1. A method for ultrasonic scanning of an object in a scanning station, the scanning station having upper and lower chambers, the upper chamber being positioned above the lower chamber and vertically spaced therefrom, the method comprising:
moving the object between the upper and lower chambers;
insonifying the object with ultrasound from an ultrasonic transducer having an ultrasound emitting surface;
supplying a coupling fluid to the upper chamber so that coupling fluid flows through one or more holes in the bottom of the upper chamber to the upper surface of the object, thereby filling the space between the ultrasound emitting surface of the ultrasonic transducer and the object;
applying suction from the lower chamber to hold the object in place while it is insonified; and
sensing ultrasound reflected from the object,
wherein applying suction from the lower chamber comprises
positioning the part above a first opening in a lower chamber; and
operating a blower coupled to a second opening in the lower chamber to remove fluid from the lower chamber.
2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein moving the object comprises moving the object along a substantially horizontal track attached to the lower chamber.
3. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising adjusting the distance between the upper and lower chambers in accordance with the thickness of the object.
4. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising moving the ultrasound emitting surface of the ultrasonic transducer in a vertical direction within the upper chamber to focus the ultrasound.
5. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising collecting coupling fluid in the lower chamber and re-circulating the coupling fluid to the upper chamber.
6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein applying suction in the lower chamber beneath the object comprises drawing air out of the lower chamber.
7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the object is a part in a carrier supporting one or more parts.
8. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein moving the object comprises moving the carrier in a first horizontal direction along a substantially horizontal track attached to the lower chamber.
9. A method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising moving the upper chamber and ultrasonic transducer in a horizontal scan path across the carrier.
10. A method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising moving the lower chamber with the upper chamber in a horizontal scan path.
11. A method for retaining a part in a carrier during ultrasonic scanning, the method comprising:
positioning the part in the carrier above a first opening in a lower chamber; and
drawing air through a gap between the carrier and the lower chamber and out of a second opening in the lower chamber using a blower coupled the lower chamber via a tube,
whereby suction is applied to retain the part in the carrier.
12. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein positioning the part comprises moving the carrier along a track.
13. An ultrasonic scanner for use in inspecting an object, comprising:
an upper chamber operable to dispense coupling fluid to the upper surface of the object;
a lower chamber being located below the upper chamber and spaced from it to allow the object to pass between the upper chamber and the lower chamber, the lower chamber have a first opening located below the upper chamber;
a blower coupled to a second opening in the lower chamber and operable to draw fluid into the lower chamber through the first opening in the lower chamber and thereby provide suction below the object when the object is placed between the upper and lower chamber in proximity to the second opening of the lower chamber; and
an ultrasonic transducer located within the upper chamber,
wherein coupling fluid is supplied to the upper chamber at a sufficient rate to provide fluid coupling between the ultrasonic transducer and the object.
14. An ultrasonic scanner in accordance with claim 13, wherein the upper chamber and ultrasonic transducer are moveable in a horizontal scan path.
15. An ultrasonic scanner in accordance with claim 13, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is moveable in a vertical direction within in the upper chamber.
16. An ultrasonic scanner in accordance with claim 13, wherein the object is a part in a tray of parts.
17. An apparatus for retaining a part in a carrier during an ultrasonic scan, comprising:
a lower chamber having a first opening at the top of the chamber and a second opening;
a suction means for drawing air out of the second opening of the lower chamber, and
a positioning means for positioning the carrier such that the part is above the first opening of the lower chamber and sufficiently close thereto that suction is applied below the part,
wherein the suction means comprises a blower coupled to the second opening in the lower chamber and operable to draw fluid through lower chamber, the fluid entering the lower chamber through the first opening in the lower chamber and exiting the lower chamber through the second opening in the lower chamber.
18. An apparatus in accordance with claim 17, wherein the positioning means moves the carrier in a first horizontal direction along a track.
19. An apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein the lower chamber extends the width of the carrier, perpendicular to the first horizontal direction.
20. An apparatus in accordance with claim 17, further comprising an ultrasonic transducer having an ultrasound emitting surface and being moveable in a horizontal scan direction and in a vertical direction.
