A semiconductor device of the invention includes: a substrate having a hollowed hollow section on a top surface; a semiconductor chip mounted in the hollow section of the substrate; and a lid having a substantially plate-shaped top plate section that opposes the substrate and covers the hollow section, and having at least one pair of side wall sections that project from a circumference of the top plate section towards the substrate and that engage with a side surface of the substrate. The substrate and the lid can be accurately positioned.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device provided with a semiconductor chip such as a sound pressure sensor chip and a pressure sensor chip.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Applications No. 2005-351653 and No. 2005-351654 filed on Dec. 6, 2005, Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-376393 filed on Dec. 27, 2005, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-296013 filed on Oct. 31, 2006, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
As disclosed in Published Japanese Translation No. 2004-537182 of the PCT International Publication and U.S. Pat. No. 6,781,231, in a conventional semiconductor device such as a silicon microphone or a pressure sensor, a semiconductor chip, which has a movable part such as a sound pressure sensor chip or a pressure sensor chip, is mounted on the top surface of a substrate. In a semiconductor device of this kind, the top surface of a circuit substrate on which a semiconductor chip is mounted is covered by a metallic cover (lid) that forms a hollow space that encloses the semiconductor chip. An aperture section is formed in this cover to communicate the above hollow space with an outer space. This cover is fixed on the circuit substrate by adhering an end section of the cover to the top surface of the substrate via a conductive adhesive agent.
However, since it is necessary to adhere and fix the cover to the top surface of the circuit substrate in the manufacturing of the above conventional semiconductor device, it is difficult to position of the cover with respect to the circuit substrate.
Moreover, for this kind of semiconductor device, it is demanded to improve the manufacturing efficiency, and reduce the manufacturing cost of the semiconductor device.

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof


A semiconductor device includes a pair of second semiconductor regions (5) selectively formed in predetermined spaced apart relation in a first semiconductor region (3), and a silicide film (8) formed in an upper main surface of the first semiconductor region (3) between the pair of second semiconductor regions (5). The silicide film (8) is formed to establish an electric connection between side surfaces of the second semiconductor regions (5) at their respective edges opposed to each other. A source electrode (11) is formed on an upper surface of the silicide film (8). The semiconductor device has an increased safe operating area without the increase in manufacturing costs. A method of manufacturing the semiconductor device is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the invention relates to a semiconductor device having an effective channel length specified by the difference in diffusion length between two impurities of different conductivity types, and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
MOSFETs formed by the DSA (Diffusion Self-Align) process are referred to as DMOS transistors. A DMOS transistor is one of the semiconductor devices having an effective channel length specified by the difference in diffusion length between two impurities of different conductivity types.
FIG. 16 shows a cross-sectional structure of a background art DMOS transistor 80. As shown in FIG. 16, the DMOS transistor 80 comprises a semiconductor body BD including a semiconductor substrate 1 containing an n-type impurity of a relatively high concentration (n.sup.+), and an epitaxial layer 2 formed on the semiconductor substrate 1 and containing an n-type impurity of a relatively low concentration (n.sup.-).
A first semiconductor region 3 containing a p-type impurity and a pair of second semiconductor regions 5 containing an n-type impurity of a relatively high concentration are double diffused in an upper main surface of the epitaxial layer 2. The pair of second semiconductor regions 5 are selectively formed in predetermined spaced apart relationship in the first semiconductor region 3. A source electrode 11 is formed on respective edges (referred to as first edges) of the pair of second semiconductor regions 5 which are opposed to each other and on an upper surface of part of the first semiconductor region 3 which lies between the pair of second semiconductor regions 5.
A deep semiconductor region 4 containing a p-type impurity of a relatively high concentration (p.sup.+) is formed in partially overlapping relationship with the first semiconductor region 3 and extends to a deeper position than the first semiconductor region 3.
A pair of gate insulation films 6 are formed on the first semiconductor region 3 outside of respective edges (referred to as second edges) of the pair of second semiconductor regions 5 which are on the opposite sides from the first edges and on the upper main surface of the epitaxial layer 2. A pair of gates 7 are formed on the gate insulation films 6, respectively. Part of the first semiconductor region 3 which lies immediately under each of the gates 7 serves as a channel region when the device is in operation.
Isolating insulation films 10 are formed to cover the upper and side surfaces of the gates 7 and the upper surface of the second semiconductor regions 5. The isolating insulation films 10 are provided for electric isolation between the gates 7 and the source electrode 11.
A drain electrode 12 is formed on the opposite main surface of the semiconductor substrate 1 from the epitaxial layer 2.
In FIG. 16, electric connections between the gates 7, the source electrode 11 and the drain electrode 12 are shown in diagrammatic form, and respective terminals thereof are designated by the reference characters G, S and D.
In the DMOS transistor 80 with such an arrangement, the length of the second semiconductor regions 5 as measured in the direction of a main current flow is specified by an isolation margin between each of the gates 7 and the source electrode 11 and the length of a contact between the source electrode 11 and each of the second semiconductor regions 5. This will be described with reference to a partial view of the DMOS transistor 80 shown in FIG. 17.
The length a of the second semiconductor region 5 as shown in FIG. 17 is substantially determined by the sum of the isolation margin b between the gate 7 and the source electrode 11 and the contact length c between the source electrode 11 and the second semiconductor region 5.
The isolation margin b is set at a length determined in consideration for mask alignment precision and the like during manufacture to prevent a fault resulting from a short circuit between the gate 7 and the source electrode 11. The contact length c is set so that a predetermined contact resistance is provided between the source electrode 11 and the second semiconductor region 5. Both of the isolation margin b and the contact length c are not permitted to be extremely short.
FIG. 18 shows an equivalent circuit of the DMOS transistor 80. As shown in FIG. 18, the DMOS transistor 80 comprises the epitaxial layer 2, the first semiconductor region 3, the second semiconductor region 5, and the gate 7. The DMOS transistor 80 further has a parasitic NPN transistor T1 comprised of the epitaxial layer 2, the first semiconductor region 3 and the second semiconductor region 5, and a resistance element R1 depending on the length of the second semiconductor region 5 (as measured in the direction of the main current flow) and present in the first semiconductor region 3 under the second semiconductor region 5 which serves as a hole current path.
A hole current flow into the resistance element R1 develops a potential equivalent to the product of the hole current and the resistance element R1. FIG. 19 schematically shows a flow of hole current HL and a flow of electron current EL.
When the increasing hole current causes the potential resulting from the resistance element R1 to exceed a built-in potential (about 0.7 V) of a pn junction, the parasitic NPN transistor T1 turns ON to cause a very large current to flow into the DMOS transistor 80, resulting in breakdown of the DMOS transistor 80. To prevent such a situation, it is necessary to limit a drain current to prevent the increase in hole current. This results in the decrease in current area (safe operating area) in which the DMOS transistor 80 operates safely.
An example of the background art DMOS transistors includes a DMOS transistor 90 having a cross-sectional structure shown in FIG. 20. The DMOS transistor 90 shown in FIG. 20 is constructed such that a source electrode 11 contacts side surfaces of a pair of second semiconductor regions 5 at their respective edges (referred to as first edges) opposed to each other, and the side and bottom surfaces of a recessed portion RC formed in the first semiconductor region 3 between the pair of second semiconductor regions 5. Like reference numerals and characters are used to designate constituents identical with those of the DMOS transistor 80 shown in FIG. 16, and the description thereon will be dispensed with.
The DMOS transistor 90 in which the source electrode 11 contacts the side surfaces of the second semiconductor regions 5 is not required to bring the source electrode 11 into contact with the main surface of the second semiconductor regions 5. Thus, the length of the second semiconductor regions 5 (as measured in the direction of the main current flow) is specified only by the isolation margin between each of the gates 7 and the source electrode 11. Therefore, the length of the second semiconductor regions 5 of the DMOS transistor 90 is less than that of the DMOS transistor 80 shown in FIG. 16. Further, the decrease in the isolation margin may further shorten the length of the second semiconductor regions 5 to decrease the resistance element under each of the second semiconductor regions 5 to increase the safe operating current area. FIG. 21 schematically shows flows of hole current HL and electron current El, and a resistance element R2 under the second semiconductor region 5 in the DMOS transistor 90.
However, the decrease in the isolation margin increases the rate of faults resulting from a short circuit between the gate 7 and the source electrode 11, and involves the need for a high-precision mask alignment process step to deal with the decreased isolation margin. The use of manufacturing equipment to solve the above-mentioned problems adds to manufacturing costs.

