Abstract: Signal correction in a bipolar transistor circuit having a base-emitter voltage and a non-linear output signal corresponding to a detectable characteristic is improved by correcting non-linearity in the signal at third and/or higher-orders. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, the output of the transistor is corrected as a function of the base-emitter voltage, the non-linear output signal and a generated non-linearity. The generated non-linearity is adapted to cancel the non-linearity of the non-linear output signal when added thereto. Various implementations of the present invention are applicable to a variety of applications, each of which may have selected characteristics that are accounted for by the generated non-linearity, which is selectively adapted for each particular application. In this manner, third and higher-order corrections can be made, and the detection of characteristics such as data, temperature and other terms is improved.

Abstract: In a trench-gate semiconductor device, for example a cellular power MOSFET, the gate (11) is present in a trench (20) that extends through the channel-accommodating region (15) of the device. An underlying body portion (16) that carries a high voltage in an off state of the device is present adjacent to a side wall of a lower part (20b) of the trench (20). Instead of being a single high-resistivity region, this body portion (16) comprises first regions (61) of a first conductivity type interposed with second regions (62) of the opposite second conductivity type. In the conducting state of the device, the first regions (61) provide parallel current paths through the thick body portion (16), from the conduction channel (12) in the channel-accommodating region (15). In an off-state of the device, the body portion (16) carries a depletion layer (50).

Abstract: An operating system that provides protection domain support is arranged so to be compatible with “well behaved” threads, i.e., threads that obtain all their memory allocations from the operating system, that were written without regard for protection domains. This may be achieved by associating each protection domain with one or more pages of memory, so-called “primary memory pages”, for which the protection domain has read and write access permission. Requests by such a “protection-domain-unaware” thread to the operating system for a memory allocation, e.g., for memory in which to create a data structure, are automatically fulfilled by the operating system from the memory available in the primary memory pages of the protection domain of the requesting thread. The operating system informs the thread of the location of the created data structure, e.g., by passing to the thread a pointer to the data structure.

Abstract: A luminaire comprises a relatively thin and flat light-emitting panel (1) having a light-emitting window (2) and, opposite said light-emitting window, a rear wall (3) with opposed edge surfaces (4, 14). At least one of the edge surfaces (4) is light transmitting and associated with a plurality of light sources (5, 5′, 5″, . . . ). Light originating from the light sources (5, 5′, 5″, . . . ) is spread in the panel (1). The invention is characterized in that a plurality of deformities (7, 7′, 7″, . . . ; 8, 8′, . . . ) is provided in the panel (1) for extracting light from the panel (1) via the light emission window (2). The deformities (7, 7′, 7″, . . . ; 8, 8′, . . . ) are clustered so as to form at least one light symbol (27; 28). The configuration of the clusters (17; 18) of deformities (7, 7′, 7″, . . . ; 8, 8′, . . . ) corresponds to the shape of the light symbol (27; 28).

Abstract: Method and device for determining the position of a medical instrument, partially introduced into an object being examined, in a three-dimensional image data set of the object. In order to achieve a high accuracy of the position determination and minimize the expenditure required and thus save intricate registration steps prior to an intervention, simultaneously with the acquisition of an X-ray image, the spatial positions of the X-ray image and the spatial position of a medical instrument are acquired. Then, the spatial correlation between an X-ray image and a three-dimensional image data set is determined. This correlation is used to transform the spatial position of the medical instrument into a position relative to the three-dimensional image data set. This enables the formation of images containing image information acquired pre-operatively as well as intra-operatively, and also the reproduction of the instantaneous position of the medical instrument in the images.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of reducing artifacts in object images acquired by means of measurement signals sent by a source through the object onto a detector, which method comprises the steps of: a) adaptively filtering the data signals received by the detector in dependence of the data value; b) processing the data signals to indicate the attenuation of the measurement signals passing through the object; and c) reconstructing an image of the object based on the filtered and processed data signals. The method according to the invention is characterized in that step b) is performed on the adaptively filtered data signals resulting from step a).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of reconstructing three-dimensional images from cone beam projection data of an object to be examined which is arranged in an examination zone. In practice cone beam projections are usually cut off, because the object to be examined usually cannot be imaged completely in all imaging positions. An image which is reconstructed exclusively from the acquired projection data, therefore, does not have the highest possible image quality. In order to continue the projection data beyond the sensitive detector surface and hence obtain images of higher image quality, therefore, the invention proposes a method which includes the following steps: (a) acquiring the cone beam projection data, (b) determining the contour of the sensitive detector surface, (c) determining pseudo-projection data in an overall outer zone from the projection data acquired, and (d) reconstructing a three-dimensional image from the projection data and the pseudo-projection data.

