Author: claimsbot

1. An identification apparatus comprising:
an image sensor for producing electronic signals corresponding to optical information representative of a target image;
a lens assembly for focusing the target image on the image sensor; and
a voice coil actuator assembly configured to move the lens assembly to focus the target image on the image sensor.
2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a lens guidance assembly, wherein the lens assembly is moved along the lens guidance assembly to focus the target image on the image sensor.
3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the lens guidance assembly comprises a pair of living hinges.
4. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the lens guidance assembly comprises a cylindrical bushing.
5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the image sensor comprises a charge coupled device.
6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the voice coil actuator assembly comprises a coil and a magnet adjacent to the coil.
7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the voice coil actuator assembly further comprises a yoke positioned at least partially within a void defined by the coil.
8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the optical information comprises an array of pixel information.
9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein the array of pixel information is two-dimensional.
10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the voice coil actuator assembly is positioned adjacent to the lens assembly.
11. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising control and logic circuitry for processing the electronic signals produced by the image sensor.
12. The imaging apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the voice coil actuator assembly is configured to automatically move the lens assembly to focus the target image on the image sensor.
13. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the target image is a barcode.
14. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to be less than two cubic inches in volume.
15. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising an illumination source for illuminating a target area.
16. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the illumination source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes.
17. A method of reading an image with an identification apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
producing electronic signals in an image sensor, wherein the electronic signals correspond to optical information representative of a target image;
focusing the target image on the image sensor through a lens assembly; and
moving the lens assembly to focus the target image on the image sensor via a voice coil actuator assembly.
18. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of determining a distance between the identification apparatus and the target image.
19. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of transmitting the electronic signals to an image processing system which is configured to execute a series of programmable instructions to identify the target image.
20. In an identification device, a lens guidance assembly for guiding and supporting a lens assembly in alignment with an optical axis comprising:
a pair of living hinges, the pair of living hinges having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to a lens assembly and the second end is connected to a frame of the identification device.
21. The lens guidance assembly as recited in claim 20, wherein each of the pair of living hinges define a notch adjacent to the first and second ends for adjusting the flexibility of the pair of living hinges.
22. In an identification device, a lens guidance assembly for guiding and supporting a lens assembly in alignment with an optical axis comprising:
a cylindrical bushing, the bushing defining a hollow bore therethrough, wherein the hollow bore is dimensioned to receive a lens assembly therein.
23. The lens guidance assembly as recited in claim 13, wherein the bushing defines a longitudinal slot in the circumference thereof, wherein the slot is configured to receive a tab for transferring a force from an actuator to the lens assembly.
24. A method of focusing an image with an identification apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
determining a distance between the identification apparatus and a target image;
correlating the determined distance to the target image to a position of a lens guidance assembly;
determining a current position of a lens assembly with respect to the position of the lens guidance assembly; and
determining an amount of distance that the lens assembly needs to be moved to focus the target image on an image sensor.
25. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the position of the lens guidance assembly is a fixed reference position.
26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the amount of distance that the lens assembly needs to be moved is determined with respect to the fixed reference position.
27. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the amount of distance that the lens assembly needs to be moved is determined as a function of the current position of the lens assembly.
28. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the current position of the lens assembly is continuously determined.
29. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the lens assembly is moved a determined distance via a voice coil actuator assembly to focus the target image on the image sensor.
30. An apparatus for processing information for focusing an image with an identification apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
a memory for storing at least a portion of the information; and
a processor coupled to the memory and operative to determine a distance between the identification apparatus and a target image; correlate the determined distance to the target image to a position of a lens guidance assembly; determine a current position of a lens assembly with respect to the position of the lens guidance assembly; and determine an amount of distance that the lens assembly needs to be moved to focus the target image on an image sensor.
