Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

U.S. Philips Corporation

Geotate B.v.

Paul Arthur Gough

Jonathan Farringdon

Christopher Brian Marshall

Saul Robin Dooley

Andrew L Goodyear

Bryan D Young

Matthew James Bickerton

Keith M Hutchings

Andrew Johnston Moore

A method of determining a GPS position fix. The method includes: (i) sampling received GPS signals and storing those samples; (ii) conducting preliminary processing of those GPS signal samples to determine the likelihood of being able to obtain a position fix during later, final processing of those GPS signal samples; and (iii) after step (ii), conducting final processing of those GPS signal samples to obtain a position fix.

Method of determining a GPS position fix and a GPS receiver for the same

An electrode arrangement () comprises a knitted electrically conductive electrode portion () containing electrically conductive yarn and at least one portion () of moisture impermeable electrically conductive material attached to the electrode portion (). During use the electrode portion () and portion of material () are applied to a wearers skin. The moisture impermeable material portion () is of silicon loaded with carbon black. The moisture impermeable portion () encourages perspiration of a user and the perspiration trapped between the skin and moisture impermeable portion () reduces skin to electrode contact resistance to increase efficiency of detection of user heart rate or other electrical signals generated by a user.

Electrode arrangement

A pocket suitable for incorporation in garments, luggage items, personal accessories or the like is provided with an active mechanism and control apparatus to close the pocket. Such closing action may be triggered manually but can also be triggered automatically when the pocket is moved away from an upright orientation or experiences a jolting action. In one embodiment the closing action is performed by a length of shape memory material which contracts when heated to pull the pocket front panel top portion against the rear panel top portion and close the pocket opening.

Pocket

A sensor for detecting the presence of a force exerted by a persons foot on the ground is provided in a shoe, the sensor interposed between the foot and the ground in the region of the sole of the shoe. The sensor includes a resilient compressible elastomeric middle layer of insulating material disposed between a lower conductive fabric layer and a plurality of upper conductive fabric layer portions. The resilient elastomeric layer includes a plurality of embedded electrically conductive metal filaments extending from a first surface towards a second surface of the elastomeric layer. In regions of the sensor compressed by force 'F' due to a persons weight the thickness of the elastomeric layer is reduced and so the metal filaments are of sufficient length to provide electrical continuity through the elastomeric layer between the lower and upper conductive fabric. The occurrence of such continuity is monitored and processed by a system to provide data for use in the field of sports training and athlete monitoring applications.

Shoe based force sensor and equipment for use with the same

A semiconductor body (2) has a first region (3) providing a current path to a first main electrode (4) and carrying a plurality of active device cells (5). The majority (5a) of the active device cells are connected to a second main electrode (6) for providing a main current path through the device between the first and second main electrodes (4 and 6). At least one remaining active device cell forms a monitor cell (5b) and is connected to a monitor electrode (7) for providing a monitor current path through the device between the first main electrode (4) and the monitor electrode (7). The one monitor cell (5b) is formed differently from the majority (5a) of the active device cells so as to be more susceptible to failure than the majority of the active device cells so providing an early warning of the imminent failure of the device enabling evasive action to be taken to inhibit failure of the entire device.

Semiconductor device having active device cells and a monitor cell

A semiconductor component is formed by an insulated gate field effect device having a semiconductor body with a first region of one conductivity type adjacent one major surface, a second region defining a conduction channel area separating a third region from the first region, an insulated gate adjoining the conduction channel area for controlling current flow between the first and third regions and an injection region for injecting opposite conductivity type charge carriers into the first region, and a protection device for limiting the current through the insulated gate field effect device. The protection device is formed by a fourth region of the opposite conductivity type formed within the first region, a fifth region separated from the first region by the fourth region, a first conductive path connecting the fifth region to the insulated gate for allowing the flow of one conductivity type charge carriers towards the insulated gate and a second conductive path connected to the fourth region. An area of the fourth region beneath the fifth region provides a route for opposite conductivity type charge carriers to the second conductive path for causing, when the current through the insulated gate field effect device exceeds a predetermined limit, the pn junction between the fourth and first region to become forward biassed thereby causing the voltage at the insulated gate to alter so as to limit the current through the insulated gate field effect device.

Semiconductor component with protective element for limiting current

A semiconductor component (1a) has first and second insulated gate field effect devices (T1 and T2) formed within the same seminconductor body (2). The devices (T1 and T2) have a common first main electrode (D) and an arrangement (20) provides a resistive connection (20b) between a second main electrode (S2)of the second device (T2) and the insulated gate (G1) of the first device (T1). The second device (T2) is formed so as to be more susceptible than the first device (T1) to parasitic bipolar transistor action for causing, when the first and second devices (T1 and T2) are turned off and a voltage exceeding a critical voltage (V.sub.c) is applied to the common first main electrode (D), the parasitic bipolar transistor (B) within the second device (T2) to turn on producing a current for causing, by virtue of the resistive connection (20b) between the second main electrode (S2) of the second device (T2) and the insulated gate (G1) of the first device (T1), the voltage at the insulated gage (G1) of the first device (T1) to alter to cause the device (T1) to turn on. This allows the energy of the overvoltage to be dissipated by conduction of the first insulated gate field effect device to avoid any potentially damaging effects, such as irreversible bipolar breakdown or performance degradation due to hot carrier injection into the gate oxide.

Semiconductor component having two integrated insulated gate field

A semiconductor device includes a thyristor (4,5,8,9) in which connection is made to the cathode region (9) of the thyristor by means of an MOS structure. The MOS structure is provided by a fifth region (11) forming a pn junction with the cathode region (9), a sixth region (13) in contact with the cathode electrode (C) and forming a pn junction (14) with the fifth region (11), and an insulated gate (15) overlying a conduction channel area (110) of the fifth region (11) for defining a gateable conductive path for charge carriers into the cathode region (9) to initiate thyristor action. The conductive path is thus controlled by the voltage applied to the insulated gate (15), enabling the flow of charge carriers to the cathode region (9) to be stemmed by application of an appropriate gate voltage oxide. The fifth region (11) is electrically connected to provide a path for extraction of charge carriers during turn-off of the thyristor, thereby improving the controllable current capability of the thyristor.

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Smallfield, United Kingdom

Paul Arthur Gough