A shift device includes a shaft, a hub, a sleeve, a pair of speed gears sandwiching the hub, a first synchronizer ring, a second synchronizer ring, a plurality of thrust pieces disposed in cut-off portions of the hub and a pair of springs pushing the thrust pieces outwardly in a radial direction toward the sleeve. The thrust pieces move together with the sleeve when the sleeve is moved toward the one of the speed gears, while the thrust pieces moves inwardly in the radial direction against the first and second springs when the sleeve is moved halfway toward the other of the speed gears so that the thrust pieces move in an axial direction and swing to provide different self-servo functions according to the above shift directions when they contact with the hub.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shift device adapted for a transmission in which pushing force applied to a sleeve can be amplified into larger pushing force acting on a synchronizer ring while gears of the transmission are shifted, thereby decreasing operating force necessary for a driver or an actuator.
2. Description of the Related Art
A shift device adapted for a transmission of this kind is disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 45-35684. This conventional shift device includes a hub, a sleeve, thrust plates and a synchronizer ring, where the sleeve (or the thrust plates) is formed with slanted surfaces so that the slanted surfaces can change a part of friction torque generated between the sleeve (or the thrust plates) and the hub into thrust acting on the synchronizer ring, thereby increasing synchronizing performance.
In this conventional shift device, the slanted surfaces of the hub need to be formed in the vicinity of a central portion in an axial direction thereof, which causes a problem in that a manufacturing process for forming the slanted surfaces on the hub becomes difficult, consequently increasing its manufacturing costs. Incidentally, the slanted surfaces are indicated by reference number 44 in FIG. 2 and FIG. 17 of Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 45-35684.
In order to remove such a problem, the inventor has suggested a shift device with a hub which has a shape easy to be formed by a sintering method and the like, which is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-226515.
This improved shift device, however, has the following problem.
The suggested shift device has the hub in a shape easy to be formed by a sintering method or the like, improving synchronization performance, but it has the same-extent self-servo functions in shift operations to one gear and the other gear arranged at opposite side of the hub. In general, required synchronization performances of shift devices are varied according to transmission gear ratios, namely speed ratios. As a result, there is a problem in that the improved shift device cannot properly accommodate synchronization performances to a shift device that needs to shift between different self-servo functions including only one self-servo function at one-side speed gear. In order to properly accommodate different self-servo functions, six thrust pieces are needed, consequently increasing its manufacturing costs.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a shift device adapted for a transmission which overcomes the foregoing drawbacks and can provide different self-servo functions between shift operations to one-side speed gear and the other-side speed gear, decreasing manufacturing costs of the shift device.


A method and system are provided for determining gas concentration at a region of a planetary surface. A gas filter correlation radiometry (GFCR) system, provided at a location above a planetary surface, includes a processor and a GFCR sensor having a first gas cell containing a target gas and a second gas cell that does not contain the target gas. Using the GFCR sensor, first images of a region of the planetary surface are generated via capture through the first gas cell and second images of the region are generated via capture through the second gas cell. Using the processor, ratio images are generated using the first images and the second images. Concentration of the target gas over known altitude variations of the region is determined where the concentration of the target gas is a function of the ratio images and the altitude variations of the region.

