A technique to distribute processing to meet a request from other system without partializing the processing to specific processor and can execute processing efficiently while adopting configuration to control one port unit by multiple processors at channel adapter of disk array system. CHA of a controller has a port unit carrying out interface operation and multiple host processor units having host processors. Multiple processors operate in parallel and control the port unit. When the port unit receives a request from other system, the first processor takes charge of the processing on the basis of the judgment of the processing load condition in processors including itself and in the event that the second processor is assigned the processing, the first processor communicates with the protocol unit and transfers the request to the second processor unit to enable the second processor to take charge of the processing.

In a computer system configured with disk array system and other system such as host computer and others telecommunicated to the disk array system included, a transmission rate of network that connects between systems is more and more increased. To respond to this increase, in a controller of conventional disk array system, a channel adapter of a configuration to control one port unit by multiple processors (host processor units). In communication between host computer and other system and a channel adapter via network under this configuration, a port unit receives commands (data access request) related to data input/output from other system and data transfer processing to meet the received command is carried out by the processor. The data transfer processing in such event is carried out by any of the plural processors which have a channel adapter inside. Examples of the data transfer processing include processing to transfer read data from HDD to other system side in data read processing that supports the read command, processing to transfer write data from the other system side to HDD in data write processing that supports the write command, and others. In the data transfer processing, typically, the read/write data is temporarily cached by the memory held in the controller.
In the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-318904, a method for distributing data access task between a large number of storage unit controllers or a large number of processors is provided.


A computer system includes a main memory that is able to make use of DRAM memory devices having a relatively high level of bad cells (hard faults). An EDC circuit is provided which uses combinatorial logic to perform a BCH code type of error detection and correction. A primary feature is the recognition that due to use of high density integrated circuits--gate arrays--it is no longer necessary to use sequential logic to decode the multiple-bit error correcting codes. An EDC with 128-bits of data and a check bit field 41-bits wide, using a BCH code, constructed in ASIC sea-of-gates technology using about 87,000 logic gates, can correct 5-bits in error and can detect 6-bits in error. By using multiple-bit EDC in the controller for main memory, it is no longer necessary that all DRAM devices be ostensibly "perfect." A certain density of non-functional memory cells can be tolerated, yet the memory system will still return perfect data. The added cost of multiple-bit EDC, including the added cost of extra storage for the check bits and the EDC circuit itself, is more than compensated by reduced cost of the DRAMs. In a addition the computer system includes a solid-state disk type memory for a computer system is able to make use of DRAM memory devices having a relatively high level of bad cells (hard faults). An EDC circuit is employed to perform a Reed-Solomon code type of error detection and correction. A primary feature is the recognition that it is no longer necessary that all DRAM devices be ostensibly "perfect." A certain density of non-functional memory cells can be tolerated, yet the memory system will still return perfect data. The added cost of multiple-bit EDC, including the added cost of extra storage for the check bits and the EDC circuit itself, is more than compensated by reduced cost of the DRAMs. A preferred data formatter circuit to convert between symbol and word data is also described.

This invention relates generally to data storage systems for computers, and more particularly to a solid-state disk memory storage system.
As it is known in the art computer systems generally use several types of memory systems. For example, computer systems generally use so called main memory comprised of semiconductor devices typically having the attribute that the devices can be randomly written to and read from with comparable and very fast access times and thus are commonly referred to as random access memories. However, since semiconductor memories are relatively expensive, other higher density and lower cost memories are often used. For example, other memory systems include magnetic disk storage systems. With magnetic disk storage systems generally access times are in the order of tens of milliseconds whereas main memory the access times are in the order of hundreds of nanoseconds. Disk storage is used to store large quantities of data which can be sequentially read into main memory as needed. Another type of disk like storage is solid state disk storage. Solid state disk storage is comprised of solid state memories memory devices which are accessed as though they were magnetic disks. One advantage over magnetic disk however is that they are much faster than magnetic disk memory systems. So called solid state disks memory systems are also more expensive than magnetic disk devices.
As it is also known in the art, memory systems including the aforementioned solid state disk memory storage system traditionally use storage devices with no "hard" faults. That is, the system is constructed to account for temporary or "soft" errors, but if the storage device has a hard or permanent fault, the device is replaced, or addressing is configured to map around the hard or permanent fault location. Since dynamic memory devices, DRAMs, are susceptible to radiation-induced soft failures, simple error detection and correction techniques are often used to withstand single-bit per word errors. Such non-permanent failures can be "scrubbed" by writing the corrected data back into the memory location. In such a memory system, the typical failure mechanism is the combination of a hard error and a soft failure in the same memory location.
In the DRAM manufacturing process, any given lot yields some percentage, typically large but less than 100%, of devices with no defects. The bulk of the failing devices have only a single storage location that is defective, although many other failures that affect more than one location are possible. The failing devices are typically sent to a crasher and destroyed, although some uses for devices in digital audio have developed, i.e., so-called Audio RAMs.
Several methods have been proposed to allow the use of DRAMs having defective bits. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,984, a method of identifying and mapping around bad locations is disclosed. The overhead imposed by the need for finding the faults and then translating addresses for mapping around faulty locations in a memory results in lower performance in the overall system.
A goal of semiconductor integrated circuit designers for many years has been so-called "wafer scale integration." Enormous economies could result from using an entire wafer in undivided form, rather than scribing and breaking into individual chips, then packaging the chips. However, the likelihood of an entire wafer having no defective cells is minuscule, so some mechanism is needed to account for defective parts of the wafer. Usually, the method of accounting for defects is to locate the defective cells by testing, then mapping around the defects. That is, the addresses of the defective locations are stored in the memory system, as in a section of non-volatile memory, and attempts to access these locations are mapped to spare locations.
A technique of this type was disclosed by Anamartic, Ltd. for dealing with wafer-scale memories. The technique is to break the memory into subsections, called "tiles," where the size of a tile is a tradeoff between overhead circuitry and the amount of storage lost in the case of a memory fault (typical sizes are 8 KB to 64 KB ). The memory system includes sufficient spare tiles so that a given capacity can be guaranteed in the face of errors. Each tile contains logic that can be used to disable that tile if a fault is found in the tile. This configuration logic is set up on initialization from a map that is stored in a non-volatile media such as magnetic disk or EEPROM.
Error correcting codes have been used in memory sub-systems to enhance the reliability of memory. That is, ostensibly perfect memory elements have associated failure rates (usually soft errors caused by alpha particle hits in DRAMs) which could cause the memory system to return faulty data, if it were not for the error correcting code. The Hamming code single bit error correction normally used in memory has the virtue that it is not too complex to implement in a way that minimizes its impact on memory performance, while substantially improving the main memory reliability.
Often in memory systems complex error correcting techniques are used. In particular so called non-binary block codes such as a Reed Solomon code is used. With these codes data are grouped in "symbols" which are data from several data words such as the i.sup.th bit of N words. Data formatters are used to convert from data word format to symbol format. One problem is that such formatters are not generally configurable. With solid state disk it often occurs that different DRAM's are used in a disk.

Data formater/converter for use with solid-state disk memory using storage devices with defects


Plural vertically aligned curtain sections form a first wall of a structure and are each coupled to a respective manual or powered rotary drive by means of a respective elongated, roll-up rod disposed in a lower hem, and extending the length, of the curtain section. The rotary drives are attached to horizontally spaced, vertical tracks for limiting the vertical drives, the roll-up rods and each curtain's lower hem to vertical motion in rolling up and unrolling the curtain sections. A water curtain maintained in a moist condition is disposed adjacent the inner surfaces of the curtain sections, with fans disposed on a second opposed wall of the structure for drawing air through the space occupied by the curtain sections for providing moist airflow through the structure's interior. Moist airflow and cooling are precisely controlled by controlling the gap between a pair of adjacent vertically spaced curtain sections.

Flexible, lightweight curtain systems are increasingly being used as outer walls for structures housing animals in agricultural environments. These movable curtain systems frequently include long spans of vertically spaced roll-up curtain sections which are opened and closed for the purpose of controlling the environment within the structure for the benefit of the animals therein. The curtains are opened at high temperatures, closed at low temperatures, and are intermediately positioned at moderate temperatures. The goal is to precisely control the openings formed by the curtains for optimum comfort of the animals.
As the length and weight of the curtain sections increases to accommodate larger building structures, the curtain support and drive mechanisms have increased in size and complexity. This trend has made it more difficult to precisely control the extent to which the curtain sections are open or closed. This has also led to increased size and numbers of support/control mechanisms which has reduced the open portion of the curtain wall through which air flows into and out of the structure.
The present invention addresses the aforementioned limitations of the prior art by providing a compact support/control mechanism capable of vertically displacing long sections of vertically spaced curtains for precisely controlling airflow into and out of a generally closed structure. In addition, the present invention contemplates the use of water curtains disposed adjacent to and inwardly of the curtain sections for directing in a controlled manner moist air through the enclosed space in precisely controlling the environment therein for optimum comfort.


