A battery cathode including a current collector and a cathode material coated on and/or filled in the current collector, said cathode material including a cathode active substance, a conductive additive and an adhesive, wherein said cathode material is coated with a layer of lithium cobaltate on the surface thereof and the content of lithium cobaltate is 0.1-15 wt % (weight percent) based on the weight of the cathode active substance. The lithium ion battery using the cathode provided by the present invention has a higher specific capacity and improved cycling performance.

As a chemical power source, a Lithium ion battery is referred to as a secondary battery comprising a cathode formed from a compound able to reversibly intercalate and de-intercalate lithium ion, and an anode formed from other compound(s) able to reversibly intercalate and de-intercalate lithium ion. When the battery is charged, Lithium ion is de-intercalated from its cathode and intercalated into its anode. The reverse takes place when the battery is discharged. A lithium ion battery basically comprises an electrode core and a nonaqueous electrolyte, both sealed in the battery case. The electrode core comprises a battery electrode comprising an anode, a cathode and a membrane used to separate the anode from the cathode. The cathode comprises a current collector and a cathode material coated on and/or filled in the current collector. The cathode material comprises a cathode active substance, a conductive additive and an adhesive.
It is known that the cycling performance of a battery basically depends on reversibility and structural stability of the cathode active substance in a lithium ion battery during lithium ion intercalation and de-intercalation. The conventional anode active substance that can reversibly intercalate and de-intercalate in this field comprises LixNi1−yCoO2, wherein 0.9≦x≦1.1, 0≦y≦1.0; Li1+aMbMn2−bO4, wherein −0.1≦a≦0.2, 0≦b≦1.0, M is one of Li, B, Mg, Al, Ti, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Y, F, I and S; and LimMn2−nBnO2, wherein 0.9≦m≦1.1, 0≦n≦1.0, and B is a transition metal. The lithium ion battery which comprises the above-mentioned material especially lithium manganate (LiMn2O4) as a cathode active substance has a lower specific capacity and the capacity of the battery decreases rapidly with the increase of cycle number of charge-discharge of the battery, whereby resulting in a lower cycling performance of the battery.
It is found after research that the main reason for the lower cycling performance of the Lithium ion battery is that the characteristic of the anode active substance has changed due to the reaction between the anode active substance and electrolyte. At present, in order to improve the cycling performance of the battery, a lot of studies on surface treatment to cathode active substance especially to lithium manganate in the lithium ion battery to prevent the reaction between the cathode active substance and electrolyte have been given.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,783,328 discloses a process of treating lithium manganese represented by the stoichiometric formula LixMn2O4+d (wherein 0.9≦x≦1.2 and 0≦d≦0.4). The process involves the steps of a) treating said lithium manganese oxide particles with at least one water soluble metal salt of a carboxylic acid to form a coating of said metal salt on the surface of said particles, and b) heating said treated lithium manganese oxide particles in an atmosphere comprising carbon dioxide gas for 1-20 hours.
By means of coating metal carbonate on the surface of lithium manganate, the cycling performance of the resulted lithium ion battery with this lithium manganate is improved. However, the specific capacity of this lithium ion battery is lowered since metal carbonate cannot act as an anode active substance.

Battery cathode, a lithium ion battery using the same and processes for preparation thereof


An electrical connector has an outer metal shell containing a mounting block with columns and rows of mounting apertures. Some of the columns of apertures support electrical sockets; others support a grounding strip. The grounding strip makes connection at either end with the outer shell and has sockets extending in apertures in the block. Cables with two wires in a screening sleeve are connected with the connector by pins mounted at the ends of the wires and the screening sleeve. The pins on the screening sleeve are plugged into sockets on the grounding strip; those on the wires are plugged into sockets in the mounting block on either side of the grounding strip. A conductive gland is clamped about the screening sleeves where they enter the shell to form a second ground path

This invention relates to electrical connection.
The invention is more particularly concerned with electrical connection to the screening sheath of an electrical cable, such as where the cable is connected to an electrical connector.
In electrical connectors having many contacts, it can be very difficult to provide effective termination of the screening sheaths on the individual cables to the connector ground body because of the limited space. The interconnection between the screening sheaths and the connector body should preferably have a low inductance and impedance at the frequencies at which the connector is used.

Electrical assembly with grounding strip connecting cable screens

Smiths Industries Public Limited Company


A multi-composite disc prosthesis is adapted to be implanted within the annulus of an evacuated disc nucleus space in a human spine. The disc prosthesis has a generally solid unitary body with a size and a shape adapted to be positioned within the annulus of the evacuated disc nucleus space. The body has an outer portion comprised of a first biomaterial and an inner portion comprised of a second biomaterial. The second biomaterial has a compressive modulus that is harder than a compressive modulus of the first biomaterial and the first and second biomaterials are chemically or physically bonded to form a multi-composite material that forms the solid body.

The spinal motion segment consists of a unit of spinal anatomy bounded by two vertebral bodies, including the two vertebral bodies, the interposed intervertebral disc, as well as the attached ligaments, muscles, and the facet joints. The disc consists of the end plates at the top and bottom of the vertebral bones, the soft inner core, called the nucleus and the annulus fibrosis running circumferentially around the nucleus. In normal discs, the nucleus cushions applied loads, thus protecting the other elements of the spinal motion segment. A normal disc responds to compression forces by bulging outward against the vertebral end plates and the annulus fibrosis. The annulus consists of collagen fibers and a smaller amount of elastic fibers, both of which are effective in resisting tension forces. However, the annulus on its own is not very effective in withstanding compression and shear forces.
As people age the intervertebral discs often degenerate naturally. Degeneration of the intervertebral discs may also occur in people as a result of degenerative disc disease. Degenerative disc disease of the spine is one of the most common conditions causing pain and disability in our population. When a disc degenerates, the nucleus dehydrates. When a nucleus dehydrates, its ability to act as a cushion is reduced. Because the dehydrated nucleus is no longer able to bear loads, the loads are transferred to the annulus and to the facet joints. The annulus and facet joints are not capable of withstanding their increased share of the applied compression and torsional loads, and as such, they gradually deteriorate. As the annulus and facet joints deteriorate, many other effects ensue, including the narrowing of the interspace, bony spur formation, fragmentation of the annulus, fracture and deterioration of the cartilaginous end plates, and deterioration of the cartilage of the facet joints. The annulus and facet joints lose their structural stability and subtle but pathologic motions occur between the spinal bones.
As the annulus loses stability it tends to bulge outward and may develop a tear allowing nucleus material to extrude. Breakdown products of the disc, including macroscopic debris, microscopic particles, and noxious biochemical substances build up. These breakdown products stimulate sensitive nerve endings in and around the disc, producing low back pain and sometimes, sciatica. Affected individuals experience muscle spasms, reduced flexibility of the low back, and pain when ordinary movements of the trunk are attempted.
Degeneration of a disc is irreversible. In some cases, the body will eventually stiffen the joints of the motion segment, effectively re-stabilizing the discs. Even in the cases where re-stabilization occurs, the process can take many years and patients often continue to experience disabling pain. Extended painful episodes of longer than three months often leads patients to seek a surgical solution for their pain.
Several methods have been devised to attempt to stabilize the spinal motion segment. Some of these methods include: heating the annular region to destroy nerve endings and strengthen the annulus; applying rigid or semi-rigid support members on the sides of the motion segment or within the disc space; removing and replacing the entire disc with a generally rigid plastic, articulating artificial device; removing and replacing the nucleus; and spinal fusion involving permanently fusing the vertebrae adjacent the affected disc.
Until recently, spinal fusion has generally been regarded as the most effective surgical treatment to alleviate back pain due to degeneration of a disc. While this treatment is often effective at relieving back pain, all discal motion is lost in the fused spinal motion segment. The loss of motion in the affected spinal segment necessarily limits the overall spinal mobility of the patient. Ultimately, the spinal fusion places greater stress on the discs adjacent the fused segment as these segments attempt to compensate for lack of motion in the fused segment, often leading to early degeneration of these adjacent spinal segments.
Current developments are focusing on treatments that can preserve some or all of the motion of the affected spinal segment. One of these methods to stabilize the spinal motion segment without the disadvantages of spinal fusion is total disc replacement. Total disc replacement is a highly invasive and technically demanding procedure which accesses the disc from an anterior or frontal approach and includes dividing the anterior longitudinal ligament, removing the cartilaginous end plates between the vertebral bone and the disc, large portions of the outer annulus and the complete inner nucleus. Then an artificial total disc prosthesis is carefully placed in the evacuated disc space. Many of the artificial total disc prosthesis currently available consist of a generally rigid plastic such as ultra high molecular weight polyethelyene ("UHMWPE) as the nucleus that is interposed between two metal plates that are anchored or attached to the vertebral endplates. A summary of the history of early development and designs of artificial discs is set forth in Ray, "The Artificial Disc: Introduction, History and Socioeconomics," Chpt. 21, Clinical Efficacy and Outcome in the Diagnosis of Low Back Pain, pgs. 205-225, Raven Press (1992). Examples of these layered total disc replacement devices are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,911,718, 5,458,643, 5,545,229 and 6,533,818.
These types of artificial total discs have several disadvantages. First, because the artificial disc prostheses are relatively large, they require relatively large surgical exposures to accommodate their insertion. The larger the surgical exposure, the higher the chance of infection, hemorrhage or even morbidity. Also, in order to implant the prosthesis, a large portion of the annulus must be removed. Removing a large portion of the annulus reduces the stability of the motion segment, at least until healing occurs around the artificial disc. Further, because the devices are constructed from rigid materials, they can cause serious damage if they were to displace from the disc space and contact local nerve or vascular tissues. Another disadvantage is that rigid artificial disc replacements do not reproduce natural disc mechanics.
An alternative to total disc replacement is nucleus replacement. Like an artificial disc prosthesis, these nucleus replacements are also inert, non-biological prostheses. The procedure for implanting a nucleus replacement is less invasive than the procedure for a total disc replacement and generally includes the removal of only the nucleus and replacement of the nucleus with a prosthesis that may be malleable and provide cushioning that mimics a natural disc nucleus. Examples of the prostheses used for nucleus replacement include: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,772,287, 4,904,260, 5,192,326, 5,919,236 and 6,726,721.
Nucleus replacements are intended to more closely mimic natural disc mechanics. To that end, some nucleus replacements utilize hydrogels because of their water imbibing properties that enable these replacements to expand in situ to permit a more complete filling of the evacuated nucleus cavity. However, there is usually a trade-off in that the more expansion the hydrogel achieves, the less structural support the end product can provide. As a result, many hydrogel nucleus disc replacements have generally adopted the use of some form of a jacket or fabric to constrain the hydrogel material. For example, the implant described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,772,287 and 4,904,260 consists of a block of hydrogel encased in a plastic fabric casing. The implant described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,326 consists of hydrogel beads enclosed by a fabric shell. Without the jacket or other form of constraint, the hydrogel is susceptible to displacement because of the slippery nature of the hydrogel. Unfortunately, the jacket or fabric shell will be subject to long term abrasive wear issues that could result in failure of jacket or shell's ability to constrain the hydrogel and thus the hydrogel may be subject to displacement.
Another approach to nucleus replacement involves implantation of a balloon or other container into the nucleus, which is then filled with a biocompatible material that hardens in situ. Examples of this in situ approach to nucleus replacement include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,443,988 and 7,001,431. One of the problems with this approach is that the chemical hardening process is exothermic and can generate significant amounts of heat that may cause tissue damage. In addition, there is a possibility that the balloon may rupture during expansion, causing leakage of material into the disc cavity and surrounding tissues, which may cause undesirable complications.
Yet another approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,846 to Bryan et al. in which a softer inner material is contained within a harder outer shell. The Bryan patent discloses the use of a resilient body made of two or more biocompatible materials wherein the soft inner portion of the body has a Shore D hardness of 30 and the harder outer portion has a Shore D hardness of 90. A similar approach using elastomers is described in U.S. Patent Publ. Appl. No. 2005/0119752A1 to Williams et al that discloses an artificial intervertebral disc fabricated of hydrogel, polyurethane, thermoplastic elastomers or other biocompatible materials wherein the softer inner nucleus portion has a Shore A hardness in the range of 20-70 and the harder outer portion has a Shore A hardness in the range of 35-90. While seemingly similar to the natural soft-hard combination of the disc nucleus and annulus, these implants still have the same approach and problems as the sandwiched metal and polymer implants.
Accordingly, there is a need for a nucleus disc replacement that addresses the shortcomings of the current approaches.


