In an optical communication system for performing wavelength division multiplex communication on an optical transmission path, an output light wavelength control is performed as follows in an optical transmitter. A wavelength of light on the optical transmission path is detected so as to search for an unoccupied space, in which output light from the self optical transmitter does not cause an interference with another light on the optical transmission path. The wavelength of the output light from the self optical transmitter is controlled so as to be a wavelength falling within the unoccupied space. A wavelength of another light which is adjacent to the wavelength of the output light from the self optical transmitter on one of the longer and shorter wavelength side along a wavelength axis is set as a reference side wavelength, so that the wavelength of the output light is controlled to set a wavelength interval between the reference side wavelength and the wavelength of the output light from the self optical transmitter to be close to a predetermined first wavelength interval or to maintain the wavelength interval to have a value in the neighborhood of the predetermined first wavelength interval.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical communication system and, more particularly, to a wavelength control method in an optical communication system which performs wavelength division multiplex communications.
2. Related Background Art
A wavelength division multiplex communication system can assign a large number of independent channels in a single transmission path. This communication system is suitable for a multimedia communication that requires flexibility of the network since it does not require any multiplex on the time axis such as frame synchronization or the like, and the respective channels need not have identical transmission rates.
As an example of the wavelength division multiplex communication system, a system in which each terminal station has a pair of wavelength variable optical transmitter and receiver is known. A transmitting terminal station adjusts the wavelength of its wavelength variable light source to a wavelength which is not used in communications (i.e., a "channel" in the wavelength division multiplex communication). On the other hand, a receiving terminal station receives a signal by matching the central wavelength of the passband spectrum of an optical band-pass filter (to be referred to as an optical filter hereinafter; the central wavelength will be referred to as the wavelength of the optical filter hereinafter) of its optical receiver to the wavelength to be received. The wavelength range that can be utilized by the system is determined by the wavelength variable range of the optical transmitter and receiver. The wavelength interval between adjacent channels (to be referred to as a channel interval hereinafter) is determined by the width (bandwidth or half-width) of the passband spectrum of the optical filter of the optical receiver.
As the wavelength variable light source, a wavelength variable semiconductor laser (the semiconductor laser will be referred to as an LD hereinafter) can be used. In order to broaden the wavelength variable width, various studies have been made. An LD which has a practical level at present is of multi-electrode DBR (distributed Bragg reflector) type, and has a wavelength variable width of several nm. For example, an LD described in OQE89-116 a "Three-electrode length resonator .lambda./4 shift MQW-DFB laser", The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, is known. On the other hand, as a wavelength variable filter, a Fabry-Perot resonator type filter can be used. At the current practical level, the wavelength variable range is several tens of nm, and the spectral width is about 0.1 nm. For example, a filter described in ECOC'90-605 "A field-worthy, high-performance, tunable fiber Fabry-Perot filter" is known.
In such system, by narrowing the channel interval, a larger number of channels can be assured while the wavelength variable remains the same.
In order to efficiently use a limited wavelength range, the respective channels are preferably assigned at a high density. As a technique for attaining such channel assignment, a technique described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,052 is known. In this technique, one reference light source is arranged in a network and outputs reference light, and the wavelengths used by transmitting stations are assigned at predetermined intervals in turn from that of the reference light. Each wavelength is controlled to have a predetermined wavelength interval from the neighboring wavelength. After the neighboring wavelength of a given wavelength becomes nondetectable, the wavelengths are controlled to shift so as to maintain the predetermined intervals. However, this technique does not take into consideration a case wherein the respective transmitting stations in the network have different outputtable wavelength ranges. In practice, however, it is not easy to manufacture light sources having the same wavelength variable range.

Wavelength control method and optical communication apparatus for performing wavelength division multiplex communication


A method for generating addresses for a processor is provided. The addresses are for use by an application that may be executed by the processor. The application comprises a plurality of instructions, and each instruction comprises at least one line. The method includes storing a plurality of predetermined addresses and, for each line of each instruction, generating at least one address for the processor based on the predetermined addresses.

Address generation units incorporated in processors, such as microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs) or the like, are typically designed to support and generate addresses for general purpose applications with different types and structures of complex data memory blocks. Conventional address generation units may employ one of several typical address generation methods.
For example, an address generation unit may use immediate addressing, which forces the instruction to include an immediate operand. This method results in the use of increased power and redundancy in the instruction. Another example often used is indirect addressing in which the data pointed to by a first address is the actual address to be used for the instruction. This method requires a complex hardware implementation that consumes a relatively large amount of power and die area. A third example that is used to generate addresses for multi-buses in some cases employs several pointers, one for each bus, generated based on a single indirect operand. However, this method uses a large instruction width and multiple calculations, resulting in a highly complex instruction.
Thus, none of these typical methods provides a power- and/or area-efficient method for generating addresses for a processor, especially for a processor that uses a multi-bus. Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved method for generating addresses for processors.

Method and system for generating addresses for a processor


A method and system for transaction-based verification of a design under test (DUT) by a test bench that configures the DUT with at least one configuration including one or more configuration values. At least one input to the DUT is applied to generate at least one output based on a configuration value. A list of changed one or more configuration values is associated with at least one abstract input transaction to generate at least one input transaction. A list of changed one or more configuration values is associated with one or more abstract output transactions to generate at least one output transaction. One or more expected transactions is generated based on the at least one input transaction using one or more transfer functions. An outcome is generated as pass/fail based on comparing the at least one output transaction with each of the one or more expected transactions.

Typically a simulation based functional verification includes a simulator to simulate the design, and a test bench to provide inputs and verify outcomes from the simulated design. When the digital design needs to be verified, the verification is performed at different levels such as: block or a group of blocks or the complete design. Each of these targets (block or a group of blocks or the complete design) is called Design Under Test (DUT) during this verification process.
Hardware Description Languages (HDLs) are predominantly used to describe integrated circuit designs. Various HDLs exist in the market today such as Very High Speed Integrated Circuit HDL (VHDL), Verilog, and System Verilog. HDL may be used to describe a design at various levels of abstraction. For instance, VHDL supports many possible levels/styles of design description. These styles differ primarily in how closely they relate to the underlying hardware. Some levels focus more on the behavior and dataflow of a design, while other levels focus more on the structural and timing aspects of the design.
For example, integrated circuit designs may be described at the dataflow level of abstraction, often called the register transfer level (RTL). In this intermediate level of abstraction, a design is described in terms of how data moves through the design. At the heart of most digital systems today are registers, and an RTL model describes how information is passed between registers in the design. This movement is synchronized at specific points of time which are indicated by the changes of values of a special design signal commonly known as a clock.
A verification environment for a DUT includes a test bench, which gives the essential stimulus as inputs to the DUT and checks correctness of the working of DUT.
Typically, a simulator software (for example VCS from Synopsis, NCSIM from Cadence, Modelsim from MentorGraphics etc.) is used to simulate the DUT working. The test bench is usually hosted on the simulator software. The simulator software requires the hardware description representation of the DUT (example VHDL/Verilog). The test bench components are coded using Hardware Verification languages for e.g. Specman/e or System Verilog etc.
Test bench for transaction based verification (TVB) is the most prominent type of test bench architecture. In short, TVB uses the concept of transactions to raise the verification effort to a higher level of abstraction for the purpose of improved productivity.
A test bench provides a set of components to verify the DUT and report success and failure. But, there are scenarios where a test bench shows failure when it is not an actual case failure, called bogus fails/false negatives.
A transaction can be a high level transaction (HLT) like configuring the entire Memory mapped registers (MMR) of a design or "read all registers" or low level transaction (LLT) like    [Type=doRead; addr=0xFF; data=0xF]For example "read all registers" may involve several low-level transactions like the LLT. When the design is verified, the design is first configured. Test bench will provide the stimulus and monitor the response of the design. Then the response is compared with expected value to check the correctness of the design. It there is a match, it is pass otherwise it is failure. All designs have the configurability. As the number of test configurations increase, the number of test cases will increase in an exponential number. Increase in the number of test cases would entail license cost of the server that provides the simulation platform for the verification of the design and cost of the simulation tool.
One way to reduce the number of test cases is to configure the design multiple times in a single test case. One single test case comprises applying the stimulus, observing the response, and comparing the response with the expected response. There is a practical limitation associated with the configuring of the design multiple times in a single test case. When the configuration is being changed while the design is running, the configuration goes to both the test bench and the design. Therefore, when the design is operating, in the middle we are changing the configuration, there are times when the configuration seen by the test bench and the design are different. Because of these different configurations seen by the test bench and the design, there is mismatch between the response and the expected response. So the test may show a failure when actually it is not the case.
In the light of the above facts, there is a need for a smart test bench for improved transaction based verification of digital design to minimize bogus fails that can take into account the dynamic and random changes in the DUT configuration.