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing same


Technologies for providing efficient migration of services include a server device. The server device includes compute engine circuitry to execute a set of services on behalf of a terminal device and migration accelerator circuitry. The migration accelerator circuitry is to determine whether execution of the services is to be migrated from an edge station in which the present server device is located to a second edge station in which a second server device is located, determine a prioritization of the services executed by the server device, and send, in response to a determination that the services are to be migrated and as a function of the determined prioritization, data utilized by each service to the second server device of the second edge station to migrate the services. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Typically, a centralized data center (e.g., a cloud data center) executes services (e.g., applications, processes, etc.) on behalf of a client device that is in communication with the data center through a network. A drawback of such systems is that that the latency incurred in communicating data between the client device and the data center may diminish the benefits obtained by offloading the operations in the first place (e.g., rather than performing the operations on the client device itself). In situations in which latency is particularly important, such as in autonomous vehicle control operations, one or more server devices may be located closer to the client device (e.g., a compute device of an autonomous vehicle), such as in an edge station (e.g., a small cell, a base station, etc.) that is in communication with the client device (e.g., through a radio access network). However, as the vehicle continues to travel (e.g., out of a predefined communication range of the edge station), the connection between the edge station and the client device may degrade, diminishing or eliminating the ability of the server device to continue providing services for the client device.

Technologies for providing efficient migration of services at a cloud edge


In some examples, direct memory access based hardware deskew may include ascertaining scanned data associated with scanning of a physical medium by using a reading direct memory access to step through the scanned data based on a skew angle associated with an orientation of the physical medium relative to a scan bar that is to perform the scanning of the physical medium. Further, direct memory access based hardware deskew may include modifying the scanned data to reduce the skew angle associated with the orientation of the physical medium.

A printing device, such as a printer, multifunction printer, and/or other such devices may be described as a peripheral which is used to make a persistent human readable representation of graphics or text on physical media such as paper. A printing device may include various components to move the physical media from a first location, such as an input tray, to a second location, such as an output tray. A printing device may perform various operations, such as printing, scanning, etc.

Direct memory access based hardware deskew

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


An overhead mounted friction drive conveyor assembly including a biasing section for biasing objects such as car doors. The conveyor assembly includes a conveying rail and a biasing rail extending in spaced and parallel relationship with the conveying rail. The conveyor assembly also includes at least three trolleys and at least two tow bars extending between and interconnecting the trolleys. A biasing mechanism allows at least two of the trolleys to remain on the conveying rail and guides at least one trolley onto the biasing rail so that one of the tow bars extends between the biasing rails. The object is disposed on the tow bar extending between the biasing rails. A plurality of friction drivers are disposed on the conveying rail for only driving the tow bar extending between the trolleys on the conveying rail.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention is related to overhead mounted friction drive conveyor assemblies, and more particularly to overhead mounted friction drive conveyor assemblies for biasing a plurality of objects.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Overhead mounted friction drive conveyor assemblies are widely used in automobile assembly plants for moving objects, such as car doors, through a plurality of work stations on the assembly line. During the typical assembly process of a vehicle, the doors are attached to the vehicle body and both components are painted together. Next, the doors are removed from the vehicle body and placed onto the conveyor assembly so that the vehicle body can be worked on without the doors in the way and vice versa. Later in the assembly process, the car doors are removed from the conveyor assembly and re-attached to the vehicle body.
One problem with such an assembly process is that the friction drive conveyor assembly holding objects (e.g., in this case doors) in a direction parallel with the direction of motion can consume valuable conveyor line space. This is because typical friction drive conveyor assemblies do not have any way to efficiently store car doors.
For other types of conveyor assemblies, i.e. non-friction drive conveyor assemblies, conveyor assembly biasing has been used to offline car doors and other objects. In biasing, the object being conveyed is angled relative to the direction of motion, and thus, more space is provided along the direction of motion to efficiently offline such objects. However, numerous design challenges have thus far prevented biasing from being used in friction drive conveyor assemblies.
There remains a significant and continuing need for an improved friction drive conveyor assembly for biasing objects such as car doors.


The driving force transmission changeover mechanism has a changeover operation mode in which a state of transmission of the driving force changes and a maintenance operation mode in which the state of transmission of the driving force is maintained, the changeover operation mode being executed when the carriage moves from the dot formation area to a first changeover position within the recording head maintenance area and then to the dot formation area, and the maintenance operation mode being executed when the carriage moves from the dot formation area to a second changeover position within the recording head maintenance area and then to the dot formation area.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus having a carriage that is supported reciprocatingly movably in a predetermined direction and mounted with a recording head forming a dot on a recording surface of a recording material.
2. Related Art
A well-known recording apparatus having a driving force transmission changeover mechanism that can change between a state in which a driving force of a driving force source is transmitted to a driven mechanism and a state in which the driving force is not transmitted to the driven mechanism, uses a carriage for effecting a changeover operation for the driving force transmission changeover mechanism. For example, a known printer enables changeover of a paper feeding mechanism by using a carriage that pushes for example, a lever to operate a clutch mechanism (see, for example, JP-A-6-87242). The driving force transmission changeover mechanism such as that using the carriage as described above eliminates the need for a motor dedicated to operating the driving force transmission changeover mechanism. This achieves further reduction in cost of recording apparatuses having the driving force transmission changeover mechanisms.
In such a known recording apparatus having the driving force transmission changeover mechanism that uses the carriage, typically, the driving force transmission changeover mechanism is disposed adjacent to a dot formation area (an area in which dots are formed on the recording surface of the recording material) of a recording head in a reciprocating direction of the carriage. Further, the carriage is provided with an extended movable range so as to be movable outside the dot formation area. In such a recording apparatus, the carriage movement to the extended area outside the dot formation area will cause the carriage and the driving force transmission changeover mechanism to be engaged with each other, and then a changeover operation of driving force transmission can be performed (see, for example, JP-A-6-87242).
A recording apparatus in which a maintenance operation for the recording head, such as a so-called flushing operation or wiping operation, is performed at the intervals between dot formation control sequences, includes a recording head maintenance area disposed outside the dot formation area. Consequently, such a recording apparatus has required in the past that the driving force transmission changeover mechanism be disposed further outside the recording head maintenance area that is disposed outside the dot formation area. It has also been necessary to extend the movable range of the carriage so that the carriage can move further outside the recording head maintenance area disposed outside the dot formation area.
As described above, the known recording apparatus has the movable range of the carriage extended further outside a moving range of the carriage (the dot formation area and the recording head maintenance area) required for executing recording on a recording material and the carriage and the driving force transmission changeover mechanism are configured to engage with each other in that extended area. Specifically, in the known recording apparatus, an area over which the carriage moves during recording control is completely isolated from an area in which a changeover operation for the driving force transmission changeover mechanism is performed using the carriage, so that the two areas do not overlap each other. The known recording apparatus therefore has a merit that the recording control through a reciprocating motion of the carriage does not interfere with the changeover control for the driving force transmission changeover mechanism using the carriage.
The known recording apparatus, however, has the driving force transmission changeover mechanism disposed outside the moving range of the carriage required for executing the recording on the recording material. This arrangement accordingly requires that the movable range of the carriage be extended further outside the moving range of the carriage required for executing the recording on the recording material. As a result, in the known recording apparatus, the movable range of the carriage is elongated by at least an extended portion of the movable range of the carriage, which poses a problem in that the recording apparatus becomes large in size.


To realize a common-key block cipher process configuration with increased difficulty of key analysis and improved security. In a configuration for storing in a register an intermediate key generated by using a secret key transformation process and performing a transformation process on the register-stored data to generate a round key, a process of swapping (permuting) data segments constituting the register-stored data is executed to generate a round key. For example, four data segments are produced so that two sets of data segments having an equal number of bits are set, and a process of swapping the individual data segments is repeatedly executed to generate a plurality of different round keys. With this configuration, the bit array of each round key can be effectively permuted, and round keys with low relevance can be generated. A high-security cryptographic process with increased difficulty of key analysis can be realized.

