Author: claimsbot

1. A radio frequency (RF) mixer comprising:
an RF input for receiving an RF signal; and
at least two carbon nanotube diodes coupled with said RF input.
2. The mixer as recited in claim 1, further comprising a local oscillator input coupled with said at least two carbon nanotube diodes.
3. The mixer as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said carbon nanotube diodes comprises at least one semiconductor single wall carbon nanotube, each said nanotube having a section thereof selectively doped to form a p-n junction.
4. The mixer as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least two carbon nanotube diodes include doped nanotube arrays.
5. The mixer as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least two carbon nanotube diodes include four p-n junction nanotube diodes couple to form a diode quad.
6. The mixer as recited in claim 4, wherein each doped nanotube arrays includes at least 10 doped carbon nanotubes.
7. The mixer as recited in claim 4, wherein each doped nanotube arrays includes at least 100 doped carbon nanotubes.
8. The mixer as recited in claim 1, wherein said RF input comprises at least one metallic carbon nanotube antenna.
9. The mixer as recited in claim 1, wherein said LO input comprises at least one metallic carbon nanotube antenna.
10. A radio frequency (RF) mixer comprising:
a diode quad including first, second, third and fourth carbon nanotube diodes, each carbon nanotube diode including a p-n junction;
an RF input for receiving an RF signal coupled to each of said diodes; and
a local oscillator input coupled with each of said diodes.
11. The mixer as recited in claim 10, wherein the p-side of said first diode is coupled with the n-side of said second diode, the p-side of said second diode is coupled with the n-side of said third diode, the p-side of said third diode is coupled with the n-side of said fourth diode, and said p-side of said fourth diode is coupled with the n-side of said first diode.
12. The mixer as recited in claim 10, wherein each said carbon nanotube diodes comprise at least one semiconductor single wall carbon nanotube, each said nanotube having a section thereof selectively doped to form a p-n junction.
13. The mixer as recited in claim 10, wherein each said carbon nanotube diodes includes doped nanotube arrays.
14. The mixer as recited in claim 13, wherein each doped nanotube array includes at least 10 doped carbon nanotubes.
15. The mixer as recited in claim 14, wherein each doped nanotube array includes at least 100 doped carbon nanotubes.
16. The mixer as recited in claim 10, wherein said RF input comprises at least one metallic carbon nanotube antenna.
17. The mixer as recited in claim 10, wherein said LO input comprises at least one metallic carbon nanotube antenna.
18. The mixer as recited in claim 11, wherein said RF input comprises a first metallic carbon nanotube antenna coupled with the p-side of said first diode, and a second metallic carbon nanotube antenna coupled with the p-side of said third diode.
19. The mixer as recited in claim 11, wherein said local oscillator input comprises a first metallic carbon nanotube antenna coupled with the p-side of said second diode, and a second metallic carbon nanotube antenna coupled with the p-side of said fourth diode.
20. A diode quad comprising:
a substrate;
first and second electrodes formed on the surface of said substrate and separated by a first gap;
second and third electrodes formed on the surface of the substrate and separated by a second gap, a portion of said second and said third electrodes being formed in said first gap;
a first p-n junction carbon nanotube diode connecting said first electrode with said third electrode;
a second p-n junction carbon nanotube diode connecting said first electrode with said fourth electrode;
a third p-n junction carbon nanotube diode connecting said second electrode with said third electrode; and
a fourth p-n junction carbon nanotube diode connecting said second electrode with said fourth electrode.
21. The diode quad as recited in claim 20, wherein said first and second electrodes are RF inputs to said diode quad.
22. The diode quad as recited in claim 20, wherein said third and fourth electrodes are local oscillator inputs to said diode quad.
23. The diode quad as recited in claim 20, wherein the p-side of said first diode is coupled with said third electrode, the p-side of said second diode is coupled with said first electrode, the p-side of said third diode is coupled said fourth electrode, and the p-side of said fourth diode is coupled with said second electrode.
24. The diode quad as recited in claim 20, further comprising first, second, third and fourth metallic nanotube antennas connected to said first, second, third, and fourth electrodes respectively.
25. The diode quad as recited in claim 20, wherein each said diode comprises at least one semiconductor single wall carbon nanotube, each said nanotube having a section thereof selectively doped to form a p-n junction.
26. The diode quad as recited in claim 20, wherein each said diode includes doped nanotube arrays.
27. The diode quad as recited in claim 26, wherein each doped nanotube arrays includes at least 10 doped carbon nanotubes.
