Methods and apparatus for optical-power control in an optical network employing wavelength-division multiplexed (WDM) optical-fiber links are devised to circumvent the effect of crosstalk caused by optical-power scattering. Each carrier signal is amplitude-modulated by an identifying tone, with the power of an identifying tone having a predetermined ratio to the power of its carrier signal. A fiber span within an optical-fiber link is tapped at a preferred monitoring point, and the power spectrum of the envelope of the tapped optical signal is measured. To estimate an individual carrier power, a temporary gain is applied and the power of a corresponding tone is measured. To control optical power of each wavelength carrier in several spans in the network, a network controller selects an order of processing the spans of interest, and selects the order of processing of each channel within each span.

In optical networks comprising nodes interconnected by wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) fiber links, low frequency tones are often used for providing both power monitoring and identification of optical channels. For example, low-frequency tones each of a frequency between 10 kHz and 1 MHz may be used to modulate the amplitude of individual optical carriers at the edge of the network. To monitor the carrier power in a fiber link, an optical tap may be used to extract a measured sample of the propagating optical signal comprising wavelength-multiplexed carrier signals. The tapped optical signal is processed to detect the individual modulating tones, determine their frequency content, and measure the power levels of individual tones. Tapped-signal processing may be realized using low cost circuitry.
Methods and apparatus for identifying channels in an optical network are described in the following patent applications:                U.S. Pat. No. 7,054,556, titled "Channel identification in communications networks";        U.S. Pat. No. 7,127,165, titled "Method and system for compensating for side effects of cross gain modulation in amplified optical networks";        U.S. Pat. No. 7,139,486, titled "Method and apparatus for optical add/drop multiplexing in optical networks"; and        U.S. Pat. No. 7,142,783 titled, "Method and system for identification of channels in an optical network".
The presence of light-energy scattering in a WDM link results in crosstalk among the carrier signals sharing a WDM link. Accordingly, the measured power level of a specific tone, modulating a specific carrier signal, may reflect contributions of more than one carrier signal and, hence, may not accurately represent the power of the specific carrier signal.
There is a need, therefore, to explore methods for accurate estimation of the power levels of carrier signals in the presence of crosstalk in a WDM fiber link while still relying on processing a low-frequency envelope of a tapped optical signal. Accurate power-level estimation enables control of optical-power level across an optical network.

Method and system for power management in optical networks


A cap in combination with spectacles that are removably coupled to the underside of the cap's visor. The spectacles are pivotally movable from a first deployed position, where the lenses are disposed in front of a user's face to a second stowed position, where the spectacles underlie the visor. The pivoting mechanism is axially biased to provide constant pressure to hold the spectacles in substantially any position.

Oftentimes it is desirable to wear both a hat and spectacles (e.g., eyeglasses, safety glasses, or sunglasses) simultaneously. Normally, these two accoutrements are separate and distinct items that a user wears. One drawback of this conventional approach is that a user, desiring to remove the glasses, must carry the glasses after removing them. By removing the glasses from his face, the user increases the likelihood of the glasses being lost or being broken.
It is known in the art to couple spectacles to a hat. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,570 issued to Darcy Lester Flynn discloses a hat having a pair of glasses that are pivotally coupled to the underside of the brim. With this hat, however, the glasses are permanently fixed to the cap, resulting in both the hat and the glasses having to be discarded if either component is damaged or falls out of fashion. Additionally, the hinge mechanism uses complementary radially mounted teeth that intermesh to create an interference fit. This arrangement only provides a fixed number of places where the glasses may be positioned and, due to this intermeshing teeth arrangement, the teeth wear down, thereby destroying the interference fit and causing the glasses to move from a desired location.


A method for monitoring the integrity of an integrated positioning system located on a mobile machine is provided. The integrated positioning system includes a GPS receiver and an inertial navigation unit (INU). The INU includes an odometer, a Doppler radar, a gyroscope, and a sensor for measuring the steering angle of the mobile machine. The method includes the steps of receiving a GPS position estimate from a GPS receiver, receiving an INU position estimate from an inertial navigation unit, and comparing the GPS position estimate and the INU position estimate. If the two position estimates are the same, then the system is VALID. Otherwise, the velocity of the mobile machine as determined by the odometer and velocity as determined by the Doppler radar are compared. If the difference is greater than a first predetermined threshold, then the INU is determined to be INVALID. Otherwise a heading rate from gyroscope is compared with a calculated heading rate based on measured steering angle and velocity. If the difference is greater than a second predetermined threshold, then the INU is INVALID, otherwise the GPS is INVALID.

Improvements in positioning systems are making autonomous machines, such as autonomous earthmoving machines, a reality.
In order to achieve autonomy, a machine must at all times be able to determine its position relative to its environment. One system commonly used to achieve this goal is the Global Positioning System or GPS. The GPS consists of a plurality of satellites which transmit electromagnetic signals. A GPS receiver located within the range of the satellites receives signals from the satellites and determines the position of the receiver using triangulation methods.
It is possible to use a GPS receiver alone for positioning. However, when high accuracy is required, integrated positioning systems are preferred. An integrated positioning system uses measurements from several different types of sensors to achieve highly accurate positioning information.
Many examples of integrated positioning systems are known. Such integrated systems use GPS navigation signals as well as measurements from inertial and other machine motion type sensors to produce more accurate position estimates. However, these systems are generally of custom design and are therefore expensive and burdensome to implement.
Integrated systems are limited by reliance on the machine motion type sensors. Their accuracy is limited, thus, they are typically used only for short distances.
Typically, in most integrated systems it is assumed that a position estimate from a GPS receiver is accurate. However, experience has shown that GPS position estimates also tend to drift. Over-reliance on GPS position estimates decreases the usability of the overall autonomous system.
The present invention is directed at one or more of the problems as set forth above.

Method for monitoring integrity of an integrated GPS and INU system


A flash memory cell is fabricated by forming a lightly-doped region with only an implantation procedure to avoid lateral diffusion resulting from an increased overlap between the source region and gate as well as a short channel effect, while surrounding the source region with the lightly-doped region to thereby increase the breakdown voltage between the source region and the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to integrated circuit fabrication. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for fabricating a memory cell with a decreased overlap between the source region and gate of the memory cell to thereby decrease the capacitance thereof and render it immune to undesirable short channel effects.
2. Description of Related Art
The flash memory device is one kind of the EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) device which is erased by means of electric signals. FIGS. 1A-1D show a conventional method for fabricating a flash memory cell suited for application on a semiconductor substrate 1, either a P-type silicon wafer or a P-well formed in an N-type silicon wafer.
As shown in FIG. 1A, a tunnel oxide layer 10, a floating gate 11, an inter-gate dielectric layer 12, and a control gate 13 are sequentially formed on the semiconductor substrate 1. The tunnel oxide layer 10 may be a silicon oxide layer, for example, formed by thermal oxidation on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 1. The floating gate 11 and control gate 13 are made of polysilicon deposited by a LPCVD (Low-Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition) process. The polysilicon is doped with impurities to increase the conductivity thereof. The inter-gate dielectric layer 12 comprises a three-layer oxide-nitride-oxide structure.
Photolithography and etching processes are then applied. The control gate 13, inter-gate dielectric layer 12, floating gate 11, and tunnel oxide 10 are subsequently patterned and etched to form a stacked gate 14 as depicted in FIG. 1B. In the drawing, the tunnel oxide 10 is shown overlying the substrate's surface to prevent the substrate 1 from implantation damage. Afterwards, a photoresist layer 100 is formed to cover the substrate 1 on one side of the stacked gate 14. By utilizing the photoresist layer 100 as a mask, impurities 15 are implanted into the substrate 1 to form a lightly-doped region 16. The impurities 15, such as arsenic ions, are implanted with a dosage of about 1E14cm.sup.-2 to 1E15cm.sup.-2 and at an energy of about 40KeV to 60KeV. Accordingly, the junction depth of the lightly-doped region 16 ranges from about 0.15.mu.m to 0.3.mu.m. The photoresist layer 100 is thereafter removed.
A drive-in process, such as that performed at a temperature of about 1000.degree. C. for about 60 minutes, is utilized to diffuse the implanted impurities within the lightly-doped region 16 to a predetermined depth, for example, between 0.5.mu.m and 0.6.mu.m. As depicted in FIG. 1C, the lightly-doped region 16 is driven to the deeper junction depth designated by reference numeral 17. Because the thermal drive-in process is isotropic, it is inevitable that lateral diffusion occurs. Therefore, an overlap between the lightly-doped region 17 and the stacked gate 14 is formed.
As is shown in FIG. 1D, impurities 18, such as arsenic ions, are implanted into the substrate 1, by using stacked gate 14 as masking, to form a pair of heavily-doped regions 19A and 19B, serving as a drain region and a source region of the memory cell, respectively. Note that the source region 19B is disposed within the lightly-doped region 17 enclosed thereby.
An electrical potential of about 7 volts is applied to the drain region 19A when programming the flash memory cell. This generates high energy hot electrons near the drain junction, while a gate voltage of about 10-13V applied to control gate 13 provides a vertical electric field to draw the hot electrons through the tunnel oxide layer 10 and inject them into the floating gate 11. The injected hot electrons will therefore increase the threshold voltage of the flash memory cell.
The Fowler-Nordheim effect is used if erasing the flash cell is needed. At such time, a voltage is applied to source 19B to drain off the electrons stored within floating gate 11 via tunnel oxide layer 10. However, this applied voltage is apt to cause a junction breakdown between the heavily-doped region 19B and substrate 1. Therefore, the lightly-doped region 17 is formed to envelope the source region 19B and increase the breakdown voltage between the lightly-doped region 17 and substrate 1.
However, this conventional method forms the lightly-doped region 17 by thermally driving the implanted impurities to the desired junction depth. Lateral diffusion, as mentioned above, not only increases the overlapping area between the lightly-doped region 17 and stacked gate 14 and the parasitic capacitance therebetween, it also reduces the effective channel length between the source region 19B and the drain region 19A which leads to the undesirable short channel effect. Thus, there is a need for a flash memory cell fabrication process which reduces the overlap between a source region and the stacked gate.