An RF modem used with a host device for transmitting information to, and receiving information from, other host devices. Prior to a transmission, the information is Manchester encoded and transmitted by On/Off Keying. A superregenerative receiver circuit (which may also operate as the transmitter) operating at the transmitted frequency detects the transmitted information. The information is recovered in conjunction with a timing function which times the buildup of RF energy within the receiver circuit so that a transmitted binary 1 can be distinguished from a binary 0. For use in a system with a plurality of hosts, multiple channels of operation are provided. In order to conserve power, the apparatus is operated in a power saving, sleep or scanning mode, as well as a full power active mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention in general relates to information transfer from one device to another, and more particularly to an improved radio frequency (RF) arrangement for accomplishing the transfer.
2. Description of Related Art
Various systems exist wherein information is to be transferred from one location to another such as in remote monitoring, data collection, computer-to-computer information exchange, parcel tracking and delivery systems, to name a few.
In order to eliminate the need for a hardwire connection between devices of the system, use is made of an optical coupling or an RF modem to transmit and/or receive such information, thus providing a high degree of portability, within a given range.
Optical coupling arrangements require an unobstructed optical transmission path or, for a more positive transfer, a physical coupling of a device with a docking mechanism.
RF modems are widely used to eliminate the problems associated with hardwired or optical arrangements. For many applications existing RF modems may be too large to be incorporated into a relatively small host device. In addition, these RF modems are expensive and require relatively frequent battery charges.
The present invention provides an RF modem which can be used for secure and reliable information transfer and which RF modem is relatively small and inexpensive, with reduced power consumption.
An RF modem coupled to a host device is provided for transmitting RF information signals to, and receiving RF information signals from, another RF modem coupled to a host device, in an array of host devices. The modem preferably utilizes a superregenerative circuit for transmission and reception of information encoded in a binary format and transmitted by Manchester encoded On/Off keying. Recovery of information is accomplished by obtaining time indications of oscillator waveform buildup to a certain level in the superregenerative circuit. The modem is operable in an active mode of operation as well as a power saving idle mode which is comprised of a sleep mode of operation, in which no scanning for the presence of RF signals is performed, and a power saving scanning mode of operation in which the modem scans for the presence of RF signals.


The present invention relates to a screening device with a screening cartridge that consists of a cartridge frame and a flexible web of filter material that is stretched in the frame. In order to create a screening device in which both the screening cartridges as a whole as well as the filter cloth or the webs of filter material alone can be replaced very quickly and simply, the present invention proposes that the frame incorporate a groove that runs parallel to its periphery, the web of filter material being installed in the groove and held in place by means of a cord of elastic rubber material that is installed in the groove.

Screening devices of the kind described in the preceding paragraph are known per se. In order to provide large mesh sizes and to screen out larger particles, the web consists of a flexible filter material, for example, a wire mesh a mesh that is made up of thick plastic fibers. In order to filter out smaller particles, so-called filter cloths are used; these generally consist of a textile material. For purposes of simplicity, reference hereinafter will be made to such filter cloth or cloths, without the invention being restricted to the use of such filter cloths.
In many screening or filtering systems, there is frequently a need to change the screening cartridge or a plurality of screening cartridges, or else simply replace the filter cloth, which may have become damaged or clogged.
In conventional screening devices, it is relatively costly to change the filter cloth, for it has to be clamped tightly within the frame in order that no unfiltered material passes the filter cloth.


A system and method for estimating a location of a wireless device in a wireless communication system having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of location measurement units (“LMUs”). A set of signal samples from a first wireless device and a second wireless device may be collected by one or more LMUs in a search window. A first time of arrival (“TOA”) is determined, and a second search window is estimated as a function of the first TOA. A second TOA may be determined within the second search window at a second node or one of the LMUs from the set of signal samples. A range estimate of the wireless device may then be determined, and an estimated location of the wireless device may be determined as a function of the first uplink TOA, the second uplink TOA, or the range estimate and second TOA.

