Programmable Time Research Articles

The Design of Programmable Time Controller of Short-Circuit Experiment Based on the ARM Microprocessor

Dynamic simulation is an important technical means to study the physical power system stable operation. During the study of short-circuit experiments of dynamic simulation, fault duration and load switching timing is an important technical parameters, which is an important part of the dynamic simulation experiment. The Programmable Time Controller of Short-circuit Experiment (PTCSE) based on ARM-Microprocessor is designed, in which μC / OS-II real-time operating system for embedded is used. According to the Shanghai University of Electric Power dynamic simulation laboratory the specific circumstances of the console, the variety of functions is to be implemented such as input pulse fast response, programming controlling output pulse and other functions, which takes full advantage of the ARM-Microprocessor controller high speed, multitasking management, etc. Laboratory tests showed that the TCS moves quickly, reliably, and meets the requirement of qualitative and quantitative analysis of failure phenomenon, therefore the controller has practical value.

Simple, Economical Heat-Shock Devices for Zebrafish Housing Racks

One reason for the popularity of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model vertebrate is the ability to manipulate gene expression in this organism. A common method is to induce gene expression transiently under control of a heat-shock promoter (e.g., hsp70l). By making simple mechanical adjustments to small aquarium heaters (25-50W), we were able to produce consistent and reliable heat-shock conditions within a conventional zebrafish housing system. Up to two heat-shock intervals per day (>37°C) could be maintained under conditions of continuous flow (5-25 mL/min). Temperature logging every 30 s indicated rapid warm up times, consistent heat-shock lengths, and accurate and precise peak water temperatures (mean±SD=38°C±0.2°C). The biological effects of these heat-shock treatments were confirmed by observing inducible expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and inhibition of caudal fin regeneration in a transgenic fish line expressing a dominant negative fibroblast growth factor receptor (Tg(hsp70l:dnfgfr1-EGFP)(pd1)). These devices are inexpensive, easily modified, and can be calibrated to accommodate a variety of experimental designs. After setup on a programmable timer, the heaters require no intervention to produce consistent daily heat shocks, and all other standard care protocols can be followed in the fish facility. The simplicity and stability of these devices make them suitable for long-term heat shocks at any stage of the zebrafish lifecycle (>7 days postfertilization), and useful for both laboratory and classroom experiments on transgenic zebrafish.

Relaxation oscillator with quadrature triangular and square waveform generation

A CMOS relaxation oscillator which generates quadrature triangular and square waveforms is presented and fabricated in 0.18 µm CMOS. The proposed oscillator consists of cascaded two-stage charge-discharge full-differential circuits with sequential common-mode comparators based on cross-coupled connection. Experimental results show that the proposed oscillator generates quadrature-phase waveforms with less than 1% phase mismatch. The proposed oscillator also achieves a tuning range of more than 40% with digitally programmable timing capacitors and offers phase noise of −132 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset frequency.

An On-Chip Waveform Capturer and Application to Diagnosis of Power Delivery in SoC Integration

An on-chip waveform capturer exhibits 8.8-bit effective accuracy at a 5-ps timing resolution and 190 μ V voltage, with an effective bandwidth of 700 MHz in a 65-nm CMOS prototype. Voltage by a digital-to-analog converter with selectable slopes and offsets is linearly translated into timing, that is used for strobing a waveform. Programmable timing and voltage generation as well as selective input channels are intended for exhaustive power noise measurements on power delivery networks (PDNs) across rail-to-rail voltage domains in a chip. The measurement procedures are totally governed by an embedded controller. The waveform capturer, in combination with a PDN exciter, realizes in situ derivation of resonance parameters by assembling oscillatory waveforms. A power noise reduction of more than 50% is accomplished through on-chip PDN diagnosis, in which the operation frequencies are selected such that the periodical appearance of PDN resonance is prevented.

피에조일렉트릭 프린터 헤드 구동을 위한 집적화된 고전압 펄스 발생 회로의 설계

This paper presents an integrated variable amplitude high voltage pulse generation circuit with low power and small size for driving industrial piezoelectric printer heads. To solve the problems of large size and power overhead of conventional pulse generators that usually assembled with multiple high-cost discrete ICs on a PCB board, we have designed a new integrated circuit (IC) chip. Since all the functions are integrated on to a single-chip it can achieve low cost and control the high-voltage output pulse with variable amplitudes as well. It can also digitally control the rising and falling times of an output high voltage pulse by using programmable RC time control of the output buffer. The proposed circuit has been designed and simulatedd in a 180[nm] Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS (BCD) technology using HSPICE and Cadence Virtuoso Tools. The proposed single-chip pulse generation circuit is suitable for use in industrial printer heads requiring a variable high voltage driving capability.

