Provided are crystalline forms of nicotinamide riboside, including a Form I of nicotinamide riboside chloride according to formula (I). Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the crystalline Form I of nicotinamide riboside chloride, and methods of producing such pharmaceutical compositions. In other aspects, the present disclosure pertains to methods comprising administering to a subject the crystalline Form I of nicotinamide riboside chloride. The present disclosure also provides methods of preparing the crystalline Form I of nicotinamide riboside chloride. Also provided are a crystalline Form I of nicotinamide riboside chloride that is prepared according to any of the disclosed methods for preparing the crystalline Form I.

Crystalline forms of useful molecules can have advantageous properties relative to the amorphous form of such molecules. For example, crystal forms are often easier to handle and process, for example, when preparing compositions that include the crystal form. Crystalline forms typically have greater storage stability and are more amenable to purification. The use of a crystalline form of a pharmaceutically useful compound can also improve the performance characteristics of a pharmaceutical product that includes the compound. Obtaining the crystalline form also serves to enlarge the repertoire of materials that formulation scientists have available for formulation optimization, for example by providing a product with different properties, e.g., better processing or handling characteristics, improved dissolution profile, or improved shelf-life.
Nicotinamide riboside (CAS Number 1341-23-7) is a precursor to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and represents a source of vitamin B3. Recent studies have indicated that novel health benefits may result from ingesting nicotinamide riboside in larger quantities than is found naturally in foods. For example, nicotinamide riboside has been implicated in raising tissue NAD concentrations and in eliciting insulin sensitivity and enhancement of sirtuin functions. See Chi Y, et al., Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2013 November; 16(6):657-61. Its ability to increase NAD production indicates that nicotinamide riboside can also increase mitochondrial health, stimulate mitochondrial function, and induce creation of new mitochondria. Additional studies with nicotinamide riboside in models of Alzheimer's disease have suggested that the molecule is bioavailable to the brain and provides neuroprotective effects, likely by stimulation of brain NAD synthesis. Id. Furthermore, a 2012 study observed that mice on a high-fat diet that was supplemented with nicotinamide riboside gained 60% less weight than mice eating the same high-fat diet without nicotinamide riboside.
Nicotinamide riboside chloride (3-carbamoyl-1-[(2R,3R,4S5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-2-yl]-pyrin-1-ylium chloride; also referred to as 1-(β-D-Ribofuranosyl)nicotinamide chloride) is a known salt form of nicotinamide riboside and has the structure depicted below:

Despite the useful attributes of nicotinamide riboside and its chloride salt, for example, for use in pharmaceuticals or nutritional supplements, and the benefits of providing such molecules in an ordered form, improvements are generally desired.

Crystalline form of nicotinamide riboside


Traffic associated with user equipment that are coupled to a first radio access network is steered to a second radio access network based on an adaptable signal strength criterion. The signal strength criterion is related to real-time network load conditions of the first radio access network and can be broadcasted from a serving access point to the user equipment. Moreover, the signal strength criterion facilitates steering, to the second radio network, traffic associated with user equipment that are located closer to a cell edge of the first radio access network before steering traffic associated with user equipment are located further away from the cell edge. In addition, based on the network congestion within the first radio access network, the signal strength criterion is modified to adjust the number of user equipment that are steered to the second radio network.

With an explosive growth in utilization of communication devices, mobile telecommunications carriers are seeing an exponential increase in network traffic. To meet the demands of higher traffic, conventional systems employ traffic steering mechanisms that offload mobile traffic from a cellular network to an overlapping Wi-Fi network. By using Wi-Fi networks, for example, in indoor locations, mobile telecommunications carriers can deliver a superior customer experience and cost effectively boost network performance for the end user. However, the decision to steer a mobile device from the cellular network to the Wi-Fi network (or vice versa) is based on Wi-Fi availability. This could lead to undesired network utilization across various radio access technologies and/or negatively affect user experience.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Cell broadcast for smart traffic steering across radio technologies with improved radio efficiency


A linear random N-substituted acrylamide copolymer comprising 65 to 99% by mole of ethylene units, 1 to 15% by mole of acrylate units and 1 to 35% by mole of acrylamide units, the copolymer having a weight average molecular weight of 1000 to 50000, and an aqueous composition, a resin film, a laminate, recording paper and a foamed article comprising the N-substituted acrylamide copolymer, respectively. The N-substituted acrylamide copolymer is excellent in antistatic ability for thermoplastic resins and does not lower physical properties such as transparency and elongation of films and articles which are formed from a thermoplastic resin. Moreover, the N-substituted acrylamide copolymer is excellent in anti-blocking ability so that the copolymer can be suitably used for various uses.