Sensing gas concentrations in Earth's lower atmosphere (e.g., the boundary layer) from an aircraft or an orbiting satellite/spacecraft equipped with passive sensors has been a formidable problem, especially for gases like carbon dioxide and methane whose detection is obscured by ambient amounts of gas in the upper atmosphere that mask the same gas in the boundary layer. The gas sensing task can be most difficult in the thermal infrared due to thermal contrast difficulties and water absorption. These difficulties are well-known in the art. Therefore, most passive sensor techniques rely on gas spectral features in the near infrared (i.e., wavelengths short of 3.5 microns) using scattered sunlight as the source. Attempts to make these measurements with various types of spectrometers have met with limited success since spectrally scanning spectrometer measurements of backscattered radiation from moving or spatially scanning instruments are difficult to interpret due to the highly variable nature of the scenes being imaged. The primary variability is the spectral and Bi-directional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) character of the scattering surface. Static hyperspectral imaging instruments, such as Fabry-Perot spectrometers, overcome the spectral scanning problems, but face great difficulty in "stitching" together spectra from measurement samples as the scene locations pass through the spectrometer's field-of-view. Further, it is very difficult to calibrate and simulate the massive amounts of data in an analysis process. Still further, principal component analysis shows that sensitivity to the boundary layer is tenuous to begin with and is easily obscured by conditions of highly variable albedo and BRDF.
One method that addresses the complexity of spectra creation and calibration is a type of gas filtering commonly called Gas Filter Correlation Radiometry (GFCR). Briefly, in GFCR, a scene is viewed through gas cells having various amounts of a target gas (e.g., one cell filled with the target gas and one cell is empty). Spectral filtering is provided by the gas cell spectra and accurately-known cell gas content and conditions. The impact of albedo and BRDF variations will be the same for the multiple gas cell images regardless of gas cell condition, thereby nearly eliminating the error due to those effects. However, the only orbiting GFCR implementation to date with any success has been instrumentation that modulates the cell condition, which effectively modulates the sensitivity to only the target gas. Ideally, this is a major advantage. However, this implementation has two problems. First, the modulation induces a temporal change in filtering that can combine with the scene variability to create a temporal noise as the scene passes through the field-of-view. A second major problem is low sensitivity due to the inherently small modulation of the filtering function.

Determining gas concentration near planetary surfaces


A method of automatically developing a data transfer network includes determining, using a processor, a plurality of data transfers of a function of a circuit design marked for hardware acceleration within a target integrated circuit. The circuit design is specified in a high level programming language, and at least one other function of the circuit design remains executable by a microprocessor of the target integrated circuit. Each of the plurality of data transfers is characterized. Each of the plurality of data transfers is correlated with resources of the target integrated circuit. A programmatic description of a data transfer network is generated for the circuit design. The data transfer network connects the hardware accelerator and the microprocessor according to the characterizing and the correlating.

A System-On-A-Chip (SOC) is a type of integrated circuit (IC) that includes a microprocessor that operates in cooperation with other circuitry. Typically, the microprocessor executes program code and interacts with one or more function-specific circuits, e.g., that do not execute program code. In some cases, the SOC is formed of two or more dies within a single IC package. In other cases, the microprocessor and other circuitry are implemented on a single die. One example of an SOC includes a microprocessor and programmable circuitry. The programmable circuitry can be implemented using a field programmable gate array (FPGA) architecture.
An FPGA typically includes an array of programmable tiles. These programmable tiles can include, for example, input/output blocks (IOBs), configurable logic blocks (CLBs), dedicated random access memory blocks (BRAM), multipliers, digital signal processing blocks (DSPs), processors, clock managers, delay lock loops (DLLs), and so forth. Each programmable tile includes both programmable interconnect circuitry and programmable logic circuitry. The programmable interconnect circuitry typically includes a large number of interconnect lines of varying lengths interconnected by programmable interconnect points (PIPs). The programmable logic circuitry implements the logic of a user design using programmable elements that can include, for example, function generators, registers, arithmetic logic, and so forth.
The programmable interconnect circuitry and programmable logic circuitry typically are programmed by loading a stream of configuration data into internal configuration memory cells that define how the programmable elements are configured. The configuration data can be read from memory (e.g., from an external PROM) or written into the FPGA by an external device. The collective states of the individual memory cells then determine the function of the FPGA. The functionality of an FPGA, or an FPGA portion of an SOC, is controlled by data bits provided to the IC for that purpose. The data bits, often referred to as a "bitstream," can be stored in volatile memory (e.g., static memory cells, as in FPGAs and some CPLDs), in non-volatile memory (e.g., FLASH memory, as in some CPLDs), or in any other type of memory cell.
In some cases, a circuit design for an SOC is specified in programmatic form using a high level programming language (HLL) such as C or C++. For example, the circuit design can be specified as a C program or a C++ program. One or more portions of the HLL program are intended to execute as program code on the microprocessor of the SOC. One or more other portions the circuit design are selected for implementation as hardware in the programmable circuitry of the SOC.
A portion of the HLL circuit design selected for implementation within the programmable circuitry is said to be selected for "hardware acceleration." The resulting hardware circuit design and/or physical circuitry corresponding to the portion of the HLL circuit design that is selected for hardware acceleration is referred to as a "hardware accelerator." The portions of the HLL circuit design selected for hardware acceleration, being implemented as physical circuitry, are no longer executed as program code within the microprocessor when the circuit design is implemented within an actual SOC. Typically, computationally intensive functions are selected for hardware acceleration.
Synthesis tools that operate upon HLL circuit designs can generate a single hardware module (e.g., a hardware description) for the portion of the HLL circuit design that is selected for hardware acceleration. For the hardware accelerator to operate properly, however, data must be shared between the hardware accelerator and the microprocessor. The process of incorporating the hardware accelerator into the larger circuit design within the SOC is a time consuming and manual process that is subject to error.