System and method for improved transaction based verification of design under test (DUT) to minimize bogus fails


A supplemental remote mounted marine engine cooling system (20) includes a supplemental water pickup (36) mounted to the boat (18), and a flow control valve (38) supplying supplemental cooling water therethrough from the water pickup (36) to the main cooling system (20) when main cooling system water pressure on the downstream side (48) of a check valve (44) in the flow control valve (38) is less than supplemental cooling system water pressure on the upstream side (46) of the check valve (44), and blocking supplemental water flow therethrough when main cooling system water pressure is greater than supplemental cooling system water pressure. The control valve (38) also includes a relief valve (50) between the check valve (44) and the water pickup (36) and discharging excess supplemental cooling water when the check valve (44) is blocking water flow therethrough and supplemental cooling system water pressure is above a given bypass relief threshold. The control valve (38) provides continuous flow therethrough to a first outlet having the check valve (44) and/or a second bypass outlet having the relief valve (50), at high boat speed, to minimize deadhead pressure and minimize reduction in top end boat speed otherwise resulting from the addition of a supplemental water pickup. The water pickup (36) is provided by a tube (106) slicing out a core of water along the underside of the boat hull (108) with minimal drag and turbulence.

The invention relates to marine engine cooling systems, and more particularly to a supplemental cooling system and water pickup therefor.
A marine engine has a main cooling system including gearcase water inlets supplying cooling water to the engine. A shaft-driven pump in the gearcase pumps cooling water from the inlets upwardly to the engine. At high boat speed, the pump may not be able to deliver enough cooling water to the engine and/or the gearcase water inlets may be above or partially above the waterline or otherwise aerated when the boat is on plane.
The present invention provides a supplemental cooling system supplying supplemental cooling water to the main cooling system to provide additional cooling for the engine, particularly at high boat speed.
In one aspect of the invention, a low drag water pickup is provided, minimizing boat drag otherwise caused by an additional water pickup. This in turn minimizes the reduction in top end boat speed.
In another aspect of the invention, a flow control valve is provided which includes a check valve between the main cooling system and the supplemental water pickup and supplying supplemental cooling water therethrough when main cooling system water pressure on the downstream side of the check valve is less than supplemental cooling system water pressure on the upstream side of the check valve, and blocking supplemental water flow therethrough from the supplemental water pickup to the main cooling system when main cooling system water pressure on the downstream side of the check valve is greater than supplemental cooling system water pressure on the upstream side of the check valve.
In another aspect of the invention, a continuous flow control valve is provided and enables continuous water flow therethrough to either the main cooling system or to a bypass relief outlet at high boat speed, to minimize deadhead pressure and boat drag. The flow control valve includes a relief valve between the check valve and the supplemental water pickup and discharges excess supplemental cooling water from the water pickup when the check valve is blocking water flow therethrough and supplemental cooling system water pressure is above a given relief threshold.

Supplemental remote mounted marine engine cooling system


A teletext/data transmission decoder decodes information on characters and graphics and produces a supplementary program video signal. A proper program video signal arriving by way of a video processing circuit and a display image processing section and the supplementary program video signal coming from the decoder are synthetically combined by a synthesizing section and fed to a display unit. A system controller sets the decoder in a waiting state. If the proper program video signal contains data information, the system controller automatically starts a decoding operation and controls the synthesizing section to display the restored signal on the display unit. When an automatic display select switch is set to an automatic display mode, a supplementary program processing mode is automatically selected when a supplementary program is started.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for detecting and displaying a supplementary program contained in a television program that is currently being transmitted and, more generally, it relates to a technology of detecting the status of reception of data transmission signals for characters and graphics contained in television signals for the sake of television viewers.
2. Description of the Related Art
The multiplexed text broadcasting, or teletext, is a currently available television broadcasting service for transmitting signals for characters and graphics along with ordinary television signals through a single transmission channel. It is used currently for programs of various categories including news, weather forecast, traffic information, tourism information and television shopping. In some programs, teletext is used for television polling.
The teletext is unilateral in the sense that information is offered only from the broadcasting station to the viewers. In the case of a telephone shopping program where the program provider transmits shopping information utilizing teletext, each viewer may take a memo of the code of each commodity he or she wants to buy, the telephone number of the mail-order firm and other pieces of information displayed on the screen and may subsequently dial the telephone number for ordering by referring to this memo. In the case of a program for television polling, viewers will also take a memo of the telephone numbers to be used for the poll and subsequently dial one of the telephone numbers by referring to the memo. In either case, however, there arises a problem that viewers can dial a wrong number because of a wrong dialing operation, whether because a wrong number has been memoed or for some other reason.
Thus, firstly, since the teletext is unilateral in the sense that information is offered only from the broadcasting station, the need to wait for calls from viewers create a long response time. Secondly, if the process entails telephone calls, it intrinsically involves wrong calls that will take place with a certain probability.
In order to bypass the above identified problems, there has been proposed a technique by which the broadcasting station transmits computer program data to each computer receiving set having the teletext feature. This technique comprises a means for executing a computer program by using the transmitted data so that the computer program executing means automatically dials the transmitted telephone number when the viewer keys in the command for such a call and also transmits other data keyed in by the viewer. With such an arrangement, the probability of dialing a wrong number is reduced to nil and the response time is significantly curtailed. In the following description, the program in which computer program data and supplementary data on characters and graphics explain the proper television program will be referred to as the supplementary program and the computer program will be referred to as script.
Since most of the existing circuit block (teletext transmission decoder) for receiving and processing teletext programs can be shared by the circuit block (data transmission decoder) for receiving and processing supplementary programs, the combination of a teletext transmission decoder and a data transmission decoder can be dimensionally reduced when they are designed in the form of a single circuit block that is operated selectively either in a teletext program mode or in a supplementary program mode.
When a circuit block adapted to both supplementary programs and teletext programs is operated in the supplementary program mode, it is of vital importance that the viewer can visually ascertain if the output of the circuit is being displayed or not in order to avoid a misguided action on the part of the viewer.
If the supplementary program is being transmitted simultaneously with the proper program, for example, and the viewer misunderstands that the supplementary program is not being transmitted, the viewer cannot respond correctly to the supplementary program by accessing it in a proper manner.

Apparatus for detecting and displaying supplementary program


A method and arrangement for detecting a watermark embedded in an MPEG compressed signal includes a conventional MPEG decoder stripped to such an extent that a modified baseband video signal suitable for watermark detection is obtained. A plurality of pictures with the embedded watermark is accumulated (2,3,4) in the transform domain, and the inverse DCT (5) is applied to the accumulated result. Conventional watermark detection (6) is then applied to the accumulated plurality of pictures in the spatial domain.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and arrangement for detecting a watermark in a compressed video signal. The invention also relates to an arrangement for decoding a compressed video signal so as to obtain a signal suitable for watermark detection.
2. Description of the Related Art
Watermarking is a technique of embedding imperceptible information in multimedia contents, such as, audio, still images or moving video. Watermarks are used for applications, such as, ownership verification, copyright protection and copy and playback control.
A watermark is often embedded in a video signal by slightly modifying the luminance pixels of the video signal in accordance with a watermark pattern. For the purpose of understanding this invention, it suffices to imagine the watermark pattern as an array of +1 and −1 values added to an equally sized array of pixels. The array of pixels having the same size as the watermark pattern is hereinafter referred to as a "picture". A picture may be a full-size video image (480*720 pixels for NTSC or 576*720 pixels for PAL) or a part thereof, for example, a sub-image of 128*128 pixels. If the watermark pattern is smaller than the image, it is known as a "tile". The pattern is then repeatedly used to obtain a "tiled" image. It is assumed that a plurality of pictures is watermarked with the same watermark pattern.
Detection of a watermark in a picture is, in essence, a thresholded correlation operation. A watermark detector decides whether or not a suspect picture is watermarked by computing the amount of correlation between the suspect picture and the watermark pattern to be detected, and comparing the result with a predetermined threshold. An example of such a watermark detector is disclosed in Applicant's International Patent Application WO-A-98/03014, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,798.
The subject invention addresses the problem of detecting a watermark in a compressed video signal. Video compression reduces the amount of data to be transmitted or recorded. A well-known example is MPEG compression. Briefly summarized, MPEG compression includes discrete cosine transform (DCT) of blocks of pixel values into blocks of coefficients. The coefficients are quantized causing many coefficients to assume the value zero. The quantized coefficients are variable-length encoded by assigning a Huffman codeword to each run of zero coefficients and a subsequent non-zero coefficient. The pictures can be encoded autonomously (I-pictures), or predictively (P- and B-pictures). In the latter case, residual pixel blocks (which are left after subtracting motion-compensated prediction blocks) are transformed rather than the pixel blocks themselves.
A straightforward method of detecting the watermark employs a cascade arrangement of a conventional MPEG decoder and a conventional watermark detector. However, it has a total complexity which is too large to serve as a viable solution for mere watermark detection, because MPEG decoding is a costly operation in terms of numbers of operations, complexity and amount of memory. This is particularly true for a DVD drive which is envisaged to include a watermark detector so as to determine whether a video program may or may not be copied, but does not itself include an MPEG decoder.