Formalisation and verification of programmable logic controllers timers in Coq

Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are widely used in embedded systems. Timers play a pivotal role in PLC real-time applications. The formalisation of timers is of great importance. The study presents a formalisation of PLC timers in the theorem proving system Coq, in which the behaviours of timers are characterised by a set of axioms at an abstract level. The authors discuss how to model timers at a proper and sound abstract level. PLC programs with timers are modelled. As a case study, a quiz machine problem with a timer is investigated. This work demonstrates the complexity of formal timer modelling.

Vitrification of Human Oocytes and Embryos of Different Development Stages

Cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos leads to increased cumulative pregnancy rates, enables the recovery of the cost of treatment for Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), minimizes risks of ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome (OHSS) through reducing number of stimulated cycles, reduces the risks of multiple pregnancy, allows patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy to preserve their fertility. In addition it also offers hope to those with genetic diseases such as Turner Syndrome and premature ovarian failure, or both. With the high viability rates now obtained following cryopreservation by vitrification of oocytes and embryos it is no longer a concern that compliance with regulation of certain countries that requires selection of limited number of oocytes for fertilization or the transfer of single embryos will compromise the patients' chances of achieving pregnancy. Considerable effort is now focused on optimising the vitrification technique of cryopreservation worldwide. It is recommended vitrification is used instead of slow freezing as the latter is costly necessitating the purchase of programmable freezers, tedious and time consuming.

Design and Development of Microcontroller Based Auto-Flow Assembly for Biosensor Application

flow assembly for a biosensor has been developed in this paper. In recent years there has been a growing interest in the field of in-vivo biosensors for continuous monitoring. For this continuous monitoring of biological interactions, a need for the development of auto-flow assembly arises. The automated flow assembly inherently coupled to a biosensor, forms a Flow Injection Analysis (FIA) system. The designed auto-flow assembly consists of three micro-fluidic solenoid valves actuated through a microcontroller AT89C51. A programmable turn-on time for each valve can be entered through a 4x3 keypad and its switching can be controlled by the microcontroller. In addition, a temperature-sensing unit for online monitoring of the buffer temperature at the biosensor has been interfaced to the microcontroller. The automated flow assembly offers the advantage of faster response. The work includes interfacing of the temperature sensor, keypad (for selecting the time), display unit (liquid crystal display) and solenoid valves to the microcontroller and development of the software for the same.

Timer Watch Assisted Urotherapy in Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

We evaluated the effect of timer watch treatment in addition to standard urotherapy in children with overactive bladder and daytime urinary incontinence. A total of 60 children with daytime urge incontinence were included in the study. Following a 4-week run-in period of standard urotherapy children were randomized to 12 weeks of standard urotherapy with or without a timer watch. Incontinence episodes were registered and 48-hour bladder diaries were obtained before randomization, and at weeks 1, 11 and 12. Long-term response was evaluated at 7 months. Two children became continent during the run-in period. Before intervention children in the timer group were slightly more wet than children in the standard urotherapy group (median 7 [IQR 25% to 75% 6 to 7] vs 6 [3 to 7] wet days per week, p <0.05). Following 12 weeks of standard urotherapy children randomized to timer assisted urotherapy had significantly fewer wet days per week (median 2, IQR 25% to 75% 0 to 5) vs those undergoing standard urotherapy alone (5, 2.75 to 6.75, p <0.01). In the timer group 18 children (60%) achieved a greater than 50% decrease in incontinence episodes, compared to only 5 (18%) treated without timer assistance. Nine patients (30%) in the timer group and no child in the standard urotherapy group achieved complete daytime continence. The timer increased compliance with the timed voiding regimen. At 7 months of followup 60% of children in the timer group were still continent in the daytime. A programmable timer watch significantly improves the effect of standard urotherapy. When using the timer watch as a supplement to standard urotherapy 60% of the children obtained complete and sustainable daytime continence.

