A discharge lamp lighting device capable of minimizing the dimensions and weight of socket and decreasing costs is to be provided.

This invention relates to a lighting device for such discharge lamps as automotive head lamps.
The discharge lamp lighting device of the kind referred to has been disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 8-298190 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,921), in which the device comprises a lighting circuit which controls a source power from a DC power source to a required power of a voltage for the discharge lamp and converts it into an AC stabilized, a starting circuit for generating a required high voltage (for example, 20 kV) for starting the discharge lamp, and a lamp fixture for supporting the discharge lamp.
When the discharge lamp lighting device thus constituted is caused to operate in a state where the discharge lamp is not connected as yet, there occurs a phenomenon of discharging between electrodes to which the discharge lamp is to be connected, due to the high voltage (such as 20 kV) generated at the starting circuit.
Another conventional example which prevents the above phenomenon is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 8-41738, in which a lamp socket 1 incorporates in a casing behind a socket section 1a a starting circuit 2 constituted by a pulse transformer 2a and an igniter main circuit 2b for generating a pulse voltage at a primary winding of the pulse transformer 2a, a lighting circuit 5 comprising an inverter circuit for converting a source power of a DC power source 9 into an AC power is connected at one output line 4a to an outer electrode 6 in the socket section 1a and at the other output line 4b through a secondary winding 2P to a central electrode 7 in the center of the socket section 1a. The igniter main circuit 2b is constituted by connecting one of a pair of source side terminals for receiving a supplied power to a junction point between the lighting circuit 5 and the secondary winding 2P of the pulse transformer 2a, and the other to an auxiliary electrode 8 in the socket section 1a. This known device is so constituted that, when the discharge lamp (not shown) is mounted to the socket section 1a, the auxiliary electrode 8 is connected through a conducting part of the discharge lamp to the outer electrode 6 to supply the power from the lighting circuit 5 to the igniter main circuit 2b to cause the starting circuit 2 to operate, whereas, when the discharge lamp is not mounted as yet, the power is not supplied to the igniter main circuit 2b, and the starting circuit 2 will not be actuated.
When in this case, as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2,909,867, a high voltage circuit constituted by a starting winding of the transformer, rectifying circuit, resistor and diode for supplying the power to the starting circuit is provided to a DC boosting circuit of the light circuit, it is possible to supply a high voltage suitable for a pulse generation to the starting circuit (starting pulse generating circuit), and the pulse generating transformer and the like in the starting circuit can be dimensionally minimized.
While the foregoing discharge lamp lighting device according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 8-41738 can restrain the starting circuit from being actuated in the state where the discharge lamp is not mounted and is safer than the discharge lamp lighting device according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 8-298190, the arrangement remains in that the power supply to the igniter main circuit 2b of the starting circuit 2 is made by a direct application of the output voltage of the lighting circuit 5, so that the voltage applied to the igniter main circuit 2b of the starting circuit 2 cannot be optionally selected (in such lighting circuit as shown in FIG. 9 of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 6-349586, for example, a voltage two times as high as the voltage supplied from the lighting circuit is applied to the primary side of the pulse transformer), the pulse transformer 2a for generating the high voltage pulse is required to be one large in the turn ratio, and as a result the pulse transformer 2a is enlarged in the dimensions. Otherwise, it is required to provide in the starting circuit 2 a boosting circuit, consequent to which the number of electronic parts increases to be enough for occupying a larger housing space.
Further, it has been unable to realize a safe lighting device only by providing the boosting circuit for the supply to the starting circuit in the lighting circuit in attempt to minimize the dimensions of the starting circuit as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2,909,867 since, in the event when the discharge lamp is not mounted, a high voltage of several ten kV (such as about 20 kV) is applied to the output end of the socket when the source power is supplied to the lighting device.
In the event where the pulse transformer which is heavy is incorporated in the lamp socket of the type incorporating the starting circuit or the lamp socket is dimensionally enlarged, there arise risks that, as the automotive head lamp, the optical axis of the discharge lamp is apt to be deviated due to vibration during the running, so as to be a cause of hindering the optical axis from being stable as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 8-315630, or that the high pulse voltage is applied to the output end of the socket when the discharge lamp is not mounted so as to be in lack of the safety as shown in Japanese Patent No. 2,909,867.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a discharge lamp lighting device minimized in dimensions and weight of the socket, decreased in the costs and made highly safe, by overcoming the foregoing problems.
According to the present invention, the above object is established by the device characterized in comprising a discharge lamp, a lighting circuit for lighting the discharge lamp, and a socket for mounting the discharge lamp and including a starting circuit for causing the discharge lamp to be lighted, wherein the lighting circuit has a pair of output lines for use with lighting outputs for stably lighting the discharge lamp and connected at least at one through the starting circuit to the discharge lamp, and a power supply means arranged for supplying the power to the starting circuit when the discharge lamp is mounted to the socket is additionally provided.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention shall become clear from the following description with reference to the embodiments shown in accompanying drawings.

Abstract: The discharge lamp lighting device is provided with a power supply line for supplying a power to a discharge-lamp starting circuit in addition to a pair of output lines for discharge-lamp lighting outputs from a lighting circuit, and is arranged for supplying the power from the lighting circuit through the power supply line, auxiliary electrode of the lamp socket, outer peripheral electrode and output lines to the starting circuit, to thereby realize the dimensional and weight minimization and the cost reduction.


A system that includes a laser designator configured to continuously designate a target with a pulsed laser spot. The system includes a sensor and associated processing system configured to receive a reflection of the laser spot, convert the received energy to plurality of signals, processing the signals for detecting true reflected signals and process the true reflected signals for generating target related action. The sensor and associated processor are configured to detect the true signals notwithstanding an inherent low Signal/Noise ratio of below 4 of the received signals from due to low pulse power of the laser designator and distance to target.

Designating targets using laser spots is a widely known technique due to the high precision of the pointing laser device and the relatively low cost of the homing head that utilizes a sensor which receives the energy reflected from the illuminated target, and then processing it for generating steering commands for homing the intercepting platform (such as an intercepting missile) towards the target (such as a moving vehicle).
In accordance with known laser spot guiding techniques (as illustrated schematically in FIG. 1), a laser designator 1 fitted on a given platform 2 constantly tracks the target 3 and illuminates it in a laser beam 4 pulsed spot. Also shown is an intercepting missile 5 employing a sensitive sensor. The sensor's surface is usually divided into four equal sectors (not shown in FIG. 1) and associated spectral filter which transfers most of the energy (reflected from the illuminated target as well as a certain (low) portion of noise that stems, e.g. from sunlight (not shown)). The energy received in each of the sectors of the sensor is converted into corresponding signal intensity. The differences between the signal intensities in the respective sectors are used to calculate the direction to the target (line of sight—LOS 6) and/or the change of direction LOS rate. The calculated LOS and/or LOS rate serve for steering the missile for homing onto the target 7.
In accordance with a typical (yet not exclusive) scenario, the laser designator 1 transmits pulses at a rate of 10-20 Hz, facilitating sampling at this rate for homing purposes. The wavelength that is used is e.g. 1064 nanometers. Each pulse is narrow (15-20 nanoseconds) and has generally an energy of 60 to 120 m joule. The energy received by the sensor is converted to electrical current/voltage, depending also on the sensor's sensitivity. In order to secure sufficient Signal/Noise ratio (e.g. above 6) that will be received in the sensor and will allow to discern between the true signal from the ambient noise (such as sunlight) at a sufficient level of certainty, the output power of the laser designator 1 is of the order of 3-8 Megawatts. This output power of the laser would allow the intercepting missile to process the so discerned signal at sufficient range from the target, affording at least 6-10 time constants which are required for properly steering of the intercepting missile in order to achieve an accurate homing 7 onto the target. In case the energy received at the sensor is too low, this will hinder properly. discerning between the signal and noise, thereby adversely affecting the calculation of the angular error and angular error rate, and thereby degrading the prospects of duly hitting the target.
The hitherto known techniques suffer from one or more of the following limitations, including:                The relatively high price tag of the laser designator (which illuminates the target) that meets the specified operational specification,        The relatively large physical dimensions of the laser designator as well as the relatively high weight which hinders the possibility to carry portable laser designators by a person such as an infantry individual, or fitting them in, a vehicle, such as small flying platforms (for instance UAV) which can fly under the clouds.
There is, thus, a need in the art for a new low-weight and low-cost laser designator device, and a corresponding sensor and associated processor that will facilitate appropriate designating of moving targets, e.g. for display purposes, and whose laser can be carried by a platform that is limited by its, capacity to carry heavy payload, such as an infantry soldier, low weight flying platform (possibly) unmanned air vehicle (UAV), etc.
There is still a need in the art for laser designators and/or sensor and an associated processor that will facilitate the operation of intercepting platforms such as missiles for homing onto moving or stationary targets.
There are known in the art low pulse power lasers, for instance those utilizing fiber optics technology (hereinafter fiber optics lasers). A typical, yet not exclusive example is the 10-20W Pulsed Fiber Lasers commercially available from SPI Lasers Company, which is illustrated schematically in FIG. 2. Such lasers are in many cases considerably lighter and cheaper than the specified laser designators, but they have low pulse power capacity of the order of 1-4 mjoules per pulse. The fiber optic lasers can generate a relatively high pulse frequency of the order of 5000 Hz at very accurate timing.
As shown in FIG. 2, a typical, yet not exclusive, fiber laser designator 20 consists of a power supply 21 coupled to a trigger laser diode 22 and pumping laser diode 23 both coupled to fiber laser amplifier 24 which, in turn, is coupled to beam spot focusing telescope 25 that generates the laser spot that illuminates the target. Note that the generated laser pulses are rather narrow, say of the order of 20-25 nanoseconds.
The operation of the fiber optics laser designator is generally known per se and therefore will not be further expounded upon herein.
There is a further need in the art for utilizing the low weight and relatively cheap fiber optics lasers for the specified applications such as designating targets (e.g. for display purposes), and/or homing an intercepting object, such as a missile, onto a mobile or stationary target, and/or measuring distance and/or velocity to targets. These applications are applicable, notwithstanding the inherent low pulse power output of the fiber optics lasers.
List of related art: WO 2005/050240 entitled "Method and System for Determining the Range and Velocity of a Moving Object" discloses a device for determining the range of a moving object, the device including at least one sampler, a multi-process array coupled with the sampler and a selector coupled with the multi-process array, the sampler producing a plurality of sampled signals by sampling a received signal respective of a sequence of pulses transmitted toward the moving object, the multi-process array running a plurality of processes, each of the processes associated with a respective time shift which is determined according to a respective radial velocity assumption of the moving object with respect to the device and with a pulse rate of the sequence of pulses, each of the processes producing a signal summation by sequentially shifting the sampled signal by the respective time shift and adding together the sampled signals, the selector determining the range according to at least one signal summation which includes a summed pulse event.