A function switching part has a pair of programming elements programmed to different logic values. A decision circuit in the function switching part outputs a logic level according to a difference between the currents flowing in the programming elements, while the power supply voltage rises at the power-on. The operating specification of an option functional part is switched according to the logic level output from the decision circuit. That is, the operating specification of the option functional part is automatically decided according to the program state of the programming element before the power-on operation is completed. The read operation for the programming element need not be performed for deciding the operating specification of the option functional part. Since the initial process after the power-on period is simplified, the period from when the power is turned on to when the normal operation begins can be shortened.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit having a function switching part for switching a built-in option function.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a semiconductor integrated circuit such as a microcontroller has a common function, which is common to all users, and an option function of which the operating specification can be changed in accordance with the user's wish. Conventionally, in order to switch the option function, the semiconductor integrated circuit has a nonvolatile memory cell, a control circuit that accesses the nonvolatile memory cell, and a latch circuit that latches data read from the nonvolatile memory cell and the like. The control circuit executes a read operation of the nonvolatile memory cell after power-on operation is completed. By latching the read data to the latch circuit, the option function is switched (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 4-95184, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 6-187468).
In a conventional method, in order to switch the option function, the control circuit needs to perform the read operation by setting the control gate, source and drain of the nonvolatile memory cell to a predetermined voltage. Specifically, the option function can be switched only after a power supply voltage is increased up to a voltage, which is required for operating the control circuit. For example, in the case that the option function is set whenever the power is turned on, the option function can be set only after the power-on operation is completed and thus the power supply voltage is stable. Accordingly, there is a problem in that the period from when the power is turned on to when a normal operation begins becomes long. In a program executable semiconductor integrated circuit such as a microcomputer, the option function must be set in an initializing routine (user program) after the power is turned on. Accordingly, it imposes a heavy burden on a user. Also, there is also a problem in that the size of the control circuit becomes increased.


A digital resampler comprises a combination of first means and second means. The first means, which includes interpolation filter means, is responsive to the digital-signal sample values of an input sample stream for producing a first derived sample stream of digital-signal sample values in which the given sampling period P of the input stream is multiplied directly by a factor equal to M'/CL, where C is a given positive integer and M' is smaller than CL, either 2.sup.n (M'/CL) or 2.sup.-n (M'/CL) is equal to M/L and the absolute value of n is at least equal to zero, so that the sampling period of the first derived sample stream is (M'/CL)P. The second means, which includes octave prefiltering and sample means, is responsive to the first derived sample stream of digital-signal sample values for producing as an output a second derived sample stream of digital-signal sample values in which the first derived sampling period (M'/CL)P of the first derived sample stream is multiplied by a factor equal to either 2.sup.n (M'/CL) or 2.sup.-n (M'/CL), so that the sampling period of the second derived sample stream is (M/L)P.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for resampling given information originally defined by a first series of input samples to derive a second series of output samples defining the same given information, wherein the ratio of the number of input samples of the first series to the number of output samples of the second series may be either less than or greater than unity, and, more particularly, to such apparatus suitable for use in the resizing of a video image.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For such purposes as workstation video processing, scan conversion, and scanner document preparation by means of an image scanner, it is often desirable to resample an input stream of digital-signal sample values by a predetermined improper fractional amount, in the case of signal reduction, or a predetermined proper fractional amount, in the case of signal expansion. In this regard, reference is made to the respective teachings of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,282,546, 4,602,285 and 4,682,301.
As known in the art, the sampling of an input stream of digital-signal sample values can be altered by the fractional amount M/L by first upsampling the digital-signal sample values by a factor of L and then downsampling the upsampled digital-signal sample values by a factor of M. In order to accomplish this, relatively complex filter means, employing digital interpolation filtering subsequent to upsampling and digital low-pass prefiltering prior to downsampling, is required.
In the case of signal expansion, where M is smaller than L, there is no problem of unwanted aliasing frequencies being created by the upsampling-downsampling processing. However, in the case of signal reduction, where M is larger than L, there is a problem of unwanted aliasing frequencies being created. In order to overcome this problem, the interpolated upsampled signal must be sufficiently bandlimited by the prefiltering to prevent downsampling by an M larger than L causing aliasing. Further, the greater the amount of downsampling (i.e., the larger M is), the larger the number of kernel-function taps is required of the digital low-pass prefilter (i.e., the prefiltering must extend over many samples), thus dictating the use of a long filter response. The cost of a long filter response is added filter complexity and ultimately, silicon real estate when the filter is implemented on a VLSI chip.
In the past, the approach taken to appropriately bandlimit an image signal prior to resampling, whether upsampling, where the sample density is to be increased, or downsampling, where the sample density is to be decreased, is to prefilter the image with an adaptive 2-dimensional filter whose bandwidth is varied according to the amount of image-size reduction/expansion desired in each of the horizontal (X) dimension and vertical (Y) dimension of the image. Two types of digital filters can be used for this purpose: 1) Finite Impulse Response (FIR), or 2) Infinite Impulse Response (IIR).
FIR filters are desirable because they are guaranteed to be stable and can have linear phase--an important property in image processing. However, FIR filters do exhibit extremely long impulse responses (large number of neighborhood samples) for low-frequency filtering. Long impulse responses mean that the tails of the filters (the weighing coefficients furthest from the center filter point) have extremely small coefficients, which means that high arithmetic precision must be used. Also, long filter responses translate into many lines of data storage if used for vertical or Y-directional filtering. Both conditions of high arithmetic precision and many storage elements implies too much hardware, and thus silicon, if integrated onto an integrated circuit.
IIR filters, on the other hand, can have relatively short responses for the equivalent bandreject capability. Unfortunately, IIR filters also can be unstable and demand the use of very high arithmetic precision in computation. Also, IIR filters almost never have linear phase. One known image resizing architecture uses an IIR filter approach. Filter coefficients are updated as a function of the resizing parameter specified. This architecture requires wide dynamic range in its arithmetic in order to guarantee a stable filter for all cases. This structure also does not exhibit good bandwidth limiting for large resampling factors. This design is, therefore, not economical for silicon integration.
Except for their longer filter response, FIR filters are to be favored because they are well behaved, stable, and have linear phase. At lower spatial frequencies, the longer filter response of FIR filters presents a problem in implementation in the prior art. However, the present invention overcomes this problem.

Resampling apparatus suitable for resizing a video image


Steel wires and steel rods with excellent cold forging properties and used in a manufacture of various machine components, which have relatively high strengths, are disclosed. The steel wires are produced by maintaining a product (nxc3x97YS) of a yield strength (YS) and a work hardening coefficient (n) obtained by a tensile test of the steel wire within a range of 4.0-11.0 kgf/2, without a need of additional quenching and tempering treatments after cold forging. There is no need to perform heating for spheroidizing annealing for a long time, and it is possible to produce quenched and tempered steel wires having excellent cold forging properties by quenching and tempering treatments in a short period of time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to steel wires and steel rods used in a manufacture of various components such as bolts and shafts, which have relatively high strengths, and more particularly to quenched and tempered steel wires with excellent cold forging properties, which can be produced by maintaining a new parameter relating to material quality affecting cold forging properties of the steel wires within a specific range, without additional heat treatment such as quenching and tempering.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, components for use in machine structures with relatively high strength, such as hexagon head bolts, U-shaped bolts, ball studs, and shafts, are produced by subjecting steel wires or steel rods (referred to as xe2x80x9csteel wiresxe2x80x9d hereinafter) to cold forging procedures. Such components for use in machine structures are produced in such a way that steel wires are heated at a temperature of 700xc2x0 C. for a period over ten hours so that structures of the steel wires are spheroidized to improve cold forging properties, as in a process indicated bellow.
Steel wire or steel rodxe2x86x92spheroidizing annealing for a long timexe2x86x92cold forgingxe2x86x92heating at a high temperature (850xc2x0 C. or more)xe2x86x92quenching (water or oil)xe2x86x92temperingxe2x86x92product
As will be appreciated from the above, the steel wire or steel rod is necessarily subjected to heat treatment such as quenching and tempering to enhance its strength and toughness even after the cold forging, and it is necessary to perform a plurality of production procedures due to its complicated production process.
Therefore, the conventional process as described above has problems as follows, and is required to be improved in energy efficiency, productivity and working conditions.
1) Since steel wires must be subjected to spheroidizing annealing for a long time, loss of heat energy is increased and productivity is decreased.
2) Since worked steel wires are required to be additionally subjected to quenching and tempering to enhance strength and toughness of the worked steel wires in a manufacturing process, its production time is increased. In addition, working conditions are deteriorated where the worked steel wires are subjected to heat treatment in a manufacturing place. Where the heat treatment is subcontracted to an outside manufacturer, cost for heat treatment and labor for managing delivery schedules are increased, thereby complicating overall process management.
3) Owing to the problems disclosed in above items 1) and 2), reduced productivity is caused due to a heat treatment process. Therefore, there exists an urgent need to improve productivity.
As described above, improvements in productivity, manufacturing cost, working conditions and the like related to the heat treatment are actively demanded.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide quenched and tempered steel wires with excellent cold forging properties, which can be produced without additional heat treatment such as quenching or tempering by performing the heat treatment prior to cold forging.
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a steel wire having quenched and tempered structure prior to a cold forging process, wherein a product (nxc3x97YS) of a yield strength (YS) and a work hardening coefficient (n), obtained by a tensile test performed with respect to the steel wire, is within a range of 4.0-11.0 kgf/mm2.
The present invention also provides a steel wire produced by drawing the above steel wire, wherein a product (nxc3x97YS) of a yield strength (YS) and a work hardening coefficient (n), obtained by a tensile test performed with respect to the drawn steel wire, is within a range of 1.5-8.5 kgf/mm2.

