[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: Simplified Gate Driver For Power Transistors

Technical Field and Background:
Transistors, such as field-effect transistors, are electrical building blocks used across many fields. Some transistors can act as main semiconductor switches, allowing current to pass through them when in an “on” or “closed” state or allowing them to inhibit current passing through them when in an “off” or “open” state. Placing a main semiconductor switch in an “on” or an “off” state can require the semiconductor switch being driven, such as by providing a certain voltage across the gate and source contacts of the main semiconductor switch. To operate properly, certain main semiconductor switches, such as MOSFETs, are driven using driver circuitry (e.g., a gate driver). Challenges in designing gate driver circuitry can occur, such as because of the particular semiconductor that needs to be driven or because of the environment in which the gate driver will operate. New types of transistors, such as Silicon-Carbide (SiC) MOSFETs can provide advantages over existing Silicon (Si) MOSFETs, but also may require different driving strategies. For example, many Si MOSFETS may be driven with symmetrical voltage biases, where the positive and negative voltages are provided at the same magnitude (e.g., ±10 Volt (V)), but SiC MOSFETs may be driven with asymmetrical voltage biases, where the positive and negative voltages are provided at different magnitudes (e.g., +25 V and −10 V). Many driver circuits are incapable of providing asymmetrical voltage biases, especially in compact, high-temperature-capable packages. Additionally, in certain environments, gate drivers are isolated. For example, galvanically isolated gate drivers may be used to drive power semiconductor switches in power processing circuits, such as power converters, power transmitters, and other such circuits. The isolation is necessary because the power switch usually does not share the same ground as the gate control circuit, such as the high-side switches in an H-bridge topology. Some isolated gate drivers include a floating power supply to provide the necessary power across its isolation barrier to drive the gate of the power switch, and an isolated signal transmission circuit to send the low-power control signal to the gate of the power switch. Such gate drivers may be bulky and complicated, especially when created for high-temperature environments (e.g., environments with a temperature above 125° C.) because of the limited choices of integrated and temperature-qualified components. In wellbore operations, drivers for semiconductor-based circuits may be subjected to harsh environments by, for example, being used in tools that are placed within a wellbore. Drivers may need to withstand high temperatures (e.g., above 125° C.). Additionally, available space may be severely limited, necessitating drivers that are small in size or use fewer components. Finally, due to the very high costs involved in retrieving tools that have been positioned within a wellbore, drivers may need to be reliable, especially at the high temperatures described above. Other requirements may exist that further disqualify the use of existing gate driver circuits.

Invention Disclosure:
A pulse-transformer-based isolated gate driver circuit uses a small count of high-temperature-qualified components to drive a power semiconductor switch with asymmetrical voltage biases. A differential driver generates a pulse signal from a pulse-width-modulated signal, which is passed to a charge and lock circuit through a transformer. The charge and lock circuit includes an activation path and a deactivation path, which are selectively open to current flow based on positive or negative voltage pulses in the pulse signal, to selectively turn the main semiconductor switch on or off. The charge and lock circuit can lock voltage across the main semiconductor switch to keep the main semiconductor switch in an “on” or and “off” state.

[Assistant]
1. A driver circuit, comprising:
a transformer having a secondary winding; and
a charge and lock circuit couplable to a main semiconductor switch, the charge and lock circuit including:
a first diode and a transistor switch in an activation path and coupled to the secondary winding to provide a positive voltage across the main semiconductor switch; and
a second diode and a Zener diode in a deactivation path and coupled to the secondary winding to provide a negative voltage across the main semiconductor switch, the negative voltage having a first magnitude that is different than a second magnitude of the positive voltage.

2. The driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the first diode and the transistor switch are oriented in the activation path to lock the positive voltage across the main semiconductor switch; and wherein the second diode and the Zener diode are oriented in the deactivation path to lock the negative voltage across the main semiconductor switch.

3. The driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the charge and lock circuit further includes a shunting resistor coupled between a gate and a source of the main semiconductor switch.

4. The driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the charge and lock circuit further includes a first resistor coupled in series with the transistor switch to control an activation current through the activation path; and a second resistor coupled in series with the Zener diode to control a deactivation current through the deactivation path.

5. The driver circuit of claim 4, wherein the charge and lock circuit further includes a third resistor coupled between a gate of the transistor switch and a center tap of the secondary winding.

6. The driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the charge and lock circuit further includes an additional transistor switch coupled in series between the Zener diode and the secondary winding.

7. The driver circuit of claim 6, wherein a gate of the transistor switch and a gate of the additional transistor switch are both coupled to a center tap of the secondary winding, and wherein a source of the transistor switch and an additional source of the additional transistor switch are coupled to opposite ends of the secondary winding.

8. The driver circuit of claim 1, further comprising:
a differential driver circuit coupled to a primary winding of the transformer to provide a pulse signal to the primary winding in response to receiving a pulse-width-modulated signal.

9. The driver circuit of claim 8, wherein the differential driver circuit includes a first driver, a second driver, and a signal delay circuit, the first driver couplable to a source of the pulse-width-modulated signal, the second driver couplable to the source through the signal delay circuit, the signal delay circuit having a delay time, wherein the first driver and the second driver are coupled to the primary winding to generate a positive voltage pulse at a beginning of a pulse instance in the pulse-width-modulated signal and a negative voltage pulse at an end of the pulse instance.

10. A method, comprising:
delivering, to a charge and lock circuit couplable to a main semiconductor switch, by a secondary winding of a transformer, a pulse signal comprising a positive voltage pulse, a neutral voltage pulse signal, and a negative voltage pulse;
providing, by the charge and lock circuit, a positive voltage across a gate and a source of the main semiconductor switch in response to delivery of the positive voltage pulse, wherein the positive voltage is derived from the positive voltage pulse;
locking a gate voltage of the main semiconductor switch, by the charge and lock circuit, in response to delivery of the neutral voltage pulse signal; and
providing, by the charge and lock circuit, a negative voltage across the gate and the source of the main semiconductor switch in response to delivery of the negative voltage pulse, wherein the negative voltage is derived from passing the negative voltage pulse through a Zener diode to reduce a magnitude of the negative voltage to below a second magnitude of the positive voltage.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein locking the gate voltage includes allowing a potential difference to build between opposite sides of a diode and a transistor switch in the charge and lock circuit.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein locking the gate voltage includes allowing a potential difference to build between opposite sides of a second diode and a second transistor switch in the charge and lock circuit.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the positive voltage includes controlling an activation current by passing the positive voltage pulse through a first resistor, and wherein providing the negative voltage includes controlling a deactivation current by passing the negative voltage pulse through a second resistor.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
generating, by a differential driver circuit, the pulse signal; and
delivering the pulse signal to a primary winding of the transformer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein generating the pulse signal further comprises:
receiving a pulse-width-modulated signal by a first driver of the differential driver circuit;
receiving a delayed pulse-width-modulated signal by a second driver of the differential driver circuit, wherein the delayed pulse-width-modulated signal is obtained by passing the pulse-width-modulated signal through a signal delay circuit;
generating the positive voltage pulse at a beginning of a pulse instance in the pulse-width-modulated signal;
generating the negative voltage pulse at an end of the pulse instance in the pulse-width-modulated signal; and
generating the neutral voltage pulse signal between the positive voltage pulse and the negative voltage pulse.

16. A system, comprising:
a control source;
a main semiconductor switch;
a power source having a first voltage;
a differential driver circuit coupled to the control source and the power source to convert a pulse-width-modulated signal from the control source, the pulse-width-modulated signal having a first frequency, into a pulse signal having a second frequency that is equal to the first frequency, a second voltage that is equal to the first voltage, and a constant pulse width; and
a charge and lock circuit coupled to the differential driver circuit through a transformer to receive the pulse signal and to operate the main semiconductor switch, wherein the charge and lock circuit includes:
a first diode and a transistor switch in an activation path and coupled to a secondary winding of the transformer to provide a positive voltage across the main semiconductor switch; and
a second diode and a Zener diode in a deactivation path and coupled to the secondary winding to provide a negative voltage across the main semiconductor switch, the negative voltage having a first magnitude that is smaller than a second magnitude of the positive voltage.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the differential driver circuit includes a first driver couplable to the control source and a second driver couplable to the control source through a signal delay circuit, the signal delay circuit having a delay time, wherein the constant pulse width is based on the delay time.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the charge and lock circuit further includes an additional transistor switch coupled in series between the Zener diode and the secondary winding, wherein a gate of the transistor switch and a gate of the additional transistor switch are both coupled to a center tap of the secondary winding, and wherein a source of the transistor switch and an additional source of the additional transistor switch are coupled to opposite ends of the secondary winding.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the charge and lock circuit further includes a first resistor coupled in series with the transistor switch to control an activation current through the activation path; and a second resistor coupled in series with the Zener diode to control a deactivation current through the deactivation path.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising:
a controllable component of a tool positioned in a wellbore, wherein the controllable component is controlled by the main semiconductor switch, and wherein the main semiconductor switch is a power switch.