The present invention relates to an N-substituted acrylamide copolymer, an intermediate product thereof, an aqueous composition of the N-substituted acrylamide copolymer, and an antistatic thermoplastic resin film, a thermoplastic resin film having a vapor deposition layer, a laminated thermoplastic resin film, a laminate comprising a foamed article and a resin layer, a support for recording sheets, an electroconductive paper, an electrostatic recording paper, a foamed article and a laminate of foamed articles.
Thermoplastic resins such as an olefinic resin, ABS resin and vinyl chloride resin hitherto have been formed into films or bags, which have been widely used as packaging materials or wrapping materials, parts of cars, and the like. Since the thermoplastic resins have high electric resistance, there is a serious defect in the thermoplastic resins that they are easily charged with electricity due to friction and dust is adhered to their surfaces thereby.
Recently, as the methods for imparting antistatic property to the thermoplastic resins, there have been proposed, for instance,
(A) a method comprising coating a solution of an antistatic agent on the surface of a resin and drying it. PA0 (B) a method comprising mixing an internal antistatic agent with a resin, PA0 (C) a method comprising coating a silicone compound on the surface of a resin, and PA0 (D) a method comprising modifying a resin itself, and the like. PA0 (A) In the process for preparing an electrostatic recording paper, substrate paper is coated with the electroconductive polymer followed by drying to form a low electric resistant layer, and it is once rolled up. Then, in the second step, it is rewound, and a solvent solution such as a toluene solution of vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer or styrene-acrylic acid copolymer is coated on the low resistant layer followed by drying to form a dielectric layer. Thus, an electrostatic recording paper is obtained. In the rewinding step, the low electric resistant layer becomes sticky or tacky due to blocking resulting from the properties of the electroconductive polymer. Therefore, the workability lowers and the quality of an obtained electrostatic recording paper is remarkably lowered. PA0 (B) In the process for preparing an electrostatic recording paper, there is a problem in solvent resistance, which is so-called "solvent holdout". After a low electric resistant layer is formed, a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, an acrylic acid-styrene copolymer or the like is coated thereon as a solution of a solvent such as toluene. At that time, the solvent is immersed into the inside of the low resistant layer to impair the formation of a dielectric layer and a low resistant layer, and as a result, recording property of an obtained electrostatic recording paper is lowered. PA0 (C) There is lowering of recording property depending upon humidity, which is a fatal defect of electrostatic recording paper. PA0 (A) it is necessitated to use an expensive silicone or fluorine-containing compounds, and that PA0 (B) all of the above-mentioned problems are not completely solved at the same time although tackiness, solvent resistance and moisture dependency of electric resistant are partially improved. PA0 (A) an abrasion resistance and washability resistance with water are excellent, that PA0 (B) transparency is excellent, that PA0 (C) there are no fine cracks on a resin surface, and that PA0 (D) heat resistance and chemical resistance are excellent. PA0 (A) a linear random N-substituted acrylamide copolymer comprising: PA0 (1) 65 to 99% by mole of ethylene units having the formula (I): EQU --(CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2)-- (I) PA0 (2) 1 to 15% by mole of acrylate units having the formula (II): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and (3) 1 to 35% by mole of acrylamide units having the formula (III): ##STR2## wherein R.sup.2 is an alkylene having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are the same or different and each is an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R.sup.5 is an alkyl having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an arylalkyl having 6 to 12 carbon atoms or an alicyclic alkyl having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, and X is a halogen atom, CH.sub.3 OSO.sub.3 -- or C.sub.2 H.sub.5 OSO.sub.3 --; and the copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of 1000 to 5000; PA0 (B) a linear random N-substituted acrylamide copolymer comprising: PA0 (1) 65 to 99% by mole of ethylene units having the above formula (I), PA0 (2) 1 to 15% by mole of acrylate units having the above formula (II) and PA0 (3) 1 to 35% by mole of acrylamide units having the formula (IV): ##STR3## wherein R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are the same as mentioned above, and the copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of 1000 to 50000; PA0 (C) an aqueous composition of the above N-substituted acrylamide copolymer; PA0 (D) an antistatic thermoplastic resin film comprising a thermoplastic resin containing 0.3 to 50% by weight of the above N-substituted acrylamide copolymer; PA0 (E) a thermoplastic resin film having a vapor deposition layer comprising an antistatic thermoplastic resin film containing 0.3 to 50% by weight of the above N-substituted acrylamide copolymer and a vapor deposition layer; PA0 (F) a laminated thermoplastic resin film having a thermoplastic resin layer containing the above N-substituted acrylamide copolymer; PA0 (G) a laminate comprising an olefinic resin foamed article and an olefinic resin layer containing the above N-substituted acrylamide copolymer; PA0 (H) a support for recording sheets comprising a substrate and an electroconductive layer containing the above N-substituted acrylamide copolymer; PA0 (I) an electroconductive paper comprising a paper having a layer of the above N-substituted acrylamide copolymer; PA0 (J) an electrostatic recording paper comprising a paper, a high resistant dielectric layer and an electroconductive layer comprising an olefinic resin containing the above N-substituted acrylamide copolymer; PA0 (K) a foamed article comprising an olefinic resin containing the above N-substituted acrylamide copolymer; and PA0 (L) a laminate of foamed articles having an olefinic resin foamed article layer containing the above N-substituted acrylamide copolymer.
According to the method (A), a solution of a surfactant is used as an antistatic agent. However, since the antistatic agent is easily removed from the surface of a resin by washing, permanent antistatic property cannot be given.
According to the method (B), as an internal antistatic agent, a glycerine fatty acid ester, a sorbitan fatty acid ester, an alkyldiethanolamide, a sodium alkylbenzenesulfonate, a quaternary salt of alkylimidazole, and the like have been used. When these internal antistatic agents are used, since antistatic property is maintained for a relatively long period of time since the antistatic agent is newly and successively bled out from the inside of the resin even when the antistatic agents are removed from the surface by washing. However, when these internal antistatic agents are used, it takes a long period of time for recovering the antistatic property after washing. Also, dust is rather easy to stick to the surface when the antistatic agent is bled out excessively. Further, there are disadvantages that it is necessary to add an excessive amount of the antistatic agent to the resin during processing and it is difficult to control the effective amount since the antistatic agent is volatilized due to, for instance, heat generated during molding at high temperatures because the agent has a low molecular weight.
In order to solve the defects of the above-mentioned internal antistatic agent, various high molecular weight compounds having an antistatic functional group have been proposed. For instance, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 170603/1989 proposes polymethyl methacrylate in which 20 to 80% by mole of methoxy groups are modified with diethanolamine. Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 39860/1983 proposes a graft copolymer of an alkoxy polyethylene glycol methacrylate. Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 29820/1989 discloses that a styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer modified with an imido group is cationized to form a quaternary one. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 121717/1987 proposes a comb-type copolymer of an aminoalkyl acrylate or acrylamide, and polymethyl methacrylate wherein the terminal carboxyl group is converted into methacryloyl group with glycidyl methacrylate and a cationic quaternary product thereof. However, all of the above-mentioned polymers cause the lowering of properties of the thermoplastic resin such as transparency and elongation, and their antistatic property and durability are insufficient.
The method (C) is disadvantageous in cost because the used silicone compounds are expensive and workability is low though the antistatic agent can be contained in a resin semipermanently.
According to the method (D) wherein a hydrophilic group is introduced into the thermoplastic resin, a large amount of hydrophilic groups should be introduced into the resin in order to give sufficient antistatic property to the resin. Such an introduction of a large amount of hydrophilic groups might result in lowering of moisture resistance and mechanical properties of the thermoplastic resin itself.
Generally, static electricity is remarkably generated on an olefinic resin film because of its large hydrophobic property. Accordingly, in case of using such a film as a packaging material, dust easily sticks, resulting in reducing of commercial values of contents, poor adhesion property, poor printing property and poor vapor deposition property, and also the end of the films is not turned up during rolling up. In addition, human body may be shocked by discharged static electricity and there is a fear of ignition in an atmosphere where a flammable organic solvent is used.
There is also a problem that vapor deposition of metal cannot be conducted to the olefinic resin film after a special surface treatment is conducted thereto since the film is poor in adhesion property due to its non-polarity.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an olefinic resin film is prepared from a resin having a polar group such as a copolymer of ethylene and (meth)acrylic acid, a copolymer of ethylene and (meth)acrylic ester or a copolymer of ethylene and a vinyl compound having a glycidyl group, and the obtained film is subjected to corona discharge treatment in air or inert gas, or subjected to plasma treatment in inert gas, or the film is coated with an adhesive agent on which a metal is vapor deposited. However, when the polar group-containing resin is added thereto, a large amount of the resin should be added thereto in order to improve the adhesion property, so it becomes economically disadvantageous. When the copolymer having ethylene units is used, the film is shrunk or molten by the heat during vapor deposition since the more the ethylene content is, the lower the melting point becomes. As to various physical surface treatments, there are some problems as mentioned above.
Also, static electricity is remarkably generaged on a foamed article prepared from the olefinic resin, particularly an ethylene resin or a propyrene resin, because of their hydrophobic property. Therefore, dust sticks on the foamed article, or human body is shocked by discharged static electricity. Also, adhesive agents or printing inks cannot be coated uniformly on the surface of the foamed article, in other words, the adhesive agents or inks are repelled since the surface wettability with water is poor due to its high hydrophobic property, and adhesion property of the adhesive agent is wrong.
In order to improve the surface wettability of an olefinic resin foamed article, there is employed a method comprising conducting corona discharge treatment or a method comprising using a copolymer of ethylene and a vinyl monomer having a functional group or a graft copolymer.
However, when the method comprising conducting corona discharge treatment is employed, the surface wettability deteriorates with the passage of time, namely, permanent effect cannot be imparted. In case of using the above-mentioned copolymer, since a large amount of the copolymer should be added thereto to impart practical surface wettability of at least 37 dyne/cm to the foamed article, the cost increases and the thermal resistance lowers due to the low melting point of the copolymer.
A support for recording sheets is generally obtained in a manner wherein one side or both sides of a filmy substrate such as paper or a polyester film is coated with a macromolecule electrolyte such as polyvinylbenzyltrimethylammonium chloride or an electroconductive agent such as an ionic surfactant. However, since these electroconductive agents are hydrophilic and the electroconductivity depends upon humidity, when these electrolytes and electroconductive agents are used in the electrostatic recording paper, the electrostatic recording properties vary depending upon humidity.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a metal is deposited by vapor deposition on a support, or a binder containing an electroconductive filler is coated on the support. However, according to these methods, a cost increases because of complicated processings. Also, when these methods are applied to a recording material for electrophotography, natural color of its material is lost since the material is colored.
Further, a conventional electroconductive agent has a hydrophilic group such as a cationic group or anionic group. To the contrary, since a lipophilic resin such as silicone, a vinyl chloride resin, a vinyl acetate copolymer, polyacrylate or polystyrene is used in a high resistant dielectric layer formed on an electroconductive layer, the affinity between the electroconductive layer and the high resistant dielectric layer is wrong. Therefore, the high resistant dielectric layer is not uniformly provided on the electroconductive layer, and images become unclear.
Also, as to an electroconductive agent having a relatively low molecular weight such as a weight average molecular weight up to 1000, since the electroconductive agent moves to a substrate or a high resistant dielectric article with the passage of time, recording properties are deteriorated.
According to a method comprising depositing a metal on a substrate by vapor deposition, the substrate is necessitated to be coated with an adhesive agent before the vapor deposition because there is no affinity between the metallic film and the high resistant dielectric layer. Also, according to a method comprising coating a binder containing an electroconductive filler, recorded images become unclear since the adhesion property varies depending upon the kind of the binders.
An electrostatic recording system has advantages that recording can be carried out at a high speed, and formed high quality images of high resolution can be semipermanently stored. Further, according to this system, since paper does not impair its natural feeling, it is used in a high speed facsimile apparatus, a monochroplotter or color for CAD and CAM, or the like.
The electrostatic recording paper used for the electrostatic recording system basically comprises paper as a substrate, a dielectric layer for maintaining an electrostatic charge and a low electric resistant layer which acts so that the dielectric layer is stably charged with an electric charge in various surroundings.
As the substrate paper of the electrostatic recording paper, high quality paper is mainly used, and an electroconductive layer is provided on one or both sides of the substrate paper to increase its electrostatic capacity, and a dielectric layer is formed on the electroconductive layer to have three or four layers. In order to form a low resistant layer, a method of coating an electroconductive polymer is usually employed. The electroconductive polymer takes an important role to give clear images, and influences electrostatic recording property.
As such an electroconductive polymer, there have been known, for instance, cationic polymers such as polyvinylbenzyltrimethylammonium chloride, polydimethyldiallylammonium chloride, polymethacryloyloxydiethyltrimethylammonium chloride and methacryloylamidopropyltrimethylammonium chloridediacetone acrylamide copolymer, anionic polymers such as sodium polystyrene sulfonate and polystyrene sulfonate ammonium, and the like. However, in case of using the electroconductive polymer, the following problems have been pointed out.
The electric resistance of the conventional electroconductive agent greatly varies depending upon humidity of surroundings. The electric resistance is relatively low in high humidity and it is relatively high in low humidity. Consequently, recording density is greatly influenced by the humidity of surroundings.
Accordingly, as the electroconductive agent used in the electrostatic recording paper, a material having no stickiness (tackiness), excellent solvent resistance, and small moisture dependency is desired.
In the above-mentioned circumstances, there have been proposed a method comprising using a composition containing 0.1 to 10% by weight of organic silicone as an electroconductive agent from the viewpoint of the improvement of tackiness (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2362/1982), a method comprising using a copolymer of quaternary diallyldimethylammonium chloride and a fluorine-containing monomer such as octafluoropentyl methacrylate (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 60510/1980) or a method comprising using a copolymer of a water-soluble quaternary ammonium monomer such as vinylbenzyltrimethylammonium chloride or dimethyldiallylammonium chloride and acrylamide (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 86842/1980) from the viewpoint of the improvement of solvent resistance, and the like.
In order to improve both of tackiness and solvent resistance, there have been proposed a method comprising using a fluoro-surface active agent and a stabilizer together with the above-mentioned electroconductive agent (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 66944/1980), a method comprising providing a barrier layer made of fluorocarbon on a low resistant layer (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 112398/1980), and the like. As a method for satisfying tackiness and humidity dependency of electric resistance, there have been proposed a method comprising using a cellulose derivative substituted by 2,3-epoxytrialkylammonium chloride (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 73773/1980), a method comprising using a copolymer of an epihalohydrine and a monoamine or polyamine (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63799/1986), a method comprising using a copolymer of a diallyldialkylammonium chloride and a vinyl acetamide monomer (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 267385/1987), and the like.
However, the above methods still have the problems that
An object of the present invention is to provide a copolymer which semipermanently possesses excellent antistatic property, which does not impair physical properties of resins by the addition of the copolymer or does not cause blocking in a final product, which is excellent in all of properties required for coating of an antistatic agent as mentioned below, and which is suitable for the uses such as an antistatic agent and an aqueous composition.
The properties required for the antistatic agent are described in a column of performances required for an antistatic agent for coating in "Practical Handbook for Plastics and Rubbers" (1987) Kabushiki Kaisha Kagaku Kogyosha p. 395, that is, there are required that
A further object of the present invention is to provide an antistatic thermoplastic resin film and an olefinic resin foamed article laminate which is excellent in antistatic property, which has no bleeding or blocking, and which has a metal vapor deposition layer with excellent adhesion.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a support for recording sheets, an electrostatic recording paper and an electroconductive substrate, which are excellent in electroconductivity and affinity between the electroconductive layer and the high resistant dielectric layer.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an olefinic resin foam, which is excellent in antistatic property and surface wettability, which has no bleeding or blocking, and which is excellent in printability.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the description hereinafter.


