[System] You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting.

[User]
Title: Bendable Electronic Device

Technical Field and Background:
Most electronic devices include a display unit to display images, characters, or the like. As a representative example, there is a mobile terminal which may be portable and may have at least one of a function of performing voice and video communications, a function of inputting and outputting information, a function of transmitting and receiving data, a function of storing data, and the like. As the functions of the mobile terminal are various, the mobile terminal has complex functions of photographing pictures or moving pictures, playing music or moving image files, executing game, receiving broadcasting, executing wireless Internet, and the like, and has been implemented as a multimedia player form. Further, for the mobile terminal implemented in the multimedia player form, in order to perform the complex functions, new and various attempts in hardware or software have been conducted. For example, the mobile terminal is provided with a user interface environment, etc., to allow a user to easily and conveniently search for or select the functions. However, since the electronic device provided with the display unit is maintained in a flat state, in the case of a large TV, viewing angles of a central portion and both end portions are different from each other, such that reality of an image displayed on the display unit may be deteriorated. In order to solve the above-described problem, an electronic device having a technique described in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2011-0048640 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 has been developed. Characteristics of the technique are that the electronic device includes a body 2 partially made of a flexible material, a display unit 1 included in the body 2 to display an image, and an actuator 8 included in the body 2 to selectively provide an electrical signal for changing its own shape so as to change the shape of the body, in which the actuator 8 is made of a shape memory alloy of which the original shape and the changed shape are alternately changed depending on a change in a temperature. By this configuration, the technique disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2011-0048640 has an advantage in that the actuator 8 made of the shape memory alloy is included in the body 2 to control the electronic device to be flexible, thereby displaying the image more realistically. However, the actuator 8 is made of the shape memory alloy of one material, such that the screen may be stably maintained in a bent state but may not be stably maintained in a flat state. Further, in order to control the shape memory alloy forming the actuator 8 , the actuator is heated. In this case, circuit boards or the display unit included in the electronic device may be damaged due to heat and electromagnetic waves generated upon the heating.

Invention Disclosure:
Disclosed is a flexible electronic device, including: a body made of a flexible material; a display unit; a flexible circuit board; a bending adjuster having a first plate that maintains a flat shape at room temperature, and a second plate that maintains a bent state at a specific temperature or more and having an elastic force larger than that of the first plate in a superelastic state, and is configured to adjust bending of the body by these plates, such that it is possible to improve reality of an image on a display unit by controlling the overall electronic device to be bent at a predetermined angle, more stably maintain a bent state and a flat state, reliably prevent a display unit and a flexible circuit board from being damaged, and stably maintain the bent state and the flat state despite using for a long period of time.

[Assistant]
1. A flexible electronic device, comprising:
a body made of a flexible material;
a display unit included in the body;
a flexible circuit board included in the body;
a bending adjuster which includes a first plate configured to maintain a flat shape at room temperature, and a second plate being in direct contact with the first plate and configured to maintain a bent state at or higher than a specific temperature in a superelastic state and having an elastic force larger than an elastic force of the first plate in the superelastic state, and is configured to adjust a bending of the body by these plates.

2. The flexible electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first plate includes any one of a shape memory alloy, high-elastic metal, a polymer, and a polymer composite material, and the second plate includes the shape memory alloy.

3. The flexible electronic device of claim 2, wherein the second plate includes a heating layer formed on one surface thereof, and a shielding layer formed on the other surface to shield heat and electromagnetic waves.

4. The flexible electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first plate includes any one of a shape memory alloy maintaining a ring shape at the room temperature, high-elastic metal, a polymer, and a polymer composite material, and
the second plate is configured to maintain an arc shape at or higher than the specific temperature.

5. The flexible electronic device of claim 1, wherein the bending adjuster includes a main plate made of flat or ring-shaped carbon fiber reinforced plastics, and
an auxiliary plate provided in the main plate and made of a shape memory alloy maintaining a state deformed from the flat or ring shape at a specific temperature or more.

6. The flexible electronic device of claim 5, wherein the main plate is configured to generate heat by a supply of elasticity to heat the auxiliary plate, and
the main plate includes a shielding layer formed on one surface thereof to shield heat and electromagnetic waves.

7. The flexible electronic device of claim 1, wherein the bending adjuster includes a shape memory spring or a shape memory loop configuration maintain a flexible state at room temperature and maintain a memorized shape at a specific temperature or more, and
wires of which one end is connected to both ends of the shape memory spring and the other end is connected to both side surfaces in the body, respectively.

8. The flexible electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:
a fixture coupled with the body to fix the body in a bent state when the body is bent.

9. The flexible electronic device of claim 8, wherein the fixture includes an internal cover, and
an external cover coupled with the internal cover.

10. The flexible electronic device of claim 9, further comprising:
a third plate made of a shape memory alloy and formed on one surface of the internal cover or the external cover to release a coupling of the internal cover with the external cover.

11. The flexible electronic device of any one of claims 8, wherein the electronic device receives on/off of bending by the bending adjuster and time when the bent state is maintained from a user by a user interface and controls a supply of power to the second plate based on information input from the user.

12. An electronic device, comprising:
a body made of a flexible material;
a display unit included in the body;
a flexible circuit board included in the body;
a bending adjuster which includes a shape memory spring or a shape memory loop configured to maintain a flexible state at room temperature and maintain a memorized shape at or higher than a specific temperature, and wires of which one end is connected to both ends of the shape memory spring and the other end is connected to both side surfaces in the body, respectively,
wherein the shape memory spring or the shape memory loop includes a heating layer formed on a surface thereof to adjust the bending of the body.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the shape memory spring or the shape memory loop further includes an installation box at an outside thereof, in which the shape memory spring or the shape memory loop is installed.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the installation box includes a shielding layer formed on an entire surface or one surface thereof to shield heat and electromagnetic waves.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the bending adjuster further includes a cover box in which the installation box is installed, and both ends of the wire are connected to both side surfaces of the installation box.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein a front surface and a back surface of the cover box have different thicknesses from each other, and a central portion of a portion having a thin thickness is concavely bent.

17. An electronic device, comprising:
a flexible body; and
a bending adjuster which includes a first plate configured to maintain a flat shape at room temperature, and a second plate being in direct contact with the first plate and configured to maintain a bent state at or higher than a specific temperature in a superelastic state and having an elastic force larger than an elastic force of the first plate in the superelastic state, and is configured to adjust a bending of the body by these plates.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the first plate includes any one of a shape memory alloy, high-elastic metal, a polymer, and a polymer composite material, and
the second plate includes the shape memory alloy.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the bending adjuster includes a main plate made of flat or ring-shaped carbon fiber reinforced plastics, and
an auxiliary plate provided in the main plate and made of a shape memory alloy maintaining a state deformed from the flat or ring shape at a specific temperature or more.


[System] You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting.

[User]
Title: Multi-Spectral Imaging Using Longitudinal Chromatic Aberrations

Technical Field and Background:
Generally speaking, multi-spectral imaging involves analyzing images at various wavelengths of light, such as visible light, ultraviolet light, and infrared light. Multi-spectral imaging can be used in many applications, such as for detecting counterfeit currency, detecting the quality of food, and other applications. The equipment used in many implementations of actual multi-spectral imaging typically includes spectrometers and/or rotating prisms. These implementations are normally very large and expensive. Therefore, a need exists for a more compact multi-spectral imaging device, especially one that can be handheld for easy use.

Invention Disclosure:
Systems and methods for imaging a target object are provided. In one example, an imaging device comprises an objective lens having symmetry around an optical axis. The objective lens is configured to disperse images of a target object in longitudinal chromatic aberrations along the optical axis. The imaging device further includes a sensor configured to obtain multiple images of the target object. Each image corresponds to a specific wavelength within a predetermined spectrum.

