A wearable device is provided. The wearable device includes a housing. The housing includes a housing base, a housing hook extending from the housing base, and a locking pin extending from the housing base. The wearable device also includes a cover. The cover includes a cover base having an opening to receive the locking pin and a cover hook extending from the cover base. The cover hook is configured to engage the housing hook for latching the cover onto the housing. The wearable device also includes a strap. The strap includes a connector that has a through hole to receive the locking pin securing the strap to the housing and the cover when the housing and the cover are latched.

People use wearable devices during various types of activities, such as walking, running, biking, playing sports, travelling, seating, working, and the like. Because wearable devices are widely used in different physical conditions, there is a risk that wearable devices can be damaged, and some components of the wearable devices may need to be replaced. To replace components of a conventional wearable device, a person that performs the replacement needs to open the wearable device, typically by disconnecting a housing from a cover of the wearable device using a special tool. This special tool can include a special-purpose key, or a screwdriver designed for disconnecting the cover from the housing of the wearable device. This may be inconvenient and require buying a special tool.

Wearable device with simplified disassembly


A former for supporting a layer of settable plastics material while it sets into hollow reinforcing ribs bonded to a laid up article of fibre reinforced plastics material during manufacture of said article, comprising a foraminous sheet (5) wherein the region of the sheet between each pair of neighbouring holes (6) is elevated above the plane in which the rims of the holes are disposed by means of one or more upstanding formations (7) joined to one another by a flexible web (10). The upstanding formations have rigidifying patterns (11) formed thereon. An article produced using the former is also disclosed.

Hitherto, hollow stiffening ribs of the kind under discussion have been made by applying bulky, low strength, ropes of paper, wooden slats or other cheap former elements, to one side of a sheet-like article or article portion and subsequently covering those elements with a layer of the settable rib material which sets and becomes bonded to the main body of the sheet intermediate the elements, but is held away from the main body by the elements so constituting filled or hollow ribs.
While the above described method of providing stiffening ribs is generally satisfactory, it is not entirely so, primarily because of the difficulty of holding the former elements in position relative to each other, especially if it is desired to run stiffening ribs in two directions substantially at right angles to each other. These other methods substantially increase the weight and/or cost of the product.
One method of overcoming these problems has been to use a former comprising a foraminous sheet in which the areas between adjacent holes comprise a grid of spaced apart, arch-sectioned longitudinal members and spaced-apart, arch-sectioned transverse members and said members being integrally united at the respective intersection points.
Though this method provides a great improvement over previous arrangements it still has several disadvantages. In order to produce the arch-sectioned members used in this known method the material used to make the former must be substantially rigid and have sufficient mechanical strength to support a layer of settable plastics material. A distinct disadvantage of known formers, when applied to the production of shaped articles having complex curves, is their lack of flexibility and inability to follow the complex curves without losing or distorting the original designed shape and losing their effectiveness.

Former for use in the manufacture of fiberglass articles


In a wafer, a plurality of basic chips F is arranged therein. The basic chip F has a memory capacity of i-mega bytes. By dicing, a memory chip including four basic chips F is cut out of the wafer. The memory chip has a memory capacity of 4xc3x97i-mega bytes. A Dicing line is interposed between four basic chips F configuring the memory chip. Four basic chips F can change a word organization by a control signal individually.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-209729, filed Jul. 10, 2001, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a COC (Chip On Chip) device, which configures one system in a manner that a semiconductor chip is stacked with another semiconductor chip having a function different from the preceding semiconductor chip, and a SiP (System in Package) device, for example, MCM (Multi Chip Module) device, which configures one system in a manner that one package includes a plurality of chips.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a so-called SOC (System On Chip) technology has been researched and developed. More specifically, functions realized by CPU and IP (Intellectual Property), memories (e.g., SRAM, DRAM and flash memory) and analog LSI (e.g., RF circuit) are embedded in one chip so that one system can be formed in one chip. One system is formed in one chip, and thereby, there is no need of mutually connecting a plurality of chips by external interconnection lines (metal wires); therefore, it is possible to realize high performance system and system miniaturization.
However, in order to realize an LSI (hereinafter, referred to as SOC) embedding a plurality of functions in one chip, there are various difficult problems to solve.
For example, a memory embedded logic LSI and an analog embedded logic LSI have been known as a typical SOC. In the above memory embedded logic LSI, a process peculiar to memory (e.g., in the case of DRAM, trench/stack capacitor manufacturing process) must be added to a logic process. Moreover, in the above analog embedded logic LSI, a process peculiar to analog circuit (e.g., bipolar transistor manufacturing process) must be added to a logic process.
For this reason, in the above-mentioned SOC, the manufacturing process (hereinafter, referred to as embedded process) is very complicate and becomes long. As a result, there remain problems such as a reduction of yield and an increase of the manufacture cost.
Further, naturally, the above-mentioned SOC is formed in a manner that a plurality of functions (chips), which has been formed by mutually different manufacturing process, is incorporated into one chip. For this reason, it is a significant matter to optimize an embedded process when forming one chip. However, in this case, since different plural manufacturing processes are incorporated into one embedded process in common, of course, compromise must be made in device performance or integration in the case of incorporating different processes in common.
For example, in a DRAM embedded logic LSI, a logic process is used as base, and a process peculiar to DRAM is added to the logic process. In this case, the logic process includes a Salicide (Self-Align silicide) process for reducing each resistance of gate, source and drain of a MOS transistor. On the other hand, a DRAM process includes a SAC (Self-Align Contact) for achieving a high integration of memory cell.
However, according to current process technology, if the silicide process and the SAC process are incorporated into one manufacturing process (embedded process), a number of a process steps are sharply increased and a cost of a chip is upped. For decrease of the chip cost, it doesn""t become easy to employ both of the above silicide and SAC processes, namely, any one of the above silicide and SAC processes must be abandoned.
Temporarily, in the case where logic performance is preferentially considered, the Salicide process is employed; on the other hand, the SAC process is not employed. As a result, a memory cell side becomes large; for this reason, it is disadvantage to achieve high integration of memory cell. Conversely, in the case where the above high integration of memory cell is preferentially considered, the SAC process is employed; on the other hand, the Salicide process is not employed. As a result, the logic performance is reduced.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a memory chip comprising: a plurality of basic chips capable of functioning as a memory chip independently from each other; and a dicing line interposed between the plurality of basic chips; wherein the dicing line configures a part of the memory chip.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a COC device comprising: a logic chip having a logic circuit; a memory chip mounted on the logic chip; and a bump connecting the logic chip and the memory chip.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a MCM device comprising: a package substrate; a logic chip on the package substrate, having a logic circuit; a memory chip on the package substrate; and a conductive line electrically connecting the logic chip and the memory chip.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a manufacturing method of a memory chip comprising: forming a plurality of basic chips in a wafer; carrying out a test of the plurality of basic chips; determining a number of basic chips configuring the memory chip based on a predetermined memory capacity; determining a shape of the memory chip based on the test result and the number of the basic chips; and obtaining the memory chip by dicing the wafer.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a SiP device comprising: above-mentioned COC device or above-mentioned MCM device; and a package covering the COC device or the MCM device.

Memory chip and semiconductor device using the memory chip and manufacturing method of those


An article of a base metal alloyed with an alloying element is prepared by mixing a chemically reducible nonmetallic base-metal precursor compound of a base metal and a chemically reducible nonmetallic alloying-element precursor compound of an alloying element to form a compound mixture. The alloying element is preferably thermophysically melt incompatible with the base metal. The method further includes chemically reducing the compound mixture to a metallic alloy, without melting the metallic alloy, and thereafter consolidating the metallic alloy to produce a consolidated metallic article, without melting the metallic alloy and without melting the consolidated metallic article.

