In a system for supplying oil to a fluid drive, the fluid drive having an impeller, and a runner fluidically coupled by oil between them, the degree of coupling being determined by the amount of oil between them, a temperature sensor is located to sense the temperature of oil as it is being discharged from the impeller-runner, and the temperature so sensed is translated into the opening and restricting of a control valve controlling the flow of oil to the fluid drive to maintain the discharged oil temperature substantially constant. An external reservoir is connected to the sump of the fluid drive by pipe of sufficient size to provide a head space above the oil being removed from the sump, and the reservoir itself is of such a size as to provide head space and to provide a dwell time long enough to permit detrainment from the oil of air entrained in the oil as it passes through the fluid drive system. AC motor driven pumps are provided connected to supply circuit oil to the fluid drive and lubricating oil to the bearings, and a stand-by DC motor driven pump is provided, energized in response to an abnormal condition such as loss of AC power, overheating of the circuit oil or drastic loss of pressure in the lubricating oil system, to supply lubrication oil directly to the bearings and cooling oil to the fluid drive.

This invention has to do with a system of supplying oil to a device to which oil is supplied continuously and which generates substantial heat in varying quantities in the course of utilizing the oil, such as a fluid drive between a steam turbine-generator shaft and a boiler water feed water pump. In this application, the oil is utilized to transfer power in the fluid drive element, to remove the heat generated and also to lubricate the bearings of the fluid drive, the gearbox, if used, and the boiler feed water pump, and to lubricate the flexible gear type couplings, if used.
In a large electric power plant, in which a boiler with the usual tubes supplies steam to a turbine for generating electricity, the boiler feed water pump is a critical element. The flow rate of water to the boiler must be controlled with considerable nicety to match the steam flow requirement of the turbine which varies according to the amount of electrical power being generated at any given moment.
It is customary in many electrical generating plants to use an extension shaft of the main turbine-generator shaft to power the boiler feed pump. That turbine-generator shaft rotates at a constant speed, generally at 3600 revolutions per minute. In order to vary the speed of the feed water pump, hence to vary the water flow to the boiler, a fluid drive is provided between the extension shaft and the boiler feed water pump shaft.
Such a fluid drive consists essentially of an impeller and a runner, both enclosed in a rotating casing, and the whole enclosed in an outer, stationary housing. The impeller and casing are assembled and mounted on the input shaft of the fluid drive, which is coupled to, and driven by, the extension shaft and they rotate at the constant speed of the turbine-generator. The runner is mounted on the output shaft, which drives the boiler feed water pump through a flexible coupling, and if used, a gearbox. The flexible couplings on the input and output ends of the fluid drive may be of any of several designs, depending upon the requirements of the mating shafts, and need not be the same for input and output.
The variable speed capability of a fluid drive is provided by the runner being physically unconnected to the impeller or casing, and by oil within the casing being thrown by the impeller vanes against the vanes of the runner, causing the runner to rotate. The impeller and runner are generally of similar design in that they are made in the form of vanes and pockets interspersed uniformly around 360 degrees, although the numbers of vanes and pockets differ between the impeller and runner. "Circuit" oil is continuously introduced into the impeller/runner/casing and leaves the casing via a scoop tube. The rotation of the impeller and casing causes the oil to move outward, under centrifugal force, to form a vortex or ring, retained on its radially outer side by the inner surface of the casing. The inner radius of the ring of oil is determined by the radial position of the scoop tube within the casing. When the casing is full, that is, when the scoop tube is moved to its radially innermost limit, the slippage between the impeller and runner is low, so that the runner rotates at substantially the same speed as the impeller. In order to reduce the driving forces of the impeller on the runner, the radial thickness of the oil ring is reduced by moving the scoop tube radially outwardly toward the casing. Clearly, if all of the oil were removed, and no oil were being introduced, the runner would remain stationary.
It can be appreciated that the thinner the ring of oil radially, the less efficient is the transmission of energy from the impeller to the oil to the runner, with the energy not transmitted to the runner taking the form of heat generated in the oil within the impeller/runner/casing.
Table 1 below provides a typical representation of the power in, power out, and heat generated (power loss) for a boiler feed water pump of approximately 14,500 hp rated power, wherein the power requirements for the pump are proportional to the cube of the speed, for example. The peak heat generation point occurs when the output speed is approximately 2/3 of the input speed, or at approximately 2400 rpm, for an input speed of 3600 rpm. Depending upon boiler water pressure and flow rates, the fluid drive output speed may be either above, at, or below the speed corresponding to this peak heat generation point.
Also noted in this table are typical power losses related to the bearings and to passing the oil into the impeller and out through the scoop tube. In this process, the oil speeds up from zero to input shaft speed as it enters the impeller, and then is driven into the scoop tube as it exits the casing.
The data of Table 1 are common to the data of Tables 2 and 3, infra. In all three tables, the speed of rotation of the impeller is a constant 3600 rpm.
TABLE 1 __________________________________________________________________________ HP IN HP OUT HP LOSS RPM ROTATING ROTATING ROTATING HP LOSS OUT ELEMENT ELEMENT ELEMENT BEARINGS __________________________________________________________________________ 1. 3510 15,000 14,625 375 200 2. 3300 13,259 12,154 1,105 195 3. 3100 11,700 10,075 1,625 190 4. 2900 10,238 8,248 1,990 185 5. 2700 8,874 6,656 2,218 180 6. 2500 7,609 5,284 2,325 175 7. 2400 7,013 4,675 2,338 173 8. 2300 6,441 4,115 2,326 170 9. 2100 5,369 3,132 2,237 165 10. 1900 4,396 2,320 2,076 160 1700 3,519 1,662 1,857 155 1500 2,738 1,141 1,597 150 1400 2,386 928 1,458 145 800 779 173 606 100 __________________________________________________________________________
There is a continual flow of circuit oil through the fluid drive element (impeller/runner/casing), into the impeller/runner portion, out through the gap between the impeller and runner outer peripheries, into the casing portion and exiting through the scoop tube and through the gap between the impeller and runner outer peripheries, into the casing portion and exiting through the scoop tube and through weep holes in the casing. This circuit oil is discharged through the scoop tube at a velocity of several hundred feet per second, entrains air, and settles as foam in the sump at the bottom of the fluid drive tank.
The lube oil from the bearings in the fluid drive, from the gearbox, if used, and from the bearings of the boiler feed water pump, and from the couplings, if any, also drain into the same sump at the bottom of the fluid drive tank. All of the draining lube oil and discharge circuit oil mixes together in this sump. Clearly, the oil that is used to operate the fluid drive element, i.e., the circuit oil, and the lubricating oil are the same, with the flow paths being separated only in the piping supplying the circuit oil to the impeller/runner/casing element and piping supplying the lube oil to the bearings, gearbox, and couplings.
It is known that the output shaft speed is controlled primarily by the scoop tube position and to some degree by the circuit oil flow rate. In some earlier fluid drives, the speed control was performed entirely by a flow control valve with a series of leakoff orifices in the casing but without a scoop tube.
In conventional arrangements, shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the lower portion, or sump, of the fluid drive tank is used as an oil reservoir, holding oil in a quantity which provides only about one minute dwell time before entering the pipes leading to the suction of the pumps. This is not enough time to detrain the air from the oil.
Because the sump/reservoir is relatively small, it is very easy to change the level, or as seen by a sight glass, the apparent level, of the oil in the sump/reservoir. The three primary causes of change of oil level are these: (1) The foaming action due to the entrained air; (2) The temperature distribution of the oil throughout the system because oil expands with increasing temperature; and (3) The amount of oil resident in the oil ring in the impeller/runner/casing assembly. Together, all of these influences provide uncertainty as to the precise level of oil in the sump/reservoir, and cause operators to add or remove oil on a daily basis, sometimes on a shift to shift basis.
The cumulative result is that over the years there have been many instances of over filling of fluid drives. This is the single most damaging occurrence, short of a severe mechanical failure such as a broken shaft, that can occur to a fluid drive. When the fluid drive is over filled, the oil enters the open end of the casing through which the scoop tube passes, usually damaging the scoop tube so that it can not accommodate the oil discharge flow, so that oil flow through the impeller/runner/casing is reduced and the power dissipated increases, with the result of very high oil temperatures, on the order of 300.degree. to 400.degree. F. When this occurs, the entire fluid drive and oil system must be dismantled, the coked oil removed, damaged parts replaced, and the entire system rebuilt.
Three arrangements of positive displacement pumps have been commonly used:
Arrangement (1), illustrated in FIG. 1, and designated by the reference numeral 101: Uses one internal oil pump 130 within the reservoir which is driven by gearing from the input shaft, one external A.C. powered oil pump 40, and no D.C. powered oil pump.
Arrangement (2), illustrated in FIG. 2, and designated by the reference numeral 201: Uses three external pumps, two main A.C. powered oil pumps 40 supplying both circuit oil and lube oil, with one emergency D.C. powered lube oil pump 41.
Arrangement (3), illustrated in FIG. 3, and designated by the reference numeral 301: Uses two or, for higher flow requirements, three main A.C. powered circuit oil pumps 40, two main A.C. powered lube oil pumps 140, and one emergency D.C. powered lube oil pump 41.
The oil passes from the pumps through heat exchangers 50, in this case called oil coolers, to remove the heat generated within the element, in the bearings, etc. Control valves are usually used to control the cooling water flow in order to keep the temperature of the oil leaving the coolers as close to the desired set point as possible. The temperature desired in the conventional systems for the fluid drive oil as it exits the cooler is usually on the order of 130.degree. F. For the improved system of this invention, the desired temperature for the fluid drive oil as it exits the cooler is about 110.degree. F., and coolers with a capacity to provide this 110.degree. F. cooler discharge oil temperature are provided. The 110.degree. F. cooler discharge temperature for fluid drive oil then approximates the cooler discharge temperature for the oil for most conventional turbine-generators, thereby eliminating a source of confusion for the power plant operators.
With regard to the circuit cooling oil line feature, many but not all of the conventional oil systems have one.
In present conventional fluid drive oil systems, only the lube oil passes through filters 163, usually two or three parallel filters, so one or two can be valved into service with the other one cut out of service for maintenance.
The lube oil flow rate through the system is constant.
The circuit oil flow rate through the fluid drive element is constant when in service. Arrangements (1) and (2) use a "Trip" valve (shown as TV-2 in FIGS. 1 and 2) that causes the oil flow through the circuit oil piping to go either to the element when the fluid drive is in service or to return to the sump/reservoir in the bottom of the fluid drive tank when the fluid drive is out of service. A "Trip valve" is one that is open or closed, and travels rapidly from one state to the other. In Arrangement (3), FIG. 3, the circuit oil pumps are turned on when the fluid drive is in service, and they are turned off when the fluid drive is out of service.
As shown in Table 1, the heat generated (power loss) in the oil within the element is, in large measure, a function of the relative speeds of the input and output shafts. With a constant flow of circuit oil, the temperature of the circuit oil as it discharges from the element is a similar function of the relative speeds of the input and output shafts, Table 2.
It is highly desirable for the type of oil used in fluid drives, turbines, and similar pieces of rotating machinery not to exceed approximately 185.degree. F., as exceeding this temperature will cause the oil to degenerate, and to form a varnish-like substance which coats all of the oil wetted surfaces. In time, this requires that the oil be replaced, at a minimum. Disassembly and removal of the varnish-like coating often is required, with subsequent reassembly.
In the original design of most of these fluid drives, the intent was to pass quickly through the lower speeds during start-up and to operate entirely in the more efficient range with the output shaft speed above 2700 rpm, usually approaching maximum electrical generation. Consequently, the heat exchangers were designed accordingly; and not for the maximum heat generation point shown in the above example. However, in recent years, it has become necessary to operate many of these electrical generating plants over a very wide range of conditions, including those associated with reduced output shaft speeds causing the operating temperatures to become excessive under some conditions. To reduce the circuit oil discharge temperature, several design changes have been made, including increasing pump size providing greater flow capacity, and adjusting the setting of the pressure relief valve for each pump that pumps oil to the fluid drive circuit. The pressure relief valve is a bypass valve positioned between the output or high pressure side of the pump, and the suction line leading to the inlet or low pressure side of the pump. Operators commonly change the setting of this valve to get more or less flow to the fluid drive. This valve is not intended to have continuous flow, but is intended only for intermittent use to protect the motor and pump in response to abnormally high discharge pressure such as would occur in the event that a downstream blockage happened Nevertheless, in conventional systems, these pressure relief valves often experience continuous flow. Among other things, this decreases the mean time between failures.
The position of the scoop tube is regulated by a controller responsive to the steam flow, steam drum level, and feed water flow, and operates on an instantaneous basis as follows: When a change of feed water flow is desired by the boiler controls, it sends a signal to the scoop tube positioner, which moves the scoop tube, which changes the inside radius of the oil ring, which changes the output shaft speed. This method provides a very quick and powerful change of speed. The problem that occurs with higher circuit oil flow is that it becomes more difficult to control the output shaft speed, hence feed water flow, at lower feed water flow rates, and for this reason lower circuit oil flow is desirable. Consequently, determining the desired constant flow rate for the circuit oil can become a serious point of contention, particularly in times of hot cooling water due to hot ambient conditions, such as on a hot summer day.
There is another reason to minimize the circuit oil flow through the impeller/runner/casing/scoop tube. As indicated in Tables 2 and 3, several hundred horsepower are required to drive the oil into the impeller and out through the scoop tube. This power loss is proportional to the radial position of the scoop tube and is directly proportional to the circuit oil flow rate. With operating conditions that cause reduced heat loss, the circuit oil flow can be reduced, providing improved overall operating efficiency of the fluid drive, as indicated by the column HP SAVED in Table 3. This represents fuel that does not have to be burned to provide the same net electrical generation to customers, and therefore is an environmental improvement.
The circuit oil discharge temperature is measured by thermo-couples or similar devices located in a collection tray mounted to the inside wall of the fluid drive tank, so that these thermocouples can provide information to controllers, recording devices and/or monitors remote from the fluid drive. If an excessive temperature is detected, as would occur in the case of "freezing" of the boiler feedpump due to galling between the rotating pump element and the stationary components as would occur if the boiler feed water supply were interrupted, overfilling a fluid drive, or loss of cooling water to the oil heat exchangers, etc., then the fluid drive, circuit oil pumps, and turbine-generator are shut down automatically.
When the fluid drive is shut down for any reason, normal or abnormal, it still requires lube oil and should have circuit cooling oil. This is particularly true for a fluid drive that is attached to a turbine-generator, as these often require 35 to 45 minutes for the rotational speed to drop from 3600 rpm to zero.
The following describes the operational characteristics of the three aforementioned conventional oil systems during the shut-down period, both with and without the availability of A.C. power.

