In an electronic timepiece using power supply means consisting of a solar cell and an electric double layer capacitor, whose output voltage varies, as a power supply, a plurality of driving pulse preparation means for preparing driving pulses for driving a stepping motor are arranged. Each driving pulse preparation means prepares a driving pulse group having a combination of pulse widths, which combination is different from that of remaining ones of the driving pulse preparation means. A varying output voltage of the power supply means is detected, and one of the plurality of driving pulse preparation means is selected in accordance with the detected output voltage. A driving pulse for minimizing the current consumption is selected and supplied to the drive circuit of the stepping motor. With this arrangement, the stepping motor can always be driven at a minimum current consumption, and the driving time can be prolonged.

Conventionally, electronic timepieces are commercially available in which a solar cell is arranged on the dial plate of the timepiece in place of a battery, and the solar cell is combined with an electric double layer capacitor to constitute a power supply, thereby avoiding troublesome battery exchange. However, the output voltage of this power supply using a solar cell varies depending on solar rays or illumination light. More specifically, this power supply is charged upon reception of an optical energy and increases the output voltage. However, when the timepiece load is driven without receiving the optical energy for a long time, e.g., during nighttime, the power is consumed, and the voltage gradually decreases. In the electronic timepiece using this power supply, when the electric double layer capacitor is charged to 2.6 V, and the timepiece load is continuously driven from this state without being charged midway, the output voltage gradually decreases, as shown in FIG. 1.
In a conventional electronic timepiece of this type, the minimum voltage allowing to drive hands as a timepiece load, i.e., the minimum driving voltage is 1.3 V. For this reason, the driving time is t.sub.1, as indicated by V.sub.D in FIG. 1. However, the electric circuit of the electronic timepiece can operate at a lower voltage of about 0.8 V. Therefore, when a large hand driving pulse necessary for driving the hands is independently prepared, the minimum driving voltage can be decreased up to 1.05 V. As a result, the driving time can be increased to t.sub.2, as is apparent from FIG. 1. This means that the electronic timepiece does not stop for a long time even when it is left in an uncharged state, and the charge during the discharge prolongs the driving time, resulting in an increase in product value of electronic timepieces.
From such a viewpoint, an electronic timepiece having a circuit arrangement as shown in FIG. 2 can be considered by applying a pulse width change driving technique disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 61-15386 to an electronic timepiece using a power supply formed of a combination of a solar cell and an electric double layer capacitor.
Referring to FIG. 2, reference numeral 40 denotes a power supply means constituted by a solar cell 1 serving as a power generation means, and an electric double layer capacitor 2 serving as an accumulation means, which serves as a power supply for an electronic timepiece. Reference numeral 4 denotes a quartz oscillation circuit; 5, a time counting circuit; 107, a pulse preparation circuit; and 108, a pulse selection circuit. The pulse preparation circuit 107 and the pulse selection circuit 108 constitute a driving pulse preparation means 109. Reference numeral 11 denotes a driver circuit; 12, a rotation detection circuit; and 13, a stepping motor. The solar cell 1 is arranged on the dial plate of the timepiece to convert an external optical energy into an electric energy. The electric double layer capacitor 2 accumulates the electric energy generated in the solar cell 1 and supplies the power to a timepiece circuit 100 including the quartz oscillation circuit 4, the time counting circuit 5, the pulse preparation circuit 107, the pulse selection circuit 108, the driver circuit 11, and the rotation detection circuit 12. The quartz oscillation circuit 4 outputs a 32,768-Hz signal on the basis of a vibration of the quartz oscillator. The time counting circuit 5 frequency-divides the 32,768-Hz signal output from the quartz oscillation circuit 4 and outputs a signal necessary for preparing a driving pulse or a signal at a one-second period which is a timing for rotating the stepping motor 13 to the pulse preparation circuit 107. The pulse preparation circuit 107 prepares driving pulses having various pulse widths as will be described later and outputs the driving pulses to the pulse selection circuit 108. The pulse selection circuit 108 selects only one appropriate driving pulse from the driving pulses having various pulse widths, which are prepared by the pulse preparation circuit 107, on the basis of a signal output from the rotation detection circuit 12 and outputs the driving pulse to the driver circuit 11. The driver circuit 11 drives the stepping motor 13 in accordance with the signal output from the pulse selection circuit 108. The rotation detection circuit 12 detects a rotation or non-rotation state of the stepping motor 13 and outputs the information to the pulse selection circuit 108. When the power generation voltage of the solar cell 1 exceeds 2.6 V, a discharge circuit (not shown) operates to prevent a voltage of 2.6 V or more, i.e., the breakdown from being applied to the electric double layer capacitor 2.
Driving pulses prepared by the pulse preparation circuit 107 will be described below.
FIG. 3 shows waveform charts of driving pulses prepared by the pulse preparation circuit 107. FIGS. 3a-3c show three driving pulses of the eight driving pulses, each having different pulse widths, which are prepared by the pulse preparation circuit 107. Each driving pulse is output at a timing of one second. FIG. 3d shows a compensation driving pulse which is also prepared by the pulse preparation circuit 107 and output when the timepiece load, i.e., the stepping motor 13 cannot be driven with the above driving pulses. The compensation driving pulse is a pulse having a width of 8 ms and output 30 ms after a normal driving pulse is output.
For the driving pulse shown in FIG. 3a of FIG. 3, a pulse width of 4 ms is divided into four equal portions 201a, 201b, 201c, and 201d. Each of the portions 201a, 201b, 201c, and 201d is further divided into 32 equal portions. The pulse is output during the first 28/32 period, and no pulse is output during the remaining 4/32 period (this is expressed as a "28/32 driving pulse"). Similarly, FIG. 3b shows a "26/32 driving pulse". In this prior art, 24/32, 22/32, 20/32, 18/32, 16/32, and 14/32 driving pulses are prepared additionally. That is, a total of eight driving pulses P.sub.4, P.sub.5, P.sub.6, P.sub.7, P.sub.8, P.sub.10, P.sub.12, and P.sub.14 are prepared, as shown in Table 1 below. As a matter of course, when the stepping motor 13 can be driven with these driving pulses, no compensation driving pulse is output.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Driving Pulses Minimum Driving Voltages ______________________________________ P.sub.4 28/32 1.24 V P.sub.5 26/32 1.33 V P.sub.6 24/32 1.45 V P.sub.7 22/32 1.56 V P.sub.8 20/32 1.74 V P.sub.10 18/32.sub. 1.92 V P.sub.12 16/32.sub. 2.14 V P.sub.14 14/32.sub. 2.43 V ______________________________________
Table 1 shows the eight driving pulses and their minimum driving voltages. For example, the minimum driving voltage of the "28/32 driving pulse" (driving pulse P.sub.4) is 1.24 V. This means that the driving pulse P.sub.4 can drive the stepping motor 13 at only a voltage of 1.24 V or more (of course, at or below 2.6 V, i.e., the breakdown voltage of the electric double layer capacitor) and cannot drive the stepping motor 13 at a voltage lower than 1.24 V. Similarly, the driving pulses P.sub.5, P.sub.6, P.sub.7, P.sub.8, P.sub.10, P.sub.12 and P.sub.14 have the minimum driving voltages as shown in Table 1, respectively. In FIG. 4, the minimum driving voltages for the driving pulses P.sub.4, P.sub.5, P.sub.6, P.sub.7, P.sub.8, P.sub.10, P.sub.12, and P.sub.14 are represented by small white dots. FIG. 4 shows a maximum charge voltage V.sub.MAX (actually 2.6 V) which is determined by the breakdown voltage of the electric double layer capacitor 2 constituting the power supply, and an operation limit voltage V.sub.L2 (actually 1.3 V) taking a calendar load and the like into consideration. The pulse widths of the driving pulses P.sub.4 to P.sub.14 are set to cover this voltage range.
As is apparent from FIG. 4, a driving pulse having a large pulse width has a low minimum driving voltage. To the contrary, a driving pulse having a small pulse width can drive the pulse motor at only a high voltage. In addition, the current consumption is minimized in driving at a voltage slightly higher (0.01 to 0.02 V) than the minimum driving voltage of each driving pulse. When the voltage becomes higher beyond that, the current consumption also increases.