[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: Package Structure Of Power Module

Technical Field and Background:
Recently, the general trends in designing electronic devices are toward high density, high performance, small size, light weightiness and portability. With the increasing development of electronic industries, the internal circuitries of the electronic devices are gradually modularized. In other words, plural electronic components are integrated into a single circuit module. For example, a power module is one of the widely-used circuit modules. An example of the power module includes a DC-to-DC converter, a DC-to-AC converter, an AC-to-DC converter, or the like. After the electronic components (e.g. capacitors, resistors, inductors, transformers, diodes and transistors) are integrated as a power module, the power module may be installed on a system circuit board. An intelligent power module (IPM) is widely used in an intelligent motor driving circuit of an electrical appliance or an industrial appliance. In a conventional package structure of the intelligent power module, electronic components are supported by a lead frame and packaged by an encapsulation material. However, the process of fabricating this package structure is complicated. Moreover, the heat-dissipating efficiency of the package structure is usually insufficient, and the package structure is readily broken. In another conventional package structure of the intelligent power module, a printed circuit board with electronic components is directly disposed within a case, and covered by a covering member. Moreover, the case and the covering member are combined together via an adhesive. However, this package structure still has some drawbacks. For example, since the covering member cannot be securely fixed on the case through the adhesive. Moreover, when the package structure is combined with other device such as a heat sink, the bottom side of the case is easily suffered from bending and deformation because of the stress transmitted from the device. Since the package structure cannot be in close contact with the heat sink, the heat-dissipating efficiency is impaired, or even the package structure is detached from the heat sink. Under this circumstance, the use of the power module is not safe. Therefore, there is a need of providing an improved package structure in order to overcome the above drawbacks.

Invention Disclosure:
A package structure of a power module includes an insulation frame, a first circuit substrate, an insulation cover, plural first pins, plural posts and a fastening element. The insulation frame includes a sidewall and a first coupling part. The first coupling part is externally protruded from the sidewall. The first coupling part includes a first mounting structure. The first circuit substrate is combined with a bottom part of the insulation frame. The insulation cover is combined with a top part of the insulation frame. The insulation cover includes a second coupling part. The second coupling part includes a second mounting structure. The plural posts are embedded in the at least one first coupling part of the insulation frame, and partially penetrated through the second coupling part. The fastening element is connected with the first mounting structure and the second mounting structure.

[Assistant]
1. A package structure of a power module, the package structure comprising:
an insulation frame comprising a sidewall, a first opening end, a second opening end and at least one first coupling part, wherein the at least one first coupling part is externally protruded from the sidewall, and the first coupling part comprises a first mounting structure;
a first circuit substrate combined with a bottom part of the insulation frame, wherein the first opening end is covered by the first circuit substrate;
an insulation cover combined with a top part of the insulation frame, wherein the second opening end is covered by the insulation cover, and an accommodation space is defined by the insulation cover, the insulation frame and the first circuit substrate collaboratively, wherein the insulation cover comprises a strut and at least one second coupling part, wherein the strut is protruded from a bottom surface of the insulation cover and located near the first circuit substrate or contacted with the first circuit substrate, wherein the at least one second coupling part is aligned with the at least one first coupling part of the insulation frame, and the second coupling part comprises a second mounting structure;
plural first pins electrically connected with the first circuit substrate, wherein the plural first pins are embedded in the sidewall of the insulation frame and partially penetrated through the insulation cover;
plural posts embedded in the at least one first coupling part of the insulation frame, and partially penetrated through the at least one second coupling part of the insulation cover; and
at least one fastening element connected with the first mounting structure of the insulation frame and the second mounting structure of the insulation cover, so that the insulation frame and the insulation cover are combined together.

2. The package structure according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling part matches the second coupling part, and the first mounting structure corresponds to the second mounting structure.

3. The package structure according to claim 1, further comprising a second circuit substrate, wherein the second circuit substrate is disposed on the insulation frame and accommodated within the accommodation space.

4. The package structure according to claim 3, wherein the insulation cover further comprises a third opening end, and a connector is disposed on the second circuit substrate, wherein the connector is partially penetrated through the third opening end of the insulation cover.

5. The package structure according to claim 3, wherein the second circuit substrate has a through hole corresponding to the strut of the insulation cover, wherein the strut is penetrated through the through hole of the second circuit substrate.

6. The package structure according to claim 3, wherein the insulation frame further comprises:
a first step structure formed on an inner surface of the sidewall of the insulation frame, and located near the first opening end; and
a second step structure formed on the inner surface of the sidewall of the insulation frame, and arrange between the first step structure and the second opening end, wherein the second circuit substrate is supported by the second step structure.

7. The package structure according to claim 6, wherein each of the plural first pins is a multi-step pin and comprises a first conductive segment and a second conductive segment, wherein the first conductive segment and the second conductive segment are respectively exposed to the first step structure and the second step structure of the insulation frame.

8. The package structure according to claim 6, further comprising plural second pins, wherein the plural second pins are embedded in the sidewall of the insulation frame and partially penetrated through the insulation cover, wherein each of the plural second pins comprises a third conductive segment, and the third conductive segment is exposed to the second step structure.

9. The package structure according to claim 1, wherein the plural posts include plural single-step posts and plural two-step posts, wherein each single-step post has a first height with respect to the first coupling part, and each two-step post has a second height with respect to the first coupling part, wherein the second height is larger than the first height.

10. The package structure according to claim 9, wherein the insulation cover comprises plural first perforations and plural second perforations, wherein the plural first pins are penetrated through the corresponding first perforations, and the two-step posts are penetrated through the corresponding second perforations.

11. The package structure according to claim 9, wherein the package structure is installed on a system circuit board and electrically connected with the system circuit board, wherein the system circuit board comprises plural conductive holes and plural positioning holes, wherein the plural first pins are inserted into the corresponding conductive holes, and the plural two-step posts are inserted into the corresponding positioning holes.

12. The package structure according to claim 1, wherein the insulation cover further comprises a groove, a washer and a top surface, wherein the groove is formed in the top surface of the insulation cover and arranged around the plural first pins, wherein the washer is disposed in the groove.

13. The package structure according to claim 1, further comprising a heat sink, wherein the heat sink comprises a third mounting structure corresponding to the first mounting structure of the insulation frame, wherein the fastening element is connected with the first mounting structure of the insulation frame, the second mounting structure of the insulation cover and the third mounting structure of the heat sink.


[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: Encoding Device

Technical Field and Background:
1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to a sensing technique, and more particularly to an encoding device. 2. Description of the Related Art A conventional sensing unit is used to detect the variation of the light, magnetic field or electrical field of a signal unit so as to measure the geometrical displacement of a mechanism. The obtained analog signals are converted into digital signals by an encoder, which is an inevitable component for achieving precise control in the field of precision mechanical technique. However, in order to provide precise displacement signals, as a precondition, the sensing unit and the signal unit of the encoder must be securely and precisely positioned in the relative positions so as to ensure that the signals are truly detected. With a conventional encoder for optically detecting the rotational motion taken as an example, the signal unit is synchronously rotated with the rotary shaft. In addition, the signal transmitting end and the signal receiving end of the sensing unit are positioned on two sides of the signal unit in fixed positions opposite to each other so as to perform the measurement of the geometrical displacement. In such conventional technique, the signal unit and the sensing unit are disposed on suitable carrier members and previously located in the true relative positions, whereby by means of the carrier members, the signal unit can be indirectly synchronously rotated with the rotary shaft. Alternatively, the signal unit can be directly coupled on the rotary shaft and then the sensing unit is disposed to perform the rectification and alignment processes thereto. In the conventional technique that the signal unit is directly coupled on the rotary shaft, when assembled, it is necessary to respectively perform the rectification and alignment processes between the sensing unit and the signal unit. To speak more specifically, when performing the rectification and alignment processes, it is necessary to externally connect the encoder to an oscilloscope for showing the waveform as the basis for the judgment of the rectification. Only when the waveform changes to meet a predetermined specification due to the adjustment of the position, the rectification and alignment processes are completed. Such procedure is quite complicated and will lead to inconvenience in manufacturing, assembling and processing processes. As a result, the manufacturing efficiency can be hardly enhanced.