31. An optical bar code reader comprising:
an image sensor for producing electronic signals corresponding to optical information representative of a target image;
a lens assembly for focusing the target image on the image sensor; and
a voice coil actuator assembly configured to move the lens assembly to focus the target image on the image sensor.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What we claim is:

1. In a cooling tower for cooling water, said cooling tower having an upper reservoir for receiving heated water to be cooled, a lower reservoir for receiving the cooled water, a plurality of generally vertically disposed film fill sheets spaced from one another with each said film fill sheet having at least one surface over which heated water to be cooled flows, said upper reservoir discharging heated water therefrom for being in flowing contact with the upper regions of each of said film fill sheets, and a blower for forcing or drawing air laterally between said spaced sheets so as to cool the water flowing down the sheets, wherein the improvement comprises:
each of said film fill sheets having a plurality of buttons formed thereon and extending outwardly in a first direction from the plane of the sheet, wherein said buttons are arranged in rows with the buttons of each said row being substantially uniformly spaced from one another with a corresponding space therebetween, wherein the buttons of one row being substantially in register with the spaces in the rows immediately above and below said one row such that upon release of heated water to be cooled from said upper reservoir so as to flow down said sheets, said water upon encountering a first row of buttons is divided into rivulets flowing downwardly and laterally within the spaces between the buttons of said first row of said buttons and as said rivulets of water flows downwardly from said first row so as to encounter the buttons of the next lower row constituting a second row such last-said buttons of said second row diverting the flow of water substantially downwardly and laterally into the spaces of said second row, and thence said water will flow downwardly within the spaces of said next lower row constituting a third row, and as said water flows downwardly from said second row it encounters the buttons of said third row so as to divert the flow of water downwardly and laterally into the spaces of said next row, and so on until said water flows into said lower reservoir, whereby the rate at which said water flows down said sheet is inhibited thereby maximizing the length of time that said water is exposed to the cooling airflow as said water flows from said upper to said lower reservoir.
2. In a cooling tower for cooling water, said cooling tower having an upper reservoir to distribute heated water, a lower reservoir to receive the cooled water, a plurality of spaced film fill sheets positioned substantially upright over which the heated water to be cooled travels from said upper to said lower reservoir, and a blower for forcing air between said sheets so as to cool the water flowing down the sheets, wherein the improvement comprises:
a plurality of buttons formed thereon and extending outwardly from one surface of the sheet, said buttons being arranged in a plurality of rows with the buttons in each said row being substantially uniformly separated with spaces therebetween, said buttons of one row being offset one half the distance between two adjacent buttons from the rows immediately above and below said one row; each row having a plurality of dimples formed thereon and extending inwardly from said one surface of said sheet, said dimples in each said row being arranged between adjacent ones of said buttons with said buttons and dimples being substantially uniformly separated from one another with spaces therebetween, said dimples of one row being offset one half the distance between two adjacent buttons from the rows immediately above and below said one row, a channel on both sides of each said button with said channels extending downwardly and laterally with respect to the vertical, said dimples being located at the intersection of said channels for two such adjacent rows; and a grid pattern of channels that border each of said buttons on four diagonal sides, said channels connect the base of said buttons and said dimples such that upon releasing heated water to be cooled from said upper reservoir so as to flow down said sheets, said water upon encountering a first row of buttons and dimples is divided into rivulets flowing downwardly within said spaces between said buttons, said channels and said dimples of said first row of said buttons wherein as said water flows downwardly from said first row, said water encountering said buttons and said dimples in the next lower or second row so as to divert the flow of said water in a meandering manner into said spaces and said channels of said second row, and thence said water will flow downwardly within said spaces, said channels, and said dimples of said second row, wherein as said water flows downwardly from said second row, said water encounters said buttons, said dimples, and said channels of the next lower row so as to divert the flow of water substantially laterally into said spaces of said next row, and so on until said water flows into said lower reservoir whereby the rate at which said water flows down said sheet is inhibited thereby maximizing the length of time that said water is exposed to the flow of cooling air as said water flows from said upper to said lower reservoir.
3. A film fill sheet as set forth in claim 2 having a plurality of buttons formed thereon and extending outwardly from one surface of the sheet, said buttons being arranged in rows, said buttons in each said row being substantially uniformly separated with spaces therebetween, wherein said buttons of one row being one half the distance between two adjacent buttons from the rows immediately above and below said one row, such that upon releasing an excessive volume of heated water to be cooled from said upper reservoir, said water flows downwardly over said buttons in a riffle pattern, and thereby inhibits the rate at which said water descends from said upper to said lower reservoir, allows passage of an excessive volume of said water, and thereby maximizes the length of time that said water is exposed to the cooling airflow as said water flows from said upper to said lower reservoir.