When the motor is driven with a driving pulse having a certain pulse width, and the power supply voltage becomes higher than the minimum driving voltage of the next driving pulse having a pulse width larger than that of the present driving pulse by one level, the current consumption decreases in driving with the driving pulse having the larger pulse width. For example, the driving pulse P.sub.4 can drive the timepiece load at a voltage of 1.24 V or more. However, when the power supply voltage is 1.33 V or more, the current consumption decreases in driving with the driving pulse P.sub.5 having a pulse width smaller than that of the driving pulse P.sub.4 by one level. Therefore, within a power supply voltage range of 1.24 V to 1.33 V, the current consumption can be minimized in driving with the driving pulse P.sub.4. As for the remaining driving pulses as well, within a voltage range from the minimum driving voltage of each driving pulse to that of the driving pulse having a pulse width smaller by one level, the current consumption is minimized in driving with the driving pulse having the smaller pulse width.
An operation performed when the conventional electronic timepiece is driven using such a driving pulse will be described below.
Assume that the power supply voltage is 1.8 V. As is apparent from Table 1, when the power supply voltage is 1.8 V, the driving pulse P.sub.8 minimizes the current consumption. However, if the driving pulse P.sub.5 is output at this time, the current consumption excessively becomes large. Therefore, the driving pulse must be changed to the driving pulse P.sub.8 to decrease the current consumption. The method will be described below.
As described above, the driving pulse P.sub.5 is output, which has a sufficiently large driving force. Therefore, the stepping motor 13 is rotated, and the rotation detection circuit 12 detects the rotation state of the stepping motor 13 and outputs a rotation detection signal to the pulse selection circuit 108. Upon reception of this rotation detection signal, the pulse selection circuit 108 continuously outputs the driving pulse P.sub.5 as the next driving pulse. Similarly, the driving pulse P.sub.5 is continuously output during a predetermined period of time in this example, i.e., 200 seconds. After that, the driving pulse is finally switched to the "24/32 driving pulse" having a pulse width smaller than that of the driving pulse P.sub.5 by one level, i.e., the driving pulse P.sub.6. Subsequently, the same operation is repeated a number of times. After 200 seconds, the driving pulse is switched to the driving pulse P.sub.7 having a smaller pulse width. The "20/32 driving pulse" for allowing driving at a power supply voltage of 1.8 V and a minimum current consumption, i.e., the driving pulse P.sub.8 is finally set.
After driving with the driving pulse P.sub.8 for 200 seconds, the pulse selection circuit 108 switches to the "18/32 driving pulse" having a pulse width smaller by one more level, i.e., the driving pulse P.sub.10. As is apparent from FIG. 4, however, the driving pulse P.sub.10 has only a small driving force at a driving voltage of 1.8 V, so the stepping motor 13 cannot be driven and is set in a non-rotation state. The rotation detection circuit 12 detects the non-rotation state of the stepping motor 13 and outputs a non-rotation detection signal to the pulse selection circuit 108. As a result, the pulse selection circuit 108 immediately outputs the compensation driving pulse as shown in FIG. 3d, which has a sufficiently large driving force for driving the stepping motor 13, switches to the driving pulse P.sub.8 having a pulse width larger than that of the driving pulse P.sub.10 by one step, and outputs the driving pulse P.sub.8 as the next driving pulse. The driving pulse P.sub.8 is output for 200 seconds. During this time, the stepping motor 13 is continuously driven with the driving pulse P.sub.8, and this state is then maintained. Until this point of time, one driving pulse P.sub.10 and one compensation driving pulse are output. Although the current consumption of the compensation driving pulse is large, the compensation driving pulse is output every 200 seconds, so no problem of power consumption is posed. In this manner, a stable state is set by outputting a driving pulse suitable for the power supply voltage (1.8 V in the above example), and the current consumption can be kept small.
A case wherein the power supply voltage varies will be described below.
Assume that the power supply voltage increases to 2.2 V during driving with the driving pulse P.sub.8 at a power supply voltage of 1.8 V. As is apparent from Table 1, the driving pulse for minimizing the current consumption at a voltage of 2.2 V is the "16/32 driving pulse", i.e., the driving pulse P.sub.12. The pulse selection circuit 108 outputs the driving pulse P.sub.8 at a voltage of 2.2 V for 200 seconds, and thereafter, switches to the driving pulse P.sub.10 having a pulse width smaller by one level. After the driving pulse P.sub.10 is output for 200 seconds, the driving pulse is switched to the driving pulse P.sub.12 having a pulse width smaller by one level.
To the contrary, assume that the power supply voltage decreases to 1.6 V in driving with the driving pulse P.sub.8 at a power supply voltage of 1.8 V. In this case, driving with the driving pulse P.sub.8 so far is disabled. Therefore, a compensation driving pulse is temporarily output, and thereafter, the driving pulse is switched to the driving pulse P.sub.7 having a pulse width larger by one level.
In this manner, the driver circuit 11 can change the type of the output driving pulse to drive the load at the minimum current consumption even when the power supply voltage varies. The pulse preparation circuit 107 prepares the eight driving pulses capable of coping with the total voltage variation range of a predetermined power supply voltage. The above operation also copes with variations in timepiece load such as calendar updating.
For the electronic timepiece employing the above-described pulse width change driving technique, abnormal phenomena are known such that, when the voltage value for each driving pulse is excessively large, the stepping motor 13 causes a two-second skip or return by a reaction. A voltage which causes such an abnormal phenomenon will be referred to as an abnormality generation voltage. Abnormality generation voltages V.sub.04 (about 2.7 V) and V.sub.05 for the driving pulses P.sub.4 and P.sub.5 have values as shown in FIG. 4. However, as described above, in the electronic timepiece using a power supply formed of a combination of a solar cell and an electric double layer capacitor, the maximum charge voltage V.sub.MAX is designed not to exceed 2.6 V because of the breakdown voltage of the electric double layer capacitor. For this reason, the abnormality generation voltage V.sub.04 of about 2.7 V for the driving pulse P.sub.4 or the higher abnormality generation voltage V.sub.05 for the driving pulse P.sub.5 is not actually generated. Therefore, the abnormal phenomena of the stepping motor 13 do not occur.
However, as described above with reference to FIG. 1, the driving time of the timepiece, can be increased by adding the driving pulse P.sub.1 having a minimum driving voltage of 1.0 V, to the pulse group shown in FIG. 4. In this case, since an abnormality generation voltage V.sub.01 for this driving pulse P.sub.1 is 2.3 V which is lower than the maximum charge voltage V.sub.MAX, this voltage can be actually generated by the power supply. For this reason, if the power supply voltage becomes higher than this abnormality generation voltage V.sub.01 (2.3 V) due to some reason while the driving pulse P.sub.1 is selected, the stepping motor 13 cannot perform a normal rotation operation. This may cause an abnormal phenomenon such as a two-second skip or return by a reaction.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above situation, and has as its object to provide an electronic timepiece such as a solar timepiece having a power supply constituted by a power generation element and a charge element such as an electric double layer capacitor, whose output voltage is not constant and varies within a certain voltage range to supply a power, wherein the electronic timepiece can cover a large width of the power supply voltage and increase the driving time.
The gist of the present invention to achieve the above object is characterized in that a plurality of driving pulse preparation means for continuously changing the pulse widths within the range of the varying power supply voltage are arranged, and the plurality of driving pulse preparation means are continuously operated.
The applicant has already proposed an electronic timepiece having a plurality of driving pulse preparation means in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 57-77984. However, unlike the electronic timepiece using a solar cell as a power supply, this technique is associated with an electronic timepiece capable of independently coping with a silver storage battery having a power supply voltage of 1.55 V and a lithium battery having a power supply voltage of 3 V. In this technique, as shown in FIG. 5, a driving pulse group A corresponding to the silver storage battery and a driving pulse group B corresponding to the lithium battery are independently prepared. The voltage level of the battery loaded in the timepiece is determined. In accordance with the determined level, either the driving pulse group A or the driving pulse group B is selected, and driving pulses having different pulse widths are output in accordance with variations in load.
On the other hand, according to present invention, an electronic timepiece using a power supply whose output voltage largely varies within a certain range, such as a power supply constituted by a combination of a solar cell and an electric double layer capacitor, copes with variations in voltage and variations in loads by switching the pulse width of the driving pulse. Therefore, the object is different from that of the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 57-77984.