This invention relates to the preparation of metallic-alloy articles, such as titanium-alloy articles, without melting of the metallic alloy.
Metallic-alloy articles are fabricated by any of a number of techniques, as may be appropriate for the nature of the article. In one common approach, metal-containing ores are refined to produce a molten metal, which is thereafter cast. The ores of the metals are refined as necessary to remove or reduce the amounts of undesirable minor elements. The composition of the refined metal may also be modified by the addition of desirable alloying elements. These refining and alloying steps may be performed during the initial melting process or after solidification and remelting. After a metal of the desired composition is produced, it may be used in the as-cast form for some alloy compositions (i.e., cast alloys), or further worked to form the metal to the desired shape for other alloy compositions (i.e., wrought alloys). In either case, further processing such as heat treating, machining, surface coating, and the like may be utilized.
The production of metallic alloys may be complicated by the differences in the thermophysical properties of the metals being combined to produce the alloy. The interactions and reactions due to these thermophysical properties of the metals may cause undesired results. Titanium, a commercially important metal, in most cases must be melted in a vacuum because of its reactivity with the oxygen and nitrogen in the air. In the work leading to the present invention, the inventors have realized that the necessity to melt under a vacuum makes it difficult to utilize some desirable alloying elements due to their relative vapor pressures in a vacuum environment. The difference in the vapor pressures is one of the thermophysical properties that must be considered in alloying titanium. In other cases, the alloying elements may be thermophysically incompatible with the molten titanium because of other thermophysical characteristics such as melting points, densities, chemical reactivities, and tendency of strong beta stabilizers to segregate. Some of the incompatibilities may be overcome with the use of expensive master alloys, but this approach is not applicable in other cases.
There is therefore a need for an improved method to make alloys of titanium and other elements that present thermophysical melt incompatibilities. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.
The present invention provides a method for preparing an article made of an alloy of a metal such as titanium with a thermophysically melt-incompatible alloying element. The present approach circumvents problems which cannot be avoided in melting practice or are circumvented only with great difficulty and expense. The present approach permits a uniform alloy to be prepared without subjecting the constituents to the circumstance which leads to the incompatibility, specifically the melting process. Unintentional oxidation of the reactive metal and the alloying elements is also avoided. The present approach permits the preparation of articles with compositions that may not be otherwise readily prepared in commercial quantities. Master alloys are not used.
An article of a base metal alloyed with an alloying element is prepared by mixing a chemically reducible nonmetallic base-metal precursor compound of a base metal and a chemically reducible nonmetallic alloying-element precursor compound of an alloying element to form a compound mixture. The alloying element is preferably thermophysically melt incompatible with the base metal, but both thermophysically melt incompatible and thermophysically melt compatible alloying elements may be present. The method further includes chemically reducing the compound mixture to a metallic alloy, without melting the metallic alloy, and thereafter consolidating the metallic alloy to produce a consolidated metallic article, without melting the metallic alloy and without melting the consolidated metallic article.
The nonmetallic precursor compounds may be solid, liquid, or gaseous. The chemical reduction is preferably performed by solid-phase reduction, such as fused salt electrolysis of the precursor compounds in a finely divided solid form such as an oxide of the element; or by vapor-phase reduction, such as contacting vapor-phase halides of the base metal and the alloying element(s) with a liquid alkali metal or a liquid alkaline earth metal. The final article preferably has more titanium than any other element. The present approach is not limited to titanium-base alloys, however. Other alloys of current interest include aluminum-base alloys, iron-base alloys, nickel-base alloys, and magnesium-base alloys, but the approach is operable with any alloys for which the nonmetallic precursor compounds are available that can be reduced to the metallic state.
In another embodiment, a method for preparing an article made of titanium alloyed with an alloying element comprises the steps of providing a chemically reducible nonmetallic base-metal precursor compound of titanium base metal, and providing a chemically reducible nonmetallic alloying-element precursor compound of an alloying element that is thermophysically melt incompatible with the titanium base metal, and thereafter mixing the base-metal precursor compound and the alloying-element precursor compound to form a compound mixture. The method further includes chemically reducing the compound mixture to produce a metallic alloy, without melting the metallic alloy, and thereafter consolidating the metallic alloy to produce a consolidated metallic article, without melting the metallic alloy and without melting the consolidated metallic article. Other compatible features described herein may be used with this embodiment.
The thermophysical melt incompatibility of the alloying element with titanium or other base metal may be any of several types, and some examples follow. In the alloys, there may be one or more thermophysically melt incompatible elements, and one or more elements that are not thermophysically melt incompatible with the base metal.
One such thermophysical melt incompatibility is in the vapor pressure, as where the alloying element has an evaporation rate of greater than about 100 times that of titanium at a melt temperature, which is preferably a temperature just above the liquidus temperature of the alloy. Examples of such alloying elements include cadmium, zinc, bismuth, magnesium, and silver.
Another such thermophysical melt incompatibility occurs when the melting point of the alloying element is too high or too low to be compatible with that of titanium, as where the alloying element has a melting point different from (either greater than or less than) that of titanium of more than about 400xc2x0 C. (720xc2x0 F.). Examples of such alloying elements include tungsten, tantalum, molybdenum, magnesium, and tin. Some of these elements may be furnished in master alloys whose melting points are closer to that of titanium, but the master alloys are often expensive.
Another such thermophysical melt incompatibility occurs when the density of the alloying element is so different from that of titanium that the alloying element physically separates in the melt, as where the alloying element has a density difference with titanium of greater than about 0.5 gram per cubic centimeter. Examples of such alloying elements include tungsten, tantalum, molybdenum, niobium, and aluminum.
Another such thermophysical melt incompatibility is where the alloying element, or a chemical compound formed between the alloying element and titanium, chemically reacts with titanium in the liquid phase. Examples of such alloying elements include oxygen, nitrogen, manganese, nickel, and palladium.
Another such thermophysical melt incompatibility is where the alloying element exhibits a miscibility gap with titanium in the liquid phase. Examples of such alloying elements include the rare earths or rare-earth-like elements such as cerium, gadolinium, lanthanum, erbium, yttrium, and neodymium.
Another, more complex thermophysical melt incompatibility involves the strong beta stabilizing elements that exhibit large liquidus-to-solidus gaps when alloyed with titanium. Some of these elements, such as iron, cobalt, chromium, nickel, or manganese, typically exhibit eutectic (or near-eutectic) phase reactions with titanium, and also usually exhibit a solid state-eutectoid decomposition of the beta phase into alpha phase plus a compound. Other such elements, such as bismuth and copper, typically exhibit peritectic phase reactions with titanium yielding beta phase from the liquid, and likewise usually exhibit a solid state eutectoid decomposition of the beta phase into alpha phase plus a compound. Such elements present extreme difficulties in achieving alloy homogeneity during solidification from melting. This results not only because of normal solidification partitioning causing micro-segregation, but also because melt process perturbations are known to cause separation of the beta-stabilizing-element-rich liquid during solidification to cause macro-segregation regions typically called beta flecks.
Another thermophysical melt incompatibility involves the alkali and alkali-earth metals, such as lithium and calcium, that typically have very limited solubility in titanium alloys. Finely divided dispersions of these elements, for example beta calcium in alpha titanium, may not be readily achieved using a melt process.
These and other types of thermophysical melt incompatibilities lead to difficulty or impossibility in forming acceptable alloys of these elements in a conventional melting practice. The present approach, in which the metals are not melted at all during production or processing, circumvents the thermophysical melt incompatibility to produce good quality, homogeneous alloys.
Some additional processing steps may be included in the present process. In some cases, it is preferred that the compound mixture be compacted, after the step of mixing and before the step of chemical reduction. The result is a compacted mass which, when chemically reduced, produces a spongy metallic material. After the chemical reduction step, the metallic alloy is consolidated to produce a consolidated metallic article, without melting the metallic alloy and without melting the consolidated metallic article. This consolidation may be performed with any physical form of the metallic alloy produced by the chemical reduction, but the approach is particularly advantageously applied to consolidating of the pre-compacted sponge. Consolidation is preferably performed by hot pressing or hot isostatic pressing, extrusion, but without melting in each case. Solid state diffusion of the alloying elements may also be used to achieve the consolidation.
The consolidated metallic article may be used in the as-consolidated form. In appropriate circumstances, it may be formed to other shapes using known forming techniques such as rolling, forging, extrusion, and the like. It may also be post-processed by known techniques such as machining, heat treating, surface coating, and the like.
The present approach may be used to fabricate articles from the precursor compounds, entirely without melting. As a result, the characteristics of the alloying elements which lead to thermophysical melt incompatibility, such as excessive evaporation due to high vapor pressure, overly high or low melting point, overly high or low density, excessive chemical reactivity, strong segregation tendencies, and the presence of a miscibility gap, may still be present but cannot lead to inhomogeneities or defects in the final metallic alloy. The present approach thus produces the desired alloy composition of good quality, but without interference from these thermophysical melt incompatibilities that otherwise would prevent the formation of an acceptable alloy.
The present approach differs from prior approaches in that the metal is not melted on a gross scale. Melting and its associated processing such as casting are expensive and also produce some undesirably microstructures that either are unavoidable or can be altered only with additional expensive processing modifications. The present approach reduces cost and avoids structures and defects associated with melting and casting, to improve mechanical properties of the final metallic article. It also results in some cases in an improved ability to fabricate specialized shapes and forms more readily, and to inspect those articles more readily. Additional benefits are realized in relation to particular metallic alloy systems, for example the reduction of the alpha case defect for susceptible titanium alloys.
Several types of solid-state consolidation are known in the art. Examples include hot isostatic pressing, and pressing plus sintering, canning and extrusion, and forging. However, in all known instances these solid-state processing techniques start with metallic material which has been previously melted. The present approach starts with nonmetallic precursor compounds, reduces these precursor compounds to the initial metallic material, and consolidates the initial metallic material. There is no melting of the metallic form.
The preferred form of the present approach also has the advantage of being based in a powder-form precursor. Starting with a powder of the nonmetallic precursor compounds avoids a cast structure with its associated defects such as elemental segregation on a nonequilibrium microscopic and macroscopic level, a cast microstructure with a range of grain sizes and morphologies that must be homogenized in some manner for many applications, gas entrapment, and contamination. The present approach produces a uniform, fine-grained, homogeneous, pore-free, gas-pore-free, and low-contamination final product.
The fine-grain, colony-free structure of the initial metallic material provides an excellent starting point for subsequent consolidation and metalworking procedures such as forging, hot isostatic pressing, rolling and extrusion. Conventional cast starting material must be worked to modify and reduce the colony structure, and such working is not necessary with the present approach.
Another important benefit of the present approach is improved inspectability as compared with cast-and-wrought product. Large metallic articles used in fracture-critical applications are inspected multiple times during and at the conclusion of the fabrication processing. Cast-and-wrought product made of metals such as alpha-beta titanium alloys and used in critical applications such as gas turbine disks exhibit a high noise level in ultrasonic inspection due to the colony structure produced during the beta-to-alpha transition experienced when the casting or forging is cooled. The presence of the colony structure and its associated noise levels limits the ability to inspect for small defects to defects on the order of about {fraction (2/64)}-{fraction (3/64)} of an inch in size in a standard flat-bottom hole detection procedure.
The articles produced by the present approach are free of the colony structure. As a result, they exhibit a significantly reduced noise level during ultrasonic inspection. Defects in the {fraction (1/64)}, or less, of an inch range may therefore be detected. The reduction in size of defects that may be detected allows larger articles to be fabricated and inspected, thus permitting more economical fabrication procedures to be adopted, and/or the detection of smaller defects. For example, the limitations on the inspectability caused by the colony structure limit some articles made of alpha-beta titanium alloys to a maximum of about 10-inch diameter at intermediate stages of the processing. By reducing the noise associated with the inspection procedure, larger diameter intermediate-stage articles may be processed and inspected. Thus, for example, a 16-inch diameter intermediate-stage forging may be inspected and forged directly to the final part, rather than going through intermediate processing steps. Processing steps and costs are reduced, and there is greater confidence in the inspected quality of the final product.
The present approach is particularly advantageously applied to make titanium-base articles. The current production of titanium from its ores is an expensive, dirty, environmentally risky procedure which utilizes difficult-to-control, hazardous reactants and many processing steps. The present approach uses a single reduction step with relatively benign, liquid-phase fused salts or with liquid alkali metals. Additionally, alpha-beta titanium alloys made using conventional processing are potentially subject to defects such as alpha case, which are avoided by the present approach. The reduction in the cost of the final product achieved by the present approach also makes the lighter-weight titanium alloys more economically competitive with otherwise much cheaper materials such as steels in cost-driven applications.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. The scope of the invention is not, however, limited to this preferred embodiment.