4. A film fill sheet as set forth in claim 2, wherein said sheet material comprises polyvinyl chloride.
5. A film fill sheet as set forth in claim 2, wherein said sheet material comprises nylon.
6. A film fill sheet as set forth in claim 2, wherein said sheet material comprises high-density polyethylene.
7. A button as set forth in claim 2, wherein said buttons have a diameter ranging between about 0.20 and about 0.60 inches 0.508 to 1.52 cm and the spaces between said buttons range from about 0.40 to about 0.60 inches 1.01 to 1.52 cm.
8. A film fill sheet as set forth in claim 2, wherein sheet thickness facilitates vacuum forming thereof at an appropriate temperature.
9. A film fill sheet as set forth in claim 2, wherein sheet thickness is from about 0.010 inches to about 0.025 inches 0.025 to 0.063 cm.
10. A vacuum formed film fill sheet for use in a water cooling tower comprising:
an arrangement of buttons evenly separated in both horizontal and vertical directions and offset from adjacent buttons;
bars formed along the left, right, top, and bottom edges of said sheet to retain water, to provide stability, to align sheets; and,
formed spacers along the said bars and in the vicinity of the center of said sheet to separate said sheet from adjacent film fill sheets.
11. A bar as set forth in claim 10, wherein said bar is formed in a trapezoidal shape no more than 1.00 inch 2.54 cm in height along the left and right edges of a sheet.
12. A bar as set forth in claim 10, wherein said bar is formed in a U-shape no more than 1.00 inch 2.54 cm in depth along the top and bottom edges of a sheet.
13. A spacer as set forth in claim 10, wherein said spacer has a height of no more than 1.00 inch 2.54 cm and a diameter of no less than 0.50 inch 1.27 cm.
14. In a cooling tower for cooling water, said cooling tower having an upper reservoir to distribute heated water, a lower reservoir to receive the cooled water, a plurality of spaced film fill sheets positioned substantially upright over which the heated water to be cooled travels from said upper to said lower reservoir, and a blower for sucking or forcing air laterally between said sheets so as to cool the water flowing down the sheets, wherein the improvement comprises:
a plurality of buttons formed thereon and extending outwardly from one surface of the sheet, said buttons being arranged in a plurality of horizontal rows, the buttons in each said row being substantially uniformly separated with spaces therebetween, said buttons of one row being offset one half the distance between two adjacent buttons, from the rows immediately above and below said one row;
a plurality of dimples formed thereon and extending inwardly, said dimples being arranged in rows, the dimples in each said row being substantially uniformly separated with spaces therebetween, wherein the dimples of one row being offset one half the distance between two adjacent buttons from the rows immediately above and below said one row, said dimples located at the intersection of four channels; and a grid pattern of channels that border each of said buttons on four diagonal sides, said channels connect the base of said buttons and said dimples such that upon releasing heated water to be cooled from said upper reservoir so as to flow down said sheets, said water upon encountering a first row of buttons and dimples is divided into rivulets flowing downwardly within the spaces between the buttons, said channels, and the dimples of said first row of said buttons wherein as said water flows downwardly from said first row, said water encountering the buttons and the dimples in the next lower or second row so as to divert the flow of water laterally left or right at random in a meandering manner into the spaces, channels, and dimples of said second row, and thence said water will flow downwardly within the spaces, channels, and dimples of said second row, wherein as said water flows downwardly from said second row, said water encounters the buttons, dimples, and channels of the next lower row so as to divert the flow of water substantially laterally left or right at random in a meandering manner into the spaces, channels, and dimples of said next row, and so on until said water flows into said lower reservoir whereby the distance traveled by said water lengthens, thus the rate at which said water flows down said sheet is inhibited thereby maximizing the length of time that said water is exposed to the flow of cooling air as the water flows from said upper to said lower reservoir.
