A multi-functional detachable and replaceable wire bonding heating plate is provided with a heat blocking layer, a heating layer, a heat equalization layer, and a top layer. The bottom of the heat blocking layer has a recessed portion and the heating layer is disposed on top of the heat blocking layer. The heat equalization layer is disposed on top of the heating layer. A detachable and replaceable top layer is disposed on top of the heat equalization layer wherein a protruding support block is disposed on top of the top layer. The heat equalization layer and the top layer can be securely bonded to each other by the attraction force method, the engaging method, and the vacuum method. The invention allows the top layer to be timely detached and properly replaced to meet the specifications of different lead frames or PCB substrates and can reduce the production cost.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to wire bonding heating plates, and more particularly relates to a wire bonding heating plate having a top layer that can be timely detached and properly replaced to meet the specifications of different lead frames or PCB substrates, thus to reduce the process time and production cost. The heat blocking layer can completely preserve thermal energy, produced by the heating layer, for the heat equalization layer and increase the thermal conductivity efficiency.
2. Description of Related Art
The wire bonding heating plate plays an important role in the chip wire bonding process. The main reason is that the heating plate can increase the temperature of the finger region of the wire bonding lead frame. During the wire bonding process, the eutectic bonding between the wire and the lead frame bond finger has a better effect. However, since the wire bonding lead frames are mostly frames made of the copper material and easily become oxidized in high temperatures, causing the chip and the lead frame to separate. Furthermore, if the temperature of the finger region is not high enough, the wire bonding will fail thus to seriously affect the product yield.
The wire bonding heating plates previously known have too many difficulties to cope with. When the temperature of the whole heating plate is not uniform, the wire bonding yield decreases. In order to avoid heat loss, the heating plate is kept at a specific temperature and yet unable to increase the thermal conductivity efficiency. Besides, in order to meet the specifications of different lead frames or PCB substrates, the process of changing the heating plate consumes a significant amount of time and increases the production cost.
Currently, technical individuals in this field have conducted research and developments on the temperature control of the heating plate, reduction of the heat loss and high production costs resulting from the process of changing the heating plate. However, these research and developments generally are conducted on these issues separately without integrating the solutions together effectively. As a result, wire bonding heating plates do not have the complete functionality and effectiveness in use.
Thus, the need for improvement still exists.

Multi-functional detachable and replaceable wire bonding heating plate


A preheating and melting apparatus for scrap, for preheating and melting the scrap highly efficiently, includes a scrap melting furnace having a top blowing lance and an electric arc heater and a preheater for introducing an exhaust gas generated from the melting furnace and preheating the scrap. The scrap preheater is a shaft furnace and a rotary furnace is disposed at the bottom portion of the shaft furnace to continue the shaft furnace. The scrap discharged from the shaft furnace is transferred into the rotary furnace and it is then charged into the scrap melting furnace.

An amount of heat energy is required when scrap as an iron and steel source is preliminarily preheated or conducted to any preliminary heating process. For the reason mentioned above, even if the scrap is conducted to any process of heating, the running cost for heating does not enjoy any merit, and it also requires an expensive investment to construct the heating apparatus.
Recently, the position of scrap as an iron and steel source has become more important from the viewpoint of recycling of resources. Therefore, research and development into the preheating and melting process of the scrap, which is advantageous for reducing the total heat energy required in the melting and refining thereof, is required so that the recycling of the scrap is efficiently conducted so as to effectively utilize it as an iron and steel source, and furthermore the reduction of heat energy is advantageously attained.
As a prior art in the technical field in scrap melting, "Electric Furnace", (published by Japan Iron and Steel Institute, No. 27, 28 Shiraishi Memorial Lecture "Strategy of Electric Furnace in Common Steel", November, 1994) discloses that the scrap melting increases the running cost of steel making due to high consumption of electric power, and this is attributed to reduction of heat efficiency after the flat bath stage (melt down stage). Furthermore, as a scrap melting process of a converter type, "Iron and Steel" (vol. 78 (1992), p520, published by Japan Iron and Steel Institute) discloses that the construction cost of the apparatus to treat an amount of an exhaust gas increases, and a converter is required after the melting process because the resultant hot metal is molten iron. U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,858 discloses a method for preheating of scrap with an exhaust gas of a refining furnace in which a shaft vessel for holding a raw material is disposed at the upper portion thereof. However, the technology is difficult to control so that the range of the refining condition becomes large. As a result, stabilization of product quality cannot sufficiently be obtained. As another shaft-type preheating furnace, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 6-46145 discloses that, although a high heat efficiency can be attained, the scrap fuses due to exposure to high temperature gas at the furnace bottom, with the result that the fused scrap requires oxygen cutting. The prior art furthermore discloses that the charging ratio and the heat efficiency decreases to ensure a space for a fire grate. As a rotary kiln for scrap preheating, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-228662 discloses that heat efficiency decreases due to a low charging ratio of the scrap although the scrap is difficult to fuse due to the usual rotation and transferring thereof. On the other hand, scrap containing no organic substance is ordinarily heated, with the result that the cost increases due to a requirement on scrap selection.
Hereafter, the important problem is to treat a gas containing dioxin generated at the time of preheating scrap containing organic substances such as vinyl chloride. It becomes very advantageous in the utilization of the scrap to solve the problem mentioned above. Therefore, research and development of an apparatus and method for processing a exhaust gas while preheating the scrap is required.

Apparatus for preheating and melting of scrap and process for the same


A connector assembly for an implantable medical device includes a support body having a receptacle connector extending therefrom. The receptacle connector is configured to receive a lead therein, and the support body has a fastener bore. The connector assembly also includes clamp having a clamp fastener bore, wherein the clamp is movable with respect to the support body to receive the lead between the clamp and the support body. A threaded fastener is received in the fastener bore and the clamp fastener bore for securing the clamp to the support body. The threaded fastener has first and second sets of threads for engaging first and second threaded portions, respectively, wherein the first and second threaded portions are included in at least one of the fastener bore and the clamp fastener bore. The first and second sets of threads have different thread types.

IMD's are used today in a variety of applications. In general IMD's include a connector assembly that has one or more electrical receptacles each adapted to receive a corresponding lead and to connect the lead to electronic circuits within the IMD. By way of example, an IMD may be a cardiac pacemaker, or other implantable stimulation device, such as a cardioverter or a defibrillator. By way of further example, an IMD may also be an appetite suppression device, a nervous or muscle stimulation device, a pain reduction device, a medicine delivery device, and the like. The IMD includes a hermetically sealed housing or casing (sometimes also referred to as a "can") to isolate the electronic circuits contained within the device from the body environment. Such devices require that electrical signals be reliably passed between the sealed circuitry and external connectors without compromising the isolation of the electronics. Depending on the configuration of the IMD there may be multiple electrical paths that extend between the device and the external connectors to deliver, for example, multi-chamber or multi-site stimulation and shock therapy, and to receive sensed cardiac signals. The electrical paths must be electrically and mechanically integrated with the device to provide a safe, long-term connector assembly that does not compromise the hermetic package.
Typically, the housing is provided with a feedthrough assembly that electrically couples the electronic circuits contained within the device housing to the connector assembly. The feedthrough assembly extends through the wall of the sealed casing to the connector assembly and couples the electronic circuits within the casing to lead-receiving receptacles within the connector assembly. Each lead has one or more electrical terminals on a proximal end thereof, typically in the form of a pin terminal and one or more conductive ring terminals. The pin may be electrically coupled to a distal tip electrode. When the proximal end of the lead is inserted into the lead receptacle of a connector assembly, contacts within the receptacle engage corresponding pin terminals on the lead to couple the lead to the electronic circuits within the IMD via the feedthrough assembly. A dependable electrical connection is made and retained between the lead terminals and the corresponding connector assembly contacts. At the same time, the connector assembly must be capable of releasing the lead from the lead receptacle during explanation or other subsequent procedures, and must also tightly seal against entry of body fluids.
Conventional connector assemblies electrically and mechanically connect the proximal end of the lead within a receptacle of the connector assembly by means of a variety of captive fastening screw/collet arrangements and setscrews. In prior art connector assemblies in which the lead is fixed within the lead receptacle using a setscrew, the setscrew is often threaded into an electrical connector block within the connector assembly. When the screw is advanced, it comes into contact with an associated terminal on the proximal end of the lead, mechanically and electrically coupling the lead and the connector assembly. However, the proximal end of a lead is sometimes damaged by an over-tightened setscrew. Also, the setscrews may strip out of the threaded connector block. To address such problems, large setscrews of a certain physical size have been employed. The result is that the setscrew protrudes from the side of the connector assembly, which becomes more noticeable as the physical size of the IMD and connector assembly is reduced.
A further problem of prior art setscrew type connector assemblies arises from the need to isolate the setscrew and the setscrew block from body fluids. One solution has been to use a silicone seal called a septum. The septum forms an insulation barrier between the setscrew and body fluids. However, the septum must permit a wrench to pass through the septum so that the setscrew can be tightened. Frequently, the septum is damaged by the wrench resulting in a loss of the isolation barrier.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a retaining mechanism for a connector assembly for securing and locking the proximal end of a lead to an IMD which will prevent complete retraction or removal of the retaining mechanism from the connector assembly.

