Author: claimsbot

1. A liquid crystal display comprising:
a substrate;
a first signal line assembly formed over the substrate, wherein the first signal line assembly comprises a first signal line, a first pad connected to the first signal line, a gate electrode connected to the first signal line, and a conductive electrode;
a first nitrogen containing layer formed on the first signal line, the first pad, the gate electrode and the conductive electrode of the first signal line assembly to reduce formation of a high resistance oxide layer on the first signal line assembly;
a second signal line assembly formed with a lower layer and an upper layer comprising a second signal line intersecting and insulated from the first signal line, a second pad, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a conductive pattern;
a second nitrogen containing layer formed on the second signal line, the second pad, the source electrode, the drain electrode and the conductive pattern of the second signal line assembly, wherein the second nitrogen containing layer reduces formation of a high resistance oxide layer on the second signal line assembly;
a protective layer formed over the second signal line assembly;
a first contact hole formed in the protective layer exposing the drain electrode; and
a pixel electrode formed over the protective layer, the pixel electrode being electrically connected to the drain electrode through the first contact hole,
wherein the first and second nitrogen containing layers comprise one of an aluminum nitride layer, an aluminum alloy nitride layer, and an aluminumneodymium alloy nitride layer.
2. The liquid crystal display of claim 1, wherein the pixel electrode is formed of indium zinc oxide.
3. A liquid crystal display comprising:
a substrate;
a first signal line assembly formed over the substrate, wherein the first signal line assembly comprises a first signal line, a first pad connected to the first signal line, a gate electrode connected to the first signal line, and a conductive electrode;
a first nitrogen containing layer formed on the first signal line, the first pad, the gate electrode and the conductive electrode of the first signal line assembly to reduce formation of a high resistance oxide layer on the first signal line assembly;
a second signal line assembly formed with a lower layer and an upper layer comprising a second signal tine intersecting and insulated from the first signal tine, a second pad, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a conductive pattern;
a second nitrogen containing layer formed on the second signal line, the second pad, the source electrode, the drain electrode and the conductive pattern of the second signal line assembly, wherein the second nitrogen containing layer reduces formation of a high resistance oxide layer on the second signal line assembly; and
a pixel electrode formed over a protective layer, the pixel electrode being electrically connected to the second signal line assembly,
wherein the first and second nitrogen containing layers comprise one of an aluminum nitride layer, an aluminum alloy nitride layer, and an aluminumneodymium alloy nitride layer.
4. The liquid crystal display of claim 1, further comprising:
a second contact hole formed in the protective layer exposing the first pad; and
a third contact hole formed in the protective layer exposing the second pad;
wherein the first pad is electrically connected to a third pad through the second contact hole and the second pad is electrically connected to a fourth pad through the third contact hole.
5. A thin film transistor array panel, comprising:
a substrate;
a gate line assembly formed on the substrate, the gate line assembly including a gate line, gate pad, gate electrode and conductive electrode;
a first low resistance conductive layer formed on the gate line, gate pad, gate electrode and conductive electrode;
a gate insulating layer formed on the first low resistance conductive layer and the substrate;
a semiconductor pattern formed on the gate insulating layer;
an ohmic contact pattern formed on the semiconductor pattern;
a data line assembly formed on the ohmic contact pattern, the data line assembly including a data line, data pad, source electrode, drain electrode and conductive pattern;
a second low resistance conductive layer formed on the data line, data pad, source electrode, drain electrode and conductive pattern;
a protective layer formed on the second low resistance conductive layer and the gate insulating layer, the protective layer having a first contact hole exposing a portion of the second low resistance conductive layer on the conductive pattern and a second contact hole exposing a portion of the second low resistance conductive layer on the drain electrode; and
a pixel electrode formed on the protective layer, the pixel electrode electrically connected to the drain electrode through the second contact hole and the conductive pattern through the first contact hole.