Method for preparing metallic alloy articles without melting


A method performed by a user equipment (UE) is provided. The method includes selecting a first beam for a first frequency band and selecting a second beam for a second frequency band. The method further includes receiving scheduling information (SI) for scheduling at least one of an uplink (UL) transmission from the UE and a downlink (DL) transmission to the UE. The SI includes frequency information identifying a frequency band. The method further includes selecting a beam from a set of beams including the first and second beams. The selection is based on the identified frequency band.

The next generation mobile wireless communication system, which is referred to as "5G," will support a diverse set of use cases and a diverse set of deployment scenarios. 5G will encompass an evolution of today's 4G networks and the addition of a new, globally standardized radio-access technology known as "New Radio" (NR).
The diverse set of deployment scenarios includes deployment at both low frequencies (100s of MHz), similar to LTE today, and very high frequencies (mm waves in the tens of GHz). At high frequencies, propagation characteristics make achieving good coverage challenging. Narrow-beam transmission and reception schemes will be needed at higher frequencies to compensate for the corresponding high propagation loss. For a given communication link, a beam can be applied at both the transmission and reception point (TRP) and the user equipment (UE). The combination of a beam at the TRP and a beam at the UE is referred to here as a beam pair link (BPL). The task of the beam management procedure is to discover and maintain beam pair links.
In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, a BPL 116 has been discovered and is being maintained by the network. A BPL between TRP 122 and UE 120 (here including both the TRP beam 106 and UE beam 112) is expected to be discovered and monitored by the network using measurements on downlink reference signals used for beam management, e.g., CSI-RS (CSI-RS has been agreed in 3GPP as beam reference signal for New Radio (NR)). The CSI-RS for beam management can be transmitted periodically, semi-persistently, or aperiodically (e.g., event triggered) and they can be either shared between multiple UEs or be UE-specific. In order to find a suitable TRP beam (e.g., among TRP beams 102, 104, 106, 108, 110) the TRP 122 transmits CSI-RS in different TRP transmit (TX) beams on which the UE performs Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) measurements and reports back the N best TRP TX beams (where N can be configured by the network). Furthermore, the CSI-RS transmission on a given TRP beam can be repeated to allow the UE 120 to evaluate suitable UE receive (RX) beams (e.g., among UE beams 112, 114). For each BPL, the UE 120 remembers the best UE RX beam, and whenever the TRP 122 transmits signals in a given BPL, the UE 120 applies the corresponding UE RX beam.
There are basically three different implementations of beamforming, applicable both at the TRP and at the UE: analog beamforming, digital beamforming, and hybrid beamforming. Each implementation has its pros and cons. Digital beamforming is the most flexible solution but also the costliest due to the large number of required radios and baseband chains. Analog beamforming is the least flexible but cheaper to manufacture due to reduced number of radio and baseband chains. Hybrid beamforming is a compromise between the analog and digital beamforming. One type of beamforming antenna architecture that has been agreed to study in 3GPP for the NR access technology is the concept of antenna panels, both at the TRP and at the UE. A panel is an antenna array of dual-polarized elements with typically one transmit/receive unit (TXRU) per polarization. An analog distribution network with phase shifters is used to steer the beam of each panel. FIG. 2 illustrates two examples of panels 202, 206 (a two-dimensional panel 202 to the left and one-dimensional panel 206 to the right, having dual-polarized elements 204), where each panel is connected to one TXRU per polarization.
It is expected that the phase and amplitude is known for each element within an analog array for both TX and RX, i.e. an analog array can be assumed to be calibrated. Hence, reciprocity can be used to find a good RX beam in case a good TX beam has been found, and vice versa.
The CSI-RSs for beam management are expected to cover the whole bandwidth in order to get a wideband sounding of the channel.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Embodiments of systems and methods for power-on user authentication are disclosed. A method for power-on user authentication may comprise receiving an authentication input with a security controller of a computing device prior to supplying power to a primary processor of the computing device, comparing the authentication input to an authentication code using the security controller, and supplying power to the primary processor in response to the authentication input matching the authentication code.

Modern computing devices, such as laptops, smartphones, mobile internet devices (MIDs), and tablets, often carry sensitive personal and professional data. Protection of such data from theft by malicious attack is increasingly important. As malicious attacks become more sophisticated, security is increasingly difficult. In response to those threats, user authentication schemes currently exist at different points in the boot process, such as at the BIOS (Basic Input Output System), PBA (Pre Boot Authentication level), or at the operating system (OS) log-on.
However, even those types of user authentication may be vulnerable to attack in certain circumstances. BIOS-based passwords are known to be insecure—the passwords are stored in memory at a known location and are thus susceptible to being disabled or hacked. Furthermore, BIOS-based passwords are optional and may not be enabled. Additionally, both PBA and OS passwords can be bypassed by changing the boot drive on the computing device or by selecting a boot source other than the hard disk. Moreover, most components of the computing device will be initialized and executing by the time the computing device is ready to accept a user authentication, which may leave the entire system vulnerable to attack.

Systems and methods for power-on user authentication


The invention is a rearview video-output device with a cover, a transparent plate mounted into the cover with at least one video output device and at least one audio output device located within the cover. A cable provides a means for inputting at least one video signal, at least one audio signal and electric power. A means for attaching the cover to the center rearview mirror is provided. A sheet is located behind the transparent plate and within the cover. The sheet enhances the reflectivity of the transparent plate by providing a uniform background color and texture. The sheet is sized to permit pass through installation of each video output device. The device does not limit video clarity and brightness. The abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Prior devices mount a displayer behind a two-way mirror. The two-way mirror configuration distorts the image produced by the video displayer.
A two-way or transparent mirror is a transparent plate coated with a thin layer of reflective material, like aluminum. The device functions as a mirror when the interior side of the two-way mirror is much darker than the exterior side. The mirror becomes more transparent when the interior side of the mirror becomes brighter relative to the exterior. Activation of the video displayer facilitates this change.
The thin layer of reflective film prevents the mirror from becoming fully transparent. The reflective layer is translucent. The translucent film transmits light in such a way that objects behind it cannot be clearly perceived. The two-way mirror tends to darken and distort video images transmitted through it. Therefore, image clarity and brightness are lost, especially during daylight viewing.
What is needed is a device that does not limit viewing clarity and brightness.