Oil system for constant input speed fluid drive


An electroabsorption modulator (10) includes at least one quantum well (26) in a conduction band and a corresponding quantum well (26) in a valence band. A barrier made from InGaAlAs or InGaAsP is formed within each of the quantum wells in the conduction and valence bands.

Electroabsorption modulators (EAMs) have been shown to be useful in fiber-optic links operating near either 1.3 or 1.55 μm for both analog and digital signal transmission. They are small in size and can be integrated with a laser diode, for example, while being very effective in changing the light intensity as a function of the applied electric field. In particular, EAMs that use multiple quantum well active regions are currently very popular. As those skilled in the art will understand, a quantum well is a material unit that has a very thin "well" material (typically of the order of 100 Angstrom) surrounded by potential energy barriers. Inside the quantum well, particle, such as electrons or holes, are restricted in motion in the dimension perpendicular to the well and has well-defined quantized states with respect to momentum and energy. The particles are free to move around in the other two directions. When these quantum wells are stacked together without interactions between each other, this resultant structure is referred to as multiple quantum wells (MQW). The MQW provides a large absorption-coefficient change via the quantum-confined Stark effect (QCSE), which is the shift of the excitonic (the resonance state of electron-hole pairs) absorption peak of the quantum well under the influence of an applied electric field. Typically, the peak shifts to lower energy when an electric field is applied.
An analog fiber link is an optical fiber communication channel for transmitting analog signals. For an externally modulated analog fiber link, which uses a transmitter with the light modulation occurring outside the laser source, increasing the received optical power reduces the link loss, which is the ratio of the input signal intensity to the output signal intensity. The output signal of the receiver is proportional to the square of the optical power. The optical power used in the link, however, is currently limited by the optical saturation properties of the EAM. An optical saturation occurs when the output signal intensity is no longer linearly proportional (or becomes sub-linear) to the input signal power to the EAM. Consequently, a concern for the MQW EAMs is their relatively low saturation optical power, where optical saturation begins. This power level can be determined from the optical power when the output signal intensity is 1 dB below that which corresponds to unsaturated modulation. The conventional MQW EAMs, particularly those made of InGaAs/InP, tend to saturate at a much lower level.
In quantum wells (QWs), the barriers hinder the sweep-out of the photo generated electrons and holes, particularly holes, resulting in carrier pile-up near the barriers. The traditional approach to reduce this effect had been to use InGaAsP or InAlAs (or InGaAlAs) instead of InP as barrier materials to reduce the valence band offset, which was shown to improve the optical saturation of the MQW EAMs. Also, there have been attempts to use strain-compensated InGaAsP/InGaAsP and InAsP/GaInP quantum wells, which have shallow wells, to improve the saturation optical power at 1.55 and 1.3 μm. A strained quantum well refers to a quantum well where either the barrier or the quantum well is lattice mismatched to the substrate so that the quantum well as a unit is under (tensile or compressive) hydrostatic strain. A strain compensated quantum well refers to a quantum well structure in which the well and the barrier are oppositely (compressive versus tensile) strained so that the net strain in one unit of quantum well is zero. Although it has been reported that the MQW EAMs with InGaAs/InAlAs can handle optical power up to 40 mW without degradation in the bandwidth, the link gain at RF frequencies was observed to saturate at a much lower level. The maximum optical power that does not cause RF gain saturation is currently limited to approximately 10 mW.
It has also been observed that increasing the electric field reduces the screening effect due to spatially distributed holes that cannot be drifted out of the quantum well (their presence causes an effective reduction of the applied electric field). Hence in order to increase the saturation optical power further, the operating bias must be increased for a given intrinsic layer thickness without compromising the modulator performance such as modulator slope efficiency, which is defined as the maximum change in optical transmission versus change in applied voltage.

