An electrostatic discharge protection device includes first and second wells of a first conductivity type, the first and second wells having different impurity doping concentrations, respectively, a gate formed on the first well, a source region of a second conductivity type formed at one side of the gate in the first well, a drift region of the second conductivity type formed at the other side of gate and over both of the first well and the second well, and a drain region of the second conductivity type formed in the drift region of the second well.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a semiconductor device fabrication technology, and more particularly, to an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device for protecting an internal circuit of a semiconductor device from ESD.
When a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) comes in contact with a charged human body or machine, electrostatic discharge (ESD) charged in the human body or machine may be discharged to its internal circuits through external pins and pads of the semiconductor IC. At this time, a sudden current having high energy may cause severe damage to the internal circuits. In some cases, ESD charged in the semiconductor IC may flow out to the human body or machine due to the contact with the human body or machine and cause damage to the internal circuits.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, in order to protect internal circuits from such damages caused by ESD, most semiconductor ICs are provided with an ESD protection device between a pad and an internal circuit. In general, an ESD protection device uses transistors.
FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a conventional ESD protection device. Specifically, an ESD protection device using an NMOS transistor is exemplarily illustrated.
Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the conventional ESD protection device includes a P-type well 12 formed on a substrate 11, a gate 13 formed on the substrate 11, an N-type source region 15 partially overlapped with one end of the gate 13, an N-type drain region 17 spaced apart from the other end of the gate 13 by a desired distance, an N-type drift region 16 surrounding the drain region 17 and partially overlapped with the other end of the gate 13, and a P-type pickup region 14 formed in the well 12. The drain region 17 is coupled to a pad, and the gate 13, the source region 15, and the pickup region 14 are coupled to a ground.
A breakdown phenomenon occurs when a voltage higher than a breakdown voltage (BV) is applied to the ESD protection device having the above-described structure. The lowest voltage of the ESD protection device after the occurrence of the breakdown phenomenon is referred to as a holding voltage (Vh). The breakdown voltage and the holding voltage are the most important parameters in the ESD protection device. The breakdown voltage and the holding voltage are desired to be higher than the power supply voltage in order that the characteristic of the ESD protection device cannot influence the operation of the internal circuit. In addition, the breakdown voltage and the holding voltage are to have a certain margin to cope with external variations.
However, the conventional ESD protection device having the above-described structure has a feature in that a holding voltage is low. Specifically, when ESD current flows into the ESD protection device through the pad, a horizontal parasitic bipolar (HPB) and a vertical parasitic bipolar (VPB) are simultaneously operated to run the ESD current to the ground through a bypass. In the case of the horizontal parasitic bipolar (HPB), the source region 15 and the drain region 17 serve as an emitter, and the well 12 under the gate 13 serves as a base. In the case of the vertical parasitic bipolar (VPB), the source region 15 and the drain region 17 serve as an emitter, and the well 12 under the drain region 17 serves as a base.
At this time, since a base width of the horizontal parasitic bipolar (HPB) which defines a channel length is short, a current gain of the horizontal parasitic bipolar (HPB) is larger than a current gain of the vertical parasitic bipolar (VPB). Thus, there is a concern that the holding voltage of the ESD protection device is reduced.

Electrostatic discharge protection device


A modular jack (100) includes an insulative housing (1) defining a receiving cavity (151) for receiving a complementary connector, a contact module (2), a detective switch (3) and an outer metal shield (4) enclosing the housing. The detective switch includes an immovable switch (31) and a movable switch (32) abutting against the immovable switch. The immovable and movable switches respectively include an engaging portion (311, 3212) and a soldering portion (313, 323) for electrically connecting with a printed circuit board. The movable switch further includes a projecting portion (3211) for engaging with the complementary connector.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a modular jack and more particularly, to a modular jack with a detective switch.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In telecommunication field, there are known two particularly widely used styles of modular plug connectors, RJ11 and RJ45. When a mating connector is inserted into a receiving cavity of the RJ11 or RJ45, we cannot judge whether the mating connector is completely inserted into the cavity or not. As a result, a detective switch is needed in the RJ11 or RJ45. U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,466 discloses a conventional modular jack having an insulative housing defining a receiving cavity, an array of conductive contacts and an outer metal shield enclosing the housing. The outer metal shield defines a pair of fingers backwardly extending into the receiving cavity from a front face thereof. The modular jack further includes a pair of detective switches fixed the sidewall of the housing for engaging with the fingers. In use, the mating connector is inserted into the receiving cavity and presses the fingers to electrically connect the detective switches, thereby realizing the detective function. However, the fingers connect with the outer metal shield. In use, the current of a printed circuit board is easily transmitted to the outer metal shield, thereby reducing the efficiency of preventing electromagnetic interference and impairing the signal transmission between the modular jack and the mating connector.
Hence, an improved modular jack is desired to overcome the above problems.


A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprising a storage element which is programmed with information by varying electrical properties irreversibly, a selection switch connected in series to the storage element, a protection element connected in parallel to the storage element to protect the storage element from irreversible variations of electrical properties when the storage element is unprogrammed, a first activation circuit which activates the selection switch, a second activation circuit which activates the protection element in complement with the first activation circuit in normal mode, and a test circuit which conducts a test on the storage element while the second activation circuit is activating the protection element together with the first activation circuit in test mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device. More specifically, the invention relates to a one-time programmable (OTP) memory using irreversible storage elements to which information can be written only once.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an OTP memory using storage elements of an insulating film breakdown type, such as an electrical-fuse element (e-fuse element) and an anti-fuse element, has been proposed as an irreversible storage element. The OTP memory stores information by applying a high voltage that exceeds the maximum rating to a semiconductor element having a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) structure as an irreversible storage element and electrically breaking a gate insulating film of the semiconductor element. The OTP memory using the e-fuse element as a storage element is used to store information "0" in the e-fuse element whose insulating film has not been broken and information "1" in the e-fuse element whose insulating film has been broken. The OTP memory is also used to store information for replacing a defective element with a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or the like.
Conventionally, an OTP memory using an optical-fuse element whose storage node is broken by laser beams as a storage element has been often used. The e-fuse element has originally been used as an alternative to the optical-fuse element. The following example has been proposed: one storage cell is configured for each e-fuse element to include a sense circuit for reading information and a latch circuit for latching the information. See, for example, H. Ito et al., "Pure CMOS One-Time Programmable Memory using Gate-Ox Anti-Fuse," Proceedings of the IEEE 2004 Custom Integrated Circuits Conference, pp. 469-472.
The OTP memory using the e-fuse element as a storage element is a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device to which information cannot be rewritten. It has the problem that it cannot easily be tested like the OTP memory using the optical-fuse element as a storage element. The e-fuse element is a storage element to which information can be written only once by varying electrical properties irreversibly. The OTP memory therefore has the following problem. Neither a test on whether information can correctly be read out of the e-fuse element nor a test on whether information can correctly be written to the e-fuse element can be conducted by actually writing information to the e-fuse element.
The OTP memory has also the following problem. The amount of information of the e-fuse element (a difference in resistance between the e-fuse element whose gate insulating film has been broken and the e-fuse element whose gate insulating film has not been broken) is easy to reduce because a high voltage in write mode is applied to the nonselected (unprogrammed).
As described above, the OTP memory using an irreversible storage element, especially the OTP memory using the e-fuse element as a storage element has pursued an effective method of preventing the amount of information from decreasing and conducting a test on whether information can be read from/written to a storage element without writing information to the storage element actually.

Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device using irreversible storage elements


A silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material containing a compound represented by formula (I) below. formula (I) EQU A--O--C(.dbd.O)--N(X.sub.1)--C(X.sub.2)(X.sub.3)--DI. wherein A represents a coupler residue, X.sub.1 represents a heterocyclic group or a --C(X.sub.4)(X.sub.5)--Y group, Y represents an --SO.sub.2 R.sup.1, --SO.sub.2 NR.sup.1 R.sup.2, --CONR.sup.1 R.sup.2, --CO.sub.2 Z, --CN, --CF.sub.3, --CCl.sub.3, or --NO.sub.2 group, each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituted or nonsubstituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, aryl, or heterocyclic group, Z represents a hydrogen atom or a substituted or nonsubstituted cycloalkyl, alkenyl, aryl, or heterocyclic group, each of X.sub.2, X.sub.3, X.sub.4, and X.sub.5 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent group, and DI represents a development inhibitor residue which is bonded by a hetero atom and released to form mercaptoazole.