Detection of a watermark in a compressed video signal


A DC/DC converter has a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding, and an auxiliary winding, a switching transistor connected in series to the primary winding, a control transistor for turning the switching transistor on or off, and a feedback control circuit connected to the control transistor and the auxiliary winding. The feedback control circuit includes a Zener diode having a substantially zero temperature coefficient. The Zener diode has a Zener voltage which lies in a range between 5 volts and 6 volts. In order to cancel a temperature characteristic of the control transistor, the temperature coefficient of the Zener diode is selected.

This invention relates to a DC/DC converter and, in particular, to a step-down DC/DC converter.
In the manner which is well known in the art, the DC/DC converter is a power converter for converting a DC voltage (an input DC voltage) having a voltage level into another DC voltage (an output DC voltage) having anther voltage level. The DC/DC converter is also called a switching regulator, a switching power source, or a ringing choke converter. The DC/DC converter where the output DC voltage has the voltage level higher than that of the input DC voltage is called a step-up DC/DC converter. The DC/DC converter where the output DC voltage has the voltage level lower than that of the input DC voltage is called a step-down DC/DC converter. This invention relates to the step-down DC/DC converter.
The step-down DC/DC converter uses a transistor as a switch, switches the transistor, converts an input DC voltage into an AC voltage, steps the AC voltage down by using a transformer, and rectifiers it to convert an output DC voltage.
In general, the DC/DC converter of the type described comprises a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding, and an auxiliary winding. The auxiliary winding is called a feedback winding, a positive feedback winding, a feedback coil, or a base winding. A switching transistor is connected in series to the primary winding of the transformer. By making the switching transistor self-oscillation, energy is transmitted to the secondary winding. The DC/DC converter further comprises a control transistor for turning the switching transistor on or off. A feedback control circuit including a Zener diode is connected between the control transistor and the auxiliary winding.
Various DC/DC converters of the type are already known. By way of example, a switching power source for controlling current characteristics on a primary side is described in Japanese Published Patent Application (A) No. H11-98838 or JP 11-98838 A. The switching power source disclosed in JP 11-98838 A realizes stable performance which is independent of an input voltage and external factors such as environmental temperature. The switching power source uses, as the above-mentioned Zener diode, a diode having a positive temperature coefficient (e.g. a "positive temperature characteristic" where its Zener voltage becomes high when the temperature becomes high). In addition, the switching power source comprises a temperature detecting resistor for correcting variations of the current characteristics due to variations of the environmental temperature. That is, in JP 11-98838 A, the switching power source needs the temperature detecting resistor because of use of the diode having the positive temperature coefficient as the Zener diode.
On the other hand, a ringing choke converter is disclosed in Japanese Published Patent Application (A) No. H8-275523 or JP 8-275523 A. The ringing choke converter disclosed in JP 8-275523 A comprises, as the Zener diode, a diode having a negative temperature coefficient (e.g. a "negative temperature characteristic" where its Zener voltage becomes low when the temperature becomes high). In JP 8-275523 A, the ringing choke converter needs any temperature compensation because of use of the diode having the negative temperature coefficient as the Zener diode.
In addition, a DC/DC converter is disclosed in Japanese Examined Utility Model Application Publication (Y) No. S56-5507 or JP 56-5507 Y. The DC/DC converter disclosed in JP 56-5507 Y comprises a Zener diode for controlling an output voltage without the above-mentioned control transistor. The above-mentioned JP 56-5507 Y merely discloses the DC/DC converter which carries out an output voltage control on the primary side of the transformer but which does not carry out an output current control on the primary side of the transformer.

DC/DC converter including a Zener diode having a substantially zero temperature coefficient