According to this invention, an amorphous or pseudo-boehmite-type hydrated alumina gel and an alkali metal carbonate or bicarbonate as starting materials are reacted in an aqueous medium to give a method of producing a process for producing an alkali aluminum complex hydroxide carbonate salt which is industrially low-cost and has high productivity. Furthermore, by using a gibbsite-type hydrated alumina, a lithium aluminum complex hydroxide carbonate salt can be synthesized by a migration method.. The lithium aluminum complex hydroxide carbonate salt and the sodium aluminum complex hydroxide carbonate salt obtained by the processes of the present invention have excellent compoundability in pigments and resins.. In addition, these complex salts have no foaming hazards at the time of processing the resins and are useful as resin fillers for halogen capturing property, infrared ray absorbing property and excellent transparency. They are especially useful as a stabilizer (halogen capturing agent) for resin films, a warmth-keeping agent (infrared absorbing agent) and an anti-blocking agent.

Chlorine-containing polymers such as a vinyl chloride polymer are liable to be colored by heat-decomposition reaction such as de-hydrochlorination or to be reduced in mechanical properties in heat molding processing or subsequent heat histories. To prevent the above troubles, it is generally required to compound stabilizers.
Olefin-type resins produced by using Ziegler-type catalysts contain halogen-containing catalyst residues. These residues generate hydrogen chloride at the time of heating and molding to cause rust in the molding machines or generate deterioration in the resins, for example, yellowing. To prevent this deterioration, stabilizers which trap hydrogen chloride were compounded widely.
The use of hydrotalcite as such a stabilizer has been knonwn from old. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 80445/1980 describes that hydrotalcite is used as a stabilizer for halogen-containing resins. Further, Japanese Patent Publication No. 36012/1983 shows that a .beta.-diketone compound and a hydrotalcite of formula (1) EQU Mg.sub.1-x.Al.sub.x (OH).sub.2.A.sub.x/2.mH.sub.2 O (1)
wherein x denotes a number of 0<.ltoreq.<0.5, A represents CO.sub.3.sup.2- or SO.sub.4.sup.2-, and m represents a positive number are compounded in a halogen-containing resin. PA1 wherein M represents Mg, Ca or Zn, A represents CO.sub.3 or HPO.sub.4, x, y and z represent a positive number, and a is zero or a positive number, PA1 wherein m is 0 or a positive number. PA1 wherein X is an inorganic or organic anion, n is the valence of the anion, and m is a number of 3 or below, PA1 wherein I(002) represents a relative intensity of an X-ray diffraction PA1 wherein X represents an inorganic anion composed mainly of a carbonic acid radical, M represents an alkali metal composed mainly of lithium, m is a number of 1.5 to 2.5, n is a number of 0.1 to 1, and k is a number of 0 to 10, PA1 the lamination asymmetry index (Is) being EQU defined by Is=tan .theta..sub.2 /tan .theta..sub.1 (7) PA1 (wherein .theta..sub.1 represents an angle formed between a peak perpendicular and a peak tangent on the narrow angle side at an X-ray diffraction peak of a fixed spacing, and .theta..sub.2 represents an angle formed between the peak perpendicular and a peak tangent on the wide angle side at the peak), PA1 wherein X represents an inorganic anion composed mainly of a carbonic acid radical, M represents an alkali metal composed mainly of sodium, m represents a number of 0.5 to 1.5, n represents a number of 0.1 to 1 and k represents a number of 0 to 3,
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Publication No. 30737/1984 discloses that at least 0.01% by weight of a complex compound represented by general formula (2) EQU M.sub.x Al.sub.y (OH).sub.2x+3y-2z (A).sub.z.aH.sub.2 O (2)
is compounded in a polyolefin containing halogen-containing catalyst residues produced by using a Ziegler-type catalyst.
Hydrotalcites are non-toxic complex hydroxide and carbonate salts of magnesium and aluminum, have excellent heat stability, and are transparent when compounded in a polymer.
These hydrotalcites ideally have a chemical composition expressed by formula (3) EQU Mg.sub.6 Al.sub.2 (OH).sub.16.CO.sub.3.mH.sub.2 O (3)
However, Mg and Al, within a very broad range, form a solid solution as shown by formula (1) or (2), and there is a problem in that it is difficult to form a composition having a strictly constant composition.
A report of C. J. Serna et al. entitled "Crystal-Chemical Study of Layered [Al.sub.2 Li(OH).sub.6 ].sup.+ X.sup.-.nH.sub.2 O" (Clays and Clay Minerals, Vol. 25, page 384 (1977)) describes that a lithium aluminum complex hydroxide salt is synthesized by adding a benzene solution of aluminum tri(sec-butoxide) (ASB) as liquid drops to an excessive aqueous solution of lithium carbonate, hydrolyzing ASB, washing the resulting gel, and thereafter, hydrothermally treating the washed gel for several days at 130.degree. C.
A report of I. Sissoko et al. entitled "Anion Intercalation and Exchange in Al(OH).sub.3 -Derived Compounds" (Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Vol. 25, pages 283-288 (1985) describes that a lithium aluminum complex hydroxide salt is produced by adding AlCl.sub.3 as liquid drops to an aqueous solution containing LiOH and Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3 (or Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4), changing the pH from 13 in the early period to 10.2 in the last stage to form a gel-like precipitate, and aging the precipitate with stirring (see Comparative Example 6 and FIG. 6 to be given below).
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,116,856 and 4,221,767 disclose that crystals of lithium. aluminum complex hydroxide salt are produced by reacting amorphous Al(OH).sub.3 or crystalline hydrated alumina (such as nordstrandite, bayerite, gibbsite) with LiOH, and then reacting the mixture with LiX (wherein X represents a halide). However, the resulting crystals are sol-like and are very difficult to filter.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,356,567, 5,360,859, and 5,419,883 describe a lithium aluminum complex hydroxide salt (to be referred to as LAHS) of general formula (4) EQU [Al.sub.2 Li(OH).sub.6 ].sub.n X.mH.sub.2 O (4)
having at least 10, especially at least 20 of an orientation degree (OD) defined by formula (5) EQU OD=I(002)/I(110) (5)
(Cu-K.alpha.) peak appearing in the index of a plane (002) at a spacing (d) of 7.67 to 7.84 .ANG., and I(110) represents a relative intensity of an X-ray diffraction (Cu-K.alpha.) peak appearing in the index of a plane (110) at a spacing (d) of 4.41 to 4.45 .ANG..
For example, as typical examples of LAHS, lithium carbonate and aluminum chloride are reacted in an aqueous solution in the presence of sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide, a higher fatty acid or a surface-active agent is added as an orientation enhancer to the reaction mixture, and the mixture is treated at a temperature of 60 to 100.degree. C. so that the degree of orientation becomes at least 10.
As another type of the alkali aluminum complex hydroxide carbonate salt, sodium aluminum complex hydroxide carbonate salts having a dawsonite-type crystal structure are known. Methods of synthesizing these salts are known from Japanese Patent Publication No. 38318/1972, Japanese Patent Publication No. 17718/1979, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 22628/1981, Japanese Patent Publication No. 44604/1982, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 61625/1982, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 83933/1984, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 100017/1988, Japanese Patent Publication No. 24731/1989, Japanese Patent Publication No. 58205/1990 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 271116/1991.
As a synthesizing method of the above product, Japanese Patent Publication 38313/1972 discloses a method of producing dawsonite which comprises reacting an aluminum salt and sodium carbonate using at least 2 moles of CO.sub.2 per mole of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, and maintaining the pH of the reaction mixture at 7.2 to 10.5.
However, LAHS synthesized by these known methods is in the form of gel-like particles, and the growth of crystals is still insufficient. The shape and size of these particles are non-uniform, and are still unsatisfactory as a compounding agent for resins.
Furthermore, dawsonite is fibrous. Many of these fibers are entangled in the form of fibrous ball. Accordingly, they are still unsatisfactory in use as a compounding agent for resins.
Furthermore, synthesizing methods for known alkali aluminum complex hydroxide carbonate salts must treat the starting materials and the products as a dilute solution or slurry. Otherwise, the liquids have a high viscosity, and their stirring is difficult. Thus, the productivity is low, and the cost of production is high. Another problem is that the resulting alkali aluminum complex hydroxide carbonate salts are very difficult to filter, and a long period of time is required for the filtration process.
The fate of the alkali aluminum complex hydroxide carbonate salts is that it is essential to use alkali metal compounds as a starting material. These resulting products contain free alkali metal components as impurities in addition to alkali metal components charged into the compounds. These free alkali metal components lead to the defect that they may color the resins in which these alkali metal components are compounded.

Alkali aluminum complex hydroxide carbonate salt, and a process for producing said salt and its uses


