In accordance with the present invention, this method encompasses a shaft with a neutral flex point mark and identification mark/sticker of quantitative characteristics that has been achieved by deflecting a shaft, at its tip, a specific distance while resting in a free floating position. Shafts are then sorted by the quantitative measurement of its propensity to bend(flex weight) into sets of shafts to be assembled into golf clubs by aligning the neutral flex point mark on the golf shaft to the neutral point mark on a golf club head.

It is well know that golf shafts are asymmetric with respect to the shape, material composition and force required to bend the shaft in different directions to a given flex point. This asymmetry can have very negative bending characteristics on a golf shaft when assembled into a golf club, typically occurs in the manufacture of the shaft and has been driven by the golf industries requirements for cheap and mass produced golf clubs. When golf clubs are manufactured, the asymmetry is often ignored, resulting in a set of golf clubs, by visual inspection, are matched, yet the flex of sister clubs within the set, may vary due to the different rotation of the flex asymmetry or neutral flex point, relative to the neutral position of the golf head causing the increased likelihood of a slice or hook due to a non-square clubface at impact. Or, its overall propensity to bend in relation to sister clubs, quantitative flex characteristics, which may share an identical rotation of flex asymmetry relative to the neutral position of the golf head causing a need to vary swing speed by the golfer to achieve optimum flex potential at ball impact. In the present invention, references will be made to the "Neutral Flex Point" of a golf shaft, this can be easily identified with a "point of least resistance" to bend and should never be confused with the "seam", "spine" or "material merge line" of a golf shaft. References will also be made to "Flex Weight" which denotes the quantitative measurement of a shafts propensity to bend.
In graphite shafts, unlike steel shafts, logos are generally placed on the shaft itself for marketing and advertising. Since the logo has no correlation to the placement of the "neutral flex point" mark of a shaft, once a club has been neutralized, the possibility exists that the shaft logos may fall in various positions around the golf club hosel as dictated by the Neutral flex point mark alignment to the Neutral Point of the club head. Thereby contributing to an awkward and unprofessional look in terms of a finished golf club
It has long been the desire to mitigate these unpredictable bending characteristics in efforts to achieve a more consistent feel and performance in the golf club. For example, Colbert is U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,834 describes the desire to align the shaft seam with the club face in a consistent manner. Colbert specifically targets and defines a seam as the strongest point of a shaft with its true intent being to identify the physical, and potentially non-visible point where material edges were merged together to form a shaft. When looking at basic engineering principles, the attempt to identify a metal merge line does not equate or translate into an identification of a shafts "point of least resistance" to bend. I.E. When a shaft is deflected in a golf swing, the first point on a shaft, in terms of 360 degree rotation around the shaft tip, where a shaft will bend when it is deflected. Secondly, as identified by in Weiss, U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,375, line 26, "It has become apparent, however, that this technique is only approximate and generally only locates the seam in a quadrant of the four quadrants present." Furthermore, Colbert is based upon oscillating a shaft in efforts to define its weld line, nor does it teach a method to mark the "neutral flex point" of a shaft, nor does it teach a method to align the shaft to the head other than through a vague and in-precise method that is not acceptable to this patents method which relies on precision. Finally, Colbert does not define quantitative data to match shafts within a set based on similar data characteristics.
Weiss in U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,375 makes further attempts to define and refine a "seam" line designation by including references to non-visible seam lines. This has many deficiencies other than the obvious of targeting the "seam" line or material merge line as opposed to the "Neutral Flex Point". Foremost, the Weiss invention requires the shaft butt to be clamped or fixed in place when the shafts oscillation is measured using a defined weight. Furthermore, the Weiss invention denotes another scenario where the shaft is left unclamped but bent in the middle for purposes of determining oscillation. A position that no where near resembles a golf swing and does not correspond to the Neutral Flex Point location. As denoted in the referenced patent, manual human intervention is also required to oscillate and rotate the shaft in efforts to determine its optimum point. The invention presented herein differs completely in its practical application, this patent requires the shaft to be rested in a free floating position without the aid of a clamping mechanism and each shaft is deflected at the tip only to a given position. While Weiss seeks to quantify his data characteristics by measuring the distance the shaft was deflected by a fixed weight, this invention seeks to measure the required amount of force to deflect every shaft to a specified and pre-determined distance. Weiss notes that using his invention the relative tension and compression side of a shaft can be determined and they will always be 180 degrees part. However, when using the invention as described herein, this invention is able to identify multiple "neutral bending points" or point where the shaft seeks to bend, however, these point may be anywhere between 15 and 180 degrees away from the "neutral flex point" and may exist at 3 or more points around the shaft, without correlation from shaft to shaft. Finally, Weiss does not identify a mark for precise alignment to a head mark nor does it teach a method to precisely identify the point on a head that the "Neutral Flex Point" mark should be precisely aligned to. Nor does Weiss teach a method of utilizing the characteristic data achieved from each shaft and grouping or matching golf shafts together into sets based on those unique shaft characteristics.
Weiss further builds on his Oscillation method in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,915,695, 6,990,865, 6,993,970 and 6,997,056. But these patents still require the shaft to be Oscillated in various directions around the shaft with the butt end of the shaft clamped into place.
Braly in U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,279, is looking at a process called Frequency which is simply a measure of diminishing oscillation within a shaft and not related in any way to the "neutral flex point" of a shaft or even a shaft "seam". Obtaining the frequency of a shaft is accomplish by hanging a weight from the tip of a shaft, "twanging" it, and measuring the frequency it emits (Diminishing oscillation). Completely different in form, application and purpose. Braly then marks the point where he took the frequency measurement and denotes it specifically with a mark. Therefore Braly's mark is derived from where he took the frequency measurement due to a vibrating pattern while our mark is determined by the bending characteristics of that shaft when it is deflected, not by a humans attempt to achieve a point of reference for his measure of diminishing oscillation. Again, two completely separate marks and purposes. Additionally, Braly does specify a mark at the tip for alignment to a mark within a golf head. Braly does not teach a method of aligning that mark to a golf head. Most importantly, Braly's mark represents something completely different than the marks submitted by this applicant. Braly's one slight reference to the "seam" was his attempt to establish a basis for this invention. Visible shaft "seams" were once used as the starting point for the frequency matching as Braly defines. However, since visible "seams" have disappeared on the golf shaft, their original starting point for frequency matching disappeared. Therefore, Braly's invention was meant to be a new method in defining a starting point for determining shaft frequency. Thereby acknowledging loosing its direct correlation to what was once known as the visible shaft "seam".
D'Aguanno in U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,168 attempts to find the "spine" of the shaft by deflecting the shaft in the center into a v-shape. A position that no where near resembles a golf swing and does not correspond to the Neutral Flex Point location since he is trying to find the "strongest point of the golf shaft". D'Aguanno does not teach a method to mark the tip of the shaft for purposes of alignment nor does he teach a method to precisely align the neutral flex point mark to the neutral point of the head. Furthermore, D'Aguanno does not seek to obtain or quantify any data characteristics for the purposes of matching into sets.
The Karner U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,771,552 and 5,870,815, obviates the use of an alignment mark placed on the shaft merely for aesthetics when attaching a grip or graphic upon a shaft. The alignment mark may take the form of a line, mark or other graphic and merely acts as a reference to the club maker after the club is partially assembled and has absolutely no correlation to the "Neutral Flex Point" mark. This patent attempts to align a perceived grip or graphic line to a head using a mark in a somewhat consistent manner but the club face may be concave, convex or offset which would provide faulty alignment of the club when utilizing a one size fits all method to accommodate 6 degree drivers to 60 degree flat belly sand wedges. However, as further noted by Karner, the lone reference to a seam line is referring to the old shaft manufacturing method that resulted in visible seam lines the length of the shaft, put further noted that this concern disappeared with the invention of non-visible seam shafts. As also noted in Colbert, Weiss and Braly above.
Green U.S. Pat. No. 4,317,568 distinctly teaches a shaft to head alignment, but only to be used on a putter. Once this union is made between the club and the shaft, one would rely on Green to apply a plumb line to the putter for the purposes of reading the green contours and would be unrelated to the rotational orientation between the shaft and club head. Furthermore, Green's marks would have to be applied after the club is assembled to define a proper plumb line while the Neutralization marks contained in this patent would be required prior to the beginning of the assembly stage. At this point, it would be pointless to mark the "neutral flex point" of a shaft or the "neutral point" of the club head. In final scrutiny of Greens patent, a shaft to head alignment mark would not be truly aligned when held in a vertical position as compared to the shaft to head alignment mark in this patent due to the compensation for the plumb characteristics in the putter head that must be factored due to gravity, completely irrelevant to a club heads "neutral point". Greens application can also be applied in any 360 degree rotation of the club shaft without affecting its intended use while this patent requires a precise point on the shaft and club that should not be altered.
Ciccarello et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,028, describes a method for determining a shaft seam using oscillation. This patent fails to teach a method to match Golf Shafts and Golf Clubs. There is no indication in Ciccarello et al. how a skilled artisan could align a shaft properly with the golf head. To date, any perceived alignment has been done by visual inspection.
Folger, Adams and Reach are dismissed due to the same reasons as mentioned above for Green. These inventions rely on the post golf-club-production application of alignment marks for the purpose of swing training aids. These marks do not correlate to any shaft bending characteristics nor do they relate to the "neutral flex point" or "neutral point" of a club head.
Bamber U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,733 addresses the creation of an oval shaped shaft strictly for the purposes of aerodynamics. This requires the fattest section of the shaft to be placed within the swing plane. Using basic engineering principles in the application of our method against this patent, we would disagree in the orientation of the shaft away from the stiffest section to aligning the weakest (skinniest) section to within the swing plane. Nor does Bamber teach a method of identifying or utilizing flex characteristic data achieved from each shaft and grouping or matching golf shafts together into sets based on those unique shaft characteristics.
Originating with Colbert, Weiss, Braly and Ciccerello, these prior art rely on the shaft to be clamped into position and then some form of manual manipulation is required to identify the "Seam" of the golf shaft using oscillation or frequency. In this applicant's invention, the shaft must be allowed to freely float within an identification device, so that when the shaft is deflected an exact distance, the shaft will automatically rotate by itself to the "neutral flex point" location without the need of human intervention. This applicant's invention is not capable of finding the "seam" of a golf shaft as deflection does not find that material merge line. Likewise, frequency and oscillation are incapable of finding the "neutral flex point" of a golf shaft. Furthermore, these prior art do not teach or mention a method to mark the "neutral flex point" nor do they teach a method or mention of precisely identifying the heads "neutral point" and aligning these two exact marks together to form a "Neutralized" club. Lastly, these prior art do not teach a method of identifying and quantifying these asymmetrical bending characteristic nor do then teach a method of matching these shafts together into sets of matched shafts or clubs based on the asymmetrical bending characteristics.
It has long been felt in the industry that the effect of proper use of the shaft asymmetry could enhance the performance of a golf club. This has been the opinion of club builders since they were still using hickory sticks for shafts. While this has been the opinion, it has not yet been fully tested since the methods for accurately orientating the shaft asymmetry and measuring and matching the "neutral flex points" propensity to bend have been lacking. For example, alignment of the shaft asymmetry with a device such as Karner et al. would provide some information yet the ability to accurately deviate from the square position to test for regions of improved properties is lacking. There is no technique for aligning a shaft neutral flex point at a non-neutral optimal position, for example +15 degrees from neutral, except for visual estimation which is unacceptable. Furthermore, even if improved properties are realized from the studies which are only now made available with the present invention, there is no manner in which the improvement could be utilized since there is no method for accurately determining the neutral flex point of a shaft (irregardless of seam location) then accurately orienting that mark to the club head with respect to the club face location.
Yet another problem in Karner's art is the inability to determine the relationship between the shaft asymmetry and golf head in a prepared club. After the club head is secured to the shaft, there is no way of determining, without disassembly, if the golf shaft is aligned in any specific orientation without Neutral flex point orientation marks.
While Karner and Braly do mention the use of a mark, Karner's marks are strictly related to graphics and grip orientation which is not related whatsoever to the "Neutral Flex Point" of a golf shaft. Braly also mentions the use of marks, but Braly's prior art strictly deals with a method called Frequency Matching that was introduced by True Temper in the 1970's, Braly's use of the mark only designates where the frequency measurement was taken from and does not relate or transcend in any form or fashion to a "Neutral Flex Point" mark.
Moreover, while previous patents have attempted to identify and define these unusual bending characteristics in shafts, these patents have all attempted to solve this problem by focusing on a shafts oscillation pattern in a machine with one or more ends of a shaft clamped or affixed as stationary. The terms Frequency and Oscillation are basically defined as "a measurement of diminishing vibration patterns" and used strictly by these patents to define the "seam" line (Material merge line) of a shaft. While frequency and oscillation may be beneficial in determining the "seam" or material merge line in a shaft, they do not correspond to defining the "neutral flex point" of a shaft. Neutral Flex Point seeks to define the point around a shaft tip which bends first when a load is placed upon a shaft in a golf swing. Finally, Weiss does mention a form of deflection that requires the shaft to be bent in the center to identify the "seam" line. A skilled artisan would easily realize that a golf shaft does not bend in the center and would be incapable of finding the "neutral flex point" mark at the tip of the shaft when it is being deflected in the center of the shaft. However, Weiss is subject to numerous deficiencies by failing to teach the quantification or identification of the bending characteristics, matching the shafts by those characteristics, identifying and marking the "neutral flex point" of a shaft, identifying and marking the "neutral point" of a head or the process of neutralizing a golf club by aligning these specific marks together.
Finally, this method is the only one that is capable of performing all of these claims listed without the need, or error induced by human intervention in a manufacturing environment. This method can be accomplished in seconds while other patents may require minutes per shaft/club.

