Abstract: The present invention enables multiple operating territories to be defined, named, and managed within a meter reading system. Each operating territory may correspond to a geographic sub-section of the meter reading system that is regulated by a particular regulatory agency. Each operating territory may be assigned a set of time of use (TOU) schedules required by its corresponding regulatory agency. The set of TOU schedules assigned to each operating territory may be stored in a database.

Abstract: The invention includes an electronic utility meter, a data collector/meter and a method for communicating data in an automated meter reading system. The inventive method includes communicating data with a network and a first electronic utility meter, and communicating the data with the first electronic utility meter and one or more other meters.

Abstract: A meter is provided having a communication interface for receiving and interfacing with a communication device for transmitting measurement and other data to a central computer station via the communication device. The meter includes a measurement module for obtaining measurement data and a processor having a memory for storing application software for communicating the measurement and other data to the communication interface. The data are then provided to the communication device via the communication interface. The communication device is preferably a plug-and-play PCMCIA-type card or other type of memory card having a processor and a connection port for connecting to a port adaptor of the communication interface for receiving the data via the connection port-port adaptor connection.

Abstract: An on-site roadway warning system for alerting a driver of an approaching vehicle of a need to brake the vehicle. A transceiver radiates electromagnetic energy toward the approaching vehicle and receives reflected energy from the vehicle. A processor processes data about the reflected energy in relation to data about the radiated energy to yield data disclosing both range of the approaching vehicle from the transceiver and rate at which the vehicle is approaching the transceiver. The processor processes the data disclosing range of the approaching vehicle from the transceiver and rate at which the vehicle is approaching the transceiver in relation to the stored data, and activates a signaling device to signal the approaching vehicle when the data disclosing range of the approaching vehicle from the transceiver and rate at which the vehicle is approaching the transceiver correlates with stored data that identifies a potentially dangerous combination of range and rate.

Abstract: A system of traffic lanes and signal means for reducing the number of signal phases per repeating cycle of a signalized traffic intersection at grade. Opposed turn center lanes (24) adjoin opposed turn bypass lanes (20) that are substantially parallel and adjacent to the near side of the destination roadway approach lanes (10). Opposed turn bypass lanes (20) intersect with destination roadway approach lanes (10) and departure lanes (32) each respectively containing signal means (22) (12) (30). The system generally permits opposed turn traffic to proceed through the intersection in two phases. Phase ?1 provides opposed turn vehicles on the center lanes (24) to proceed onto the bypass lanes (20) during the destination roadway thru phase. Phase ?2 provides vehicles on the bypass lanes to proceed onto the departure lanes (32) of the destination roadway during the origination roadway thru phase. This system accommodates left-handed or right-handed driving conventions.

Abstract: An improved electronic toll collection system having two lane-based antennas per laneway. The antennas include an overhead antenna and a side mount antenna. The side mount antenna is disposed so as to communicate especially with license plate transponders. The two antennas are coupled to a transaction processing system for conducting toll transaction communications with a vehicle-mounted transponder through one of the two antennas.

Abstract: A tactile warning system for warning a helicopter pilot of a pre-selected altitude during a landing maneuver includes a collective control arm for control of the aircraft and a tactile warning device operatively connected to the collective control arm. The system includes a radio altimeter for sensing the actual altitude, a computer and keyboard for inputting a pre-selected height above the ground into the computer memory. A signal generator generates a signal indicative of the actual altitude as the aircraft approaches the ground. Then, when the actual altitude is equal to or less then the pre-selected altitude the system activates the tactile device. The warning system indicative of reaching a pre-selected height is also combined with a tactile warning system for avoiding “hot starts” and for avoiding other dangerous conditions.

Abstract: A device for positional and/or length determination comprising a carrier unit with an absolute magnetic length coding and a measuring unit that co-operates with the carrier measuring unit and can be displaced in relation to the latter. The measuring unit has a magnetic sensor unit (Sci, Sfi) and can be connected to an electronic evaluation unit (18 to 32) that is located downstream of the measuring unit. The elongated, rod-shaped carrier unit (10) is provided with one track of preferably radially magnetized length coding, a plurality of coding sections comprising periodic pole divisions is provided along the length coding and coding sections of a first polarity alternate with coding sections of a second polarity along the carrier unit, in such a way that a maximum of two coding sections of the same polarity lie directly adjacent to one another.