Electroabsorption modulator having a barrier inside a quantum well

The Regents of the University of California


A semiconductor test circuit is installed inside a semiconductor device to measure the state of at least one electrical signal of the semiconductor device, and includes first, second, and Nth signal selecting units (where N is an integer greater than 2). The first signal selecting unit either outputs a first electrical signal received from a first terminal or provides a high impedance state to a pad connected to a second terminal in response to a first control signal. The second signal selecting unit either outputs a second electrical signal received from a first terminal or provides a high impedance state to the pad connected to a second terminal in response to a second control signal. The Nth signal selecting unit either outputs an Nth electrical signal (N is an integer) received from a first terminal or provides a high impedance state to the pad connected to the second terminal in response to an Nth control signal.

This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0009104, filed on Feb. 1, 2005 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor test circuit capable of measuring a plurality of internal DC voltages when the semiconductor device is in a packaged state.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a certain section of a circuit to be configured in a semiconductor device or the state of a predetermined DC voltage line used in the semiconductor device is to be tested or inspected, a probe head is made to contact a node or the DC voltage line of a wafer being manufactured to measure the voltage value of the node or the DC voltage line. However, the voltages and currents measured when the devices are in the wafer state do not necessarily match the voltages and currents measured when the devices are in a packaged state. Therefore, measurement of the voltage or current of a predetermined node or a metal line of a semiconductor device when the device is in the packaged state, in which the assembly process of the semiconductor device has been completed, has greater significance.
In order to measure the voltage or current of a node or a DC voltage line when a semiconductor is in a packaged state, package pins connected to the node or the DC voltage line need to be allocated for testing the same. However, the package pins used for testing are useless in performing actual functions during actual operation of a semiconductor device. Therefore, is beneficial to minimize the number package pins that are consumed for testing operations.
In a semiconductor memory device, the voltage level of an internal DC voltage generated using the power voltage input from an external source is an important factor in determining the operating characteristics of the semiconductor memory device. Thus, numerous test circuits are often times installed in a packaged semiconductor to measure the level of the internal DC voltage.
FIG. 1A is a block diagram a conventional semiconductor test circuit for measuring four internal DC voltages V1 through V4 using a single package pin pad PAD. FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of a circuit that generates control signals CON1, CON2, CON1B, and CON2B used in the semiconductor test circuit illustrated in FIG. 1A.
Referring to FIG. 1A, the semiconductor test circuit is installed in a semiconductor device, and connection relationships of six areas A1 through A6 of the device illustrated with dotted circles are to be monitored during the manufacturing process. For example, when the area A1 and the area A5 are connected, a voltage value of a first electrical signal V1 can be measured using the pad PAD in response to a first control signal CON1 and CON1B. The pad PAD is electrically connected to a package pin, and thus the value of an internal electrical signal V1 of a chip can be monitored when the chip is in a packaged state. However, the conventional semiconductor test circuit illustrated in FIG. 1A cannot select another electrical signal for testing, for example V2, V3, or V4, once the assembly process is completed, because the electrical signal to be tested is determined during the manufacturing process.
In addition, referring to FIG. 1B, a pull-up voltage Vpu applied to gates of transistors M1 and M2 for pulling up a control signal transmits a predetermined stable voltage following a predetermined time period when power is supplied to the semiconductor device. As a result, a delay time is required for proper measurement of the electrical signal, thereby increasing the time required for testing the semiconductor device.


The electronic device of the present invention comprises a chassis, a printed circuit board mounted to the chassis and having circuit patterns formed thereon and a protective element connected onto the circuit patterns which protective element is for attenuating a surge voltage, and screws for holding the printed circuit board on the chassis, wherein the protective element is connected to the chassis through any of the screws.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device which constitutes a power supply circuit such as, for example, a head end as a transmitter in a transmission base of a CATV (cable television) system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a CATV system, using an ordinary ground wave, a television signal or a satellite broadcasting signal is transmitted to each subscriber of the CATV through a dedicated cable. Then, a head end receives such television signal or satellite broadcasting signal, converts the frequency thereof into a frequency of an intermediate frequency band, and sends out the thus frequency-converted signal again after frequency conversion to the frequency of a channel allocated to the CATV system.
FIG. 7 is a power supply circuit diagram of an electronic device used in such a conventional head end or the like. As shown in the same figure, a power supply block 30 comprises electric components such as a transformer and an electrolytic capacitor (neither shown). A so-called commercial voltage (for example, an AC voltage of 100V or 240V) is fed to an input terminal 31. The thus-inputted commercial voltage is converted to a predetermined DC voltage (for example, a DC voltage of +5V or +9V) by the power-supply block 30 and this converted voltage is fed to an output terminal 32. This output DC voltage serves to drive a frequency converter (not shown), etc.
To the input terminal 31 are connected two protective elements 33, 33 in series between power supply lines to protect the power supply block 30 from a surge voltage such as a thunder voltage for example. A connection point 33a between the protective elements 33, 33 is earthed. By this earthing, (i.e. grounding) when a high voltage such as a thunder voltage is applied induced in the power supply lines, it is bypassed to the earth through the protective elements 33, whereby the power supply block 30 is protected from the high voltage.
However, as to the power supply circuit in the electronic device referred to above, it is prescribed that the power supply circuit should be subjected to a high withstand voltage test in which a high voltage (for example, an AC voltage of 2400V) similar to such a surge voltage as a thunder voltage should be applied as a test voltage to the power supply circuit (according to a safety standard such as UL Standard established by Underwriting Laboratory).
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the power supply circuit to be subjected to such a high withstand voltage test. As shown in the same figure, one end portion of a switch element 34 is connected to the connection point 33a between the protective elements 33, 33, that is, arresters in the power supply circuit, while the opposite end portion of the switch element 34 is earthed.
To the input terminal 31 is connected a high voltage generator 35.
In this high withstand voltage test, a high voltage (for example an AC voltage of 2400V) generated from the high voltage generator 35 is applied one to two seconds to the input terminal 31 while the switch element 34 is kept OFF, and it is tested whether the power supply block 30 can withstand this high voltage.
This high voltage withstand test is conducted only once in the power supply circuit manufacturing process prior to shipment of product (electronic device). After the test, the switch element 34 is turned ON, and during shipment of the product, the connection point 33a between the protective elements 33, 33 is earthed (ON of the switch element 34).
FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a principal portion of a conventional electronic device C. A chassis 20 is in the shape of a rectangular box formed of a metallic material. The box-shaped chassis 20 comprises four side walls 20a, a lower bottom wall 26b and an upper opening portion 20c. A plurality of cylindrical holding members 21 formed of a metallic material are each centrally provided with a hole 21a and are secured to the bottom wall 26b.
A printed circuit board 22 formed of, for example, a resin material or a molding material has circular holes 22e in a plurality of predetermined positions, for example, in the four corners. On the upper surface of the printed circuit board 22 are formed desired circuit patterns, including earth patterns 22d, with use of copper foil for example. At predetermined positions of the circuit patterns 22a are arranged and connected electric components of a power supply block 30, such as a power transformer 22c, as well as an electrolytic capacitor and a diode (neither shown).
Also disposed and connected is a protective element 22b such as an arrester to protect the power supply block from a surge voltage.
One terminal 22f of the protective element 22b is connected to an earth pattern 22d.
Thus, on the printed circuit board 22 are arranged and connected the protective element 22b and electric components, including the power transformer 22c, which constitute such a power supply circuit as shown in FIG. 7.
Screws 23 are used, which are round head or pan head machine screws formed of a metallic material. The printed circuit board 22 is disposed within the chassis 20, and the screws 23 are threaded and fixed into the holes 22e of the printed circuit board 22 located on the holding members 21.
The earth pattern located at one end portion of the printed circuit board 22 and the associated side wall 20a of the chassis 20 are connected together with solder 25. By this connection with solder 25 one terminal 22f of the protective element 22b such as an arrester is earthed to the chassis 20.
Between the earth pattern 22d with one terminal 22f of the protective element 22b connected thereto and the chassis 20 there is constituted the switch element 34 shown in FIG. 8. The state of connection with solder 25 and that of non-connection (separation) correspond respectively to ON and OFF states of the switch element 34 in the foregoing high withstand voltage test.
An upper cover 24, which is formed by a metallic plate, comprises a rectangular upper wall 24a and a plurality of resilient mounting portions 24b bent from end portions of four sides of the upper wall 24a and extending downward.
The upper cover 24 is mounted in such a manner that its upper wall 24a covers the upper opening portion 20c of the chassis 20 and its mounting portions 24b grip the side walls 20a of the chassis.
The following description is now provided about a high withstand voltage test for the electronic device C constructed as above.
First, the printed circuit board 22 is screwed into the chassis 20. At this time, soldering for connecting an earth pattern 22d on the board 22 to the side wall 20a of the chassis 20 is not performed at the solder 25, and one terminal 22f of the protective element 22b is not earthed to the chassis 20, that is, the switch element 34 is turned OFF.
Next, the upper cover 24 is applied to the chassis 20 in the same form as that of a completed product.
In this form, a high voltage is applied from the high voltage generator 35 to the input terminal 31 of the power supply circuit shown in FIG. 8 and which constitutes the electronic device C, and there is conducted a high withstand voltage test for the power supply block 30. That is, during this application of the high voltage, the power supply block 30 is not protected from a surge voltage by the protective element 22b.
Then, the upper cover 24 of the electronic device C having gone through the process of the above high withstand voltage test is removed and the earth pattern 22d on the printed circuit board 22 and the side wall 20a of the chassis 20 are soldered using the solder 25, that is, the switch element 34 is turned ON. As a result of this soldering, one terminal 22f of the protective element 22b is electrically connected to the chassis 20, and the protective element 22b comes to exhibit the function of protecting the power supply block 30.
The power supply block 30 can now be protected from a surge voltage by the protective element 22b.
Next, the upper cover 24 is applied to the chassis 20 to complete the electronic device C having undergone the high withstand voltage test.
However, in the high withstand voltage test for the conventional electronic device during assembly thereof, as mentioned above, with the earth-side terminal of the protective element such as an arrester not soldered (earthed) to the chassis, the upper cover is applied to the chassis and a high voltage is applied to the electronic device. Then, the upper cover of the electronic device after the test in question is removed and the earth pattern with the earth-side terminal of the protective element connected thereto is soldered (earthed) to the chassis.
Thus, for the conventional electronic device, the high withstand voltage test is conducted with the upper cover applied to the chassis, thereafter, the upper cover is removed and the soldering work for earthing the protecting element is performed, and after the soldering work, the upper cover is again applied to the chassis. This process is complicated and troublesome, making the working efficiency poor.