Quenched and tempered steel wire with excellent cold forging properties


A vertical deflashing machine for removing the flashing from blow molded, plastic objects such as containers. The machine has one or more object supporting cavities which support an object to be deflashed in a vertical position. While the object is being supported, a cutting plate moves through the object supporting cavities and strikes and cuts off the flashing affixed to the object. The object remains in a vertical position.

The field of the invention is blow molding machinery and the invention relates more particularly to machinery for automatically removing the flashing from blow molded, plastic objects.
During the blow molding process, flashing is often molded along a portion of the parting line of the molded object. The flashing is held to the part by a thin web and is designed to be knocked from the object after the object has been removed from the mold. Although this can be carried out by hand, it is preferably done automatically. The most commonly used machine for this purpose involves a machine utilizing buckets which support an object in a horizontal position in a cavity, and a cutting tool is driven through openings in the bucket thereby driving the flashing away from the object. Such machines are typically noisy and relatively slow in operation. Typically, such machines operate at a rate of twenty to thirty objects per minute and in order to keep up with a blow molding operation which molds sixty objects per minute, two or three cavities must be formed in each bucket. Also, the object, once deflashed, must be repositioned in a vertical manner so that further operations, such as leak detecting, flaming, labeling and cameras for checking can be carried out.


In an open position, a power-supply terminal and a detection terminal are not connected to a mating power-supply terminal and a mating detection terminal, respectively. In a predetermined position, the power-supply terminal is connected to the mating power-supply terminal while the detection terminal is not connected to the mating detection terminal. In a closed position, the power-supply terminal and the detection terminal are connected to the mating power-supply terminal and the mating detection terminal, respectively. When the connector is turned toward the predetermined position from the closed position, a first regulating portion regulates a first regulated portion to prevent the connector from reaching the predetermined position. When the connector is turned toward the predetermined position after the regulation is released, a second regulating portion regulates a second regulated portion to prevent the connector from being turned toward the open position beyond the predetermined position.

This invention relates to a connector device which is mounted on, for example, an electric vehicle or a hybrid car and relays electric power supplied from a power source system.
A connector device of this type may be used to relay a large current of about 100 A. Accordingly, it is necessary that the connector is provided with a mechanism for safety of maintenance workers. A connector device of this type is disclosed in JPA 2002-343169 (Patent Document 1), for example.
As shown in FIGS. 37A-37C, a lever fitting type power source circuit interruption device (a connector device) is provided with a connector, a mating connector and a lever. The lever is operably supported by the connector. The lever is provided with cam grooves while the mating connector is provided with cam pins. The cam pins are inserted in the cam grooves. The connector is provided with a male terminal or a power-supply terminal (not shown) forming a part of a power-supply circuit. The lever is provided with a fitting detection male terminal or a detection terminal (not shown). The mating connector is provided with a female terminal or another power-supply terminal (not shown) forming another part of the power-supply circuit and a fitting detection female terminal or another detection terminal (not shown).
As understood from FIGS. 37A and 37B, when the lever is pushed down, the connector is moved downward, and the male terminal and the female terminal are connected to each other. Thus, the power-supply circuit is formed. As understood from FIGS. 37B and 37C, when the lever is slid in a horizontal direction, the fitting detection male terminal and the fitting detection female terminal are connected to each other so that the power-supply circuit is energized. In order to detach the connector from the mating connector, the aforementioned operations are carried out in inverse order. Specifically, at first, the lever is slid in an opposite direction opposite to the direction in the case of the connecting. Next, the lever is raised to disconnect the male terminal and the female terminal from each other.

JAPAN AVAITION ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, LIMITED


A device is disclosed which allows an object to be tuned to an incoming sound wave magnitude and wavelength, such that the sound wave will alternatively be passed therethrough without detectable reflection or be completely reflected. The apparatus is intended to be mounted within a hollow object and adjust the perceived distance between the exterior walls of that object to mimic a single thick wall. A signal processing means is supplied which detects the sound wave magnitude and wavelength impinging on the wall facing the sound wave source. The wavelength is passed to the signal processing means, which transmits a complimentary signal to the second wall of the hollow object. The complimentary signal allows the hollow object to resonate as a whole as if it were a solid of a thickness much different from its actual thickness, allowing the sound wave to pass undisturbed therethrough or be reflected therefrom.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting sound through and reflecting sound from a solid object. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for altering the characteristics of an object such that sound waves will alternatively pass completely therethrough or be completely reflected therefrom.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A general characteristic of solid objects is that they reflect sound waves. Sound is transmitted in waves comprised of compressions and rarefactions of the medium through which the sound is passing, be it a solid, liquid or gas. The transmission characteristics of each medium are based on the density of the medium. Gas, being the most compressible of the three, is the poorest conductor of sound waves. Solids, therefore, provide the best transmission of sound. Solids, furthermore, due to their inherent formability, may be adapted to transmit sound wave energy over a distance in a controlled manner.
This characteristic has been utilized to create the acoustic waveguide. The acoustic waveguide is analogous to a wire conductor in the electrical field. Just as the wire conductor permits the controlled passage of a current from one end to another, the acoustic waveguide transmits sound wave energy from one point to another. The waveguide is generally in the form of an elongated solid, similar to a thick wire. The waveguide may also be hollow or in any geometric form. Additionally, the transmission medium within the waveguide may be a contained liquid or gaseous material. A common example of a waveguide is the medical stethoscope.
The waveguide, in its preferred embodiment, is tuned in shape and density to the frequency of the sound wave that is to be carried Such tuning allows for the optimal transmission of sound energy within the waveguide. A waveguide which is intended to carry a range of frequencies, however, must be adapted to carry all at some acceptable level, rather than any one at its optimal level.
Sound wave energy is also affected by changes in the transmission medium. When sound waves encounter a change in the density of the transmission medium, at least a portion of the wave energy is reflected away from the surface of the new medium. The remaining portion passes through this medium. Acoustic impedance, which is the product of the density of the waveguide material and the velocity of sound in the material, is utilized to describe and measure the reflection of sound waves at the interface of two media. If the acoustic impedances of two abutting materials are radically different, then reflection of sound waves within one medium from the interface is maximized. As the acoustic impedances of the two materials become closer in value, reflection is lessened, and a greater portion of the sound wave energy passes into and through the second medium. If the acoustic impedances are equal, the sound wave energy will pass with little or no loss into and through the second medium.
Sound waves will also pass through objects which have a thickness equal to one half of their wavelength. This is regardless of the change in acoustic impedance between the object and its surrounding medium. This, like an interface between media of equal acoustic impedance, will cause little or no reflection of the sound waves.
The limitation of this phenomena is that the object must be sized exactly one half the wavelength of the sound which is intended to pass therethrough. If the wavelength of the sound waves is unknown, or of a varying quantity, then the required size of the object cannot be predicted.
What has not been recognized by the art, therefore, is a method or apparatus which can change the perceived thickness of an object, such that a sound wave having a wavelength which is not preselected will pass therethrough without substantial or detectable reflection, or alternatively, will be completely reflected therefrom.