A light assembly for a multiple-axle or movable axle vehicle with a vertical and horizontal arrangement of lights adapted to enhance visibility of the vehicle as well as the wheels and axles of the vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of illumination devices. More specifically, the present invention is drawn to a warning light system for a motor vehicle
2. Description of the Known Art
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, luminous devices are located on motor vehicles to aid with visibility of these vehicles for other drivers. The Department of Transportation dictates lighting requirements for tractors and semi-trailers under the Federal Motor Carriers Safety regulations. These regulations generally cover types of lights, position requirements, candle power, and required times of use for specific lights. Patents disclosing information relevant to luminous devices located on motor vehicles include U.S. Pat. No. 4,115,757, issued to Blahunka on Sep. 19, 1978; U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,318, issued to Kitrell on Apr. 20, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,167, issued to Cohen on May 15, 1984; U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,221, issued to Justus on Mar. 4, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,851, issued to Johnson on Oct. 17, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,709,141, issued to Sisti on Mar. 23, 2004. Each of these patents are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,167, issued to Cohen on May 15, 1984 entitled Adjustable vehicle safety light. The abstract provides the following information. The object of the present invention is an auxiliary safety rear light assembly for vehicles which can be adhesively mounted at any position on the rear window of a car or truck. Another object of the present invention is an auxiliary safety rear light assembly which can be adjusted along a horizontal axis so as to be mountable parallel to the road regardless of the angle which the vehicle rear window makes to the road. Still another object of the present invention is an auxiliary safety rear light assembly for vehicles comprising a lightable area which will illuminate in response to and signal vehicle actions, pivot means on either end of the lightable area to pivot the lightable area on its horizontal axis, a mounting bracket having two dependent sides and a foot perpendicular to each of such sides, each side having means to accept a lightable area pivot means and locking means to lock the pivot means and hold the lightable area in a desired position relative to such sides, and each foot having adhesive means on a surface thereof to fixedly attach the auxiliary safety rear light assembly to the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,065, issued to Kao on Aug. 28, 1990 entitled Brake light device mounted on truck fender. The abstract provides the following information. A brake light device mounted on truck fender providing brake light warning signal day and night to promote driving security, including a base, a circuit board, a reflecting mirror, a set of wires and a light shade, wherein the base is formed with a central rectangular recess having a peripheral step portion, the circuit board being disposed on the step portion, and the reflecting mirror being disposed on the step portion, and the reflecting mirror being disposed on the circuit board while via screws, the light shade being associated with the base to envelope the circuit board and reflecting mirror, forming an assembly, which is mounted on the lower end of a fender by screws.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,221, issued to Justus on Mar. 4, 1997 entitled Hook-up light for a truck tractor. The abstract provides the following information. A device for mounting on the rear wall of a truck tractor including a housing and a lamp pivotally mounted on the housing, for illuminating a working area between the tractor and a trailer during hookup or to provide an additional safety warning light behind the tractor. The housing contains a receptacle and a pair of glad hand brackets mounted on side walls of the housing for retaining the plug end of an electrical power cord and the coupling ends of a pair of air pressure lines, respectively, when disconnected from the trailer. One of the male prongs of the receptacle is electrically connected to a switch mounted within the cab of the tractor for illuminating the lamp. This switch normally actuates one of the trailer accessories, such as its marking light, when the power cord is connected to the trailer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,851, issued to Johnson on Oct. 17, 2000 entitled Truck light warning system. The abstract provides the following information. A truck light warning system for automatically alerting a driver near a truck that they are either following too closely or within a truck's blind spots. The inventive device includes a rear sensor, a front sensor, a pair of side sensors, an engine control module (ECM), an instrument control panel (ICP), a rear indicator, a front indicator and a pair of side indicators all electrically connected. A plurality of side movement lights are electrically connected to the ECM for informing the driver of a vehicle that they should drive past the side of the tractor and trailer. A plurality of strobe lights may be included that are activated when the fog lights of the tractor are activated for warning drivers during inclimate weather conditions. When a vehicle is in one of the four blind spots surrounding the tractor and trailer, the ECM activates the appropriate indicator to warn the driver that they are in a blind spot or following too closely. The ECM is preferably programmable for allowing the programming of various messages to be displayed upon the indicators.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,709,141, issued to Sisti on Mar. 23, 2004 entitled Automotive warning light. The abstract provides the following information. A warning illumination system adapted to be mounted on a motor vehicle (automobile, truck, motorcycle, etc.). In a preferred embodiment, the system is designed to project a single or a pair of light beams forwardly and angularly from the front of the vehicle. As contemplated the beam(s) is projected a distance of fifty to one hundred feet in front of the vehicle and at a horizontal angle across the vehicle which may range from forty-five to sixty degrees. For maximum effectiveness, it has been determined that the beam should be projected at a vertical angle so that it intersects the road at approximately a thirty degree angle. The thus projected beam reaches forward and across the lane of traffic, making the extreme end of the beam visible to an oncoming driver approaching from a hidden curve or blind corner. The beam is visible to the oncoming driver critical seconds before the approaching vehicle is visible. The beam can be directed either to the right or left depending on whether the vehicle is approaching a right hand or a left hand curve.
As known in the art, conspicuity tape has been traditionally used to aid the visibility of trailers. However, the use of the conspicuity tape does not prevent a number of accidents. When a vehicle's lights are directed towards conspicuity tape located on a trailer, the light is typically reflected back toward the motorist to show an outline of the frame of the trailer. The intensity of the reflection of the tape is magnified when light is oriented more directly towards the tape. However, when the angle of the trailer moves from ninety degrees, either by increase or decrease of the angle, less light is directed toward the conspicuity tape from the motorist's vehicle causing less light to be reflected. The reflection of light is also impeded by the accumulation of dirt and debris on tractor-trailers which are typically used in rural settings. Thus, conspicuity tape is not always effective in alerting motorists to the frame of a trailer. A single amber light on the rear side corners of the trailer have also been used on trailers. However, these lights are easily muted since they are located behind the more intense headlights of the tractor. Therefore, there is a need in the art to improve the visibility of trailers.
A common traffic scenario reveals the need in the art for the disclosed invention. This situation occurs when an articulated vehicle is negotiating a left turn from a roadway where cross-traffic has the right-of-way. The time needed to complete the left turn (positioned completely in the intended lane) from a stopped position is increased dramatically for a tractor-trailer as opposed to the typical passenger vehicle. The average passenger vehicle executes a left turn from three to five seconds while a tractor pulling a forty to fifty-three foot trailer will take fifteen to twenty seconds to execute the same turn. In this fifteen to twenty second time period, an approaching vehicle on a roadway with a speed limit of 55 miles an hour can travel at least 1200 feet. Therefore, many vehicles will be too far away from the intersection at the time the trailer begins the turn to recognize the obstruction in the road. In low light conditions, these motorists will have difficulties recognizing the obstruction before it becomes a problem.
Tractor-trailer drivers making left turns steer the tractor generally straight across the two lanes of travel, then turn sharply to their left and point their tractor straight toward vehicles approaching from their left. This is normally done so that the left rear axles of their trailer, which track substantially to the inside of the turn, will clear physical obstacles. A tractor will accomplish the straight alignment with the roadway within approximately one-third of the total time necessary to complete the turn, thus leaving thirteen seconds that the trailer is pointed straight down the roadway before completely clearing the oncoming lane of traffic.
The trailer effectively vanishes from an oncoming motorist's field of vision once the tractor's headlights are pointed directly toward the motorist. The motorists on oncoming vehicles who approached during the thirteen seconds after the tractor has pointed straight will only see headlights of an oncoming vehicle which is not in their intended path of travel. If the motorists enter the intersection less than thirteen seconds after the tractor points in their direction, they either underride the side of the trailer or strike the tandem axles on the trailer. Obviously, this type of collision usually causes severe personal injuries or death to the occupants of those vehicles. Many times in these type accidents, there is no evidence of any braking prior to the collision. This visibility scenario is also presented when a tractor/semi-trailer backs across an oncoming lane to dock trailers for delivery or pick-up.
Based upon this scenario, there is a need in the art to further enhance visibility of the trailer's location. The prior art fails to teach a light system for multiple-axle vehicles oriented to alert motorists of the position of a trailer from a multitude of angles. Thus, it may be seen that these prior art patents are very limited in their teaching and utilization, and an improved light system is needed to overcome these limitations.

Safety lights for multiple-axle vehicles


The invention discloses a charging circuit and a method for preventing charging power supply from reversely connecting in an electronic cigarette or electronic cigarette case. The charging circuit comprises a direct current input terminal, an unit for preventing charging power supply from reversely connecting, a charge management unit and a rechargeable battery. The unit is electrically connected to the direct current input terminal; the charge management unit is electrically connected to the unit and the rechargeable battery. The charging circuit and method according to these embodiments of the invention can effectively avoid the risk caused by the reverse connection of the charging power supply for the electronic cigarette or the electronic cigarette case; it also has the advantages such as low voltage drop and low power consumption.

At present, a rechargeable electronic cigarette and an electronic cigarette case for charging contained electronic cigarette are not provided with a circuit for preventing a charging power supply from reversely connecting. If there were no circuit for preventing a charging power supply from reversely connecting, it would face a risk while the electronic cigarette or the electronic cigarette case is charged by the charging power supply through an adapter. Now, there is no uniform criterion for the adapter. The core heads of some adapters are anode, and the core heads of other adapters are cathode. If the core head of the adapter charging the electronic cigarette or the electronic cigarette case is cathode, it would damage charging circuit and battery, and cause short-circuit, explosion, even fire accident and so on.

Charging circuit and method for preventing charging power supply from reversely connecting

HUIZHOU KIMREE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. SHENZHEN BRANCH


A method and system for providing a payment incentive for distributing digital files over a network are provided. The method and system allow a publisher, distributor(s), and/or users to receive a payment incentive for downloading digital files on the Internet. The present disclosure creates a method and system where every party along the distribution chain will have an incentive for further distribution of the digital content file. The method includes the steps receiving by a server of a file agent at least one digital content file from a content provider; presenting the at least one digital content file for purchase; downloading the at least one digital content file to at least one user for a transaction amount; distributing a first distribution amount of the transaction amount to the content provider; and distributing a second distribution amount of the transaction amount to the at least one user.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to digital content distribution systems, and more particularly, to a method and system for providing a payment incentive for distributing digital files over a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many millions of digital files are now stored on the Global Computer Network (GCN) know as the Internet. These files take on many forms including but not limited to text files (in many file formats including Microsoft Word, Adobe PDF, and other formats), video files (including Mpeg-2-3-4, wmv, quicktime, real video, dmrv, and other formats), picture files (including jpg, bmp, tiff, and other formats), audio files (including aac, wma, mp3, and other formats) and other file types.
Commonly, these files are posted on the GCN for others to utilize. The process of posting the file can be referred to as uploading the file. The process of accessing the file can be referred to as downloading the file.
Increasingly digital file downloads are purchased in e-commerce transactions. Examples of companies that sell digital files online are numerous and include Apple Computer, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. who sells music files in its iTunes branded audio store. Typically, the user pays for these files in an e-commerce transaction and then downloads them from the iTunes remote server. Additionally, Audible.com of Wayne, N.J. also sells audio files, e.g., audio books, audio magazines, etc., to 'listeners' who pay for the files and then download them to a personal computer or other media playback device. Other examples include CNN Pipeline of Atlanta, Ga. who sells streaming video files that the user downloads (or streams) to his/her computer and Amazon.com of Seattle, Wash. who sells text files, e.g., e-books.
Increasingly, creators of digital content are utilizing the GCN as a means for selling their digital content and a source of revenue. The challenge for a creator and/or publisher of digital content is to cause that content to be widely purchased by GCN users, which will correspondingly give the creator/publisher increased revenue and income. However, the challenge of achieving wide distribution of digital content does not have an easy solution. The digital content creator/publisher has substantial competition in the marketplace and increasing costs in order to make users to be aware of their content.
Therefore, a need exists for techniques that will allow a creator/publisher of digital content to enjoy wide distribution at a much lower cost per user as compared to conventional digital distribution models.

