A system and a method are presented for determining when to exit an existing wireless communications coverage network. The method comprises: sampling received input power levels; measuring the difference between the received input power level samples and a predetermined baseline threshold value; adjusting an indicator based on the received input power level samples compared to the predetermined baseline threshold value; setting a terminal condition indicating when the wireless communications device should exit the existing wireless communications coverage network; and exiting the existing coverage network based on a comparison of the indicator to the terminal condition.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to wireless communications devices and, more particularly, to a system and method for making a determination of whether to stay with an existing wireless communications coverage network.
2. Background
A key concern for wireless communications devices (referred to herein interchangeably as a mobile handset) is acquiring coverage with the highest probability of providing a good grade of service. Within a cellular network, often a mobile handset finds itself in a coverage zone on an edge of a cell site, often characterized by a low power limit on the forward link (i.e., transmission from the cell site or base station), and sometimes a non detected reverse link (i.e., transmission from the mobile handset). This coverage zone is sometimes referred to as the Grey Zone.
To better understand the problems associated with the Grey Zone, FIG. 1A illustrates a mobile handset 100 operating in a cellular network with at least one base station 105. Base station 105 transmits a signal represented by signal strength 110 that diminishes log-normally as a function of distance. FIG. 1A shows "distance from base station" plotted along the horizontal axis. However it will be understood by those of skill in the art that other factors besides distance to the base station 105 effect the signal strength received by the handset. For example, an object such as a hill, or a car may effect the signal strength. As another example, variations in air density can effect the signal strength. Distance from the base station 105 is used herein as a shorthand for all of the cases that can effect the signal strength.
At some position 115, the mobile handset 100 may be too far from the base station 105, such that the base station 105 cannot detect the mobile handset's 100 transmission. The base station 105 is less limited in the power it can transmit than the mobile handset 100 and therefore can send a strong enough signal that the mobile handset 100 can detect, but at the same time the base station 105 may not detect a signal from the mobile handset 100. In this situation where only the base station 105 is transmitting detectable signals, the mobile handset 100 cannot make a call. This area is called the Grey Zone.
To overcome this problem, current wireless standards implement a strict threshold, that if met, switches the mobile handset 100 from the current network (i.e., base station 105) in search of another network. For example, the Mobile Station-Base Station Compatibility Standard for Dual-Mode Spread Spectrum Systems (commonly know as TIA/EIA-95-B) uses two thresholds: the Ec threshold and Ec/Io threshold, to determine when to seek an alternative network. The Ec threshold and Ec/Io threshold stand for the pilot power threshold and the pilot Ec/Io threshold respectively. See TIA/EIA-95-B at Sec. 220.127.116.11.5. In practice, the mobile handset 100 determines the pilot signal strength and the signal-to-noise ratio of the pilot signal (the SNR) from the signal levels transmitted by the base station 105. The mobile handset 100 also receives a data message from the base station 105 that includes the Ec threshold and the Ec/Io threshold set by the network.
The mobile handset 100 compares the pilot signal strength to the Ec threshold and the SNR to the Ec/Io threshold. In one implementation, if either exceeds the threshold, the mobile handset 100 will seek an alternate network. In another implementation, if both thresholds are exceeded, the mobile handset 100 will seek an alternate network. The strict threshold comparison effectively creates a threshold 120, such that when the mobile handset 100 crosses to the right of the threshold 120, the mobile handset 100 switches from the existing network and seeks alternate coverage.
The problem with this strict threshold comparison method is that it may result in switching from a base station 105 prematurely. Because the pilot signal and the SNR are both functions of position, among other factors, and a mobile handset 100 can change position rapidly, using a strict comparison to thresholds could result in changing base stations too rapidly, and potentially degrading the quality of service. To illustrate, consider a mobile handset 100 traveling on a windy road that at time one is at distance 125. At some short time later, the mobile handset 100 is at distance 130. As it continues is travel, the mobile handset 100 vacillates between distance 125 and distance 130. Both the pilot signal and the SNR for distance 125 may favor base station 105, while the both pilot signal and SNR for distance 130 exceed the relevant thresholds (i.e., threshold 120). The mobile handset 100 using a strict threshold comparison would switch from the base station 105 upon determining that the thresholds were exceeded, and the mobile handset 100 would seek alternative service. This switch may result in diminished service, if for example, alternate service is not available to the mobile handset 100.
Additionally, as mentioned above, the RF level is dynamic and can often oscillate by several dB even when the mobile handset 100 is in a stationary position. The oscillations in the RF level are caused by environmental effects in the area. As a result, even if the mobile handset 100 is positioned on the left side of point 120 in FIG. 1A the received signal strength may cross below the Ec threshold or the Ec/Io threshold at a short distance from the point 120 on FIG. 1A. The hard decision threshold will cause the mobile handset 100 to switch current networks prematurely and results in diminished service.
A similar problem exists when a mobile handset 100 is caught between two competing base stations. FIG. 1B illustrates mobile handset 100 in a network that includes at least two base stations 105 and 135. As discussed above, base station 105 transmits a signal represented by signal strength 110, and similarly, base station 135 transmits a signal represented by signal strength 140. Both signal strengths 110 and 140 diminish log-normally as a function of distance.
Most current methods use the SNR to select between base station 105 and base station 135. For example, if the mobile handset 100 were located at distance 145 (i.e., significantly, closer to base station 105 than base station 135), then the SNR would clearly favor base station 105 and the mobile handset 100 would select base station 105. Similarly, at distance 150, the mobile handset 100 would select base station 135.
As with the situation described above with reference to FIG. 1A, because the SNR is a function of position, among other factors, and a mobile handset 100 can change position rapidly, using strictly a comparison of SNR of competing base stations 105 and 135 could result in changing base stations too rapidly, and potentially degrading the quality of service. To illustrate, consider a mobile handset 100 traveling on a windy road that at time one is at distance 155. At some short time later, the mobile handset 100 is at distance 160. As it continues its travel, the mobile handset 100 vacillates between distance 155 and distance 160. The SNR for distance 155 may favor base station 105, while the SNR for distance 160 may favor base station 135. The mobile handset 100 would then constantly switch between the two base stations. The constant switching may result in occupying additional resources, increased standby time, and other problems, ultimately decreasing service quality. This possibility must be weighed against the benefit of the slightly more beneficial SNR. When, as in distance 155 and distance 160, the SNR difference is likely very small, the possible costs of switching outweigh the benefits.
To overcome this potential over-switching problem, it is known in the art to not simply compare the SNRs, but rather to compare the SNRs plus some Delta. For example, if the mobile handset 100 is at distance 160 and currently using base station 105, the mobile handset 100 would change to base station 135 if and only if:SNR(at base station 105)+Delta<SNR(at base station 135)
Thus, the Delta makes it preferable to stay on the existing base station, unless and until the signal quality drops to a point where it is clearly less desirable than another received base station signal. The Delta effectively sets up two thresholds 165 and 170, where the mobile handset 100 will always select base station 105 if the mobile handset 100 is located to the left of threshold 165 and base station 135 if located to the right of threshold 170. If the mobile handset 100 is located between thresholds 165 and 170, the mobile handset 100 will not switch.
At least two significant problems exist with the SNR comparison method described above and illustrated in FIG. 1B. The first problem is that the SNR comparison, even with the Delta, may result in switching base stations (either 105 or 135) too often. As illustrated above, the mobile handset 100 may be on a winding road that may take to a distance 150, for a very short time, whose SNR (plus the Delta) favors switching the base station, from say base station 105 to base station 135. But the mobile station 100 winds back to a distance 175 where the SNR favors the base station 105, again causing a switch. Despite the fact that the mobile handset 100 only went to distance 150 briefly, the mobile handset 100 still made the switch. This is similar to the premature switching problem described with reference to FIG. 1A.
A second problem is that the mobile handset 100 may not switch to the most favorable base station (either 105 or 135) when in the area between the thresholds 165 and 170. For example, as described above a mobile handset 100 currently using base station 105 may move to distance 160 and come closer and closer to threshold 170, but never crossing threshold 170. At a position approaching threshold 170, it would be advantageous to switch to base station 135. The method described above, however would not switch to base station 135, but would remain with base station 105 because the SNR of base station 135 would not overcome the SNR, including the Delta, of base station 105. Thus, the mobile handset 100 would not operate with the most favorable base station that yields the best service.
Given the problems detailed with reference to FIGS. 1A and B, it would be advantageous if a mobile handset 100 could accurately determine when to exit the existing coverage network so as ensure best possible service and to avoid premature or late exits.

System and method for determining when to exit an existing wireless communications coverage network


A color cathode ray tube includes a panel portion having a phosphor screen on its inside surface and suspending a shadow mask hanged closely spaced from the phosphor screen, a neck portion for housing an electron gun, and a funnel portion for connecting the panel portion to the neck portion. The electron gun is composed of a first plurality of grid electrodes spaced specified distances apart and arranged axially in a specified order, respectively, and fixed by insulating rods embedding the first plurality of grid electrodes therein, including a cup-shaped first grid electrode having a second plurality of in-line electron beam apertures in a bottom thereof and having the second plurality of cathodes incorporated therein. The cup-shaped first grid electrode is embedded in the insulating rods through metal tabs fixed thereto, and a thermal expansion coefficient T1 of the metal tabs and a thermal expansion coefficient T2 of the cup-shaped first grid electrode satisfy the following inequality, T1>T2.

