A semiconductor integrated circuit including: a circuit block having an internal voltage line; an annular rail line forming a closed annular line around the circuit block and supplied with one of a power supply voltage and a reference voltage; and a plurality of switch blocks arranged around the circuit block along the annular rail line, the plurality of switch blocks each including a voltage line segment forming a part of the annular rail line and a switch for controlling connection and disconnection between the voltage line segment and the internal voltage line.

Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to a single-ended configurable multi-mode driver. An embodiment of an apparatus includes an input to receive an input signal, an output to transmit a driven signal generated from the input signal on a communication channel, a mechanism for independently configuring a termination resistance of the driver apparatus, and a mechanism for independently configuring a voltage swing of the driven signal without modifying a supply voltage for the apparatus.

According to one embodiment, a first oscillator has an oscillation frequency that is changed depending on a temperature. A second oscillator has different temperature characteristics from the first oscillator. An on-chip heater heats the first oscillator and the second oscillator. A counter counts a first oscillation signal of the first oscillator. An ADPLL generates a third oscillation signal on the basis of a second oscillation signal of the second oscillator and corrects the frequency of the third oscillation signal on the basis of a count value of the counter.

A circuit for a single differential-inductor oscillator with common-mode resonance may include a tank circuit formed by coupling a first inductor with a pair of first capacitors; a cross-coupled transistor pair coupled to the tank circuit; and one or more second capacitors coupled to the tank circuit and the cross-coupled transistors. The single differential-inductor oscillator may be configured such that a common mode (CM) resonance frequency (FCM) associated with the single differential-inductor oscillator is at twice a differential resonance frequency (FD) associated with the single differential-inductor oscillator.

A method in a circuit comprises providing a first clock by a resistor-capacitor (RC) oscillator; demodulating a plurality of input signals to form a plurality of demodulated input signals; discriminating frequency ranges of the plurality of demodulated input signals according to the first clock; determining whether a first predetermined number of consecutive demodulated input signals among the plurality of demodulated input signals fall into a first predetermined frequency range; triggering a crystal oscillator to provide a second clock to calibrate the first clock if the first predetermined number of consecutive input signals fall into the first predetermined frequency range.

The present disclosure relates to nanoresonator oscillators or NEMS (nanoelectromechanical system) oscillators. A circuit for measuring the oscillation frequency of a resonator is provided, comprising a first phase-locked feedback loop locking the frequency of a controlled oscillator at the resonant frequency of the resonator, this first loop comprising a first phase comparator. Furthermore, a second feedback loop is provided which searches for and stores the loop phase shift introduced by the resonator and its amplification circuit when they are locked at resonance by the first loop. The first and the second loops operate during a calibration phase. A third self-oscillation loop is set up during an operation phase. It directly links the output of the controllable phase shifter to the input of the resonator. The phase shifter receives the phase-shift control stored by the second loop.

An oscillating device includes a temperature compensated oscillator that compensates a frequency temperature characteristic in a temperature compensation range including apart of a first temperature range, and a temperature control circuit that includes a heater and controls a temperature of a quartz crystal resonator of the temperature compensated oscillator into a second temperature range included in the temperature compensation range. Further, the temperature compensation range of the temperature compensated oscillator may include a part of the first temperature range in which compensation can be performed by first-order approximation.

A phase locked loop includes a voltage controlled oscillator and a frequency divider or frequency multiplier. The voltage controlled oscillator and the frequency divider/multiplier are coupled together in a stacked configuration. A drive current is supplied to the voltage controlled oscillator. The drive current passes from the voltage controlled oscillator to the frequency divider/multiplier, thereby driving the frequency divider/multiplier with the same drive current that was supplied to the voltage controlled oscillator.

A digitally controlled oscillator has a high-order ΔΣ modulator configured to be of at least an order higher than a first order and configured to input a digital control signal and output a pseudorandom digital output signal, a first-order ΔΣ modulator configured to input the pseudorandom digital output signal and generate a control pulse signal including a pulse width corresponding to the pseudorandom digital output signal, a low pass filter configured to pass a low frequency component of the control pulse signal, and an oscillator configured to generate a high-frequency output signal whose frequency is controlled based on the control pulse signal outputted by the low pass filter so as to be a frequency corresponding to the digital control signal.