Method for fabricating flash memory cell having a decreased overlapped region between its source and gate


Methods, systems, and computer program products for processing natural language analytics queries are provided herein. A computer-implemented method includes obtaining a natural language query comprising an analytics function; applying domain reasoning using a predefined grammar for a plurality of different predefined categories of analytics functions to assign the analytics function of the natural language query into a given analytics function category; identifying predefined arguments and a predefined sequence of actions associated with the given analytics function category; instantiating the analytics function using the predefined arguments and the predefined sequence of actions; interpreting the instantiated analytics function in the context of a domain ontology to generate a target executable query to implement the instantiated analytics function; and executing the predefined sequence of actions for the given analytics function class on a result of the target executable query to obtain an answer to the natural language query.

A natural language query comprises terms in a native language of a user, without requiring a special syntax or a particular format. A natural language query may be entered in any form, such as a statement, a question, or a list of keywords. A keyword query, for example, comprises terms entered by the user that are used to retrieve documents having some or all of the specified terms.
An analytic function is a function that is given locally by a convergent power series. Analytic functions are an important aspect of mathematical analysis. Existing natural language query systems can process point queries and queries comprising an aggregation function. Existing natural language query systems, however, are unable to process queries having an analytic intent.
A need therefore exists for improved techniques for processing natural language analytics queries.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

International Business Machines Corporation


A fuel system is comprising: a fuel tank; an internal combustion engine; a fuel regulator fluidly connecting the fuel tank to the engine, the fuel regulator being configured to reduce the pressure of the fuel from a first fuel pressure at the fuel tank to a second fuel pressure at the engine; an air supply assembly configured to supply air from an air inlet to the engine, the air assembly comprising: a first air supply line fluidly connecting the air inlet and the engine, the first air supply line being in thermal communication with the fuel regulator; a second air supply line fluidly connecting the air inlet and the engine, the second air supply line being in parallel with the first air supply line; and an air valve configured to adjust the air flowing through at least one of the first air supply line and the second air supply line.

The embodiments herein generally relate to internal combustion engines and more specifically, fuel systems of internal combustion engines fueled by compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas.
Typically, in internal combustion engines that utilize a natural gas engine, the natural gas must be compressed and stored in high pressure containers to be transportable. The compressed natural gas must be then decompressed to be consumed by the internal combustion engine. The natural gas is typically decompressed through a regulator but this decompression process is inefficient and improvements are desired.

Use of decompressing natural gas to lower the intake air temperature of an internal combustion engine


A process chamber and a substrate processing apparatus including the same are disclosed. The process chamber includes a first housing and a second housing on the first housing. The first housing includes a first outer wall, a first partition wall facing the first outer wall, and a first side wall connecting the first outer wall and the first partition wall. The second housing includes a second outer wall, a second partition wall between the second outer wall and the first partition wall, and a second side wall connecting the second outer wall and the second partition wall. Each of the first and second outer walls has a thickness greater than a thickness of the first partition wall and a thickness of the second partition wall.

The present inventive concepts relate to a process chamber and a substrate processing apparatus including the same.
A semiconductor manufacturing process may include a deposition process, an etching process, a cleaning process, etc. The cleaning process may remove contaminants remaining on a substrate. The cleaning process may include a chemical process that supplies a chemical to remove contaminants on a substrate, a rinsing process that supplies a cleaning solution to remove the chemical on the substrate, and a drying process that dries the remaining cleaning solution on the substrate. The chemical process, the rinsing process, and the drying process may be sequentially performed.
In the drying process, a process chamber is supplied with a supercritical fluid to dry the cleaning solution remaining on the substrate. When the drying process is performed, the process chamber may have a high inner pressure caused by the supercritical fluid. Therefore, much research has recently been conducted on structures of the process chamber capable of enduring the high pressure.

Process chamber and substrate processing apparatus including the same


A wavelength converter 100 includes: a first phosphor 1 composed of an inorganic phosphor activated by Ce3+; and a second phosphor 2 composed of an inorganic phosphor activated by Ce3+ and different from the first phosphor. At least one of the first phosphor and the second phosphor is particulate. The first phosphor and the second phosphor are bonded to each other by at least one of a chemical reaction in a contact portion between the compound that constitutes the first phosphor and a compound that constitutes the second phosphor and of adhesion between the compound that constitutes the first phosphor and the compound that constitutes the second phosphor.

Heretofore, there has been known a light emitting device composed by combining a solid-state light emitting element and a wavelength converter including a phosphor with each other. As such a light emitting device as described above, for example, a white light emitting diode light source, a laser illuminator and a laser projector have been known.
In recent years, an output increase of such a light emitting device has been in progress, and as a result, a load on the phosphor has tended to increase year by year. Then, in order to improve durability of the phosphor, full mineralization of the wavelength converter including the phosphor has been progressing in recent years. As such a wavelength converter as described above, for example, a phosphor single crystal, translucent phosphor ceramics and a sintered body of phosphor have been proposed.
As a prior art using the translucent phosphor ceramics and the sintered body of the phosphor, a wavelength converter of Patent Literature 1 has been known. In Patent Literature 1, there is disclosed a wavelength converter in which a part or all of polycrystalline ceramics are converted to polycrystalline phosphor ceramics by diffusing an emission center such as Ce3+ into a polycrystalline ceramic body serving as a base.
In Patent Literature 2, there is disclosed an illuminator including a laser light source that emits laser light, and a light emitting unit that includes a phosphor sintered body formed by sintering an oxynitride phosphor and emits fluorescence upon receiving the laser light emitted from the laser light source. Then, it is also disclosed that the phosphor sintered body includes a plurality of types of sintered bodies, each of which emits fluorescence with a color different from those of others, the sintered bodies being laminated on one another along an optical axis of the laser light.
Moreover, in Patent Literature 3, there is disclosed a wavelength converter composed by forming one particle by causing a phosphor A and a phosphor B to be mixedly present in order to suppress color unevenness of output light of a light emitting device. Then, the phosphor A is an inorganic compound that emits fluorescence having a light emission peak within a wavelength range of 600 nm or more and less than 660 nm, contains nitrogen, and is activated by Eu2+. Moreover, the phosphor B is an inorganic compound that emits fluorescence having a light emission peak within a wavelength range of 400 nm or more and less than 600 nm and is activated by Eu2+.

Wavelength converter and method for producing thereof, and light emitting device using the wavelength converter

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


A differential lubrication system includes structure forming a torque converter feed passage in fluid communication with a fluid source and in which fluid is selectively supplied to a torque converter. Structure forming a branch passage for lubricating a differential mechanism extends from the torque converter feed passage to divert fluid to the differential mechanism prior to the fluid being supplied to the torque converter. Two flow restrictions and a valve mechanism may be employed to control lubrication of the differential mechanism. One of the flow restrictions may form a nozzle so that fluid is sprayed onto the differential mechanism. A method of lubricating the differential mechanism is also provided.

A typical powertrain for a vehicle transmission includes an output differential, which requires some lubrication. This lubrication is generally provided by splashing oil from the transmission case or by supplying lubrication fluid from the general lube circuit after the fluid has passed through a torque converter where the fluid gets heated due to converter heat generation and then through a cooler (part of the vehicle radiator) where the fluid is cooled and then supplied to various lubrication passages throughout the transmission.