An exercise mine has a ballast portion, a generally barrel-shaped body constituted by a single piece molded about the ballast portion and a plurality of U-shaped metal fitting members having terminal portions that form resilient tabs which project outside the periphery of the body. The fitting members are secured together in groups to permit, along with the single molded body, the mine to be readily formed from just a few parts while ensuring the mechanical strength and durability of the mine.

To enable personnel to be trained in exercises of firing mines, in handling mine equipment, and in using surface land mines generally, it is common practice to use "exercise" mines which represent the shape and the mass of real mines, while not being provided with any explosive charge.
Such mines comprise a body which is generally barrel shaped about an axis of symmetry, and which is usually in the form of a body of revolution. Such a body comprises two housings made of elastomer or like material delimiting an internal cavity which is filled with ballast of dense material.
The two housings which are symmetrical about a transverse midplane perpendicular to the axis of revolution, are held together by axially-extending steel ties passing through the housings and riveted on the outside to the two transverse faces that the housings define for the body.
The rivets at the ends of the ties are taken advantage of for securing two rings external to the transverse faces and on which resilient tabs are welded that project outwardly from the periphery of the body in radial directions that alternate from one face to the other, each sloping away from a corresponding face towards the median transverse joint plane between the two housings. The function of the resilient tabs is to position the mine regardless of the nature of the terrain.
Such dummy or exercise mines provide satisfaction for the function that they are required to perform, but they suffer from a drawback relating, mainly, to their manufacturing cost given the large number of unit parts that need to be made and assembled together to make up one mine. It turns out that thirteen different unit parts need to be assembled and this undoubtedly raises the overall manufacturing cost and increases costs relating to storage, mounting, and assembly for each mine.
The object of the invention is to remedy this drawback by proposing a novel structure enabling, in particular, the cost to be reduced by reducing the number of unit parts used in making up a mine, and also, above all, by eliminating most of the assembly operations that are necessary in the prior art.
Another object of the invention is also to improve the mechanical strength, in particular of the resilient tabs, by eliminating the dangers of corrosion which are due mainly to the way in which the resilient tabs are connected to the rings that carry them in the prior art, i.e. welding.


According to the present invention, a control gate is formed on an n-type Si substrate, and a p-type source-drain region is formed in the surface of the substrate on both the sides of the control gate. A p-type Si.sub.x Ge.sub.1-x (0.ltoreq.x<1) layer and an Al electrode are sequentially formed in the source-drain region. The energy difference between the valence band of the SiGe layer and a vacuum level is smaller than the energy difference between the valence band of an Si layer constituting the source-drain region and the vacuum level, and the energy difference of the conduction band of the SiGe layer and the vacuum level is larger than the energy difference of the conduction band of the Si layer and the vacuum level. For this reason, a Schottky barrier height is decreased, and resistances between the semiconductor layers and the Al electrode are reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having improved contact characteristics between a semiconductor layer and a metal electrode.
2. Description of the Related Art
A high-density, high-performance MOS integrated circuit formed on an Si substrate is conventionally attained by micropatterning elements. More specifically, it is very important to decrease the gate length of a field effect transistor (FET) in order to not only decrease the element area but also improve the current driving force and the operation speed of the element. In this case, although the junction depth of a diffusion layer must be decreased to prevent a short-channel effect, a decrease in thickness of the diffusion layer is limited.
The ON-resistance of a MOSFET is determined by not only the channel resistance but also a sum of parasitic resistances such as the diffusion layer resistance of a source-drain region and the contact resistance between a metal and the source-drain region. Therefore, even when the junction depth of the diffusion layer is maximally decreased, when the channel resistance becomes equal to the parasitic resistance by micropatterning, a further increase in driving force cannot be expected, and the operation speed is not improved.
In a conventional FET, the thickness of a diffusion layer of a source-drain region is decreased. However, even when the thickness of the diffusion layer is maximally decreased, there is a large contact resistance between the source-drain region and a metal electrode. For this reason, an increase in driving force of the FET cannot be expected, and the operation speed cannot increased.

BiCMOS device with low bandgap CMOS contact regions and low bandgap bipolar base region


A system and method is provided for identifying an object along a road, where the object may be represented by a bounding box, and projecting a set of obstacle points within the bounding box corresponding to the identified object. In one aspect, a two-dimensional plane oriented perpendicular to a direction of the movement of the vehicle may be identified. In another aspect, the areas of the plane that may be occupied based on the set of obstacle points may be determined to generate a contour of the identified object. Thereafter, the height profiles of the identified object and the vehicle may be determined and identified, respectively. Based on the height profiles, a minimum clearance may be determined.

Autonomous vehicles, such as vehicles which do not require a human driver, may be used to aid in the transport of passengers or items from one location to another. An important component of an autonomous vehicle is the perception system, which allows the vehicle to perceive and interpret its surroundings using cameras, radar, sensors, and other similar devices. The perception system executes numerous decisions while the autonomous vehicle is in motion, such as speeding up, slowing down, stopping, turning, etc. Autonomous vehicles may also use the cameras, sensors, and global positioning devices to gather and interpret images and sensor data about its surrounding environment, e.g., parked cars, trees, buildings, etc. These images and sensor data allow the vehicle to safely maneuver itself around various objects.
For example, the perception system may interpret an object as a bounding box. A bounding box may be a virtual, three-dimensional box that entirely encloses the object. In this regard, the perception system may spatially identify where the object is relative to the vehicle and avoid hitting the bounding box. However, maneuvering around or under complex objects, such as a tree branch overhanging a road, may be difficult using a bounding box.