Invention Disclosure:
An encoding device includes a sensing unit having a signal transmitting element and a signal receiving element. The signal transmitting element and the signal receiving element are respectively disposed on different carrier members. Accordingly, when performing the rectification and alignment processes between the signal receiving element and the signal unit, the other components are prevented from hindering the rectification and alignment processes, whereby the rectification and alignment processes can be easily performed.

[Assistant]
1. An encoding device for detecting geometrical displacement of external motional mechanism, the encoding device comprising:
a sensing unit, including a first carrier member adjacently located on the external motional mechanism, a second carrier member located and spaced from the first carrier member, a signal transmitting element disposed on the second carrier member for generating signals, a signal receiving element disposed on the first carrier member and spaced from the signal transmitting element in alignment therewith for detecting the signals transmitted from the signal transmitting element, and an electrical connection element bridged between the first carrier member and the second carrier member; and
a signal unit positioned between the signal transmitting element and the signal receiving element and synchronously movable with the external motional mechanism, whereby the signal unit provides predetermined signals detected by the signal receiving element in accordance with the displacement of the external motional mechanism.

2. The encoding device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising two alignment elements respectively disposed on the signal receiving element and the signal unit.

3. The encoding device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the two alignment elements are alignment marks.

4. The encoding device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the alignment mark disposed on the signal unit is a circular line, and the alignment mark disposed on the signal receiving element is an arched line, wherein the curvature of the circular line is equal to the curvature of the arched line.

5. The encoding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal transmitting element is a light source, the signal receiving element is a photocell, and the signal unit is an encoding circular disc.

6. The encoding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first carrier member is a plate with a U-shaped inner periphery.

7. The encoding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first carrier member and the second carrier member are circuit boards.

8. The encoding device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the electrical connection element is a flexible cable.

9. The encoding device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a spacer element securely disposed between the first carrier member and the second carrier member so as to keep the second carrier member spaced from the first carrier member with a fixed distance.

10. The encoding device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the spacer element includes at least one spacer positioned between the first carrier member and the second carrier member and at least one connection member for connecting the spacer with the second carrier member.


[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: Ic Cartridge

Technical Field and Background:
The IC cartridge in the prior art is a cartridge body structure for holding an IC chip. IC flip over must be performed before IC bonding every time; and dust-free cloth, alcohol (acetone and other solvents are unsuitable), a substituting IC cartridge (empty IC cartridge) and a pair of bamboo forceps must be prepared for IC flip over. It should be noted that during the process of IC flip over, no one is allowed to move around while a designated staff is flipping over the IC, and any others should not touch the IC. In addition, during the process of IC flip over, the IC fallen on the floor should be picked up by the pair of bamboo forceps, and then determined by microscopic examination such that if the result is OK, the IC is continuously processed; and if the result is NG, a clean cotton swab socked with alcohol is used to wipe the IC which is then subjected to microscopic examination again. The entire IC BUMP must be checked completely and should not be checked only by a part. Accordingly, if the result is OK, the IC is continuously processed; and if there is any mark on the IC that cannot be wiped or the IC is bumped or scratched, the IC should be discarded. During the process of IC flip over, IC discarding occurs from time to time, and the production cost is increased accordingly.

Invention Disclosure:
An IC cartridge is provided, which includes: a cartridge body provided with hollowed-out parts, and an ejection mechanism including a substrate and projected structures which are provided on the substrate and can be slideably extended into the hollowed-out parts for pushing out IC chips; the hollowed-out parts and the projected structures cooperate to form groove structures for accomodating the IC chips. In usage, the IC chip in the groove structure are pushed out by sliding of the projected structures of the ejection mechanism through the hollowed-out parts. Thus, removing and flipping over of the IC chips is facilitated, and the processing safety of the IC chip can be ensured.

[Assistant]
1. An integrated chip (IC) cartridge, comprising:
a cartridge body provided with hollowed-out parts; and
an ejection mechanism, which includes:
a substrate,
projected structures which are provided on the substrate and capable of being extended into the hollowed-out parts,
a supporting base fixedly connected with the cartridge body,
a pushing piece, which is provided on a side wall of the supporting base, and is slideably engaged with the supporting base, and reciprocates between a first position and a second position;
wherein a gap is formed between the supporting base and the cartridge body for accommodating the substrate;
wherein the hollowed-out parts and the projected structures cooperatively form groove structures for containing IC chips; and
wherein the projected structures are slideable through the hollowed-out parts of the cartridge body and are configured to push the IC chips out from the hollowed-out parts;
wherein an arcuate convex structure is provided on the substrate for cooperating with the pushing piece;
wherein while the pushing piece is placed at the first position, the pushing piece presses against a bottom of the arcuate convex structure and pushes up the arcuate convex structure and hence pushes up the substrate, such that the projected structures on the substrate configured to raise and push the IC chips contained in the groove structures out from the hollowed-out parts; and
wherein while the pushing piece is disposed at the second position, the pushing piece is disengaged from the bottom of the arcuate convex structure which is then not under any thrust force, such that the substrate and the projected structures on the substrate are restored to their initial positions.

2. The IC cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising at least one buffer spring, wherein two ends of the buffer spring press against the cartridge body and the substrate respectively.

3. The IC cartridge according to claim 2, wherein the cartridge body is provided with at least one mounting hole for mounting the at least one buffer spring.

4. The IC cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the supporting base further comprises a sliding passage for slidably engaging with the pushing piece, and a longitudinal direction of the sliding passage is parallel to an end surface of the cartridge body.

5. The IC cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the arcuate convex structure and the substrate are formed in an integral structure.

6. The IC cartridge according to claim 5, wherein
the arcuate convex structure is a arcuate plate with four pins; and
the substrate further comprises fixing holes matching with the pins respectively.

7. An integrated chip (IC) cartridge, comprising:
a cartridge body provided with hollowed-out parts;
an ejection mechanism, which includes
a substrate,
projected structures which are provided on the substrate and capable of being extended into the hollowed-out parts,
a supporting base fixedly connected with the cartridge body,
a pushing piece, which is provided on a side wall of the supporting base, and is slideably engaged with the supporting base, and reciprocates between a first position and a second position;
wherein a gap is formed between the supporting base and the cartridge body for accommodating the substrate;
wherein the hollowed-out parts and the projected structures cooperatively form groove structures for containing IC chips; and
the projected structures are slideable through the hollowed-out parts of the cartridge body and are configured to push the IC chips out from the hollowed-out parts;
wherein
the ejection mechanism further comprises a pushing piece which is pivotally connected with the supporting base so as to pivot between a first position and a second position;
wherein the substrate is provided with an arcuate convex structure for cooperating with the pushing piece;
wherein while the pushing piece is pivoted to the first position, the pushing piece presses against a bottom of the arcuate convex structure and pushes up the arcuate convex structure and hence pushes up the substrate, so that the projected structures on the substrate configured to raise and push the IC chips contained in the groove structures out from the hollowed-out parts; and
wherein while the pushing piece is pivoted to the second position, the pushing piece is disengaged from the bottom of the arcuate convex structure which is then not under any thrust force, so that the substrate and the projected structures on the substrate are restored to their initial positions.

8. The IC cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the pushing piece is pivoted within a plane parallel to an end surface of the cartridge body.


[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: Hub Of An Intermediate Casing For An Aircraft Turbojet Engine Comprising Doors With Contoured Geometry

Technical Field and Background:
The present invention relates to a hub of an intermediate casing for aircraft turbojet engine, in particular of the type comprising at least two mechanically independent bodies. In a double-body turbojet engine intermediate casing usually designates a casing the hub of which is arranged between a casing of a low-pressure compressor and a casing of a high-pressure compressor. The present invention relates more particularly to a hub of an intermediate casing of the type comprising bleed valves, sometimes designated by their acronym VBV (Variable Bleed Valves). Valves of this type are intended to regulate the inlet flow rate of the high-pressure compressor especially to limit pumping risks of the low-pressure compressor and enable evacuation of some of the air from the annular flow space of the primary flow. Also, in case of accidental penetration of water into this flow space especially in the form of rain or hail, or even various debris likely to harm operation of the turbojet engine, these valves retrieve this water or this debris which are centrifuged in the above flow space and ejected to the outside of the latter. In the case of bypass turbojet engines, these valves are configured to allow passage of fragments or debris from the flow space of the primary flow to a secondary annular flow space of a secondary flow.

Invention Disclosure:
A hub of an intermediate casing for an aircraft turbojet engine, including an inner shell intended to define a primary flow space of a primary gas stream into a turbojet engine, and at least one intermediate space, the inner shell being provided with at least one primary port and at least one movable door forming a primary air passage conduit, the door being capable of collecting, from the primary port, air flowing in the primary gas space and of sending the air collected in this way, via the intermediate space, towards a secondary air passage conduit. The primary conduit has an inner surface including, from upstream to downstream, a converging upstream part, then a nonconverging downstream part, in which the downstream part includes two portions of downstream side surface, and in which the upstream portion further includes two portions of upstream side surface.