Method and system for designating a target and generating target-related action


A concrete hardening and dust prevention solution that can be applied at low temperatures to harden and air-dry concrete surfaces. The low temperature concrete hardening and dust prevention solution comprises about 75% by weight of dimethyl glutarate, about 24.75% by weight of tung oil, and about 0.25% by weight of dimethyl phtalate. The low temperature concrete hardening and dust prevention solution may be applied at temperatures ranging from -35 degrees Fahrenheit to +42 degrees Fahrenheit.

Concrete surfaces are commonly used for the floors of industrial and commercial cold rooms, including chillers, coolers and freezers. Concrete is suitable for such applications because concrete has relatively low thermal expansion, concrete is resistance to compression and can support heavy loads, concrete can be easily shaped and formed at a construction site, hardened concrete is relatively inert towards solvents, acids and caustic chemicals, and concrete is relatively inexpensive. However, untreated concrete surfaces are not resistant to abrasion from mechanical insults, such as the pulling of heavy objects across concrete surfaces or the impact of falling objects onto concrete surfaces. Also, untreated concrete surfaces are prone to producing a fine, abrasive dust that can degrade the quality of air within a cold room and that can cause significant mechanical damage to mechanical systems such as air compressors and refrigeration units. It is therefore desirable to treat concrete floors in cold rooms with chemical agents to render the surface of the concrete more resistant to abrasion and to control the formation and buildup of concrete dust that results from abrasion.
Commonly used chemical agents for treating concrete surfaces include silicofluorides along with sodium silicate, aluminum, or zinc sulfate, or drying oils like linseed oil or tung oil. Alternatively, silicon carbide, fused alumina, or finely divided iron/ammonium chloride preparations may be incorporated into liquid concrete in order to produce a harder surface in the final, hardened and air dried concrete product. Although silicon carbide, fused alumina, and finely divided iron-ammonium chloride preparations render a concrete surface more resistant to abrasion, they are not very effective in rendering a surface less dusty. Silicofluoride or drying oil treatments both harden concrete surfaces and render the surfaces less dusty, but may produce less than desirable results when applied at low temperatures. A need has therefore been recognized for a liquid preparation for treating concrete floors at low temperatures in order to harden the concrete floor surfaces and to prevent the formation and buildup of concrete dust.


A reusable plastic container is provided. The container includes a plastic container body having opposing side panels and opposing end panels. The container body also includes top side panel flaps attached to a top portion of each side panel, and bottom side panel flaps attached to a bottom portion of each side panel. The container body has top end panel flaps attached to a top portion of each end panel, and bottom end panel flaps attached to a bottom portion of each end panel. The top and bottom side panel flaps are each defined with respect to the side panels by a fold line. The fold lines including at least one scored portion and at least one welded portion.

Reusable plastic packaging has in recent years been used to store and transport all manner of goods and materials via air, highway, and rail. Such goods and materials run the gamut, including general merchandise, health and beauty aids, automotive parts, beverage, bakery, pharmaceuticals, and food products.
Reusable packaging typically lasts for multiple trips making it more cost effective than wood fiber corrugated or other disposable packaging, which is typically discarded after a single use. Plastic packaging is both reusable and recyclable, and therefore, environmentally friendly.
Until the present invention, one drawback to plastic packaging is that it cannot be used with existing automated corrugated paper packaging equipment. An example of such equipment is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,886,503 to Chase, et al. Such equipment is designed for new corrugated paper boxes. New paper corrugated boxes are almost perfectly straight and flat. Existing reusable plastic packaging such as plastic corrugated boxes, however, have top and bottom flaps that do not return to a sufficiently flat position after they have been used and broken down. Thus, existing plastic corrugated boxes will not work with automated corrugated paper packaging equipment to allow them to be reused.
The plastic corrugated container of the present invention provides a reusable plastic container that can be used interchangeably with existing automated paper corrugated packaging equipment. Fold lines for the top and bottom flaps include a combination of welded and scored portions that return the flaps to a substantially planar configuration with the container end and side panels after each use.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Plastic corrugated container with manufacturer's joint adding zero extra thickness


A voltage converter for determining whether input power is DC power or AC power includes a power input terminal, an AC to DC converter, a switch and a DC detector. The AC to DC converter converts AC power into a DC output voltage when the input power is AC power. The AC to DC converter includes a brown-out detector, for disabling the AC to DC converter when a voltage of the input power is smaller than a predefined voltage. The switch passes DC power when the input power is DC power. The DC detector determines that the input power is DC power and turns on the switch when the voltage of the input power is within a predefined voltage range, and determines that the input power is AC power and turns off the switch when the voltage of the input power is not within the predefined voltage range.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a voltage converter, and more particularly, to a voltage converter capable of receiving direct current (DC) power and alternating current (AC) power on the same terminal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Network communication products in the market, such as the cable modem and network server, provide media for signal communications between network clouds and household electronic products. Most of the network communication products are equipped with phone-call functions. Also, several countries specify those devices having phone-call functions should still possess emergency call functionalities during power outage; hence, the network communication products should be equipped with battery(s) for usage of emergency calls. At the present, the disposition of battery(s) for the network communication products has two common methods, one of which is embedding the battery(s) in the network communication products, and the other is utilizing an external battery box or an uninterruptible power system (UPS) externally connected to the network communication products. In general, the implementation of built-in battery(s) may lead to larger network communication products, which also have higher costs. In contrast, the implementation by utilizing the external battery box or the UPS is more flexible.
Thus, there is a need to provide a voltage converter used for the network communication products. The voltage converter is capable of receiving power from the external battery box or the UPS, and effectively determining whether the received power is DC power or AC power, in order to perform appropriate processing.


An optical architecture is provided comprising a plurality of mod/mux units, a master optical distribution hub, a plurality of additional optical distribution hubs, and a plurality of premise stations. Each of the mod/mux units is configured to (i) permit selective modulation of demultiplexed components of a target wavelength band of an optical signal, (ii) multiplex the selectively modulated optical signal, and (iii) direct the multiplexed signal to the master optical distribution hub. The master optical distribution hub is configured to distribute multiplexed signals from respective ones of the mod/mux units to corresponding ones of the plurality of additional optical distribution hubs. Each of the plurality of additional optical distribution hubs comprises an arrayed waveguide grating configured to demultiplex the multiplexed optical signal and distribute respective distinct wavelength portions of the target wavelength band to respective ones of the premise stations.

The present invention relates to optical data transfer system architectures and, more particularly, to Fiber-to-the-Premise (FTTP) architectures and components for use therein.
Optical data transfer networks operate according to the general principle that information can be generated, shared, passed on, bypassed, or otherwise manipulated or communicated within a network of data transfer lines. Network applications include LANs, MANs, WANs, SANs, intrabuilding and interbuilding communications, broadcast distribution, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), telecommunications, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) networks, etc. It has been recognized that optical fiber data transfer lines embody a number of advantages over electrically conductive data transfer lines. Specifically, optical lines offer increased bandwidth, enhanced durability, easier installation, improved immunity to electromagnetic interference, and resistance to harsh environmental conditions. Accordingly, the present invention is directed at providing improved optical architectures for data transfer and, more particularly, to improved schemes for effectuating the transfer of data to and from homes, businesses, and other remote premises.