The present invention relates to a color cathode ray tube and particularly to a color cathode ray tube having an electron gun which houses a cathode structure in a cup-shaped first grid electrode and emits three in-line electron beams.
A cathode ray tube for use in an image display or a data terminal monitor comprises at least a vacuum envelope having a funnel with a faceplate having a phosphor screen on its inner surface, and a neck connected to the funnel and housing an electron gun structure which emits electron beams toward the phosphor screen.
FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view for explaining the structure of a shadow mask type color cathode ray tube as an example of a color cathode ray tube to which the present invention is to be applied, and a reference numeral 20 denotes a faceplate, 21 denotes a neck, 22 denotes a funnel for connecting the faceplate to the neck, 23 denotes a phosphor screen constituting an image screen formed on the inner surface of the faceplate, 24 denotes a shadow mask, i.e., a color selection electrode, 25 denotes a mask frame forming a shadow mask assembly holding the shadow mask, 26 denotes an inner shield for shielding the color cathode ray tube from external magnetic fields, 27 denotes a suspension spring mechanism which suspends and supports the shadow mask assembly on studs heat-sealed to the inner side wall of the faceplate, 28 denotes an electron gun which emits 3 electron beams, Bs (.times.2) and Bc, 29 denotes a deflection device which deflects electron beams horizontally and vertically, 30 denotes an external magnetic correction device for performing color purity adjustment and centering correction, 31 denotes an internal conductive coating, 32 denotes stem pins through which various signals and operating voltages are supplied to the electron gun, 33 denotes an implosion protection tension band which holds the junction region of the panel and the funnel under tension, and 34 denotes a getter to obtain a high degree of vacuum within the vacuum envelope.
In the constitution as shown in FIG. 4, the vacuum envelope is comprised of the faceplate 20, the neck 21 and the funnel 22, and three electron beams, Bc and Bs.times.2, emitted in a line from the electron gun 28 are deflected in two directions of horizontal and vertical directions, by deflection magnetic fields generated by the deflection device 29 to scan the phosphor screen 23. Bc denotes a center beam and Bs denotes a side beam.
Three electron beams, Bs and Bs.times.2, are modulated respectively by three color signals, red (side beam Bs), green (center beam Bc) and blue (side beam Bs), supplied from the stem pins 32, and they are subjected to color selection in beam apertures in the shadow mask 24 disposed immediately in front of the phosphor screen 23 and reproduce a desired color image by impinging upon a red phosphor, a green phosphor and a blue phosphor of a mosaic three-color phosphor of the screen, respectively.
Electron beams are scanned over the whole phosphor screen 23 by horizontal and vertical deflection magnetic fields generated by the deflection device 29 on the way of movement from the electron gun 28 to the phosphor screen 23.
FIG. 5 is a side view for explaining a constitutional example of an electron gun to be used for the above-mentioned color cathode ray tube, wherein a reference numeral 1 denotes a cathode structure, 2 denotes a first grid electrode, 3 denotes a second grid electrode, 4 denotes a third grid electrode, 5 denotes a fourth grid electrode, 6 denotes a fifth grid electrode, 7 denotes a sixth grid electrode, 8 denotes a shield cup, 9 denotes an insulating rod, 32 denotes stem pins and 35 denotes a stem.
In FIG. 5, the first grid electrode 2 is a cup-shaped electrode, and the cathode structure 1 is housed within it.
The shield cup 8 is fixed on the sixth grid electrode 7, an anode, and the first grid electrode 2 and the second to sixth grid electrodes 3 to 7 are mounted in predetermined axially coaxially spaced relationship in a specified order on a pair of insulating supports 9 by tabs which are provided on the side wall of each of the electrodes and embedded in the insulating supports made of multiform glass.
The cathode structure 1 houses a heater coated with an insulating material, has a cathode cap having an electron emissive surface formed on its bottom supported by a sleeve fixed on a cathode support structure through an insulating plate of a ceramic material. The cathode support structure is inserted in the cup-shaped first grid electrode and it is welded to the first grid electrode at its open end.
As an example of disclosure of the prior art concerning an electron gun of this kind, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 7-161309 can be cited.
In the case of an electron gun of a cathode ray tube having a cathode structure incorporated in a cup-shaped first grid electrode, the spacing between an electron emission surface of a cathode of the cathode structure and the inner surface of the bottom of the first grid electrode can be established with high accuracy.
In the case of an electron gun having three cathode structures arranged in a line within the cup-shaped first grid electrode, during warm-up of a cathode ray tube, the spacing between the center beam aperture and a side beam aperture in the first grid electrode is varied by thermal expansion of the first grid electrode, and the first grid electrode is distorted to a dome-shape and the gap between the cup-shaped bottom surface formed with the electron beam apertures and the electron emissive surface of the cathode increases and also the spacing between the aperture for the center beam and that for the side beam becomes larger than a predetermined value; thereby static beam convergence drift occurs and also the time required for the beam current to reach a predetermined value becomes longer.
FIG. 6 is a schematic for explaining the thermal deformation of the cup-shaped first grid electrode, and only the first grid electrode is shown in a cross-sectional view and the cathode structure housed therein is omitted.
In FIG. 6, a reference numeral 2 denotes the first grid electrode, 2a denotes electron beam apertures, 2b denotes metal tabs butt-welded to the first grid electrode 2 and 9 denotes the insulating rods.
In a case where the first grid electrode 2 is a cup-shaped one, metal tabs 2b for supporting the first grid electrode 2 and embedded in the insulating supporting rods are made of the same material as the first grid electrode, which is generally 42% Ni--Fe.
When the heater of the cathode structure is energized, the cathode temperature is raised and the first grid electrode 2 is thermally expanded by the radiant heat from the cathode, the tabs 2b are also thermally expanded and extends in the direction of the arrows A and the first grid electrode 2 expands in the direction of an arrow B; thereby the spacing between the electron emissive surface of the cathode structure and the bottom of the first grid electrode is made larger. When the spacing between the electron emissive surface and the bottom of the first grid electrode 2 is made larger, the cutoff voltage is made lower; thereby the quantity of electron beams drawn from the cathode is lowered and the rising speed of screen brightness is made slow.
As mentioned above, in the case of a conventional cathode structure housed within a cup-shaped first grid electrode, there has been problems that the rising speed of screen brightness is slow during warm-up, a long period of time is needed till it reaches a stable state, and also the amount of static beam convergence drift is large.
FIG. 7 is an illustration of a beam current build-up characteristic during warm-up of a color cathode ray tube employing a prior art electron gun.
As shown in FIG. 7, in the case of a conventional cathode ray tube, a build-up curve 10a of a beam current has a gentle slope which shows the behavior of a beam current until it reaches a specified value 10 after the cathode ray tube is turned on.

Color cathode ray tube having an improved first grid electrode


The present disclosure includes programmable stabilization circuits and methods. In one embodiment, a power amplifier in a wireless transmitter includes a transistor comprising a gate, a source, and a drain. Feedback from the drain to the gate is modified dynamically to stabilize the amplifier under changing operating conditions. In one embodiment, a series RC circuit is configured between the drain the gate and the RC circuit value is adjusted based on different power supply voltage modes.

The present disclosure relates to electronic circuits and methods, and in particular, to programmable stabilization circuits and methods.
The proliferation of wireless technologies and standards is placing ever increasing demands on electronic circuit technology. Circuits must be able to operate under drastically different operating conditions, and in some cases, must be able to perform well when a wireless system changes between various modes of operation. The complexities of this dynamic environment are particularly challenging for analog amplifiers, such as a power amplifier, in a wireless transmitter. A power amplifier, for example, may drive an antenna with enough output power to broadcast signals to a receiving system. Accordingly, the power amplifier must maintain stability when the wireless transmitter changes operating conditions during transmission, for example.
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical transistor device 110 used in a power amplifier circuit 100. One challenge with robust amplifier design pertains to the structure and parasitic effects of the transistors used to amplify signals in the transmission path. For example, some MOS transistor devices may have a very short gate length to compensate for high gate to drain capacitance (Cgd) 120 associated with some device structures. However, reducing the gate length can also cause the amplifier to become unstable under certain conditions. As illustrated by this example, some transistor devices and circuits designed to be stable for some operating conditions may be unstable for other operating conditions. However, conservative designs that are stable under all operation conditions may be highly inefficient in some situations, resulting in wasted power, for example.


The invention is to provide a positive electrode material for sodium batteries, which has high operating potential and enable charging and discharging at high potential, and a method for producing thereof. Disclosed is a positive electrode material for sodium batteries, comprising positive electrode active material particles represented by the following general formula (1), and an electroconductive carbonaceous material that coats at least part of the surface of the positive electrode active material particles: General Formula (1): NaxMy(AO4)z(P2O7)w wherein M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn; A is at least one selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, P, S, Ti, V and W; x is a value that satisfies 4≧x≧2; y is a value that satisfies 4≧y≧1; z is a value that satisfies 4≧x≧0; w is a value that satisfies 1≧w≧0; and at least one of z and w is 1 or more.