Lubrication system for a transmission output differential mechanism


A hand operated primer pump for small marine or other engines generally spark ignition engines used on stern drive boats that prevents transfer of hydrocarbons into the atmosphere. The primer generally mimics and replaces prior art rubber primer bulbs in general shape and possibly color, although it can be made in any shape or color. It generally contains a pump that delivers a precise measured amount of fuel with each stroke of the actuator. The primer can have an ergonomically designed actuator that creates the farthest distance from a fulcrum point for maximum leverage and hence, maximum ease of use. The primer is generally designed with a continuous molded fuel path to seal any source of hydrocarbon leakage as well as being made from materials that prevent transfer of hydrocarbons to the atmosphere.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to primers for marine engines and more particularly to a rigid primer bulb pump that does not emit any hydrocarbons.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Outboard mounted spark ignition marine engines used on stern drive boats currently employ a semi-rigid rubber primer bulb type pumping device to provide initial prime to the fuel supply system. These devices are simply rubber bulbs mounted on fuel hoses usually equipped with a set of one-way valves to direct the direction of pumping when the bulb is squeezed.
This type of prior art device, by nature of its makeup and material, is generally permeable. Because of that, it releases a small percentage of the hydrocarbons that pass through it into the atmosphere. It is very undesirable to pass any fuel hydrocarbons into the atmosphere since that represents a source of pollution and may violate future government regulations. It would be advantageous to have a primer for outboard mounted engines that was made from a rigid polymer and avoided this shortcoming by not allowing leakage or permeation of hydrocarbons into the atmosphere.


For a semiconductor device having copper wiring, an exemplary method according to an embodiment of the present invention may include forming a first insulation layer on a silicon substrate having a transistor thereon; forming a contact hole by etching the first insulation layer; forming a metal plug so as to fill the contact hole; forming a second insulation layer on the metal plug; forming a trench exposing an upper surface of the metal plug by partially removing the second insulation layer; sputter-etching an interior wall and bottom surface of the trench with a plasma; and forming a copper line layer so as to fill the sputter-etched trench. According to this method, electrical contact between a metal plug and a copper line layer may be maintained or improved prevented by reducing or removing by-products on the metal plug using the sputter-etching process.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having copper wiring.
(b) Description of the Related Art
In many general logic devices, copper wiring may be more widely used than aluminum lines, which have a drawback in RC delay. Unlike aluminum wiring, copper wiring is formed by a process including steps of forming an insulation layer pattern by a damascene process and forming a copper layer thereon by an electroplating process.
FIGS. 1 to 4 are cross-sectional views showing sequential stages of a conventional method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having copper wiring.
Referring to FIG. 1, a transistor is formed on a silicon substrate 10. The transistor may include a trench oxide layer 11 for isolating an active region of the silicon substrate 10, a gate oxide layer (not shown) formed in the active region, a gate stack 16 comprising a polysilicon layer 12 and a metal silicide layer 14, a gate spacer 18 formed on sidewalls of the gate stack 16, and source/drain terminals 20 formed in alignment with the gate stack 16. The gate spacer 18 may include layers 18a, 18b, and 18c including oxide and nitride layers. In addition, a metal silicide layer 22 may be also formed on a surface of the source/drain terminals 20.
After forming a thin layer 24 on the entire surface of the transistor, a first insulation layer 26 is formed on the liner layer 24. A contact hole 28 is formed by selectively etching the first insulation layer 26 over the source/drain terminals 20 (and, generally, over the gate 16). After forming a first barrier metal layer 29 in the contact hole 28, a tungsten plug 30 is formed on the first barrier metal layer 29 so as to fill the contact hole 28. The tungsten plug 30 is formed by filing the contact hole 28 with a tungsten layer and planarizing by a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process.
Referring to FIG. 2, after a second insulation layer 31 is formed on the tungsten plug 30, a trench 32 may be formed by selectively etching the second insulation layer 31 by photolithography and etching to expose an upper surface of the tungsten plug 30.
Subsequently, referring to FIG. 3, a second barrier metal layer 34 is formed on an interior wall of the trench 32. Then, a copper seed layer 36 is formed on the second barrier metal layer 34.
Referring to FIG. 4, a copper line layer 38 is formed on the copper seed layer 36 so as to fill the trench 32. The copper seed layer 36 included in the copper line layer 38 is omitted in FIG. 4.
According to the conventional method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having copper wiring, even if a cleaning process follows chemical mechanical polishing of the tungsten layer of FIG. 1, residues included in slurry used in the chemical mechanical polishing process may remain on the surface of the device so as to cause a device failure. In addition, even if the tungsten layer is removed by chemical mechanical polishing, residue of the tungsten layer may remain on the surface of the insulation layer 26.
Furthermore, by-products (for example, polymers formed during the etching process for the trench in FIG. 2) may remain on a sidewall of the trench or on the tungsten plug, and these by-products may act as an insulation layer or a resistor (e.g., in the case of a very thin layer of such a by-product). The by-products cause the tungsten plug to be electrically insulated from the second barrier metal layer and the copper line layer, or could cause an unacceptable or undesirable increase in the resistivity of the tungsten plug. As a result, the semiconductor device manufactured by the conventional method may not work, or its reliability may be deteriorated.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and therefore, it may contain information that does not form prior art or other information that is already known in this or any other country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device


The present invention provides methods for tumor treatment by administering an inhibitor of quiescin sulfhydryl oxidase 1 (QSOX1), compositions comprising such inhibitors, and methods for identifying such inhibitors.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a disease that carries a poor prognosis. It is often detected in stage III resulting in an unresectable tumor at the time of diagnosis. However, even if pancreatic cancer is surgically resected in stage I or II, it may recur at a metastatic site (1, 2). Currently, patients diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma have less than a 5% chance of surviving past five years (3).
Breast adenocarcinoma is the most common cancer diagnosed in women throughout the world. In 2012, an estimated 226,870 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to occur among US women, and an estimated 39,510 breast cancer deaths.

ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS, A BODY CORPORATE OF THE STATE OF ARIZONA ACTING FOR AND ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY


A microelectronics chip contains an integrated CMOS imaging sensor integrated with a LED die. Circuitry is established on the chip for a shared power arrangement.

Complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor products have many uses, for example, in cameras, smart phones, and medical imagers. All such devices require external light. This is particularly evident in medical endoscope products. The endoscope tip needs a light source because it is dark inside the body. Second, the endoscope tip needs to be miniaturized due to the medical necessity to access small cavities inside the body, such as tributaries of airway or blood vessels. As a result, the requirement for supplemental illumination may sometimes impose a limiting factor on further miniaturization of endoscopes, especially as the requirement complicates the design by requiring a power delivery system for the illumination source.
Conventional endoscope products have separate systems of illumination and detection. These are shown by way of example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,449,006 issued to Shipp, and related optical assembles may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 8,308,637 issued to Ishigami et al. FIG. 1 shows generally an endoscope system 100 of this nature in the prior art. An endoscope 102 is provided with an imaging tip 104 that is selectively attachable at locking collar 106. A CMOS imaging package 108 includes a lens and a photodectector array, such as an array of photodiodes (not shown). The imaging package 108 is circumscribed by a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) 110, 112. Wiring harness 114 couples the imaging tip 104 with a host controller 116 by use of individual leads allocated to the LEDs 110, 112 and the CMOS imaging package 108 for the receipt of signals that are processed to develop viewable images.


Method and system for monitoring the operation of a stamping press preferably for forming automobile parts, such as fenders and quarter panels, based on a plurality of features extracted from a press signature. The method includes defining the plurality of features, each feature representing a parameter associated with the process of forming the parts, and operating the stamping press so as to produce a predetermined number of production parts while collecting a production operating signature. The method also includes extracting the feature values from the production operating signature to obtain production feature values, and comparing the production feature values to predetermined operating limits which represent limits within which acceptable parts are formed.

Sheet metal remains the primary material utilized in the making of an automobile body, despite the advent of plastics technology. Sheet metal body parts, such as fenders and quarter panels, are formed utilizing conventional stamping presses. In an effort to minimize operating cost and maximize part quality, it is desirable to monitor operation of these presses, so as to ensure the process remains within statistical control.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,131, issued to Martinez, discloses a method of detecting faulty parts in a progressive die press having a plurality of forming stations, each of which includes a forming tool and a force transducer. The method includes the steps of producing a preselected number of sample parts while collecting reference force data from the force transducers for a plurality of displacements. The reference force data and the displacement data are applied to a processor which produces a reference curve for each of the forming stations. Production force data are provided to the processor and compared to the curve for each of the displacements and for each of the forming stations. A faulty part is indicated when the production force data for at least one of the displacements is different from the reference force data of the reference curve by a preselected difference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,528, issued to O'Brien, discloses a signature analysis control system for a stamping press. A reference signature corresponding to desired force values at particular sampling points during the RAM cycle is developed The force signature for successive cycles of the press is then compared to the reference signature, and the press inhibited in the event that any sampling point deviates from the corresponding point in the reference signature by more than predetermined limits.
However, these existing systems and methods for monitoring manufacturing processes are rigid and inflexible in that they rely on one aspect, i.e. force amplitude, to detect problems. For example, the U.S. Pat. No. '131 teaches collecting reference and production force data to obtain reference and production force curves. The production force curve is then compared to the reference force curve, and difference beyond acceptable limits indicate flaws. Similarly, the U.S. Pat. No. '528 discloses controlling press operation based on comparisons between desired force amplitude values and actual force amplitude values. Reference and operational force signatures are generated from force signals and compared to each other to detect out-of-tolerance conditions. By limiting analysis to force amplitude, however, many aspects of the process can not be properly monitored. As a result, the process can go out of statistical control. The problem goes undetected until the unacceptable parts that have been formed roll off of the line.
Because there are many factors which affect process control and part quality, it is most desirable to monitor press operation utilizing a plurality of variables which can be extracted from the press signature in real-time.