[Assistant]
1. An imaging device for detecting counterfeit bills, the image device comprising:
an objective lens having symmetry around an optical axis, the objective lens configured to disperse images of a bill in longitudinal chromatic aberrations along the optical axis;
a sensor configured to obtain multiple images of the bill, each image corresponding to a specific wavelength within a predetermined spectrum from ultraviolet to near infrared;
a processor configured to analyze the multiple images to detect features of the bill, wherein the processor is configured to process the multiple images to obtain a three-dimensional image stack comprising a plurality of images respectively corresponding to one of a plurality of different wavelengths in the spectrum, wherein the processor is configured to:
compare one or more regions of each of one or more of the plurality of images in the three-dimensional image stack, to one or more regions of a corresponding image of an original bill selected from a three-dimensional image stack comprising a plurality of images of the original bill respectively corresponding to the one of the plurality of different wavelengths in the spectrum; and
determine whether the bill is counterfeit based at least in part on the comparison.

2. The imaging device of claim 1, further comprising an electromagnetic radiation source configured to emit broadband spectrum radiation on the bill.

3. The imaging device of claim 2, wherein the electromagnetic radiation source is configured to emit ultraviolet radiation, visible radiation, and near infrared radiation.

4. The imaging device of claim 3, wherein the sensor is configured to sense electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths in the range from about 300 nm to about 1100 nm.

5. The imaging device of claim 1, further comprising a portable housing, wherein the lens and sensor are disposed within the portable housing.

6. The imaging device of claim 5, further comprising barcode scanning components disposed within the portable housing.

7. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to analyze the multiple images to detect absorption of various wavelengths by the bill.

8. The imaging device of claim 7, wherein the three-dimensional image stack comprises an image corresponding to a wavelength in the visible spectrum, an image corresponding to a wavelength in the ultraviolet spectrum, and an image corresponding to a wavelength in the near infrared spectrum.

9. The imaging device of claim 8, further comprising a memory device configured to store the three-dimensional image stack.

10. The imaging device of claim 1, further comprising a motor configured to move the sensor along the optical axis in a stepwise manner to enable the sensor to obtain the multiple images at each step, each image corresponding to a specific wavelength.

11. The imaging device of claim 1, further comprising a one of a liquid lens and a deformable lens optically aligned with the objective lens, wherein the one of the liquid lens and deformable lens is configured to correct for the longitudinal chromatic aberrations for each image to enable the sensor to obtain the multiple images at a single location.

12. A method for for detecting counterfeit bills, the method comprising the steps of:
optically dispersing multiple wavelengths of light reflected from a bill so as to create longitudinal chromatic aberrations on an optical axis, wherein each wavelength of the light corresponds to a point on the optical axis in a range from ultraviolet to near infrared;
sensing multiple in-focus images of the bill at the multiple wavelengths;
creating a three-dimensional image stack comprising multiple in-focus images corresponding to a plurality of wavelengths in the range;
analyzing one or more of the multiple in-focus images to detect chromatic features of the bill;
comparing the chromatic features corresponding to one or more regions of each of one or more of the multiple in-focus images in the three-dimensional image stack, to one or more regions of a corresponding in-focus images of an original bill selected from a three-dimensional image stack comprising multiple in-focus images of the original bill respectively corresponding to one of the plurality of wavelengths in the range; and
determining whether the bill is counterfeit based at least in part on the comparison.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of disposing an objective lens and a sensor in a handheld device, the objective lens configured for dispersing the images and the sensor configured for sensing the images.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of moving the sensor along the optical axis to enable the sensor to sense the multiple in-focus images.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of correcting for the longitudinal chromatic aberrations to enable the sensor to sense the multiple in-focus images at a single location along the optical axis.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of analyzing the multiple in-focus images to detect absorption of various wavelengths by features of the bill.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the three-dimensional image stack comprises an image corresponding to a wavelength in the visible spectrum, an image corresponding to a wavelength in the ultraviolet spectrum, and an image corresponding to a wavelength in the near infrared spectrum.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the multiple wavelengths include at least an ultraviolet wavelength, a visible wavelength, and a near infrared wavelength.


[System] You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting.

[User]
Title: Facilitating Virtual Personal Area Networks

Technical Field and Background:
Bluetooth and ZigBee are open standards for establishing short range peer-to-peer communications, and personal area networks when three or more devices are present. The ZigBee Alliance, which created a suite of ZigBee standards, targeted ZigBee for applications that consume less power than Bluetooth devices. ZigBee personal area networks were also designed to be scalable thereby making it easier for a ZigBee personal area network to link to other ZigBee personal area networks. Bluetooth, on the other hand, was not designed to be scalable. In Bluetooth personal area networks, a master device must maintain synchronicity between all Bluetooth devices operating in the personal area network. Although technically feasible, it would be difficult to link Bluetooth personal area networks together in a manner that maintains the Bluetooth devices of multiple personal area networks synchronized.

Invention Disclosure:
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a coordinator device having a memory, and a controller. The memory can have computer instructions, which when executed by the controller, causes the controller to facilitate establishing a first virtual personal area network with a first sensor by executing computer instructions associated with a first application profile, and facilitate establishing a second virtual personal area network with a second sensor by executing computer instructions associated a second application profile. The first application profile can be defined by a first protocol specification, while the second application profile can be defined by a second protocol specification. The first protocol specification can also be operationally distinct from the second protocol specification. Other embodiments are disclosed.

[Assistant]
1. A coordinator device, comprising:
a processing system including a processor; and
a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
establishing a first virtual personal area network with a first sensor according to a first application profile, wherein the first application profile is defined by a first protocol specification;
establishing a second virtual personal area network with a second sensor according to a second application profile, wherein the second application profile is defined by a second protocol specification;
providing a communications interface comprising a physical layer and a medium access control layer, wherein the first virtual personal area network and the second virtual personal area network share the medium access control layer and the physical layer of the communications interface to communicate with the first sensor and the second sensor; and
providing asynchronous and symmetric access to the communication interface to the first virtual personal area network and the second virtual personal area network based on a predetermined arbitration scheme.

2. The coordinator device of claim 1, wherein the first protocol specification and the second protocol specification conform to promulgated standards.

3. The coordinator device of claim 1, wherein the memory comprises a first storage device and a second storage device, wherein the processor comprises a first processor and a second processor.

4. The coordinator device of claim 3, wherein the first processor is coupled to the first storage device, and wherein the first storage device comprises instructions, which when executed by the first processor, causes the first processor to control the medium access control layer and the physical layer of the communications interface for communicating with the first and second sensors.

5. The coordinator device of claim 3, wherein the second processor is coupled to the second storage device, and wherein the second storage device comprises instructions, which when executed by the second processor, causes the second processor to control the first virtual personal area network according to the first application profile and the second virtual personal area network according to the second application profile.

6. The coordinator device of claim 5, wherein the first processor, the first storage device and the communications interface are housed in a first housing assembly of a first communication device, and wherein the second processor and the second storage are housed in a second housing assembly of a second communication device.

7. The coordinator device of claim 6, wherein the first communication device and the second communication device are physically decoupled.

8. The coordinator device of claim 6, wherein the first communication device is communicatively coupled to the second communication device over a wireless interface.

9. The coordinator device of claim 6, wherein the second communication device is configured to manage the first virtual personal area network and the second virtual personal area network.

10. The coordinator device of claim 1, and wherein the first protocol specification is operationally distinct from the second protocol specification.

11. The coordinator device of claim 1, wherein the memory, the processor and the communications interface are centrally housed in a housing assembly as a single operational unit.

12. The coordinator device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:
detecting a router communicatively coupled to a third virtual personal area network; and
establishing communications with the router to enable communications between the third virtual personal area network and the first virtual personal area network, the second virtual personal area network, or both.

13. The coordinator device of claim 12, wherein the router executes computer instructions associated with the first and second application profiles to enable communications with the first and second virtual personal area networks, and
wherein the first application profile and the second application profile correspond to two of a Home Automation application profile, a Smart Energy profile application profile, a Telecommunications application profile, a Health Care application profile, a Remote Control application profile, a Building Automation application profile, a Retail Services application profile, an Input Device application profile, a Telecom Services application profile, a 3D Sync application profile, a Network Devices application profile, derivatives thereof, or combinations thereof.