The present invention relates to a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material containing a novel compound capable of releasing a development inhibitor with a high development inhibiting capacity at an appropriate timing during development.
Recently, as silver halide light-sensitive materials, particularly color light-sensitive materials for photographing, high-speed light-sensitive materials which are superior in graininess, sharpness, and color reproduction and also have a high storage stability are desired. One representative example is an ISO 400 light-sensitive material (Super G-400) having a high image quality equivalent to that of ISO 100.
As a compound which improves the sharpness and does not degrade the storage stability of a light-sensitive material, compounds which imagewise release a development inhibitor via two or more timing groups are described in, e.g., Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication Nos. 60-218645, 60-249148, and 61-156127 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,701. However, when any of these compounds is used, the speed (timing) at which the development inhibitor is released or the diffusibility of the development inhibitor is inappropriate. Therefore, the sharpness, graininess, and color reproduction are not satisfactorily improved. Also, many light-sensitive materials containing these compounds significantly increase the fog or decrease the sensitivity when left to stand for long time periods after exposure and before development or when exposed to a high-temperature, high-humidity ambient.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 5-313322 has disclosed novel development inhibitor release compounds which can solve these problems. However, the disclosed practical compounds cannot meet recent increasing demands on image quality and are desired to be further improved.

Silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material containing a development inhibitor releasing compound


Aromatic extraction and hydrocracking processes are integrated to optimize the hydrocracking units design and/or performance. By processing aromatics-rich and aromatic-lean fractions separately, the hydrocracking operating severity and or catalyst reactor volume requirement decreases.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hydroprocessing systems and methods, in particular for efficient reduction of catalyst-fouling aromatic nitrogen components in a hydrocarbon mixture.
Description of Related Art
Hydrocracking operations are used commercially in a large number of petroleum refineries. They are used to process a variety of feeds boiling in the range of 370° C. to 520° C. in conventional hydrocracking units and boiling at 520° C. and above in the residue hydrocracking units. In general, hydrocracking processes split the molecules of the feed into smaller, i.e., lighter, molecules having higher average volatility and economic value. Additionally, hydrocracking typically improves the quality of the hydrocarbon feedstock by increasing the hydrogen to carbon ratio and by removing organosulfur and organonitrogen compounds. The significant economic benefit derived from hydrocracking operations has resulted in substantial development of process improvements and more active catalysts.
Mild hydrocracking or single stage hydrocracking operations, typically the simplest of the known hydrocracking configurations, occur at operating conditions that are more severe than typical hydrotreating, and less severe than typical full pressure hydrocracking. Single or multiple catalysts systems can be used depending upon the feedstock and product specifications. Multiple catalyst systems can be deployed as a stacked-bed configuration or in multiple reactors. Mild hydrocracking operations are generally more cost effective, but typically result in both a lower yield and reduced quality of mid-distillate product as compared to full pressure hydrocracking operations.
In a series-flow configuration the entire hydrocracked product stream from the first reaction zone, including light gases (e.g., C1-C4, H2S, NH3) and all remaining hydrocarbons, are sent to the second reaction zone. In two-stage configurations the feedstock is refined by passing it over a hydrotreating catalyst bed in the first reaction zone. The effluents are passed to a fractionating zone column to separate the light gases, naphtha and diesel products boiling in the temperature range of 36° C. to 370° C. The hydrocarbons boiling above 370° C. are then passed to the second reaction zone for additional cracking.
Conventionally, most hydrocracking processes that are implemented for production of middle distillates and other valuable fractions retain aromatics, e.g., boiling in the range of about 180° C. to 370° C. Aromatics boiling higher than the middle distillate range are also included and produced in the heavier fractions.
In all of the above-described hydrocracking process configurations, cracked products, along with partially cracked and unconverted hydrocarbons, are passed to a distillation column for separating into products including naphtha, jet fuel/kerosene and diesel boiling in the nominal ranges of 36° C.-180° C., 180° C.-240° C. and 240° C.-370° C., respectively, and unconverted products boiling in the nominal range of above 370° C. Typical jet fuel/kerosene fractions (i.e., smoke point >25 mm) and diesel fractions (i.e., cetane number >52) are of high quality and well above the worldwide transportation fuel specifications. Although the hydrocracking unit products have relatively low aromaticity, aromatics that do remain lower the key indicative properties (smoke point and cetane number) for these products.
A need remains in the industry for improvements in operations for heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks to produce clean transportation fuels in an economical and efficacious manner.

Selective series-flow hydroprocessing system and method


The present invention provides a method for expanding a pre-assembled closed, sterile container system used for the collection, transportation, storage and cryopreservation of biological fluids, such as, blood, bone marrow or umbilical cord blood. The closed sterile bag system comprises a plurality of parts including inlet and or outlet elements and regions for mixing and storing body fluids and cryopreservation liquids, wherein connecting lines provide sterile connection of each component, and wherein the parts are hermetically sealable and separable to maintain sterility system. The methods herein further provide a means for introducing fluids into and/or extracting fluids from a pre-assembled, closed, sterile container system, while maintaining a closed, sterile system without the need to operate under ultra-clean room conditions.

The cryopreservation of body fluids, such as, peripheral blood, bone marrow and umbilical cord blood, including hematopoetic stem cells and other cells contained therein, has assumed immense commercial significance as the development in human medicine has progressed. Umbilical cord blood and its preservation over a number of years, known as long-term preservation, are crucially significant in connection with possible later treatment of a child, youngster or adult with means based on the body's own substances, for example, in the situation of a transplant. However, this valuable blood is available only at the birth of the child. After the umbilical cord has been cut, it still contains blood that is no longer required for the child.
In the case in which long-term preservation is intended, this blood, often an amount of blood with a volume of about 50 to 100 ml, is collected and prepared for cryopreservation and subsequently frozen by known methods. The aforementioned small amounts of blood removed must expediently be frozen and stored in such a way that a number of samples can be examined and used independently and at different times from one another, possibly several years apart, by the latest methods then available. Without knowledge, today, of the methods that may be applied in the future, cryopreservation of all constituents of the body fluid removed is considered appropriate.
Currently, separate open systems are used commercially for the preparation and freezing of the body fluids (Macropharma, Fresenius, Baxter), and require processing under sterile benches (clean room classes A and B) in a hospital or laboratory. Usually several individual containers or bags are used, requiring the transfer of fluid contents into other bags during processing after the original collection bag is opened. For instance, the umbilical cord blood is collected by a system which often comprises one or more removal cannulas, one or two containers which contain citrate, and the actual blood collecting container. The aforementioned parts of the system are connected in a communicating manner to one another by flexible tubes. Such a system is known in the prior art, for example from U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,318. However, such systems require the use of expensive ultra-clean rooms and many clinical centers use their own, non-standardized procedures for the processing of biological fluids, tissue, bone marrow or stem cells prior to freezing and storage. Consequently, such procedures carry a high risk of contamination of the cryopreserved preparation, particularly stem cell contents.
Following the preparation of the blood, decanting then takes place from one system into another for the purpose of cryopreservation. Thus the body fluids are moved from a sterile container into a sterile freezing container, which often has to be performed under ultra-clean room conditions. Often high expenditures are required to meet the statutory predetermined ultra-clean room conditions with respect to human medicine, such as, the requirements according to GMP. These sterile conditions and requirements for collecting body fluids in sterile form and preparing them for cryopreservation usually cannot be provided in every delivery ward or medical facility.
Accordingly, until the present invention, the preparation for cryopreservation of umbilical cord blood always took place by the following steps: 1) removing the blood from the umbilical cord and introducing it into the transporting bag, 2) adding citrate or preservative, unless already provided in the bag, 3) closing the bag and transporting the filled bag at room temperature to an ultra-clean room (necessarily within about 24 to 48 hours), and 4) transferring the blood and added cryoprotectant from the transporting bag into a sterile freezing bag under ultra-clean room conditions. Moreover, current processes require at least two separate systems—one for collection of the body fluids, such as the umbilical cord blood, and one for freezing the collected fluids.
Consequently, a need has remained for an expandable system and method for the collection, processing and cryopreservation of biological fluids and cells contained therein, that meet the sterile requirements for human medicine under normal hygienic laboratory conditions, without the need for the use of an expensive ultra-clean room, and without a need for dual or multiple independent systems for each step.

Sterile system and methods for collecting, transporting, storing and cyropreserving body fluids


An exhaust gas turbocharger for an internal combustion engine is described, in the turbine housing of which there is arranged upstream of the turbine wheel a turbine guide wheel which is mounted rotatably relative to the turbine wheel. In order to be able to improve the response of the internal combustion engine after a positive load change without any impairment of the overall efficiency of the internal combustion engine, it is proposed to provide at least one braking device which reduces the speed of the turbine guide apparatus in higher load.