An electric double layer capacitor comprises: a separator; a pair of electrodes separated by the separator, and the electrodes including activated carbon particles and a binder binding the activated carbon particles; and a pair of collectors separated by the pair of electrodes, wherein a density of the electrodes is in the range of 1.4 g/cm3 to 1.8 g/cm3.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric double layer capacitor with activated carbon electrodes, and more particularly to an improved activated carbon electrode for an electric double layer capacitor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electric double layer capacitors are suitable for supplying a large electric energy for driving a motor of an electric car or for realizing an energy recycle system, because the electric double layer capacitors are high in energy density and power density. In order to have further increased the energy density, it was proposed to increase a density of activated carbon in the electrodes of the electric double layer capacitor.
Japanese laid-open patent publication discloses a conventional electric double layer capacitor with electrodes which comprise a mixture of an activated carbon containing phenol resin and a sulfuric acid solution. The activated carbon containing phenol resin comprises a carbon paste with a density of about 0.6 g/cm3. The sulfuric acid solution contains 0.1–0.8% by weight of poly-4-vinylpyridine. The conventional electric double layer capacitor has the following disadvantages.
The conventional electric double layer capacitor is small in capacity for a unit volume and large in equivalent series resistance (ESR). The reason why the capacity is small would be that the electrode density is small, for example, about 0.6 g/cm3, and thus a filling amount of activated carbon for a unit volume is small, whereby a contact area to an electrolyte is small. The reason why the equivalent series resistance (ESR) is large would be that a contact resistance between activated carbons is high.
Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 5-82395 discloses another conventional electric double layer capacitor with polarization electrodes which comprise a sintered solid-state activated carbon impregnated with a diluted sulfuric acid. The electrodes have a specific surface area in the range of 2000–3200 m2/gr. The electrodes have a density in the range of 0.42–0.6 g/cm3.
It is advantageous that activated carbon particles are sintered in order to obtain a large reduction in the contact resistance between activated carbons. It is, however, undesirable that the electrode density is small, for example, in the range of 0.42–0.6 g/cm3, and thus the capacity for the unit volume is small.
In the above circumstances, the development of a novel electric double layer capacitor with improved activated carbon electrodes free from the above problems is desirable.

Electric double layer capacitor with improved activated carbon electrodes


Circuits for supervising message generators and audio output cables include memory for binary storage of messages previously recorded in a message generator. As the generator is cycled to produce an audio output, that analog output is sampled and compared to the previously stored binary representation. A match indicates a successful generation of the message. The cables can be supervised by applying a DC bias thereto and detecting the voltage present on the respective cable. Line integrity is indicated where the cable DC voltage falls in an expected range.

Ambient condition detection systems for supervising one or more conditions in a selected region are known. One such system is disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,389, entitled "Enhanced Group Addressing System", assigned to the assignee hereof. The disclosure of the '389 patent is incorporated herein by reference.
Ambient condition systems of the type disclosed in the '389 patent can be configured to detect, in one embodiment, fire profiles based on detected ambient conditions such as smoke, temperature or gas. In such fire detecting systems, it is known to provide audible and visible outputs, horns and strobe lights. These devices can be used to provide human perceptible indications of the presence of a detected fire profile. In this regard, voice annunciation systems have also been used. In such systems, audible messages can be prestored and played back at appropriate times to provide yet another form of communication for individuals in the region being supervised.
Where such annunciation systems are provided, it is desirable to be able to test same without alarming any individuals in the region where the test is being conducted. Preferably such testing could include not only annunciation system circuitry but also associated audio output cables. Also, it would be preferable if such supervision circuitry could be implemented without adding significantly to the cost or complexity of the associated system.


Optimization of a projection system is performed to obtain a starting configuration that is at a local minimum of the merit function or simply a previously known minimum system is used as the starting configuration. A zero-thickness meniscus lens is inserted at a surface in the local minimum starting configuration with N surfaces to construct a saddle point with Morse Index=1 having N+2 surfaces. The saddle point is perturbed and optimization is performed on both sides of the saddle, and the distances at the two surfaces that have been introduced are increased, to generate two new configurations, m1 and m2, that are new minima in the merit function. Each resulting configuration is output, e.g., as a table of parameters specifying the projection system or as a computer file for use in making an actual projection system.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a method of designing a projection system, a lithographic apparatus and a method for manufacturing a device.
2. Related Art
A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that instance, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, can be used to generate a circuit pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the IC. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g., comprising part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g., a silicon wafer). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned. Known lithographic apparatus include so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at one time, and so-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through a radiation beam in a given direction (the "scanning"-direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti parallel to this direction. It is also possible to transfer the pattern from the patterning device to the substrate by imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.
The present invention is concerned with designing the projection system (also referred to as an optical system) for imaging the pattern onto the substrate. There are many constraints that must be met when devising a projection system and many variable parameters. The process becomes an optimization problem. The impressive progress in the global optimization of optical systems over the past two decades has resulted in powerful software tools. For optical designs for which the complexity is not too high, present-day global optimization algorithms are valuable tools for finding a good solution among the many local minima that are found in the merit function landscape. However, if the number of components is large, or if there are a large number of variable parameters such as aspheric coefficients, then even local optimization is time consuming, and it is difficult to apply such tools straightforwardly. In this case, local minima that differ from the known ones must be found with methods that use only a small number of local optimizations to achieve their goal. A further problem is that, even starting from known designs, it is difficult to generate new projection systems in a simple, efficient and systematic manner.
Therefore, what is needed is a method for designing new projection systems for lithographic projection apparatus

Method of designing a projection system, lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method


A hard disk drive with a circuit that provides a control signal to a voice coil motor to move a head across a disk of the drive. The drive includes a flex circuit that applies a bias force onto an actuator arm coupled to the head. The circuit includes a state estimator that provides a plurality of estimation errors and a bias estimator that creates a bias estimate. The bias estimate includes an average of the estimation errors and is a function of the flex circuit bias force. The bias estimate is used to create the control signal provided to the voice coil motor. The bias estimate reduces seek time during a seek routine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seek routine of a hard disk drive.
2. Background Information
Hard disk drives contain a plurality of magnetic heads that are coupled to rotating disks. The heads write and read information by magnetizing and sensing the magnetic fields of the disk surfaces. Each head is attached to a flexure arm to create a subassembly commonly referred to as a head gimbal assembly ("HGA"). The HGA's are suspended from an actuator arm. The actuator arm has a voice coil motor that can move the heads across the surfaces of the disks. The heads are typically electronically connected to the circuits of the drive by a flex circuit.
Information is typically stored in radial tracks that extend across the surface of each disk. Each track is typically divided into a number of segments or sectors. The voice coil motor and actuator arm can move the heads to different tracks of the disks.
FIG. 1 shows a typical track that has a number of fields associated with each sector. A sector may include an automatic gain control ("AGC") field 1 that is used to adjust the strength of the read signal, a sync field 2 to establish a timing reference for the circuits of the drive, and ID 3 and Gray Code 4 fields to provide sector and track identification, respectively.
Each sector may have also a servo field 5 located adjacent to a data field 6. The servo field 5 contains a plurality of servo bits A, B, C and D that are read and utilized in a servo routine to position the head 7 relative to the track. By way of example, the servo routine may utilize the algorithm of ((A-B)-(C-D)) to create a position error signal ("PES"). The PES is used to create a drive signal for the voice coil motor to position the head on the track.
To move the heads to a new disk location the drive performs a seek routine by providing a control signal to the voice coil motor. In a seek routine the heads are moved across the disks and then decelerated into a settle mode. Disk drives typically include a control loop. The control loop includes a state estimator that computes head position and head velocity estimates that are used to adjust the control signal provided to the voice coil motor.
During the settle mode there may be a disturbance in the flex circuit that increases the settle time of the servo process. The disturbance may include a biasing force exerted onto the actuator arm by the flex circuit. There are various approaches for compensating the flex circuit disturbances. For example, the integrator state of the controller can be read during on-track mode. Another approach that utilizes a state predictor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,394,614 issued to Kang and assigned to Samsung Electronics Corp., Ltd.
The biasing force of the flex circuit may change from a negative to a positive value. A negative bias tends to inhibit overshoot during a seek routine, but a positive bias can create a large overshoot, increase seek time and degrade the performance of the drive.