For example, in network communications, electronic transactions, and other data processing fields, ensuring security is a critical issue. Cryptography technology is a method for ensuring security, and cryptographic processes are used in various fields.
Systems in which a cryptographic processing module is embedded in a compact device such as, for example, an IC card so that data is sent and received between the IC card and a reader/writer serving as a data read/write device to perform an authentication process or encryption and decryption of data to be sent and data received have been put into practical use.
There are various cryptographic processing algorithms. The algorithms are roughly classified into public-key cryptography in which encryption and decryption keys are set as different keys, for example, a public key and a secret key, and common-key cryptography in which both an encryption key and a decryption key are set as a common key.
There are various algorithms in the common-key cryptography. One of the algorithms is a method in which a plurality of keys are generated based on a common key and a data transformation process is repeatedly executed in units of blocks (64 bits, 128, 256 bits, and the like) using the plurality of generated keys. A typical algorithm with such a key generation method and data transformation process applied is common-key block cipher cryptography.
As typical common-key block cipher algorithms, the DES (Data Encryption Standard) algorithm, which was then the U.S. standard cryptography, and the AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) algorithm, which is now the U.S. standard, have been known.
Such common-key block cipher algorithms are mainly constituted by a cryptographic processing part having round-function executing parts for repeatedly executing transformation of input data, and a key scheduling part for generating round keys applied in individual rounds of the round-function parts. The key scheduling part first generates an expanded key with an increased number of bits on the basis of a master key (primary key) serving as a secret key, and generates a round key (sub-key) to be applied in each round-function part of the cryptographic processing part on the basis of the generated expanded key.
As a specific structure for executing such algorithms, a structure having linear transformation parts and non-linear transformation parts for repeatedly executing round functions has been known. For example, a typical structure is a Feistel structure. The Feistel structure is a structure for transforming plaintext into ciphertext by using simple iterations of a round function (F-function) serving as a data transformation function. In a round function (F-function), a linear transformation process and a non-linear transformation process are executed. Note that, for example, Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 are documents which describe cryptographic processes in which the Feistel structure is applied.
However, a problem with such a common-key block cipher process is key leakage due to cryptanalysis. The problem of being easy to break keys by cryptanalysis leads to low security of the cryptographic process, and is serious in practice.    Non-Patent Document 1: K. Nyberg, "Generalized Feistel networks", ASIACRYPT'96, SpringerVerlag, 1996, pp. 91-104.    Non-Patent Document 2: Yuliang Zheng, Tsutomu Matsumoto, Hideki Imai: On the Construction of Block Ciphers Provably Secure and Not Relying on Any Unproved Hypotheses. CRYPTO 1989: 461-480

Cryptographic processing apparatus, cryptographic processing method, and computer program


To provide an image display device, such as a liquid crystal receiver or the like, that has a printer incorporated therein for printing a displayed image on the spot, upon switching-on of a television receiver, an image forming device is activated and images or the like are projected onto a display screen. Here, by appropriately operating an operation section or the like, a command requiring images being displayed on the display screen to be printed out, is inputted into the image forming device. As a result, the printing command signal is issued from the data processing section provided in the output section to the printer unit, together with an image file appropriately converted from video signals. The printer unit develops the input image file, prints the corresponding image, and outputs it.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an image display device, such as a television receiver or the like, and more particularly, it relates to an image display device of a type having a printer incorporated therein.
2. Description of Related Art
In image display devices with a large-sized screen, there are various television receivers in which an image from a projector using, e.g., liquid crystal light valves is reflected by a mirror and projected onto a transparent rear screen from its rear surface (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-107663).


In the case of amplifier circuits realised in modern MOS technology, non-linear distortion occurs as a result of the high field strengths in the channel region due to the small dimensions. This distortion is eliminated and noise is reduced in that the amplifier circuit comprises a first series combination of first and second MOS transistors, and a second series combination identical with the first series combination and forming a long tailed pair circuit with the latter. The long tailed pair circuit includes an additional differential amplifier having its output connected to the gate electrode of a load transistor of the long tailed pair circuit by way of a voltage divider. The transistors in the long tailed pair circuit are mutually identical.

This invention relates to a MOS technology amplifier circuit comprising a first series combination of the main current paths of a first and a second MOS transistor, the input of the amplifier circuit being coupled to the gate electrode of the first transistor, an output of the amplifier circuit being coupled to the drain electrode of the first transistor, and the gate electrode of the second transistor being coupled to its drain electrode.
A circuit of this type is known from the book entitled "Analysis and design of analog integrated circuits", 2nd Edn., by Paul R. Gray and Robert G. Meyer, published by John Wiley & Sons, more specif. FIG. 12.13(a).
The voltage gain of such an amplifier is determined by the ratios of the channel dimensions of the transistors and is approximately equal to the square root or this ratio expressed as .sqroot.k'. Since said gain ratio is unequal to one, the gate-source voltage V.sub.GS of the first transistor is unequal to that of the second transistor.
In the saturation zone the current produced by the drain electrode to a modern technology MOS transistor is in a proper approximation equal to: ##EQU1## V.sub.T is the power source electrode threshold voltage, .beta..sub.0 =.mu..sub.0 C.sub.ox. (W/L), where .mu..sub.0 is the average mobility of the load carrier in the channel region of a MOSFET transistor having a low channel field strength, C.sub.ox is the gate electrode capacitance per surface unit, W is the width and L the length of the channel region and .theta. is a mobility reduction factor occurring at higher channel field strengths.
Due to the reduction factor .theta. and the unequal gate-source voltage V.sub.GS of the two transistors, the gain is not linear, so that distortion occurs.

Low noise, low distortion MOS amplifier circuit


In a vehicular driving force distribution system, an oil pump which produces a hydraulic pressure for operating a torque distribution mechanism is driven, via gears and a rotating shaft, by the rotation of a differential case of a differential device. Therefore, regardless of the rotational condition of right and left wheels, namely, even if one of the right and left wheels stops, the oil pump is driven by the driving force of the rotating differential case, thereby reliably operating the torque distribution mechanism. Also, a pump unit for housing the oil pump is supported on a partition wall that separates the differential device from the torque distribution mechanism, thereby easily supporting the oil pump.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicular driving force distribution system comprising: a differential device to which torque is supplied from a driving source; and a torque distribution mechanism for distributing the torque supplied to the differential device between left and right wheels in an arbitrary ratio.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a vehicular driving force distribution system is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 7-12426. In this vehicular driving force distribution system, an oil pump is driven by increasing the rotational speed of one of right and left axles, and a hydraulic control circuit for a torque distribution mechanism is operated by a hydraulic pressure produced by the oil pump, thereby distributing torque between right and left wheels.
In this conventional distribution device, since the rotation of one of the right and left axles is increased to drive the oil pump, a differential device sometimes functions depending on the condition of road surface, so that one of the right and left wheels races or run idle. In such a case, there is a possibility that the axle of the other wheel stops rotating and the oil pump becomes incapable of being operated.

Vehicular driving force distribution system


The present invention relates to a method for generating a second-generation library. In a first step, a library of encoded molecules associated with an identifier nucleic acid comprising codons identifying chemical entities that have participated in the formation of the encoded molecule is provided. In a second step, the library is partitioned and encoded molecules having a certain property are selected. Codons of identifiers of selected encoded molecules are subsequently identified, and a second-generation library is prepared using at least some of the chemical entities coded for by the identified codons. The new focussed library may be used for another partition step to select encoded molecules with a certain property.

The biological evolution is based on the survival of specific genotypes that encode phenotypes with the most suitable functionalities in a certain environment. In all living species DNA programs the genotype. DNA serves two important functions in the natural selection process. One function is obviously to encode for the type of nucleotides used and the other function is to encode for the specific order of nucleotide sequences in a nucleic acid sequence. The strategy used in nature, i.e. encoding for the exact type as well as the precise sequence of nucleotides, ensures an extremely similarity between the progeny and its parents. Thus, conserving almost the exact sequence and type of the nucleotides is absolutely essential in order to create off spring with a high functionality. The changes in the genotype from one generation to another, which allow for evolution, are determined by the random mutation rate and recombination between the two parent's genotypes.
The natural selection cannot afford too many changes in the DNA from one generation to the next in order to secure survival of the species. Therefore, nature has evolved sophisticated means to proofread the copying of the DNA from the parents to its progeny and secured that the characteristics of phenotype from one generation to the next is carried only by the DNA.
Within the art of selecting ligands from a library of encoded polypeptides associated with a corresponding identifier nucleic acid sequence, the method of nature is used. Thus, when more than a single library generation is needed, the identifier nucleic acid sequences (genotype) carries the information from one generation to the next.
WO 93/03172 A1 discloses a method for identifying a polypeptide ligand having a desired property in a polypeptide library. In a first step, a translatable mRNA mixture is provided, which is mixed with a mixture of ribosome complexes to form a translation product attached to the mRNA strand responsible for the formation thereof. In a second step the ribosome complexes binding to a target are partitioned from and remainder of the library. In a third step, an amplification of mRNA strands of the partitioned ribosome complexes, which has bound to the target follows. The amplified mRNA strands are used for the production of a second generation library, which is subjected to a renewed contact with the target. The method is repeated a sufficient number of times until the size of the library has narrowed to a small pool of high affinity binders.
In WO98/31700 A1 a method for selecting a DNA molecule, which encodes for a desired protein, is disclosed. The method implies the initial presence of a pool of candidates RNA molecules, which subsequently is translated into a corresponding pool of RNA-protein fusions. Subsequently the mRNA-protein fusion products are subjected to a selection process, i.e. the fusion products are presented for a target molecule, and a new pool of complexes capable of binding to the target are partitioned. From the new pool of complexes, the mRNAs are recovered and amplified for use in a subsequent round of library generation. Xu, L. et al Chemistry & Biology, Vol. 9, 933-942, August 2002 discloses a practical embodiment in which a library of more than 1012 unique mRNA-protein fusion products through ten rounds of library generation and selection are used to identify a high affinity binding protein.
The preparation of libraries of synthetic molecules associated with a corresponding identifier nucleic acid sequence, and the selection of synthetic molecules from such libraries, have been the subject of various patent applications. When two or more generations of libraries are needed, the identifier nucleic acid sequence is used as carrier between an initial library and the next generation library.
Thus, in WO 00/23458A1 libraries of complexes comprising non-natural molecules attached to corresponding nucleic acid sequences are suggested. After a selection of the library has been conducted, the nucleic acid sequences of successful complexes are amplified by PCR and a new library is prepared from these nucleic acid sequences. The same method of carrying information from an initial library to the next library is applied in WO 02/074929A2 and WO 02/103008A2.
The present invention provides a new method for evolving encoded molecules. The method is based on the identification of chemical entities used in the synthesis of reaction products of successful complexes and the application, at least in part, of these chemical entities in the preparation of the next generation library. The utilization of preferable chemical entities and the exclusion of certain undesired chemical entities in the next library generation generally imply that the next generation library has a smaller size compared to the size of the initial library, thereby, at the same time, retaining the desirable encoded molecules in the library.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for producing second-generation library