Retaining mechanism for an implantable medical device connector assembly


In the present invention, a user can set the order of playing-back programs recorded in a program region, with interactive playback then being possible by recording the playback order of programs set by the user in a management region.. Preferred playback is possible in the present invention by recording playback conditions such as volume, fade-in, fade-out and equalization etc. for each program to be played back in the management region. Further, in a multi-access mode, program numbers capable of providing quick playback are managed in the management region. Playback is then possible directly after a user has selected a program by storing the beginning parts of program number capable of quick playback managed in the management region directly after installation of the recording medium.

The present invention relates to a recording medium for recording main data such as, for example, audio data and a playback device capable of carrying out playback operations corresponding to this recording medium.
Various recording media and recording/playback devices have been disclosed but in particular, well known minidisc (trademark) systems where a user freely records audio data etc. have become widespread.
In the case of minidisc systems, for example, a management region known as a User-Table of Contents (hereinafter referred to as a "U-TOC") is recorded, separate from the main data such as audio etc., for managing regions on the disc where the user carries out recording and managing regions where nothing is recorded.
The recording device then confirms regions where recording can be carried out while referring to the U-TOC, i.e. confirms the addresses of free areas and then records audio data at these free areas.
The playback device can then use the U-TOC to comprehend the program address recorded with audio information etc. to be played back and prescribed playback operations can be carried out.
Each of the programs etc. recorded is managed at the U-TOC in program units and the start and end addresses are listed. The start and end addresses etc. are also listed for recordable areas (free areas) that are as yet un-recorded.
Various modes are also prepared as playback modes for the playback device in addition to the order for playing back the programs. Program playback mode, shuffle playback mode and multi-access playback mode etc. are also provided in addition to the continuous playback mode for carrying out usual playback operations in program number order.
Program playback mode is a mode where the user arbitrarily sets program numbers, with playback then being carried out in the order of this set mode.
Shuffle playback mode is a mode where program numbers are selected randomly by a random number generation operation within the playback device and the selected programs are played back.
Multi-access playback mode is a mode also known as "quick start reproducing" where played-back audio is outputted immediately in response to playback operations for specific programs. Here, "immediately" means the timing excluding the time necessary for starting up the optical head and for making accesses that are necessary in usual program playback operations and is a time where the played back audio is outputted at almost the same time as the playback operation.
Regarding this "quick start reproducing", the present applicant filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 081588543 on Jan. 18th, 1996. The present applicant also made a related application in the past, of U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 4,530,073.
For example, when program number #1 to program number #5 are taken as the target of the multi-access playback mode, a few seconds of audio data at the head of each program is taken into a memory of a D-RAM etc. beforehand. In doing so, when, for example, playback of program number #3 is carried out the leading data of program number #3 taken in by the memory is first read out. The played-back audio can then be outputted at a time when the starting up of playback of the disc is not yet complete. Starting up and accessing for the disc playback operation can then finish while data played back from the memory is being outputted and the played back audio can then be continued to be outputted in an appropriate manner by continuing to read out data. This multi-access playback mode is a playback mode for application in cases such as the playing back of sound effects in, for example, plays and broadcasts etc. where the timing of the outputting of the played-back audio is extremely important as audio is played back immediately in response to user operations.
In this specification, from a first program to an nth program of the programs recorded on the disc are described as "program #1" to "program #n" with the mark "#" appended. There are also then cases where the program number is then described simply as "#2".
In the program playback mode and the multi-access playback mode, the user can previously set program orders or target programs.
For example, in the operation for program playback mode, the user first designates the program playback order. The designated program playback order is then held by a microprocessor computer within the playback device, with a controller then performing playback of the disc in the designated program order in response to user playback operations.
In multi-access playback mode, the user designates target programs. The numbers of designated target programs are then held by the microprocessor controller within the playback device and the controller takes audio data for the leading few seconds of all of the target programs into memory. After this, the leading portion for the corresponding program is played back immediately from the memory in response to playback operations for a prescribed program performed by the user.
A register for saving the program order is built-into the microprocessor computer. However, data for the order of playing back the programs or for the target programs set by the user is lost when other modes are switched over to, the disc is ejected or when the power supply is turned off, etc. after operations have been carried out in these program playback modes or multi-access playback modes. The user therefore has to input the settings for the program order and the target programs all over again even when carrying out the same program or multi-access playback as for the previous time every time the disc is installed. This is extremely troublesome for the user, particularly when the same program playback and multi-access playback is to be carried out over and over again.
In conventionally executed program playback modes and multi-access playback modes there were only functions for setting the program order and target programs. Setting of, for example, more detailed playback operation control preferable at the time of playback was not possible. Because of this, a greater variety of operation control is to be achieved with regards to the playback of each program at the time of playing back special effects in program playback mode or multi-access playback mode.
In order to resolve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a recording medium having a specific playback mode management region capable of carrying out operation management in each of the various playback modes and a playback device capable of carrying out specific playback mode operations employing this specific playback mode management region.

Recording apparatus, playback apparatus and recording medium having a management area with program position and playback information


Data is securely stored on a storage device by encoding a data block into multiple encoded blocks, any number of which can be recombined to recover the data block. The encoded blocks are stored at known logical locations corresponding to physical locations on a storage device that change over time. When the data needs to be destroyed, at least one of the encoded blocks is overwritten with arbitrary data. In one aspect, the encoded blocks include at least one random block that is used to encode the data block. In another aspect, the known logical locations are stored in metadata.

Sensitive data, such as encryption keys, saved on storage devices should be securely deleted when the device is moved from one computer to another or is taken out of service. However, this is not always possible. Modern rotating media transparently moves some parts of the storage to new locations if the media starts to develop errors. Flash storage or "solid-state disks" do this as a matter of course to even out the number of times that a given sector of the device has been used. The end result is that the high-level user of these mass storage devices cannot rely on overwriting data as a way of erasing it. Any time that a location on mass storage is written, there is a chance that the old data will remain on the device. While this is an unusual occurrence on rotating storage media, it is a common mode of operation on solid-state storage. Consequently, highly sensitive information such as encryption keys must be protected by mechanisms that presume that there is always a chance that overwriting does not ensure the sensitive data has been destroyed.

Secure storage of full disk encryption keys


A phase correction element comprising a first phase correction layer formed in a region of numerical aperture NA2, and a first phase plate; the first phase correction layer comprising a concavo-convex portion having a rotational symmetry with respect to the optical axis of incident light and having a cross-sectional shape of a saw-tooth-form or a saw-tooth-form whose convex portions are each approximated by a step form; the first phase plate generating a birefringent phase difference of about an odd number times of π/2 for linearly polarized light of λ1; and the phase correction element that does change a transmitted wavefront of λ1 and changing a transmitted wavefront of the λ2 or transmitted wavefront of both wavelengths of λ2 and λ3 when three types of incident light at λ1=410 nm, λ2=650 nm and λ3=780 nm respectively, are incident.