In recent years, with the rapid spread of IT-related devices and communication devices such as personal computers, video cameras and cellular phones, emphasis is placed on the development of batteries that can be used as the power source for such devices. In the automobile industry, the development of high-output and high-capacity batteries for electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles has been promoted. Among various kinds of batteries, a lithium battery attracts attention due to its high energy density and power output.
In a lithium battery, generally, a lithium metal complex oxide having a layered structure, such as lithium nickelate or lithium cobaltate, is used as the positive electrode active material, and a carbonaceous material that is able to occlude/release lithium ions, a lithium metal, a lithium alloy or the like is used as the negative electrode active material. As the electrolyte disposed between the positive and negative electrodes, a liquid electrolyte in which a lithium salt is dissolved, a lithium-containing solid electrolyte or the like is used.
As described above, lithium batteries are excellent in energy density and power output. On the other hand, they have bottlenecks such as an increase in lithium prices with an increased demand for lithium batteries, and limited lithium reserves, thus preventing them from entering into mass production or making it enlarged.
Therefore, studies of sodium batteries are in progress, in which sodium, which is a plentiful resource and low in cost, is used in place of lithium. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, which is represented by MaxMbyP2O7 (Ma is Na, Li, Ca or Mg; Mb is a transition metal being stably present at tetravalent or higher valent condition; x is a value that satisfies 0≦x≦4; y is a value that satisfies 0.5≦y≦3; and z is a value that satisfies 6≦z≦14). In Patent Literature 1, the positive electrode active material which was actually produced and evaluated under "Examples" is MoP2O7.

Positive electrode material for sodium batteries and method for producing same


A pomade dispenser having an air-tight seal is disclosed. The pomade dispenser of the present invention includes a base having a resiliently deformable tapered sealing extension at an end of the base, a cap having an internal reverse taper, and cooperating features for holding the cap to the base. The deformable tapered sealing extension includes an extension sealing surface for contacting a cap sealing surface included on the internal reverse taper of the cap.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a dispenser for holding a pomade having volatile ingredients. More particularly, the present invention relates to forming a seal for preventing volatile ingredients in a pomade, such as lipstick, antiperspirant, insect repellent or adhesive paste from escaping from the dispenser.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In the prior art, a pomade dispenser is comprised of a pomade partially disposed within a movable elevator cup having a pair of lugs. The elevator cup is disposed within a vertically slotted inner body, which is in turn disposed within a helically slotted cam body, also called a "cam." Each lug of the elevator cup extends into both a vertical slot of the inner body and a helical slot of the cam. By rotating the inner body relative to the cam, the elevator cup is caused via the lugs to move vertically in order to selectively expose the pomade. For ease of use, the inner body is connected to a base, and the cam is connected to a shell, also called an "A-shell," which is partially disposed within the base. Therefore, to vertically move the pomade, the A-shell is rotated with respect to the base.
When the pomade is not being used, it is desirable to prevent volatile substances from leaving the pomade. Recently developed soft pomade formulations utilize volatile solvents to maintain the desired homogeneous distribution of active and inactive ingredients throughout the soft pomade. Such volatile solvents evaporate more readily than conventional pomade ingredients, producing undesirable shrinkage of the pomade. Such shrinkage causes the pomade to detach from the elevator cup, and drop out of the dispenser, destroying the utility of the pomade before the pomade has been used up to the desired extent.
In the prior art, to prevent the volatile ingredients from leaving the pomade, the pomade is lowered into the A-shell and a cap is placed over the A-shell. Normally, the cap extends over both that portion of the A-shell which extends from the base as well as part of the base. The vertical inside surface of the cap is sized to contact the vertical outside surface of the base. Alternatively, the base may have a decorative band attached to the outside surface of the base which provides the vertical sealing surface for contacting the vertical inside surface of the cap. However, the vertical inside surface of the cap and the vertical outside surface of the base or decorative band are not designed to provide an airtight seal.
In some prior art designs, an annular flange extending from the base or the decorative band is added to provide an interference fit between the inside vertical surface of the cap and the flange, thereby providing a seal which is at best only along a thin annular line where the flange contacts the cap. In such a design, any deformity in the flange or the cap will permit volatile ingredients from the pomade to pass between the cap and the flange. Furthermore, a small amount of debris on the cap or the flange located along the thin annular line where the flange would normally contact the cap will permit volatile ingredients to pass between the cap and the flange. Consequently, these designs do not seal against evaporative loss of volatile ingredients.
The base-cap dispenser sealing features of the present invention, as well as the internal dispenser-sealing features of the co-pending Seneco-Kezema application filed under Attorney Docket Number 3-351-13 have successfully achieved substantially airtight sealing of pomade dispensers. This sealing has minimized or virtually eliminated the undesired shrinkage of pomade, even during extended periods of storage in inventory, or of non-use by the ultimate consumer. The useful life of these products and their value have thus been substantially increased by these sealing features.


Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) devices with reduced polysilicon loading on an active area uses at least one dielectric layer resistant to silicidation to separate at least one body contact region from source/drain regions, thus reducing gate capacitance and improving device performance. The SOI devices may be used in full depletion type transistors or partial depletion type transistors.

Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology has become an increasingly important technique utilized in the fabrication and production of semiconductor devices. SOI technology deals with the formation of transistors in a relatively thin monocrystalline semiconductor layer, which overlays an insulating layer. In other words, the active devices are formed in a thin semiconductor on an insulator layer rather than in the bulk semiconductor of the device. SOI technology makes possible certain performance advantages, such as the reduction of parasitic elements present in integrated circuits formed in bulk semiconductors, useful in high performance and high-density integrated circuits. SOI technology further allows for the mapping of standard advanced technologies into a SOI technology without significant modifications, and exhibits its advantages for higher speed, lower power consumption and better radiation immunity due to the enhanced isolation of buried oxide layers.
On a typical SOI transistor, however, the body is generally isolated from the silicon substrate and usually kept floating, and this may result in serious problems for current-sensitive circuit applications. The body retains charges and some of the electrical properties from the last time the transistor was used, interfering with subsequent use of the device. A variety of solutions have been proposed to address the problems associated with the SOI semiconductor device. For example, the use of a body contact in the SOI device addresses this problem, and also allows the threshold voltage to be changed so that standby power can be reduced for low-power applications. The body contact in the SOI device has conventionally been made by the use of a T-shaped or a H-shaped polysilicon structure on an active area, thereby creating three distinct regions including a source region, a drain region, and a body contact region.
FIG. 1A is a top view illustrating a conventional T-shaped polysilicon structure with a body contact. FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view along line 1B-1B in FIG. 1A. FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view along line 1C-1C in FIG. 1A. An SOI substrate 10, typically including a silicon base layer, a buried oxide layer and a semiconductor silicon layer (e.g., a P− type layer), is provided with an active area 12 defined by a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure 14 formed in the semiconductor silicon layer over the buried oxide layer. A T-shaped polysilicon layer 16 is formed on the active area 12, thus creating three distinct regions including a source region 17, a drain region 18, and a body contact region 20 in the semiconductor silicon layer. For an example of NMOS device, the source region 17 and the drain region 18 are N+-type regions, and the body contact region 20 is a P+-type region. FIG. 2A is a top view illustrating a conventional H-shaped polysilicon structure with body contacts. FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view along line 2B-2B in FIG. 2A. FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view along line 2C-2C in FIG. 2A. Explanation of the same or similar portions to the description in FIGS. 1A-1C is omitted herein. By comparison, the T-shaped polysilicon layer 16 is replaced with a H-shaped polysilicon layer 16″, thus creating four distinct regions. The conventional approaches increase parasitic diode due to increased P+/P−/N+ junction areas, thus improving the current sink capacity in the body contact region. The T-shaped or H-shaped polysilicon layer, however, including a polysilicon gate portion and a polysilicon dummy portion, induces high gate capacitance, usually causing poor performance.
Therefore, there exists a need for a SOI MOSFET device that allows a reduction of polysilicon loading on the active area to overcome problems arising from high gate capacitance.

SOI MOSFET device with reduced polysilicon loading on active area

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A feedback circuit disposed across input and output terminals of an amplifier is adapted so as not inject DC current back into the input terminal of the amplifier. The feedback circuit includes, in part, first and second current sources, a transistor, and a resistive load. The first current source supplies current to one of the terminals of the transistor in communication with an input terminal of the amplifier. The second current source receives this current and diverts it to a voltage supply. The transistor is maintained in the active region of operation. The resistive load has a first terminal in communication with an output terminal of the amplifier and a second terminal in communication with the transistor. The DC voltages at the two terminals of the resistive load are substantially equal so as to inhibit DC current flow therethrough.