Automatic generation of a data transfer network


A method for transmitting touch panel data is provided. The method is adapted for transmitting coordinate data of at least a touch point being touched on the touch panel and includes the following procedures. The at least coordinate data is compressed. A serial data transmission interface command and a serial data transmission interface client address are appended in front of the compressed at least coordinate data, such that the compressed at least coordinate data is encapsulated into a serial transmission data packet. In addition, the serial transmission data packet is transmitted through a serial data transmission channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for transmitting touch panel data, and particularly, relates to a method for transmitting touch panel data capable of improving transmission efficiency of coordinate data of a multi-touch panel.
2. Description of Related Art
Operation application of a touch panel is developed towards a trend of multi-touch, which represents that a number of touch points supported by a control unit is increased, even increased by dozens to support operations of multiple users on a same touch panel. However, regarding a serial data transmission method used by the current touch panel, when a large amount of touch coordinate data is transmitted to an operating system of the touch panel device, the amount of the touch coordinate data is increased by multiple times, a communication time is correspondingly increased, so that operation performance of the touch panel device is decreased.
Moreover, since touch coordinate data transmission methods of the touch panels used by various manufactures apply different packet formats, developing time and labour cost for integrating the touch panel to an electronic device are increased. Therefore, it is an important issue to use a standardized packet format and a standardized communication protocol for transmitting touch coordinate data, so as to improve transmission efficiency of the coordinate data of the multi-touch panel.

Method for transmitting touch panel data

Dongguan Masstop Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.