Method and apparatus for selective transmission and reflection of sound through a solid


An array of logic gates is configured to implement a predefined strategy for an emergency response system in a hardware-only runtime environment. The array of logic gates receives a plurality of input signals from a set of sensors and actuators located within an industrial processing system. Based upon the received plurality of input signals, the array of logic gates determines an emergency response using the predefined strategy. The array of logic gates implements the emergency response to control the industrial processing system based upon the predefined strategy. The array of logic gates can be reconfigured based upon a change in the predefined strategy.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to an emergency shutdown system, and more particularly to a logic circuit that is reconfigurable to execute an emergency response using a predefined user strategy.
2. Description of Related Art
All emergency shutdown systems are governed by a certification standard, IEC 61508, which outlines the requirements for both software and hardware used to implement an emergency shutdown system. IEC 61508 is directed to the functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable electronic safety related systems.
IEC 61508 governs all aspects of the emergency shutdown system from conception, design, implementation, operation and maintenance. Specifically, the standard provides a method for the development of safety requirements necessary to achieve the required functional safety for the system. The main concern for the safety standard is a system failure that could have an impact on the safety of persons or the environment.
The purpose of the emergency shutdown system is to reduce hazard and risk potentials with the operation of electronic, hydraulic, and electric devices.
Typically, an emergency shutdown system is implemented by a computer-based system. This computer-based system requires certification for both the software and hardware elements of the emergency shutdown system as well as any other software the runs on the computer; additionally any changes to either the software or hardware elements. Certification is also required for the process of creating hardware and software.
The certification process is designed to reduce the number of failures in the emergency shutdown system caused by random hardware, software, or integration failures.
The certification process is time consuming and requires a significant amount of overhead, especially where both the software and the hardware must be certified. It is particularly difficult to achieve a certification in systems that include significant software components, as there are numerous requirements for the software.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide an emergency shutdown system that complies with the IEC 61508 that can be certified in a quick and efficient manner.

Safety system based on reconfigurable array of logic gates


A bacterial strain secreting fatty acids, the strain inducing fatty acids to be extracellularly secreted by using phospholipase expressed in the periplasmic space of cell. When a method of producing fatty acids by using the bacterial strain secreting fatty acids is used, fatty acids extracellularly secreted are continuously obtained without apoptosis, leading to lower costs and higher production efficiency. Phospholipase, unlike thioesterase, which is a typical fatty-acid degrading enzyme, decomposes phospholipid to produce free fatty acids. Accordingly, by using the substrate specificity of two different phospholipases, a fatty acid having a specific composition can be selectively produced. Unlike in a typical method in which fat is obtained from cells or tissues, fatty acids secreted during cell growth are obtainable by biding to a hydrophobic material without an extraction process using an organic solvent in large quantities. Accordingly, a more economical, environmentally friendly bio-oil production process can be realized.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a recombinant bacterial strain extracellularly secreting fatty acids by using phospholipase activity and a method of producing fatty acids by using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern industries have still heavily depended on fossil fuels for use as source materials for chemical industries and as energy sources. The use of fossil fuels causes economic problems, including an increase in costs due to limited fossil deposits, and various environmental problems, including an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in air. The claim that future technology to brace for various environmental problems caused by the use of fossil fuels and depletion of fossil is needed still gains attention with social awareness. However, until now, new renewable energy having sustainability and economic competitiveness, which can replace the existing fossil fuels, has not been developed.
Recently, as a way to develop new renewable energy, the research to produce fatty acids either by fixing carbon dioxide or by reusing waste organic materials is being carried out. Fatty acids are converted into fatty acid ester through available chemical reactions, and fatty acids and derivatives thereof can be used as new renewable energy that replaces the oil from fossil fuel. Accordingly, in view of economic competitiveness due to an improvement of fatty acid producing technology and socio-politics, the practical use of fatty acids and derivatives thereof as an alternative energy source may be realized sooner than expected.
Unsaturated fatty acids are high value-added materials due to their use as a source material for medical products, cosmetic products, animal feeds, and heath supplements, as well as energy sources. In the past, only fatty acids with pre-determined composition could be produced by using, for example, plants and microalgae. However, technical advances in synthetic biotechnology, allow the composition of a fatty acid to be changed according to a desired purpose, and in particular, now, it is possible to increase the amount of useful unsaturated fatty acids to substantial levels.
The first-generation fatty acid production method uses neutral fat-rich plants to obtain fatty acids. However, this method requires a big land that could be used for crop culture otherwise, and accordingly, in consideration of global environmental change and imbalanced food production, the first-generation method is likely to face ethical problems. In this regard, in the future, the development of the fatty acid production by this method needs to be focused on use of places such as desert, mountainous regions, or the sea.
Microalgae are able to store lipid in large quantity per cell. However, up until now, it is difficult to readily apply the genetic methods thereto, and accordingly, additional increase of fatty acid productivity may not be feasible by using metabolic engineering methods. In addition, in the case of typical processes of producing fatty acids from plants and microalgae, processes for the pre-treatments of cells and the extractions of fatty acids are expensive and cause secondary contamination.
Korean Publication Patent No. 10-2009-0068266 provides information about polypeptides having phospholipase activity, nucleic acids coding for the polypeptides, and antibodies binding to the phospholipase. This publication provides an industrial method of degumming oil from a composition containing phospholipase. Korean Publication Patent No. 10-2011-0034116 provides a method of producing phospholipid, of which composition is changed by substituting a fatty acid of phospholipid by using immobilized phospholipase. The present disclosure is similar to these two publications in terms of the use of phospholipase as an active ingredient. However, the present disclosure, unlike these publications, uses phospholipase to secrete more fatty acids from bacterial cell that was genetically modified to synthesize more fatty acids.
The fact that fatty acids are extracellularly secreted by the action of thioesterase has been well known in many publications including Lennen and Pfleger (2012. Cell. 30: 659-667.). Like the present disclosure, US Publication Patent No. 2012/0237987A1 also discloses the secretion of fatty acids out of cyanobacterial cell. However, this publication is different from the present disclosure in that thioesterase, which is an enzyme using an acyl-acyl carrier protein (acyl-ACP) as a substrate, is used to induce the secretion of fatty acids. In addition, the present disclosure is different from the existing invention in that instead of expression of thioesterase in cytoplasm, phospholipase is expressed in a periplasmic space between an inner membrane and an outer membrane to efficiently decompose membrane phospholipids to form free fatty acids, which are then easily secreted out of the bacterial cell.
The above-mentioned background is presented herein only to help understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and shall not be considered to one of ordinary skill in the art as approving that the presented background is the prior art.

Strain secreting fatty acids by phospholipase and method for producing fatty acids using it


Moisture separator configuration for separating water droplets from steam of a flow having a mixture of steam and water droplets, such that the cited flow travels through the moisture separator configuration so that this separation is achieved. The moisture separator configuration includes a plurality of plates oriented in line with the flow. The plurality of plates form channels through which the flow travels. The channels have progressive cross section variation along the flow direction, in order to collect progressively the water droplets separated from the steam in the flow.

A moisture separator, also known as droplets separator, is a device for separating water droplets from steam. Moisture separators are widely used in the oil and gas industries to remove liquid droplets from a gas or steam. In general mist removal is necessary for several reasons, as explained below.                One reason is to increase the cycle efficiency of a power plant. Usually, in thermal power plants, the steam generated from a boiler is expanded several times in so called High (H), Middle (M) and Low Pressure Turbines (LPT). In a Nuclear Power Plant, during the first expansion in the HPT of the superheated or saturated steam coming from the boiler, nucleation phenomena occurs along the HPT cylinder and the resulting working fluid at the HPT exhausts is humid steam with a certain steam quality. Before re-heating the humid steam for efficiency reasons upstream MPT and LPT, a mechanical separation of the moisture from the saturated steam is accomplished through moisture separators: the resulting working fluid sent to the re-heater bundles is humid steam with low moisture content. Since the latent heat of evaporation of water is significantly high, it is preferred to eliminate the water content in the humid steam and send the collected water back in the thermodynamic cycle, instead of using a lot of energy for the moisture evaporation, limiting thermal loads on the bundles, as well, caused by the evaporation processes.        Another benefit achieved by removing the moisture content is the protection of downstream equipment from erosion damages. A type of moisture separators are the so-called wave-plate mist eliminators, which are widely used in the oil and gas industries as well as power generation industry, to remove liquid droplets from a gas or steam phase. Most separators use the principle of inertia, whereby larger water droplets tend to continue in a straight line when the direction of flow of an air/steam stream, in which these water droplets are carried, is changed. These wave-plate mist eliminators comprise a plurality of narrowly spaced wave-shaped bended metal sheets, oriented in line with the air/steam flow path. The two-phase flow (mixture of steam and water droplets) is forced to travel through the tortuous channels and to change repeatedly flow direction. The water droplets, that due to their inertia are not able to follow these changes in direction, deviate from the main flow and impact on the channel walls, where they adhere and coalesce. When the amount of liquid is sufficiently high a film and liquid rivulets are formed, which are continuously drained out from the wave-plate mist eliminator by gravity. The inertia of the drops and the drag of the steam control the motion of the drops through the channels.
The present invention is directed towards a moisture separator having increased effectiveness compared to moisture separator in the prior art.


A method and an apparatus for performing and controlling speech recognition and enrolment are provided. The method for performing speech recognition and enrolment includes: receiving a Speech Enrolment Start Request and a Speech Recognition Request sent from a media gateway controller (MGC); performing speech recognition and enrolment according to the Speech Enrolment Start Request and the Speech Recognition Request, and obtaining a recognition and enrolment result; and feeding back the recognition and enrolment result to the MGC.