Golf shaft and club flex neutralization/matching and method for manufacturing same


A method for touch detection includes, at a touch-sensitive device having a plurality of touch-sensing electrodes, driving a first subset of the plurality of touch-sensing electrodes with a drive signal having a first phase. A second subset of the plurality of touch-sensing electrodes are driven with a drive signal having a second phase, different from the first phase. Output signals for each of the plurality of touch-sensing electrodes are measured. For each touch-sensing electrode of the plurality of touch-sensing electrodes, a complex gradient is determined between the measured output signal for the touch-sensing electrode and the measured output signal for a neighboring touch-sensing electrode, the neighboring touch-sensing electrode driven with a different phase of a drive signal from the touch-sensing electrode. A location of a touch input is identified based at least in part on magnitudes of the determined complex gradients.

A touch-sensitive device may include a plurality of touch-sensing electrodes configured to detect proximity of an input object, such as a stylus or human finger. In some cases, electrical noise affecting the touch-sensing electrodes can interfere with detection of touch inputs. Electrical noise can in some cases be caused by an electrical grounding condition affecting the touch-sensitive device.

Touch input detection using complex gradients


Protected electronic designs permit appropriate simulation and testing of the electronic design in a simulation environment, while preventing a correctly operating unauthorized implementation of the electronic design in a hardware environment such as a programmable device. An unprotected version of the simulation version of an electronic design is augmented by adding protection circuitry to the unprotected version to create a protected version of the electronic design, which operates correctly in a simulation environment but which fails to operate correctly in a hardware environment. In some embodiments of the present invention, a separate programming version which does not incorporate the protection circuitry of the simulation version may also be provided for licensed/authorized users of the electronic design, which may be an IP core or other design.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to methods, machine readable media and apparatus for protecting intellectual property ("IP") that is available to users for evaluation and preventing unauthorized use of such IP in hardware or otherwise after synthesis. More specifically, this invention relates to augmenting electronic designs so that they function properly in a simulation environment, but do not operate correctly in a hardware environment, such as implementation in a programmable device.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic design automation ("EDA") systems have become integral to the development of electronic designs for implementation in devices such as programmable logic devices (PLDs) and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). An EDA system provides various tools that receive and convert a user's high-level representation of an electronic design to a form suitable for programming the programmable device. EDA systems may include tools for design entry, compilation, synthesis, mapping, verification, generating a programming file, etc. In addition, EDA systems typically include a simulation tool for confirming that the electronic design is likely to operate as intended. The design of even the simplest of these devices typically involves generation of a high level design, logic simulation, generation of a network, timing simulation, etc.
During the process of creating an electronic design, a user may employ one or more reusable IP cores. These are predefined and preverified functional blocks for performing well-defined tasks that may be incorporated into a user's electronic design. In some cases, they may define an entire electronic design itself. Frequently, they are configurable by a user who can specify one or more parameters appropriate for the desired application. They are designed to work well with existing EDA tools so that users can easily input them into their electronic designs. IP cores may be viewed broadly to include "megacores," "megafunctions" and other predefined logic blocks for implementation in programmable devices. Megacores define large complex functional blocks such as microprocessors and sophisticated communications blocks such as a block for terminating a trunk protocol on a fiber optic link. Megafunctions define smaller functional blocks such as a DSP filter, multiplier, or FIFO memory. Collections, or libraries of simple parameterized megafunctions are available. One example is the library of parameterized modules ("LPM") developed under the guidance of the EDIF association. A variety of these IP cores are available from Altera Corporation of San Jose, Calif.
In the modern EDA environment, IP core vendors typically allow users to evaluate the IP cores without charge or authorization (for example, a license) before deciding whether to implement them into a final design. Therefore, the vendors provide their cores in a form that allows both evaluation and compilation to a final hardware programming file. Evaluation requires simulation on one of the many available EDA simulation tools. Therefore an IP core vendor typically provides a customer with two forms of a core: (1) a programming version in the form of source code and/or synthesized netlist for compiling the IP core to a programming file using a particular EDA tool (e.g., Quartus available from Altera Corporation of San Jose, Calif.); and (2) a simulation version that can be executed on a specific third party simulator to evaluate the IP core.
While a user may evaluate one or more IP cores for free in a simulation environment, a user must have authorization from the IP owner to implement an IP core in a hardware environment such as a target hardware device. Vendors must be concerned with the possibility of unauthorized use of their IP cores, which may occur in various ways. In one example of unauthorized use, the user converts the programming version of the IP core to a programming file and then programs hardware devices without a license from the IP core vendor. In another example, a user ports an electronic design containing the IP core to a competitor's hardware platform.
In order to address the issue of unauthorized use of IP cores in hardware environments, both the programming version and the simulation version of a core must be protected. One approach to protecting the programming version involves encrypting the IP core's source code and/or synthesized netlist. Another approach is to verify the existence of a licensing file before generating a programming file for the target hardware device. These approaches do a good job of protecting the programming version of an IP core from unauthorized use. However, they are not practical for protecting the simulation version of the core.
While the programming version can be designed for use with a single EDA platform (for example, Altera's Quartus), the simulation version typically must work with many different simulation tools. For example, Quartus and other EDA platforms work with an array of different simulation tools, each of which may be provided by a different vendor. Examples of simulation tools include ModelSim by Mentor Graphics Corp. (Wilsonville, Oreg.); Verilog-XL and NC-Verilog simulators by Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (San Jose, Calif.); and VCS simulator by Synopsys, Inc. (Mountain View, Calif.).
Because the simulation version of an IP core must work with a variety of different simulation tools, security features must work with each tool. One could provide a simple source code version of the IP core for simulation (for example, Verilog), which could be compiled to the appropriate machine code for any of a number of different simulators. But this approach provides little, if any, security. An unscrupulous user could modify the source slightly to allow compilation to a programming file that would circumvent the licensing requirements of the IP vendor.
To improve security, a vendor could provide precompiled versions of the simulation version for each of the available simulation tools on the market. Unfortunately, this is not practical. The vendor would need to maintain updated versions of the IP for each of the third party simulation tools, which can run on various computer platforms, thus requiring a separate compiled version of the IP for each combination of simulator and hardware platform. The problem is exacerbated by the myriad of configuration possibilities for each IP core (which usually depend on user settings). The IP vendor might have to provide a separate compiled version of the core for each potential configurations (on each of the simulator-hardware combination). Consequently, it would be unfeasible for a vendor to maintain a full range of simulation versions.
Another approach to providing simulation versions gives the actual source code of the simulation version to trusted users only (for example, employees of large companies known to maintain close control over the IP). Unfortunately, this limits the market available to IP vendors. In yet another approach, the IP core vendor provides an equivalent behavioral model of the simulation version. A behavioral model cannot be compiled to produce a working program file for implementing the design on hardware devices. Unfortunately, this approach has its drawbacks in that it usually will not produce a model that is cycle and bit accurate.
There are some EDA system tools such as "VIP" (Visual IP available from Summit Design (Burlington, Mass.)) that attempt to address the problem of making secure simulation versions of IP cores. VIP can generate a secure simulator-independent simulation version, but requires use of various special purpose VIP proprietary tools, such as translation programs and adaptors, which must be purchased by the user. Obviously, an IP vendor would prefer not to force potential customers to purchase third-party tools that protect the vendor. Further, VIP-generated simulation versions are generally large, slow, and require PLI/FLI setup that is difficult to use and is time consuming.
