Author: claimsbot

1. An apparatus for using one or more digital to analog converters (DACs) to optimize power efficiency of a switching power amplifier through zero-voltage switching, comprising:
a digital engine configured to receive a baseband signal input, up convert the baseband signal using a digital up converter in the digital engine, and output a radio frequency (RF) digital output for driving an input of a DAC; and
a DAC configured to receive the RF digital output from the digital engine to generate a digitally controlled current output having a switching waveform, wherein the digitally controlled current output is connected to an emitter of a driving transistor of the switching power amplifier to provide zero-voltage switching for the switching power amplifier.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switching waveform comprises uniformly spaced current pulses having various magnitudes, wherein the uniformly spaced current pulses comprises:
pulses having a magnitude according to a pulse shape when the switching power amplifier is turned on and a voltage across the driving transistor is at a minimal level; and
pulses having little to no magnitude when the switching power amplifier is turned off.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the power amplifier comprises a cascode stage in a common base configuration using high breakdown voltage compound semiconductor materials; and
the digitally controlled current output has a current on the order of hundreds of milliamps.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switching power amplifier includes an amplifier having a class E or F configuration.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
one or more resonator output filters associated with a class F operation, wherein a voltage waveform at the collector approaches a square waveform to reduce additional power dissipation.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the DAC comprises switch arrays, and output impedance control of switches in the switch arrays controls the magnitudes of the digitally controlled current output.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the DAC comprises resistor arrays configurable to provide varying magnitudes of the digitally controlled current output based on the digital output of the digital engine.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the DAC drives the switching power amplifier using the digitally controlled current output in the absence of a current to voltage conversion stage.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a base voltage generator to provide a base voltage for the driving transistor having a voltage waveform, wherein the base voltage generator comprises:
a replica circuit connected to the digitally controlled current output of the DAC, for mirroring the digitally controlled current output; and
a voltage regulator, connected to the output of the replica circuit, for generating a base voltage according to the voltage waveform based on the output of the replica circuit.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a base voltage generator to provide a base voltage having a voltage waveform, wherein the base voltage generator comprises:
a digital signal processor connected the RF digital output of the digital engine for processing the RF digital output to generate voltage information according to the voltage waveform at the output of the digital signal processor; and
a voltage generator, connected to the output of the digital signal processor, for generating the base voltage based on the voltage information.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital engine comprises: the digital up converter, a digital pre-distorter, and a pulse shaper.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital engine comprises:
a plurality of digital up converters, each of the digital up conversion blocks for mixing individual carriers at different frequencies to generate digital intermediate frequencies.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the digital engine further comprises:
a summation node for summing the digital intermediate frequencies to generate a multi-carrier signal.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the digital engine further comprises:
a digital pre-distorter taking the multi-carrier signal as input for generating a pre-distorted signal; and
a pulse shaper taking pre-distorted signal as input to generate the RF digital output of the digital engine.
15. A method for using one or more digital to analog converters (DACs) to optimize power efficiency of the switching power amplifier through zero-voltage switching, comprising:
processing a baseband signal as input by a digital engine;
up converting, by a digital up converter in the digital engine, the baseband signal in the digital domain;
outputting a radio frequency (RF) digital output of the digital engine to drive an input of the DAC;
outputting, by the DAC, a digitally controlled current output having a switching waveform based on the RF digital output of the digital engine; and
driving the switching power amplifier directly with the digitally controlled current output of the DAC, wherein the digitally controlled current output of the DAC is connected to an emitter of a driving transistor of the switching power amplifier to provide zero-voltage switching for the switching power amplifier.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein:
the switching waveform comprises uniformly spaced current pulses having various magnitudes;
outputting, by the DAC, the digitally controlled current output comprises:
outputting pulses having a magnitude according to a pulse shape when the switching power amplifier is turned on and a voltage across the driving transistor is at a minimal level; and
outputting pulses having little to no magnitude when the switching power amplifier is turned off.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein outputting, by the DAC, the digitally controlled current output comprises outputting a current on the order of hundreds of milliamps to the power amplifier comprising a cascode stage in a common base configuration using high breakdown voltage compound semiconductor materials.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein driving the switching power amplifier directly with the digitally controlled current output comprises driving the switching power amplifier using the digitally controlled current output in the absence of a current to voltage conversion stage.
19. A radio frequency transmitter system for driving an antenna, said antenna configured to transmitting radio frequency signals, comprising:
a switching power amplifier for producing the radio frequency (RF) signals to be transmitted by the antenna;
a digital engine configured to receive a baseband signal input, up convert the baseband signal using a digital up converter in the digital engine, and output a RF digital output for driving an input of a DAC; and
the digital to analog converter (DAC) configured to receive the RF digital output to generate a digitally controlled current output having a switching waveform, wherein the digitally controlled current output drives an emitter of a driving transistor of the switching power amplifier to provide zero-voltage switching for the switching power amplifier.