The invention relates to an exhaust gas turbocharger for an internal combustion engine of the type having a turbine wheel in a turbine housing, which turbine wheel is driven by engine exhaust gas and is connected via a shaft to a compressor wheel in a compressor housing, and a turbine guide wheel arranged upstream of the turbine wheel and mounted rotatably relative thereto and having a speed which can be varied as a function of engine load.
In an exhaust gas turbocharger disclosed in the prior German Published Patent Application DE 4 011 818 it is provided to fix the guide wheel concentrically surrounding the turbine wheel in the low to high part load range and to feed a portion of the exhaust gas energy in the high load ranges back into the crankshafts of the internal combustion engine (compound drive) via this guide wheel, which yields a clear improvement in the efficiency of the internal combustion engine. However, in the case of a fixed turbine guide wheel a relatively steep approach flow onto the turbine wheel takes place depending on the blading of the guide wheel, resulting in a relatively low turbine wheel speed and thus a low turbine output. This has a disadvantageous effect on the response of the exhaust gas turbocharger or of the internal combustion engine after a positive load change.
It is known from "Automotive Engineering, September 1985, pages 70-72" to provide in an exhaust gas turbocharger a permanently fixed turbine guide lattice whose blades are set in the low load range, resulting in a flatter approach flow onto the turbine wheel and thus a higher turbine speed in these operating ranges. This setting of the blades is, however, bound up with a reduction in the flow cross-section, so that in these operating states there are high friction losses, which have a negative influence on the efficiency of the exhaust gas turbocharger and thus, in turn, on the overall efficiency of the internal combustion engine. The adjustment of the guide blades is performed via a mechanically operating adjustment apparatus whose components are partly arranged likewise in the turbine housing. The guide apparatus is therefore subjected to a high thermal load.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an exhaust gas turbocharger of the type referred to above, with which the response of the internal combustion engine after a positive load change can be improved without any impairment of the overall efficiency of the internal combustion engine.
The object is achieved according to the invention by providing an arrangement wherein at least one braking device serves to reduce the speed of the guide wheel in higher load ranges.
The invention ensures that a relatively high turbine wheel speed is reached even in the part load range, so that the exhaust gas turbocharger can be maintained at a relatively high speed. Consequently, after a positive load change the exhaust gas turbocharger very quickly reaches its speed corresponding to the new load value, so that the output corresponding to this stipulated load is also delivered by the internal combustion engine just shortly after the change in the stipulated load. Owing to the fact that the approach-flow direction in the exhaust gas turbocharger according to the invention is influenced not by a change in position of guide blades but by a change in speed of the guide wheel, the change in the approach-flow direction onto the turbine wheel is not bound up with a change in the flow cross-section. In other words, this means that the relatively high turbine speed is reached in the part load range without an appreciable reduction in the flow cross section, so that there are also no additional friction losses reducing the efficiency of the exhaust gas turbocharger or the overall efficiency of the internal combustion engine.
Moreover, in a manner completely opposite to a conventional exhaust gas turbocharger having adjustable turbine geometry, the exhaust gas turbocharger according to the invention also enables impulsive charging (two-duct turbine housing), because here the guide blades are arranged fixed on the guide wheel and thus capable in terms of strength of withstanding the increased stress of impulsive charging.
A further advantage of the exhaust gas turbocharger according to the invention is to be seen in that the device for braking the turbine guide wheel can be arranged in the region of colder zones, so that said device also is not prematurely threatened with wear because of too high thermal charging.
The heat produced during a braking operation can be dissipated directly via the cooling water of the internal combustion engine, so that after a cold start of the internal combustion engine its warm-up phase can be shortened. The quantity of heat produced during a braking operation can also be reduced if, as proposed in certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the turbine guide wheel is connected or coupled to a compressor guide wheel concentrically surrounding the wheel of the compressor, which compressor guide wheel has a blading opposite to that of the turbine guide wheel. Such an opposite blading has the effect that starting from a specific limit value for the internal combustion engine load the set of guide wheels, that is to say the unit composed of compressor guide wheel and turbine guide wheel, is ever more strongly braked with increasing load. Given an appropriate design of the turbine guide wheel blading and compressor guide wheel blading, it is even possible to eliminate a further braking device according to certain contemplated embodiments.
Moreover, a compressor guide wheel surrounding the compressor wheel acts like a second compressor stage and thus increases in an advantageous way the pressure difference in the quantity of air throughput.
The use of a hydraulic retarder as braking device has the advantage that not only can the heat produced by the braking of the turbine guide wheel be dissipated via the hydraulic fluid led off from the hydraulic retarder during the control process--the hydraulic fluid can likewise be used to cool the components heated by the exhaust gas such as, for example, bearing housing, bearings, etc. If, instead of a hydraulic fluid, the engine oil is applied to the hydraulic retarder, the additionally produced quantity of heat can be guided into the cooling water indirectly via the heat exchanger customary in internal combustion engines. An external heat dissipating device can be entirely eliminated if instead of the hydraulic retarder use is advantageously made of a speed variator.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A method and apparatus for operating a dryer used to reduce the moisture content of sheet material. A drying chamber is provided and includes a plurality of drying sections and a single point exhaust system. A seal section located at the input end of the dryer includes an exhaust passage through which a gas sample is drawn by a sampling fan. Gases within the seal section are a combination of ambient air drawn through restricted passages at the entry to the seal section and exhaust gas that bleeds into the seal section from the drying chamber. A controller monitors the temperature of the sampled gases and ambient air and adjusts the rate of exhaust flow from the main exhaust system as a function of the temperature differential. A heating system is also provided for heating the seal exhaust gases above the pitch condensation temperature for the flow.

Single and multiple deck conveyor dryers for reducing the moisture content of various materials, including rigid and semi-rigid material in sheet form, such as, green veneer, wet plasterboard, fiberboard, perlite and bagasse matte and the like, wherein the material being dried is conveyed through a stationary housing on one or a plurality of tiered conveyors while heated gases are force circulated through the housing or a part thereof, are known. The increase in volume of the gas in the dryer incident to the evaporation of moisture from the material being dried is typically removed by one or more vents or ducts. In some systems, the exhaust is discharged directly to the atmosphere.
It has been found that in a typical dryer of this type, if the drying process is not carefully controlled and optimized, gases will be discharged through not only the exhaust stacks, but through the input and output ends of the dryer. Attempts have been made to control the inflow and outflow of gases through the input and output ends of a veneer drying apparatus. An example of one such attempt to improve the drying efficiency, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,930, which is owned by the assignee of the present application. The assignee also owns U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,168, incorporated by reference and reproduced herein substantially in its entirety for ease of reference. The present invention is an improvement over the drying apparatus which is the subject of that patent.
As reported therein, it has been found desirable to control the flow of exhaust gases from a jet veneer drying apparatus, to not only optimize the drying efficiency of the dryer, but to also provide a means for containing and treating the exhaust gas prior to discharging to atmosphere. More specifically, it is now considered desirable to convey the exhaust from a jet veneer dryer to a volatile organic carbon (V.O.C.) alienating device such as a catalytic or thermal oxidizer prior to atmospheric discharge. In order to optimize the performance of this equipment it was disclosed as being desirable to maintain the temperature of the exhaust gas at or above a minimum operating temperature. However, pitch build-up, condensed V.O.C. material, in the exhaust fan duct of the wet end seal resulted from the lower exhaust stream temperature inherent to that design, which may also have been contributed to by improper setting of the exhaust control by dryer operators and insufficient maintenance and cleaning practices. Obviously, pitch build-up represents a fire hazard. A fire in the exhaust fan duct would result in costly repairs and downtime.

Method and apparatus for inhibiting pitch formation in the wet seal exhaust duct of a veneer dryer


A movable barrier opener system having a multiphase brushless DC motor in the drive assembly is provided. The multiphase brushless DC motor may impart motive force to a movable barrier in response to barrier movement instructions from the barrier operator controller to the drive assembly. The barrier operator controller of the movable barrier opener system is configured to detect a back EMF of at least one winding of the multiphase brushless DC motor and determines a position of the movable barrier and/or determines a torque of the multiphase brushless DC motor in response to the detected back EMF. A position sensor and a back EMF sensor module provides actual operating parameters to the controller.