Method and system for real-time statistical process monitoring


An injection valve member for the closing and opening of injection orifices of a valve seat element is installed longitudinally adjustably in a central housing bore of a fuel injection valve. The opening and closing movement sequence of the injection valve member is controlled by a control device. A control piston operatively connected to the injection valve member is loaded, on the one hand, by the fuel system pressure prevailing in a high-pressure zone and, on the other hand, by the fuel control pressure in a control space. The high-pressure zone includes the central housing bore which is closed off sealingly by a control body fixed to the housing. The control space is arranged between the control body and a piston end face and is at least temporarily delimited radially by a control sleeve which is moveable transversely to the longitudinal axis of the housing. A narrow sliding guide between a control piston part and the control sleeve, said sliding guide separating the control space from the high-pressure zone, forms an accurate longitudinal guide for the control sleeve. The fuel injection valve is simple in terms of manufacture and assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fuel injection valve for the intermittent injection of fuel into the combustion space of an internal combustion engine.
2. Discussion of the Background
EP-B-0 228 578 describes a fuel injection valve with an injection valve member which is guided longitudinally displaceably in a housing in a bore extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the housing. This bore, which is connected via a throttle to a fuel high-pressure connection and is designed as an accumulator space, is closed off, at one end, by a seat for the injection valve member, said seat being provided with injection orifices, and, at the other end, by a cylindrical end piece which is guided in the housing by means of a narrow guide performing a sealing function. The end piece serves as a narrow sliding guide for a piston which forms part of the one-piece injection valve member. The injection valve member is narrowly guided in a further guide in the vicinity of the seat. The movement of opening and closing the injection valve member is controlled by controlling the pressure in a control space above the piston of the injection valve member.
As mentioned, the two guides for the one-piece injection valve member a produced in the form of narrow sliding fits, which means that these guides have to be accurately oriented axially, so that no lateral forces are exerted on the injection valve member, which could cause distortion of the latter, severe friction or even jamming and would impair the functioning of the fuel injection valve. The fuel injection valve is consequently complicated to manufacture and assemble. Moreover, the housing has a relatively large cross section, because, as mentioned, the central bore is designed as an accumulator space, this being a disadvantage for installation in internal combustion engines.
A generic fuel injection valve of the type initially mentioned is known, for example, from EP-B-0 686 763. In this fuel injection valve, the opening and closing movement sequence of an injection valve member installed longitudinally adjustably in a housing is controlled by means of a control device comprising a control piston which is a component separate from the injection valve member and operatively connected to the latter. Between the end face of the control piston and a control body fixed to the housing is located a control space which is delimited radially by a control sleeve. The control sleeve is arranged displaceably and with a narrow sliding fit in a housing bore receiving the control device. The control piston is likewise guided with a narrow sliding fit in the control sleeve. High-pressure supply lines are arranged parallel to the housing bore, in which the control device is accommodated, in the housing and are connected to a fuel high-pressure connection. One high-pressure supply line leads to the control device, the control space being connected to this high-pressure supply line via an inlet throttle connection. By an outlet orifice in the control body being opened or closed (by means of a controllable pilot valve), the fuel control pressure in the control space, which acts on the control piston, is capable of being controlled. The other high-pressure supply line leads to an annular space and to injection orifices of a valve seat element arranged at the lower end of the fuel injection valve. The injection valve member is accurately guided in a bore of the valve seat element by means of a component which is arranged above the annular space and on which the fuel system pressure acts from below.
So that the high-pressure supply lines can be accommodated in the housing, the latter must have a relatively large cross section, and this proves to be a disadvantage for installation in internal combustion engines on grounds of space.
The housing bore, in which the multi-piece injection valve member runs, is connected in this middle part to a fuel return line. This means that a low fuel pressure prevails in this region of the housing bore. This leads to leakages out of the adjoining regions, in which the fuel high pressure prevails, into this low-pressure region of the housing bore.
The object on which the present invention is based is to provide a fuel injection valve which is simple and cost-effective in terms of manufacture and assembly, in which at most insignificant leakages occur and which, even in its external shape, is advantageous for installation in internal combustion engines.
This object is achieved, according to the invention, by means of a fuel injection valve having the features of the independent claims set forth herein.
The fuel injection valve according to the invention not only has a simple and cost-effective makeup. Its special advantages are also that functional identity can be achieved in a simple way in all the valves of an internal combustion engine, since, in all components, the tolerances as regards both manufacture and assembly can be adhered to without difficulty. Dispensing with lateral high-pressure supply lines in the housing makes it possible to have a slender configuration of the fuel injection valve, this being advantageous for installation in internal combustion engines. The central bore which is located in the housing and in which the fuel high pressure prevails forms a completely leaktight region, so that leakages into spaces with lower pressure are virtually eliminated.
Preferred developments of the fuel injection valve according to the invention form the subject-matter of the dependent claims.
A fuel injection valve of the type initially mentioned, with a particularly preferred embodiment of the control device, forms the subject-matter of the independent claim 20.

Fuel injection valve for internal combustion engines


The invention relates to a semiconductor device with a semiconductor chip and a rewiring layer, the semiconductor chip being embedded in a housing plastics composition by its rear side contact. The active top side of the semiconductor chip forms a coplanar overall top side with the top side of the housing plastics composition. The rear side contact is led to the overall top side via a flat conductor sheet tape, so that the rear side contact of the semiconductor chip can be accessed from the overall top side.

On the coplanar overall top side of such a panel of WLP design, it is possible to apply a rewiring layer that connects contact areas on the top side of the semiconductor chip to external contact areas of the rewiring layer in a cost-effective manner. However, as yet a cost-effective contact system has not been disclosed by means of which rear side contacts which are not arranged on the overall top side but rather are embedded in the housing plastics composition can also be reached from the rewiring layer or from the overall top side.

Semiconductor device with semiconductor chip and rewiring layer and method for producing the same


Improved steamblow commissioning of a steam plant with continuous filtration of particle laden condensate through dual strainer filters with backflush means operatable in parallel to enable isolation of one and backflushing while the other is backflushed and venting backflushed particles to waste to enable an uninterrupted commissioning process recycling steam with significant particulate burden relived by continuous cycling in alteration through the dual filers and removal of particles to waste with backflush.

The present invention relates to the commissioning of new and refurbished steam generation plant equipment and piping.
The state of the art as of 2007-2008 is indicated in U.S. Pat. No. 9,217,566 issued Dec. 22, 2015 ('566 patent) of Christopher J. Bloch filed as Ser. No. 12/056,128 Mar. 26, 2008 with priority from provisional application 60/908,277 filed Mar. 26, 2007. It is assigned to the same assignee as the present assignee/applicant. The '566 patent's full contents are incorporated herein by reference as though fully stated herein. The invention(s) described in the '566 patent changed the pre-existing state of the art and led to a new method and apparatus provided to the art by its assignee, under its trademarks SIGMA™ and SIGMABLOW™, as a way of reducing time, labor, cost and external fuel and water resources costs of the power plant commissioning. The process improvement included features of integrating decontamination with other commissioning activities (e.g. tuning); removing both particulate and non-particulate contamination essentially at the same time; inclusion of all elements of the steam/condensate cycle in the commissioning; use of steam blow at high steam velocities to effect high cleaning force conditions and chemical treatment of non-particulate contaminants to enable removal. The '566 patent shows use of temporary equipment and piping to enable high temperature, high power operation of a stand-alone steam cycle or of combined cycles with steam cycle recovery and combined main cycle plant operating e.g. in combustion of petroleum base gases, methane or biofuel, or use of nuclear, wind-power, or geothermal sources.

Continuous filtration with backflush clearance of alternate filters

Boyle Energy Services & Technology, Inc.