An integrated circuit (10) has an internal RC-oscillator (20) for providing an internal clock signal (CLI) having an adjustable oscillator frequency. The integrated circuit (10) further comprises terminals (101, 102) for connecting an external LC tank (30) having a resonance frequency and a calibration circuit (40) which is configured to adjust the oscillator frequency based on the resonance frequency of the LC tank (30) connected during operation of the integrated circuit (10). An internal auxiliary oscillator (46) is connected to the terminals (101, 102) in a switchable fashion and is configured to generate an auxiliary clock signal (CLA) based on the resonance frequency. The calibration circuit (40) comprises a frequency comparator (47) which is configured to determine a trimming word (TRW) based on a frequency comparison of the internal clock signal (CLI) and the auxiliary clock signal (CLA). The LC tank (30) to be connected is an antenna for receiving a radio signal.

The invention concerns an oscillator generating a wave composed of a frequency of on the order of terahertz from a beat of two optical waves generated by a dual-frequency optical source. The oscillator includes a modulator the transfer function of which is non-linear for generating harmonics with a frequency of less than one terahertz for each of the optical waves generated by the dual-frequency optical source, an optical detector able to detect at least one harmonic for each of the optical waves generated by the dual-frequency optical source and transforming the harmonics detected into an electrical signal, a phase comparator for comparing the electrical signal with a reference electrical signal, and a module for controlling at least one element of the dual-frequency optical source with a signal obtained from the signal resulting from the comparison.

The present invention discloses an Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillator and a manufacturing method thereof. The Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillator comprises a thermostatic bath, a heating device, a PCB and a signal generating element, where the signal generating element is used for generating a signal of a certain frequency, the heating device, the PCB and the signal generating element are mounted in the thermostatic bath, the signal generating element is mounted in a groove formed on one side of the PCB, while the heating device is mounted against the other side of the PCB that is opposite to the groove. The signal generating element may be a passive crystal resonator or an active crystal oscillator. The Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillator according to the invention is advantageous for a small volume and a high temperature control precision.

An atomic oscillator includes: a gas cell which includes two window portions having a light transmissive property and in which metal atoms are sealed; a light emitting portion that emits excitation light to excite the metal atoms in the gas cell; a light detecting portion that detects the excitation light transmitted through the gas cell; a heater that generates heat; and a connection member that thermally connects the heater and each window portion of the gas cell to each other.

An oscillator module includes a first MOS transistor and a capacitor. The capacitor is coupled between a gate and source of the first MOS transistor. The drain of the first MOS transistor receives a first bias current and generates an oscillating output signal. A switching circuit operates in response to the oscillating output signal to selective charge and discharge the capacitor. A current sourcing circuit is configured to generate the bias current. The current sourcing circuit includes a second MOS transistor which has an identical layout to the first MOS transistor and receives a second bias current. A resistor is coupled between a gate and source of the second MOS transistor. The current sourcing circuit further includes a current mirror having an input configured to receive a reference current passing through the resistor and generate the first and second bias currents.

An integrated structure of compound semiconductor devices is disclosed. The integrated structure comprises from bottom to top a substrate, a first epitaxial layer, an etching-stop layer, a second epitaxial layer, a sub-collector layer, a collector layer, a base layer, and an emitter layer, in which the first epitaxial layer is a p-type doped layer, the second epitaxial layer is an n-type graded doping layer with a gradually increased or decreased doping concentration, and the sub-collector layer is an n-type doped layer. The integrated structure can be used to form an HBT, a varactor, or an MESFET.

Systems and methods for switching impedance are provided. In some aspects, a system includes first and second impedance elements and an impedance switch module, which includes a third impedance element coupled between the first and second impedance elements and a switch parallel to the third impedance element. The switch is coupled between the first and second impedance elements, and is configured to switch between an open configuration and a closed configuration. An electrical path is completed between the first impedance element and the second impedance element via the first switch in the closed configuration. The electrical path is not completed in the open configuration. A total impedance of the first impedance element, the second impedance element, and the impedance switch module is varied based on the switching between the open configuration and the closed configuration.