An interface circuit interfaces a device with a line-pair. The interface circuit includes: a diode bridge having polarity-independent input terminals coupled to the line-pair, and first and second output terminals having a positive polarity and a negative polarity, respectively; a first galvanic isolation device for outputting a receive signal received on the line-pair via the diode bridge; a second galvanic isolation device receiving a transmit signal; a voltage-controlled variable resistance element connected across the positive and negative output terminals of the diode bridge; and first and second filters cascaded between the second galvanic isolation device and the voltage-controlled variable resistance element. The first filter has decoupled charge and discharge paths so as to decouple the rise time and the fall time of the transmit signal. The second filter has a voltage-dependent frequency characteristic. The voltage-controlled variable resistance element couples the transmit signal to the line-pair via the diode bridge.

In recent years, new or more stringent demands have been imposed on lighting systems, such as increased requirements for energy conservation, and the need to accommodate an increasing variety of different types of lighting devices (e.g., incandescent, fluorescent, light emitting diode, etc.) with different driving requirements, with different types of lighting devices often being deployed within a same building or even the same room. These demands have driven need for more options and flexibility in the control of the lighting devices within a facility.
In response to these needs, the lighting industry developed the Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) standard for digital communications between the individual components of a lighting system. A wide variety of different DALI devices from different manufacturers can be connected together and integrated into a lighting system. This provides a high level of flexibility in configuring a lighting system while being assured of interoperability between all of the devices. Control and address capabilities allow a DALI compliant lighting system to individually control the light level of each of the luminaries as well as easily controlling light levels for groups of luminaries.
To maintain this interoperability, the DALI standard imposes requirements on the interfaces of control devices and slave devices for compatibility with other devices on a DALI bus. DALI interfaces are connected to a two-wire differential control/data bus which is common to groups of DALI interfaces. DALI messages are serial data streams and comply with a bi-phase coding, Manchester IEEE 802.3, in which the bit transitions occur between the typical voltage levels of 16 volts (H) and 0 volts (L).
FIG. 1 illustrates the voltage range relationships for the differential two-wire line (a "line-pair") of a DALI bus (which may sometimes also be referred to as a DALI loop or DALI network). A power source is usually incorporated in the master controller, providing the necessary voltage level on the DALI bus. Each DALI interface receives information by determining the voltage changes representing the bit values, and transmits information by either not clamping or clamping (shorting) the voltage across the two-wire DALI bus.
Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a concern for many electronic devices and circuits. In particular, EMI may pose limitations on the amplitude of the high frequency harmonic components of the signals transmitted on a communication bus. For example, the DALI standard imposes both upper and lower limits on the rise and fall times (edge transitions) of the signals transmitted on a DALI bus. Compliance with these requirements must be ensured by the interface circuits of the DALI devices.
To address these requirements, several different communication interface circuits have been developed. In particular, examples of DALI interface circuits are disclosed in: U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0225811; U.S. Pat. No. 6,876,224, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2005/0152440; and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2009/0003417.
However, each of these communication interface circuits has certain disadvantages or limitations pertaining to complexity, cost, and/or performance.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a communication interface circuit which can provide flexible control of the rise and fall times of the edge transitions to meet desired EMI performance without undue complexity and cost.

Digital communication interface circuit for line-pair with individually adjustable transition edges


An assembly is disclosed for adjusting the position of a solar array or device to enable it to maintain a desired solar energy reception throughout each day's operation of the assembly. Solar panels are mounted on a first axle and a second axle, and the axles are mutually orthogonal. The assembly also includes a first motor for rotating the array and the panels relative to the first axle in a direction providing azimuth angle position adjustment and a second motor for rotating the array and the panels and the second axle in a direction providing elevation angle position adjustment. The motors are electrically connected to and powered by their respective solar panels. Divider circuits control the current fed into the motors to control the rotational movement in order to control the azimuth and elevation orientation of the panels and also control the orientation of the array so that it continually faces the sun throughout the diurnal operation of the assembly and so that it maintains the desired degree of solar energy reception throughout the day. The orientation of one of the panels enables it to reposition the assembly for operation at each successive sunrise.