A golf ball retriever which is attached to an elongated holder for retrieving golf balls from water hazards. It consists of a combination of two sections. The first section straddles and confines the ball laterally, and the second section is a trailing cage having a pair of hooks used to entrap the ball when the hooks are pulled under the ball, and which, when inverted, becomes a ball-carrying basket.

1. Technical Field
This invention related to golf ball retrievers which can be carried in a golfer's golf bag for use in retrieving balls from water hazards.
2. Description of Prior Art
The many types of golf ball retrievers that have been proposed in the past have disadvantages. The retrieving features of conventional compact design retrievers are usually scoops or rings or some combination of the two. These require too accurate a placement above or under or at the side of a golf ball which is usually in mud or debris. Golfers very often find that such retrievers are not easy or effective to use. Too frequently they press the ball deeper into the mud and sediment causing failure to retrieve it. Other retrievers that are in the form of rakes are too bulky and cumbersome to carry. Many proposed retrievers are also very costly to manufacture.
The present invention overcomes the above-mentioned problems.
The following patents of golf ball retrievers were referenced to determine the advantages of the present invention:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,046,044 July 1962 Christe 294/19.2 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,374 November 1973 D'Luhy 294/19.2 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,413 September 1977 Jenings 294/19.2 PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,981 March 1981 Wilson 294/19.2


A system or method for providing recommended items for presentation to users and/or consideration by vehicle systems may be executable to: retrieve social network data associated with a user; extract a keyword and/or a key phrase from the social network data; and determine a preference model that includes a frequency analysis associated with the keyword and/or the key phrase and indicating how often the keyword and/or the key phrase are observed in the social network data. The system may further receive a request for content data; search a content database to retrieve one or more content items based on the frequency analysis associated with the preference model; generate one or more recommended items for the user or for a vehicle system from the one or more content items; and provide the one or more recommended items for presentation to the user or for processing by the vehicle system.

The specification relates to recommending content data.
A user can access numerous online content items (e.g., video items, audio items, etc.) from various content providers. However, the user needs to manually search for content items that he or she is interested in from the various content providers. It is difficult for the user to manually find out the relevant content items from the numerous online content items in a timely manner.

System for dynamic content recommendation using social network data


A virtual local area network(VLAN) data switching method uses an address resolution protocol(ARP) packet in VLAN constructed with one internet protocol(IP) subnet. This is achieved by making a source host broadcast an ARP request packet, making a Proxy ARP server prepare to transmit a virtual ARP request packet wherein the Proxy ARP server receives the ARP request packet, and making a destination host transmit an ARP response packet in direct to the source host through a switching unit wherein the destination host receives the virtual ARP request packet. Data transfer delay time for the data exchanged between different VLANs as well as the router load occurring in handling the traffic between VLANs are reduced, so that data handling performance for high-capacity multimedia data transferred on VLANs is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a virtual local area network(VLAN) data switching method using ARP packets, and more particularly, to a VLAN data switching method using an address resolution protocol(ARP) packet in a virtual local area network(VLAN) constructed with one IP subnet.
2. Background of the Related Art
Generally, local area network(LAN) is an information communication network enabling data communications between a plurality of computers. There are a variety of structures for LAN in accordance with their usages. Lately, in order to prevent the degradation of LAN performance due to broadcast traffic, a virtual local area network(VLAN) system divided into a plurality of VLANs operating in a manner that the same as a LAN has been developed.
In a VLAN a plurality if virtual LANs are separated in one switch so that a broadcast traffic occurring in one VLAN causes no influence on the traffic of other VLANs by separating their broadcasting domains.
Communication between VLANs is achieved by routing methods. First, one internet protocol(IP) subnet is allocated to one VLAN so that the communication between different VLANs is converted into a communication between different IP subnets. Second, a plurality of VLANs are allocated to one IP subnet.
In an environment where a plurality of VLANs are set up in one IP subnet, a packet communication between hosts connected to a switch is divided into an intra-VLAN traffic and an inter-VLAN traffic. In this case, intra-VLAN traffic is a traffic occurring when a packet is transmitted from one host to another host belonging to the same VLAN, while inter-VLAN is a traffic occurring when a packet is transmitted to another host belonging to another VLAN.
The communication between hosts belonging to one IP subnet recognizes a media access control(MAC) address of the corresponding host by generating an address resolution protocol(ARP) request message directly to the host for communication therewith.
FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram for a general VLAN data switching system, in which broadcasting domains are separated by separating a plurality of VLANs(VLAN1 and VLAN2) in one router so that a broadcast traffic occurring in one VLAN has no effect on the traffic of other VLANs.
A method of switching data between different VLANs is explained by referring to the above drawing.
Referring to FIG. 1, in order to transmit data from a source host P1 belonging to VLAN1 to a destination host P2 belonging to VLAN2, the source host P1 acquires an MAC address of a router R and then transmits a frame to the router R. The router R detects and analyzes the IP address information of the transmitted frame, and then generates a MAC address of the destination host P2. In this case, the MAC address of the source is changed into the MAC address of the router R, and the MAC address of the destination is changed into the MAC address of the destination host P2 corresponding to the destination IP address for transmission to the destination host P2.
Unfortunately, the VLAN data switching method according to the related art carries out the routing procedure via inter-VLAN traffic in a different VLAN environment, thereby a network bottleneck is concentrated on and causes a burden to a control processing unit(CPU) performing the routing operations.
Moreover, the VLAN data switching method according to the related art causes undesirable delays in data transfer time as well as increasing loads on the CPU in handling traffic between different VLANs.
Although, conventional hardware such as a forwarding engine of a high-speed router may be a solution for the above problems. Such additional hardware increases the overall cost of handling traffic.

VLAN data switching method using ARP packet


Methods and systems are provided for improving air intake system hydrocarbon trap purging during engine-off time in a hybrid electric vehicle. One method includes opening the throttle during vehicle motion under battery operation and allowing airflow through the trap to purge its contents into the fuel canister via the canister purge valve. Upon transition into the engine-on mode, fuel vapors are released from the canister into the engine intake.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) may include hydrocarbon (HC) traps coupled in an air induction system of the engine to adsorb evaporative emissions in the engine intake. For example, fuel vapors may result from fuel sprayed into the intake manifold, fuel leaked from fuel injectors and/or fuel puddled in the intake. These fuel vapors, if not stored in the hydrocarbon trap, may flow out of the intake system during engine shutdown, increasing evaporative emissions.
Example hydrocarbon traps are shown by Moyer et al in US 2013/0228145 and Burke et al. in US 2006/0054142. The hydrocarbon traps are positioned in the intake system so that fuel vapors can be passively adsorbed in and released from the hydrocarbon trap. Specifically, during engine operation, intake manifold vacuum draws the fuel vapors into the engine and also causes airflow across the trap, increasing desorption. Desorbed vapors are subsequently combusted in the engine.
However the inventors herein have identified potential issues with such systems. The reduced engine operation time of PHEVs may limit the amount of intake manifold vacuum generated for hydrocarbon trap purging. As such, airflow across the trap may be limited, reducing passive desorption of fuel vapors. Incomplete purging of the hydrocarbon trap can result in an increase in intake evaporative emissions and degrade vehicle emissions performance.
The inventors herein have recognized the above issue and identified an approach to at least partly address the issue. In one example approach, a method for a hybrid vehicle with an engine including a HC trap in an intake of the engine is provided. The method comprises, during vehicle travel in an engine-off condition, increasing airflow through a HC trap and purging fuel vapors from the trap to a fuel system canister coupled to a fuel tank. In this way, a HC trap can be at least partially purged in an efficient way, even during conditions when the engine is not running.
For example, while operating the hybrid vehicle in an electric mode where wheel torque is provided by a system battery and an engine is maintained shutdown (e.g., at rest), HC trap purging may be enabled when there is sufficient vehicle motion-induced airflow. For example, once the vehicle speed exceeds a threshold, the intake throttle may be partially or fully opened to increase airflow through the intake system and past the HC trap. Concurrently, cylinder intake and exhaust valves may be closed (e.g., via cam timing adjustments), if not already closed, and a canister purge valve may be opened so as to route motion-inducted airflow containing released HCs from the HC trap to the fuel system. The purge fuel vapors desorbed from the HC trap can be routed into and through a fuel system canister so as to transport the stored HCs from the intake system to be stored in the fuel system. Intake airflow may also be further enhanced during the engine-off condition via adjustments to grill shutters and louvers, as well as by operating a cooling system fan.
In this way, intake fuel vapors stored in an air induction system HC trap may be opportunistically transferred to a fuel system canister with larger storage capacity for storage therein during engine-off conditions. By opening an intake throttle during vehicle travel in an electric mode, vehicle motion is advantageously used to generate airflow in a direction from ambient, to and along the hydrocarbon trap, and then to another storage location before finally venting to atmosphere. This enables the trap to be at least partially cleaned even while an engine is shutdown and no intake manifold vacuum is generated. By delivering the fuel vapors from the smaller capacity trap to a larger capacity fuel system canister, the canister may be used as a HC vapor "storage bank" so that the HC trap may be cleaned out more often until the engine is operated to clean out the canister (and the HC trap). This results in reduced HC breakthrough from the HC trap. Overall exhaust emissions and hybrid vehicle performance are thereby improved.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Method for purging of air intake system hydrocarbon trap