The structure and operation of wireless communication systems are generally known. Examples of such wireless communication systems include cellular systems and wireless local area networks, among others. In a cellular system, a regulatory body typically licenses a frequency spectrum for a corresponding geographic area (service area) that is used by a licensed system operator to provide wireless service within the service area. A plurality of base stations may be distributed across the service area. Each base station services wireless communications within a respective cell. Each cell may be further subdivided into a plurality of sectors.
Location based services for mobile stations are expected to play an important role in future applications of wireless systems. A wide variety of technologies for locating mobile stations have been developed. Many of these have been targeted towards the Federal Communication Commission's ("FCC") requirement to determine the location of emergency 9-1-1 callers with a high degree of accuracy. The Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act ("the 911 Act") was enacted to improve public safety by encouraging and facilitating the prompt deployment of a nationwide, seamless communications structure for emergency services. The 911 Act directs the FCC to make "911" the universal emergency number for all telephone services. Emergency calls from landlines provide the emergency dispatchers with the telephone number and the address of the caller thereby assisting emergency personnel in locating the emergency. As mobile stations became more widely used, an increasing number of emergency calls are being made from mobile stations without a fixed address. Emergency call centers have recognized that relying upon the caller to describe their location caused a delay in service. Many mobile emergency callers were unable to accurately describe their location, resulting in a further delay and, often times, a tragic outcome.
In 1996, the FCC issued a report and order requiring all wireless carriers and mobile phone manufacturers to provide the capability for automatically identifying to emergency dispatchers the location from which a wireless call was made. Implementation was divided into two phases. Phase I required wireless service providers and mobile phone manufacturers to report the telephone number of the mobile phone making the call as well as the base station controlling the mobile station which provided a general area from which the call was made. This information can be obtained from the network elements. Phase II of the FCC's Enhanced 911 ("E-911") mandate stated that by Oct. 1, 2002, wireless service providers must be able to pinpoint, by latitude and longitude, the location of a subscriber who calls emergency from a mobile station. Wireless service providers were given the option of providing a network-based solution or a handset based solution. Wireless service providers who select a network-based solution are required to locate a mobile phone within 100 meters 67% of the time.
Typical mobile station location technologies may be classified into external methods or network based methods. One example of an external method is the Global Positioning System ("GPS"). Network based methods may be further categorized depending on whether it is the network or the mobile station that performs necessary signal measurements. These signal measurements may involve the reception time of signals communicated between a base station ("BS") and a mobile station ("MS"), the angle of arriving signals or round trip delay measurements of signals communicated between a serving BS and an MS, or combinations thereof. For example, most location methods require specific hardware in the MS and/or in the network. Traditional networks include Mobile Station Controllers ("MSC"), Base Station Controllers ("BSC") and Base Transceiver Station ("BTS") systems that jointly operate to communicate with mobile stations over a wireless communication link.
Examples of common networks include Global System for Mobile Communication ("GSM") networks, North American Time Division Multiple Access ("TDMA") networks, Code Division Multiple Access ("CDMA") networks, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System ("UMTS") networks, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access ("WiMax") networks, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access ("OFDMA") networks, and WiFi networks. These networks may operate under any one or combination of the following standards: IS-95, Evolution-Data Optimized ("EVDO"), CDMA2000, Long Term Evolution ("LTE") and 1 times Radio Transmission Technology ("1×RTT"). Extensive infrastructures generally exist in the cellular wireless networks for tracking mobility, distributing subscriber profiles, and authenticating physical devices. In wireless mobile networks providing a facility to determine a mobile station's geographic position, a network component commonly referred to as a Mobile Location Center ("MLC") performs the location calculation. Furthermore, in some networks, Location Measurement Units ("LMU") may be generally required for some methods to obtain knowledge about the relative time differences for sending signals to different mobile stations.
A number of applications currently exist within communication systems for which location solutions are needed by mobile units, MSs, user equipment ("UE"), base stations or other devices and by other entities in a wireless network. There exists a need in the art to locate UMTS, OFDMA or W-CDMA mobile devices to satisfy FCC E-911 regulations as well as to provide Location Based Services for mobile phone users and to locate unknown nodes or base stations in a communications system. The 3GPP UMTS standard outlines several methods for location including Cell-ID, A-GPS, Observed Time Difference of Arrival ("OTDOA"), and Uplink Time Difference of Arrival ("U-TDOA"). The standard also provides an overview of the functionality necessary to establish, modify and maintain an UMTS link having a specified Quality of Service ("QoS"). The UMTS radio interface protocol model generally provides control over the multiplexing of traffic flows of different kinds and different origins through a layering of duties.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a radio interface protocol reference model. With reference to FIG. 1, the radio interface protocol reference model 100 generally includes three layers 10, 20, 30. The first layer ("L1") 10 is generally a physical layer providing information transfer services as a set of WCDMA transport channels. L1 provides various handover functions, error detection and reporting to higher layers, multiplexing of transport channels, mapping of transport channels to physical channels, fast close loop power control, and frequency and time synchronization, to name a few. The second layer ("L2") 20 is generally termed as the radio link layer and allows higher layers to see only a set of radio bearers along which different kinds of traffic can be transmitted over the radio link. L2 includes several sublayers including a Medium Access Control ("MAC") sublayer 22 and a Radio Link Control ("RLC") sublayer 24. The MAC sublayer 24 generally controls data transfer to the RLC sublayer 24 and higher layers through control of transport block capacity by ensuring that capacity allocation decisions are executed promptly. The RLC sublayer 24 generally adds regular link layer functions onto logical channels provided by the MAC sublayer 22. The third layer ("L3") 30 is generally termed as the radio network layer. For L3 control protocol purposes the RLC service is generally adequate, however, for domain-specific user data, additional convergence protocols may be needed such as Packet Data Convergence Protocol ("PDCP") 26 and Broadcast and Multicast Control ("BMC") protocol 28. L3 includes a Radio Resource Control ("RRC") sublayer 32 which generally provides the functions of broadcasting information from a network to all UEs, radio resource handling (e.g., code allocation, handover, admission control, and measurement reporting/control), QoS control, UE measurement reporting and control thereof, power control, encryption and integrity protection, to name a few.
The most likely RRC service state when a voice call is active is the Cell_DCH state in which a UE continuously transmits a pilot signal unique within a coverage area. In Cell_DCH, a dedicated physical channel is allocated to the UE in the uplink and downlink spectrums, the UE is known on cell level according to its current active set, and dedicated transport channels, downlink and uplink shared transport channels, or a combination thereof may be utilized by the UE. A reverse pilot channel based location technique is disclosed in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 11/008,154, filed Dec. 10, 2004, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. There is, however, a need to implement the location solutions in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/008,154 in a UMTS-based system.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and system for locating a mobile appliance using an uplink dedicated physical control channel and downlink synchronization channel. Therefore, an embodiment of the present subject matter provides a method for estimating a location of a wireless device in a wireless communication system having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of location measurement units ("LMUs"). Exemplary nodes may be a base station, a sector, a repeater. The method may comprise collecting a plurality of signal samples from a first wireless device and a second wireless device by one or more LMUs in a first search window. A first time of arrival ("TOA") may be determined from the plural signal samples, and a second search window determined as a function of the first TOA. A second TOA may be determined from the plural signal samples in the second search window. A range estimate of the first wireless device may be determined, and an estimated location of the first wireless device determined as a function of the first TOA, the second TOA, or the range estimate and second TOA.
Another embodiment of the present subject matter provides a method for estimating a location of a wireless device in a wireless communication system having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of LMUs. The method may comprise collecting a set of signal samples from a first wireless device and a second wireless device by one or more LMUs in a search window determined as a function of a first uplink TOA from a first node. A second uplink TOA may be determined at a second node or the one or more LMUs from the set of signal samples. A range estimate of the wireless device may be determined, and estimated location of the wireless device determined as a function of the first uplink TOA, the second uplink TOA, or the range estimate and second TOA.
One embodiment of the present subject matter may provide a method for estimating a location of a wireless device comprising collecting signal samples from the wireless device by one or more LMUs and detecting a TOA from the signal samples by segmenting the collected signal samples to a predetermined length, determining an ambiguity function or correlation for each segment, and adding the ambiguity functions or correlations to detect a TOA. An estimated location of the wireless device may be determined as a function of the TOA.
Another embodiment of the present subject matter may provide a method for estimating a location of a wireless device comprising collecting signal samples from the wireless device by one or more LMUs and detecting a TOA from the signal samples by determining a mixing product of the collected signal samples, decimating the mixing product, segmenting the decimated product to predetermined lengths, determining ambiguity functions for each segment, and adding the ambiguity functions to detect a TOA. An estimated location of the wireless device may be determined as a function of the TOA.
An additional embodiment of the present subject matter provides a method for estimating a location of a wireless device in a wireless communication system having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of LMUs. The method may comprise collecting signal samples from the wireless device by one or more LMUs, detecting a TOA from the signal samples, and determining an estimated location of the wireless device as a function of the TOA where the TOA is detected without regard to noise and gain variation in the collected signal samples.
A further embodiment of the present subject matter provides a method for estimating a location of a wireless device in a wireless communication system having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of LMUs. The method may comprise collecting a set of signal samples from a first wireless device and a second wireless device by one or more LMUs in a search window determined as a function of a first uplink TOA from a first node. A second uplink TOA may be detected at a second node or LMU from the set of signal samples by a plurality of non-coherent additions of ambiguity functions. A range estimate of the wireless device may be determined, and an estimated location of the wireless device determined as a function of the first uplink TOA, the second uplink TOA, or the range estimate and second TOA.
These embodiments and many other objects and advantages thereof will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from a perusal of the claims, the appended drawings, and the following detailed description of the embodiments.