Abstract: The invention pertains to an at least partially transparent touch-sensitive switching system comprising at least two electrodes provided with means for applying a voltage thereto and spaced from each other by a layer comprising at least one region that optically changes by applying the voltage, and at least one region comprising a piezoelectric material generating a voltage when applying pressure thereto.

Abstract: A versatile and mobile keyboard and a highly energy efficient keyboard scanning method are provided. The keyboard may be used with a variety of mobile devices such as PDAs, cellular phones, and tablet PCs, through various interfaces such as an IR, USB, or Bluetooth™ interface. In particular, an IR head assembly is provided that includes an IR head, a movable arm on which the IR head is mounted, and a connector for attaching to a docking structure. The docking structure may be attached to a keypad, which is electrically coupled to the IR head for transmitting keystroke data through the IR head. When a mobile device is docked on the docking structure, the arm in the IR assembly may be moved to an optimal distance from the IR port of the mobile device to ensure high communication performance between the keyboard and the mobile device. An energy efficient keyboard scanning method utilizes higher-valued pull-up resistors for energy conservation.

Abstract: A circuit function verification method that simulates an operating state caused by an analog signal. When differential input DP and differential input DM are inputted to a differential interface circuit, a signal change detection section monitors the state of the differential input DP and the differential input DM and detects a change in the logical level of the differential input DP and the differential input DM. For example, the signal change detection section detects that the differential input DP and the differential input DM are at the same logical level or that the differential input DP and the differential input DM changed simultaneously to logical levels opposite to each other.

Abstract: We present a method and apparatus for performing adaptive data compression. An alphabet and vocabulary in the encoder and decoder is built adaptively and stored in a dictionary as symbols are to be encoded and decoded. Each time an unknown symbol is to be encoded by the encoder, the encoder adds the symbol to the dictionary and transmits it in plain in the encoded string. The code words transmitted by the encoder include symbols and indexes. The state of a prefix bit preceding the code word indicates whether the code word is a plain symbol or an index of a symbol or string of symbols stored in the dictionary. The decoder examines the prefix bit of each code word as it is received to determine if the code word stores a symbol in plain or in index. If the code word stores a symbol in plain, the decoder learns the symbol by adding a sequence of symbols resulting from the concatenation of previously decoded symbols and the first symbol of the currently decoded symbol and by adding the symbol to its dictionary.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for scaling the average drive current supplied to a light-emitting element or string thereof by coupling a scaling signal to an original control signal thereby generating an effective control signal for control of the light-emitting element(s). The scaling signal can be a modulated signal, for example a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal, Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) signal, or other signal and modifies the original control signal to produce an effective control signal. The effective control signal is subsequently used to control the supply of power to the light-emitting element(s) from a power source via a switching device. The effective control signal essentially modifies the ON time of the light-emitting element(s), thereby modifying the average drive current passing through the light-emitting element(s).

Abstract: Disclosed are a method of multi-streaming encrypted contents stored in a storage medium to a second player during streaming the contents to a first player, and an apparatus using the same. The method includes: temporarily storing the encrypted contents streaming to the first player in a temporary storage medium; and streaming the stored contents to the second player in response to a multi-streaming command input by a user to the second player, wherein key generation information required to decrypt the encrypted contents is not stored in the temporary storage medium. It is possible to provide a multi-streaming with a copy protection through temporary storage, and also to reduce noise caused by rotation of the disc in the streaming apparatus.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer programs for high quality wide-range multi-layer image compression coding, including consistent ubiquitous use of floating point values in essentially all computations; an adjustable floating-point deadband; use of an optimal band-split filter; use of entire SNR layers at lower resolution levels; targeting of specific SNR layers to specific quality improvements; concentration of coding bits in regions of interest in targeted band-split and SNR layers; use of statically-assigned targets for high-pass and/or for SNR layers; improved SNR by using a lower quantization value for regions of an image showing a higher compression coding error; application of non-linear functions of color when computing difference values when creating an SNR layer; use of finer overall quantization at lower resolution levels with regional quantization scaling; removal of source image noise before motion-compensated compression or film steadying; use of one or more full-range low bands; use of alternate q