A solid-state imaging device according to the present invention is of a MOS type and includes a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, and includes: a semiconductor substrate; a photodiode which is formed in the semiconductor substrate and converts, into a signal charge, light that is incident from a first main surface of the semiconductor substrate; a transfer transistor which is formed in a second main surface of the semiconductor substrate and transfers the signal charge converted by the photodiode; a light shielding film which is conductive and formed on a boundary between the pixels, above the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate; an overflow drain region electrically connected to the light shielding film and formed in the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate; and an overflow barrier region formed between the overflow drain region and the photodiode.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device, and particularly relates to a back-illuminated MOS solid-state imaging device.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD image sensor and a MOS image sensor, the need for further reduction in pixel area has been growing to meet the need for further increase in number of pixels. Along with this, in a surface-illuminated solid-state imaging device which includes electrodes and lines on a substrate surface in an imaging region and receives incident light from a surface side of the substrate, it becomes more difficult to achieve sufficient light collection properties for collecting the light onto a photoelectric conversion unit (photodiode). As a means to solve this problem, a back-illuminated solid-state imaging device has been suggested whose light collection properties are enhanced by causing photoelectric conversion inside the substrate through reception of incident light from a back side of a substrate in which no line or electrode is provided (for example, see: T. Joy, et al., "Development of a Production-Ready, Back-illuminated CMOS Image Sensor with Small Pixels", IEDM2007, pp. 1007-1010; and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication NO. 2006-49338).
On the other hand, when the solid-state imaging device is irradiated with light of high intensity, a large amount of charge is generated in the photodiode, and the amount of the generated charge exceeds an amount of charge that the photodiode can accumulate. In this case, the charge leaks into an adjacent photodiode, causing output of a signal that has not originated from an imaging object. This phenomenon is generally called blooming. A generally-known means for suppressing the blooming is an overflow drain configuration. FIGS. 10A and 10B each show an example of the overflow drain configuration adopted for the back-illuminated MOS solid-state imaging device.
FIG. 10A is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a pixel configuration of a solid-state imaging device 10 which is a conventional back-illuminated MOS solid-state imaging device. The solid-state imaging device 10 includes an n-type photoelectric conversion unit (photodiode) 21 formed inside a p-type semiconductor substrate, and an element separation region (not shown). In addition, the solid-state imaging device 10 includes: a gate oxide film (not shown) of a MOS transistor, gate electrodes 31 and 32, a contact (not shown), and a wiring layer 40 which are formed on a second main surface 16 (top side) of the semiconductor substrate 30. In addition, the solid-state imaging device 10 includes a color filter 64 and an on-chip lens 65 which are formed above a first main surface 15 (back side) of the semiconductor substrate 30.
The overflow drain configuration of such a back-illuminated solid-state imaging device 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 10B. FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view mainly showing, of the pixel cross-section shown in FIG. 10A, a configuration of a main part of an inside of the semiconductor substrate 30. As shown in FIG. 10B, the following elements are formed on the semiconductor substrate 30: an n-type floating diffusion region 33 for converting, into voltage, the charge read from the photodiode 21 of n-type; and an overflow barrier region 36 which functions, when the photodiode 21 accumulates an excess charge, as a path for discharging the excess charge to the floating diffusion region 33. Here, the solid-state imaging device 10 is so designed that the overflow barrier region 36 has a higher potential than a p-type region (semiconductor substrate 30) around the overflow barrier region 36.
The floating diffusion region 33 is connected to a transfer transistor 22 and a reset transistor which discharges the charge from the floating diffusion region 33. The solid-state imaging device 10 discharges the charge to a power supply by turning on (turning into an ON-state) the reset transistor after converting the charge into voltage (after a reading operation). Thus, in the conventional solid-state imaging device 10, by keeping the reset transistor in an ON-state except when reading the charge, the excess charge which is an excessively-accumulated amount of charge is discharged from the overflow barrier region 36 via the floating diffusion region 33. This prevents the excess charge from flowing into the photodiode and so on of another pixel.


An inkjet recording apparatus includes an insulating support member having a major surface on which a plurality of ejection electrodes are formed with each of the ejection electrodes protruding from an ejection end of the insulating support member. Each of the ejection electrodes is coated with an insulating material. Further, a cover member is provided to cover the insulating support member to form ink chambers between them and an opening at an ejection end of the cover member. The ejection portion of each ejection electrode protrudes from the ejection end of the cover member through the opening. The ink is supplied from one ink chamber to the ejection electrodes and flows into the other ink chamber through the ejection electrodes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus employing an inkjet recording method, and more particularly to an apparatus that ejects particulate matter such as pigment matter and toner matter by making use of an electric field.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has recently been a growing interest in non-impact recording methods, because noise while recording is extremely small to such a degree that it can be neglected. Particularly, inkjet recording methods are extremely effective in that they are structurally simple and that they can perform high-speed recording directly onto ordinary medium. One inkjet recording method there is an electrostatic inkjet recording method.
The electrostatic inkjet recording apparatus generally has an electrostatic inkjet recording head and a counter electrode which is disposed behind the recording medium to form an electric field between it and the recording head. The electrostatic inkjet recording head has an ink chamber which temporarily stores ink containing toner particles and a plurality of ejection electrodes formed near the end of the ink chamber and directed toward the counter electrode. The ink near the front end of the ejection electrode forms a concave meniscus due to its surface tension, and consequently, the ink is supplied to the front end of the ejection electrode. If positive voltage relative to the counter electrode is supplied to a certain ejection electrode of the head, then the particulate matter in ink will be moved toward the front end of that ejection electrode by the electric field generated between the ejection electrode and the counter electrode. When the coulomb force due to the electric field between the ejection electrode and the counter electrode considerably exceeds the surface tension of the ink liquid, the particulate matter reaching the front end of the ejection electrode is jetted toward the counter electrode as an agglomeration of particulate matter having a small quantity of liquid, and consequently, the jetted agglomeration adheres to the surface of the recording medium. Thus, by applying pulses of positive voltage to a desired ejection electrode, agglomerations of particulate matter are jetted in sequence from the front end of the ejection electrode, and printing is performed. A recording head such as this is disclosed, for example, in Japan Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 60-228162 and PCT International Publication No. WO93/11866.
Particularly, in the Publication (60-228162), there is disclosed an electrostatic inkjet printer head where a plurality of ejection electrodes are disposed in an ink nozzle, and the front end of each ejection electrode is formed on the projecting portion of a head base which projects from the ink nozzle. The front end of this projecting portion has a pointed configuration, and the ejection electrode is formed in accordance with the direction of the pointed end. An ink meniscus is formed near the front end of the ejection electrode.
However, in the aforementioned conventional electrostatic inkjet recording heads, it is not easy to obtain high resolution, that is, a reduction in the pitch between the ejection electrodes and a fine printing dot. If the pitch between the ejection electrodes is reduced, the ink meniscus will flood the front end of the head base and an undesired ejection of ink will arise from a point differing from the ejection electrode to which a drive pulse signal was applied, and consequently, ejection cannot be performed with high reliability and stability.