System and method of UMTS UE location using uplink dedicated physical control channel and downlink synchronization channel


A native p-type metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) device that exhibits a low threshold voltage and a high drive current over a varying range of short channel lengths and a method for fabricating the same is discussed in the present disclosure. The source and drain regions of the native PMOS device, each include a strained region, a heavily doped raised region, and a lightly doped region. The gate region includes a stacked layer of a gate oxide having a high-k dielectric material, a metal, and a contact metal. The high drive current of the native PMOS device is primarily influenced by the increased carrier mobility due to the strained regions, the lower drain resistance due to the raised regions, and the higher gate capacitance due to the high-k gate oxide of the native PMOS device.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure generally relates to semiconductor devices, and more specifically to native p-type metal oxide silicon (PMOS) devices having low threshold voltage and high drive current.
2. Background Art
Metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) devices are generally fabricated using conventional complementary metal oxide silicon (CMOS) foundry technology. The conventional CMOS logic foundry technology accommodates a minimum size, such as a length, width, and/or height of the regions of the semiconductor devices as defined by one or more minimum design rules (MDRs). These minimum design rules represent limits to resolution of processing used by the conventional CMOS logic foundry technology, such a minimum space interval between one or more photolithographic masks used to manufacture the semiconductor devices.
A conventional MOSFET device generally includes a source region, a drain region, a gate between the source and drain regions, and a channel region below the gate region. A minimum voltage, called the threshold voltage, is required at the gate for the device to turn "on". A drive current, also referred to as a drain current, flows between the source and drain regions through the channel region when a gate potential above the threshold voltage is applied, and potentials at the source and drain regions are applied. MOSFET devices can be fabricated to be P-type or N-type devices. A P-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (PMOSFET) device, for example, can be fabricated by implanting phosphorus atoms into a P-type substrate to create an N-well. P+ regions are formed in the N-well to provide source and drain regions. A PMOSFET device may be interchangeably referred to herein as PMOS device or PMOSFET device.
With the advance in semiconductor technology and the increasing need for high speed systems with low power consumption, there has been continued scaling down of MOSFET devices using CMOS foundry technology with decreasing MDRs to accommodate a larger number of MOSFET devices on smaller systems. However, the scaling down of MOSFET devices to smaller dimensions can introduce short channel effects in the devices due to the short channel lengths (about approximately 100 nm or less) of the scaled down MOSFET devices. Short channel effects can cause degradation in the performance of the MOSFET device due to, for example, but not limited to the loss of gate control over the threshold voltage which can result in the device being mostly in the "on" state and the degradation of carrier mobility which results in lower drive current.
The foregoing problem with the threshold voltage has been addressed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/911,720, filed on Aug. 5, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,161,213 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/648,651, filed on Jan. 3, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,382,024, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In the aforementioned applications, a conventional native PMOS device having a low threshold voltage has been described. The conventional native PMSO device includes a P+ polysilicon gate, halo implants, lightly doped regions in the source and drain regions, and heavily doped regions in the source and drain regions. The halo implants and the doped regions of the source and drain regions primarily enable low threshold voltage characteristics of the conventional native PMOS device.
With the continued scaling down of MOSFET devices, there is still an ongoing need for a MOSFET device that maintains a stable threshold voltage and exhibits a high drive current over a varying range of short channel lengths. At the same time, for a MOSFET device to have a large operating voltage range, it is necessary for the threshold voltage to be close to zero volts.
The present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. The drawing in which an element first appears is indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the reference number.

Native PMOS device with low threshold voltage and high drive current and method of fabricating the same


The invention relates to a connecting piece (6) for fluid lines of an exhaust gas aftertreatment system (1), comprising a hollow body (6a) having at least three fluid connection points (14, 15), which are fluidically connected to each other in the hollow body (6a), at least two of the fluid connection points (15) being separated from a third fluid connection point (14) by means of respective membranes (19), each membrane (19) being permeable to a liquid and, when wetted by the liquid, being impermeable to a gas.

The invention relates to a connecting piece for fluid lines of an exhaust-gas aftertreatment system, which has a hollow body having at least three fluid ports, which ports are connected to one another in a fluid-conducting manner in the hollow body.
The invention also relates to a dosing system for dosing in a liquid, in particular for an exhaust-gas aftertreatment system of an internal combustion engine, which has at least one conveying device, a main line, at least two fluid lines and at least two dosing valves.
Exhaust-gas aftertreatment dosing systems are already known from the prior art. Such systems normally have a conveying module and a dosing valve for dosing a liquid exhaust-gas aftertreatment agent (liquid) into the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, wherein, at present, systems having more than two dosing valves are being developed. Typically, the connection between the at least one conveying module and the at least two dosing valves is realized such that a main line coming from the conveying module is divided by way of a connecting piece into two lines for the two dosing valves.
When an exhaust-gas aftertreatment system is switched off, it is usually the case that all the lines present—and at least partially filled with liquid at this point in time—are emptied or aerated by way of "sucking back" or application of a negative pressure, in particular to prevent freezing of liquid in the lines and in the dosing valve at temperatures below the freezing point.
With the emptying of an exhaust-gas aftertreatment system having two or more dosing valves, there is however then the challenge of bringing about an emptied state of all the lines of the exhaust-gas aftertreatment system, such that not only is resistance to freezing provided but also, during the next activation of the exhaust-gas aftertreatment system, uniform refilling without air pockets is again possible. In a system having at least two dosing valves, there is the risk that, when sucking back, only one line is completely emptied if multiple lines are connected to a suck-back device by way of a connecting piece. This can lead to a mixed phase state (liquid/air/liquid). When the exhaust-gas aftertreatment system is next switched on, the air is possibly distributed unevenly between the two dosing valves during the (re)filling/pressure build-up, and for this reason, as a consequence, incorrect dosing quantities are injected into the exhaust tract and incorrect injections can occur during refilling. Furthermore, pressure drops can occur. In the prior art are connecting pieces which have a hollow body having at least three fluid ports, which ports are connected to one another in a fluid-conducting manner in the hollow body.
The term "emptied state", sometimes also referred to as "defined suck-back state", is intended to be understood below as meaning that all the fluid lines which are situated downstream, that is to say in the direction of the line branch, in particular of the connecting piece, proceeding from the at least one conveying module, are free, preferably completely free, of liquid.
Furthermore, the at least two dosing valves are to be protected against inadvertent transfer of liquid which is in particular not sucked back. Transfer means in particular that the two dosing valves are hydraulically connected to one another by way of the connecting piece, it being possible if, in addition, there is a height difference between the two dosing valves and if, furthermore, there is an air leakage in the lower dosing valve (air exits) and in the upper dosing valve (air enters) for the lower dosing valve to be inadvertently filled with liquid by way of transfer.

Connecting piece for fluid lines of an exhaust-gas aftertreatment system


Systems and methods for providing an antenna enabling hemispherical coverage are disclosed. The system includes a conductive enclosure having an open portion and a closed portion. The system further includes a pair of perpendicularly-disposed dipole antennas. Each antenna of the perpendicularly-disposed dipole antennas includes a pair of conductors extending to a pair of tips disposed outside of the open portion of the conductive enclosure. The system further includes a hybrid coupler having a pair of output terminals coupled to each pair of conductors of each antenna of the perpendicularly-disposed dipole antennas. The hybrid coupler is configured to apply signals of equal magnitude to the each antenna of the perpendicularly-disposed dipole antennas that differ in phase by ninety degrees.

Existing hemispherical coverage antenna designs, including examples such as quadrafilar helices and conical spiral antennas, present some problems. For example, a quadrafilar helix antenna may provide hemispherical coverage, but may not be sufficiently durable to withstand the acceleration, vibration, and other stresses that attend launch, deployment, and operation of an antenna disposed on a vehicle. Both the quadrafilar helix antenna and a log conical spiral antenna include a nonconductive structural member that provides structural support to the antenna. However, while the nonconductive structural member supports the antenna, the nonconductive structural member—as is the case with any nonconductive components—may absorb charged particles in space. Thus, the nonconductive structural member may accumulate large electrical charges that could result in electro-static discharges (ESDs). ESDs may produce voltage spikes that can damage sensitive electronic devices connected to the antenna, such as telemetry equipment and other devices. Thus, certain currently available antennas that provide hemispherical coverage have deficiencies, such as being structurally fragile and potentially producing damaging ESD discharges.

Dipole for hemispherical coverage antenna


An acoustical barrier (10) for mounting to the fire wall (20) of a motor vehicle includes a sound barrier layer (12) of a molded construction and sound dampening characteristics. The sound barrier layer (12) has an integrally molded boot (40) for receiving and acoustically sealing a steering column (70). The boot (40) has a base portion (42) integrally molded with a convolute portion (48), and a cap portion (56) integrally molded with the convolute portion (48). The convolute portion (48) includes a continuous outer wall section (50) surrounding an opening (46) in the sound barrier layer (12). The continuous outer wall section (50) has an upper end integrally formed with a flexible bight portion (54). A continuous inner wall (52) has an upper end integrally formed with the bight portion (54) and a lower end integrally formed with the cap portion (56). The cap portion (56) has an opening coincident with the openings (46, 78) in the sound barrier layer (12) and fire wall (20), respectively. The thickness of the convolute portion (48) is less than the thickness of the base portion (42), cap portion (56) and sound barrier layer (12) to prevent distortion of the sound barrier layer (12) during installation of the steering column (70). An absorber layer (14) can be mounted between the sound barrier layer (12) and fire wall (20).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sound insulating layer for a vehicle, and more particularly to a sound barrier mat having an integrally formed steering column boot.
2. Description of the Related Art
In most contemporary automobiles, a steel fire wall separates the engine compartment from the passenger compartment. To reduce the transmission of sound from the engine compartment through the fire wall and into the passenger compartment, a sound barrier mat (otherwise known as a dash mat) is typically molded of an elastomeric material. The dash mat is mounted to and substantially overlies the fire wall such that an outer surface of the mat is in contact with a bottom surface of the vehicle carpet and extends beyond the carpet to an upper portion of the fire wall behind the instrument panel. An absorber layer, typically constructed of an open cell foam material, can be attached to the dash mat to interface between the sound barrier mat and the fire wall.
During installation of the dash mat, an opening for the vehicle steering column in the dash mat is aligned with a corresponding opening in the fire wall. Other formations in the dash mat are also aligned with various other features on or protruding from the fire wall. The dash mat is then secured to the fire wall on the passenger compartment side. A steering column is subsequently inserted through the aligned openings in the fire wall and dash mat. A flexible boot is installed snugly around the steering column and then attached to the fire wall or dash mat with fasteners. Installation of the boot and dash mat in this manner requires a plurality of different parts and fasteners. The plurality of parts and fasteners results in increased inventory, expense, and installation time. Moreover, the seam between the boot and dash mat or fire wall is subject to leakage. Noise, air, water, etc. may undesirably transfer from the engine compartment to the passenger compartment through the seam.