Electronic device with connecting/disconnecting screw


Peripheral lighting device for the scale of a dial (11) of an apparatus of small dimensions including a case (1) in which are housed a movement (14) driving at least one hand (12a, 12b, 12c) with respect to the scale, a power source (6) and an electronic circuit (15) able to supply a pulsed voltage, said case being closed by crystal (4) extended on the dial side by an annular extension forming a flange (17), characterized in that a circular recess (19) is provided inside the base (18) of the flange (17) to accommodate on the one hand, an electroluminescent ring (20) formed of a strip having a border (21) extending beyond the base and a connecting lug (22), and on the other hand a ring (30) made of translucent plastic material forced into the annular recess (19) to hold the electroluminescent ring (20) at the bottom thereof.

The present invention concerns an electroluminescent lighting device for a dial, and more particularly for a circular dial of an apparatus of small dimensions with an autonomous power source, such as a timepiece to allow the time symbols situated at the periphery of the dial to be read at night.
The use of electroluminescent panel or lamp for lighting a dial at night is well known. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,964, an electroluminescent sheet is cut to the dimensions of the dial of a wristwatch, pierced with a hole at its centre for the passage of the shaft of the hands, provided with time symbols by printing or screen printing on the face turned towards the observer and connected, by flexible connectors bonded to each electrode of the electroluminescent sheet, to an electronic circuit provided to supply an appropriated pulsed voltage. The improvements described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,071 essentially concern simplification of the connection means which are then formed by a tongue, which may or may not be bent, and of which an exposed portion of electrode is coated with a conductive ink to avoid or compensate for any cracks in the electrode in order to establish at least one contact with the printed circuit. Such a construction offers the advantage of being relatively simple to implement. However it has the drawback of still having a high power consumption, because of the size of the surface covered, despite the progress made as regards the design of the electroluminescent films and excitation circuits, and of restricting the possible aesthetic variations in the dial, which are very often desired by designers to differentiate their products from those of competitors.
In order to reduce power consumption, it is of course possible to reduce the surface of the electroluminescent sheet for example by limiting the surface thereof around the time symbols, as described in German Patent No. 4 023 693, or conversely, by cutting openings in its surface representing said time symbols, as described in Japanese Patent No. A-02-177290, which complicates the mounting of the electroluminescent elements on the dial. Moreover, in order to have a certain aesthetic appearance, the use of several electroluminescent sheets of different colours has also been proposed, for example cut into concentric sectors or rings, as described in Japanese Patent No. A-05-182761. Here again, the design and particularly the connection, becomes complicated and the aesthetic variations remain limited.
In fact, in order to have the greatest possible freedom as regards decoration of the dial, both for observation during the day and at night, it is preferable to have indirect lighting from the flange.
Numerous devices using one or more diodes, which may or may not be associated with a light guide, have been proposed. By way of example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,705,407 and 4,908,739 and European Patent No. 0 860 755 may be cited, which disclose various forms or structures of rigid annular guides made of PMMA intended to concentrate the light as much as possible on the dial and to provide uniform lighting. Use has however shown that it is very difficult, even impossible, to have truly uniform lighting.
The object of the invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the aforecited prior art by providing a lighting device using an electroluminescent lamp in the shape of a strip which is easy to set in place and connect to the excitation circuit.
The invention therefore concerns a peripheral lighting devices for the scale of a dial of an apparatus of small dimensions including a case in which are housed a movement driving at least one hand with respect to the scale, a power source and an electronic circuit able to supply a pulsed voltage, said case being closed by crystal extended on the dial side by an annular extension forming a flange, characterised in that a circular recess is provided inside the base of the flange to accommodate on the one hand, an electroluminescent ring formed of a strip having a border extending beyond the base and a connecting lug, and on the other hand a ring made of translucent plastic material forced into the annular recess to hold the electroluminescent ring at the bottom thereof.

Electroluminescent lighting device for a dial


A quick release assembly is provided to enable a user to easily attach and detach electronic equipment such as a flat panel monitor to an extension arm or other mounting device. One embodiment of the quick release assembly includes an adapter plate for connecting to the electronic equipment, a connecting plate for securing to the mounting device, and a release plate disposed between the adapter plate and the connecting plate. When fully assembled, the user can press a release mechanism on the release plate to disengage the release plate and the connecting plate from the adapter unit. After the release mechanism is pressed, the connecting plate can be slid off of the adapter plate. Unlike conventional devices, it is not necessary to remove or loosen hard to reach fasteners in order to disconnect the electronic device from the mounting device.