The present invention relates to electronic circuits, and more particularly to minimization of DC component of a feedback signal in an amplifier.
FIG. 1 shows a transimpedance amplifier 10, as known in the prior art. Resistor 16 represents the resistance of a sensor, such as a reader head (not shown), and resistor 14—shown using the dotted line—represents the output impedance of amplifier 10. Transimpedance amplifier 10 is adapted to amplify and convert the current signal generated by resistor 16 into a voltage signal VOUT. The DC operating point of the reader head is ideally established by the biasing current source 18 only. However, the DC component of the feedback current signal IFB also contributes to and thus disturbs the DC operating point of the reader head via node N1.
The input impedance Rin as seen from input node N1 is approximately defined by the following expression:
                              R                      i                                                                          n                          =                              1                          G              m                                +                                    R              12                                      1              +                              Gm                ×                                  R                  14                                                                                (        1        )            where Gm is the voltage-to-current gain of transimpedance amplifier 10. Similarly, the output impedance Rout as seen from input node N2 is approximately defined by the following expression:
                              R          out                =                  1                      G            m                                              (        2        )
The closed-loop voltage-to-current gain
      V    out        I          i                                      n      of amplifier 10 is defined by the following expression:
                                          V            out                                I                          i                                                                                n                                      =                  -                      R            12                                              (        3        )
One conventional technique for reducing the above-described disturbance of the DC operating point of the reader head is to sense or estimate the input voltage Vin and use the sensed or estimated voltage to reduce the flow of the feedback current IFB to node N1. To sense the input voltage Vin, a control loop with a negative feedback is used. Such control loops are often complex and need to be carefully designed to remain stable during operation. Furthermore, amplifier 10 may need to be modified to accommodate such control loops. Currently known estimating techniques for estimating voltage Vin also suffer from inaccuracies and thus may not reduce the flow of feedback current IFB to node N1 under all required operating conditions. A need continues to exist for a feedback circuit disposed across an amplifier that does not disturb the DC operating point of the input circuitry of the amplifier and that does not degrade the small-signal operation of the amplifier.

Method and apparatus to remove the DC component of a feedback signal


An airbag apparatus according to the present invention includes a gas generator and an airbag. The airbag includes a panel sheet and a recess defined inwardly with respect to the airbag. The airbag is formed in a bag-like shape by folding the panel sheet in two and sewing the circumference of the panel sheet. The panel sheet has a first folding line and an inward folding portion including a line extending from the first folding line and arranged in a circumferential portion of the panel sheet. The inward folding portion includes a second folding line by which the inward folding portion is defined, a third folding line extending along the line extending from the first folding line, and an insertion opening through which the gas generator is inserted into the airbag. The recess is provided by folding the inward folding portion along the second folding line inwardly with respect to the airbag, re-folding the airbag in two along the third folding line, and sewing the circumference of the inward folding portion together with the circumference of the panel sheet.

The present invention relates to airbag apparatuses and folding methods for airbags that unfold and inflate about an occupant in response to an impact exceeding a predetermined level applied to the body of a vehicle, thus reducing the impact acting on the occupant.
Conventionally, an airbag apparatus includes a gas generator and an airbag that is unfolded and inflated by the gas generated by the gas generator. The gas generator has an inflator for generating the gas and a retainer for fixing the inflator. The airbag may be shaped in different manners depending on positions at which the airbags are installed. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-114060 describes a side airbag apparatus including a flat airbag. The airbag is formed in a bag-like shape by folding a panel sheet in two and sewing the circumference of the panel sheet.
In an airbag apparatus, at least the inflator of the gas generator must be arranged in the airbag for unfolding and inflating the airbag by the gas. For this purpose, the airbag is fabricated according to the following steps. First, the circumference of the panel sheet is sewn except for a portion of the circumference that defines an insertion opening through which the inflator is inserted into the airbag. The inflator is then installed in the airbag through the insertion opening. Subsequently, the portion corresponding to the insertion opening, or the non-sewn portion of the circumference of the airbag, is sewn. The insertion opening is thus closed.
For facilitating installation of the gas generator in the airbag, such as insertion of the inflator and the retainer into the airbag and connection of a harness to the inflator, the insertion opening must be relatively large. The insertion opening is made visible from a side of the airbag. Therefore, if the insertion opening remains open, an excessive amount of gas may leak from the insertion opening when the airbag is unfolded and inflated. In this case, the airbag cannot be inflated to a predetermined interior pressure. In order to avoid this, the airbag, the flat type in particular, must be subjected to post treatment of the insertion opening following the sewing step of the panel sheet. In the post treatment, the insertion opening may be closed or reduced in size by sewing the circumferential portion of the airbag corresponding to the insertion opening or blocked by folding the circumferential portion of the airbag corresponding to the insertion opening.
That is, fabrication of the flat airbag requires three steps, sewing the circumference of the panel sheet, installing the gas generator, and performing the post treatment. The production efficiency for the airbag is thus relatively low. Further, although the inflator is received in the airbag, the harness must be projected from the insertion opening to the exterior of the airbag. Therefore, even after the post treatment, a portion of the insertion opening must be maintained open, making it likely for the gas to leak from the open portion. It is thus difficult for the flat airbag to maintain the interior pressure after the airbag is unfolded and inflated. Further, if the circumferential portion corresponding to the insertion opening is sewn in close vicinity to the harness for maximally closing the insertion opening in the post treatment, problems such as damage to the harness or short circuiting of the harness may occur.

Airbag apparatus and airbag folding method


A Schottky photodiode includes a semiconductor layer and a conductive film provided in contact with the semiconductor layer. The conductive film has an aperture and a periodic structure provided around said aperture for producing a resonant state by an excited surface plasmon in a film surface of the conductive film by means of the incident light to the film surface. The photodiode detects near-field light that is generated by at the interface between the conductive film and semiconductor layer the excited surface plasmon. The aperture has a diameter smaller than the wavelength of the incident light.