20. The radio frequency transmitter system of claim 19, wherein the digital engine comprises:
a plurality of digital up converters, each of the digital up conversion blocks for mixing individual carriers at different frequencies to generate digital intermediate frequencies;
a summation node for summing the digital intermediate frequencies to generate a multi-carrier signal;
a digital pre-distorter taking the multi-carrier signal as input for generating a pre-distorted signal; and
a pulse shaper taking pre-distorted signal as input to generate the RF digital output of the digital engine.

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 golf ball comprising a core, an intermediate layer and a cover, wherein the intermediate layer has a thickness ranging from 0.020 inch to 0.060 inch, wherein the cover is molded from thermoplastic material comprising a polyurethane, polyurea or polyurethanepolyurea composition having a melt index of 15 g10 min or more at a temperature of 200\xb0 C. to 210\xb0 C. and a load of 8.7 kg prior to molding, and wherein the cover is treated with a secondary curing agent comprising an isocyanate subsequent to molding.
2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover has a cross-sectional thickness of 0.075 or less.
3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover has a cross-sectional thickness of 0.050 or less.
4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover has a cross-sectional thickness of 0.040 or less.
5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover has a cross-sectional thickness of 0.030 or less.
6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the melt index of the material is 20 g10 min or more at a temperature of 200\xb0 C. to 210\xb0 C. and a load of 8.7 kg prior to molding.
7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the melt index of the material is 25 g10 min or more at a temperature of 200\xb0 C. to 210\xb0 C. and a load of 8.7 kg prior to molding.
8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the melt index of the material is 30 g10 min or more at a temperature of 200\xb0 C. to 210\xb0 C. and a load of 8.7 kg prior to molding.
9. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the isocyanate is MDI.
10. A golf ball comprising a core, an intermediate layer and a cover, wherein the intermediate layer is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of ionomer, ionomer blends, thermoplastic polyurethanes, thermosetting polyurethanes, thermoplastic block polyamides, thermoplastic block polyesters, metallocene catalyzed polyolefins, polyamide and ionomer blends, metallocene catalyzed polyamides, and polyphenylene ether and ionomer blends, wherein the cover has a Shore D hardness of 60 or less and is molded from a thermoplastic material comprising a polyurethane, polyurea or polyurethanepolyurea composition having a flex modulus of 30,000 psi or less and a melt index of 15 g10 min or more at a temperature of 200\xb0 C. to 210\xb0 C. and a load of 8.7 kg prior to molding, and wherein the cover is treated with a secondary curing agent comprising an isocyanate subsequent to molding.
11. The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the cover has a Shore D hardness of 55 or less.
12. The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the cover has a Shore D hardness of 50 or less.
13. The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the cover has a Shore D hardness of 45 or less.
14. The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the cover additionally comprises an ionomer or non-ionomer material.
15. The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the melt index of the material is 20 g10 min or more at a temperature of 200\xb0 C. to 210\xb0 C. and a load of 8.7 kg prior to molding.
16. The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the melt index of the material is 25 g10 min or more at a temperature of 200\xb0 C. to 210\xb0 C. and a load of 8.7 kg prior to molding.
17. The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the melt index of the material is 30 g10 min or more at a temperature of 200\xb0 C. to 210\xb0 C. and a load of 8.7 kg prior to molding.
18. The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the flex modulus of the material is 20,000 psi or less.
19. The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the flex modulus of the material is 15,000 psi or less.
20. The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the flex modulus of the material is 10,000 psi or less.
21. A golf ball comprising:
a core;
an intermediate layer having a thickness ranging from 0.020 inch to 0.060 inch, the intermediate layer formed on the core;
a cover molded on said intermediate layer and said core, said cover formed from a polymeric cover composition that includes a polyurethane, said cover composition having a melt index prior to molding said cover of from about 15 to about 85 grams per 10 minutes at a temperature of 200\xb0 C. to 210\xb0 C. and a load of 8.7 kg, and wherein the cover is treated by the application of an isocyanate subsequent to molding.
22. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein said polyurethane in said cover composition has a melt index of from about 25 to about 50 grams per 10 minutes at a temperature of 200\xb0 C. to 210\xb0 C. and a load of 8.7 kg.