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product provide finer rate control in data compression by processing a data stream through a plurality of parallel subbands, wherein a first subband processes the data differently than a second subband. Separate shift quantization parameters for each separate run-of-zeros compressed storage area or pile can be provided, instead of a single common shift parameter for every coefficient as in the prior art. The parameter value for each such area or pile can be recorded in the compressed output file. The separate shift quantization parameters can also be adjusted dynamically as data is being compressed.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product having optimal matching to a known or measured probability distribution encodes data without the use of an excessively large lookup table. An encoder constructed according to the present invention uses two or more different encoding methods in combination. In one embodiment, Huffman coding by table lookup is combined with computational generation, such as by using an exponential Golomb equation. The most commonly occurring elements are looked up in a small Huffman table, while the remaining elements are coded with the equation. In another embodiment, data is encoded using two or more equations. In yet another embodiment, data is encoded using multiple tables in conjunction with one or more equations.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for providing a filtered, thermometer coded output signal from an N bit digital input, where N is an integer greater than one. A truncated lookup table provides a corresponding truncated thermometer code in response an address related to the N bit digital input. A code recovery assembly transforms the truncated thermometer code into a thermometer coded output according to a recovery bit associated with the N bit digital input.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing variable length coded data includes a coefficient buffer unit and several lookup tables. The coefficient buffer unit includes a coefficient memory and an index register for storing an indication of a non-zero nature of coefficients stored in the coefficient memory. Advantageously, the lookup tables may be altered to adapt the apparatus for processing variable length coded data to handle encoding or decoding video adhering to a specific standard. Furthermore, the lookup tables may be adapted to accelerate the determination of the presence of escape codes and the subsequent handling of the escape codes.

Abstract: A decoder configured to receive a variable length code stream packed in a fixed length area, and to execute variable length decoding and depacking of the variable length code stream, includes a first bit position table configured to store bit position data of the variable length code stream at a point where the variable length decoding is suspended. A bit length calculator is configured to calculate a bit length of variable length code stream remaining in the fixed length area after suspending the variable length decoding in the depacking, based on the bit position data.

Abstract: An image coding apparatus provides a run-length encoding unit RLE1 that subjects quantized coefficients which are obtained by quantizing frequency components of an image signal to a variable length coding process by using a run value Run that indicates the number of successive zero coefficients and a level value Lev that indicates a value of a non-zero coefficient following the zero coefficients.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new and efficient way of measuring the instantaneous phase of periodic signals. The instantaneous phase information is also applicable to new methods of instantaneous frequency measurements, and signal frequency restoration.

Abstract: The present invention provides a digital signal processing apparatus which can perform batch processing of mixing and gain controlling, etc., one time while the frequency characteristics of different filters are being mixed to a plurality of input signals in case of the re-quantization only once.

Abstract: A multi-bit sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter (ADC) has a single-ended input for receiving an analog input signal. A multi-bit feedback current digital-to-analog converter (IDAC) generates a multi-level feedback current depending on a multibit digital feedback signal from a Flash ADC. The feedback current is summed with the input signal with the feedback current. The summed signal is integrated on a continuous-time basis. The IDAC is selectively connectable to the summing node via a first path and a second path. The first path transmits current from the IDAC to the summing node with a first polarity and the second path transmits current from the IDAC to the summing node with an inverted polarity. This can reduce flicker noise and can allow the converter to operate without any mid-scale biasing current sources.

Abstract: A delta-sigma modulation circuit with a gain control function includes a variable gain amplifier, a control unit that controls the gain of the variable gain amplifier, a delta-sigma modulator that inputs an output from the variable gain amplifier, and a filter circuit that inputs an output from the delta-sigma modulator. The control unit that controls the gain of the variable gain amplifier gain controls the delta-sigma modulator. By this, the optimum dynamic range is obtained according to the setting level of the variable gain amplifier without causing the dynamic range to vary depending on the setting level of the variable gain amplifier.

Abstract: An output voltage proportional to a duty ratio of a PWM signal can be obtained without using a large-scale circuit, even when a high potential (input potential) of an inverter is low. The digital to analog converter includes a CMOS inverter where a PWM signal generated from a pulse width modulation circuit is inputted, and a low-pass filer supplied with an output of a CMOS inverter. The CMOS inverter includes a P-channel type first MOS transistor and a N-channel type second MOS transistor connected in serial between an input potential and a ground potential, where the PWM signal is applied to each of gates, and an N-channel type third MOS transistor connected with the P-channel type first MOS transistor in parallel and forming a CMOS transmission gate together with the P-channel type first MOS transistor.