14. A machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
establishing a first virtual personal area network according to a first application profile, wherein the first virtual personal area network communicates with a first sensor of a plurality of first sensors operating according to a first type of application defined by the first application profile;
establishing a second virtual personal area network according to a second application profile, wherein the second virtual personal area network is configured to communicate with a second sensor of a plurality of second sensors operating according to a second type of application defined by the second application profile;
establishing communications between the first virtual personal area network and the first sensor by way of a physical layer and a medium access control layer, herein the first virtual personal area network and the second virtual personal area network share the medium access control layer to communicate with the first sensor and the second sensor; and
providing asynchronous and symmetric access to the communications based on a predetermined arbitration scheme to the first virtual personal area network and the second virtual personal network.

15. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the first sensor is communicatively incompatible with the second virtual personal area network due to the first sensor conforming only to the first application profile.

16. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the second sensor is communicatively incompatible with the first virtual personal area network due to the second sensor conforming only to the second application profile.

17. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:
detecting a router coupled to a third virtual personal area network; and
establishing communications with the router to enable communications between the third virtual personal area network and the first and second virtual personal area networks.

18. A method, comprising:
establishing, by a processing system comprising a processor, from a computing device a first virtual personal area network operating according to a first application profile;
establishing, by the processing system, from the computing device a second virtual personal area network operating according to a second application profile;
establishing, by the processing system, from the computing device first communications between the first virtual personal area network and a first device over a communications interface;
establishing, by the processing system, from the computing device second communications between the second virtual personal area network and a second device over the communications interface; and
establishing, by the processing system, a communications interface comprising a physical layer and a medium access control layer, wherein the first virtual personal area network and the second virtual personal area network share the medium access control layer and the physical layer of the communications interface to communicate with the first device and the second device; and
providing, by the processing system, asynchronous and symmetric access to the communication interface to the first virtual personal area network and the second virtual personal network based on a predetermined arbitration scheme.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first device comprises a first sensor,
wherein the second device comprises a second sensor, and
wherein the communications interface comprises a medium access control layer and a physical layer shared by the first virtual personal area network and the second virtual personal area network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first sensor is communicatively incompatible with the second virtual personal area network due to the first sensor conforming only to the first application profile, and wherein the second sensor is communicatively incompatible with the first virtual personal area network due to the second sensor conforming only to the second application profile.


[System] You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting.

[User]
Title: Chip Package And Method For Forming The Same

Technical Field and Background:
1. Field of the Disclosure The disclosure relates to a chip package, and in particular to a chip package formed by a wafer-level packaging process. 2. Description of the Related Art A packaging process for chip packages is one important step in forming electronic products. A chip package not only provides the chips with protection from environmental contaminants, but it also provides an electrical connection interface for internal electronic elements and the chips packaged therein. Because the demands for the size reduction of electronic products continue, finding ways to dispose more conducting routes in a limited space becomes an important issue. In addition, there is also a need to prevent the operation of the chip package from being affected by external light.

Invention Disclosure:
An embodiment of the invention provides a chip package which includes: a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface; a first recess extending from the first surface towards the second surface; a second recess extending from a bottom of the first recess towards the second surface, wherein a sidewall and the bottom of the first recess and a second sidewall and a second bottom of the second recess together form an exterior side surface of the semiconductor substrate; a wire layer disposed over the first surface and extending into the first recess and/or the second recess; an insulating layer positioned between the wire layer and the semiconductor substrate; and a metal light shielding layer disposed over the first surface and having at least one hole, wherein a shape of the at least one hole is a quadrangle.

[Assistant]
1. A method for forming a chip package, comprising:
providing at least one semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
removing a portion of the semiconductor substrate from the first surface to form a first recess and a second recess, wherein the first recess extends towards the second surface, and the second recess extends from a bottom of the first recess towards the second surface;
forming an insulating layer over the first surface, wherein the insulating layer extends into the first recess and the second recess;
forming a wire layer over the insulating layer, wherein the wire layer extends into the first recess and/or the second recess;
forming a metal light shielding layer over the insulating layer, wherein the metal light shielding layer has at least one hole, and a shape of the at least one hole is a quadrangle; and
performing a dicing process along at least one predetermined scribe line of the semiconductor substrate to form at least one chip package, wherein a sidewall and the bottom of the first recess and a second sidewall and a second bottom of the recess together form an exterior side surface of the semiconductor substrate after the dicing process.

2. The method for forming a chip package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal shielding layer and the wire layer are formed simultaneously.

3. The method for forming a chip package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of forming the metal light shielding layer and the wire layer comprises:
forming a metal layer over the insulating layer; and
patterning the metal layer to form the metal light shielding layer and the wire layer.

4. The method for forming a chip package as claimed in claim 3, wherein the step of providing at least one semiconductor substrate comprises providing a plurality of semiconductor substrates, and the step of patterning the metal layer to form the metal light shielding layer and the wire layer comprises:
providing a container;
disposing an etching liquid into the container; and
disposing the semiconductor substrate into the etching liquid to etch and remove a portion of the metal layer to form the metal light shielding layer and the wire layer.

5. The method for forming a chip package as claimed in claim 4, wherein the metal light shielding layer, the at least one hole of the metal light shielding layer, and the wire layer are formed simultaneously.


[System] You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting.

[User]
Title: Semiconductor Constructions And Nand Unit Cells

Technical Field and Background:
Memory devices provide data storage for electronic systems. One type of memory is a non-volatile memory known as flash memory. A flash memory is a type of EEPROM (electrically-erasable programmable read-only memory) that may be erased and reprogrammed in blocks. Many modern personal computers have BIOS stored on a flash memory chip. Such a BIOS is sometimes called a flash BIOS. Flash memory is also popular in wireless electronic devices because it enables the manufacturer to support new communication protocols as they become standardized, and to provide the ability to remotely upgrade the devices for enhanced features. A typical flash memory comprises a memory array that includes a large number of memory cells arranged in row and column fashion. The cells are usually grouped into blocks. Each of the cells within a block may be electrically programmed by charging a charge-storage material. The charge may be removed from the charge-storage material by a block erase operation. Data is stored in a cell as charge in the charge-storage material. NAND is a basic architecture of flash memory. A NAND cell unit comprises at least one selecting device coupled in series to a serial combination of memory cells (with the serial combination being commonly referred to as a NAND string). A continuing goal of semiconductor fabrication is to increase integration. Accordingly, it is desired to develop new NAND architecture which consumes less semiconductor real estate than conventional NAND architecture, and to develop methods of forming such new NAND architecture.

Invention Disclosure:
Some embodiments include methods of forming semiconductor constructions. Alternating layers of n-type doped material and p-type doped material may be formed. The alternating layers may be patterned into a plurality of vertical columns that are spaced from one another by openings. The openings may be lined with tunnel dielectric, charge-storage material and blocking dielectric. Alternating layers of insulative material and conductive control gate material may be formed within the lined openings. Some embodiments include methods of forming NAND unit cells. Columns of alternating n-type material and p-type material may be formed. The columns may be lined with a layer of tunnel dielectric, a layer of charge-storage material, and a layer of blocking dielectric. Alternating layers of insulative material and conductive control gate material may be formed between the lined columns. Some embodiments include semiconductor constructions, and some embodiments include NAND unit cells.

[Assistant]
1. A NAND unit cell, comprising:
a first vertical column comprising alternating control gate structures and insulative material structures;
second and third vertical columns on opposing sides of the first vertical column from one another, the second and third vertical columns comprising semiconductor material containing alternating n-type doped regions and p-type doped regions; the n-type doped regions of the second vertical column being horizontally aligned with the n-type doped regions of the third vertical column, and the p-type doped regions of the second vertical column being horizontally aligned with the p-type doped regions of the third vertical column; the control gate structures being horizontally aligned with either the n-type doped regions or the p-type doped regions;
vertically-extending layers of tunnel dielectric, charge-storage material, and charge-blocking material between the first column and each of the second and third columns; and
wherein at least one of the control gate structures, together with n-type and p-type doped regions of the second and third vertical columns, is incorporated into a string device of the NAND unit cell.