Programmable time delays in Hopfield Neural Networks

The present work aims to use time delays generated in an artificial neural network (ANN) by developing techniques; with simple software design. This network has been modified, by adding the new Alshaban model and the hybrid model called Hopfield - Alshaban network. The feedback has been proposed as such in a recurrent network (Hopfield model). Time delay can be evaluated by proper pattern appearing, when Hopfield network has been trained in such a way as to produce a programmable time delay by changing net weights vectors, which is connected to inputs. Time delays have many applications in signal processing such as digital filtering, correlation, and in ultrasonic signal classification. These created time delays are found more preferable and reliable than that generated by conventional analog and digital systems. Key words: Hopfield network, time delays, recurrent network, Hopfield-Alshaban network.

An Integrated Power Supply System for Low Power 3.3 V Electronics Using On-Chip Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells

A stabilized power supply realized by chip-integrated micro fuel cells within an extended CMOS process is presented in this paper. The fuel cell system delivers a maximum power output of 450 ? W/cm2. The electronic control circuitry consists of an LDO, an on-chip oscillator and a programmable timing network. The core system consumes an average power of 620 nW. The system reaches a current efficiency of up to 92% and provides a constant output voltage of 3.3 V.

From radar to nodar

Photonics and Nanotechnologies are emerging revolutionary technologies that will provide a revolution in the sectors of sensors and radar systems. SELEX Sistemi Integrati intends to face this evolution as a leader by pro-actively supporting and developing its state-of-the-art. One century after the first RADAR “idea” we registered the Nanotechnology Optical Detection And Ranging (NODAR) trademark. Such NODAR, by including both photonic and nanotechnologies, aims to implement multi-functional, multi-role, multi-domain sensors, as well as adaptive, flexible, knowledge-based sensors. NODAR requires pro-active studies and developments on: • nanotechnology vacuum tube amplifiers (TX reverse nano triode): • wide bandwidth Tx-Rx optical beam-forming network by means of optical modulator, combiner, analogue optical receive and programmable true time delay; • broadband photonic analogue to digital converters; • thermal management and interconnection by means of carbon nanotubes; and • nanotechnology infrared and chemical state-of-the-art sensors.

Entanglement of a Photon and an Optical Lattice Spin Wave

We propose and implement a scheme to produce long-lived entanglement between a signal field and a magnetically insensitive collective excitation in an atomic cloud cooled in a one-dimensional optical lattice. After a programmable storage time, we convert the spin-wave excitation into an idler field, and demonstrate violation of Bell's inequality for storage times in excess of 3 ms.

A programmable spike-timing based circuit block for reconfigurable neuromorphic computing

A generic programmable spike-timing based circuit which forms the building block of a reconfigurable neuromorphic array is implemented in analog VLSI. An array of programmable spike time event coded circuit blocks is configured to implement functional circuit blocks of a spike time based neuromorphic model. A reconfigurable neuromorphic array chip with 10 event blocks is fabricated using Austria Microsystems 0.35 μ m CMOS technology to demonstrate the functionality of the circuits in silicon.

Fast Self Triggered Multi Channel Readout ASIC for Time- and Energy Measurement

We present a 16-channel self triggered readout chip for simultaneous time and energy measurement, suitable for a wide range of applications. All circuit elements required for detector readout are integrated on the chip. A fast, low-noise discriminator detects hits at the differential inputs. The events are time stamped with an electronic resolution of 15 ps (single channel rms). The timing range is virtually infinite by means of a coarse counter and an overflow indicator. In parallel to the time stamping of the discriminated input signal, the analog input is integrated during a programmable time window and digitized with 8-bit integral resolution. Readout is achieved through a simple serial protocol. Several chips can be synchronized by means of a built in PLL circuit locking to a common reference clock. The 3 times 3 mm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> chip has been fabricated in 0.18 mum technology, employing a differential logic for all crucial parts. Possible applications of this ASIC are in the fields of high energy physics experiments, medical imaging, range finding, georadar and others.

A 10 Gb/s receiver with half rate period calibration CDR and CTLE/DFE combiner

This paper presents the design of a 10 Gb/s low power wire-line receiver in the 65 nm CMOS process with 1 V supply voltage. The receiver occupies 300 × 500 μm2. With the novel half rate period calibration clock data recovery (CDR) circuit, the receiver consumes 52 mW power. The receiver can compensate a wide range of channel loss by combining the low power wideband programmable continuous time linear equalizer (CTLE) and decision feedback equalizer (DFE).