Photodiodes are frequently used as devices for converting optical signals to electrical signals at high speed. Photodiodes are indispensable in the fields of information processing and communication.
Various types of photodiodes are known, but a representative example of a photodiode for operating at high speed is the pin-type photodiode. As shown in FIG. 1, a pin-type photodiode is constituted from a semiconductor such as silicon and is of a configuration in which i-layer (intrinsic semiconductor layer) 51 is interposed between p-layer (p-type semiconductor layer) 52 and n-layer (n-type semiconductor layer) 53. P-layer 52 is formed as a thin layer on a portion of the surface of i-layer 51, and first electrode (anode electrode) 54 with window 59 formed in its center is provided so as to both enclose the periphery of p-layer 52 and contact p-layer 52. Second electrode (cathode electrode) 55 is provided on the surface of n-layer 53 that is not the i-layer 51 side. P-layer 52 is exposed on the bottom surface of window 59, and antireflection film 58 is provided on the exposed surface of p-layer 52.
Load resistance 50 and this pin-type photodiode are connected in a series to bias power supply 56, and when a reverse bias voltage is applied to the photodiode by bias power supply 56 such that the first-electrode 54 side is negative and the second-electrode 55 side is positive, substantially the entire region of i-layer 51 of high resistance becomes a depletion layer of the electric charge carrier. When incident light 57 irradiates the interior of the photodiode by way of window 59 in this state, the photons of incident light 57 are mainly absorbed by i-layer 51 to generate electron-hole pairs. The generated electrons and holes each drift in opposite directions within the depletion layer under the influence of the reverse bias voltage to generate a current, and are detected as a signal voltage between both ends of load resistance 50.
The chief factors that limit the response speed of the photoelectric conversion of such a pin-type photodiode are a circuit time constant that is determined by the product of load resistance 50 and the electrical capacitance produced by the depletion layer and the carrier transit time needed for the electrons and holes to pass through the depletion layer. Thus, in order to improve the response time, either the circuit time constant should be reduced or the carrier transit time should be shortened.
Schottky photodiodes are sometimes used to improve the response speed by shortening the carrier transit time. As shown in FIG. 2, a Schottky photodiode is composed of a semiconductor such as silicon, n−-type semiconductor layer 61 being formed on n+-type semiconductor layer 60, and further, semi-transparent metal film 66 being provided on a portion of the surface of n−-type semiconductor layer 61 so as to contact n−-type semiconductor layer 61. Semi-transparent metal film 66 is a metal thin-film thin enough to transmit incident light 67. First electrode 62 in which window 69 is formed in the center is provided so as to both surround the periphery of semi-transparent metal film 66 and contact semi-transparent metal film 66. Second electrode 63 is provided on the surface of n+-type semiconductor layer 60 that is not the n−-type-semiconductor layer 61 side. Semi-transparent metal film 66 is exposed on the bottom of window 69, and antireflection film 68 is provided on the exposed surface of semi-transparent metal film 66. As in the case of the pin-type photodiode shown in FIG. 1, a reverse bias voltage is applied by way of bias power supply 64 and load resistance 65 to first electrode 62 and second electrode 63.
In this type of Schottky photodiode, a Schottky barrier is generated in the vicinity of the interface in which n−-type semiconductor layer 61 contacts semi-transparent metal film 66. In the vicinity of this Schottky barrier, electrons are diffused from semi-transparent metal film 66 and toward n−-type semiconductor layer 61 to generate a depletion layer. When incident light 67 is irradiated in this state, electrons are generated in n−-type semiconductor layer 61, and these electrons drift within the depletion layer under the influence of the reverse bias voltage. The drift of the electrons within the depletion layer generates a current and is detected as a signal voltage between the two ends of the load resistance 65.
In addition, the light absorption in the device surface layer can be effectively used in a Schottky photodiode.
On the other hand, when the circuit time constant is reduced to improve the response speed of photoelectric conversion, either the load resistance should be reduced or the electrical capacitance of the depletion layer should be reduced. However, when the load resistance is reduced to shorten the circuit time constant, the voltage level of the regeneration signal that can be extracted drops, the device becomes more susceptible to the effect of thermal noise and other noises, and the SN ratio (signal-to-noise ratio) is degraded. Thus, reducing the electrical capacitance of the depletion layer results in the necessity to improve the SN ratio of the regeneration signal to reduce read errors. In particular, when the depletion layer is thinned to shorten the carrier transit time, the electrical capacitance increases, and as a result, the area of the depletion layer or the Schottky junction must be reduced to obtain higher speeds. However, decreasing the junction area reduces the utilization of the signal light, and this in turn gives rise to the problem of degradation of the SN ratio of the regeneration signal. Although a lens can be used to condense and improve the utilization of the signal light, the provision of a lens not only increases the size of the photoelectric conversion device itself, but also entails the difficult operations of aligning the lens and photodiode and positioning the lens and optical fiber.
In response to these problems, various attempts have been made with the development of technology in recent years to achieve a photoelectric conversion device of this type that is capable of higher speeds and more compact sizes than the prior art through the use of a metal surface plasmon
JP-A-59-108376 (Patent Document 1) discloses a photodetector that is composed of a metal/semiconductor/metal (MSM) device in which two electrodes are disposed on the same surface of a semiconductor. This MSM photodetector is generally a type of Schottky photodiode having a Schottky barrier in the vicinity of the two electrodes. A portion of the light transmitted by the electrodes is absorbed; by the semiconductor to generate free electrons. This type of MSM photodetector suffers from the problem that increasing the thickness of the semiconductor to raise the quantum efficiency causes an increase in the propagation distance of electrons and a consequent drop in the operation speed. To prevent this drop in operation speed, JP-A-59-108376 discloses an arrangement in which metal electrodes are provided along periodic surface irregularities to achieve efficient coupling of incident light and the surface plasmon of the metal electrodes and propagate the light within the photodetector. As one method of application to the fabrication of the above-described MSM photoreception device, JP-A-08-204225 (Patent Document 2) discloses a method for forming a metal film on a semiconductor and then oxidizing a portion of the metal film to form a phototransmissive insulation pattern.
A photoreception device that detects near-field light has also been proposed. JP-A-08-204226 (Patent Document 3) discloses an MSM photoreception device having a pair of conductive voltage application members on the same surface of a semiconductor in which the width of a phototransmissive insulation pattern separating the pair of conductive voltage application members is set to a dimension equal to or less than the wavelength and in which the near-field light generated from the ends of conductive voltage application members on the both sides of the phototransmissive insulation pattern is used to raise the response speed of photodetection. The conductive voltage application members are generally constituted by a metal film. In this configuration, the width of the opening for generating near-field light determines the efficiency and the distance of drift of electrons in the depletion layer determines the response speed, but because the width of the phototransmissive insulation pattern is the width of the depletion layer as a Schottky photodiode, the width of the opening and the distance of drift of electrons cannot be independently set and high efficiency and high speed therefore cannot be simultaneously obtained in the photoreception device.
JP-A-10-509806 (Patent Document 4) discloses a photoelectric coupler in which the surface plasmon phenomenon is used. In this photoelectric coupler, a device configuration is employed in which interdigital metal electrodes aligned with regular spacing on a semiconductor are arranged such that positive electrodes and negative electrodes confront each other with one fitting into the other. By means of this device configuration, incident light, transmitted light, reflected Flight, surface plasmon and the like are coupled with each other by resonance. In an MSM photoreception device of this type that uses photoelectric coupling technology, free electrons generated by incident light are enhanced by the coupling of incident light and surface plasmon, but when the area irradiated by incident light is reduced to reduce the electric capacitance of the depletion layer, the strength of the detected signal falls and the SN ratio drops.
JP-A-2002-076410 (Patent Document 5) discloses a photovoltaic device for converting the energy of sunlight to electrical energy in which a plurality of micro-semiconductors having a spherical or hemispherical shape and having pn bonding are used, each semiconductor sphere being interposed between a pair of electrodes and periodically arranged openings or depressions being provided on one of the pair of electrodes. The periodic shape provided on one of the electrodes causes the incident light and the surface plasmon to resonate, thus improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency of photovoltaic device as a whole. However, this technique relates to a photovoltaic device, i.e., a solar battery, in which high speed is not required in the response speed of photoelectric conversion. As a result, no investigation has been conducted into reducing the thickness of the depletion layer or reducing the size of the photoelectric conversion area to achieve an increase in the speed of photoelectric conversion.
As a device that uses the interaction of incident light and a surface plasmon, JP-A-2000-171763 (Patent Document 6) discloses an optical transmission device in which a metal film having an aperture and periodic surface variations is used to greatly enhance the intensity of light that is propagated through the aperture. This publication states that, even with a single aperture, the provision of rows of periodic grooves around the aperture enables greater enhancement of light that is propagated through the aperture than a case that lacks periodic rows of grooves. However, it is known that in surface plasmon resonance, the total energy of transmitted light is attenuated compared to the incident light energy. According to Tineke Thio, H. J. Lezec, T. W. Ebbesen, K. M. Pellerin, G. D. Lewen, A. Nahata, and R. A. Linke in "Giant optical transmission of sub-wavelength apertures: physics and applications," Nanotechnology, Vol. 13, pp. 429-432 (Non-Patent Document 1), the total energy of light that is transmitted through an aperture having a diameter of 40% of the wavelength or less is attenuated to 1% or less of the incident light energy despite the use of surface plasmon resonance. As a result, a high SN ratio cannot be obtained in photoelectric conversion even when the optical transmission device disclosed in JP-A-2000-171763 is used to irradiate light that has been propagated from the aperture of the optical transmission device onto a photoreception device.
JP-A-2001-291265 (Patent Document 7) discloses a read/write head for an optical data recording medium that, by using near-field optics to improve the recording density of an optical data storage medium, both irradiates light onto an optical recording medium by way of an opening having diameter equal to or less than the wavelength and enhances the intensity of light transmitted through the aperture by means of the above-described surface plasmon resonance. In JP-A-2004-061880 (Patent Document 8), it is described that the read/write head disclosed in the above-described JP-A-2001-291265 does not use transmitted light that has passed through the aperture and then propagated to a remote location, but rather, uses a minute light spot that is formed in proximity to the aperture by near-field light (evanescent light). In the case of an optical data storage medium, the absorption coefficient of light in the storage medium can be raised to a high level, whereby all photons within a minute range such as a light spot produced by near-field light can be absorbed in the storage medium to enable the formation of minute recording pits. However, it is believed that when near-field light is introduced into a photodiode, the relatively low light absorption coefficient of the material that makes up the photodiode prevents irradiation of light to positions deep in the photodiode, whereby a sufficient photodetection current is not observed.
The reference documents cited in the present specification are listed below:
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Sho-59-108376 (JP-A-59-108376);
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei-8-204225 (JP-A-08-204225);
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei-8-204226 (JP-A-08-204226);
Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei-10-509806 (JP-A-10-509806);
Patent Document 5: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-76410 (JP-A-2002-076410);
Patent Document 6: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-171763 (JP-A-2000-171763);
Patent Document 7: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-291265 (JP-A-2001-291265);
Patent Document 8: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-61880 (JP-A-2004-061880);
Non-Patent Document 1: Tineke Thio, H. J. Lezec, T. W. Ebbesen, K. M. Pellerin, G. D. Lewen, A. Nahata, and R. A. Linke, "Giant optical transmission of sub-wavelength apertures: physics and applications," Nanotechnology, Vol. 13, pp. 429-432.