Using obstacle clearance to measure precise lateral gap


The disclosure is of a device for indicating the number of fluid dispensations remaining in a container for holding and dispensing metered quantities of the fluid. The device is a hermetically-sealed unit which is assembled with the dispenser portion or component of the container and includes microprocessor means for maintaining an inventory of the doses or dispensations remaining of a predetermined number of dispensations. Indicator means signals when the predetermined number of dispensations reaches a level before empty.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to devices for indicating the number of fluid dispensations remaining in a container from which metered dispensations are made.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
A wide variety of fluid dispensers are known and commercially available to dispense metered proportions of a contained fluid from containers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,290 describes a trigger actuated dispensing pump assembled with a fluid container. Upon actuation, a measured proportion of the contained fluid is dispensed from the containers.
Of particular importance as fluid dispensers are metered dose inhalers (MDI) employed to administer fluid medications to animals, including humans.
The use of inhalers is well known and the art has developed over the past twenty five years to cover many versions of the basic concept of a "pumping" type medication applicator. The device may be manually pumped (such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,132) or a pumping like cycle may be utilized. The medication may also be repeatedly released from a pressurized disposable canister to create repeated sprays or inhalations as needed.
Representative of the early inhalers for oral and intra-nasal administration of medications are those described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,361,306; 3,183,907; 3,565,070; 4,206,758; 4,803,978; 4,934,358; 4,955,371; 5,060,643; and 5,351,683. Representative of nasal-pharyngeal inhalers for large mammals such as a horse is that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,423.
Metered dose inhalers (MDIs) are, at present, the most efficient and best-accepted means for accurately delivering medications in small doses to an animal's respiratory tract. Therapeutic agents commonly delivered by the inhalation route include bronchodilators (B.sub.2 agonists and anticholinergics), corticosteroids, and anti-allergics. Inhalation may also be a viable route for anti-infective, vaccinating, systemically acting and diagnostic agents, as well as anti-leukotrienes, anti-proteases and the like.
MDIs are available in several types. Most frequently, MDIs comprise a pressure resistant container (canister) typically filled under super-atmospheric pressures with a product such as a drug dissolved in a liquified propellant, or micronized particles suspended in a liquified propellant. The container is fitted with a metering valve. The valve is movable from an inner (charging) position to an outer (discharging) position. A spring bias holds the valve in the charged position until forced to the discharge position. Actuation of the metering valve allows a metered portion of the canister content to be released, whereby the pressure of the liquified propellant carries the dissolved or micronized drug particles out of the container and to the patient. A valve actuator also functions to direct the aerosol as a spray into the patient's oropharynx. Surfactants are usually dissolved in the aerosol formulation and can serve the dual functions of lubricating the valve and reducing aggregation of micronized particles.
Representative of pharmaceutical formulations for use in metered dose inhalers are those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,029. The MDI devices for administering such pharmaceutical formulations are also well known as seen for example in the descriptions given in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,361,306; 3,565,070; and 4,955,371 which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.
A disadvantage arising from use of the known devices is that the patient cannot determine the amount of medicament in the aerosol container at any given time. The containers are generally not transparent to view, being light protective of the contents. Shaking them will not always reveal auditory information as to their contents. In an extreme case this could mean that the patient, possibly suffering from severe bronchospasm or like emergency condition and needing a dose of medicament, will find that the aerosol container will not dispense a dose, because its contents have been previously exhausted. The problem has been recognized and consideration given to solutions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,822 describes an inhaler device which includes a counting means for indicating the relative emptiness of a container or the number of doses dispensed. However, this inhaler counting mechanism is physically attached to the aerosol container as well as the inhaler, such as by a retaining ring or retaining cap. In one embodiment, the counting means is a separate sleeve fitting on the up-turned bottom of the aerosol container. It is easy to lose, not being integrated with the inhaler, but an ancillary unit slipped over the loose aerosol container. In another embodiment, the counting means requires a secured attachment to the aerosol container neck, which prevents removal of the container from the inhaler, even when empty. The inhaler device is only useful for use with the original aerosol container and can not be used with aerosol refill containers.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,527 presents an improvement over the dose counting means of U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,822 wherein the mechanical counter can be replaced with an electronic counter. The improved inhaler can indicate the number of doses remaining in the aerosol container. However, the device is not fool-proof in operation, which can be a disadvantage in the hands of a severely debilitated, confused or forgetful patient. In households which include small children they have been known to "play" with the MDI's when unsupervised access is possible. Infants can accidentally reset or interfere with established counts in the mechanical devices. For example, the counter can be accidentally reset, obviating its usefulness and, in fact, misleading of the patient as to the true number of doses remaining in the container. Also, the counter can not be automatically reset when a full, new aerosol container (refill) is to be used. This can affect the accuracy of the count carried out.
In addition, the inhaler of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,527 still employs a mechanical trigger to actuate the counting means. It is subject to triggering of the counter without actual administration of a dose from the container, for example, when the aerosol container is removed and the inhaler device washed and disinfected, independent of the aerosol container.
These, and other problems associated with the inhalers and other fluid dispensers of the prior art are solved by the present invention, described hereinafter. The device of the invention is economical to manufacture, assemble with fluid containers and disposable when the container is empty, in the same manner currently followed in disposing of the containers.
The device of the invention is intended for use with one fluid container and is disposable with it when the contents are emptied. One need not reset a counter with the errors attendant with such a procedure.


A control system for use with a turbine engine that is configured to operate at a rated power output is provided. The control system includes a computing device that includes a processor that is programmed to calculate an amount of fluid to be supplied for combustion in the turbine engine. The processor is also programmed to designate at least one nozzle of a plurality of nozzles to receive the fluid. Moreover, the control system includes at least one control valve coupled to the computing device. The control valve is configured to receive at least one control parameter from the computing device for use in modulating the amount of the fluid to be channeled to the nozzle such that the rated power output is generated while emission levels are maintained below a predefined emissions threshold level.

The field of the invention relates generally to turbine engines and, more particularly, to systems and methods for use in operating turbine engines.
At least some known turbine engines are used in cogeneration facilities and power plants. Some of such turbine engines may have high specific work and power per unit mass flow requirements. To increase the operating efficiency, at least some known turbine engines are operated with increased combustion temperatures, as engine efficiency generally increases as combustion gas temperatures increase.
However, operating with higher temperatures may also increase the generation of polluting emissions, such as carbon monoxide (CO) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). To reduce the generation of such emissions, at least some known turbine engines include combustion system designs and/or the use of other technology systems that are designed to reduce such emissions. For example, at least some turbine engines include a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) device on an exhaust system of the turbine engine. SCRs have been shown to reduce NOx emissions from Gas Turbine to approximately 2-3 ppm in the exhaust. However, SCR devices can be costly to install and to operate. Moreover, known SCR devices require expensive process chemicals, such as anhydrous ammonia, on a continuous basis to function. Because SCR devices also carry the environmental risk of ammonia emission as a by-product of their operation, many countries prohibit the use of ammonia-based SCR devices. In such countries, turbine operators must operate the turbine engines with firing temperatures that are below intended design ratings to achieve emissions compliance. Delivering approximately 2-3 ppm of NOx emissions from the gas turbine exhaust is difficult due to Lean Blow Out (LBO) concerns in the Gas Turbine Combustor using even the best available premixing technology.
Reduced levels of NOx emissions in turbine engines may also be achieved using known premixing technology, along with Dry Low NOx (DLN) combustion systems. For example, at least some known DLN combustion systems include multiple premix fuel circuits and/or fuel nozzles to reduce NOx emissions at a given cycle temperature. If the combustor can produce the target 2-3 ppm of NOx emissions at the desired cycle temperature, the machine can deliver the target output and performance. There is still, however, the issue of flame stability and LBO when running at such low NOx levels. Stability and LBO can be addressed with a process known as hydrogen doping. In a hydrogen doping process, hydrogen gas (H2) is mixed with fuel prior to the fuel and hydrogen gas mixture being channeled to the fuel nozzles. Hydrogen doping has been shown to reduce emission levels and helps reduce a combustor lean blow out (LBO). However, the addition of hydrogen gas may actually increase NOx levels at a given cycle temperature. The effect is that in order to obtain a lower NOx level, the combustor exit temperature must be decreased. However, reducing the temperature within the combustor may result in decreasing the output of the turbine engine and/or decreasing the efficiency of the turbine engine. Moreover, hydrogen gas can be very expensive for use with all the fuel nozzles.

Systems and methods for regulating fuel and reactive fluid supply in turbine engines


An improved low profile antenna of the PIPA PIFA style is formed from a single piece of useful conductive material and includes a first plate spaced apart from an elongated ground plate. The first and ground plates are interconnected by a shorting plate having a width less than that of either the first or ground plate. A feed plate is interposed between the two plates and is either completely covered by the first plate or slightly exposed. Such antennas have extremely large bandwidth of up to about 50%.

The present invention relates generally to planar inverted-F antennas, and more particularly to such an antenna with improved performance characteristics that is particularly suitable for use in wireless telephones.
The wireless communication industry has expanded rapidly and many different frequency bands have been implemented. A need exists for wireless devices that operate in multi-frequency bands. Dual band antennas have been used to meet this need, however, many dual band antennas use a dual feed which introduces difficulties into the feed system. Dual band antennas permit wireless handsets to operate in different networks that have different frequencies. There are more than three frequency bands used in the world for wireless communications. It is possible, but expensive to place multiple antennas on handsets and it also increases the complexity of the handset.
The use of wireless (cellular) telephones is very widespread. Not only has the size of wireless telephones decreased in the past few years, but the functional capabilities of such telephones have increased as well. Some of these wireless telephones are smaller than the palm of a user. In order to operate effectively and to deliver the needed functionability required of today's wireless technology, a useful and reliable antenna must be utilized. Planar inverted-F antennas, also known by the acronym "PIFA" have been popular and used in wireless devices such as handheld telephones because a PIFA has a low profile geometry and it does not extends out of the telephone as do most monopole stubby antennas used in current wireless handheld devices.
Notwithstanding the size advantages, many low profile antennas in use today have a narrow bandwidth. This parameter of bandwidth is limited in most applications by the need to match the impedance of the antenna to the system with which it is used. Conventional PIFAs, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,764,190, issued June 1998, have large resonant frequencies of 1.58 to about 1.78 GHz but with a bandwidth of about only 5% of the resonant frequency. This is usually referenced by a 2:1 VSWR into a 50 ohm load. This structure has its own disadvantages, one of which is that it utilizes the casing of the telephone handset as a ground plane and the other of which is that even with its low profile and capacitive feed, its achieved bandwidth is only about 5% at a VSWR (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio) of 2 or less.
A number of telephones are described in the literature in broadening bandwidth. These techniques include the use of a parasitic structure with a resonant frequency near that of the during antenna structure. Another is the use of a stacked microstrip patch antenna described in the articles "Broadband Air-Filled, Stacked U-Slot Shorted Patch Antenna" in Electronic Letters No. 35, Pages 515-517 (1999) or in "Design Probe-fed Stacked Patches" in IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 47, No. 12, Pages 1780-1784, December 1999.
There are new frequencies of wireless communication proposed for a high end of frequencies in the 34 Hz range. This is known as the UMTS band and will increase the frequency bandwidth to about 23% to encompass the most used frequency bands.
A need therefore exists for a low profile antenna that has a greater bandwidth than 5% to utilize most, if not all of current and proposed wireless frequency bands, but which still maintains a desirable small size. The present invention is directed to a low profile antenna that overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages.

Wideband compact planar inverted-F antenna

Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.


