A semiconductor device (10) coupled to ball grid array substrate (11) and encapsulated by an optically transmissive material (29, 31). The ball grid array substrate (11) has conductive interconnects (14) and a semiconductor receiving area (17) on a top surface and solder pads (13) on a bottom surface. An optoelectronic component (24) is mounted on the semiconductor receiving area (17) and encapsulated with the optically transmissive material (29, 31). Solder balls (18) are formed on the solder pads (13).

This invention relates, in general, to semiconductor devices and, more particularly, to ball-grid array semiconductor devices.
Ball Grid Array (BGA) and Over-Molded Pad Array Carrier (OMPAC) semiconductor devices have been developed to improve both the electrical and thermal performance characteristics of surface mount semiconductor devices. Typically, BGA and OMPAC semiconductor devices include a thin Printed Circuit Board (PCB) substrate on which a semiconductor chip is mounted. Portions of the chip are electrically coupled to conductive traces formed on a top surface of the PCB. Each conductive trace is routed to a corresponding conductive trace on the bottom surface of the PCB by a conductive via which extends through the PCB. The traces on the bottom surface of the PCB each terminate at a conductive pad to form an array of pads on the bottom of the PCB. The semiconductor chip and a portion of the PCB are encapsulated by an opaque mold compound using conventional molding techniques.
Although BGA and OMPAC semiconductor devices offer the advantages of increased interconnect packaging densities, elimination of coplanarity and skew limitations, low lead inductance, and a low profile, these devices have been unsuitable for use in optical applications because of the opaque mold compound.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have BGA and OMPAC devices capable of sending and receiving optical signals. It would be of further advantage for the BGA and OMPAC devices to be cost effective without reducing their electrical and thermal characteristics.

Ball grid device with optically transmissive coating


A power tool includes a wrench head having a rotary socket, and a spanner tool mounted in the rotary socket, wherein the rotary socket grips a first component and the spanner tool grips a second components, the first and second component being adjacent.

Wheel alignment controls the steering performance of front wheels while the vehicle is driving. If the wheels are misaligned, the lifetime of tires may be shortened and the vehicle performance and fuel efficiency may be reduced.
Basically, the wheel alignment is characterized by the caster, camber, and toe.
The caster refers to the angular displacement (forward or backward tilt) of a steering axis from a vertical axis of a steered wheel as seen from the side of the vehicle. The caster is an essential element to ensure the vehicle's straight-line stability. As the caster is reduced, the return of a steering wheel may be improved and directional instability may be prevented. However, agile cornering performance may be reduced.
The camber reduces tire wear and to improve handling qualities. The camber may be of three types: negative camber, positive camber, and neutral camber depending on wheel orientation (the angle at which the top or bottom of the wheels (tires) get deformed inwards or outwards on the vertical axis of the vehicle). Most recent vehicles have the negative camber due to the development of suspension and vehicle body technologies. When the negative camber is applied, the vehicle body tilts due to a centrifugal force when cornering, and at this time, a contact area between the outer tire and the ground increases, enabling stable cornering.
The toe refers to the front of the wheels in a direction of travel when viewed from above. When the front of the tires point towards the centerline of the vehicle, it is called toe-in, and when the front of the tires point away from the centerline of the vehicle, it is called toe-out. Excess toe-out may cause the inside edges of the tires to wear out, and excess toe-in may cause the outside edges of the tires to wear out. In both cases, a lot of resistance from the road surface may reduce ride quality and reduce fuel efficiency. Proper toe-in may increase straight-line stability and make up for the inside tire wear caused by negative camber.
As well known in the art, toe settings may be adjusted by adjusting the lengths of tie rod assemblies of a steering mechanism. The steering mechanism includes a steering rack and pinion (or steering center link) and a pair of tie rod assemblies pivotally connected to both ends of the steering rack and pinion. The tie rod assemblies transmit a force from the steering rack and pinion to knuckles of the wheels, each tie rod assembly including an inner tie rod and an outer tie rod. The inner tie rod may have external threads provided on an end portion thereof and a hex portion adjacent to the external threads, and the outer tie rod may have internal threads provided on an end portion thereof. The external threads of the inner tie rod may be screwed into the internal threads of the outer tie rod. As the external threads of the inner tie rod move along an axial direction of the internal threads of the outer tie rod by rotation of the inner tie rod, the overall length of each tie rod assembly may be adjusted. When a lock nut is screwed to the external threads of the inner tie rod, and the lock nut locks the external threads of the inner tie rod and the internal threads of the outer tie rod, the external threads of the inner tie rod and the internal threads of the outer tie rod may be prevented from rotating relative to each other. Specifically, a power tool such as a nut runner may selectively grip and rotate the lock nut and the hex portion of the inner tie rod in the tie rod assembly of the steering mechanism to thereby adjust the overall length of the tie rod assembly, and thus the toe settings may be adjusted.
However, the power tool according to the related art may selectively grip the outer tie rod, the hex portion of the inner tie rod, and the lock nut and selectively rotate the inner tie rod and the lock nut. In particular, since the lock nut and the inner tie rod have different outer diameters, a structure of the power tool for selectively gripping the lock nut and the inner tie rod may become complex. That is, the related art power tool has a very complex structure and requires relatively many components, and thus has a relatively heavy weight and a relatively large size. Accordingly, the related art power tool may cooperate with a robot having a high payload capacity. The power tool and the robot are large and heavy, so it may be difficult to install them in a narrow space of wheel alignment measuring equipment. In addition, a time required for maintenance and repair may be relatively increased in the narrow space of the wheel alignment measuring equipment, and thus work productivity may be reduced.
In addition, a toe adjustment tool according to the related art requires relatively many components, so the possibility of failure may be high and a wheel alignment time may also be relatively long.
The above information described in this background section is provided to assist in understanding the background of the inventive concept, and may include any technical concept which is not considered as the prior art that is already known to those skilled in the art.


An invisible sound barrier includes a periodic array of spaced apart, columnar unit cells. Each unit cell includes a pair of joined, and inverted, columnar Helmholtz resonators, having neck portions that point in opposite directions. Each of the Helmholtz resonators can be formed of a sound absorbing material and coated with a light reflective material causing light to reflect around the resonators, thereby conferring invisibility. Each of the Helmholtz resonators can alternatively be formed of a light reflecting material, and positioned in between vertical mirrors, with a transparent material filling space between the resonators and the vertical mirrors.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it may be described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present technology.
Conventional acoustic barriers are nontransparent, blocking visible light. For example, concrete sound barriers on highway are widely used, but drivers inside their vehicles cannot see beautiful towns beyond such non-transparent walls. To make such conventional barriers transparent would require the near exclusive use of transparent materials in their construction, greatly limiting design possibilities.
Metamaterials formed of arrays of acoustic resonators can be used to absorb incident sound waves. Such materials generally also block visible light and are therefore not transparent. It would be desirable to provide a sound blocking structure that is visually transparent, allowing a user to see through it.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


Radiographic imaging device with a radiographic source and a digital radiographic detector, which are movable in their positioning in relation to a patient, and with a control device for movement control and for creating a radiographic image which can be output, with an optical marking device (14) provided at the radiographic source (2) which can be used to mark the height (h1–h2) of the area to be recorded on the patient (P) and the control device (10) being embodied to automatically determine the required height and number of radiographic images to be recorded, where necessary to be joined together for output of an overall image depicting the entire patient area and the recording positions of the radiographic source (2) and of the radiographic detector (3) in relation to the defined height of the patient area.

In modern x-ray-based diagnostics there is an ever increasing need to examine large areas, such the complete spinal column or the leg area to diagnose the settings of bones for example. In such cases the patient is scanned in a standing position (or for patients unable to stand, lying down) with the radiographic imaging device, that is a normal x-ray device comprising an x-ray tube and an x-ray detector. As a rule the detector features a film cassette measuring 40×120 cm, provided this is of sufficient size to capture an image of the entire area under examination. Alternatively it is known that smaller film cassettes can be used with a number storage foil images which record images of the area under examination and these can then be glued together to produce an overall image. This procedure is cumbersome and complicated and in addition the storage foil needs to be developed which requires a relatively long time, so that diagnosis cannot be undertaken contemporaneously.
From the subsequently published German Patent Application DE 102 44 609.1 the use of a digital radiography detector, that is of a known flat semiconductor detector for recording images, and moving this together with the radiation source in relation to the patient and recording radiographic images in different positions, which are subsequently joined together by the control device to form an overall image is known.


A sprinkler head assembly includes a sprinkler head body, a frame including a pair of arms extending from the body from opposed sides of the body, and a deflector mounted to the frame spaced from the outlet opening of the sprinkler head body for deflecting fire extinguishing liquid flowing from the outlet opening. The sprinkler head assembly is adapted to direct a greater proportion of the fire extinguishing liquid from one side of the sprinkler body than the other side of the sprinkler body.