Method and system for providing a payment incentive for distributing digital files over a network


A large part of conventional organic-inorganic composite materials is obtained by mechanical blending silsesquioxanes with organic polymers, and therefore it has been very difficult to control the structure thereof as the molecular aggregate of the composite materials. An object of the present invention is to provide a novel silicon compound having a living radical polymerization-initiating ability for an addition-polymerizable monomer and a polymer obtained using the same to thereby solve the problem described above regarding the conventional organic-inorganic composite materials. The present inventors have found that a novel silsesquioxane derivative to which a group having an ability to initiate polymerization of a monomer is useful as means for solving the problem described above. That is, the silsesquioxane derivative of the present invention is represented by Formula (1):

Polymers have come to be used in various fields not only as a general-purpose structure-forming material but also as a value-added type material having functions and performances of a high degree. This is followed by an increase in the importance of producing high molecular materials under precise design. Attentions are paid on silsesquioxane derivatives of a cage type having a dimethylsiloxy group as an organic-inorganic composite material containing silsesquioxane as an inorganic component. This is because they are expected to be applied to precursors of organic/inorganic hybrid materials, low dielectric materials, optical crystals and liquid crystal materials, and the reason therefor resides in that the above silsesquioxane derivatives have a structure close to silica and zeolite. Cage type silsesquioxanes in which a hydroxyl group (document 1), an epoxy group (document 2) or a methacryloyloxy group (document 3) is bonded to a dimethylsiloxy group are reported. So-called organic-inorganic composite materials of organic polymers and silsesquioxanes are prepared by making use of the above functional groups. The organic-inorganic composite materials can be obtained by radically polymerizing cage type silsesquioxanes having a methacryloyloxy group alone or in the presence of other acryl base monomers.
In order to optimize the functions of high molecular materials according to purposes, the molecular properties of a polymer and the properties thereof as a molecular aggregate have to be precisely analyzed, and this makes it necessary to use a polymer having a distinct structure. However, conventional organic-inorganic composite materials do not contain polymers in which a structure is controlled as an organic component including the composite materials described above. A large part of them is obtained by mechanically blending silsesquioxanes with organic polymers, and therefore it used to be very difficult to control a structure thereof as a molecular aggregate of a composite matter. Then, it has come to be tried to control a structure of a polymer by using a polymerization initiator. It is disclosed in a document 4 that an α-haloester group is a good polymerization initiator for styrene base monomers and methacrylic acid base monomers in living radical polymerization, but silsesquioxane derivatives having an α-haloester group have not been known to date.
Document 1: J. Am. Chem. Soc., 122 (2000), 6979-Document 2: Chemistry of Materials, 8 (1996), 1592-Document 3: Macromolecules, 29 (1996), 2327-Document 4: Chem. Rev., 101, 2921-2990 (2001)

Abstract: wherein R1 is hydrogen, alkyl, aryl or arylalkyl; R2 and R3 are alkyl, phenyl or cyclohexyl; and A is a group having an ability to initiate polymerization of a monomer.


A process capable of operation under hostile conditions for accelerating the sedimentation of suspended solids in an aqueous suspension using a flocculating agent comprising a water-soluble polymer composition produced from a monomer composition comprising at least one of a hydrophilic N-vinyl lactam or a hydrophilic vinyl-containing sulfonate.

Synthetic polymers have been developed and used as flocculating agents in processes for the recovery of natural resources. For such processes, there is an increasing demand for polymers which will withstand hostile environments including, e.g. high temperatures, high salinity, and high content of multivalent metal cations, commonly known as "hardness ions", as well as the high acidity, temperature and shear conditions which are often encountered.
In processing mineral ores, it is often necessary to separate finely divided solids from aqueous suspension; conversely, in treating water for use, e.g., for municipal water supplies or industrial applications, it is often necessary to remove finely divided solids which may be suspended therein. Improvements in the ease of separation of finely divided solids from aqueous suspension either by sedimentation or by filtration have been accomplished by incorporating small amounts of high molecular weight water-soluble polymers in such suspensions. Among such polymers which have proven to be effective on a wide variety of ore suspensions are high molecular weight polyacrylamide polymers and the hydrolysis products thereof. Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Vol. 10, p. 489-548 (3rd Ed-1980), whose teachings are herein incorporated by reference, teaches the use of cationic, anionic and nonionic polymers as "Floculating Agents" and in "Flotation". Improved polymers have also been developed for this purpose; for example, Sullivan discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 3,146,193 (1964) certain high molecular weight water-soluble copolymers of certain vinyl substituted, nitrogen-containing, heterocyclic ring compounds with acrylamide which can be incorporated in aqueous suspensions of finely divided inorganic solids to facilitate the concentration and separation of such solids.
Processes using improved polymers are in demand for the treatment of concentrated brine solutions, e.g., potash ore processing. As an example, the American potash industry annually treats more than 18 MM tons of ore from which more than 3 MM tons of potash concentrate is recovered. Most of this product is used as fertilizer; however, nearly all of the potassium required by other U.S. industries comes from this concentrate.
A typical potash ore consists of sylvite (20-25%), halite (60-75%), and clay (4-20%). The potassium containing mineral is sylvite (KCl). The major impurities are halite (NaCl) and clay. The mixed ore is processed at the mine site. The processing varies with the level of clay, the higher clay ores requiring a more extensive treatment. This extensive treatment is becoming more widely utilized as the mines grow more mature and use lower grade ores.
The adverse effect of clay is caused by the high affinity of potash collectors for clay. The potash collectors are chemical compounds which ideally adsorb onto sylvite and then facilitate the flotation separation process. The affinity of the collector for clay diminishes the cost effectiveness of the overall process which typically consists of subsequent crushing, grinding, hydrolytic clay removal, and flotation steps. As a result, the time, cost and steps required are dependent upon the clay content. When more than a few percent of clay is present, the clay must be "blinded" by a polymer which historically has been polyacrylamide, guar gum, or potato starch before addition of the collector.
A preferred step would be clay removal by flocculation with a brine soluble polymer, since all processing is conducted in saturated brine to prevent mineral dissolution. This polymer, in addition to brine solubility, must retain its activity and thus cost effectiveness in the presence of the high ionic strength brine medium. The effectiveness of most polymers, such as the polyacrylamides, are reduced, and in many cases the polymers are actually precipitated in such brines. Thus, effective flocculating agents which will withstand such saturated brines are in demand.

Flocculation process using lactam or vinyl sulfonate polymer


Performance data processing apparatus includes a memory for storing settings input by a user and a processor for performing various control in accordance with the settings stored in the memory. Performance data are displayed in one or more display forms desired by the user. Marker or repeat mark is displayed in response to an instruction for displaying the marker or repeat mark. The performance data are reproduced in accordance with the input mark indicating that a performance should be repeated within a predetermined range. Further, a chord name is converted in accordance with a designated type of transposing instrument, and the converted chord name is displayed or stored in memory. Because the various control is performed in accordance with the memory-stored user settings, the user is allowed to change convenience-of-use or operability of the performance data processing apparatus in creating/editing of the performance data, by just changing the settings.