The present invention relates to a device for use in connecting electronic devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a quick release assembly that enables a user to attach and detach an electronic device such as a flat panel display from a mounting apparatus.
In the past people have placed video monitors and other electronic equipment on desks, tabletops, or upon other equipment such as personal computers or workstations. One drawback to these configurations is the reduction in available workspace taken up by the equipment. Another drawback is the inability to place the equipment in a desired location. A further drawback is the potential for eye strain, neck strain and/or a cumulative trauma disorder such as carpel tunnel syndrome from poor placement of devices such as monitors and keyboards.
Different solutions have been provided in order to overcome these obstacles. For example, in one solution, a monitor stand or printer stand elevates the apparatus over other equipment on a desk. While this may free up workspace, it often places the equipment in an undesirable location. Another solution employs a mechanical extension arm to support the monitor. Extension arms free up workspace and allow users to place the equipment where it is wanted. One such extension arm is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,274, entitled "Arm Apparatus for Mounting Electronic Devices," which is fully incorporated by reference herein. Another type of extension arm is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,134, entitled "Arm Apparatus For Mounting Electronic Devices With Cable Management System," which is fully incorporated by reference herein.
It is often desirable to obtain additional freedom of movement beyond that provided by the extension arm. A tilting device can be used to accomplish this goal. The tilting device is placed between the extension arm and the equipment, allowing the equipment to rotate about one or more axes. One such tilting device is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,505,988, entitled "Tilter for Positioning Electronic Devices," which is fully incorporated by reference herein.
While such tilter devices are very useful for positioning the equipment in a desired position, it may be difficult to rapidly detach the equipment from the tilting device and extension arm assembly. For example, a monitor may be secured to the tilting device by multiple screws. It might take several minutes to disassemble all of the screws, detach the monitor, and then attach a new monitor. In many businesses, such as brokerage firms and other investment concerns, users require ongoing access to a working display unit. Disruptions, even those as short as a few minutes, can seriously impacting users' abilities to perform their jobs. Thus, a quick release mechanism is needed to rapidly swap out a broken monitor for a working monitor. Furthermore, in order to detach the monitor without dropping it, the user needs to be very careful when removing the screws from a conventional tilting device so that the monitor does not suddenly detach and fall to the floor. It may be difficult to the access the screws, as there may not be much clearance between the monitor and the tilting device. Therefore, a need exists for a quick release mechanism to address these and other concerns.

Quick release assembly for an electronic device


There is provided a torsion beam of a vehicle suspension in which a upper portion and the lower portion of the torsion beam are bent in the front-to-rear direction alone of the vehicle along the longitudinal axis of the torsion beam, and a pair of tails is rounded at both front and rear ends of the torsion beam of the vehicle and formed different from each other in size, a rear tail of the pair of tails which is formed at the rear portion of the vehicle is larger than a front tail formed in the front portion of the torsion beam, the upper and lower portions of the torsion beam are gradually apart from each other with at least two predetermined slopes as they goes from the middle portion to both distal end of the torsion beam. Therefore, roll stiffness is increased and durability is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a torsion beam of a suspension of a vehicle, and more particularly, to a torsion beam of a suspension of a vehicle having a larger diameter of a rear tail than that of a front tail.
2. Description of the Background Art
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a suspension of a vehicle connects a vehicle body to wheels and absorbs shock and vibration applied from a road during traveling to improve a ride comfort and stability of the vehicle.
The suspension is categorized into an integrated type for connecting right and left wheels to each other by an axle and an independent type in which the right and left wheels are independently driven, and includes a spring 100 for absorbing shock transmitting from the road, a shock absorber 110 for improving a ride comfort by restricting free vibration of the spring 100, arms and links 120 for controlling operation of the wheels.
As a compromising type of the integrated type and the independent type, a torsion beam type suspension includes left and right trailing arms 120 that are coupled with each other by a single member called as a cross beam or a torsion beam 130. The torsion beam suspension is characterized in that a length of the link is short in comparison to a strut type and a double wishbone type, the number of rubber bushes serving as a vibration shaft is little, friction hysteresis is less during the suspension stroke, and high end ride comfort is enabled.
Moreover, although designed performance region is not high due to simple components, the torsion beam suspension has been with low cost used in rear wheel suspensions of a subcompact car and a premium mid-size car for scores of years due to a relatively high traveling stability in comparison to low manufacturing cost and light weight.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional suspension of a vehicle, and FIGS. 3A to 3D and 4 are sectional view illustrating respective parts of the conventional suspension.
A torsion beam 130 of the conventional suspension of a vehicle plays an important part of controlling roll stiffness, lateral stiffness, and toe variation, and a tubular beam type torsion beam in which a reinforced plate and a torsion bar are not required, the number of components can be reduced, and weight can be reduced, is widely used.
Hereinafter, the tubular beam type torsion beam will be described in detail as follows.
The tubular beam type is manufactured in such a way that a pipe-shaped member is positioned between upper and lower presses in which one of the presses moved up and down, to press the pipe-shaped member.
The conventional tubular beam type manufactured as described above, as illustrated in FIGS. 3A to 3D, is broadened from the middle portion of the torsion beam 130 to right and left ends of the torsion beam 130 in the longitudinal direction of the torsion beam 130, that is, as goes toward the place where the trailing arms 120 is disposed.
Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 4 which is a sectional view taken along the line E-E of FIG. 2, lateral sections of the right- and left portions positioned symmetric with respect to the middle portion of the torsion bean 130 has an upper line 132 which is approximately horizontal and a lower line 134 comprising the first linear part 134A, the second linear part 134B, and the third linear part 134C.
The first linear part 134A of the lower line 134 extends horizontally from the middle portion to its distal end portion in the longitudinal direction of the torsion beam 130. The second linear part 134B of the lower line 134 extends downwardly inclined from the distal end portion of first linear part 134A. The third linear part 134C of the lower line 134 extends horizontally from the distal end portion of the second linear part 134B to the distal end portions of the torsion beam 130 in the longitudinal direction of the torsion beam 130.
Furthermore, the tubular type beam torsion beam 130 has a structure symmetrical with respect to the middle portion of the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle.
However, the conventional tubular type torsion beam has the following drawbacks.
Firstly, in FIG. 3A which is a sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 2, a rolling force is assumed to be applied to a portion of the torsion beam 130 for an explanation.
In the drawing, a dotted arrow A1 indicates a sheer flow resisting the rolling force applied to the torsion beam 130. The solid arrow B1 indicates a reactive force generated by a bending moment caused by the rolling force.
In the tubular beam type torsion beam 130, as illustrated in FIG. 3A, the shear flow A1 resisting the rolling force and the reactive force B1 generated by the bending moment may be canceled at the rear tail T2 because of their opposite action directions each other. In contrast, at the front tail T1, the direction of the shear flow A1 resisting the rolling force and the direction of the reactive force B1 generated by the bending moment are in the same direction so that the resultant reactive force at the front tail T1 is not canceled but increased.
Meanwhile, in the conventional scheme, the sizes of the front and rear tails T1 and T2 are decreased to increase the shear flow A1 resisting the rolling force. However, in this case, the increased shear flow deteriorates the durability of the torsion beam 130 since the concentration of stress is increased.
Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 4, shear stress is easily concentrated at the connection portion between the first and second linear parts 134A and 134B of the lower line 134 of the torsion beam 130 due to the abrupt change of the slope between the first and second linear parts 134A and 134B.
Further shear stress is easily concentrated at the connection portion between the second and third linear parts 134B and 134C of the lower line 134 of the torsion beam 130 due to the abrupt change of the slope between the second and third linear parts 134B and 134C.
These concentrated shear stresses make cracks occur at the connection portions easily. In other words, as indicated by Arabian numbers in FIGS. 5A to 5C, the roll stiffness and the durability are inferior due to the rolling and the spring reactive force.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art that is already known to a person skilled in the art.


A gas turbine engine, has: a compressor; a turbine having a rotor; and an inertial particle separator located upstream of the turbine downstream of the compressor, the inertial particle separator having: an intake conduit in fluid flow communication with the compressor and defining an elbow, a splitter, a leading edge of the splitter located downstream of the elbow, the splitter located to divide a flow into a particle flow and an air flow, and an inlet conduit and a bypass conduit located on respective opposite sides of the splitter, the inlet conduit receiving the air flow, the inlet conduit in fluid flow communication with a cavity containing the rotor for cooling the rotor of the turbine section, the bypass conduit receiving the particle flow, the bypass conduit in fluid flow communication with an environment outside the gas turbine engine while bypassing the cavity containing the rotor.