On-line bias estimator in hard disk drives


An object of the invention is to obtain a high-speed and high-accuracy radio-wave propagation characteristic forecasting system in combination with the launching method by correctly estimating a diffraction phenomenon when a ray passes the vicinity of an edge of a structure. To estimate a radio-wave propagation characteristic in accordance with the ray launching method, when a ray passes the vicinity of an edge of a structure, a diffracted wave is generated at the edge if the distance between the edge and the ray is smaller than the radius of a ray spread. Thereby, it is easy to combine the ray launching method with the conventional ray launching method and it is possible to estimate a high-speed high-accuracy radio-wave propagation characteristic also considering a ray diffracted wave.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio-wave propagation characteristic forecasting system and its method, particularly to a radio-wave propagation characteristic forecasting method using a geometric-optical method using the so-called ray launching.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A radio-wave propagation simulator is used to support the arrangement of base stations or host systems in a wireless communication system. Reception power and delay spread are evaluated at an optional reception point by a radio-wave propagation simulator to decide a setting place of an appropriate transmitting station and as a result, the reduction of the number of base stations to be arranged is efficiently executed.
The radio-wave propagation simulation is roughly divided into the simulation using a statistical method and the simulation using a deterministic method. The statistical method is a method for deciding a parameter of an estimate equation using a distance or frequency as an argument through the multivariate analysis in accordance with a lot of data obtained from actual measurement of a propagation loss. The deterministic method is a method for obtaining a propagation loss or delay value by assuming radio waves radiated from an antenna as an aggregate of radio-wave rays and synthesizing rays geometrically-optically propagating while repeating reflection and transmission and reaching an observation point.
The geometric-optical method is further divided into the imaging method and the ray launching method. The imaging method is a method for deciding a ray reflection/transmission route connecting a transmission point with a reception point by obtaining a imaging point against a reflection surface. A reflection/transmission route can be uniquely obtained when a transmission point, reception point, and reflection/transmission object are defined. Therefore, the imaging method is a strict method for searching a ray propagation route. However, the ray launching method is a method for regarding a ray passing the vicinity of a reception point as a ray reaching the reception point by radiating rays from an antenna in a certain direction independently of a reception point and obtaining a ray propagation route according to reflection and transmission, which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-33584.
FIG. 15 is an illustration for explaining operations of the ray launching method when an observation region 100, transmission point A18, reception point A20, and two objects A06 and A09 are provided. In FIG. 15, operations are explained by restricting the operations to a two-dimensional plane for simplification. In fact, however, operations may be performed in a three-dimensional space.
First, a ray A03 is radiated from the transmission point A18 in the direction of a certain propagation route. It is examined for all objects in the observation region whether the ray radiated in the direction collides with the objects present in the observation region 100. The ray A03 collides with the object A06 at a reflection point A19 and as a result, a transmitting ray A07 and a reflected ray A11 are generated. The ray 11 generated due to reflection further collides with the object A09, so that a transmitting ray A15 and a reflected ray A10 are generated. The reflected ray A10 passes the vicinity of the reception point A20, the ray is handled as an incoming wave at an observation point.
Specifically, the reception intensity and the incoming delay time defined in accordance with the total of propagation distances of the rays A03, A11, and A10 are recorded as shown in FIG. 16. The abscissa axis 101 of FIG. 16 shows the delay time required for the rays to achieve the total of the above propagation distances from the transmission point A18 up to the observation point A20 and the ordinate axis 102 shows reception intensities of the rays passing through the route of the total of the propagation distances.
The reflection/transmission ray search same as the case of the above propagation route is repeated for the ray A03 radiated in the direction of the propagation route from the transmission point A18 also on transmitted waves A07 to A15. When a ray passes the vicinity of the reception point A20, it is handled as a coming wave the same as the case of the ray A10 and the above processing is continued until a search end condition is satisfied. The search end condition is set to a condition when the reception electric-field intensity at a reflection/transmission point becomes lower than a predetermined value.
After the reflection/transmission route search of a ray radiated in the direction of the ray A03 from the transmission point A18 is completed, the same launching is executed by changing emission angles of the ray to be radiated from the transmission point A18 like the case of, for example, the ray A21 in another propagation route and examined on all emission directions of the transmission point A18 or some of emission directions previously defined. Finally, FIG. 17 is obtained which is a delay profile for the reception point A20. The abscissa axis 201 of FIG. 17 shows the delay time until a ray comes from the transmission point A18 and the ordinate axis 202 shows the reception intensity of a ray passing through the route. Reception power is obtained by the sum of reception intensities of all paths and a delay spread showing the degree of a distortion is given by the standard deviation of delay times.
The above ray launching method is not a method for strictly obtaining the solution of the propagation route of a ray connecting a transmission point with a reception point like the imaging method but it is a method for approximately providing the solution. Therefore, it has a feature capable of shortening the time required for propagation route search.
A ray spread corresponding to the propagation distance from the transmission point is defined for each ray shown in FIG. 15. The ray spread is a spread region defined in the vicinity of a ray and the spread is defined so that it increases as the distance from the transmission point increases and decreases as the number of rays radiated from the transmission point increases.
In FIG. 18, the same portion as that in FIG. 15 is shown by the same symbol. FIG. 18 specifically shows the envelope of a ray spread, in which the ray spread envelope for the ray A03 is defined by A01 and A02, that for the ray A11 is defined by A12 and A16, and that for the ray A10 is defined by A22 and A23. This ray spread is used to decide whether to regard a ray passing the vicinity of the reception point A20 as a ray reaching the reception point.
Specifically, when the reception point A20 is given, the distance D between the point A20 and the ray A10 is compared with the spread radius S of the ray spread at the spot concerned. When S is equal to or larger than D, the ray is handled as an arrival ray at the observation, and the delay time and reception intensity at the reception point A20 are recorded by considering the propagation distance from a transmission point, reflection number, distance D, and etc.
The delay profile characteristic at the reception point is obtained by applying the above described operation to all rays radiated from the transmission point A18, recording delay times and reception intensities of arrival rays incorporated into the reception point one by one, and synthesizing the delay times and reception intensities.
Main geometric-optical components in radio wave propagation are a reflected wave and a transmitted wave. However, to more accurately estimate a radio-wave propagation characteristic, it is necessary to consider a diffracted wave which is a nongeometric-optical component. In this case, diffraction is defined as a phenomenon that when a ray collides with an edge of a structure, a radio wave propagates while curving in a direction other than the traveling direction of the ray. Though a diffracted wave is originally not a geometric-optical component, the UTD method (Uniform Theory of Diffraction) described in ("A uniform geometrical theory of diffraction for an edge in a perfectly conducting surface," Proc. IEEE, vol. 62, pp. 1448-1461, 1974) is generally used as a method for handling a diffraction phenomenon in a geometric-optical range. The UTD method models a diffractive wave by generating a plurality of rays having a radiation angle equal to the incident angle to a diffraction edge around the diffraction edge.
FIG. 19 is a schematic view for specifically explaining the UTD method. A case is assumed in which a ray R001 radiated from a transmission point S001 enters a diffraction edge E002 of a structure (object) E001. In the case of the UTD method, the diffraction edge R002 is radiated from a diffraction point D001 so that the angle Ti formed between the diffraction edge E002 and the incident ray R001 becomes equal to the angle To formed between the diffraction edge E002 and a diffracted ray R002. In FIG. 19, only one diffracted ray is shown. However, innumerable diffracted rays satisfying the above condition are generated along the side face of a cone C001 set to the outside of the structure E001.
In the ray launching method, the route tracing of a ray is performed by radiating rays from a transmission point at predetermined intervals and detecting the collision between the rays and a structure. However, because a ray is a line defined in a three-dimensional space having an infinitesimal size, the possibility that the ray collides with an edge of the structure provided as a line is also very low. Therefore, there is a problem that a diffraction phenomenon cannot correctly be estimated because diffracted waves are hardly generated only by simply applying the conventional UTD method to the ray launching method.

Radio-wave propagation characteristic forecasting system and its method, and program


The present invention relates to compositions for the treatment of conditions, including pancreatic insufficiency. The compositions of the present invention comprise lipase, protease and amylase in a particular ratio that provides beneficial results in patients, such as those afflicted with pancreatic insufficiency. This invention also relates to methods using such compositions for the treatment of pancreatic insufficiency. The compositions specifically comprise crosslinked Burkholderia cepacia lipase crystals, Aspergillus melleus protease crystals and amorphous Aspergillus oryzae amylase in a ratio of about 1:1:0.15 USP units.