The present invention proposes a digital system and method of measuring (estimating) non-energy parameters of the signal (phase, frequency and frequency rate) received in additive mixture with Gaussian noise. The first embodiment of the measuring system consists of a PLL system tracking variable signal frequency, a block of NCO full phase computation (OFPC), a block of signal phase primary estimation (SPPE) and a first type adaptive filter filtering the signal from the output of SPPE. The second embodiment of the invention has no block SPPE, and NCO full phase is fed to the input of a second type adaptive filter. The present invention can be used in receivers of various navigation systems, such as GPS, GLONASS and GALILEO, which provide precise measurements of signal phase at different rates of frequency change, as well as systems using digital PLLs for speed measurements.

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product are provided. The apparatus tunes a frequency provided by a VCO. The apparatus determines a relative capacitance change associated with a first frequency and a desired frequency from a look-up table. The apparatus adjusts a capacitor circuit in the VCO based on the determined relative capacitance change determined from the look-up table in order to tune from the first frequency to the desired frequency. The apparatus determines that the frequency provided by the VCO is a second frequency different than the desired frequency after adjusting the capacitor circuit. The apparatus performs an iterative search to further adjust the capacitor circuit when a difference between the second frequency and the desired frequency is greater than a threshold.

A system is disclosed for a voltage controlled oscillator (“VCO”) having a large frequency range and a low gain. Passive or active circuitry is introduced between at least one VCO cell in the voltage controlled oscillator and the voltage source for the VCO cell which reduces a gain value for the VCO to maintain stability of the system.

An injection locking oscillator (ILO) comprising a tank circuit having a digitally controlled capacitor bank, a cross-coupled differential transistor pair coupled to the tank circuit, at least one signal injection node, and at least one output node configured to provide an injection locked output signal; a digitally controlled injection-ratio circuit having an injection output coupled to the at least one signal injection node, configured to accept an input signal and to generate an adjustable injection signal applied to the at least one injection node; and, an ILO controller connected to the capacitor bank and the injection-ratio circuit configured to apply a control signal to the capacitor bank to adjust a resonant frequency of the tank circuit and to apply a control signal to the injection-ratio circuit to adjust a signal injection ratio.

The invention relates to a method for operating control equipment (1) of a resonance circuit (2), wherein the control equipment (1) comprises at least two circuit elements (8, 9) connected in series, in particular each comprising a recovery diode (13, 14) connected in parallel, between which a connection (6) of the resonance circuit (2) is connected. According to the invention, the circuit elements (8, 9) are actuated as a function of the voltage detected at the connection (6). The invention further relates to control equipment (1) of a resonance circuit (2).

Disclosed are a phase locked loop (PLL) of a digital scheme and a method thereof. More specifically, disclosed are a digital phase locked loop having a time-to-digital converter (TDC), a digital loop filter (DLF), and a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO), and that is designed to have a constant jitter characteristic at all times even though an operating condition of a circuit varies according to a process, voltage, temperature (PVT) change, and a method thereof.

A ring oscillator circuit causing a pulse signal to circulate around a circle to which an even number of inverting circuits are connected in a ring, wherein one of the inverting circuits is a first starting inverting circuit, which drives a first pulse signal according to a control signal, another of the inverting circuits is a second starting inverting circuit, which drives a second pulse signal based on a leading edge of the first pulse signal, still another is a third starting inverting circuit, which drives a third pulse signal based on the leading edge of the first pulse signal after the second pulse signal is driven, and the first to third starting inverting circuits are arranged within the circle of the inverting circuits in order of the third, second, and first pulse signals in traveling directions of the pulse signals.

A ring-oscillator-based on-chip sensor (OCS) includes a substrate having a semiconductor surface upon which the OCS is formed. The OCS includes an odd number of digital logic stages formed in and on the semiconductor surface including a first stage and a last stage each including at least one NOR gate including a first gate stack and/or a NAND gate including a second gate stack. A feedback connection is from an output of the last stage to an input of the first stage. At least one discharge path including at least a first p-channel metal-oxide semiconductor (PMOS) device is coupled between the first gate stack and a ground pad, and/or at least one charge path including at least a first n-channel metal-oxide semiconductor (NMOS) device is coupled between the second gate stack a power supply pad.