A typical design cycle (using, for example, Altera's OpenCore technology) is shown in FIG. 1A. A designer creates an initial block diagram 110 and subsequently identifies and evaluates (for example, in terms of functionality and the range of parameterization) potential IP cores and/or megafunctions available for use in the anticipated system 120. The designer then can obtain authorized simulation versions of any IP to be used from the IP's owner or agent 130. After finding the appropriate megafunction(s), the designer generates (typically with the assistance of simulation generation software, such as Altera's SimGen) a simulation version of the user's designed logic 140. The user may then test the designed logic in a simulation environment by simulating performance 150 within the anticipated circuitry and system.
Once simulation and validation are completed, the IP used can be synthesized for use in hardware 160. To incorporate a design into a programmable device, the design that has been simulated needs to be synthesized to generate a design that can be implemented in a programmable device. After implementing the designed logic in hardware, the designed logic may then be tested in the hardware environment 170.
The goal of many IP owners has been to create designs and release them to customers in a form that allows customers to simulate a design using a software model (for example, a Verilog or VHDL model in EDA simulators) without telling customers too much about what the core is or that can be used in an EDA synthesis tool. One option has been to create model that is synthesizable, but not desirable from a performance perspective in a hardware device (for example, a design that runs too slowly when synthesized and implemented in a hardware device).
Another approach has been to precompile a design in a form that cannot be reverse engineered and is not human readable. In these situations, the original IP is precompiled by a trusted party, such as the IP owner, for use in simulation tools only. One drawback to this method is that it is very time consuming for the party doing the conversion and it is inconvenient for would be users of the design(s). This also can result in designs that are very cumbersome for customers to use and change, though some models can be parameterized to allow changes by customer.
Parties also have started using simulation generators, which are software tools that synthesize original IP into simulatable models. Such simulation generators obfuscate and "flatten" the IP, making it difficult, though not impossible, for humans to read and decipher the design. For example, during obfuscation, clues for understanding the model (for example, structures, names, node names, register names, function names) are thrown away and are replaced with machine-generated names that are random terms without any connection to functions, etc. This basically is a netlist dump in protected form that is useful for simulation, but is only marginally useful for synthesizing the design. Flattening the IP involves altering and/or removing boundaries and other demarcations that likewise can assist in understanding the operation and structure of programmed logic.
A simulation generator does not change the model itself. Simulation generators do not perform any transformations on an original design. Instead, the simulation design is a direct copy of the original design that has been obfuscated, flattened and had unnecessary parts and components reduced and/or eliminated. Despite these efforts to protect the interests of IP owners, some users can still synthesize designs and implement them on hardware devices, without authority from the IP owners.
Techniques that permit thorough simulation and other development of digital systems and devices by designers and users, while making unauthorized synthesis and operation of these designs in a hardware environment more difficult would protect the proprietary interests of the owners of the intellectual property incorporated in such systems and devices and would represent a significant advancement in the art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A head is disclosed for use with an additive manufacturing system. The head may include a matrix reservoir, a first nozzle tip, and a second nozzle tip. The head may also include a tip changer mechanically connected between the first nozzle tip, the second nozzle tip, and the matrix reservoir.

Additive manufacturing is a process of creating three-dimensional parts by depositing overlapping layers of material onto a print bed, under the guided control of a computer. One technique of additive manufacturing is known as fused-deposition modeling (FDM). In FDM, a heated thermoplastic is pushed through a print head having a desired cross-sectional shape and size. The print head is moved in a predefined 2-dimensional trajectory as the thermoplastic discharges from the print head, such that the thermoplastic is laid down on the print bed in a particular pattern and shape of overlapping layers. The thermoplastic, after exiting the print head, hardens into a final form. Another technique of additive manufacturing is known as continuous composite three-dimensional printing (CC3D). In CC3D, a continuous fiber is connected to an existing anchor point (e.g., to the print bed), and then pushed and/or pulled through the print head along with a thermoset resin to act as reinforcement for the solidified part. Upon exiting the head, one or more cure enhancers mounted to the head instantly cure the thermoset resin, allowing for 3-dimensional printing in free-space.
Although both FDM and CC3D printing techniques can be used to fabricate parts that are acceptable for many applications, these techniques may be limited due to a configuration (e.g., size and/or shape) of a nozzle tip connected to the system. For example, a first tip having a circular orifice may be configured to discharge a single fiber or round tow of fibers, while a second tip having a rectangular orifice may be configured to discharge a ribbon or sheet of fibers. Fabrication of some structures may require dynamic swapping between nozzle tips, and it may be difficult and time consuming to make the swap. In addition, the fabrication process may need to be interrupted for the swap to be completed.
The disclosed system is directed to addressing one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art.

Additive manufacturing system having interchangeable nozzle tips


A process of manufacturing a matrix printed board, comprising the steps of forming a first conductive layer on a substrate, forming an insulating layer on said first conductive layer, and forming a second conductive layer on said insulating layer by screen printing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a matrix printed board which comprises an insulating layer and two conductive layers, i.e., a first conductive layer provided on one surface of the insulating layer and a second conductive layer provided on the other surface of the insulating layer, and a process of forming the same.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, manufacture of a matrix printed board uses two film-forming steps by for example evaporation and two photolithographic steps. However, this method reduces the yield and increases the manufacturing cost due to the use of a large scale manufacturing apparatus and many manufacturing steps.
There is another method which simplifies the manufacturing step by forming the first conductive layer using a thick film. This method, however, may create unevenness on the upper surface of the insulating layer formed on the thick-film conductive layer to thereby result in an improper second conductive layer pattern.
When the second conductive layers are formed by screen printing, improper conduction is likely to occur between a particular first conductive layer and an electrical connecting portion of a corresponding second conductive layer through which the second conductive layer contacts the particular first conductive layer, which will be a problem especially when a small electric current of about several hundreds of nanoamperes, for example, related to a photosensor, is handled. In such a case, it is necessary to plate with gold the surface of the first conductive layer which the electrical connecting portion of the second conductive layer contacts and to blush the contacting surface. This means an increase in the number of steps.
Conventionally in a matrix printed board of this type, the insulating layers disposed between the first and second conductive layers are formed by printing. In this case, the insulating layers are twice printed in order to prevent the occurrence of short-circuits between the first and second layers due to pinholes which may be formed in the insulating layer. However, the inclination, to the substrate, of a step portion formed at a through hole portion or the like in the insulating layer provided in order to allow for conduction between the particular first and second conductive layers becomes sharp. Especially when the second conductive layers are made of a thin film formed by evaporation or sputtering, a resist at a step portion formed by two insulating layers in the photolithographic step of forming a pattern for the second conductive layers subsequent to forming of the thin film for the second conductive layers by evaporation or sputtering becomes about three times as thick as a resist layer at portions other than at the step portion. Thus, if the quantity of exposure is adjusted to the thickness of the resist at the portions other than at the step portion, short-circuits may occur in the pattern portion for the step portion. On the other hand, if the quantity of exposure is adjusted to the thickness of the resist layer at the step portion, disconnections or open circuits may occur in the pattern portion for the portions other than at the step portion.