6. A thin film transistor array panel, comprising:
a substrate;
a gate line assembly formed on the substrate, the gate line assembly including a gate pad, a gate electrode, a gate line and a conductive electrode;
a first low resistance conductive layer including aluminum nitride, aluminum alloy nitride or aluminumneodymium alloy nitride being formed on the gate pad, the gate electrode, the gate line and the conductive electrode;
a gate insulating layer formed on the first low resistance conductive layer and the substrate;
a data line assembly formed on the gate insulating layer, the data line assembly including a data line, a data pad, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a conductive pattern;
a protective layer formed on the data line assembly and the gate insulating layer, the protective layer having a first contact hole exposing the drain electrode; and
a pixel electrode formed on the protective layer, the pixel electrode being electrically connected to the drain electrode through the first contact hole.
7. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 6, further comprising:
a second low resistance conductive layer including aluminum nitride, aluminum alloy nitride or aluminumneodymium alloy nitride being formed on the data line, the data pad, the source electrode, the drain electrode and the conductive pattern.
8. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 7, wherein the first contact hole is formed over the second low resistance conductive layer formed on the drain electrode, and wherein the second low resistance conductive layer formed on the drain electrode reduces a contact resistance between the drain electrode and the pixel electrode connected thereto.
9. The thin film transistor array panel of claim 8, wherein the protective layer further comprises a second contact hole formed over the gate pad and a third contact hole formed over the data pad,
wherein a subsidiary gate pad is connected to the gate pad through the second contact hole and a subsidiary data pad is connected to the data pad through the third contact hole, and
wherein the first low resistance conductive layer reduces a contact resistance between the subsidiary gate pad and the gate pad and the second low resistance conductive layer reduces a contact resistance between the subsidiary data pad and the data pad.

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 polishing method comprising:
rotating a workpiece;
rotating a polishing table having a polishing surface thereon;
pressing the workpiece against the polishing surface on the polishing table rotated at a first rotational speed to polish the workpiece;
separating the workpiece from the polishing surface after said pressing; and
before said separating, reducing a rotational speed of the polishing table to a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed to provide a difference between a rotational speed of the workpiece and the rotational speed of the polishing table.
2. The polishing method as recited in claim 1, wherein said reducing is performed during said pressing.
3. The polishing method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:
supplying a polishing liquid to the polishing surface at a first flow rate during said pressing; and
before or during said separating, increasing a flow rate of the polishing liquid to a second flow rate higher than the first flow rate.
4. The polishing method as recited in claim 1, further comprising ejecting a mixture of gas and pure water or chemical liquid to the polishing surface to clean the polishing surface before said separating.
5. The polishing method as recited in claim 1, wherein said separating comprises lifting the workpiece from the polishing surface.
6. The polishing method as recited in claim 5, wherein said lifting comprises reducing a lifting speed of the workpiece until the workpiece has substantially been separated from the polishing surface.
7. A polishing method comprising:
moving a workpiece and a polishing surface relative to each other;
pressing the workpiece against the polishing surface moved at a first frequency to polish the workpiece;
separating the workpiece from the polishing surface after said pressing; and
before said separating, reducing a frequency of movement of the polishing surface to a second frequency lower than the first frequency.
8. The polishing method as recited in claim 7, wherein said moving comprising moving the workpiece and the polishing surface with an orbital movement.
9. A polishing method comprising:
moving a polishing surface relative to a workpiece;
pressing the workpiece against the polishing surface moved at a first speed to polish the workpiece;
separating the workpiece from the polishing surface after said pressing; and
before said separating, reducing a speed of movement of the polishing surface to a second speed smaller than the first speed.
10. The polishing method as recited in claim 9, wherein said moving comprising linearly moving the polishing surface.
11. A polishing method comprising:
rotating a workpiece;
rotating a polishing table having a polishing surface thereon;
pressing the workpiece against the polishing surface on the polishing table;
separating the workpiece from the polishing surface after said pressing; and
before said separating, reducing a ratio of a rotational speed of the top ring to a rotational speed of the poslishing table.
12. The polishing method as recited in claim 11, wherein said reducing is performed during said pressing.
13. The polishing method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:
supplying a polishing liquid to the polishing surface at a first flow rate during said pressing; and
before or during said separating, increasing a flow rate of the polishing liquid to a second flow rate higher than the first flow rate.
14. The polishing method as recited in claim 11, further comprising ejecting a mixture of gas and pure water or chemical liquid to the polishing surface to clean the polishing surface before said separating.
