
The formation of the decoupling capacitors in such a fashion leaves the substrate and capacitor dielectric susceptible to subsequent process steps, such as, future dopant implants that can penetrate into the silicon substrate and thereby causing "popping" where the two electrodes short together through the capacitor dielectric. Also, subsequent plasma etches can cause further damage reducing the overall surface area of the second electrode if it is not protected. Studies have shown that there is a correlation to capacitor damage to the spacer (plasma) etcher and etch time.
What is needed is an improved decoupling capacitor fabrication process whereby the capacitance is not further reduced but instead further increased.


A net device for a ball game and for securing on a frame includies a woven outer member disposed in the peripheral portion for securing to the frame of the ball game. A resilient member is secured to the peripheral portion or engaged in the woven outer member of the net for increasing the resilience of the net and for allowing the net to be easily attached to the frame of the goal of the ball game. The resilient peripheral portion of the net may be used for absorbing the vibrations and shocks that may be transmitted to the net for preventing the net from being easily damaged by balls and players.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a net, and more particularly to a net device for ball games having a shock absorbing mechanism for absorbing shocks and vibrations that may be transmitted to the net.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical nets for ball games are solidly secured to the goal and have no shock absorbing mechanism for absorbing shocks such that the nets will be easily damaged by the balls and the players.
In order to solve the problem, U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,784 to Redlich et al. discloses a rebound net system for sports balls which includes a reinforced periphery. However, the reinforced peiphery is directly engaged onto the peripheral portion of the structure and may also be easily damaged and worn down.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional nets.

Net device for ball games having a shock absorbing mechanism

No.1-1,Lane 156,Section 2,Chang Ping Road


A packer plug includes a retractable latch having at least one radially compressible finger having threads on an exterior surface, and a housing operatively arranged to move the at least one radially compressible finger inwardly during longitudinal movement of the housing in an uphole direction.

In the drilling and completion industry, the formation of boreholes for the purpose of production or injection of fluid is common.
Packers are used in many applications downhole to accomplish a sealing function against an interior wall of well casing or borehole wall, such as to fill an annular space between a pipe string and the well casing wall or borehole wall or to receive tools therein such as packer plugs. Packer plugs are used to convert packers to temporary bridge plugs. When installed in the packer, the plug permits operations such as pressure testing, perforating, and washing above the packer without affecting the zone below the packer.
The internal diameter of the packer includes a thread for the packer plug to latch into. The thread is typically a left-hand square thread with 90 degree flank angles. The preferred method of inserting the plug into the packer top sub is with a downward push. That is because left hand rotation would be required to thread the plug into the top sub and that action could unscrew joints in the workstring. In deeper wells it becomes difficult to apply enough torque at the surface so that the sufficient releasing torque is applied at the engagement of the latched tool so that it will release. Thus, in order to insert the plug with a downward push and disengage the tool with an upward pull with no twist, the lead in flank angle of the tool is selected to promote ease of snapping into the square thread of the packer, such as 40 degrees, to seal in the packer bore. The back angle of the tool is selected to allow the latch to be pulled out of the packer, such as 30 degrees.
The art would be receptive to alternative devices for latching and releasing tools from packer bores and for increasing the ratings of latched tools used in packers.

Packer plug with retractable latch, downhole system, and method of retracting packer plug from packer