2. The NAND unit cell of claim 1 wherein the first vertical column is vertically between a pair of selecting devices of the NAND unit cell.

3. The NAND unit cell of claim 1 wherein the first vertical column comprises a bottom control gate structure, a top control gate structure, and at least one intermediate control gate structure between the bottom control gate structure and the top control gate structure; the top and bottom control gate structures, together with n-type and p-type doped regions of the second and third vertical columns, being incorporated into selecting devices of the NAND unit cell; and the at least one intermediate control gate structure, together with n-type and p-type doped regions of the second and third vertical columns, being incorporated into at least one string device of the NAND unit cell.

4. The NAND unit cell of claim 1 wherein the second and third vertical columns consist of doped monocrystalline silicon.

5. The NAND unit cell of claim 1 wherein the control gate structures are horizontally aligned with the p-type doped regions.

6. A semiconductor construction, comprising:
a semiconductor base;
a plurality of pillars extending upwardly from the base, the pillars comprising alternating n-type doped semiconductor material and p-type doped semiconductor material; a pair of the pillars being adjacent one another, the adjacent pillars being a first pillar and a second pillar:
tunnel dielectric between the adjacent pillars; the tunnel dielectric including a first region along and directly against the p-type and n-type doped semiconductor material of the first pillar, and including a second region along and directly against the p-type and n-type doped semiconductor material of the second pillar;
charge-storage material along the tunnel dielectric; the charge-storage material including a first region along and directly against the first region of the tunnel dielectric, and including a second region along and directly against the second region of the tunnel dielectric;
charge-blocking material along the charge-storage material; the charge-blocking material including a first region along and directly against the first region of the charge-storage material, and including a second region along and directly against the second region of the charge-storage material;
a plurality of control gate structures that are horizontally spaced from one another; the control gate structures being laterally between the adjacent pillars, and laterally between the first and second regions of the charge-blocking material; and
insulative spacers within spaces between the horizontally-spaced control gate structures.

7. The semiconductor construction of claim 6 wherein the control gate structures are comprised by electrically conductive lines that extend along a horizontal direction; further comprising electrically insulative dividers between some of the pillars of the plurality of pillars, with said electrically insulative dividers being vertical columns that extend along an entire vertical periphery of the pillars; and wherein the electrically conductive lines are between adjacent electrically insulative dividers.

8. The semiconductor construction of claim 6 wherein the horizontally-spaced control gate structures include a bottom control gate structure, a top control gate structure, and at least one intermediate control gate structure between the bottom control gate structure and the top control gate structure; the top and bottom control gate structures being incorporated into selecting devices of a NAND unit cell, and the at least one intermediate control gate structure being incorporated into at least one string device of the NAND unit cell.

9. The semiconductor construction of claim 6 wherein the horizontally-spaced control gate structures are a first set of horizontally-spaced control gate structures, and further comprising a second set of horizontally-spaced control gate structures on an opposing side of one of the adjacent pillars from said first set of horizontally-spaced control gate structures; the alternating p-type doped regions and n-type doped regions of said one of the adjacent pillars forming channel regions and source/drain regions for a first set of flash memory cells comprising the first set of horizontally-spaced control gate structures, and for a second set of flash memory cells comprising the second set of horizontally-spaced control gate structures.

10. A NAND unit cell, comprising:
a first vertical column comprising alternating control gate structures and insulative material structures;
second and third vertical columns on opposing sides of the first vertical column from one another, the second and third vertical columns comprising alternating n-type doped regions and p-type doped regions; at least four of the n-type doped regions alternating with at least three of the p-type doped regions; the n-type doped regions of the second vertical column being horizontally aligned with the n-type doped regions of the third vertical column, and the p-type doped regions of the second vertical column being horizontally aligned with the p-type doped regions of the third vertical column; the control gate structures being horizontally aligned with either the n-type doped regions or the p-type doped regions;
tunnel dielectric, charge-storage material, and charge-blocking material between the first column and each of the second and third columns;
the tunnel dielectric being configured as an upwardly-opening container; the control gate structures and insulative material structures being within said container; and
wherein at least some of the control gate structures, together with n-type and p-type doped regions of the second and third vertical columns, are incorporated into string devices of the NAND unit cell.


[System] You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting.

[User]
Title: Mobile Unit Having Internet Protocol Functionality

Technical Field and Background:
In GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) systems, a mobile station (MS) consists of a wireless terminal (i.e., handset) and a removable smart card called a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM). In 3 rd Generation (3G) Universal Mobile Telecommunication Systems (UMTSs), User Equipment (UE) consists of mobile equipment (ME) and a removable smart card called the UMTS Subscriber Identity Module (USIM). The ME communicates with a UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) node, which in turn, may establish a connection to a Circuit Switched (CS) or Packet Switched (PS) Core network. An International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) uniquely identifies the mobile equipment. The SIM or USIM card contains an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) which uniquely identifies the subscriber. The IMEI and the IMSI are independent, thereby allowing personal mobility. In the case of 3G UMTSs, a base station controller corresponds to a radio network controller (RNC). There, a plurality of base stations are controlled by a node B, which in turn has a connection to the RNC. The SIM or the USIM provides personal mobility so that a user can have access to subscribed services irrespective of a specific terminal. By inserting the SIM card into another GSM or 3G terminal, the user is able to receive calls, make calls and receive other subscribed services from that terminal. FIG. 1 shows a conventional3G UMTS 100 which includes a typical MS or UE 105 having a handset 110 with a respective USIM or SIM card 115 inserted therein. The USIM or SIM card 115 stores Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) information and IMSI information. When a request to connect the MS 110 is received (by dialing or receiving a call) (S 1 ), the PLMN and IMSI information is transferred from the USIM or SIM card 115 to the handset 110 for facilitating an initial cell search and to camp on the cell determined from the search (S 2 ). A communication link between the MS or UE 105 and a UTRAN node 120 is established, and system information is sent from the UTRAN node 120 to the MS or UE 105 (S 3 A, S 3 B). In response, the MS or UE 105 sends a connection request including the stored IMSI information to the UTRAN node 120 (S 4 ). Once the connection is granted by the UTRAN node 120 (S 5 A, S 5 B), the MS or UE 105 may be used to request a transfer and/or connection to a CS or PS Core network 125 (S 6 A, S 6 B). Once the MS or UE 105 is connected to the Core network 125 (S 6 B), data may be transferred between the Core network and the MS or UE 105 (S 7 ). Protocol enhancements, specified by 3GPP TS 23.003, allow transparent routing of IP datagrams to mobile nodes in the Internet. An IP datagram is the fundamental unit of information passed across any network utilizing the Internet protocol. An IP datagram contains source and destination addresses, along with data and a number of fields that define such things as the length of the datagram, the header checksum and flags that indicate whether the datagram can be (or has been) fragmented. Each mobile node is always identified by its home address, regardless of its current point of attachment to the Internet. A mobile node is a host or router that changes its point of attachment from one network or sub-network to another. A mobile node may change its location without changing its IP address. Thus, a mobile node may continue to communicate with other Internet nodes at any location using its constant IP address, assuming link-layer connectivity to a point of attachment is available. When located away from its home, a mobile node is also associated with a care-of address, which provides information about its current point of attachment to the Internet. The care-of address is the termination point of a tunnel toward a mobile node. A tunnel is the path followed by a datagram while it is encapsulated. A foreign agent care-of message is an address of a foreign agent with which the mobile node is registered. A co-located care-of message is an externally obtained local address which the mobile node has associated with one of its own network interfaces. The protocol provides for registering the care-of address with a home agent. A home agent is a router on a mobile node's home network which tunnels data grams for delivery to the mobile node when it is away from home, and maintains current location information for the mobile node.