15. The polishing method as recited in claim 11, wherein said separating comprises lifting the workpiece from the polishing surface.
16. The polishing method as recited in claim 15, wherein said lifting comprises reducing a lifting speed of the workpiece until the workpiece has substantially been separated from the polishing surface.

1. An adjustable shaft, comprising:
an upper shaft member having an elongated bore therein with a fixed upper bushing positioned within an upper end of the elongated bore therein;
a lower shaft member having an elongated bore therein with a middle bushing fixed within an upper end of the elongated bore therein, the middle bushing having an elongated bore extending through the middle bushing;
a helical inner rod having a lower bushing fixed to a lower end thereof, the bore of the middle bushing having a helical shape to accommodate the inner rod therethrough and to move the middle bushing relative to the upper bushing upon rotating the helical inner rod within the middle bushing; and
a locking mechanism adapted to prevent the helical inner rod from rotating within the middle bushing, to thereby fix a total length of the shaft.
2. The adjustable shaft of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a threaded screw, which is positioned within an upper portion of the upper shaft member and prevents the helical inner rod from rotating relative to the upper bushing upon tightening thereof.
3. The adjustable shaft of claim 2, further comprising a locking bushing, wherein the locking bushing includes a female thread configured to accommodate the threaded screw.
4. The adjustable shaft of claim 3, wherein the locking bushing has a cavity, further comprising:
an additional bushing configured to slide within the cavity and to prevent the inner rod from rotating relative to the upper bushing upon tightening the threaded screw.
5. The adjustable shaft of claim 4, wherein the additional bushing includes a cavity configure to accommodate a top portion of the helical inner rod.
6. The adjustable shaft of claim 2, further comprising two washers fixed to the threaded screw.
7. The adjustable shaft of claim 2, further comprising two washers fixed to the helical inner rod.
8. The adjustable shaft of claim 1, wherein the helical inner rod has a rectangular cross-section.
9. The adjustable shaft of claim 1, wherein a distance between the middle bushing and the upper bushing changes as the length of the shaft increases or decreases.
10. The adjustable shaft of claim 1, wherein the lower shaft member has a lower portion and an upper portion, the upper portion has a stepped portion, wherein the stepped portion results in the upper end of the lower shaft member having a greater outer diameter than an outer diameter of the lower end of the lower shaft member.
11. The adjustable shaft of claim 1, wherein the upper end of the lower shaft member has a flared end, wherein the flared end is configured to fit within an inner surface of the upper shaft member.
12. The adjustable shaft of claim 1, further comprising a putter head attached to the lower shaft member.
13. The adjustable shaft of claim 1, further comprising a screw that secures the lower shaft member to the upper shaft member and is disposed on a side of the shaft.

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 reception diversity system comprising a wireless apparatus including
an RF unit which amplifies radio waves respectively received by antennas with reception gains respectively set for systems and demodulates the radio waves to output analog reception signals,
an analog signal processing unit which AD-converts the respective analog reception signals from said RF unit for the respective systems and outputs the signals as digital reception signals,
a digital signal processing unit which decodes and combines the respective digital reception signals from said analog signal processing unit to output desired reception information, sequentially adjusts a reception gain of each system in said RF unit on the basis of a reception level of each of the digital reception signals, and stores an arbitrary reception gain used for the adjustment, and
a control unit which controls said RF unit, said analog signal processing unit, and said digital signal processing unit,
wherein said control unit operates only a predetermined system of the respective systems while stopping the remaining systems for at least each intermittent operation period in intermittent reception operation of said RF unit, and stops all the systems in an intermittent stop period in the intermittent reception operation, and
said digital signal processing unit sets, in said RF unit, an initial reception gain estimated from an arbitrary past reception gain used in a past intermittent operation period as a first reception gain in a new system which is operated in accordance with arrival of a next intermittent operation period,
thereby performing switching control of a plurality of systems which respectively demodulate received radio waves, and obtaining desired reception data.
2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as the initial reception gain, a past reception gain used last in an intermittent operation period in which an arbitrary system has previously operated.
3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as the initial reception gain, an arbitrary past reception gain used in a system which has operated in an immediately preceding intermittent operation period.