A size of an agitating mechanism can be reduced. An agitating mechanism according to an aspect of the present disclosure is an agitating mechanism for agitating fluid flowing through inside a pipe, including: a rotary body placed inside the pipe so as to be able to rotate in a circumferential direction of an inner circumferential surface of the pipe; and a regulation part configured to regulate a movement of the rotary body in a longitudinal direction of the pipe. The rotary body includes a hollow part penetrating the pipe in the longitudinal direction of the pipe and an agitating blade provided in the hollow part.

The present disclosure relates to an agitating mechanism and a method for manufacturing an agitating mechanism; for example, an agitating mechanism capable of agitating fluid flowing through a pipe, and a method for manufacturing such an agitating mechanism.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-97493 discloses an agitating mechanism in which an agitating blade is rotated without using a rotating shaft in order to agitate fluid flowing through a pipe. Specifically, the agitating mechanism disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-97493 includes a rotary blade whose body is fixed inside a tubular body. Further, one end of the rotary blade is connected to a supply pipe with a bearing interposed therebetween and the other end of the rotary blade is connected to a discharge pipe with a bearing interposed therebetween. The above-described rotary blade is rotated by a driving source and agitates fluid flowing through a tubular body by using the blade body.

Agitating mechanism and method for manufacturing agitating mechanism


Glossy fibers can be processed into woven or knitted fabric suitable for clothing applications while exhibiting a sense of deep, lustrous glossiness. The glossy fibers are characterized by having an average reflectance for the visible light region of 20% or greater, an average transmittance of 40% of less, and a contrastive glossiness of 3.0 or less.