The switching element is provided in a state of being electromagnetically coupled to the cavity resonator of the high frequency oscillator; the bias voltage applying terminal is connected to one electrode of the switching element; another electrode of the switching element is electrically connected to the cavity resonator (the anode shell in FIG. 1); the metal plate having a size enough for reflecting an electric wave to be transmitted before and after the switching element in a high-frequency manner is provided at any one end of the switching element; and by applying a bias voltage to the switching element and varying that, a reactance of the switching element is changed and a resonance frequency of the cavity resonator is varied. By this method, an oscillation frequency can be varied greatly relative to a small change in a bias voltage.

A vibration element includes a piezoelectric substrate including a vibrating section and a thick section having a thickness larger than that of the vibrating section. The thick section includes a first thick section provided along a first outer edge of the vibrating section, a second thick section provided along a second outer edge, and a third thick section provided along another first outer edge. An inclined outer edge section that intersects with each of an X axis and a Z' axis is provided in a tip section of the piezoelectric substrate.

Arrays of resonator sensors include an active wafer array comprising a plurality of active wafers, a first end cap array coupled to a first side of the active wafer array, and a second end cap array coupled to a second side of the active wafer array. Thickness shear mode resonator sensors may include an active wafer coupled to a first end cap and a second end cap. Methods of forming a plurality of resonator sensors include forming a plurality of active wafer locations and separating the active wafer locations to form a plurality of discrete resonator sensors. Thickness shear mode resonator sensors may be produced by such methods.

A solenoid actuator comprising an armature member that engages a spool including a spool cap on an end of the spool that is axially movable relative to the spool. A bore in the spool allows fluid to flow from a control port to the spool cap, such that pressure is established in the spool cap. The pressure established in the spool cap acts on the spool with a force directly proportional to the control pressure and the fluid-contacting area inside the spool cap.

A solenoid valve includes a plunger, an actuating device, and an air tap assembly. The plunger is connected to the actuating device. The air tap assembly is secured to the actuating device and has a cavity. The air tap assembly includes a main body, and first and second tubes. The first tube protrudes from the main body and defines a first through hole. The main body defines a second through hole communicated with the first through hole and the cavity. The second tube defines a third through hole. The main body defines a fourth through hole extended from the third through hole and a fifth through hole extended from the fourth through hole to the cavity. The fifth and second through holes are parallel. The plunger head is used to seal the second and fifth through holes.

The invention provides a switching valve having a valve element which is movable in a housing, an actuating apparatus acting on the valve element in a first direction and a spring apparatus charging the valve element in a second direction. According to the invention, the first and second directions are in opposition and the spring apparatus has a progressive spring characteristic.

A flush adaptor for use with a valve fitment assembly for dispensing liquids from a container; wherein the flush adaptor comprises an outer ring-collar; a flange with an edge molded to the bottom of the outer ring-collar; an interior ring-collar adjacent to the outer ring-collar; a ridge molded in the interior ring-collar; a seat molded onto the interior ring-collar and a pin molded into the interior ring-collar which keeps the valve in an open position; and a hollow tube molded into the adaptor to allow the flow of liquid through the adaptor and into the fitment assembly; whereby the flush adaptor allows for cleaning of the assembly and any tubes connected thereto.

In a method for operating a fluid valve for controlling or regulating a fluid, having at least one movable valve component is displaceable with the aid of at least one electrical actuating signal which contains at least one first actuating signal portion which causes an oscillating valve motion of the valve component. Pressure oscillations generated in the fluid due to the oscillating valve motion are detected, and are used for regulation of the oscillating valve motion caused by the first actuating signal portion.

A steplessly adjustable hydraulic insert valve has a housing defining a radial direction and an end side in an installation direction. An inflow connector on the end side is connectable to a pressure medium source. First and second working connectors and a return connector are arranged in the radial direction. The return connector is connectable to a pressure medium tank. The housing has an axial bore and an actuator guided movably therein. The actuator can be held in an axial center position by at least one spring and is adjustable steplessly axially out of the center position by controllable actuation. At least one of the working connectors is fluidically connectable to the return connector by axial adjustment of the actuator. The actuator has a radial widened portion with first and second control edges for steplessly opening and/or closing first and second radial openings, respectively, of the return connector.