A detecting method for a conductive matter on a capacitive sensor device includes obtaining a positive signal, computing a signal summation of a plurality of sensing points in at least an electrode line where the positive signal is occurred, comparing the signal summation to a predetermined value, determining a touch object inducing the positive signal is not an irregular conductive matter if the signal summation is larger than the predetermined value, and determining the touch object inducing the positive signal is the irregular conductive matter if the signal summation is not larger than the predetermined value.

Technical Field
The instant disclosure relates to a capacitive sensing technique, in particular to a capacitance sensor device and detecting method for a conductive matter thereon.
Related Art
To enhance convenience in operation, more and more electronic devices are equipped with touch screens as the operating interface, such that a user can operate the device by directly touching the screen, thereby providing more convenient and friendly operating mode. The touch screen is primarily made of a displaying device having displaying capabilities and a sensing device providing touch-sensing capabilities.
Based on structural characteristics and sensing modes, sensing devices can be divided into the following categories: impedance sensing devices; capacitive sensing devices; acoustic sensing devices; optical (infrared), sensing devices; and electromagnetic sensing devices. In particular, sensing devices of capacity type do not need elastic material that reacts to external forces, are less responsive to ambient lighting condition, and have a simpler manufacturing process. Thus most current touch screens use capacitive sensing devices.
When the capacitive sensing device has an irregular conductive matter region (such as water or other conductive matter), the equivalent circuit and equivalent parasitic capacitance between the axial conductive lines in the region change accordingly. Consequently, the control sensing circuit picks up a change in the electrical current or charge transferred on the axial conductive lines, leading to false positives and false motion. In another scenario, if the touched point is in the irregular conductive matter region, the control sensing circuit detects a relatively smaller amount of electrical current or charge transfer for the axial conductive lines at the touched location. Additionally, due to the irregular conductive matter region, the conductive lines are connected to adjacent axial conductive lines (connected to ground via the adjacent axial conductive lines), thus rendering the control sensing circuit unable to identify the touched location correctly.
Therefore, how to effectively avoid false positives and wrong actions due to the irregular conductive matter(s) is one of the research goals undertaken by the industry.

Capacitance sensor device and detecting method for a conductive matter thereon


An optical coupling system for wavelength-individual through-connection between wavelength-division multiplex (WDM) a plurality of input and output fibers with simultaneous possibility of wavelength conversion is provided. A respective optical splitter individually associated to an input fiber multiplies the WDM signal incoming on the appertaining input fiber into a.multidot.m WDM signals that are supplied to a.multidot.m tunable optical filters, wherein a is the plurality of output fibers and m is the plurality of wavelengths combined in a respective wavelength-division multiplex on an output fiber. Respectively, a plurality e of tunable filters connected to the plurality e of input fibers, combined at the output side via an optical combiner, lead to a wavelength converter that is connected to an input of a wavelength-division multiplexer preceding an output fiber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to fiber optic communication systems and more specifically to optical coupling systems for wavelength-individual through-connection between wavelength-division multiplex (WDM) input and output fibers given simultaneously possible wavelength conversion.
2. Description of the Related Art
WDM coupling system having wavelength demultiplexers on the input side, wavelength multiplexers on the output side, and wavelength converters for wavelength conversion onto the respectively outgoing wavelength, as well as a space coupling arrangement lying therebetween, are known, for example, from ntz 46 (1993)1, pages 16-21 (see FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 therein). A WDM coupling system having the same structure is also known from Conf. Proc. ICC '93, pages 1300-1307. Such a WDM coupling system includes: wavelength demultiplexers at the input side that respectively divide the incoming optical signal on the associated input fiber according to wavelengths; a subsequent space coupling arrangement; subsequent variable wavelength converters that convert the respectively incoming wavelength onto the respectively outgoing wavelength; and wavelength multiplexers at the output side that combine the wavelengths supplied to them.


A beam or girder joint element is formed by a flat plate member composed of: (a) column connecting plate portion having a plurality of pin receiving holes and a vertical slit; and (b) a beam or girder connecting plate portion formed as a unitary structure with the column connecting plate portion on at least one side thereof and having a pin receiving hole, a plurality of bolt holes and a V-shaped guide groove defined by a slope extending down from the upper edge of the beam or girder connecting plate portion toward the column connecting plate portion and a vertical edge opposite to the slope.

1. Field of the of the Invention
The present invention relates to a beam or girder joint element for joining or fastening a beam or girder to a column.
2. Prior Art
There has been proposed such a beam or girder joint element as shown in FIG. 15, which is formed by a plate member 1 of a T-shaped cross-section. The plate member 1, which is made of metal, is composed of a square column connecting plate portion 2 and a square beam or girder connecting plate portion 4 extending therefrom perpendicularly thereto. The column connecting plate portion 2 has a length W.sub.2 in the lateral direction, a length H.sub.2 in the vertical direction and a thickness D.sub.2 ; the plate portion 2 has, for example, four bolt holes 3. The beam or girder connecting plate portion 4 has a length W.sub.4 in the lateral direction, a length H.sub.4 equal to that H.sub.2 of the plate portion 2 in the vertical direction and a thickness D.sub.4 ; the plate portion 4 has, for example, two bolt holes 5. Reference numerals 2a and 2b denote front and rear surfaces of the column connecting plate portion 2.
In this case, the four bolt holes 3 of the column connecting plate portion 2 are arranged in pairs one above the other in right and left halves of the plate portion 2, and the two bolt holes 5 of the beam or girder connecting plate portion 4 are also arranged one above the other.
As described below with reference to FIGS. 16 and 17, it is possible, with such a conventional beam or girder joint element, to fasten or join a girder or beam 20 to a column 10 by means of bolts 31, nuts 32 and washers 33 and bolts 41, nuts 42 and washers 43.
The column 10, which is normally made of wood, is square in cross-section; left- and right-hand sides 10L and 10R of the column 10 each have a width W.sub.10 substantially equal to or larger than the length W.sub.2 of the column connecting plate portion 2 of the plate member 1 forming the beam or girder joint element. The column 10 has four bolt holes 13 which extend between the left- and right-hand sides 10L and 10R, corresponding to the four bolt holes 3 of the column connecting plate portion 2, respectively. Furthermore, the column 10 has a clearance groove 12 cut in its right-hand side 10R so that the column connecting plate portion 2 of the plate member 1, the tips of the bolts 31 and their nuts 32 and washers 33 do not protrude from the right-hand side 10R when the plate member 1 is attached to the column 10 as described later.
The beam or girder 20, which is also normally made of wood, has a left-hand end face 20LF corresponding to the right-hand side 10R of the column 10 and is square in cross-section. The beam or girder 20 has a groove 24 which has a width D.sub.24 nearly equal to the thickness D4 of the beam or girder connecting plate portion 4 of the plate member 1 and a length L.sub.24 nearly equal to or slightly larger than the length W.sub.4 of the plate portion 4 and which extends vertically between the top 20U and bottom 20D of the beam or girder 20 and extends laterally to the left-hand end face 20LE. Furthermore, the beam or girder 20 has to bolt holes 25 which are nearly equal in diameter to the bolt holes 5 of the beam or girder connecting plate portion 4 of the plate member 1 and extend between the front 20F and back 20B of the beam or girder 20 across the above-mentioned groove 24.
The bolts 31 are headed ones corresponding to the bolt holes 3 of the column connecting plate portion 2 of the plate member 1 and the bolt holes 13 of the column 10, and the nuts 32 are hexagonal.
The bolts 41 are also headed ones corresponding to the bolt holes 5 of the beam or girder connecting plate portion 2 of the plate member 1 and the bolt holes 25 of the beam or girder 20, and nuts 42 are hexagonal.
The beam or girder 20 is fastened or joined to the column 10 by means of the bolts 31 and their nuts 32 and washers 33 and the bolts 41 and their nuts 42 and washers 43 in such a fashion as described below.
At first, the plate member 1, which forms the beam or girder joint element, is held against the right-hand side 10R of the column 10 with the column connecting plate portion 2 received in the clearance groove 12 of the column 10, then the bolts 31 with the washers 33 put thereon are inserted through the bolt holes 13 of the column 10 from the left-hand side 10L thereof, then the remaining washers 33 are put on the free ends of the bolts 31, and the nuts 32 are thread-mounted on the projecting ends of the bolts 31 and tightened toward the column 10. In this way, the plate member 1 is fastened to the column 10.
Next, the beam or girder 20 is held against the right-hand side of the column 10, with the groove 24 receiving the beam or girder connecting plate portion 4 of the plate member 1 and the left-hand end face 20LE abutting against the right-hand side 10R of the column 10, then the bolts 41 with the washers 43 put thereon are inserted through the bolt holes 25 of the beam or girder 20 across the bolt holes 5 of the beam or girder connecting plate portion 4 of the plate member 1, then the remaining washers 44 are put on the free ends of the bolts 41 and the nuts 42 are thread-mounted on the projecting ends of the bolts 41 and tightened to the beam or girder 20. In this way, the beam or girder 20 is fixed to the beam or girder connecting plate portion 4 of the plate member 1 and consequently to the column 10.
As described above, it is possible, with the conventional beam or girder joint element of FIG. 15, to secure the beam or girder 20 to a desired side of the column 10 (the right-hand side 10R in the above).
However, the conventional beam or girder joint element cannot firmly be fixed to the column 10 because the column connecting plate portion 2 of the plate member 1 is secured by the bolts 31 alone.
The conventional beam or girder joint element calls for the provision of the clearance groove 12 in the desired side of the column 10 so that the column connecting plate portion 2 of the plate member 1, the free end portions of the bolts 31 and their nuts 32 and washers 33 do not protrude from the side surface of the column 10 when the plate member 1 is fixed thereto. The clearance groove 12 needs to be large and deep enough to receive the column connecting plate portion 2 of the plate member 1--this naturally reduces the strength of the column 10.
The conventional beam or girder joint element has another defect that the beam or girder 20 must be supported from below when inserting the bolts 41 through the bolt holes 25 of the beam or girder connecting plate portion 4 of the plate member 1 and thread-mounting the nuts 42 on the free ends of the bolts 41 while holding the left-hand end face 20LE of the beam or girder 20 against the specified side of the column 10 after fixing the plate member 1 thereto--this is very cumbersome.