Recently, as well known, various types of optical recording media for recording and/or reproducing information and optical head devices capable of recording and/or reproducing an information to the optical recording media have been developed and used.
Among these, an optical recording medium (hereinafter referred to as "optical disk") for CD is an optical disk having a cover thickness of 1.2 mm for protecting the information recording plane, and a semiconductor laser of a 780 nm wavelength band as a light source and an objective lens having an NA (numerical aperture) of from 0.44 to 0.51 are employed for recording and/or reproducing an information.
On the other hand, an optical disk for DVD is an optical disk having a cover thickness of 0.6 mm, and a semiconductor laser of 650 nm wavelength band as a light source and an objective lens having a NA of from 0.60 to 0.65 are employed for recording and/or reproducing an information.
Further, in order to increase recordable information volume, an optical disk having a cover thickness of 0.1 mm for which a semiconductor laser of 410 nm wavelength band as a light source and an objective lens having a NA of 0.85 are employed, is proposed. Hereinafter, an optical disk for which a semiconductor laser of 410 nm wavelength band is employed is specifically referred to as an optical disk for HD.
Here, light in a λ1=410 nm wavelength band means light having wavelength from about 390 nm to about 430 nm, light in a λ2=650 nm wavelength band means light having wavelength from about 630 nm to about 680 nm, and light in a λ3=780 nm wavelength band means light having wavelength from about 760 nm to about 820 nm.
Further, numerical apertures NA of objective lenses to be employed for HD, DVD and CD are designated as NA1, NA2 and NA3 respectively. NA1 is about 0.85, NA2 is about from 0.60 to 0.65, and NA3 is about from 0.44 to 0.51.
Further, a phase difference caused by the difference between an ordinary refractive index and an extraordinary refractive index of a birefringent material for an ordinarily polarized light and an extraordinarily polarized light respectively, is referred to as "birefringent phase difference", the terms being used to distinguish from a normal phase difference corresponding to an optical path difference not caused by the dependency of refractive index on polarization. Further, "phase difference" is shown by a unit of radian (rad), and it is referred to as "wavelength phase difference" when it is described by a wavelength unit.
By the way, three types of optical disks for CD, for DVD and for HD have different cover thicknesses and wavelengths to be used from one another. Accordingly, there has been a problem that in an optical head device for recording and/or reproducing an information, when an objective lens designed for any one type of optical disk is mounted for recording and/or reproducing an information from these optical disks compatibly, for example, when the optical head device is used for recording and/or reproducing an information from a different type of optical disk from the above type of optical disk, a large spherical aberration is generated and recording and/or reproducing of the information can not be performed.
To cope with this problem, in order to perform recording and/or reproducing an information from optical disks having different cover thicknesses by employing a single objective lens in the optical head device, various solutions for reducing the spherical aberration generated have been proposed. (For example, JP-B-2713257 and JP-B-2725653.)
As a conventional example, JP-B-2713257 proposes an aperture-limiting element comprising a substrate and a multi-layer film filter which is a lamination of transparent dielectric films having different refractive indexes, or a diffraction grating formed in the periphery of the substrate. The aperture-limiting element switches NA by transmitting light having one wavelength and reflecting or diffracting light having the other wavelength.
FIG. 20 shows an example of a cross-sectional view of a conventional aperture-limiting element 1000 which transmits light having a wavelength of λ2 for DVD and reflects light having a wavelength of λ3 for CD. A multi-layer film filter 1200 is formed in an annular region (middle region) obtained by subtracting a circular region of numerical aperture NA3 from a circular region of numerical aperture NA2 on the surface of a transparent substrate (glass substrate) 1100, which constitutes an aperture-limiting element transmitting incident light having a wavelength of λ2 and not transmitting incident light having a wavelength of λ3.
Here, a phase compensation film 1300 for phase adjustment is formed on a multi-layer film filter 1200 having an annular region so as to align the phases of transmitted light having a wavelength of λ2 between a circular region of numerical aperture NA3 and the annular region in which the multi-layer film filter 1200 is formed.
Optical head device reducing spherical aberration caused by the difference of cover thickness of optical disks, can be constructed by employing the above aperture-limiting element 1000 together with an objective lens and by switching NA of light beam to be converged on an information recording plane depending on the difference of wavelengths for DVD and CD. Here, residual spherical aberration is reduced by making incident light having a wavelength of λ3 into the objective lens, to be diverging light beam.
As a conventional example 2, JP-B-2725653 proposes a phase correction element comprising a hologram optical element with an aperture-limiting function having a concentric circular interference fringe pattern whose cross-sectional shape is a form of steps, in addition to the aperture-limiting element. The phase correction element transmits light having a first wavelength and diffracts light having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength to generate a spherical aberration canceling a spherical aberration of an objective lens.
Further, an optical head device for recording and/or reproducing an information in an optical recording medium of an optical disk such as a CD or a DVD, has a construction that light emitted from a semiconductor laser as a light source is converged on the optical recording medium by an objective lens, and returning light reflected by the optical recording medium is introduced into a photo-acceptance element as a photodetector by a beam splitter, and the information in the optical recording medium is transformed into an electrical signal.
Here, in order to effectively converge emitting light from the semiconductor laser on the optical recording medium of the optical disk and to effectively detect signal light from the optical recording medium by the photodetector, it is effective to employ a polarizing beam splitter. The polarizing beam splitter transmits in an incoming path linearly polarized light emitted from the light source and having a polarization plane in a predetermined direction, and reflects or diffracts in a returning path linearly polarized light reflected by the optical recording medium and thereby having a polarization plane perpendicular to that of the incoming path, whereby the polarizing beam splitter can switch the direction of light to the photodetector. Here, in order to change the polarization plane of the linearly polarized light in the returning path perpendicular to the polarization plane in the incoming path, a phase plate (¼ waveplate) generating a birefringent phase difference of π/2 for the wavelength of incident light, is employed, which is disposed in the optical path between the polarizing beam splitter and the optical recording medium.
However, as shown in the conventional examples 1 and 2, although there is an aperture-limiting element or a phase correction element applicable for recording and/or reproducing informations of two types of optical disks by employing a single objective lens, there is no phase correction element for three wavelengths applicable for recording and/or reproducing informations of three types of optical disks of HD, DVD and CD, it has been difficult to record and/or reproduce informations of these three types of optical disks by employing a single objective lens.
Further, when the aperture-limiting element of the above conventional example 1 is employed as a compatible element for three types of optical disks of HD, DVD and CD, it is necessary to add a function of wavelength selection filter which transmits incident light having a wavelength of λ1 and does not transmits incident light having wavelengths of λ2 and λ3, in a first annular region obtained by subtracting a circular region of numerical aperture NA2 for DVD from a circular region of numerical aperture NA1 for HD (here, NA1>NA2), of the aperture-limiting element 1000 shown in FIG. 20. Further, in the same manner, it is necessary to add a function of wavelength selection filter which transmits incident light having wavelengths of λ1 and λ2 and does not transmit incident light having a wavelength of λ3, in a second annular region obtained by subtracting a circular region of numerical aperture NA3 for CD from a circular region of numerical aperture NA2 for DVD (here, NA2>NA3). Further, it is necessary for the circular region of numerical aperture NA3 to have a function of transmitting all of incident light having wavelengths of λ1, λ2 and λ3.
Then, in a case of applying a conventional technique employing a multi-layer film filter for the wavelength selection filter, it is necessary to deposit multi-layer films having different spectral transmittances in the first annular region and the second annular region separately in the divided regions, which requires an extremely complicated process. Therefore, it has been difficult to stably produce an aperture-limiting element which does not deteriorate a transmitted wavefront aberration of incident light having a wavelength of λ1 in the entire region of aperture NA1. Here, a transmitted wavefront means a wavefront of light after the light is transmitted through an optical element such as a phase correction element. "A transmitted wavefront is changed" means that a wavefront of light is changed while the light is being transmitted through an optical element and the light is output with a changed wavefront.
Further, a phase correction element producing a birefringent phase difference of π/2 for a wavelength of λ1 and having non-deteriorated property of phase correction element for wavelengths of λ2 and λ3 and with which a phase plate is integrally formed, has been demanded.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a phase correction element and an optical head device applicable for recording and/or reproducing an information in three types of optical disks of HD, DVD and CD employing a single objective lens for HD.

Phase correction element and optical head device


As a negative film having a multiplicity of perforations provided therein at equal intervals is being transferred, its perforations are detected to produce a corresponding pulse signal. The pulse signal is then fed to a controller which in turn calculates the number of clock pulses for each forty pulses of the pulse signal and determines a transfer distance per clock pulse. Meanwhile, the reference transfer distance is obtained from an interval between the perforations multiplied by forty. A difference between the actual transfer distance and the reference transfer distance is calculated and used for controlling the rotating movement of drive rollers.

The present invention relates to a transfer apparatus for conveying a long material, e.g. a photographic film, which has physical markers provided thereon at equal intervals.
In a common transfer apparatus, a long material such as a photographic film is transferred by the rotating action of rollers. The rotating action of the rollers can be controlled with the use of a servo motor or a stepping motor. However, a transfer movement of the long material is not always constant and instead may be varied.
This results from variations in the movement and configuration of the rollers or other components, friction loss between the material and the rollers, and weariness of the rollers and components after a long period of service.
Some of the errors may be eliminated at a manufacturer factory before shipment but the remaining including time-dependent errors should be corrected on site as necessary.
In general, the correction is made by measuring an actual movement of a test piece with a scale, comparing it with a predetermined reference movement to calculate a difference, producing a correction factor from the difference, and correcting the actual movement with the correction factor.
For ease of measuring the actual movement, scores or markings are prepared on the test piece.
The above method of correction however has some disadvantages as explained below.
For the measurement of the actual movement, a test piece of the long material or film has to be subjected to the transfer action which thus increases the consumption of time.
There must be measurement variations of the test piece depending on the precision of the scale or the skill of an operator. This will result in lower accuracy of the correcting action.
As the correction factor is manually calculated by the operator comparing the actual movement with the predetermined reference movement to determine a difference, the overall correcting action will hardly be expedited.
The calculation by the operator may be mistaken thus yielding a fault correct factor.
The correcting of the actual movement to the reference movement using the correction factor is also carried out by a manual control of the apparatus and thus lowers the efficiency.
For the same reason, the correcting of the actual movement may hardly be executed without failure of entry of the correction factor but in perfection.
As the test piece of the long material or film has to be used for the trial measurement, the transfer action declines in efficiency.
As the test piece is provided with scores or markings for the measurement, it will not be substituted with a negative film to be printed.
Above all, the conventional method of correction includes a number of troublesome steps which are not pleased by the operator and will hardly contribute to the efficient operation of the apparatus.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved transfer apparatus capable of conveying a long material such as a negative film without the use of a test piece and with no need of manual calculation of a correction factor.