Abstract: A main magnet assembly (12) creates a main magnetic field (Bo) through an imaging region (10). An operator selects sizes and locations of at least two intersecting slabs (72, 74) in a region of interest. A sequence controller (42) includes a gradient synthesizer (44) and an RF pulse synthesizer (46) that synthesize slab select gradient field pulses (80, 82) and magnetization tipping RF pulses (&agr;, &bgr;) to tip or rotate the magnetization in the slabs and an intersection region (70). A first RF pulse (&agr;) and slab select gradient tip the magnetization in the first slab and the intersection region out of alignment with the (Bo) field (FIGS. 5A, 7A). A second RF pulse (&bgr;) and slab select gradient tip the magnetization in the second slab out of alignment with the (Bo) field (FIG. 6B) and further manipulate the magnetization in the intersection region (FIG. 7B).

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method that facilitates flexible restriction of output transmissions from chosen scan test cells and reduces adverse impacts on functional components from coincidental test vector values during scan test operations. The system and method of the present invention provides the capability of masking test vector values that coincidentally trigger certain undesirable events in functional components. In one embodiment, a system and method of the present invention masks test vector values shifted into scan test cells that are coupled to bus driver enabling signals. The system and method of the of the present invention also facilitates flexible selection of which scan test cell outputs are masked and permits a scan test cell to provide a scan test vector value to an associated functional component and prevent coincidental transmission of inappropriate test vector values.

Abstract: In a transmission system comprising a transmitter coupled via a transmission channel to a receiver. The transmitter comprises a channel encoder for deriving encoded symbols from source symbols. The receiver comprises a channel decoder for reconstructing the source symbols from the signal received from the transmission channel. According to the present invention, the transmitter comprises a separate encoder for coding and transmitting a coding property used in the channel encoder to the receiver. The receiver is arranged for receiving the encoded coding property from the transmission medium, and the separate channel decoder is arranged for decoding the encoded coding property. The coding property provided by the separate channel decoder is passed to a code property setting component in the channel decoder for setting the coding property of the channel decoder.

Abstract: The invention relates to a detector circuit (100) for detecting short-lasting voltage pulses (spikes) in a power supply voltage (VDD). An integrator (INT) forms the average value (VDD_AV) of the power supply voltage (VDD) and a corresponding energy is stored in a first memory (MEM1). A comparator (COMP) compares the power supply voltage (VDD) with a predetermined voltage interval ([Vref1, Vref2]) and closes a switch (S) when the power supply voltage is outside this interval. The energy from the first memory (MEM1) then flows into a second memory (MEM2) via the switch (S) and a delay circuit (DELAY). When the energy in the second memory (MEM2) exceeds a threshold value, an output stage (OUT) is thereby activated, whose output supplies a signal (SPIKE_DET) indicating a voltage spike.

Abstract: A connection device (70) provides electrical connection between a stator motor (50) of an x-ray tube and a stator cord (56). The connection device is connected with the x-ray tube housing (30) by threading a threaded portion (80) into a corresponding threaded aperture (82) in the housing to create a leak-tight seal. The threaded portion is rigidly connected with a connecting portion (100), such as a bayonet socket, which receives a corresponding fitting (102) of the stator cord. An electrical conduction path (125), hermetically sealed in the connecting device, provides electrical connection between the socket and the interior of the housing. The connection device allows the stator cord to be quickly connected or disconnected from the housing yet provides a seal which resists leakage of cooling oil from the housing.