A mobile terminal and a method for controlling the same are provided, which facilitate diverse functions thereof to be registered in a touch gesture and functions, information and menu icons registered in the touch gesture to be arranged and displayed adjacent to the input touch gesture, when the touch gesture is input on the touchscreen. Further, a mobile terminal and a method for controlling the same are provided, which facilitate a terminal to be used in further consideration of a user's convenience.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly, to a mobile terminal and a method for the same. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for facilitating a terminal to be used in further consideration of user's convenience.
Discussion of the Related Art
A mobile terminal is a device which may be configured to perform various functions. Examples of such functions include data and voice communications, capturing images and video via a camera, recording audio, playing music files and outputting music via a speaker system, and displaying images and video on a display. Some terminals include additional functionality which supports game playing, while other terminals are also configured as multimedia players. More recently, mobile terminals have been configured to receive broadcast and multicast signals which permit viewing of contents, such as videos and television programs.
Generally, terminals can be classified into mobile terminals and stationary terminals according to a presence or non-presence of mobility. And, the mobile terminals can be further classified into handheld terminals and vehicle mount terminals according to availability for hand-carry.
There are ongoing efforts to support and increase the functionality of mobile terminals. Such efforts include software and hardware improvements, as well as changes and improvements in the structural components which form the mobile terminal.
A touchscreen configured as a display device and an input device has been mounted in the mobile terminal.
That is, the mobile terminal displays a user interface (hereinafter, UI) such as a functional icon configured to execute a specific content-function on the touchscreen and the user touches the UI to execute a menu function.

Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same


Described are implementations that facilitate group determination and association at entry into a facility so that activities of group members of the group are associated with the group and/or applied to a single account designated for the group. For example, if four individuals enter the facility together, the disclosed implementations determine whether the four individuals are to be associated as a group. If associated as a group, an account, such as an account of one of the individuals, is also determined and associated with the group. Activities, such as an item pick, performed by one of those individuals is associated with the group and if there is a fee or charge associated with the activity it is applied to the associated account.

Facilities such as stores, libraries, hospitals, offices, and so forth, may need the ability to identify users in the facility who are associated with one another. Current systems require either single entry verification for each individual (e.g., individual tickets) or an agent to review and verify the number of individuals in a group. However, even in these situations, once the group has entered there is no ability to maintain group identification or relationship within the facility.


Implementations of various technologies for compiling a query. In one implementation, the memory consumption of the query may be monitored. If the amount of memory consumed by the query exceeds one or more gateway thresholds, then the query may be processed to acquire one or more gateways. The query may then be compiled as having acquired the one or more gateways.

Modern commercial database systems contain query processors that can answer questions over data. These questions or queries are typically expressed in a query language, such as Structured Query Language (SQL). Processing a query generally involves a compilation step, where the request language is translated into an execution plan, and an execution step where the execution plan is executed and the desired results are returned. Often times, several overlapping queries are simultaneously sent to the database system, which may lead to an overall increase of the memory used for compilation and execution in memory consumption during compilation and execution. Concurrent execution of query execution plans may optimally require more resources than are available to the database system. Hence, attempting to run too many connections through the database system at once may damage the overall system throughput performance and cause non-graceful degradation in service to clients through poor allocation decisions for resources such as memory, disk space, or locks.

