All The Claims

1. A knob assembly comprising
first and second encoders disposed within a housing,
inner and outer rotary knobs disposed externally of the housing, and
an interface plate of the housing is interposed between the encoders and the rotary knobs for minimizing environmental leakage and electrical interference paths into the housing, isolating the interior of the housing from the rotary knobs,
wherein the first encoder is configured to decode the angular orientation of the inner rotary knob, and
the second encoder is configured to decode the angular orientation of the outer rotary knob.
2. The knob assembly of claim 1 wherein
the first encoder is configured to decode an axial translation of the inner rotary knob.
3. The knob assembly of claim 1 wherein
the interface plate is free of any physical openings between the rotary knobs and the encoders for providing electrical conductors or physical elements of the rotary knobs into the interior of the housing.
4. The knob assembly of claim 1 wherein
the inner rotary knob includes a first magnet, and
the first encoder is configured to decode an absolute or relative angular rotation of the first magnet as a control function.
5. The knob assembly of claim 2 wherein
the inner rotary knob includes a first magnet, and
the first encoder is configured to decode an axial translation of the first magnet as a control function.
6. The knob assembly of claim 1 wherein
the outer rotary knob includes a second magnet, and
the second encoder is configured to decode a relative angular rotation of the second magnet as a control function.
7. The knob assembly of claim 6 wherein
the second magnet is a multi-pole ring magnet including a magnetic strip.
8. The knob assembly of claim 1 wherein
the housing includes a cylindrical projection extending from the interface plate for providing a boss for the inner and outer rotary knobs.
9. The knob assembly of claim 8 wherein
the inner rotary knob includes a protruding circumferential lip inserted into the boss, and
a retention ring which engages the protruding circumferential lip to hold the inner rotary knob within the boss.
10. The knob assembly of claim 8 wherein
the outer rotary knob includes snap retention features,
the boss includes a circumferential slot, and
the snap retention features interlock with the circumferential slot to attach the outer rotary knob to the housing at the boss.
11. The knob assembly of claim 1 wherein
the knob assembly includes a tactile feedback mechanism,
the tactile feedback mechanism is sandwiched between the inner rotary knob and the interface plate of the housing,
wherein the tactile feedback mechanism provides feedback to a user when the inner rotary knob is axially translated.
12. The knob assembly of claim 11 wherein
the tactile feedback mechanism includes a snap dome.
13. A control unit including a knob assembly, comprising:
first and second encoders disposed internally within a housing,
inner and outer rotary knobs disposed externally of the housing, and
a boundary surface of the housing interposed between the encoders and the rotary knobs for preventing environmental leakage and electrical interference paths into the housing,
wherein the first encoder is configured to decode an angular rotation through a first angle of the inner push button rotary knob as a first control function and decode an axial translation of the inner push button rotary knob as a second control function, and
the second encoder is configured to decode another angular rotation through a second angle of the outer rotary knob as a third control function.
14. The control unit of claim 13, wherein
a first magnet is disposed in the inner push button rotary knob,
a second magnet is disposed in the outer rotary knob, and
the first encoder decodes the angular rotation and the axial translation of the first magnet, free-of any electrical conductors, and
the second encoder decodes the angular rotation of the second magnet, free-of any electrical conductors.
15. The control unit of claim 13 wherein
the housing includes a cylindrical projection extending from the boundary surface defining a boss having a cavity,
the boss includes a circumferential slot,
the outer rotary knob includes snap retention features, and
the inner rotary knob is inserted within the cavity of the boss, and the snap retention features engage the circumferential slot to attach the outer rotary knob to the housing.
16. The control unit of claim 13 wherein
the knob assembly includes a tactile feedback mechanism between the inner rotary knob and the boundary surface of the housing, and
the tactile feedback mechanism provides user feedback when the inner rotary knob is axially translated.
17. A method of controlling an electronic device disposed within a housing, comprising the steps of:
axially translating an inner push button rotary knob disposed externally to the housing;
axially rotating the inner rotary knob;
contactlessly communicating translational and rotational positions of the inner rotary knob to a first encoder, disposed internally within the housing, without any physical contact between the inner rotary knob and the first encoder;
first decoding, by the first encoder, the translational and rotational positions of the inner rotary knob; and
activating a first function in an electronic device, in response to the first decoding step.