Abstract: An apparatus for the conversion of a digital input signal into an analog output signal, the apparatus including a first circuit receiving the digital input signal that is representative of the analog output signal and suitable for producing a first signal on an output line, and a second circuit for supplying a second signal on the output line, in response to a further digital signal. The further digital signal is a function of external variables, and the union of the first and second signal on the output line forms the analog output signal.

Abstract: An analog input front end includes a configurable gain stage and an analog-to-digital converter. The configurable gain stage receives an analog input signal, such as a differential analog input signal, and provides a gain value to the analog input signal so as to output a gain-adjusted analog input signal that is within a particular voltage range between a maximum and a minimum value. The analog-to-digital converter receives the gain-adjusted analog input signal and performs analog-to-digital conversion on the gain-adjusted analog input signal, so as to output a digital signal that is indicative of the analog input signal.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an analog-to-digital converter, which is mainly applied in a digital acoustic signaling system. Conventional AD converter merely has one Schmitt Trigger. Since the bias point is fixed, the change of trigger voltages due to different semiconductor process parameters will cause output digital signals having asymmetric wave pattern. Hence, the transmission quality may deteriorate. The present invention determines the bias point by providing an additional Schmitt trigger. The value of the determined bias would shift with the change of trigger voltages, so the relative variation between them would be eliminated. Therefore, the input analog signals would be correctly converted to the output digital signals.

Abstract: A circuit structure for modifying characteristic impedance by using different reference planes is provided. The structure comprises an analog signal line, a digital signal line, a reference plane for analog signals and a reference plane for digital signals. Wherein, the line width of the analog signal line is the same as that of the digital signal line. In addition, the distance between the analog signal line and the analog signal reference plane is longer than the distance between the digital signal line and the digital signal reference plane. Accordingly, the characteristic impedance mismatch during signal transmission can be solved and the quality of signal transmission can be improved.

Abstract: An automatic gain control system,comprises a number of variable gain stages connected in series and a number of sensors, the input of each sensor being connected to a respective output of the variable gain stages. The input of an analogue-to-digital converter is connected to the output of one of the variable gain stages. The input of a control unit is connected to the outputs of the sensors and to the output of the analogue-to-digital converter. The input of a digital-to-analogue converter is connected to the output of the control unit, and the control inputs of each of the variable gain stages is connected to an output of the digital-to-analogue converter. The outputs of the digital-to-analogue converter are used to control the gains of the variable gain stages. Also disclosed is a method for automatically controlling gain in a receiver system.

Abstract: An amplified reading device includes an adjustable gain amplifier AMP receiving analog information and of which 2j successive gain values, respectively adjustable by 2j successive values of a first control word of j bits, follow a geometric progression of ratio a; an analog/digital converter CAN connected to the output of the amplifier, having an adjustable input full scale, of which 2k different values, respectively adjustable, for each gain value, from 2k successive values of a second control word of k bits, follow a geometric progression of ratio a1/2 k, the converter delivering a digital code corresponding to the analog information amplified by an overall gain, the value of which depends on the gain value of the amplifier and on that of the full scale, and a controller MCM designed to deliver the first and second control words.

Abstract: A method and system using a single interleaver at a either a receiving device or a transmitting device where a first symbol set is read from the single interleaver and concurrently with a second symbol set is written to the single interleaver, and a controller that synchronizes the reading of the first symbol set from the interleaver and the writing of the second symbol set to the interleaver so that a particular symbol of the second symbol set is only written to a location of the interleaver after a particular symbol of the first symbol set has been read from the location. The controller may switch between orders, e.g., row order and column order, of reading and/or writing symbols to the single interleaver when all of the symbols for a particular set of symbols associated with the single interleaver have been read, according to another embodiment.

Abstract: A system and method for converting an analog signal to a digital signal is disclosed. The system includes a multiphase oscillator preferable a rotary oscillator, a sample and hold circuit, an integrator and a time-to-digital converter. The multiphase oscillator has a plurality of phases that are used in the time-to-digital converter to measure the time of a pulse created by the integrator. The edges of the pulse may optionally be sharpened by passing the pulse through a non-linear transmission line to improve the accuracy of the measurement process. To cut down on noise a tuned power network provides power to the switching devices of the rotary oscillator. Calibration is performed by fragmenting the sample and hold circuit and integrator and performing a closed loop calibration cycle on one of the fragments while the other fragments are joined together for the normal operation of the sample and hold and integrator circuits.