A density measurement system for measuring a density of a speech processing device including a plurality of channels each having an encoder and a decoder, where each one of the plurality of channels is coupled to another one of the plurality of channels to provide a plurality of coupled pairs. The system comprises a first signal injector module for injecting a first speech signal into a first one of each coupled pair; a second signal injector module for injecting a second speech signal into a second one of each coupled pair; a quality module connected to each decoder for measuring a quality value for each decoder; and an error module connected to each encoder for determining an error value for each encoder, wherein the system determines the density of the speech processing device based on the quality value of each decoder and the error value of each encoder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to method and system for testing VoIP devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to method and system for measuring density of VoIP devices.
2. Background Art
Subscribers use speech quality as the benchmark for assessing the overall quality of a telephone network. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol or Packet Network) devices, which are placed at the edge of the packet network, perform the task of encoding (speech compression) and decoding (speech decompression) for communication of speech data over the packet network. Each VoIP device includes a certain number of channels, where each channel includes an encoder for encoding speech signals for transmission over the packet network, and a decoder for receiving the encoded speech data over the packet network and generating decoded speech data. A VoIP device has a processing power, which is typically defined by millions of instructions per second (MIPS) that the VoIP device can execute. The density of a VoIP device is defined based on the number of channels that the VoIP device can process given the total MIPS. In the conventional approach, the density of a VoIP device is determined by measuring the MIPS consumed for processing one channel, and then the total MIPS of the VoIP device is divided by the MIPS consumed for processing the one channel to determine the VoIP density. For example, if a VoIP device has a processing power of 1,000,000 MIPS, and processing one channel consumes 10,000 MIPS, the density of the VoIP is determined to be 1,000,000/10,000 or 100. In other words, it is assumed that the VoIP device would be capable of handling 100 channels simultaneously. Therefore, if the VoIP includes 120 channels, the VoIP device would be unable to process some channels when the voice traffic exceeds the processing power of the VoIP device.
The conventional approach to density measurement, however, suffers from many drawbacks and disadvantages. First, when additional channels are utilized, the VoIP device may consume more MIPS per channel than the number of MIPS for a single channel. This is because more overhead is added due to the interaction between the active channels. Second, the voice quality may degrade as more channels are utilized. Third, the test signals may not provide a real-world complexity for an accurate density measurement. For example, the test signals may not cause echo cancellers to be engaged, or the test signals may create double talk conditions, which disturb the speech quality measurement.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for method and system of measuring density of VoIP devices, which provide a more accurate representation of the density based on real-world conditions.

Density measurement method and system for VoIP devices


A caption VCR having a caption decoder, therein, for detecting a caption signal from a broadcasting signal or detecting a caption signal recorded on a VCR tape. The caption VCR normally operates to display a video signal having no caption signal. However, if the caption signal including character and screen data is detected by the caption decoder, the caption VCR displays the caption signal including the character and screen data. Also, a method of displaying the caption signal from the caption decoder together with an audio signal and a video signal in the caption VCR is provided. Therefore, it is convenient for the deaf person or foreign language learner to watch a desired image containing the caption signal on the screen utilizing the caption decoder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a caption video cassette recorder (VCR), and more particularly to a caption VCR having a caption decoder, therein, for detecting a caption signal from a broadcasting signal or detecting the caption signal recorded on a VCR tape and to a method of displaying the caption signal from the caption decoder together with an audio signal and a video signal in the caption VCR.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
For the purpose of further display of a caption signal in a VCR in which an audio signal and a video signal are displayed, a deaf person or a foreign language learner usually detects the caption signal from a broadcasting signal containing the caption signal or detects the caption signal recorded on a VCR tape, utilizing a separate, external caption decoder. Then, the detected caption signal from the caption decoder is displayed together with the audio and video signals in the VCR.
With reference to FIG. 1, there is shown a block diagram of a conventional on-screen display apparatus for a VCR. The illustrated circuit comprises a programmable controller 31 for providing a plurality of control signals necessary to the VCR in accordance with a selection of the user, a radio frequency (RF) converter 32 for receiving an external broadcasting signal through a receiving antenna ANT1 and outputting a desired signal through a transmitting antenna ANT2 under a control of the programmable controller 31, a tuner 33 for tuning the broadcasting signal from the RF converter 32 to a broadcasting channel required by the user under a control of the programmable controller 31, demodulating the tuned broadcasting signal to divide it into a video signal and an audio signal AU and outputting the divided video signal and audio signal AU, a switching circuit 34 for selectively outputting one of the video signal from the tuner 33 and an external video signal under a control of the programmable controller 31, a luminance/chrominance (Y/C) processing circuit 35 for video-processing an output signal from the switching circuit 34 or a self-video signal to be played back under a control of the programmable controller 31, an on-screen display unit 36 for displaying an output signal from the Y/C processing circuit 35 and an external caption signal under a control of the programmable controller 31, a buffer 37 for buffering an output signal from the on-screen display unit 36 and outputting the buffered signal through the RF converter 32 and through a video output jack VOJ externally, and a separate caption decoder 38 for detecting the caption signal from the broadcasting signal or the caption signal recorded on a VCR tape and the detected caption signal to the on-screen display unit 36.
The operation of the on-screen display apparatus for the VCR with the above-mentioned construction will now be described.
The programmable controller 31 provides a plurality of control signals necessary to the VCR in accordance with the selection of the user.
The radio frequency (RF) converter 32 receives the external broadcasting signal through the receiving antenna ANT1 and transmits the received broadcasting signal to the tuner 33. Also, the RF converter 32 outputs a desired signal through the transmitting antenna ANT2 in accordance with a control signal TV/VCR from the programmable controller 31. Namely, in a television (TV) mode, the RF converter 32 outputs the broadcasting signal inputted through the receiving antenna ANT1 directly through the transmitting antenna ANT2 externally, otherwise, in a VCR mode, the RF converter 32 modulates the video signal and caption signal from the buffer 37 to a broadcasting frequency required by the user and outputs the modulated video signal and caption signal through the transmitting antenna ANT2.
The tuner 33 tunes the broadcasting signal from the RF converter 32 to a broadcasting channel required by the user in accordance with a control signal D1 from the programmable controller 31, demodulates the tuned broadcasting signal to divide it into the video signal and the audio signal AU and outputs the divided video signal and audio signal AU. Then, the audio signal AU is transferred to an audio processing circuit (not shown) and the video signal is transferred to the switching circuit 34.
The switching circuit 34 selectively outputs one of the video signal from the tuner 33 and an external video signal through a video input jack VIJ to the Y/C processing circuit 35 in accordance with a control signal Tuner/Line from the programmable controller 31. Namely, in a Tuner mode, the switching circuit 34 outputs the video signal from the tuner 33, otherwise, in a Line mode, the switching circuit 34 outputs the external video signal inputted through a video input jack VIJ.
The Y/C processing circuit 35 video-processes the output signal from the switching circuit 34 or a self-video signal to be played back in accordance with a control signal W/EE from the programmable controller 31 . Namely, in a W mode, the Y/C processing circuit 35 outputs the self-video signal to be played back. Otherwise, in an EE mode, the Y/C processing circuit 35 outputs the output signal from the switching circuit 34.
The on-screen display unit 36 displays the output signal from the Y/C processing circuit 35 and the caption signal from the separate caption decoder 38 in accordance with a control signal D2 from the programmable controller 31. Namely, upon an enable slate of the control signal D2 from the programmable controller 31 , the on-screen display unit 36 displays the output signal from the Y/C processing circuit 35. At this time, if the caption signal is applied from the separate caption decoder 38 during the display of the video signal from the Y/C processing circuit 35, the on-screen display unit 36 stops displaying the video signal from the Y/C processing circuit 35 and displays the caption signal from the separate caption decoder 38. Then, if no further caption signal is applied from the separate caption decoder 38, the on-screen display unit 36 displays the video signal from the Y/C processing circuit 35 again. On the other hand, upon a disable state of the control signal D2 from the programmable controller 31, the on-screen display unit 36 outputs the output signal from the Y/C processing circuit 35 and the caption signal from the separate caption decoder 38 to the buffer 37.
Herein, the broadcasting signal may mean a character multiplex broadcasting signal containing video, audio and caption signals. Also, the video signal from the Y/C processing circuit 35 may contain the caption signal. However, in the conventional VCR, the caption signal cannot be detected from the video signal from the Y/C processing circuit 35 without the separate caption decoder 38.
Therefore, in this manner, the caption signal from the separate caption decoder 38 is displayed together with the video signal and audio signal.
On the other hand, upon receiving the video signal and caption signal from the on-screen display unit 36, the buffer 37 buffers the received video signal and caption signal and then sends the buffered video signal and caption signal to the RF converter 32 and also outputs them through the video output jack VOJ externally.
However, the conventional VCR with the above-mentioned on-screen display apparatus has a disadvantage, in that the caption decoder must be installed on the outside of the VCR, separately from the on-screen display apparatus, in order to detect the caption signal from the broadcasting signal, or character multiplex broadcasting signal, or the caption signal recorded on the VCR tape. For this reason, the deaf person or foreign language learner can not help purchasing the caption decoder separately and connecting the separate caption decoder to the VCR, so as to watch a desired image containing the caption on the screen. Therefore, it is inconvenient for the deaf person or foreign language learner to watch a desired image containing the caption signal on the screen utilizing the separate caption decoder.

Caption VCR and method of displaying a caption signal in the caption VCR

Uman-dong, Jangan-gu, Suwon-si, Kyunggi-do


Provided is a skateboard wheel having a rotational axis and comprising a transparent or translucent wheel covering having a surface defined by revolving a continuous, smooth curve about the axis. The wheel comprises a wheel interior defined by the axis and the wheel covering and housing (i) a wheel generator that generates electricity, (ii) a plurality of light emitting devices electrically coupled to the generator so that they emit light when the generator generates electricity, and (iii) an installation board coupled to the generator and comprising a plurality of open-faced notches formed along a perimeter of the board and facing the wheel covering in a radial direction of the wheel. At least one light emitting device is received in a notch in the plurality of notches and is aligned in the radial direction of the wheel.