1. An electric power supply apparatus comprising:
a first electric power supply that is connected between a first node and a second node;
a second electric power supply that is connected between a third node and a fourth node;
a switch circuit having at least four input terminals, each of which is connected to the first node, the second node, the third node, and the fourth node, and having at least two output terminals;
an electric load that is connected between the two output terminals;
a reactor that is provided at least any one of between the first electric power supply and one of the first node and the second node, and between the second electric power supply and one of the third node and the fourth node;
a voltage control section that alternately switches between:
(A) a series state in which a voltage between both ends of the reactor is increased by connecting the first node with the fourth node, connecting the second node with a first output terminal, and connecting the third node with a second output terminal, to form a current loop that connects the first electric power supply, the second electric power supply, and the reactor in series with the electric load, and
(B) a parallel state in which the voltage between both ends of the reactor is decreased by connecting the first node and the third node with the second output terminal, and connecting the second node and the fourth node with the first output terminal, to connect the first electric power supply and the second electric power supply in parallel with the electric load, and
that performs, by the alternate switching, a voltage adjustment control which controls a voltage applied to the electric load to fall within a voltage range between a first voltage that is the voltage of the first electric power supply or the voltage of the second electric power supply and a second voltage that is the sum of the voltage of the first electric power supply and the voltage of the second electric power supply; and
an electric motor as the electric load, wherein
the voltage control section comprises, as an operation mode, a parallel mode that sets a first switch and a third switch to be closed and a second switch to be open, to connect the first electric power supply and the second electric power supply in parallel with the electric motor.
2. An electric power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switch circuit comprising
a first switch that is connected between the first node and the third node,
a second switch that is connected between the first node and the fourth node, and
a third switch that is connected between the second node and the fourth node, and wherein
the voltage control section alternately switches between the series state and the parallel state, by alternately switching between a first state in which a pair of the first switch and the third switch is closed and the second switch is open, and a second state in which a pair of the first switch and the third switch is open and the second switch is closed.
3. An electric power supply apparatus according to claim 1, comprising an electric motor as the electric load, wherein
the voltage control section comprises, as an operation mode, a series mode that sets the first switch and the third switch to be open and the second switch to be closed, to connect the first electric power supply and the second electric power supply in series with the electric motor.
4. An electric power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the voltage control section further comprises, as operation modes,
a series mode that sets the first switch and the third switch to be open and the second switch to be closed, to connect the first electric power supply and the second electric power supply in series with the electric motor, and
performs the voltage adjustment control when switching between the parallel mode and the series mode.
5. An electric power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reactor is provided between the first electric power supply and one of the first node and the second node.
6. An electric power supply apparatus according to claim 5, comprising, as the reactor, a second reactor that is provided between the second electric power supply and one of the third node and the fourth node.
7. An electric power supply apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of the reactors are magnetically coupled.
8. An electric power supply apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a reactor that is provided between the electric load and any one of the two output terminals.
9. An electric power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the voltage control section comprises, as operation modes,
a first constant current mode that makes the first switch closed, the third switch open, and the second switch open, prior to performing the parallel mode, and
a second constant current mode that makes the first switch open, the third switch closed, and the second switch open, prior to performing the parallel mode.
10. An electric power supply apparatus comprising:
a first electric power supply that is connected between a first node and a second node;
a second electric power supply that is connected between a third node and a fourth node;
a switch circuit having at least four input terminals, each of which is connected to the first node, the second node, the third node, and the fourth node, and having at least two output terminals;
an electric load that is connected between the two output terminals;
a reactor that is provided at least any one of between the first electric power supply and one of the first node and the second node, and between the second electric power supply and one of the third node and the fourth node;
a voltage control section that alternately switches between:
(A) a series state in which a voltage between both ends of the reactor is increased by connecting the first node with the fourth node, connecting the second node with a first output terminal, and connecting the third node with a second output terminal, to form a current loop that connects the first electric power supply, the second electric power supply, and the reactor in series with the electric load, and
(B) a parallel state in which the voltage between both ends of the reactor is decreased by connecting the first node and the third node with the second output terminal, and connecting the second node and the fourth node with the first output terminal, to connect the first electric power supply and the second electric power supply in parallel with the electric load, and
that performs, by the alternate switching, a voltage adjustment control which controls a voltage applied to the electric load to fall within a voltage range between a first voltage that is the voltage of the first electric power supply or the voltage of the second electric power supply and a second voltage that is the sum of the voltage of the first electric power supply and the voltage of the second electric power supply; and
an electric motor as the electric load, wherein
the voltage control section comprises, as an operation mode, a series mode that sets a first switch and a third switch to be open and a second switch to be closed, to connect the first electric power supply and the second electric power supply in series with the electric motor.