Sound insulating layer with integral boot


A burst signal reception method that detects specific data having a constant pattern and arranged at a predetermined position in a burst signal and performs a reception of the burst signal in synchronization with the detected specific data. Received data is thinned and sampled in a sampling period which is smaller than a sampling period of the specific data. The sampled signal and previously prepared data having the same sampling period are compared with each other to detect the specific data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a burst signal reception method and a burst signal reception apparatus and, more particularly, to a burst signal reception method and a burst signal reception apparatus which are suitably applied to a terminal apparatus of a digital radio telephone system which transmits a burst signal which is converted into digital data.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a radio telephone system, there is proposed such one to which applied is a transmission system called a TDMA system (time-division multiple access system) for converting transmission data such as an audio signal or the like into digital data, adding various data such as synchronizing data or the like to the digital data to obtain slot data for each predetermined period of time, and transmitting/receiving the slot data in a time-division manner. In the radio telephone system (e.g., an European GSM system) using this transmission system, radio communication using the above transmission system is performed between base stations arranged at a predetermined interval and terminal apparatuses serving as radio telephone apparatuses to establish a telephone circuit using radio communication. However, when a radio telephone circuit is established by each terminal apparatus, a control channel serving as a predetermined channel is detected to receive data transmitted through the control channel, and the transmission/reception state of the terminal apparatus is set to a state designated by the received data to start communication between the terminal apparatus and the base station.
Here, as the burst signal transmitted from the base station through the control channel, a signal (sine-wave signal having a frequency offset from a carrier frequency by about +67 kHz) having a predetermined pattern called an FCCH (frequency correction channel) is distributed in a predetermined cycle (e.g., cycle of 10 or 11 frames). A process timing is corrected with reference to the FCCH on the terminal apparatus side, and a slot timing at which necessary information is transmitted is roughly detected.
This FCCH is a synchronizing signal to which a bit pattern is allocated such that data of a value of "0" are continued by a predetermined number of bits upon demodulation. In the GSM system, the bit pattern is convolutely coded, then subjected to GMSK modulation (gaussian filtered minimum shift keying modulation) and transmitted. In this manner, as shown in FIG. 9, the FCCH is transmitted by a synthetic wave between an I signal and a Q signal which are offset by a phase of 90.degree. and have signal levels changed in a sine waveform. In the control channel, while this FCCH is transmitted, a carrier frequency is offset by +67.7 kHz.
Therefore, in a terminal apparatus employing this system, when the signal component of the FCCH is extracted from a reception signal by using a bandpass filter, the timing of the FCCH can be detected, and the entire operation can be roughly synchronized with the control channel with reference to the timing detection result.
In the GSM system, a period of time in which the FCCH serving as synchronizing data is transmitted is an extremely short period of term, i.e., about 550 .mu.s, and hence this cannot be easily detected by an ordinary bandpass filter at high precision. Ordinary signal components also include a component which is offset from the carrier frequency by 67.7 kHz to some extent. Therefore, even if extraction is only performed by the bandpass filter, a signal in another period of time may be erroneously detected as an FCCH. In addition, a reception state in such a terminal apparatus may be frequently degraded, and the FCCH may be frequently distorted by noise or fading. From this point of view, it is very difficult to detect the FCCH at high precision.
For this reason, a signal component is not extracted by a bandpass filter to be detected, but the following proposal is made. That is, a reception signal is converted into digital data, and the converted data is checked on the basis of calculation in a digital process system in the terminal apparatus to detect an FCCH. However, a dedicated digital process circuit for detect an FCCH is not preferably arranged because the arrangement of the terminal apparatus becomes complex. Therefore, in a digital process circuit called a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) which is used for a data process in the terminal apparatus, an FCCH detection process may be performed. However, the DSP in which another data process is performed requires a long period of time, and the FCCH cannot be easily detected at real time. Even if the detection process can be performed at real time, a load for detecting the FCCH becomes heavy, and spare time for performing another signal process becomes very small. As a result, an interrupt process for the DSP can be rarely performed.

Burst signal reception method and apparatus


A method of making a semiconductor device includes forming a wafer having a substrate and an interconnect structure over the substrate. The wafer also includes a plurality of die areas and a street located between a first die area of the plurality and a second die area of the plurality. A separation structure that includes metal is located in the interconnect structure. At least a portion of the separation structure is located in a saw kerf of the street. The separation structure is arranged to provide a predefined separation path for separating the first die area during a singulation process.

The present disclosure relates generally to semiconductors, and more particularly, to a scribe street structure for backend interconnect semiconductor wafer integration and method for forming the same.
In present metal and dielectric semiconductor wafer integration, during a sawing operation (singulation) of the semiconductor die of a wafer, uncontrollable cracking or chipping occurs within the dielectric layers of the backend interconnect structure of the semiconductor die or within the bulk substrate (Si, etc) of the semiconductor die. Such cracking can propagate into the active die area and cause immediate or latent electrical failure of the device.
One known technique of stopping cracks in a dielectric material includes placing one continuous barrier wall adjacent each chip and a sacrificial composite structure in combination therewith, between the wall and the center of a dicing line. The composite structure includes a means for dispersing the energy associated with crack propagation, whereby any crack having sufficient energy to penetrate the composite structure is transformed into a plurality of weaker cracks incapable of penetrating the barrier wall. However, such a technique has limits with respect to the magnitude of the cracks that it can arrest, and furthermore, does not facilitate a predictable separation path.
In addition, the problem of delamination and crack propagation has historically been solved by a number of methods. One approach included attempting to improve the adhesion strength of the materials being singulated. Another method included constructing a "crack stop" or barrier that impedes crack propagation. Yet another method included increasing the scribe width (i.e., buffer zone) to increase the distance a crack must propagate before it becomes lethal to the device. Still further, another method included reducing the singulation process throughput, either by reducing cut speed or changing saw blades at a more frequent interval. In general, these methods fail to provide for an optimized process.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved semiconductor manufacturing method for overcoming the problems in the art.

Scribe street structure for backend interconnect semiconductor wafer integration


A manufacturing method of a pneumatic tire comprises a forming step of a tread rubber which includes a two-shot stage of simultaneously winding a first rubber ribbon constructed by a nonconductive rubber, and a second rubber ribbon constructed by a nonconductive rubber. In the two-shot stage, the first rubber ribbon and the second rubber ribbon which are adjacent to each other are spirally wound in such a manner as to come into contact with each other, and a ribbon winding position passes through an L-shaped route. A conductive rubber is partly provided in the first rubber ribbon in the winding process when the ribbon winding position passes through the L-shaped route. A conductive portion which spirally and continuously extends to the tread end from the ground-contacting surface and intermittently appears in the tire meridian cross section is formed by the conductive rubber.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of the pneumatic tire which can discharge a static electricity generated in a vehicle body and a tire to a road surface.
Description of the Related Art
Recently, there have been proposed a pneumatic tire including a tread rubber blended with silica at a high ratio in order to reduce the rolling resistance that largely affects the fuel consumption of a vehicle and to increase braking performance (WET braking performance) on a wet road surface. However, compared to a tread rubber blended with carbon black at a high ratio, the electric resistance of such tread rubber is high, and accordingly, static electricity generated on a vehicle body or the tire is prevented from being released to the road surface. As a result, problems like radio noises tend to occur.
Accordingly, there has been developed a pneumatic tire which can achieve electrical conduction performance by forming a conductive portion made of a conductive rubber blended with carbon black or the like, in a tread rubber made of a nonconductive rubber blended with silica or the like. For example, in a pneumatic tire described in Patent Document 1, a tread rubber which is formed by a nonconductive rubber is provided with a conductive portion in which one end is exposed to a ground-contacting surface and the other end is connected to a side wall rubber or a topping rubber of a carcass.
However, in the tread rubber which is provided in the pneumatic tire mentioned above, since a conductive portion which is continuously provided in a tire circumferential direction and is formed as an L-shaped cross section is expanded like a uniform sheet, and a much volume of conductive rubber is included, it has been known that an improvement of a performance can be expected by reducing it. In addition, in practice, it is important to enhance a forming efficiency of the tread rubber so as to improve a productivity.