Kabushiki Kaisha Kenchiku Shiryo Kenkyusha


A volumeter, for determining a volume of an item by measuring the item in at least one of the three main spatial directions defining a volume, has a support surface on which the item rests and a transparent surface moveable in a first one of the three main spatial directions against the item, wherein the transparent surface extends substantially parallel to the support surface and has a side facing away from the support surface. An optical camera is connected to the side facing away form the surface. The camera moves together with the transparent surface and measures a second and third one of the three main spatial directions. The volumeter is used in particular in connection with self-service postal stations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a volumeter.
Devices of this type are suitable for measuring the volume of items with a surface which cannot be measured by simple geometric outlining and/or a surface which has individual structures such as straps, strings, layers of packaging paper, etc., or which is deformable. The device serves primarily but not exclusively to determine the volume of packages or similar items which are to be sent through the mail.
In addition, the invention pertains to a self-service postal station which is equipped with a volumeter of this type.
2. Description of the Related Art
Self-service postal stations of this type are known (see, for example, WO 92/17,861 and EP No. 643,374). At these postal stations, however, it is primarily the weight and not the volume of the postal item which is used to determine the amount of postage required. Only the maximum dimensions of the postal item are limited by mechanical devices (size of the feed slot). Additional light-optic sensors monitor the positioning of the postal item within the acceptance space and its required minimum dimensions. In another known system (Zuhlke Engineering AG, Schlieren-Zurich, Publication No. 66, "Developing New Products and Production Processes with Automation"), a linear light barrier determines the thickness of the item to be mailed (a letter), which is merely inserted into the receiving slot, and an electronic camera determines the surface area of the item. The volume of the letter is then calculated from these two values. To improve the measurement racy, a Fresnel lens is swung between the camera lens and the item being mailed so that the focal points of the camera lens and the Fresnel lens coincide. This solution is expensive, and the measured volume is also negatively affected by various features specific to the item being mailed (material projecting beyond the surface of the item such as flaps of packaging paper, strings, etc.).
The transport costs of an item, however, must often be determined not only on the basis of weight but also on the basis of the volume of the item. It has now been shown that, for a wide variety of reasons (cost, technical complexity, avoidance of damage to the item, etc.), volumes should be measured by means of contactless measuring methods (e.g., light-optic, ultrasonic sensors, etc.). In these measurement methods, however, the disadvantage is that a correct measurement can be disadvantageously affected by the structure and nature of the item. For example, projecting folds or edge reinforcing strips on items wrapped in packaging paper or loosely attached string can cast shadows and thus easily fool the device into concluding the item is larger than it really is. Items which rock back and forth or which fail to come to rest in some other way during the measurement are also measured incorrectly.


An apparatus and method determines the dissolution of a drug from a dosage form, most particularly a swellable dosage form. An inert, transparent cylindrical vessel having a hemispherical bottom contains a fluid medium. The dosage form is placed into the vessel. A disk carried in the vessel has a pair of annular rings for engaging the vessel walls spaced above the bottom of the vessel. The disk has a screen mesh circumferentially sandwiched by the rings for passage of the fluid medium through the disk. A dosage form retaining space defined between the disk and bottom of the vessel retains the dosage form. The disk restrains the dosage form from floating to the top of the fluid medium. A stirring mechanism having a vertical shaft and a blade at a lower end of the shaft is inserted into the vessel. The stirring mechanism rotates the fluid medium. The drug concentration in the fluid medium is sampled at selected time intervals.

In the production of pharmaceutical dosage forms, the active ingredients are retained by inactive ingredients to facilitate the forming of a tablet or capsule that may be ingested and also to facilitate the metering of the dosage release. One aspect of dosage form development and quality control involves determining the release profile of the drug from the inactive carrier. The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and the National Formulary have standards for testing the dissolution of the dosage form wherein the dosage form is placed in a fluid medium and the fluid is sampled at set intervals to determine the concentration of the active ingredient in the fluid.
Recently, modified release dosage forms based on gel formation have been developed. These dosage forms involve three dimensional swelling of the gel for subsequent drug release over periods of 1 to 24 hours. The gel-forming products acquire low density upon swelling and often float in the vessel when tested with standard dissolution test methods. To keep the object submerged, the USP recommends attaching a small loose piece of non-reactive material, such as a few turns of a wire helix. However, wire hinders the object's three-dimensional swelling in the fluid, thereby leading to release profiles with poor reproducibility. Moreover, some products contain three or more gel forming units enclosed within a capsule shell. Such products will not be retained with the wire helix once the gelatin shell is dissolved.
A dissolution testing method and apparatus is needed that does not add additional constraints to the dissolution of the dosage form.

Method and apparatus for dissolution testing of a dosage form

Temple University - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education


A pair of blade portions are provided in a shield cover, and an opening portion for a terminal insertion use is provided between the blade portions. After a connector housing is inserted through the opening portion, the blade portions are bent so as to close the opening portion, whereby the shielding property is prevented from being lowered by the existence of the opening portion into which a connector housing for connection with a shielded electric wire is inserted in an integral type of shield cover.

The present invention generally relates to a shield cover, and more particularly, to an integrated type of metallic shell which is adapted to almost completely surround, flex a connecting portion between a shielding wire and a connector including a non-shielding district between a pressure fixing terminal portion and a shield processing portion so as to effect the shielding operation.
Recently, shielding wires are often used, as internal wiring for electric or electronic appliances, so as to remove influences of high frequency pulses, electromagnetic waves and vibrations. In motorcars where, for example, engine controls and so on are effected by computers called ECUs, signals from each type of sensor are fed to the ECU, each type of control of engine controls and so on are adapted to be effected in accordance with these signals. Wirings for connecting with the ECU often extend through the engine room and are subject to influences of engine vibrations, high frequency pulses and so on in the extension of the wirings through the engine rooms. In order to remove the influences, shielding wires are used.
As shown in FIG. 8, the periphery of a core 3 (hereinafter referred to as electric wire 3) with a core wire 1 being coated with an outer cover 2 is surrounded with a shield 4 which is a braided member of soft copper wires. The periphery of the shield 4 is coated with a housing 5 for insulation.
When a shielding wire 10 with many electric wires 3 being collected is used as a wire harness for motorcar use, the housing 5 is removed at its tip end by a given size as shown in FIG. 8 when the above-described shielding wire is connected with a connector. The shield 4 exposed in the housing removing portion is untied and intertwisted so as to form a connecting portion 6. Respective electric wires 3 are branched. The tip end of each electric wire 3 is also removed in outer cover 2 so as to expose the core wire 1. As shown in FIG. 9, a pressed terminal 7 is mounted to the core wire 1. The pressure fixing terminal 7 is inserted into each terminal accommodating chamber 82 of the connector housing 8 and is connected with the other party connector (not shown).
In the above-described connector connecting portion, the shield 4 is removed across the wide range from the terminal so as to branch the electric wire 3. In the pressure fixing portion with respect to the pressure fixing terminal 7, the core wire is exposed, so that the non-shielding district is wide, where the shield effect is almost equal to nothing.
Conventionally, the connector housing is surrounded with a metallic shell which is bent so as to effect the shielding operation. A connecting portion 8 composed of the above-described shield 4 is connected with the metallic shield so as to effect the shield processing operation.
A division type composed of a pair of metal shells 9 - I, 9 - II as shown in FIG. 9 and an integrated type composed of one metallic shell 9 as shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 are provided as a shield cover composed of the above described metallic shield.
When the above described division type of shield cover is used, the connector housing 8 is covered, and the portion of the branched electric wire 3 which is not shielded by the shield 4 and which extends externally from the connector housing 8 can be completely covered, thus improving the shield effect.
But a pair of metallic shells made of two members are required, and they are required to be connected with each other, increasing the number of the parts, and the number of the assembling steps, with a problem of higher cost.
When the above described integrated type of shield cover is used, an opening portion is required rearwardly on the electric wire insertion side so as to insert it with ease in a case where a connector housing, into which the pressure fixing terminal of each electric wire tip end of the shielding wire is inserted, is set into the interior of the shield cover. A terminal 7 fixed under pressure to each electric wire 3 may be inserted into the terminal inserting chamber of the connector housing 8 set in advance into the shield cover interior. In this case, it cannot be inserted without the above-described opening portion. Therefore, the range of (A) in FIG. 11 cannot be shielded.
The shield cover composed of the conventional integrated type of metallic shell 9 has the front portion in the form of a bell portion 9a which surrounds the whole front outer peripheral portion of the connector housing 8 to be connected with the other party connector, and the rear portion including the top face with the opening portion 9b.
In the above described integrated type shield cover, there are advantages in that the engagement bother which is necessary in the division type can be omitted or the like. Since the connector housing or an opening portion 9b for terminal insertion use has to be provided in the shield cover, the shielding wire has an exposed portion which has an extremely large range in the terminal because of the existence of the opening portion 9b, with a disadvantage in that the shielding effect which is an original object is reduced in half.