15. A film fill sheet as set forth in claim 2 with a plurality of buttons formed thereon and extending outwardly from one surface of the sheet, said buttons being arranged in rows, the buttons in each said row being substantially uniformly separated with spaces therebetween, wherein the buttons of one row being offset one half the distance between two adjacent buttons from the rows immediately above and below said one row, such that upon releasing an average volume of heated water to be cooled from said upper reservoir, said water flows downwardly in a meandering separate lineal paths through the spaces between a first row of said buttons then said water encounters a second row of buttons, said second row of buttons diverts said water substantially laterally left or right at random in a meandering manner so that said water flows around a button in said row, into the spaces of said next row, and so on until said water flows into said lower reservoir and thereby increasing the distance traveled by said water down the film fill sheet thus, inhibiting the rate at which said water descends from said upper to said lower reservoir, allowing passage of an average volume of said water, and thereby maximizing the length of time that said water is exposed to the cooling airflow as said water flows from said upper to said lower reservoir.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of transmitting an INAP in IN, comprising the steps of:
generating an INAP message object indicating an INAP initial setting through an INAP factory object;
obtaining an invoke ID and dialogue ID from a TCAP dialogue object, to set them in the INAP message object;
issuing a component addition command, to add the INAP message object to a TCAP message object; and
generating and executing different transmission TCAP events based on a dialogue state, to send the INAP message and delete the object after sending the message.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of generating and executing different transmission TCAP events based on the current TCAP dialogue state to send and delete the INAP message object includes the steps of:
inheriting the INAP object from a TC component object, to make a TC primitive object into TC beginning in a TCAP dialogue idle state;
obtaining information required for the TC beginning from an SCP relationship object, to set the information in the TC primitive;
issuing a TC primitive addition command to add the TC primitive to the TCAP message to which the TC component was added previously and to send it; and
giving a command of transferring to an initial state, to transfer the TCAP dialogue object from the idle state into the initial state.
3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of issuing a TC primitive addition command to add the TC primitive to the TCAP message to which the TC component was added previously and to send it includes the steps of:
processing the TC component into a format capable of being used in the TCAP or its lower network protocol;
loading the processed TC component in a message data region, which is going to be transmitted to TCAP, to send it to the TCAP; and
sending the TC component to the TCAP, and then transmitting the TC primitive of the TCAP message.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the step of transmitting the TC primitive of the TCAP message includes the step of.
processing the TC primitive into a format capable of being used in the TCAP and its lower network protocol; and
loading the processed TC primitive in a message data region, which is going to be transmitted to TCAP, to send it to the TCAP.
5. A method of receiving an INAP in IN, comprising the steps of:
when a TC primitive is received from the TCAP, generating a new TC beginning object for processing the received TC primitive;
finding a corresponding SCP relationship object using a dialogue ID included in the received TC primitive;
adding the new TC beginning object to a TCAP message by using the SCP relationship object;
in case where only the TC primitive is received without accompanying a TC component, executing the TC primitive to which the TC beginning object was added; and
performing a corresponding call processing, and then deleting the SCP relationship object to finish a dialogue with the SCP.
6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of generating the TC beginning object includes the step of generating the same TC primitive as the kind of a received INAP message and decoding the received INAP message.
7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of finding a corresponding SCP relationship object using a dialogue ID included in the received TC primitive includes the step of generating a new SCP relationship object through a TCAP dialogue object when the dialogue ID was not found.
8. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of executing the TC primitive to which the TC beginning object was added includes the steps of:
in case only the TC primitive is received, executing the TC primitive;
in case where a TC component is received together with the TC primitive, processing the TC component while withholding the execution of the TC primitive; and
carrying out the withheld TC primitive, and then executing the processed TC component.
9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of processing the TC component includes the steps of:
in case where the TC component is received from the TCAP, analyzing an operation code loaded in a TC invoke object included in the received TC primitive;
generating a connection related INAP object when the operation code corresponds to an INAP connection related operation code;
executing the NAP object to find a corresponding SCP relationship object using a dialogue ID included in the received TC component;
commanding the SCP relationship object to add a TC component object, to add the TC component object to the TCAP message; and
executing the TC component.
10. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of executing the TC primitive includes the steps of:
generating a TC primitive event indicating TC beginning, and changing the TCAP dialogue state corresponding to the idle state;
finding a corresponding SCP using address information of the TC beginning object, and then changing the TCAP dialogue state into a full duplex state;
when a TC component is included in the TCAP message, executing the TC component; and
ending a TCAP dialogue object when the TCAP dialogue state is changed into an ending state, finishing a dialogue with the SCP.
11. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of executing the TC primitive includes the steps of:
generating a TC primitive event indicating TC beginning, and changing the TCAP dialogue state corresponding to the idle state;
finding a corresponding SCP using address information of the TC beginning object, and then changing the TCAP dialogue state into the full duplex state;
when a TC component is included in the TCAP message, executing the TC component; and
ending the TCAP dialogue object when the TCAP dialogue state is changed into the ending state, finishing the dialogue with the SCP.