Invention Disclosure:
A mobile unit includes a handset and a removable storage module having a unique storage module identity, for storing information specific to a user, including an Internet Protocol (IP) address. Additional information regarding a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) and International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) which uniquely identifies the subscriber is also stored in the removable storage module. Upon successfully camping on a cell of a mobile network, the IP address is forwarded to an IP-based network capable of communicating with the mobile unit. In an alternate embodiment, the mobile unit has multi-network capabilities which allow it to communicate with an IP-based network and a cellular network at the same time. In another embodiment, existing cellular network services for the mobile unit having multi-network capabilities are routed through the IP-based network.

[Assistant]
1. A mobile unit, comprising:
a processing unit to:
transmit, receive, and process wireless communications,
communicate with a plurality of networks, including communication with a first network via a first connection using a first user data and communication with a second network via a second connection using a second user data, wherein the second user data enables the mobile unit to establish a connection with the second network without going through the first network;
receive services associated with the first network, and
access the services associated with the first network through the second network using the connection established with the second network based on the second user data; and
a storage module, the storage module including user data including the first user data and the second user data.

2. The mobile unit of claim 1, wherein the user data includes one or more of an Internet Protocol (IP) address and an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

3. The mobile unit of claim 2, wherein the user data further includes Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) information.

4. The mobile unit of claim 1, wherein the storage module is a removable storage module.

5. The mobile unit of claim 1, wherein the storage module includes a unique storage module identity.

6. The mobile unit of claim 1, wherein the storage module is a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM).

7. The mobile unit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of networks includes one or more of a packet switched network and a cellular network.

8. The mobile unit of claim 1, wherein the mobile unit includes multi-network capability to communicate with the first network and the second network at a same time.

9. An apparatus, comprising:
means for transmitting, receiving, and processing wireless communications;
means for storing information specific to a user, wherein the stored information includes a first user information and a second user information;
means for establishing network connections, including:
means for establishing a connection with a first network via a connection with the first network to receive services associated with the first network using the first user information, and
means for establishing a connection with a second network using the second user information, wherein the second user data enables establishment of the connection with the second network without going through the first network; and
means for ending the connection with the first network and accessing the services associated with the first network through the second network using the connection established with the second network based on the second user data.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for storing information specific to a user includes a removable means for storing information.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the stored information includes one or more of an Internet Protocol (IP) address and an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the stored information further includes Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) information.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for establishing network connections includes multi-network capability to communicate with the first network and the second network at a same time.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for establishing network connections includes means for communicating with an IP-based (Internet Protocol-based) network.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for establishing network connections includes means for communicating with a UTRAN (UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) Terrestrial Radio Access Network) node.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
transmitting, receiving, and processing wireless communications;
storing information specific to a user, wherein the stored information includes a first user information and a second user information;
establishing a connection with a first network via a connection with the first network to receive services associated with the first network using the first user information;
establishing a connection with a second network using the second user information, wherein the second user data enables establishment of the connection with the second network without going through the first network; and
ending the connection with the first network and accessing the services associated with the first network through the second network using the connection established with the second network based on the second user data.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein storing information specific to a user includes storing the information on a removable storage.

18. The medium of claim 17, wherein the stored information includes one or more of an Internet Protocol (IP) address and an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

19. The medium of claim 18, wherein the stored information further includes Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) information.

20. The medium of claim 16, wherein establishing network connections includes establishing multi-network connections to communicate with the first network and the second network at a same time.

21. The medium of claim 16, wherein establishing network connections includes communicating with an IP-based (Internet Protocol-based) network.

22. The medium of claim 16, wherein establishing network connections includes communicating with a UTRAN (UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) Terrestrial Radio Access Network) node.


[System] You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting.

[User]
Title: Point-And-Click Control Of Unmanned, Autonomous Vehicle Using Omni-Directional Visors

Technical Field and Background:
Outdoor control of UAVs is normally accomplished using GPS. Usually, the operator has a map of the area where he/she is interested in sending the UAV. By selecting a series of waypoints on the map, it delineates the trajectory followed by the UAV. This trajectory is usually in two dimensions, and it assumes that GPS is available throughout the execution of the plan. The operator then decides whether the UAV should land or loiter at the end of the trajectory. If GPS is jammed or not available, the current state-of-the-art—for small UAVs—is to teleoperate. Larger UAVs (like the Predator) are capable of maintaining localization for longer periods of time, due to the accurate, expensive, and heavy inertial navigation units they carry. On the small UAVs, this is not a choice. The MEMS-based inertial units (which fit the SWAP of the small vehicles) have enough inertial biases that they are not capable of flying without GPS, or at least not with sufficient accuracy. Therefore, teleoperation is the customary fall-back control methodology. Teleoperation can be done two ways; one way is when the operator has direct line of sight (usually called remote control). This method is performed when the operator looks directly at the flying vehicle, and uses a joystick to control its position—as well as counteract the effects of wind and aerodynamics. A second mechanism, usually called FPV (First-Person View), is used when the operator controls through an onboard camera, which is then relayed through a communication channel to the OCU (Operator Control Unit) carried by the operator. For indoor applications, the choices are more limited. GPS is not available, and the UAVs capable of navigating in indoor scenarios cannot carry these larger, accurate IMUs. Therefore, the most common technique used for indoor missions is vehicle teleoperation. Teleoperation indoors is not trivial; the proximity of walls, and even the ground itself, create aerodynamic effects, which—in some cases—severely affect the controls of the UAV. Therefore, only trained operators can be used, and even under those conditions, safe control of the UAVs is not always accomplished. Although autonomous mobility is the “Holy Grail” of autonomous robotic control in indoor and underground facilities, this is still to be accomplished. There are two main issues keeping autonomous mobility from being widespread. One, the sensors necessary for providing full, autonomous mobility, in an indoor facility, and are expensive and heavy. Two—and most importantly—the localization techniques for indoor navigation are hampered by the reduced SWAP. If a sufficient number of sensors is added to a quadrotor, capable of accurately mapping and localizing in an indoor facility, the cost and size of the UAV tends to make it unviable from a tactical standpoint.

Invention Disclosure:
The proposed method outlines a new control mechanism well-suited for small, unmanned aerial vehicles traversing in a GPS-denied areas. It has the strong advantage of simplifying the interface, so that even an untrained operator can handle the difficult, dynamic problems encountered in closed quarters. The proposed system seamlessly integrates point-and-click control with way-point navigation, in an intuitive interface. An additional advantage of the proposed system is that it adds minimal hardware to the payload of the UAV, and can possibly, strongly diminish the bandwidth and delay effects of the communication channel.

[Assistant]
1. A control system device comprising:
a teleoperated vehicle;
an omnidirectional camera or wide field of view camera mounted on the teleoperated vehicle;
a 3D display worn by an operator to visualize video or a sequence of images collected by the teleoperated vehicle;
a teleoperated vehicle control platform and an operator control unit (OCU) controlled by an operator providing communication between the teleoperated vehicle and the OCU;
a display overlay that indicates to the operator a desired goal location of the teleoperated vehicle;
a control system on the teleoperated vehicle that computes a control command given a motion that occurred during a communications delay between the teleoperated vehicle control platform and the operator control unit (OCU); and
a virtual reality glove allowing the operator to select a distance along a trajectory displayed in a pair of 3D display stereo goggles worn by the operator.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the 3D display worn by an operator is a pair of 3D stereo goggles;
the 3D stereo goggles are further comprised of an embedded inertial measurement unit (IMU); and
wherein the pose of the head of the operator can be used to provide virtual reality.

3. The device of claim 2, further comprising a range sensor, wherein the range sensor is either acoustic or LADAR.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a range sensor that covers a direction of travel of the teleoperated vehicle.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more overlays are displayed three dimensionally by the 3D display to express a trajectory and an assigned stopping location.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein a model of motion of the teleoperated vehicle is used to predict a trajectory being expressed on the 3D display.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising displaying a rendering of a representation of the teleoperated vehicle.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more omnidirectional cameras on the teleoperated vehicle provide stereo omnidirectional imagery or generate stereo image pairs by rotating the omnidirectional cameras.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more Euler angles of the 3D display are used to steer the teleoperated vehicle toward a goal location or adjust a trajectory of the teleoperated vehicle.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein a 2D or 3D top view map showing the location and trajectory of the teleoperated vehicle is displayed either as an overlay or utilizing the areas in the hemisphere of the 3D display where the omnidirectional cameras do not cover.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the operator can rewind a previously recorded imagery to a previous time and still select a goal point.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein a top view display of one or more obstacles found by the teleoperated vehicle are displayed on the 3D display.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a radio navigation unit that controls or guides the teleoperated vehicle to an assigned location.