4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as the initial reception gain, an arbitrary past reception gain used in the new system.
5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as the initial reception gain, a statistics value calculated from a plurality of past reception gains used in a past intermittent operation period.
6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as the statistics value, a cumulative reception gain obtained by performing predetermined weighting operation for a plurality of past reception gains used in the new system and totaling the gains.
7. A system according to claim 5, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as the statistics value, a cumulative reception gain obtained by performing predetermined weighting operation for a plurality of past reception gains used in a system which has operated in an immediately preceding intermittent operation period and totaling the gains.
8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said digital signal processing unit corrects a reference reception gain as a reference for estimation which is obtained from an arbitrary past reception gain by using a gain variation amount indicating a reception gain variation tendency, and uses the resultant corrected reception gain as the initial reception gain.
9. A system according to claim 8, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as the reference reception gain, cumulative reception gain obtained by predetermined weighting operation for a plurality of past reception gains used in the new system and totaling the gains.
10. A system according to claim 8, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as the gain variation amount, a difference between a reception gain, of reception gains in a system which has operated in an immediately preceding intermittent operation period, which represents a previous intermittent operation period in which the system has operated and a reception gain representing a second previous intermittent operation period in which the system has operated.
11. A system according to claim 8, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as the gain variation amount, a difference between a reception gain representing a previous intermittent operation period in which a system which has operated in an immediately preceding intermittent operation period has operated and a cumulative reception gain obtained by performing predetermined weighting operation for a plurality of past reception gains in the system and totaling the gains.
12. A system according to claim 1, wherein said digital signal processing unit corrects a reference reception gain as a reference for estimation which is obtained from an arbitrary past reception gain by adding a variation value obtained by multiplying a gain variation amount indicating a reception gain variation tendency by a predetermined coefficient, and uses the resultant corrected reception gain as the initial reception gain.
13. A system according to claim 12, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as the coefficient, a value which makes a variation width of the variation value become smaller than a variation width of the reference reception gain.
14. A system according to claim 12, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as the coefficient, a value which makes a variation width of the variation value become not less than a variation width of the reference reception gain.
15. A system according to claim 12, wherein said digital signal processing unit adaptively adjusts the value of the coefficient in accordance with an operation state of said wireless apparatus.
16. A system according to claim 1, wherein said digital signal processing unit corrects a reference reception gain as a reference for estimation which is obtained from an arbitrary past reception gain with a gain ratio between a reception gain representing the new system and a reception gain representing a system which has operated in an immediately preceding intermittent operation period, and uses the resultant corrected reception gain as the initial reception gain.
17. A system according to claim 1, wherein said control unit divides the respective systems into a plurality of system groups, and operates only systems belonging to a predetermined system group of the respective system groups in the intermittent operation period while stopping the systems belonging to the remaining systems.
18. A system according to claim 17, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as an initial reception gain in each system belonging to a new system group which is operated in accordance with arrival of a next intermittent operation period, an initial reception gain estimated from an arbitrary past reception gain used in each system belonging to a system group which has operated in an immediately preceding intermittent operation period.
19. A system according to claim 17, wherein said digital signal processing unit corrects a reference reception gain as a reference for an initial reception gain in a system of interest for each system of a new system group whose reception operation is to be resumed by using a predetermined gain variation amount indicating a reception gain variation, and uses the resultant corrected reception gain as an initial reception gain in each of the systems.
20. A reception diversity system comprising a wireless apparatus including
an RF unit which amplifies radio waves respectively received by antennas with reception gains respectively set for systems and demodulates the radio waves to output analog reception signals,
an analog signal processing unit which AD-converts the respective analog reception signals from said RF unit for the respective systems and outputs the signals as digital reception signals,
a digital signal processing unit which decodes and combines the respective digital reception signals from said analog signal processing unit to output desired reception information, and sequentially adjusts a reception gain of each system in said RF unit on the basis of a reception level of each of the digital reception signals, and
a control unit which controls said RF unit, said analog signal processing unit, and said digital signal processing unit,
wherein said control unit operates only a predetermined system of the respective systems while stopping the remaining systems for at least each intermittent operation period in intermittent reception operation of said RF unit, and stop all the systems in an intermittent stop period in the intermittent reception operation, and
said digital signal processing unit calculates and stores reception quality in a new system of interest from a digital reception signal from the new system which has operated in the intermittent operation period of interest for each of the intermittent operation periods, and calculates total reception quality which is obtained when all the systems are operated from reception quality in the intermittent operation period of interest of the new system which is obtained by calculation and reception quality obtained by estimation in the intermittent operation period of interest of each stopped system,
thereby performing switching control of a plurality of systems which respectively demodulate received radio waves, and obtaining desired reception data.