Upward acting sectional or single panel garage doors, rollup doors, gates, and other types of powered movable barriers utilize movable barrier opener systems for facilitating control over the movement of the barriers. A typical movable barrier opener system comprises a movable barrier operator and a drive assembly, including a motor, for imparting movement to the movable barrier (e.g., the garage door). The movable barrier operator includes a controller which, typically, constitutes a programmable platform such as a microprocessor, microcontroller, or the like, that is preprogrammed with the appropriate instructions and data for carrying out the desired processing. The operation of most existing movable barrier opening systems is typically responsive to externally transmitted command signals from user-actuation of (i) interior or exterior building mounted consoles, in wired or wireless communication with the movable barrier operator, (ii) hand held or vehicle mounted wireless transmitters, and/or (iii) remotely disposed network (e.g., Internet) access devices (e.g., Smartphones).
The movable barrier operator (or for specifically a garage door, the garage door operator) must, in addition to its other tasks, (i) assure that the force applied by the motor is sufficient to enable the movable barrier (i.e., the garage door) to uninterruptedly travel along its defined path between open and closed limits, while at the same time (ii) assure that abnormal barrier travel conditions such as obstructions or other abnormal occurrences, will result in rapid interruption of the door travel (by motor stoppage, or motor stoppage and reversal.)
During the travel of the movable barrier, typically between a fully open and fully closed position, various motor overload conditions may occur due, for example, to obstruction engagement, mechanical failures, or excessive heat generation. Thus there is a continuing need to monitor and quickly respond to these and other situations resulting in motor overload.
Furthermore, there is a need to continuously determine the location and direction of travel of the movable barrier in order to maintain continuous control over the barrier, and quickly respond to situations which place the barrier and its surroundings in harm's way.

Movable barrier opener with brushless DC motor


The correction amounts of respective correction units 37 of first and second shake correction amount deriving units 38, 39 are alternately employed in every short period composed of a time shorter than a period up to a timing at which it is contemplated that the output from a first HPF 31 is approximately stabilized after a switch S1 is turned on, and the signals of shake correction amounts, which are obtained by subjecting the outputs from first integration units 35 to a correction of the correction amounts, are alternately employed as drive signals to be output to the X-axis and Y-axis actuators 27, 28. With this arrangement, a shake correction amount deriving unit, which is operated later than a shake correction amount deriving unit operated just before it, can derive a shake correction amount based on a state in which a first HPF 31 has a smaller output error.

Conventionally, when an image is picked up telescopically or in a dark portion (in which long time exposure is required) in a handheld fashion, there is a possibility that "shake" such as hand shake and the like occur. To ensure reliable photography, there is widely known an image pickup apparatus having a so-called hand-shake correcting function mounted thereon to ensure reliable image pickup. The hand-shake correcting function is arranged such that when an optical axis is dislocated by shake applied to the image pickup apparatus by hand-shake and the like of a user, the dislocation of the optical axis is corrected by driving a shake correction optical system and an image pickup device according to the shake.
The image pickup apparatus on which the shake correcting function is mounted is provided with a shake detection sensor composed of, for example, a gyro for detecting a shake amount of the image pickup apparatus. A shake angle of the image pickup apparatus is calculated by integrating the output from the shake detection sensor, and the shake correction optical system and the like are driven based on the information of the calculated shake angle.
The shake detection sensor has a relatively large individual difference in a detection output when the image pickup apparatus is in a stationary state, and further since the detected output changes depending on an environmental temperature, the shake detection sensor is ordinarily connected to an amplifier through a high-pass filter composed of a capacitor and a resistor device so that a direct current component signal is eliminated from the output signal of the shake detection sensor.
In contrast, there is, for example, Patent Document 1 described below as a document relating to this technical field. The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 relates to a camera on which a shake correcting function is mounted to correct movement of a subject image on a light receiving surface by calculating a shake amount of the camera from a signal output from an angular speed sensor and driving a correction optical system disposed in a light path of an image-pickup optical system based on the shake amount. The shake correcting function is composed of direct current cut means for cutting a direct current component included in the output voltage of the angular speed sensor, subtraction means for subtracting a direct current component voltage V3 from the output voltage V1 of the angular speed sensor, direct current detection means for calculating a direct current component by carrying out an arithmetic operation of (V3+V2/Kx) based on the output voltage V2 of the subtraction means, and setting means for setting a detection standard of the direct current detection means by changing the coefficient Kx, wherein the coefficient Kx is set to a relatively small value K1 during a period from a time at which a power is supplied to a time at which a light measuring switch is turned on so that a frequency component is cut up to a relatively high frequency component, the coefficient Kx is continuously changed toward a value K2 larger than the value K1 during a period in which a predetermined time has passed from the time at which the light measuring switch is turned on, and thereafter the coefficient Kx is set to the above value K2 so that only a relatively low frequency component is cut.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-82823

Deviation detector, deviation corrector and imaging device


In order to detect with high accuracy a current which may adversely affect an electric circuit if continued for an extended time, an apparatus periodically samples an output of a current sensor connected to the circuit and includes a memory storing data of current values regarded as representing overcurrents in consideration of the respective durations thereof. The current values are stored in pairs with time values representing the durations. The sampled value is compared with the current values stored in the memory while duration of the sampled value is compared with the time value paired with that current value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method of detecting occurrence of an overcurrent state in an electric circuit, and more particularly to an overcurrent detecting method and apparatus which are capable of determining the occurrence of an overcurrent in an electric circuit with high accuracy and reliability on the basis of sample values derived by periodically sampling an output signal of a current sensor installed in the circuit to be monitored.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, in circuits such as, for example, a travel control circuit and a cargo handling circuit for a battery-powered fork lift truck, a fuse is inserted between a battery and electromechanical components such as motors and circuit elements such as power transistors and others connected together in the form of an electric circuit so that upon occurrence of an overcurrent in the circuit, the fuse is melted and breaks to thereby protect the electromechanical components as well as the electronic elements mentioned above against the overcurrent. In this conjunction, it is also known to protect electric and electronic circuit components from overcurrents with high accuracy by using a current sensor comprising a Hall element or the like and determining the occurrence of an overcurrent through comparison of sample values of the output signal of the current sensor with a preset reference current value, wherein a controllable element such as an electromagnetic contactor is automatically controlled on the basis of the result of the decision to thereby ensure that the electric motor, power transistor and others can operate within a safe operating range.
In overcurrent detecting methods known heretofore, such measures as shown in FIG. 5 have generally been adopted wherein the output current of a current sensor is periodically monitored to determine occurrence of an overcurrent state when the output current having a magnitude greater than a predetermined reference value Io continues to flow over a period exceeding a predetermined time. More specifically, referring to FIG. 5, the period or time interval T for sampling the output signal of a current sensor is so set that the period falls within a permissible duration TA of a current greater than the preset reference value Io, and the overcurrent is detected by periodically sampling the output of the current sensor at the time interval T.
With the above overcurrent detecting method, it is however impossible to detect a current Io' which is slightly smaller than the preset reference value Io and may nevertheless adversely affect the circuit components when it continues to flow over an extended time period.
This problem can certainly be solved by lowering the reference level Io to the current value Io'. However, there may occur such undesirable situations as the anti-overcurrent protective operation being performed even when the current Io' continues to flow for a period which does not adversely affect the associated circuit. As a result, performance of a machine equipped with this circuit is degraded correspondingly due to undesirable frequent activation of the overcurrent protection operation.
Under these circumstances, there exists a demand for an overcurrent detecting method and apparatus which are capable of detecting with high reliability and accuracy only such electric current which adversely affects the circuit as well as associated machine.

Overcurrent detecting method and apparatus

Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho


In a circuit and a method for amplification of an electrical input signal, a signal splitter divides the input signal into a first partial signal in a first signal path and a second partial signal in a second signal path. The first signal path has a first amplification stage for amplification of the first partial signal and the second signal path has a second amplification stage for amplification of the second partial signal. Each of the two amplification stages is supplied with current by a current supply device. Both amplified partial signals are recombined into an output signal by a signal combination element downstream from the amplification stages. The first amplification stage and the second amplification stage are coupled with a regulation device that regulates the amplification of the first partial signal dependent on a current difference between a supply current requirement of the second amplification stage and a supply current requirement of the first amplification stage and which regulates the amplification of the second partial signal dependent on a current difference between the supply current requirement of the first amplification stage and the supply current requirement of the second amplification stage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a circuit arrangement and method for amplification of an electrical input signal and a magnetic resonance system with such a circuit arrangement.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Amplification circuits are known that have a signal splitter that splits the input signal into a first partial signal and a second partial signal. A first signal path has a first amplification stage for amplification of the first partial signal and a second signal path has a second amplification stage for amplification of the second signal. Each of the two amplification stages is supplied with current from a power supply device. A signal combination element downstream from the amplification stages recombines the two partial signals into one output signal. The invention furthermore concerns a corresponding method for amplification of an electrical input signal.
Such circuit arrangements are in particular used in magnetic resonance systems for amplification of the radio-frequency pulses necessary for imaging. The amplification ensues with what a method known as a coherent power combination method, in which the signals to be amplified are superimposed with the amplification signals in phase, with not only the amplification of the signal being achieved on average but also the peak voltage is actually amplified. Very large amplifications of radio-frequency pulses are thereby possible, as they are required within magnetic resonance systems.
The amplification stages typically used in such circuit arrangements use power transistors designed on a semiconductor basis. One problem is that such amplification stages should not be operated above a maximum barrier layer temperature (junction temperature) of the transistors since this can lead to a premature failure of the amplification stage. The current junction temperature of the amplification stage depends on the current or on the current output power. In the amplification stages typically used in amplification devices in magnetic resonance systems, for example, the junction temperature cannot be more than 120° C. If this temperature is observed, the lifespan of the amplification stages is approximately 10 to 15 years.
If the junction temperature of 120° C. is observed, the output power is maximally limited to approximately 10 to 15 kW, depending on the type of amplification stage. In order to achieve a greater output power, as described above a number of amplification stages are combined in parallel in a circuit arrangement. This means that the signal to be amplified is initially divided (preferably symmetrically) in a signal splitter such that each partial signal exhibits only half of the output power. These partial signals are then maximally amplified by respective amplification stages and the amplified signals are subsequently added together again so that ultimately two times the power of the maximum output power achievable by the individual amplification stages can be achieved.
Due to tolerances in the transistors, it disadvantageously occurs that the amplification stages require different currents. This means that the amplification stages used within the circuit arrangement heat differently and thus possibly must be deactivated earlier when they reach the maximum allowed junction temperature. This mechanism leads on the one hand to a situation that the power loss in the circuit arrangement increases and its efficiency consequently decreases. It can additionally lead to an asymmetrical output power of the individual amplification stages, which leads to additional power losses. When this problem has previously been encountered in the field, the circuit has been provided with a cooling arrangement or the number of the power transistors is increased. Both methods significantly increase the energy expenditure and the costs for the amplification.