The present invention relates generally to automatic performance apparatus, such as sequencers, automatic accompaniment apparatus and automatic rhythm performance apparatus, and more particularly to an improved music performance data processing method and apparatus which are arranged to control a visual display that can be used easily by a user in creating/editing performance data.
Hitherto, sequencer-type automatic performance apparatus have been known which store performance data (performance information) input via an electronic musical instrument's keyboard, computer and the like. With such automatic performance apparatus, a user can not only freely create performance data of desired performance tones but also freely edit stored performance data as desired. That is, these automatic performance apparatus are equipped with various functions that allow the user to readily make and edit the performance data. Among these functions are one for window-displaying a performance data editing screen in a predetermined format or form so that the user is to enter performance data and arrange and edit the performance data with a high degree of flexibility. Examples of the window-displayed performance data editing screen include: a track view window via which the user is allowed to create a music piece by sequentially pasting block data (each block data comprises performance data of a predetermined unit of a music piece such as a measure) at optionally-selected points of the measures or beats for each of tracks displayed on the screen; a staff window via which the user is allowed to enter performance data by just pasting notes, symbols etc. onto a musical score (e.g., a staff); a list window via which the user is allowed to finely enter performance data, such as tone pitch data, of each note in a numerical value; a piano roll window via which the user is allowed to enter performance data by graphically editing key depression timing and duration or time length of each key depression on a piano or other keyboard instrument; and a drum window via which the user is allowed to enter performance data only for a rhythm part. Each user can cause a plurality of performance data editing screens to be window-displayed simultaneously so that creation/editing of the performance data can be performed easily through these window-displayed performance data editing screens; thus, a wide variety of users, from only beginners to power users, can create full-scale music pieces in a smooth manner. Operations such as for displaying and entering the performance data via the performance data editing screens are being performed by performance data processing apparatus.
In creating performance data or editing desired existing performance data, the conventionally-known performance data processing apparatus always window-display, as an initial screen, a performance data editing screen of a fixed form (e.g., in the form of a track view window). Some users, however, want to or have to use, as the initial screen, a different performance data editing screen than the screen of the fixed form (e.g., a staff track view window or piano roll window); even in these cases, the conventional apparatus can only window-display the performance data editing screen of the fixed form as the initial screen. Therefore, whenever an initial performance data editing screen of a user desired form is to be displayed, the user has to input predetermined commands to the apparatus through cumbersome inputting operations.
Further, in creating performance data or editing desired existing performance data, each user can set and input one or more pointers or markers for indicating desired locations of window-displayed performance data, and predetermined repeat marks each for instructing a repetitive performance of a particular tone, tone type or measure in the performance data. However, if the marker and repeat mark are set and input to a same location of the performance data in an overlapping fashion, only one of the marker and repeat mark would be actually displayed at that location. Such a display does not allow the user to clearly identify the settings and thus would present inconvenience in editing of the performance data. In addition, although the conventional performance data processing apparatus permit setting and inputting of a repeat mark (such as a mark of mere repeat, dal segno or da capo) instructing a repetitive performance of many measures, they do not permit setting and inputting of a repeat mark for instructing a repetitive performance of just one, two, three or four measures immediately preceding the repeat mark, or a repeat mark for instructing a repetitive performance of just one tone immediately preceding the repeat mark (hereinafter, such a repeat mark effective only for a relatively short performance range will be referred to as a "partial repeat mark").
Furthermore, some of the conventionally-known performance data processing apparatus are designed to display chord names of performance tones on the display screen when window-displaying the performance data editing screen. However, for this purpose, it has been conventional from the apparatus to display chord name data just as stored among the performance data; that is, the known performance data processing apparatus are never arranged to display the chord name data in correspondence with predetermined chord notation for a designated transposing instrument such as a wind instrument (e.g., trumpet, saxophone or the like), so that they provide a very poor convenience of use or operability to a user making a music piece for a transposing instrument and present significant inconvenience in performance data editing.

Music performance data processing method and apparatus adapted to control a display


There is provided a method of operating a memory device comprising at least one memory module, a corresponding memory module and a memory device comprising the at least one memory module. It is proposed that in the memory module (100a, 100b, 100c, 100d) a command and write data signal (CA, WD) is received and a read data signal (RD) is transmitted from the memory module (100a, 100b, 100c, 100d). Further, an input clock signal (CLK) is received in the memory module (100a, 100b, 100c, 100d) and is regenerated by means of a clock synthesizer unit (150) of the memory module (100a, 100b, 100c, 100d) to produce a regenerated input clock signal of the memory module (100a, 100b, 100c, 100d). The read data signal (RD) transmitted from the memory module (100a, 100b, 100c, 100d) is synchronized to the regenerated input clock signal of the memory module (100a, 100b, 100c, 100d). For this purpose, the clock synthesizer unit (150) preferably comprises a phase-locked loop.

In present computer systems memory devices for both reading and writing data, i.e. memories designated as RAM (Random Access Memory), are usually realized on the basis of memory modules of the so-called DDR type (double-data rate type). These memory modules can be accessed in read and write operations at a very high speed, thereby offering a high data bandwidth. In these memory devices, the transfer of control and data signals between memory modules of the memory device and a memory controller is synchronized on a system level to a reference clock provided by the memory controller. This means that the data transfers of all memory modules have simultaneously to be synchronized to the same clock signal. For increasing memory speeds, i.e. higher frequencies of the clock signal, and larger numbers of memory modules, the difficulties in providing the data transfer between the memory controller and the memory modules increase, and eventually a reliable data transfer becomes impossible.
In view of these problems, there has been proposed a new type of architecture for memory devices, which is of a so-called loop-forward type. This means that a plurality of memory modules is connected in series to the memory controller and that a command and address signal, a write data signal, and a read data signal are forwarded from a first memory module of the series of memory modules to the next memory module and so on. Finally, the read data signal is transferred from the last memory module of the series of memory modules to the memory controller.
The structure of a memory device corresponding to the loop-forward architecture is illustrated in FIG. 1. As can be seen, the memory device 100′ comprises a plurality of memory modules 100a′, 100b′, 100c′, and 100d′, which are identically configured. The memory device 100′ is connected to a memory controller 200′. The memory controller 200′ provides for the connection to components of a computer system, such as a central processing unit and other devices connected to a system bus (not shown).
The memory controller 200′ provides a command and address signal CA and a write data signal WD to the memory device 100′. The command and address signal CA and the write data signal WD are transmitted via a digital bus having a suitable width for carrying said signals. In the following, the command and address signal CA and the write data signal WD will be referred to in combination as command and write data signal CA, WD. Further, the memory controller 200′ provides to the memory device 100′ a clock signal CLK. The memory controller 200′ receives from the memory device 100′ a read data signal RD and a corresponding clock signal TxPCK.
Each of the memory modules 100a′, 100b′, 100c′, 100d′ comprises a memory core 110′ and a core interface 120′. Via the core interface 120′ the memory core 110′ is connected to circuitry for receiving and transmitting data.
The circuitry for receiving and transmitting data comprises for each of the memory modules 100a′, 100b′, 100c′, 100d′ a primary receiver RxP for receiving the command and write data signal CA, WD in the memory module 100a′, 100b′, 100c′, 100d′ and a primary transmitter TxP for transmitting the read data signal RD from the memory module 100a′, 100b′, 100c′, 100d′. Further, each of the memory modules 100a′, 100b′, 100c′, 100d′ comprises a secondary transmitter TxS for transmitting the command and write data signal CA, WD from the memory module 100a′, 100b′, 100c′, 100d′ and a secondary receiver RxS for receiving the read data signal RD in the memory module 100a′, 100b′, 100c′, 100d′. The primary receiver RxP, the secondary receiver RxS, the primary transmitter TxP, and the secondary transmitter TxS allow for the memory modules 100a′, 100b′, 100c′, 100d′ to be connected in series as illustrated in FIG. 1. Each of the primary and secondary receivers RxP, RxS and the primary and secondary transmitters TxP, TxS is configured to synchronize the received or transmitted signal to a respective input clock signal, thereby allowing for a transfer of the command and write data signal CA, WD and of the read data signal RD between different clock domains.
In the first memory module 100a′ the clock signal CLK provided from the memory controller is used as the input clock signal of the primary receiver RxP. The same clock signal is also used as the input clock signals of the primary transmitter TxP and the secondary transmitter TxS.
Further, the clock signal CLK provided by the memory controller is fed into a delay-locked loop (DLL) 150′. The DLL 150′ generates from its input clock signal a delayed clock signal which is used for controlling read and write operations of the memory core 110′ via the core interface 120′.
The input clock signals of the primary transmitter TxP and the secondary transmitter TxS are forwarded to a respective signal output of the first memory module 100a′ and from there to the second memory module 100b′. Further, also the input clock signal of the DLL 150′ is forwarded to a respective signal output of the first memory module 100a′ and from there to the second memory module 100b′.
Consequently, the second memory module 100b′ receives at corresponding signal inputs the input clock signal of the DLL 150′ of the first memory module 100a′, i.e. the clock signal CLK provided by the memory controller, the input clock signal of the primary transmitter TxP of the first memory module 100a′ and the input clock signal of the secondary transmitter TxS of the first memory module 100a′. Further, the secondary memory module 100b′ receives the command and write data signal CA, WD and the read data signal RD which are transmitted from the first memory module 100a′.
In the second memory module 100b′ it is possible to select via multiplexers 130′, 140′, which of the received clock signals are used as the input clock signals of the primary receiver RxP and the secondary receiver RxS. Generally, all these clock signals have been derived from the clock signal CLK provided by the memory controller 200′, but have been transmitted via different signal paths and therefore the signal quality may be different. In the second memory module 100b′, again the same input clock signal as for the primary receiver RxP is used as the input clock signals of the primary transmitter TxP and the secondary transmitter TxS. Like in the first memory module 100a′, the input clock signals of the primary transmitter TxP, the secondary transmitter TxS, and the DLL 150′ are forwarded to the next memory module, i.e. to the third memory module 100c′. The transfer of signals between the second memory module 100b′ and the third memory module 100c′, and also between the third memory module 100c′ and the fourth memory module 100d′ is the same as the signal transfer between the first memory module 100a′ and the second memory module 100b′. The internal signal processing in the third and fourth memory modules 100c′, 100d′ is the same as for the second memory module 100b′. From the fourth memory module 100d′, which is the last memory module of the series of memory modules, the read data signal RD is transmitted to the memory controller 200′ together with the associated input clock signal of the primary transmitter which is designated as TxPCK.
The structure of the memory modules 100a′, 100b′, 100c′, 100d′ is such that either the read data signal RD is generated in the memory module according to data stored in the memory core 110′ in response to a corresponding command received via the command and write data signal CA, WD or the read data signal RD received from another memory module located upstream in the series of memory modules is forwarded.
A major advantage of this loop-forward architecture of the memory device is that the overall latency with respect to receiving and transmitting signals is the same for each of the memory modules. For example, the first memory module 100a′ will have the shortest latency with respect to receiving the command and write data signal from the memory controller 200′, but the longest latency with respect to transmitting the read data signal RD to the memory controller 200′. Conversely, the fourth memory module 100d′ has the longest latency with respect to receiving the command and write data signal CA, WD from the memory controller 200′ and the shortest latency with respect to transmitting the read data signal RD to the memory controller 200′. Obviously, the overall latency is constant for each of the memory modules 100a′, 100b′, 100c′ and 100d′.
However, in the memory device illustrated in FIG. 1 there exist problems with respect to the quality of the input signals received by the memory modules 100a′, 100b′, 100c′, 100d′ and by the memory controller 200′. In particular, before reaching the fourth memory module 100d′, the clock signal CLK provided by the memory controller has been passed through all the other memory modules 100a′, 100b′, and 100c′.
Moreover, the clock signal CLK provided by the memory controller 200′ may already have undergone a substantial degradation when it is received from the memory controller 200′ in the first memory module 100a′, thereby affecting the transmission of the command and write data signal CA, WD and the read data signal RD to the next memory module and further to the other memory modules. As a result, it will generally be difficult or even impossible to receive the read data signal RD in the memory controller 200′ at a desirable speed, i.e. to use a high frequency for the clock signal CLK.