The present invention relates to a fire protection sprinkler head.
Conventional dependent sprinklers typically disperse the fire suppressant liquid in a substantially uniform radial canopy while balancing the desire to maximize the area of coverage and the need to maintain the density of fire suppressant liquid across the area to be covered above a threshold level, which is set by a uniform standard code.
In sidewall and pitched roof or wall applications, a radial canopy is not necessarily desirable and, in some cases, is undesirable. In sidewall applications, the goal is deliver fire suppressant to the wall or walls at the sprinkler location and to the walls across from the sprinkler and to deliver fire suppressant across the floor area between the walls, which typically cannot be achieved efficiently using a radial canopy. Heretofore, most sidewall sprinklers use the upper half of the suppressant that flows from the outlet of the sprinkler to wet the distant walls (walls across from the sprinkler and distant side walls) and the floor area near the distant walls. The lower half of the fire suppressant is then typically used to wet near walls, including the wall on which the sprinkler is mounted, and the floor area surrounding the near walls. It has been found, however, that the density of the fire suppressant at the near walls and near floor areas typically significantly exceeds the density of the fire suppressant at the distant walls and distant floor areas. Hence most conventional sidewall sprinklers are inefficient and tend waste significant amounts of fire suppressant.
Consequently, there is a need to a sidewall sprinkler that can disperse fire suppressant with a more uniform distribution to reduce the amount of fire suppressant that is needed for a given area of coverage.


This document describes techniques for presenting a resource user interface. These techniques present, in a summary section of a user interface, multiple selectable resource tiles that each include real-time and/or static information corresponding to one of multiple resources of a computing device. Each of the multiple selectable resource tiles are presented simultaneously, which enables a user to compare live, real-time resource usage for different resources of the computing device. Further, these techniques present, in a detailed view section of the user interface, additional real-time resource information and/or a real-time resource graph corresponding to a selected one of the multiple resources.

Conventional computer diagnostic tools display information corresponding to system resources, such as a processor and a memory, one system resource at a time. For example, a typical task-manager application may display information about processor performance separately from information about memory usage. Thus, conventional computer diagnostic tools make it difficult for users to compare overall system resource usage to determine the cause of a performance problem.


An implantable electromedical device having a detachable, replaceable power supply. In one embodiment, the circuitry for an electromedical device is contained in a first hermetic enclosure, while a power supply for the device is contained in a second hermetic enclosure. The two enclosures are coupled together via a multiple conductor lead or the like, using any of the known assemblies commonly used for connection of pacing/sensing leads to an implantable device. A control signal generated by the device is applied to a control terminal on the battery enclosure. When the control signal is asserted, the battery is electrically coupled to two battery terminals on the battery enclosure, which terminals are coupled to power input terminals on the device itself. When the control signal is deserted, the battery is decouple from the battery terminals, so that there is no leakage current associated with the conduction of battery voltages on the connector between the two hermetic capsules. The disclosed arrangement may be advantageously utilized to allow for replacement of depleted batteries without explanation of the medical device itself, and to allow for different batteries to be used with the same device in different patients.

This invention relates to the field of medical devices, and more particularly relates to battery-powered implantable medical devices.
It has been proposed in the prior art that it would be desirable to provide an implantable medical device having a power supply that is separate from the remaining components, so that when the power supply becomes depleted, the battery can be replaced without replacing the device itself. A device with a detachable and replaceable battery would also offer the advantage that different sized batteries can be utilized in accordance with patients' individual needs. One arrangement for providing a removable battery in an implantable medical device was proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,760 to Kraska et al., entitled "Coupling Assembly for Implantable Electromedical Devices", which patent is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
When an implantable device having its power supply and electronics in a single housing is produced, steps can be taken during manufacture to ensure that the amount of water vapor in the housing is very low, on the order of ten parts per million (PPM) or so. The hermetic seals provided by the welded seams in typical implantable device housings are extremely effective in preventing body fluid from entering the housing. Thus, current leakage within the device due to fluid leakage is not generally a problem.
However, hermetically sealed connectors for use external to such device housings are not available. Typical implantable connector systems employing sealing rings or other similar sealing mechanisms are not hermetically sealed. In the absence of a hermetic seal, fluid will inevitably enter the connector. Since the terminals connecting a replaceable battery to a medical device will be at different potentials, if any significant fluid ingress occurs, current leakage will occur across the fluid, resulting in a potentially significant drain on the power supply, and creating the potential for corrosion. The Kraska et al reference proposes a solution to the problem of corrosion due to the expected fluid ingress by appropriate selection of connector metals. However, the Kraska et al reference does not address the problem of the resulting leakage current.
Connector systems designed for use in connecting implantable leads to pulse generators, for example, typically display leakage resistances in the range of 50 k-ohms. These connector systems employ sealing rings (similar to the Kraska et al reference) to separate each connector surface and to seal entry to the connector assembly. If a connector assembly of the type designed for coupling a lead to an implantable device were used for the alternate purpose of conveying battery voltage to an implanted device a 50-k.OMEGA. leakage resistance of a lead connector assembly would allow leakage currents in the range of 60 microamps or more, depending on battery voltage. In the context of an implantable pacemaker, this current leakage may well exceed the current drain of the pacemaker by a factor of 10 or more, which would be clearly unacceptable.

Replaceable battery for implantable medical device


A method of attaching a clinch spacer to a panel including forming a clinch spacer having a body portion including an axial bore, an annular flange portion surrounding the bore and an annular barrel portion integral and coaxially aligned with the flange portion having a diameter less than the flange portion including an end face having an outer lip extending at an angle radially outwardly and axially from the end face; forming an opening in the panel; and driving the barrel portion through the opening in the panel against a die member having a generally V-shaped annular projecting lip which is driven against a second face of the panel, deforming the panel radially inwardly against the outer surface of the barrel portion and deforming the outer annular lip radially outwardly and axially against the panel, forming a secure installation.

Self-attaching fastener elements of the type disclosed in the above-referenced related parent applications are typically attached to a panel to attach a second element to the same panel. As used herein, the term "panel" may be any plate-like member, such as a metal panel, bracket, frame member or the like, as used, for example, by the automotive and appliance industries. The fastener may be a female fastener or a male fastener as disclosed in the above-referenced related applications. Following attachment of the fastener to the panel, the fastener is then utilized to attach a second element to the same panel. In mass production applications, self-attaching fasteners are typically installed in a panel in a die press, wherein the lower die member or die platen includes a die member or die button which supports the panel during installation and the upper die member or die platen includes a plunger which drives the fastener into the panel and the panel and/or the fastener is deformed to secure the fastener on the panel. Alternatively, the self-attaching fastener may be installed in a conventional press having opposed relatively moveable die members.
However, as discussed further below, the self-clinching spacer or clinch spacer of this invention has been designed for a different application than the fastener systems disclosed in the above referenced applications, but which still requires a very secure and rigid interconnection between the clinch spacer and the panel and a substantial pull-off or pull-out strength.

Method of attaching a clinch spacer to a panel


A delay circuit, which is included in a ring oscillator, comprises a current source for providing a current; a first circuit coupled to the current source for receiving an input signal and producing an output signal; a second circuit coupled to the current source and the first circuit; a first adjustable impedance element coupled to the first circuit; a second adjustable impedance element coupled to the second circuit; and a control circuit coupled to the first adjustable impedance element and the second adjustable impedance element for producing a first control signal to control a first resistance of the first adjustable impedance element and producing a second control signal to control a second resistance of the second adjustable impedance element; wherein the first adjustable impedance element includes at least one transistor operated in linear region, and the second adjustable impedance element also includes at least one transistor operated in linear region.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an oscillator, and more particularly, to a voltage controlled oscillator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The performance of voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) can be evaluated with phase jitter, phase noise or KVCO (the proportion of the output oscillating frequency variance corresponding to the input control voltage Vin variance). Generally, if the amplitude of the output signal of the voltage controlled oscillator is larger or similar to square wave, the jitter and phase noise of the output signal will be also smaller; oppositely, if the amplitude is smaller, the jitter and phase noise of the output signal will be larger. Hence, if the amplitude of the output signal can be kept stable while changing the input voltage for controlling the output frequency, the signal to noise ratio (SNR) can be retained. It's an important requirement for the voltage controlled oscillator with wild amplitude range.
Please refer to the text "Design of analog CMOS integrated circuits" written by Prof. Behzad Razavi, in chapter 14, page 513, the FIG. 14.42 describes an oscillator. FIG. 1 shows a differential pair of the delay cell in a ring oscillator, and this technology, which is well known by the person of ordinary skill in the art, changes the control voltage Vcont of the transistors which are used as a loading device to control the oscillating frequency of the ring oscillator. However, the amplitude of the output signal Vout will be changing accordingly, and this is something that a designer of voltage controller oscillators would not be willing to see

Voltage controlled oscillator and delay circuit thereof


Techniques for layout-agnostic complex document processing are described. A document processing service can analyze documents that do not adhere to defined layout rules in an automated manner to determine the content and meaning of a variety of types of segments within the documents. The service may chunk a document into multiple chunks, and operate upon the chunks in parallel by identifying segments within each chunk, classifying the segments into segment types, and processing the segments using special-purpose analysis engines adapted for the analysis of particular segment types to generate results that can be aggregated into an overall output for the entire document that captures the meaning and context of the document text.