The invention relates to a soil compacting device, especially a vibrating plate, which comprises an undercarriage mounted on a lower body, said undercarriage having an undercarriage axle that is stationary with respect to the device. By suitably positioning the undercarriage axle it is achieved that, in a vibrating position, the rolling bodies do not touch ground while they do touch ground when the entire device is simply tilted about an axis that corresponds approximately to the undercarriage axle, thereby allowing the mobility of the device. The soil compacting device is advantageous over conventional devices in that an extension or swiveling of the undercarriage axle for the purpose of transport and the corresponding devices are no longer required.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a soil compacting device according to the preamble of patent claim 1.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a soil compacting device is for example a vibration plate in which a vibration generator, driven by a motor, produces an essentially vertically oriented vibration that loads a compacting plate. Depending on the design of the vibration generator, this generator is also suitable for moving the compacting plate forwards or backwards over the soil to be compacted, and for making the plate steerable.
Such a soil compacting device is known for example from DE 198 40 453 A1. It comprises an extendable undercarriage, so that the device can travel shorter distances on a construction site without requiring a transport vehicle.
In CH-A-321022, a vibration plate is described in which there is attached to the upper mass a pivot mechanism by which an undercarriage can be pivoted between an idle position and a travel position.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,199,424, a vibration plate is indicated in which an undercarriage is fastened rigidly to a guide rod that is fastened to an upper mass of the vibration plate and that can be pivoted relative thereto.
From DE-U-85 13 149, a vibration plate is known having a lower mass comprising a compacting plate, an upper mass connected with the lower mass via a spring, a vibration generator that loads the compacting plate, and an undercarriage having roller elements situated in rotatable fashion on an undercarriage axle for the transporting of the device, the undercarriage axle being stationary in relation to the device, and the undercarriage being attached to the lower mass.
In addition, vibration plates are known, such as the AVP 2920 of the AMMANN company, in which an undercarriage is provided with a pivot mechanism that can move wheels from a rest position into a travel position. However, the pivot mechanism has an expensive construction, in order to avoid wear on the pivot bearings due to the vibrations that occur.
In the cited vibration plate, the pivot mechanism is fastened to the upper mass or drawbar. In these constructive forms, in contrast, in the travel position the wheels are situated under the compacting plate. Due to the situation of the drawbar and a very large distance of the center of gravity of the overall system from the rotational axle of the wheels, the travel behavior is not very satisfactory. For larger compacting plates in particular, strong holding forces are necessary to prevent the plate from making a tipping movement in the direction of travel about the wheel rotational axle. The installation of the undercarriage in its travel position often presents problems for the user, because in most cases a series of hand grips has to be provided. This entails a risk of injury to the user if the installation is not executed correctly.
The present invention is based on the object of indicating a soil compacting device comprising an undercarriage, in which the above-described disadvantages are avoided.

Soil compacting device comprising an undercarriage


A system and a method for tracking users in a closed environment even in the case the available system for locating a user is an idle state is based on the use of a system which comprises a database for storing the location of the users measured at regular time interval within that closed environment. Such a system comprises further a processor for estimating the possible location of a registered user at any time according to the different stored measured location. Such estimation can be advantageously a statistical analysis corresponding to some daily geographical footprint of the registered user. The system comprises also a decision unit to provide the possible location of the registered user estimated for a specific time when required in the case the location measurement system is in an idle state. In that case, the estimated possible location can be forwarded to some PSAP.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,748,224 is described a local positioning system using the radio propagation parameters in a code division multiple access (CDMA) forward link or time division multiple access (TDMA) reverse link to establish a mobile station's position. The mobile station receives pilot channel signals from at least three distinct base stations and records the pseudo-random noise chip offset of the pilot channel signals. This is enough to perform some classical triangulation based on time difference of arrival and requiring no additional signal detection capabilities. Base stations send out pilot channel signals that arrive at a mobile station with a particular phase and at least a predetermined minimum strengths. The mobile station reports back the visible pilot channel signals, their phases and signal strength to the LPS which uses a location non-linear system to estimate the mobile location. Such a LPS can also solve the E911-E112 mobile location problem for wireless CDMA system by determining the position of a person in distress that has a digital cellular phone.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,458 is described a method, a computer program and systems that implement a location service in a mobile communications network to generate a location estimate for a terminal device associated with a user. The proposed method takes a location request, and, with a precision that is dependent on an assigned priority level, estimates the location of a mobile phone.
The two above cited prior arts are two typical prior arts among other dealing with the location of a end user in case of a E911-E112 emergency call. Both prior arts are based on a location measurement system which must be in a correct running mode to be able to forward the required location information. In the case such a location measurement system is in an idle state, the required information cannot be collected which cause serious problem in case of an emergency call. This is a quite hot topic for telecommunications network built on Internet Protocol IP particularly for a premise IP network (indoor or closed network). In that case, all the telecommunications are performed using wired IP terminals or wireless IP terminals. A location of a user inside such indoor IP network can be provided using the access points of the corresponding wireless network infrastructure spread over the closed environment usually matching the campus of a firm or specific organization. In that case, the wireless network infrastructure used for providing telecommunication facilities in a wireless mode through out the campus are also used for locating a user of such an IP terminal. The location can be based on classical triangulation methods or any other location procedure using the access points. Such wireless network infrastructure can however be out of order at least for some finite time interval. Consequently, users inside the environment covered by the wireless network infrastructure and equipped with wireless IP terminals cannot call outside anymore and cannot be located for help. Such interruptions are not so speculative since some wireless network infrastructure are powered such that the access points are powered using the already existing powering facility. And in case of a general powering break out, the wireless network infrastructure will be then in an idle state rendering impossible any location procedure of a user inside the environment covered by that wireless network infrastructure. Such situation is particularly unsatisfactory in case an emergency call is launched using e.g. some IP wired telecommunications terminal. Even more, in the situation of fire, there is no guaranty that the equipment will not be destroyed rendering the use of such telecommunications terminal simply impossible.

Emergency services based on location information statistics


Electroplating system seals may include an annular busbar characterized by an inner annular radius and an outer annular radius. The annular busbar may include a plurality of contact extensions. The seals may include an external seal member characterized by an inner annular radius and an outer annular radius. The external seal member may be vertically aligned with and extend inward of the contact extensions at the inner annular radius of the external seal member. The external seal member may include an interior surface at least partially facing the contact extensions. The seals may also include an internal seal member extending a first distance along the interior surface of the external seal member from the inner annular radius. The internal seal member may include a deformable material configured to support a substrate between the internal seal member and the plurality of contact extensions.

Integrated circuits are made possible by processes which produce intricately patterned material layers on substrate surfaces. After formation, etching, and other processing on a substrate, metal or other conductive materials are often deposited or formed to provide the electrical connections between components. Because this metallization may be performed after many manufacturing operations, problems caused during the metallization may create expensive waste substrates or wafers.
During formation of metal materials on a wafer or substrate, a wafer may be submerged within a plating bath followed by metal formation on the wafer. The wafer may be held in place on an apparatus that submerges the wafer in a plating bath of electrolyte. The apparatus holding the wafer may include electrically conductive components contacting the wafer, allowing the wafer to operate as a cathode in the plating operation. Because the apparatus and electrical contacts may similarly be submerged within the plating bath, the apparatus may include a seal or multiple components operating as a seal to limit or prevent the electrolyte from contacting internal conductive components. These seal materials may include complex machined parts and specialized materials that may be relatively expensive.
Thus, there is a need for improved systems and components that can be used to support a substrate during electroplating operations. These and other needs are addressed by the present technology.

Seal apparatus for an electroplating system


An all-composite article comprising two composite parts pivotally joined by a composite hinge which is fabricated integrally therewith. The method of making such an all-composite article.