11. An electric power supply apparatus according to claim 10, wherein
the voltage control section further comprises, as operation modes,
a parallel mode that sets the first switch and the third switch to be closed and the second switch to be open, to connect the first electric power supply and the second electric power supply in parallel with the electric motor, and
performs the voltage adjustment control when switching between the parallel mode and the series mode.
12. An electric power supply apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the reactor is provided between the first electric power supply and one of the first node and the second node.
13. An electric power supply apparatus according to claim 12, comprising, as the reactor, a second reactor that is provided between the second electric power supply and one of the third node and the fourth node.
14. An electric power supply apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a plurality of the reactors are magnetically coupled.
15. An electric power supply apparatus according to claim 10, comprising a reactor that is provided between the electric load and any one of the two output terminals.

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 small-scale base station comprising:
a digital signal processor configured to generate subframes of a given number, based on first information unique to the small-scale base station and by providing a portion of the subframes as blank frames into which no information is inserted, such that positions where the blank frames are provided at the subframes form a pattern unique to the small-scale base station; and
a central processing unit configured to use the generated subframes and to control data communication with a terminal.
2. The small-scale base station according to claim 1,
further comprising a radio communication unit configured to acquire second information unique to an adjacent small-scale base station, wherein
the central processing unit sets the first information to be different from the second information, and
the digital signal processor, based on the set first information, generates the subframes having the blank frames of the pattern unique to the small-scale base station.
3. The small-scale base station according to claim 2, wherein
the radio communication unit acquires a first physical cell identity unique to the adjacent small-scale base station, and
the central processing unit sets a second physical cell identity unique to the small-scale base station to be different from the first physical cell identity, and
the digital processor, based on the set second physical cell identity, generates the subframes having the blank frames of the pattern unique to the small-scale base station.
4. The small-scale base station according to claim 3, wherein the radio communication unit acquires the first physical cell identity by a sniffing function.
5. The small-scale base station according to claim 3, wherein
the central processing unit is further configured to assign a temporary value to the second physical cell identity for connection to a communicable terminal, and
the radio communication unit causes the terminal to acquire the first physical cell identity and receives the first physical cell identity from the terminal.
6. The small-scale base station according to claim 3, wherein the central processing unit determines a value of the second physical cell identity based on a calculation of remainders, the calculation using a count N of adjacent small-scale base stations and each acquired first physical cell identity.
7. The small-scale base station according to claim 3, wherein the digital signal processor obtains the positions of the blank frames among the given number of subframes, based on a calculation that shifts a remainder yielded by dividing the second physical cell identity by a subframe count N.
8. The small-scale base station according to claim 1, wherein the central processing unit controls the data communication with the terminal, based on input information that is from an external management apparatus and concerns the blank frames of the pattern unique to the small-scale base station.
9. The small-scale base station according to claim 1, wherein the central processing unit, based on notification from the terminal that interference is being received, executes the data communication that uses the subframes that are generated by the generating unit and have the blank frames.
10. The small-scale base station according to claim 1, wherein the central processing unit, based on notification from the terminal that interference is not being received, switches to and executes data communication that uses subframes that do not include the blank frames.
11. The small-scale base station according to claim 9, wherein the central processing unit, after the notification from the terminal that interference is being received, continues to execute the data communication that uses the subframes that are generated by the digital signal processor and have the blank frames, until disconnection of the terminal.
12. The small-scale base station according to claim 5, wherein the central processing unit updates the second physical cell identity at a given updating interval.
13. The small-scale base station according to claim 1, wherein the blank frames use almost blank subframes specified by a communication standard.
14. A communication system including a small-scale base station of which an installation position can be moved and a terminal that performs data communication with the small-scale base station, wherein
the small-scale base station has:
a radio communication unit configured to acquire information unique to an adjacent small-scale base station,
a central processing unit configured to set information unique to the small-scale base station to be different from the information unique to the adjacent small-scale base station, and
a digital signal processor configured to generate based on the set information, subframes having blank frames of a pattern unique to the small-scale base station;

the central processing unit uses the generated subframes and controls the data communication with the terminal; and
the terminal acquires information unique to another small-scale base station that is adjacent to the small-scale base station and notifies the small-scale base station of the acquired information unique to the other small-scale base station.
15. A communication method of a small-scale base station, the communication method comprising:
generating subframes of a given number, based on first information unique to the small-scale base station and by providing a portion of the subframes as blank frames into which no information is inserted, such that positions where the blank frames are provided at the subframes form a pattern unique to the small-scale base station; and
controlling data communication with a terminal by using the generated subframes.
16. The communication method according to claim 15, further comprising acquiring second information unique to an adjacent small-scale base station, wherein
the generating includes setting the first information to be different from the second information, and based on the set first information, generating the subframes having the blank frames of the pattern unique to the small-scale base station.