Circuit and method for amplification of an electrical input signal


An input and output circuit includes a common input and output node, an abnormal voltage detector and a clock generating circuit. The common input and output node is used as an output node in a normal operation mode and used as an input node in a test operation mode where an abnormal voltage level is inputted to the common input and output node. The abnormal voltage detector generates an abnormal voltage signal based upon a detection of the abnormal voltage level at the common input and output node in the test operation mode. The clock generating circuit outputs a first clock signal to the common input and output node in the normal operation mode and outputs a second clock signal to an external circuit in response to the abnormal voltage signal in the test operation mode. Therefore, time and expenses for testing the input and output circuit may be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an input and output circuit of a semiconductor device and method of operation thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to an input and output circuit using a common input and output pin, adapted for, for example, a blind time setting circuit of a secondary battery protection circuit, and method of operation thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A secondary battery protection circuit used in a secondary battery unit detects an over-charge state, an over-discharge state and an over-current state of a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery. The secondary battery protection circuit performs an appropriate operation to protect the secondary battery in accordance with the detected state.
In the case when an over-charge state, over-discharge state or over-current state of the secondary battery is caused by a brief fluctuation in current or voltage, there is no need for the protection operation. Therefore, a secondary battery protection circuit generally includes a blind time setting circuit that prevents the execution of the protective operation during a predetermined time or blind time even when an over-charge state, over-discharge state or over-current state is detected.
When the secondary battery protection circuit is to be tested, the over-charge state, over-discharge state or over-current state needs to be maintained for a period of time that is longer than the blind time of the secondary battery protection circuit. That is, during a test operation it is not possible to know whether the protection operation properly takes place until the blind time elapses. Therefore, the time and expense of carrying out a test operation may be increased because of the wait time due to the blind time.
An example of a conventional secondary battery protection circuit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,518,729, entitled "Secondary battery protection circuit capable of reducing time for functional test" (hereinafter "the '729 patent"). According to the '729 patent, in a test operation mode, the blind time setting circuit reduces the period of a clock signal generated by a clock generation circuit of the blind time setting circuit so that the blind time may be reduced.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional blind time setting circuit. Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional blind time setting circuit includes a clock generating circuit 110 and a delay time generating circuit 120. The clock generating circuit 110 generates a clock signal upon detecting an over-charge state, an over-discharge state or an over-current state of the secondary battery, and outputs the clock signal to the delay time generating circuit 120. When a test signal TEST having an active state is inputted to the clock generating circuit 110 in the test operation mode, the clock generating circuit 110 reduces the period of the clock signal generated thereby.
To reduce the period of the clock signal, the clock generating circuit 110 controls the current flowing through a capacitor in a plurality of charging/discharging units. In the test operation mode, the current flowing through the charging/discharging units may be increased to speed up the charging/discharging operation of the capacitor, resulting in a reduction in the period of the clock signal.
The delay time generating circuit 120 receives the clock signal generated by the clock generating circuit 110 and outputs instruction signals, i.e., over-charge instruction signals, over-discharge instruction signals, and over-current instruction signals. The respective blind times are preset for the over-charge state, over-discharge state and over-current state. In accordance with the instruction signals, the secondary battery protection circuit performs the protection operations. When the period of the clock signal generated by the clock generating circuit 110 is reduced in the test operation mode, the delay times of the respective instruction signals (i.e., blind times) outputted from the delay time generating circuit 120 are also reduced.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram illustrating the clock generating circuit 110 shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, the clock generating circuit 110 includes a plurality of charging/discharging units 210. Each of the charging/discharging units 210 includes a charging/discharging unit 211, a capacitor 213, a charging/discharging current source 215, a regulation transistor 217 and a test current source 219.
The regulation transistor 217 is turned on when the test signal TEST has an active state so that a test current ITEST flows through the regulation transistor 217. When the test signal TEST is inputted to the clock generating circuit 110, a current through a capacitor 213 increases, reducing the period of the clock signal generated by the clock generating circuit 110. Therefore, a test mode operation time may be reduced.
However, the clock generating circuit 110 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 uses a separate input and output pin for the test mode operation using the reduced clock signal period. The use of separate input and output pins (I/O pins) may increase package size and cost. Moreover, additional current consumption may increase substrate noise that can degrade system performance.
In the clock generating circuit 110 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the clock signal outputted from the clock generating circuit 110 is provided to the delay time generating circuit 120, and the clock signal frequency of the clock signal generated by the clock generating circuit 110 cannot be checked externally. In a semiconductor device manufacturing process, it is necessary to measure the output clock signal of the clock generating circuit several times to perform a precise correction to a desired target value when the clock signal frequency of the clock generating circuit has a frequency error or if each of the charging/discharging units 210 has a delay time distribution. According to the '729 patent, the output clock signal of the clock generating circuit 110 is only measured through the delay time generating circuit 120 so that the measuring time may be increased. The clock generating circuit 110 shown in FIG. 2 further includes a separate test current source 219, thereby increasing hardware complexity.

Input and output circuit and method of operation thereof


The invention includes a method and apparatus for authenticating a visiting node in a wireless network. A method includes receiving a request to transfer a user database of a visiting node, obtaining the visiting node user database from the visiting node in response to a determination to update a master user database to include the visiting node user database, and merging the visiting node user database with the master user database. The request to transfer the visiting node user database is received, from the visiting node, at a primary authentication node of the network. The visiting node user database includes entries for users associated with the visiting node. The master user database includes entries for users associated with nodes authenticated by the primary authentication node of the network.

Emergency response organizations increasingly depend on wireless communication technology to provide communication during emergencies. Disadvantageously, however, emergencies often result in damage to, or sometimes even destruction of, existing network infrastructure, thereby preventing communications between emergency personnel. In other words, the existing communications infrastructure lacks survivability. Furthermore, even if portions of the existing communications infrastructure do survive the emergency, the existing communications infrastructure may not be able to handle the increased traffic load typical during emergencies. Specifically, remaining portions of the existing communication infrastructure may be overloaded as emergency personnel, and the general public, attempt various types of communications. Such deficiencies became clear during the events of Sep. 11, 2001, and again during the events of Hurricane Katrina.
In fixed networks, visiting users to the fixed network are granted access using a pair of Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) servers; namely, a home AAA server and a visitor AAA server. Specifically, in fixed networks, in order to grant access to visiting users, the visited AAA server operates as a proxy server that communicates with the visitor's home AAA server. Disadvantageously, while this existing procedure is reliable for fixed networks, it is quite unreliable for non-fixed, ad-hoc networks. The procedure is unreliable for non-fixed, ad-hoc networks because there is no guarantee that the visitor AAA server will be available throughout the lifetime of the ad-hoc network or that connectivity to the visitor AAA server will be maintained throughout the lifetime of the ad-hoc network.