Optimization of performing query compilations


Dynamically allocating a frame cell (FC)/subchannel in a mobile communication system by an access point that receives channel quality information (CQIs) fed back from access terminals, determines a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) to be applied to the access terminals based on the CQIs, and if access terminals whose FCs/subchannels must be changed are detected from the access terminals, sends an FC/subchannel change request to an access router. The access router allocates an FC/subchannel set by selecting a number of FCs/subchannels according to the FC/subchannel change request, and transmits information on the allocated FC/subchannel set to the access point. The access point selects and allocates a particular FC/subchannel from among FCs/subchannels in the FC/subchannel set information to the access terminals whose FCs/subchannels must be changed, based on CQIs last received from the access terminals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mobile communication system employing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), and in particular, to a system and method for dynamically allocating resources according to channel states.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the introduction of the cellular mobile communication system in the U.S. in the late 1970's, South Korea began to provide a voice communication service based on an Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) system, also referred to as a first generation (1G) analog mobile communication system. In the mid 1990's, South Korea commercialized a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, that is a second generation (2G) mobile communication system, to provide voice and low-speed data services.
Since the late 1990's, South Korea has partially deployed an IMT-2000 (International Mobile Telecommunication-2000) system, also known as a third generation (3G) mobile communication system, aimed at an advanced wireless multimedia service, global roaming, and a high-speed data service. The 3G mobile communication system was especially developed to transmit data at high rate to accommodate the rapid increase in the amount of data serviced therein.
Currently, the 3G mobile communication system is evolving into a fourth generation (4G) mobile communication system. In the 4G mobile communication system, referred to as a next generation communication system, active research is being conducted on technology for providing users with services guaranteeing various qualities of service (QoSs) at a data rate of about 100 Mbps. The current 3G mobile communication system generally supports a data rate of about 384 Kbps in an outdoor channel environment having a relatively poor channel environment, and supports a data rate of a maximum of 2 Mbps in an indoor channel environment having a relatively good channel environment.
A wireless local area network (LAN) system and a wireless metropolitan area network (MAN) system generally support a data rate of 20 to 50 Mbps. In the current 4G communication system, active research is being carried out on a new communication system that can provide for the mobility of a terminal and maintain a QoS for the wireless LAN system and the wireless MAN system supporting a relatively high data rate in order to support a high-speed service that the 4G communication system aims to provide.
When broadband spectrum resources are used to provide the high-speed data, for example a wireless multimedia service, intersymbol interference (ISI) occurs due to the multipath propagation. The intersymbol interference reduces the entire transmission efficiency of the system. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) has been proposed to resolve the intersymbol interference problem caused by the multipath propagation. OFDM is a technique for dividing the entire frequency band into a plurality of subcarriers before transmission. The use of OFDM increases one symbol duration, thereby minimizing the intersymbol interference.
OFDM, a modulation technique for transmitting data using multiple carriers, is a special case of the MCM (Multi-Carrier Modulation) technique in which an input serial symbol stream is converted into parallel symbol streams and then the parallel symbol streams are modulated into multiple orthogonal subcarriers before being transmitted. The first MCM systems appeared in the late 1950's for use in military high frequency (HF) radio communication systems, and the OFDM with overlapping orthogonal subcarriers was initially developed in the 1970's. In view of orthogonal modulation between multiple carriers, OFDM has limitations in actual implementation for systems. In 1971, Weinstein, et al. proved that OFDM modulation/demodulation can be efficiently processed using Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT), which was a driving force behind the development of OFDM. Also, with the introduction of a guard interval and a cyclic prefix as the guard interval further mitigates the adverse effects multipath propagation and delay spread have on systems. That's why OFDM has widely been exploited for digital transmission technologies such as digital audio broadcasting (DAB), digital TV broadcasting, wireless local area network (WLAN), and the wireless asynchronous transfer mode (WATM). Although the hardware complexity was an obstacle in the implementation of the OFDM, recent advances in digital signal processing technology including Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) enable OFDM to be implemented.
OFDM, although being similar to the conventional Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM), is distinguished therefrom in that the OFDM can secure optimal transmission efficiency during a high-speed data transmission by maintaining orthogonality between the subcarriers. In addition, OFDM is characterized in that it has a high frequency efficiency and is not significantly effected by multipath fading, thereby securing optimal transmission efficiency during high-speed data transmissions. Further, because OFDM uses overlapping frequency spectrums, it has high frequency efficiency, is not significantly effected by frequency selective fading and multipath fading, reduces intersymbol interference (ISI) using a guard interval, enables the design of an equalizer with a simple hardware structure, and is not significantly effected by impulse noises. Based on these advantages, OFDM is being actively applied to communication systems.
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), OFDM-based Multiple Access, reconfigures some of the subcarriers from among all of the subcarriers as a subcarrier set, and allocates the subcarrier set to a particular access terminal (AT). OFDMA supports Dynamic Resource Allocation (DRA) capable of dynamically allocating a subcarrier set to a particular access terminal according to a fading characteristic of a wireless transmission line.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a mobile communication system employing OFDMA ("OFMDA mobile communication system"). Referring to FIG. 1, the OFDMA mobile communication system, having a multi-cell configuration, i.e. having a cell 100 and a cell 150, includes an access point (AP) 110 for managing cell 100, an access point 160 for managing cell 150, an access router (AR) 120 for controlling the access points 110 and 160, access terminals (ATs) 111 and 113 for receiving a service provided from the access point 110, access terminals 161 and 163 for receiving a service provided from the access point 160, and an access terminal 131 that is in the process of being handed over to the access point 160 while receiving a service provided from the access point 110. It should be noted herein that the access router serves as a base station controller (BSC), and the access points serve as base stations (BSs). Signal transmission/reception between the access points 110 and 160 and the access terminals 111, 113, 131, 161 and 163 is achieved using OFMDA.
In order to increase channel efficiency between an access point and access terminals located in the same cell, resources must be shared. In the OFDMA mobile communication system, the subcarriers are the typical resources that can be shared by a plurality of access terminals, and the subcarriers are grouped into subcarrier sets. The entire transmission efficiency of the OFDMA mobile communication system is based on the allocation of the subcarriers to the access terminals located in the cell. That is, scheduling for the subcarrier allocation is always an important factor for improving the performance of the OFDMA mobile communication system. However, because the allocation of the subcarriers is determined according to the channel states, research is currently being conducted to devise a scheme for allocating subcarriers by accurately measuring a state of an allocated channel.
A description will now be made of a scheduling technique, or a technique for allocating the subcarriers.
Typically, the technique for allocating subcarriers is classified into a Static Channel Allocation (SCA) and a Dynamic Channel Allocation (DCA). SCA includes a Static Subcarrier Assignment (SSA), a Pseudo Static Assignment (PSA), and a Simple Rotating Subcarrier Space Assignment (Simple RSSA). DCA also typically includes a Fast Dynamic Channel Allocation (Fast DCA).
a. SSA
SSA, the simplest subcarrier allocation technique, allocates a fixed and predetermined number of subcarriers to each of the access terminals. That is, SSA allocates to a particular access terminal a fixed and predetermined number of subcarriers from among all of the subcarriers for the OFDMA mobile communication system regardless the channel states. Because SSA allocates the same number of subcarriers to all access terminals, it guarantees a fairness of the channel allocation but cannot guarantee channel the quality of the subcarriers allocated to the access terminals.
b. PSA
PSA mutually exchanges, between access terminals, the fixed and predetermined number of the subcarriers allocated to the access terminals, and reallocates the exchanged subcarriers. That is, PSA, although it allocates the same number of subcarriers to all access terminals, can prevent deterioration in the channel quality of the access terminals by exchanging the allocated subcarriers between the access terminals. PSA allocates subcarriers having a relatively higher channel quality to the access terminals, thereby increasing the entire transmission efficiency of the OFDMA mobile communication system.
c. Simple RSSA
Simple RSSA, a technique similar to PSA, allocates the same number, or the predetermined number of subcarriers, to all of the access terminals. However, Simple RSSA, unlike PSA, allocates subcarriers having higher channel quality to access terminals having higher priority, for example by taking into consideration a QoS level. Although Simple RSSA can guarantee fairness in terms of the number of allocated subcarriers, it cannot guarantee a fairness related to the channel allocation because it allocates channels to access terminals by considering the QoS level.
d. Fast DCA
Fast DCA minimizes intracell interference or intercell interference, and allocates subcarriers having the best channel quality to access terminals by taking into consideration the channel quality itself. That is, Fast DCA dynamically allocates subcarriers to access terminals according to the channel quality, thereby maximizing transmission efficiency of the OFDMA mobile communication system.
Also, active research is being conducted to devise a scheme for efficiently allocating sets of subcarriers, i.e. subchannels, to access terminals by taking into consideration the OFDMA characteristic so as to maximize user diversity. In the proposed scheme to efficiently allocate the subchannels to the access terminals, the use of channel quality information (CQI) being fed back to apply an Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC) to the access terminals is not restricted only to a physical layer but is extended to a medium access control (MAC) layer. In other words, the scheme for efficiently allocating the subchannels to the access terminals applies AMC based on CQI fed back from an access terminal, i.e. allocates a Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) level to a corresponding access terminal in the physical layer, and dynamically allocates subchannels using the CQI in the MAC layer. Therefore, in order to maximize the transmission efficiency of the OFDMA mobile communication system, a scheme for determining in which layer to apply the AMC and DCA must also be taken into consideration.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a timing relation in the case where AMC and DCA are applied according to a decision made by an access point in a general OFDM mobile communication system. Referring to FIG. 2, an access terminal 200 transmits CQI to its access point 220 for a predetermined CQI transmission period 204 (in step 202). One example of the CQI is a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The access point 220 applies AMC and DCA to the access terminal 200 based on the CQI transmitted from the access terminal 200. The access point 220 determines an MCS level to be applied to the access terminal 200 and allocates a subchannel to the access terminal 200 based on CQI transmitted from the access terminal 200 (in step 222). In this case, the access point 220 selects the best subchannel for the access terminal 200 to use from among the idle subchannels based on the CQI transmitted from the access terminal 200. Although not illustrated in FIG. 2, the access point 220 transmits information on the allocated MCS level and the subchannel to the access terminal 200. Then the access terminal 200 communicates with the access point 220 through the allocated subchannel according to the MCS level.
In the case where AMC and DCA are applied according to a decision made by the access point 220 as described above, and because the access point 220 allocates an MCS level and a subchannel to be used by the access terminal 200, a back-haul delay time required in a network can be minimized and an MCS level and a subchannel can be correctly allocated by taking into consideration the channel state of the access terminal 200.
However, as illustrated in FIG. 2, when the access terminal 200 performs a handover, the access point 220 must transmit to an access router 240 the information required to perform the handover of the access terminal 200 (in step 224). The access router 240 performs the handover process such that the access terminal 200 can be handed over from the access point 220 to another access point (not shown), based on the handover process information for the access terminal 200, transmitted from the access point 220 (in step 244), and transmits to the access point 220 the handover process information based on the handover process (in step 226). Then the access point 220 performs a handover-related procedure for the access terminal 200 using the handover process information transmitted from the access router 240 (in step 230).
In case of the handover, because the access point 220 performs the handover procedure for the access terminal 200 not by itself but in cooperation with the access router 240, a delay time occurs. The delay time includes a transmission time 242 required to transmit the handover process information from the access point 220 to the access router 240, and a transmission time 228 required to transmit the handover process information to the access point 220. A delay time corresponding to the time required for the handover process to occur, and the occurrence of the delay time, obstructs the fast handover process of the access terminal 200. When the access point 220 transmits a packet to the access router 240 to perform the handover, in some cases, a transmission overlap occurs between the packets during the handover process. Because packets are occasionally lost, in the case where DCA and AMC are applied according to a decision made by the access point 220 as illustrated in FIG. 2, the transmission packets must include their unique serial numbers before being transmitted. Undesirably, however, the transmission of the serial numbers causes a reduction in transmission efficiency.
A process of applying AMC and DCA according to a decision made by an access point in an FODM mobile communication system has been described so far with reference to FIG. 2. Next, with reference to FIG. 3, a description will be made of a process of applying AMC and DCA according to a decision made by an access router in an OFMD mobile communication system.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a timing relation in the case where AMC and DCA are applied according to a decision made by an access router in a general OFDM mobile communication system. Referring to FIG. 3, an access terminal 300 transmits CQI to its access point 320 during a predetermined CQI transmission period 304 (in step 302). One example of the CQI is an SNR. The access point 320 transmits to an access router 340 the CQI received from the access terminal 300 (in step 322). Then the access router 340 applies AMC and DCA to the access terminal 300 for an access router's processing time 344 and a scheduling time 346 based on the CQI from the access terminal 300 transmitted from the access point 320. That is, the access router 340 allocates an MCS level and a subchannel to be applied to the access terminal 300 based on the CQI received from the access terminal 300.
In the case where AMC and DCA are applied according to a decision made by the access router 340 as described in connection with FIG. 3, a back-haul delay time in a network occurs. The back-haul delay time includes a CQI transmission time 342 from the access point 320 to the access router 340 and a transmission time 306 required when information on the MCS level and the subchannel allocated by the access router 340 is transmitted to the access point 320. As stated above, the back-haul delay time in a network does not take into consideration the CQI from the access terminal 300 on a real-time basis, i.e. does not correctly consider a channel state of the access terminal 300, thereby reducing reliability on MCS level and subchannel allocation by the access router 340.

System and method for dynamically allocating resources in a mobile communication system employing orthogonal frequency division multiple access


An illumination source is disclosed. The illumination source includes at least one OLED layer. The OLED layer includes an active light emitting region including a plurality of primary light-emitting OLED elements and secondary light emitting OLED elements connecting each of the plurality of primary light emitting OLED elements to at least another primary light emitting OLED element.