14. A method for providing Point-and-Click Control of an Unmanned, Autonomous Vehicle Using Omni-Directional Visors, comprising the steps of:
providing a teleoperated vehicle;
mounting an omnidirectional camera or wide field of view camera on the teleoperated vehicle;
providing a 3D display worn by an operator to visualize video or a sequence of images collected by the teleoperated vehicle;
providing a teleoperated vehicle control platform and an operator control unit (OCU) controlled by an operator;
creating a display overlay that indicates to the operator a desired goal location of the teleoperated vehicle;
providing a 3D display to be worn by an operator in the form of a pair of 3D stereo goggles;
the 3D stereo goggles are further comprised of an embedded inertial measurement unit (IMU);
wherein the pose of the head of the operator can be used to provide virtual reality;
a virtual reality glove allowing the operator to select the distance along the trajectory displayed in the stereo goggles;
the operator will find, by moving his head, the location where he would like the quadrotor to go;
the operator will then use the glove to select a point in the 3D imagery;
this selected point will indicate the perceived range of the location;
the OCU will draw a 3D prediction of where the quadrotor will traverse in order to achieve that location;
the operator can adjust the depth of the traversal; in this case, how close it will get to a wall;
the operator will then press a button or provide other positive input to execute the movement;
a control system on the teleoperated vehicle that computes a control command given a motion that occurred during a communications delay between the teleoperated vehicle control platform and the operator control unit (OCU);
the quadrotor, after the correct intermediate and final pose changes are taken under consideration, will control itself, staying within the corridor indicated in the operators 3D stereo goggles; and
while the traversal is executed, the location of the desired goal and the perceived distances until collision will be updated on the operator's visor;
generating a depiction of one or more intermediate poses and a final pose of a control system device; and
selecting a final or intermediate pose.


[System] You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting.

[User]
Title: Fork Carriage For An Industrial Truck

Technical Field and Background:
The present invention relates to a fork carriage for an industrial truck. The fork carriage is part of the load frame of an industrial truck. The fork prongs, on which the load can be lifted and transported, are fastened to the fork carriage. The fork carriage is mounted vertically in the drive frame of the vehicle by means of a linear guide, for example with a lift mast profile in the drive frame and rollers on the fork carriage. The height position of the fork carriage is determined by one or more lift cylinders and a load is lifted or lowered. The fork carriage is an important structural frame part for the load part of the industrial truck, which is designed according to the load capacity and the operating conditions of the industrial truck. Known fork carriages have additionally installed belts or struts, with which the fork carriage is given the necessary rigidity and stability. The use of additional belts or struts in the fork carriage represents high material use, which leads to high material costs and a heavy weight for the vehicle. Moreover, the assembly of the fork carriage is also complex and time-intensive due to an additional belt or strut structure. The object of the invention is to provide a fork carriage for an industrial truck, which uses less material and is easy to assemble with the same stability and rigidity. The object according to the invention is solved by a fork carriage with the characteristics of claim 1 . Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

Invention Disclosure:
A fork carriage for an industrial truck, which has a load-side main metal sheet, a fork-side main metal sheet and a driver-side main metal sheet, which are connected to a box-shaped fork carriage body with six flat sides, wherein the fork-side main metal sheet has two connecting interfaces for two fork prongs, the load-side main metal sheet has laterally two folded side plates, on each of which a kinematics interface is arranged, and the driver-side main metal sheet has a folded cover plate.

[Assistant]
1. A fork carriage for an industrial truck, the fork carriage comprising:
a fork-side main metal sheet comprising two connecting interfaces, wherein each of the connecting interfaces is configured to receive a fork prong;
a load-side main metal sheet comprising two laterally folded side plates;
a kinematics interface mounted on the laterally folded side plates; and
a driver-side main metal sheet comprising a folded cover plate and a through hole to a lift cylinder space,
wherein the driver-side main metal sheet, the load-side main metal sheet, and the fork-side main metal sheet are connected to form a box shaped hollow body,
wherein the driver-side main metal sheet further comprises a lift cylinder plate, which is folded in a same direction as the folded cover plate.

2. The fork carriage of claim 1, wherein the kinematics interface is a plurality of rollers.

3. The fork carriage of claim 1, further comprising a lift cylinder metal sheet, wherein the lift cylinder metal sheet comprises an L shape and delimits the lift cylinder space together with the lift cylinder plate.

4. The fork carriage of claim 1, wherein the load-side main metal sheet comprises an angled floor plate, which is folded in the same direction of the laterally folded side plates.

5. The fork carriage of claim 4, wherein the angled floor plate comprises at least one projection on its free end.

6. The fork carriage of claim 1, wherein the load-side main metal sheet comprises a ledge extending between the side plates.

7. The fork carriage of claim 1, wherein each of the connecting interfaces is a recess formed by the inward folding of a connecting plate.

8. A fork carriage for an industrial truck, the fork carriage comprising:
a fork-side main metal sheet having a U-shaped contour and further comprising,
a load-side arm and a driver-side arm, and
two connecting interfaces, wherein each of the connecting interfaces is configured to receive a fork prong;
a load-side main metal sheet comprising two laterally folded side plates;
a kinematics interface mounted on the laterally folded side plates: and
a driver-side main metal sheet comprising a folded cover plate, wherein the driver-side main metal sheet, the load-side main metal sheet, and the fork-side main metal sheet are connected to form a box shaped hollow body, and wherein the load-side arm is connected to the load-side main metal sheet and the driver-side arm is connected to the driver-side main metal sheet.

9. The fork carriage of claim 8, wherein the load-side main metal sheet further comprises a floor plate that, is connected to the load-side arm of the fork-side main metal sheet.

10. The fork carriage of claim 8, wherein the load-side main metal sheet has a ledge extending between the laterally folded side plates on a load-side of the fork carriage.

11. The fork carriage of claim 8, wherein each of the connecting interfaces is a recess formed by an inward folding of a connecting plate.

12. The fork carriage of claim 8, wherein the kinematics interface is a plurality of rollers.

13. The fork carriage of claim 8, further comprising a lift cylinder metal sheet, wherein the lift cylinder metal sheet comprises an L shape and defines a lift cylinder plate and a lift cylinder space.

14. The fork carriage of claim 8, wherein the load-side main metal sheet comprises an angled floor plate that is folded in a same direction of the laterally folded side plates.

15. The fork carriage of claim 14, wherein the angled floor plate comprises at least one projection.


[System] You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting.

[User]
Title: Balanced Armature Based Valve

Technical Field and Background:
An in-ear speaker (e.g., an earbud, a hearing aid, a personal sound amplifier (PSAP), etc.) that includes at least one acoustic driver can be designed to deliver sounds to one or more ears of a user of such an in-ear speaker. These types of in-ear speakers can also be designed with uplink capabilities that enable telecommunication functionalities for phone calls, video calls, and the like. Users of these types of in-ear speakers can be subjected to unwanted sounds resulting from an occlusion effect, as a result of their use of these types of in-ear speakers which block the ear canal. Additionally, users of these types of in-ear speakers can be prevented from being aware of auditory stimuli in their immediate surroundings when using these types of in-ear speakers. Moreover, the power consumption of these types of in-ear speakers is suboptimal.

Invention Disclosure:
A balanced armature (“BA”) based valve is described. The valve includes a motor having a coil assembly and a magnetic system, an armature extending through or being located adjacent to the motor, a drive pin coupled to the armature, and a valve flap of a membrane having a hole therein. The valve flap is actuated by the drive pin into open and closed positions, in response to respective motions of the armature. A housing contains the motor, the armature, the drive pin, and the membrane. In one embodiment, the membrane is attached to the housing and divides the housing into an upper space and a lower space, and there is airflow through the hole, between the upper space and the lower space, only when the valve flap is open. A first spout of the housing may deliver sound generated by an acoustic driver in the housing into a wearer's ear canal, and is also open to the upper space. A second spout of the housing is open to the bottom space and to an ambient environment. Other embodiments are also described.