18. The method of controlling an electronic device of claim 17 further comprising the steps of:
axially rotating an outer rotary knob;
contactlessly communicating rotational position of the outer rotary knob to a second encoder, disposed internally within the housing, without any physical contact between the outer rotary knob and the second encoder;
second decoding, by the second encoder, a rotational position of the outer rotary knob; and
activating a second function in the electronic device, in response to the second decoding step.
19. The method of controlling an electronic device of claim 17 wherein
a first magnet is disposed in the inner rotary knob, and
a second magnet is disposed in the outer rotary knob,
the first magnet contactlessly communicates the translational and rotational positions of the inner rotary knob and the second magnet contactlessly communicates the rotational position of the outer rotary knob.
20. The method of controlling an electronic device of claim 17 wherein
axially translating the rotary knob biases a tactile feedback mechanism sandwiched between the inner rotary knob and the housing, and
provides feedback to a user.
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 collision damage reducing apparatus, which is for lessening damage of a vehicle due to a collision, monitoring an obstacle in a moving direction of a vehicle and activating apiece of equipment of the vehicle according to a possibility of a collision with the monitored object, said collision damage reducing apparatus comprising:
designated obstacle detecting means, which is included in said vehicle, detecting an object being positioned in the moving direction and having a possibility of a collision with the vehicle to be a designated obstacle;
detecting period calculating means obtaining a continuous detecting period, for which the object has been uninterruptedly detected as the designated obstacle;
monitoring target acknowledging means, according to the continuous detecting period obtained by said detecting period calculating means, deciding whether or not the designated obstacle is regarded as a monitoring target that is to be monitored by said damage reducing apparatus, and deciding whether or not the designated obstacle is regarded as an activation cause to activate the equipment activated under control by said damage reducing apparatus;
reliability determining means judging a possibility of the collision of the vehicle with the designated obstacle if the continuous detecting period is longer than a detecting period threshold value), and defining a reliability level coefficient indicating a degree of reliability of the designated obstacle if a result of the judging of the collision is positive;
attentiveness determining means defining attentiveness coefficient, which indicates a degree of attentiveness of the driver of the vehicle and is decreased according to deterioration in the attentiveness of the driver; and
detecting period threshold value adjusting means decreasing the detecting period threshold value according to decrease in the attentiveness coefficient defined by said attentiveness determining means.
2. The collision damage reducing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a response time map defining a relationship between the attentiveness coefficient and a response time of the driver which increases according to decreasing in the attentiveness coefficient; and
response time estimating means estimating the response time by applying the attentiveness coefficient defined by said attentiveness determining means to said response time map.
3. The collision damage reducing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:
time-to-collision estimating means estimating time to collision of the vehicle with the designated obstacle;
operation controlling means actuating the equipment if the time to collision estimated by said time-to-collide estimating means is equal to or shorter than a collision threshold value; and
collision threshold value adjusting means increasing the collision threshold value according to increase in the response time estimated by said estimating response time means.
4. The collision damage reducing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a warning unit warning a driver of the vehicle, and
an automatic brake control unit controlling braking of the vehicle irrespective of the driver’s intention,
wherein,
the detecting period threshold value is defined as a first detecting period threshold value and a second detecting period threshold value, which is longer than the first detecting period threshold value,
said monitoring target acknowledging means,
if the continuous detecting period is longer than the second detecting period threshold value, decides the designated obstacle to be regarded as the activation cause to activate the warning unit) and the automatic brake control unit,
if the continuous detecting period is shorter than the first detecting period threshold value, decides the designated obstacle not to be regarded as the activation cause to activate the warning unit and the automatic brake control unit, and
if the continuous detecting period is equal to or longer than the first detecting period threshold value and is equal to or shorter than the second detecting period threshold value, decides the designated obstacle to be regarded as the activation cause to activate the warning unit and decides the designated obstacle not to be regarded as the activation cause to activate the automatic brake control unit.
5. The collision damage reducing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:
a warning unit warning a driver of the vehicle, and
an automatic brake control unit controlling for braking of the vehicle irrespective of the driver’s intention,
wherein,
the detecting period threshold value is defined as a first detecting period threshold value and a second detecting period threshold value, which is longer than the first detecting period threshold value,
said monitoring target acknowledging means,
if the continuous detecting period is longer than the second detecting period threshold value, decides the designated obstacle to be regarded as the activation cause to activate the warning unit and the automatic brake control unit,
if the continuous detecting period is shorter than the first detecting period threshold value, decides the designated obstacle not to be regarded as the activation cause to activate the warning unit and the automatic brake control unit, and
if the continuous detecting period is equal to or longer than the first detecting period threshold value and is equal to or shorter than the second detecting period threshold value, decides the designated obstacle to be regarded as the activation cause to activate the warning unit and decides the designated obstacle not to be regarded as the activation cause to activate the automatic brake control unit.