Digestion constitutes the physiological process by which ingested food is broken down into readily absorbed nutrient components. Following ingestion, food passes through various segments of the gastrointestinal tract and digestion is carried out, primarily by digestive enzymes. Three groups of digestive enzymes essential to this process include lipases (for fat digestion), proteases (for protein digestion) and amylases (for carbohydrate digestion).
Food digestion and nutrient absorption occur in the small intestine. There, ingested food is broken down by digestive enzymes for ready absorption. Most digestive enzymes are secreted by the pancreas and arrive in the small intestine through the pancreatic duct.
The pancreas effects a variety of exocrine and endocrine actions required for proper digestion, nutrition and metabolism. Pancreatic exocrine activities include the secretion of proteins that function as enzymes in the small intestine to catalyze the hydrolysis of fat into glycerol and fatty acids, protein into peptides and amino acids and carbohydrates into dextrins, disaccharides and monosaccharides, such as glucose. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (hereinafter "pancreatic insufficiency") results from a reduction in pancreatic function and can be caused by a number of clinical disorders. For example, pancreatic insufficiency is associated with cystic fibrosis, chronic pancreatitis, acute pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer and Shwachmann-Diamond Syndrome [E. P. DiMagno et al., in The Pancreas: Biology, Pathobiology and Disease, 2d Ed., V. Liang et al., eds., pp. 665-701 (1993)].
In patients afflicted with pancreatic insufficiency, the pancreas fails to produce and/or secrete sufficient amounts of digestive enzymes to support normal digestive processes, including digestion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. As a result, those patients suffer from malabsorption of nutrients. Clinical manifestations of pancreatic insufficiency include abdominal cramping, bloating, diarrhea, steatorrhea, nausea and weight loss.
Pancreatic insufficiency is present in 89% of patients suffering from cystic fibrosis [D. Borowitz et al., "Use of Fecal Elastase-1 to Identify Misclassification of Functional Pancreatic Status in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis", J. Pediatr., 145, pp. 322-326 (2004)]. Cystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder that primarily affects the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems [S. M. Rowe et al., "Mechanisms of Disease: Cystic Fibrosis", N. Engl. J. Med., 352, pp. 1992-2001 (1995)]. Abnormal amounts and viscosity of mucus produced in cystic fibrosis patients impede the secretion of sufficient amounts of pancreatic enzymes. The decreased volume of pancreatic secretions leads to inspissation within the pancreatic ducts, preventing egress of enzymes and bicarbonate into the duodenum. As a result, cystic fibrosis patients with pancreatic insufficiency suffer from impaired digestion and experience significant malabsorption of fat and protein. For example, such patients typically absorb less than 60% of dietary fat [M. Kraisinger et al., "Clinical Pharmacology of Pancreatic Enzymes in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis and in vitro Performance of Microencapsulated Formulations", J. Clin. Pharmacol., 34, pp. 158-166 (1994)]. If left untreated, maldigestion and malabsorption in cystic fibrosis patients lead to malnutrition, inability to gain or maintain weight and decreased growth, as well as worsening of chronic suppurative lung disease [K. Gaskin et al., "Improved Respiratory Prognosis in CF Patients with Normal Fat Absorption", J. Pediatr., 100, pp. 857-862 (1982); J. M. Littlewood et al., "Control of Malabsorption in Cystic Fibrosis", Paediatr. Drugs, 2, pp. 205-222 (2000)].
To date, standard therapy for pancreatic insufficiency is primarily based on orally-administered porcine pancrelipase, containing a mixture of lipases, trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase and amylases. Although porcine pancreatic enzyme supplements contain substantial amounts of amylase, it has been reported that cystic fibrosis patients have normal amylase levels [P. L. Townes et al., "Amylase Polymorphism: Studies of Sera and Duodenal Aspirates in Normal Individuals and in Cystic Fibrosis", Am. J. Hum. Genet., 28, pp. 378-389 (1976)]. Accordingly, it is believed that amylase serves no function in increasing polysaccharide digestion [E. Lebenthal et al., "Enzyme Therapy for Pancreatic Insufficiency: Present Status and Future Needs," Pancreas, 9, pp. 1-12 (1994)]. The lipase, protease and amylase components of porcine pancreatic supplements are typically present in a 1:3.5:3.5 ratio.
Pancreatic enzyme supplements are normally administered orally with meals. As these supplements pass through the low pH environment of the stomach, their enzyme activity diminishes rapidly. As a result, large quantities of enzyme concentrate (sometimes as many as 15 capsules or tablets per meal) have been required to ensure that sufficient active enzyme is present in the proximal intestine to relieve pancreatic insufficiency.
Because protease and lipase can become irreversibly inactivated in the stomach's acidic environment, enteric-coating technologies have been applied to pancrelipase products, to enclose enzymes in microbeads or otherwise treat them with a protective enteric coating. While such enteric-coatings improved the product profile, large quantities of supplements were still required to yield therapeutic benefit [J. H. Meyer, in Pancreatic Enzymes in Health and Disease, P. G. Lankisch, ed., pp. 71-88 (1991)]. A high-strength pancrelipase product line (Ultrase®) was introduced, with the goal of reducing the quantities of tablets or capsules necessary to treat pancreatic insufficiency. However, in 1991 the United States Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, in conjunction with the FDA, reported multiple cases of fibrosing colonopathy in children with cystic fibrosis taking such high-strength products [S. C. Fitzsimmons et al., "High-Dose Pancreatic-Enzyme Supplements and Fibrosing Colonopathy in Children with Cystic Fibrosis", N. Engl. J. Med., 336, pp. 1283-1289 (1997)]. In these patients, colonic fibrosis caused strictures that often required surgery and, in some cases, colectomy.
As a means toward reducing daily doses of pancreatic enzymes, the FDA removed the high strength products (defined as greater than 2,500 USP units per kg body weight) from the market [D. S. Borowitz et al., "Use of Pancreatic Enzyme Supplements for Patients with Cystic Fibrosis in the Context of Fibrosing Colonopathy", J. Pediatr., 127, pp. 681-684 (1995)]. In addition, the United States Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, jointly with the FDA, recommended a detailed examination of the complex nature of porcine enzyme extracts [Id.]. The Consensus Panel also recommended investigation of alternative, acid-stable lipases.
Whether or not a given pancreatic enzyme supplement is enterically-coated, the bioavailability of such supplements varies widely, due to differentials in acidification of the intestine among patients. As a result, many patients take pH altering drugs, such as histamine-2 (H2) receptor blockers and proton pump inhibitors (PPI), to improve the clinical efficacy of the enzyme supplements [P. G. Lankish, "Enzyme Treatment of Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency in Chronic Pancreatitis', Digestion, 54 (Supp. 2), pp. 21-29 (1993); D. Y. Graham, "Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement: the Effect of Antacids or Cimetidine", Dig. Dis. Sci., 27, pp. 485-490 (1982); J. H. Saunders et al., "Inhibition of Gastric Secretion in Treatment of Pancreatic Insufficiency", Br. Med. J., 1, pp. 418-419 (1977); H. G. Heijerman et al., "Omeprazole Enhances the Efficacy of Pancreatin (Pancrease) in Cystic Fibrosis", Ann. Inter. Med., 114, pp. 200-201 (1991); M. J. Bruno et al., "Comparative Effects of Adjuvant Cimetidine and Omprazole during Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy", Dig. Dis. Sci., 39, pp. 988-992 (1994)].
Variability in terms of potency and pharmaceutical properties and lack of stability have also been identified as important factors contributing to a poor response of some patients to conventional pancreatic enzyme supplements [C. L. Chase et al., "Enzyme Content and Acid Stability of Enteric-Coated Pancreatic Enzyme Products in vitro", Pancreas, 30, pp. 180-183 (2005); D. S. Borowitz et al., J. Pediatr., 127, supra; C. J. Powell et al., "Colonic Toxicity from Pancreatins: a Contemporary Safety Issue", Lancet, 353, pp. 911-915 (1999); E. Lebenthal et al., "Enzyme Therapy for Pancreatic Insufficiency: Present Status and Future Needs", Pancreas, 9, pp. 1-12 (1994); P. Regan et al., "Comparative Effects of Antacids, Cimetidine and Enteric Coating on the Therapeutic Response to Oral Enzymes in Severe Pancreatic Insufficiency", N. Eng. J. Med., 297, pp. 854-858 (1977)]. These include batch-to-batch variation in enzyme activity, susceptibility to loss of activity over time by exposure to sunlight, heat or humidity and a poorly defined profile of adverse reactions [D. S. Borowitz et al., J. Pediatr., 127, supra]. Other factors that complicate pancreatic insufficiency therapy include destruction of the replacement enzymes by gastric juice and/or intraluminal proteases, asynchronous gastric emptying of enzyme supplement and meal nutrients, and delayed liberation of enzyme from enteric-coated preparations [P. G. Lankish, Digestion, 54 supra; P. Regan et al., N. Eng. J. Med., 297, supra].
Due to the problems of potency, stability and bioavailability characterizing conventional pancreatic enzyme supplements, the use of microbially-derived enzymes as alternatives to porcine-derived enzymes has been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,051,220 describes compositions comprising one or more acid stable lipases and one or more acid stable amylases, both preferably of fungal origin. United States patent application 2004/0057944 describes compositions comprising Rhizopus delemar lipase, Aspergillus melleus protease and Aspergillus oryzae amylase. United States patent application 2001/0046493 describes compositions comprising crosslinked crystalline bacterial lipase, together with a fungal or plant protease and a fungal or bacterial amylase.
Despite such developments, the need still exists for optimizing dosage formulations to further improve both the efficacy of pancreatic enzyme supplements and patient compliance. The goal of a pancreatic enzyme supplement displaying the highest efficacy at the lowest dose, and characterized by a well-defined safety profile, remains of great importance to all patients suffering from pancreatic insufficiency, including those in the cystic fibrosis community.

Compositions and methods for treating pancreatic insufficiency

Cystic Fibrosis Foundations Therapeutics, Inc.


An electromagnetic actuator is disclosed having a case fabricated of a ferromagnetic material and defining a central axis, a core disposed coaxial with the central axis, and being in slideable engagement within the case. The core includes a first end portion, a second end portion, and a central portion. The actuator further includes magnetic flux developing element mounted coaxial with the central axis and a first and a second electrical current conductor coil. The first coil is mounted in a facing relationship with the first end portion of the core and the second coil is mounted in a facing relationship with the second end portion of the core. The coils are fabricated from a ferromagnetic material and are coaxial with the central axis. The coils have a cross-sectional length in a direction perpendicular to the central axis and a width of insulating space between the turns of the coil in a direction parallel to the central axis. The length and width are selected such that the reluctance of the width of the insulating space is greater than the reluctance of the cross-sectional length of the coil wire adjacent the insulating space.

