An apparatus for lifting and transporting loads, in particular corresponding containers, preferably in the form of empty containers, including a support chassis, for resting and movement means of the apparatus with respect to the ground, in particular including means, or front wheels, for resting and movement and means, or rear wheels, for resting and movement, in particular said front and/or rear means, or wheels, for resting and movement having a respective transversal, or horizontal, rotation axis; lifting and lowering means of the load, including a respective mast, in particular extending upwards, and gripping means of the load, which gripping means are mobile along said mast; said mast of said lifting and lowering means of the load being positioned at or posteriorly of the respective rotation axis of the front means, or wheels, for resting and movement of the apparatus with respect to the ground.

Apparatuses are known for lifting and transporting containers, preferably in the form of empty containers; comprising a support chassis, resting and movement means of the apparatus with respect to the ground, in particular comprising front means, or wheels, for resting and movement and rear means, or wheels for resting and movement, said front and/or rear means, or wheels for resting and movement in particular having a respective transversal, or horizontal, rotation axis of the lifting and lowering means of the load comprising a respective mast, in particular extending upwards, and gripping means of the load, which gripping means are mobile along said mast.
The above-mentioned known-type apparatuses for lifting containers present on the market are activated exclusively by respective internal combustion engines, preferably high-powered and heavy diesel engines which also require a significant use of fuel.
Further, said known-type apparatuses for lifting containers have a significant weight, in particular determined by the ballast counterweights, which leads to working costs in terms of fuel consumption and wear on the tyres of the wheels, which are particularly high and disadvantageous for user companies and especially require excessive refuelling and maintenance breaks.
Also known are lifting apparatuses that are powered entirely by electricity, prevalently utilised internally of closed environments, such as warehouses or the like, and which use only electric batteries for powering the lifting motor means, in which the potential energy of the lifting mast and the load, if present, is recycled during the descent steps but which however do not enable efficient energy recycling as the batteries are not able to rapidly store all the energy of the mast and necessitate, in order to avoid damage, dissipating a part of this recyclable energy.
Also known are hybrid lifting apparatuses utilising internal combustion drive units, which are combined with electrical drive units and which enable a certain recuperation of the braking energy of the apparatus but not the lifting energy and which are moreover not used in the sector of movement of containers.
Therefore a need is perceived in the sector for having available an apparatus for lifting and transporting loads, in particular of corresponding containers, which has modest working costs, in particular a minimum use of fuel.
In the sector, however, a need is perceived for having available an apparatus for lifting and transporting loads, in particular of corresponding containers, which is easy and not expensive to construct.
A need is perceived in the sector for having available an apparatus for lifting and transporting loads, in particular of corresponding containers, which is easy and not expensive to maintain.
A need is also perceived in the sector for having available an apparatus for lifting and transporting loads, in particular of corresponding containers, which is easy to use for the driver.
In the sector, however, a need is perceived for having available an apparatus for lifting and transporting loads, in particular of corresponding containers, which is easily transportable and assemblable in the place of use.

Apparatus for lifting and transporting loads, in particular containers


A flip-chip attach method includes the steps of: attaching a chip on a transparent substrate such that each connecting pad of the chip is aligned with each electrical connection pad on the transparent substrate; and irradiating each connecting pad and each electrical connection pad from a side of the transparent substrate with a laser beam so as to weld the connecting pad to the electrical connection pad. Furthermore, the invention also provides a flip-chip attach structure including a transparent substrate and at least one chip. A surface of the transparent substrate is formed with a plurality of electrical connection pads, and the chip has a plurality of connecting pads. The connecting pads and the electrical connection pads are irradiated with a laser beam and are welded to each other. Thus, the chip is mounted to the transparent substrate.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a flip-chip attach structure and a flip-chip attach method, and more particularly to a flip-chip attach structure and a flip-chip attach method for attaching a chip to a transparent substrate.
2. Related Art
In semiconductor package manufacturing processes, the flip-chip attach technology is widely used. The so-called flip-chip attach technology is, in brief, to form a plurality of protrusions on an active surface of a chip, and then to mount the chip on a substrate by the protrusions.
In general, the methods for attaching a chip to a substrate in a flip-chip manner are categorized into three kinds including a solder bump attach method, an anisotropic conductive adhesive film (ACF) attach method and a gold-to-gold pressing attach method. As shown in FIG. 1, the solder bump attach method is to form a solder bump 112 on a connecting pad 111 of a chip 11 in advance, and then the chip 11 is mounted on the substrate 12. As shown in FIG. 2 the ACF attach method is to form a gold bump 113 on a connecting pad 111 of a chip 11, and then an anisotropic conductive adhesive film 13 is used to adhere the chip to the substrate 12. As shown in FIG. 3, the gold-to-gold pressing attach method is to form a gold protrusion post 114 on a connecting pad 111 of a chip 11, and then the chip is mounted on the substrate 12 by way of direct pressing.
In the above-mentioned attach methods, the first and second methods are used frequently, wherein the first attach method is often used in the typical chip package processes while the second attach method is often used in the LCD manufacturing processes. In the LCD manufacturing processes, attaching the chip on the glass substrate are usually performed using the ACF attach method, and this technology is typically referred to as the COG (chip on glass) technology. The problem that the second attach method most frequently encounters is that the gold bump on the chip cannot completely contact the gold ball in the anisotropic conductive adhesive film, thereby reducing the product yield. In order to avoid this problem of the reduced yield, the areas of the connecting pad of the chip and the gold bump cannot be too small. This will limit the further shrinking of the chip area. In addition, because the anisotropic conductive adhesive film has to be adhered to the glass substrate, the transparent property of the glass substrate (transparent substrate) cannot be effectively utilized in some applications. In particular, it is inconvenient in the package application of the opto-electronic semiconductor chip.
Consequently, it is an important subject to provide a chip attach method capable of enhancing the connecting yield between the chip and the transparent substrate, optimized utilization of the transparent property of the transparent substrate, and reducing the area of the connecting pad on the chip.


A heat exchanger and method of making a heat exchanger which includes providing a header having openings adapted to receive a plurality of tubes. The tubes are inserted into the header openings, then, substantially uncured fluid sealing material is applied to at least the inner surfaces of the header openings. The inner surfaces of the header openings and the outer surfaces of the tubes are connected by the sealing material. The method further includes curing the sealing material after the tubes are inserted into the header openings. The sealing material thus provides a flexible, bonded, liquid tight, tube-to-header joint.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to heat exchangers and, more particularly, to heat exchangers utilizing tube-to-header joints.
2. Description of Related Art
Heat exchangers of many types, such as radiators, charge air coolers, oil coolers and the like, suffer limited life as a result of high working stresses at their tube-to-header joints. These stresses are a result of thermal expansion and contraction of the tubes, thermal changes in header length, and variations in internal pressure during operation. Since the tubes are usually rigidly attached to a relatively inflexible header by means of soldering, brazing, welding or the like, the resulting stresses ultimately lead to joint fatigue failure or tube fatigue in the area next to the joint.
In an effort to minimize or eliminate the stresses described above, some heat exchangers have been made with grommeted tube-to-header joints. In such heat exchangers, tube openings in the headers are made to be oversize with respect to the tubes. These openings are fitted with resilient grommets, usually made of high temperature silicone rubber. The grommets have slightly smaller openings than the tubes, so that when the tubes are pushed through the grommets the compression fit provides a leak-free connection of each tube to the header. The heat exchanger assembly involves the tedious handling of numerous small parts (the grommets), and lacks any real bond between the tubes and the headers, relying solely on the compression fit to provide a seal. To achieve the desired compression fit with the grommets, the fit and alignment of the core tubes to the grommeted header openings must be critically maintained through close dimensional tolerances. A major disadvantage of this design is that sealing is dependent on providing and maintaining a compression fit between the grommet, tube, and header.
Heat exchangers have also been made with specially made resilient headers. In such heat exchangers, a rigid metal header with oversized tube openings accepts loosely fitted brass ferrules in each tube opening. The brass ferrules are then bonded to the metal header by molding silicone rubber around each ferrule. The brass ferrules are later soldered to brass heat exchanger tubes.
The disadvantages of specially made resilient headers include the substantial amount of skill and labor required to solder the tubes and headers together. Further, great care must be exercised in the soldering operation to prevent destruction of the silicone bond to the ferrules. Also, the specially molded resilient headers are extremely expensive to produce.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger having long-life properties.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger with resilient headers or resilient tube-to-header joints.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger having long-life properties and which is substantially simpler to manufacture.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger which requires fewer parts.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger which requires less critical dimensional tolerances.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger which provides improved joint integrity.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger which is easier to assemble.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger which provides a resilient tank to header joint.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a heat exchanger which includes a resiliently bonded tube-to-header joint.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a heat exchanger which includes a sealing joint using compression and bonding.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a heat exchanger which includes a resilient joint including a bonded grommet.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a heat exchanger which includes a resilient tank to header joint.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.