[Assistant]
1. A hub of an intermediate casing for an aircraft turbojet engine, comprising an internal ferrule configured to delimit both a primary flow space of a primary gas flow in a turbojet engine, and also at least one intermediate space, the internal ferrule being provided with at least one primary orifice as well as at least one moveable door forming a primary conduit for passage of air, said door being capable of sampling, from the primary orifice, air circulating in the primary gas space and sending back into the intermediate space sampled air in the direction of a secondary conduit for passage of air,
wherein the primary conduit has an internal surface comprising from upstream to downstream a convergent upstream part, then a non-convergent downstream part in which the downstream part comprises two portions of downstream lateral surfaces, and in which the upstream part further comprises two portions of upstream lateral surfaces, each portion of upstream lateral surface defining with a respective downstream lateral surface a lateral part of the internal surface, each portion of downstream lateral surface having a length according to an upstream-downstream direction representing between 30% and 50% of the curvilinear length from upstream to downstream of the corresponding lateral part.

2. The hub of an intermediate casing according to claim 1, wherein each portion of downstream lateral surface is planar and forms an flaring angle from upstream to downstream of less than 5° with an average flow axis of the corresponding door.

3. The hub of an intermediate casing according to claim 1, wherein each portion of lateral surface presents an S-shaped profile.

4. The hub of an intermediate casing according to claim 1, wherein each door is movably mounted on the internal ferrule between a closing position and a maximum opening position of the primary orifice, and wherein the downstream part is contoured to direct airflow towards the entirety of the inlet orifice of the opposite secondary conduit when the door is in its maximum opening position.

5. The hub of an intermediate casing according to claim 1, wherein the non-convergent downstream part tangentially extends the corresponding upstream part.

6. The hub of an intermediate casing according to claim 1, wherein the downstream part is defined by two portions of downstream lateral surface and two radially internal and external surface portions relative to the axis of the hub, said radially internal and external portions being mutually non-convergent.

7. The hub of an intermediate casing according to claim 1, wherein the downstream part is cylindrical.

8. The hub of an intermediate casing according to claim 1, wherein each secondary conduit is extended from its inlet orifice by a deflector extending upstream into the corresponding intermediate space, each deflector forming an air guide conduit having an internal surface extending from said inlet orifice as far as a guide orifice arranged downstream of the outlet orifice of the corresponding door, and wherein the downstream part is contoured to confine an airflow towards the inside of the circumference of the guide orifice when the door is in a maximum opening position.

9. An intermediate casing for an aircraft turbojet engine, comprising the hub according to claim 1.

10. An aircraft turbojet engine, comprising the intermediate casing according to claim 1.


[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: Electrical Tester

Technical Field and Background:
A typical telecommunications cubicle is designed to hold a number of line cards (typically between four and six), each having 48 or 64 ports. The ports may be simple electrical connections but in modern “fiber to the cabinet” installations are the interface between the network-side optical fiber network and the “legacy” electrical connections to individual customer premises, and thus include optical/electrical transducers. Such cabinets have a mains electrical power supply which powers the equipment within the cabinet. Typically, the power circuitry incorporates a residual current device (RCD—also known as “Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters”) which will disconnect the active equipment from the mains power supply if certain electrical fault conditions are detected, specifically an imbalance between the current in the live and neutral connections to the power supply, indicative of a leakage of current to earth (ground). Such a leakage may also cause external metallic parts of the cabinet housing to become electrically live, such that a potentially fatal electrical shock may be delivered to a person touching it, so it is important that such a leakage is detected and the equipment shut down until the cause is identified and repaired. The equipment cabinets are typically provided with backup batteries for use when an RCD activates, or the mains power supply is interrupted for some reason external to the equipment cabinet. The batteries are typically operating at a lower voltage than typical the mains electricity supplies so can be safely connected in circuit even if the RCD has been activated because of an earthing fault. It is difficult to monitor the condition of these batteries remotely as they are only connected in circuit in exceptional and unpredictable circumstances. If the condition of the batteries is inadequate then customer service may be lost in the event that mains power is interrupted or the RCD activated. Health and Safety regulations dictate that the RCD should be physically checked periodically, which can impose a significant operational burden on the owner of the equipment. To reduce this burden, a tester has been developed which, periodically and without requiring the attendance of an operative, automatically tests the RCD, reports the test results to a remote location, and then resets the RCD.

Invention Disclosure:
An electrical equipment cabinet has a standby battery to supply current when a mains connection is not available. In normal operation the battery is maintained charged by the mains supply. In order to test the condition of the battery, a measuring system is arranged to operation in co-operation with a test of a residual current detection device, which temporarily disconnects the mains supply, thus measuring the condition of the battery, when under load.

[Assistant]
1. Apparatus for installation in an electrical equipment cabinet, comprising:
a connection to a mains electricity supply, the mains electricity supply arranged to provide power to equipment in the electrical equipment cabinet;
a connection to a battery, the battery arranged to power the equipment in the electrical equipment cabinet;
a residual current detection device for monitoring the mains electricity connection and for disconnecting the mains electricity supply in the event of detection of an imbalance between the current detected in different parts of the mains electricity connection;
a test actuator for triggering the residual detection device, such that the mains electricity supply is disconnected from the battery;
a residual current device (RCD) monitor for monitoring the operation of the residual current detection device when activated by the test actuator;
a battery condition detector for monitoring the battery connection to determine a condition of a battery connected thereto; and
a control system for transmitting, to a remote location, a signal comprising an indication of the operation of the residual current detected device and the battery condition in response to the test actuator triggering the residual current detection device to disconnect the mains electricity supply from the battery.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control system is arranged to monitor a battery voltage, detected by the battery condition detector, over a pre-determined time period initiated by triggering the test actuator and to transmit an alarm signal if the battery voltage falls below a threshold value within the pre-determined time period.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a reset actuator is configured to reset the residual current detection device when a pre-determined time period has elapsed after triggering the residual current detection device, and wherein the control system is configured to reset the residual current detection device to restore the connection to the mains electricity supply if a battery voltage detected by the battery condition detector falls below a threshold value before the pre-determined time period has elapsed.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an actuator to disconnect the mains electricity supply in the event that the test actuator fails to trigger the residual current detection device.

5. A method for operating electrical equipment, comprising:
activating a test actuator for a residual current detection device such that a mains electricity supply to the equipment is disconnected; and
monitoring the operation of the residual current detection device;
wherein, when the residual current detection device is activated, the equipment draws electrical power from a battery,
a battery condition is monitored whilst the equipment is drawing power from the battery, and
a signal comprising an indication of the operation of the residual current detection device and the battery condition is transmitted to a remote location.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the battery condition is monitored over a period of time initiated by the operation of the test actuator.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein an alarm signal is transmitted to the remote location if the battery condition falls below a threshold value within the period of time.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein a reset actuator causes the residual current detection device to be reset when a period of time has elapsed after activation of the test actuator, and wherein, if the battery condition falls below a threshold value before the period of time has elapsed, the residual current detection device is reset to reconnect the equipment to the mains electricity supply.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein if the test actuator fails to operate the residual current detection device, an alarm is transmitted to the remote location and a further actuator disconnects the mains electricity supply directly.


[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: Real-Time Monitoring And Diagnostic Processing Of Traffic Control Data

Technical Field and Background:
Significant cost may be incurred when performing field maintenance on a road traffic controller due to the large number of inputs and outputs received or generated by the road traffic controller and the resultant difficulty in identifying a root cause of abnormal operation of the traffic controller. Existing systems for monitoring operation of a traffic controller and identifying abnormal (and potentially unsafe) operating states rely heavily on manual diagnostics and field maintenance, and thus, suffer from a number of drawbacks. Technical solutions that address at least some of these drawbacks are disclosed herein.

Invention Disclosure:
A traffic control monitoring and abnormality determination system and associated methods are disclosed for receiving and analyzing traffic controller input/output data during a learning phase to determine a model indicative of normal or healthy operation of the traffic controller in regulating traffic flow at an intersection and receiving and evaluating additional traffic controller input/output data against the model during an evaluation phase to determine whether an abnormality exists in operation of the traffic controller. If an abnormality is detected during the evaluation phase, the system may initiate a corrective action to resolve the abnormality such as sending an alarm signal to a traffic controller to cause the traffic controller to alter an operating state to resolve the abnormality.