A Multishutter Time Sensor for Multispectral Imaging in a 3-D Reconstruction Integrated Sensor

The work presented here is related to Cyclope, an integrated active 3-D vision system. The challenge is to realize an integrated sensor which achieve real-time depth vision with constraints on size, consumption and computational resources. In this paper, we present acquisition method which allows to grab both texture and IR pattern images at least at 25 frames/s. The method uses a pulsed IR laser pattern projector and CMOS image sensor with programmable integration time. This sensor is realized in a standard CMOS technology and does not envolve any special optical filtering. We present some experimental results with the realization of a large scale demonstrator using a SOPC prototyping board and the said image sensor.

Dielectric and excess dielectric constants of binary liquid mixtures : Chlorobenzene + nitrobenzene, cyclohexanone + nitrobenzene and benzene + nitrobenzene at 303 K

The nonideal behaviour of liquid mixtures are characterized by excess thermodynamic properties such as excess volumes, enthalpy of mixing, compressibilities etc. The excess dielectric constant e E is also one such parameter that indicates the strength and nature of intermolecular interactions binary liquid mixtures. The positive deviations from ideal behaviour (e E being positive) are qualitatively attributed to a build in of components of the mixture the structure of respective solvent. The negative deviations from ideal behaviour (e E being negative) is explained qualitatively either due to interstitial solvation or due to breaking of aggregates. In the present study, the excess dielectric constants for the binary liquid mixtures (1) benzene + nitrobenzene, (2) chlorobenzene + nitrobenzene and (3) cyclohexanone + nitrobenzene are measured at 303 K and at different concentrations. The dielectric constants for these binary liquid mixtures are measured using a computer based system. It is based on the principle that the change frequency of XR-2206 function generator, when the liquid forms the dielectric medium of the dielectric cell, is measured with a personal computer. The programmable interval timer 8254 available the DIOT card is used to measure the frequency which turn determines the capacitance of the cell and dielectric constant. The necessary software is developed C language.

A novel VME based SR data acquisition system at PSI

A new data acquisition system (DAQ) for bulk μ SR and low-energy μ SR (LE- μ SR) has been developed at PSI. It is based on commercial and in-house VME modules, and on the MIDAS DAQ software library. The system is able to cope with the different needs of the various PSI μ SR spectrometers, which was not possible with the existing CAMAC and ORTEC's pTA-clock based DAQ systems. The VME clock is a 64-channel CAEN V1190 TDC, using the CERN HPTDC chip, with programmable time resolution of 25, 100, 200 or 800 ps. The TDC onboard memory is continuously read through the VME bus by standard PC's or dedicated servers, using a 1-Gbit/s SIS3100/1100 VME–PCI interface. Detector rates are independently monitored using a 32-channel SIS3820 scaler module. In-house developed modules comprise an 8-channel constant fraction discriminator CFD950, a CD950 clock divider, an 8-channel linear fan-out SP950, a 16-channel NIM-ECL level converter LC950, and a programmable coincidence module FC950. All modules feature a superior performance compared to commercially available devices which allows their use also in the planned high-field μ SR spectrometer where a time resolution of about 100 ps is envisaged. A special external hardware logic is no longer required, since the system can deal with a rate total of 5 MHz which is sufficient for μ SR spectrometers with high event rate in their active veto systems.

저가형 요분석 시스템의 다중 광 검출 모듈개발

An optic module system is developed adopting multiple colorimetry units for the measurement of multi-pad urinalysis dipsticks. Multiple photometry system instead of moving mechanisms has the advantages of system reliability and simplicity as well as economic aspects due to the recent development of economic color light emitting diodes and stable photo sensors. An integration amplifier with programmable integration time, a current source circuit with selectable and stable current settings were connected through analog multiplexers to thirty light emitting diodes for illumination and ten photo transistors for reading each strip pad. All the circuits are controlled by a microprocessor through a simple set of serial communication commands. The detect ability is eighteen times better than the minimum color difference of the test grading which is 0.013 in urobilinogen in the color space defined in this paper.