A Long Term Evolution (LTE) network wirelessly exchanges data over an LTE channel with a plurality of User Equipment (UE) by using Carrier Aggregation with at least some of the UEs. The LTE network compares a number of the UEs using the LTE channel to an admission threshold, and if the number of UEs exceeds the admission threshold, then identifying individual ones of the UEs that are using the LTE channel for a Carrier Aggregation Secondary Component Carrier but not for a Carrier Aggregation Primary Component Carrier. The LTE network disables the LTE channel for the individual ones of the UEs that are using the LTE channel for their Secondary Component Carrier but not for their Primary Component Carrier.

Wireless communication networks typically include wireless access systems with equipment such as wireless access, control, and routing nodes that provide wireless communication services for User Equipment (UE). A typical wireless communication network includes systems to provide wireless access across a geographic region, with wireless coverage areas associated with individual wireless access nodes. The wireless access systems exchange user communications between UEs, service providers, and other end user devices. These user communications typically include voice calls, data, and signaling.
Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is a popular wireless data technology. Using LTE, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB) schedules Resource Blocks using modulation formats to increase the efficiency of exchanging wireless data. One modulation format that provides various schemes to transmit Resource Blocks is Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM). OFDM typically uses duplexing schemes such as Time Division Duplexing (TDD) and Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD). TDD separates uplinks from downlinks by allocating Resource Blocks into different time slots in the same frequency band. FDD allocates Resource Blocks into different frequency bands. This allows transmitters and receivers to send and receive data at the same time by altering the frequencies and times at which the signals are sent and received.
In some examples, a wireless communication system may employ Carrier Aggregation. Carrier Aggregation allows LTE networks to allocate multiple Resource Blocks simultaneously to aggregate the LTE channel. When carriers are aggregated, each carrier is referred to as a Component Carrier. A Primary Component Carrier is typically used to exchange signaling and data over a primary uplink carrier and downlink carrier. Secondary Component Carriers are typically used to exchange additional data over additional uplink and downlink carriers. UEs using Carrier Aggregation can typically use one or more Secondary Component Carriers.
Wireless networks can aggregate carriers over frequencies bands using Intra-Band Contiguous Carrier Aggregation, Intra-Band Non-Contiguous Carrier Aggregation, and Inter-Band Carrier Components. Intra-Band Contiguous Carrier Aggregation use Component Carriers that are in the same frequency band and are adjacent to each other. Intra-Band Non-Contiguous Carrier Aggregation use Component Carriers that are in the same frequency band but are not adjacent to each other. Inter-Band Carrier Aggregation use Component Carriers that are in different frequency bands.
Although Carrier Aggregation allows a faster exchange of data over multiple Component Carriers, it can also cause inefficiencies to the network since there is a limited amount of Resource Blocks each LTE channel can allocate. If one UE is using multiple Component Carriers, there are fewer Resource Blocks that may be allocated to other UEs over an LTE channel and therefore, initiating UE connections may be blocked, established UE connections may be dropped, or handover UE connections may be prevented. In addition, UEs using Component Carriers may cause signaling interference for other UEs exchanging data with the LTE network. Unfortunately, there is not an efficient or effective way for LTE networks to control Carrier Aggregation enabled UEs using multiple LTE channels for a Primary Component Carrier and one or more Secondary Component Carriers.

Long term evolution (LTE) network control of carrier aggregation for user equipment


A decoding method is presented for error-correcting codes based on the syndrome decoding scheme, which means the set of all syndromes is one-to-one corresponding to the set of all correctable error patterns. The improvement in the high-speed error-correcting capability is achieved by searching a syndrome-error table, which is built upon the mathematical basis: there is a one-to-one correspondence between the set of all syndromes and the set of all correctable error patterns. Two embodiments of the present invention are described. The first embodiment uses a full syndrome-error table, whereas the second uses a partial syndrome-error table. The method includes the following steps: calculating a syndrome corresponding to the received bit string; determining whether the syndrome is a zero bit string; when the syndrome is not a zero bit string, determining an error pattern from the syndrome-error table; and correcting the corrupted codeword using the error pattern.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to error correction decoding. More particularly, the present invention relates to error correction decoding based on the syndrome decoding scheme, which means the set of all syndromes is one-to-one correspondent to the set of all correctable error patterns. Examples using this scheme include linear codes, cyclic codes, etc.
2. Description of Related Art
Error correction coding plays an important role in the digital era since data transmission over a channel is prone to errors due to factors such as fading, channel noise and signal interference. Errors can happen in any communication channels. Because of this, a corrupted form of the transmitted signal will be obtained in the receiver. By using the error-correcting coding, correctable errors will be eliminated and the original transmitted signal will be recovered without the request of re-sending the signals.
The underlying principle of all of these schemes is to add redundancy to the original information message such that the errors during transmission may be detected and corrected. The schemes select a codeword for every message-word to be transmitted. The selected codeword represents the data of the message-word and additionally has a redundant data component, which is used for error-control. The amount of redundancy added is a function of the error-control capability of the scheme. At the receiver, a corrupted form of the transmitted codeword is received, and this corrupted form is called a corrupted codeword. However, if the errors in the corrupted codeword are within the error-control capability of the scheme, the receiver can determine the correct message-word corresponding to the corrupted codeword.
The decoding procedures to remove an error pattern from the corrupted codeword involve the following steps. First, a syndrome corresponding to the corrupted codeword is calculated. The syndrome is the characteristic of the error pattern hiding in the corrupted codeword. Hence, the syndrome is used to identify the error pattern hiding in the corrupted codeword through a decoding process. Once the error pattern is identified, a corresponding correction is applied to the corrupted codeword to remove the error and obtain the original transmitted codeword.
A variety of decoding schemes have been proposed to perform error correction. However, a major drawback of the existing decoding methods is the amount of computing time spent in the decoding process, which makes it difficult to be implemented in the real-time applications. There are two major reasons why these decoding methods are that time-consuming: first, the algebraic computations involved are quite complicated in determining the error pattern; second, some decoding procedures are executed recursively several times.
Thus, there is a need for a faster and simpler error correction decoding scheme, which provides high-speed performance and fits the requirement of most major applications.

Syndrome-error mapping method for decoding linear and cyclic codes


A fuel cell stack that includes straight cathode flow channels and straight anode flow channels through a seal area between bipolar plates in the stack. The fuel cell stack includes a seal that extends around the active area of the stack and between the stack headers and the active area. At the locations where the cathode flow channels extend through a seal area to the cathode input header and the cathode outlet header, and the anode flow channels extend through a seal area to the anode input header and the anode output header, the diffusion media layer on one side of the membrane is extended to provide the seal load. Alternately, shims can be used to carry the seal load.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a fuel cell stack and, more particularly, to a fuel cell stack that includes straight cathode and anode flow channels through a seal area of the fuel cells in the stack so as to reduce water accumulation in the flow channels.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Hydrogen is a very attractive fuel because it is clean and can be used to efficiently produce electricity in a fuel cell. A hydrogen fuel cell is an electro-chemical device that includes an anode and a cathode with an electrolyte therebetween. The anode receives hydrogen gas and the cathode receives oxygen or air. The hydrogen gas is dissociated in the anode to generate free hydrogen protons and electrons. The hydrogen protons pass through the electrolyte to the cathode. The hydrogen protons react with the oxygen and the electrons in the cathode to generate water. The electrons from the anode cannot pass through the electrolyte, and thus are directed through a load to perform work before being sent to the cathode.
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are a popular fuel cell for vehicles. The PEMFC generally includes a solid polymer electrolyte proton conducting membrane, such as a perfluorosulfonic acid membrane. The anode and cathode typically include finely divided catalytic particles, usually platinum (Pt), supported on carbon particles and mixed with an ionomer. The catalytic mixture is deposited on opposing sides of the membrane. The combination of the anode catalytic mixture, the cathode catalytic mixture and the membrane define a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). MEAs are relatively expensive to manufacture and require certain conditions for effective operation.
Several fuel cells are typically combined in a fuel cell stack to generate the desired power. For example, a typical fuel cell stack for a vehicle may have two hundred or more stacked fuel cells. The fuel cell stack receives a cathode input gas, typically a flow of air forced through the stack by a compressor. Not all of the oxygen is consumed by the stack and some of the air is output as a cathode exhaust gas that may include water as a stack by-product. The fuel cell stack also receives an anode hydrogen input gas that flows into the anode side of the stack.
The fuel cell stack includes a series of bipolar plates positioned between the several MEAs in the stack, where the bipolar plates and the MEAs are positioned between two end plates. The bipolar plates include an anode side and a cathode side for adjacent fuel cells in the stack. Anode gas flow channels are provided on the anode side of the bipolar plates that allow the anode reactant gas to flow to the respective MEA. Cathode gas flow channels are provided on the cathode side of the bipolar plates that allow the cathode reactant gas to flow to the respective MEA. One end plate includes anode gas flow channels, and the other end plate includes cathode gas flow channels. The bipolar plates and end plates are made of a conductive material, such as stainless steel or a conductive composite. The end plates conduct the electricity generated by the fuel cells out of the stack. The bipolar plates also include flow channels through which a cooling fluid flows.
Various techniques are known in the art for fabricating the bipolar plates. In one design, the bipolar plates are made of a composite material, such as graphite, where two plate halves are separately molded and then glued together so that anode flow channels are provided at one side of one of the plate halves, cathode flow channels are provided at an opposite side of the other plate half and cooling fluid flow channels are provided between the plate halves. In another design, two separate plate halves are stamped and then welded together so that anode flow channels are provided at one side of one of the plate halves, cathode flow channels are provided at an opposite side of the other plate half and cooling fluid flow channels are provided between the plate halves.
As is well understood in the art, the membranes within a fuel cell need to have a certain relative humidity so that the ionic resistance across the membrane is low enough to effectively conduct protons. During operation of the fuel cell, moisture from the MEAs and external humidification may enter the anode and cathode flow channels. At low cell power demands, typically below 0.2 A/cm2, the water may accumulate within the flow channels because the flow rate of the reactant gas is too low to force the water out of the channels. As the water accumulates, it forms droplets that continue to expand because of the relatively hydrophobic nature of the plate material. The droplets form in the flow channels substantially perpendicular to the flow of the reactant gas. As the size of the droplets increases, the flow channel is closed off, and the reactant gas is diverted to other flow channels because the channels are in parallel between common inlet and outlet manifolds. Because the reactant gas may not flow through a channel that is blocked with water, the reactant gas cannot force the water out of the channel. Those areas of the membrane that do not receive reactant gas as a result of the channel being blocked will not generate electricity, thus resulting in a non-homogenous current distribution and reducing the overall efficiency of the fuel cell. As more and more flow channels are blocked by water, the electricity produced by the fuel cell decreases, where a cell voltage potential less than 200 mV is considered a cell failure. Because the fuel cells are electrically coupled in series, if one of the fuel cells stops performing, the entire fuel cell stack may stop performing.
A fuel cell stack typically includes a seal that extends around the active area of the stack and between the stack headers and the active area for each fuel cell to prevent gas leakage from the stack. Therefore, in order to get the cathode flow, the anode flow and the cooling fluid flow from the respective inlet header into the active area of the fuel cell, it is necessary for the flow channels to go through the seal area without affecting seal integrity. Typically holes are provided through the bipolar plate around the seals, which requires a bend in the flow channels so that they line up with the flow channels in the active area. This bend in the cathode and anode flow channels provided an area that water could accumulate and be trapped which had a tendency to close the flow channel and reduce the flow of reactant gas thereto. Therefore, a better technique for traversing the seal area of the fuel cell stack is needed.