[Assistant]
1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a computer processor, first traffic controller data from a traffic controller configured to control traffic flow at an intersection, wherein the first traffic controller data is indicative of at least one of a first input to the traffic controller or a first output from the traffic controller;
determining, by the computer processor, first feature data based at least in part on the first traffic controller data, wherein the first feature data corresponds to one or more model features;
determining, by the computer processor and based at least in part on the first feature data, a model for the traffic flow at the intersection;
receiving, by the computer processor, second traffic controller data from the traffic controller, wherein the second traffic controller data is indicative of at least one of a second input to the traffic controller or a second output from the traffic controller;
determining, by the computer processor and based at least in part on the model and the second traffic controller data, presence of an abnormality in the traffic flow at the intersection, wherein the abnormality in the traffic flow at the intersection is indicative of an operational abnormality of the traffic controller, and wherein determining the presence of the abnormality comprises:
determining, by the computer processor, second feature data based at least in part on the second traffic controller data, wherein the second feature data corresponds to the one or more model features;
determining, by the computer processor, a metric indicative of a deviation between the second feature data and the model;
determining, by the computer processor, that the metric meets or exceeds a threshold value; and
determining, by the computer processor, that the abnormality is present based at least in part on determining that the metric meets or exceeds the threshold value; and
initiating, by the computer processor, an action to resolve the abnormality.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the action to resolve the abnormality comprises causing an alarm signal to be transmitted to the traffic controller to cause the traffic controller to adjust at least one of the second input or the second output to resolve the abnormality.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more model features comprise at least one of a time domain statistical feature or a frequency domain statistical feature.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving, by the computer processor, sensor data captured by one or more traffic sensors; and
determining, by the computer processor and based at least in part on the sensor data, an operating condition of the traffic flow at the intersection,
wherein determining the feature data comprises determining, by the computer processor, a respective coefficient to be applied to at least one model feature of the one or more model features based at least in part on the operating condition of the traffic flow at the intersection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the model is a first model, the method further comprising:
receiving, by the computer processor, first sensor data captured by one or more traffic sensors;
determining, by the computer processor and based at least in part on the first sensor data, a first operating condition of the traffic flow at the intersection, wherein the first traffic controller data and the first model correspond to the first operating condition;
receiving, by the computer processor, second sensor data captured by the one or more traffic sensors;
determining, by the computer processor and based at least in part on the second sensor data, a second operating condition of the traffic flow at the intersection, the second operating condition being different from the first operating condition;
receiving, by the computer processor, third traffic controller data from the traffic controller, wherein the third traffic controller data corresponds to the second sensor data;
determining, by the computer processor, third feature data based at least in part on the third traffic controller data, wherein the third feature data corresponds to the one or more model features; and
determining, by the computer processor and based at least in part on the third feature data, a second model for the traffic flow at the intersection, wherein the second model corresponds to the second operating condition.

6. A system, comprising:
at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions; and
at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to:
receive first traffic controller data from a traffic controller configured to control traffic flow at an intersection, wherein the first traffic controller data is indicative of at least one of a first input to the traffic controller or a first output from the traffic controller;
determine first feature data based at least in part on the first traffic controller data, wherein the first feature data corresponds to one or more model features;
determine, based at least in part on the first feature data, a model for the traffic flow at the intersection;
receive second traffic controller data from the traffic controller, wherein the second traffic controller data is indicative of at least one of a second input to the traffic controller or a second output from the traffic controller;
determine, based at least in part on the model and the second traffic controller data, presence of an abnormality in the traffic flow at the intersection, wherein the abnormality in the traffic flow at the intersection is indicative of an operational abnormality of the traffic controller, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the presence of the abnormality by executing the computer-executable instructions to:
determine second feature data based at least in part on the second traffic controller data, wherein the second feature data corresponds to the one or more model features;
determine a metric indicative of a deviation between the second feature data and the model;
determine that the metric meets or exceeds a threshold value; and
determine that the abnormality is present based at least in part on determining that the metric meets or exceeds the threshold value; and
initiate an action to resolve the abnormality.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor is configured to initiate the action to resolve the abnormality by executing the computer-executable instructions to cause an alarm signal to be transmitted to the traffic controller to cause the traffic controller to adjust at least one of the second input or the second output to resolve the abnormality.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more model features comprise at least one of a time domain statistical feature or a frequency domain statistical feature.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
receive sensor data captured by one or more traffic sensors; and
determine, based at least in part on the sensor data, an operating condition of the traffic flow at the intersection, and
wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the feature data by executing the computer-executable instructions to determine a respective coefficient to be applied to at least one model feature of the one or more model features based at least in part on the operating condition of the traffic flow at the intersection.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the model is a first model, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
receive first sensor data captured by one or more traffic sensors;
determine, based at least in part on the first sensor data, a first operating condition of the traffic flow at the intersection, wherein the first traffic controller data and the first model correspond to the first operating condition;
receive second sensor data captured by the one or more traffic sensors;
determine, based at least in part on the second sensor data, a second operating condition of the traffic flow at the intersection, the second operating condition being different from the first operating condition;
receive third traffic controller data from the traffic controller, wherein the third traffic controller data corresponds to the second sensor data;
determine third feature data based at least in part on the third traffic controller data, wherein the third feature data corresponds to the one or more model features; and
determine, based at least in part on the third feature data, a second model for the traffic flow at the intersection, wherein the second model corresponds to the second operating condition.

11. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit, the storage medium storing instructions executable by the processing circuit to cause a method to be performed, the method comprising: receiving, by a computer processor, first traffic controller data from a traffic controller configured to control traffic flow at an intersection, wherein the first traffic controller data is indicative of at least one of a first input to the traffic controller or a first output from the traffic controller;
determining first feature data based at least in part on the first traffic controller data, wherein the first feature data corresponds to one or more model features;
determining, based at least in part on the first feature data, a model for the traffic flow at the intersection;
receiving second traffic controller data from the traffic controller, wherein the second traffic controller data is indicative of at least one of a second input to the traffic controller or a second output from the traffic controller;
determining, based at least in part on the model and the second traffic controller data, presence of an abnormality in the traffic flow at the intersection, wherein the abnormality in the traffic flow at the intersection is indicative of an operational abnormality of the traffic controller, and wherein determining the presence of the abnormality comprises:
determining second feature data based at least in part on the second traffic controller data, wherein the second feature data corresponds to the one or more model features;
determining a metric indicative of a deviation between the second feature data and the model:
determining that the metric meets or exceeds a threshold value; and
determining that the abnormality is present based at least in part on determining that the metric meets or exceeds the threshold value; and
initiating an action to resolve the abnormality.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein initiating the action to resolve the abnormality comprises causing an alarm signal to be transmitted to the traffic controller to cause the traffic controller to adjust at least one of the second input or the second output to resolve the abnormality.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, the method further comprising:
receiving, by the computer processor, sensor data captured by one or more traffic sensors; and
determining, by the computer processor and based at least in part on the sensor data, an operating condition of the traffic flow at the intersection,
wherein determining the feature data comprises determining, by the computer processor, a respective coefficient to be applied to at least one model feature of the one or more model features based at least in part on the operating condition of the traffic flow at the intersection.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the model is a first model, the method further comprising:
receiving, by the computer processor, first sensor data captured by one or more traffic sensors;
determining, by the computer processor and based at least in part on the first sensor data, a first operating condition of the traffic flow at the intersection, wherein the first traffic controller data and the first model correspond to the first operating condition;
receiving, by the computer processor, second sensor data captured by the one or more traffic sensors;
determining, by the computer processor and based at least in part on the second sensor data, a second operating condition of the traffic flow at the intersection, the second operating condition being different from the first operating condition;
receiving, by the computer processor, third traffic controller data from the traffic controller, wherein the third traffic controller data corresponds to the second sensor data;
determining, by the computer processor, third feature data based at least in part on the third traffic controller data, wherein the third feature data corresponds to the one or more model features; and
determining, by the computer processor and based at least in part on the third feature data, a second model for the traffic flow at the intersection, wherein the second model corresponds to the second operating condition.


[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: Powertrain With Compound-Split Hybrid Transmission Having A Reduced Ravigneaux Gear Set

Technical Field and Background:
Various hybrid and electric powertrain architectures are known for managing the input and output torques of various prime movers in hybrid vehicles, most commonly internal combustion engines and electric machines. Hybrid electric vehicles utilizing both an electric machine and an internal combustion engine as power sources often have an onboard controller programmed to vary use of each of the engine and motor/generator during different driving conditions, and can be controlled to achieve peak efficiency and/or peak performance in different operating modes.