Method of operating a memory device, memory module, and a memory device comprising the memory module


A multi band antenna device which can simultaneously design a first frequency band antenna and a second frequency band antenna within one wireless communication device is provided. The multi band antenna device includes a first band antenna unit that communicates a first frequency band signal, a first band driving circuit unit that is connected to the first band antenna unit and that is configured to perform signal processing of a corresponding first frequency band signal communicated in the first band antenna unit, a second band driving circuit unit that is connected to the first band antenna unit, and that is configured to perform signal processing of a second frequency band signal which has a frequency that is lower than a frequency of the first frequency band signal, and a first inductor unit that is connected between one end of the first band antenna unit and the second band driving circuit unit, and that is configured to serve as an inductor.

Currently, various types of wireless communication devices such a smart phone, a tablet PC, a PC and the like are developed.
Such wireless communication devices require a plurality of antennas for communicating across each frequency band because the wireless communication devices have wireless communication systems such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) (e.g., 800 MHz, 1.8 GHz, 2.1 GHz, 2.6 GHz), 3G (e.g., 1.8 GHz, 2.1 GHz), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) (e.g., 2.3 GHz, 3.3 GHz, 5.7 GHz), wireless Local Area Network (LAN) (e.g., 2.4 GHz), Bluetooth (e.g., 2.4 GHz), Ultra Wide Band (UWB) (e.g., 3.1˜10.6 GHz) and the like therein. As described above, when a plurality of antennas are mounted to the wireless communication device, the wireless communication device needs large spaces to place the antennas. The plurality of antennas and installation spaces thereof are important contributing factors associated with increases in product price. Accordingly, small sized and plane typed wideband antennas which can accommodate communication systems of various frequency bands through one antenna have been developed.
In consideration of the trend of recent antenna technologies, a next generation mobile communication system may include a plurality of antennas (the integral antenna is also referred to as an "intenna") within a mobile communication terminal as described above, and an antenna capability reference for minimizing mutual interference between the integral antennas in order to improve quality of a transmitted/received signal becomes more strict. In connection with the above description, installing two or more multi antennas in the mobile communication terminal in order to increase a channel capacity and a signal reliability in 3.5G and 4G systems corresponding to the next generation mobile communication system may be beneficial. Further, in order to mitigate multi-path fading of the mobile communication system, a diversity antenna may be installed in the mobile communication terminal.
According to the related art, wireless communication devices including a plurality of band antenna units include a high frequency antenna unit, a high frequency matching circuit unit, a high frequency band driving circuit unit for processing a high frequency band for each band, a low frequency antenna unit, a low frequency matching circuit unit, and a low frequency band driving circuit unit for processing a low frequency band.
The high frequency antenna unit performs a function of radiating and transmitting a signal suitable for a corresponding high frequency band or receiving a signal, and the high frequency matching circuit unit is connected between the high frequency antenna unit and the high frequency band driving circuit unit to perform an impedance matching function. In addition, the high frequency matching circuit unit matches impedance of the high frequency antenna unit with impedance of the high frequency band driving circuit unit to allow the high frequency antenna unit to maximally receive a radio frequency signal of a desired frequency band. For example, the high frequency matching circuit unit performs impedance matching by using a specific inductor and capacitor, and is generally designed to be suitable for a frequency according to a service provider. The high frequency band driving circuit unit processes various signals transmitted/received in a corresponding high frequency band and is generally implemented in one chip form.
The low frequency antenna unit performs a function of radiating and transmitting a signal suitable for a corresponding low frequency band to the outside or receiving the signal from the outside. The low frequency matching circuit unit is connected between the low frequency antenna unit and the low frequency band driving circuit unit to perform an impedance matching function. The low frequency band driving circuit unit processes various signals transmitted/received in a corresponding low frequency band.
Meanwhile, each of a first antenna unit and a second antenna unit is installed in an upper side of the general wireless communication device including a plurality of antenna units and a third antenna unit is installed in a lower side of the wireless communication device. At this time, the first antenna unit may be a WiFi antenna, the second antenna unit may be a Global Positioning System (GPS) antenna, and the third antenna unit may be a 2G/3G/LTE antenna.
Further, a Near Field Communication (NFC) antenna may be further installed in a back surface of a battery or an internal surface of a battery cover as a fourth antenna unit.
As described above, according to the related art, the general wireless communication device which provides services across a plurality of frequency bands may have a separate antenna unit for each respective frequency band, a separate matching circuit unit, and a separate driving circuit unit for processing suitable for each frequency band. Particularly, an antenna unit which accounts for a significant volume may include an antenna unit having a separate space for each corresponding service (e.g., 3G, LTE, Bluetooth, WiFi, DMB, NFC, and the like). Accordingly, as types of wireless communication services increase and sizes of wireless communication terminals gradually become smaller, an efficient antenna design method for solving the problem associated with narrowing a space in which the antennas are installed is required.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.

Multi band antenna device and wireless communication device including multi band antenna


A method for manufacturing a metal-ceramic substrate with at least one metallization, patterned by etching, on at least one surface side of a laminar ceramic material. The metal-ceramic substrate includes a base substrate made of an aluminum-nitride or silicon-nitride ceramic. The metallization is applied by active soldering before patterning. An intermediate layer made of an oxidic ceramic is provided between the at least one metallization and the base substrate.