Diffusion media for seal support for improved fuel cell design


A charge-coupled device has a metal wiring which serves both as a wiring for supplying a predetermined potential to charge transfer electrodes constituting a vertical charge transfer section and as a photo-shield for the vertical charge transfer section. The metal wiring is formed from a metal film, a refractory metal film or its silicides. The device has a photoelectric conversion section arranged in a two dimensional form and having a vertical bordering region at which the width of the metal wiring is wider than that of other regions. It is possible to suppress the generation of the false signal caused by smear phenomena without suffering from the lowering of the sensitivity of the device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charge-coupled device (hereinafter referred to as "CCD"), and more particularly to a charge-coupled device having at its cell section a photo-shield structure in which a metal wiring formed from a metal film, a refractory metal film or its silicides serves both as wiring for supplying a predetermined potential to charge transfer electrodes constituting a vertical charge transfer section and as a photo-shield for the vertical charge transfer section.
2. Description of the Related Art
The CCD is superior to conventional and generally used image tubes in terms of the size, weight, durability, image residue and burning and, in the field of compact home video cameras, the image tube has already been taken over by the CCD. This trend is also true in the field of industrial cameras in which image sizes are comparatively large.
In the CCD with a comparatively large image size (for example, 1 inch or 2/3 inches), the typical example being that for a high-definition television (HDTV) system, there is a problem with the method for supplying drive pulses from two sides of an image region to a polysilicon transfer electrode. This problem is that, since the polysilicon charge transfer electrode has high resistance and large capacitance, the amplitude of the drive pulses is markedly reduced and the maximum transfer charge amount is reduced at a center portion of the image region especially when the transfer speed becomes high.
With a view to overcome the above problem, there has been proposed "A Frame Interline Transfer CCD Image Sensor for HDTV Camera System" in ISSCC Digest of Technical Papers, pp 88-89, February 1989, in which the metal wiring for supplying drive pulses to the charge transfer electrode constituting the vertical charge transfer section also functions as light-shields or photo-shields for the vertical charge transfer section.
FIG. 1 shows in plan view a portion of the image region of a four-phase CCD used in the above described conventional technique.
First and second vertical charge transfer electrodes 2 and 3 formed from polysilicon and constituting the vertical charge transfer section are connected at a cycle of four picture elements through contact holes 4 with the metal wirings 5 serving also as photo-shields, whereby the wiring resistance of the first and the second vertical charge transfer electrodes 2 and 3 can be made relatively low and the lowering of the amplitude of the drive pulses can be suppressed.
However, in the conventional CCDs having a structure in which a metal wiring formed from a metal film, a refractory metal film or its silicides serves both as wiring for supplying a predetermined potential to charge transfer electrodes constituting the vertical charge transfer section and as a photo-shield for the vertical charge transfer section, the photo-shielding characteristic at a vertical bordering region of a photoelectric conversion section 1 or at a section neighboring such region is poor. Therefore, the signal electron or charge excited by the light incident to such region at a deeper layer section of the photoelectric conversion section 1 in an inactive region or a region neighboring such region leaks into the vertical charge transfer section so that the false signal caused by "smear phenomena" increases and the image signal deteriorates.
If an attempt is made to overcome the above problem by narrowing the spacing between the wirings/photo-shields for the vertical charge transfer section, the sensitivity of the device deteriorates by a proportion inverse to this spacing. This is a problem to be solved by the invention, in the conventional photo-shield structure of the charge-coupled device.

Photo-shield structure of charge-coupled device


A data and clock recovery circuit includes a first selecting circuit, a high speed phase detector, a low speed phase detector, a charge pump, a voltage control oscillator and a frequency divider. The high speed phase detector generates a first phase difference signal according to the first reference clock signal and a divided clock signal or according to the data signal and the divided clock signal. The low speed phase detector generates a second phase difference signal according to a second reference clock signal and the divided clock signal. The charge pump generates a control voltage according to the first phase difference signal or the second phase difference signal. The voltage control oscillator receives the control voltage, and generates a recovered clock signal. The frequency divider receives the recovered clock signal, and generates the divided clock signal.

In the high speed USB field or a PCIe field, a data and clock recovery (CDR) circuit is usually applied to a receiver (Rx) of a physical layer (PHY). In the high speed physical layer, the CDR circuit is operated in several power modes. For example, these power modes include a normal mode, a max power-saving mode, a medium power-saving mode and a power off mode. Generally, in the high speed physical layer, the operation mode of the CDR circuit is switched between the normal mode and the power-saving mode.
In this context, the term "latency" of the CDR circuit indicates the wake up time from sleep. Generally, the CDR circuit has high latency when the operation mode of the CDR circuit is switched from the max power-saving mode to the normal mode, and the CDR circuit has low latency when the operation mode of the CDR circuit is switched from the medium power-saving mode to the normal mode.
FIG. 1 is a schematic functional block diagram illustrating the architecture of a conventional CDR circuit. As shown in FIG. 1, the CDR circuit 100 comprises a high speed phase detector 110, a charge pump 120, a voltage control oscillator (VCO) 130 and a frequency divider 140.
The high speed phase detector 110 receives a divided clock signal CLKd and a data signal Data. According to the result of comparing the divided clock signal CLKd with the data signal Data, the high speed phase detector 110 generates a phase difference signal Spd. According to the phase difference signal Spd, the charge pump 120 generates a control voltage Vctrl. According to the control voltage Vctrl, the voltage control oscillator 130 generates a recovered clock signal CLKr. The frequency divider 140 receives the recovered clock signal CLKr. After the frequency of the recovered clock signal CLKr is divided by N, the frequency divider 140 generates the divided clock signal CLKd.
Moreover, the charge pump 120 may be replaced by a counter. For example, the counter receives the phase difference signal Spd from the high speed phase detector 110. If the phase difference signal Spd is positive, the counting value is counted up. Whereas, if the phase difference signal Spd is negative, the counting value is counted down. According to the counting value, the counter generates the corresponding control voltage Vctrl and transmits the control voltage Vctrl to the voltage control oscillator 130.
For example, in the CDR circuit of FIG. 1, the frequency of the data signal Data is in the range between 1 GHz and 28 GHz. Since the data signal Data is transferred at a high data rate, the circuitry of the high speed phase detector 110 is complicated. For example, the high speed phase detector 110 is at least equipped with a sense amplifier, a flip-flop device, a clock buffer, and so on. Since the number of the electronic components is large, some problems occur. When the CDR circuit 100 is operated in the normal mode, the energy consumed by the high speed phase detector 110 is appropriately 70% of the energy consumed by the whole CDR circuit 100.
Generally, when the operation mode of the conventional CDR circuit 100 is switched from the power off mode, the locking time exceeds 20 μs. For example, in the L0s or L1 state of the PCIe field, the conventional CDR circuit 100 has to be operated in the power-saving mode with the low latency. Consequently, the CDR circuit 100 cannot enter the power off mode.
For meeting the requirement of the low latency, the conventional CDR circuit 100 is almost fully turned on in the power-saving mode, and the conventional CDR circuit 100 works in the like-normal mode. That is, although the CDR circuit 100 is in the power-saving mode, the high speed phase detector 110 still works. Consequently, the power consumption of the CDR circuit 100 is very high.