Gas turbine engines operate at temperatures above which many materials are unable to withstand. A solution used in the aerospace industry to overcome the material heat limitation is the use of pressurized cooling air generated by the compressor section of the engine. The cooling air passes around and through hotter components removing heat from them and allowing continued reliable operation using materials and metal alloys in demanding high temperature exposure conditions. The generation of compressed air and conveying the cooling air consumes energy. To reduce the effect of cooling air consumption on overall engine performance and fuel efficiency, the quantity of cooling air is generally kept to the minimum possible using small orifices and narrow cooling passages.
During standard operation, the cooling passages are typically sufficient for the purposes required. However, during operation in high contamination environments where large quantities of fine particulate matter, such as sand, is suspended in the surrounding air, proper flow may be impeded in these narrow passages by these contaminants. While larger particles can be separated by centrifugal force in the air inlet duct, engaging the inlet fan and exhausted through a bypass duct, smaller suspended particles and chemical contaminants may continue to be carried into the engine core with the air flow into the compressor, combustor and turbine sections. The result of air passages blocked by accumulation of small suspended particles and chemical contaminants can include overheating of cooled components which may have detrimental effects such as lead to engine removal or early overhaul, seal replacement, and spare part consumption. Improvements are therefore sought.

Inertial particle separator for a turbine section of a gas turbine engine


A MOS optical modulator having high modulation efficiency and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. A MOS optical modulator includes: a p-type Si layer constituting an optical waveguide; a gate insulating film provided on the optical waveguide; a gate layer provided on the gate insulating film and formed of an n-type group III-V semiconductor; a first contact portion connected to the gate layer; and a second contact portion connected to the Si layer.

There is known silicon photonics in which fine optical waveguides and the like are formed on a silicon substrate to form optical devices such as an optical modulator, a light receiver, and a light emitting element. Many structures of optical modulators using this silicon photonics have been proposed. MOS type, PIN type, PN type are known as the structures of the optical modulators (for example, see Non Patent Literatures 1 and 2).
For example, the MOS optical modulator described in Non-Patent Literature 2 has a structure including an optical waveguide formed on a p-doped Si layer of an SOI (Si-on-insulator) substrate, and a gate insulating film and an n-doped polysilicon layer which are stacked on the optical waveguide. In this MOS optical modulator, by applying a driving voltage between the Si layer and the polysilicon layer, carriers are accumulated at the interface between the Si layer and the gate insulating film and at the interface between the polysilicon layer and the gate insulating film, and the refractive index is changed by a carrier plasma effect, thereby modulating the phase of light.

Metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) optical modulator and method of manufacturing same


A head gasket having a pair of armor assemblies with protective shim portions in the zones of adjacency of adjacent pairs of combustion openings. One armor's shim portions face one main surface of a main body of the gasket and the other armor's shim portions face the other main surface of the main body. The associated armors and the shims comprising the armor assemblies encapsulate the zone of adjacency and protect against degradation of that zone and enhance sealing thereat. A method of making the head gasket by applying the armor assemblies from opposite sides of the main body is also disclosed.

Cylinder head gaskets made with layers of facing material have been manufactured and used for decades. Such gaskets usually employ fire rings, such as U-shaped armors with or without wires, at the combustion openings to embrace the peripheral edges defining the combustion openings, thereby to protect the edges and enhance the sealing effect thereat.
Sometimes the armors have been integrated so that the armors for pairs of adjacent or adjoining combustion openings comprise a unitary assembly. In some instances one entire surface of the gasket is covered with the sheet material from which the armors are formed.
The presence of integrating material at the zones of adjacency of pairs of combustion openings enhances the seal thereat, particularly where the combustion openings are very close to each other and the facing material is therefore weakened and fragile.
Various sealing adjuncts have been provided for use at conventionally armored combustion openings and especially for use in the zones of adjacency of pairs of such openings. Thus, for example, multiple armors have been employed, with a second U-shaped armor simply overlying a first U-shaped armor. This, of course, enhances the seal to be effected thereat. In other instances metal shims have been placed under a leg of the U-shaped armor to provide for greater sealing stress. In some such cases, the shims for adjacent combustion openings are formed with, hence integrated with the armors in the zone of adjacency of a pair of combustion openings, thereby to enhance the sealing effect and to protect the facing layer or layers thereat.
While all of these armoring techniques and adjuncts are of advantage, none is ideal. All of them tend to be sensitive to the conditions and loads at the combustion openings, such as excessive loads due to thermal push, and tend to permit extrusion of facing layers when the gasket is exposed to excessive clamp loads, such as because of thermal push. This tendency is most severe in the zones of adjacency of pairs of adjacent combustion openings.
It would be of advantage to provide improved armoring and a method of making a gasket providing such improved armoring.

Method of making head gasket with improved armoring


A cutting tool holder includes a pressing member with a pressing part and an inserting part, a holder body, a head member including a first fixing section which is divided into a first front end region and a first rear end region, and has a first fixing hole for inserting the inserting part of the pressing member and a contact part pressed by the pressing part of the pressing member, at a portion of a first surface close to the first front end region in reference to the first rear end region; and a second fixing section divided into a second front end region and a second rear end region in which the first rear end region of the first fixing section and the second rear end region are connected to each other so that a fixing space extending from the second rear end region to the second front end region is located between the second fixing section and a second surface different from the first surface in the first fixing section. The contact part includes a first contact portion located close to the first rear end region and a second contact portion located close to the first front end region in reference to a midpoint of the first fixing hole. An area of the second contact portion is larger than an area of the first contact portion. A cutting tool including the cutting tool holder, and a method of manufacturing a machined product using the cutting tool are also provided.

Cutting tools used for grooving, cutoff process, or the like of metal components or the like have conventionally been known. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-001204, the cutting tool includes a configuration for fixing a cutting insert (hereinafter referred to as an "insert" in some cases) to between a lower jaw and an upper jaw of a cutting tool holder (hereinafter referred to as a "holder" in some cases) by inserting a screw from an upper part of the holder to a vertical lower side, and by pressing down the upper jaw of the holder.
However, when the cutting processing is carried out using the foregoing cutting tool, a pressing force by the screw is insufficient, and hence there is a risk that the insert cannot sufficiently be fixed thereto.
For example, a cutting tool having a configuration in which a tool holder 10a and a clamp 10b are fixed with a socket bolt 16 has also been disclosed, as shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-526175.
However, according to this cutting tool, there has been the following risk. That is, chatter vibration occurs between the tool holder 10a and the clamp 10b by thrust force applied from the clamp 10b to the tool holder 10a during the cutting processing at a large feed rate, and the chatter vibration deteriorates machining accuracy with respect to a workpiece. The chatter vibration can also contribute to fractures of the insert and the clamp 10b.

Cutting tool holder, cutting tool, and method of manufacturing machined product using the same


A parallel lookup memory (PLM) is provided. The PLM includes a content addressable memory (CAM) array having a plurality of CAM entries. Each CAM entry has at least two storage location, and one of the locations includes value matching logic. The PLM also includes a PLM controller, which, responsive to an external command, applies a search value to a sub-set of the CAM entries. The sub-set and search values are identified by the external command, which includes data identifying CAM entries that are a start and end location of the sub-set, or data identifying a CAM entries that is a start of the sub-set and a length identifier representing a number of CAM entries to be searched. The PLM may be provided in a processor core, in a processor chip external to a processor core as a counterpart to a layer of cache, or in a multiprocessor computer system having a number of agents coupled to an external communication bus, where the PLM is provided in a first agent and a processor is provided in a second agent.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to content addressable memory (CAM) structures, and more particularly, to CAM structures that may be flexibly manipulated by a software program.
CAMs per se are well known. A CAM is a memory that can be accessed by its contents. The CAM typically includes various entries that store data. Each CAM entry includes value-matching logic that compares the data stored in the respective entry with an input value to determine if they are the same. When an input word is received, the input is compared bit-by-bit against each word stored in the CAM. Some CAMs require all bits of the input word to match all bits of one of the words stored in the CAM. Some require only predetermined bits to match. In any event, the comparisons performed by the various CAM entries are performed in parallel and provide very fast access to data.
Software programs, by contrast, identify operations to be performed by a microprocessor, digital controller, or the like (collectively, "processor") in sequence. Typically, content searches in software require an iterative search throughout a number of data items until a value match is detected. Various algorithms have been proposed to reduce the number of iterations that are required to perform a search. A hash algorithm, for example, might use part of an input value as a direct index to a linked list of data. But, an iterative search through the linked list ultimately is required. Consider a system that lists customer records by telephone number. A hash table might use a portion of customer numbers (e.g., the last five digits) as an index to a hash table having 10,000 entries (10^n, where n is the number of digits by which the hash table is indexed). Each entry in the hash table would include a pointer to a linked list of entries. Each entry in the linked list would store the remainder of the number being searched, a pointer to a next item in the linked list if the entry is not a match, and a pointer to a data record associated with the customer if the entry is a match. Continuing with the foregoing example, a ten digit phone number might require linked lists of 10,000 entries each (10^l-n, where l is the total length of the search parameter and n is the length of the hash table index). To fully search for a phone number, an iterative review of the entire linked list might be required. A software program that performs a hash table lookup might be required to search and individually examine all 10,000 entries until it found a matching entry or until it concluded that there was no match at all. Of course, this iterative search can consume a great deal of time.
Accordingly, there is need in the art for a software controlled process that provides a parallel lookup of data.