Synthetic fibers made of polyesters, polyamides or the like have excellent mechanical properties and dimensional stability and are hence in extensive use in applications ranging from garment applications to non-garment applications. Nowadays, however, people live diversified lives and desire better lives, and there is hence a desire for fibers having a high degree of sense or functions not possessed by any conventional synthetic fibers, in many applications including garments.
With respect to the development of techniques regarding synthetic fibers, it is not too much to say that the progress of elementary techniques therefor has been made by imitating natural materials as a motivation. For example, to obtain the gloss peculiar to a natural material, investigations have been extensively made on techniques ranging from polymer techniques to fiber formation techniques including design of the cross-sectional shapes of fibers.
This is because the gloss of a natural material is more complicated and fascinating and has a high-grade sense compared to the monotonous glosses possessed by single fibers. The following have been disclosed as fiber techniques aiming at obtaining a lustrous gloss produced by the complicated structure of a natural material.
For example, JP-B-36-20770 discloses a synthetic fiber having a noncircular cross-section and improved light-reflecting surface properties due to the cross-section and has a thus imparted gloss such as that of silk, which is natural fibers of high rank.
JP-A-2006-161218 discloses a fiber having a noncircular cross-section and contains fine voids inside so that the noncircular cross-section and light reflection due to the fine voids produce a synergistic effect, which enables the fiber to have a high-grade gloss similar to that of natural silk.
JP-A-2002-307602, for example, discloses a golden or silvery filament obtained by vapor-depositing a metal on a fiber itself and a metal-coated slit filament obtained by vapor-depositing a metal on paper or a film and slitting the metal-coated paper or film, for the purpose of imparting a deep lustrous gloss to synthetic fibers or to woven or knit fabrics configured of synthetic fibers.
In JP-A-7-34324 and WO 1998/46815, the phenomenon in which a fine structure represented by ones in buprestids or morpho butterflies produces a color is utilized to propose a structurally colored fiber having an accurately controlled cross-sectional shape to thereby have any desired color in the visible-light region.
In JP '324 and WO '815, two polymers differing in refractive index are alternately superposed to form an alternating multilayer structure while accurately controlling the number of superposed layers and the thickness of each layer, thereby making it possible to impart structural coloring due to the interference and reflectance of light. Unlike conventional coloring by dyes, the structural coloring thus obtained is expected to produce both a high gloss and a deep color tone.
Although there are techniques concerning fibers having a gloss similar to natural glosses such as those disclosed in JP '770 and JP '218, no fiber having a deep lustrous gloss such as those of natural metals having a high-grade sense, and that sufficiently satisfies properties required for use in garment applications has been obtained hitherto.
The method in which a metal is vapor-deposited on a fiber disclosed in JP '602 has a drawback in that the thin metal film may crack due to friction caused by fiber processing such as twisting or knitting/weaving, or by laundering, resulting in loss of the gloss. In addition, to vapor-deposit a metal on individual fibers is exceedingly poor in production efficiency. Even in a relatively efficient production method in which a metal is vapor-deposited at a time on a film or the like and the coated film or the like is slit, the slit filaments are undesirably thick and flat compared to the fibers in ordinary use in garment applications and, hence, the woven or knit fabric obtained therefrom often has a problem in that the fabric is poor in softness.
Furthermore, the fibers proposed in JP '324 and WO '815 have a cross-section including superposed platy structures and, hence, naturally has a flat contour because of the superposed platy structures included therein. Moreover, since the superposed platy structures are superposed layers of incompatible polymers, interlaminar separation is prone to occur and it is necessary to dispose a thick protective layer around the multilayer structure to prevent the interlaminar separation. Because of this, there are considerable limitations on fiber processing, the possible structure of the fabric and, above all, there is a problem in that the single filaments have a larger diameter and, hence, the fabric produced from the composite fiber has an exceedingly stiff feeling and is poor in softness.
The fibers of JP '324 and WO '815 further have a drawback in that the arrangement of single filaments is disordered by fiber processing and, hence, the structurally colored fiber is possible only with a limited structure capable of yielding the intended bundle of fibers having a uniform cross-section. Because of this, it is difficult to sufficiently obtain the expected structural coloring when the composite fiber is used to merely produce a simple woven or knit fabric. There also is, for example, surface reflection due to the thick protective layer. Consequently, there are often examples where a visible coloration is not obtained, and it has been difficult to apply the composite fiber to garment textiles appealing the aesthetic properties.
It could therefore be helpful to provide a glossy fiber having a deep lustrous gloss and can be processed into a woven or knit fabric suitable for garment applications.


A method and a web-based system is provided that enables a customer service center of a company to provide its customers with a choice of different modes for establishing contact with customer service representatives. The different modes of contact are displayed on a single web page. The modes of contact include, but are not limited to call, chat, e-mail and Internet talk. Further, the system provides information regarding the estimated wait time and the less busy time for the modes of contact. In addition, the system and method provide means for conducting a search in a knowledge database for automated responses to queries from customers. The system and method enables the customer to provide feedback for each interaction with the customer service center through the web page. Further, the system and method enable the storage of all interaction between each customer and the customer service center.