In the past, when composite parts had to be joined through a hinge connection so as to be pivotable about that hinge with respect to one another, it was common practice to use a conventional metal hinge of the piano hinge variety. The disadvantage of using such a metallic hinge rather than a composite hinge is increased weight, reduced strength, high manufacturing cost, possible interference with electrical system requirements, increased radar signature, the requirement that the metal hinge be made separately from the composite parts, and the requirement for drilling, fastening or bonding the metallic hinge to the composite parts which it joins. This drilling and fastener type connection between the metallic hinge and the composite part is unsatisfactory because of the low bearing strength of composites.
While injection molded thermoplastic hinges are presently available of the same design as the prior art metal piano-type hinges, these thermoplastic hinges are not compatible with the epoxy resin composites used throughout many industries today, are low in strength, have limited service capability, and are not capable of joining the two composite structures during the manufacturing process. These thermoplastic hinges must also be fabricated separately, and separately fastened to the composite members being joined in the same fashion that the metal hinges require such separate fastening.

All composite article of manufacture including first and second composite members joined by a composite hinge


There is disclosed a tensile strained blue-green II-VI quantum well laser. The tensile strained blue-green II-VI quantum well laser comprises of a semiconductor substrate; a buffer layer formed on the semiconductor substrate; a first ZnSe cladding layer formed on the buffer layer; a multi-quantum well layer formed on the first ZnSe cladding layer, consisting of a ZnS.sub.y Se.sub.1-y active region and a Mg.sub.z Zn.sub.1-z S.sub.w Se.sub.1-w barrier region; a current-restricting layer formed on the multi-quantum well layer; a second ZnSe cladding layer formed on the current-restricting layer; and a cap layer formed on the second ZnSe cladding layer. The inventive tensile strained blue-green II-VI quantum well laser is capable of reducing the oscillation wavelength into not more than 500 nm at room temperature and of lowering the threshold current density to as low as 1,000 A/cm.sup.2.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a II-VI quantum well laser emitting a blue-green light and, more particularly, to a tensile strained blue-green II-VI quantum well laser having an active region consisting of ZnSSe quantum well with tensile strain and a barrier region allowed to lattice match with ZnSe, capable of lowering threshold current densities and of shortening oscillation wavelength.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Even though II-VI semiconductors are attractive for potential optoelectronic devices in a blue-green spectrum, they have been slowly developed in the early time because of the difficulty in growing high-quality heterostructures, in making p-n junctions and in forming ohmic or low-resistivity contacts. The presence of a large number of background impurities and the lack of understanding the role of shallow acceptors and donors also have hindered the progress of the above II-VI semiconductors.
Recent advances in growth technology of II-VI materials, such as organo-metallic vapor phase epitaxy (hereinafter "OMVPE") and molecular beam epitaxy (hereinafter "MBE"), now allow the growing of high-quality heterostructures with reduced background impurities ranging from 10.sup.14 to 10.sup.15 cm.sup.-3 and with doping levels ranging from 10.sup.17 to 10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3, leading to the realization of p-n junction lasers in the blue-green spectrum.
By the way, thethreshold current densities of these II-VI quantum well lasers are believed to be substantially larger than those of GaAs quantum well lasers. This is partially due to the fact that the optical gain of a ZnSe quantum well is much smaller than that of the GaAs quantum well under the same injection condition.
On the other hand, it is well known that biaxially or uniaxially strained quantum well, such as InGaAs-AlGaAs, have enhanced optical gain as compared with unstrained quantum wells, such as GaAs-AlGaAs. This suggests that the unfavorably situation for II-VI quantum well lasers can be overcome by introducing well-engineered biaxial compressive strain. Biaxially compressed II-VI quantum wells can be achieved by choosing the barrier material with a smaller lattice constant than that of the active region.
Description is given next for a conventional blue-green II-VI quantum well laser for better understanding of the background of the present invention, with reference to FIG. 1. As shown in this figure, one of the possible candidates for a biaxially compressed quantum well is a Cd.sub.x Zn.sub.1-x Se-ZnS.sub.y Se.sub.1-y system.
That is, on a p type GaAS substrate 11, there are grown a p type ZnSe layer 12, a p type ZnS.sub.y Se.sub.1-y cladding layer 13, a non-doped cd.sub.x Zn.sub.1-x Se active region 14, which is at most several hundreds .ANG. thick, an n type ZnS.sub.y Se.sub.1-y cladding layer 15, an n type current-restricting layer, an n type ZnSe layer 17 and an n.sup.+ cap layer 18, in due order, where 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.07 and 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.25.
If the active region 14 consists of ZnSe in the conventional strained blue-green II-VI quantum well laser having the above structure, the optical gain of the active region quantum well becomes very small.
However, while the addition of Cd to the ZnSe active region in amounts of not more than 25% for making the lattice constant of the active region 14 be larger than that of the cladding layers 13 and 15 allows the optical gain of the active region quantum well to increase as well as applies biaxial compressive strain to the active region, the oscillation wavelength of II-VI laser becomes lengthy in proportion to the amount of Cd added.
Consequently, the conventional strained blue-green II-VI quantum well laser has a limit such that its oscillation wavelength does not become shorter than 500 nm.

Tensile strained blue green II-VI quantum well Laser


Amphibious vehicle (40, FIG. 7) comprises engine (2) with its crankshaft aligned with front and rear axis (X) of the vehicle; transmission (3); and differential (4) offset from the transmission. The differential has front and rear outputs (21, 16), whose axes are parallel to axis (X). These outputs drive at least one retractable front road wheel (42, FIG. 7) ahead of the front passenger seats, and corresponding retractable rear road wheel(s) (48, FIG. 7) behind the rear passenger seats. The marine drive power take off (PTO) may be taken from the engine timing end (7), as a sandwich PTO between engine and transmissions (28, FIG. 5), or from the transmission (38, FIG. 6). Front and rear differentials (22 and 17) may be provided. Decouplers may be provided in front and rear road wheel outputs, and in the marine drive (10). The engine may be mounted to the rear of the passenger seat(s).

The present invention relates to an amphibious vehicle having retractable road wheels.
Except for such a vehicle designed only to use prepared firm ramps to leave the water, it is a practical necessity to provide front and rear wheel drives. Such a vehicle is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,179 Roycroft. U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,980 and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 356,056 both to Wardavoir show the Hobbycar vehicle which also has four wheel drive. A problem with four wheel drive transmission arrangements in amphibious vehicles is that space is usually restricted. For instance Wardavoir has chosen to locate the vehicle""s engine (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,98) in the centre of the vehicle causing the seating to be spaced in small pockets around the engine over the front and rear axles. The resulting marine performance was poor because the vehicle tended to dig its nose into the water when under way and flood the passengers. Furthermore, Wardavoir""s vehicle was uncomfortable due to seating being above the front and rear axles.
The Roycroft vehicle shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,179 above had improved marine performance because the centre of gravity was moved rearwards by mounting the engine to the rear of the rear axle thus enabling a nose up attitude in the water. However the land performance was adversely affected and this was particularly so when leaving water onto soft ground, e.g. beaches. Part of the problem with the Roycroft conformation was the provision of the rear wheel differential within the transmission casing so that the transmission casing became elongated again tending to locate the engine too far to the rear.
In order to overcome the problem of poor weight distribution, so as to obtain good marine and land performance with improved ability to leave water onto soft ground, whilst retaining adequate traction, it is proposed according to the invention to provide an amphibious vehicle with an engine driving at least one rear and one front wheelxe2x80x94three, four, six or more road wheels may be used in totalxe2x80x94the engine being mounted so that its crankshaft is parallel to the front and rear axis of the vehicle and wherein the drive from the engine to the wheels is through a differential offset from the crankshaft axis to one side of the transmission. The engine can be forward or rear facing, with a power take off for a marine propulsion unit from the engine or transmission. Where the engine is rear facing, that is where the timing end is at the rear, the power take off for the marine propulsion unit is in this latter case preferably from the timing end. The road wheels should be retractable so that they are faired for improved marine performance.


An electrolyte for a rechargeable lithium battery includes a non-aqueous organic solvent; a lithium salt; and an additive including vinylene carbonate, fluoroethylene carbonate, and a nitrile-based compound represented by Formula 1:

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to an electrolyte for a rechargeable lithium battery and a rechargeable lithium battery including the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrolyte for a rechargeable lithium battery having excellent storage stability at a high temperature, and a rechargeable lithium battery including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A lithium rechargeable battery has recently drawn attention as a power source of a small portable electronic device. Such a secondary battery uses an organic electrolyte solution to achieve a discharge voltage twice as high as a conventional battery using an alkali aqueous solution, and accordingly has a high energy density. For a positive active materials of a rechargeable lithium battery, lithium-transition element composite oxides being capable of intercalating lithium, such as LiCoO2, LiMn2O4, LiNiO2, LiNi1-xCoxO2 (0<x<1), LiMnO2, etc., have been researched. As for a negative active material of a rechargeable lithium battery, various carbon-based materials, such as artificial and natural graphite, and hard carbon, have been used, which may all intercalate and deintercalate lithium ions. Positive and negative electrodes of a rechargeable lithium battery may be unstable depending on a charge state at a temperature of 25° C. or more and may thereby induce decomposition of a salt of the electrolyte, an organic solvent, and the positive and negative active materials. This decomposition causes serious deterioration of battery stability and safety. In order to counter such decomposition, an electrolyte including 0.001 to 0.1 mol/L of an organic compound having at least two cyano groups has been suggested. However, sufficient stability and safety have not been realized. High-capacity batteries are required to meet the demands of customers, while high-level stability and safety are also required, and it is difficult to satisfy both requirements.