The automated processing and understanding of content within a variety of types of documents or portions of documents, such as from forms or tables within documents, is a difficult problem with a strong-felt need for a solution. Although solutions do exist for analyzing documents having fixed, rigidly-defined layouts because it is trivial to write logic to identify known values in known locations, the automated handling of documents that have flexible and/or unknown layouts is not a solved problem.

Layout-agnostic complex document processing system


A projection system includes image projection apparatuses to project one image onto a projection face based on image information, a projection controller to divide the image information into a plurality of segment image data, and to instruct each of the image projection apparatuses to project corresponding segment image data, a positional deviation detector disposed at each of the image projection apparatuses to detect a positional deviation at the image projection apparatuses, an identification unit to identify which image projection apparatus requires a calibration processing; a projection unit to cause the identified image projection apparatus to project a calibration image information; an image capture apparatus to capture the calibration image information; and a calibration unit to calibrate the segment image data projected by the identified image projection apparatus based on the captured calibration image information.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to a projection system, and an information processing apparatus.
Background Art
Projection systems that can display a large screen image with a higher resolution are developed. A projection system includes a plurality of projectors connected to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer. The information processing apparatus can transmit image information to the plurality of projectors while dividing image information into a plurality of image data, and each of the plurality of projectors projects the corresponding image data to project the image information as one screen image on a projection face. This projection system is known as a multi-projection system used, for example, as digital signage, and information boards in schools.
When the multi-projection system is used to project image information matched to a user intension, an adjustment of installation positions of the projectors and a positional adjustment (i.e., calibration processing) of projection images are required. Therefore, the adjustment of the installation positions of the projectors is performed before projecting the image information. However, after adjusting the installation positions of the projectors, the installation positions of the projectors may change if a person or object hits one or more of the projectors. In this case, a user re-adjusts the installation positions of the projectors to re-adjust the positional adjustment of projection images.
A multi-projection system that can automatically detect positional deviation of the projectors to perform the re-calibration processing of projection image is known
However, in conventional projection systems, the plurality of projectors and range finding sensors to detect the positional deviations of plurality of projectors are fixed on a stand. Therefore, when the positional deviation occurs and a re-calibration processing is to be performed, the re-calibration processing is required to be performed for all of the projectors, which is not convenient for users.

Projection system, and information processing apparatus


A composition including a polycrystalline metal nitride having a number of grains is provided. These grains have a columnar structure with one or more properties such as, an average grain size, a tilt angle, an impurity content, a porosity, a density, and an atomic fraction of the metal in the metal nitride.

The invention includes embodiments that may relate to a crystalline composition. The invention includes embodiments that may relate to an apparatus for making a crystalline composition, and to a device including the crystalline composition. The invention includes embodiments that may relate to a method of making and/or using the crystalline composition.
Preparation of crystalline compositions, such as polycrystalline group III metal nitrides, may produce relatively fine powder particles or films of modest thickness. The powder form may have little or no appreciable mechanical or electrical bonding between the grains, and may not be strongly bonded, dense or cohesive. For use as a sputter target, the bulk polycrystalline material should be strongly bonded, dense, and cohesive. Items made from the powder form may have an undesirable high residual porosity and/or moisture sensitivity, which may allow for ease of disintegration and dissolution. For a crystalline growth source, an article should not easily disintegrate back into solution.
Several methods related to chemical vapor deposition may be capable of forming a polycrystalline metal nitride film. Some methods may suffer from a difficulty in scaling up and/or precision control of the gas phase reaction processes leading to poor quality control. Such difficulty may be due to a use of initially solid materials as reactants, or may be due to extreme reaction conditions. Sometimes, the films may contain undesirable levels of contaminants, which may make those films relatively less suitable for use in, for example, ammonothermal crystalline growth.
Crystals having differing properties than those crystals currently available may be desirable. A method or process for making such crystals and/or using the crystalline composition may be desirable. It may be desirable to have an apparatus for making a crystalline composition, and to a device including the crystalline composition, that differs from those currently available.

Crystalline composition, device, and associated method


In large PV power plants, grounding of individual PV modules may lead to problems. The present invention overcomes such problems. The basis for the invention is a PV power plant comprising one or more PV generators, each comprising a PV string and an inverter with a DC input and an AC output. The PV string comprises at least one PV module and is electrically connected to the DC input of the inverter. The inverter comprises means for controlling the DC potential at the DC input depending on the DC potential at the AC output. The AC outputs of the inverters are coupled in parallel. The novel feature of the invention is that the PV power plant further comprises an offset voltage source, which controls the DC potential at the AC outputs. Thereby, the DC potential at the DC input will be indirectly controlled, and it is thus possible to ensure that the potentials with respect to ground at the terminals of the PV modules are all non-negative or all non-positive without grounding the PV modules. Ground loops can be avoided, and there is no need for the use of transformer-based inverters.

In larger PV power plants with DC/AC-converters (inverters), the plant is typically connected to the power grid through a dedicated isolation transformer, which connects the relatively low voltage PV generator system to the medium voltage power grid. One reason for this is that the PV modules, which convert the solar energy into electrical energy, typically must have a defined potential with respect to ground. This is typically achieved by grounding all or some of the PV modules.
Grounding is normally done in order to comply with local regulations, to facilitate the detection of isolation faults and/or to avoid corrosion and/or yield reduction of the PV modules.
Detection of isolation faults may be difficult in larger systems due to the rather high leakage currents from the PV modules, especially in wet conditions. By grounding the system, leakage currents can be monitored.
Some types of PV module, notably thin film modules incorporating a TCO (transparent conductive oxide) layer are prone to irreparable damage, and consequent substantial power losses, resulting from the reaction of glass-sodium with moisture. To avoid accelerated degradation of such PV modules, it is normally required to ground the negative terminal of the PV strings, i.e. avoid that any active part of the PV modules have a negative potential with respect to the ground potential. The degradation of the PV modules depends on the potential difference between the active parts of the module and the ground. Depending on the module construction, grounded parts may be in very close distance from the active parts—accelerating the degradation.
With some other types of PV module, notably those where the terminals are all located on one side of the module—known as 'back contact modules'—a reduction of module efficiency has been observed during operation. This appears to be due to a buildup of static charge on the surface of the cell and can be counteracted by maintaining the cell below the ground potential. Thus, some back-contact PV modules require that the positive terminal is grounded in order to avoid yield losses, i.e. their terminals must have non-positive potentials.
In larger PV systems comprising several strings of PV modules and several inverters, grounding of more than one PV module may cause currents to run through the ground (ground loops). Ground loops may cause problems with controlling the power plant, increase the risk and/or the rate of corrosion and also increase problems relating to electromagnetic interference (EMI). In order to avoid ground loops, transformer-based inverters may be used, so that the DC and the AC sides of the inverters are separated galvanically. Such inverters are however, relatively heavy and expensive, and there is a demand for PV power plants, which may utilise transformer-less inverters and still ensure defined potentials with respect to ground at the PV modules. The use of transformer-less inverters in large PV power plants does however, require that, if ground loops shall be avoided, the PV generator system be configured as a network with an earthing system where the AC side of the inverters has no connection to ground at all. This is known as an 'IT' earthing system and is described in, for example, IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) International Standard 60364-1—Electrical Installation in Buildings. This means, in practice, that the AC side of the system must be floating with respect to ground and can therefore not be grounded.
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical prior art power plant 22 and comprises a single PV generator 23, comprising a PV string 3 and a transformerless (non galvanically isolated) inverter 24. The inverter 24 has a DC input 18 and a three-phase AC output 19. The PV string 3 comprises three PV modules 5 connected in series and arranged so that they will be exposed to sunlight. Each PV module 5 comprises a number of PV cells (not shown) connected as already known in the art so that they generate a single DC power output at the terminals 6 of the PV module 5. The PV string 3 is electrically connected to the DC input 18 of the inverter 4 through a positive connection 7 and a negative connection 8. The AC outputs 19 are connected electrically in parallel to a power grid 9 comprising three power lines and a neutral line. The neutral line is connected to ground via a ground connection 15.
Here the system is configured as a network with an earthing system where the AC side of the inverter has a connection to ground, and the network also includes a ground connection. This is known as a 'TN' earthing system and is described in, for example, IEC 60364-1.
When operating, the voltages appearing at the positive input 7 and negative input 8 of the inverter 24 are represented in FIG. 2. In the graph the axis 25 represents the voltage with respect to ground, and it will be seen that the voltage at the positive input 7 (represented by the line 27) is above ground potential whilst that at the negative the negative input 8 (represented by the line 28) is below ground potential. These voltages, as well as the potential between them—the voltage across the PV string 3 (represented by the range 26)—are controlled by the characteristics of the inverter 24, the irradiation of the PV string 3, the type of solar cells used in each PV module 5 as well as other factors. Since the grounding of either side of the inverter DC inputs 18 is not possible in this design of power plant, such a power plant 22 will be subject to a decrease in efficiency, and the PV string 3 liable to damage, resulting from the problems discussed above.
FIG. 3 illustrates another prior art power plant 29. Here the difference from the power plant 22 of FIG. 1 is that the PV generator 31 comprises a transformer-based (galvanically isolated) inverter 30, that is to say there is galvanic isolation between the DC input 18 and AC output 19 of the inverter. This allows the grounding of the negative input 8 of the inverter 30 to be made using a ground connection 32. FIG. 4 illustrates the voltages appearing at the DC inputs 18 of the inverter 30 in a similar manner to FIG. 2. In can be seen that the whole PV string 3 is held at a positive potential relative to ground. Such a configuration is suitable for avoiding the problems with thin film modules discussed above. If, alternatively, the positive input 7 of the inverter 30 was grounded instead of the negative input 8, then a configuration suitable for back contact type modules would be realised.
In this type of power plant, whilst it is possible to control the voltages appearing at the inputs 18, and so minimise the decrease in efficiency and damage resulting from the problems discussed above, this advantage comes only at the cost of using a transformer-based inverter (30). Such an inverter design is more expensive to produce, heavier and is less efficient in operation and so the use of such an inverter is clearly a disadvantage. A further disadvantage of this type of power plant is the requirement that a ground connection 32 needs to be physically connected to the positive input 7 or the negative input 8 of the inverter 30. This requires additional hardware and labour to attach. In addition, changing the type of PV modules at a later date may involve the physical disconnection and/or reconnection of a ground connection 32, a procedure which is labour intensive and therefore a disadvantage.
FIG. 5 illustrates yet another prior art power plant 33. Here the difference from the power plant 22 of FIG. 1 is that the AC outputs 19 are connected electrically in parallel to a power grid 9 through a three-phase AC connection 17 and a three-phase isolation transformer 10 having a primary side 11, a secondary side 12 and a neutral terminal 13 on the primary side. Such a transformer is often used in high capacity power plants, where multiple inverters are coupled in parallel, and is described in more detail below. Such a configuration allows the potential of the inverter inputs 18 to be independent of the potential of the network 9 without the need for using a costly transformer-based inverter 31. The grounding of the negative input 8 of the inverter 24 can be made using a ground connection 32. FIG. 4 illustrates the voltages appearing at the DC inputs 18 of the inverter 24 in a similar manner to FIG. 2. In can be seen that the whole PV string 3 is held at a positive potential relative to ground. Such a configuration is suitable for avoiding the problems with thin film modules discussed above. If, alternatively, the positive input 7 of the inverter 24 was grounded instead of the negative input 8, then a configuration suitable for back contact type modules would be realised.
A disadvantage of this type of power plant is the requirement that a ground connection 32 needs to be physically connected to the positive input 7 or the negative input 8 of the inverter 24. This requires additional hardware and labour to attach. In addition, changing the type of PV modules at a later date may involve the physical disconnection and/or reconnection of a ground connection 32, a procedure which is labour intensive and therefore a disadvantage. In addition, if two or more PV generators 23 are connected in parallel, as illustrated in FIG. 6, and one input of each inverter 23 is earthed as described above, problems will arise if the characteristics or irradiation of each PV string 3 are not identical. This may cause unwanted voltages and consequent ground loop currents.
In all the prior art power plants illustrated above it can be seen that whilst the potential of one or more PV strings with respect to ground is an important parameter for running a power plant in an efficient manner and one which does not cause damage to the PV strings, this often only achieved by the use of expensive hardware or the labour intensive fitting of additional hardware.