In the past, electromagnetic actuators, electromagnets, and other devices utilizing the interaction of electrical current and magnetic fields were customarily constructed such that the electrical current would flow in either a copper or aluminum material. This choice of material was based on the fact that copper and aluminum have substantially lower electrical resistivity than most other materials, yet are available at a relatively low cost. The low electrical resistivity is desirable in that, for a given current flowing in a conductor of a given geometry, the rate at which heat is generated is directly proportional to the electrical resistivity. Therefore, the use of copper or aluminum material in the coils is believed to reduce the heat generated and accordingly, reduce the energy lost to the heat. This reduction in heat is generally characteristic of devices having greater useful output per energy expended, and thus greater efficiency.
Many electromechanical devices use ferromagnetic materials to enhance or focus the magnetic fields upon which the device function depends. In these cases, the key property of the ferromagnetic materials is their high magnetic permeability. The magnetic field or flux lines will follow paths of volumes of high permeability. Therefore, the use of the ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, cobalt, nickel, and a wide variety of specialized alloys is also desired.
For a large class of electromagnetic devices, forces are produced by currents that flow in material placed in a magnetic field. In the prior art, ferromagnetic materials were used to guide, focus, and enhance the magnetic fields, and currents were made to flow in materials of low resistivity, such as copper or aluminum. The efficiency of such devices depends on the simultaneous presence of currents and magnetic flux in certain volumes. The insertion of copper or aluminum in these volumes reduces the magnetic flux by large factors from the amount of flux that would exist in an construction entirely of ferromagnetic materials.
Therefore, a need exists for an electromagnetic actuator design that uses ferromagnetic material as both a flux carrier and a current carrier, wherein the disadvantage of the high resistivity of the ferromagnetic material is more than compensated by the flux enhancements.

Ferromagnetic wire electromagnetic actuator


If deceleration in excess of a predetermined value is detected (step 104 in FIG. 2), a speed integral value xcex94V as time integration of the deceleration is calculated (step 110 in FIG. 2). A segment length of a characteristic curve of the speed integral value xcex94V in a predetermined range is calculated (steps 112, 114 in FIG. 2) . If it is decided that the segment length is smaller than a predetermined value l2 (step 116 in FIG. 2), the crash is decided as the low speed crash, etc. other than a soft crash. An air bag is inflated if the speed integral value xcex94V exceeds a predetermined threshold value VTH, whereas the speed integral value xcex94V is incremented by a predetermined value xcex1 (step 118 in FIG. 2) if it is decided that the segment length exceeds l2 (step 116 in FIG. 2). Then, if it is decided that the speed integral value xcex94V exceeds the threshold value VTH (step 112 in FIG. 2), inflation of the air bag is executed to detect generation of the soft crash.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to control of a passenger protection system for protecting passengers in a car crash and, more particularly, a start controlling method for a passenger protection system and a start controlling system for a passenger protection system. Both are able to distinguish between a low speed crash and a soft crash, and a recording medium for recording a start controlling program for a passenger protection system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, it has been well known that, according to the running speed and the crashed part of the vehicle, type of crash of the vehicle is classified into a low speed frontal crash wherein an entire frontal area of the vehicle collides with an object at low speed, a high speed frontal (head-on) crash wherein the entire frontal area of the vehicle collides with the object at high speed, a high speed offset crash wherein a part of the entire frontal area of the vehicle collides with the object at high speed, and others.
In a passenger protection system represented by an air bag system, for example, which can protect a body of the passenger in such crash, normally it is designed that such start control should be executed by taking account of difference in the acceleration of the vehicle in a crash from that in normal running. Various start controlling methods and systems for embodying the same, etc. have been proposed up to now.
A following concept has been proposed as one of start control concepts for the passenger protection system which has been proposed until now. In other words, at first the integral value (speed integral value) of the deceleration (so-called impact acceleration) upon crash is calculated. Then, it is decided whether or not change in the integral value within a predetermined range is continued over a predetermined period of time, i.e., it is decided whether or not stagnation of the integral value is caused. If it has been decided that the stagnation of the integral value is caused, a predetermined value is then added to the integral value. Therefore, the integrated value is advanced rather than the actual integral value, and then start of the air bag is carried out when it is decided that the integrated value has exceeded a predetermined threshold value.
In the meanwhile, while taking account of the stagnation of the speed integral value which is caused in the crash which is generally called as a soft crash such as an oblique crash, an offset crash, a pole crash, etc., the above start controlling method has been proposed to start the airbag without fail, while distinguishing between the soft crash and the high speed crash in which no stagnation of the speed integral value is caused, etc. However, such start controlling method has not been satisfactory in the following respects and therefore has not been employed in practical use.
More particularly, there has been the low speed crash as the case where start of the air bag is not needed. In such low speed crash, change in the speed integral value of the impact acceleration has the stagnation of the speed integral value, like the above-mentioned soft crash. In addition, sometimes a stagnation time of the speed integral value in the low speed crash is close to or resembles that in the soft crash. Therefore, in some cases there has been a possibility that distinctions between the soft crash and the low speed crash become difficult to determine according to the above concep.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a start controlling method for a passenger protection system which is suited for practical use and a system for embodying the same, and a recording medium for recording a start controlling program for a passenger protection system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a start controlling method for a passenger protection system which is able to distinguish between a soft crash and a low speed crash to thus achieve higher practicality and a system for embodying the same, and a recording medium for recording a start controlling program for a passenger protection system.
In order to achieve the above objects of the present invention, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a start controlling method for a passenger protection system, of controlling start of the passenger protection system which is constructed such that a protection system for protecting passengers in a vehicle is started in response to a start signal supplied from an external device, comprising the steps of:
executing integral of deceleration of a vehicle with respect to time;
calculating a segment length of change in an integral value in a predetermined range of the integral value, which is derived by the integral of time, relative to an elapsed time; and
deciding type of crash by comparing a calculated value of the segment length with a reference value.
Such start controlling method is made based on a following viewpoint. That is, based on the result of study performrd by inventors of the present invention, the stagnation of the integral value is caused in a certain interval of change in the speed integral value as integration of the deceleration with respect to time according to type of crash. The segment length of the integral value relative to the elapsed time becomes different according to the type of crash even in the case where such stagnation of the integral value is caused, so that the types of crashes can be distinguished from each other based on the difference in the segment length.
It is preferable that, when the segment length is to be calculated, the predetermined range of the integral value should be defined by a point of start of the stagnation of the integral value, i.e., the integral value at a start point, and a point of termination of the stagnation of the integral value, i.e., the integral value at an end point. In practice, it is preferable that, since the values are different according to type of the vehicle, etc., such values should be set based on experimental data, or set by taking account of various conditions, etc. as well as experimental data.
More particularly, the present invention is suitable for distinction between the so-called soft crash such as an oblique crash, a pole crash, etc., which needs start of the passenger protection system, and the low speed crash, which does not need start of the passenger protection system.
Therefore, it is preferable that the above reference value should be set to the segment length of change in the integral value in a predetermined range of the integral value, which is derived by the integral of time of the deceleration of the vehicle in a low speed crash, relative to the elapsed time. The type of crash should be decided as the soft crash if the segment length which is larger than the reference value has been calculated.
In order to achieve the above objects of the present invention, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a start controlling system for a passenger protection system, for controlling start of the passenger protection system which is constructed such that a protection system for protecting passengers in a vehicle is started in response to a start signal supplied from an external device, comprising:
a deceleration deciding means for deciding whether or not deceleration which is input from an external means exceeds a predetermined magnitude;
an integrating means for executing integral of time of the deceleration which is input from the external means to calculate a speed integral value if it has been decided by the deceleration deciding means that the deceleration exceeds the predetermined magnitude;
a segment length calculating means for calculating a segment length in a predetermined range of the speed integral value which is calculated by the integrating means, relative to an elapsed time;
a segment length deciding means for deciding whether or not the segment length which has been calculated by the segment length calculating means exceeds a predetermined value;
an incrementing means for adding a predetermined increment value to the speed integral value at that point of time if it has been decided by the segment length deciding means that the segment length which has been calculated by the segment length calculating means exceeds the predetermined value; and
a decision starting means for generating a start signal for the passenger protection system if it has been decided that a value derived by the incrementing means exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
Such configuration is implemented by the start controlling method set forth in claim 1 so as to enable the start of the passenger protection system. The deceleration deciding means, the integrating means, the segment length calculating means, the segment length deciding means, the incrementing means, and the decision starting means can be implemented by causing the so-called CPU, which has a function of a computer, to execute the predetermined program.
It is preferable that, when the segment length is to be calculated, the predetermined range of the integral value should be defined by a point of start of the stagnation of the integral value, i.e., the integral value at a start point, and a point of termination of the stagnation of the integral value, i.e., the integral value at an end point. In practice, it is preferable that, since the values are different according to type of the vehicle, etc., such values should be set based on experimental data, or set by taking account of various conditions, etc., as well as experimental data.
In addition, the decision starting means may be composed of a threshold value deciding means for deciding whether or not a value derived by the incrementing means exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and a start signal generating means for generating a start signal for the passenger protection system if it has been decided by the threshold value deciding means that the value derived by the incrementing means exceeds the predetermined threshold value.
In order to achieve the above objects of the present invention, according to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a start controlling system for a passenger protection system, for controlling start of the passenger protection system which is constructed such that a protection system for protecting passengers in a vehicle is started in response to a start signal supplied from an external device, comprising:
a central processing unit for reading a predetermined program from another external device and then executing predetermined processes by executing the predetermined program;
a memory device for storing a program which is to be executed by the central processing unit in such a manner that the program can be read by the central processing unit;
a digital/analogue converter for converting a digital start signal, which is supplied from the central processing unit to an air bag system, into an analogue signal; and
an interface circuit for converting an output signal of the digital/analogue converter into a predetermined signal which is suited for the air bag system;
wherein the central processing unit
executes integral of time of deceleration of the vehicle, which is input from an external means,
calculates a segment length of change in an integral value in a predetermined range of the integral value, which is derived by the integral of time, relative to an elapsed time,
compares a calculated value of the segment length with a reference value which is the segment length of change in the integral value in a predetermined range of the integral value, which is derived by the integral of time of the deceleration of the vehicle in a low speed crash, relative to the elapsed time,
decides that type of crash is a soft crash if it has been decided that the calculated value of the segment length is larger than the reference value,
decides whether or not a speed integral value exceeds a predetermined threshold value if it has been decided that the type of crash is the soft crash, and outputs a start signal of an air bag system if it has been decided that the speed integral value exceeds the predetermined threshold value.
In order to achieve the above objects of the present invention, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium for recording a plurality of computer-readable instructions, comprising:
a first instruction means for causing a computer to decide whether or not deceleration which is input from an external means exceeds a predetermined magnitude;
a second instruction means for causing the computer to execute integral of time of the deceleration to calculate a speed integral value if it has been decided that the deceleration which is input from the external means exceeds the predetermined magnitude;
a third instruction means for causing the computer to calculate a segment length in a predetermined range of the speed integral value being calculated, relative to an elapsed time;
a fourth instruction means for causing the computer to decide whether or not the segment length being calculated exceeds a predetermined value;
a fifth instruction means for causing the computer to add a predetermined increment value to the speed integral value at that point of time if it has been decided that the segment length being calculated exceeds the predetermined value;
a sixth instruction means for causing the computer to decide whether or not the speed integral value, to which the predetermined increment value is added, exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and
a seventh instruction means for causing the computer to generate a start signal to start a passenger protection system if it has been decided that the speed integral value exceeds the predetermined threshold value.