Electrolyte including an additive for rechargeable lithium battery and rechargeable lithium battery including same

Abstract: wherein n ranges from 1 to 12 and R1 and R2 are independently a halogen, a hydrogen, or an alkyl group. Further, the alkyl group can be CmH(2m+1), in which m ranges from 1 to 10. The electrolyte for a rechargeable lithium battery improves storage stability of the rechargeable lithium battery at a high temperature. And, a rechargeable lithium battery including the electrolyte has improved storage stability.


An ornamental wheel insert utilizing a snap-fit attachment to a wheel. In a first embodiment, fingers carrying bosses are attached to an insert body, wherein when the insert body is seated the bosses snappingly engage a boss abutment of the wheel. In a second embodiment, a snap ring snappingly engages the insert body from the inside of the wheel to thereby securely seat the insert body at the wheel.

Automotive wheels have become not only a functional component of the motor vehicle, but a fashionable one, as well. Wheels frequently are provided with decorative shapes and configurations between the tire rim and the hub. A common style theme nowadays is a plurality of widely spaced apart elongated spokes emanating radially from the hub and intersecting the rim. For example, in a five lug nut hub, an efficient wheel design (from a structural standpoint) is to have five elongated spokes, however, the number of spokes may be otherwise. While such styles provide dramatically impressive wheels, functionality pertains as well, in that the brakes disposed at the inner (axle hub facing) side of the wheel are provided with copious ventilation via the generous spacing between the spokes.
As the importance of wheel appearance has increased, so has the desire to customize wheels so that the motor vehicle appearance is even further enhanced. One of the enhancements available in the prior art pertains to ornamental wheel inserts which fit into predetermined seats of the wheel, as for example between or at the spokes. These ornamental wheel inserts are secured by either two-sided tape, as for example available through 3M Company of St. Paul, Minn. 55144, or by threaded fasteners.
Problematically, the two-sided tape renders removal and replacement of the ornamental wheel insert quite difficult, and there is some chance the adhesive could untowardly fail. While threaded fasteners allow for easy removal and replacement, the need to have a drive head of the fasteners inhibits a fully clean appearance at the class A finish side of the ornamental wheel insert, while further requiring the provision for tapped holes in the wheel, itself.
Accordingly, what remains needed in the art is an ornamental wheel insert which does not rely upon adhesive or threaded fasteners for its primary attachment to the wheel.


Disclosed is an apparatus for measuring a fluid flow through a pipe of a semiconductor manufacturing device, in particular a coater or a bonder. The apparatus includes a sealing structure arranged in the pipe, a flow structure having a fluid inlet arranged upstream of the sealing structure and a fluid outlet arranged downstream of the sealing structure, a first chamber arranged in the pipe upstream of the sealing structure, and a second chamber arranged in the pipe downstream of the sealing structure, and a measuring device, wherein the measuring device is adapted to measure a first fluid pressure in the first chamber and a second fluid pressure in the second chamber, wherein the measuring device is configured to determine the fluid flow based on the first and second fluid pressure.

Generally, the present invention relates to a measurement technology for measuring fluid flows in pipes of semiconductor manufacturing devices. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus for measuring a fluid flow in a pipe and to a semiconductor manufacturing device comprising such an apparatus.
Semiconductor processing machines, such as coaters or bonders, use various chemicals in order to treat surfaces of substrates, such as semiconductor wafers. The wafer treatment often generates fluid waste, for instance contaminated air, in a process chamber of such a machine. The fluid waste is usually removed from the process chamber via special pipes which are connected to the process chamber and serve as process exhaust ducts.
As a means of guaranteeing an optimal wafer treatment the fluid flow through such pipes can be monitored. An unexpected flow change, for example, is an indication of a process disturbance.
Flow meters are typically used to measure the fluid flow through such exhaust pipes. The flow meters are usually differential pressure flow meters, which measure the pressure difference of a fluid in the pipe upstream and downstream of a constriction of the pipe. The fluid flow can then be determined from difference between both pressures.
The fluid in these pipes can be contaminated with various process materials, such as solids, corrosive liquids, pastes or gels, which complicates the flow measurement. The contamination, for instance, obstruct pressure measurement ports of the flow meter leading to noisy signal readings.
Furthermore, turbulences in the fluid can lead to pressure variations at the pressure sensors, which causes additional measurement complications. In particular, these turbulences occur shorty before and after the constriction of the pipe, where the pressure measurements are usually performed.
Noisy signal readings due to turbulence or loss of signal due to contamination can disturb the control system of the flow meter. This control system stabilizes the flow level readings and hence allows a quieter control.
It is the object of the invention to provide an apparatus for efficiently measuring a fluid flow in a pipe, wherein the negative influence of turbulences and/or contaminations of the fluid on the measurement is reduced.

Apparatus for measuring a fluid flow through a pipe of a semiconductor manufacturing device


When processing a digital video signal, the problem often arises of converting the signal from a first sampling raster which is asynchronous with respect to the line interval to a second sampling raster which synchronous with the line interval. Interpolation filters are used for this purpose. The present invention provide a simple method for the conversion which does not require intermediate D/A or A/D conversion. For each line of the input signal, the phase of samples of the first sampling raster relative to the line synchronization pulse and the total number of the samples for this line are determined and are used to control of the interpolation filter.

In a digital video signal processing system, it is often useful to use different clock frequencies in different parts of the system. For example, a clock signal linked to the phase of the color carrier is often used for deeming color signals encoded in accordance with PAL, SECAM or NTSC standard to obtain color information. On the other hand, for various types of digital signal processing which combine picture elements from various video lines (two dimensional) or from various frames (three dimensional), a clock signal which has a fixed phase relationship to the line synchronization signal is advantageous (so-called orthogonal raster). Consequently, it is often necessary to convert a digital video signal having a first scanning or sampling raster into a digital video signal having a second, different scanning raster. This is possible by converting the first digital video signal having the first sampling raster into an analog video signal by means of a digital to analog (D/A) converter, and then resampling the analog signal with the second sampling raster by means of an analog to digital (A/D) converter in order to obtain the second digital video signal having the second sampling raster. However, the necessary D/A conversion and A/D conversion thereby entailed, requires additional circuitry and results in unavoidable losses and faults.

Method and apparatus for converting the sampling rates of a digital video signal


A skylight assembly for installation in a vehicle wall includes a lens body having an exterior surface and a cap connected to an end of the lens body and a lens flange. There is a nut member to secure the lens body. A gasket is disposed between the lens member and the vehicle wall and includes a first leg portion and a second leg portion. The first leg portion extends into a recess between a surface of an aperture in the wall and the exterior surface of the lens body and the first leg portion has a uniform thickness which is less than a width of the recess thereby forming a gap. The second leg portion extends from the first leg portion substantially at a right angle and is disposed between and in contact along its length with the lens flange and the exterior of the wall about the aperture.

Installing one or more skylights in a wall of a trailer of a semi-tractor trailer truck may improve visibility in the interior of the trailer making it easier for the driver and others to navigate the interior of the trailer and to view, load, and unload the freight being carried. Installation may be done on an after-market basis by purchasing skylight assembly installation kits. Making installation easy while at the same time ensuring that the skylights are well sealed from the elements to prevent precipitation, among other things, from entering the trailer are important factors. The prior art solutions have not adequately addressed both of these factors and there is therefore a need for an improved skylight.

Skylight for installation in a wall of a vehicle


An exemplary method includes a media content presentation system 1) delivering a primary media content stream to a primary access device, the primary media content stream comprising data representative of a media content instance that is presented by the primary access device as the primary media content stream is delivered to the primary access device and data representative of an executable application related to the media content instance, 2) determining that a secondary access device associated with a user is located within a detection zone associated with the primary access device during a time period associated with the presentation of the media content instance by the primary access device, and 3) directing the primary access device to generate and deliver a version of the executable application that is personalized for the user to the secondary access device. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

Consumers of media content have an ever increasing number of media content access devices ("access devices") at their disposal. For example, a typical user may experience media content by way of a set-top box device, a mobile device (e.g., a mobile phone or a tablet computer), a personal computer, and/or a variety of other types of access devices.
The availability of multiple access devices may allow a user to concurrently interact with different types of content being presented by way of more than one access device. For example, a user may desire to experience (e.g., watch) a television program being presented by way of a set-top box device and at the same time interact with a mobile application (e.g., a mobile phone application) related to the television program. Conventionally, the user has had to manually locate and download the related mobile application before he or she may access it by way of a mobile device. This is inconvenient, time-consuming, and/or difficult to perform for some users.