A moving picture coded by inter-frame coding, with motion compensation, is decoded by an apparatus that stores at least two previously decoded frames, together with information identifying any erroneous parts of the previously decoded frames. The current frame is decoded with reference to a predicted frame assembled from decodable parts of the previous frames. When a motion vector points to a non-decodable part of a previous frame, it is extended farther back to a decodable part of an earlier frame. The extension can be made linearly, or by using previous motion vectors. Picture distortion caused by error propagation is thereby reduced.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for decoding moving pictures coded by inter-frame coding with motion compensation, and more particularly to a method that reduces picture distortion caused by error propagation.
Moving pictures generate very large amounts of information. When transmitted over digital communication channels, they are usually compressed to reduce their data size by removing redundant information. Inter-frame coding is a method of removing redundancy in the temporal direction by coding the difference between the current frame and the preceding frame. Motion compensation is a refinement of inter-frame coding in which each part of the current frame is coded with reference to the nearby part it most closely resembles in the preceding frame, the location of this nearby part being indicated by a motion vector. Standard methods of inter-frame coding are given in recommendation H.263 of the Telecommunication Standardization Sector of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-T), and in the phase-two standard of the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG-2), which has been adopted by the International Standards Organization (ISO).
In the H.263 and MPEG-2 systems, a frame is divided into blocks of a certain size, referred to as macroblocks because they are made up of smaller blocks of luminance and chrominance information. A typical size is a square measuring sixteen picture elements or pixels horizontally and vertically. The macroblocks are further grouped into units variously termed groups of blocks (GOBs), slices, or video packets. The term xe2x80x98slicexe2x80x99 will be used herein to refer to any such grouping of macroblocks. FIG. 1 shows an example of a macroblock 2 and slice 4.
The coding process includes the use of variable-length codewords. Variable-length code synchronization words are inserted between the slices, so that if an error or data dropout prevents the boundaries of the variable-length codewords from being identified, correct decoding can resume in the next slice.
When a data error or dropout is detected, an attempt may be made to conceal the error by substituting data from a previous frame. In one known system, the macroblock or slice in which the error or dropout occurred is replaced with the corresponding macroblock or slice in the preceding frame. In FIG. 2, for example, erroneous or missing data 6 in frame n are replaced with data 8 from the same part of frame nxe2x88x921, which could be decoded correctly. The corresponding part of frame n+1 is then decoded with reference to the replacement data 8. In this case, since no motion occurs in the relevant parts 6, 8, 10 of frames nxe2x88x921, n, and n+1, the error is completely concealed.
A known decoding apparatus employing this method, shown in FIG. 3, comprises a bit-stream decoder 100, a prediction-error decoder 101, a motion-vector decoder 102, a picture predictor 103, an adder 104, a decoded-picture memory 105, and an error reporter 106.
The bit-stream decoder 100 in FIG. 3 decodes a received bit stream comprising variable-length codewords, and classifies the decoded values as transform coefficient information or motion-vector information. If it finds a variable-length codeword not listed in the corresponding coding table, or finds a synchronization codeword in an impossible location, it notifies the error reporter 106.
The prediction-error decoder 101 decodes the transform coefficient information to obtain prediction error values. For moving pictures coded according to the H.263 or MPEG-2 standard, for example, the prediction-error decoder 101 has the structure shown in FIG. 4, comprising a dequantizer 107 and an inverse transform processor 108. The dequantizer 107 obtains a so-called direct-current (DC) coefficient representing a mean value in a block or macroblock, and various coefficients representing higher spatial frequency components. If the DC coefficient is not within a certain range of values, the dequantizer 107 reports an error to the error reporter 106. The inverse transform processor 108 performs an inverse discrete cosine transform on the dequantized coefficients.
The motion-vector decoder 102 decodes the motion-vector information supplied by the bit-stream decoder 100 to obtain motion vectors. If the motion-vector decoder 102 detects an error, such as a motion vector pointing outside the frame, it notifies the error reporter 106.
The picture predictor 103 constructs a predicted frame by reading data from the preceding frame, which is stored in the decoded-picture memory 105, according to the motion vectors.
The adder 104 adds the prediction error values obtained by the prediction-error decoder 101 to the predicted frame obtained by the picture predictor 103 to obtain a decoded frame. The decoded frame is output as one frame of the decoded moving picture, and is stored in the decoded-picture memory 105, for use in decoding the next frame. The decoded-picture memory 105 has a capacity of only one frame.
If an error is detected by the bit-stream decoder 100, prediction-error decoder 101, or motion-vector decoder 102, the error reporter 106 directs the picture predictor 103 to read the slice in the preceding frame corresponding to the erroneous slice in the current frame from the decoded-picture memory 105, and insert this slice into the predicted frame supplied to the adder 104, replacing the erroneous slice. The error reporter 106 also directs the adder 104 not to add any prediction error values to the inserted slice. In the decoded frame, accordingly, the erroneous slice is replaced by the corresponding slice from the preceding frame.
A problem with this direct replacement scheme is that when motion is present, the inserted slice is visibly offset from the rest of the picture. If the motion vectors are large, the picture may be badly distorted. Furthermore, due to inter-frame coding, the distortion is passed on to subsequent frames, often becoming worse in the process. This is illustrated in FIG. 5, in which an error occurs in a part 12 of frame n with large motion vectors. When this part is replaced by the corresponding part 14 from the preceding frame (nxe2x88x921), the running figure appears to be torn apart, and the situation worsens in the next frame (n+1), as the replacement data reappear, without moving, in the corresponding part 16.
An object of the present invention is to reduce the distortion caused by error propagation in the transmission of moving pictures.
According to the present invention, when a moving picture coded by inter-frame coding with motion compensation is decoded, for each frame, at least two previously decoded frames of the moving picture are stored, together with information identifying any parts of these previously decoded frames that could not be decoded correctly. When the current frame is decoded, for each decodable part of the current frame, a motion vector indicating a correctly decoded part of one of the previous frames is calculated. A predicted frame is constructed by piecing together the parts indicated by the calculated motion vectors, and the current frame is decoded with reference to the predicted frame.
The calculation of the motion vector preferably starts from a received motion-vector value indicating a part of the most recent previously decoded frame. If this indicated part could not be decoded correctly, the motion vector is extended back into the next-most-recent previous frame, by multiplying the motion-vector value by a factor proportional to the additional elapsed time, for example, or by using stored values of previous motion vectors to retrace past motion.

Moving-picture decoding method and apparatus calculating motion vectors to reduce distortion caused by error propagation


A method for modeling the interaction of granular material with equipment includes the steps of numerically representing the material with an array having a plurality of cells, determining which of the cells may be unstable using a self-organizing computational model, and modeling the motion of the unstable cells using the model. Preferably, output is provided in virtual reality format in real time.

Material models are useful for a wide variety of applications. As an example, product developers may use material models in their development efforts to fine tune equipment design. By way of particular example, designers of earth moving equipment may use models that simulate movement of the earth moving equipment as it operates on the soil. This particular type of modeling may be useful, for instance, to predict resistive forces experienced by the equipment.
One class of material models are so-called real time models such as virtually reality (VR) based models. These models have important potential applications in engineering. Included among these engineering applications are VR simulators with realistic force feedback for applications such as equipment design, equipment operator training, and the like. Referring again to an exemplary earthmoving equipment application, VR models may be useful for testing crashworthiness, operator training, and crashworthiness.
To date, however, these applications have had difficulties in achieving realistic and real-time modeling of the medium-tool interaction. Existing real-time models of the medium, such as granular soils, focus on creating visually pleasing graphics in virtual environments. In order to achieve real time speed, however, these models have sacrificed a detailed mechanics analysis of the soil. They are also limited in their ability to accurately estimate the force feedback exerted by the soil medium on the equipment and the vehicle engine.
Current real time material models such as soil models have other limitations. A majority of existing soil models are aimed at describing the deformation of the soil masses. The soil masses in these problems are typically modeled as continua. The preferred approach in analyzing these problems is to use quasi-static or dynamic nonlinear finite element analysis. Although they may look visually realistic, current continuum-based approaches to model real-time soil response have fundamental limitations that hamper their practical application.
For example, the change in particle position in a continuum model may be physically unrealistic. During a slope cut, for instance, a continuum model may move a soil particle at the top of the slope to the bottom of the re-equilibrated soil pile. This is not an accurate representation of reality, where a deep-seated slope failure and drastically different soil displacements are expected. If modeling a vehicle interaction with the soil, the force feedback into the vehicle dynamics is not based on realistic forces from the soil pile. Accordingly, continuum models of the soil are not capable of describing the large movement of the soil masses that occur in earthmoving operations.
The movements of masses of particulate material in response to manipulations by earth moving tools, such as loader buckets and bulldozer blades, follow very complex rules. Contrary to many existing real-time soil models, these rules are not local and often have global characteristics. Accurate modeling requires capturing the soil response due to large movement of soil particles caused by the equipment such as loading and dumping, digging and scraping. Soil masses may undergo significant changes in their geometry, including the formation and modification of the soil piles and the instability and failure of the slope in the existing soil pile.
Accurate discrete element models have been developed to describe the large movement of particulate and bulk materials. These models have been used in industrial material handling and mining applications. Discrete element models have also been used in modeling of the large movement of the soil and rock masses. The models simulate the individual particles and the interaction of each particle with particles surrounding and in contact with it. The discrete element method, by way of example, has been successfully used to model the flow of granular materials. Particles of granular material have been represented as simple geometric shapes, such as circular, elliptic or polygonal discs in two-dimensional models and equivalent shapes in three-dimensional models. Because discrete element soil models may accurately simulate the response of the soil mass to earthmoving equipment, they may seem an appropriate choice for VR applications. However, a major drawback of the discrete element models in VR applications is very long computer run times.
Reasonably small discrete element problems with less than 1000 particles may require run times of anywhere from several hours to several days on a typical computer workstation. Realistic models of soil mass on in typical VR applications would require in excess of a hundred thousand three-dimensional particles. Computer simulation of such large systems for several minutes of real time would require several days of CPU time on even the fastest super-computers.
These and other problems remain unresolved in the art.

Methods for modeling material response to applied force

The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois


A tool for cleaning a drainage structure comprises a rod having a center longitudinal axis, a barrel housing having a proximal opening and a distal opening, the barrel housing having a center longitudinal axis and coupled coaxially to the rod, the barrel housing having an outside dimension that can be accommodated within the drainage structure, the distal opening of the barrel housing having a sinusoidal tearing contour. The tool further comprises a plurality of cutting implements radially coupled to and between the rod and the barrel housing, the cutting implements having a distal cutting edge and being angularly oriented to facilitate sweeping debris in a selected direction, and the barrel housing and cutting implements operable to rotate about the center longitudinal axis of the rod to dislodge and loosen debris inside the drainage structure.

Culverts, pipes, ditches, and other drainage structures are in wide use for such reasons as preventing soil erosion and controlling runoff. Drainage structures may be installed under roadways and railroads to prevent flooding or to prevent water damage to the surrounding area. In other locations, drainage structures may be used to prevent alteration of the landscape by erosion, or shifting of the soil, for example. In some areas, controlling runoff from snowmelt is another issue that may be addressed, in part, by the use of drainage structures.
In some cases, a drainage structure may lose its function because it is clogged with debris. Drainage structures may become obstructed by soil, rocks, sand, intrusion of plant roots, snow, ice, or other debris. The location of some drainage structures may make them particularly susceptible to blockage. One way to address these problems is to place a covering or grating over the openings of the drainage structure. However, these coverings may require extensive and frequent cleaning and may still allow smaller objects such as sand, silt, and gravel to enter the drainage structure. Additionally, coverings and gratings may not prevent plant roots from clogging the drainage structure. Drainage structures can be removed and replaced periodically but this often involves disturbing existing roadways and other structures. The resultant disruption to roadway or railroad traffic is costly and causes great inconvenience to travelers.