An interferometer array includes a plurality of interferometer sub-arrays, each sub-array including a plurality of interferometers. Each interferometer in a sub-array is implemented with a respective pair of fiber Bragg gratings and a sensing length of optical fiber positioned between the respective pair of fiber Bragg gratings. The fiber Bragg gratings in each respective pair of fiber Bragg gratings have the same characteristic wavelength that is different from the characteristic wavelength of every other pair of fiber Bragg gratings in the sub-array. The sub-arrays are interconnected to minimize the common-wavelength crosstalk between the sensors in the overall interferometer array. In one embodiment, the sub-arrays are connected in series along a common length of optical fiber such that the maximum common-wavelength crosstalk is limited by the number of sub-arrays connected in series. In a second embodiment of the invention, branches are interconnected to a common input/output optical fiber via optical couplers, and each branch has one or more sub-arrays connected in series. The common-wavelength crosstalk is limited by the number of arrays in each sub-array. In a third embodiment of the invention, branches are interconnected between an input optical fiber and an output optical fiber via optical couplers, and each branch has one or more sub-arrays connected in series. Optical signal delay elements are positioned in the input optical fiber to incrementally increase the delay experienced by an input optical signal before it reaches each successive branch connected to the input optical fiber. Therefore, the return optical signals from each sub-array in a branch are separated in time from the return optical signals from the sub-arrays in the other branches.

A sub-array of interferometers can be configured in a single fiber by utilizing a series of weakly reflecting fiber Bragg grating elements at a particular wavelength, along the fiber, spaced at an interval L. The fiber lengths between the gratings form interferometers, as light from a laser (at a wavelength matched to that of the gratings) passing down the fiber reflects off each grating. To isolate the interferometric effects from just one pair of gratings (i.e. one particular length L), the light coupled into the fiber can be pulse modulated. This produces a series of pulse returns from the array, as illustrated in FIG. 1. If the light from the array is fed to an interferometer, e.g. a Mach Zehnder, the path-difference between the arms of which is equal to the round-trip distance between two adjacent fiber Bragg grating reflectors in the array (2L), then a differential interferometer is formed. Such a path matching (compensating) interferometer is illustrated in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, light which reflects off the first fiber Bragg grating reflector, but travels the long arm in the compensating interferometer travels the same optical distance as the light which reflects off the second fiber Bragg grating reflector, but passes through the shorter arm of the compensating interferometer. Referring also to FIG. 2, these optical components interfere at the output of the compensating interferometer, producing an interference signal the phase of which depends on phase perturbations in the fiber length L between the two fiber Bragg grating reflectors. This path matching occurs for any subsequent pair of fiber Bragg grating reflections along the array, resulting in a series of time-separated outputs from the compensating interferometer, each representing the phase a sequential length L of the fiber.
The system described above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2 allows a sub-array of interferometers to be formed in a single fiber. However, such a system produces crosstalk due to the fact that optical pulses reflecting off one of the fiber Bragg grating elements in the array can undergo subsequent reflections at other fiber Bragg gratings and interfere with normally produced optical returns. This problem is illustrated in FIG. 3. Referring to FIG. 3, an array that comprises eight (8) fiber Bragg grating elements at a particular wavelength is illustrated, with each sensor element immediately adjacent to the next. Other topologies are possible and may be more desirable, but the fundamental source of crosstalk remains the same. A `primary optical return` from the array is defined as an output optical pulse generated from the input optical pulse which undergoes a single reflection from a fiber Bragg grating element. For a low reflectivity fiber Bragg grating, say 1%; the return signal is approximately 1% of the input source power. For the eight (8) fiber Bragg grating system shown, eight (8) primary pulses are generated (for seven (7) sensor lengths).
A pulse reflection off one fiber Bragg grating can also be reflected a second and third time off other fiber Bragg gratings and will produce a very weak return signal (down by R 3 on the input light level). This weak light signal exits the array in a time slot that would be associated with that of a primary optical return, and thus gives rise to crosstalk. The fact that the weak signal is interferometrically mixed with the stronger primary signal means that this source of crosstalk can be significant unless very weak grating reflectors are used. The number of secondary crosstalk pulses in the array increases strongly with the number of sensors multiplexed, and this may lead to unacceptably high crosstalk.
There therefore exists a need for an improved array topology for serial fiber Bragg grating interferometer arrays that reduces the crosstalk between the individual interferometers in the array.

Array topologies for implementing serial fiber Bragg grating interferometer arrays


A semiconductor wafer (40) is placed in a first pressure chamber (37) of a bonding apparatus (10 or 60). A major surface (46) of a submount (44) is placed on a submount support (30 or 62). The major surface (46) of the submount (44) seals the first pressure chamber (37). A pressure differential is generated between the first pressure chamber (37) and a second pressure chamber (47) The pressure differential bows a central portion of the submount (44) toward the semiconductor wafer (40). The central portion of the submount (44) contacts an adhesive coating over a central portion of the semiconductor wafer (40). The submount support (30 or 62) is displaced to decrease a curvature on the submount (44). The pressure differential is increased to an end-point to facilitate bond formation between the semiconductor wafer (40) and the submount (44).

This invention relates, in general, to bonding together two surfaces, and more particularly, to methods of bonding a wafer to a submount.
Semiconductor manufacturers are constantly refining their fabrication processes to optimize semiconductor device performance while minimizing manufacturing costs and cycle time. Dual-side wafer processing is one approach to improving semiconductor device performance while maintaining relatively low manufacturing costs. For example, a semiconductor wafer may have a front-side and a back-side, wherein the front-side has undergone a series of processing steps. Subsequently, the front-side may be bonded to a submount with an adhesive material to allow processing of the back-side. Back-side processing may include grinding the back-side to thin the semiconductor wafer, or formation of semiconductor devices in the back-side. The submount provides protection to the front-side during the back-side processing as well as serving as a "handle" which supports the wafer and allows automated handling.
Many back-side processing steps require the backside of the semiconductor wafer to be flat and that a thickness of the adhesive material between the semiconductor wafer and the submount be uniform. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a method for bonding a semiconductor wafer to a submount such that the thickness of the adhesive material between the semiconductor wafer and the submount is uniform. Further, it is desirable that voids between the semiconductor wafer and the submount are not produced. More particularly, the method should eliminate gas bubbles that may form voids. In addition, the method should be easily integrated into a wafer processing flow.

Method for mounting a wafer to a submount


In an hydraulic actuator, a movement of an actuating element of the actuator is effected in that a working chamber of the actuator, with the aid of a valve device, is able to be selectively connected to, and disconnected from, a fluid reservoir in which pressurized hydraulic fluid is stored. The lift of the actuating element of the actuator is a function of a fluid volume present in the working chamber. It is provided that, to ascertain an instantaneous operating performance of the actuator, the working chamber is briefly connected to the fluid reservoir, the corresponding pressure drop in the fluid reservoir is recorded, and the corresponding lift is determined from the pressure drop with the aid of known geometrical variables of the actuator.

Published German patent document DE 198 26, 047 describes a device for controlling a gas-exchange valve of an internal combustion engine and the corresponding operating method. A high-pressure pump pumps hydraulic fluid into a piping system in which the hydraulic fluid is stored under very high pressure. A working chamber of an hydraulic cylinder whose piston is connected to a valve element of a gas-exchange valve of an internal combustion engine is connected to the fluid reservoir via a two-way valve. An outlet of the working chamber is also connected to a low-pressure region via a two-way valve. Depending on the valve setting, high or low pressure prevails in the working chamber of the hydraulic actuator and a corresponding fluid volume is present in the working chamber, which affects the piston position.
The advantage of such a gas-exchange valve is that it may be triggered independently of a setting of a camshaft of the internal combustion engine. For cost reasons, no detection of the instantaneous piston position takes place. As a result, the positioning of the piston of the hydraulic actuator is not able to be precisely regulated.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method such that the actuating element of the actuator is able to be positioned as precisely as possible.