A programmable controller reduces the power used by the relays. The controller design permits energization of relay coils without subsequent maintenance of the relatively high voltage required for energization. The design permits the voltage across the relay to be lowered to an activated relay coil maintenance level with a design that minimizes the space required for the relay circuitry.

Controllers, such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs), are used in a wide variety of environments to perform various control functions, such as sensing parameters and providing output signals to various control devices, often based on the sensed parameters. One class of programmable controller is the micro-controller which includes inputs, outputs and a power supply in a single integrated package. A typical micro-controller has relay outputs that utilize relay coils to actuate the relay outputs.
Micro-controllers often are used in environments where it is beneficial to reduce the size of the packaging to the extent possible. It also is advantageous to maximize any reduction in heat generated by the micro-controller, particularly at the relay coils. Generally, the relay coils utilize a relatively large amount of energy, sometimes referred to as power dissipation, that creates undesirable heat. Furthermore, the voltage required to energize a given relay coil is higher than the voltage necessary to hold or maintain the relay coil in an energized state. Thus, unless the voltage at a given relay coil can be reduced, after initial energization, to a level just sufficient to maintain the coil in its energized or actuated state, excess power is generated and lost by the energized coil, largely in the form of unwanted heat.
Attempts have been made to reduce the voltage at a given relay coil after energization. For example, in some relay systems a resistor and capacitor are connected in parallel between the power supply and each relay coil. This arrangement provides an initial higher energization voltage with a lower voltage thereafter. However, in a micro-controller with numerous relay outputs, the multiple resistors and capacitors present size constraints. Additionally, the heat generated by the many resistors during both energization and the hold period contributes to the unwanted heat problem.
It would be advantageous to have a programmable controller able to utilize two different voltage levels in energizing and holding selected relay coils without the use of multiple resistors and capacitors.

Programmable controller having a system for reducing energy consumption of relay outputs


An examination table designed to provide a technician or practitioner easy access to various regions of a patient's body. Specifically, the examination table includes a lower support structure, an upper support structure, and an examination passageway. The upper support structure has a sliding access panel disposed on a side of the upper support structure such that the examination passageway is provided when the sliding access panel is repositioned at various measurements.

There are several known exam tables which include access panels, which facilitate access by a technician or practitioner to the thoracic region of a patient. However, these known access panels either drop down or pivot way from the body of the exam table. These panels provide a space or opening so that a technician or practitioner can more readily perform an exam or procedure on a patient. Typically cardiac exams are performed using these devices. These known access panels create relatively large spaces, and are generally not adjustable in any way. The opening or space is generally static with respect to size.
Generally, many known access panels either drop away quickly or pivot completely out of the way. As a result, their design often provides little or no support for the patient. Furthermore, since they are not completely removed, they can become obstructions for the technician or practitioner. The larger known access panels are cumbersome and generally influence where equipment is located next to the exam table due to interference. Both the patient and practitioner/technician may have uneasiness or anxiety during the exam or procedure as a result.


A liquid flow measuring system which, by means of a suitable timing sequence, is able to detect unbalanced voltage generation which occurs when the tube element through which the liquid is flowing is not completely full and, by means of a correction process, supplies an output signal which is proportional to the rate of flow. When the tube element is full, the system operates in the same way as a normal magnetically inductive flowmeter. If the level in the tube element falls, electrodes which are installed in the lower half of the tube element and other electrodes, if necessary, can be used exclusively or additionally to record the measured values. Moreover, with a view to improving the recording of measured values when the level falls below a specific limit, an arrangement of electromagnets, specially optimized for partially filled tube elements, can be activated instead of the normal arrangement of electromagnets.

A circuit arrangement of this type is known from DE-OS 27 43 954.
It often happens, particularly when a circuit arrangement of this type is used for measuring waste water which flows through a tube element, that the tube element is not completely filled. A siphon is required in order to ensure that the tube element becomes and always remains completely full. However, the disadvantage of a siphon of this type is that additional flow resistance is created for the liquid and that, furthermore, substantial construction costs are involved in producing the siphon, particularly in the case of very wide tube elements.
It is known to provide several electrode pairs, by means of which a separate additional measurement of the level of liquid in the tube element can be made. However, an additional liquid level measurement of this type is expensive.


An implant (100, 200, 300, 400) includes a base (10), and a sequence of at least two segments including a first segment (12) and a last segment (14). The first segment (12) is pivotally linked to base (10). Adjacent segments are interconnected at pivotal connections (18). A bolt (20) has a threaded shaft (22) and a head (24). The threaded shaft (22) is engaged in a threaded channel (26) of the base (10) so that rotation of the bolt (20) about a central axis of the threaded shaft (22) varies a degree of overlap between the base (10) and the bolt (20). The last segment (14) and the head (24) define therebetween a spherical bearing (28). Rotation of bolt (20) thus varies a distance between spherical hearing (28) and hinge pin (16), thereby causing deflection of the sequence of segments.

The present invention relates to implants and, in particular, it concerns an expandable implant with a deflectable sequence of segments.
Various expanding implants are described in prior patents and patent publications commonly assigned with the present invention, which provide the most relevant background to the present invention. The publications mentioned herein are not to be considered prior art other than to the extent that they are defined as such by the applicable patent laws for the national phase of any application stemming from this international application. Such documents include: U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,005,291 B2; 9,017,413 B2; International Publication No. WO 2015/063719 A1; and International Publication No. WO 2016/063283 A1.
In general terms, these examples disclose various forms of an adjustable implant which includes a telescopic body with first and second portions in sliding engagement, and a deflectable linkage connected between the two portions of the base. The deflectable linkage is formed from at least two segments in pivotal interconnection so that adjustment of a length of the telescopic body causes a corresponding deflection of the deflectable linkage. Such implants find a range of applications, particularly where it is desired to insert an implant in a relatively low-profile state and subsequently expand the implant. Where a linkage with three segments is used, an intermediate segment is typically enlarged and provides a contact surface facing outwards such that adjustment of the implant can achieve tissue distraction. Where two segments are used, one of which is enlarged, the device can be used for adjusting an angular relationship between two facing regions of tissue. Such implants find particularly valuable applications in the field of spinal surgery, for example, for insertion into an intervertebral space to achieve axial distraction, lordotic correction and/or correction of scoliosis.