Methods and systems for delivering a personalized version of an executable application to a secondary access device associated with a user


In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for storing and dispensing a vacuum hose of a central vacuum system. The apparatus comprises a base frame, a basket pivotally mounted on a thrust bearing affixed to the base frame, and a conduit rigidly held above the basket relative to the base frame and extending along the pivotal axis of the basket. When a vacuum hose is inserted downward inside the conduit and into the basket, the weight and resiliency of the hose causes the basket to rotate for coiling the hose therein without twisting it. The hose is thereby neatly stowable between uses. In another aspect, the base frame and the basket are installed beneath the floor of a house and the conduit extends upwardly into a wall cabinet above the main floor of the house and near a vacuum inlet socket of the central vacuum system.

A central vacuum system uses a network of pipes connected to a powerful vacuum generator and filter located in a central location of a house for example. The piping system is connected to a number of vacuum inlets installed at various locations throughout the house. In use, a long vacuum hose is connected to one of these vacuum inlets for cleaning the rooms nearest to this inlet. Common vacuum hoses used with these central vacuum systems have 25 to 40 feet in length or more, and are difficult to stow away in a neat arrangement.
Various installations have been developed in the past for storing a vacuum hose. In its simplest and most common form of storage, the hose is coiled on a horseshoe-like wire-frame rack mounted out of sight in a closet or in a utility room. The more elaborate storage system known comprises a hose reel mounted inside the wall or in an equipment room of a house for example. Generally, the reel is electrically or spring driven, and the core of the reel has a swivel joint connected to a vacuum inlet pipe. Examples of the reel-type storage systems for central vacuum hoses are disclosed in the following Canadian Patent Application and US Patent: CA 2,093,715 published on Oct. 9, 1994 by G. Workhoven et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,842 issued on Jun. 18, 1996 to L. G. Christensen.
Other vacuum hose storage systems of the prior art comprise a hose storage compartment wherein the hose is disorderly driven in or pulled out the compartment by a hose drive mechanism. The hose drive mechanism comprises a pair of spaced-apart indented rollers acting against the hose on opposite sides of the hose. Examples of these systems are illustrated in the following Patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,944 issued on Oct. 14, 1975 to H. Hukaba et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,581 issued on Apr. 21, 1998 to C. W. Harrelson II.
In a further example of the vacuum hose storage systems of the prior art, the hose is pushed in a pipe extending between the floorjoists or across the rafters of a building. This particular installation is described in the following Patent:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,978 issued on Jul. 11, 1995 to R. Kohler.
Although the vacuum hose storage systems of the prior art deserve undeniable merits, there is no known prior art installation that combines the advantages of having a compact arrangement, a simple drive system and the ability to stow a vacuum hose without potentially stretching, collapsing, twisting or kinking it. As such, it is believed that there continues to be a need for a hose storage and dispenser apparatus which is easily mountable in an existing building having a central vacuum system, which does not require an external source of power or the winding of a spring, and which does not apply any stress to the hose which may eventually deteriorate the hose.


A data collection system for use with a home AV network. The home AV network includes a plurality of consumer electronic devices communicatively coupled via an IEEE 1394 based network. A receiver device is included in the plurality of devices. The receiver device functions by receiving a broadcast data stream for displaying or playing for the user, wherein the broadcast data stream includes an identifier tag describing the identity or content of the broadcast data stream. At least one of the plurality of consumer electronic devices includes an up-stream communications link capable of sending information up-stream from the user's home. Additionally, at least one of the consumer electronic devices includes a computer system, the computer system including a processor coupled to a memory via a bus. The memory stores software which when executed by the processor causes the computer system to implement a data collection method comprising the steps of monitoring the identifier tag included in the broadcast data stream, determining an identity of the broadcast data stream using the identifier tag, and transmitting the identity of the broadcast data stream to an external monitor via the up-stream communications link.

A typical home audiovisual equipment set up includes a number of components. For example, a radio receiver, a CD player, a pair of speakers, a television, a VCR, a tape deck, and the like. Each of these components is connected to each other via a set of wires. One component is usually the central component of the home audiovisual system. This is usually the radio receiver, or the tuner. The tuner has a number of specific inputs for coupling the other components. The tuner has a corresponding number of control buttons or control switches which provide a limited degree of controllability and interoperability for the components. A user controls the home audiovisual system by manipulating the buttons and switches on the front of the tuner, or alternatively, manipulating buttons on a hand-held remote control unit.
This conventional home audio-video (AV) system paradigm has become quite popular. However, the emergence of networking and interface technology (e.g., IEEE 1394 serial communication bus and the wide spread adoption of digital systems) promises a whole new paradigm of home AV devices. The latest and most popular consumer AV devices (e,g., digital TV, DVD players, digital camcorders, mini-disk players, and the like) are based upon digital technology. The devices include sophisticated embedded computer systems. The devices deliver greatly enhanced functionality and features, as their embedded systems execute elaborate software-based algorithms and are highly configurable, depending upon the desires and tastes of the user.
The digital nature of the devices allow them to be readily networked into a coherent digital home AV network. Several standards have emerged which define the interfaces and connections for such networks. Currently, the most popular transport technology for digital home AV networks is IEEE 1394. The IEEE 1394 serial bus, often referred to as FireWire.TM. provides a high bandwidth communications protocol upon which an open, intelligent, self-configuring, extensible home AV network architecture can be implemented.
However, while the nature and capabilities of home AV systems have changed dramatically, data collection practices by consumer mass market data collection agencies have not. In essentially the same manner as in many years past, consumer mass market data collection agencies, such as, for example, Nielson (e.g., responsible for television's Nielson ratings), collected data by placing an extra, dedicated box in the homes of participating consumers. In the case of Nielson, the boxes have the ability to analyze what the consumer is watching on television and to collect and forward this data to interested parties.
Other means of data collection include the well known and familiar "send in your registration card" concept where the purchaser of a consumer product finds within the product's packaging a card which includes a short survey for the purchaser to fill out and send in. Another example is in-person canvassing, wherein a person, either in public locations such as shopping malls or over the phone, physically queries members of the public regarding their purchasing habits, tastes, etc. Yet another example of data collection is "Hands up" marketing, in which special offers are made if consumers respond to questionnaires or send in requests for additional information.
While the above methods may remain marginally effective for some time to come, none of the above solutions has evolved in step with the changes in home AV systems. None of the above solutions utilizes the digital architecture of new home AV systems. None of the above methods leverage the intelligence of the latest AV devices.

Method and system for collecting data over a 1394 network to support analysis of consumer behavior, marketing and customer support


A device for designing a standby path that can prevent retrieval of a standby path in a network including any standby path from being failed. A current path search unit searches for a shortest route from a start point to an end point in the network. A standby path searching network creation unit creates a standby path searching network. For a standby path, a standby path search unit searches for a shortest route from the start point to each of all other nodes including the end point. A current path searching network creation unit creates a network from the current path retrieved by the current path search unit and the path retrieved by the standby path search unit. The process performed by these units is repeated until the standby path search unit retrieves a route that reaches from the start point to the end point in the shortest route search.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for designing a standby path, a method for designing a standby path and a program therefor. In particular, it relates to designing a standby path used in on-fault switching, in which switching from a current path to a standby path is conducted when a fault occurs on a network.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For on-fault switching, in which switching from a current path to a standby path is conducted when a fault occurs on a network, the standby path may be designed to bypass the point of the fault when the fault occurs or may be designed in advance of occurrence of the fault.
In the latter case, in order to cope with a fault occurring at any point in the current path, the standby path needs to be designed not to pass through any node or link involved in the current path.
An example of such a conventional method of designing a standby path is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-250356. In this example, a current path is first searched for according to shortest route search. Then, shortest route search is performed for a standby path with lengths of optical transmission paths connected to the nodes that the current path has passed through being set to an adequately high value, so that the optical transmission paths involved in the current path are not chosen in shortest route search for the standby path.
In this way, the standby path is designed which does not involve any optical transmission paths involved in the current path. FIG. 16 shows a configuration of a conventional device for designing a standby path according to this example. In a device 2 for designing a standby path shown in FIG. 16, a current path search unit 21 first searches for a current path, and then, a standby path searching network creation unit 22 imparts an adequately long length to each of the optical transmission paths connected to the nodes that the current path passes through. Then, a standby path search unit 23 searches for a standby path according to shortest route search.
If the standby path is searched for after the current path is determined as described above, no standby path may sometimes be retrieved depending on a manner of setting up the current path. An example of such a case will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. In FIG. 4, reference symbols A, B, C, D, E and Z each denote nodes, and numeric characters appended to links connecting nodes together each denote lengths of the respective links. It is assumed that a current path and a standby path both extending from a start point (node A) to an end point (node Z) are to be designed. In FIG. 4, if the shortest path from the start point (node A) to the end point (node Z) is adopted as the current path, a current path (A-B-C-Z) results.
In order to retrieve a standby path that does not involve any link involved in the current path (A-B-C-Z), a path extending from the start point (node A) to the end point (node Z) is searched for in a network with a link between the nodes A and B (bidirectional), a link between the nodes B and C (bidirectional) and a link between the nodes C and Z (bidirectional) being excluded. However, as shown in FIG. 5, the network includes no route that reaches from the start point (node A) to the end point (node Z), and therefore, retrieval of a standby path results in failure.