Method for operating a hydraulic actuator, especially a gas exchange valve of an internal combustion engine


A metallization and bonding process for manufacturing a power semiconductor device includes a step of depositing a first metal layer over the entire surface of a chip; a step of selectively etching of the first metal layer to form desired patterns of metal interconnection lines between components previously defined; a step of depositing a layer of passivating material over the entire surface of the chip; a step of selectively etching of the layer of passivating material down to the first metal layer to define bonding areas represented by uncovered portions of the first metal layer; a step of depositing of a thick second metal layer over the entire surface of the chip; a step of selectively etching of the second metal layer down to the layer of passivating material to remove the second metal layer outside the bonding areas; and a step of connecting bonding wires to the surface of the second metal layer in correspondence of said bonding areas.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a metallization and bonding process for manufacturing power semiconductor devices.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In the last few years, a fast technological evolution in the field of power semiconductor devices has made available, among other things, power MOSFETs with low "ton" resistance (R.sub.DS(on)) and Power Integrated Circuits (PICs) for performing complex functions and capable of switching rather high power values.
PICs are characterized by high component counts, i.e., a high integration density; the metal layers should therefore allow for a high interconnection density and introduce low series resistance. Because these two requirements conflict, a trade off value for the thickness of the metal layer must be found. Such thickness values are generally so low that dedicated areas on the die surface, distinct from the active areas where the various components are defined, have to be reserved for the attachment (bonding) of leads to the die, because otherwise the leads could perforate the metal layer and damage the underlying integrated circuit. As a result the device area increases, and parasitic resistances due to the necessity of long interconnection lines between the active area and the bonding region are introduced.
Power MOSFETs are less sensitive to integration density problems, but it is extremely important to minimize all parasitic resistances so that low values of the R.sub.DS(on) may be attained, by bonding the leads directly on the active area. To prevent the bonding wires from perforating the metallization, this layer should have a rather high thickness, typically greater than 3 .mu.m. Such a thick layer results in problems in both manufacturing and reliability, because the step coverage characteristics of a layer by a superimposed layer gets worse as the step height increases.
To prevent damage in the bonding process, the maximum diameter of a bonding wire is generally determined by the metallization layer thickness. To avoid the parasitic resistance of the bonding wire from affecting the MOSFET R.sub.DS(on), it is possible to bond in parallel two or more wires of smaller diameter, but at an increased cost.

Metallization and wire bonding process for manufacturing power semiconductor devices

Consorzio per la Ricerca sulla Microelettronica nel Mezzogiorno


A self-service terminal has a fascia 1. A transmitter 18 sends a chirped ultrasonic pulse across a region R of the fascia. The pulse interacts with the region R and the region R responds by emitting an output. A receiver 20 receives the output and produces an electrical signal corresponding to the output. A frequency analysing module 24 transforms the electrical signal into a frequency response.

ATMs are used, for example, to dispense cash and for depositing cash or cheques. An ATM usually comprises a fascia that is hingedly attached to a chassis. Typically, the fascia will include a number of slots or apertures that are aligned with modules or components of the ATM, mounted within the chassis. For instance, the fascia may include: a display aperture through which a display is visible; a slot through which a customer inserts a magnetic stripe card encoded with the customer's personal and account data; a slot through which cash is dispensed; and, a slot through which cash or cheques are deposited. The fascia also typically includes an encrypting keypad and function defined keys (FDKs) associated with the display.
Fraudsters have devised a number of schemes for stealing customers' magnetic card data or cash. One scheme, known as "skimming", involves fixing a magnetic read head to the fascia, which reads the magnetic stripe on a customer's card as it is inserted into or retrieved from the machine, and stores and/or relays the read data to a remote location. Another scheme involves fixing a cash diverting mechanism to the fascia which diverts a customer's cash as it is dispensed from or deposited into the ATM.
A foreign body is anything applied, fixed, fitted or adhered to or that settles on, engages or contacts the fascia of an ATM after it has been commissioned, that was not put there by an authorised party for a legitimate reason, although the term "body" includes not only solid objects but also liquids in whatever form (droplets, films, puddles etc.). There are two types of foreign bodies: those that are non-benign, that is, intended to defraud, cause disruption or deception, such as magnetic read heads, and those that are benign, such as rainwater.
Principally with a view to counteracting fraud, ATMs have been equipped with sensors that detect foreign bodies. One particular sensor works by determining changes in capacitance caused by a foreign body. Capacitance sensors are good for detecting foreign bodies made of metal, but poor at detecting foreign bodies made of non-metallic materials such as plastics. Fraudsters are increasingly using non-benign foreign bodies made of non-metallic materials.


A linear reluctance motor including a stator with a set of spaced blades each extending in the direction of the actuation axis, each blade including a plurality of alternating low permeability and high permeability teeth. A shuttle also includes a set of spaced blades each extending in the direction of the actuation axis interleaved with the blades of the stator, each blade of the shuttle also including a plurality of alternating low permeability and high permeability teeth. An active component is associated with either the stator, the shuttle, or both. The active component is divided into at least N phases, each phase including a set of blades, a flux return portion, and a coil wound to produce flux through the sets of interleaved blades in a direction substantially transverse to the actuation axis.

Conventional electric motors, both rotary and linear, have very poor torque and force density. For heavy lifting applications, mechanical means such as gears and screws are more typically used. Fluidic devices including pneumatic and hydraulic systems are also used. These mechanical methods generally involve noise, wear, backlash, poor shock tolerance, and high reflected inertia. The fluidic methods tend to increase system complexity due to the addition of a fluid system. Fluid systems are also harder to control than electric systems. Due to seal wear, the fluid methods are unreliable and can contaminate sensitive environments when the working fluid leaks.
A polyphase disc reluctance rotary motor is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,641 incorporated herein by this reference.
Most prior art linear motors operating on the principle of magnetism, however, include permanent magnets or are classified as inductance machines. U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,169, also incorporated herein by this reference, discloses a linear reluctance motor but it is configured such that the magnetic flux produced extends in the direction of the actuation axis. Such a design, however, results in a fairly low force density.
Thus, there exists a need for a high force density linear reluctance motor.


Centrifuges, in particular for a lubricant oil in an internal combustion engine, are provided with a housing which comprises a base, a lid forming the second part of the housing and connectable to the base and a rotor arrangeable in the housing. Each centrifuge is embodied in the form of a modular unit which is assembled with the aid of modular system parts, wherein the modular system comprises different bases, and/or different lids and/or different rotors which can be assembled in the form of different combinations in such a way that different centrifuges are obtained.

The present invention relates to centrifuges, in particular for the lubricant oil of an internal combustion engine, having a housing that comprises a base that forms a first housing part and a lid that is connectable to the base and that forms a second housing part, and having a rotor situated in the housing.
Centrifuges of the type named above have long been used and are generally known due to their wide distribution, including use for the lubricant oil of an internal combustion engine. In this use, centrifuges are used to separate out fine particles of dirt that are carried along in the lubricant oil of the internal combustion engine. Here it is standard for the centrifuge to be situated in a bypass flow of the lubricant oil circuit of the internal combustion engine, while in the main flow of the lubricant oil circuit a lubricant oil filter having an exchangeable filter insert is standardly present. In internal combustion engines, in particular large engines such as those used in ships or locomotives, or for large stationary drives, it is known to arrange two lubricant oil filters in parallel, each of which can be individually separated from the lubricant oil circuit. This creates the possibility of performing maintenance on the oil filter separated from the lubricant oil circuit, in particular exchanging a filter insert situated therein, without having to interrupt the overall circulation of lubricant oil. In this way, continuous operation of the associated internal combustion engine can be ensured. The double arrangement of a centrifuge is not required in this context, and is also not known, because the centrifuge is situated in the bypass flow, which can be temporarily shut off as needed without any disadvantage for the circulation of the lubricant oil, i.e. for maintenance of the centrifuge.
In many internal combustion engines, in particular the above-mentioned large engines for driving ships or locomotives, or in large stationary internal combustion engines, very large rotors, corresponding to the large quantity of circulating lubricant oil, are used in the centrifuge; in practice, these rotors can have a volume of up to six or seven liters, as a function of the size of the associated internal combustion engine. Due to its size, such a rotor has to be made of metal, which means that the rotor is relatively heavy. Moreover, due to the size and weight of the rotor containing the lubricant oil and deposited dirt, the bearing of the rotor is expensive. Due to its size and its correspondingly high mass, despite the use of a large amount of lubricant oil for its drive the rotor nonetheless achieves only relatively low rotational speeds, which is harmful from the point of view of the deposition of dirt. Moreover, another disadvantage is that in order to match differently sized internal combustion engines, many different centrifuges have to be manufactured and kept in reserve, which makes the manufacturing, storage, and marketing of the centrifuges, and stocking replacement parts for them, difficult and expensive.
Therefore, the problem addressed by the present invention is to create centrifuges of the type named above that avoid the stated disadvantages and in which in particular a more economical and simpler manufacturing can be achieved with a variable adaptability to different requirements, easier warehousing and supplying of replacement parts, and more economical and more effective operation.

Centrifuges for a lubricant oil in an internal combustion engine with a modular housing system having various bases, lids and rotors


Systems and methods for treating pain are described. Systems and methods for treating pain using video games, tilt tables and bio-sensors are described wherein the level of the video game is controlled by a computer based on the feedback from a patient. Corresponding systems are also disclosed.