Expandable implant with deflectable sequence of segments


A method for an exhaust-gas aftertreatment system which is operated on an internal combustion engine operated with an excess of air, in which exhaust-gas aftertreatment system soot particles are separated out of exhaust gas by a particle filter and the particle filter is regenerated with the aid of NO2 formed on an NO oxidation catalytic converter mounted upstream of the particle filter. A reduction of the nitrogen oxides is realized by a reducing agent which splits to form ammonia being metered into the exhaust-gas flow upstream of the particle filter and the particle filter is laden with a catalytically active material for the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides. The NH3 to NOx ratio (feed ratio α) is varied in phases by changing the nitrogen oxide untreated emissions and/or the supplied amount of reducing agent, in such a way that the feed ratio α alternates in phases between values of greater than one and values of less than one.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for operating an exhaust-gas aftertreatment system in internal combustion engines operated with an excess of aft, such as diesel engines and gasoline engines with direct injection.
2. Description of Prior Art
Aside from solid particles, nitrogen oxides are among the limited exhaust-gas components which are generated during combustion processes and the permitted emissions of which are being progressively lowered. Various methods are currently used to minimize the exhaust-gas components in internal combustion engines operated in motor vehicles. The reduction of the nitrogen oxides is realized usually with the aid of catalytic converters; in oxygen-rich exhaust gas, a reducing agent is additionally necessary in order to increase the selectivity and the NOx conversion. These methods have become known under the collective term SCR methods, wherein SCR stands for "selective catalytic reduction". These methods have been used for many years in the field of power plants and recently &so for internal combustion engines. A detailed explanation of such methods emerges from DE 34 28 232 A1. In practical applications, ammonia or compounds which split to form ammonia, such as urea or ammonium formate, in solid form or in solution, are used as reducing agent. For the conversion from one mole of nitrogen monoxide, one mole of ammonia is required, wherein the nitrogen oxides react with the NH3 deposited on the catalytic converter in accordance with the following equation:4NO+4NH3+O24N2+6H2O  (1).
The ratio between NH3 and NOx is referred to as the feed ratio α.α=NH3/NOx
In the case of an ideal catalytic converter, this means that, for a feed ratio of α=1, all of the nitrogen oxides are reduced, that is to say 100% NOx conversion is attained, because the following applies for the NOx conversion XNOx:
      X    NOx    =                    C                  NOx          ,          0                    -              C        NOx                    C              NOx        ,        0            where: cNOx,0: NOx untreated emissions [ppm]                cNOx: NOx emissions downstream of catalytic converter [ppm]
If a platinum-containing NO oxidation catalytic converter for forming NO2 is positioned upstream of the SCR catalytic converters2NO+O22NO2  (2)then the SCR reaction can be accelerated considerably, and low-temperature activity can be markedly increased.NO+2NH3+NO22N2+3H2O  (3)
In the case of internal combustion engines operated in vehicles, the nitrogen oxide reduction with the aid of the SCR method is difficult because fluctuating operating conditions prevail there, which makes the quantitative metering of reducing agent difficult. It is duly sought, on the one hand, to attain as high as possible a conversion of nitrogen oxides; it must on the other hand be ensured that no emissions of unconsumed ammonia occur. To remedy this, use is often made of an ammonia blocking catalytic converter which is positioned downstream of the SCR catalytic converter and which converts excess ammonia into nitrogen and water vapour.
To minimize fine particle emissions, particle filters are used both in the power plant field and also in vehicles. In particle filters, the diameter of the filter ducts lies in the range of the diameters of the particles. Owing to this fact, particle filters are at risk of becoming blocked, which increases the exhaust-gas back pressure and reduces engine power. An arrangement and a method with a particle filter emerge from EP 0 341 832 A2. The abovementioned arrangements and the abovementioned method are characterized in that the oxidation catalytic converter—usually a catalytic converter with platinum as active material—arranged upstream of the particle filter oxidizes the nitrogen monoxide in the exhaust gas, with the aid of the residual oxygen likewise present in the exhaust gas, to form nitrogen dioxide, which in turn is converted in the particle filter with the carbon particles to form CO, CO2, N2 and NO. A continuous removal of the accumulated fine particles is realized in this way; regeneration cycles such as must be performed in a cumbersome manner in the case of other arrangements are thereby dispensed with.2NO2+C2NO+CO2  (4)2NO2+C2NO+CO  (5)2C+2NO2N2+2CO2  (6)
If complete oxidation of the carbon stored in the particle filter is not attained with the aid of NO2, the carbon fraction and thus the exhaust-gas back pressure progressively increase. If a critical mass is reached, an uncontrolled ignition of the carbon may occur at high exhaust-gas temperatures, which carbon then burns abruptly with oxygen.C+O2CO2  (7)
This leads to a temperature rise to up to 1000° C.
The simultaneous use both of arrangements for reducing nitrogen oxide emissions and also arrangements for reducing fine particle emissions is necessary in order to comply with the future exhaust-gas regulations. Various arrangements and methods for this purpose have already become known.
DE 103 48 799 A1 describes an arrangement composed of an oxidation catalytic converter, an SCR catalytic converter arranged downstream of the oxidation catalytic converter in the exhaust-gas flow, and a particle filter arranged, in turn, downstream of the SCR catalytic converter in the exhaust-gas flow. The supply of the reducing agent for the selective catalytic reaction that takes place in the SCR catalytic converter takes place directly upstream of the SCR catalytic converter by means of a urea injection device that is controlled as a function of operating parameters of the internal combustion engine. A disadvantage of this arrangement is that the nitrogen dioxide generated in the oxidation catalytic converter is substantially completely consumed by the selective catalytic reduction in the SCR catalytic converter, that is to say is not available for the conversion of the fine particles that have accumulated in the downstream particle filter. The regeneration of the particle filter must therefore be effected in a cumbersome manner by cyclic heating of the exhaust-gas flow by virtue of the exhaust-gas flow being enriched with unburned hydrocarbons and these subsequently being catalytically oxidized. This is realized either through enrichment of the combustion mixture or the injection of fuel upstream of the particle filter. Such an arrangement for the regeneration of the particle filter is firstly cumbersome and therefore expensive, and, secondly, the cyclic regeneration of the particle filter situated at the end of the arrangement generates new pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, which can be removed from the exhaust gas again only with difficulty.
A further combination of a particle filter and an arrangement for selective catalytic reduction has become known from EP 1 054 722 A1. The arrangement described therein is composed of an oxidation catalytic converter, which is arranged in the exhaust-gas flow and which increases the fraction of nitrogen dioxide in the exhaust gas, a fine particle filter arranged downstream, a reservoir for the reducing fluid, an injection device for the reducing fluid, the injection device being arranged downstream of the fine particle filter, and an SCR catalytic converter arranged downstream of the injection device in the exhaust-gas flow. The arrangement described above duly permits a continuous conversion of the soot-type fine particles that have accumulated in the fine particle filter with the aid of the nitrogen dioxide generated in the oxidation catalytic converter, but has another major disadvantage. The particle filter causes cooling of the exhaust gas, such that if for example the commercially available reducing fluid named AdBlue is used, it is the case in particular after starting of the internal combustion engine or during operation of the internal combustion engine in the lower power range that the exhaust-gas temperature is too low to generate ammonia from the 33% aqueous urea solution without the formation of problematic by-products.
In conjunction with the breakdown of urea ((NH2)2CO) to form ammonia (NH3), it is known that, under optimum conditions (temperatures above 350° C.), this takes place in two stages; firstly, the thermolysis, that is to say the thermal breakdown of urea, takes place as per the equation(NH2)2CONH3+HNCO  (8).
Subsequently, the hydrolysis, that is to say the catalytic breakdown of isocyanic add (HNCO) to form ammonia (NH3) and carbon dioxide (CO2), takes place as per the equationHNCO+H2ONH3+CO2  (9).
Since, if AdBlue is used, the reducing agent is present in a form dissolved in water, the water must evaporate before and during the actual thermolysis and hydrolysis.
If the temperatures prevailing during the above reactions (7) and (8) are below 350° C. or if heating takes place only slowly, it is known from DE 40 38 054 A1 that primarily solid, non-melting cyanuric add is generated by trimerization of the isocyanic add formed in equation (7), as per3H CO<350° C. . . . . . . >350° C.(HNCO)3  (10),which cyanuric add leads to blockage of the downstream SCR catalytic converter. This may be remedied, as stated in the cited DE 40 38 054, by virtue of the exhaust-gas flow which is laden with reducing agent being conducted across a hydrolysis catalytic converter. The exhaust-gas temperature above which quantitative hydrolysis becomes possible can thus be pushed to 160° C. The construction and composition of a corresponding catalytic converter is described in the cited publication, as is the construction and function of an SCR catalytic converter system equipped with a hydrolysis catalytic converter. Such an additional hydrolysis catalytic converter however additionally increases the cost of the arrangement for exhaust-gas aftertreatment.
An exhaust-gas aftertreatment arrangement composed of an oxidation catalytic converter and a downstream particle filter which is combined with an SCR catalytic converter to form a structural unit such that the particle filter is coated with an SCR-active compound or is composed of such a compound or has embedded SCR-active centres, is known from DE 103 23 607. For the introduction of the reducing agent, it is provided in this arrangement that a supply means for the reducing agent, preferably an aqueous urea solution, is provided downstream of the oxidation catalytic converter and upstream of the particle filter. Such an arrangement duly has the advantage of a small structural size and a low heat capacity, but, as tests have shown, has the disadvantage that, as a result of the ammonia storage property of SCR-active catalyst materials, a significant excess of ammonia can occur in those regions of the arrangement which are directly adjacent to the accumulated particles, such that the reaction as per equation (3) competes directly in a very limited space with the reaction as per equations (4) to (6). Therefore, fewer of the accumulated carbon particles are converted than would be necessary in order to avoid an increase of the exhaust-gas back pressure and the risk of an uncontrolled burn-off of the accumulated carbon particles as per equation (7) in the event of a critical particle mass being reached. The first results in a power decrease if the exhaust-gas aftertreatment arrangement is installed in the exhaust tract of an internal combustion engine, and the second results in possible destruction of the entire arrangement.
A further arrangement for exhaust-gas aftertreatment emerges from EP 2014348. This document specifies a method for the reduction of nitrogen oxides, which method comprises the following steps;
a) means for providing NO2 in the exhaust gas which contains NOx and soot, wherein the means are engine-internal measures, and/or at least some of the exhaust gas which contains NOx and soot is brought into contact with an oxidation catalytic converter which increases the NO2/NO, ratio;
b) an injection module which is designed to inject a predetermined amount of ammonia at least into some of the exhaust gas which contains NOx and soot, the ammonia being in the form of either pure ammonia or a precursor compound for ammonia such as urea, a liquid solution of urea, ammonium carbamate, isocyanic acid, cyanuric acid, methaneamide, etc. or combinations of these, wherein the injection module is arranged downstream of or parallel to the oxidation catalytic converter in the flow direction of the exhaust gas which contains NOx and soot, and
c) a device for the filtering/separation of soot, that is to say carbon particles, wherein the NOx contained in the exhaust gas and the soot are intended to make contact with the soot that has accumulated in the device for the filtering/separation of soot, that is to say the carbon particles, with the ammonia-enriched exhaust gas which contains NOx and soot, whereby a selective catalytic reduction of at least some of the NOx molecules with the ammonia to form nitrogen and water is initiated.

Method for use in conjunction with an exhaust-gas aftertreatment system


Methods and systems for operating an engine that includes a low pressure EGR passage and a selective reduction catalyst are disclosed. In one example, an actuator is adjusted in response to a NOx mass flow rate in the low pressure EGR passage.