The invention generally relates to color illumination sources. The invention particularly relates to organic light emitting illumination sources.
Previously disclosed color-tunable illumination devices, in particular white light illumination devices, require mixing of colors (for example, red, green, and blue light) to produce a desired color. Typically, the mixing of light with different colors is achieved with a diffuser film. A distance dependent on the pixel size and the arrangement of pixels has to be maintained between the diffuser and the illumination source in order to achieve a homogeneous appearance of mixed light. Typically, the smaller the pixels, the closer the diffuser distance and hence the overall lighting device is less bulky, e.g. in LCD displays. However, reducing the pixel size can significantly increase the cost of manufacturing due to extra pixels/area. Currently known techniques fall short of providing cost effective illumination sources with the required light intensity and color mixing.
It would therefore be highly desirable to provide a cost effective color illumination source, which can provide enhanced color mixing, without the drawbacks discussed above.

Illumination source providing enhanced color mixing


An apparatus for inspecting sidewall thickness of non-round transparent containers includes a conveyor for holding a container in stationary position and rotating the container around an axis. A light source directs light energy onto a sidewall of the container on the conveyor. An anamorphic lens system having a lens system axis directs onto a light sensor energy reflected from portions of the inside and outside surfaces of the container sidewall that are substantially parallel to the lens system axis. An information processor is responsive to the sensor for determining sidewall thickness at increments of container rotation as a function of separation at the sensor between light energies reflected from the inside and outside surfaces of the container sidewall.

Electro-optical techniques have been employed for measuring sidewall thickness of transparent containers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,806,459 discloses an apparatus and method for measuring sidewall thickness of a container, which includes a conveyor for moving the container transversely of its axis through an inspection station while simultaneously rotating the container around its axis by "rolling" the container along a rail at the inspection station. A light source and an illumination lens system direct onto the sidewall of the container a line-shaped light beam having a long dimension perpendicular to the axis of the container, parallel to the direction of movement through the inspection station and of sufficient length to illuminate the container sidewall as it is rolled along the rail at the inspection station. An anamorphic imaging lens system directs onto a light sensor light energy reflected from portions of the outside and inside sidewall surfaces that are perpendicular to the illumination light energy. An information processor is responsive to light energy directed onto the light sensor by the imaging lens system for determining the thickness of the container between the outside and inside sidewall surfaces as the container is rolled along the rail. Although the apparatus and method disclosed in the noted patent are well suited for measuring sidewall thickness of round containers, such apparatus and method are not well suited for measuring sidewall thickness of non-round containers that cannot be made to roll along the rail at the inspection station.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,271 discloses an apparatus and method for electro-optically measuring the thickness of a container wall. A light source directs a light beam onto the outside surface of the container at an angle such that a portion of the light beam is reflected from the outside surface, and a portion is refracted into the container wall, reflected from the inside wall surface and then re-emerges from the outside wall surface. A lens system is disposed between a light sensor and the container wall for focusing onto the sensor light energy reflected from the outside and inside wall surfaces. The lens system has an image plane in which the sensor is disposed and an object plane collinear with the illumination light beam. The container is held in stationary position and rotated around its axis. An information processor scans the sensor at increments of container rotation, and determines wall thickness of the container between the inside and outside surfaces as a function of the separation between the points of incidence of the reflected light energies on the sensor. Although the apparatus and method disclosed in this patent again is well suited for measuring sidewall thickness of round containers, such apparatus and method are not well suited for measuring sidewall thickness of non-round containers inasmuch as the illumination beam cannot track undulations in the sidewall of a non-round container as the container rotates. It is a general object of the present disclosure to provide an apparatus and method for measuring sidewall thickness of non-round transparent containers.
The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.
An apparatus for inspecting sidewall thickness of non-round transparent containers, in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, includes a conveyor for holding a container in stationary position and rotating the container around an axis. A light source directs light energy onto a sidewall of the container on the conveyor. An anamorphic lens system having a lens system axis directs onto a light sensor energy reflected from portions of the inside and outside surfaces of the container sidewall that are substantially parallel to the lens system axis. The term "substantially parallel" means that the surfaces of the container sidewall are parallel to the lens system axis within a narrow acceptance angle of the lens system, such as an acceptance angle of 1° in an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. An information processor is responsive to the sensor for determining sidewall thickness at increments of container rotation as a function of separation at the sensor between light energies reflected from the inside and outside surfaces of the container sidewall.
An apparatus for inspecting sidewall thickness of non-round transparent containers, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, includes a conveyor for presenting containers in sequence and holding each container in turn in stationary position while rotating the container around an axis. A light source directs light energy onto a sidewall of a container as it is held and rotated on the conveyor. An anamorphic lens system having a lens system axis directs onto a light sensor portions of the light energy reflected from inside and outside surfaces of the container sidewall in planes substantially perpendicular to the lens system axis. The term "substantially perpendicular" refers to light energy reflected in planes perpendicular to the lens system axis within a narrow acceptance angle of the lens system, such as 1° in an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. The light energy portions reflected from inside and outside surfaces of the container sidewall in planes substantially perpendicular to the lens system axis sweep back and forth along the anamorphic lens system, as the container rotates, due to the non-roundness of the container. An information processor is responsive to the light sensor for determining sidewall thickness at increments of container rotation as a function of separation at the sensor between light energy portions reflected from the inside and outside surfaces of the container sidewall.
A method of inspecting sidewall thickness of a non-round container, in accordance with a further aspect of the present disclosure, includes holding the container in stationary position while rotating the container around an axis. A line-shaped light beam is directed onto a sidewall of the container, with the line-shaped light beam having a long dimension perpendicular to the axis of rotation. Portions of the light beam reflected from inside and outside surfaces of the container sidewall that are substantially perpendicular to light energy directed onto the container sidewall, as viewed from a direction parallel to the axis, are directed onto a light sensor. Container sidewall thickness is determined at increments of container rotation as a function of separation at the sensor between light energy portions reflected from the inside and outside surfaces of the container sidewall.

Apparatus and method for measuring sidewall thickness of non-round transparent containers


A boat includes a planing hull, a propeller, a main rudder, and a pair of flanking rudders. The planing hull has port and starboard sides, a transom, a hull bottom, and a centerline running down the middle of the boat, halfway between the port and starboard sides. The propeller is positioned forward of the transom and beneath the hull bottom. The main rudder is positioned aft of the propeller. The main rudder has a rotation axis about which the main rudder rotates. The flanking rudders are positioned forward of the propeller. One of the flanking rudders is positioned on the port side of the centerline, and the other flanking rudder is positioned on the starboard side of the centerline.

Water sports, such as water skiing and wakeboarding, are typically performed at high speeds, and many recreational sport boats used for these sports have planing hulls, which are designed for efficient high-speed operation. In addition, many of these recreational sport boats are also inboards, having a propeller positioned beneath the hull, forward of the transom. This configuration is generally safer for water sports, as compared to outboards or stemdrives, for example, where the propeller extends behind the transom of the boat. But inboards, which typically have a single rudder positioned behind a stationary propeller, may be more difficult to handle, particularly in reverse, than an outboard where the propeller turns along with the motor when the boat turns. In reverse, inboards have a tendency to pull in one direction even if the rudder is turned hard over to turn the boat the other way. There is thus desired a planing hull boat with an inboard motor having improved handling characteristics.

Steering mechanism for a boat having a planing hull


A handle for a power tool is provided including a field case and front handle portion formed as a single piece. The front handle portion has an opening in a rear side thereof for receiving the wiring for the power tool. The wiring is connected to a motor that is mounted in the field case. A rear handle portion is attached to the front handle portion for covering the opening in the rear of the front handle portion. An end cap is connected to a rear of the field case for covering the remaining exposed wires connected to the motor. With the front handle design, the wire-up of the power tool can be completed from one side of the tool without having to turn the tool over during the wire-up process.

A common problem with power tools, particularly portable power tools of the mid-handle configuration having a "jam-pot" construction, concerns the ability with which a power tool so constructed may be assembled. Typically, power tools having a jam-pot construction are assembled in a process wherein the subcomponents which form the wiring are initially installed into a first jam-pot opening and thereafter, the subcomponents are feed out through a second jam-pot opening.
An often and time-consuming operation in this process concerns the connection of the wires from a power source such as a cord or a battery pack to the trigger switch and motor assembly. In a mid-handle tool, the connection of these wires can require that the tool be reoriented multiple times. The assembly operation is such that the wires are fed through a narrow opening in the housing to later be connected to the field and brushes. The tool must be reoriented to make these connections. Additionally, mid-handle tools require an opening in the housing from the handle area to the field area to allow the wires to pass through. This opening causes the motor fan to circulate some air in the handle portion, which degrades its ability to move air through the motor for cooling.

Motor housing and assembly process for power tool