Matrix printed board and process of forming the same


Z testing during computer graphics rendering is performed in a manner so as to optimize rendering. The status of a pixel as non-promotable may be tracked using a pixel status array (PSA). Each PSA row may contain bits which correspond to the non-promotable status of pixels. Each row may include five pixels, the first four of which represent the pixels in a subspan. If the row corresponds to a valid subspan, a determination may be made as to whether any pixel in the subspan is represented by a one, indicating that the pixel is non-promotable. This row corresponds to a previous subspan that has been sent down rendering pipeline. If a one is present, then the current subspan may be stalled until the pixels of the previous subspan has gone through color calculation. If, in the row that has just been read, no pixels are represented by a one, then a determination may be made as to whether any pixels in the current subspan are non-promotable. If so, then the corresponding bit in the current PSA row may be set to one. Otherwise, the Z test may be performed on each pixel of the current subspan.

Embodiments of the invention described relate to computer graphics, and in particular, to rendering.
Stated generally, computer graphics rendering is a process by which graphics instructions and data may be received and processed so that image data may be produced. This image data may then be sent to an input/output (I/O) device such as a display. Rendering creates data that may be displayed as an image.
The process of computer graphics rendering may include a number of discrete operations. For example, specific colors of an object or a background may need to be calculated. Texture may also need to be applied to a given surface. Another operation that may be performed in computer graphics rendering is the determination of whether a given object is in front of another object or background. If the foreground object is opaque, the background object may be obscured and the obscured portion of the background object may not need to be rendered. This depth analysis may generally be referred to as Z testing. In a rendered three-dimensional scene, the distance between an object or pixel and the hypothetical camera or the viewer's eye may be determined. Likewise, the comparable distance between the camera and a second, possibly obscuring object or pixel may be determined. These distances may be measured on a hypothetical Z axis, hence the term "Z testing." If the closer object is opaque, the more distant pixel or object need not be rendered.
Note, however, that Z testing may be more complicated in certain implementations. While an object may be in the foreground, for instance, the object may be translucent or transparent. In such a case, the background object may have to be rendered. Such conditions may also be programmed into a Z test.
As mentioned above, the process of Z testing may be only one of several processes that take place during rendering. Moreover, images may have to be generated, modified, and displayed in near-real time. If so, rendering processes must take place efficiently and quickly, given that computer graphics rendering often represents the processing of large amounts of data. Design issues arise, therefore, as to how best to order these processes and how to implement them such that rendering throughput may be maximized.


For the determination of all linearly independent components of an Nth order gradient tensor of a magnetic field, at least 3+2N planar gradiometers of the Nth order are arranged on at least 3 non-parallel and non-orthogonal surfaces. As a result, three-dimensional coil structures are not necessary.

This invention relates to an arrangement for measuring all independent components of a gradient Nth order tensor of a magnetic field (where N .gtoreq.1).
To characterize a local magnetic field distribution, the knowledge of the magnetic field components as well as of the spatial derivatives of a higher order is required. This is demonstrated, for example, in Taylor's series expansion of the magnetic field vector B (x): ##EQU1##
wherein .gradient.NB/0 is the Nth order gradient tensor taken at the origin of a system of coordinates, and contains Nth order derivatives of the magnetic field components B.sub.x, B.sub.y, B.sub.z according to the spatial coordinates x, y, z. An Nth order gradient tensor contains 3+2N linearly independent components.
A measuring apparatus, by means of which the Nth order derivatives of the magnetic field can be measured, is called a gradiometer of the Nth order. In the sense of this definition, a magnetometer, for example, by means of which the magnetic field components B.sub.x, B.sub.y, B.sub.z are measured, is a gradiometer of the Oth order.
A gradiometer of the Nth order comprises at least N+1 field receiving coils, with more than N+1 of such coils also being required to measure certain components.
The more precisely the local field distribution is known in one location, the more precisely it can be reconstructed or extrapolated at another location. This is significant particularly for the compensation of gradiometer arrangement, as they are used in biomagnetic measuring techniques or in the detection of magnetic anomalies. By means of conventional wire-wound three-dimensional coil arrangements, it is possible to detect all components of a gradient tensor of the Nth order (particularly for N>1) only with high space requirements and very high mechanical expenditures. In addition, wound coils usually have relatively large errors. A gradiometer of this type is described, for example, in Wynn, et. al.: "Advanced Superconducting Gradiometer/Magnetometer Arrays and a Novel Signal Processing Technique", IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, Vol. Mag. - 11, No. 2, 1975, Pages 701-707.
Planar coils can be easily produced in thin-layer configurations in a manner that is known per se. However, such two-dimensional coil arrangements, as used for example in the case of SQUIDS, are not sufficient to measure all linearly independent gradient components. For example, in the case of a 1st gradient tensor, they are sufficient only to measure the non-diagonal elements. Thus, by means of two coils situated in the x-y plane, the gradients dB.sub.z /dx and dB.sub.z /dy can be determined. For the gradient dB.sub.z /dz, the coils must be disposed above one another in two planes, which is difficult to achieve by means of planar elements. In thin-layer technology, it is difficult to produce three-dimensional structures; for example, to draw coatings over edges.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,025, discloses an arrangement in which two coils disposed one above the other in different planes are used to measure the diagonal elements, and two coils disposed in the same plane are used to measure the non-diagonal element.
The above-described problems occur also in the case of the determination of the gradient tensors with N>1.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement for the determination of all linearly independent components of an Nth order gradient tensor of a magnetic field, which avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages.
In the German Patent Application P 40 05 079.3-35, this object is achieved for the measurement of the components of a 1st order gradient tensor (N=1). According to the present invention, the object is achieved for N.gtoreq.1 by the arrangement of several planar gradiometers of the Nth order, whereby the complete Nth order gradient tensor can be calculated in a single and precise manner. As a minimum, at least 3+2N planar gradiometers of the Nth order are required on at least 3 non-parallel and nonorthogonal surfaces. A planar gradiometer, in this case, is a gradiometer whose field receiving coils are all situated in a single plane.
On a single plane, a maximum of N+1 coplanar, linearly independent gradiometers can be mounted. (Linearly independent gradiometers are those which measure linearly independent components and, in the following, are also called orthogonal gradiometers. Gradiometers are said to be coplanar when all field receiving coils of all gradiometers are situated in a common plane. Preferably, on at least two surfaces, N+1 coplanar gradiometers of the Nth order are arranged which measure respective linearly independent components.
Advantageously, on at least one plane, in addition to the existing gradiometers of the Nth order, additional coplanar gradiometers of lower order may also be situated. In a particularly advantageous arrangement, the following gradiometers are situated on the same plane:
N+1 gradiometers of the Nth order PA1 N gradiometers of the (N-1)th order PA1 N-1 gradiometers of the (N-2)th order PA1 gradiometer of the 0th order, PA1 Detection of ammunition remnants, mines, etc. with the possibility of shape recognition; PA1 Diagnostic equipment for measuring magnetocardiograms and magnetoencephalograms with or without the use of shielding chambers; PA1 Determination of the site and orientation of a magnetic test piece in the intracorporal region, for example, in surgery/endoscopy; PA1 Geoprospecting by means of air-supported and stationary systems; PA1 Nondestructive testing of materials (low-frequency eddy-flow process for thick-walled components for interior testing of cracks from the outside).
for a total of ((N+1)*(N+2))/2 gradiometers, with gradiometers of the same order measuring orthogonal components.
So that the interaction of the gradiometer field receiving coils will be minimal, each of the coils advantageously comprises only a single winding. A further reduction of the interaction may be achieved by the arrangement of the field receiving coils of each individual gradiometer in the form of a matrix. In this case, the field receiving coils of a gradiometer of the Nth order must be arranged in m+1 rows and n+1 columns, with the additional requirement that m+n=N. The rows and columns each have a differentiating direction; for example, in the x, y or z-axis. The coil surface of the field receiving coil in row i and column j is determined by the following equation: ##EQU2## wherein i =0, ...,m and j=0,...n.
In this case, the preceding sign indicates the positive or negative winding direction; A.sub..degree. indicates the overall surface of the gradiometer which may, for example, be constructed in the shape of a square. The symbol "*" is the multiplying operator.
When this equation is satisfied by each gradiometer, the mutual interactions of the gradiometers are minimized when all gradiometers situated on the same surface are centered, and are layered above one another in a flush manner.
The invention has the following advantages:
Since all gradiometers situated on the same surface can be integrated on a single chip, optimum numerical alignment is possible in order to suppress interferences.
Wound coils with their normally large errors are avoided. Complicated layering processes, in which superconducting connections must be drawn over edges, are unnecessary.
The arrangement according to the invention is particularly suitable for the following applications:
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Local magnetic field measurement apparatus having gradiometers arranged on non-parallel, non-orthogonal surfaces


A method of forming a nanoscale pattern on a substrate is provided, wherein the method increases or decreases the spacing of patterns on the substrate relative to a master, while keeping the pattern feature size constant. The method can alternatively reduce the pattern feature size of the substrate relative to a master, while keeping the spacing patterns constant.