A turbocharged engine may include high pressure exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and low pressure EGR. High pressure EGR may be provided to an engine by passing exhaust gas from an exhaust system at a location upstream of a turbocharger turbine to an engine intake system at a location downstream of a turbocharger compressor. Low pressure EGR may be provided to an engine by passing exhaust gas from an engine exhaust system at a location downstream of a turbocharger turbine to an engine intake system at a location upstream of the turbocharger compressor. Low pressure EGR may have the benefit of being cooler than high pressure EGR so that engine charge temperature may be reduced. On the other hand, by using high pressure EGR, an engine control system may reduce an EGR mass fraction inducted into a cylinder at a faster rate in response to a change in engine load as compared to when low pressure EGR is provided to the engine. Thus, there may be advantages and disadvantages to using high pressure EGR and low pressure EGR.
The inventors herein have also recognized that high pressure EGR and low pressure EGR may be comprised of the same or different constituents. Consequently, engine emissions may vary depending on whether high pressure EGR or low pressure EGR is supplied to the engine. The inventors have addressed the differences between supplying high pressure EGR and low pressure EGR to an engine by developing a method for operating an engine, comprising: adjusting an actuator in response to a NOx mass flow rate in a low pressure EGR passage between an engine exhaust system and an engine air intake system.
By adjusting an actuator responsive to a NOx mass flow rate in a low pressure EGR passage, it may be possible to provide a technical result of adjusting engine NOx emissions to a desirable level. For example, if EGR is being supplied to the engine with a low NOx mass flow rate, an engine actuator may be adjusted to increase the engine's NOx mass flow output and engine fuel economy such that engine's NOx mass flow output remains below a threshold NOx level. Alternatively, if EGR is supplied to the engine with a higher NOx mass flow rate, the engine actuator may be adjusted to decrease the engine's NOx mass flow output. NOx supplied to the engine via EGR passes through the engine and cannot be reduced during combustion via adjusting engine operation. However, NOx formed during combustion of an air-fuel mixture may be adjusted inversely with respect to NOx supplied to the engine via EGR so that a desired engine NOx level may be provided. Thus, if the desired engine NOx mass flow rate is a constant, and if the NOx flow rate of exhaust gases located downstream of a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst is decreasing because of higher SCR efficiency, NOx formed in the engine as a result of combustion may be increased without increasing the engine's NOx mass flow rate since NOx flowing into the engine via EGR is decreasing.
The present description may provide several advantages. For example, the approach may allow engine emissions to be maintained at a desired level while engine fuel economy is improved. Additionally, the approach may be useful for improving the exchange of urea use for vehicle fuel economy. Further, the approach may be useful for improving transient engine emissions.
The above advantages and other advantages, and features of the present description will be readily apparent from the following Detailed Description when taken alone or in connection with the accompanying drawings.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

System and method for controlling an engine that includes low pressure EGR


Various embodiments facilitate history-based decision making in television receivers, such as set-top boxes. In one embodiment, a history-based decision facilitator (“HBDF”) is provided. The HBDF facilitates decision making in a television receiver based on device history data received from the television receiver. In one embodiment, the HBDF receives an indication of an operation to be performed by the television receiver, the operation including one or more parameters. In response, the HBDF determines values for the one or more parameters, based on device history data received from the television receiver. The HBDF then provides the determined parameter values to the television receiver. In one example application, the HBDF can determine a tuner of the television receiver to utilize for recording a program, based on the history of the television receiver, such as that the determined tuner is typically idle during the scheduled recording time period.

Set-top boxes include hardware and software components that are limited in various ways. For example, a set-top box may include a hard disk that has limited storage capacity, a video processor that has limited bandwidth, a limited number of tuners, or the like. Existing set-top boxes can require considerable user configuration to manage the limited hardware and software resources. For example, when a hard disk or other storage device reaches or nears capacity, a user may be asked to manually specify stored programs to delete from the storage device. Similarly, when a program is to be recorded, a user may be asked to indicate a tuner to utilize to receive the program for recording. Accordingly, there is a need to provide improved resource management capabilities for set-top boxes and other media television receivers.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for history-based decision making in a television receiver


Embodiments are related to faster provisioning of targeted advertisements at a set-top box (STB) via an Internet Protocol (IP) connection between the STB and a remote server. The disclosed IP-based advertisement distribution system enables targeted advertisements to be pulled from the remote server efficiently, causing the advertisements to be made available within a short time frame (e.g., less than one day from the time when the advertisements are available). The disclosed methods enables a STB to determine whether to retain existing targeted advertisements, discard them, or provision newly-available advertisements. The targeted advertisements can depend on various factors such as demographic information of an owner of the STB, lifestyle information of the owner of the STB, etc.

In recent times, targeted advertising on television has become popular for advertisers to reach consumers. Targeted advertising (alternately referred as "addressable advertising") relies on the ability of advertisers to utilize cable and/or satellite services to pinpoint specific households and/or subscribers. But, traditional television advertising lack the precision to determine the appropriate audience to deliver an advertisement for the advertisement to be effective. On the contrary, targeted advertising allow advertisers to determine who, when, and where to deliver an advertisement. In some instances, targeted advertising can be lucrative for marketers that don't normally advertise on television due to budget constraints or because there's no efficient way to reach their niche audience.
Typically, when targeted advertising is transmitted over satellite services, approximately 7000-8000 advertisements are actively broadcast at any given time. Of these large number of advertisements, an estimated 200-300 advertisements are usually relevant to an average household or a subscriber. Thus, a set-top box (STB) receiving the actively broadcast advertisements have to parse through a large number of undesired advertisements to determine the advertisements relevant to a subscriber of the STB. Parsing a large number of advertisements not only takes time (about three days on average) but also delays provisioning or final rollout of the advertisements to the consumer. As a result, advertisers are not able to present their brands to consumers by a certain date. Accordingly, there is a need for systems and methods that improve rollout or provide faster provisioning of targeted advertisements.

Systems and methods for IP-based asset package distribution for provisioning targeted advertisements


A receptacle assembly includes a guide assembly and at least one communication connector. The guide assembly has a guide frame extending from a connector housing. The guide frame includes a front panel and multiple frame members that extend between the front panel and a front wall of the connector housing. The frame members are spatially separated to allow air to flow through the guide frame. The frame members define first and second stacked channels that are each configured to guide a corresponding pluggable module that is received through the front panel through the guide frame to the connector housing. The communication connector is within the connector housing. The communication connector has first and second mating interfaces that extend through respective first and second apertures in the front wall of the connector housing into the first and second channels, respectively, to mate with the corresponding pluggable module within each channel.

The subject matter described herein relates to a receptacle assembly with a guide frame.
At least some known receptacle assemblies, such as input/output (I/O) connector assemblies, are configured to receive a pluggable module and establish a communicative connection between the pluggable module and an electrical connector of the receptacle assembly. As one example, a known receptacle assembly includes a receptacle housing that is mounted to a circuit board around an electrical connector that is also mounted to the circuit board. The electrical connector may be disposed within an elongated cavity of the receptacle housing that is formed by multiple walls. The receptacle housing may be configured to receive a small form-factor (SFP) pluggable transceiver that is inserted through an opening of the cavity and advanced toward the electrical connector. Thus, when the pluggable transceiver is within the cavity, the walls of the receptacle housing surround both the pluggable transceiver and the electrical connector. The pluggable transceiver and the electrical connector have respective electrical contacts that engage one another to establish a communicative connection.
One challenge often addressed in the design of a receptacle assembly is the handling of excess heat generated by the connectors within the receptacle housing, which may negatively affect electrical performance. As the pluggable transceivers and the electrical connectors convey more data over larger bandwidths, the transceivers and/or electrical connectors typically generate more heat. The heat may not only affect electrical performance but also may damage the connectors if the heat is not drawn away from the receptacle assembly.
Another challenge often addressed in the design of a receptacle assembly is the shielding and/or containment of electromagnetic interference. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is the disruption of operation of an electronic device due to an electromagnetic field caused by electromagnetic induction and/or radiation emitted by another electronic device. The receptacle assembly may be located in a communication box with many other electronic devices, so EMI from other electronic devices may degrade electrical performance of the receptacle assembly if the receptacle assembly provides insufficient EMI shielding. In addition, EMI from the receptacle assembly may degrade electrical performance of other electronic devices in the communication box if the receptacle assembly does not provide adequate EMI containment.
Receptacle assembly designs often have difficulty providing both heat dissipation and EMI shielding/containment. In the example above, the walls of the receptacle housing that surround the communicative connection between the transceiver and the electrical connector may provide sufficient EMI shielding to support electrical performance of the receptacle assembly, but the walls may also block air flow to and from the connectors to dissipate the heat generated within the connectors. In some cases, the walls of the receptacle housing have openings therethrough that are configured to permit airflow into the cavity to transfer heat to an exterior of the receptacle housing. However, as the number and/or size of the openings in the walls increase to allow more airflow through the receptacle housing, the EMI shielding/containment provided by the receptacle housing decreases as electromagnetic induction and/or radiation can more easily propagate through the openings in the walls with the air. Accordingly, there is a need for a receptacle assembly that provides both EMI shielding along the electrical connectors while also permitting a sufficient amount of airflow to transfer heat away from the receptacle assembly.