Abstract: What is provided is a receiver-on-a-chip comprising a monolithic integrated circuit that reduces the receiver to a cigarette-pack-sized assembly mountable directly at an antenna element, with a much-increased operational bandwidth and instantaneous bandwidth, increased dynamic range and with a two-order-of-magnitude decrease in size and weight. Moreover, because of the elimination of all of the I/O drivers and attendant circuitry, power consumption is reduced by two-thirds, whereas the mean time before failure is increased to 10,000 hours due to the robustness of the monolithic integrated circuit and use of fiber optics.

Abstract: To obtain a coherent laser radar device that realizes high reliability and the high output of a transmitted light, the device includes a first optical coupler that branches a laser beam from a laser source into two lights, a local light and a transmitted light, an optical modulator that modulates the transmitted light, a space type optical amplifier that amplifies the modulated transmitted light, a transmitting/receiving optical system that applies the amplified transmitted light toward a target and receives a scattered light from the target, a transmitting/receiving light splitting device that splits the transmitted light and the received light, a second optical coupler that mixes the local light and the split received light together, a photodetector that detects heterodyne of a mixed light, a beat signal amplifier that amplifies a detected signal, a signal processing device that processes an amplified signal, and a display device that displays a processed result.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for correcting the phase difference estimate derived from a two-tone CW radar to correct velocity-induced range estimate phase errors by offsetting the phase difference estimate with a phase correction equal to either of the Doppler frequencies associated with returns from an object multiplied by the time interval between the samplings of the returned waveforms.

Abstract: A radar level gauge system is disclosed, having a transmitter for transmitting measuring signals towards the surface of the filling material, a receiver for receiving echo signals from said surface and a fastening structure adapted to secure said transmitter and receiver in a measuring position on a feed-through structure located in an upper boundary of said container. Further, a sealing unit is arranged between said fastening structure and said feed-through, and adapted to provide a pressure seal between the inside and the outside of the container, and in addition, there is provided means for blocking electromagnetic energy, adapted to block net transfer of electromagnetic energy between the inside and the outside of the container through said sealing unit.

Abstract: Precision navigation within a theater of operations is performed by receiving, at each of a plurality of spaced apart known locations, GPS satellite signals from a plurality of GPS satellites, wherein the known locations approximately define the theater of operations. A measure of error in the GPS satellite signal for each of the plurality of GPS satellites is determined. The measures of error in the GPS satellite signals are utilized to correct GPS satellite signals received at an unknown location within the theater of operations. The corrected GPS satellite signals are then used to determine a precise position of the unknown location within the theater of operations.

Abstract: A GPS receiver device is disclosed comprising a GPS antenna and a GPS RF front-end including an analogue to digital converter for receiving GPS signals and outputting GPS signal samples; and a processor for encrypting the GPS signal samples and transmitting the encrypted GPS signal samples to an external device. Also disclosed is a corresponding method of providing a position fix comprising the steps of connecting to a GPS receiver device and receiving encrypted GPS signal samples therefrom, decrypting the encrypted GPS signal samples and processing the decrypted GPS signal samples to determine a position fix; and a computer program, computer-readable storage medium and apparatus for the same.

Abstract: A receiver for continuous carrier phase tracking of low carrier-to-noise ratio (“CNR”) signals from a plurality of radio navigation satellites while the receiver is mobile. The receiver may have: a radio frequency (RF) front-end that provides satellite data corresponding to signals received from the plurality of radio navigation satellites; an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that provides inertial data; and a processor circuit in circuit communication with the RF front end and the IMU, the processor circuit being capable of using satellite data from the RF front-end and inertial data from the IMU to perform continuous carrier phase tracking of low CNR radio navigation satellite signals having a CNR of about 20 dB-Hz, while the receiver is mobile. The receiver may be a GPS receiver for continuous carrier phase tracking of low-CNR GPS signals.

Abstract: A reception high-frequency unit receives a GPS signal transmitted from a satellite configuring GPS. A signal generation unit generates a plurality of pseudo random noise codes that are used for the positioning operation by a positioning apparatus for implementing a positioning operation based on the GPS signal and that are in the same form as that of the GPS signal. A transmission high-frequency unit generates and transmits based on the pseudo random noise codes, a positioning signal in the same form as that of the GPS signal. A transmission control unit controls the transmission high-frequency unit in such a way that a time difference based on the GPS signal received by the reception high-frequency unit is assigned to each positioning signal and the thus-assigned positioning signal is transmitted.