Molding as a means to replicate functional and artisanal masters can be traced from the manufacturing of Mesopotamian tools to the casting of Renaissance statues. Recently, molding at the nanoscale has driven the production of high-density optical and magnetic storage media (Kang, S. et al., Opt. Eng. 2000, 39, 689-694; Wu, W. et al., Appl. Phys. A-Mater. 2005, 80, 1173-1178), organic light-emitting diodes (Rogers, J. A. et al., Appl.Phys. Lett. 1998, 73, 294-296; Menard, E. et al., Chem. Rev. 2007, 107, 1117-1160), polymer photovoltaic cells (Kim, M. S. et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 2007, 90, 123113-3; Ko, D. H. et al., Nano Lett. 2009, 9, 2742-2746), and field-effect transistors (Zhang, F. et al., Nano Lett. 2002, 2, 1373-1377; Hamedi, M. et al., Nano Lett. 2009, 9, 631-635; Ko, S. H. et al., Nano Lett. 2007, 7, 1869-1877). Although rigid molds can imprint soft and semi-hard materials, they are expensive to create and brittle at nanoscale dimensions (Chou, S. Y. et al., Science 1996, 272, 85-87; Chou, S. Y. et al., Nature 2002, 417, 835-837). Elastomeric molds have also been used to pattern soft materials, but their feature sizes are mostly limited to sub-micron dimensions (King, E. et al., Adv. Mater. 1997, 9, 651-654; Yang, P. et al., Science 2000, 287, 465-467; Zhao, X. M. et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 1997, 71, 1017-1019; Kim, E. et al., Nature 1995, 376, 581-584; Rolland, J. P. et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 10096-10100; Klajn, R. et al., Science 2007, 316, 261-264; Jeong, K. H. et al., Science 2006, 312, 557-561). However, what all current molding methods have in common is that their primary goal is to generate replicas of the master. Therefore, if different features are desired, new masters are necessary to create every new pattern.

Programmable soft lithography: solvent-assisted nanoscale embossing


The present invention is a hydroponics system with a grotube for drip and ebb and flow methods of plant nourishment. The present invention includes at least one main body with at least one port or grow station. Nutrient fluid is circulated from a reservoir via a pump into the main body through an inlet pipe. The inlet pipe is placed above or below a plant root ball. The fluid then exits the main body via a drain pipe and then returns to the reservoir. The height of the pipe determines the level of nutrient fluid. Plants are grown in removable strainers, contacting the nutrient fluid, with little or no solid growth medium. A removable plate atop the saddle reduces moisture loss from the main body, and inhibits rainfall from entering the main body when used outdoors.

The present invention generally relates to the field of hydroponics growing of plants that are root-nurtured, primarily without soil by a flowing liquid medium containing nutrients. More specifically, the present invention relates to hydroponics growing that has better water height control and protection against rainwater intrusion. Further, the present invention requires less solid growing media than other systems. The present invention also enables the sprouting of plant seeds, cuttings and the nurturing of seedlings. The modular design of the present invention allows configuration of the device in many arrangements improving the flexibility of the system to meet customer needs.
Other devices lose more water from the hydroponics medium to the surrounding indoor environment raising ambient humidity and changing the concentration of nutrients in the hydroponics medium; conversely, for outdoor growers, rainfall adversely affects the hydroponics medium by collecting in such other systems and diluting the medium. This requires medium and pH adjustment after each rainfall. Other hydroponics systems also require solid growing media or larger amounts of solid growing media, such as ALLIFLOR, HYDROTON and ROCKWOOL or others or a growing block that collect salts from various fertilizers and cause a pH imbalance at the root ball; these solid media also constitute an environmental disposal hazard.
The present invention overcomes these shortcomings by providing a system having a plurality of interconnected grotubes. Each grotube includes a main body or tube with a plurality of ports for attaching functional components. Of course, a grotube may be one main tube and one port or grow station. These functional components allow the sprouting and nurturing of seedlings; height control of the hydroponics medium or fluid in the grotube; allow better sealing of the tubes; allow nutrient addition from below or above the plant root system; allow connections between the tubes; provide removable planter baskets or strainers that use no or lesser amounts of ROCKWOOL slabs or growing blocks and solid growth supports such as clay pellets; and provide sealing plates that reduce the exchange of moisture out of or into the hydroponics system. The grotube and functional components are constructed of readily obtainable materials typically PVC or food grade PVC.


A power control system is described that reuses current from segregated circuits of the mobile device. In some embodiments, the segregated circuits (or “sections”) can be “stacked” in series (with respect to the power supply) such that power is more efficiently used. The power can be more efficiently used by arranging a first section to reuse current that supplies power to a second section. A power control unit can be used to control regulators.

CMOS technologies are commonly used to build components of communication systems. However, conventional portable devices (such as cordless telephones, cell phones, mobile devices, and the like) typically have a power supply that delivers higher voltages than are required for CMOS circuitry. Accordingly, voltage regulators are used to provide voltages that are suitable for the CMOS circuitry.

Power supply scheme for reduced power compensation


A method is provided for making the storage media having data stored thereon. In one aspect of the making of storage media, a first layer is formed, where the first layer is substantially transparent to a predetermined first radiant energy used for reading the data. Next, a second layer is formed on the first layer, which is substantially opaque to the first radiant energy. Finally, a pattern is formed that comprises a plurality of holes in the second layer, where each of the holes have a largest dimension which is greater than a wavelength of the first radiant energy, and the data is stored as the presence or absence of a hole in the pattern.

Compact Discs (CD's) and Digital Versatile Disks (DVD's) have been developed to increase the amount of data that can be stored on a storage medium. These types of storage media have data on them in the form of pits and lands that are written and read with lasers along a track. Generally, the track is helical in shape and each pass of the track is separated from adjacent passes of the track by a track pitch. A standard single sided CD can store approximately 800 Megabytes of data, while a double-sided CD can store 1600 Megabytes of data. A DVD, has a track pitch of about 0.74 microns and a single side/single layer DVD can store about 4.4 Gigabytes of data, which is roughly equivalent to about 2 hours of movie playing time.
Therefore, some movies and other types of digital content cannot fit on a CD and can very easily be too large to even fit on a DVD. Furthermore, with the advent of certain technologies and business plans for the distribution of "content", it may be advantageous to store a library of digital content, such as movies, on a single removable storage medium. Current CD's and DVD's cannot be used for such purposes.

High capacity digital data storage by transmission of radiant energy through arrays of small diameter holes


Reamer bits have cutters with different effective back rake angles. Drilling systems include a pilot bit and a reamer bit, wherein cutters in shoulder regions of the reamer bit have a greater average effective back rake angle than cutters in shoulder regions of the pilot bit. Methods of drilling wellbores include drilling a bore with a pilot bit, and reaming the bore with a reamer bit having cutters in shoulder regions of the reamer bit that have an average effective back rake angle greater than that of cutters in shoulder regions of the pilot bit. Methods of forming drilling systems include attaching pilot and reamer bits to a drill string, and positioning cutters in shoulder regions of the reamer bit to have an average effective back rake angle greater than that of cutters in shoulder regions of the pilot bit.

Oil wells (wellbores) are usually drilled with a drill string. The drill string includes a tubular member having a drilling assembly that includes a single drill bit at its bottom end. However, sometimes the drill string includes two spaced-apart drill bits: the first at the bottom of the drilling assembly (referred to as the "pilot drill bit" or "pilot bit") to drill the wellbore of a first smaller wellbore diameter; and the second drill bit located above, or uphole of, the pilot bit (referred to as the "reamer bit" or "reamer") to enlarge the wellbore drilled by the pilot bit.
Pilot bits typically include several regions, such as a nose, cone, lower shoulder or lower region and an upper shoulder or upper region, each region having thereon cutting elements (also referred to as "cutters") that cut into the formation to drill the wellbore of the first smaller diameter. The reamer bit typically includes a lower shoulder or lower region and an upper shoulder or upper region, each such region having a number of cutting elements, which cut into the formation to enlarge the wellbore of the first smaller wellbore. The orientation of a front cutting face of a cutting element may be characterized by a back rake angle and side rake angle, which, in combination with the profile angle of the cutting element, define an effective back rake (or aggressiveness) of the cutting element. The load on a region of a bit during drilling of the wellbore depends upon the effective back rake of the cutting elements in that region. Uneven load distribution between the reamer and the pilot bit often causes problems, especially when the pilot bit is in a soft formation while the reamer bit is in a relatively hard formation. Under such drilling conditions, the reamer bit lower region is typically under a greater load compared to the load on the pilot bit, which can damage the reamer bit or wear it out quickly, while the pilot bit is still in an acceptable condition. The reason generally is that the effective back rake of the lower region of commonly used reamer bits is relatively low (i.e., the aggressiveness is relatively high).
Therefore, there is a need for an improved reamer bit which may be used to selectively distribute (e.g., even) the load between the reamer bit and an associated pilot bit for use in drilling wellbores.