An apparatus (10) for use in turning steerable vehicle wheels (12,14) includes a connector member (28) which connects a first end portion (70) of the rack (66) with a first steerable vehicle wheel (14). A second end portion (72) of the rack (66) is spaced from the second steerable vehicle wheel (12) and is free of a connection with a member which extends between the second end portion of the rack and the second steerable vehicle wheel. A force transmitting member (32) extends between the steerable vehicle wheels (12,14) and extends through a hydraulic motor (42). Upon rotation of a steering wheel, a valve connected with a pinion gear (62) effects operation of the motor (42) to turn the steerable vehicle wheels (12,14).

The present invention relates to a new and improved apparatus for turning steerable vehicle wheels upon manual rotation of a steering wheel.
Steerable vehicle wheels have previously been turned by a rack and pinion steering system. The rack and pinion steering system may include a hydraulic motor which is connected with the steerable vehicle wheels by tie rods in the manner disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,099. Other known rack and pinion steering systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,851,015 and 5,975,573.
Steerable vehicle wheels have also been turned by steer-by-wire steering systems. In a known steer-by-wire steering system, there has been no mechanical connection between a steering wheel and a steering apparatus connected with steerable vehicle wheels. In at least one known steer-by-wire steering system, a transmitter assembly associated with the steering wheel sends a signal to a receiver assembly associated with a steering apparatus connected with the steerable vehicle wheels. This steering apparatus is actuated in accordance with the signal received by the receiver assembly. Known steer-by-wire steering systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,546,322 and 6,655,709.


A device, system and method for controlling the fluid flow of a process fluid in a tube with a magnetic field. A ferrogel can be included in the tube with the process fluid. A membrane can encapsulate the ferrogel. A mounting support can secure the membrane within the tube, and a magnetic field generator can generate the magnetic field to deform the membrane and the ferrogel from a natural position to a deformed position.

Fluid handling devices to control fluid flow, including pumps and valves, can be fabricated using techniques similar to those found in applications pertaining to integrated circuits. These devices can be applied to a system to control a fluid flow. Known techniques include devices using magnetically actuated slugs made of a magnetic fluid, a ferrogel, to control a process fluid through a channel. A ferrogel can be prepared by introducing magnetic particles, such as magnetic metal particles, into a gel. A deformable ferrogel can be used in a micro-pump or a micro-valve.

Controlling a fluid flow with a magnetic field


A draw-pull bar is described which consists of at least one adapter with a metallic tubular end and of an inner and outer tubular body out of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP). It is characterized thus that the outer CFRP tubular body conically wraps the metallic end of the adapter from the outside in a form-fit manner while the inner CFRP tubular body is form-fit connected with the metallic ends of the adapter. An elastomeric layer is tapered in the contact area between the inner tubular body and the outer tubular body in such a way that both tubular bodies are separated on the one side, but are arranged against each other in a protected and damped manner on the other side.

Such draw-pull bars generally consist of a largely tubular body, at each end of which an adapter for assembling the draw-pull bar is located. Such draw-pull bars serve to transfer both tensile and compressive loads. Normally this type of tubular body is constructed from metallic materials; such as in particular stainless steel, aluminium and titanium. Such materials, however, have the disadvantage, especially in aircraft construction, of being too heavy, which waters down the benefit gained from the metal tube's tolerance of external damage. This therefore offers the opportunity, especially for draw-pull bars used in aircraft construction, to use lighter materials, such as carbon-fibre-reinforced of plastic (hereinafter referred to as "CFRP"). It is true that draw-pull bars made of CFRP are already known. These, however, consist exclusively of single-wall tubular bodies having a direct straightforward connection to the adapter, a construction that only, however, partially suits the requirements of the aircraft industry. The aircraft industry's generally strict testing guidelines require draw-pull bars to fulfil the purpose even when they have been externally damaged, and to transfer both tensile and compressive loads, as required. These requirements can, however, only be fulfilled by over-sized single-wall CFRP tubular bodies. This, in turn, presents the disadvantage of increased weight.

Carbon fiber reinforced plastic push/pull rod


According to various embodiments, provided herein is an optical system and method that can be configured to perform image analysis. The optical system can comprise a telescope assembly and one or more hybrid instruments. The one or more hybrid instruments can be configured to receive image data from the telescope assembly and perform a fine guidance operation and a wavefront sensing operation, simultaneously, on the image data received from the telescope assembly.

The current state of the art in wavefront sensing and control and thermal stability control for telescopes is performed periodically. A telescope's primary mirror can comprise a plurality of mirror segments, the primary mirror can be a single unit. Fine phasing can be performed using each primary mirror segment. This can be achieved using phase retrieval methods that require moving a filter wheel, pointing at a star, and using the main science camera to take an image. For the current state of the art, fine phasing updates of the primary mirror segments occur approximately once every 14 days. In between, the architecture for the telescope relies on passive thermal stability to meet the allocated wavefront error allocation, a highly challenging capability. Wavefront sensing and control, and passive thermal stability architecture, will not suffice for mirrors designed to be used in the future, because the mirror and composite structure is not sufficiently stable to meet an acceptable allocation, for example, about 5 nm root means squared.
Furthermore, some systems are very complex and expensive and can include edge sensors and laser trusses. Thus, a technique is needed to improve the thermal stability and fine phasing update architecture of a UV-optical telescope. The system and method described herein have limited impact on the overall complexity of the system, particularly of the primary mirror system.