The invention relates to a metallic substrate and to a method for manufacturing a metal-ceramic substrate.
Metal-ceramic substrates or ceramic substrates with metallizations are known in the art, particularly as circuit boards or substrates for electrical and electronic circuits or modules, especially for high-power circuits or modules.
Also known is the so-called active soldering method (DE 22 13 115; EP-A-153 618) for bonding metal layers or metal foils forming metallizations, in particular also of copper layers or copper foils, with the respective ceramic material. In this process, which is used especially for manufacturing a metal-ceramic substrate, a bond is produced at a temperature of ca. 800-1000° C. between a metal foil, for example copper foil, and a ceramic substrate, for example aluminum-nitride ceramic, using a hard solder, which in addition to a main component such as copper, silver and/or gold also contains an active metal. This active metal, which is at least one element of the group Hf, Ti, Zr, Nb, Ce, creates a bond between the solder and the ceramic through a chemical reaction, while the bond between the solder and the metal is a metallic hard solder bond.
Also known is a method for manufacturing metal ceramic substrates with an aluminum-nitride ceramic (A1N ceramic) base, which is characterized, for example, by higher thermal conductivity as compared with aluminum oxide ceramic (EP 0 480 030). The metallization or the copper foil forming said metallization is applied to the ceramic in this known method by means of active soldering using an active solder, which contains as the solder material copper and a further component, for example silver, and an active solder component, e.g. titanium. The disadvantage of this known method is that the active solder component forms an electrically conductive bond with the aluminum nitride, for example titanium nitride, so that the etching procedure required for patterning of the metallization has to be carried out in at least two steps, namely so that the patterning of the metallization for creating strip conductors, contact surfaces, etc. takes place in a first etching step and in a second, subsequent step the electrically conductive material formed between the strip conductors, contact surfaces, etc. as a result of chemical reactions of the active solder component with the aluminum nitride has to be removed by etching. The removal of this material or reaction product is possible only with very aggressive and highly concentrated etching agents, which have a high impact on the environment, in addition to very demanding production requirements.
It is an object of the invention is to present a metal ceramic substrate with an aluminum-nitride and/or silicon-nitride ceramic base or substrate that eliminates this disadvantage.

Method for manufacturing a metal-ceramic substrate


Methods and systems to provide bit cell write-assist, including equalization of voltages of Bit and Bit nodes of a bit cell prior to a write operation. Equalization may be performed with a pulse-controlled transistor to transfer charge between the storage nodes. Pulse width and/or amplitude may be configurable, such as to scale with voltage. Bit cell write-assist may include reduction of bit cell retention strength during equalization, which may be continued during a write operation. Write-assist may be provided to each of multiple bit cells when a write operation is directed to a subset of the bit cells, which may conserve power and/or area. A partially-decoded address may be used to provide write-assistance to multiple bit cells prior to a write operation. Write-assistance may permit writing of Bit and Bit with a voltage swing significantly lower than an operating voltage of the bit cell.

A memory system may include an array of bit cells, each to store a data bit or logic state. A bit cell may include retention circuitry to assert opposing logic states at first and second storage nodes.
A bit cell may be characterized with respect to a time to perform a write operation, referred to herein as a write response time. Write response time may be slowed by contention between write circuitry and retention circuitry of the bit cell, which may be exacerbated at lower operating voltages, and which may reduce a frequency at which write operations may be performed.
In the drawings, the leftmost digit(s) of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears.


A system and method for improving multi-core processor access to storages, the method including: assigning a unique memory space within a memory to each of a plurality of processor cores; initiating a shared queue pair (QP), comprising a shared send queue and a shared receive queue, between the plurality of processor cores and at least a storage, wherein the shared queue is accessible by the plurality of processor cores; sending an instruction on the shared send queue from a first core of the plurality of processor cores to the storage, the instruction comprising an interrupt destination on a memory space assigned to the first core; and receiving an interrupt at the interrupt destination from the storage in response to the instruction, wherein the interrupt is generated for the first core.

Typically, in client devices having multi-core processors, each core generates requests and receives responses, or interrupts. These requests and interrupts can be local or remote. Multiple send-receive queue pairs and completion queues are generated between each core and each of potentially many storage devices to which the client connects. While this overhead may not present a problem for local storage, network resources are usually more limited when applied remotely, and reducing use of resources is advantageous in many cases.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a solution to allow multi-core client devices to access local and remote storage devices while utilizing less resources.

System and method for improved storage access in multi core system


This disclosure is related to real-time calibration of drilling modeling programs and to the estimation of pipe stretch to perform corrections for the inclination and azimuth measurements and the estimation of pipe twist to perform corrections to the tool face setting. A measurement tool with a plurality of sensors is disposed along the drill string. Measurements are taken continuously during the drilling process from each of the sensors to determine torque, bending moment, and axial force data. This information is iteratively coupled with a mechanical torque-drag model (based on standard mechanics of deformable materials and on wellbore mechanics) to accurately estimate stretching and twisting of the drill string in real-time or near-real-time and thereby promote accurate wellbore placement.

To obtain hydrocarbons such as oil and gas, wellbores are typically drilled by rotating a drill bit that is attached at the end of the drill string. Modern drilling systems frequently employ a drill string having a bottom hole assembly and a drill bit at an end thereof. The drill bit is rotated by a downhole motor of the bottom hole assembly and/or by rotating the drill string. Pressurized drilling fluid is pumped through the drill string to power the downhole motor, provide lubrication and cooling to the drill bit and other components, and carry away formation cuttings.
A large proportion of drilling activity involves directional drilling, e.g., drilling deviated, branch, and/or horizontal wellbores. In directional drilling, wellbores are usually drilled along predetermined paths in order to increase the hydrocarbon production. As the drilling of the wellbore proceeds through various formations, the downhole operating conditions may change, and the operator must react to such changes and adjust parameters to maintain the predetermined drilling path and optimize the drilling operations. The drilling operator typically adjusts the surface-controlled drilling parameters, such as the weight on bit, drilling fluid flow through the drill string, the drill string rotational speed, and the density and/or viscosity of the drilling fluid, to affect the drilling operations. For drilling a wellbore in a virgin region, the operator typically has seismic survey plots, which provide a macroscopic picture of the subsurface formations along the pre-planned wellbore path. If multiple wellbores are to be drilled in the same formation, the operator also has information drawn from any previously drilled wellbores.
Drilling operations are often conducted in accordance with one or more drilling or pre-drilling models of the subterranean conditions along the intended path of the wellbore. The following is a non-exclusive list of some of the variables various models may take into consideration: Wellbore properties, such as wellbore geometry, temperature and diameter versus the wellbore depth; friction, including dynamic and static friction coefficients throughout the wellbore; pressures, viscosities, densities, and flow rates of the fluids inside and outside of the drill string; material properties, such as strength and elastic modulus of the drill string components; inside and outside diameters along the length of the drill string; torque and force applied at the surface; tool properties, such as the length, outside diameter, stiffness, internal diameter, and flow restrictions in the tools being conveyed by the drill string, if any; and finally, the axial and rotational speeds of drill string and bit.
Computer-based models have been developed to calculate many quantities such as the forces, stresses, torques, stretch, etc. associated with the drill string or other conveyance, such as coiled tubing. One such model is used to calculate torque and drag. Torque and drag result from contact between the drill string and side walls of the wellbore, and as such they relate to wellbore resistance and drill string sticking. Torque-drag modeling may be used to determine when the drill string is approaching a limit at which it may break or buckle; how much force, either tension or in compression, the drill string can apply at its downhole end; how much torque is being applied at the downhole end given a certain torque applied at surface; how much twist is in the drill string between the surface and the downhole end; the torsional and axial dynamic frequencies for stick-slip-type movements; and how much the drill string length will stretch or compress due to axial forces, twisting, temperature, pressure, and helical buckling, for example.
Knowledge of the change in drill string length may be needed to accurately calculate the depth of the drill string end or the location of a tool it may be conveying. Similarly, knowledge of the amount of twist in a drill string may be necessary to ensure accurate tool face placement. For these reasons, mathematical simulations using torque-drag computer modeling programs provide useful data, which is not available by simply monitoring drill string torque and hook load at the surface.

Drilling modeling calibration, including estimation of drill string stretch and twist


Wet films of cathodic electrodeposition paints are rendered hardly susceptible to oil droplet-induced craters by incorporating a clay pigment surface treated with a silane coupling agent into the paint formulation. Surface smoothness and bath stability are not compromised by the addition of the clay pigment.

This invention relates to a cathodic electrodeposition paint. When a number of metallic substrates are successively coated with an electrodeposition paint while conveying the substrates along a coating line including various operational stations, oil droplets or mist necessarily entrained in air currents or scattered from associated machines may degrade the quality of the finish. This is because oil droplets deposited on the wet paint film before or during the baking operation radially expel an amount of paint to produce a number of tiny craters.
Methods are known to prevent oil droplet-induced craters from forming including the incorporation of kaolin or other flaky body pigments into the paint formulation to increase the pigment concentration and/or the use of high molecura weight vehicle resins to decrease the paint fluidity. These known methods, however, must suffer from decrease in smoothness of the cured paint film in terms of average surface roughness commonly represented by the notation Ra.
Accordingly, a need exists for a cathodic electrodeposition paint which is hardly susceptible to oil droplet-induced craters without compromising the surface smoothness of the cured paint film.