6. The collision damage reducing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:
a warning unit warning a driver of the vehicle, and
an automatic brake control unit controlling for braking of the vehicle irrespective of the driver’s intention,
wherein,
the detecting period threshold value is defined as a first detecting period threshold value and a second detecting period threshold value, which is bigger than the first detecting period threshold value,
said monitoring target acknowledging means,
if the continuous detecting period is longer than the second detecting period threshold value, decides the designated obstacle to be regarded as the activation cause to activate the warning unit and the automatic brake control unit,
if the continuous detecting period is shorter than the first detecting period threshold value, decides the designated obstacle not to be regarded as the activation cause to activate the warning unit and the automatic brake control unit, and
if the continuous detecting period is equal to or longer than the first detecting period threshold value and is equal to or shorter than the second detecting period threshold value, decides the designated obstacle to be regarded as the activation cause to activate the warning unit and decides the designated obstacle not to be regarded as the activation cause to activate the automatic brake control unit.

What is claimed is:

1. A microelectronic device, comprising:
a microelectronic die having an active surface, a back surface, and at least one side;
said at least one microelectronic die side comprising at least one beveled sidewall and at least one channel sidewall, wherein said at least one beveled sidewall extends between said channel sidewall and said microelectronic die back surface; and
a metallization layer disposed on said microelectronic die back surface and said at least one beveled sidewall.
2. The microelectronic device of claim 1, wherein said at least one beveled sidewall is between about 30 degrees and about 60 degrees from said at least one channel sidewall.
3. The microelectronic device of claim 2, wherein said at least one beveled sidewall is about 45 degrees from said at least one channel sidewall.
4. The microelectronic device of claim 1, wherein said metallization layer is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, chromium, titanium, nickel vanadium, and nickel.
5. A microelectronic device assembly, comprising:
a microelectronic die having an active surface, a back surface, and at least one side;
said at least one microelectronic die side comprising at least one beveled sidewall and at least one channel sidewall, wherein said at least one beveled sidewall extends between said channel sidewall and said microelectronic die back surface;
a metallization layer disposed on said microelectronic die back surface and said at least one beveled sidewall; and
a heat dissipation device attached to said microelectronic die back surface with a thermal interface material.
6. The microelectronic device of claim 5, wherein said at least one beveled sidewall is between about 30 degrees and about 60 degrees from said at least one channel sidewall.
7. The microelectronic device of claim 6, wherein said at least one beveled sidewall is about 45 degrees from said at least one channel sidewall.
8. The microelectronic device assembly of claim 5, wherein said metallization layer is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, chromium, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, and nickel.
9. The microelectronic device assembly of claim 5, wherein said thermal interface material is selected from the group consisting of lead, tin, indium, silver, copper, and alloys thereof.
10. The microelectronic device assembly of claim 5, wherein at least a portion of a fillet of said thermal interface material extend from said metallization layer on said microelectronic die beveled sidewall to said heat dissipation device.
11. A method of dicing a microelectronic device wafer, comprising:
providing a microelectronic device wafer comprising a semiconductor wafer having a back surface, said microelectronic device including at least two integrated circuit areas formed therein separated by at least one scribe street;
forming at least one substantially V-shaped notch opposing said at least one scribe street and extending from said semiconductor wafer back surface into said semiconductor wafer, wherein said substantially v-shaped notch comprises at least two sidewalls that terminate at an intersection location;
forming a metallization layer on said semiconductor wafer back surface and said at least two notch sidewalls; and
forming a channel within said at least one scribe street and extending through said interconnection layer, said semiconductor wafer, and said intersection location.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein providing said microelectronic further includes providing said microelectronic device wafer having an interconnection layer disposed on said active surface.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein forming said substantially v-shaped notch comprises forming said substantially v-shaped notch by a method selected from the group consisting of laser ablation, etching, and cutting with a wafer saw.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein forming said metallization layer on said semiconductor wafer back surface and said at least two notch sidewalls comprises depositing at least one layer of metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, chromium, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, and nickel.