Hybrid architecture active wavefront sensing and control system, and method

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


A computer motherboard includes a board body and an expansion unit that is provided on the board body and that defines a hybrid expansion slot that complies with the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) specification and the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIE) specification.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a motherboard assembly, more particularly to a motherboard assembly with a hybrid expansion slot that complies with the PCI specification and the PCIE specification.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional computer motherboard normally includes expansion slots that comply respectively with the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) specification and the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIE)-associated specification.
In view of the current trend toward miniaturization of electronic devices, there is always a need for reducing the size of the computer motherboard.

Universal Scientific Industrial Co., Ltd.


In response to a write request from a master to write to an external device, a control unit holds a write address and write data from the master in a write address holding unit and in a write data holding unit, respectively, outputs a reception signal to the master, and writes the write data to the external device specified by the write address. When the master holds the read address in the read address holding unit, the control unit reads data from the external device specified by the read address, and holds the read data in the read data holding unit.

With media processing, there are cases where it is effective to assist a master with an external device, and for expanding the external device, an expansion bus is provided with the master.
Here, the media processing refers to data processing in general, such as audio processing and image processing, the master refers to a device such as a CPU, a microcomputer and the like which performs main control, and the external device refers to a peripheral device such as a coprocessor, an accelerator, a memory and the like which assists the CPU, the microcomputer and the like.
By having the expansion bus and having resources of the external device assigned to the access space, the master can handle the resources of the external device as expanded resources of the master, and thus communication between the master and the external device can be performed at a high speed. As a result, the processing performance of the master can be improved, and it is further possible to facilitate realization of functions of both software and hardware.
Here, the access space is space to which the master can access and to which addresses are assigned for a program access, a data access, an input/output access and the like.
Conventional methods of realizing these accesses include a method where a master is provided with an interface of an expansion bus and accesses an on-chip device via the interface, and further, a method of accessing an external device outside the chip via the interface of the expansion bus of a master and another interface by converting into a protocol of the expansion bus. (See, for example, Patent Reference 1)
Patent Reference 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 076151 (p. 15, FIG. 3)


The present invention relates to a graphical user interface (GUI), a synthesizer and a computer system including such a graphical user interface. In the prior art, input signals may be modified using a variety of controls including rotatable knobs or levers or switches or effected via software controls. Hitherto, the value of each signal has been represented in a dedicated manner even when signals are being combined and this adds to the complexity for a user.

To date, the generation, manipulation and modification of video and audio signals is now very complex. Such processing of video and audio signals is almost exclusively effected using dedicated hardware and/or in connection with a computer system. In either case, such processing often requires a hard disc drive, input mediums such as from cameras or musical instruments or synthesizers, output mediums such as speakers and screens or graphical user interfaces (GUI) and control mediums such as a computer keyboard, mouse, joystick or rollerballs. The hard disc drive contains system programs for operating the various hardware and software.
Primarily the user interacts with the hardware to generate, manipulate and modify signals using the graphical user interface (GUI). Typically, the GUI includes windows, icons and menus both pull down and pop up. The windows in a GUI are used to display data and in particular with audio and/or video signals, the data is displayed in a 2-dimensional graphic manner.
The input signals from whatever source are modified using a variety of controls including rotatable knobs or levers or switches or effected via software controls. Hitherto, the value of each signal has been represented in a dedicated manner even when signals are being combined. For example, three or more input signals to generate a sound wave each have a dedicated display indicating the value of the particular signal contributing to the sound wave. It is often difficult for a user to appreciate the contribution that each signal makes and when modifying one signal how that affects the balance with the other two signals.
In addition, more than one variable of the input signal may be varied. For example, the amplitude and/or frequency of the input signal may be varied. In a synthesizer, the wave form shape may be varied or style of signal such as selecting from different instruments.

Graphical user interface(GUI), a synthesiser and a computer system including a GUI

Abstract: The present invention thus relates to a graphical user interface for displaying three or more input signals; comprising a geometric display having the number of dimensions equal to one less than the number of signals whereby each signal represents an apex of the geometric display and a cursor is disposed within the geometric display and represents the combination of the signals.


A process for isolating high bulk density polymer resins from polymer resin solutions is provided herein. More particularly, a polymer resin having a glass transition temperature of greater than about ambient temperature is isolated from a polymer resin solution by subjecting the polymer resin solution a gaseous component under moderate pressure and ambient temperature.

Polymerization reactions generally fall into one of two classes. The classes are condensation polymerizations and addition polymerizations. Common to the above-mentioned polymerization reactions is the employment of organic solvents as a medium which comprises the monomers to be polymerized and the polymer resins to be formed. Thus, the product generally obtained in polymerization reactions is polymer resins dissolved in organic solvents (hereinafter polymer resin solutions).
Additionally, polymer resins are also found solubilized in organic solvents as a result of recycling processes. For instance, a variety of waste polymer resins such as those obtained from automobile bumpers and computer casings are frequently recycled. Said waste polymer resins are often sand blasted to remove paint and subsequently ground into flakes and powders. The flakes and powders are then solubilized in organic solvents. Insolubles such as fillers, metals, paper, impact modifiers and coatings are filtered off and polymer resin solutions which often have soluble components such as dyes, stabilizers and flame retardants are obtained.
It is therefore noted that the instant novel process is effective for precipitating polymer resins as high bulk density solids from polymer resin solutions regardless of how the polymer resins originate in said solutions. Further, when said polymer resin solutions are the product of a polymerization reaction, they may often be referred to as virgin polymer resin solutions.
Many of the conventional processes utilized to isolate polymer resins from solutions are inefficient, energy intensive as well as environmentally unfavorable. This is true because the polymer resins that are isolated via conventional processes are often of low bulk density since they possess both porous particles and poor particle size distribution. In addition, they are often contaminated with low molecular weight compounds such as residual catalysts and unreacted monomers. Because of this, their chemical and physical properties (e.g., reactivity, color, odor and impact strength) are adversely altered. Moreover, conventional processes employ large volumes of volatile organic solvents as well as high energy/high temperature process steps which invariably increases the amount of organic waste polluting the environment.
It is of increasing interest to isolate polymer resins as high bulk density solids from polymer resin solutions via a process that does not adversely affect the environment. The instant invention, therefore, is based on the discovery of a novel process for isolating polymer resins as high bulk density solids from polymer resin solutions. The polymer resins possess glass transition temperatures (Tg) greater than about ambient temperature, but preferably at least about 50.degree. C. greater than ambient temperature. Additional novel embodiments of the instant invention include directly subjecting the polymer resin solutions to gaseous carbon dioxide under moderate pressures at about ambient temperature. Further, in the instant invention high bulk density is defined as about 0.2 g/cm.sup.3 to about 1.O g/cm.sup.3 but preferably about 0.3 g/cm.sup.3 to about 0.6 g/cm.sup.3. Moderate pressures are defined as about 300 psig to about 800 psig. However, a pressure of about 600 psig is often preferred.
It is noted that since the instant process is conducted at an operating temperature of about ambient temperature, the Tg values of the polymer resins isolated in the instant process are not intended to be lower than said operating temperature. Thus, said polymer resins are by definition glassy polymer resins and not rubbery polymer resins at about ambient temperature. Additionally, the Tg values of said polymer resins will increase when they are isolated from the solution and dried since organic solvents typically lower the Tg values of polymer resins.

Process for isolating polymer resins from solutions


This invention relates to a push-button type switch comprising electrical contacts actuated by a head made up of a command button (1) associated with a body (2) within which is housed a piston (4) and a push rod (6) acting on electrical contacts which are able to slide and to pivot within the body (2) along an axis (Xxe2x80x94X) without being able to pivot relative to one another, the push rod (6) being fitted with a first catch (7) and a second catch (8) characterized by the fact that the piston (4) is fitted with a command device (41) capable, when the button (1) is pushed, of actuating the first catch (7) called the stop catch immobilizing the push rod (6) in the xe2x80x9cstand-byxe2x80x9d position and then releasing the push rod (6) which can move into the xe2x80x9cheldxe2x80x9d position where it is immobilized by the second catch (8) which is used to maintain contact.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrical switch of the maintained contact push button type, intended for emergency shut-downs and comprising a body and a command button mounted on a cylindrical body and acted upon by a return spring.
2. Discussion of the Background
A switch of the maintained contact push button type permits actuation of the electrical contacts when an operator presses the push button at the moment of an emergency shut-down. The actuating push button is mounted on a body within which a movable piston and a movable push rod are housed, the latter being used to actuate the electrical contacts. This piston and this push rod are capable of sliding and pivoting within the body, along an axis, while at the same time being immobilized relative to one another. The piston is held in the xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d position by a catch. When an operator presses the actuating push button, the piston is moved by a cocking spring to a trip or stop position, a position in which it is held by the same catch, after having actuated the electrical contacts.
After the trip, following an emergency shut-down, the push button remains driven in, in the trip or stop position. It can be unlocked in such a way that it returns to the xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d position, using a key inserted into a barrel or by rotation of the head.
The size of the interlock is variable mainly due to piling up of the sides and of the coefficient of friction which has a negative effect on safety.
The purpose of the invention is to provide a maintained contact push button with improved safety.
The switch according to the invention is essentially characterized by the fact that the piston is fitted with a command device capable, when the button is pushed, of actuating the first catch, called the stop catch, immobilizing the push rod in the xe2x80x9cstand-byxe2x80x9d position and then releasing the push rod which can move into the xe2x80x9ccontactxe2x80x9d position where it is immobilized by the second catch which is used to maintain contact.
According to one characteristic, the command push rod has guiding means which are guided onto helical ramps created in the body.
According to another characteristic, the body has a ramp used for the backward movement of the catch when the push rod pivots about its axis of rotation and a boss permitting the indexing of the push rod and of the piston in the contact position.