A digital camera module (100) includes a lens module (20) and a chip package (50) mounted in a light path of the lens module. The lens module includes a first lens assembly (21) and a second lens assembly (23). The first lens assembly includes a first fixture (211) having a through hole (212) defined therein and at least one lens (218) received in the through hole. The second assembly includes a second fixture (23) having a through hole (232) defined therein and at least one lens (238) attached therein. One of the first fixture and the second fixture has a slotted annular ring (213) protruding therefrom with an annular slot (214) defined therein. The other has a male annular ring (235) extending therefrom, and the slotted annular ring and the male annular ring matingly engage with each other to fix the first lens assembly and second assembly together.

1. Technical field
The present invention generally relates to lens modules and digital camera modules using the lens module and, more particularly, to a lens module and a digital camera module using the lens module, which are used in portable electronic devices, such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), or palm-top computers.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the ongoing development of microcircuitry and multimedia technology, digital cameras are now in widespread use. High-end portable electronic devices, such as mobile phones and PDAs, are being developed to be increasingly multi-functional. Many of these portable electronic devices are now equipped with digital cameras.
FIG. 1 (related art) shows a typical digital camera module 90, which includes a substrate 91, a chip 92, a holder 93, a transparent board 94, and a lens module 95. The substrate 91 has an upper surface 912, which is provided with a predetermined circuitry formed thereon. The chip 92 is attached to the upper surface 912 and is electrically connected to the substrate 91 via a plurality of conductive wires 914. The lens holder 93 includes a cylinder portion 931 configured for receiving the lens module 95, a seat portion 933 from which the cylinder portion 931 projects, and a through hole 935 defined through the respective interiors of the cylinder portion 931 and the seat portion 933. The cylinder portion 931 has a diameter smaller than that of the seat portion 933, thereby forming a step surface 937 therebetween. The transparent board 94 is attached to the step surface 937 of the lens holder 93. The lens module 95 includes a barrel 952 and at least one lens 954 fixed to the barrel 952.
The lens module 95 is received in and screwed into the cylinder portion 931 of the holder 93. The seat portion 933 is attached to the substrate 91 and receives the chip 92 therein.
In the aforesaid digital camera module 90, the lens module 95 is threadedly engaged with the cylinder portion 931 of the holder 93, which may create certain problems. As such, a manual focusing procedure is needed in order to set the lens module 95 to form a focused image on the chip 92, which is time consuming and may adversely affect the production yield. Additionally, an optical axis of the lens module 95 may incline and be displaced from a center of the chip 92, which may accordingly adversely affect the quality of images formed by the digital camera module 90.
Therefore, an improved lens module and an improved digital camera module using the lens module are desired in order to overcome the above-described shortcomings.

Lens module and digital camera module using same


A memory array configuration of memory cells that allows simultaneous read and refresh of the memory cells includes M rows and N columns of memory cells, each row being arranged into a top half-row of N/2 memory cells corresponding to each odd-numbered column and a bottom half-row of N/2 memory cells corresponding to each even-numbered column. Each memory cell in the top half-row has a write column node coupled to a respective write column line, a read column node coupled to a respective read column line, a write row node coupled to a respective first write row line, and a read row node coupled to a respective read row line. Each memory cell in the bottom half-row has a write column node coupled to a respective write column line, a read column node coupled to a respective read column line, a write row node coupled to a respective second write row line, and a read row node coupled to a respective read row line. A row of N/2 charge sensing amplifiers each has a first input coupled to an odd-numbered write column line and a second input coupled to a next even-numbered write column. A row of N current/voltage sensing amplifiers each has an input coupled to one of the read column lines and an output for providing a digital signal.

This invention relates generally to a memory array configuration and more particularly to a memory array configuration that allows simultaneous read and refresh of the memory cells in the array.
In a dynamic random access memory ("DRAM"), data is stored as a logic one or zero by the presence or absence of charge on a capacitor within an individual memory cell. After the data has been stored as charge on the capacitor, the charge gradually leaks off and the data is corrupted. Therefore, a "refresh" cycle must be performed to maintain the integrity of the data. To refresh data in a memory array, the array is typically placed in a read mode to obtain the present data stored in a row of memory cells. Subsequently, this data is used as new input data that is re-written into the row of memory cells, thus maintaining the stored data. An important aspect of the refresh cycle of prior art DRAMs is that a normal read operation must be performed on the row that is being refreshed. No other operation involving a different row in the array can occur simultaneously during the read operation.
A functional block diagram of a typical DRAM, the MT4C4003 1 megabit.times.4 DRAM manufactured by Micron Technology, Inc. of Boise, Id., is shown in FIG. 1. The DRAM memory contains approximately 4 megabits organized into four 1 megabit memory arrays 10A-10D. Circuit block 50 includes sense amplifiers coupled to each column within the memory array to transform charge on the capacitor in the memory cell into a valid logic one or zero. During read and write cycles, each bit in one of the four memory arrays is uniquely addressed through twenty address bits that are entered ten bits (A0-A9) at a time. The RAS signal (row address strobe) latches the first ten bits and the CAS signal (column address strobe) latches the latter ten bits. A read or write cycle is initiated with the WE signal (write enable). The four data inputs/outputs (DQ1-DQ4) are routed through four pins using a common input/output bus controlled by the WE signal and an OE signal (output enable).
In the DRAM of FIG. 1, three types of refresh cycles are available. Two of the cycles involve a specific address provided by the user, along with appropriate RAS and/or CAS signals. A third, "hidden" refresh cycle automatically and internally refreshes the data sequentially in the memory arrays. The hidden refresh cycle is initiated by an appropriate combination of the RAS and CAS signals without specifying an address. However, none of the three refresh cycles allows the user of the DRAM to accomplish any other functions involving different rows within the array while the combination read/refresh cycles are being performed.
Accordingly, a need remains for a memory array configuration that allows a simultaneous read cycle of the memory cells in one row of the memory array and a refresh cycle of the memory cells in another row of the memory array to decrease access time to the stored data.

Simultaneous read and refresh of different rows in a DRAM


In electric machines, core losses limit, at high fundamental frequency, the permissible full-load power. The aim of the invention is to develop a design which enables a high power density at high magnetic reversal frequencies and which is easy to produce. To this end, the primary part comprises coils which, for the majority of their length, run in the direction of movement and which are surrounded in this area on three sides by soft magnetic material. In the direction of movement, at least two coils are arranged one behind the other. Coils of different phase are arranged perpendicular to the direction of movement inside different running tracks. In the secondary part, at least two oppositely magnetized hard magnets with three collector segments, which are flatly adjacent in a manner that is perpendicular to the direction of movement, form magnet poles having a high flux concentration. The primary and secondary parts can be shifted with regard to one another in a manner that is perpendicular to the direction of movement by means of a mechanism. The machine is characterized by having an easily producible modular design which has low core losses also at high frequencies. A high power density and, at the same time, a large low-loss field control area is realized in compact dimensions.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns an electric machine with at least one primary part and at least one secondary part, in which the secondary part is moveable in relation to the primary part by the force of magnetic fields.
2. Description of Prior Art
Electric machines with high rpms, or if configured as linear direct drives, with high speeds of movement of primary parts in relation to secondary parts, are characterized by high power densities. In such machines, considerable losses are generated in the soft magnetic body.
If, besides high top speeds, large forces are required, a high peak output (P=v·F) is the result. It is known to reduce this peak output by means of field weakening at high rpms. Induction machines permit a simple realization of field weakening, however, in a full exciter field they achieve only approximately 70% of the surface thrust density of permanent magnet machines. On the other hand, the field regulating range in permanent magnet machines is limited and causes either considerable losses due to high field weakening currents in the primary part or requires an expensively constructed, hybrid excited secondary part.
From DE 28 02 753 C2 a synchronous machine with a magnetic field parallel to its axis is known, the soft magnetic body of which can consist of magnetic powder with an added binding agent. By turning two disk-shaped multiple pole multiple phase windings in opposite direction to each other in circumferential direction, weakening of the field is achieved.
From DE 41 37 457 C1 a permanent magnet generator is known, in which voltage is regulated by means of an adjustable screen made of a magnetically conducting material.
In DE 44 26 241 C2 an electric machine with permanent magnets in a collector arrangement is described, which is characterized by the configuration of its glue points.
In DE 35 36 583 A1 a transverse flux machine with permanent excitation is described, in which the winding consists of coils that utilize only a fraction of the circumference of the machine. Several soft iron elements are arranged within the coils with recesses between the soft iron elements at the air gap, the width of said recesses in direction of movement corresponding approximately to the width of the soft iron elements. Return of current occurs on the outside of the soft iron elements so that only a small part of the conductor length is contributing to the generation of power.
The objective of the present invention is therefore, to advance an electric machine for high magnetic reversal frequencies in such a manner, that high power density is achieved concurrently with low losses and that production expenditures remain low.

Electric machine for high magnetic reversal frequencies


A medium stacking sheet is installed on a rotation shaft of a medium separating and stacking apparatus for stacking or dispensing a medium. The medium stacking sheet includes a body fixed to the rotation shaft and having a plurality of rotation holes which are spaced apart from each other in a rotation direction of the rotation shaft, and a plurality of vanes each including a vane pin rotatably installed in a corresponding rotation hole and a vane piece coupled to the vane pin to stack the medium.