Several patient groups suffer from pain which can be acute or chronic. Patients with acute pain are those who suffered burns that need to be dressed, or those who have had recent surgery (such as implant for shoulder or hip). Other patients with chronic pain are those post-traumatic brain injury, or with cancer, or with arthritis. If chronic pain is not treated it can lead to depression and worsening of overall health.
Several approaches exist to mitigating pain. Traditional approaches are medication (opioids such a morphine) or psychological coaching. Virtual reality has been used recently to treat pain by providing a distraction. If the pain sensation is not perceived because the centers in the brain are distracted, then the effect of pain is diminished.
Virtual reality to treat pain has been used in the form of specially-designed games, which are presented to the patients in stereo on head-mounted displays. In the case of the "SnowWorld" system developed by Hunter Hoffman (U. Washington) for alleviating pain during burn dressing, the scene is "cold" through the use of shades of blue and depiction of snow and snowmen. This, together with a pleasant music the patient hears, is designed to "cool" and calm the patient. Virtual reality for arthritic pain was designed to "warm" the patient, so shades of red were used. FIG. 1 illustrates a Virtual Reality scene from "SnowWorld" therapeutic game (Hunter Hoffman).
The degree of pain (pain index) the patient feels has been traditionally measured through pencil-and paper methods (subjective questionnaires), and more recently through bio-measures (skin sweat, pulse, respiration rhythm or volume).


Pigment wetting agent contains a mixture of monoesters and diesters of butylene glycol and fatty acids.

The invention relates to a novel wetting agent for use particularly but in a non-limiting manner, in the field of cosmetics, for its aptitude to wet pigments. This property is particularly sought after in compositions requiring a dispersion of pigments. This is the case in particular of solar products and make-up products. It is also useful in make-up cleansing products to promote the fixation and removal of the pigments present on the skin.
Numerous products are proposed for their aptitude to wet pigments. C12-C15 alkyl benzoate and isopropyl palmitate are known in particular. Also used for this function are certain triglycerides, such as castor oil and glycerol tricaprylocaprate.
Document EP-A-792 633 describes a powdery anhydrous composition comprising a binder or wetting agent. In practice, the binder is an ester, liquid at ambient temperature, comprising at least two hydrocarbon chains, each comprising at least ten carbon atoms. The ester in question does not have a hydroxyl group. A preferred agent is, for example, glycerol triisostearate.
All the wetting agents known to the Applicant, as previously listed, have a number of drawbacks. Firstly, the quantity of raw material required to wet a given pigment remains relatively high. It affects the formulation in terms of cost, composition and sensory properties. The high viscosity of certain raw materials, such as castor oil, at ambient temperature, or of the pigment dispersions obtained, make these products difficult to handle. Finally, the known wetting agents confer a sometimes greasy touch on the final composition into which they are introduced.
In other words, a need exists, particularly for the cosmetics market, for products having a wetting power that does not have the above drawbacks.
In the course of its researches, the Applicant found that mixtures of monoesters and diesters of butylene glycol, including for example butylene glycol cocoate, had a higher wetting power than that of the known agents.
Butylene glycol cocoate (BGC) is a known product, already used as a cosmetic ingredient in a composition, marketed by the Applicant under the trade name EMULFREE® CBG. More precisely, this composition corresponds to the combination of BGC with isostearyl alcohol and ethylcellulose. In practice, EMULFREE® CBG is used as a stabilizer of the oily phase in the oil-in-water emulsions. The role of the butylene glycol cocoate in this composition is confined to the solubilization of the gelling polymer, that is ethylcellulose. In other words and contrary to the invention, butylene glycol cocoate is not suitable for direct mixing with fillers but is necessarily used in combination with a fatty alcohol (isostearyl alcohol) in the presence of a polymer (ethylcellulose).
The mixture of the invention is clearly distinguished not only in terms of function, but also in terms of structure, from the butylene glycol esters described in document EP-A-860 164. In fact, the document describes the combination of a chemical UV filter with butylene glycol diesters only, with fatty acids containing 6 to 12 carbon atoms. Not only does the composition not contain monoesters, but furthermore, it is used as a chemical filter solubilizing agent and not as a wetting agent.
Document JP 57072907 describes a make-up cleansing product based either on monoesters or on diesters containing 17 to 36 carbon atoms. Here also, the mixture of monoesters and diesters is not also considered. Moreover, in the case of the diesters, they are diacid esters, that is, of an acid esterified by two alcohols and not a diol esterified by two acids, as is the case of the invention. As to the monoesters, they issue from a monoacid with a monoalcohol and not from a monoester of a diol.
Document EP-A-651 990 describes the use of esters in a make-up cleansing composition. According to this document, the esters used are also either monoalcohol esters, or diesters. In practice, they are obtained from an alcohol containing 1 to 17 carbon atoms and a fatty acid containing 3 to 18 carbon atoms. Moreover, they must have a free hydroxyl group.
Document EP-A-1 230 910 describes an oil-in-water emulsion containing pigments, whereof the oily phase only contains caprylocaprate diesters of butylene glycol.
In other words, nothing in the prior art known to the Applicant discloses the idea of using a mixture of monoesters and diesters of butylene glycol, as a wetting agent.

Wetting agent based on a mixture of monoesters and diesters of butylene glycol


A method is proposed for designing compact stripline and air-cavity based (SACB) RF filters, duplexers, and multiplexers. The target frequency band is 600 MHz˜3 GHz. The proposed devices feature both compact size (with 50% size reduction compared to traditional resonator air cavity design) and high power handling capability as well as low insertion-loss. In the SACB filter, striplines and cavities are used to emulate LC resonator (quasi-LC resonator). The combination of striplines and cavities forms a structure that exhibit the performance of an electric resonator circuit of inductor and capacitor (LC). The outside signal will be connected to the striplines, and the ground will be connected to the metal shield which forms the cavity. By controlling the dimensions of the stripline width and length as well as the size of the cavity, the desired filter response is achieved.

A radio frequency (RF) filter is a device that is utilized to allow or stop selected RF signals in a specific range of frequencies, or used to eliminate/filter out any unwanted RF signals. That is, an RF filter is designed to allow for attenuation or transmission of a range of frequencies that would be applied. For example, an RF filter in a wireless device is used to receive designated RF signals and also helps to cut RF interference that could occur if a hairdryer, lamp, or other "noisy" device is activated. Four general filter functions are desirable: a band-pass filter that selects only a desired band of frequencies, a band-stop filter that eliminates an undesired band of frequencies, a low-pass filter that allows only frequencies below a cutoff frequency to pass, and a high-pass filter that allows only frequencies above a cutoff frequency to pass.
Radio frequency (RF) and microwave filters usually are designed to operate on signals in the megahertz (MHz) to gigahertz frequency (GHz) ranges (medium frequency to extremely high frequency). This frequency range is the range used by most broadcast radio, television, wireless communication (cell phones, Wi-Fi, etc. . . . ), and thus most RF and microwave devices will include some kind of filtering on the signals transmitted or received. Such filters are commonly used as building blocks for duplexers to combine or separate multiple frequency bands. In general, RF and microwave filters are most commonly made up of one or more coupled resonators, and thus any technology that can be used to make resonators can also be used to make filters.
Currently, radio frequency (RF) filters for receiving and transmitting radio waves in the selected frequency band utilizes several known technologies. For example, coaxial filter uses coaxial transmission lines providing higher quality factor than planar transmission lines, and is thus used when higher performance is required. The coaxial resonators may make use of high-dielectric constant materials to reduce their overall size. However, the dimension of a resonator filter is constrained by the pass band frequency and its physical size cannot be reduced as desired.
The most commonly used high power radio frequency (RF) filter is cavity filter. Cavity filter (e.g. waveguide filter) offers high quality factor (Q factor), which indicates a lower rate of energy loss. Well constructed cavity filters are capable of high selectivity even under power loads of at least a megawatt. Higher Q quality factor, as well as increased performance stability at closely spaced (down to 75 kHz) frequencies, can be achieved by increasing the internal volume of the filter cavities. Physical length of conventional cavity filters can vary from over 82″ in the 40 MHz range, down to under 11″ in the 900 MHz range. In the microwave range (1000 MHz (or 1 GHz) and higher), cavity filters become more practical in terms of size and a significantly higher quality factor than lumped element resonators and filters, though power handling capability may diminish. Similar to coaxial resonator filter, however, the dimension of a cavity filter is also determined by the pass band frequency. Therefore, its physical size cannot be reduced.
Pucks made of various dielectric materials can be used as an alternative to make resonators for dielectric filters. As with the coaxial resonators, high-dielectric constant materials may be used to reduce the overall size of the filter. With low-loss dielectric materials, these can offer significantly higher performance than the other technologies previously discussed. Electro-acoustic resonators based on piezoelectric materials can be used for filters. Since acoustic wavelength at a given frequency is several orders of magnitude shorter than the electrical wavelength, electro-acoustic resonators are generally smaller than electromagnetic counterparts such as cavity resonators. A common example of an electro-acoustic resonator is the quartz resonator which essentially is a cut of a piezoelectric quartz crystal clamped by a pair of electrodes. This technology is limited to some tens of megahertz. For microwave frequencies, thin film technologies such as surface acoustic wave (SAW) and, bulk acoustic wave (BAW) have been used for filters. Although dielectric resonator filter offers superior properties, the production of dielectric resonator filters depends on rare earth materials. Thus the cost is high, and dimensions are still too big.
An LC circuit, also called a resonant circuit or tuned circuit, consists of an inductor, represented by the letter L, and a capacitor, represented by the letter C. When connected together, they can act as an electrical resonator, an electrical analogue of a tuning fork, storing electrical energy oscillating at the circuit's resonant frequency. In a LC circuit, the pass band frequency is determined by the resonant frequency. The relation between resonant frequency (f0 in Hertz) and the values of LC and C is described as
      f    0    =            1              2                π                                      L                                                                          C                                .  LC circuit is a classical RF filter. However, due to current limitations of the L and the C devices, it cannot be used in high quality factor and high power handling applications such as base stations.
Striplines, which is supported by dielectric substrate on both sides, have also been used in RF filter applications. However, such filter cannot handle high RF power. Furthermore, the quality factor (Q value) of this type of filter is limited due to the additional substrate loss.