Push-button switch for emergency shut-down


Apparatus and methods for activity based plasticity in a spiking neuron network adapted to process sensory input. In one embodiment, the plasticity mechanism may be configured for example based on activity of one or more neurons providing feed-forward stimulus and activity of one or more neurons providing inhibitory feedback. When an inhibitory neuron generates an output, inhibitory connections may be potentiated. When an inhibitory neuron receives inhibitory input, the inhibitory connection may be depressed. When the inhibitory input arrives subsequent to the neuron response, the inhibitory connection may be depressed. When input features are unevenly distributed in occurrence, the plasticity mechanism is capable of reducing response rate of neurons that develop receptive fields to more prevalent features. Such functionality may provide network output such that rarely occurring features are not drowned out by more widespread stimulus.

1. Technological Field
The present disclosure relates generally to artificial neural networks, and more particularly in one exemplary aspect to computer apparatus and methods for plasticity implementation in a pulse-code neural network.
2. Description of Related Art
Artificial spiking neural networks are frequently used to gain an understanding of biological neural networks, and for solving artificial intelligence problems. These networks typically employ a pulse-coded mechanism, which encodes information using timing of the pulses. Such pulses (also referred to as "spikes" or 'impulses') are short-lasting (typically on the order of 1-2 ms) discrete temporal events. Several exemplary embodiments of such encoding are described in commonly owned and co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/152,084 entitled APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR PULSE-CODE INVARIANT OBJECT RECOGNITION", filed Jun. 2, 2011, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/152,119, Jun. 2, 2011, entitled "SENSORY INPUT PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHODS", each incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Typically, artificial spiking neural networks, such as the exemplary network described in owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/541,531, entitled "CONDITIONAL PLASTICITY SPIKING NEURON NETWORK APPARATUS AND METHODS", may comprise a plurality of units (or nodes), which can be thought of as corresponding to neurons in a biological neural network. Any given unit may be connected to many other units via connections, also referred to as communications channels, and/or synaptic connections. The units providing inputs to any given unit are commonly referred to as the pre-synaptic units, while the units receiving the inputs are referred to as the post-synaptic units.
Each of the unit-to-unit connections may be assigned, inter alia, a connection efficacy, which in general may refer to a magnitude and/or probability of input spike influence on unit output response (i.e., output spike generation/firing). The efficacy may comprise, for example a parameter—e.g., synaptic weight—by which one or more state variables of post-synaptic unit are changed. In one or more implementations, the efficacy may comprise a latency parameter by characterizing propagation delay from a pre-synaptic unit to a post-synaptic unit. In some implementations, greater efficacy may correspond to a shorter latency. During operation of a pulse-code network, neuron responses to input stimulus may be characterized by a firing rate (e.g., a number of spikes per unit time). Individual neurons of such network may be configured to respond to one or more features of the input (e.g., a vertical and/or a horizontal edge, an object of a certain color, and/or other feature). When some of the features (e.g., red circles) may be more prevalent within the input, the neurons with the receptive fields corresponding to the red circles may respond more frequently (e.g., with a higher firing rate) to the input. Such frequent responses may overwhelm or 'drown-out' neurons responding to less frequent/prominent features of the input, and/or lead to an excessive use of network communication, computational, and/or power resources.
Consequently, there is a salient need for improved network operation capable of, inter alia, equalizing firing adaptive plasticity mechanisms to enable a pulse-code (e.g., spiking) neuron network capable of operating in a wide variety of input and network dynamic regimes.

Rate stabilization through plasticity in spiking neuron network


An apparatus and method for providing controlled heating, cooling and motion, in a device such as an active robotic automobile seat, are disclosed. A shape memory alloy (SMA) element, which changes shape upon application of a temperature change to the SMA element, is coupled to a thermoelectric device. Heat flows through the TED upon application of an electrical current through the TED. The apparatus is operable in one of a plurality of modes. In a first mode, a current is applied through the TED to cause a temperature change in the SMA element to change the shape of the SMA element. In a second mode, a current is applied to the TED to cause heat flow in a space adjacent to the apparatus. By controlling application of current to the TED, controlled motion, heating and cooling are achieved in the seat.

Long hours of driving cause the driver's tissue at the thighs and hips to be pressurized for an extended period and result in considerable discomfort and driver fatigue. Capillary blood vessels may collapse under a pressure higher than 30 mmHg thereby interfering with blood perfusion and circulation when the driver is seated for a long time. Furthermore, continuous contact with the seat surface often causes heat and moisture accumulation at the contact surface. Periodically stimulating the tissue in contact with the car seat, as well as providing adequate ventilation and pressure relief may alleviate these problems. Automotive manufacturers are enhancing the value of luxury cars by adding more functionality to the car seats.
These car seats are instrumental in providing a relaxed and comfortable driving experience, especially during long trips. Heated car seats are available in many cars, and systems that have cooling as well as heating of the seat surface have also been developed. Embedding a massage function in car seats is another new feature that is gaining popularity.
A driver who is driving for an extended period of time can be fatigued due to inadequate blood perfusion at the tissue under persistent pressure. Stimulation of the tissue as well as pressure relief and ventilation, are desirable. This can reduce the fatigue of the driver, thereby reducing the risk of accidents caused by driver's fatigue. This can generally be accomplished by massage. However, the massage effect should not interfere with driving and, therefore, conventional massage is not generally applicable to driving an automobile.
There are three types of active car seats providing massage effects. One is a vibrating and kneading massage cushion for car seats. These are built with simple DC motors with eccentric weights in order to create vibration. Due to the nature of the DC motor, the frequency of the vibration is high, creating a rapid vibratory motion. But these fast vibrations could cause itchiness and other discomfort when applied for a long time.
Therapeutic massage chairs similar to home-use massagers have been applied to back seats and passenger side seats. These may interfere with driving, and are therefore not applicable to driver car seats. Bulky motors and mechanisms also make them unfavorable for car seat applications.
There is another type of massage car seat that uses air inflation to create bumps on the surface of the seat. The bumps created by air inflation are limited to a simple round shape. They are effective for redistributing pressure, but no sophisticated motion can be created.

Rapid cooling and heating of car seats with massaging effects


This invention methods of etching an aluminum oxide comprising substrate, and methods of forming capacitors. In one implementation, a method of etching an aluminum oxide comprising substrate includes flowing water and ozone to aluminum oxide on the substrate, with at least one of the water and the ozone being at a temperature of at least 65° C. at the aluminum oxide effective to etch aluminum oxide from the substrate. In one implementation, aspects of the method are utilized in forming a capacitor.

Aluminum oxides, such as Al2O3, are dielectrics finding increasing use in the fabrication of integrated circuits. One such use is in the fabrication of capacitors, for example as might be used in the fabrication of logic circuitry, or memory circuitry such as DRAM. Further and regardless, it is sometimes desirable to etch an aluminum oxide comprising material selectively to other materials over a substrate, for example doped and updoped silicon dioxides, titanium nitride, hafnium nitride and aluminum nitride. In the context of this document, a "doped" silicon dioxide comprises silicon dioxide having at least 2 total atomic percent of one or both of phosphorus and boron doping, with an "undoped" silicon dioxide comprising less than 2 total atomic percent of one or both of phosphorus and boron doping, including 0% of such doping.
One example chemistry for etching aluminum oxide is a base-buffered HF solution (for example 100 volume parts water to 1 volume part HF to 15 volume parts of a base) to provide the primary H2F2 etching species. This exemplary chemistry provides very good selectivity in etching aluminum oxides relative to titanium nitride, for example a selectivity of about 500:1. In the context of this document, selectivity in an etch for etching one material selectively to another requires removal/etching of the one relative to the other at a ratio of at least 2:1. Of course, often much higher selectivities are obtainable and desirable. The above exemplary chemistry has not produced desired degree of selectivity in etching aluminum oxide selectively relative to hafnium nitride and aluminum nitride. For example, using the above chemistry not only etches aluminum oxide but also etches aluminum nitride and hafnium nitride just as fast or faster.
While the invention was motivated in addressing the above identified issues, it is in no way so limited. Rather, the invention is only limited by the accompanying claims as literally worded without interpretative or other limiting reference to the specification, and in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.