Method and apparatus for management and updating of distributed user databases


A computer-implemented data presentation technique for presenting a set of expected failure states of system-related constructs pertaining to a plasma processing system is disclosed. The technique includes receiving a set of indicia pertaining to a first system-related construct of said system-related constructs. The technique also includes computing, in accordance with a first sub-method and responsive to said receiving said first set of indicia, a first expected failure state value. The technique further includes computing a first normalized expected failure state value in accordance with a first weight; correlating said first normalized expected failure state value to a first color; and displaying said first color in a cell of an n-dimensional matrix, wherein n is a number greater than 1.

The present invention relates in general to substrate manufacturing technologies and in particular to computer-implemented data presentation techniques for a plasma processing system.
Semiconductor fabrication facilities often cost billions of dollars to design and operate. Optimizing throughput and decreasing costs are therefore critical for profitability. Capital equipment processing systems within these facilities, however, often require significant human manual intervention creating the potential for process variances or even outright operation mistakes.
Most substrate capital equipment processing systems are normally controlled by sophisticated computers comprising operating software programs, wherein users via an interface are provided the ability to send requests to the equipment and receive output information from the equipment. Often thousands of process measurements (i.e., sequentially measured electromagnetic emission spectra during a target etch step) are periodically measured and subsequently transformed to a smaller set of aggregate variables that correlate to a system parameter of interest (i.e., such as whether a chuck must be replaced).
However, efficiently analyzing, summarizing, and displaying process information in a format that is both understandable and actionable to the operator, while the substrate is being processed, may be problematic. In general, the plasma process is dynamic and hence difficult to monitor. For example, residual may build up on the chamber walls changing the chemical properties of the plasma, or plasma damage may occur to chamber structures altering the electrical characteristics of the process, etc.
Plasma processing equipment is commonly configured with some type of discrete visual notification or alarm device that notifies the operator as to whether the system is ready for operation. A basic, although common, type of notification system comprises a series of lights coupled to the processing system and corresponding to a machine readiness state. Green may signify a "go" state. Red may signify a "no go" state. And yellow may signify a meta-state somewhere in between a "go" and "no go" state, although a yellow and red state are often both treated as a "no go" state.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a simplified diagram of a light tower as is commonly used with plasma processing systems is shown. Light tower status can generally be determined by a process model—usually an "OR" on software and/or hardware alarm thresholds. The light tower itself may be comprised of three discrete color displays, and hence can display three states. A red state 102, generally implies a "no go" machine readiness state, such as a when the plasma process is out of spec. In some configurations, a "no go" machine readiness state will cause the red display to flash. A yellow state 104 generally conveys a warning that the plasma process may soon be approaching a "no go" machine readiness state. A green state 106 generally refers to a "go" state. In general, operators require only a modest knowledge of the process model, unless substantial troubleshooting is required.
However, machine readiness state is somewhat arbitrary and commonly determined from a subset of process parameters that are of particular interest to the plasma processing system owner. Generally, the manufacturing process is stopped only when absolutely necessary, since a single processed substrate can be worth a substantial amount of money. Yet, it is often difficult to achieve a sufficient granularity of the machine process state to make more than what amounts to an educated guess.
For example, pollutants may be cleaned from the plasma processing system by striking the plasma without the substrate. However, since the electrostatic chuck (chuck) is no longer shielded by the substrate, it is subsequently etched. Eventually, the plasma processing system cannot adequately compensate, and the process recipe's parameters are invalidated. Since it is often impractical to determine when this point is exactly reached, the customer may instead determine that a "no go" state is reached, and hence the chuck replaced, after a certain amount of operational hours, which in practice is normally only a fraction of its useful life. This can both increase productions costs, since an expensive chuck may be needless replaced, and reduces yield, since the plasma processing system must be taken offline for several hours to replace the chuck.
In addition, machine readiness may not necessarily correlate to a "go" or "no go" state, but rather to a continuum of expected failure states. An expected failure state is the probability of a particular failure state multiplied by some numerical representation of its impact, damage, or normalized weight. If a failure is highly probable, but its operational impact on the process is negligible, its expected value is small. In this situation, the manufacturing process should probably be continued. Likewise, if a failure is not very probable, but its operational impact on the process is very high, a low expected value may again suggest allowing the process to continue. In contrast, a higher expected failure state may suggest immediately shutting down the machine. For example, a vacuum leak in the plasma chamber.
However, a continuum of expected failure states can be difficult to efficiently present to the operator in a readily comprehensible graphical user display. Although limited, a benefit of a discrete visual notification (i.e., "go" or "no go") is that it allows the operator to quickly and easily react, such as stopping the plasma processing system. In contrast, a continuum visual notification may often require operators to engage in sophisticated thinking, such as building up mental overviews of the present and future state of affairs in the plasma process, and of the effects of possible actions.
A significant fraction of data analysis models (like regression models, factor analysis, analysis of variances, etc.) tend to be comprehensible to the operator only if the data follows a simple pattern. Yet, it is often difficult to extract raw operational data from a plasma processing system, process that information based on a pre-defined set of algorithms, and subsequently display the processed information in a readily comprehensible graphical display. In addition, operators may need to understand enough about the process and the task to be able to infer the present inner state of a complex multidimensional process from an incomplete graphical display, and to predict its behavior and hence possible failure states.
In view of the foregoing, there are desired computer-implemented data presentation techniques for a plasma processing system.

Computer-implemented data presentation techniques for a plasma processing system


A method of setting write factors of each head in a hard disk and a hard disk drive using the method. The method includes writing a write signal onto a test track based on a write factor initially set on the magnetic head, writing the write signals onto the tracks adjacent to the test track, measuring the write quality of the test track, changing the write factor of the magnetic head and repeating the writing of the write signal onto the test track, and setting a write factor of the magnetic head by selecting the write factor corresponding to an optimum write quality from among the write qualities of the write factors of the test track.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a method of setting a write factor in a hard disk drive and a hard disk drive using the same, and more particularly, to a method of separately setting a write factor of each of the magnetic heads in a hard disk drive and a hard disk drive using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hard disk drive is a data storing apparatus that reproduces/records data in/from a disk using a magnetic head in order to assist the operation of a computer.
In the hard disk drive, a servo signal is written based on a write factor set in the magnetic head. However, in a conventional hard disk drive, an identical write factor is set for all magnetic heads. In this case, if a magnetization characteristic between the magnetic heads is different, the write quality of the servo signal is degraded. For example, if the servo signal is written using a magnetic head having a good magnetization characteristic, the servo signal written in a target track can affect adjacent tracks. As a result, the write quality of the adjacent tracks can be degraded. Also, if a servo signal is written using a magnetic head having a poor magnetization characteristic, the write quality of the servo signal written on the target track can be degraded.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of setting write factor in hard disk drive and hard disk drive using the same