21. A system according to claim 20, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as reception quality in an intermittent operation period of interest of a stopped system of interest, arbitrary reception quality obtained in the past in the stopped system.
22. A system according to claim 20, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as reception quality in an intermittent operation period of interest of a stopped system of interest, reception quality obtained in a previous intermittent operation period in which the stopped system operated.
23. A system according to claim 20, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as reception quality in an intermittent operation period of interest of a stopped system of interest, reception quality in an intermittent operation period of interest of the new system.
24. A system according to claim 20, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as reception quality in an intermittent operation period of interest of a stopped system of interest, a statistics value calculated from a plurality of reception qualities obtained in the past in the new system.
25. A system according to claim 20, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as reception quality in an intermittent operation period of interest of a stopped system of interest, a statistics value calculated from a plurality of reception qualities obtained in the past in the stopped system.
26. A system according to claim 25, wherein said digital signal processing unit uses, as the statistics value, cumulative reception quality obtained by performing predetermined weighting operation for a plurality of reception qualities obtained in the past in the stopped system.
27. A system according to claim 20, wherein said digital signal processing unit corrects, by a quality variation amount indicating a reception quality variation tendency, a reference reception quality as a reference for estimation which is obtained from arbitrary past reception quality, and uses the resultant corrected reception quality as reception quality in an intermittent operation period of interest of a stopped system of interest.
28. A system according to claim 27, wherein said digital signal processing unit calculates the corrected reception quality from a sum of a variation value obtained by multiplying the reception quality variation amount by a predetermined coefficient and the reference reception quality.
29. A system according to claim 20, wherein said digital signal processing unit corrects, by using a quality ratio between reception quality representing the new system and reception quality representing the stopped system, a reference reception quality as a reference for estimation which is obtained from arbitrary past reception quality, and uses the resultant corrected reception quality as reception quality in an intermittent operation period of interest of a stopped system of interest.
30. A system according to claim 20, wherein said control unit controls the respective systems upon dividing the systems into a plurality of system groups, and operates only systems belonging to a predetermined system group of the respective system groups in each of the intermittent operation periods while stopping systems belonging to the remaining system group.
31. A system according to claim 1, wherein said control unit operates a main system including not less than any one of the respective systems commonly in each of the intermittent operation periods, and operates subsystems each including not less than any one of the systems other than the main system while switching the subsystems in each of the intermittent operation periods.
32. A system according to claim 20, wherein said control unit operates a main system including not less than any one of the respective systems commonly in each of the intermittent operation periods, and operates subsystems each including not less than any one of the systems other than the main system while switching the subsystems in each of the intermittent operation periods.
33. A system according to claim 31, wherein said control unit selects the main system in accordance with a direction of an antenna of each of the systems.
34. A system according to claim 31, wherein said wireless apparatus comprises a folding cellular phone terminal, and
said control unit selects the main system in accordance with a foldedunfolded state of said cellular phone terminal.
35. A control method for a reception diversity system, which is used in a wireless apparatus, causes an analog signal processing unit to AD-convert an analog reception signal for each system which is obtained, for each system, by causing an RF unit to amplify a radio wave received by each antenna and demodulating the radio wave, causes a digital signal processing unit to decode and combine the obtained digital reception signals to output desired reception information, and causes a control unit to perform switching control of each system in each intermittent operation period in intermittent reception operation, comprising:
the step of causing the control unit to operate only a predetermined system of the respective systems in each intermittent operation period in intermittent reception operation in at least the RF unit while stopping the remaining system, and stop all the systems in an intermittent stop period in the intermittent reception operation;
the step of causing the digital signal processing unit to sequentially adjust a reception gain in each system on the basis of a reception level of each of the digital reception signals and store an arbitrary reception gain used for the adjustment; and
the step of causing the digital signal processing unit to set, in the RF unit, an initial reception gain estimated from an arbitrary past reception gain used in a past intermittent operation period as a first reception gain in a new system which is operated in accordance with arrival of a next intermittent operation period.