28. The diode quad as recited in claim 26, wherein each doped nanotube arrays includes at least 100 doped carbon nanotubes.
29. A scanner comprising:
an array of mixers, each mixer comprising:
a diode quad including first, second, third and fourth carbon nanotube diodes, each carbon nanotube diode including a p-n junction;
a RF input coupled with each of said diodes; and
a local oscillator input coupled with each of said diodes;

an RF source; and
mirror means for focusing the RF signal from said RF source onto said array of mixers and for scanning a local oscillator input onto said array of mixers; and
a processing means for processing an output of said array to produce an image.
30. The scanner as recited in claim 29, wherein said diode quad comprises:
a substrate;
first and second electrodes formed on the surface of said substrate and separated by a first gap;
second and third electrodes formed on the surface of the substrate and separated by a second gap, a portion of said second and said third electrodes being formed in said first gap;
a first p-n junction carbon nanotube diode connecting said first electrode with said third electrode;
a second p-n junction carbon nanotube diode connecting said first electrode with said fourth electrode;
a third p-n junction carbon nanotube diode connecting said second electrode with said third electrode; and
a fourth p-n junction carbon nanotube diode connecting said second electrode with said fourth electrode.
31. The scanner as recited in claim 29, wherein the p-side of said first diode is coupled with the n-side of said second diode, the p-side of said second diode is coupled with the n-side of said third diode, the p-side of said third diode is coupled with the n-side of said fourth diode, and said p-side of said fourth diode is coupled with the n-side of said first diode.
32. The scanner as recited in claim 29, wherein said RF input comprises at least one metallic carbon nanotube antenna.
33. The scanner as recited in claim 29, wherein said LO input comprises at least one metallic carbon nanotube antenna.
34. The scanner as recited in claim 29, wherein said RF source produces a signal having a frequency over 1 THz.
35. The mixer as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least four carbon nanotube devices arranged in a diode quad configuration; said RF input being coupled to a first pair of carbon nanotube devices and a local oscillator input being coupled to a second pair of carbon nanotube devices.

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 apparatus for estimating a property of an earth formation penetrated by a borehole, the apparatus comprising:
a carrier configured to be conveyed through the borehole;
a transmitter antenna disposed at the carrier and configured to emit electromagnetic energy into the earth formation;
a controller configured to control electrical current of frequency f transmitted to the transmitter antenna, wherein the transmitted electrical current is non-sinusoidal having a first section with a uniform positive slope and a second section with a uniform negative slope;
a receiver antenna configured to receive a signal from the formation indicative of the property; and
a processor configured to receive the signal from the receiver antenna and to estimate the property using the received signal.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrical current is transmitted as a series of pulses.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to vary a shape of one or more different pulses, the frequency f of one or more different pulses, or combination thereof.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the property is resistivity, conductivity, fracture pattern location or fault pattern location.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a magnitude of a slope of the first section is less than a magnitude of a slope of the second section.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a magnitude of a slope of the first section is greater than a magnitude of a slope of the second section.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a magnitude of a slope of the positive-slope side and a magnitude of a slope of the negative-slope side are the same.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:
transmit first electrical current to the transmitter antenna to emit first electromagnetic energy having a first characteristic into the formation thereby causing the receiver antenna to receive a first signal; and
transmit second electrical current to the transmitter antenna to emit second electromagnetic energy having a second characteristic into the formation thereby causing the receiver antenna to receive a second signal;
wherein the controller is further configured to determine the second characteristic based on the received first signal and the processor is further configured to estimate the property using the second signal.
9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the second characteristic comprises a change in amplitude, a change in slope of current, or a change in frequency or a change in pulse repetition rate when electrical current is transmitted as a series of pulses.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transmitter coupled to the transmitter antenna and configured to transmit the non-sinusoidal current to the transmitter antenna in order to emit the non-sinusoidal electromagnetic energy.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the transmitter comprises a digital to analog converter.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a receiver coupled to the receiver antenna and configured to amplify the signal received by the receiver antenna.
13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the receiver comprises an analog to digital converter.
14. A method for estimating a property of a formation penetrated by a borehole, the method comprising:
conveying a carrier through the borehole;
transmitting electrical current at frequency f to a transmitter antenna disposed at the carrier in order to emit electromagnetic energy into the earth formation, wherein a controller controls the electrical current such that the electrical current is non-sinusoidal having a first section with a uniform positive slope and a second section with a uniform negative slope;
receiving a signal from the formation indicative of the property using a receiver antenna; and
estimating the property using the received signal.
15. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:
transmitting first electrical current having a first characteristic to the transmitter antenna to emit first electromagnetic energy into the formation thereby causing the receiver antenna to receive a first signal; and
transmitting second electrical current having a second characteristic to the transmitter antenna to emit second electromagnetic energy into the formation thereby causing the receiver antenna to receive a second signal;
wherein the controller is further configured to determine the second characteristic based on the received first signal and the processor is further configured to estimate the property using the second signal.
16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the second characteristic comprises a change in amplitude, a change in slope of the first section, a change in slope of the second section, or a change in frequency.
17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first electrical current is transmitted as a first series of pulses at a first pulse rate and the second electrical current is transmitted as a second series of pulses at a second pulse rate and the controller is further configured to determine the second pulse rate based on the received first signal.
18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the property is resistivity, conductivity, fracture pattern location or fault pattern location
19. The method according to claim 14, wherein a magnitude of a slope of the first section is less than a magnitude of a slope of the second section.
20. The method according to claim 14, wherein a magnitude of a slope of the positive-slope side is greater than a magnitude of a slope of the negative-slope side.
21. The method according to claim 14, wherein a magnitude of a slope of the positive-slope side and a magnitude of a slope of the negative-slope side are the same.
22. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for estimating a property of a formation penetrated by a borehole by implementing a method comprising:
transmitting electrical current to a transmitter antenna disposed at the carrier in order to emit electromagnetic energy of frequency f into the earth formation, wherein a controller controls the electrical current such that the electrical current is non-sinusoidal having a first section with a uniform positive slope and a second section with a uniform negative slope;
receiving a signal from the formation indicative of the property using a receiver antenna; and
estimating the property using the received signal.
23. The medium according to claim 22, wherein transmitting comprises transmitting first electrical current having a first characteristic to the transmitter antenna to emit first electromagnetic energy into the formation thereby causing the receiver antenna to receive a first signal and transmitting second electrical current having a second characteristic to the transmitter antenna to emit second electromagnetic energy into the formation thereby causing the receiver antenna to receive a second signal and the method further comprises:
determining the second characteristic based on the first signal; and
estimating the property using the second signal.

1. A hinge connector comprising: a dielectric connector housing having a predetermined shape; at least one through hole passing through the said connector housing; at least one storage space disposed inside the said through hole; at least one elastic contact element disposed inside the said storage space; and at least one rotatable contact element disposed inside the said storage space, wherein the said elastic contact element and the said rotatable contact element are in contact with each other at one end of the said through hole, and at least one external contact portion projected from a corresponding aperture of the said through hole is formed at the other end thereof.
2. A hinge connector according to claim 1, wherein the said connector housing has a step or a collar at one end and a profile fitting to the mounting hole of the hinge mechanism in the electronic appliance to be used.
3. A hinge connector according to claim 1, wherein the said connector housing is equipped with a plurality of through holes.
4. A hinge connector according to claim 1, wherein the said rotatable contact element is a wheel type contact in the form of a wheel, and shafts are projected substantially from the center of the said wheel type contact, and wherein the end portions of the said shafts are movably and pivotally supported respectively in substantially U-shaped grooves which are constituted on the sidewalls facing each other inside the said storage space, and part of the outer periphery of the said wheel type contact is projected from the aperture of the said through hole.
5. A hinge connector according to claim 1, wherein the said elastic contact element is constituted as a stripe having a predetermined width, said stripe being bent in a substantially S-shaped form, and the said S-shaped stripe has a slit having a predetermined width at the lower end, and wherein the said wheel type contact is inserted in the slit, and the shafts of the said wheel type contact are pressed by small stripes at both sides of the said slit.
6. A hinge connector according to claim 1, wherein a press-contact terminal is formed at the external contact portion of the said elastic contact element.
7. A circuit board, wherein patterns, which are connected to the external contact portions of the rotatable contact element in the hinge connector defined in claim 1, are concentrically disposed on the circuit board.
8. A hinge connector according to claim 1, wherein the said rotatable contact element is a spherical contact in the form of a ball, and it is rotatably inserted into an aperture connecting to the said storage space, and wherein part of the said spherical contact is projected from the aperture of the said through hole.