Photodiode and method for fabricating same


A combination socket and photosensor for measuring and adjusting intensity of a lamp in the socket of the combination socket and photosensor. A socket receives and electrically communicates with the lamp. A photosensor is operatively connected to the socket and measures the intensity of the lamp. A controller electrically communicates with the lamp and the photosensor and contains a feed back loop. The feed back loop electrically communicates with the photosensor and the lamp and compares the intensity of the lamp to a predetermined value and adjusts the intensity of the lamp accordingly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a socket for a lamp, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a combination socket and photosensor for measuring and adjusting intensity of a lamp in the socket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FOR EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,776 to Popovic teaches an ultraviolet-light sensitive photodiode device that comprises a first semiconductor photodiode for producing a first current when illuminated by light and a second semiconductor photodiode for producing a second current when illuminated by light. The first and second photodiodes are electrically connected to produce a signal proportional to the difference between the first and second currents. The first and second photodiodes are substantially equal in sensitivity to visible and infrared light, while the first photodiode is more sensitive to ultraviolet light than the second photodiode. Thus, the photosensitive device resulting from connecting the two photodiodes has a spectrally narrow sensitivity to ultraviolet light.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,004 to Rudolph et al. teaches an UV sensor having a photodetector for measurement of UV radiation, an SiO.sub.2-containing dispersive element disposed ahead of the photodetector in the direction of incident UV radiation and an optional housing having an entry opening for UV radiation. The dispersive element contains quartz glass with interiorly disposed boundary surfaces, the orientations of which are statistically homogeneously distributed.
STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,057,917 to Petersen et al. teaches an ultra violet light sterilizing apparatus utilizing a silicon carbide (SiC) photodiode sensor. The ultraviolet light fluid sterilization apparatus includes a fluid chamber, at least one ultraviolet light source configured to emit ultraviolet light into the fluid chamber, and at least one ultraviolet light sensor that includes a silicon carbide photodiode. Each UV light sensor includes a sealed outer housing having an optically transparent window. A silicon carbide photodiode is located inside the housing adjacent the transparent window. Each UV light sensor also includes a signal amplification unit that includes an amplifier mounted on a printed circuit board located inside the housing. The UV sterilization apparatus also includes a controller configured to receive, as input, a signal from each ultraviolet light sensor. The controller compares the input signal to a desired UV light intensity and outputs a control signal to each ultraviolet light source to adjust the intensity of the ultraviolet light emitted from each ultraviolet light source.
YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,278,120 to May teaches a UV sensor design which virtually eliminates solarization effects on optical components and photodetector and is effective for both broad area and collimated light sources. The sensor design reduces the number of photons striking a unit area of any of the materials in the light path sensitive to UV light to a level which does not produce appreciable solarization over very long periods of time. The UV sensor has as the first optical element in the viewing path a UV transmitting, extremely low solarization window. The back surface of this window is frosted to produce some diffusion of the UV rays. A small metal disc with a very small aperture is the next optical element and reduces the total amount of energy admitted to the optical measurement system. A second frosted UV transmitting, extremely low solarization window further diffuses the light beam passing through the aperture. The UV light from this second window travels toward to two UV filters and is further dispersed to produce low intensity level UV light which impinges on a silicon photodetector.
STILL YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,313,638 to Sun et al. teaches a dual-channel photo-ionization detector (PID) and a method for calculating the gas concentration in the PID. The PID includes a UV light source which produces a UV light to ionize a gas, first and second identical ion detectors for measuring first and second currents including ion, and a UV shield which differentially shields the ion detectors from the UV light. The differential shielding of the ion detectors enables the PID to differentiate between current caused by ions and current caused by the photoelectric effect of the UV light. The detector measures a concentration of the gas irrespective of a variation of an intensity of the UV light. A heater in the PID stabilizes the temperature for measurements and prevents condensation in the PID. The method includes: shielding the first ion detector from the UV light and exposing the second ion detector to the UV light; and deciding the concentration of the ionizable gases independent of an intensity of the UV light by comparing the first and second currents. In addition, the calculation of the gas concentration independent of the UV light intensity and a self-cleaning capability of the PID promote a construction of an integrated PID sensor module which is sealed to prevent a user from opening the sensor module. The sensor module, including the UV light source, the ion sensors and the UV shield in a single housing, easily plugs into the socket in a structure including the remainder PID.
YET STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,541,777 to Lombardo et al. teaches an ultra violet light sterilizing apparatus that includes in one embodiment a fluid chamber, at least one ultraviolet light source configured to emit ultraviolet light into the fluid chamber, and at least one ultraviolet light sensor that includes a photodiode. The photodiode is a silicon carbide photodiode, a gallium nitride photodiode, or an aluminum gallium nitride photodiode. Each UV light sensor includes a sealed outer housing having an optically transparent window. The photodiode is located inside the housing adjacent the transparent window. Each UV light sensor also includes a signal amplification unit that includes an amplifier mounted on a printed circuit board located inside the housing. The UV sterilization apparatus also includes a controller configured to receive, as input, a signal from each ultraviolet light sensor. The controller compares the input signal to a desired UV light intensity and outputs a control signal to each ultraviolet light source to adjust the intensity of the ultraviolet light emitted from each ultraviolet light source.
STILL YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,608 to Hallett et al. teaches a process for treating an aqueous liquid. The process includes: passing the liquid by force of gravity through a treatment area, the liquid having an upper surface exposed to ambient pressure; disrupting the flow of the liquid as it passes through the treatment area, and exposing the upper surface of the liquid as the flow is disrupted to UV light. Disrupting the flow includes directing lower portions of the liquid toward the surface of the liquid to bring such portions into contact with UV light. A process for treating an aqueous liquid in which the treatment process is monitored. This process includes passing the liquid through a treatment area to bring the liquid into contact with reflective walls submerged below an upper surface of the liquid, and exposing the upper surface of the liquid to light emitted from a UV light source such that UV light penetrates the liquid to strike the submerged reflective surfaces and to be reflected therefrom to emerge through the upper surface of the liquid. The process also involves determining the intensity of the UV light emitted from the light source, determining the intensity of UV light received by a UV light sensor trained to receive emergent light and determining whether the treatment has a predetermined effectiveness based on the intensity of the UV light emitted from the light source and the intensity of the UV light received by the sensor. Apparatuses for carrying out processes of the invention are also described.
YET STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, United States Patent Application Number 20020162970 teaches an ultra violet light sterilizing apparatus utilizing a silicon carbide (SiC) photodiode sensor. The ultraviolet light fluid sterilization apparatus includes a fluid chamber, at least one ultraviolet light source configured to emit ultraviolet light into the fluid chamber, and at least one ultraviolet light sensor that includes a silicon carbide photodiode. Each UV light sensor includes a sealed outer housing having an optically transparent window. A silicon carbide photodiode is located inside the housing adjacent the transparent window. Each UV light sensor also includes a signal amplification unit that includes an amplifier mounted on a printed circuit board located inside the housing. The UV sterilization apparatus also includes a controller configured to receive, as input, a signal from each ultraviolet light sensor. The controller compares the input signal to a desired UV light intensity and outputs a control signal to each ultraviolet light source to adjust the, intensity of the ultraviolet light emitted from each ultraviolet light source.

Combination socket and photosensor for measuring and adjusting intensity of lamp in the socket


A magnetic heater is provided having a conductor assembly and a magnet assembly. The magnet assembly is adapted to rotate relative to the conductor assembly about an axis so as to induce eddy currents in the conductor assembly when relative motion is produced between the conductor assembly and first magnet assembly. The conductor assembly is adapted to translate transversely into and out of magnetic engagement with the magnet assembly. In one embodiment, the conductor assembly defines a fluid path therein for the transfer of heat from the conductor assembly to a fluid. The magnetic heater is a component of a heat generation system comprising an internal combustion engine having a drive shaft for rotating the magnet assembly. The heat generated by the magnetic heater, as well as the heat generated by the engine from the engine exhaust and engine cooling system, is combined to heat a fluid.

A magnetic heater generates heat by a phenomenon known as magnetic inductive heating. Magnetic inductive heating occurs in an electrically conductive member when exposed to a time-varying magnetic field. The varying magnetic field induces eddy currents within the conductive member, thereby heating it. An increase in the magnitude of the variations of the magnetic field increases the rate at which the conductive member is heated. The heated conductive member can then be used as a heat source for various purposes. The heated conductive member is often used to heat a fluid, such as air or water, which is circulated past the conductive member. The heated fluid is then used to transfer the heat from the heater for external use.
One method of exposing a conductive member to a varying magnetic field is to move a magnetic field source relative to the conductive member. This motion may be achieved by arranging magnets around the edge of a circular disk having a rotatable shaft substantially at its center, the flat surface of the disk being opposable to an essentially flat portion of the surface of the conductive member. As the shaft of the disk is rotated, the magnets move relative to the surface of the conductive member. A given point on the conductive member is exposed to a cyclically varying magnetic field as each of the magnets approach, pass over, and retreat from that given point.
The amount of heat induced within the conductive member depends on many factors, some of which include the strength of the magnetic field, the distance between the magnets and the conductive member (referred herein as the "conductor/magnet spacing"), and the relative speed of the magnets to the conductive member.
Conventional magnetic heaters suffer from several disadvantages. For example, many conventional magnetic heaters have limited precision in their control of operational parameters such as the rate of heat generation, the efficiency of heat generation, and the efficiency of heat transfer to the working fluid used to carry the heat.
A magnetic heater is needed that provides one or more of the following: improved control of the rate of heat generation, improved efficiency of heat generation, and improved efficiency of heat transfer to the working fluid used to carry the heat.

Controlled torque magnetic heat generation


The present application discloses a novel and advantageous method for the preparation of essentially odor-free alkali metal tetrahydroisohumulate (THIH) which proceeds through isomerization of the essential alkali metal tetrahydrohumulate (THH) intermediate, which is in turn produced by the hydrogenation with two moles of hydrogen of a starting alkali metal humulate (H) at a pH of at least 10, the intermediate THH being thus produced with relative ease and in high yields and purity, which high yields and purity carry over to the ultimate end product, namely, to the essentially aroma-, odor-, and impurity-free THIH, which end product accordingly does not require steam-stripping or other cleanup procedure as is conventional for THIH produced from other sources or by other procedure.