A vehicle-mounted information processing device includes a platform having vehicle-mounted hardware and one or more basic functions to control the hardware. An application processing unit performs processing using the one or more basic functions of the platform. When transferring information from the platform to the application processing unit, a single interface unit transfers the information in a constant data format. When transferring information from the application processing unit to the platform, the single interface unit transfers the information in a data format corresponding to the platform.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle-mounted information processing device for executing an application such as navigation functions, and a storage medium having embodied therein a computer program for making a machine function as the information processing device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 8 is a diagram hierarchically showing the structure of a prior art vehicle-mounted information processing device. In the figure, reference numeral 201 denotes navigation hardware including a remote controller, a CD (Compact Disc)-ROM drive, a display, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, etc., numeral 202 denotes a navigation OS (operating system) having basic functions to control the navigation hardware 201, numeral 203 denotes device drivers for directly controlling the navigation hardware 201, and numeral 204 denotes a navigation application for implementing a navigation system. This prior art vehicle-mounted information processing device has a ROM for storing these programs, a microprocessor for executing them, etc.
In operation, in the prior art vehicle-mounted information processing device, the navigation application 204 is executed on the navigation OS 202, an event generated by each piece of navigation hardware 201 is processed properly, and the navigation system is implemented.
Thus, the prior art vehicle-mounted information processing device implements a navigation system. The navigation application 204 of the vehicle-mounted information processing device can be developed on a general-purpose OS installed in a personal computer; in other words, the navigation application 204 can be developed on a platform consisting of a personal computer and a general-purpose OS. The navigation application 204 is transplanted onto a platform consisting of the navigation hardware 201, the navigation OS 202, and the device drivers 203 after it has been completed.
When developing a navigation application 204 on a platform consisting of a personal computer and a general-purpose OS, and transplanting this on the platform consisting of the navigation hardware 201, the navigation OS 202, and the device drivers 203, it is necessary to modify the navigation application 204 since the transfer of various information between the navigation application 204 and the navigation OS 202 depends on a component of the platform, such as the navigation OS 202, and, therefore, the development of a navigation application 204 becomes complex.
A prior art technology that solves the problem is described in Japanese patent application publication No. 11-211489. FIG. 9 is a diagram hierarchically showing the structure of another prior art vehicle-mounted information processing device disclosed in Japanese patent application publication No. 11-211489. In the figure, reference numerals 211 to 213 respectively denote a plurality of interface modules each of which includes, for instance, Java(trademark) Virtual Machine, Java basic API (Application Programming Interface), a navigation class library, and Java extension API, the plurality of interface modules being provided for a plurality of services, respectively. The explanation of other components will be omitted hereafter since those components are the same as those shown in FIG. 8.
In operation, in the prior art vehicle-mounted information processing device, the plurality of interface modules 211 to 213 each of which includes, for instance, Java Virtual Machine, Java basic API, a navigation class library, and Java extension API operate on the navigation OS 202, and the navigation application 204 operates on the plurality of interface modules 211 to 213. At this time, for each service provided by the navigation application 204, a corresponding one of the plurality of interface modules 211 to 213 performs transfer of predetermined information between the navigation OS 202 and the navigation application 204.
Thus, the navigation application 204 can operate on the plurality of interface modules 211 to 213, each of which consists of Java Virtual Machine etc. in the prior art vehicle-mounted information processing device constructed as shown in FIG. 9. Accordingly, the same navigation application 204 can be made to operate on different platforms.
A problem with a prior art vehicle-mounted information processing device constructed as above is that since an interface module is provided for each service, a plurality of event waitings occur in a navigation application and it therefore becomes necessary to make processes synchronize with each other in the navigation application, and, as a result, the structure of the navigation application and hence the development of the navigation application becomes complex.
The present invention is proposed to solve the above-mentioned problems, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle-mounted information processing device capable of, when transferring information from a platform to a navigation application, transferring it in a constant data format to all services provided by the navigation application, and, when transferring information from the navigation application to the platform, transferring it in a certain data format corresponding to the platform, by using a single interface means, and a storage medium having embodied thereon a computer program for making a machine function as the information processing device, thereby simplifying the structure of the navigation application and providing easy development of navigation applications.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle-mounted information processing device comprising: a platform having vehicle-mounted hardware and one or more basic functions to control the hardware; an application processing unit for performing a predetermined processing by using the one or more basic functions of the platform; and a single interface unit for, when transferring information from the platform to the application processing unit, transferring it in a constant data format, and for, when transferring information from the application processing unit to the platform, transferring it in a certain data format corresponding to the platform.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the single interface unit and the application processing unit includes a common interface unit for transferring information in a constant data format.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the single interface unit includes a hardware monitor unit for monitoring each of a plurality of pieces of hardware included in the vehicle-mounted hardware, an event generation unit for generating a platform-independent event corresponding to an event generated in any one of the plurality of pieces of hardware detected by the hardware monitor unit, and an event transmission unit for transmitting the platform-independent event generated by the event generation unit to the application processing unit.
Preferably, when the hardware monitor unit detects two or more events, the event generation unit generates two or more platform-independent events from the events one by one based on predetermined priorities assigned to the detected events.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon a computer program, the computer program making a machine function as: an application processing unit for performing a predetermined processing by using one or more basic functions of a platform having vehicle-mounted hardware; and a single interface unit for, when transferring information from the platform to the application processing unit, transferring it in a constant data format, and for, when transferring information from the application processing unit to the platform, transferring it in a certain data format corresponding to the platform.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Vehicle-mounted information processing device and storage medium


Embodiments of a device and method for managing power in a computer system can reduce power consumption. A circuit such as a filter driver having a packet monitoring function can be used to perform a check on whether a specific device such as an audio or USB device is in use and a check on the power management state of a CPU. Depending on the checked results, the filter driver forces the CPU power management state to enter a specific power saving state. Accordingly, unnecessary power consumption caused by the CPU in an idle state can be reduced or prevented. Further, heat generated by the CPU can be reduced or suppressed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and method for managing power in a computer system.
2. Background of the Related Art
In a general computer system such as a notebook computer or a desktop computer, according to a system operating state, an operating system adjusts the power management state of a CPU to one of the states C0 to C4 defined in the ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) standard, as shown in FIG. 1. The C0 state is a CPU working state, the C1 state is a CPU halt state and the C2 state is a CPU sleep state with a clock input being granted. The C3 state is a CPU stop state with an external clock input being stopped, and the C4 state is a C3 state with a low drive voltage being applied. In general, if the CPU enters an idle state, the power management state becomes the C3 or C4 state defined in the ACPI standard to prevent unnecessary power consumption.
When the operating system executes only a program for an audio device through an interface with an audio controller or only a program for a USB device through an interface with a USB controller, the CPU of the computer system is operated at only about 10% of the maximum performance mode. Although when the operating system executes only the audio device program or the USB device program and the CPU of the computer system operates at only about 10% of the maximum performance mode, the CPU maintains the C2 state (i.e., a CPU sleep state with a clock input being granted) unchanged or C1 state, causing unnecessary power consumption.
As described above, the related art computer system has various disadvantages. For example, in a notebook computer, unnecessary maintenance of the C2 state leads to unnecessary power consumption of about 1.5 W since the power consumption difference between the states C2 and C3 is 1.5 W, which also causes an increase in the system temperature due to the CPU's heat.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.

Method for rechecking whether a CPU enters a powr saving stat after a delay ad forcing the CPU to enter power saving state depending on the result


A method of determining a bonding status between a wire and at least one bonding location of a workpiece is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) bonding a portion of a wire to a bonding location of a workpiece using a bonding tool of a wire bonding machine; (b) determining a motion profile of the bonding tool for determining if the portion of the wire is bonded to the bonding location, the motion profile being configured to result in the wire being broken during the motion profile if the portion of the wire is not bonded to the bonding location; and (c) moving the bonding tool along the motion profile to determine if the portion of the wire is bonded to the bonding location. Other methods of determining a bonding status between a wire and at least one bonding location of a workpiece are also provided.

In the processing and packaging of semiconductor devices, wire bonding (e.g., ball bonding, wedge bonding, etc.) continues to be a widely used method of providing electrical interconnection between locations within a package (e.g., between a die pad of a semiconductor die and a lead of a leadframe). More specifically, using a wire bonder (also known as a wire bonding machine) wire loops are formed between respective locations to be electrically interconnected.
An exemplary conventional wire bonding sequence (using ball bonding techniques) of a simple wire loop includes: (1) forming a free air ball on an end of a wire extending from a bonding tool; (2) forming a first bond of a wire loop on a die pad of a semiconductor die using the free air ball; (3) extending a length of wire in a desired shape between the die pad and a lead of a leadframe; (4) stitch bonding the wire to the lead of the leadframe to form a second bond of the wire loop; and (5) severing the supply wire from the now formed wire loop. In forming the bonds between (a) the ends of the wire loop and (b) the bond site (e.g., a die pad, a lead, etc.) varying types of bonding energy may be used including, for example, ultrasonic energy, thermosonic energy, thermocompressive energy, amongst others.
In connection with wire bonding, it is often desirable to confirm that a portion of wire is properly bonded to a bonding location. Wire bonding machines marketed by Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc. often utilize a "BITS" process (i.e., bond integrity test system) to confirm that proper wire bonds have been formed. International Patent Application Publication WO 2009/002345, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, illustrates exemplary details of such processes and related systems.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide improved methods of determining a bonding status of a portion of a wire loop (e.g., to determine if the portion of the wire loop is properly bonded to a bonding location).

Methods of detecting bonding between a bonding wire and a bonding location on a wire bonding machine