In general, an automated teller machine (ATM) can provide a convenient financial service to a customer in a bank or other financial institution regardless of the location and time. For example, the automated teller machine can provide various financial services such as depositing or withdrawing a medium such as a bill or a check, checking balances, and transferring accounts.
A medium storage part of the automatic teller machine is equipped with a medium separating and stacking apparatus for stacking a medium such as a bill or a check in the medium storage part or dispensing the medium stacked in the medium storage part one by one.
The medium separating and stacking apparatus may include a pickup roller for dispensing a medium one by one from the medium storage part, a feed roller disposed adjacent to the pickup roller to feed the medium separated by the pickup roller onto a conveyance path or to stack the medium conveyed along the conveyance path into the medium storage part, a guide roller for conveying the medium in a state in which the guide roller overlaps with the feed roller, and a medium stacking sheet having a plurality of vanes arranged on its outer circumferential surface. When stacking a medium, the vanes of the medium stacking sheet are rotated by a driving part to strike the rear end of the medium on the conveyance path, whereby the medium can be uniformly stacked in the medium storage part.
However, in the case of a conventional medium stacking sheet (see, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2018-0075762 (published on Jul. 5, 2018)), when dispensing the medium, the vanes of the medium stacking sheet may continuously rub against a medium stacking sheet cover. When the vanes of the medium stacking sheet interfere with surrounding components, an excessive load may be generated. In an idle state, the vane connection portions of the medium stacking sheet are kept in an excessively bent state. Therefore, the durability of the components may be deteriorated.

Medium stacking sheet and medium separating and stacking apparatus including the same


An organic EL device includes a substrate; first electrodes corresponding to individual pixels on the substrate; partitions partitioning the first electrodes to define substantially rectangular pixel regions; organic functional layers, corresponding to the individual pixels, disposed at least in the pixel regions; a second electrode disposed on the organic functional layers and the partitions; and auxiliary lines disposed on a top or bottom surface of the second electrode to support the conductivity of the second electrode. The auxiliary lines extend through the pixel regions so as to cross longer sides thereof and divide the pixel regions into a plurality of subregions.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to organic electroluminescent (EL) devices, methods for producing organic EL devices, and electronic apparatuses.
2. Related Art
Organic EL devices are self-luminous devices requiring no light source such as a backlight. An organic EL device includes light-emitting elements arranged on a substrate, each including a light-emitting layer formed of an organic EL material and held between a pair of electrodes. According to the direction in which light emitted from the light-emitting layer is output, organic EL devices can be classified into a bottom-emission structure, in which light is output through a substrate, or a top-emission structure, in which light is output through the opposite side.
In an organic EL device having the top-emission structure, the individual pixels are defined by partitions which partition pixel electrodes (first electrodes) to form substantially rectangular apertures. Of the pair of electrodes holding the light-emitting a layer, a common electrode (second electrode) is disposed on the side where light exits. The common electrode is formed of a transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO).
An ITO or IZO film causes a voltage gradient inside the common electrode because the film has higher resistance than a metal film. This voltage imbalance inside the common electrode degrades the image quality of the organic EL device.
To avoid the voltage imbalance inside the common electrode, auxiliary lines having low resistance are disposed in contact with the common electrode on the partitions forming the individual pixels (for example see JP-A-2001-195008, JP-A-2003-288994, JP A-2004-207217, and JP-A-2005-235491). The auxiliary lines thus prevent the degradation of image quality of the organic EL device.
The organic EL device described above, however, has the following problem.
The organic EL device has an insufficient aperture rate per pixel because the auxiliary lines are formed on the partitions forming the pixel regions. The partitions must be formed so as to leave the regions required to form the apertures, the regions where the auxiliary lines are formed, and the regions required to provide a manufacturing margin for the auxiliary lines. This problem is more serious for organic EL devices having finer pixels.
Hence, the organic EL device requires more current to provide sufficient light intensity. This imposes a high load on, for example, the light-emitting layer, thus decreasing the life of the organic EL device.

Organic EL device, method for producing organic EL device, and electronic apparatus


A bicycle wheel rim and a method of making a bicycle wheel rim are provided. The rim provided is made of a single part using structural fiber based material, preferably carbon fiber material, with two circumferential flanges for anchoring the tire, which extend radially outwards from the two sides of the outer peripheral wall of the rim.

Various studies and tests have been recently conducted to make bicycle wheel rims using structural fiber based material, typically carbon fiber based material. The advantage offered by this type of material is that of being light in weight with respect to the metallic materials used in the past given equal structural characteristics. Making a rim out of a single part of carbon fiber based material was difficult, at least utilizing the technologies available at that time, due to the typical conformation of the circumferential anchoring flanges of the tire. Typically, these flanges present peripheral outer edges folded one towards the other thus creating an undercut, which causes the molding problems.

Method for producing a bicycle wheel rim, apparatus for implementing the method and bicycle wheel rim obtained thereby


A folding pontoon boat to be typically used by one person. Consisting of a semi flat midsection which pivots about it's center axis. A plurality of pontoons are attached to the starboard and port sides of the midsection. Said pontoons pivot beneath the midsection and the front pontoons fold on top of the aft pontoons when the midsection is folded. The boat contains an elevated seat support assembly which automatically collapses into the midsection as the midsection is folded. In the stowed position wheels extend below the aft pontoons to permit maneuverability over land. As an alternative storage means the pontoons may be disconnected from the midsection by removing the pontoon pivot pins. Additional seating can be easily attached to the current invention. Additionally two or more of the current invention can be attached together to form a larger boat.

There is a population of individuals who have limited storage space, limited means to transport a boat, limited access to the water and the limitation of a single individual handling the boat without assistance from others. The present invention provides two storage options. The boat can be folded to a compact position without removing a plurality of fasteners. The pontoons pivot from beneath the midsection to the operational position. This is extremely critical because it allows the natural force of the water surface to assist in maintaining the pontoons in their operational position. Additionally if storage or transportation requires, the boat can easily be disassembled by removing the pontoon pivot pins. The present invention also provides an elevated seat mount which automatically folds into the compact midsection as the boat is stowed. Four permanently attached wheels allow the present invention to be easily maneuvered while in the stowed position. Due to it's stowed size and mobility the present invention excels when access to the water is limited by obstacles.
Prior art is consist of one or more of the following limitations:
small pontoon boats that do not fold. PA1 boats which must be disassembled for compact storage. PA1 boats dependent on bulky hulls between the pontoons for buoyancy PA1 boats containing elevated seats which either do not fold or do not fold automatically to a compact configuration. PA1 boats which require a plurality of fasteners to be removed for boat storage. PA1 boats which consist of long pontoons limiting storage. PA1 boats too large for single individual to easily transport and launch.


Embodiments of the present invention disclose a bended liquid crystal display and a manufacturing method and apparatus therefore. The method comprises: preparing an array substrate and a color filter substrate with flat glass sheets having different thermal expansion coefficients; applying adhesive sealant at edges of surfaces of the array substrate and/or the color filter substrate; heating the array substrate and the color filter substrate, and binding the expanded array substrate and color filter substrate together, to form an assembled substrate; and cooling the assembled substrate and forming a bended assembled substrate having a degree of curvature. The bended liquid crystal display has a better stability, and has no variation in its degree of curvature over service time.

Liquid crystal displays have become one kind of the mainstream display devices due to the advantages of light weight, thin profile, etc. At present, vast majority of liquid crystal displays are flat because glass sheet materials are mostly used. However, in some special application areas, such as the application situations in which advertisement displays are mounted on an arc-shaped wall, a curved display is typically required. For the limitations on properties of glass sheet materials, it's highly difficult to make a bended liquid crystal display.
In an existing method for manufacturing a bended liquid crystal display, some use resin type material capable of being bended for a substrate, some employ a process in which a film is attached onto the surface of a glass sheet so as to bend the glass sheet due to acting force from the film. However, because in the bended displays manufactured in these methods the bending of the substrates is not rigid and bad in stability, the degree of curvature of the display will also vary over service time.

Bended liquid crystal display and its manufacturing method and apparatus


Implantable medical device telemetry is provided between an implantable medical device and an external communication device. The implantable medical device includes a device transmitter and/or a device receiver. The external communication device includes a moveable communication head including an antenna therein connected to at least one of an external transmitter and/or an external receiver for communication with the device transmitter and/or the device receiver of the implantable medical device. A user moves the moveable head apparatus relative to the implantable medical device. Tactile feedback is provided to the user via the moveable head apparatus upon movement of the moveable head apparatus to a position where valid telemetry can be performed.