Abstract: A method for determining direction of transmission using an antenna array having a number of panels is disclosed. Each panel is configured to receive signals. According to one aspect of the method, each of the panels is directed to receive signals from a transmitting node. For each panel, a first table having data representing received signal power difference between the panel and a first neighboring panel and a second table having data representing received signal power difference between the panel and a second neighboring panel are built. The panel with the maximum received power is identified. For the identified panel, a first gain table and a second gain table corresponding to its first and second neighboring panels are searched to identify a first transmission angle and a second transmission angle, if any. A transmission angle relative to the transmitting node is determined using the first and second transmission angles.

Abstract: The method and apparatus are for use in a building (2) having walls (8) and corridors (10) extending longitudinally (4) and laterally (6). Base stations (20, 22) have antennae orientated with a cosec2 pattern longitudinally (4) and laterally (6) and range a mobile station (26) to determine its position.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for resolving repeater location ambiguities in a CDMA network using a CDMA Time Pseudolite. The CDMA Time Pseudolite includes a CDMA receiver to receive a CDMA signal with an embedded CDMA timing, a baseband processor to extract the CDMA timing and to adjust the CDMA timing to derive a signal with GNSS-like timing; and a GNSS transmitter to generate a GNSS-like signal and to transmit the GNSS-like signal to a mobile station. In one embodiment, the CDMA Time Pseudolite is situated at or nearby a CDMA signal repeater so that a mobile station may unambiguously identify a received CDMA signal as being transmitted by a particular CDMA signal repeater and then using that received CDMA signal for position determination of the mobile station.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a simple, reasonably-priced patch antenna which can be assembled easily. A pair of first L-shaped holding portions 14b formed on a spacer 14 is inserted into a pair of attachment holes 12c formed in an antenna plate 12, and the antenna plate 12 is slid so that the upper portions of the attachment holes 12c in the antenna plate 12 are gripped between the upper portions of the first L-shaped holding portions 14b and a spacer main body 14a. As a result, the antenna plate 12 is fixed to the spacer 14. Next, a pair of second L-shaped holding portions 14e is inserted into a pair of insertion holes 13d formed in a ground plate 13, and the ground plate 13 is slid so that the lower portions of the insertion holes 13d in the ground plate 13 are gripped between the upper portions of the second L-shaped holding portions 14e and the spacer main body 14a. As a result, the ground plate 13 is fixed to the spacer 14.

Abstract: A miniaturized planar multi-band antenna for HF or microwave frequencies (PIFA) is disclosed, which operates by means of a metal surface (4) defining a ground potential of the application. The operating principle is based on at least two structures (11, 21) which are essentially independent of one another and emit in wide ranges in different frequency ranges, disposed on one or more dielectric substrate(s) (1, 2), which are connected both to the ground potential of the application and to the high-frequency feeder. Other conductive structures (6) which can be resonantly or capacitively coupled enable extra frequency bands to be added. The special design of the metallized structures (11, 21) therefore enables a higher output capacity (bandwidth) than a conventional PIFA or the same output capacity for a smaller size.

Abstract: Small and compact antennas are suitable for use in portable wireless communication devices, including wireless local area network (WLANs) devices.

Abstract: A system and method improves linearly-polarized microstrip patch antenna performance and fabrication through the incorporation of a pin fin ground plane and an integral antenna feed assembly. In one embodiment, a patch antenna system includes an antenna area with a patch antenna that provides radio communications. A heat dissipation member is coupled to the antenna area and includes a plurality of pins that provide for both the dissipation of heat from the antenna area and a ground plane for the antenna area. An antenna feed line is further coupled with the antenna patch for providing an electrical connection from the antenna patch to other electronic circuitries, such as a wireless device that may be mechanically coupled to the heat dissipation member. Heat generated during the operation of the wireless device is directed to ambient air by way of the heat dissipation member.

Abstract: The inverter has a plurality of arms for conducting or cutting off a current and each arm has a switching device and a first and a second wiring layer for connecting the switching device. The first and second wiring layers of each arm are respectively formed on insulating substrates, and one face of the switching device is fixed to the first wiring layer, and the second wiring layer and the other face of the switching device are electrically connected by a laminal conductor, and the laminal conductor has a first and a second connection, and the first connection of the laminal conductor is fixed to the other face of the switching device, and the second connection of the laminal conductor is fixed to the second wiring layer. Thereby, a large current of the inverter can be realized and the assembly capacity of the inverter or the vehicle drive unit will be improved.