Pressure relief/drainage valve for a concrete pumper having a valve body with an axially extending passageway through which concrete flowing in a pumping line passes, an outlet port in a side wall of the passageway, and a valve member which prevents concrete from passing through the port when the valve is a closed position and permits concrete to discharge through the outlet port when the valve is in an open position.

A direct acting solenoid actuator includes an armature and associated push pin that are suspended from certain fixed solenoid components, such as a pole piece and/or flux sleeve, by a fully floating cage of rolling elements. The fixed solenoid component may comprise a pole piece and/or a flux sleeve. The pole piece may include stops to limit movement of the cage of rolling elements in the axial direction.

A butterfly valve including a valve body having a passage, a valve shaft assembly, a valve plate, and a tube that is friction fit inside the passage is provided. The valve shaft assembly includes a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion. The first and second shaft portions are in opposing spaced relation with the valve plate disposed therebetween. The valve plate has a flange such that when the butterfly valve is in the closed position a seal is formed with the tube, which is disposed within the fluid flow passage. The valve plate has lip extending from a portion of the valve plate that is radially outward from the circumference of the tube. The lip acts to reduce flow induced torque experienced while the valve plate is actuated from the closed to the open position.

A seal member for an aseptic coupling device includes a cross-sectional area including a first end portion, a middle portion, and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the middle portion being thinner in radial dimension than the first and second end portions.

Water valves and methods of regulating fluid flow for low ambient pressure water sources that reduce the amount of filtration needed for valve mechanisms operating in the water source.

A drain plug assembly that has particular application for sealing a drain hole in a high voltage battery compartment on a vehicle. The plug assembly includes a plug that inserted into the drain hole. The plug assembly further includes a return spring coupled to the plug and causing the plug to be biased into the drain hole. The plug assembly also includes at least one shape memory alloy device coupled to the plug and a support structure. The SMA device receives an electrical current that causes the device to contract and move the plug out of the drain hole against the bias of the return spring.

A solenoid valve, the magnet armature of which is designed to be movable relative to a first valve-closing element, for which purpose the first valve-closing element is accommodated telescopically in a coupling element attached to the magnet armature, wherein the coupling element is guided along the inner wall of a guide sleeve inserted in the valve housing in order to align the magnet armature precisely with the first valve-closing element in the direction of a second valve-closing element which is likewise accommodated in the guide sleeve.

For a flap assembly, in particular an exhaust gas flap assembly, with the flap mounted on both sides via bearing devices in the housing, the disclosure describes a design in which a bearing body is supported radially against an annular collar of the bearing device and, by way of the annular collar, is held braced in a radially spring-loaded manner in a predefined radial position.

A flow control valve element has a generally spherical ball. An inlet is formed in the ball. An outlet is also formed in the ball, the outlet opposing the inlet. A hollowed-out portion extends between the inlet and the outlet. A pair of opposing flats are formed in the ball, the flats each having a first flat portion formed in an external portion of the ball and an opposing second flat portion formed in the hollowed-out portion of the ball.

The present invention involves, in some embodiments, systems and methods involving fluid handling apparatus for pumping fluid to and from a patient, which may include a reusable component and a disposable pumping cartridge. The reusable component may comprise a control chamber and a pressure transducer configured to measure a gas pressure associated with the control chamber, as well as a processor. The processor may be configured to supply the control chamber with a gas at a predetermined pressure, monitor the gas pressure associated within the control chamber with the pressure transducer over a predetermined period of time, and determine if the change in gas pressure associated within the control chamber exceeds a maximum allowable predetermined limit.

A method for operating a collection system for printed products includes drawing off the printed products from discharge device(s) disposed at corresponding discharge point(s) in the collection system. The printed products are deposited on a collection section during a cycle period of the discharge device(s) so as to form a bundle of printed products. The bundle is transferred to a subsequent conveying mechanism having receiving pockets. It is determined whether at least one missing printed product exists due to an incorrect drawing off from the discharge point(s). A repair process is initiated and controlled in which the at least one missing printed product is drawn off from the corresponding discharge point(s) at a time corresponding to a subsequent recurrent pocket-related cycle of the subsequent conveying mechanism in a subsequent cycle period of the discharge device(s). The at least one missing printed product is inserted in the relevant receiving pocket.