15. A method of fabricating a microelectronic device assembly, comprising:
providing a microelectronic die having an active surface, a back surface, and at least one side, wherein said at least one microelectronic die side comprises at least one beveled sidewall and at least one channel sidewall;
disposing a metallization layer on said microelectronic die back surface and said at least one beveled sidewall; and
attaching a heat dissipation device to said microelectronic die back surface with a thermal interface material.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein disposing said metallization layer comprises disposing at least one metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, chromium, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, and nickel on said microelectronic die back surface and said at least one beveled sidewall.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein attaching said heat dissipation device comprises attaching said heat dissipation device with a thermal interface material selected from the group consisting of lead, tin, indium, silver, copper, and alloys thereof.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein attaching said heat dissipation device comprises attaching said heat dissipation device with said thermal interface material such that a portion of a fillet of said thermal interface material extends from said metallization layer on said at least one beveled sidewall to said heat dissipation device.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein providing said microelectronic die comprises:
providing a microelectronic device wafer comprising a semiconductor wafer having a back surface, said microelectronic device including at least two integrated circuit areas formed therein separated by at least one scribe street;
forming at least one substantially V-shaped notch opposing said at least one scribe street and extending from said semiconductor wafer back surface into said semiconductor wafer, wherein said substantially v-shaped notch comprises at least two sidewalls that terminate at an intersection location;
forming a metallization layer on said semiconductor wafer back surface and said at least two notch sidewalls; and
forming a channel within said at least one scribe street and extending through said interconnection layer, said semiconductor wafer, and said intersection location.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein providing said microelectronic die further includes providing said microelectronic device wafer having an interconnection layer disposed on said active surface.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein forming said substantially v-shaped notch comprises forming said substantially v-shaped notch by a method selected from the group consisting of laser ablation, etching, and cutting with a wafer saw.
22. The method of claim 19, wherein forming said metallization layer on said semiconductor wafer back surface comprises depositing at least one layer of metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, chromium, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, and nickel.

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. (canceled)
2. A method comprising:
receiving, from an optical coherence tomography apparatus, an intensity data measurement for a region of tissue;
passing the intensity data measurement through a first frequency band filter having a first bandwidth to produce a first output;
passing the intensity data measurement through a second frequency band filter having a second bandwidth that is wider than the first bandwidth to produce a second output; and
determining an indication of fluid flow in the region of tissue by comparing the first output and the second output.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein both the first bandwidth and the second bandwidth are centered at a same base frequency.
4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
in response to determining a positive indication of fluid flow in the region of tissue, determining a blood analyte measurement based on at least some the intensity data measurement.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the blood analyte measurement comprises a measurement of at least one of: blood glucose, blood hemoglobin, or blood oxygen.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the indication of fluid flow in the region of tissue comprises:
analyzing fringe frequency data in the first output and the second output.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein analyzing fringe frequency data comprises:
analyzing frequency modulation in the fringe frequency data in the first output and the second output.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein analyzing fringe frequency data comprises:
analyzing amplitude modulation in the fringe frequency data in the first output and the second output.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein analyzing fringe frequency data further comprises:
comparing speckle intensity in the first output and the second output.
10. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the indication of fluid flow in the region of tissue comprises:
comparing speckle intensity in the first output and the second output.
11. The method of claim 2, wherein the intensity data measurement comprises a backscattered wide band signal.
12. A method comprising:
receiving, from an optical coherence tomography apparatus, intensity data measurement for a region of tissue;
passing the intensity data measurement through a first filter to produce a first output;
passing the intensity data measurement through a second filter to produce a second output;
analyzing fringe frequency data the first output and the second output to determine an indication of fluid flow in the region of tissue; and
in response to determining a positive indication of fluid flow in the region of tissue, analyzing the intensity data measurement to determine a blood analyte measurement.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:
analyzing a plurality of intensity data measurements for a same region of tissue to determine a blood analyte measurement.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of intensity data measurements are obtained at a plurality of depths in the same region of tissue.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of intensity data measurements are obtained at a plurality of times for the same region of tissue.
16. The method of claim 12, wherein the blood analyte measurement comprises a measurement of at least one of: blood glucose, blood hemoglobin, or blood oxygen.
17. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the indication of fluid flow in the region of tissue comprises:
analyzing fringe frequency data in the first output and the second output.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein analyzing fringe frequency data comprises:
analyzing frequency modulation in the fringe frequency data in the first output and the second output.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein analyzing fringe frequency data comprises:
analyzing amplitude modulation in the fringe frequency data in the first output and the second output.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein analyzing fringe frequency data further comprises:
comparing speckle intensity in the first output and the second output.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein determining the indication of fluid flow in the region of tissue comprises:
comparing speckle intensity in the first output and the second output.