Device for designing standby path, method for designing standby path, and program therefor


The present disclosure provides a terahertz biological detection method and a device comprising the same, in which biological samples with different molecular formulas have their characteristic peaks in the terahertz band. In the process of sweeping frequency with terahertz, when the terahertz frequency point corresponds to the characteristic peak frequency of the substance to be detected, resonant absorption occurs, and the transmitted/reflected terahertz wave electric field intensity will suddenly decrease. In the electromagnetically induced transparency spectrum corresponding to the Rydberg quantum state, the signal splitting amplitude is significantly reduced. Therefore, the characteristic peak frequency and specific content of the substance to be detected can be accurately determined by comparing the dependence of the Rydberg quantum state with the additional terahertz electric field intensity on the excitation energy level.

Terahertz is an electromagnetic wave with a frequency in the range of 0.1 THz to 10 THz, the band of which lies between microwave and infrared, and it has rich scientific significance and broad application prospects. The terahertz technology is characterized by its safety, where the energy of a terahertz photon is only millielectron volts, which will not damage the measured substance due to ionization. The Rydberg quantum state refers to an atom with highly excited electrons (the main quantum number n is very large). The Rydberg quantum state has a large polarizability (n*)7, and is extremely sensitive to the external field, so it is extremely easy to be manipulated by the external field.
The traditional terahertz time-domain spectroscopy system is limited by its low sensitivity, where the detection content of many key components in the sample can only be resolved to the milligram level, and the resolution accuracy is low. Therefore, the application range of terahertz waves in the field of biomedical testing is limited to a certain extent.

Terahertz biological detection method based on five-level rydberg quantum state and device comprising same

University of Shanghai for Science and Technology


A memory device has an array of memory cells and a controller coupled to the array of memory cells. The controller is configured to determine a program window after a portion of a particular programming operation performed on the memory device is performed and before a subsequent portion of the particular programming operation performed on the memory device is performed. The controller is configured to determine the program window responsive to an amount of program disturb experienced by a particular state of a memory cell. The controller is configured to perform the subsequent portion of the particular programming operation performed on the memory device using the determined program window.

Memory devices are typically provided as internal, semiconductor, integrated circuits in computers or other electronic devices. There are many different types of memory including random-access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), and non-volatile/flash memory.
Flash memory devices have developed into a popular source of non-volatile memory for a wide range of electronic applications. Flash memory devices typically use a one-transistor memory cell that allows for high memory densities, high reliability, and low power consumption. Common uses for flash memory include personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, and cellular telephones. Program code and system data such as a basic input/output system (BIOS) are typically stored in flash memory devices for use in personal computer systems.
Each cell in a non-volatile memory device can be programmed as a single bit per cell (i.e., single level cell—SLC) or multiple bits per cell (i.e., multilevel cell—MLC). Each cell's threshold voltage (Vt) determines the data that is stored in the cell. For example, in an SLC memory, a Vt of 0.5V might indicate a programmed cell while a Vt of −0.5V might indicate an erased cell. The MLC has multiple positive Vt ranges that each indicates a different state whereas a negative Vt range typically indicates an erased state. An MLC memory can take advantage of the analog nature of a traditional flash cell by assigning a bit pattern to a specific voltage range stored on the cell. The collection of different Vt ranges (each of which representing a different programmable state) together are part of a fixed program window that encompasses the fixed voltage range over which a memory device is programmable. Each of the ranges are separated by a voltage space ("margin") that is relatively small due to the limitations of fitting a number of states into the program window of a typical low voltage memory device.
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical fixed program window 100 of a non-volatile memory device. The illustrated program window 100 encompasses six programmable states L1-L6 such that the distributions 102-107 for all the programmable states fit within the program window 100 (as used herein, a "distribution" for a state refers to a number of cells having a Vt within the particular range of Vt's corresponding to that state). The program window 100 for a memory device is determined during manufacture of the device as a result of an engineering assessment. The assessment determines a maximum Vt of the erased state distribution L0 101 and a minimum Vt of the "highest" distribution L7 108. The state L7 corresponding to the highest range of Vt's may not be used due to the relatively large voltages required to program this state and/or the program disturb that can result from these programming voltages, in which case it is excluded from the fixed program window 100, as illustrated in FIG. 1.
One problem with a fixed program window is that the programming characteristics (maximum programmable voltage, number of programming pulses required, speed of programming) of a memory device typically change as the memory experiences an increasing number of program/erase cycles. Also, the programming characteristics can vary between memory dies as well as between memory blocks and/or pages of each memory die.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a way to dynamically determine a program window in a memory device.

Dynamic program window determination in a memory device


A method, data processing system, and computer program product for sending a notification of a meeting. An identification is made when a number of users in a plurality of users requesting the notification of the meeting is within a threshold distance. Whether the number of users is greater than or equal to a threshold number of the plurality of users needed to have the meeting is determined in response to the identification that the number of users in the plurality of users is within the threshold distance. The notification of the meeting is sent to the number of the users in response to determining that the number of users is greater than or equal to the threshold number.

1. Field
The disclosure relates generally to meeting scheduling systems and more specifically to scheduling systems. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for scheduling a meeting in real time.
2. Description of the Related Art
When an organizer desires to schedule a meeting, the organizer can send invitations to the meeting to a list of invitees. Typically meetings are scheduled in advance with invitations being sent before the meeting is scheduled to occur. The organizer can specify a time and location for the meeting.
The success of a meeting can depend on the number of invitees that attend the meeting. The organizer can choose a time and location designed to allow a large percentage of the invitees attending the meeting. Additionally, the organizer may send the invitations a certain amount of time before the meeting is scheduled to occur. The time allows the invitees to review their schedule to determine whether they can attend the meeting.
However, the organizer may not be able to select a time and location that allows all the invitees to attend the meeting. For example, the organizer may not know of a location that is convenient for the invitees to travel to for the meeting. In another example, the organizer may wish to schedule a meeting soon. There may not be enough time for the invitees to receive the invitations, review their schedule, and find the time to attend the meeting.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a method and apparatus, which takes into account one or more of the issues discussed above as well as possibly other issues.

International Business Machines Corporation


A magnetizing type induction motor includes a conventional rotor enclosed within a novel stator. The stator has a pair of crescent-shaped pole pieces, the thickness of the stator pieces at their centers being larger than the thickness at the opposite edges thereof. These stator pieces are secured together by a pair of end cover plates which are provided with fitting grooves for receiving the stator pieces, and coupling pins are installed between the facing edges of the stator pieces. This magnetizing type induction motor is easily miniaturized and is not subject to frequent failures so that it can be reliably used in automated apparatuses.

In the conventional electric motor as shown in FIG. 1A, the construction is such that a stator 22 consisting of a stator core 28 and the stator coils 29 is provided, a rotor 21 consisting of a rotor core 23 and rotor coils 24 installed on a shaft 25 is provided within the stator 22, and a commutator 26 having as many poles as the number of the poles of the rotor is installed fixedly to the rotor shaft. The motor is operated by supplying an electric current through a brush 27 and the commutator 26 to the rotor coils 24 (this is the so-called straight wound motor). But in this type of motor, the electric current has to be supplied both to the stator and to the rotor, and therefore, the motor is very complicated, with the result that its volume and weight become very large, and that it is difficult to miniaturize the motor. Further, the motor is susceptible to failures, and therefore, difficulties are created in the maintenance of the motor.
Meanwhile, there is another type of conventional electric motor in which a coilless rotor 31 has a core mounted on a shaft 35 and installed within a stator 32 having ring coils 40 and a stator coil 39 as shown in FIG. 1B. This is an induction motor having a simple structure to a certain extent, but this type of motor is also difficult to miniaturize, in addition to the fact that its torque is weak, and the control of the revolution speed is impossible, thereby making its applicability very limited.