Methods, systems, and bottom hole assemblies including reamer with varying effective back rake


A tool used for cutting coke or other hard materials in drums, adapted for being mounted to a boring rod with which the water can be run under pressure into the tool thus that, the water can be run toward the boring and cutting nozzles, being provided with a valve mechanism that can rotate about a coupling angle for releasing and closing the flow channel ports depending on a control input, with a first coupling position of the valve mechanism for boring and another coupling position for cutting, whereby the valve mechanism can be coupled at a water pressure reduced to the coupling pressure by rotating about the coupling angle, is simplified as to construction and handling in that the valve mechanism comprises a valve body in the water intake area of the casing, which has a cylindrical shape and a section for the water flowing inside the casing, as well as being rotationally mounted and having the possibility to be lifted and lowered in a cylindrical section of the inner wall of the casing, the valve body being displaceable at working pressure to a lower position against a spring tension —depending on the preset control for the individual desired function of the tool —and on occurring the coupling pressure, under spring tension, to an upper position relative to a rotating motion of the valve body about the coupling angle.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tool for cutting coke and other hard materials in bins,
adapted for being mounted to a rotationally actuated boring rod that can be lifted and lowered or to another similar component with which the water can be run under pressure into the tool casing,
water can be run under working pressure through flow channels in the casing toward the outwardly orientated boring and cutting nozzles,
being as well provided with a valve mechanism that can rotate about a coupling angle for releasing and closing the flow channel ports depending on a control input,
with which, in a first boring coupling position, the flow channel ports running to the boring nozzles are released, and the flow channel ports running to the cutting nozzles are closed, while in another coupling position of the cutting valve mechanism the flow channel ports running to the cutting nozzles are released and the flow channel ports running to the boring nozzles are closed,
whereby the valve mechanism can be switched from the boring function to the cutting function and conversely at a water pressure reduced to the coupling pressure, by rotating about the coupling angle.
2. Description of Related Art
In WO 2005/105953 is disclosed a tool of this kind, known as decoking tool for cutting coke. This tool displays, in a casing provided with boring and cutting nozzles, a virtually cylindrical flow body whereby there are extending four flow channels whose upper ports can be closed in pairs of two by means of two disk shaped closing bodies of a valve mechanism. The valve mechanism is mounted into a by-pass channel to which, on actuating the tool there flows water under high pressure from a boring rod, to which the tool is secured with a flange surrounding an inlet channel. On actuating the tool, the water enters the tool under high working pressure and there, in terms of the coupling position of a control device connecting a coupling device to the valve mechanism, the water is run either through the flow channels and an extension connected to them to the boring nozzles or through corresponding flow channels to the cutting nozzles, and is discharged there for boring or cutting the coke material.
To switch the tool from "boring" to "cutting" and conversely, the control device is provided as valve mechanism with a guiding device for the closing bodies. By way of this, the two closing bodies diametrically opposing each other can be optionally shifted over a pair of ports in the flow body for boring function or over another pair of ports therefrom for the cutting function. When the pair of ports for the boring function is closed through the closing bodies, the pair of ports to intake water for cutting is opened, and conversely.
For switching from boring function to cutting function the working pressure is lowered and the guiding device is rotated by 90° through a gear manually actuated from the outside as control device. In this case the gear comprises a bevel wheel driven by a corresponding bevel wheel on the upper side, which actuates the rotation of the control device of the guiding mechanism by 90° for switching the tool.
On switching the tool, using a pair of disk shaped closing bodies for closing the flow channel ports, whose nozzles are not actuated for the present function of the tool, bears beneficially upon the residual or coupling pressure, unlike the great surfaces of the valve plates in the tools described hereinafter. This is because the forces actuating the closing bodies through the coupling pressure, which occur on shifting the closing bodies by means of the guiding device, are comparatively low.
Nevertheless, the tool could be much improved by simplifying the coupling device for switching the tool from the boring to the cutting function, and vice-versa.
The object is to improve the handling of the known tool, in particular by simplifying the actuation of the guiding device and extending the application spectrum of the tool.

Tool for cutting coke and other hard materials in drums


Systems and methods for fast restoration in a network using a control plane include detecting a failure on a link associated with the node; and providing failure information through in-band data path overhead of an affected connection, wherein the in-band data path overhead is sent over a fast path, wherein the failure information is received at an originating node of the affected connection via the fast path, prior to the originating node receiving control plane signaling via a slow path relative to the fast path.

Optical (i.e., transport) networks and the like (e.g., DWDM, Synchronous Optical Network (SONET), Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH), Optical Transport Network (OTN), Ethernet, and the like) at various layers are deploying control plane systems and methods. Control planes provide automatic allocation of network resources in an end-to-end manner. Exemplary control planes may include Automatically Switched Optical Network (ASON) as defined in ITU-T G.8080/Y.1304, Architecture for the automatically switched optical network (ASON) (02/2005), the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference; Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS) Architecture as defined in IETF Request for Comments (RFC): 3945 (10/2004) and the like, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference; Optical Signaling and Routing Protocol (OSRP) from Ciena Corporation which is an optical signaling and routing protocol similar to PNNI (Private Network-to-Network Interface) and MPLS; or any other type control plane for controlling network elements at multiple layers, and establishing connections therebetween. Control planes are configured to establish end-to-end signaled connections such as Subnetwork Connections (SNCs) in ASON or OSRP and Label Switched Paths (LSPs) in GMPLS and MPLS. Control planes use the available paths to route the SNCs/LSPs and program the underlying hardware accordingly.
One aspect of control planes is to provide mesh restoration of the signaled connections in response to failures. For example, in case of a fiber/bundle cut, a control plane node at a point of the failure initiates mesh restoration by sending control plane RELEASE messages corresponding to each connection. The RELEASE messages are sent towards the source/originating node of the corresponding connection. The RELEASE messages are processed sequentially by each node in a path to the source/originating node. Specifically, each node receives RELEASE messages on an egress link, initiates the release of local resources (bandwidth/optical cross connect), and forwards RELEASE messages to ingress links. Once the RELEASE messages reach corresponding originating nodes, mesh restoration on alternate paths is triggered by the originating nodes, i.e., in source-routed control plane networks. Disadvantageously, the RELEASE message processing in conventional control plane networks is a sequential process and the amount of time RELEASE messages take to reach originating nodes adds to mesh restoration time and traffic outage time. Additionally, the RELEASE message is forwarded by software tasks/modules which check ingress objects corresponding to egress objects; thus delays are directly proportional to a number of nodes involved and a number of connections impacted. Disadvantageously, mesh restoration is slow and dependent on a RELEASE message being processed on each hop in a call path.

Fast mesh restoration systems and method with real time detection of fault location


A method is disclosed for fabricating a low cost, elevated-temperature resistant part with a serrated surface and elevated-temperature structural properties similar to (within fifty percent (50%)) a superalloy material comprising the steps of: forming a master tool having the desired serrated surface; electro-forming the elevated-temperature resistant part by depositing three alloying elements comprising nickel, cobalt and manganese onto the master tool in the amounts of about 60%-70% nickel, 40%-30% cobalt and 0.05%-0.10% manganese; and separating the elevated-temperature resistant part from master tool.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method of fabricating elevated-temperature resistant parts having a serrated surface, and more particularly, to an electro-forming method of fabricating hardware with a serrated surface and elevated-temperature structural properties which are at least fifty percent (50%) of those of superalloy materials.
2. Background Discussion
There are numerous applications for the use of elevated-temperature resistant parts having a serrated surface. One prior art approach to making such parts is taught by the Method Of Making A Surface With A Sharp Edge disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,259 to Sheldon, a named inventor of the present invention, said patent being assigned to the assignee in interest of the present invention.
The method disclosed by the Sheldon '259, known as diffusion bonded ribbon inconel, is used to manufacture parts for elevated-temperature applications requiring serrated surfaces and high mechanical properties approaching those of superalloys.
However, the Sheldon method is highly labor intensive and thus, costly. In addition, it is very difficult to achieve adequate sharp edges on the serrations. Moreover, to date, the Sheldon method can only be used to fabricate rectangular panels that must then be formed and welded to construct a desired part having a non-rectangular configuration.
Another known method for creating parts with a serrated surface is diamond machining of the inconel material. This method is very labor intensive and makes it difficult to achieve the required serrated surface.