In recent years, skateboarding has increased in popularity as a recreational activity. Skateboards have found other uses as well. For instance, some messengers and couriers use skateboards as a mode of transportation. Frequently these skateboards are used in the evenings or at night when, due to poor visibility there is greater likelihood of accidents and injuries resulting from their use. In order to make the device, and hence the person riding thereon, safely visible, it has been proposed to use an illuminating device in conjunction with the skateboard. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,573 discloses an illuminated skateboard comprising a person carrying platform under which is a pair of axles supported from the platform and rolling wheels engaged thereon. A power source is disposed on the bottom surface of the platform and is operatively connected to a light source so as to illuminate the wheels of the skateboard. The wheels are made from translucent material in order to transmit the light generated by the power source along the outer faces of the wheels.
Such illumination of skateboards has only increased their popularity. However, to date, illuminated skateboard have come in two types: those in which the illumination source is in the wheels and those in which the illumination source it built into the board. In order to provide further safety, as well as to differentiate over simple older methods of illumination, what is needed in the art are new ways to illuminate skateboards such that light is distributed in new and attention garnering ways. Such skateboards will not only be safer, they will provide the ability to distinguish over older skateboard designs.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The disclosure provides a system and method for managing and sequencing the transmission of digital content items from a network-accessible content service to a portable digital content device. The content service includes a cache management subsystem and provides storage for a plurality of playlists which are variously associated with user accounts and which each contain one or more digital content items. The cache management subsystem is configured to sequence transmission of digital content items to a given portable device based on attributes associated with the playlists containing the digital content items to be transmitted to the device.

Digital content items, such as digital music, video, games, ringtones and the like may be grouped into playlists. Such playlists may be created by a user and/or by a service. The digital content items from such playlists may be saved to a device for organized use and enjoyment by a user. In many cases, it is desirable for primary storage of the content items and related playlists to occur at a network-accessible service, with which the remote device periodically interacts via a user account to manage the playlists, download content items, etc.
Typically, digital content items must be downloaded to the user's local device before playback, and bandwidth and download times constrain the rate at which content can be made available on the local device. In cases where many items have yet to be transferred, there is a heightened chance that the user will issue an item request that cannot be immediately satisfied. Furthermore, ineffective management of content transfer poses an even greater concern in situations where connectivity between the device and the content service is unavailable or intermittent.

Sequenced transmission of digital content items


Suction devices and methods for fine needle aspiration. Certain embodiments include an inner tubular member and a piston disposed within an outer cylinder. In particular embodiments, a vacuum is created in a portion of the interior volume of the outer cylinder and in the interior volume of the inner tubular member when the piston is moved toward the distal end of the inner tubular member.

Several factors can affect a sample yield during a fine needle aspiration (FNA). For example, the amount of sample obtained from FNA procedures can depend on several qualities of excursions including the velocity, the total number of excursions, and the depth of the excursion.
Existing systems and methods for FNA procedures can lead to inconsistent results due to variations in these qualities and other factors.
Accordingly, there exists a need for devices and methods to provide precise, accurate FNA procedures to increase the quality and volume of sample yields.


A remotely illuminated lighting system (10) incorporates a lighting system sequencer (18) for providing a sequenced distribution of light signals to a plurality of light distribution devices (108, 208, 210 and 212). An illumination source (12) provides focused light signals (44, 46) to the lighting system sequencer (18). The lighting system sequencer (18) includes an optical scanner (22) and an electronic control (24) for selectively directing the light signals (44, 46) to individual optical fibers (20) of a fiber-optic distribution system. The optical fibers (20) couple the light signals to the luminaires (108, 208, 210 and 212), which sequentially illuminate in accordance with a desired pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lighting systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a sequencer for a remotely illuminated lighting system, and a method of producing a sequenced light pattern.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Airports incorporate a system of lighting to provide guidance to approaching aircraft. The conventional aircraft approach lighting system (ALS) includes groups of incandescent lamps distributed over a field, lighting several thousand feet of the approach to the runway within specific requirements for angular light distribution, color and intensity. One aspect of the ALS is a series of lights extending along the centerline of the runway that are illuminated in sequence to guide an approaching aircraft along the landing path. Such sequentially illuminated light series are often referred to as "rabbit" lights.
The rabbit lights used in the ALS are typically high intensity incandescent lamps. A mechanical switching system or an electronic controller typically controls a flow of current to each of the lamps for illumination in the desired sequence. The mechanical switching system uses mechanical switches and a switch actuator mechanism, such as a rotating camshaft, to sequentially close the switches. As the switches close, an electric circuit is completed allowing current to flow to an associated lamp. Electro-mechanical relays can replace the mechanical switches. Selective application of current to the relay coil causes opening and closing of the relay contacts for completing the electric circuit. A suitable programmable logic controller, or other control device, may be used to provide the sequenced relay coil currents. In an entirely electronic controller, high-current capacity switching transistors are used to couple current to the lamps in the appropriate sequence.
The mechanical switching systems, including those based upon electromechanical relays, suffer from an increased incidence for maintenance. The switch contacts are prone to wear that must be monitored, and at the appropriate time the contacts must be replaced. Electronic controllers are expensive, and have substantial cooling requirements for the high-current capacity transistors. An additional problem with the use of incandescent lamps in the ALS rabbit lighting system lies with monitoring the many light sources, i.e., each incandescent lamp, for failure. The availability of the ALS is dependent on the number and location of failed lamps in the system. Existing monitoring systems rely on observed lamp currents to infer if a lamp is operating properly. Many factors, including the condition of the contacts and the age of the lamp may effect these current readings resulting in false readings and false indications of lamp failure. Replacing failed lamps is a significant cost owing to the required human and equipment resources and the cost of the lamps. Additionally, diagnosis of lamp failure is not limited to the lamp itself but must also include diagnosis of the mechanical switching system or electronic controller thereby adding time and cost to the maintenance process.
Other applications of sequentially illuminated lighting systems include aerial obstruction lighting systems, road hazard lighting systems, building signage, and the like. Similar to the ALS rabbit lighting system, these systems too rely on a distributed network of incandescent lamps. Failure of an obstruction beacon atop a radio tower can have disastrous consequences for aircraft operating in the area. Replacing failed lamps is not a simple operation, and is certainly not for the faint of heart, as a technician is typically required to scale the tower structure to access the lamp for replacement.
Thus there is a need for a sequencing system that does not rely on mechanical switching and/or electronic switching for generating a light sequence pattern. Additionally, here is a need for a sequenced light system that overcomes the limitations of sequenced light systems relying on a distributed network of incandescent lamps as light sources.


A brushless motor drive circuit supplies power to a brushless motor by soft switching and prevents saturation of power supply transistors under any conditions. The brushless motor drive circuit includes, for respective phases, a first set of transistors for driving output transistors connected to the side of a DC power supply; a second set of transistors which constitute current mirror circuits in combination with the first set, respectively; a reference voltage generating device is connected to the second set of transistors respectively, for generating voltages proportional to currents flowing in the second set. A current feedback circuit, which, when potential differences between the inputs and outputs of the first set of transistors reach values close to the voltages generated by the reference voltage device, are turned on, causing voltage drops nearly equal to voltages generated by the second set of transistors, so as to partly feed back output currents of the first set of transistors to stages preceding the reference voltage generating device so that input currents to the first transistor are reduced. This results in an avoidance of saturation of the output transistors and also avoids the adverse reliance on circuit values.