In the field of implantable medical devices, such as cardiac pacemakers, tachyarrhythmia control devices, implantable drug dispensing devices, monitoring devices, and nerve stimulators, it has become common to provide a transceiver system for performing functions such as the remote programming and the telemetering of data out of the implanted device. For example, in such devices, it has become desirable to have the ability to reprogram the device's modes of operation, parameters, and other functions and/or to monitor the performance of such devices, both historically and contemporaneously. Generally, such implantable medical devices are designed to provide two-way telemetry by radio frequency signal transmission between the implanted medical device and a programming head or wand of an external communication device, e.g., external programmer apparatus, to provide for the exchange of coded transmitted information therebetween.
As the complexity of implantable medical devices increases over time, telemetry systems for enabling such implantable devices to communicate with external communication devices, e.g., programmers, has become more important. For example, it is desirable for a user, e.g., a physician, to noninvasively exercise some amount of control over the implantable medical device, e.g., to turn the device on or off after implantation, to adjust various parameters of the implantable medical device after implantation, etc.
Further, as implantable medical devices include more advanced features, it is typically necessary to convey correspondingly more information to the implantable medical device relating to the selection and control of such advanced features. For example, if a pacemaker is selectively operable in various pacing modes, it is desirable that a physician be able to noninvasively select a mode of operation. Further, for example, if a pacemaker is capable of pacing at various rates, or of delivering stimulating pulses of varying energy levels, it is desirable that the physician be able to select, on a patient-by-patient basis, appropriate values for such variable operational parameters.
Not only has the complexity of implantable medical devices led to the need to convey correspondingly more information to the implantable medical device, but it has also become desirable to enable the implanted medical device to communicate information outside of the patient to an external communication device, e.g., programmer. For example, for diagnostic purposes, it is desirable for the implanted device to be able to communicate information regarding its operational status to the physician. Various implantable medical devices are available which can transmit such information to an external communication device, e.g., the transmission of a digitized ECG signal for display, storage, and/or analysis by the external communication device.
As used herein, the term "uplink" and "uplink telemetry" will be used to denote the communications channel for conveying information from the implanted medical device to an external communication device, e.g., a programmer. Conversely, the term "downlink" and "downlink telemetry" will be used to denote the communications channel for conveying information from an external communication device to the implanted medical device.
Various telemetry systems for providing the necessary communication channels between an external communication device and an implanted medical device have been described. For example, typically, telemetry systems are employed in conjunction with an external programmer/processing unit. A programmer for noninvasively programming a cardiac pacemaker is described in the following U.S. patents to Hartlaub, et al., each commonly assigned to the assignee of the present invention: U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,884, entitled "Apparatus for and Method of Programming the Minimum Energy Threshold for Pacing Pulses to be Applied to a Patient's Heart;" U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,132, entitled "Digital Cardiac Pacemaker with Threshold Margin Check;" U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,133, entitled "Programmable Digital Cardiac Pacemaker with Means to Override Effects of Reed Switch Closure;" U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,985, entitled "Multi-Mode Programmable Digital Cardiac Pacemaker;" U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,466, entitled "Temporary and Permanent Programmable Digital Cardiac Pacemaker;" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,120, entitled "Digital Cardiac Pacemaker with Program Acceptance Indicator." Aspects of the programmer that are the subject of the foregoing Hartlaub et al. patents are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,008 to Smith, entitled "Pacing Generator Programming Apparatus Including Error Detection Means," and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,524 to Powell et al., entitled "Program Testing Apparatus."
Most commonly, telemetry systems for implantable medical devices employ a radio frequency (RF) transmitter and receiver in the implantable medical device, and a corresponding RF transmitter and receiver in the external communication device, e.g., programming unit. Within the implantable medical device, the transmitter and receiver use an antenna for receiving downlink telemetry signals and for radiating RF signals for uplink telemetry. For example, the radiating RF signals may be magnetically coupled through inductive (antenna) coils.
To communicate digital data using RF telemetry, a digital encoding scheme such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,404 to Wyborny et al., entitled "Improved Telemetry Format," is used. In particular, for example, in downlink telemetry a pulse interval modulation scheme may be employed wherein the external communication device, e.g., programmer, transmits a series of short RF "bursts" or pulses in which the duration of an interval between successive pulses, e.g., the interval from the trailing edge of one pulse to the trailing edge of the next pulse, encodes the data. For example, a shorter interval may encode a "0" bit while a longer interval may encode a "1" bit.
The external communication devices, e.g., programming devices, typically interface with the implanted medical device through the use of a programming head or paddle. For example, generally, the programming head or paddle is a hand-held unit adapted to be placed on or near the patient's body over the implant site of the patient's implanted medical device. The programming head may effect closure of a reed switch in the implantable medical device using a magnet to initiate a telemetry session. Thereafter, uplink and downlink communication may take place between the implanted medical device's transmitter/receiver and the receiver/transmitter of the external communication device. Other methods of initiating a telemetry session may also be used. For example, a wake-up pulse from an external communication device may be used to wake-up the implanted medical device, which polls its downlink receiver at an appropriate interval.
For programming arrangements, and/or for monitoring arrangements, both uplink and downlink telemetry signal strength vary as a function of programming head positioning relative to the implantable device. In other words, the signal strength varies as a function of the coefficient of coupling between the communication head, e.g., programming head including an antenna configuration, and the implanted device. Therefore, it is important for the programming head to be properly positioned over the patient's implant site so that downlink RF signals can be detected in the implantable medical device and uplink signals can be detected by the programming head of the external communication device. For example, if the programming head is too far away from the implantable medical device, the attenuation of RF signals transmitted across the boundary of the patient's skin may be too great, preventing a telemetry link from being established.
As such, with appropriate feedback to a user, the user can position and reposition the programming head over the implant site until a suitable position is located to a establish a valid communication link between the external communication device and the implanted medical device. Various feedback techniques have been used to indicate to a user when a programming head has been properly located over a patient's implanted medical device to establish a valid telemetry link.
For example, one technique used for determining when the programming head is properly positioned can be characterized as an "open loop" technique in that the determination of the correct head positioning is based solely upon an assessment of whether the uplink signal (i.e., the signal transmitted from the implanted medical device to the external communication device) meets some minimum requirement. In such an open loop verification system, adequate downlink signal strength is not tested. For example, an open loop system for determining the proper positioning of a programming head is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,523 to Anderson, entitled "Digital Gain Control for the Reception of Telemetry Signals from Implanted Medical Devices."
A communication protocol using handshaking can also be used to verify that a minimum downlink field strength for detection in the implanted medical device exists to signal a physician that correct head positioning has been achieved. However, conventional handshaking protocols do not provide any information useable for optimization of head positioning to ensure an adequate operating margin. In other words, proper programming head positioning may be indicated even though the programming head is actually marginally positioned, such that a very slight shift in positioning (e.g., due to patient motion) results in downlink telemetry failure.
Further, closed loop systems have also been described for providing feedback to a user for positioning of the communication head for attaining a valid communication link with an implanted medical device. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,315 to Grevious, entitled "Closed-Loop Downlink Telemetry and Method for Implantable Medical Device," a specific type of downlink telemetry pulse is transmitted from the external communication device to the implanted medical device. In particular, the downlink pulses are bursts having a linear ramping envelope. The characteristics of the downlink burst envelope are such that the amplitude of the signal as detected by the implanted medical device's receiver, relative to the receiver's detection threshold, can be ascertained by measuring the time that the detected burst exceeds the receiver's detection threshold. This information can be communicated to the external communication device. In response to receipt of such information regarding the relative strength of the detected downlink signals, the external communication device can modulate the peak amplitude of the downlink burst envelopes by modulating the gain of the external communication device transmitter. As such, the external communication device can then ensure an adequate margin over the implanted medical device's detection threshold while at the same time avoiding the transmission of unnecessarily high energy downlink signals. As described therein, the downlink signal strength and/or the uplink signal strength can be used for activation of a telemetry status indication.
Generally, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,315, the provision of feedback as to the proper positioning of a programming head with respect to an implanted antenna of an implanted medical device includes the use of a position indicator, for example, an audible tone generator and/or a visible indicator such as a light emitting diode (LED). When signal strength and accuracy are confirmed (e.g., with parity checking, error checking codes, and the like), programmer control circuitry will cause the position indicator to indicate that a link has been established. If adequate signal strength and content accuracy cannot be confirmed, the position indicator will so indicate.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,833 to Barsness, entitled "Telemetry Gain Adjustment Algorithm and Signal Strength Indication in a Noisy Environment," describes provision of a signal strength indicator for providing the user with a visual alpha-numeric readout of signal strength during establishment of a telemetry link. The signal strength is derived from an automatic gain control factor of an adjustable gain amplification stage of an external communication device, e.g., the adjustable gain amplification stage of the uplink receiver of a programmer which receives its input signals from an RF programming head having an antenna configuration therein. The gain of the uplink receiver is a function of the strength of the uplink signal. As described therein, with a telemetry session initiated and uplink signal loss occurring for performing telemetry, the automatic gain control algorithms scan through gain levels searching for one, which will result in valid uplink detection. A displayed range of signal strengths correspond to the scaled automatic gain control levels or factors. Since the automatic gain control value is lowest for maximum signal level and highest for minimum signal level, the value is complemented for use as a signal strength indicator to the user. As described therein, various levels of automatic gain control could be used. For example, scaled values of 0-100, or values of 0-9, may be used for display to a user attempting to position the programming head. The signal strength indicator may appear on a screen of a programmer or it could appear on the programming head as a numeric display for the user to view as the user attempts to find an optimum position for the programmer head based on the viewed strength signal indication.
Further, programmer heads available under the trade designation 9766/9766A/9767, available from Medtronic, Inc., assignee of the present invention, provide for a multiple LED array display for providing indication of proper positioning of the programmer head. The array is driven as a function of the uplink signal strength. The signal strength is determined as a function of the gain of the uplink receiver. A certain number of LEDs of the LED array are activated based upon the signal strength. For example, when the head is not at an optimum position, only one LED may be lit. As the programmer head is moved around the site of the implanted medical device, more LEDs may be lit indicating more optimal positions. Further, no LEDs of the array may be lit until valid telemetry can be accomplished, i.e., as determined by a handshake process.
As described above, conventional RF heads incorporate various types of indicators to guide placement of the RF head. For example, the 9766 family of RF heads available from Medtronic Inc., assignee of the present invention, incorporate signal strength indicator LEDs to guide placement of the RF head. Further, other positioning techniques have used numerical displays for indicating the signal strength to a user to guide placement of the RF programmer head. However, in brightly lit rooms, LEDs or visual numerical displays are sometimes difficult to see and/or read. As such, these indicators are inadequate for optimal placement of an RF programmer head.
Further, in some circumstances, implantable medical devices are implanted in various regions of the body, which prohibit the viewing of an RF programmer head as it is placed over the implant site. For example, neurostimulators are sometimes implanted in the hip area. As such, when a programming head of an external communication device is placed for performing telemetry over the implant site, the user of the head may find it difficult to view LEDs on the head.