Method of fabricating elevated temperature application parts with a serrated surface


A surface acoustic wave device in which a surface acoustic wave device element is arranged with interdigital electrodes on a piezoelectric substrate is packaged in a package provided in a metal pattern. Metal bumps are formed on a bonding pad section of the surface wave device element and the metal bumps are contact connected with the metal pattern of the package.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surface acoustic wave device adapted for a high frequency electronic device, and particularly, to a surface acoustic wave device that has its preferred performance adapted for use in the field of a land mobile radio telephone systems or portable radio telephone systems and can be manufactured by simplified bonding processes to improve reliability and is suitable for mass production.
2. Description of the Related Art
A surface acoustic wave device, such as a surface acoustic wave filter, is a three terminal or four terminal type element that has an electrode for inputting and is outputting and formed of Al and so forth on a piezoelectric substrate having a large electromechanical coupling coefficient and a relatively small temperature coefficient in the frequency, such as 36.degree. Y-X LiTaO.sub.3 monocrystalline substrate.
There are many interdigital electrodes (also called comb electrodes) having teeth, (i.e., the width (L) of the electrode strip and the interval (S) of the electrode strip), and the pitch (P) of the electrode strip, in a design of normally L=S=.lambda./4, P=.lambda./2 assuming that the. wavelength of the surface wave is .lambda.. For example, in order to obtain 836 MHz of center frequency, .lambda.=4.8 .mu.m is derived from the acoustic velocity 4090 m/s of .times.propagating surface wave under the interdigital electrode on the substrate. Thus, the pitch of the electrodes becomes 2.4 .mu.m and the width and interval of the electrodes becomes 1.2 .mu.m.
Typical devices have a pair of comb electrodes for input and output opposing each other. However, in a certain fields of use, such as in the field of mobile radio telephones, portable radio telephone and so forth, surface acoustic wave filters having a low amplitude attenuation (for example, less than or equal to 3 to 5 dB of insertion loss) and high suppression (for example, 24 to 25 dB of attenuation magnitude out of a pass band) in a wide range (for example, wider than or equal to 25 MHz of pass band at a center frequency higher than or equal to 836 MHz).
Various methods have been proposed in order to satisfy the foregoing performance. As one of the typical methods, there is the surface acoustic wave filter having a multi-electrode construction (see M. Lewis, 1982 Ultrasonic Symposium proceedings, P12, for example).
FIG. 1 shows an electrode pattern in the conventional surface acoustic wave device, which illustrates the surface acoustic wave filter with multi-electrode construction (example of 5 inputs-4 outputs). In the drawing, 1' denotes a device element, such that the comb electrodes 15 constituted of input and output electrodes arranged alternatively on 36.degree. Y-X LiTaO.sub.3 monocrystalline piezoelectric substrate. The device element is thus of a multi-electrode construction having five stages at the input side and four stages at the output side. The signal side electrode terminals are connected to an input terminal pad 11'a and output terminal pad 11'b which are, in turn, connected to external circuits. Although it is not illustrated, reflectors may be provided at both sides for improving the characteristics.
The reference numeral 11'c denotes grounding electrode strip pads formed electrically independent of each other.
The reference numeral 111' denotes a metal pattern for shielding formed surrounding the periphery of the element except for the input and output terminal pads 11'a and 11'b.
These comb electrodes, such as terminal pad and metal pattern and so forth, are typically formed simultaneously in photo-lithographic technology by deposition of the same metal, such as Al or Al-Cu alloy. It should be noted that the illustrated comb electrode is of a so-called normal type-normal construction that has an equal overlapping length of comb electrode strips. Width and number of the electrode strips on the drawing should not be considered accurate and are illustrated for simplification of the drawing.
FIGS. 2A and 2B show an example of practical installation of the conventional surface acoustic wave device. In the drawing, the reference numeral 1' denotes the above-mentioned device element in multi-pole construction. The reference numeral 2' denotes a package that comprises a ceramic box type container formed with a metallic wiring pattern 21' on the intermediate portion of the inner wall, for example (normally, this metallic wiring pattern is formed in a pattern corresponding to that of the terminal pads of the device element 1', and is connected to a not shown external terminal of the package). In the practical installation of the element, after die bonding the device element 1' onto the bottom of the package 2', connection is established between the input terminal pad 11'a and the output terminal pad 11'b (including the grounding metal pattern 111' for shielding if necessary) of the device element 1' and the metallic wiring pattern 21' by means of wires 7. Finally, the metallic lid plate 20' is sealed and fitted to complete the surface acoustic wave device, such as the multi-electrode construction of the surface acoustic wave filter.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional surface acoustic wave device, a space for wire bonding is required in the package. Particularly, in the multi-electrode construction of the device, there are many terminal pads and accordingly an increased number of wire bondings is required. Therefore the amount of required space increases. Furthermore, as a result of the enhancement in the working frequency range of the device to be used, the size of the comb electrodes and the terminal pads becomes smaller. Thus, the making of a junction by wire bonding becomes more difficult. Also, checking the quality of bonding becomes difficult. Furthermore, a problem arises in that the miniaturization of the surface acoustic wave device is frustrated due to large size of the package in proportion to the size of the device element.
The above-mentioned problems can be solve by a surface acoustic wave device housing a surface acoustic wave device element 1 which includes an electrode 15 formed on a piezoelectric substrate 10 in a package 2. The surface acoustic wave device comprises a metal bump 11 being formed on a bonding pad section of the surface acoustic wave device element 1, and the metal bump 11 being contact connected with a metal pattern 21 of the package 2. Practically, the metal pattern 21 may be formed on a lid plate 20 or bottom plate 22 of the package 2, or, as an alternative, a plurality of metal bumps 11 for grounding may be contact connected with the metal pattern 21. Also, a grounding bump pattern 111 may be formed along the periphery of the surface of the surface acoustic wave device element 1, on which the electrode is arranged. Alternatively, the surface acoustic wave device element 1 formed of the grounding bump pattern 111 may be contact connected with the metal pattern, and the whole element may be coated with a resin. Furthermore, a recess 200 or projection 201 for positioning of the surface acoustic wave device element 1 is provided on the metal pattern 21.
According to the present invention, since the metal bump 11 is provided on the terminal pad of the surface acoustic wave device element 1, it is not necessary to perform wire bonding at packaging and thus facilitate installation of the element. Particularly, this is effective for the multi-electrode construction type and can provide a higher reliability.
Also, since it is not necessary to provide a space for wire bonding in the package 2, the device can be made compact. Furthermore, it is simple to perform testing of the connection of the signal lines and grounding lines by means of a tester, and can improve isolation between an input and an output by providing the grounding metal pattern 21c.

Surface acoustic wave device with improved junction bonding and package miniaturization