Abstract: In a method of generating red, green and blue color signals, the red, green and blue color signals are picked up by red, green and blue color sensors each having a horizontal read-out register, while first n-phase clock signals (&phgr;C1, &phgr;C2, &phgr;C3), generated (DEL) from a pixel clock signal (f), are processed (MUX-G) to obtain second n-phase clock signals (&phgr;C1(G), &phgr;C2(G), &phgr;C3(G)) for the read-out register of the green color sensor in order to obtain an electronic half pixel offset for the green color signal with respect to the red and blue color signals.

Abstract: A method and apparatus thereof for fabricating an integrated circuit on a laminate having a gate electrode layer over a silicon dioxide layer. Detection of the gate etch endpoint signal is improved by maximizing the use of a faster etching dopant material (e.g., n-type dopant) and minimizing the use of a slower etching dopant material (e.g., p-type dopant) in the gate electrode layer. In one embodiment, a first portion of the gate electrode layer, substantially corresponding only to the location at which a gate is to be formed, is doped with the slower etching dopant material. The remaining portion of the gate electrode layer is doped with the faster etching dopant material; thus, more of the gate electrode layer is doped with the faster etching dopant material than with the slower etching dopant material. A gate mask is aligned over the gate electrode layer, and the unmasked portions of the gate electrode layer are removed using an etchant.

Abstract: A hearing/speaking configuration (1) having a housing (2), having sound-reproducing means (20) accommodated in the housing (2), and having sound-receiving means (19) designed without a boom, wherein the sound-receiving means (19) is accommodated in the housing (2), as is the sound-reproducing means (20), wherein a first sound passage opening (16) and a second sound passage opening (25) are provided in the housing (2) and the sound-receiving means (19) has a directional characteristic with a main direction (28) and an extinction direction (30), and wherein the extinction direction (30) extends from the sound-receiving means (19) to the sound-reproducing means (20).

Abstract: Gradient fields Gx=∂Bz/∂x etc. are generated in an MRI apparatus in order to indicate the position (x, y, z) of an object pixel to be imaged. In a known MRI system the x and y gradient fields are generated by a combination of four gradient coils, two of which are intended to receive the x and y gradient signals whereas the other two coils are intended to receive a mix of the x and y gradient signals in order to enable a simpler structure of the gradient coils and easier impedance matching. According to the invention, apart from the x, y and z gradient signals, other signals are applied to a conversion system (35) in order to realize the desired gradient fields but also to achieve degrees of freedom that can be used for optimizing system parameters such as heat dissipation or the uniformity of the distribution of power among the gradient amplifiers.

Abstract: A kitchen appliance (1) having a housing (2), a motor (6) and a protection device (9) by which the motor (6) can be turned off compulsively in certain operating conditions, and having a container (15) which can be closed with a cover (30) and which can be placed onto the housing (2) and which has a control slide (35) coupled to the cover (30) via a first coupling device (36) and also coupled to the protection device (9) via a second coupling device (37). Both the first coupling device (36) and the second coupling device (37) are constructed in such a manner that an automatic activation of the safety device (9) can be achieved by these two coupling devices (36, 37).

Abstract: An x-ray tube assembly (16) includes a vacuum envelope (52) and an x-ray permeable exit window (58). An anode (50) is positioned within the vacuum envelope (52) such that a near side is adjacent to the exit window (58) and a far side is opposite thereof. A cathode assembly (66) is also mounted within the vacuum envelope (52) which directs an electron beam (72) toward a focal spot or point (62) on the far side of the anode (50). The anode further includes a central cavity or indentation (70) which provides a location for mounting a set of radiation attenuating vanes (64) in addition to a shaped x-ray filter or compensator (68). Close placement of the vanes (64) and the filter (68) relative to the focal spot of the anode desirably reduce off focal radiation and allow beam shaping. An externally located collimator (18) further shapes the output x-ray beam.

Abstract: Among the embodiments of the present invention is test equipment (440) to test an integrated circuit (420). The integrated circuit (420) includes one or more processors and one or more communication devices (130). The test equipment (440) includes a responder integrated circuit (450) that has at least one processor, several communication devices (160), and one or more configuration connections (192). The responder integrated circuit responds to commands from the first integrated circuit (420) and a configuration established with the one or more configuration connections (192) to test operation of the one or more communication devices (130).