There is disclosed a semiconductor memory device that has a memory-cell array with memory cells arranged in a matrix, bit-line sense amplifiers connected to bit lines of the memory-cell array, a row address predecoder performing decoding of some of row address signals in response to a system clock, and a plurality of banks having an output line of the row address predecoder in common, includes: a row strobe buffer connected to an external system and producing a first control signal for selecting corresponding banks in response to the system clock, a row address strobe signal, and a bank selection address signal and for controlling generation of a row address sampling control signal; a row address sampling control signal generating circuit producing the row address sampling control signal in a predetermined period of time in response to generation of the first control signal produced by the row strobe buffer in order to control word-line activating and precharging operations; and a row decoder latching an output signal obtained by predecoding a row address with the output signal of the row address sampling control signal generating circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device. More particularly, it relates to a semiconductor memory device with multibank structure for the purpose of effectively activating and precharging word lines and bit lines.
The present application is based on Korean Application No. 30478/1995 which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory, the more the number of banks of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) increases, the more the number of word lines that can be kept in the active state increases. This may raise the page hit ratio of DRAM in case of cache miss thereby reducing the access time. In recent years, there has been a tendency to substitute a DRAM with increased banks in number for a static random access memory SRAM being used as a cache.
FIG. 1 depicts a conventional memory device with multibank structure.
As shown in FIG. 1, each one of four banks 0, 1, 2 and 3 consists of a memory cell array and a bit-line sense amplifier. Row address predecoders 10, 30, 60 and 80 are respectively provided to the banks 0, 1, 2 and 3. The row address predecoders 10, 30, 60 and 80 respectively have output lines 3, 5, 7 and 9. Column decoders 50, 51, 52 and 53 are assigned to each bank 0, 1, 2 and 3, too. Therefore, an increase in the number of the banks causes the size of a chip to be significantly increased, and it is hard to increase the banks in number.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional semiconductor memory device with stacked multibank structure in which a plurality of banks have one row address predecoder and its output line in common.
Row address predecoders 10, 30, 60 and 80 and their respective output lines 3, 5, 7 and 9 are used in common for a bank group a (banks a1 to am), a bank group b (banks b1 to bm), a bank group c (banks c1 to cm), and a bank group d (banks d1 to dm). Regarding each word-line enabling/disabling operation and sensing operation of each bit-line sense amplifier, a bank activation in response to an active command of a preceding clock signal from an external system may be disabled by the following clock signal's precharge command given to another bank. Thus, the word-line precharging operation may be performed before the word line is disabled, or the corresponding bit-line sense amplifier may be actuated to perform the sensing operation before the word line is enabled.

Integrated circuit memory devices including a plurality of row latch circuits and related methods


A Venetian blind to be fitted to an architectural frame, including a first rail; a second rail; and a transfer mechanism, wherein: the first rail includes a tilt controller configured to control tilting of the blind, the second rail includes a control actuator, and the transfer mechanism mechanically couples the control actuator and the tilt controller to transfer movement of the control actuator to the tilt controller.

A Venetian blind is a shade including a plurality of slats or vanes, which can be tilted to an open or closed position to allow or prevent light to pass. These arrangements require a control mechanism to control the tilting of the shades. The term "Venetian blind" is used herein to refer to this type of slatted blinds of which the slats can be tilted. A Venetian blind is also commonly known as a "horizontal blind". For the sake of convenience, without intent to limit, the term "Venetian blind" will be used hereinafter.
EP 1,156,182 A describes a Venetian blind with slat tilting. The tilting of the slats is controlled by a cord loop which hangs from the top rail of the blind, connected to a tilt rod in the top rail, which controls an arrangement of ladder cords and tilt cords.

Tilt adjuster control mechanism for a venetian blind


A bra includes a pair of bra cups, each bra cup in the pair having an inner edge and an outer edge, the inner edges configured to be coupled to one another. The bra includes a pair of bra wings, each bra wing in the pair having a first end and a second end, each first end being coupled to an outer edge of each bra cup, respectively, and the second ends configured to be coupled to one another. At least one of the pair of bra cups and the pair of bra wings comprises a layer of fabric having intrinsically sticky fibers. The layer of fabric having intrinsically sticky fibers comprises an inner layer of the pair of bra cups and/or the pair of bra wings and contacts a wearer's skin while the bra is being worn, causing the bra to cling to the wearer's skin.

Intimate wear, active wear, and shape wear grip to a wearer's body at focused pressure points, such as waistbands or other apertures for a wearer's torso and/or limbs. For example, strapless garments such as bras or tube tops usually grip to a wearer's body at several pressure points: along, a bra wing in the underarm region at both the top and bottom edge of the bra wing band. These pressure points and the pressure level are the focus for maintaining the strapless garment in place on the wearer's torso.

Garment that clings to a wearer's skin and method of manufacture thereof


The present invention provides a mobile terminal and an access method for an E-RUCCH. The method comprises: when upload data authorization information has expired and the amount of buffer data in a logical channel of the mobile terminal is zero, starting a timer; judging whether or not the timer is timed out, and if upload data authorization information is received before the timer is timed out, resetting the timer and initiating an E-RUCCH access; if the upload data authorization information is not received before the timer is timed out, resetting the timer when the timer is timed out and judging whether there is any buffer data in the logical channel; and when the amount of the buffer data in the logical channel exceeds a threshold of the buffer data in the logical channel, initiating the E-RUCCH access. Through the above-mentioned method and the mobile terminal, it is able to control the E-RUCCH access time of the mobile terminal and prevent the mobile terminal from initiating unnecessary, frequent access.