Invention Disclosure:
A powertrain comprises a planetary gearing arrangement that includes two sun gear members, two ring gear members, a single carrier member, and an interconnecting member that connects either the two sun gear members or the two ring gear members. The powertrain includes an input member and an output member, one of which is connectable to the carrier member and the other of which is connectable to the first ring gear member. A first electric machine and a second electric machine are included in the powertrain. The second electric machine is operatively connected to the first sun gear member to drive the first sun gear member, and the first electric machine is operatively connected to drive that one of the second ring gear member and the second sun gear member which is not connected to the interconnecting member. A brake is selectively engageable to hold the input member stationary.

[Assistant]
1. A powertrain comprising:
a planetary gearing arrangement including:
two sun gear members;
two ring gear members;
a single carrier member; and
an interconnecting member connecting either the two sun gear members or the two ring gear members to rotate in unison;
an input member and an output member, one of which is connectable to the carrier member and the other of which is connectable to the first ring gear member to rotate in unison;
a first electric machine and a second electric machine; wherein the second electric machine is operatively connected to the first sun gear member to drive the first sun gear member, and the first electric machine is operatively connected to drive one of the second ring gear member and the second sun gear member not connected to the interconnecting member;
a controller operatively connected to the first electric machine and to the second electric machine; and
a brake selectively engageable to hold the input member stationary;
wherein the controller is configured to control the first and the second electric machines to function in a compound-split operating mode when the input member is driven and the brake is not engaged, and to function in an all-electric operating mode when the brake is engaged.

2. The powertrain of claim 1, in combination with an engine having an engine output member operatively connectable to the input member to drive the input member when the first and the second electric machines are controlled to function in the compound-split operating mode.

3. The powertrain of claim 1, wherein the first and the second electric machines are controlled to predetermined speeds to cause the input member to be stationary when the brake is engaged.

4. The powertrain of claim 1, wherein:
the interconnecting member connects the first and the second ring gear members;
the input member is connectable to the carrier member;
the output member is connectable to the first ring gear member; and
the first electric machine is operatively connected to drive the second sun gear member.

5. The powertrain of claim 1, wherein:
the interconnecting member connects the first and the second ring gear members;
the output member is connectable to the carrier member;
the input member is connectable to the first ring gear member; and
the first electric machine is operatively connected to drive the second sun gear member.

6. The powertrain of claim 1, wherein:
the interconnecting member connects the first and the second sun gear members;
the input member is connectable to the carrier member;
the output member is connectable to the first ring gear member; and
the first electric machine is operatively connected to drive the second ring gear member.

7. The powertrain of claim 1, further comprising:
four clutches each selectively engageable to connect one of the input member and the output member to one of the carrier member and the first ring gear member; and
wherein two of the four clutches are engaged in a first compound-split operating mode, and a different two of the four clutches are engaged in a second compound-split operating mode.

8. The powertrain of claim 1, further comprising:
a first reduction gear set having:
a first gear connected to rotate in unison with a first rotor of the first electric machine;
a second gear connected to rotate in unison with said one of the second ring gear member and the second sun gear member; and
an idler gear meshing with the both the first gear and the second gear.

9. The powertrain of claim 1, further comprising:
a reduction gear set having:
a first gear connected to rotate in unison with a second rotor of the second electric machine;
a second gear connected to rotate in unison with the first sun gear member; and
an idler gear meshing with the both the first gear and the second gear.

10. A powertrain comprising:
a planetary gear arrangement including:
a first sun gear member;
a second sun gear member;
a first ring gear member radially surrounding the first sun gear member;
a second ring gear member radially surrounding the second sun gear member;
a carrier member supporting:
a first set of pinion gears that mesh with the first sun gear member and with the first ring gear member;
a second set of pinion gears that mesh with the second ring gear member;
a third set of pinion gears that mesh with the second set of pinion gears and with the second sun gear member;
an interconnecting member that connects one of:
the first and the second ring gear members so that the first and the second ring gear members rotate in unison; or
the first and the second sun gear members so that the first and the second sun gear members rotate in unison;

11. The powertrain of claim 10, further comprising:
a controller operatively connected to the first electric machine and to the second electric machine;
a brake selectively engageable to hold the input member stationary; and
wherein the controller controls the first and the second electric machines to function in a compound-split operating mode when the input member is driven and the brake is not engaged, and to function in an all-electric operating mode when the brake is engaged.

12. The powertrain of claim 11, in combination with an engine having an engine output member operatively connectable to the input member to drive the input member when the first and the second electric machines are controlled to function in the compound-split operating mode.

13. The powertrain of claim 11, wherein the first and the second electric machines are controlled to predetermined speeds to cause the input member to be stationary when the brake is engaged.

14. The powertrain of claim 10, wherein:
the interconnecting member connects the first and the second ring gear members so that the first and the second ring gear members rotate in unison;
the input member is connectable to rotate in unison with the carrier member;
the output member is connectable to rotate in unison with the first ring gear member; and
the first rotor is operatively connected to drive the second sun gear member when the first electric machine operates as a motor.

15. The powertrain of claim 10, wherein:
the interconnecting member connects the first and the second ring gear members so that the first and the second ring gear members rotate in unison;
the output member is connectable to rotate in unison with the carrier member;
the input member is connectable to rotate in unison with the first ring gear member; and
the first rotor is operatively connected to drive the second sun gear member when the first electric machine operates as a motor.

16. The powertrain of claim 10, wherein:
the interconnecting member connects the first and the second sun gear members so that the first and the second sun gear members rotate in unison;
the input member is connectable to rotate in unison with the carrier member;
the output member is connectable to rotate in unison with the first ring gear member; and
the first rotor is operatively connected to drive the second ring gear member when the first electric machine operates as a motor.

17. The powertrain of claim 16, further comprising:
a first clutch selectively engageable to connect the input member to rotate in unison with the first ring gear member;
a second clutch selectively engageable to connect the input member to rotate in unison with the carrier member;
a third clutch selectively engageable to connect the carrier member to rotate in unison with the output member;
a fourth clutch selectively engageable to connect the first ring gear member to rotate in unison with the output member; and
wherein the first and the third clutches are engaged in a first compound-split operating mode, and the second and the fourth clutches are engaged in a second compound-split operating mode.

18. The powertrain of claim 10, wherein:
the interconnecting member connects the first and the second sun gear members so that the first and the second sun gear members rotate in unison;
the input member is connectable to rotate in unison with the first ring gear member;
the output member is connectable to rotate in unison with the carrier member; and
the first rotor is operatively connected to drive the second ring gear member when the first electric machine operates as a motor.

19. The powertrain of claim 10, further comprising:
a first reduction gear set having:
a first gear connected to rotate in unison with the first rotor;
a second gear connected to rotate in unison with said one of the second ring gear member and the second sun gear member; and
an idler gear meshing with the both the first gear and the second gear.

20. The powertrain of claim 10, further comprising:
a reduction gear set having:
a first gear connected to rotate in unison with the second rotor;
a second gear connected to rotate in unison with the first sun gear member; and
an idler gear meshing with the both the first gear and the second gear.


[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: Double Iterative Mimo Receiver

Technical Field and Background:
The invention relates to an iterative Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output (MIMO) receiver and a corresponding method for receiving and blockwise processing of symbols in a MIMO transmission system. In particular the invention relates to a wideband MIMO receiver comprising at least two receive antennas, wherein the receiver comprises an adaptive equalizer, a MIMO symbol detector, a decoder, a first feedback path for feeding back soft information from the decoder to the MIMO symbol detector and a second feedback path from the decoder to the adaptive equalizer for feeding back soft information about estimated transmit symbols to mitigate intersymbol interference (ISI) and inter-antenna interference (IAI). Future mobile communication standards like LTE-Advanced make use of MIMO techniques in order to fulfill the increasing demand on high spectral efficiency. Hereby, spatially-multiplexed data streams are transmitted and received by multiple antennas, i.e. transmit symbols are radiated simultaneously on the same radio resources via at least two transmit antennas and a receiver receives the radiated transmit symbols via a plurality of at least two receive antennas. In order to estimate the originally transmitted data, i.e. before symbol detection takes place, the receiver has to cancel out interferences as far as possible. Besides noise, e.g. Gaussian distributed white noise, the received signals are distorted by inter-antenna interferences, abbreviated IAI, and inter-symbol interferences, abbreviated ISI. Consequently, i.e. in order to improve estimation of the originally transmitted data, both the IAI and the ISI should be cancelled out for each receiving antenna. Besides high throughput, energy efficiency of mobile devices is of the utmost importance due to limited battery life time. Therefore, modulation and multiple-access schemes like single-carrier (SC) frequency-domain multiple-access (FDMA) are applied to the uplink, ensuring that the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) of the transmit power amplifiers is low. Such an uplink scenario is shown in FIG. 1 as described in more detail below. However, the main drawback of the SC-FDMA scheme is the presence of additional ISI, caused by multipath propagation. The more subcarriers of the available frequency band are allocated, the more ISI corrupts the received data streams. Therefore, especially wideband signals are prone to significant ISI that may dominate the overall interference. Inter-symbol interference may be caused by non-orthogonal transmit filtering by the channel or by multipath propagation leading to an inherent non-linear frequency response of the transmission channel. In a multipath propagation environment a radiated signal may take different propagation paths, i.e. paths of different length, before arriving at a receiver antenna, where the signals may superpose or heterodyne, thus the signals do not arrive at the same time. In case the transmission channel exhibits a non-linear frequency response, a portion of the frequencies of a modulated signal is removed by the channel thus having impact on the pulse form of the received signal and causing successive symbols to blur together. The phenomenon of inter-antenna interference is caused by using more than one antenna for transmitting on the same frequency resource, i.e. the two transmit antennas radiate at the same time using the same frequency, and thus the radiated signals interfere with each other. Conventional techniques for interference reduction in MIMO receivers are linear filter operations, imposing low detection performance. As an example, the well-known MMSE detector multiplies a received signal vector by a fixed filter matrix, which is based on the estimated MIMO channel. Linear receiver solutions generally imply significant performance loss and therefore require high signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio conditions, abbreviated SINR, for reliable detection of the data streams. SINR can be increased by increasing the transmit signal power, which is hardly acceptable for mobile devices. Enhanced but still low detection performance can be accomplished by stepwise interference reduction methods, i.e. the estimated interference of already detected data is subtracted from subsequently transmitted, not yet detected data. When considering IAI reduction, a famous method is the successive interference cancellation, abbreviated SIC.