1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to systems used for enhancing the solar energy received by a solar array and, more particularly, to such systems which maintain the solar array in its desired position of facing the sun throughout diurnal operation of the system using the electrical power generated by a solar panel.
2) Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Worldwide energy demands have been steadily increasing as more people in more countries use energy consuming technologies in their daily lives. Fossil fuel sources of energy have therefore been increasing in cost as a result of this increasing demand. However, many alternatives to non-renewable energy sources such as nuclear energy and wind power devices have not been able to meet this increasing demand with clean, safe and non-polluting methods of utilization.
In the current field of exploiting renewable energy sources, there is a great increase worldwide in the use of solar energy facilities that use photovoltaic cells. Photovoltaic cells used for converting sunlight into electrical energy are placed in arrays and used for a variety of purposes. They are used as utility interactive power systems, as power supplies for remote or unmanned sites, as cellular phone switch site power supplies and as housing complex power supplies. Such arrays are able to produce from several kilowatts to over a hundred kilowatts of energy and can be installed wherever there is a reasonably flat area with exposure to the sun for significant portions of the day.
Companies producing and designing solar panels are receiving considerable funding from government sources in order to produce more efficient and cheaper designs. It is thus expected that the use of solar panels will become more widespread in the near future as the funding yields the anticipated improvements in solar panel designs. Many of the new designs are expected to be in the chemistry and structural makeup of the photovoltaic cells which are the constituents of the solar panels.
The efficiency and output of solar panels have been increased by panel clustering into the smallest possible space by forming large surfaces at a single level. But, this solution hinders panel cooling, reducing their yield due to the temperature increase at a ratio of 0.5% per degree Centigrade. This clustering is further limited due to panel expansion since the support structures are rigid and occasionally surrounded by a frame enclosing them, generating stresses between panels due to nighttime and daytime temperature differences. Such designs also have the important shortcoming of inherent structural instability as a result of asymmetrical static loads which has limited their use. Consequently, other ways of improving the performance of the solar panels have been developed which focus on maximizing the sunlight received by the photovoltaic cells.
A general principal is that the power generated by a solar panel depends strongly on the angle between the direction of propagation of solar rays irradiating the panel and a normal to the surface of the panel. Various forms of solar trackers have been developed for use with arrays of panels of photovoltaic cells to optimize the orientation of the solar panels so that it is normal to the direction of propagation of the solar rays throughout the day thereby increasing the concentration of light energy on the panels.
One type of conventional tracker used for solar power panels and solar collectors to improve their efficiency mounts the collector on a north-south axis and rotates it from east to west to follow the sun's apparent movement from sunrise to sunset. Typically, such systems include a pair of photovoltaic cells mounted on the solar collector or panel one cell of which views the eastern quadrant (90 degrees) of the horizon (when the collector and the cell are positioned in a horizontal plane) and the other cell of which views the western quadrant of the horizon. A difference in outputs between the cells indicates an error point at the sun, and thus the outputs of the cells are used to correctly reposition the solar collector. However, such systems are error prone. The presence of clouds and especially a single bright cloud can draw a photocell away from pointing at the sun and cause a drive system to miss-position a collector.
Another type of solar tracker system has photovoltaic panels configured in rows supported on a torque tube that serves as an axis. A tracker drive system rotates or rocks the rows to keep the panels as orthogonally oriented (relative to the sun) as possible. Typically, the rows are arranged with their axes disposed in a north-south direction and the trackers gradually rotate the rows of panels throughout the day from an east-facing direction in the morning to a west-facing direction in the afternoon. Subsequently, the rows of panels are manually brought back to the east-facing orientation for the next day.
A solar collector arrangement of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,930 to Shingleton. In the Shingleton system, a tracker is associated with at least one row of panels. A north-south oriented torsion tube defines a north-south axis and an array of flat rectangular solar are attached in a generally balanced fashion on opposite sides of the torsion tube. The system uses at least one pier, and the footing of the pier is supported in the earth. A pivot member is affixed to the pier above its footing and the torsion tube is journalled in this pivot member. This permits the array of solar panels to be rotated on the north-south axis to follow the motion of the sun relative to the earth. The Shingleton arrangement is designed to enable the system to tolerate the stresses and loads that are imposed on the components of pier mounted solar array systems. However, an important disadvantage of such arrangements is that since many such conventional pier mounted designs do not track the apparent movement of the sun solar energy collection is not optimum and the panels have to be made larger than otherwise would be deemed necessary in order to improve upon the solar energy received. This basic design thus requires that it be made large which imposes heavy loads on the components thereof rendering them more failure prone than smaller system designs.
The most efficient trackers, for absorbing maximum sunlight in a given day, have been multiple axis trackers, which rotate about more than one axis so as to follow both the azimuth variation (progression of the sun's bearing angle i.e., east to south to west), and the sun's change in elevation angle from the horizon. These types of trackers can provide annual energy output improvements of 30%. These types of trackers are particularly beneficial to concentrating solar collectors. In such concentrating solar collectors, the received solar radiation is converted into a concentrated radiation beam before it is directed to the solar cells, and such designs are very sensitive to the angle of incidence of the solar radiation. Of the two solar tracker axes, azimuth orientation and elevation (or tilt) orientation, the first is more important since it provides a substantially greater energy production gain. In addition, the azimuth tracking axis can furthermore be easily carried out since it is exclusively a time function and therefore uniform throughout the year. In contrast, the tilt axis varies according to both the elevation changes as the sun moves during the day and the seasonal changes due to the tilt of the earth's orbit and its tracking is therefore more complex. Consequently, most large trackers presently installed provide only single axis tracking, and conventional multi axis systems presently installed generally have an inordinate degree of complexity. Their complexity presents numerous potential malfunction problems and inaccuracies. Reversing motors and computer driven reversing mechanisms as utilized in some of these systems also add to the cost. Many such systems also utilize very sophisticated and high precision components that must be shielded from environmental elements to which exposed in order to provide a reasonable degree of longevity. The required shielding structures and subsystems add to the cost and also add to the weight of the system necessitating structural reinforcements or higher strength support structures along with higher power motors.
Due to the complexity and structural instability problems associated with conventional solar tracking systems in addition to their increased cost, solar panel installations are typically of the fixed position type. They are fixed in a position in which the panels are oriented toward the south, depending on whether the installations are located north or south of the equator. The angle of inclination depends on the latitude of the installation site. But for such solar panel installations that are fixed in position, the exploitation of the solar radiation received is not as high as it otherwise could be since the direction of the perpendicular to the solar panel coincides rarely if ever with the direction of the solar rays on an annual basis. Consequently, the annual energy output of such solar installations is much less than optimal.
What is therefore needed is a structurally simple yet accurate system for tracking the sun's apparent diurnal movement. What is also needed is such a system which is capable of maximizing the solar energy gathering efficiency of the system for which the tracking is provided.


A method includes a first acquisition step of acquiring exercise intensity of exercise done by a target person, a second acquisition step of acquiring an electrocardiographic waveform of the target person who does the exercise, a third acquisition step of acquiring a predetermined feature amount from the acquired electrocardiographic waveform, and an estimation step of estimating an AT of the target person based on a relationship between the predetermined feature amount and the acquired exercise intensity. The estimation step includes a step of estimating the AT of the target person based on exercise intensity corresponding to an inflection point in a change of the predetermined feature amount with respect to the acquired exercise intensity.

In sports and daily life, a target person can appropriately train by managing the exercise state of the target person. As a value for managing the exercise state of the target person, an anaerobic threshold (to be referred to as an "AT" hereinafter) is known.
The AT indicates exercise intensity as a change point at which aerobic exercise is switched to anaerobic exercise (see, for example, non-patent literature 1). It is said that if a target person trains at exercise intensity higher than the AT, the ability of anaerobic exercise is improved, and if the target person trains at exercise intensity lower than the AT, the ability of aerobic exercise is improved.
Conventionally, the AT has been measured by various methods, and is called a lactate threshold (to be referred to as an "LT" hereinafter) when a lactic acid value is used as a reference. When the concentration of carbon dioxide gas in expiration is used as a reference, the AT is called a ventilatory threshold (to be referred to as a "VT" hereinafter).

Anaerobic threshold estimation method and device

NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION


A fabrication process for a nanoelectronic device and a device are provided. Channel material is deposited on a substrate to form a channel. A source metal contact and a drain metal contact are deposited on the channel material, and the source metal contact and the drain metal contact are on opposing ends of the channel material. A polyhydroxystyrene derivative is deposited on the channel material. A top gate oxide is deposited on the polymer layer. A top gate metal is deposited on the top gate oxide.

The present invention relates to nanoelectronic devices, and more specifically, to utilization of an organic buffer layer in nanoelectronic devices.
Graphene has recently emerged as an interesting material for electronics due to extremely high carrier mobility in bulk grapheme and the demonstration of all-semiconducting sub-10 nm (nanometer) grapheme nanoribbons. Aggressive device scaling requires integration of ultrathin high-k dielectrics in order to achieve high on-state current and ideal subthreshold swing without substantial gate leakage. Working with graphene, however, presents unique issues for nanodevices.

Utilization of organic buffer layer to fabricate high performance carbon nanoelectronic devices

International Business Machines Corporation


An improved lockable windowgate having manually operated latching menas for retaining a locking member in retracted condition against the force of gravity during the time period in which the gate is opened, so as to facilitate one-handed operation by a user. Several embodiments are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the latching member is in the form of a detent disengaged by downward pressure on the locking member.

This invention relates generally to the field of windowgates which are installed in the openings of conventional double hung and outwardly pivoted windows in locations having relatively high incidence of crime, and more particularly to an improved form thereof offering improved adjustability and improved convenience in use with respect to the locking elements thereof.
In gates of this type, it is not practicable to provide locking means requiring a key, since upon the occurrence of an emergency, it is usually necessary for the occupants of the building to have immediate egress accessibility. As described in prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,218, granted July 23, 1981, it is known to configure the gate to include a shield over the locking mechanism, whereby access to the same from the outside of the building is impossible, while access to an occupant of the building is readily available.
In my above mentioned copending application, there is disclosed an improved form of locking mechanism in which a locking member is enclosed within a tubular shield leaving only the manually engageable member within an area accessible only to persons located interiorly of the window. This locking member is lifted by the user against the force of gravity to unlock the gate for swinging motion relative to the frame in which it is mounted. While the locking member may be then released, it must again be lifted to enable locking projections to clear before the gate is again placed in coplanar relation relative to the frame. More importantly, the locking bar must be manually held in its upper position while the gate is swung to open condition, which, in the case of relatively feeble persons or children, is not an easy one-handed operation. Depending upon the location of the window relative to the standing position of the user, the use of two hands to accomplish this purpose may be equally difficult, if not impossible.


A burst optical signal transmission device which includes a light source for generating and outputting burst signal light, a light source driving circuit for outputting, to the light source, a driving signal for switching between an output time and a stop time of the burst signal light, based on a burst control signal, and a pre-emphasis circuit for outputting a pre-emphasis control signal for superimposing an additional signal for charging a capacitor included in the light source, onto the driving signal, at a timing in the vicinity of the beginning of the burst control signal.