There has been proposed a brushless motor drive circuit of the type supplying a power to the brushless motor by applying to the driving coils of motor driving current waveform with dulled or rounded inflection points, in the respective phases, in an attempt to reduce a noise generation caused by abrupt or acute changes in driving current waveform due to the inherit abrupt power-supply switching in each driving coil. However, with such drive circuit, when a power transistor becomes saturated upon starting a motor or during its uncontrolled drive, the switching waveform (i.e. the driving current waveform applied to each driving coil) is distorted or becomes unsmooth, resulting in lowering its motor noise reduction effect.
One possible technique that has been proposed to solve this problem is a technique for detecting the state of the power transistor which is about to be saturated and limiting a control current so as to limit power supply to the transistor, thereby preventing saturation. This technique is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 56188/88 of a patent application filed in the name of the applicant of the present application. Referring now to FIG. 6, a brief explanation will be made thereof.
In FIG. 6, the power supply to three-phase driving coils L.sub.1, L.sub.2, and L.sub.3 is controlled by power transistors Qa, Qb, Qc, Qd, Qe and Qf via a pre-driver 2. The pre-driver 2 combines together or synthesizes rotor position sensed signals from position sensors (not shown) into a 120.degree. switching signal which supplies power for a 120.degree. period in a 180.degree. interval or zone, thereby dulling or rounding this signal waveform at its inflection points to obtain a soft switching waveform, which is used to control each of the transistors Qa to Qf, effecting a power supply control for each of the driving coils L.sub.1 to L.sub.3.
The current to each of the driving coils L.sub.1 to L.sub.3 flows into a current detecting resistor Re, which generates a voltage proportional to the incoming current, and the voltage is applied to an inverting input of a current feedback amplifier Af. On the other hand, when a current flows to a resistor Ra via a transistor Qg, a voltage proportional to this current is induced in the resistor Ra and is applied to a non-inverting input of the amplifier Af. A control amplifier Ac amplifies a difference between a control reference voltage Vref, defined by the ratio between resistors Rc and Rd, and a control signal voltage Vctl, to provide a control current Ictl. The control current Ictl flows to the ground via a resistor Rb and a transistor Qj and, at the same time, defines a current which flows in the collector of a transistor Qh via the base of a transistor Qi, and in accordance with this collector current, the base current of a transistor Qg is controlled to thereby determine the above-mentioned current Ictl which is the collector current of the transistor Qg. The control current Ictl of the control amplifier Ac is set such that it will ultimately become equal to the current Ictl which flows in the resistor Ra.
Diodes Da, Db and Dc have their cathodes connected to the driving coils L.sub.1, L.sub.2 and L.sub.3, respectively, and have their anodes all connected to an output terminal of the control amplifier Ac.
Now, let is be assumed that the motor is placed under constant speed control. If the rotational speed of the motor decreases, the control voltage Vctl will be raised to increase the speed and also the control current Ictl will go up, causing an increase in the voltage of the resistor Ra. When the voltage of the resistor Ra becomes higher than that of resistor Re, the current feedback amplifier Af will, via the pre-driver 2, raise the base currents of the transistors Qa to Qf to enlarge the amplitudes of the voltages which are applied to the driving coils L.sub.1, L.sub.2 and L.sub.3, thereby making higher the coil driving currents for speed-up of the motor. In the event of the motor speed increasing excessively, it is decreased by reversing the above-said procedure. In this way, the rotational speed of the motor is held at a fixed value.
Next, a description will be given of operations at the start of the motor and during its uncontrolled running. When the control voltage Vctl increases and the control current Ictl also increases correspondingly at the start of the motor and during its uncontrolled running, the amplitude of the coil driving voltage increases and the minimum voltage of each driving coil drops. If the minimum voltage of the coil drops down to a minimum voltage value, or, Rb.multidot.Ictl, a portion of the control current Ictl flows in any one of the transistors Qd, Qe and Qf via the diode Da, Db or Dc. In consequence, the increase of the control current Ictl is not transmitted to the current feedback amplifier Af and the minimum voltage of the coil will no longer fall.
As shown in FIG. 7, the driving coil voltage varies up and down by the same amplitude, about Vcc/2. If maximum and minimum values of the driving coil voltage are sufficiently different from a DC power supply voltage Vcc and the ground potential GND, respectively, the waveform of the driving coil voltage will become a 120.degree. soft switching waveform having dulled inflection points. If, however, the maximum and minimum values of the driving coil voltage are close to the DC power supply voltage Vcc and the ground potential GND, the waveform of the driving coil voltage will become a 180.degree. soft switching waveform as indicated by the broken lines in FIG. 7, which causes vibration in the driving coil and also impairs the motor efficiency. Yet, according to the prior art example depicted in FIG. 6, the coil voltage will not reach the power supply voltage Vcc and the ground potential GND and the power transistors Qa through Qf will operate unsaturated; hence, it is possible to attain the intended object of preventing saturation.
In general, however, the saturation voltage of a transistor varies with its collector current and ambient temperature and is influenced by the rating of the transistor itself as well, and accordingly it is very difficult to accurately detect the saturation of the transistor under whatever conditions. According to the prior art example shown in FIG. 6, since terminal voltages of the diodes Da, Db and Dc are uniformly used to detect the saturation of the power transistors Qa to Qf, such situation occasionally arises where the transistors are not sufficiently kept from saturation or the saturation preventing effect is produced so much that the power supply cannot efficiently be utilized. Moreover, since the saturation preventing effect is influenced by the value of the resistor Re for motor current detection use as well, the value of the resistor Re must be fixed, hence excluding any desired designability in the circuit. Besides, spikes in the voltage waveform, which are produced when the power supply is switched to each coil, cause malfunction of the saturation preventive circuit and cut off the motor current momentarily, resulting in lower torque and speed of the motor and a noisy motor operation.


The present invention relates to a piston pump, in particular to the arrangement of the bearing ring for supporting the pump piston on an eccentric. The pump bearing includes a bearing ring and a plurality of bearing needles. The peripheral surface of the eccentric is radially inwardly offset in relation to the peripheral surface of the shaft. The two stepped transitions provide stop surfaces for the bearing needles. The bearing ring is supported on an inner ring for a main bearing, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, directly or indirectly on the stepped transition between a second area and a third area in a blind-end bore. Further, an auxiliary bearing is provided with a bearing ring which is made of a material inhering a high degree of wear. Testing the electric motor, used to drive the piston pump, before the piston pump is assembled is thereby permitted.

The present invention relates to a piston pump with a pump piston which is supported on an eccentric formed on a shaft, including a pump bearing with a bearing ring and bearing needles which is provided between the eccentric and the pump piston, and including at least one further bearing, in which the shaft rotates.
A pump of this type is disclosed in European patent No. 436 564, for example. A bearing including a brearing ring and single bearing needles is provided between the eccentric and the pump piston. To prevent displacement of the bearing needles and the bearing ring in an axial direction, two collars are provided laterally of the eccentric against which the end surfaces of the needles and the ring will bear.


Technologies are generally described for a load balancing scheme for a cloud-based game system. In some examples, a load balancing system may include a resource usage measurement unit configured to measure resource usage of a game server, a determination unit configured to determine one or more client devices to stream non-interactive media files among a plurality of client devices connected to the game server based at least in part on the resource usage measured by the resource usage measurement unit, and a transmission unit to stream the non-interactive media files to one or more of the client devices upon occurrence of a predetermined game event.

The birth of cloud computing technology and the dissemination of high-end electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets and digital televisions have been enticing users to enjoy high-quality games with their devices. In the cloud-based environment, a game server with high-performance (e.g., with high processing power) may run or execute a high-quality game application, and provide a game service to multiple user devices connected to the game server. In such cases, users may enjoy the game with their user devices, which may not have enough processing power to run the high-quality game application. However, when massive numbers of users access to the game server simultaneously, the server may run short of processing power to provide the expected high-performance to each of the user devices.

Load balancing in cloud-based game system


A chamber 30 for processing a substrate 25 comprises a support 55 comprising a dielectric 60 enveloping an electrode 70. The electrode 70 may be chargeable to electrostatically hold the substrate 25 or may be chargeable to form an energized gas in the chamber 30 to process the substrate 25. A base 130 is below the support 55, and a compliant member 300 is positioned between the support 55 and the base 130. The compliant member 300 may be adapted to alleviate thermal stresses arising from a thermal expansion mismatch between the dielectric 60 and the base 130.