START CONTROLLING METHOD FOR A PASSENGER PROTECTION SYSTEM, START CONTROLLING SYSTEM FOR A PASSENGER PROTECTION SYSTEM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM FOR RECORDING A START CONTROLLING PROGRAM FOR A PASSENGER PROTECTION SYSTEM


A method of forming a feature in a low-k dielectric layer is provided. A low-k dielectric layer is placed over a substrate. A patterned photoresist mask is placed over the low-k dielectric layer. At least one feature is etched into the low-k dielectric layer. A CO conditioning is preformed on the at least one feature after the at least one feature is etched. The patterned photoresist mask is stripped after the CO conditioning.

The present invention relates to the fabrication of semiconductor-based devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to improved techniques for fabricating semiconductor-based devices with low-k dielectric layers.
In semiconductor-based device (e.g., integrated circuits or flat panel displays) manufacturing, dual damascene structures may be used in conjunction with copper conductor material to reduce the RC delays associated with signal propagation in aluminum based materials used in previous generation technologies. In dual damascene, instead of etching the conductor material, vias, and trenches may be etched into the dielectric material and filled with copper. The excess copper may be removed by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) leaving copper lines connected by vias for signal transmission. To reduce the RC delays even further, porous and non-porous low-k dielectric constant materials may be used. In the specification and claims low-k is defined as k<3.0.
Porous and non-porous low dielectric constant materials may include organo-silicate-glass (OSG) materials. OSG materials may be silicon dioxide doped with organic components such as methyl groups. OSG materials have carbon and hydrogen atoms incorporated into a silicon dioxide lattice, which lowers the dielectric constant of the material. However OSG materials may be susceptible to damage when exposed to O2, H2, N2, and NH3 gases, which are used for stripping photo resist or fluorine within a stripping plasma.
Porous material has pores, which allow stripping plasmas to reach deeper into the layer causing greater damage. Porous OSG materials may be very susceptible to damage due to the removal of organic content by exposure to the plasma used to strip the resist and sidewalls. The plasma may diffuse into the pores of the porous OSG layer and cause damage as far as 300 nm into the OSG layer bordering the opening. Part of the damage caused by the plasma is the removal of carbon and hydrogen from the damage area causing the OSG to be more like silicon dioxide, which has a higher dielectric constant. Damage may be quantified by measuring the change in SiC/SiO ratio of the OSG layer from FTIR analysis. When translated to the trench side wall that means a damage of a few hundred angstroms on each side of a 2000 Å trench wall.
It is desirable to reduce damage to low-k dielectric layers during the stripping process.

Preventing damage to low-k materials during resist stripping


An apparatus for refining clay material having a horizontally oriented rotating drum into which clay material and water are fed. The clay material and water form a slurry which is agitated by lifters within the drum. A series of adjustable lifters within the drum refine the slurry by lifting aggregates and rocks out of the slurry and discharging them out of the refiner. The refined slurry exits the drum through an opening in the drum. The refined slurry is then taken away from the drum for further processing.

Presently, the systems available to refine clay, in particular bentonite clay, are vertical batch-type systems. In these vertical batch-type systems, a fixed amount of clay and water are combined in a large clarifier to form a clay slurry. A mixing blade is inserted into the clay slurry and is rotated at a high revolution per minute (RPM). As the clay slurry is mixed, solid non-clay material such as rock is filtered out of the clay by a screen. These high RPM blades continuously hit rocks and other solid non-clay material in the clay slurry creating large impact forces which cause severe damage to the blades. This damage requires continual blade maintenance and replacement. Also, the screen used in the filtering process is susceptible to damage by the rock and is in continual need of repair or replacement as well.
Besides the maintenance problems associated with these vertical batch-type systems, these systems, since they are batch systems and not continuous, are also inefficient and slow down the overall refining process.


A backlight unit includes: light sources; a light guide member (120) arranged at a prescribed gap to the light sources such that light from the light sources enters from respective side faces (121) and exits from a light exiting surface (122); a first extending part (181) that extends along the side face (121) of the light guide member (120); and a second extending part (182) that extends along a surface of the light guide member (120) that is opposite to the light exiting surface (122). The backlight unit is provided with heat dissipation plates (180) that dissipate heat generated by the light sources. Each heat dissipation plate (180) has a larger area at the top portion than the bottom portion when the backlight unit is installed in a liquid crystal display device (1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2009-25679 (Patent Document 1) is related art that describes an illumination device provided with a heat dissipation plate. The line-shaped illumination device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2009-25679 (Patent Document 1) has LEDs (light emitting diodes) mounted thereon, on a mounting substrate that is constituted of insulating resin and wiring patterns.
The metal heat dissipation plate is bonded via a heat transfer member to the surface of the mounting substrate, which is opposite to the LED mounting surface, and the heat generated by the LEDs is transferred to the heat dissipation plate. The surface of the heat dissipation plate opposite to the surface thereof that is bonded to the mounting substrate makes contact with air currents created by the operation of the line-shaped illumination device, thereby releasing heat from the heat dissipation plate that has been generated by the LEDs.


The present invention is related to a use of aminopyrazine derivatives in the manufacture of a medicament for preventing or treating malaria. Specifically, the present invention is related to aminopyrazine derivatives useful for the preparation of a pharmaceutical formulation for the inhibition of malaria parasite proliferation. In one embodiment, the invention provides aminopyrazine derivatives having the following formula:

Malaria is caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium that infect and destroy red blood cells, leading to fever, severe anemia, cerebral malaria and, if untreated, death. Plasmodium falciparum is the dominant species in sub-Saharan Africa, and is responsible for the almost 1 million deaths each year. The disease burden is heaviest in African children under 5 years of age and in pregnant women. Plasmodium vivax causes 25-40% of the global malaria burden, particularly in South and Southeast Asia, and Central and South America. The other two main species that are known to infect humans are Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae.
Malaria is a disease that is prevalent in many developing countries. Approximately 40% of the world's population lives in countries where the disease is endemic; approximately 247 million people suffer from the disease every year.
Various medications are presently used for the treatment of malaria. However, many of these medications are costly and some exhibit significant toxicity and undesirable side effects in humans. Drugs used for treating malaria include artemisinin and its derivatives, chloroquine, quinine, mefloquine, amodiaquine, atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline, hydroxychloroquine, halofantrine, pyrimethamine-sulfadoxine, and primaquine.
However, the widespread emergence of drug resistance of malaria parasites in many tropical countries has compromised many of the current chemotherapies and there is a continued need for new chemotherapeutic approaches. Accordingly, this invention provides novel potent anti-malarial agents and methodology of treating malaria using novel potent anti-malarial agents.


An industrial process variable transmitter includes a process variable sensor configured to sense a process variable. Measurement circuitry is coupled to the process variable sensor and provides a measured output as a function of the process variable. Output circuitry includes a loop connection configured to couple to a process control loop. An optical sensor receives the measured output from the measurement circuitry. A switching device applies pulses to the process control loop in response to an output from the optical sensor. Power supply circuitry powers the optical sensor, a comparator, and/or the switching device with power received from the process control loop and loop connection.