36. A method according to claim 35, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as the initial reception gain, a past reception gain used last in an intermittent operation period in which an arbitrary system has previously operated.
37. A method according to claim 35, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as the initial reception gain, an arbitrary past reception gain used in a system which has operated in an immediately preceding intermittent operation period.
38. A method according to claim 35, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as the initial reception gain, an arbitrary past reception gain used in the new system.
39. A method according to claim 35, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as the initial reception gain, a statistics value calculated from a plurality of past reception gains used in a past intermittent operation period.
40. A method according to claim 39, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as the statistics value, a cumulative reception gain obtained by performing predetermined weighting operation for a plurality of past reception gains used in the new system and totaling the gains.
41. A method according to claim 39, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as the statistics value, a cumulative reception gain obtained by performing predetermined weighting operation for a plurality of past reception gains used in a system which has operated in an immediately preceding intermittent operation period and totaling the gains.
42. A method according to claim 35, wherein the digital signal processing unit corrects a reference reception gain as a reference for estimation which is obtained from an arbitrary past reception gain by using a gain variation amount indicating a reception gain variation tendency, and uses the resultant corrected reception gain as the initial reception gain.
43. A method according to claim 42, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as the reference reception gain, cumulative reception gain obtained by predetermined weighting operation for a plurality of past reception gains used in the new system and totaling the gains.
44. A method according to claim 42, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as the gain variation amount, a difference between a reception gain, of reception gains in a system which has operated in an immediately preceding intermittent operation period, which represents a previous intermittent operation period in which the system has operated and a reception gain representing a second previous intermittent operation period in which the system has operated.
45. A method according to claim 42, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as the gain variation amount, a difference between a reception gain representing a previous intermittent operation period in which a system which has operated in an immediately preceding intermittent operation period has operated and a cumulative reception gain obtained by performing predetermined weighting operation for a plurality of past reception gains in the system and totaling the gains.
46. A method according to claim 35, wherein the digital signal processing unit corrects a reference reception gain as a reference for estimation which is obtained from an arbitrary past reception gain by adding a variation value obtained by multiplying a gain variation amount indicating a reception gain variation tendency by a predetermined coefficient, and uses the resultant corrected reception gain as the initial reception gain.
47. A method according to claim 46, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as the coefficient, a value which makes a variation width of the variation value become smaller than a variation width of the reference reception gain.
48. A method according to claim 46, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as the coefficient, a value which makes a variation width of the variation value become not less than a variation width of the reference reception gain.
49. A method according to claim 46, wherein the digital signal processing unit adaptively adjusts the value of the coefficient in accordance with an operation state of the wireless apparatus.
50. A method according to claim 35, wherein the digital signal processing unit corrects a reference reception gain as a reference for estimation which is obtained from an arbitrary past reception gain with a gain ratio between a reception gain representing the new system and a reception gain representing a system which has operated in an immediately preceding intermittent operation period, and uses the resultant corrected reception gain as the initial reception gain.
51. A method according to claim 35, further comprising the step of causing the control unit to divide the respective systems into a plurality of system groups and operate only systems belonging to a predetermined system group of the respective system groups in the intermittent operation period while stopping the systems belonging to the remaining systems.
52. A method according to claim 51, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as an initial reception gain in each system belonging to a new system group which is operated in accordance with arrival of a next intermittent operation period, an initial reception gain estimated from an arbitrary past reception gain used in each system belonging to a system group which has operated in an immediately preceding intermittent operation period.
53. A method according to claim 51, wherein the digital signal processing unit corrects a reference reception gain as a reference for an initial reception gain in a system of interest for each system of a new system group whose reception operation is to be resumed by using a predetermined gain variation amount indicating a reception gain variation, and uses the resultant corrected reception gain as an initial reception gain in each of the systems.