Compact stripline and air-cavity based radio frequency filter

SuZhou Luowan Electronic Technology Ltd. Co.


A method and tool for creating documentation for a transformer design uses design files created during the transformer design process to generate drawings and other information necessary to populate documentation. The design files contain information relating to the physical layout of all of the components of the coil as well as the electrical connectivity of the windings. The method and tool retrieve the design information, construct the associated drawings, format the drawings to the appropriate sizes, and display any associated text.

Voltage transformers are used to convert electrical energy from one voltage potential to another voltage potential. Transformers range from small 120VAC to 220VAC converters to large power transformers used to convert voltages from 1 kV (kilovolt) to 1000 kV or higher. Additionally, transformers may also be categorized as standard versus non-standard transformers. Standard transformers are those transformers having non-unique designs manufactured in large quantities. Unique or non-standard transformers are typically designed and manufactured individually.
Current design and manufacturing procedures used to build unique transformers utilize a manual documentation generation process. This manual process often results in errors in the documentation associated with the manufacture of the transformer. Such errors can create a problem in the transformer manufactured using that documentation. If the transformer is not manufactured correctly and does not conform to the particular design specifications, additional equipment within the power distribution network connected to this transformer may be adversely affected. The present invention provides an alternative to the manual documentation process. The present invention overcomes any errors associated with manually generated documentation by creating an automatic documentation process.
The voltage transformer has two main pieces, the core and the coil. The core is made from materials such as steel or iron. The core may have a single leg or multiple legs depending on the type of transformer. The legs are connected together by yokes and the connection between the legs and the yokes create a closed magnetic circuit. A stacked transformer core is formed by stacking layers of grain oriented steel sheets on top of one another. Alternatively, in a wound transformer core the sheets of steel are wrapped around the coil.
The coil of a transformer consists of conductive material wound around the leg(s) of the core. In its simplest form the coil of a transformer has a single primary winding and a single secondary winding. The primary winding is connected to the source of power (typically AC) and the secondary winding is connected to the load. As current flows through the primary winding, a resultant magnetic field within the core causes a current to be formed in the secondary winding of the coil.
Transformers are manufactured to conform to various customer requirements. Depending on the application, the utility company may need a transformer with a unique kVA rating that fits a particular footprint. The transformer manufacturer takes the customer input and designs a transformer to meet the requirements. When designing the transformer, the manufacturer tries to create a design that not only meets the customer requirements, but does so in a cost effective manner.
In order to create a cost effective design and manufacturing flow, the transformer manufacturer automates as much of the process as possible. Automated tools may be developed to assist with the design flow as well as the manufacturing flow. For example, instead of manually calculating the number of turns required for the low voltage winding, a computer program is used to perform this function. In addition, graphical displays may be developed to assist the transformer designer in creating the design.
The present invention is designed to further automate the transformer design process, by eliminating the manual steps previously performed to generate the manufacturing specifications and supporting documents. The present invention links to other processes within the transformer design flow, extracts the documentation information, and deposits it in a file. The end result is a file populated with all of the information necessary to document and build the transformer.

Automated method and tool for documenting a transformer design


A device for displaying an electronic program guide includes a program guide display unit configured to display an electronic program guide in which a program channel including scheduled broadcast television program entries and a content channel including content entries stored in a storage device are arranged parallel to each other, a determination unit configured to determine a program entry selected by a user from the displayed electronic program guide, and a changing unit configured to change the content channel in the displayed electronic program guide based on the selected program entry.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for creating and displaying an electronic program guide usable for both scheduled broadcast television (TV) programs and stored contents, and a device therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A technique for displaying a broadcast program channel and a content channel on a screen by combining contents accumulated in a hard disk recorder or a storage device connected to a network with an electronic program guide of a TV broadcast, is discussed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-295558. In the technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-295558, a content channel (private channel) including recorded programs and a broadcast program channel are displayed on the same screen as an electronic program guide. Then, users can select programs from the electronic program guide, and thus can view these programs.
However, in the conventional technique described above, contents and the display position of a content channel in the electronic program guide are automatically determined. Therefore, a user cannot change the content channel. For this reason, a content channel reflecting an intention of a user cannot be generated.

Method for displaying an electronic program guide including a content channel according to user's preference, and device therefor


The invention provides the novel thymus-specific human protein T101, an 84-amino acid polypeptide isolated from the human thymus. The full T101 peptide contains a 33-amino acid signal peptide and a 51-amino acid T101 peptide sequence with both immune stimulatory and inhibitory activities. Also provided are modified peptides and partial T101 peptide sequences.

Currently, many biological response modifiers (BRM) have been identified. Examples include interleukins and cytokines. The thymus also plays an important role in the overall immunomodulation. One could say that the thymus is the brain of the immune system. The thymus is considered to have a key function in the development and function of the immune system and the biological defense mechanisms against cancer and chronically infected cells.
Thymic tissue is responsible for selected transformation of precursor cells into different T-cells: i.e., helper (CD4+) T-lymphocytes, which aid in the differentiation of other lymphocytes; killer cells (NK cells); cytotoxic cells; and suppressor (cytotoxic) (CD8+) T-lymphocytes (1-3) Having been released into the bloodstream, intestinal and peripheral tissues, the lymphocytes are characterized by well-defined antigens or activation markers on their surface. Their activities are extra-thymic.
There is a delicate interaction between the thymus and the active bone marrow. There is a direct and positive correlation between hypo-function of the thymus and the decline of production of colony-stimulating factors (CSF). Therefore, in cases where there is insufficient production of CSF, the therapeutic application of thymus peptides can be helpful.
Chronic hepatitis B (CHB), HIV, chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and malaria are chronic diseases from which tens of million of people currently suffer without any cure. The cellular branch of immunity is responsible for vigilance against these chronic viruses, fungi, yeast, and parasitic infections as well as against neoplasms and the symptoms of aging. Thymus extracts have been used clinically in a variety of ways involving some of these conditions. They have been used orally and as injectables, by themselves and in combination with other therapeutics. Thymus extracts have been used to treat severe and chronic allergies involving the respiratory tract and skin as well as in severe acute and chronic infectious diseases. The extracts have also been shown to reduce post-surgical infections and decrease the damage of chemotherapy and radiation, and have also been used as adjuncts to mainstream therapy for treatment of neoplasm. All of these conditions have been treated successfully with thymus extracts from bovine.
In a randomized study in patients with malignant melanoma, thymus peptides caused an increased tumor-free period, a longer survival time and increased quality of life (4). In another randomized study in intermediate- and high-grade non-Hodgkins lymphoma, patients were treated with thymus peptides in addition to standard chemotherapy. The treated patients tolerated thymus peptides quite well and had a significantly higher complete response rate than those patients who did not receive thymus peptides (5). In a further randomized study in patients undergoing colorectal surgery showed that the patients who received thymus peptides in addition to Cefotetan did significantly better in lowering the rate of abdominal abscesses and upper respiratory tract infections (6). A randomized study performed in women with advanced breast cancer documented that the women who received thymus peptides in addition to their chemotherapy regimen tolerated the chemotherapy significantly better and had a reduced rate of secondary infections (7,8).
In line with the above findings, its appears that thymus peptides can be used for enhancing bone marrow function and protecting the patient against myelo-suppression of standard chemotherapy; for supporting bone marrow recovery after radiation and chemotherapy; for preventing secondary infections due to immunosuppression caused by standard chemotherapy and surgical interventions; for increasing the complete and partial response rate to anticancer therapies; and for improving lymphocyte function and biological defense mechanisms.
The immune system is composed of many different cells, including T-cells, B-cells, NK-cells, etc. The origin of these different cells varies. Premature T-cells originate in the bone marrow and later on move to the thymus. Different processes take place in the thymus that lead to the production of mature T-cells and to the secretion of various peptides that control the immune response. The T-cells can be divided into several sub-groups, e.g., T-helper cells, T-cytotoxic cells, T-memory cells and T-regulatory cells. Each subset has its own function during the immune response. These sub-groups are characterized by the different antigens presented on their membranes. For example, T-helper cells present the CD4 antigen on their membrane, while T-cytotoxic cells present the CD8 antigen on their membrane.
CD4+ T-cell play a regulatory and are believed to be linked to peripheral self tolerance. The existence of thymus-derived regulatory T-cells was initially suggested by the onset of autoimmune diseases in mice after thymectomy on day 3 of life. These disorders were found to be due to loss of peripheral CD4+ T-cells that constitutively express IL-2R alpha (CD25), which appears late in the periphery after birth. Physiologically generated CD4+CD25+cells inhibit a wide range of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, e.g. colitis.
Despite numerous studies, the mechanism by which CD4+CD25+ T-cells exert their regulatory function is unclear. Some studies have shown that regulation in vivo is dependent on the production of suppressive cytokines such as IL-10 and TGF-β and cell-surface molecules such as CTLA-4. In vivo studies have shown that the suppressive effect is not mediated by cytokiaes but rather by cell contact.
CD8+ T-cells have been reported to be essential in vivo to prevent experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and to participate in oral tolerance. Regulatory CD8+CD28-T-cells can be generated and expanded in vitro by multiple rounds of stimulations by allogenic APC's but it is not known whether this population exists in vivo. A new study revealed a new regulatory population of CD8+ cells which also constitutively expresses CD25 and which possesses very similar characteristics to CD4+CD25+ cells.
These cells produced IL-10, Foxp3, and CTLA-4 and inhibit CD25-T-cell response to anti-CD3 stimulation through cell contacts with efficiency similar to CD4+CD25+.
It is believed that these 2 subpopulations of cells, CD4+CD25+ and CD8+CD25+, participate in the regulation of the irnmune response.