A differential output driver capable for selectively switching from an emphasis mode, a non-emphasis mode, and an idle state uses one pull-up device and two pull-down devices per output lead. The pull-up device is preferably always activated, and one or the other or both or neither of the pull-down devices are selectively activated to provide a desired behavior. Neither pull-down device is strong enough to singularly overcome the pull-up device and fully pull down an output lead to an emphasis logic low level. One of the pull-down devices is singularly strong enough to bring an output lead to a non-emphasis logic low level, which is higher than an emphasis logic low level. The other pull-down device is singularly strong enough to pull an output line from an emphasis logic high level to a non-emphasis logic high level. Working together, however, both devices can pull-down an output lead to an emphasis logic low level. Thus, when a non-emphasis logic high output is desired, the weak pull-down device is actuated. To output a non-emphasis logic low level, the strong pull-down device is activated. To output an emphasis logic low level, both pull-down devices are activated, and to output an emphasis logic high level, both pull-down devices are deactivated. To provide an idle output voltage level, both pull-down devices are further weakened and both are activated at the same time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to output signal drivers, more specifically to differential signal drivers that have a wave shaping, i.e. emphasis, capability, and further more specifically to a differential output driver suitable for current mode logic, CML, applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
With reference to FIG. 1, a series of binary logic signals transmitted to a receiver buffer 11 may consist of a series of high and low pulses representing logic high and logic low signals, respectively. This typical type of signal transmission uses a single signal line to transmit logic 1's and 0's (i.e. logic high and low signals) by means of voltage high (such as VCC) and voltage low (such as GND) levels. Although simple to implement, this type of signal transmission deteriorates as transmission frequencies and/or the communication lines are increased.
To improve transmission integrity and signal recovery, differential signal transmissions can be used, as depicted in FIG. 2. In this case, two lines are used to transmit a logic signal. A first line transmits the true logic form 13 of a logic signal and a second line transmits the complementary logic form 15 of the signal. Both lines are applied to the input of a differential amplifier 17 at the receiver end of the transmission. Since the differential amplifier 17 can discern a received logic signal by comparing the relative voltages of the two signal lines and determining which of the two lines is at a higher potential, it is not necessary for either line to maintain a fully logic high voltage level (VCC) or a fully logic low voltage level (GND) all the way along the transmission line to receiver 17. Therefore, differential communication systems can achieve higher frequencies and longer communication lines than can single-end communication systems. As frequencies are increases even further, however, this implementation of a typical differential transmission system also begins to experience signal deterioration and signal recovery issues.
High frequency designs, i.e. in the gigahertz range, are challenging because of second order effects in the physical transmission medium, i.e. the transmission lines themselves. These second order effects can be neglected at lower frequencies but are dominant at higher frequencies. Transmission line skin effect, dielectric loss and discontinuities due to geometry changes in the signal lines all contribute to signal degradation, i.e. to altering the shape of the traveling wave. One way of mitigating these degenerative affects of the physical medium is to shape the driven signal pulses (from an output driver) in such a way as to produce a better signal to noise ratio at the receiving end.
It has been found that the success rate of signal recovery can be increased by implementing a technique known as emphasis, or pre-emphasis, (i.e. a wave shaping technique implemented at the output driver side of a driver-receiver communication pair for better signal recovery at the receiver side). Although emphasis techniques can be applied to single-ended transmission systems, it is most often associated with differential signal transmission systems.
Multiple emphasis application techniques are known, but a common emphasis technique improves signal recovery by increasing the voltage (and/or current) level of a transmitted logic signal at logic transitions. For example in FIG. 3, a transmitted true logic signal 21 and its complementary logic signal 23 are given an increased in voltage magnitude at logic transitions (i.e. when transitioning from a logic "1" to a logic "0", and vise-versa, as exemplarily shown following the logic transitions of FIG. 1 from right to left). These logic transitions are identified by label "Tr" in FIG. 3. If no logic transition occurs in successive signal transmissions, emphasis shaping is removed (i.e. the voltage swing levels return to non-emphasis levels) until the next logic transition.
In FIG. 3, the right-side of the pulse train represented earlier transmitted pulses traveling toward differential amplifier 19, and the left side of the pulse train represent more recently transmitted signals placed on the communication line by a signal transmitter, not shown. Thus, looking at the pulse train from right to left (i.e. from earlier transmissions to more current transmissions), one can identify pulses where logic transitions took place, as identified by label Tr. For example, the last four logic signal pulses shown at the left-side (i.e. the transmitter side) of the pulse train are "1 0 1 1", and thus experienced no logic transition between the earliest-two consecutive 1's, but did experience a logic transition at the most recent two pulses, "1 0". The magnitudes of the voltage high and voltage low levels of the logic transitions are therefore increased, i.e. emphasized, or pre-emphasized. However, when no logic transitions occur in consecutive signal pulses, such as those pulses not identified by the label "Tr", the magnitudes of the voltage high and voltage low levels are reduced to lower magnitude levels.
To further clarify the benefits of applying emphasis to signals at high frequencies, FIG. 4 illustrates a setup for analyzing the ill-effects of high frequency differential signal transmissions on real, i.e. physical, transmission lines. Transmission lines 14 and 16 are symbolically represented by boxes assigned attributes consistent with the electrical characteristics of a physical transmission line, such as assigning it a resistive value of 50Ω and any appropriate reactive values, if desired. Similarly, a ground plane 12 is represented a pair of boxes assigned appropriate electrical attributes. A signal driver (not shown) applies differential signals via transmitting leads 14a and 16a at the left side of transmission lines 14 and 16, respectively. The applied differential signals travel the length of transmission lines 14 and 16 until reaching receiving leads 14b and 16b and being applied to a receiver (not shown) at the right side of transmission lines 14 and 16. As is customary, 50Ω terminating resistors 18 and 20 couple receiving leads 14b and 16b to ground to reduce signal reflection and maximize the signal-to-noise ratio. In the present discussion, an ideal differential pulse waveform applied to transmitting leads 14a/16a and observed at receiving leads 14b/16b will be compared with an emphasis-shaped waveform also applied to transmitting leads 14a/16a and likewise observed at receiving leads 14b/16b.
In FIG. 5, examples of an ideal differential pulse signal and an emphasis-shaped differential signal for application to transmitting lead 14a/16a are given different DC voltage offsets for the sake of clarity, so as to avoid overlapping the ideal and emphasis-shaped signals. This DC offset is not critical to the present explanation. The lower set of waveforms, i.e. waveforms 20a and 22a, represent true and complement differential signals from an ideal source, not shown, driven onto transmission lines 14 and 16. The upper set of waveforms, i.e. waves 24a and 26a, represent true and complement differential signals from a driver circuit that shapes the pulses in a controlled manner, i.e. applies emphasis shaping.
An ideal transmission line would only delay a signal by the time it takes the signal to traverse the length of the transmission line, and would not change the shape of the traversing signal. However, this is not the case in a real (i.e. physical) transmission line, particularly when transmitting signals at very high frequencies. In a physical transmission line, a transmitted signal will suffer degradation and have its shape altered as it traverses the transmission line.
With reference to FIG. 6, the lower set of waveforms, 20b and 22b, indicate the shape of the true and complement signals (20a/22a from FIG. 5) issued by the ideal source once they have traversed transmission lines 14/16 and arrived at receiving leads 14b and 16b (FIG. 4). The upper set of waveforms, 24b and 26b, indicate the shape of the true and complement signals 24a and 26a issued by a pulse shaping driver (i.e. with emphasis) after they have traversed transmission lines 14/16 and arrived at receiving leads 14b/16b. As explained above, each set of received complementary signals 20b/22b and 24b/26b would be applied to respective receivers (such as differential amplifiers), which would attempt to recover the transmitted data. However, since both sets of signals 20b/22b and 24b/26b are distorted (i.e. have had their shapes altered as they traversed transmission lines 14 and 16) it is not readily apparent which set of waveforms the receivers would be better able to read and properly recover transmitted data. In other words, it is not clear which set of received waveform signals is of better quality.
One way to discern the quality of received differential signals is to plot an eye diagram of the difference between the true and complement signals in each set of waveforms. FIG. 7 shows two eye diagrams respectively constructed from the two sets of complementary signals 20b/22b and 24b/26b at the receiver end of the transmission line. The construction of an eye diagram is best understood by explaining how it is generally constructed in the field. The base band waveform is typically connected to an oscilloscope whose time base is triggered by the receiver sampler timing once each P seconds. A long sequence of random data is then fed to the transmitter. The result is a supposition of the possible P-second transitions in the waveform, which form a pattern that resembles an eye. As long as the eye is "open", one can recover the transmitted data, but if the eye is closed, then it is not possible to recover the transmitted data. Thus, the quality of a received signal can be gauged by a determination of how open its resultant eye pattern is.
In FIG. 7, the left diagram is from signals (waveforms 20b/22b in FIG. 6) received from the ideal source (ideal pulse waveforms 20a/22a in FIG. 5), and the right diagram is from signals (waveforms 24b/26b in FIG. 6) received from the wave-shaping driver (emphasis waveforms 24a/26a in FIG. 5). The diagrams cover 3 data bit periods of 400 ps each for a total of 1.2 ns. It can be seen that in the left diagram no eye is visible, i.e. the eye is "closed", meaning that the ideal square pulses are degraded to such an extent that no discernable data signal can be recovered at the receiving end of the transmission line. The right diagram shows that the emphasis-shaped signals (i.e. the shaped pulses) produce an opened eye 38 in the diagram meaning that the receiver can definitely recover the transmitted signal. The amount of improvement in the received signal is a function of the transmission line and the amount/type of emphasis of the shaped signal.
In the past, circuits for implementing wave-shaping (i.e. emphasis or pre-emphasis) techniques have typically required control logic circuitry having registers and logic comparators to compare a current logic output at the signal driver with a previous logic output in order to identify logic transitions and to determine if emphasis should be applied. Also in the prior art, the output driver itself was typically comprised of two separate, and independent, output driver circuits, one that provided emphasis output voltage levels, and another that provided non-emphasis (i.e. reduced) output voltage levels. The control logic circuitry would select one or the other (or both) of the output drivers depending on whether emphasis should be applied.
For example in FIG. 8, in a prior art pre-emphasis transmitter (only one of a pair of true or complement lines is shown for simplicity), data to be transmitted is applied directly to a non-emphasis signal driver 30, which provides a reduced voltage swing. The pull-up PMOS transistor and pull-down NMOS transistor of non-emphasis driver 30 are made relatively weak and not able to fully pull-up output line 32 to VCC, or to fully pull-down output line 32 to GND. Consequently, this example provides a second signal driver 34 that is activated when pre-emphasis is desired. By having both the first 30 and second 34 signal drivers working in tandem, the output line 32 receives increased current sourcing/draining capability and is thereby driven all the way up to the logic high power rail and all the way down to the logic low power rail.
As shown, this circuit requires that the data signals to be transmitted be applied to a shift register 36 to keep a record of previously transmitted logic signals. The contents of shift register 36 are applied to a digital comparator 38 to identify logic transitions between previous and current output data signals, and the output of the digital comparator 38 is applied to a pre-emphasis controller 40, which also receives the current data to be transmitted and selectively activates second signal driver 34, as needed.
The use of a shift register and digital comparator complicate and increase the overall structure of the output driver. Furthermore, the pre-emphasis circuit of FIG. 8 is a CMOS based circuit, but CMOS circuitry is often not suitable for very high frequency applications. At very high frequencies, one typically requires current based circuitry, such as current mode logic (CML) circuitry.

High speed driver for serial communications


A torque box for a space frame on an automotive vehicle having at least a pair of spaced vertically extending structural members includes an inner panel, and an outer panel spaced from the inner panel and substantially parallel thereto. The torque box includes a plurality of interior panels extending between and interconnecting the inner and outer panels. The inner and outer panels and interior panels cooperate to form a spaced ends which are secured to the structural members.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to frame structures for automotive vehicles and, more specifically, to a torque box used in the construction of such frames from lightweight materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to construct frames defining the general shape of an automotive vehicle and for supporting its various load-bearing functional components from metal components fabricated in a variety of manners. In the interest of enhancing the fuel economy of automotive vehicles, great attention has been given to fabricating vehicular components from lightweight materials. Consistent with this goal, automotive vehicles have been fabricated which use lightweight outer decorative panels fabricated from plastics which are fixedly secured to a structural frame or "space frame."
It is known to fabricate such space frames from a number of tubular members that are joined by connectors to define the general shape of the vehicle. It is also known to use a torque box to provide connections between various components of the vehicle. Conventionally, the torque box is formed of two sheet metal stampings or members welded or fastened together to form a box having a hollow space. These torque boxes suffer from the disadvantage that they require subsequent processing after stamping. These torque boxes also suffer from the disadvantage that they tend to be massive and expensive to fabricate and assemble.