Alpha acids (or humulones) have the formula AA: ##STR1## wherein R is isopropyl, isobutyl, or secondary butyl.
Alkali metal humulates have the formula H: ##STR2##
Alkali metal tetrahydrohumulates have the formula THH: ##STR3##
Tetrahydroalpha acids (or tetrahydrohumulones) have the formula THAA: ##STR4##
Isoalpha acids (or isohumulones) have the formula IAA: ##STR5## and are not involved according to the present invention.
Tetrahydroisoalpha acids (or tetrahydroisohumulones) have the formula THIAA: ##STR6##
Tetrahydroisohumulates have the formula THIH: ##STR7## it being recognized that keto-enol tautomerism exists.
Isohumulates have the formula IH: ##STR8## and are not involved according to the present invention.
The bitterness of beer is due to the presence of isoalpha acids, which are currently used in both their reduced and unreduced forms, and ordinarily in the form of an isohumulate or reduced isohumulate. The unreduced form is made by isomerization by boiling of the alpha acids naturally present in hops, or by catalytic isomerization utilizing magnesium or calcium ions, all as well known in the art. Tetrahydroisoalpha acids or salts thereof have been made by oxidative conversion of beta acids to tetrahydroalpha acids (Worden U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,897), and isomerization of these hydrogenated alpha acids to tetrahydroisoalpha acids. More recently Hay (U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,571) has described a process for the "simultaneous" catalytic isomerization and hydrogenation of isoalpha acids to tetrahydroisoalpha acids, as well as the hydrogenation of previously-isomerized isoalpha acids. Hay (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,013,571 and 5,013,572) has also described a method of steam stripping unwanted estery aromas from the hydrogenated isoalpha acids produced by his process.
Todd (U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,691) describes the separation of unwanted impurities into an aqueous phase from an organic phase of unreduced and/or reduced alpha and isoalpha acids. Todd (U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,464) describes the separation of alpha and beta acids from a carbon dioxide hop extract, providing an alpha acid fraction which is essentially devoid of impurities and which may be isomerized by heat alone to isoalpha acids without the formation of isomerization by-products, by using less than one mole of base per mole of alpha acid in the separation step. Such an alpha acid fraction is an excellent starting material for use according to the present invention.
The general background of the art is well described in the foregoing series of patents. Worden shows that tetrahydroalpha acids can be made from beta acids and then isomerized to tetrahydroisoalpha acids. Alternatively, alpha acids are isomerized to isoalpha acids, which in turn are hydrogenated, as shown by Hay, even when the two successive steps are carried out in the same medium (Hay, '571, Col. 2, lines 33-37, and confirmed in Example 9 hereof).
The art has not been able to utilize alpha acids as a source of tetrahydrohumulates, with subsequent isomerization to tetrahydroisohumulates. Verzele, (Bulletin des Societes Chimiques Belges 68. pp 315-324 and 476-583 (1959)) found that, upon hydrogenation of alpha acids at a pH up to 8.1 on the alkaline side, substantial amounts of quinone formation occurred. Verzele used a minimum of 2.2 moles of hydrogen per mole of alpha acids, which also resulted in perhydrogenation or over-reduction under his conditions. This may be attributed to the partial hydrogenation of keto groups on the alpha acid molecule. The formation of humuloquinones HQ: ##STR9## depends upon the presence of the six-membered ring present in alpha acids, and they (HQ) cannot be formed from a compound having the five-membered ring of the iso acids. This is why Hay could produce tetrahydroisoalpha acids by hydrogenation of isoalpha acids without quinone formation, even though he employed hydrogen pressures of up to 2,000 psig and a pH as low as 5 to 7 (Hay '571, Col. 9).

Production of odor-free tetrahydroisohumulates from alpha acids via their tetrahydrohumulates and subsequent isomerization


In a laser-produced plasma (LPP) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) system, laser pulses are used to produce EUV light. To determine the energy of individual laser pulses, a photoelectromagnetic (PEM) detector is calibrated to a power meter using a calibration coefficient. When measuring a unitary laser beam comprising pulses of a single wavelength, the calibration coefficient is calculated based on a burst of the pulses. A combined laser beam has main pulses of a first wavelength alternating with pre-pulses pulses of a second wavelength. To calculate the energy of the main pulses in the combined laser beam, the calibration coefficient calculated for a unitary laser beam of the main pulses is used. To calculate the energy of the pre-pulses in the combined laser beam, a new calibration coefficient is calculated. When the calculated energy values drift beyond a pre-defined threshold, the calibration coefficients are recalculated.

1. Field
The present application relates generally to laser systems and, more specifically, to calibration of a photoelectromagnetic sensor in a laser source of a laser produced plasma (LPP) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) system.
2. Related Art
The semiconductor industry continues to develop lithographic technologies which are able to print ever-smaller integrated circuit dimensions. Extreme ultraviolet ("EUV") light (also sometimes referred to as soft x-rays) is generally defined to be electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths of between 10 and 102 nm. EUV lithography is generally considered to include EUV light at wavelengths in the range of 10-14 nm, and is used to produce extremely small features (e.g., sub-32 nm features) in substrates such as silicon wafers. These systems must be highly reliable and provide cost-effective throughput and reasonable process latitude.
Methods to generate EUV light include, but are not necessarily limited to, converting a material into a plasma state that has one or more elements (e.g., xenon, lithium, tin, indium, antimony, tellurium, aluminum, etc.) with one or more emission line(s) in the EUV range. In one such method, often termed laser-produced plasma ("LPP"), the required plasma can be generated by irradiating a target material, such as a droplet, stream or cluster of material having the desired line-emitting element, with a laser beam at an irradiation site within an LPP EUV source plasma chamber.
FIG. 1 illustrates some of the components of a prior art LPP EUV system 100. A laser source 101, such as a CO2 laser, produces a laser beam 102 that passes through a beam delivery system 103 and through focusing optics 104 (comprising a lens and a steering mirror). Focusing optics 104 have a primary focus point 105 at an irradiation site within an LPP EUV source plasma chamber 110. A droplet generator 106 produces droplets 107 of an appropriate target material that, when hit by laser beam 102 at the primary focus point 105, generate a plasma which irradiates EUV light. An elliptical mirror ("collector") 108 focuses the EUV light from the plasma at a focal spot 109 (also known as an intermediate focus position) for delivering the generated EUV light to, e.g., a lithography scanner system (not shown). Focal spot 109 will typically be within a scanner (not shown) containing wafers that are to be exposed to the EUV light. In some embodiments, there may be multiple laser sources 101, with beams that all converge on focusing optics 104. One type of LPP EUV light source may use a CO2 laser and a zinc selenide (ZnSe) lens with an anti-reflective coating and a clear aperture of about 6 to 8 inches.
The laser source 101 can be operated in a burst mode where a number of light pulses are generated in a burst with some amount of time between bursts. The laser source 101 may comprise a number of lasers that generate pulsed laser beams having distinct properties, such as wavelength, and/or pulse length. Within the laser source 101, the beam delivery system 103, and the focusing optics 104, the separate laser beams may be combined, split, or otherwise manipulated.
Before the laser beam 102 reaches the LPP EUV source plasma chamber 110, the beam 102 is measured at various points within the laser source 101, the beam delivery system 103, and/or the focusing optics 104. The measurements are taken using a variety of instruments that measure one or more aspects of the laser beam 102. In some instances, the laser beam 102 may be measured before it is combined with other generated beams or after it has been combined. The instruments, however, may not directly measure certain properties of the laser beam 102 or may be not be calibrated in such a way as to measure the properties of the laser beam 102.

Calibration of photoelectromagnetic sensor in a laser source


The present invention discloses a mobile operating platform for a paddy field, including a body, a power generating device, a movement control system, a draft control system and an automatic leveling system, where the power generating device, the movement control system, the draft control system and the automatic leveling system are all mounted on the body. The present invention has a compact overall structure, and utilizes the pressure of a water flow to realize the movement of the platform, and can fully utilize the characteristics of the water flow to reduce power consumption, and avoid the use of a heavy and complicated traditional walking device, the entire mobile operating platform for a paddy field does not contact the ground, saving mechanical power and avoiding damage to an aquatic crop; the draft control system adjusts a draft by the amount of water filled in a closed cavity in the body.

Compared with agricultural operations in dry fields, paddy field operations face a large depth to plow and are difficult to walk on the ground. Especially for paddy field operations such as lotus root planting and aquaculture in deeper waters, it is necessary to overcome the strong resistance of the ground and water. At present, wheeled machinery and crawler machinery are used to perform paddy field operations; however, the existing wheeled machinery and crawler machinery often have large and complicated structures, which are not only easy to cause damage to aquatic crops, but also have high requirements for the depth of the waters, resulting in a limitation to the range of use, as well as low operation safety, and poor operation quality.

Mobile operating platform for paddy field

NANJING RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE


A merchandise display strip includes an elongated plastic strip having a mounting portion and an article suspending portion. The article suspending portion includes a first panel, a second panel, and fingers on each of the panels for suspending an article from a respective one of the first and second panels. A fold line separates the first and second panels and enables these panels to be folded in relation to each other so that at least two articles can be supported by the article suspending portion, one from each of the two panels. A third panel is provided on the article suspending portion such that it is interposed between the first and second panels and the mounting portion. The mounting portion enables the merchandise display strip to be supported from a pricing channel, a shelf, or a hook. If desired, the first and second panels can be secured to each other by adhesive, by fasteners or by inter-engaging tabs.