A recordable optical disc has a plurality of test areas for effecting test recording therein with a light beam applied thereto which has an optional light intensity, a plurality of count areas for recording count information indicative of whether test recording is effected or not in the test areas, respectively, the count areas being associated respectively with the test areas, and an information recording area for recording information with a light beam applied thereto. The count areas are searched for an unrecorded count area with no count information recorded therein in response to a predetermined command. If at least one unrecorded count area is located, count information is recorded in the located count area. Then, the test areas are searched for one test area which is associated with the located count area in which the count information is recorded. The light beam is applied to the test area to effect test recording therein to measure an optimum light intensity for recording information in the information recording area. Information is then recorded in the information recording area with the light beam applied thereto with the measured optimum light intensity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for recording information on a recordable optical disc, and more particularly to a method of and an apparatus for measuring and determining an optimum recording power before information is recorded on a recordable optical disc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are known compact discs (CD) having diameters of 12 cm and 8 cm. As shown in FIG. 8 of the accompanying drawings, a compact disc has a lead-in area, a program area, and a lead-out area that are arranged successively from an innermost circular boundary on the disc. The compact disc stores a digital signal in the form of an EFM (Eight to Fourteen Modulation) signal. The recorded digital signal includes a main code representing main information such as music information and a subcode such as a time code (Q data) representing time information.
The lead-in area stores index information called TOC (Table of Contents) information. The TOC information contains a subcode indicating the total number of music pieces recorded in the program area, the total playback time of recorded music pieces, and other information. The program area contains a main code representative of music information, Q data of the subcode, track numbers (TNO) indicating the numbers of music pieces, playback times (P-TIME) from the start of the tracks, a total playback time (A-TIME) measured from the track number 1, and other information. The lead-out area contains a lead-out code representing the lead-out area.
The CDs with such a recording format are a medium used for playback only. There has recently been developed a recordable compact disc (R-CD) which has substantially the same format as the conventional CD and which allows additional information to be recorded subsequently. The recording format of the R-CD is referred to as "Orange Book". While the recording format of the R-CD is similar to that of the ordinary CD, it additionally has a PCA (Power Calibration Area) and a PMA (Program Memory Area) that are positioned radially inwardly of the lead-in area, as shown in FIG. 9 of the accompanying drawings.
On tracks of the R-CD, guide grooves are formed being wobbled by the frequency of a carrier of 22.05 KHz which is frequency-modulated by data indicating absolute time information (ATIP: Absolute Time In Pregroove). A laser beam for recording desired information on the R-CD is controlled to follow the guide grooves under tracking control, and the rotational speed of a spindle motor which rotates the R-CD is controlled so that the wobbling guide groove pattern has a central frequency of 22.05 KHz. In this manner, tracking servo and spindle-motor servo processes can be effected on unrecorded R-CDs as well as recorded R-CDs.
The ATIP information will be described below. As shown in FIG. 10 of the accompanying drawings, the ATIP information contains a plurality of frames each composed of 42 bits. The 42 bits of each frame include 4 bits indicative of a sync pattern (SYNC), 8 bits indicative of a minute (MIN), 8 bits indicative of a second (SEC), 8 bits indicative of a frame (FRAME), and 14 bits indicative of an error correcting code (ECC).
The absolute time information represented by the ATIP information equals 1 second in 75 frames as is the case with the Q data of the subcode. In the lead-in area, the absolute time information monotonously increases such that it indicates 99 minutes 59 seconds 74 frames (represented as "99:59:74") at the end of the lead-in area. The absolute time information indicates 00:00:00 at the beginning of the program area, and monotonously increases in the program area.
The manner in which the ATIP information varies across the R-CD is schematically shown in FIG. 12 of the accompanying drawings. The ATIP information in those areas which are radially inward of the program area is indicated by dotted lines, showing that it monotonously increases and indicates 99:59:74 at the end of the lead-in area, as described above. In FIG. 12, the program area has a start frame t.sub.4, the lead-in area has a start frame t.sub.3, the PMA has a start frame t.sub.2, and the PCA has a start frame t.sub.1. These
t.sub.1 =t.sub.3 -00:35:65 PA1 t.sub.2 =t.sub.3 -00:13:25 PA1 t.sub.4 =00:00:00.
In addition to the ordinary absolution time information, the ATIP information includes special information encoded by the combination of the most significant bits (MSB) of the 8-bit data which indicate MIN, SEC, and FRAME (in FIG. 10, the combination of the 5th, 13th, and 21th bits as counted from the beginning of the frame). If the combination of the 5th, 13th, and 21th bits is "101", then the information represented by the 6th, 7th, and 8th bits indicates a recommended recording power, i.e., a recording laser beam intensity, for use with the disc. As shown in FIG. 11 of the accompanying drawings, there are eight recommended recording powers indicated by eight combinations of the 6th, 7th, and 8th bits, ranging from "000" to "111". The recommended recording powers are determined under the conditions that the recording laser beam has a wavelength .gamma. of 780 nm and is generated at a temperature T of 25.degree. C. Since the wavelength .gamma. is temperature-dependent and different objective lenses have different aperture ratios NA, an optimum recording power may not necessarily be the same as any of the recommended recording powers.
The PCA will now be described below. The PCA is an area where test recording is carried out prior to an information recording process, so that the power of the recording laser beam will be optimized for recording desired information in the information recording process. As shown in FIG. 13 of the accompanying drawings, the PCA is composed of a count area CA and a test area TA.
The count area CA has a start frame indicated by (t.sub.3 --00:15:05) and an end frame indicated by (t.sub.3 --00:13:25). The count area CA is divided into 100 areas each having one frame, and these divided areas are numbered C.sub.100 .about.C.sub.1 successively radially outwardly. The area C.sub.1 has an end frame indicated by (t.sub.3 --00:13:55). The area C.sub.1 is followed by 30 reserved frames in the count area CA.
The test area TA has a start frame indicated by (t.sub.3 --00:35:65) and an end frame indicated by (t.sub.3 --00:15:05). The test area TA has innermost 30 reversed frames which are followed by 100 divided areas each having 15 frames, and these divided areas are numbered T.sub.100 .about.T.sub.1 successively radially outwardly. The area T.sub.1 has an end frame indicated by (t.sub.3 --00:15:35). The area T.sub.1 is followed by 30 reserved frames in the test area TA.
The areas C.sub.100 .about.C.sub.1 of the count area CA of the above format correspond respectively to the areas T.sub.100 .about.T.sub.1 of the test area TA, and suitable EFM signals are to be recorded in the areas C.sub.100 .about.C.sub.1. Test recording for measuring an optimum recording laser beam power is carried out in the areas T.sub.100 .about.T.sub.1 of the test area TA. This is because the recommended recording powers indicated by the ATIP information may not necessarily be indicative of an optimum recording power. One of the areas T.sub.100 .about.T.sub.1 of the test area TA is consumed by a single test recording cycle. An actual process for measuring an optimum recording laser beam power will be described later on.
Any area T.sub.n of the test area TA which has once been used by test recording is not available for a next test recording cycle. It is therefore necessary to search for an unused area T.sub.n+1 positioned radially inwardly of the used area T.sub.n for use in the next test recording cycle. The count area CA is provided to facilitate the searching process. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 13, it is assumed that the areas T.sub.1, T.sub.2, T.sub.3 of the test area TA have already been used by test recording. To indicate that the areas T.sub.1, T.sub.2, T.sub.3 have been used, suitable EFM signals are recorded in the corresponding areas C.sub.1, C.sub.2, C.sub.3 of the count area CA, as shown hatched in FIG. 13. No EFM signal is recorded in the area C.sub.4 next to the most recently used area C.sub.3. The unrecorded area C.sub.4 indicates that the corresponding area T.sub.4 of the test area TA is available for test recording. Consequently, the area T.sub.4 may be searched for and test recording carried out therein for measuring an optimum recording laser beam power. After an optimum recording laser beam power has been measured in the area T.sub.4, the area C.sub.4 of the count area CA is searched for, and suitable EFM signal is recorded in the area C.sub.4, indicating that test recording has already been conducted in the corresponding area T.sub.4.
The PMA is an area for storing a recording history of items of information successively recorded in the program area. Specifically, the start addresses and end addresses of track numbers recorded in the program area, for example, are recorded in the PMA in the same format as the TOC information in the lead-in area.
The recording history of successively recorded items of information is stored in the PMA for the following reasons: On a partially recorded disc, information may further be recorded in the remaining blank of the program area. Therefore, the TOC information cannot be recorded in the lead-in area until the completion of recording of all the desired information is finally instructed. Consequently, information about the tracks that have already been recorded is temporarily stored in the PMA. When the user or controller of the disc instructs that no more information will be recorded, the TOC information and a lead-out signal are recorded on the disc. The finalized disc (R-CD), on which the recording of all the necessary information is completed, is then based on the CD format, and can be played back by a disc player for playback only.
After the disc is loaded into a recording apparatus, test recording in the PCA is carried out at least once prior to additional recording of any desired information in the program area. However, if test recording is effected in the PCA at the same time that the disc is loaded into the recording apparatus, then in case the user subsequently ejects the disc without recording any additional information in the program area, the test area TA is unduly consumed. For example, if the user loads and then ejects the disc 100 times without recording any additional information in the program area, then all the test area TA is used up, and no additional information whatsoever can subsequently be recorded in the program area. To eliminate the above drawback, it may be possible to effect test recording only once in the PCA only when the user instructs the recording of information in the program area after the disc is loaded into the recording apparatus.
In the PCA, the areas T.sub.100 .about.T.sub.1 of the test area TA correspond respectively to the areas C.sub.100 .about.C.sub.1 of the count area CA, as described above. After an optimum recording laser beam power is measured in the area T.sub.n of the test area TA, it is necessary to record count information or an EFM signal in the corresponding area C.sub.n of the count area CA. Because of the necessity of recording such count information in the corresponding area C.sub.n of the count area CA, the recording apparatus cannot immediately record additional information in the program area after the test recording. It has heretofore been desired to shorten the time lag that the recording apparatus suffers before it can record additional information in the program area.