Invention Disclosure:
A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) receiver comprises a MIMO frequency-domain equalizer, which comprises a MMSE filter for mitigating inter-symbol interference and an adder for mitigating inter-antenna interference, a MIMO detector and a MIMO decoder for processing a received MIMO signal and for estimating transmit bits. The receiver comprises a feedback path from the decoder to the detector for providing soft-information on the transmit bits to the detector and an additional feedback path from the decoder to the MIMO frequency-domain equalizer for providing soft-information to the MMSE filter and to the adder of the equalizer.

[Assistant]
1. A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) receiver for receiving and decoding at least two receive signals representing a block of symbols comprising:
a frequency-domain equalizer comprising an adaptive filter configured to filter the block of symbols to produce a filtered block of symbols, a vector calculator configured to calculate a vector of weighted estimated symbols, and an adder configured to add the vector of weighted estimated symbols to the filtered block of symbols;
a MIMO detector coupled to an output of the frequency-domain equalizer for outputting log likelihood values;
a decoder for channel-decoding the log likelihood values to thus produce improved estimates of the log likelihood values, the decoder being coupled to an output of the MIMO detector; and
a first feedback path from the decoder to the frequency-domain equalizer configured to provide a covariance of the improved estimates of the log likelihood values to the adaptive filter and configured to provide the covariance and expected values of the improved estimates of the log likelihood values to the vector calculator for calculating the vector of weighted estimated symbols; and
a second feedback path configured to provide the improved estimates of the log likelihood values from the decoder to the MIMO detector.

2. The MIMO receiver of claim 1, wherein the first feedback path is configured to determine expected values of estimated symbols and the covariance thereof based on the improved estimates of the log likelihood values.

3. The MIMO receiver of claim 2, wherein the first feedback path comprises a soft-modulator configured to determine expected values of estimated symbols based on the the improved estimates of the log likelihood values and configured to determine the covariance thereof.

4. The MIMO receiver of claim 2, wherein the first feedback path is configured to transform the expected values of estimated symbols into the frequency domain.

5. The MIMO receiver of claim 1, further comprising a cyclic prefix remover.

6. The MIMO receiver of claim 1, wherein the adaptive filter comprised in the frequency-domain equalizer is an adaptive minimum mean squared error filter.

7. The MIMO receiver of claim 1, wherein the MIMO receiver is comprised in a base station of a cellular communication system.

8. A method for receiving and decoding at least two received signals representing a block of symbols in a multiple-input multiple-output receiver (MIMO) comprising:
adapting an adaptive filter based on a covariance of estimated symbols provided by a first feedback path from a decoder and calculating a vector of weighted estimated symbols based on the estimated symbols and the covariance of the estimated symbols;
filtering the block of symbols by the adaptive filter to produce a filtered block of symbols and adding the vector of weighted estimated symbols to the filtered block of symbols to produce a block of equalized symbols;
detecting symbols by a MIMO detector based on the block of equalized symbols and outputting log likelihood values;
channel-decoding the log likelihood values and producing improved estimates of the log likelihood values by a decoder coupled to the MIMO detector; and
providing the improved estimates of the log likelihood values from the decoder to the MIMO detector via a second feedback path.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining expected values of estimated symbols and the covariance thereof by a soft modulator comprised in the first feedback path.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising removing a cyclic prefix from the block of symbols.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the adaptive filter is an adaptive minimum mean squared error filter.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the method is performed in a base station of a cellular communication 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: Device For Damping Torsion Oscillations, Notably For A Motor Vehicle Transmission System

Technical Field and Background:
In such an application, the torsion oscillation damping device may be integrated into a torsion damping system of a clutch adapted selectively to connect the internal combustion engine to the gearbox in order to filter vibrations caused by the acyclic operation of the engine. Alternatively, in such an application, the torsion oscillation damping device may be integrated into a friction disk of the clutch or a hydrodynamic torque converter. Such a torsion oscillation damping device conventionally employs a support and one or more pendular bodies mobile relative to that support, the movement relative to the support of the pendular bodies being guided by rolling members cooperating on the one hand with rolling tracks secured to the support and on the other hand with rolling tracks secured to the pendular bodies. Each pendular body comprises two pendular masses riveted together, for example. The rivet thus forms a connecting member for the two pendular masses. This rivet has two heads projecting axially beyond each pendular mass in the direction away from the support, therefore generating a certain bulk. There exists a requirement to be able to secure two pendular masses of a pendular body in a manner that alleviates the aforementioned disadvantage.

Invention Disclosure:
A device for damping torsion oscillations comprises support rotatably movable about an axis. A pendular body comprises first and second axially spaced pendular masses movable relative to the support. The first mass disposed axially on a first side of the support and the second mass disposed axially on a second side of the support. A member connects the first and second pendular masses. Each mass includes an opening in which the connecting member is force-fitted. The openings have radially exterior and interior edges. The connecting member has radially interior and exterior edges. The radially exterior edge extends between two angular ends of the connecting member, each defined by a lug. Each mass exerts a force on each lug, and via a one nose piece projecting radially and carried by the radially interior edge of the opening or the radially interior edge of the connecting member.

[Assistant]
1. Device ( 1 ) for damping torsion oscillations, comprising:
a support ( 2 ) able to move in rotation about an axis (X),
at least one pendular body ( 3 ) comprising: first and second pendular masses ( 5 ) spaced axially relative to each other and mobile relative to the support ( 2 ), the first pendular mass ( 5 ) being disposed axially on a first side ( 4 ) of the support ( 2 ) and the second pendular mass ( 5 ) being disposed axially on a second side ( 4 ) of the support ( 2 ), and at least one member ( 6 ) connecting the first and second pendular masses ( 5 ) matching said masses and force-fitted thereto,
each pendular mass ( 5 ) including an opening ( 7 ) in which the connecting member ( 6 ) is force-fitted, this opening having a radially exterior edge ( 47 ) and a radially interior edge ( 40 ), and the connecting member ( 6 ) having a radially interior edge ( 30 ) and a radially exterior edge ( 31 ), said radially exterior edge ( 31 ) extending between two angular ends ( 33 ) each defined by a lug ( 34 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ),
each pendular mass ( 5 ) exerting on the connecting member ( 6 ) force-fitted in its opening ( 7 ):
a force (F 3, F 4 ) on each lug ( 34 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ), and
a force (F 1, F 2 ) via at least one nose piece ( 42 ) projecting into the opening ( 7 ) and carried by either the radially interior edge ( 40 ) of the opening ( 7 ) or the radially interior edge ( 30 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ).

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting member ( 6 ) being secured to each pendular mass ( 5 ) only by force-fitting.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein two nose pieces ( 42 ) being carried by the radially interior edge ( 40 ) of the opening ( 7 ) or by the radially interior edge ( 30 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ), each nose piece ( 42 ) enabling the pendular mass ( 5 ) to exert a force on the connecting member ( 6 ) force-fitted in the opening ( 7 ).

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein two nose pieces ( 42 ) being carried by the radially interior edge ( 40 ) of the opening ( 7 ) or by the radially interior edge ( 30 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ), each nose piece ( 42 ) enabling the pendular mass ( 5 ) to exert a force on the connecting member ( 6 ) force-fitted in the opening ( 7 ).