Methods of etching an aluminum oxide comprising substrate, and methods of forming a capacitor


Delay calibration for digital signal chains of SFCW systems is disclosed. An example calibration method includes receiving a burst with a test pulse, the burst having a duration of L clock cycles; receiving a trigger indicative of a time when the burst was transmitted; generating a digital signal indicative of the received burst; for each of L clock cycles, computing a moving average of a subset of digital samples and an amplitude for each average; identifying one moving average for which the computed amplitude is closest to an expected amplitude; identifying the clock cycle of the identified moving average; and updating at least one delay to be applied in digital signal processing of received bursts based on a difference between the trigger and the identified clock cycle. The delay may be used for selecting digital samples of the received signal that contain valid data for performing further data processing.

SFCW is a technology where the waves are transmitted in bursts of pulses. One characteristic feature of a SFCW system is that the frequency is increased linearly in discrete steps for successive pulse transmission. Modulation occurs across pulses of different bursts instead of within each pulse. FIG. 1 provides an example illustration of a signal 100 that may be used in a SFCW system. As shown in FIG. 1, the SFCW signal 100 includes 5 successive bursts 102 (labeled as bursts 102-1 through 102-5), each burst having a pulse 104 (labeled as pulses 104-1 through 104-5) of a different frequency (a given frequency may be referred to as a "tone"), typically in the radio frequency (RF) range.
SFCW is an emerging technology in millimeter-wave imaging radar applications with multiple advantages like deeper material penetration, higher average power, low turnaround time and higher precision with signal processing. For example, one imaging application may involve a multi-transmit multi-receive SFCW system where one or more transmitters transmit SFCW pulses one after another. When more transmitters transmit together in the same time slot, they may use different frequencies for their pulses. The reflected pulses are captured by a receiver that processes the reflected pulses to determine their amplitude and/or phase in order to produce an image of and/or determine various characteristics of an object from which the pulses were reflected further. Such a SFCW system may be used in a body scanner or other medical imaging applications, for example.
Determining amplitude and phase of received signals is a common task in various RF systems, where a large portion of data processing is performed in the digital domain (i.e., one received signals have been converted from the analog form to the digital form). However, the bursting nature of pulses in SFCW systems impose digital signal processing (DSP) challenges that are not present in other RF systems. One such challenge resides in selecting digital samples of the received signal that contain valid data for performing further data processing on, e.g., for computing moving averages from, where the moving averages may then be used for determining the amplitudes and phases of the reflected signals. For example, consider an example shown in FIG. 2, providing a time domain representation of a clock signal, time slots, and valid/invalid samples regions. In FIG. 2, 202 illustrates a clock signal used for a mixer configured to perform downconversion of digital samples of a reflected signal from an RF or intermediate frequency (IF) to baseband (i.e., DC or zero-frequency signal), for an oscillator configured to provide an oscillator signal to the mixer for performing the frequency downconversion, and for a moving averager (i.e., a unit configured to compute moving averages of the samples of the DC signal). Furthermore, 204 illustrates in FIG. 2 different time slots in which pulses are transmitted (shown as a time slot 1 and a time slot 2), and 206 illustrates regions of valid digital samples and invalid digital samples, for the time slots 204 and the clock signal 202 shown in this drawing. As described above, transmission of different bursts happens in successive time slots. The example shown in FIG. 2 illustrates that a single burst may having the time duration of L clock pulses (i.e., each of the time slot 1 and the time slot 2 shown in FIG. 2 may have the duration of L clock pulses, where FIG. 2 illustrates an example where L=36, but in other embodiments the value of L may be different), out of which digital data from a range 212 may be considered to be invalid data (e.g., invalid due to transmitter switch, settling time, channel effects, etc.), while data from a range 214 may be considered to be valid data based on which further digital processing may be performed. As shown in FIG. 2, in some implementations, the time slot 1 may have a region (i.e., a time period) 212-1 of invalid samples and a region 214-1 of valid samples, and the time slot 2 may have a region 212-2 of invalid samples and a region 214-2 of valid samples. The time slots 1 and 2 shown in the illustration of FIG. 2 may be the time slots associated with the bursts 102 as explained with reference to FIG. 1, i.e., the burst 102-1 may include the region 212-1 of invalid samples followed by the region 214-1 (the latter at least partially overlapping with the pulse 104-1 of the burst 102-1), the burst 102-2 may include the region 212-2 of invalid samples followed by the region 214-2 (the latter at least partially overlapping with the pulse 104-2 of the burst 102-2), and so on. A moving average for the burst 102-1 may then be computed based on at least a subset of the digital samples in the time period of the region 214-1, a moving average for the burst 102-2 may then be computed based on at least a subset of the digital samples in the time period of the region 214-2, and so on.
Selecting digital samples of the received signal that contain valid data for performing further data processing (e.g., moving average calculations) refers to determining the point in time when the region 214 begins, in each of the time slots 204 (i.e., for each of the bursts). Although transmitters typically provide indications (referred to in the following as a "trigger") of the times when transmission of SFCW signals starts (e.g., indicating the time when the region 212 begins), determining when the region 214 begins is not an easy task because various factors within a SFCW system, such as process/voltage/temperature (PVT) variations, transmitter switches, and channel effects may affect the delay between the time when transmission of a new burst has begun and the time when the region 214 begins. Thus, a variety of factors can affect the quality, robustness, and cost of precise data capture in a SFCW digital signal chain. Physical constraints such as space/surface area can pose further constraints to requirements or specifications of data capture in a SFCW digital signal chain, and thus trade-off and ingenuity have to be exercised in designing a data capture arrangement in a SFCW digital signal chain that is optimal for a given application.

Delay calibration for a stepped frequency continuous wave digital signal chain

ANALOG DEVICES INTERNATIONAL UNLIMITED COMPANY


The present invention is a locking belt attachment assembly for an electronics device that allows the electronic device to be attached to a person's belt and that locks the electronic device into a vertical position, thus preventing rotation while the electronic device is on the person's belt. In an embodiment, the locking belt attachment assembly employs two pieces: a clip and a cleat. An attachment post on the cleat is designed to be selectively inserted into a slot on the belt clip, but once fully inserted into the slot, the attachment post may rotate. For the attachment post to be insertable in the slot, the electronic device is rotated to a 90 degree angle from the clip, positioning the attachment post in an insertable position relative to the slot. Once the attachment post is fully inserted into the slot, the electronic device is rotated 90 degrees to vertical and a snap lock feature on the belt clip interfaces with a snap lock mating feature on the cleat, locking the electronic device into its vertical position. To remove the electronic device, a rotating force is applied that disengages the snap lock feature and the electronic device is rotated 90 degrees to a horizontal position and the attachment post is removed from the slot, releasing the cleat from the clip.

The present invention relates to an attachment assembly used to detachably attach a portable electronic device, and more particularly a belt attachment assembly for detachably attaching a portable transceiver to a user's belt in a vertical position.
In the last few decades, the electronics industry has literally transformed the world. Portable electronic products are used by, or affect the daily lives of, a large segment of the world's population. For example, radios, cellular phones, wireless phones, pagers, and video camcorders, are just a few of the electronic products that have been developed in recent years that have been made smaller and more portable.
Some of these portable electronic devices are carried on a person so that they are immediately available when needed. These electronic devices can be carried in carrying cases, which themselves must be supported by the person. Other methods of carrying the electronic devices include large shoulder bags, small pouches, straps, clips and the like.
With respect to items such as phones or radios, such items should preferably be easily and quickly attachable and detachable from the person, most commonly the waist belt, so that when an incoming communication is received, and a response needs to be made, the electronic device can be quickly and easily removed for operation. As with all approaches to carrying an electronic device, the detachable connection between the case and the belt should be comfortable to the wearer.
Further, some electronic device have a preferred operating orientation when they are carried by the person. For example, a preferred method for carrying an elongated item, such as a radio with an antenna, is with the antenna pointed up. Detachable connection devices currently on the market are pivotal or swivel-type attachment devices that allow the electronic device to swing in any direction about an axes as the user moves about. At times this can result in the electronic device becoming inverted with the antenna pointing down or becoming horizontal with the antenna to the side.

Rotating and locking clip for portable electronic device


A power transmission mechanism for transmitting driving power between a shaft and a rotor connected to the shaft includes a cylindrical adapter located between the shaft and the rotor and a screw seat arranged on the shaft. The adapter has a first internally threaded portion in its inner peripheral surface and a first externally threaded portion in its outer peripheral surface. The first internally threaded portion is engaged with a second externally threaded portion of the shaft, and the first externally threaded portion is engaged with a second internally threaded portion of the rotor. The screw seat has a screw seat surface. The adapter is screwed onto the shaft such that the adapter is pressed against the screw seat surface, and the rotor is screwed onto the adapter such that the rotor is pressed against the screw seat surface.