In recent years, along with the rapid popularization of the Internet, the capacity enlargement, more advanced functions, and economization of an optical access system have been demanded. As a method for realizing such a system, the research of a passive optical network (PON) has been advanced. The PON is an optical access communication system advantageous for economization because it can share a transmission path between an equipment at a central office and an optical components at the user's premises by using passive element, such as optical power splitter.
In Japan, there has been currently introduced an economic optical access communication system GE-PON (Gigabit Ethernet (registered trademark)-PON) that shares a throughput of 1 Gb/s level among up to 32 users, by time division multiplexing (TDM).
As a next-generation optical access system that can meet the need for further capacity enlargement, the research and development of a 10 G-EPON of the 10 Gb/s level have been advanced, and this system is a system that can enlarge the capacity by an increase in bit rate of an optical transceiver, while using the same transmission path part as that in the existing GE-PON.
On the other hand, it is considered that capacity enlargement exceeding the 10 Gb/s level is required depending on the services such as a high-definition video service, but further speedup (40 or 100 Gb/s level) in bit rate of a transceiver involves a significant cost increase of the transceiver, and a practical system cannot be obtained, which has been a problem.
As a means for realizing economic capacity enlargement, there is reported a wavelength-variable-type WDM/TDM-PON obtained by giving wavelength variability to an optical transceiver so that an optical transceiver in an equipment at a central office can be gradually added according to a bandwidth requirement, and combining the TDM and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) (for example, refer to Non Patent Literature 1).

Burst optical signal transmission device and burst optical signal transmission method


A milling machine includes a milling rotor, at least one leg, a grade sensor, and a control circuit. The milling rotor is configured to engage a surface beneath the milling machine. The at least one leg is controllable to raise and lower the milling machine. The grade sensor is configured to sense a position indicative of a cut depth of the milling rotor, and the control circuit is configured to receive data from the grade sensor. The control circuit is also configured to: identify a distance from the milling rotor to the surface based on a selected position of the at least one leg; identify a value associated with a detected condition using the grade sensor while the at least one leg is at the selected position; and calibrate the grade sensor by associating the identified distance from the milling rotor to the surface and the identified value.

Milling machines, such as cold planer machines, include a class of construction machines that are configured to process paving material, such as by scarifying, removing, or reclaiming such material from the surface of a paved road. These machines can include a frame having a rotary cutting tool for processing the paving material, and two or more tracks or wheel units for propelling the cold planer machine forward. The two or more tracks or wheel units can be coupled to the frame of the cold planer using extendable legs or struts that can be adjusted (e.g., extended or retracted) to raise or lower the frame of the cold planer, such as to control the depth at which the cold planer cuts into a surface or road.
U.S. Ser. No. 10/465,346 B2 describes a milling machine with an extendable side plate used in conjunction with one or more sensors to aid in positioning of a milling drum box during operation of the milling machine.

Automatic sensor calibration for milling machines


In a toroidal type continuously variable transmission, a pair of power rollers are operatively interposed between input and output discs. Each power roller includes a power inner roller frictionally engaged with the input and output discs, a power outer roller receiving an axial load applied to the power inner roller from the input and output discs, a ball bearing operatively interposed between the power inner and outer rollers and a shaft receiving a radial load applied to the power inner roller from the input and output discs. The shaft is a one-body member comprising a first shaft portion on which the power outer roller is coaxially and tightly disposed and a second shaft portion on which the power inner roller is coaxially and rotatably disposed. The power outer roller and the shaft are produced separately. Upon assembly, these two parts are coupled together to constitute an integrated unit.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates in general to transmissions of motor vehicles, and more particularly to toroidal type continuously variable transmissions of wheeled motor vehicles.
2. Description of Related Art
Hitherto, various toroidal type continuously variable transmissions have been proposed and put into practical use in the field of motor vehicles, for the easiness with which the motor vehicle having such transmission mounted thereon can be driven and handled.
Usually, to constantly keep operative contact between each of input and output discs and each of paired power rollers, the transmissions of such type are equipped with a loading cam device by which the distance between the input and output discs is adjusted in accordance with inclination of the power rollers. That is, the loading cam device functions to move the input disc axially relative to the output disc. However, since the pivot axis of the trunnion is an axis that is fixed, the operative contact of the power rollers to the input and output discs achieved by adjustment of the distance between the input and output discs by the loading cam device needs a movement of each power roller in a given direction perpendicular to both the rotation axis of the power roller and the trunnion pivot axis. Particularly, the movement of each power roller in such a given direction is needed when due to long usage, operation surfaces of such input and output discs have become deformed and/or when the input and output discs and the power rollers are subjected to a misalignment upon assembly.
Thus, in the transmissions of the above-mentioned type, a so-called xe2x80x9cpower roller supporting structurexe2x80x9d is employed by which the movement of each power roller in such direction is carried out.
One of the power roller supporting structures is shown in Laid-open Japanese Patent Application (Tokkaihei) 11-159590. In the structure of this publication, there is employed a pivot shaft which supports the power roller and the trunnion on mutually eccentric portions, so that pivot movement of the power roller permits movement of the same in such a given direction.
Another power roller supporting structure is shown in Laid-Open Japanese Patent Application (Tokkaihei) 7-198014. The supporting structure of this publication is constructed to eliminate or minimize undesired torque shift of transmission.
The power roller supporting structure of 7-198014 publication is schematically illustrated in FIG. 12 of the accompanying drawings. As shown, a power roller receiving recess 202 is formed in a trunnion 200, which extends along the common axis of input and output discs (not shown). Linear bearings 204a and 204b are each interposed between a power roller 206 in the recess 202 and an inner wall of the recess 202. With this construction, the power roller 206 can move in a given direction to effect a parallel displacement thereof. As shown, the power roller 206 comprises a power inner roller 208, a power roller bearing (ball bearing) 210, a power outer roller 212 and a shaft 214 integral with power outer roller 212. In this supporting structure, it tends to occur that under operation, power outer roller 212 is brought into contact with an inner side wall of power roller receiving recess 202 when a vertical load (viz., load applied in the direction of the trunnion pivot axis) is applied to the power roller 206. If such contact occurs, smoothed parallel displacement of power roller 206 may be sacrificed.
Considering the above, the applicants have thought out some ideas which are depicted by FIGS. 13 and 14 of the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 13 depicts an idea that may eliminate the weak point of the structure of the 7-198014 publication. As shown, two roller bearings 216 and 218 are each disposed between the inner side wall of power roller receiving recess 202 and power outer roller 212. Due to provision of roller bearings 216 and 218, smoothed parallel displacement of power roller 206 is achieved. Designated by numeral 200a is a pivot axis of the trunnion 200.
FIG. 14 depicts another idea. Also in this idea, two roller bearings 220 and 222 are each disposed between the inner wall of the power roller receiving recess 202 and power outer roller 212. However, as shown, in this idea, each roller bearing 220 or 222 is arranged between an inclined flat portion of the inner wall of the recess 202 and an inclined flat portion of power outer roller 212. Due to provision of such inclined roller bearings 220 and 222, a load in the direction of the rotation axis of power roller 206 as well as a load in the direction of the trunnion pivot axis are effectively supported by trunnion 200, and due to the same reason, smoothed parallel displacement of power roller 206 is achieved.
However, even the power roller supporting structures described hereinabove fail to satisfy manufacturers. That is, it is quite difficult to machine power outer roller 212 because of obstruction by shaft 214 that is integral with roller 212. In fact, due to such obstruction, producing an annular guide groove for power roller bearing (ball bearing) 210 needs a time-consumed and skilled machining technique, which increases the cost of the transmission.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a toroidal type continuously variable transmission which is free of the above-mentioned weak points.
According to the present invention, there is provided a toroidal type continuously variable transmission which comprises a power outer roller and a shaft which are produced as separate members. The power outer roller is machined with an annular guide groove for a power roller bearing (ball bearing). Upon assembly, the shaft is coupled with the power outer roller. With this, economical production of power roller supporting structure is achieved while suppressing undesired inclination phenomenon of the shaft.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toroidal type continuously variable transmission which comprises input and output discs coaxially arranged; a pair of power rollers, each being operatively disposed between the input and output discs and including a power inner roller which is frictionally engaged with the input and output discs, a power outer roller which receives an axial load applied to the power inner roller from the input and output discs, a ball bearing which is operatively interposed between the power inner and outer rollers and a shaft which receives a radial load applied to the power inner roller from the input and output discs, a pair of trunnions rotatably supporting the power rollers respectively, each trunnion being connected to a transmission case in a manner to pivot about its pivot axis and having a power roller receiving recess for receiving therein corresponding one of the power rollers; and first roller bearings, each being operatively interposed between an inner wall of the power roller receiving recess of the trunnion and a back side of the power roller, so that the power roller is movable relative to the trunnion in a direction perpendicular to both a pivot axis of the trunnion and a rotation axis of the power roller, wherein the shaft is a one-body member comprises a first shaft portion on which the power outer roller is coaxially and tightly disposed and a second shaft portion on which the power inner roller is coaxially and rotatably disposed.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toroidal type continuously variable transmission which comprises input and output discs coaxially arranged; a pair of power rollers, each being operatively disposed between the input and output discs and including a power inner roller which is frictionally engaged with the input and output discs, a power outer roller which receives an axial load applied to the power inner roller from the input and output discs, a ball bearing which is operatively interposed between the power inner and outer rollers and a shaft which receives a radial load applied to the power inner roller from the input and output discs, a pair of trunnions rotatably supporting the power rollers respectively, each trunnion being connected to a transmission case in a manner to pivot about its pivot axis and having a power roller receiving recess for receiving therein corresponding one of the power rollers; and first roller bearings, each being operatively interposed between an inner wall of the power roller receiving recess of the trunnion and a back side of the power roller, so that the power roller is movable relative to the trunnion in a direction perpendicular to both a pivot axis of the trunnion and a rotation axis of the power roller, wherein the shaft is a one-body member comprises a first shaft portion on which the power outer roller is coaxially and tightly disposed and a second shaft portion on which the power inner roller is coaxially and rotatably disposed, wherein an inner wall of the power roller receiving recess is formed with inclined flat portions against which the first roller bearings abut, and wherein the power outer roller comprises a first surface formed with an annular guide groove which operatively receives the ball bearing, and a second surface formed with inclined flat portions which abut against the first roller bearings respectively.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toroidal type continuously variable transmission which comprises input and output discs coaxially arranged; a pair of power rollers, each being operatively disposed between the input and output discs and including a power inner roller which is frictionally engaged with the input and output discs, a power outer roller which receives an axial load applied to the power inner roller from the input and output discs, a ball bearing which is operatively interposed between the power inner and outer rollers and a shaft which receives a radial load applied to the power inner roller from the input and output discs, a pair of trunnions rotatably supporting the power rollers respectively, each trunnion being connected to a transmission case in a manner to pivot about its pivot axis and having a power roller receiving recess for receiving therein corresponding one of the power rollers; and first roller bearings, each being operatively interposed between an inner wall of the power roller receiving recess of the trunnion and a back side of the power roller, so that the power roller is movable relative to the trunnion in a direction perpendicular to both a pivot axis of the trunnion and a rotation axis of the power roller, wherein the shaft is a one-body member comprises a first shaft portion on which the power outer roller is coaxially and tightly disposed and a second shaft portion on which the power inner roller is coaxially and rotatably disposed, and wherein the first shaft portion is integrally formed with a flange portion which has a front flat surface which abuts against a rear flat surface of the power outer roller and a rear surface which is formed with inclined flat portions which abut against the first roller bearings respectively.