With the constant development of network convergence, a next generation network (NGN) emerges. The NGN has an integrated open network architecture, which, on the basis of the packet technology, uses a soft switch as the core, and is capable of providing speech, data, video, and multimedia services. The NGN represents the development direction of communication networks.
FIG. 1 is a schematic structure diagram of an NGN architecture in the prior art. As shown in FIG. 1, the NGN architecture includes a media gateway (MG) and a media gateway controller (MGC). The MGC is configured to manage the call status and control the bearer resources of the MG. The MG is configured to convert a media stream from one format to another format. For example, the MG converts a media stream in an E1 timeslot in a circuit switched network into a Realtime Transport Protocol (RTP) media stream in an Internet Protocol (IP) network, and under the signaling control of the MGC, establishes, modifies, or releases the media stream, and manages resources. In addition, the MG can implement the function of network address translation. In the NGN architecture shown in FIG. 1, speaker-dependent speech recognition may be implemented. During the implementation, the MG stores a uniform resource identifier (URI) in advance, where the URI corresponds to pronunciation grammars and pronunciation characteristics of a speaker. When the MG receives a speech recognition request that the speaker sends through a user equipment (UE), the MG may perform recognition on the speech of the speaker according to the URI, so as to convert a speech signal into a signal that can be recognized by a machine.
During the implementation of the present disclosure, the inventors find that the prior art has at least the following problem: the existing MG cannot implement speech recognition and enrolment.

Method and apparatus for performing and controlling speech recognition and enrollment


A thermal transfer film includes a base layer, and a light-to-heat conversion layer on the base layer, the light-to-heat conversion layer including at least one of particles selected from tungsten oxide particles and composite tungsten oxide particles, the particles being present in an amount of about 20 wt % to about 65 wt % in the light-to-heat conversion layer.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a thermal transfer film and an organic electroluminescent device prepared using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A light-to-heat conversion (LTHC) layer absorbs light in a certain wavelength range and converts at least some of the absorbed light into heat. When the light-to-heat conversion layer is illuminated with light in an absorption wavelength range, a transfer layer may be transferred by swelling of the light-to-heat conversion layer.

Thermal transfer film and organic electroluminescent device prepared using the same


A composite material is formed of several assembled discs of matrix material, wherein each disc preferably has at least one groove therein, and at least one fiber (14) is inserted in each groove. A composite of matrix material and fibers (14) is present in an inner section (16), whereas exclusively the matrix material is present in an outer section (17). The inner section with the fibers (14) reaches to different radial extents toward the outer section (17), to achieve a strength-optimizing intermeshing of the inner section (16) with the outer section (17).

Modern gas turbines particularly aircraft engines must satisfy the highest demands regarding reliability, weight, power output, efficiency and their life duration. During the last decades aircraft engines have been developed particularly in the civil sector, which engines fully satisfy the above demands. These aircraft engines have reached a high degree of technical perfection. In the design of aircraft engines the selection of the materials plays, among other things, a critical role. This applies also to the search for new suitable materials.
The most important materials that are used these days for aircraft engines or other gas turbines are titanium alloys, nickel alloys, also referred to as super alloys, and high strength steels. The high strength steels are used particularly for shaft components, gear components, and for compressor housings and turbine housings. Titanium alloys are typical alloys for compressor components while nickel alloys are suitable for the hot components of the aircraft engine.
A very promising group of a new material for future generations of aircraft engines are so-called fiber reinforced composite materials. Modern composite materials comprise a matrix material which may be made of a polymer, a metal, or ceramic matrix and fibers embedded into the matrix material.
The present invention relates to a composite material in which the matrix is made as a metal matrix. Such a material is referred to as a metal matrix composite material, in short MMC. In connection with high strength MMC materials in which titanium is used as matrix material, the weight of the structural components can be reduced up to 50% compared to conventional titanium alloys. Fibers of high strength and a high modulus of elasticity are used as reinforcements.
Such fiber reinforced composite materials are known in the prior art. Thus, European Patent Publication EP 0 490 629 B1 discloses a pre-shaped blank for a composite material including a foil whereby the foil comprises a groove and a thread shaped reinforcement arranged in the groove, and wherein the pre-shaped blank has the shape of a ring or of a disc. For the production of a multi-ply composite structure one proceeds according to European Patent Publication EP 0 490 629 B1 in such a way that several such pre-shaped blanks are stacked whereby the pre-shaped blanks are consolidated under the influence of heat and pressure to form a fully dense composite material. Further composite materials and methods for their production are known from European Patent Publication EP 0 909 826 B1, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,324 and from U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,599.

Composite material, method for the production of a composite material and the utilization thereof


An electrical connector assembly, includes an electrical connector, a pick up cap mounted on the electrical connector, and a film. The pick up cap has a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface has a holding surface defining a plurality of through holes. A film includes a connecting portion connected with the bottom surface of the pick up cap and a moved portion moved between an open position and a closed position. When the moved portion located in the open position, the through hole of the pick up cap is opened. When the moved portion located in the closed position, the through hole of the pick up cap is closed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly, and more particularly to a pick up cap used for an electrical connector.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,625 issued to Liao et al. on Apr. 29, 2003 discloses a socket assembly includes a socket and a pick up device releasably mounted to the socket. The socket has a base and a cover slidably mounted on the base. The pick up device includes a cap and a film member adhered to the cap. The cap is releasably mounted to the cover of the socket and defines a pair of through slots. The film member is adhered to the top face of the cap to cover the through slots for being manipulated by the vacuum suction device to position the CPU socket on a printed circuit board. When the socket is soldered to the printed circuit board, the socket has a temperature difference between the center and the peripheral because soldering heat generated is prevented by the film member. Thus the contact can not well weld to the printed circuit board.
Therefore, an improved electrical connector assembly is needed.

Pick up cap used for electrical connector


Hybrid elements that enable coupling effects between SPH particles and FEM solid are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, hybrid elements are configured to facilitate coupling effect of solid element based on finite element method (FEM) and one or more corresponding particles based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH). Hybrid elements are defined in a computer aided engineering (CAE) grid model as a buffer or interface between the SPH particles and FEM solids. For example, a portion of the grid model comprises SPH particles because the likelihood of enduring large deformation, while the rest of the model comprises FEM solid elements. Hybrid elements are placed between the solids and the particles. Each hybrid element comprises two layers: solid layer and particle layer.

Continuum mechanics has been used for simulating continuous matter such as solids and fluids (i.e., liquids and gases). Differential equations are employed in solving problems in continuum mechanics. Many numerical procedures have been used. One of the most popular methods is finite element analysis (FEA) or finite element method (FEM), which is a computerized method widely used in industry to model and solve engineering problems relating to complex systems such as three-dimensional non-linear structural design and analysis. FEA derives its name from the manner in which the geometry of the object under consideration is specified. With the advent of the modern digital computer, FEA has been implemented as FEA software. Basically, the FEA software is provided with a grid-based model of the geometric description and the associated material properties at each point within the model. In this model, the geometry of the system under analysis is represented by solids, shells and beams of various sizes, which are called elements. The vertices of the elements are referred to as nodes. The model is comprised of a finite number of elements, which are assigned a material name to associate with material properties. The model thus represents the physical space occupied by the object under analysis along with its immediate surroundings. The FEA software then refers to a table in which the properties (e.g., stress-strain constitutive equation, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, thermo-conductivity) of each material type are tabulated. Additionally, the conditions at the boundary of the object (i.e., loadings, physical constraints, etc.) are specified. In this fashion a model of the object and its environment is created.
Once the model is defined, FEA software can be used for performing a numerical simulation of the physical behavior under the specified loading or initial conditions. FEA software is used extensively in the automotive industry to simulate front and side impacts of automobiles, occupant dummies interacting with airbags, and the forming of body parts from sheet metal. Such simulations provide valuable insight to engineers who are able to improve the safety of automobiles and to bring new models to the market more quickly. The simulation is performed in time domain meaning the FEA is computed at many solution cycles starting from an initial solution cycle, at each subsequent solution cycle, the simulation time is incremented by a time step referred to as ΔT. Such simulation is referred to as time-marching simulation.
One of the most challenging FEA tasks is to simulate an impact event involving a structure undergoing very large deformation, for example, car crash or explosion simulations. As the modern computer improves, engineers not only wish to simulate the behavior in an impact event with structural failure, they also want to simulate structural behaviors after yielding before total failure from an impact event. However, it is difficult to simulate such phenomena with FEA using solid elements. For example, solid elements representing foam material of a bumper may be squeezed or compressed to become too distorted or squished thereby resulting into zero or negative volume, which causes numerical problem in the simulation (e.g., simulated aborted due to invalid number in a digital computer).
To solve the zero or negative volume problem, those failed solid elements are replaced with particles under smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH). However, mathematical formulations of the FEM and SPH are different. In order to have particles and solid elements coexist in the same of model, some kind of connections must be established to connect the particles and the solid elements. Prior art approach has been using a tied interface, which rigidly connects certain particles with solid elements. However, this approach generally leads to very unrealistic simulated results due to arbitrary placement of tied interfaces (i.e., rigid links). For example, particles and solid elements are tied together could be reasonable initially. But, as they deform in an unpredictable manner, arbitrary placement of these rigid links might result in a very unrealistic connections.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a more realistic interfaces in a computer aided engineering analysis model such that SPH particles and FEM solids can coexist to avoid problems and shortcomings of the prior art approaches.