Tactile feedback for indicating validity of communication link with an implantable medical device


A hubcap device for use with a wheel includes a base and a fastener for coupling the base to the wheel. The hubcap device includes a spinner member between the base and the cover, the spinner member having a light element. The hubcap device includes a battery for powering the light element and a processor for actuating the light element. An insert is removably coupled to the cover, the spinner member being positioned between the insert and the base. The hubcap device may include a photocell in communication with the processor, the processor including programming to actuate the light element in predetermined light conditions. The device includes an optical sensor coupled to the spinner member to measure a rotational speed of the spinner member relative to a rotational speed of the base, the optical sensor providing a relative rotational speed measurement to said processor.

This invention relates generally to automobile hubcaps and, more particularly, to a hubcap device that enables the vehicle to be personalized by receiving picture inserts and including lighting features dependent on ambient light conditions and vehicle motion.
Vehicle customization has become very popular as a means of personal expression. Personalized tags, bumper stickers, painting, decals, collectible license plates, or other ornamental devices are all ways in which a vehicle owner may demonstrate his personality and individuality. However, displaying pictures, posters, or other generally opaque images upon a vehicle's windows may be unsafe and displaying them on the surface of the vehicle may cause damage to the finish.
Various devices have been proposed in the art for inserting pictures into a vehicle wheel hubcap so that the picture may be viewable as the vehicle is driven. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices and proposals are not useful for many varieties of vehicle wheels, are not user-friendly for interchanging picture inserts, or do not provide appropriate lighting for various ambient lighting situations.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a hubcap device into which desired pictures or images may be inserted interchangeably for attachment to vehicle wheel. Further, it would be desirable to have a hubcap device having a backlighting feature so that the picture may be viewed in dim or dark lighting conditions. Still further, it would be desirable to have a hubcap device that spins upon vehicle motion and varies the spinning and lighting features depending on motion and ambient lighting conditions.


An inkjet printer having: recording head 1 including a plurality of nozzles; defective nozzle detection means 8 for detecting a defective nozzle from which ink droplets are not ejected for each of the of aforesaid recording head 1; a determination means for determining a level of a defective nozzle occurrence situation that is detected by aforesaid defective nozzle detection means 8; and an operation control means for controlling the execution of operations of a printer based on the determination result in aforesaid determination means.

The present invention relates to an inkjet printer, and more particularly, relates to an inkjet printer capable of adequately controlling operations of a printer depending on a defective nozzle occurrence situation in which ink droplets are not ejected from a nozzle of a recording head.
The inject printer carries out printing by ejecting fine ink droplets from many nozzles formed in a recording head towards a recording medium to land the ink droplets on the recording medium. In such an inkjet printer, when clogging occurs in a nozzle with dried ink, dust or other substances, the nozzle becomes a defective nozzle from which the ink droplets are not ejected, causing the generation of turbulence in the image.
Thus, proposed in Patent Document 1 is a technology that provides detection means for detecting an ejection state of ink droplets from each of the nozzles of a recording head and cleaning means for cleaning the recording head, detecting a defective nozzle from which the ink droplets are not ejected by the detection means, and when the defective nozzle is detected, cleaning the recording head by the cleaning means to recover the state of the recording head.
Further, proposed in Patent Document 2 is a technology that distributes image data so that a plurality of full-line type of recording heads complement each other to record the image data, and when a defective nozzle is present, overlapping the image data of the defective nozzle onto image data of a corresponding nozzle of another recording head to cause the other nozzle to substitute the defective nozzle.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. HEI 8-118679
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. HEI 10-6488
In the case where an ink to be used is a light-colored yellow ink, defective nozzles which occur in several nozzles of many nozzles in the recording head are less visible, so that a user may continue printing without minding it. On the other hand, in the case of dark-colored black ink, magenta ink, and cyan ink, the presence of only one defective nozzle can be visible in the image and thereby the user may mind it.
Further, when a plurality of defective nozzles occur in the recording head(s), the case in which they are sporadically present in many nozzles of one recording head or sporadically present in a plurality of recording heads is less visually apparent as compared to the case in which the defective nozzles concentrate at adjacent nozzles of one recording head or concentrate at one recording head of the plurality of recording heads even if the number of defective nozzles is the same in both cases.
In addition, such a visual problem of defective nozzles differs depending on the type of recording medium. For example, when a defective nozzle occurs in an inkjet textile printing apparatus, the case of printing on a towel is less apparent as compared to the case of printing on a cloth having relatively smooth surface.
However, with the technology as described in Patent Document 1 that carries out the cleaning operation when a defective nozzle is detected, printing is interrupted every time when a defective nozzle is detected even if the occurrence of the defective nozzle is minor and less apparent in the image, so that there are problems of the time loss during the printing interruption, the consumption of ink associated with the cleaning operation and other disadvantages.
Further, a technology that when defective nozzles are detected, causes information such as the number of the defective nozzles to be displayed for every recording head and makes a user confirm the display to commit determination of whether to carry out the cleaning operation to the user is thought, however, the user always needs to stand by so as to confirm the display, and in this case also, printing is interrupted every time when a defective nozzle is detected, so that the problem of occurring the time loss is not solved at all.
Meanwhile, in the case of the technology described in Patent Document 2, printing is not immediately interrupted when a defective nozzle occurs, but the presence of other nozzle capable of complementing the defective nozzle when occurring is indispensable, so that the technology cannot be applied to all of the recording heads or all of the inkjet printers.


Disclosed herein are compositions, formulations, applications, and methods of making a fire resistant material. The fire resistant material is a transparent acrylic material that incorporates a primary polymer, nanostructured fillers, and crosslinkers. The nanostructured filler is polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) or a POSS derivative that has a cage like structure. The fire resistant material may also include various components such as brominated additives and phosphorous based synergists. The fire resistant material may be used for various applications including wall claddings and glazings.

Fire and extreme heat can present problems for buildings. Since many conventional building materials are either flammable or present hazardous risks when in contact with extreme heat and fire the potential for losses are tremendous and further then effect fire insurance rates as well as the general public safety. In particular the building industry has attempted to create fire resistant glass or acrylic technologies through the use of intumescent fillers or coatings to accomplish fire resistance when used in building construction. These intumescent fillers or coatings create a char layer that acts as a barrier to further oxidation. Examples of intumescent fillers that are currently used include, ammonium polyphosphate, zinc borates, and metaborates. Other technologies accomplish fire resistance by utilizing materials that release large amounts of water to extinguish flames as flames are generated. Other efforts have used brominated materials.
The current technologies using mineral based fillers containing water within the molecular structure or charring material may form toxic materials once exposed to fire or high temperatures. For example, when exposed to high temperatures, brominated materials release toxic smoke that contains bromine radicals in the gas phase. The problem arising from most of the materials that inhibit burning are that they are insoluble solids; therefore, the end product is opaque, stiff, difficult to form, and of limited use in light transmission applications.
What is needed is a clear or transparent thermoformable fire resistant acrylic material that, can be used for the replacement of glass or acrylic building materials, such as windows that when exposed to fire or high temperatures, forms less toxic materials than traditional materials currently used for gas phase inhibition.

Flame resistant material and resultant products


An apparatus and a system, as well as a method and an article, may include detecting an indication of an amplifier output signal amplitude and responsively adjusting the amplifier input signal phase to reduce a change in the phase of the output signal.

Linearity and control of nonlinear distortion may be used as criteria to judge the performance of amplifiers, including multi-channel power amplifiers (MCPAs). Amplifiers that have poorly controlled nonlinear distortion, including AM/PM (phase distortion) and AM/AM (amplitude distortion), may degrade signals on adjacent channels and deliver reduced signal quality on their own channels. Such amplifiers can also degrade the modulation quality on the signal, increasing the signal EVM (error vector magnitude).
Linearizing an amplifier may refer to adjusting its operation such that the output signal matches the input signal times a constant. Thus, if the amplifier does not amplify linearly, selected amounts of distortion may be added to either the input and/or output to correct for the nonlinearity. Amplifiers can use feedforward and predistortion techniques to improve linearity. Predistortion may be more popular because feedforward cancellation can be inefficient, at times becoming more difficult to implement when bandwidth increases. However, predistortion solutions sometimes involve increased complexity and larger die area, and/or they may improve AM/PM at the expense of AM/AM performance.

Amplifier distortion management apparatus, systems, and methods