This invention is directed toward the art of retailing merchandise. The invention relates more particularly to a merchandising strip.
The present invention is especially suited for use in displaying a plurality of blister packs in two spaced vertical alignments in front of a store display shelf and will be described with particular reference thereto. It should, however, be appreciated that the subject invention is capable of broader applications and could be used for displaying merchandise in other environments as well.
Strip merchandisers which display blister packs in a vertically oriented alignment are known. Such display elements are in the form of an elongate plastic strip which is suspended from the front edge of the merchandise display shelf or the like to itself suspend apertured products such as blister packs for display. These strips have a series of superimposed cut-outs or the like which form integral upwardly facing individual support hooks or fingers for the products. At their upper end, the strips have a mounting portion of one form or another for attaching the strip to a shelf. Certain mounting portions are specifically adapted for attachment in a concave price channel of the type often found on the forward edge of display shelves, while other mounting portions are specifically adapted for attachment to a shelf by insertion of an anchor element into an aperture adjacent the forward edge of the shelf.
However, all such merchandising strips have been found inadequate in the sense that they only allow one row of merchandise to be displayed since there is only one row of vertically aligned fingers provided on the strip. Also, the row of merchandise secured to a shelf in an aisle of a store doesn't face a shopper moving down the aisle. The shopper will only be able to determine what goods are being displayed when the shopper is abreast of the merchandising strip.
Accordingly, it has been considered desirable to develop a new and improved merchandising strip which would overcome the foregoing difficulties and others while providing better and more advantageous overall results.


Method for optimizing the development of an underground reservoir, wherein a geological model is updated using dynamic data and well tests.

During some decades, well tests have allowed to determine some reservoir characteristics such as the formation permeability (assumed to be constant), the skin factor, the reservoir pressure. However, there are few methods for refining reservoir models by integrating both production data and well tests. One reason for this phenomenon is that the well testing technology is especially based on analytical solutions that are not directly compatible with the discrete representations used for the models in reservoir simulation.
With the advent of numerical flow simulators, it appeared that well tests can contribute to refining the description of the geological model: spatial distribution of the permeability values, boundary distance estimation, etc. A flow simulator is software allowing, among other things, to model the production of a reservoir as a function of time, from measurements describing the reservoir, i.e. from a reservoir model.
Considering that there is no method suited for simultaneous integration of well tests and production data in numerical reservoir models, a conventional technique consists in matching the well test data using the same approach as for matching the production data, but separately. Such a technique is for example described in the following document:                Mezghani, M., 1999, <<Caractérisation des réservoirs hétérogènes: méthode des sentinelles et quantification des incertitudes>>, Ph.D. thesis, Univ. Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
It consists in entering as the input data, in software referred to as flow simulator, the flow rate data, in simulating the pressures and in comparing them with the pressures measured during the well test. The parameters of the model are then modified as long as pressure matching is not satisfactory.
There is also a known method for simultaneously matching the pressures, the pressure derivatives and the production data:                Landa, J. L., 1997, Reservoir parameter estimation constrained to pressure transients, performance history and distributed saturation data, Ph.D. thesis, Stanford Univ., Stanford, Calif.
According to this approach, the production data and the well tests are simulated at the same scale, i.e. the reservoir scale. Now, the well tests correspond to a finer scale than the reservoir scale.
Finally, there is another known method, called NWT (Numerical Well Testing). This method is described in:                Kamal, M. M., Pan, Y., Landa, J. L., and Thomas, O. O., 2005, "Numerical well testing —A method to use transient testing results in reservoir simulation", SPE 95905, Dallas, Tex.
The drawback of the NWT method is that well test matching and production data matching are dissociated.
The object of the invention thus is an alternative method for optimizing the development of underground reservoirs, by constructing a geological model representative of the reservoir, meeting dynamic data and well tests.

Method for updating a geological model using dynamic data and well tests

Abstract: A reservoir model is constructed by performing a geological model scale change. Dynamic data are simulated from this reservoir model. Influence zones are identified within the geological model where the well tests induce a pressure variation during well testing. Well tests are then simulated for each influence zone. An objective function measuring the difference between the simulated data and the measured data is calculated. The geological model is then modified so as to reduce to the maximum the objective function using a geostatistical parametrizing technique. Finally, development of the underground reservoir is optimized by evaluating, by means of a flow simulator, the reservoir production for various production schemes.

Abstract: Application: notably oil reservoir development.


A method includes providing an input port and/or an output port directly interfaced with a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) of a data processing device further including a Central Processing Unit (CPU) to enable a corresponding reception of input data and/or rendering of output data therethrough. The method also includes implementing a voice/audio processing engine in the data processing device. Further, the method includes performing voice/audio related processing of the input data received through the input port and/or voice/audio related processing of data in the data processing device to realize the output data based on executing the voice/audio processing engine solely through the GPU.

A data processing device (e.g., a personal computer, a laptop computer, a notebook, a netbook, an ultrabook, a mobile device such as a mobile phone) may be limited in processing capability by a processor (e.g., Central Processing Unit (CPU)) thereof. While the processor may be upgraded, execution of a voice/audio processing algorithm through the upgraded processor may, again, be severely limited by factors such as current tasks being handled by the upgraded processor and/or other processes executing in the background. When the data processing device is employed in a scenario demanding quick processing (e.g., the data processing device being utilized as a Global Positioning System (GPS) device for obtaining driving directions based on a voice/audio input) by a user thereof, the aforementioned limitation(s) may contribute to frustration on part of the user with regard to the utility of the data processing device.

Dedicated voice/audio processing through a graphics processing unit (GPU) of a data processing device


An air bag module (20) having a base plate (30) and a toroidal air bag (80) is disclosed. The toroidal air bag (80) defines a pocket (120). The toroidal air bag (80) is coupled to the base plate (30). A control module (40) having a base plate portion (82) and a generally cylindrical portion (86) is coupled to the base and located within the toroidal air bag (80). The control module (40) has a control module cover (90) coupled to said generally cylindrical portion (86) disposed within said pocket (120).

The typical driver side air bag module comprises a base plate, an inflator, an air bag and a cover. The base plate is mounted at or near the hub of the steering wheel; the inflator and air bag are located within the base plate and the cover protects the air bag. As the air bag inflates, the cover is broken apart thereby permitting the inflating air bag to expand. As can be appreciated, because the cover is a sacrificial part of the module it cannot be used to support permanent buttons, displays, switches and the like.
Another characteristic of the prior art construction is that on deployment, the expanding air bag is initially thrust directly toward the occupant, which may increase the level of forceful interference between the occupant and the expanding air bag. To restrict this forward motion, many prior art systems have resorted to the use of tethers, which attempt to control the trajectory of the expanding air bag.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an air bag module with a center control module that is fixed in relationship to the steering wheel and one in which the air bag and cover deploy about this fixed center control module. Consequently, an advantage of this construction is the fixed center control module can now support control or communication mechanisms and devices such as a horn switch, radio dials, cruise control buttons and even more complicated and expensive visual displays for a navigation system, including GPS satellite receiver display. These additional mechanisms and devices will be somewhat protected by the deployment of the air bag and may not need to be repaired when a new air bag module is installed or they can be reused in replacement air bag modules. In addition, this construction allows for additional or replacement mechanisms to be installed in the air bag module before it is deployed.
Another object of the invention is to provide a module in which the air bag is encouraged to initially fill radially due in part to the fixed center control module. Accordingly the invention comprises an air bag module having a base plate and a toroidal air bag defining an inner chamber. The toroidal air bag is coupled to the base plate. A control module having a base plate portion and a generally cylindrical portion is coupled to the base. The control module has a control module cover coupled to said generally cylindrical portion disposed within said inner chamber.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

Driver side air bag module with annular air bag and centrally disposed control module


Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for modifying diameter messages to establish a communication session over a home packet data network gateway (PGW). In a particular embodiment, a method provides receiving, from a wireless communication device, a request to establish a communication session over a communication network, wherein the communication network exchanges messages using a Diameter authentication, authorization, and accounting protocol. in response to receiving the request, the method provides determining a home PGW for the wireless communication device and adding an indication of the home PGW to a Diameter message for establishing the communication session. Based on the indication of the home PGW, the method provides routing the Diameter message to establish the communication session between the wireless communication device and the home PGW.

Many modern wireless communication networks, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks, use the Diameter authentication, authorization, and accounting protocol. The Diameter protocol defines messages that transferred among network elements to establish and service communication sessions for wireless devices. In particular, a communication session is established and serviced through a packet data network gateway (PGW). The PGW provides an interface for packet data communications of the communication session to be exchanged between the wireless network and other packet data networks, such as the Internet. In addition to acting as a packet data interface for the wireless network, the PGW may also manage the communication session based on rules associated with the communication session, such as quality of service, billing, or any other type of parameter relevant to the servicing of a communication session.
Larger wireless networks may include multiple PGWs to handle communication sessions with wireless devices. For example, each PGW in a wireless network may handle communication sessions for wireless devices in a different geographic area. In some cases, a wireless device may be associated with a home PGW, which may be based upon a home area where the wireless device is usually located. Unfortunately, if the wireless device is not located within that home area, then a communication session for the wireless device may be routed through a different PGW that is not capable of administering rules for the communication session as would the home PGW.

Modification of diameter messages to establish a communication session over a home packet data network gateway


A vented litter box for a cat is provided which consists of an electric fan with an elongate flexible hose connected over an exhaust filter on a removable cover on an open top container with litter. The fan will exhaust odorous air therein to a remote location away from the litter in the container.

The instant invention relates generally to litter boxes and more specifically it relates to a vented litter box for a cat, which provides an exhaust system to remove litter odors to a remote location.
There are available various conventional litter boxes which do not provide the novel improvements of the invention herein disclosed.