Hybrid element enabling solid/SPH coupling effect

Livermore Software Technology Corporation


A drum unit of an image forming apparatus including a flange that is integrally provided with the photoconductor drum. A frame rotatably supports the photoconductor drum and covers its side. A gear portion is integrally formed with an outer circumferential surface of the flange. An outer diameter of the gear portion is larger than a diameter size of the photoconductor drum. A guide member is provided on an upper surface of the frame and guides the edge portion upward when the drum unit is pulled out of the apparatus main body. An upper surface of the guide member includes first and second guide surfaces. The first guide surface is located more on a side of a center of the photoconductor drum than the edge position, and the second guide surface is located more on the side of the insertion direction than the edge position.

The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copier or a multifunction peripheral, and in particular relates to an image forming apparatus including a photoconductor drum used in a process of forming an image on a sheet.
An image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic system includes a photoconductor drum on which a toner image is formed by a developing device. The toner image formed on the photoconductor drum is transferred to a transfer belt by a primary transfer device, and is further transferred from the transfer belt to a sheet by a secondary transfer device. The photoconductor drum is unitized into a drum unit together with a frame and the like, wherein the frame rotatably supports the photoconductor drum. The drum unit including the photoconductor drum is attached to the image forming apparatus in a detachable manner. There is known, as one example of conventional image forming apparatuses, an image forming apparatus to/from which the drum unit is inserted and pulled out horizontally.
As one example of such drum units, there is known a drum unit that includes a flange fixed to an end portion of the photoconductor drum in the axial direction. The flange is integrally formed with a gear portion that transmits a rotational driving force to another driven body.

Image forming apparatus including photoconductor drum


A method and apparatus for maintaining active sessions between communicating logical units in a computer network when an application system fails without having to re-establish the active sessions. By activating a persistent sessions capability at one of the logical units, the active sessions can be suspended and maintained while attempts at recovery are made. Recovery attempts include restarting the failed application or switching the suspended sessions to an alternate instance of the logical unit. The suspended sessions are resynchronized with the application system and session activity is resumed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to computer networks and more particularly to a method for recovery from application system failure in order to provide continuous availability of the application system.
2. Prior Art
Prior art computer networks are controlled by a system architecture which insures the orderly flow of information throughout the system. Systems network architecture (SNA) is a system architecture developed by IBM Corporation which controls the configuration and operation of a computer communications network. It provides the description of the logical structure, formats, protocols, and operational sequences for transmitting information units through the network.
The network is composed of nodes interconnected by communications facilities. The nodes may be of widely varying functional capability, ranging from terminals with minimal native processing capability to complex multiprocessors. The communication facilities also come in a number of varieties ranging from high speed I/O channels to low speed, point-to-point telephone lines and including such media as satellite links and wide-band optical fibers.
Each node is comprised of a physical unit (PU) which controls the physical resources of the node (e.g., links) and one or more logical units (LU) which are used to partition, allocate, and control the devices associated with end-user communications.
The Virtual Telecommunication Access Method (VTAM) is a telecommunications access method software program, developed by IBM Corporation, which is resident in a host processor and provides an interface between the host processor and other resources in the computer network. A VTAM application program is a program that uses VTAM macro instructions to communicate with terminals. VTAM allows a plurality of application programs to be used at a single terminal. An application program within a host processor can be used at any location in the network without the program having any awareness of network organization.
Users in the network communicate by establishing a session between the logical units (LU) that represent them. A session involves a definition of the characteristics of the communication between two end-users. Each logical unit couples a user to the SNA network. Two logical units can have multiple logical connections or parallel sessions established between them.
Currently, when a network application fails, all of the sessions of the application are terminated (unbound). Application recovery requires the sessions to be re-established. This process is slow, thereby causing application recovery to take an unacceptably long time, especially if there was a large number of sessions.
Any fault tolerant solution requires two basic ingredients redundancy and state recording. Redundancy may come in the form of duplicate hardware and software, along with the appropriate access paths (e.g., busses, links, cache, etc.). State recording is a process of recording enough processing state information during normal processing such that when a fault occurs and recovery is invoked, a consistent "next" state can be constructed in order that the process can continue properly.
One solution to this problem has been to add additional hardware and software system elements to create an alternate application subsystem which is kept synchronized with the active subsystem. For example, an alternate processor with the same type of application program can establish back-up sessions for any of the sessions that the primary host processor has active currently. If the primary processor was unable to perform its function for any reason, such as hardware, operating system, VTAM or application failure, the alternate processor could be used immediately to service the users that had active sessions with the primary processor. A major drawback to this approach is that it requires purchase of redundant processor hardware and software. Moreover, a separate back-up session is required for each active session.

Method and apparatus for providing continuous availability of applications in a computer network

International Business Machines Corporation


A positive temperature coefficient current source having reduced reference current requirements. The output transistors are each buffered by another transistor in a Darlington pair configuration. The reference current required for the circuit is reduced while maintaining a positive temperature coefficient for the current source.

In the design of integrated circuits, it is sometimes necessary to use a current source that has a positive temperature coefficient. That is, as the temperature increases, the current level output increases also. One application for such a current source is in the drive for light emitting diodes. Since the brightness of a light emitting diode decreases as the temperature goes up, it is desirable to compensate for this with an increased current as the temperature rises as well.
In FIG. 1, a typical positive temperature coefficient current source is shown. The desired drive current for a light emitting diode is 10mA. To achieve the desired current output in the prior art circuit, the resulting base current needed for transistor N3 if it has a current gain of 100 is 100 microamps. In order for the circuit to operate properly, the current through transistor N1 must be greater than the base current of N3.
It is an object of the present invention to lower the current level required by transistor N1. By lowering the input current level, the power dissipation in the integrated circuit is correspondingly lowered. And yet the positive temperature coefficient characteristics of the current source are maintained.
Referring in greater detail to the circuit of FIG. 1, the output current has a positive temperature coefficient. The voltage generated across the resistor R1 is determined by the difference in base emitter voltages of the transistors N3 and N6. The variation in base emitter voltages is created by the difference in emitter areas between the two transistors. The emitter area of transistor N4 is six times the emitter area in transistor N3. The equation for this circuit is Vbe(N1)+Vbe (N6)+V(R1)=Vbe(N4)+Vbe(N3). Because the collector current of N1 and transistor N4 are nearly equal, they can be subtracted from the equation. This leaves: Vbe(N6)+V(R1)=Vbe(N3). Thus, it is seen that the voltage across resistor R1 is equal to the base emitter voltage of transistor N3 minus the base emitter voltage of transistor N6. Since the collector currents of transistors N3 and N6 are nearly equal, the difference in base emitter voltages can be determined from the ratio of the emitter areas of the two devices. More specifically, Vbe=(kT/Q) ln (A.sub.e N6/A.sub.e N3). Where k is the Boltzmann's constant, T stands for temperature and Q is the charge on an electron. A.sub.e stands for the area of the emitters so that the natural log is being taken of the ratio of the emitter areas of transistors N6 and N3. The output current Iout will be equal to the difference in base emitter voltages of transistors N6 and N3 divided by the resistance of resistor R1. With a typical design using shallow N+ as the resistive material for resistor R1, the numerator, Vbe will rise faster than the denominator, the resistance of R1, as temperature increases. Therefore, the output current will rise as temperature rises.

Positive temperature coefficient current source with low power dissipation


A pattern forming method of the present invention for forming a predetermined pattern on a photosensitive resin film by (i) layering the photosensitive resin film on an inorganic thin film with which a plastic substrate is coated and (ii) exposing the photosensitive resin film via a photomask having the predetermined pattern in an exposing step is characterized by including the step of heating the plastic substrate having the inorganic thin film before the exposing step, a time from an end of the heating step to a start of the exposing step being managed to be not less than a predetermined time, in accordance with an asymptotic contracting behavior after the end of the heating step of the plastic substrate having the inorganic thin film. With this, it is possible to provide a pattern forming method capable of forming a plurality of patterns on a plastic substrate with high accuracy of superposition, and a display device manufactured using the same.