The present invention relates to a power transmission mechanism for transmitting driving power between a shaft and a rotor connected to the shaft and also to its assembling process.
Conventionally, some refrigerant compressors in vehicle air conditioning system are equipped with a power transmission mechanism 100, as shown in FIG. 4, for transmitting driving power from a vehicle engine to a drive shaft (c.f. Page 4 and FIG. 1 in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-28183). A rotor 102 is rotatably supported by an extension of a housing 101 of the refrigerant compressor through a bearing 103, and the driving power is transmitted to the rotor 102 from the vehicle engine (not shown). A hub 105 is fastened securely to the outer end portion of a drive shaft 104 of the refrigerant compressor. The hub 105 is connected to the rotor 102 so as to be rotatable therewith. Thus, the driving power transmitted to the rotor 102 from the vehicle engine is further transmitted to the drive shaft 104 through the hub 105.
As shown in FIG. 5, a screw mechanism is used for fastening the hub 105 to the drive shaft 104. Specifically, the drive shaft 104 is formed at the end portion thereof extending out of the refrigerant compressor with an externally threaded portion 106. A screw seat member 107 having a screw seat surface 107a is fixed on the drive shaft 104 adjacent to and on the inner side of the externally threaded portion 106. The hub 105 is formed at its axial center with an internally threaded portion 108. The hub 105 is screwed onto the drive shaft 104 through engagement of their threaded portions 108, 106, and the inner surface of the hub 105 is pressed against the screw seat surface 107a of the screw seat member 107. Thus, the hub 105 is fastened to the drive shaft 104.
The drive shaft 104 has a whirl-stopper 109 at the end thereof that is held by a chuck (not shown) of an assembling machine when assembling the drive shaft 104 and the hub 105 by screwing, or when rotating either on of the drive shaft 104 and the hub 105 relative to the other during assembling. The diameter of the whirl-stopper 109 is smaller than that of the externally threaded portion 106 so that the chuck can hold the whirl-stopper 109 stably even when the hub 105 is located over the whirl-stopper 109 during relative screwing movement of the drive shaft 104 and the hub 105. Thus, this difference in diameter provides a space for permitting the chuck to hold the swirl-stop portion 109.
In the above-described power transmission mechanism 100, however, the hub 105 is tightened to the drive shaft 104 with a tightening torque greater than the maximum torque in order to prevent the hub 105 from sliding relative to the drive shaft 104 even when the torque to be transmitted between the hub 105 and the drive shaft 104 is at the maximum value of driving torque during normal operation (or the greatest torque). Thus, a great load is applied to the drive shaft 104 in assembling the drive shaft 104 and the hub 105 by screwing, so that there is a fear that the whirl-stopper 109 with a small diameter is broken at its base.
A fluid machine, for example, the above refrigerant compressor, has a shaft seal device 110 in the housing 101 for sealing the drive shaft 104. The shaft seal device 110 performs the function of sealing the drive shaft 104 while slidably contacting with the outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft 104. Thus, for the purpose of improving the durability of the shaft seal device 110, the drive shaft 104 is formed in such a way that the diameter of the portion thereof which is in slide contact with the shaft seal device 110 is smaller than that of the inner portion of the drive shaft 104, so that peripheral speed and hence the sliding contact at the former portion of the drive shaft 104 is reduced.
Since the drive shaft 104 is installed through the shaft seal device 110 by inserting firstly the whirl-stopper 109 thereof into the shaft seal device 110 in assembling of the refrigerant compressor, the diameter of the externally threaded portion 106, which are formed on outer portion of the drive shaft 104 than the shaft seal device 110, needs to be smaller than that of the portion of the drive shaft 104 that is in slide contact with the shaft seal device 110. As mentioned earlier herein, the diameter of the whirl-stopper 109 is still smaller than the externally threaded portion 106 in order to provide a space for the chuck to hold the whirl-stopper 109 of the drive shaft 104. Therefore, it is still harder to ensure sufficient durability of the whirl-stopper 109 and the whirl-stopper 109 tends to be easily broken during the work of screwing the drive shaft 104 and the hub 105.
The present invention is directed to a power transmission mechanism that prevents damage to a shaft during assembling and also an assembling process for the power transmission mechanism.

Power transmission mechanism and process of assembling the same


An apparatus configured to control a heat flow is provided. The apparatus may include a semiconductor device region formed in a matrix; a heat rectifier region formed adjacent to the semiconductor device region; and a heat flow blocker formed in at least one region contacting the semiconductor device region and the heat rectifier region.

1. Field
Apparatuses consistent with the exemplary embodiments relate to apparatuses capable of controlling a flow of heat in a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heat which is in a solid medium may be transferred according to a heat conduction phenomenon. A heat conduction phenomenon may be a phenomenon in which the vibration of a phonon which is in a medium is transferred. The heat conductivity of a specific material may have a constant value. Materials which are present in a natural system, for example, are natural materials, have a limited value for heat conductivity.
Materials which have various and specific properties are developed by different material industries In particular, research into a meta material is being conducted. A meta material is made through an artificial process, and a meta material means that a property of a material is designed to have a desired characteristic. Research in meta materials is mainly conducted in terms of light and an acoustic wave. Research has been conducted with respect to a material having an acoustic refraction characteristic that is not present in nature or a cloaking phenomenon that visually blocks a specific region externally.


A locking device for preventing the movable plate from disengaging from the fixed portion of the magazine includes a substantially V-shaped lever which includes an operation end, a contact end and a pivotable end which is located between the operation end and the contact end. The contact end extends through a port of the fixed portion and located beside a stop extending from the movable plate so as to stop the movable plate from moving away from the nose. A biasing member is bent to be substantially V-shaped and contacting an inside of a section between the operation end and the pivotable end and an outside of the fixed portion. The contact end can be moved away from the stop by pivoting the operation end about the pivotable end so that the movable plate can be slidably disengaged from the fixed portion to reload staples.

A conventional pneumatic stapler is disclosed in FIG. 1, and generally includes a barrel with a nose portion 3 through which staples are ejected therefrom, a handle connected to the barrel, and a magazine 1 for storing the staples is connected to the nose portion 3. The handle includes a connection member 4 which is fixed to a fixed portion 10 of the magazine 1 and a movable plate 11 is slidably connected to the fixed portion 10 so that the staples are stored in a space between the movable plate 11 and the fixed portion 10. A locking device 2 is pivotably connected to a protrusion 13 on the fixed portion 10 by a pin 14 and includes a lever 20 and a hook portion 21. The pin 14 is located between the lever 20 and the hook portion 21 so that when pivoting the lever 20, the hook portion 21 is moved between a locked position as shown in FIG. 1 to hook on a bottom of the movable plate 11, and a unlock position as shown in FIG. 3 to allow the movable plate 11 slidably removed from the fixed portion 10. As shown in FIG. 2, when one of more than one staples 50 are deformed by the impact from the push plate 51, the deformed staples 50 applies a force to the rest of the staples 50 in the magazine 1 and the force might unhooks the hook portion 21 as shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, the movable plate 11 is loosened and the staples 50 cannot be properly fed to the nose portion 3. Besides, when loading the staples 50, the user has to hold the handle by one hand and the other hand operates the lock device 3. This requires both hands to complete the loading action and is not convenient for the users during working.
The present invention intends to provide a locking device that is operated by only the hand holding the handle and effectively prevents the movable plate from loosing when the staples are deformed.


An Er-doped optical fiber amplifier is adapted to increase the length of transmission path by raising the intensity of pumped light. In an Er-doped optical fiber amplifier 1 for amplifying signal light by means of an Er-doped optical fiber 7, using a 1,530 nm band pumping source 8, 1,530 nm band pumped light is Raman-amplified by a 1,430 nm-1,450 nm band light source 9 on the transmission path of an optical fiber 5.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an optical amplifier to be used for an optical transmission system and, more particularly, it relates to a remotely pumped Er-doped optical fiber amplifier.
2. Prior Art
Remotely pumped optical amplifiers have been proposed for optical amplifiers to be used in submarine optical transmission systems because the pumping source to be used for the system does not have to be laid on the seabed.
While 980 nm and 1,480 nm bands are widely used for pumping light for Er-doped optical fiber amplifiers, a pumping source with the latter band, or the 1,480 nm band, is typically used for a remotely pumped amplifier system because of its low loss rate in the optical transmission path.
A remotely pumped optical amplifier has an advantage that the pumping source does not have to be laid on the seabed and a disadvantage that the intensity of pumping light is reduced before it gets to the Er-doped optical fiber due to the loss of the pumping light as it passes through the optical transmission path.
Thus, the distance between the Er-doped optical fiber and the pumping source has to be made as short as possible in order to ensure an intensity of the pumping light getting to the Er-doped optical fiber. In other words, the transmission path is subjected to a relatively short limit length.
This disadvantage on the part of the remotely pumped amplifier system can be partly overcome by increasing intensity of pumping light by use of polarization combiner and wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer and thereby increasing the limit distance between the pumping source and the Er-doped optical fiber.
Currently, however, only up to four semiconductor lasers can be polarization- and wavelength-multiplexed and hence there is a strong demand for means that can secure an enhanced intensity of pumping light.
In view of the above circumstances, it is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an Er-doped optical fiber amplifier adapted to increase the length of transmission path by raising the intensity of pumped light.