9. A hinge connector according to claim 8, wherein the said elastic contact element is constituted as a spring member having an arbitrary shape and the spherical contact is pressed by the spring member.
10. A hinge connector according to claim 1, wherein a solder terminal is formed at the external contact portion of the said elastic contact element.
11. A circuit board, wherein patterns, which are connected to the external contact portions of the elastic contact element in the hinge connector defined in claim 10, are concentrically disposed on the circuit board.

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 thermally insulating wall construction comprising a pair of masonry panels each having an internal surface and an observable surface and being arranged with said internal surfaces facing each other to define an air cavity between said panels, said internal surfaces each having a plurality of recesses interspersed between protrusions, and said wall construction having at least one reflective sheet with extends between adjacent protrusions, and which is spaced from the interior of said recesses.
2. The construction as claimed in claim 1 wherein the recesses and protrusions of one said internal surface are arranged opposite of the recesses and protrusions of other internal surface.
3. The construction as claimed in claim 1 having a single substantially centrally located said sheet intermediate said pair of panels.
4. The construction as claimed in claim 1 having a pair of said sheets each of which extends between the adjacent protrusions of the corresponding panel, and each of which is spaced from the interior of said corresponding recesses.
5. The construction as claimed in claim 4 wherein each of said pair of sheets at least partially enters the recesses of the corresponding panel.
6. The construction as claimed in claim 3 wherein said recesses and protrusions respectively comprise a series of substantially parallel grooves and ridges.
7. The construction as claimed in claim 6 wherein said grooves are substantially semi-circular in transverse cross section and said ridges have substantially flat and co-planar crests.
8. The construction as claimed in claim 7 wherein strips of resilient cellular insulation material are positioned extending at least partially along said crests.
9. The construction as claimed in claim 8 wherein said strips are interposed between corresponding protrusions of said internal surfaces.
10. The construction as claimed in claim 9 wherein said strips are dimensioned to comprise a shock absorbing packing between said pair of masonry panels which, but for said strips, would otherwise have said corresponding protrusions substantially abutting.
11. The construction as claimed in claim 1 wherein said recesses and protrusions are defined by a former retained within each said panel.
12. The construction as claimed in claim 11 wherein said former is shaped as a portion of an egg carton.
13. The construction as claimed in claim 1 wherein a plurality said panels are edge abutted in side-by-side relationship.
14. The construction as claimed in claim 13 wherein the edge abutments of the panels on one side of said cavity are not aligned with the edge abutments of the panels on the other side of said cavity.
15. The construction as claimed in claim 13 wherein said edge abutment is defined by a tongue on one edge of each panel and a corresponding groove on the other edge of each panel.
16. The construction as claimed in claim 1 wherein said panels are provided with interior grooves each defining part of a recess for a stud.
17. The construction as claimed in claim 16 wherein said studs are spanned by a beam which is capable of supporting floor joists of an upper storey.
18. The construction as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reflective sheet comprises double sided aluminum coated plastics film.
19. The construction as claimed in claim 1 wherein said recesses are at least partially filled with acoustic insulation.
20. The construction as claimed in claim 19 wherein said insulation is fibrous.
21. A method of fabricating a panel for use in the wall construction claimed in claim 1, said method comprising the steps of:
(i) creating a mould for said panel,
(ii) placing a shaped former in said mould to form said recesses and protrusions,
(iii) pouring a flowable hardenable cementitious substance onto said former within said mould and allowing same to set, and
(iv) removing said set material and former from said mould whereby said former is retained in situ in said panel.
22. The method as claimed in claim 21 including the further step of:
(v) placing a reflective sheet in said mould before placing said former therein.
23. The method as claimed in claim 22 including the further step of:
(vi) placing a spacer on the base of said mould prior to placing said reflective sheet in said mould.
24. The method as claimed in claim 21 including the further step of:
(vii) coating at least part of said mould with plastics film to form a water impervious release agent.
25. A masonry panel having an internal surface and an observable surface, said internal surface having a plurality of recesses interspersed between protrusions, and at least one reflective sheet with extends between adjacent protrusions and which is spaced from the interior of said recesses.
26. The panel as claimed in claim 25 and fabricated from lightweight concrete.
27. The panel as claimed in claim 25 and including a former left in situ in said panel after its fabrication.
28. A masonry panel fabricated in accordance with the method as claimed in claim 21.
29. A building including a wall construction as claimed in claim 1.