The invention relates to a support for supporting a substrate in a chamber.
In the manufacture of integrated circuits, substrates are processed in a chamber by introducing process gas into the chamber and forming a plasma from the process gas. The substrate is typically supported on a support comprising dielectric covering an electrode. The electrode may be charged to electrostatically hold the substrate, to energize the process gas in the chamber, or both. In addition, a base below the support may comprise channels through which heat transfer fluid may be circulated to heat or cool the substrate.
Newly developed processes for the fabrication of integrated circuits are often performed at high temperatures and in highly erosive gases. For example, processes for etching copper or platinum are conducted at temperatures of from 250 to 600xc2x0 C., compared to temperatures of 100 to 200xc2x0 C. for etching aluminum. The high temperatures and erosive gases thermally degrade the materials used to fabricate the support. The high temperature requirement may be met by ceramic materials, such as aluminum oxide (Al2O3) or aluminum nitride (AlN). However, it is difficult to attach a ceramic dielectric to chamber components which are typically made from metal because the difference in thermal expansion coefficients of the ceramic and metal can result in thermal and mechanical stresses that can cause the ceramic to fracture or chip. Thus It is desirable to have a system for fastening a ceramic support to a chamber without causing excessive thermal stresses between the support and the chamber. In addition, it is desirable to have good or uniform heat transfer rates from the overlying substrate and the underlying structures, to maintain the substrate at uniform temperatures during processing.
Another problem that frequently arises with conventional electrostatic chucks is the difficulty in forming a secure electrical connection between the electrode of the electrostatic chuck and an electrical connector that conducts a voltage to the electrode from a terminal in the chamber. Conventional electrical connectors have spring biased contacts which may oxidize and form poor electrical connections to the electrode. Moreover, electrical connections formed by soldering or brazing the electrical connector to the electrode often result in weak joints that can break from thermal or mechanical stresses. Typically, a hole is machined in the dielectric to expose a portion of the electrode for electrical connection. The machining process causes small microcracks in the dielectric around the electrical connector, especially when the dielectric comprises a ceramic that is brittle. During operation, the support may be repeatedly thermally cycled between room temperature and higher temperatures which may exceed 200xc2x0 C. The mismatch in coefficient of thermal expansion between the dielectric, electrode, and electrical connector can generate thermal stresses that are relieved along the cracks, thereby causing the cracks to propagate. The larger cracks can result in chipping or breakage of the dielectric, or even failure of the electrical connection between the electrical connector and electrode. Also, even smaller microcracks are undesirable because the voltage applied to the electrical connector may dissipate through the microcracks. Thus, it is desirable to have an electrostatic chuck having a secure and reliable electrical connection between the electrode and electrical connector and without microcracks in the dielectric.
Moreover, even when the support is used in low temperature processes, stresses exerted on the electrical connector during assembly and disassembly of the support, as is frequently necessary for cleaning or repairs, can cause the electrical connector to separate from the electrode. Typically, the electrical connector comprises a banana jack which is inserted into a receptacle in the base. The fit between the connectors is tight to ensure good electrical connection, thus considerable force is often needed to insert or remove the connector from its receptacle. This excess force often causes the electrical connector to separate from the electrode or to otherwise move and damage the dielectric. In addition, conventional support fabrication processes often result in a gap between the electrical connector and dielectric which can cause lateral or bending forces on the electrical connector that cause the electrical connector to separate from the electrode.
Thus, it is desirable to have a support that may be used at elevated temperatures, that reduces or alleviates thermal stresses arising from thermal expansion mismatches between the support and other underlying chamber components, and that provides good and uniform heat transfer rates therebetween. It is also desirable to have support and electrode assembly that has a securely bonded electrical connector that can withstand high temperatures and thermal cycling. It is further desirable for the support to provide uniform heat transfer rates. It is also desirable to have an electrode and electrical connector assembly that can withstand repeated connection an disconnection.
In one aspect, support capable of processing a substrate comprises a dielectric enveloping an electrode, a base below the dielectric, and a compliant member between the dielectric and the base. The compliant member reduces thermal stresses between the dielectric and the base, and may also provide good heat transfer rates therebetween.
In another aspect, a chamber capable of processing a substrate, comprises a support comprising a dielectric enveloping an electrode, a base capable of supporting the support, and a compliant member between the support and the base.
In yet another aspect, a method for fabricating a support to support a substrate, comprises the steps of forming a support comprising a dielectric enveloping an electrode, forming a base adapted to support the support, and providing a compliant member between the support and the base.
In one aspect, the support for supporting a substrate in a chamber comprises a ceramic dielectric having a surface capable of receiving the substrate, an electrode below the ceramic dielectric, an electrical connector extending through a hole in the dielectric to connect to the electrode, and a polymer around a portion of the electrical connector.
In another aspect of the present invention, a substrate processing chamber comprises a support having a surface capable of receiving a substrate. The support comprises a ceramic dielectric enveloping an electrode, an electrical connector extending through the ceramic dielectric to connect to the electrode, and a polymer around a portion of the electrical connector. The substrate processing chamber further comprises a gas distributor, a gas energizer, and an exhaust, and a substrate supported on the support is capable of being processed by a process gas distributed by the gas distributor, energized by the gas energizer, and exhausted by the exhaust.
In another aspect, a method of fabricating a support for supporting a substrate comprises the steps of forming a dielectric covering an electrode, the dielectric having a hole which exposes a portion of the electrode, providing an electrical connector in the hole to electrically connect to the electrode, whereby microcracks or gaps are formed between the electrical connector, electrode, and dielectric, and infiltrating a polymer into the microcracks or gaps.

Support for supporting a substrate in a process chamber


An operating method for an internal combustion engine is described, especially for a motor vehicle, in which, in a first operating mode, fuel is injected preferably for heating a catalytic converter and, in at least one further operating mode, into a combustion chamber. In order to prevent a sudden change in the torque produced by the internal combustion engine during the switchover from/to the first operating mode, a distribution factor influencing torque is taken into account in an actual branch and/or in a setpoint branch of controller of the internal combustion engine.

In direct fuel injection, fuel is injected into the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, in a homogeneous operation during the intake phase or in a stratified operation during the compression phrase.
An operating mode of the internal combustion engine briefly denoted as "HOSP" is also known, especially for the rapid heating up of a catalytic converter, in which the fuel mass to be injected is divided up into two individual injections, of which the first takes place in the intake phase and the second in the compression phase of the internal combustion engine. The ratio of the injected fuel mass in the second injection to the fuel mass injected altogether is also denoted as distribution factor, and it influences the torque delivered by the internal combustion machine.

Method for operating an internal combustion engine


The present invention relate to a method, an apparatus, and a terminal for wireless network connection. The method includes: acquiring lowest transmit power of a communication terminal that establishes connection with a wireless network access point, where the lowest transmit power is minimum transmit power that can ensure connection and communication between the communication terminal and the wireless network access point; and adjusting and determining transmit power of the communication terminal according to the lowest transmit power. With the implementation of the embodiments of the present invention, the communication terminal automatically reduces transmit power without affecting normal network connection, so that manual setting by users is avoided, electrical energy is saved, radiation is reduced, and convenient network access by users is ensured.

As scientific technologies grow, wireless network technologies embrace unprecedented boost. In actual applications, however, conventional wireless network technologies encounter certain problems. The representative WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) technology among wireless network technologies is taken as an example in the following to describe the problem solved by the present invention.
At present, WiFi technology is widely used in various communication terminals including smart phones. WiFi technology includes IEEE802.11b/g/n wireless network specifications, and is a short-range wireless network technology that can interconnect communication terminals, such as a personal computer and a portable device (for example, PDA and mobile phone). Generally, the rated transmit power of most existing WiFi communication terminals using WiFi modules (WiFi STAs for short) is initially set to 100 mW (that is, 20 dBm) to cover WiFi network access points (WiFi APs for short) within a range of 100 M. This rated power generally cannot be changed after initial setting. Only a minority of WiFi communication terminals provide users with the function of manually setting the rated power.
The inventor finds at least the following problems in the prior art:
First, as shown in FIG. 1, in the prior art, because the rated transmit power of the WiFi STA is generally initially set to 100 mW, and the rated power generally cannot be changed after initial setting, the 100 mW transmit power is used regardless of the distance between the WiFi STA and a WiFi AP, resulting in huge power consumption and huge radiation to human body.
Second, in the prior art, although a minority of WiFi communication terminals provide users with the function of manually setting the rated power, operations of the function are complicated and certain professional knowledge is required in actual applications, and manual setting is a waste of time and great effort for users.

Method, apparatus, and terminal for wireless network connection


A wavelength selective switch includes an input port and an output port, a wavelength demultiplexer that demultiplexes wavelength-multiplexed signal light into wavelengths in different optical paths, an optical-path controller that controls an array that has a plurality of switch elements, the plurality of switch elements switching all or a part of the wavelengths to be coupled from the input port to the output port, and an actuator driver that shifts the plurality of switch elements, based on a deviation of a center wavelength of a pass band from a reference wavelength.