Mobile communication technology has developed to the 3rd generation (3G), and High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) technology provides optimization and evolution for packet services in an uplink direction, i.e., in a direction from a mobile terminal to a wireless access network. By virtue of the HSUPA technology, an uplink peak transmission rate for a user is increased remarkably as compared with the 2nd generation (2G) mobile communication technology. Based on scheduling modes, HSUPA service includes scheduled service and non-scheduled service. The resource for the non-scheduled service is mainly used for transmitting the data required to be processed in real time, such as signaling between a network and a mobile terminal, and services at a constant rate. The scheduled service is used to allocate HSUPA resources for a base station (Node B) via a Serving Radio Network Controller (SRNC) (which is mainly used for a specific terminal), and then allocate uplink resources for the terminal via Node B during the real-time data transmission. Node B transmits absolute authorization information to the terminal on an E-DCH Absolute Grant Channel (E-AGCH). One piece of the authorization information on the E-AGCH is used by one terminal at a time, and the duration of the authorization information is merely one Transmission Time Interval (TTI). In WCDMA99, TTI may be 2 ms for short frame transmission, or 10 ms or more. In TD-HSUPA, it is a fixed value, i.e., 5 ms. In 3GPP LTE and LTE-A, it is usually 1 ms. Since timeslots and code resources within a TTI are merely allocated for each authorization, the resource allocation within one TTI will certainly result in an increased scheduling delay and an increased system signaling overhead when the data in a buffer area of the mobile terminal is too big to be transmitted at once. An optional Resource Duration Indicator (RDI) is provided in a TD-SCDMA protocol, and through Radio Resource Control (RRC) configuration, the channel may carry a RDI parameter so as to allocate the authorization for the next frames in advance, e.g., to instruct the mobile terminal to continue using the authorization information in the following four TTIs. Through RDI configuration, it is able to reduce the work load for searching E-AGCH by the mobile terminal and reduce the frequency of transmitting E-AGCH by Node B.
In the scheduled service, when the terminal does not have HSUPA resources (rather than that the terminal is transmitting the scheduled or the non-scheduled service) but needs to upload data, the network needs to know in real time the data transmission condition of the terminal so as to reasonably allocate and use the wireless resources. As a result, the terminal needs to report Scheduling Information (SI) to Node B and request the authorization information so as to acquire scheduling of Node B.
Taking TD-SCDMA standard as an example, FIG. 1 shows the process comprising the following steps: (1) an MAC layer of a terminal notify a physical layer to initiate an E-RUCCH access; (2) the terminal transmits SYNC-UL for the E-RUCCH process on an uplink pilot time slot (UpPTS) channel; (3) the terminal receives information on a Fast Physical Access Channel (FPACH) on a fixed frame; (4) the terminal transmits E-RUCCH information on a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) in accordance with the physical information received on FPACH; (5) the network allocates the authorization information for the terminal in an E-DCH Absolute Grant Channel (E-AGCH) in accordance with the SI contained in the E-RUCCH information, and the terminal completes the E-RUCCH access so as to start a normal HSUPA data transmission process; (6) the terminal transmits uplink data on an E-DCH Physical Uplink Channel specified in E-AGCH; and (7) the terminal detects on an E-DCH Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request Indication Channel (E-HICH) whether or not an MAC-e PDU packet transmitted on E-PUCH has been received by the network correctly.
In step (6), the terminal transmits the MAC-e PDU carrying the SI via E-PUCH. The SI includes the amount of the buffer data and power headroom of the terminal, and path loss measurement information of a current cell and a neighboring cell. The network allocates the authorization information of a TTI for the terminal in accordance with the state information carried in the SI. In a data upload process, if desired, the terminal will require the network to continue allocation of the authorization information in the packets transmitted within each TTI, and the network will continue to allocate the authorization information for the terminal on E-AGCH in accordance with the SI.
During the HSUPA data transmission, in order to prevent the terminal from initiating some unnecessary E-RUCCH accesses, different protections are applied in the following two conditions by the protocol.
1. If the terminal has authorization information within a previous frame, and does not have authorization information in a current frame but has buffer data to be transmitted, it will start a timer T_WAIT. Before timeout of the timer T_WAIT, the network may transmit the authorization information to the terminal so as to transmit the buffer data. If no authorization information is received from the network until the timer T_WAIT is timed out, the terminal may initiate an E-RUCCH access to request authorization from the network.
2. If the terminal has authorization information within a previous frame, and has no authorization information in a current frame and no buffer data to be transmitted currently, alternatively, the network will configure an optional Extended Estimation Window for an MAC layer of the terminal. By use of the Extended Estimation Window, it is able to prevent a user from triggering unnecessary E-RUCCH transmission when there may exist available authorization over a small period of time in the future. For example, in the case of a hybrid automatic repeat request, whether the mobile terminal is authorized to transmit new data may be judged by looking up the Extended Estimation Window.
However, such configuration is merely an optional one, and the application of the Extended Estimation Window will increase processing burden of the network, so currently the terminal is not configured with an Extended Estimation Window by the network equipment vender. When the terminal has authorization information within a previous frame, and has no authorization information within a current frame and no buffer data to be transmitted currently, it will transmit an access request to the network immediately via E-RUCCH when the buffer data is desired to be transmitted, so as to request the network to allocate the authorization information. In the case of broken uplink transmission, i.e., when the terminal will upload data again within a short period of time after the data transmission, the E-RUCCH access will be triggered multiple times.

Mobile terminal and access method for enhanced uplink random access channel

ST-ERICSSON SEMICONDUCTOR (BEIJING) CO., LTD.


An attenuation adjustment device is disclosed that includes a plurality of members configured to cast penumbras in a radiation beam illuminating a patterning device in a lithography apparatus. Furthermore, an attenuation control device is provided to adjust the members in such a manner as to control the attenuation of the patterned radiation beam projected onto a target portion of a substrate across the cross-section of the patterned radiation beam. The attenuation control device includes a detector configured to provide an output indicative of the position of each member in dependence on detection of a beam of detecting radiation reaching the detector after attenuation by the member.

A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a target portion of a substrate. Lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that instance, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern corresponding to an individual layer of the IC, and this pattern can be imaged onto a target portion (e.g. comprising part of, one or several dies) of a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer) that has a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist). In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively exposed. Lithographic apparatus may be of the transmissive type, where radiation is passed through a mask to generate the pattern, or of the reflective type, where radiation is reflected from the mask to generate the pattern. Known lithographic apparatus include so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at once, and so-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through the projection beam in a given direction (the scanning-direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. It is also possible to transfer the pattern from the patterning device to the substrate by imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.
In general, there is a non-uniformity in the intensity of radiation which is imaged onto the substrate in such apparatus. This is typically caused by, for example, the mirrors or lenses of the projection system having differing reflectivity or transmission over their surfaces. In the case of conventional lithography, so-called deep-UV (DUV), a transmissive filter is included which corrects for this non-uniformity. In the past the properties of the filter were fixed and could not be changed over time. In newer systems the filter is adjustable, and can be adjusted to take account of slow variations in beam uniformity, for example caused by gradual degradation of lens surfaces.
A known adjustable uniformity correction unit for DUV comprises two transmissive plates which are considerably bigger than the projection beam. Different transmission profiles are provided on the plates, so that, when the transmission of the plate is to be adjusted, the point at which the projection beam intercepts the plate is changed by moving the plate. The plates are made from glass and are heavy, consequently their movement is slow. In any event, they are designed and intended to be used to correct for very slow variations.
In extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, there are no materials available which can be used in a transmissive way. Accordingly an arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,741,329 in which non-transmissive blades, commonly called venetian blinds ('blades'), are used to adjust the beam to correct for non-uniformity in the intensity of radiation imaged onto the substrate. In the simplest case the blades are in the form of a series of rectangles that are rotatably mounted and are spread across the projection beam. In more complicated cases the blades can have a more complicated ('asymmetric blades') shape. In order to reduce the beam intensity in a given location, the blade at that location is rotated so that it partially blocks the beam. The blades are typically located a distance D≧B/tan(asin(NA)) mm below the reticle where B is the distance between the blades and NA is the numerical aperture at reticle level. If the blades were to be located closer to the reticle, then sharp images of the blade edges would appear on the substrate. Conversely, if the blades were to be moved further away from the reticle, then the spatial frequency of the intensity correction provided by the blades would be reduced.
The blade arrangement of U.S. Pat. No. 6,741,329 does not allow the uniformity or the intensity of the radiation incident on the substrate to be varied in the direction in which the substrate is scanned by the projection beam during a scan. Instead the energy per laser pulse is varied during the scan to generate a varying intensity profile in the scanning direction. However, unlike DUV lithography sources, EUV lithography sources are not capable of changing their output power, and there is therefore no simple way in which the overall intensity of the projection beam incident on the substrate can be varied.
The illumination slit that is used to expose the substrate during scanning is usually curved, as shown in FIG. 2. The blades are oriented with a fixed angle of typically around 60 degrees with respect to the non-scanning direction or x-axis. Due to this angle the shadow of each blade is beneficially spread out in the non-scanning x-direction. Since the overlap of the blades with the slit is different on the left hand side to the right hand side of the slit the transmittance of the blades is not the same. The blade on the left hand side of FIG. 2 is more nearly perpendicular to the slit, leading to a narrower spatial profile with a relatively low transmission, whereas the blade on the right hand side of FIG. 2 is more nearly parallel to the slit, leading to a broader spatial profile with a relatively high transmission. By rotating the blades progressively less from left to right with respect to the x-axis, their peak transmission can be made the same. For example, at the left hand end of the slit the blades may be mounted at 60° relative to the x-axis, whereas at the right hand side of the slit the blades may be mounted at 45° relative to the x-axis.
In order to detect the positions of the blades for the purpose of controlling the amount of attenuation applied by the blades, each blade may have an associated position detector to detect a quantity of radiation received from a radiation source providing a radiation beam that is arranged to be interrupted by a portion of the blade, or an element connected to the blade so as to rotate with the blade in such a manner that the quantity of radiation reaching the position detector is indicative of the orientation of the blade. The outputs of the position detectors can then be supplied to an electronic controller to control the actuators, used to tilt the blades, in such a manner as to accurately orient the blades according to the degree of attenuation desired. Generally the number of radiation sources used in such a position detection arrangement will correspond to the number of blades whose positions are to be detected. Thus, if in a typical arrangement 30 blades are provided, the position detection arrangement may include, for example, 30 radiation-emitting diodes to emit radiation and 30 photodiodes to detect the radiation after attenuation by the blades. All the components may be disposed in a vacuum so that, because of the lack of convection, cooling can present a problem.
When a high measurement accuracy is required, the use of multiple radiation sources can be disadvantageous in that the intensity of radiation emitted can vary from source to source and with time depending on the different thermal behavior of each source, which may cause the relationship between the proportion of radiation received by each detector and the precise orientation of the blade, as well as the angular distribution of the radiation and the degree of self-heating, to vary from source to source. The thermal drift of the radiation emitting diodes can also render these unsuitable for use in high measurement accuracy system. The use of multiple radiation sources is also disadvantageous in so far as it requires use of a high level of components and cabling, as well as providing high power consumption and cooling requirements.

Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method