The present invention relates to industrial process variable transmitters which measure a process variable and provide an output. More specifically, the present invention relates to such process variable transmitters which provide a pulse output representative of the process variable.
Industrial process variable transmitters are used to sense process variables in industrial processes. Example process variables include flow, temperature, level, pressure, etc. Such process variable transmitters typically couple to a process control loop which is used to transmit information related to the sensed process variable back to a centralized location. One type of process control loop carries electrical pulses which are related to the sensed process variable. For example, some types of flowmeters transmit flow related information using pulse output circuitry. Each pulse can be calibrated to a unit of flow. Thereby, a total amount of flow can be monitored by counting the number of pulses which are transmitted on the process control loop.
In many instances, the process variable transmitter must operate in accordance with Intrinsic Safety (IS) standards which provide design constraints on various aspects of the circuitry. Intrinsic Safety standards impose design constraints on devices to enable safe operation of electrical equipment in hazardous areas by limiting the energy available for ignition. These constraints place many limitations on circuitry and impose many engineering challenges on circuit design in an industrial process variable transmitter.

Industrial process variable transmitter with isolated power scavenging intrinsically safe pulse output circuitry


A generator rotor that reduces friction force transmitted to rotor teeth by a retaining ring is disclosed. The friction force is caused by end windings pushing longitudinally outward against the retaining ring when the windings heat up during operation of the rotor. A ring key diminishes the friction force transmitted to a rotor teeth region by transmitting more of the friction force to a rotor pole region. The present invention accomplishes this reduction in transmission by either forming a gap between the ring key and the teeth regions, by producing only light contact between the ring key and the teeth regions, by the ring key being formed of a lower stiffness material in the areas in which it contacts the teeth regions, or by a combination of the above.

Generator rotors have a cylindrical rotor body from which two shafts extend at each rotor end. The rotor is angularly divided into teeth regions and pole regions. The teeth regions have a series of teeth that are defined by longitudinal slots cut into the rotor. The slots contain field windings and wedges for hold the windings in place against centrifugal force caused by the rotor rotation.
Referring to FIG. 3, windings 120 axially extend beyond the rotor teeth 116 at each end of the rotor body where they bend to form winding end turns. Because the end turns are in an area that lacks teeth 116 and wedges 119 to restrain centrifugal force, an annular retaining 114 ring is placed around the end turns and rotor end so as to restrain the end turns against centrifugal force. The retaining ring 114 is longitudinally held in place by a ring key 110 having a radial split 28, as shown in FIG. 2, which fits into opposing, circumferential grooves 130a, 130b in the retaining ring 110 and the rotor 112, respectively. In FIG. 3, components unrelated to the present invention, such as filler blocks and damper bars, are omitted for clarity.
During operation of the generator, the rotor 112, especially the windings and end turns, heat up. Thermal expansion causes the end windings to push axially outward against the retaining ring 114, resulting in an axially outward force, termed "friction force." Because the ring key 110 limits the retaining ring 114 from longitudinally moving relative to the rotor 112, the ring key 110 transmits to the rotor 112 the friction force, as well as other longitudinal forces having the same direction. Because the conventional ring key 110, shown in FIG. 2, has approximately uniform thickness and hardness throughout it circumference, the friction force is approximately evenly transmitted to the teeth regions and pole regions of the rotor. The portion of the friction force that is transferred to the rotor teeth is problematic because the teeth are already subject to high radial stress caused by centrifugal force from the windings and wedges. Such high stress has caused cracking in the tooth tops.
There is, therefore, a need for a generator rotor having a ring key that diminishes the longitudinal friction force in the teeth region of the rotor.

Generator rotor with ring key that reduces tooth top stress


A method for fabricating a MEMS device having a fixing part fixed to a substrate, a connecting part, a driving part, a driving electrode, and contact parts, includes patterning the driving electrode on the substrate; forming an insulation layer on the substrate; patterning the insulation layer and etching a fixing region and a contact region of the insulation layer; forming a metal layer over the substrate; planarizing the metal layer until the insulation layer is exposed; forming a sacrificial layer on the substrate; patterning the sacrificial layer to form an opening exposing a portion of the insulation layer and the metal layer in the fixing region; forming a MEMS structure layer on the sacrificial layer to partially fill the opening, thereby forming sidewalls therein; and selectively removing a portion of the sacrificial layer by etching so that a portion of the sacrificial layer remains in the fixing region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) device and a fabrication method thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrostatic driving MEMS device having a driving electrode in an embedded structure and a fabrication method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Micro Electro Mechanical System is a technology that implements mechanical and electrical parts, using semiconductor processing techniques. A conventional MEMS device generally includes floating driving parts that are movable over a substrate in order for the device fabricated using MEMS technology to perform mechanical operations.
FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view schematically showing a conventional MEMS device. The conventional MEMS device of FIG. 1 includes a substrate 10, a fixing part 30 attached to the substrate 10, and a driving part 40 extending from the fixing part 30. The fixing part 30 is generally referred to as an anchor or a support. The fixing part 30 connects the driving part 40 to the substrate 10.
The driving part 40 is spaced to float over the substrate 10. The driving part 40 is movable in an upward and downward direction, as shown by the broken lines in FIG. 1. The movement of the driving part 40 is controlled by a predetermined driving force from an electrode part 20 formed on the substrate 10. The driving part 40 is typically fabricated in a shape such as a beam, a membrane, or the like depending on device requirements.
FIG. 2A to FIG. 2E illustrate views for sequentially illustrating stages in a process for fabricating a conventional electrostatic drive-type RF MEMS device.
As shown in FIG. 2A, a driving electrode layer 220, for providing an electrostatic driving force, is formed on a substrate 210 through patterning. In FIG. 2B, a metal layer is formed on the substrate and then the metal layer is patterned so metal layer areas 230 having similar shapes remain. The metal layer areas 230 are an anchor part to acts as a fixing part fixed on the substrate 210 and an RF line to act as input and/or output terminals of an RF signal. The metal layer areas 230 are formed in a thick layer having a thickness of 2 to 3 μm in consideration of the skin depth effect.
Next, referring to FIG. 2C, an insulation layer 240 is formed to surround the driving electrode layer 220 formed on the substrate 210.
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2D, a sacrificial layer 250 is formed on the resultant structure on the substrate 210. The sacrificial layer 250 over the anchor part fixed on the substrate 210 is etched through predetermined patterning. Referring to FIG. 2E, a MEMS structure layer is then formed on the patterned sacrificial layer 250. The MEMS structure layer includes a driving part 260 and a connection part 261.
Subsequently, predetermined etching access holes (not shown) are formed in the driving part 260 of the MEMS structure layer, and an etchant is supplied through the etching access holes to selectively etch only the sacrificial layer 250. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 2E, a conventional MEMS device is fabricated such that the driving part 260 floats over the substrate 210 after the removal of the sacrificial layer 250.
As stated above, a conventional fabrication process proceeds regardless of a step-height difference between the metal layer areas 230 and the driving electrode layer 220. Consequently, a step-height difference between the metal layer areas 230 and the driving electrode layer 220 causes the driving part 260, which is formed by a subsequent procedure, to be formed unevenly, as may be seen in FIG. 2E. Thus, the reliability of such a MEMS device decreases. Moreover, since unevenness of the driving part is not expected during the designing of the device, a significant error exists between the design of the device and the fabrication process. Further, unevenness in the driving part 260 causes a problem in that the driving of the driving part 260 may be incomplete when the MEMS device is driven.
Further, in the stages of the fabrication process shown in FIGS. 2D and 2E, the connection part 261 of the MEMS structure layer, which is formed on an anchor part and the substrate 210, is formed in a bent shape that is relatively thinner than the anchor part and the MEMS structure layer.
Accordingly, the connection part 261 having a thin and bent shape causes a problem in the stability of the MEMS device, since the general operation of the MEMS device involves the movement of the MEMS structure, i.e., the driving part 260.

MEMS device and fabrication method thereof


A plurality of flip-flop circuits, having different circuit configurations, which perform an identical digital signal processing are mixed on a single semiconductor substrate. A first flip-flop circuit among the plurality of flip-flop circuits receives a clock signal supplied from outside the flip-flop circuits, through at least two stage inverters, and operates with clock signals outputted from the inverters. A second flip-flop circuit receives the clock signal supplied from outside the flip-flop circuits through at least one inverter having a less number of stages than the number of stages of the inverter contained in the first flip-flop circuit, and operates with at least one of the clock signal and a clock signal outputted from the inverter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit that mounts flip-flop circuits thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various digital equipment, such as digital television sets or digital audio players, has been in widespread use and the demand for LSIs (Large Scale Integration) used for digital signal processing has been ever increasing. A great number of flip-flop circuits are mounted on such LSIs, as fundamental components for sequential circuits.
While energy conservation is being promoted, the reduction in power consumption of LSIs has been long called for. From the viewpoint of extending battery life, the reduction in power consumption is also required for LSIs mounted on battery-powered equipment represented by mobile equipment.
In order to reduce the power consumed by LSIs, various methods, such as reducing a gate size of transistors, have been proposed. However, when such methods are applied to the flip-flop circuits, there are cases where a clock signal or data signal inputted to the flip-flop circuit becomes unsharp or noise like glitch occurs. Such phenomena may cause malfunctions in the flip-flop circuits.
As described above, the power consumption of LSIs and the stability of circuit operation is in a trade-off relation. This is because the circuit operation becomes unstable in trying to reduce the power consumption, whereas it is more difficult to reduce the power consumption as the reliability of circuit operation is raised.

Semiconductor integrated circuit with flip-flop circuits mounted thereon