Toroidal type continuously variable transimission


A new and distinct Portulacaria cultivar named ‘LILLIPUT’ is disclosed, characterized by a diminutive overall stature, and small emerald green leaves. Plants are a size suitable for smaller gardens. The new variety is a Portulacaria, typically produced as a garden or container plant.

The new cultivar is a product of a naturally occurring whole plant mutation in a commercial nursery in Vista, Calif. The parent is an unpatented, unnamed variety of Portulacaria afra. 'LILLIPUT' was found and selected by the inventor in Vista, Calif. in June 2013.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar 'LILLIPUT' was first performed by vegetative tip cuttings at a commercial greenhouse in Vista, Calif. in July 2013. 'LILLIPUT' has since produced at least 15 generations and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.


Novel techniques are provided to determine concurrent hardware resource usage as expressed in activity performed by hardware processors. A cloud computing consumer can verify the level of the quality of service provided by the physical infrastructure of a cloud, thereby allowing the consumer the ability to request a transfer of the hosting physical infrastructure to a less burdened physical machine.

Cloud computing provides computation, capacity, and storage on demand. Typical cloud computing service agreements are based on a self-service usage model which allows a virtually unlimited amount of computing resources to be dynamically requisitioned, on demand, from a pool of shared computing resources offered by a cloud computing vendor.
In typical cloud computing operations, several virtual machines (VMs) will be hosted from each one of many physical hardware infrastructure resources (e.g., server). Multiple physical resources can thus provide the platform with which to virtualize an entire host of virtual machines conceptually and operationally independent from each other. Individual consumers of cloud computing services may lease the processing and storage services of one or more virtual machines, distributed among one or more physical infrastructure resources in a cloud data center. Although this model provides quick and often cheaper access to the resources relative to traditional hardware procurement and configuration, it also presents significant problems for resource management. Paramount among these problems includes a lack of control of, and visibility into, resource configuration and usage.
For example, a typical cloud component featuring virtual machines may offer limited types of virtual servers, and consumers of cloud computing services—that is, the application owners—will not be able to select or customize the specifications of the leased servers. In addition, the application owners have little or no control of or visibility into the underlying physical infrastructure as well.
One of the purported benefits of moving an application to a public cloud is that it cloud computing is more environmentally friendly than standard enterprise data centers. These benefits are theoretically possible because the cloud servers have a higher-utilization rates (due to the non-proportional energy consumption of modern servers), and cloud data centers typically operate more efficiently than their standard physical counterparts. Because modern servers do not generally consume energy proportional to their utilization (for example, an idle server could still consume around 60% of the energy consumed during heavy activity), a higher utilization directly translates into lower energy consumption and thus, smaller environmental impact. Since the incremental energy consumption is relatively small for additional loads, it is beneficial to increase the server utilization as much as possible.
Beyond the benefits to the environment, increasing utilization may also carry a significant financial benefit. A large data center—such as that operated by a cloud—may require many megawatts of electricity, and even a small percentage improvement in efficiency could translate into a large cost savings for its operators. Moreover, a cloud can run its data center facility more efficiently. This is both due to its scale and due to the fact that operating a data center is its core competence. For example, a cloud data center could have a more optimized rack space layout, a more streamlined cooling airflow, and a more efficient air conditioning system.
While in the aggregate each of these propositions may be true, for individual cloud computing clients however, any such purported benefits may be offset by sharing physical resources with anonymous fellow consumers who may consume or require a disproportionately greater share of the underlying physical infrastructure. If this behavior becomes routine or frequent, a cloud computing consumer paying for service from a virtual machine hosted on the same physical infrastructure may have its services severely and negatively impacted. However, due to the lack of visibility and accessibility into the underlying cloud infrastructure, the exact source of the problem may be tremendously difficult to diagnose with any degree of accuracy.

Measuring CPU utilization in a cloud computing infrastructure by artificially executing a bursting application on a virtual machine


An apparatus for flame spraying, in particular of powder material by means of an autogenous flame, comprising a nozzle carrier which has a burner nozzle and which can be connected to a preferably tubular accelerating accessory device which is provided with coolant guide means surrounding the burner nozzle, is improved in that the accelerating accessory device (40) bears slidably against a central arm (12) of the nozzle carrier (10) with an axial portion (45), a conical region (44) adjoins the axial portion (45) at a position remote from the nozzle, and a portion (42) which outwardly embraces a combustion chamber (50) adjoins the conical region (44), wherein the combustion chamber is delimited towards the burner by a movable annular body (38). In addition the burner nozzle (9) is to be disposed approximately in one plane with flame outlet openings of the accelerating accessory device (40) and is adapted to be retracted and extended.

This invention relates to an apparatus for flame spraying, in particular of powder materials by means of an autogenous flame, comprising a nozzle carrier which has a burner nozzle and which can be connected to a preferably tubular accelerating accessory device which is provided with coolant guide means surrounding the burner nozzle.
Flame spraying apparatuses with accessory devices for post-acceleration of the flame are known. A problem which consistently occurs in relation to such flame spraying apparatuses is reliable ignition and adjustment of the flame. Various procedures have been developed for that purpose, for example igniting the flame by means of a sparking plug or an igniter device; that kind of construction suffers from the risk of explosion as the volume of gas in the accelerating tube is relatively great. Another design configuration involves pivoting the accelerating tube away, with the flame being ignited with the tube in the pivoted-away condition. A problem with that arrangement is that, when the accelerating tube is pivoted back into position over the flame, disturbances can occur in the flame, resulting in irregularity of the flame.
The above-described measures did not provide the improvement which had been hope for, in regard to reliability and safety of flame spraying appartuses. Furthermore, adjustment of the flame to provide a normal, an oxidising or a reducing flame, is only limitedly possible.
A further problem with the known accelerating accessory devices is the fact that they cannot be adequately tuned or matched to the powder spray material to be used.
In view of those considerations, the inventor set himself the aim of eliminating the above-indicated deficiencies on an improved apparatus of the kind set forth hereinabove.