Method and apparatus for recording information on a recordable optical disc utilizing unrecorded count area to determine available test area


A communication method includes: receiving out-of-band communication modes supported by a power transmitter (PTX) and transmitted by the PTX via a first communication mode, wherein the first communication mode comprises an enhanced in-band communication mode; matching the out-of-band communication modes supported by the PTX with out-of-band communication modes supported by a power receiver (PRX); and when the out-of-band communication modes supported by the PTX and the out-of-band communication modes supported by the PRX share an identical out-of-band communication mode, using the identical out-band communication mode to return data to the PTX or to return a result of the matching between the out-of-band communication modes to the PTX. Embodiments of the present disclosure can be used to achieve compatibility with multiple communication modes and to support high-speed communication in a wireless charging system.

At present, wireless power consortium (WPC) standard adopts an in-band communication method, which uses a frequency band around 124 k for necessary handshake communication. Because the information amount of handshake communication is very small, the in-band communication can meet this demand. However, with subsequent evolution and development, the rate of in-band communication is too low to meet new application requirements. Therefore, out-of-band communication needs to be introduced.
At present, the more mature out-of-band communication is a Near Field Communication (NFC) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). For medium power, such as charging pads embedded in kitchen equipment or furniture, NFC currently has an advantage in standardization. For small devices such as mobile phones, the space for the charging pads is very limited, and the location of the NFC antenna will affect the layout of the small devices, so that NFC is not a standard configuration for mobile phones. However, because of its low cost and low power consumption, BLE is basically the standard configuration of mobile phones. Therefore, the BLE communication mode is also a very important communication mode.
However, it is obvious that NFC and BLE cannot be introduced at the same time. If only one communication mode is introduced, and the charging pad corresponds to another communication mode, it will cause incompatibility, and it will not be possible to support relatively high rates in the wireless charging system.

Communication method and apparatus, power receiving device, and power transmission device

BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.


A thermal insulation structure for a substrate for use subsea, and a method of providing a thermal insulating structure. The structure comprises: an inner layer and an outer layer. The inner layer is the reaction product of a first part and a second part, wherein the weight ratio of the first part to the second part is from about 15:1 to 1:1. The first part comprises any of alkenyldialkyl terminated polydialkylsiloxane, alkenyldialkyl terminated polydialkylalkenylmethylsiloxane or mixtures thereof, which will individually or collectively have a viscosity of from 250 to 10000 mPa·s at 25° C., and a hydrosilylation catalyst. The second part comprises a mixture of organohydrogensiloxane having two Si—H bonds per molecule and organohydrogensiloxane having at least three Si—H bonds per molecule. The outer layer is the reaction product of a first part and a second part, wherein the weight ratio of the first part to the second part is from about 15:1 to 1:1. The first part comprises any of alkenyldialkyl terminated polydialkylsiloxane, alkenyldialkyl terminated polydialkylalkenylmethylsiloxane or mixtures thereof, which will individually or collectively have a viscosity of from 250 to 10000 mPa·s at 25° C., and a hydrosilylation catalyst. The second part comprises organohydrogensiloxane having at least two Si—H bonds per molecule and alkenylated MQ silicone resin, wherein said M group comprises at least two Si-alkenyl bonds per molecule.

The application of thermal insulation to subsea oil and gas equipment to maintain the temperature of the extracted fluids as they pass through portions of the equipment exposed to the cooling effects of sea water is known. Items of subsea equipment which benefit from thermal insulation include: wellheads and Xmas trees, spool pieces, manifolds, risers and pipe field joints.
Thermal insulation must have a low thermal conductivity and exhibit the required mechanical properties, such as flexibility. At high temperatures, for instance above 150 degrees centigrade, known thermal insulation can become brittle leading to a deterioration or loss of the required mechanical properties, such as flexibility.
There is a requirement therefore for thermal insulation which has a low thermal conductivity and exhibits the required mechanical properties, such as flexibility, even at high temperatures, for example, above 150 degrees centigrade.
All proportions in this specification are expressed as weight percentages.


The present invention is to provide a connector connection apparatus to avoid drop of a connector without increase of cost. The connector connection apparatus includes a holder for receiving therein and holding the connector, a receiving portion main body for receiving therein and holding the holder, and a plate for fixing the holder attached to the receiving portion main body. The receiving portion main body includes a receiving hole having a diameter larger than an outer diameter of the holder and receiving the holder therein. The holder is inserted from an upper opening of the receiving hole into the receiving portion main body. The holder is then held between the plate and the receiving portion main body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector connection apparatus having a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
A motor vehicle has an electronic apparatus such as a monitor or a whiplash preventing apparatus in a headrest. A variety of connector connection apparatuses are utilized for supplying electrical power or signal to the electronic apparatus attached to the headrest.
The conventional connector connection apparatus includes a cylindrical sleeve, or a receiving member attached to a seat, a connector received in the sleeve, a pole attached to the headrest, and a mating connector attached to an end of the pole. The pole is inserted into the sleeve to connect the connector to the mating connector. The conventional connector connection apparatus thereby supplies the electrical power or signal of the vehicle main body to the electronic apparatus of the headrest.
In the conventional connector connection apparatus, it is necessary to make the connector movable in the sleeve in order to assuredly connect the connectors together when the headrest is moved close to the seat. It is necessary to form engaging projections and engaging arms on an inner wall of the sleeve and outer walls of the both connectors to make the connectors movable in the sleeve and avoid drop of the connector from the sleeve. The resulting sleeve and connectors become complicated and increase the cost of the product.


A portable electronic device includes a casing, a key, a loudspeaker, a soft insulating material, and an actuating unit. The key is disposed at the casing. The loudspeaker is embedded into the casing flatly. The soft insulating material covers the casing and the loudspeaker. The actuating unit is coupled to the key and the loudspeaker, and it actuates the loudspeaker to protrude from the casing in response to an actuation of the key.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to an electronic device and, more particularly, to a portable electronic device having a loudspeaker.
2. Related Art
With the development of science and electronic devices, portable electronic devices have become popular consumer products. For example, a notebook computer, a mobile communication device, and a media player have become necessaries in daily life. The portable electronic devices have loudspeakers to play sound or music. In addition to functions, novelty and fashion are important in designing different kinds of the consumer electronic devices. The design and the style of products are also main factors affecting purchase by the consumers.


An aircraft passenger light includes a reading light unit having a reading light unit and a halo light unit. The reading light unit includes at least one reading light source and is configured for emitting a targeted reading light output. The halo light unit includes at least one halo light source and is configured for emitting a ring shaped halo light output, at least partly surrounding the targeted reading light output.