54. A control method for a reception diversity system, which is used in a wireless apparatus, causes an analog signal processing unit to AD-convert an analog reception signal for each system which is obtained, for each system, by causing an RF unit to amplify a radio wave received by each antenna and demodulating the radio wave, causes a digital signal processing unit to decode and combine the obtained digital reception signals to output desired reception information, and causes a control unit to perform switching control of each system in each intermittent operation period in intermittent reception operation, comprising:
the step of causing the control unit to operate only a predetermined system of the respective systems in each intermittent operation period in intermittent reception operation in at least the RF unit while stopping the remaining system, and stop all the systems in an intermittent stop period in the intermittent reception operation;
the step of causing the digital signal processing unit to sequentially adjust a reception gain in each system on the basis of a reception level of each of the digital reception signals; and
the step of causing the digital signal processing unit to calculate and store reception quality, for each of the intermittent operation periods, in a new system which is operated in an intermittent operation period of interest from a digital reception signal in the new system and calculate total reception quality, which is obtained when all the systems are operated, from reception quality in the intermittent operation period of interest of the new system which is obtained by the calculation and reception quality obtained by estimation in the intermittent operation period of interest of each of the remaining stopped systems.
55. A method according to claim 54, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as reception quality in an intermittent operation period of interest of a stopped system of interest, arbitrary reception quality obtained in the past in the stopped system.
56. A method according to claim 54, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as reception quality in an intermittent operation period of interest of a stopped system of interest, reception quality obtained in a previous intermittent operation period in which the stopped system operated.
57. A method according to claim 54, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as reception quality in an intermittent operation period of interest of a stopped system of interest, reception quality in an intermittent operation period of interest of the new system.
58. A method according to claim 54, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as reception quality in an intermittent operation period of interest of a stopped system of interest, a statistics value calculated from a plurality of reception qualities obtained in the past in the new system.
59. A method according to claim 54, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as reception quality in an intermittent operation period of interest of a stopped system of interest, a statistics value calculated from a plurality of reception qualities obtained in the past in the stopped system.
60. A method according to claim 59, wherein the digital signal processing unit uses, as the statistics value, cumulative reception quality obtained by performing predetermined weighting operation for a plurality of reception qualities obtained in the past in the stopped system.
61. A method according to claim 54, wherein the digital signal processing unit corrects, by a quality variation amount indicating a reception quality variation tendency, a reference reception quality as a reference for estimation which is obtained from arbitrary past reception quality, and uses the resultant corrected reception quality as reception quality in an intermittent operation period of interest of a stopped system of interest.
62. A method according to claim 61, wherein the digital signal processing unit calculates the corrected reception quality from a sum of a variation value obtained by multiplying the reception quality variation amount by a predetermined coefficient and the reference reception quality.
63. A method according to claim 54, wherein the digital signal processing unit corrects, by using a quality ratio between reception quality representing the new system and reception quality representing the stopped system, a reference reception quality as a reference for estimation which is obtained from arbitrary past reception quality, and uses the resultant corrected reception quality as reception quality in an intermittent operation period of interest of a stopped system of interest.
64. A method according to claim 54, further comprising the step of causing the control unit to control the respective systems upon dividing the systems into a plurality of system groups and operate only systems belonging to a predetermined system group of the respective system groups in each of the intermittent operation periods while stopping systems belonging to the remaining system group.
65. A method according to claim 35, further comprising the step of causing the control unit to operate a main system including not less than any one of the respective systems commonly in each of the intermittent operation periods and operate subsystems each including not less than any one of the systems other than the main system while switching the subsystems in each of the intermittent operation periods.
66. A method according to claim 54, further comprising the step of causing the control unit to operate a main system including not less than any one of the respective systems commonly in each of the intermittent operation periods and operate subsystems each including not less than any one of the systems other than the main system while switching the subsystems in each of the intermittent operation periods.
67. A method according to claim 65, further comprising the step of causing the control unit to select the main system in accordance with a direction of an antenna of each of the systems.
68. A method according to claim 65, wherein the wireless apparatus comprises a folding cellular phone terminal, and
the method further comprises the step of causing the control unit to select the main system in accordance with a foldedunfolded state of the cellular phone terminal.