[Assistant]
1. An acoustic pass valve for use in a speaker, the valve comprising:
a motor having a coil assembly and a magnetic system;
an armature extending through or being located adjacent to the coil assembly and the magnetic system;
a membrane having a main portion in which a hole is formed, and a moveable valve flap that, in a closed position, abuts a top face of the main portion and completely covers the hole;
a drive pin having a first end and a second end, the first end of the drive pin being coupled to the armature and the second end being coupled to the valve flap of the membrane, the valve flap to be actuated by the drive pin into i) an open position in which the hole is uncovered by the flap, in response to a first motion of the armature, and ii) the closed position, in response to a second motion of the armature;
a valve housing containing the motor, the armature, the drive pin, and the membrane;
a first spout coupled to or formed on the housing, wherein the first spout is open to a first space inside the housing that is open to a top face of the membrane; and
a second spout coupled to or formed on the housing, wherein the second spout is open to a second space inside the housing that is open to a bottom face of the membrane.

2. The valve of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second motions of the armature do not cause the drive pin to actuate, vibrate, or move any part of the membrane that is not the valve flap.

3. The valve of claim 1, wherein the first motion of the armature causes the drive pin to actuate the valve flap into the open position in response to a first magnetic flux that is created when a positive current is applied to the coil assembly,
the second motion of the armature causes the drive pin to actuate the valve flap into the closed position in response to a second magnetic flux that is created when a negative current is applied to the coil assembly, and
the armature is bi-stable such that no current is applied to the coil assembly except to cause the first motion or the second motion.

4. The valve of claim 3, wherein when the valve flap is in the closed position, air pressure in the first space of the housing is sealed off from air pressure in the second space of the housing.

5. The valve of claim 3, further comprising:
logic to trigger the application of the positive or negative currents to the coil assembly based on one or more measurements by a sensor, wherein the logic is included in i) the valve, ii) an in-ear speaker in which the valve is contained, or iii) an external device that is to provide an audio signal to the in-ear speaker, and the sensor is included in i) the valve, ii) an in-ear speaker in which the valve is contained, or iii) an external device that is to provide an audio signal to the in-ear speaker.

6. The valve of claim 3, wherein the positive current is between +1 mA and +3 mA, and the negative current is between −1 mA and −3 mA.

7. The valve of claim 1, wherein the first motion of the armature ends due to the armature coming into contact with a first magnet of the magnetic system, the second motion of the armature ends due to the armature coming into contact with a second magnet of the magnetic system, and
the armature is bi-stable such that no current through the coil assembly is required to maintain the armature at the end of the first motion or the second motion.

8. The valve of claim 7, wherein the magnetic system comprises the first magnet, the second magnet, and a pole piece, the pole piece being designed to hold the first and second magnets, the first magnet being directly over the second magnet with an air gap between the first and second magnets, and the armature being located in the air gap such that the first motion includes moving towards the first magnet and the second motion includes moving towards the second magnet.

9. The valve of claim 1 wherein a cross-sectional area of the valve flap is less than or equal to three mm 2.

10. The valve of claim 1, wherein the housing has a front side, a rear side, a top side, and a bottom side, the first spout is coupled to or formed on the front side of the housing or the top side of the housing, the second spout is coupled to or formed on the rear side of the housing or the bottom side of the housing, and wherein the front side, the bottom side, and the membrane are substantially parallel to each other, wherein the membrane is placed between the front and bottom sides of the housing and the motor, the armature, and the drive pin are between the membrane and the bottom side of the housing.

11. The valve of claim 1, wherein an active vent system couples an ear canal to an ambient environment outside of the speaker using a pathway,
the valve being part of the active vent system, and
the pathway includes at least three volumes through which the ear canal is acoustically coupled to the ambient environment, wherein a first one of the volumes presents an acoustic impedance between the valve and the ambient environment, a second one of the volumes presents an acoustic impedance between the valve and the ear canal, and a third one of the volumes presents an acoustic impedance in the valve itself.

12. The valve of claim 11, wherein an overall acoustic impedance of the at least three volumes is at least 500 Kg/m 4.

13. The valve of claim 11, wherein an overall acoustic impedance of the at least three volumes is at most 800,000 Kg/m 4.


[System] You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting.

[User]
Title: Tracking Energy Consumption Using A Boost-Buck Technique

Technical Field and Background:
Reducing energy consumption is important in the development and improvement of electronic devices, in particular if they are mobile or portable electronic devices. In order to save energy, electronic devices are more and more controlled by sophisticated schemes in which the magnitude of the consumed currents varies over several decades of magnitude. In low power modes some hundreds of nA (nano-amperes) of a current may be consumed while other operation modes require up to several hundreds of mA (milli-amperes). It is often necessary to measure these currents over a wide range (e.g. from nano-amperes to milli-amperes) with an acceptable accuracy while at the same time being able to track highly dynamic current changes. Furthermore, any side effects due to measuring the consumed energy should be avoided or well controlled. For example, it is preferred that an increase of the energy consumption due to the energy measurement itself not occur. One of the more common techniques for measuring a current is a measurement using a shunt device or a shunt resister. Using a shunt device for the power measurement requires very high precision analogue to digital converters in order to cover the full dynamic range of the possible magnitudes of the currents. For example, when four and a half decades of measurement with one percent precision is required, a 24-Bit-converter would be required. Furthermore, shunt devices generate a voltage drop. This voltage should be compensated, while the compensation circuitry constitutes a potential source of errors. Direct load compensation can be difficult. This means that the measurement range and therefore the circuitry used for measuring the power consumption has to be adapted during the energy measurement procedure. This increases complexity and entails more potential errors. Still further, measuring a current indirectly by measuring the voltage across a shunt device requires an initial voltage change on the target. If a buffer capacitor is coupled to the target side (output side of an energy transfer circuits), the buffer capacitor delivers current immediately and needs to be recharged. This behavior affects the true current response of the device under test. Another approach of measuring the energy consumption employs a current mirror. One side of the current mirror delivers the current to the target including the target capacitor. The other side of the current mirror is coupled to an Ampere meter to which the mirrored current is fed. This approach has the advantage that the distortion caused by the target capacitor is minimized. However, the required pairing of the power and sense field effect transistors (FET) is rather poor and is not capable of tracking the huge current magnitude to be supported.

Invention Disclosure:
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for tracking energy consumption. An energy tracking system comprises at least one switching element, at least one inductor and a control block to keep the output voltage at a pre-selected level. The switching elements are configured to apply the source of energy to the inductors. The control block compares the output voltage of the energy tracking system to a reference value and controls the switching of the switched elements in order to transfer energy for the primary voltage into a secondary voltage at the output of the energy tracking system. The electronic device further comprises an ON-time and OFF-time generator and an accumulator wherein the control block is coupled to receive a signal from the ON-time and OFF-time generator and generates switching signals for the at least one switching element in the form of ON-time pulses with a constant width ON-time.