Apparatus for flame spraying of powder materials


A magnet wheel (1) for an internal combustion engine, especially a drive motor (2) for a portable handheld work apparatus includes a hub (4) for fixing to a crankshaft (5) of the drive motor (2) and a magnet carrier (6) having at least one magnet holder (7) provided peripherally on the magnet wheel (1). The magnet carrier (6) is a sheet-metal packet (9) of lamella-like layered plates (8). The sheet-metal packet (9) is layered modular-like from at least two differently configured profiled sheet-metal piece types (10, 11, 12). At least one profiled sheet-metal piece type (10) is configured as an arm plate (13) with a hub section (14) as part of the hub (4) as well as an arm section (15) which extends from the hub section (14) radially outwardly up to the region of the magnet carrier (6). At least one additional profiled sheet-metal piece type (11) is configured as a centrifugal mass sheet-metal piece (16) which lies essentially radially outwardly in the peripheral region of the magnet carrier (6).

In handheld work apparatus such as saw chains, blower/suction apparatus, brushcutters or the like having an internal combustion engine as a drive motor, a magnet wheel is attached to the crankshaft of the drive motor. The magnet wheel includes a magnet carrier of iron wherein at least one magnet is held by means of a magnet holder. The magnet wheel rotates during operation of the engine and the permanent magnet, which is held in the magnet wheel, is guided past an armature having a coil. The armature is fixed to the housing. A voltage is induced in the coil which is used to generate an ignition spark. The magnet carrier is made of iron and is geometrically so adapted that a suitable field-line course adjusts.
A low overall weight is required to facilitate carrying and guiding the work apparatus. The rotating masses should be kept as small as possible, especially for avoiding excessively large spinning forces or spinning torques. At the same time, a high mass moment of inertia of the movable parts is wanted for a quiet running of the engine. These parts act as a flywheel with which the non-uniformities of the running of the engine can be compensated especially in a single-cylinder configuration.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,841 discloses a magnetic ignition system of a portable handheld work apparatus wherein an annularly-shaped magnet carrier is mounted in a magnet wheel. Because of the annular shape of the magnet carrier made of iron, its mass lies at a large radius referred to the rotational axis whereby a high rotational moment of inertia results for a low overall weight. The magnet wheel configured in this way is formed of comparatively many individual parts and a separate hub is required.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,873,073 discloses a magnet wheel having a dumbbell-shaped magnet carrier. The magnet carrier is made up of a number of sheet metal pieces which are essentially configured to be identical and are stacked one atop the other to form a sheet metal packet. The sheet metal pieces each have a hub section whereby a hub is integrated into the sheet metal packet while omitting a separate component. In the arrangement shown, a comparatively high mass component is arranged close to the rotation axis which contributes only slightly to the rotational moment of inertia. The magnet wheel configured in this manner has a high inherent mass referred to the total mass moment of inertia.

Magnet wheel of an internal combustion engine


In a conventional system with a UFS storage device connected to a UFS host over one or more lanes, the lanes can support different transmission speeds, referred to as gears. The UFS host shifts lanes and gears based on the type of request it receives. When the requests arrive in random order of gear requirements, the frequent shifting of the lanes and gears causes significant power consumption. To address this issue, it is proposed to implement a queue-based shifting in which arriving requests may be queued based on their gear requirements. When a queue is selected, multiple requests in the selected queue, which are all of same or similar gear requirement, can be served. This can reduce the frequency of gear shifting, and hence reduce power consumption.

JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) promulgates several standards including the UFS standard for high performance mobile storage devices. The UFS has adopted MIPI (Mobile Industry Processor Interface) for data transfer in mobile systems. The UFS is a standard to provide high-performance serial interface for moving data between a host and a storage device.
UFS is well-suited for mobile applications (e.g., mobile phones, laptop computers, handheld devices, tablets, etc.) where high performance demands are seen in conjunction with low power consumption requirements. A UFS memory system may be an embedded device within a host such as a processor or an SoC (System-on-Chip), and/or may be integrated on a removable card, for flexible use with different hosts. Different standards and configurations may be applicable to the available UFS memory systems.
UFS memory systems and their interfaces to the hosts may include multiple layers to support the standards. The host may include an HCI (Host Controller Interface) and a UTP (UFS Transport Protocol) as defined in the JEDEC standard. The host may also include a Unipro (Unified Protocol) and a physical interface referred to as M-PHY (Mobile-PHYsical-Layer) as defined by MIPI. Within the host, the Unipro and the M-PHY are designed to communicate through an interface or bus referred to as an RMMI (Reference M-PHY Module Interface), which is also defined in MIPI.
A UFS memory system which communicates with the host may also include counterpart layers, UTP, Unipro, and M-PHY. Each M-PHY supports a specific number of bits or pins, referred to in units of lanes. A lane is a high speed serial interface targeting 2.9 Gbits per second per lane with up-scalability to 5.8 Gbits per second per lane. UFS 2.0 defines three high speed gears—HS-G1, HS-G2, HS-G3—with each gear having different transmission speeds.
Depending on the particular implementation, each UFS device may support one or more lanes. For example, an embedded UFS device supports two lanes with all three gears in each lane. An external UFS card is typically a removable device, and supports a single lane of memory traffic in all three gears.
A conventional host controller shifts gears based on the type of request it receives. For example, the host controller switches to G3 (gear 3) for large data transfers, to G2 for moderate data transfers, and to G1 for small data transfers. When there are continuous data transfers on the embedded UFS memory and the external UFS card one after the other, the lanes and gears must also shift one after the other. Also, if the I/O (input/output) requests arrive in random order of gear requirement, the frequent shifting of the lanes and gears can cause significant power consumption.

Effective gear-shifting by queue based implementation


Various arrangements for creating and using generic universal resource indicators are presented. To create a generic universal resource indicator, one or more parameters of a universal resource indicator may be identified. An interface that permits a parameter of the one or more parameters to be selected and mapped to a variable may be presented. A selection of the parameter for mapping may be received. An indication of the variable to map to the parameter of the selection may also be received. The generic universal resource indicator having a generic parameter corresponding to the parameter of the selection may be created.

A universal resource indicator (URI), which includes a universal resource locator (URL), can be used to identify the name and/or location of a resource (e.g., a webpage) on a network, such as the Internet. In some URI's, besides information regarding the name and location of a resource, one or more parameters are present. When the URI is used to make a request for the resource, values of these parameters may determine one or more attributes of the resource that is provided in response to the request.

Use of generic universal resource indicators


Processing repetitive database queries may include receiving a database query having a connection identifier, determining whether a queue for database queries contains an earlier database query matching the received database query, identifying the second database query as matching the first database query if the queue contains an earlier matching database query, receiving query results for the earlier matching database query from a database server, and forwarding query results to the clients associated with both database queries using corresponding connection identifiers.

Computer users are able to access and share vast amounts of information through various local and wide area computer networks including proprietary networks as well as public networks such as the Internet. Typically, a web browser installed on a user's computing device facilitates access to and interaction with information located at various network servers identified by, for example, associated uniform resource locators (URLs). Conventional approaches to enable sharing of user-generated content include various information sharing technologies or platforms such as social networking websites. Such websites may include, be linked with, or provide a platform for applications enabling users to view web pages created or customized by other users where visibility and interaction with such pages by other users is governed by some characteristic set of rules.
Such social networking information may be stored in relational databases. Generally, a relational database is a collection of relations (frequently referred to as tables). Relational databases use a set of mathematical terms, which may use Structured Query Language (SQL) database terminology. For example, a relation may be defined as a set of tuples that have the same attributes. A tuple usually represents an object and information about that object. A relation is usually described as a table, which is organized into rows and columns. Generally, all the data referenced by an attribute are in the same domain and conform to the same constraints.
The relational model specifies that the tuples of a relation have no specific order and that the tuples, in turn, impose no order on the attributes. Applications access data by specifying queries, which use operations to identify tuples, identify attributes, and to combine relations. Relations can be modified and new tuples can supply explicit values or be derived from a query. Similarly, queries may identify tuples for updating or deleting. It is necessary for each tuple of a relation to be uniquely identifiable by some combination (one or more) of its attribute values. This combination is referred to as the primary key. In a relational database, all data are stored and accessed via relations. Relations that store data are typically implemented with or referred to as tables.
Relational databases, as implemented in relational database management systems, have become a predominant choice for the storage of information in databases used for, for example, financial records, manufacturing and logistical information, personnel data, and other applications. As computer power has increased, the inefficiencies of relational databases, which made them impractical in earlier times, have been outweighed by their ease of use for conventional applications. The three leading open source implementations are MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite. MySQL is a relational database management system (RDBMS) that runs as a server providing multi-user access to a number of databases. The "M" in the acronym of the popular LAMP software stack refers to MySQL. Its popularity for use with web applications is closely tied to the popularity of PHP (the "P" in LAMP). Several high-traffic web sites use MySQL for data storage and logging of user data.
Using databases involves a series of messages that enable a database user to interact with a database. For example, a database transaction may involve messaging associated with setting up connections to a database, authentication, querying the database, switching databases, committing transactions to the database, and terminating connections with the database.

Repetitive query recognition and processing