The present invention relates to a pattern forming method for forming a predetermined pattern by a photolithography method on a plastic substrate which composes a display device such as a liquid crystal display device, an organic EL display device, an electrophoresis display device, etc., and a display device manufactured using the same.
When a predetermined pattern is formed by a photolithography method on a substrate which composes a display device, the pattern is often required to be formed with high accuracy of dimension and position. For example, in a case of a pair of substrates which compose a liquid crystal display device, a transparent conductive film composed of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) having a predetermined pattern is formed on each of the substrates, and then the pair of substrates are pasted with each other so that the both patterns face one another with predetermined accuracy of superposition. Thus, the predetermined patterns that are respectively formed on the substrates are required to be formed within a relatively constant range of dimensional accuracy.
Further, a color filter used for a liquid crystal display device is manufactured in such a manner that a plurality of patterns including a colored light-transmitting pattern of light""s three primary colors such as RGB, a light-shielding pattern such as a black matrix, etc. are sequentially formed. Thus, the respective patterns are required to be formed within a constant range of accuracy of superposition. The accuracy of superposition here is mainly achieved by relative accuracy of dimension and position among the respective formed patterns. The higher definition of a manufactured color filter pattern requires higher accuracy of superposition, and thus requires higher accuracy of dimension and position for each of the formed patterns. Further, a transparent electrode for liquid crystal driving composed of ITO is required to be formed on the color filter with the same accuracy.
For example, when the formed pattern of the color filter and the formed pattern of the ITO for liquid crystal driving are both formed with high accuracy of dimension and position, the both patterns are formed with fine accuracy of superposition over an entire substrate, so that each of driving ITOs 101 corresponds to one color of color filters Rxe2x80xa2Gxe2x80xa2B, as shown in FIG. 11(a). In contrast, when the accuracy of dimension and position is not good, positional misalignment occurs. When the accuracy of superposition of the both patterns is not good, namely an amount of the positional misalignment exceeds a tolerance, a so-called color mixture defect occurs, in which one ITO 101 does not correspond to only one color of the color filters Rxe2x80xa2Gxe2x80xa2B, but corresponds to two or more adjacent colors of the color filters Rxe2x80xa2Gxe2x80xa2B. FIG. 11(b) is an example where the color mixture defect occurs due to low accuracy of dimension, FIG. 11(c) is an example where the color mixture defect occurs due to low accuracy of position, and FIG. 11(d) is an example where the color mixture defect occurs due to low accuracy of both dimension and position.
Incidentally, a liquid crystal display device, etc., is generally manufactured in such a manner that a plurality of panel patterns are simultaneously formed in a large substrate, and, after undergoing various processes, the large substrate is separated into respective panels. The size of the substrate used is from approximately 300 mm square to not less than 1000 mm square. Thus, an entire surface of the substrate must satisfy the accuracy of dimension and position and the accuracy of superposition, which are required for forming the patterns.
Here, the accuracy of dimension and position for forming a pattern by a photolithography method is determined mainly at an exposing step, so that it largely depends on the performance of a developing device, photomask""s accuracy of dimension and form, the performance of photosensitive resin, etc.
However, when the relative accuracy in superposition of a plurality of patterns is required, as in the above-described liquid crystal display device, required is not only the accuracy of dimension and position of the pattern that is formed at the exposing step. Even if the pattern can achieve high accuracy of dimension at the exposing step, when the substrate itself changes in dimension due to thermal expansion, etc., the dimensions of the already formed pattern also change. This causes a dimensional error between the pattern that is already formed and the pattern that is newly formed, thereby lowering accuracy of superposition between the respective formed patterns. Thus, at the exposing of the newly formed pattern, it is required to control the substrate dimensions so that the dimensions and form of the already formed pattern are retained.
Nowadays, as a substrate for a display device such as a liquid crystal display device, an organic EL display device, an electrophoresis display device, etc., a plastic substrate has come to be used instead of a conventional glass substrate. The plastic substrate has advantages over the glass substrate in terms of lightness in weight, shock resistance, flexibility, etc. However, the plastic substrate widely changes in dimension by a slight temperature change because of its high coefficient of thermal expansion. The plastic substrate also expands due to moisture absorption. As described above, the plastic substrate requires a higher level of technique of dimensional control, because the plastic substrate changes in dimension more than the glass substrate.
In order to control the dimensional change of the substrate due to the thermal expansion, the substrate temperature during the exposing should be controlled, so that general exposing devices have a structure capable of adjusting a substrate temperature. However, in order to achieve the accuracy of dimensional control of the plastic substrate same as that of the glass substrate, the exposing device must have about twice to tenth higher accuracy of adjusting the substrate temperature, depending on concrete materials and compositions of the plastic and the glass.
In order to control the dimensional change of the substrate due to the moisture absorption, it is highly effective to employ a method to control a moisture content of the substrate, such as inhibition of the moisture absorption using a hard-coat layer, dehydration of the substrate by heating, moisture absorption by rinsing, etc., as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-186550/1994 (Tokukaihei 6-186550, published on Jul. 8, 1994), for example.
Incidentally, it is conventionally assumed that a dimensional behavior of the plastic substrate mainly depends on xe2x80x9cthe dimensional change due to the thermal expansionxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cthe dimensional change due to the moisture absorptionxe2x80x9d; thus, when the pattern is formed by the photolithography method, it is assumed that the dimensional behavior of the plastic substrate can be controlled by xe2x80x9ccontrol of the substrate temperature at the exposingxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ccontrol of the moisture content of the substrate at the exposingxe2x80x9d, enabling the pattern formation with high accuracy of dimension and superposition.
However, the above-described pattern forming method has problems as described below.
Specifically, as to the method for the xe2x80x9ccontrol of the moisture content of the substrate at the exposingxe2x80x9d, when the substrate is exposed after heated for reducing the moisture content of the substrate to a certain level, for example, the substrate may be arranged so as to include a moisture barrier layer such as a hard-coat layer, to inhibit the moisture absorption. This can reduce the speed of substrate expansion due to the moisture absorption after the end of the baking, and thus reduces the dimensional variations among the formed patterns due to the variations in exposing timing, thereby achieving the high accuracy of dimensional control.
The barrier layer for inhibiting the moisture absorption of the substrate is excellently an inorganic thin film, for example, and the inorganic thin film having a denser film structure, in particular, has higher barrier properties. However, even the plastic substrate, having the dense inorganic thin film on each of both sides so as to inhibit the moisture absorption of the substrate, gradually absorbs moisture through a long leaving time, so that the plastic substrate expands. Thus, in order to maintain the dimensional accuracy of the substrate, so as to achieve the accuracy in superposition of a plurality of formed patterns, the pattern is presumably formed in a following manner: the moisture content of the plastic substrate, which has the inorganic thin film as the moisture barrier layer on each of both sides so as to reduce the speed of moisture absorption, is reduced to a certain level by heating of the substrate; and the exposing and the pattern formation are rapidly carried out under control of the substrate temperature, so that the dimensional change of the plastic substrate due to the expansion by the moisture absorption is kept within a predetermined range.
However, it turned out that, when the plastic substrate having the dense inorganic thin film was cooled down, after heating, to a certain temperature and left, the substrate dimensions were not gradually expanded by the moisture absorption, but, on the contrary, gradually contracted. In other words, it turned out that the dimensional behavior of the plastic substrate did not solely depend on xe2x80x9cthe dimensional change due to the thermal expansionxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cthe dimensional change due to the moisture absorptionxe2x80x9d. Thus, the accuracy in superposition of formed patterns on the plastic substrate having the dense inorganic thin film cannot be achieved by rapidly exposing the plastic substrate after heating, under control of the substrate temperature.
The object of the present invention is to provide a pattern forming method capable of forming a plurality of patterns on a plastic substrate with high accuracy of superposition, and a display device manufactured using the same.
In order to attain the foregoing object, a pattern forming method of the present invention for forming a predetermined pattern on a photosensitive resin film by (i) layering the photosensitive resin film on an inorganic thin film with which a plastic substrate is coated and (ii) exposing the photosensitive resin film via a photomask having the predetermined pattern in an exposing step is characterized by including the step of heating the plastic substrate having the inorganic thin film before the exposing step, a time from an end of the heating step to a start of the exposing step being managed to be not less than a predetermined time, in accordance with an asymptotic contracting behavior after the end of the heating step of the plastic substrate having the inorganic thin film.
Compared with the glass substrate, the plastic substrate having the inorganic thin film requires a higher level of technique of dimensional control, thereby having difficulty in achieving accuracy in pattern formation. As for this explanation, the inventors of the present invention have found that the plastic substrate having the inorganic thin film does not immediately become stable in dimension, but keeps asymptotically contracting, after keeping the substrate temperature constant by cooling the substrate following the heating step.
Thus, the high accuracy of dimensional control of the substrate cannot be achieved directly after the heating step, but can be achieved when the contraction rate of the substrate decreases in accordance with the asymptotic contracting behavior. Thus, with managing a time from the end of the heating step to the start of the exposing step of the substrate to be not less than the predetermined time, a predetermined pattern should be formed on the photosensitive resin by exposing the photosensitive resin film via the photomask having a predetermined pattern in the exposing step. This enables the pattern formation with high accuracy of dimension, thereby achieving high accuracy in superposition of patterns when a plurality of patterns are formed.
As a result, it is possible to provide a pattern forming method capable of forming a plurality of patterns on the plastic substrate.
In order to attain the foregoing object, a display device of the present invention, manufactured using a pattern forming method for forming a predetermined pattern on a photosensitive resin film by (i) layering the photosensitive resin film on an inorganic thin film with which a plastic substrate is coated and (ii) exposing the photosensitive resin film via a photomask having the predetermined pattern in an exposing step, is characterized in that the pattern forming method includes the step of heating the plastic substrate having the inorganic thin film before the exposing step, a time from an end of the heating step to a start of the exposing step being managed to be not less than a predetermined time, in accordance with an asymptotic contracting behavior after the end of the heating step of the plastic substrate having the inorganic thin film.
With this arrangement, the display device is manufactured using a pattern forming method for forming a predetermined pattern on a photosensitive resin film by (i) layering the photosensitive resin film on an inorganic thin film with which a plastic substrate is coated and (ii) exposing the photosensitive resin film via a photomask having the predetermined pattern in an exposing step. Here, the pattern forming method includes the step of heating the plastic substrate having the inorganic thin film before the exposing step, and a time from an end of the heating step to a start of the exposing step is managed to be not less than a predetermined time, in accordance with an asymptotic contracting behavior after the end of the heating step of the plastic substrate having the inorganic thin film. With this, it is possible to easily manufacture a high definition display device using the plastic substrate, such as a liquid crystal display device, an organic EL display device, an electrophoresis display device, etc., which was conventionally difficult to be manufactured.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the ensuing detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Pattern forming method for a display device