21. An apparatus in accordance with claim 20, further comprising an upper chamber positioned above the carrier and surrounding the ultrasound emitting surface of the ultrasonic transducer, wherein the upper chamber contains coupling fluid that is discharged onto the part in the carrier.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A source synchronous interface for a receiver module, comprising:
a first input cell including a first delay chain and a first register block, the first input cell coupled to receive a forwarded clock signal;
a second input cell including a second delay chain and a second register block, the second input cell coupled to receive a data signal associated with the forwarded clock signal, output from the second delay chain coupled to a data input of the second register block;
the first input cell coupled to the second input cell;
in a first modality,
output of the first delay chain provided as a first clock input to the first register block and the second register block and as a data input to the first register block;
a receiver local clock signal provided as a second clock input to the first register block and the second register block;
in a second modality,
the output of the first delay chain provided as the first clock input and the second clock input to the second register block;
wherein the first modality is for interfacing to a synchronous memory;
wherein the second modality is for interfacing to one of a network system and a telecommunications system; and
wherein in the second modality, the first register block is unused.
2. The source synchronous interface, according to claim 1, wherein the first register block and the second register block each comprise a chain of registers.
3. The source synchronous interface, according to claim 2, wherein the chain of registers for each of the first register block and the second register block is configurable for a Single Data Rate for the data signal.
4. The source synchronous interface, according to claim 3, wherein the chain of registers for each of the first register block and the second register block is further configurable for a Double Data Rate for the data signal.
5. The source synchronous interface, according to claim 2, wherein the chain of registers for each of the first register block and the second register block is configurable for a Double Data Rate for the data signal.
6. The source synchronous interface, according to claim 1:
wherein the first input cell comprises first configurable logic, the first configurable logic configured to provide the first delay chain and the first register block, and
wherein the second input cell comprises second configurable logic, the second configurable logic configured to provide the second delay chain and the second register block.
7. The source synchronous interface, according to claim 6, wherein the first configurable logic and the second configurable logic are from an inputoutput block of an integrated circuit.
8. The source synchronous interface, according to claim 7, wherein the integrated circuit is a programmable logic device.
9. The source synchronous interface, according to claim 8, wherein the programmable logic device is a Field Programmable Gate Array.
10. The source synchronous interface, according to claim 1, wherein in the first modality, a first reset signal is supplied to the first delay chain, and a second reset signal is supplied to the second delay chain.
11. The source synchronous interface, according to claim 10, wherein the first reset signal and the second reset signal are to provide a phase difference between the data signal and the forwarded clock signal.
12. The source synchronous interface, according to claim 11, wherein the phase difference is approximately ninety degrees.
13. The source synchronous interface, according to claim 10, wherein delays respectively imposed by the first delay chain and the second delay chain are lock-stepwise incrementally adjustable responsive to a delay chain control signal.
14. The source synchronous interface, according to claim 1, wherein in the second modality, delay imposed by the second delay chain is incrementally adjustable responsive to a delay chain control signal.
15. The source synchronous interface, according to claim 1, wherein the data signal is a first data signal, the source synchronous interface further comprising:
a third input cell including a third delay chain and a third register block, the third input cell coupled to receive a second data signal associated with the forwarded clock signal, output from the third delay chain coupled to a data input of the third register block;
in the first modality,
the output of the first delay chain provided as a first clock input to the third register block;
the receiver local clock signal provided as a second clock input to the third register block;
in a second modality,
the output of the first delay chain provided as the first clock input and the second clock input to the third register block.
16. A source synchronous system, comprising:
a source for providing at least one data signal and a data clock signal;
a receiver coupled to receive the at least one data signal and the data clock signal, the receiver configurable for a first modality and a second modality, the receiver including:
a first input cell including first configurable logic, the first configurable logic configured to provide a first delay chain and a first register block, the first input cell coupled to receive a forwarded clock signal;
a second input cell including second configurable logic, the second configurable logic configured to provide a second delay chain and a second register block, the second input cell coupled to receive a data signal associated with the forwarded clock signal, output from the second delay chain coupled to a data input of the second register block;
the first input cell coupled to the second input cell;
in the first modality,
output of the first delay chain provided as a first clock input to the first register block and the second register block and as a data input to the first register block;
a receiver local clock signal provided as a second clock input to the first register block and the second register block;
in the second modality,
the output of the first delay chain provided as the first clock input and the second clock input to the second register block;
wherein in the first modality, a first reset signal is supplied to the first delay chain, and a second reset signal is supplied to the second delay chain;
wherein the first reset signal and the second reset signal are to provide a phase difference between the data signal and the forwarded clock signal.
17. The system, according to claim 16, wherein the source is a synchronous memory.
18. The system, according to claim 17, wherein the receiver is a programmable logic device.
19. The system, according to claim 16, wherein the source is from one of a network system and a telecommunications system.
20. The system, according to claim 19, wherein the receiver is a programmable logic device.