Author: claimsbot

1. A patch antenna suitable for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals, comprising:
a conductive ground plane;
a resonator positioned on top of said conductive ground plane, wherein said resonator includes:
a top conductive layer,
a middle conductive layer,
a plurality of slots spanning said top and middle conductive layers, and
conductive meandering along a perimeter of the plurality of slots connecting said top and middle conductive layers; and

a dielectric substrate separating said conductive ground plane and said resonator.
2. The patch antenna according to claim 1, wherein outer dimensions of said resonator are less than \u03bbg2.
3. The patch antenna according to claim 2, wherein said slots are spaced in a regular pattern along said resonator.
4. The patch antenna according to claim 1, wherein said conductive ground plane and said resonator are realized in a multi-layer printed circuit board.
5. The patch antenna according to claim 1, wherein said meandering includes plated holes that interconnect said top and middle conductive layers.
6. The patch antenna according to claim 1, wherein the patch antenna includes symmetry that facilitates circularly polarized operation.
7. A circularly polarized patch antenna, comprising:
a conductive ground plane;
top and bottom conductive layers disposed in a dielectric substrate and positioned in parallel with the conductive ground plane; and
plated holes integrated with the plurality of slots and electrically joining the top and bottom conductive layers.
8. A method for providing a patch antenna, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a conductive ground plane;
providing a multi-layer resonator parallel to said conductive ground plane, wherein conductive meandering electrically interconnects the multi-layer resonator around a perimeter of a plurality of slots within the resonator that integrates with the meandering; and
separating the resonator and the conductive ground plane with a dielectric substrate.
9. The method according to claim 8, comprising the step of forming top and middle conductive layers comprising the multi-layer resonator.
10. The method according to claim 8, comprising the step of forming a multi-layer printed circuit board using the conductive ground plane, the top and middle conductive layers with associated meandering, and the plurality of slots.
11. The method according to claim 10, comprising the step of forming the meandering as plated holes.
12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising forming a circularly polarized patch antenna wherein outer dimensions of the resonator are less than \u03bbg2.
13. A method for providing a circularly polarized patch antenna, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a conductive ground plane;
providing a resonator with top and middle conductive layers;
adding plated holes outside a plane of the patch antenna for electrically connecting the top and middle conductive layers;
interposing a plurality of slots spanning the top and middle conductive layers; and
disposing a dielectric substrate between the top and middle conductive layers and the conductive ground plane.

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. An exhaust system for a motorcycle, comprising:
a bracket including a joint portion, an engine support portion, and a swing-arm support portion, the joint portion being configured to be connected to a vehicle-body frame, the engine support portion being configured to support an engine, the swing-arm support portion being provided separately from the joint portion and configured to support a swing arm which is swingable with respect to the vehicle-body frame and at a rear end of which a rear wheel is provided;
an exhaust pipe extending rearwards from the engine;
a muffler connected to a rear end of the exhaust pipe and disposed along the swing arm; and
a muffler support stay having a front end and a rear end, the muffler being connected to the rear end, the front end being connected to the bracket separately from the joint portion.
2. The exhaust system for a motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein the muffler support stay has a longitudinal direction and is disposed so that the longitudinal direction extends along the swing arm in a front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body.
3. The exhaust system for a motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein a drive shaft configured to drive the rear wheel is disposed at one side of the swing arm, and wherein the muffler and the muffler support stay are disposed at an opposite side of the swing arm.
4. The exhaust system for a motorcycle according to claim 2, wherein a drive shaft configured to drive the rear wheel is disposed at one side of the swing arm, and wherein the muffler and the muffler support stay are disposed at an opposite side of the swing arm.
5. A motorcycle comprising:
a vehicle-body frame;
a swing arm swingable with respect to the vehicle-body frame;
a rear wheel provided at a rear end of the swing arm;
a bracket including a joint portion, an engine support portion, and a swing-arm support portion, the joint portion being connected to the vehicle-body frame, the engine support portion supporting an engine, the swing-arm support portion supporting the swing arm and being provided separately from the joint portion;
an exhaust pipe extending rearwards from the engine;
a muffler connected to a rear end of the exhaust pipe and disposed along the swing arm; and
a muffler support stay having a front end and a rear end, the muffler being connected to the rear end, the front end being connected to the bracket separately from the joint portion.

1. A semiconductor device comprising:
a package board having first and second surfaces;
first external terminals on the first surface; and
second external terminals on the first surface which are arranged apart from the first external terminals,
wherein the second external terminals include first and second through holes which extend from the first surface to the second surface, and a metal layer on the first surface which is provided between the first and second through holes,
wherein the metal layer passes through the first and second through holes to the second surface.
2. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the first through hole is nearer to a side of the package board than the second through hole, and the side is the nearest side to a middle of the first and second through holes.
3. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the metal layer on the second surface is provided between the first and second through holes.
4. The device according to claim 1,
further comprising a resin layer which covers the metal layer on the first and second surfaces and fills the first and second through holes.
5. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the resin layer has an opening on the first surface between the first and second through holes.
6. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the package board is made from a halogen-free base material.
7. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the package board is a glass epoxy board.
8. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the first external terminals are provided at a center area of the package board.
9. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the second external terminals are provided at a edge area of the package board.
10. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the first external terminals are provided between the second external terminals.
11. The device according to claim 1,
wherein each of the first external terminals is one of a valid terminal and an invalid terminal.
12. The device according to claim 1, further comprising
solder balls on the first and second external terminals.
13. The device according to claim 1, further comprising
chips which are stacked on the second surface of the package board.
14. The device according to claim 13,
wherein the chips are electrically connected to the first and second external terminals.
15. The device according to claim 13,
wherein the chips includes a memory chip and a controller chip which controls the memory chip.
16. The device according to claim 15,
wherein the controller chip is stacked on the memory chip.
17. The device according to claim 15,
wherein the memory chip is a flash memory.
18. The device according to claim 1,
wherein each of the second external terminals includes a third through hole which extends from the first surface to the second surface, the metal layer is provided between the first, second and third through holes, and the metal layer passes through the third through hole to the second surface.
19. The device according to claim 1,
wherein each of the second external terminals includes third and fourth through holes which extend from the first surface to the second surface, the metal layer is provided between the first, second, third and fourth through holes, and the metal layer passes through the third and fourth through holes to the second surface.
20. The device according to claim 1,
wherein the device is an embedded multi media card.