A plasma display panel driving circuit includes a panel capacitor having first and second sides; a first switch electrically connected between a first voltage and the first side of the panel capacitor; a second switch electrically connected between a second voltage and a first node; a third switch electrically connected between a third voltage and the first side of the panel capacitor; a fourth switch electrically connected between a fourth voltage and the first node; an energy recovery circuit electrically connected between the first side of the panel capacitor and the first node; a fifth switch electrically connected between the first node and a second node; a sixth switch connected between a fifth voltage and the second node; a voltage source connected between the second node and a third node; and a scan IC. The driving circuit can produce driving waveforms that do not need to stay at ground potential.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving circuit, and more specifically, to a driving circuit for a plasma display panel (PDP).
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for planar matrix displays such as plasma display panels (PDP), liquid-crystal displays (LCD) and electroluminescent displays (EL display) in place of cathode ray tube terminals (CRT) due to the advantage of the thin appearance of the planar matrix displays.
In a PDP display, charges are accumulated according to display data, and a sustaining discharge pulse is applied to paired electrodes in order to initiate discharge glow for display. As far as the PDP display is concerned, it is required to apply a high voltage to the electrodes. In particular, a pulse-duration of several microseconds is usually adopted. Hence the power consumption of the PDP display is quite considerable. Energy recovering (power saving) is therefore sought for. Many designs and patents have been developed for providing methods and apparatuses of energy recovering for PDPs.
Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a prior art driving circuit 100. An equivalent capacitor of a plasma display panel is marked as Cp. The conventional driving circuit 100 includes four switches S1 to S4 for passing current, an X-side energy recovery circuit 110 and a Y-side energy recovery circuit 120 for charging/discharging the panel equivalent capacitor Cp from the X side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp and the Y side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp respectively. S5, S6, S7 and S8 are switches for passing current. D5, D6, D7 and D8 are diodes. Va and Vb are two voltage sources. C1 and C2 are capacitors adopted for recovering energy, and L1 and L2 are resonant inductors. The X-side energy recovery circuit 110 includes an energy-forward channel comprising the switch S6, the diode D6 and the inductor L1, and an energy-backward channel comprising the inductor L1, the diode D5 and the switch S5. Similarly, the Y-side energy recovery circuit 120 also includes an energy-forward channel comprising the switch S8, the diode D8 and the inductor L2, and an energy-backward channel comprising the inductor L2, the diode D7 and the switch S7.
Please refer to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a flowchart of generating the sustaining pulses of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp of the PDP by the conventional driving circuit 100 illustrated in FIG. 1.
Step 200: Start;
Step 210: Keep the voltage potentials at the X side and the Y side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp at ground by turning on the switches S3 and S4;
Step 220: Charge the X side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp by the capacitor C1 and keep the voltage potential at the Y side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp at ground by turning on the switches S6 and S4; wherein the voltage potential at the X side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp goes up to Va accordingly;
Step 230: Supply charge to the panel equivalent capacitor Cp of the PDP from the X side by turning on the switches S1 and S4; wherein the voltage potential at the X side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp keeps at Va and the voltage potential at the Y side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp keeps at ground accordingly;
Step 240: Discharge the panel equivalent capacitor Cp from the X side and keep the voltage potential at the Y side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp at ground by turning on the switches S5 and S4; wherein the voltage potential at the X side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp goes down to ground accordingly;
Step 250: Keep the voltage potentials at the X side and the Y side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp at ground by turning on the switches S3 and S4;
Step 260: Charge the Y side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp by the capacitor C2 and keep the voltage potential at the X side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp at ground by turning on the switches S8 and S3; wherein the voltage potential at the Y side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp goes up to Vb accordingly;
Step 270: Supply charge to the panel equivalent capacitor Cp of the PDP from the Y side by turning on the switches S2 and S3; wherein the voltage potential at the Y side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp keeps at Vb and the voltage potential at the X side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp keeps at ground accordingly;
Step 280: Discharge the panel equivalent capacitor Cp from the Y side and keep the voltage potential at the X side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp at ground by turning on the switches S7 and S3; wherein the voltage potential at the Y side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp goes down to ground accordingly;
Step 290: Keep the voltage potentials at the X side and the Y side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp at ground by turning on the switches S3 and S4;
Step 295: End.
Please refer to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows a diagram illustrating the voltage potentials at the X side and the Y side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp, and the control signals, M1 to M8, of the switches S1 to S8 in FIG. 1 respectively. In FIG. 3, the horizontal axis represents the time, while the vertical axis represents the voltage potential. Note that the switches S1 to S8 are designed to close (turned on) for passing current when the control signal is high, and to open (turned off) such that no current can pass when the control signal is low.
Please refer to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows another prior art driving circuit 400. The driving circuit 400 shown in FIG. 4 is also known as the Further Improvement of Energy Recovery Capacitor Elimination in T-shape ENergy REcovery Circuit (fierce tenrec), which is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/908,610, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The driving circuit 400 contains an energy recovery circuit 410, switches S11 to S17, an inductor L11, voltage sources Vc, Vd, Ve, and Vf, and equivalent capacitor of a plasma display panel Cp. This driving circuit can make the waveforms in sustain period.
Conventionally, the energy recovery (power saving) circuit provides two individual channels of charging and discharging the equivalent capacitor respectively (energy-forward channel and energy-backward channel) for each side of the panel equivalent capacitor Cp. Therefore, the amount of required components is quite large. Furthermore, the area of capacitors C1 and C2 is usually considerable. Hence the cost of energy recovery circuit is not easy to reduce.


A second order sigma delta modulator (10) includes a digital to analog converter (26) that provides feedback for system modulation. The digital to analog converter (26) employs a dynamic element matching circuit (72) which randomly selects among main capacitors (C.sub.j) to reduce the effect of capacitor value mismatching. The digital to analog converter (26) also employs a self calibration circuit (80) to trim the values of the main capacitors (C.sub.j) to obtain better capacitor matching. During self calibration, a clock signal (f.sub.rand) driving a pseudo random number generator (74) of the dynamic element matching circuit (72) is reduced to assist in minimizing variance in a digital output signal for accurate calibration of the main capacitors (C.sub.j). Upon completion of calibration, the clock signal (f.sub.rand) is returned to a frequency coinciding with the modulator clock rate.

Sigma delta modulators have achieved popularity for use in integrated circuit devices for both analog to digital and digital to analog conversion. Their attractiveness for integrated circuit systems is due in part to the fact that they employ a one bit digital to analog converter that is inherently perfectly linear and does not require precision component matching. However, single bit digital to analog converter performance is not sufficient to accomplish faster and higher resolution conversion required for state of the art devices. Though a one bit digital to analog converter achieves the desired linearity, accuracy and stability suffer as compared to multi-bit digital to analog converters. The quantization noise, which depends on the number of bits of precision in the analog to digital and digital to analog converters of the sigma delta modulator, decreases as more bits of precision are used in the converters.
The linearity of the resulting oversampled multi-bit system is essentially limited by the linearity of the digital to analog converter alone. The performance of multi-bit converters is generally degraded by internal digital to analog converter nonlinearity due to component mismatch. For high accuracy multi-bit digital to analog converters, off chip elements or trimming are needed to perform precision component matching in order to obtain the desired linearity. In conventional integrated circuit technology, a multi-bit digital to analog converter can only be built with inherent linearity of about ten bits. It is thus desirable to have an oversampling sigma delta modulator system with both quantization noise and linearity areas below the sixteen bit level and reduce degradation due to component mismatch. Such systems have achieved such a level with higher order modulators, but these higher order modulators have suffered from instability problems.
From the foregoing, it may be appreciated that a need has arisen for a digital to analog converter which achieves the advantages of accuracy, stability, and linearity. A need has also arisen for a digital to analog converter that performs precision component matching particularly suited to oversampled data systems. Further, a need has arisen for a second order sigma delta modulator that provides high resolution and reduces the effect on linearity caused by component mismatching.

Digital to analog converter for sigma delta modulator


An unmanned aerial vehicle such as drone integrated with solar power unit, is disclosed. The solar power unit of the drone comprises a solar panel assembly positioned at a hull of the drone. The solar panel assembly is composed of a curtain-type shutter embedded with a plurality of photovoltaic cells. The shutter is formed of a plurality of slats having space between each of the slats, wherein the space facilitates for an effective dislocation of wind diffusion to maintain the stability of the hovering drone. The shutter further comprises a means for twisting and turning the shutter to provide balance for the hovering drone Further, the solar power unit comprises an energy storage unit operably coupled to the solar panel assembly for storage of the electrical energy from the solar panel. Further, the shutter is configured to spin cyclically diffusing the gust of wind harmlessly for stabilizing the hovering drone.

A. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), such as drone, and more particularly to an unmanned aerial vehicle integrated with automatic renewable energy charging system, such as a solar power unit.
B. Description of Related Art
Drones are an aerial vehicle without a human pilot aboard to control the vehicle. These aerial vehicles are controlled either by onboard computers or a via remote control by a human operator. Drones are becoming popular in industries like law enforcement, agriculture, or markets because of its ability to survey the environment aerially by carrying sensors or cameras. Generally, drones include components such as a propulsion system, a power source, a controller and a remote communication system. Further, drones designed for performing specific functions such as aerial survey, sensing functions include fewer more electronic components such as camera, sensors etc. However, for the drone need to be operative and perform all the preconfigured functions, it requires a continuous power supply. The continual operation and addition of various electronic equipments into the drone to achieve desired functionalities could exhaust the onboard power source quickly.
Conventionally, power sources such as fuel, a rechargeable battery or a power backup are employed to meet the power requirements of the drone. However, utilizing the rechargeable power backup requires periodic landing of the drone to replenish its power source. Hence, a common requirement of drones is a need for a non-exhaustive power source.
Therefore, there is a need for a drone with an integrated power source which replenishes the required power automatically.

Unmanned aerial vehicle integrated with automatic renewable energy charging system