[Assistant]
1. An electronic device comprising an energy tracking system, the energy tracking system comprising a boost block, at least one energy transfer block and a control circuit wherein the control circuit is configured to control switching of energy in the at least one energy transfer block in order to transfer energy from a primary voltage applied at an input of the energy tracking system into a secondary voltage at the output of the energy tracking system;
wherein the control circuit comprises an ON-time and OFF-time generator, at least one control logic block and an accumulator wherein the at least one control logic block is coupled to receive a signal from the ON-time and OFF-time generator and to generate switching signals for the at least one energy transfer block in the form of ON-time pulses with a constant width ON-time, and wherein the accumulator is configured to collect a number of ON-time pulses for determining consumed energy based on the number of ON-time pulses per time;
wherein the boost block comprises:
a first inductor having a first terminal and a second terminal wherein the first terminal is connected to an input of the boost block;
a first switching element, the first switching element being connected to the second terminal of the first inductor, to ground and to the control circuit;
a first diode having a cathode and an anode wherein the anode is connected to the second terminal of the first inductor and the cathode is connected to an output of the boost block;
a second switching element, the second switching element being connected to the second terminal of the first inductor, to the output of the boost block and to the control circuit; and
a capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal being connected to the cathode of the first diode and the second terminal of the capacitor being connected to ground;
wherein the at least one energy transfer block comprises:
a third switching element, the third switching element being connected to the control circuit, and to the input of the at least one energy transfer block;
a second inductor having a first terminal and a second terminal wherein the first terminal is connected to the third switching device and to an output of the at least one energy transfer block;
a second diode having a cathode and an anode wherein the anode is connected to ground and the cathode is connected to the first terminal of the second inductor; and
a fourth switching element, the fourth switching element being connected to the control circuit, to the cathode of the second diode and the anode of the second diode.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein a second capacitor is connected to the input of the energy tracking system.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein a third capacitor is connected to the output of the energy tracking system.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein an impedance is connected to the output of the energy tracking system.


[System] You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting.

[User]
Title: Method For Communicating In A Magnetic Resonance Apparatus And Magnetic Resonance Apparatus Operating Therewith

Technical Field and Background:
1. Field of the Invention The invention concerns a method for communicating between a first communication device of a magnetic resonance device and a second communication device of the magnetic resonance device, particularly one that is mobile and on the patient side. The invention also relates to such a magnetic resonance apparatus. 2. Description of the Prior Art and Related Subject Matter Magnetic resonance devices are widely known in the prior art and are now established as medical imaging devices. For the purpose of imaging, the patient is introduced with a patient couch into a usually cylindrical patient retainer inside a main magnetic unit. The magnetic resonance device is located in a shielded enclosure, which is usually vacated by the operating personnel during the imaging process. A significant amount of noise is generated in the area of the magnetic resonance device during the imaging process. Moreover, the patient retainer of the magnetic resonance device is usually relatively narrow. It is therefore expedient to implement a facility for communicating with the patient, particularly to enable anxious patients to be reassured, and so that instructions can be conveyed to the patient. Pneumatically operated communication systems have been proposed for this purpose, in which acoustic information is transferred to a patient headset by air pressure modulation. For the return communication it has been proposed, for example, for the patient to use a pneumatically operated call ball; in addition or alternately, microphones may be arranged at the edge of the patient receptacle. While a call ball is often straightforward to implement, the pneumatic transmission of acoustic information by air pressure modulation requires a complex arrangement of compressed-air hoses, which complicates the layout and operation of the magnetic resonance device. A further disadvantage of transmitting useful signals pneumatically is the poor transmission quality that is achieved. In the post-published German patent application DE 10 2014 203 368.3 a communication method is proposed that uses radio signals, wherein a carrier signal with a first frequency is emitted by a first communication device of the magnetic resonance apparatus, which is arranged on the basic field magnet side, and this first carrier signal is received on the patient side. There, a second carrier signal is generated with a second frequency, which is different from the first frequency, with a pre-set rational frequency ratio to the first frequency and with a pre-set phase position to the phase of the first carrier signal, onto which the useful signal is modulated, so that the transmit signal thus produced can be returned to the first communication device. In other words, in the second, patient-side communication device, the principle of a phase-locked transponder is used, but the phase-locked transponder signal is not transmitted directly, but is additionally modulated by a useful signal. By continuous transmission of the first carrier signal and of the transmit signal, it is possible for faults in the connection to be detected immediately. Embodiments of the communication method described therein also permit bidirectional communication. The use of radio does however cause problems with regard to approval and/or possible interference/distortions in the magnetic resonance device.

Invention Disclosure:
In a method for communicating between a first communication device of a magnetic resonance apparatus and a second communication device, in particular one that is mobile and on the patient side, of the magnetic resonance apparatus, a communication technology using visible light is used as the transmission medium for transmission of a useful signal from at least one of the communication devices to the other communication device, in particular from the first communication device to the second communication device.

[Assistant]
1. A method for communicating an information signal to an interior of a patient receptacle inside of a magnetic resonance (MR) data acquisition scanner of an MR apparatus, said MR data acquisition scanner having illumination lighting inside of said patient receptacle that emits light that illuminates the overall interior of said patient receptacle, said method comprising:
providing an input information signal to a control circuit situated outside of said patient receptacle and, in said control circuit, generating an electrical control signal that represents information in said input information signal;
communicating said control signal to said illumination lighting inside of said patient receptacle, and operating said illumination lighting with said control signal to embody said information in the light emitted by said illumination lighting;
detecting said light embodying said information with a light detector circuit situated in the interior of said patient receptacle and, in said light detector circuit, recovering said information from the detected light and converting said information into an output information signal; and
communicating said output information signal to an acoustic signal generator situated in the interior of said patient receptacle and, in said acoustic signal generator, converting said information signal into an acoustic signal, and emitting said acoustic signal from said acoustic signal generator in the interior of the patient receptacle.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising emitting visible light from said illuminating lighting inside of said patient receptacle.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 comprising operating said illuminating lighting with said control signal to invisibly embody said information in said visible light.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said visible light comprises a carrier signal, and wherein said method comprises, in said control circuit, embodying said information in said carrier signal of said visible light by modulating a brightness amplitude of said carrier signal.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 comprising, in said control circuit, modulating said brightness amplitude using analog angle modulation of said carrier signal.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising operating said illumination lighting from said control circuit with a carrier signal that is phase-locked to a basic pulse signal of the magnetic resonance apparatus.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said light detector circuit recovers said information from the detected light using an internal pulse signal, in said light detector circuit, that is phase-locked to said carrier signal.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising using a patient headset, adapted to be worn by a patient in said MR data acquisition scanner, as said acoustic signal generator.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising using a hand-held mobile communication device as said acoustic signal generator.

10. A magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus comprising:
an MR data acquisition scanner having a patient receptacle therein, said MR data acquisition scanner comprising illumination lighting inside of said patient receptacle that emits light that illuminates an overall interior of said patient receptacle;
a control circuit situated outside of said patient receptacle, said control circuit being provided with input information and said control circuit generating an electrical control signal that represents information in said input information signal;
said control circuit being connected to said illumination lighting and operating said illumination lighting with said control signal to embody said information in the light emitted by said illumination lighting;
a light detector circuit situated in the interior of said patient receptacle that detects said light embodying said information and that recovers said information from the detected light and converts said information into an output information signal; and
an acoustic signal generator situated in the interior of said patient receptacle to which said output information is provided by light detector circuit, said acoustic signal generator converting said information signal into an acoustic signal, and emitting said acoustic signal from said acoustic signal generator in the interior of the patient receptacle.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said illuminating lighting emits visible light inside of said patient receptacle.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said control circuit operates said illuminating lighting with said control signal to invisibly embody said information in said visible light.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said visible light comprises a carrier signal, and wherein said control circuit embodies said information in said carrier signal of said visible light by modulating a brightness amplitude of said carrier signal.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said control circuit modulates said brightness amplitude using analog angle modulation of said carrier signal.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said control circuit operates said illumination lighting with a carrier signal that is phase-locked to a basic pulse signal of the magnetic resonance apparatus.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said light detector circuit recovers said information from the detected light using an internal pulse signal, in said light detector circuit that is phase-locked to said carrier signal.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said acoustic signal generator is a patient headset, adapted to be worn by a patient in said MR data acquisition scanner.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said illumination lighting is a light emitting diode (LED) illuminator.

19. An apparatus as claimed in 10 wherein said light detector circuit comprises a light receiver selected from the group consisting of a photo detector, an optical concentrator, and an optical filter.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said MR data acquisition scanner produces radio-frequency (RF) signals during operation thereof, and wherein said light detector circuit comprises an RF shield that shields at least a portion of said light detector circuit from said RF signals.