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 method for combining different forms of navigational information, or a subset thereof, for producing a navigation solution of a first module, wherein the first module is operative to combine the navigational information and enabled to communicate to at least one second module operative to combine different forms of navigational information or a subset thereof, the method comprising:
a) obtaining readings from a sensor assembly of self-contained sensors within the first module, wherein the readings relate to navigational information of the first module, and producing an output indicative thereof;
b) obtaining absolute navigational information of the module from external sources, and producing an output indicative thereof;
c) receiving andor transmitting signals used to estimate ranging information between the first module and the at least one second module, receiving andor transmitting navigation state, and producing aiding signals indicative thereof; and
d) providing at least one processor for processing the sensor assembly readings, the absolute navigational information, and the aiding signals to produce a navigation solution relating to the first module, wherein the at least one processor is capable of utilizing the aiding signals to enhance the navigation solution when the absolute navigation information is limited, degraded or denied.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly comprises accelerometer means for measuring module specific forces and obtain accelerations and gyroscope means for measuring turning rates.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensor assembly comprises at least two accelerometers and one gyroscope.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensor assembly comprises three accelerometers and three gyroscopes.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the absolute navigational information is obtained by a receiver.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the receiver is a GNSS receiver.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the GNSS receiver is a Global Positioning System receiver.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first module is positioned on a first platform, and the at least one second module is positioned on at least one second platform.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is a wireless or wired transceiver.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the wireless transceiver uses signals appropriate to the transmission medium.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to use a state estimation technique.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the state estimation technique is linear or non-linear.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the state estimation technique is an Extended Kalman Filter.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the navigation solution is determined via a loosely or a tightly coupled integration scheme.
15. The method of claim 8, wherein the first platform is physically linked to at least one second platform.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the physical link between the first platform and the at least one second platform enables the use of kinetic constraints that can be used to enhance the navigation solution of the first module.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the physical link is a rigid link.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein the physical link is a non-rigid or flexible link.
19. A first module for producing a navigation solution, operative to combine different forms of navigational information, or a subset thereof, and enabled to communicate with at least one second module operative to combine different forms navigational information, or a subset thereof, the first module comprising:
a) an assembly of self-contained sensors, within the first module, capable of obtaining readings relating to the navigational information of the first module, and producing an output indicative thereof;
b) means for receiving absolute navigational information of the first module from external sources, and producing an output indicative thereof;
c) a transceiver for receiving andor transmitting signals used to estimate ranging information between the first module and the at least one second module, receiving andor transmitting navigation state, and for producing aiding signals indicative thereof; and
d) at least one processor coupled to receive the sensor assembly readings, the absolute navigational information and the aiding information to produce a navigation solution relating to the first module,
wherein the at least one processor is capable of utilizing the aiding information to enhance the navigation solution of the first module when the absolute navigational information is limited, degraded or denied.
20. The first module of claim 19, wherein the sensor assembly comprises accelerometer means for measuring module specific forces and obtain accelerations and gyroscope means for measuring turning rates.
21. The first module of claim 20, wherein the sensor assembly comprises at least two accelerometers and one gyroscope.
22. The first module of claim 20, wherein the sensor assembly comprises three accelerometers and three gyroscopes.
23. The first module of claim 19, wherein the absolute navigational information is obtained by a receiver.
24. The first module of claim 23, wherein the receiver is a GNSS receiver.
25. The first module of claim 24, wherein the GNSS receiver is a Global Positioning System receiver.
26. The first module in claim 19, wherein the first module is positioned on a first platform and the at least one second module is positioned on at least one second platform.
27. The first module of claim 19, wherein the transceiver is a wireless or wired transceiver.
28. The first module of claim 27, wherein the wireless transceiver uses signals appropriate to the transmission medium.
29. The first module of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to use a state estimation technique.
30. The first module of claim 29, wherein the state estimation technique is linear or non-linear.
31. The first module of claim 30, wherein the state estimation technique is an Extended Kalman Filter.
32. The first module of claim 19, wherein the navigation solution is determined via a loosely or a tightly coupled integration scheme.
33. The first module in claim 26, wherein the first platform is physically linked to at least one second platform.
34. The first module in claim 33, wherein the physical link between the first platform and the at least one second platform enables the use of kinetic constraints that can be used to enhance the navigation solution of the first module.
35. The first module in claim 33, wherein the physical link is a rigid link.
36. The first module in claim 33, wherein the physical link is a non-rigid or flexible link.