Modern aircraft comprise a variety of interior aircraft lights, including cabin illumination lights, aircraft passenger lights, exit sign lights, etc. An individually switchable aircraft passenger light ("reading light") is usually provided over and associated with each passenger seat.
It would be beneficial to increase the application range of interior aircraft lighting systems.

Aircraft passenger light with reading and halo lighting


A multi-code code division multiple access system allows a user at a radio transmitter unit to dynamically change its source data bit rate. In response to a user input selecting one of said plurality of source bit rates, an adjustable coding means in the transmitter spreads and transmits the user's digital bit stream received at the selected bit rate to a channel bit rate which at least equals the highest bit rate of said plurality of source bit rates. The plurality of source bit rates includes a basic bit rate R and at least one bit rate which is a multiple M of the basic bit rate R, where M is an integer of at least 1. The user's input selects a particular user source bit rate by identifying a basic bit rate multiple M to a base station that is to receive the transmission.

In future wireless networks, a large variety of services, such as voice/video/data/image, are expected. The most precious resource in most wireless systems is the radio spectrum. To maximize its effective use, packet switched wireless access using code division multiple access (CDMA) has been pursued and offers increased service quality and transmission bandwidth. These CDMA systems provide reduced multiple path distortion and co-channel interference, and avoid the need for frequency planning that is common with frequency division multiple access (FDMA) and time division multiple access (TDMA) systems.
In a CDMA system, a unique binary spreading sequence (a code) is assigned for each call to each user. Multiplied by the assigned code, the user's signal is "spread" onto a channel bandwidth much wider than the user signal bandwidth. The ratio of the system channel bandwidth to the user's bandwidth is commonly called "the spreading gain." All active users share the same system channel bandwidth frequency spectrum at the same time. Given a required signal-to-interference (S/I), the equivalent system capacity is proportional to the spreading gain. The signal of each user is separated from the others at the receiver by using a correlator keyed with the associated code sequence to "de-spread" the desired signal.
In these CDMA systems, there is a continuing need to increase the performance of the system by accommodating users having different source rates.

Code division multiple access system providing variable data rate access to a user


A fluid trap apparatus includes an inlet configured to receive a flow of composite fluid into the apparatus. The composite fluid contains at least a first fluid and a second fluid. An outer wall defines an interior chamber. A flow diffuser is interposed within the interior chamber. The flow diffuser directs the flow of the composite fluid to circulate through the interior chamber. The first fluid and the second fluid separate as the composite fluid circulates through the interior chamber. A method of separating a first fluid from a second fluid includes introducing a flow of composite fluid into a separate chamber. A pressure gradient is created within the separation chamber. A flow diffuser is interposed in a flow path between an inlet and an outlet. The flow diffuser directs the flow of the composite fluid within the separation chamber. The first fluid and the second fluid are separated.

The present disclosure is related to the field of medical fluid transport. More specifically, the present disclosure is related to a fluid trap for use in the delivery or removal of fluid from a patient.
When a patient is receiving extracorporeal fluid into the blood stream, exemplarily intravenous (IV) solution treatment of a transfusion of blood, there is a risk of introducing gas bubbles into the patient's vascular system. Such gas bubbles, if allowed to accumulate, can result in a gas embolism.
Additionally, many medical fluid procedures warm the blood or fluid before it is delivered to the patient as this improves patient comfort and the body's acceptance of the introduced fluid. The process of heating a fluid decreases the solubility of any gases dissolved in that fluid and therefore the warming of the blood or fluid can result in out gassing, typically of nitrogen or oxygen gas in the context of medical fluids. Therefore, it is desirable to trap and/or remove gas from a fluid before it is delivered to a patient.

Fluid trap and method of separating fluids


A wafer level packaging procedure provides a wafer having a pad mounting surface with bonding pads on the pad mounting surface. An insulative layer is formed with conductor formation holes exposing the bonding pads. Conductors are formed in the respective conductor formation holes. A photoresist protective layer is formed on the pad mounting surface and then holes are formed in the photoresist protective layer for exposing parts of the respective conductors. Conductive bumps are formed in the holes in the photoresist protective layer in electric connection to the respective conductors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wafer level packaging procedure for making wafer level packages. The invention relates also to a semiconductor package made by means of the application of the wafer level packaging procedure.
2. Background of the Invention
A conventional wafer level packaging technique applies electric conducting pastes to the surface of every die zone of the wafer to be packaged, to form conductors that extend from every bonding pad to a predetermined location. Taiwan Patent No. 434848, issued to the present inventor, teaches a similar design. During formation of conductors with electric conducting pastes, the electric conducting pastes are applied to the wafer with a steel plate by printing. The steel plate has a plurality of through holes corresponding to the bonding pads at the wafer. During printing, the steel plate is put on the surface of the wafer, and then the electric conducting pastes are applied to the through holes of the steel plate by means of a printing head. When hardened, the printed electric conducting pastes form the desired conductors subject to the predetermined shapes.
Following improvement of semiconductor manufacturing process, the count of die zones on a wafer is relatively increased, and the area of the die zone on the wafer is relatively reduced. In consequence, the number of bonding pads at the wafer is relatively increased, i.e., the pitch between two adjacent bonding pads is greatly reduced. However, the hole width of the through holes on a steel plate for the aforesaid electric conducting pastes printing process cannot be smaller than 25 mm due to technical limitations. According to conventional techniques, a steel plate cannot be used to print electric conducting pastes on a wafer to make conductors thinner than 25 mm.

Wafer level package, wafer level packaging procedure for making wafer level package


A fuse for handling normal load currents substantially in excess of about 80 amps, the fuse comprising a metal portion formed of an integral piece of metal having outermost, spaced terminal-forming portions with bolt-anchoring holes therein and a fuse link-forming intermediate portion between the terminal-forming portions. The terminal-forming portions of the metal piece has a rectangular configuration having inner margins spaced from one another. The fuse link-forming portion of the metal piece has an S-shape with one face thereof being co-planar with one of the faces of the terminal-forming portions thereof. The thickness of the S-shaped fuse link is only a fraction of the thickness of the terminal thickness and has outermost legs respectively extending from the opposite sides of the innermost margins of the terminal-forming portions of the metal piece and a central link interconnecting the outermost legs. The central leg has two pairs of spaced notches between which a tin pellet is anchored in an aperture to reduce the melting temperature of the fuse link so that prolonged overload currents will open the fuse link.

The automobile blade-type plug-in fuse disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,023 is a two-piece assembly having a thin, box-like housing and a plate-like, all metal plug-in fuse element secured therein. The metal plug-in fuse element has a pair of spaced, confronting, exposed terminal blades extending from one side of the housing. These terminal blades plug into pressure clip socket terminals. Current-carrying extensions of the terminal blades extend into the housing where they are closely encompassed by the housing walls. A fuse link unsupported between the ends thereof extends suspended between the current-carrying extensions and is spaced from the housing side walls.
The fuse link of this and other types of fuses including the fuses of the present invention melts and sometimes vaporizes under fuse blowing conditions. These fuses generally are designed to blow under both prolonged modest overload current like 135% of rated current within 1/2 hour or instantly under short circuit current. Under such a prolonged modest overload current the temperature of the fuse link progressively rises until the fuse opens the circuit involved. The temperature rise in the fuse link results from electrical power dissipation in the electrical resistance R of the fuse link material due to electrical current I flow therethrough. The formula describing this power dissipation P is P=I.sup.2 R.
Under normal operation (normal current is usually about 70% of rated current), the heat dissipated in the fuse link is sufficiently small that a large section of the fuse link does not melt or even soften. Heat generated in the fuse link is conducted into the terminal blade portions, housing and panel socket clips. When a current substantially above rated current (like 135% thereof) flows in the link, the heat dissipation is such that there is an insufficient rate of conduction of heat therefrom so that the temperature rises to the temperature which melts the fuse link. The fuse link will soften before it melts, and it is important to the reliability of the fuse that before melting the fuse link does not soften to a degree that the outer portions of the link become so weakened that the center portion sags against a side wall of the housing before the desired fuse blowing conditions occur. If this occurs, the contact made between a sagging fuse link and the housing can melt the fuse housing and cool the fuse link and prevent it from blowing in the desired time period or from blowing at all.
The fuse disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,023 was designed to overcome this sagging problem which is not expected to be a problem with fuses carrying substantially in excess of 80 amps where the material of the all metal portion of the fuse involved is made of copper instead of a soft metal like zinc. The teachings of this patent would not, therefore, be expected to be applicable to fuses carrying rated current of 100 amps and above. If one chose to use the fuse design disclosed in this patent to carry such rated currents by increasing the size, thickness and mass of the various portions of the fuse thereshown, the resulting size of the fuse and plug-in socket terminals would be undesirably large.
One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an automotive fuse which can be inexpensively manufactured, and will be of a smaller size than the modified fuse just described.