For a wavelength division multiplex (hereinafter referred to as WDM) system, a wavelength selective switch that changes a path of light on a wavelength basis is used.
FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a wavelength selective switch (WSS) 100 that includes micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) mirrors. As illustrated in a side view of FIG. 1A, multiple input ports and multiple output ports are provided on the input and output side of the wavelength selective switch 100 and arranged in a single row in a direction perpendicular to the paper sheet of FIG. 1A. First optical systems 1011 to 101n are provided for the ports, respectively, and each include a lens and the like. WDM signal light (having wavelengths of λ1 to λm) that is incident on the input ports is output from ends of optical fibers, for example. Then, the WDM signal light is collimated by the first optical systems 101 (collimators, for example) (refer to a top view of FIG. 1). The collimated light is demultiplexed into light with a number m of wavelengths by a wavelength demultiplexer 102 such as a diffraction grating. Then, a second optical system 103 (collecting lens, for example) collects the light and causes the light to be incident on a path controller 105 for controlling and changing a path of an optical signal. The path controller 105 includes an MEMS array 104A that has a number m of MEMS mirrors 104, for example.
As illustrated in FIG. 2A, the MEMS mirrors 104 may at least rotate around an X axis so that angels of the MEMS mirrors 104 are changed. Thus, light that has an interested wavelength can be coupled from an arbitrary one of the input ports to an arbitrary one of the output ports by rotating an interested mirror around the X axis at an angle θ. In addition, the light can be coupled from the arbitrary input port to the arbitrary output port at an arbitrary attenuation rate by rotating the interested mirror around the X axis or a Y axis. As illustrated in a graph of FIG. 2B, the attenuation rate of the MEMS mirror 104 may be controlled by adjusting the angle of the MEMS mirror 104. In FIG. 2B, the abscissa of the graph indicates a value (μm) of (F×θ), where F is a focal length of the second optical system 103 and θ is the angle of the MEMS mirror 104. In FIG. 2B, the ordinate of the graph indicates the attenuation rate (dB).
The light is reflected from the path controller 105 and collimated by the second optical system 103. The collimated light is introduced by the wavelength demultiplexer 102 into an arbitrary output port that has been selected based on the rotational angle of the MEMS mirror 104 around the X axis for each of the wavelengths. Then, the light is coupled to an interested optical fiber by the first optical system 101 at an attenuation rate determined based on the rotational angle of the MEMS mirror 104 around the X axis or the Y axis. When the WSS 100 has only a single input port and a single output port, only an attenuation rate is set for each of the wavelengths by the MEMS mirror array 104A. When the WSS 100 has a single input port and a plurality of output ports, the WSS 100 operates as a DROP type WSS that causes light with an arbitrary wavelength to be coupled from the single input port (common port) to any of the output ports. When the WSS 100 has a plurality of input ports and a single output port, the WSS 100 operates as an ADD type WSS that causes light with an arbitrary wavelength to be coupled from any of the input ports to the single output port (common port). The WSS 100 may have a plurality of input ports, a plurality of output ports and a wavelength demultiplexer that is shared.
FIG. 1B illustrates an ADD type WSS that has a number N of input ports and a single output port. Light that is input to the number N of the input ports is collimated by a collimator (first optical system) 101. Then, the light is demultiplexed into light with wavelengths λ1 to λm by a diffraction grating (wavelength demultiplexer) 102. The demultiplexed light is collected by a second optical system 103. After that, the light is incident on an MEMS array 104A. Mirrors 104 of the MEMS array 104A each cause light with an interested wavelength to be coupled from an arbitrarily selected one of the input ports to the output port. In addition, angles of the mirrors are controlled so that the mirrors have arbitrary attenuation rates.
In order to cause a diffraction grating element (to be used to select a wavelength) to offset or reduce shifting (owing to a variation in a temperature) of an angle of diffraction of light with a selected center wavelength, a configuration in which a diffraction grating is relatively rotated when the temperature increases has been proposed.
A related technique is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. H06-331850.
In an optical communication network, a signal that is transmitted may pass through wavelength selective switches (WSSs) of multiple nodes. In order to prevent a waveform of the signal from being degraded, the WSSs preferably each have a transmission band property that enables light having a band that is nearly equal to or wider than a band of the signal (signal light) to pass through the WSS. Especially, when the transmission rate is a high rate of 40 GHz, 100 GHz or the like (which has been used in recent years), spreading (caused by a modulation) of a wavelength spectrum of the signal light is large, the signal light is easily affected by the transmission band properties of the WSSs.
Referring to FIG. 3, in the following description, an entire transmission bandwidth that includes a transmission band of all channels (chs) is called a "pass band"; and a value that is obtained by doubling a narrower one of a long wavelength side band included in the pass band and a short wavelength side band included in the pass band is called a "clear pass band". In this case, a boundary between the long wavelength side band and the short wavelength side band is determined using, as a reference, an ITU grid wavelength that is a wavelength determined by International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T). In addition, a deviation of the center wavelength of the pass band from the ITU grid wavelength is called an "Off-ITU amount". The "Off-ITU amount" means a "deviation of a wavelength", which is described in this specification and claims. The Off-ITU amount is expressed using a frequency as a reference. When signal light is shifted toward a higher frequency, the Off-ITU amount is expressed using a positive sign. When the signal light is shifted toward a lower frequency, the Off-ITU amount is expressed using a negative sign.
When a signal is transmitted at a high rate, a clear pass band is preferably wide. Specifically, a wide clear pass band is requested, and an absolute value of the Off-ITU amount needs to be small. The WSS is generally achieved by a spatial optical system. Thus, the Off-ITU amount is determined by the accuracy of alignment of elements that form the spatial optical system. Specifically, when light that has a narrow spectrum and a wavelength equal to the ITU grid wavelength is to be incident in the configuration illustrated in FIG. 1A, the entire optical system needs to be aligned so that the light is incident on the center of an MEMS mirror 104, for example. For example, when the entire MEMS array 104A is shifted in a channel (ch) direction or a wavelength direction, Off-ITU amounts occur for all the channels and the clear pass band is narrowed.
However, it is very difficult to mechanically align the entire optical system. In general, after the entire optical system is mechanically adjusted to a certain extent, gas (such as He or Ar) that has a different refraction index is injected while Off-ITU amounts are monitored. A proportion of a component in internal gas or pressure of the gas is changed so that a refraction index is changed, and whereby the Off-ITU amounts are adjusted to smaller amounts. In this manner, the final fine adjustment is performed in the process of adjusting the gas so as to prevent the clear pass band from being narrowed.
In the aforementioned method, however, the adjustment is insufficient, and the Off-ITU amounts remain. Even when the adjustment is performed, the Off-ITU amounts have temperature characteristics in fact as illustrated in FIG. 4, and the clear pass band is narrowed. The cause of the temperature characteristics is not clear. The present inventor has found that when a temperature changes, the Off-ITU amounts vary by a nearly constant positive amount or a nearly constant negative amount regardless of the channels. Specifically, the inventor has found that the Off-ITU amounts vary depending on the temperature and the variations are nearly equal to each other regardless of the channels (dependencies of the Off-ITU amounts on the channels are low). Thus, it is considered that one of causes of the variations in the Off-ITU amounts is an alignment shifted owing to a mechanical deformation (or distortion) caused by a change in the temperature. The variations (in the Off-ITU amounts) that do not depend on the channels and are nearly equal to each other are merely called "Off-ITU variations".

Wavelength selective switch and method for correcting deviation of wavelength


A torque measuring device for a rotating body includes: a rotary section integrally including a first flange, a second flange, and a hollow cylinder disposed between the first and second flanges; a plurality of torque detectors disposed at the inner circumference of the hollow cylinder; and a light receiving unit. The torque measuring device described above further includes: a light emitting element disposed at the rotational center axis of the rotary section and adapted to emit light based on an output from each of the torque detectors thereby sending an optical signal; a light branching unit to branch the optical signal into a plurality of subsequent signals; and a plurality of passages formed in the rotary section and allowing respective subsequent signals to exit out the rotary section and to be received by the light receiving unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a torque measuring device for a rotating body, which is to measure a torque of a rotating body without getting in touch with its rotating portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
A torque measuring device for a rotating body (hereinafter, referred to simply as "torque measuring device" as appropriate) is set between a driving shaft powered and a driven shaft loaded, and measures a rotating torque in a non-contact manner. Such a torque measuring device is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-22566, which is used, for example, to measure a rotating torque between a measurement roller and a brake system in a chassis dynamo rotated by a wheel of a vehicle.
FIG. 1 is a front view of a conventional torque measuring device 50, and FIG. 2 is a side view (partly cut away and sectioned) of the torque measuring device 50 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conventional torque measuring device 50 includes: a rotary section 51 rotatably disposed between a driving shaft 91 powered and a driven shaft 93 loaded; and a stationary section 55 fixedly disposed so as to surround the rotary section 51. The rotary section 51 integrally includes: a first flange 52 to be fixedly jointed to a driving shaft flange 92 of the driving shaft 91; a second flange 54 to be fixedly jointed to a driven shaft flange 94 of the driven shaft 93; and a hollow cylinder 53 having a hollow 59, and having the first and second flanges 52 and 54 formed respectively on both edges thereof. The stationary section 55 includes: an annulus 56 located so as to surround the second flange 54; and a chassis 57 to which the annulus 56 is fixedly attached via attaching members 58.
A primary coil 87 is provided at the inner circumference of the annulus 56 disposed outside the second flange 54, and a secondary coil 88 is provided at the outer circumference of the second flange 54. The primary and secondary coils 87 and 88 in combination constitute a rotary transformer 89, thereby supplying electric power to the rotary section 51.
Torque detectors 61 as strain gauges are provided at the inner circumference of the hollow cylinder 53, a plurality of light emitting elements 67a to 67n, which are adapted to emit light according to an output from each of the torque detectors 61 thereby outputting an optical signal, are provided at the outer circumference of the second flange 54 so as to be arrayed along the secondary coil 88, a light receiving fiber 71 for receiving the optical signal from the light emitting elements 67a to 67n is provided along the primary coil 87 on the inner circumference of the annulus 56, and optical-electrical signal converters (not shown) for converting the optical signal into an electrical signal are provided at the ends of the light receiving fiber 71.
In the torque measuring device 50, when the driving shaft 91 rotates, the output from each of the torque detectors 61 is carried via the light emitting elements 67a to 67n and the light receiving fiber 71 to the optical-electrical signal converters (not shown) and is thereby detected, thus measuring a rotating torque.
As described above, the torque measuring device 50 is set between the driving shaft 91 and the driven shaft 93 and is adapted to measure a rotating torque in a non-contact manner. The torque measuring device 50, however, has the disadvantage that due to provision of the multiple emitting elements 67a to 67n, a large amount of electricity is required for the aerial power supply operation by the rotary transformer 89 constituted by the primary and secondary coils 87 and 88, and therefore the number of the coils must be increased thus increasing the burden at the electric circuit.
Also, due to the influence of variation resulting from the inter-individual variability of the plurality of light emitting elements 67a to 67n, such as difference in light amount, directivity characteristic, and the like, the crest value of the optical signal received at the stationary section 51 is varied causing adverse effects on the electrical property.
And, the light emitting elements 67a to 67n are provided at the outer circumference of the rotary section 51 and therefore suffer a large centrifugal effect due to the rotation of the rotary section 51. When the rotary section 51 rotates at a high speed, the light emitting elements 67a to 67n can be damaged resulting in deterioration of reliability.

Torque measuring device for rotating body incorporating one light emitting element at rotational axis