5. Device according to claim 4, wherein the two nose pieces ( 42 ) being positioned relative to each other so that a bending force is exerted by the pendular mass ( 5 ) on the connecting member ( 6 ) via said nose pieces ( 42 ).

6. Device according to claim 5, wherein each lug ( 34 ) and the opening ( 7 ) of each pendular mass ( 5 ) being configured so that, in a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis (X), the force (F 3, F 4 ) exerted on each lug ( 34 ) has a direction intersecting the radially interior edge ( 40 ) of the opening ( 7 ) or the radially interior edge ( 30 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ) at a point situated between the two nose pieces ( 42 ) thereof.

7. Device according to claim 5, wherein the radially interior edge ( 40 ) of each opening ( 7 ) having said two nose pieces ( 42 ) projecting radially into the opening ( 7 ), said nose pieces ( 42 ) succeeding each other along said radially interior edge ( 40 ) of the opening and each pendular mass ( 5 ) exerting on the connecting member ( 6 ) force-fitted in its opening ( 7 ):
a force (F 3, F 4 ) on each lug ( 34 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ), and
a force (F 1, F 2 ) via each nose piece ( 42 ) of its radially interior edge ( 40 ) on the radially interior edge ( 42 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ).

8. Device according to claim 4, wherein the two nose pieces ( 42 ) being positioned relative to each other so that a compression force is exerted by the pendular mass ( 5 ) on the connecting member ( 6 ) via said nose pieces ( 42 ).

9. Device according to claim 8, wherein each lug ( 34 ) and the opening ( 7 ) of each pendular mass ( 5 ) being configured so that, in a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis (X), the force (F 3, F 4 ) exerted on each lug ( 34 ) has a direction intersecting the radially interior edge ( 40 ) of the opening ( 7 ) or the radially interior edge ( 30 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ) at a point situated between the two nose pieces ( 42 ) thereof.

10. Device according to claim 8, wherein the radially interior edge ( 40 ) of each opening ( 7 ) having said two nose pieces ( 42 ) projecting radially into the opening ( 7 ), said nose pieces ( 42 ) succeeding each other along said radially interior edge ( 40 ) of the opening and each pendular mass ( 5 ) exerting on the connecting member ( 6 ) force-fitted in its opening ( 7 ):
a force (F 3, F 4 ) on each lug ( 34 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ), and
a force (F 1, F 2 ) via each nose piece ( 42 ) of its radially interior edge ( 40 ) on the radially interior edge ( 42 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ).

11. Device according to claim 4, wherein each lug ( 34 ) and the opening ( 7 ) of each pendular mass ( 5 ) being configured so that, in a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis (X), the force (F 3, F 4 ) exerted on each lug ( 34 ) has a direction intersecting the radially interior edge ( 40 ) of the opening ( 7 ) or the radially interior edge ( 30 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ) at a point situated between the two nose pieces ( 42 ) thereof.

12. Device according to claim 11, wherein the radially interior edge ( 40 ) of each opening ( 7 ) having said two nose pieces ( 42 ) projecting radially into the opening ( 7 ), said nose pieces ( 42 ) succeeding each other along said radially interior edge ( 40 ) of the opening and each pendular mass ( 5 ) exerting on the connecting member ( 6 ) force-fitted in its opening ( 7 ):
a force (F 3, F 4 ) on each lug ( 34 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ), and
a force (F 1, F 2 ) via each nose piece ( 42 ) of its radially interior edge ( 40 ) on the radially interior edge ( 42 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ).

13. Device according claim 11, wherein each lug ( 34 ) and the opening ( 7 ) of each pendular mass ( 5 ) being configured so that, in a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis (X), the force (F 3, F 4 ) exerted on each lug ( 34 ) has a direction intersecting the radially interior edge ( 40 ) of the opening ( 7 ) or the radially interior edge ( 30 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ) at a point situated substantially equidistant from each nose piece ( 42 ).

14. Device according to claim 13, wherein the radially interior edge ( 40 ) of each opening ( 7 ) having said two nose pieces ( 42 ) projecting radially into the opening ( 7 ), said nose pieces ( 42 ) succeeding each other along said radially interior edge ( 40 ) of the opening and each pendular mass ( 5 ) exerting on the connecting member ( 6 ) force-fitted in its opening ( 7 ):
a force (F 3, F 4 ) on each lug ( 34 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ), and
a force (F 1, F 2 ) via each nose piece ( 42 ) of its radially interior edge ( 40 ) on the radially interior edge ( 42 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ).

15. Device according to claim 4, wherein the radially interior edge ( 40 ) of each opening ( 7 ) having two nose pieces ( 42 ) projecting radially into the opening ( 7 ), said nose pieces ( 42 ) succeeding each other along said radially interior edge ( 40 ) of the opening and each pendular mass ( 5 ) exerting on the connecting member ( 6 ) force-fitted in its opening ( 7 ):
a force (F 3, F 4 ) on each lug ( 34 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ), and
a force (F 1, F 2 ) via each nose piece ( 42 ) of its radially interior edge ( 40 ) on the radially interior edge ( 42 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ).

16. Device according to claim 1, comprising at least one rolling member ( 11 ) cooperating on the one hand with a rolling track ( 12 ) secured to the support and on the other hand with a rolling track ( 13 ) secured to the pendular body.

17. Device according to claim 16, wherein the rolling track ( 13 ) defined by the pendular body being defined by the radially exterior edge ( 31 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ).

18. Device according to claim 1, wherein the pendular body ( 3 ) comprising two connecting members ( 6 ), each connecting member ( 6 ) being force-fitted in the first ( 5 ) and second ( 5 ) pendular masses, each connecting member defining a rolling track ( 13 ) for a rolling member ( 11 ) specific to said connecting member ( 6 ), each connecting member further cooperating with a rolling track ( 12 ) defined by the support to guide the movement of the pendular body ( 3 ) relative to the support ( 2 ).

19. Torsion oscillation damping device ( 1 ), comprising:
a support ( 2 ) able to move in rotation about an axis (X),
at least one pendular body ( 3 ) comprising: first and second pendular masses ( 5 ) spaced axially relative to each other and mobile relative to the support ( 2 ), the first pendular mass ( 5 ) being disposed axially on a first side of the support ( 2 ) and the second pendular mass ( 5 ) being disposed axially on a second side of the support ( 2 ), and at least one member ( 6 ) connecting the first and second pendular masses ( 5 ), matching said masses,
the connecting member ( 6 ) being secured to each of the pendular masses by force-fitting, each pendular mass including an opening ( 7 ) extending along an axis (Y) and the connecting member ( 6 ) including, along that axis (Y), successively in that opening:
an end portion ( 61 ) producing a free space (Z 2 ) with the lateral wall ( 66 ) of the opening ( 7 ) facing this end portion ( 61 ) of the connecting member, and
another portion ( 62 ) resting against the lateral wall ( 66 ) of the opening ( 7 ) facing this other portion ( 62 ) of the connecting member,
the free space (Z 2 ) having a size enabling it to receive some or all of the material of the pendular mass ( 5 ) or of the other portion ( 62 ) of the connecting member ( 6 ) displaced when force-fitting the connecting member ( 6 ) in this opening ( 7 ).

20. A torsion oscillation damping device ( 1 ), comprising:
a support ( 2 ) able to move in rotation about an axis,
at least one pendular body ( 3 ) comprising: first and second pendular masses ( 5 ) spaced axially relative to each other and mobile relative to the support ( 2 ), the first pendular mass ( 5 ) being disposed axially on a first side of the support ( 2 ) and the second pendular mass ( 5 ) being disposed axially on a second side of the support ( 2 ), and at least one member ( 6 ) connecting the first and second pendular masses ( 5 ), matching said masses ( 5 ) and secured thereto,
at least one rolling member ( 11 ) interacting on the one hand with a rolling track ( 12 ) secured to the support ( 2 ) and on the other hand with a rolling track ( 13 ) secured to the pendular body ( 3 ) to guide the movement of the pendular body ( 3 ) relative to the support ( 2 ), and
at least one abutment damping member ( 20 ) for the pendular body ( 3 ) relative to the support ( 2 ),
the rolling track ( 13 ) secured to the pendular body ( 3 ) including:
a first portion ( 70 ) of first shape on which the rolling member ( 11 ) rolls when it moves in a first range of movement from a rest position (P 0 ), and
a second portion ( 71 ) of second shape different from the first shape on which the rolling member ( 11 ) rolls when it moves beyond the first range of movement in a second range of movement in which the abutment damping member ( 20 ) comes into contact both with the support ( 2 ) and with the pendular body ( 3 ).