12. The method as claimed in claim 8, the step of executing the TC component includes the steps of:
executing a component execution function, to inherit the TC component object and connection related INAP object;
reporting generation of a TC invoke event through a SCP relationship object;
returning the current call processing state to a TC invoke related INAP object for the reported event; and
performing a corresponding call processing according to the TC invoke event with respect to the current call processing state.
13. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of ending the dialogue with the SCP includes the steps of:
calling dialogue ending function, to generate a call processing event indicating conclusion of SCP relationship;
reporting the generated SCP relationship ending event to a call processing object such that the current call processing state is returned; and
deleting the SCP relationship ending event, and then deleting the corresponding SCP relationship object to finish the dialogue with the SCP.
14. A method of processing an INAP for communication between an SSP and TCAP, comprising the steps of:
the SSP generating a TC component to be sent to an SCP;
allocating an invoke ID and dialogue ID to the generated TC component;
generating a TC primitive corresponding to the state of the allocated dialogue;
sequentially encoding the generated TC component and TC primitive in formats suitable for the protocol, to send it to the TCAP through a TCAP interface block;
receiving an INAP message sent from the TCAP;
decoding the received INAP message based on its kind;
finding a corresponding SCP relationship object using the dialogue ID contained in the decoded INAP message;
when the TC primitive is included in the decoded INAP message, executing the TC primitive; and
upon execution of corresponding call processing, deleting the found SCP relationship object, to finish a dialogue with the SCP.
15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the step of generating the TC primitive includes the steps of:
generating the TC primitive corresponding to TC beginning that indicates beginning of the dialogue when the state of the allocated dialogue corresponds to an idle state;
receiving a routing address required for the generated TC primitive from the SCP relationship object and adding it to the TCAP message; and
changing the state of the allocated dialogue from the idle state to an initial state.
16. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the step of executing the TC primitive includes the steps of:
in case where the TC primitive is the TC beginning that indicates initiation of the dialogue, generating a TC primitive event representing the TC beginning, and changing the state (TCAP dialogue state) of the dialogue corresponding to the dialogue ID included in the decoded INAP message from the idle state to the initial state;
finding a corresponding SCP using address information of a TC beginning object, and then changing the TCAP dialogue state from the initial state into a full duplex state; and
in case where the decoded INAP message contains a TC component, executing the TC component.
17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the executing the TC component includes the steps of:
executing a command corresponding to the operation of the TC component, to carry out a corresponding call processing; and
upon execution of the TC component, changing the state (TCAP dialogue state) of the dialogue corresponding to the dialogue ID contained in the decoded INAP message into an ending state and finishing the dialogue.

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 semiconductor device, comprising: a semiconductor package having solder balls as external terminals and a flexible circuit substrate having external terminals on both sides thereof, wherein
the semiconductor package is connected to the external terminals of one side of the flexible circuit substrate with the solder balls;
the flexible circuit substrate is folded so as to wrap the semiconductor package and is adhered to a side of the semiconductor package opposite to a side the external terminals being mounted; and
the flexible circuit substrate positioned on a side facing solder balls of the semiconductor package is folded at a region inside of an edge of the semiconductor package.
2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible circuit substrate positioned on a side facing solder balls of the semiconductor package is folded at a region outside of outermost solder balls on the semiconductor package.
3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the flexible circuit substrate from a folded position outside of the outermost solder balls to the lateral side of the semiconductor package is not in contact with the outermost solder balls.
4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein an adhesive layer is provided on at least a part of the one side of the flexible circuit substrate being connected to the semiconductor package that is in contact with the lateral side of the semiconductor package or with the opposite side to the side the external terminals being mounted.
5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein an adhesive layer is provided on at least a part of the lateral side of the semiconductor package or the opposite side thereof to the side the external terminals being mounted that is in contact with the flexible circuit substrate.
6. The semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein the adhesive layer is made of a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin.
7. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein the adhesive layer is made of a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin.
8. The semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein the adhesive layer is made of a thermoplastic polyimide having a glass transition temperature of 70 to 140 degree C.
9. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein the adhesive layer is made of a thermoplastic polyimide having a glass transition temperature of 70 to 140 degree C.
10. The semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein a thickness of the thermoplastic resin or the thermosetting resin is not less than 20 micrometers.
11. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein a thickness of the thermoplastic resin or the thermosetting resin is not less than 20 micrometers.
12. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein no underfill resin is sandwiched in between the flexible circuit substrate and the semiconductor package.