According to one embodiment, a sheet finishing apparatus includes a finishing section configured to apply finishing to a sheet placed on a processing tray, a sheet discharging section configured to discharge the sheet subjected to the finishing to a stack tray via a discharge port, a roller attached to a shaft provided in parallel to the discharge port and which rotate in a first direction for guiding the sheet in the direction of the finishing section and a second direction for discharging the sheet, and an arm attached to the shaft to extend in the centrifuging direction from the shaft, rotate with the torque of the shaft, and idly rotate when force for regulating the torque acts. The arm flaps down the trailing end of the sheet on the stack tray onto the stack tray.

In a processing machine including a processor having a processing blade and a receiver having a reception member and in which a blade edge of the processing blade and a reception portion, of the reception member, engage with each other to process a paper sheet therebetween, the processing blade is one processing blade selected from a blade group and is attached to the processor so as to be changeable to another processing blade of the blade group, reception portions of kinds corresponding to a plurality of kinds of the processing blades of the blade group are formed on the reception member, and the processing blade attached to the processor is positioned so as to be in a position where the blade edge is engageable with the reception portion of the corresponding kind.

A method and device for the production of books, including: moving book blocks successively along a conveying section of a book production line; supplying a stack of book cases to the book production line; identifying a marking on each of the book blocks and the book cases; transmitting an identified marking on at least one book case to a machine control of the book production line; assigning a dataset stored in the machine control for a sequence of book cases to the supplied stack; determining a sequence in the machine control for book blocks positioned on the conveying section; comparing the dataset for the sequence of the book cases to the sequence of the book blocks; and removing and/or supplying at least one book block from or to the conveying section if the sequence of the book blocks deviates from the sequence of the book cases using the machine control.

A method for producing a bundle composed of book blocks includes gathering a plurality of printed sheets to form respective book blocks. The plurality of the book blocks are positioned with the same orientation and respectively positioned on lower edges of the printed sheets. Respectively two adjacent book blocks are offset from one another parallel to the lower edges of the printed sheets and transverse to a height of the bundle to be formed, such that a side edge of one of the two book block projects relative to a side edge of the adjacent book block. Thereafter the offset book blocks are combined to form the bundle and the bundle is compressed to fix the offset position of the book blocks.

A method for operating a processing system, in which product units of different formats are processed. The processing system contains a plurality of processing devices that are arranged one after the other in a processing line. In the event of a format changeover, certain component arrangements arranged in the processing system must be adapted to the new product format. In the event of an upcoming format change, a gap in the conveyed goods is generated while the conveying operation is maintained, wherein the gap in the conveyed goods runs through the processing system along the processing devices. As soon as the gap in the conveyed goods runs through a component arrangement to be adapted to the new format, the format is changed over at the component arrangement while the gap in the conveyed goods runs through the component arrangement.

The invention proposes a method for producing a printed product, in which a printed product, preferably produced in a forme-bound high-capacity printing process, in the form of a main product (2) or a subproduct is provided with an identification means which comprises a piece of individualizable product-specific information. At least two downstream individualization steps are performed, wherein the identification means allow the piece of information which is to be added in the at least two further downstream individualization steps to be associated with the respective product. Preferably, the new addressee-specific digital printed product comprises blog articles, preferably in the form of a blog insert, which is in turn preferably produced using digital printing. Identification means, for example in the form of ID tags (4, 4'), comprise not only the product-specific identification information but preferably also control information (31-36) which can be read by sensors on the handling devices (7-12) and hence directly control the handling of the respective product by this at least one handling device (7-12) and, in cooperation with inspection codes on the subproducts to be supplied, allow the correct supply to be inspected. The present invention also allows uninterrupted compilation of product packages for postal dispatch by virtue of the product sequence in the course of the conveying line comprising, at least in sections, a recurring succession of a respective one or more intermediate products partly individualized on an addressee-specific basis and at least one, preferably a plurality of, non-individualized standard intermediate products.