A method and apparatus for sensing when inspiration takes place during breathing cycles of air-breathing animals, including humans, that triggers a dose of respiratory gas to be inhaled when inhalation begins. The dose of the respiratory gas determined by the length of the previous breath, whereby it follows from the foregoing that the dose of respiratory gas is automatically adjusted to the rate of breathing of the air-breathing animals, including humans.

This invention pertains to sensing when inspiration takes place during breathing cycles of air-breathing animals, including humans, that triggers a dose of therapeutic gas to be inhaled when inhalation begins, with the dose of therapeutic gas determined by the length of the previous breath, which results in automatic adjustment of the therapeutic dose to the rate of breathing of the air-breathing animal, including humans.
In this invention the sensing of inhalation and delivery of the therapeutic gas is accomplished by making a single connection between the respiratory apparatus and the air-breathing animal, including humans. This single connection can be a nasal cannula (of the type normally used for delivering oxygen therapy) or a similar device that must be relied upon both for sensing the length of breath and for delivering the triggered dose of therapeutic gas. This dual function cannot be carried on simultaneously for the dose must be terminated before the end of the breathing cycle and the length of the dose of gas must be determined from the previous breath for it is impossible to establish what the length of the next breath will be until it occurs.
A problem occurs when the previous breath is extremely long, which happens when the "sigh mechanism" takes place, which is an unusually large breath that takes place periodically.
When this occurs, the next dose, that is determined by the last breath, would be so large that the nasal cannula would not be able to sense when the next short breath takes place, because the nasal cannula would be giving a dose of therapeutic gas that is longer than the next breath.
To overcome this problem, the maximum dose of therapeutic gas is limited to 2 seconds. Thus, the maximum dose is used to trigger the next dose after a "sigh breath" occurs. Since, in this invention, the maximum adjustable dose is 50% of the previous dose, the new dose after a "sigh breath" would be a maximum of one second.
The maximum rate of breathing that can be detected after a "sigh breath" is 60 breaths per minute. Since the most rapid rate of breathing is by infants, approximately 40 breaths per minute maximum, the limiting of the dose to 2 seconds overcomes the problem created by the "sigh breaths" that periodically occur. The rate of breathing for an adult is 15 to 20 breaths per minute, and for babies 20 to 40 breaths per minute; all less than the 60 breaths per minute limitation of this invention.
In this invention the length of the dose can be adjusted as a percentage of the last breath.
In prior art, the dose is either set as a fixed length of time that is manually set, or by detecting when inhalation takes place, and terminating the dose when exhalation takes place.
If a single nasal cannula is used, it is impossible for a sensor to have the dual function of sensing and delivering the dose, as only one function at a time can take place.
The prior art taught in Greenwood, Pat. No. 4,744,356 (May 17, 1988) illustrates the requirement for a separate sensor to detect the inhalation and a nasal cannula to deliver the therapeutic gas. It lacks the feature of selecting the length of the dose as a percentage of the length of breath, for it is impossible for the Greenwood device to determine what the length of the next breath will be before it takes place.
The J. E. Finan U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,713 (Sept. 10, 1968) is similiar in operation to Greenwood, the only difference being that one employs electronic detection and the other mechanical detection.
The prior art taught in the Durkan Pat. No. 4,414,982 (Nov. 15, 1983) illustrates the use of a fixed adjustable time to manually regulate the length of the dose and requires a dual nasal cannula where one nostril is used for sensing, and the other nostril for delivering the therapeutic gas. The Durkan invention does not have the feature of automatic adjustment of the therapeutic dose to the rate of breathing and must be manually adjusted.
The invention described in this specification teaches a method for automatic adjustment of the therapeutic dose to the rate of breathing, the apparatus required, and the special combination of components necessary to accomplish this automatic adjustment.

Method and apparatus for respiratory therapy using intermittent flow having automatic adjustment of a dose of therapeutic gas to the rate of breathing


A system, apparatus, and method for using a teaching tool comprises a housing, at least one guide rail formed on an inner surface of the housing, at least one compartment configured in the housing, at least one engagement tool, and a base connected to the housing, wherein the teaching tools can be used for the engagement of students in classroom activities.

Student engagement is a critical factor in improving educational outcomes. As such teachers employ various methods to attempt to encourage student engagement in classroom activities. However, well known methods for engaging students have various problems.
For instance, in a classic example, a teacher may ask a question and then request that students raise their hand to provide the answer. While this method does require student engagement, by nature some students are more extroverted, and thus more likely to raise their hand. Likewise, some students may refuse to raise their hand, even if they know the answer to the question, because they are shy or lack confidence.
In another example, students might be divided into smaller groups and asked to share a story or solve a problem. This type of arrangement reduces the pool of students working on the task and thus encourages even shy students to engage in the exercise. However, more extroverted students will naturally tend to dominate the exercise by speaking more than students who are less naturally inclined to speak or participate. Participation in such activities has a demonstrable impact on the quality of the lesson for the student. Thus, students who are naturally disinclined to participate, generally take less from lessons that require participation, than those students that actively engage in the exercise.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for systems and methods that aid and improve in student engagement in classroom activities.

System and method for student engagement and active learning


An improved self-bonding curable organopolysiloxane composition which contains (A) an organopolysiloxane having at least 2 silicon-bonded alkenyl groups in each molecule, (B) an organopolysiloxane having at least 2 silicone-bonded hydrogen atoms in each molecule, (C) a catalytic quantity of a platinum-type catalyst, (D) a carbonyl complex of a Group VIB element, and (E) a compound containing a silicon-bonded alkoxy group which is selected from the group consisting of silanes or siloxane oligomers. Examples of the carbonyl complex are molybdenum hexacarbonyl, tungsten hexacarbonyl, and chromium hexacarbonyl.

The present invention relates to an organopolysiloxane composition which cures under the effect of a platinum-type catalyst, and, more particularly, relates to a curable organopolysiloxane composition which exhibits an excellent self-bonding or self-adhering capability.
Organopolysiloxane compositions which cure under the effect of platinum-type catalysts have been known for some time now. Furthermore, a number of investigations have been conducted for the purpose of imparting self-bonding capabilities to such compositions, and these have also been the subjects of patent applications (Japanese Patent Publication Number 51-28309 [28,309/76], Japanese Patent Publication Number 52-48146 [48,146/77], Japanese Patent Publication Number 55-21782 [21,782/80], and Japanese Patent Application Laid Open [Kokai]Number 54-91159 [91,159/79]). Among these, it is known to the individual skilled in the art that an excellent self-bondability is developed by those compositions which contain organoalkoxysilane substituted by the acryloxy or methacryloxy group (abbreviated below as the (meth)acryloxy group) (Japanese Patent Publication Number 51-28309) and by compositions which contain organosiloxane oligomer carrying the epoxy, alkenyl, and alkoxy groups (Japanese Patent Publication Number 52-48146).
However, this prior art is nevertheless afflicted with a problem: this prior art displays an excellent adhesiveness or bonding when the target material for adhesion (the adherend) is an inorganic material such as a glass or metal, but when the adherend is an organic substance such as plastic, it does not develop the excellent adhesion observed with inorganic materials. The present invention, taking as its object a solution to this problem in the prior art, introduces a composition which has an excellent adhesion not only for inorganic materials, but for plastics as well.

Self-bonding curable organopolysiloxane composition