The present invention generally relates to the field of customer requests and contact management. More specifically, it relates to the field of providing solutions to customers' queries through a web-based system.
Due to the competitive environment, various companies are competing to provide better services to their customers, so that the customers have to put in a minimal effort to obtain solutions to their queries.
One of the problems faced by these companies is providing solutions to queries from customers in minimal time. The customers of a company may contact the customer service representatives of the company through various modes, such as a telephone call, chat, or e-mail, and they may have to wait for some time, perhaps a long period of time, before the customer service representatives respond.
In the present state of the art, companies provide a list of customer service contact numbers on their web pages. Some existing companies also have individual web interfaces to provide links for initiating other modes of contact.
However, companies may not be able to provide a customer with a single web page from which the customer can gather information about all the modes of contact the companies may provide. Moreover, companies may not notify the customer regarding the time for which the customer has to wait to get a response to a query. Further, these companies may not provide customers with an option to obtain solutions to their queries through an automated response system. This may lead to higher costs for providing services to their customers.
Moreover, in the present art, the availability of different modes of contact on separate web pages results in higher staffing requirements. At times, the customer is not aware of other alternatives to resolve his/her query or to make a request, which, in turn, increases the frequency of telephone calls to contact these companies. This leads to prominent peaks and valleys in the incoming and outgoing calling patterns of a company. In addition, customers are usually not informed about the new products and services launched by these companies. Moreover, companies may not conduct customer service related surveys. In case these companies conduct such surveys, they are costly, time consuming, or too cumbersome and complicated. Thus these companies may not keep track on customer feedback. In addition, companies may not maintain a comprehensive collection of data relating to interactions between the company and its customers.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a system and a method that would enable companies to provide better services to their customers. Further, there is a need for a system that provides various modes through which companies may be contacted on a single user interface or web page. Moreover, there is a need for a system that would enable companies to notify a customer about the time for which the customer has to wait before a response is provided to his/her query through the different modes of contact. Further, there is a need to provide a system that would enable companies to store certain automated responses to frequently asked questions by customers, thereby reducing the overall cost of providing services. In addition, there is a need to provide a system and a method that would enable companies to more easily conduct customer service related surveys as well as maintain comprehensive data related to interactions between companies and their customers.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for customer requests and contact management


An object is to provide a thermal fuse that is free of a trouble of welding contact between a movable electrode (4) and a lead (2) even when temperature of an equipment to which the thermal fuse is connected rises gradually and that has small electric resistance at the time of conduction.

The present invention relates to a thermal fuse attached to prevent electronic equipment and electric appliances for home use from attaining to an abnormally high temperature.
Structure and function of a thermal fuse will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a cross section of the thermal fuse in a normal state, and FIG. 2 is a cross section after operation. As shown in FIG. 1, the thermal fuse includes, as main components, a metal case 1, leads 2 and 3, an insulating member 5, compression springs 8 and 9, a movable electrode 4 and a thermosensitive material 7. Movable electrode 4 is movable while in contact with an inner surface of metal case 1 which is conductive. Between movable electrode 4 and insulating member 5, compression spring 8 is provided, and between movable electrode 4 and thermosensitive material 7, compression spring 9 is provided. In a normal state, compression springs 8 and 9 are each in compressed states. As compression spring 8 is stronger than compression spring 9, movable electrode 4 is biased to the side of insulating member 5, and movable electrode 4 is in pressure contact with lead 2. Therefore, when leads 2 and 3 are connected to an electric wiring of electronic equipment, for example, a current flows from lead 2 to movable electrode 4, from movable electrode 4 to metal case 1, and from metal case 1 to lead 3, thus conducting power. As the thermosensitive material, an organic substance, for example, adipic acid having a melting point of 150xc2x0 C. may be used. When a prescribed operating temperature is attained, thermosensitive material 7 softens or melts, and deforms because of the load from compression spring 9. Therefore, when electronic equipment or the like to which the thermal fuse is connected is overheated to reach the prescribed operation temperature, thermosensitive material 7 deforms and unloads compression spring 9. As compression spring 9 expands, compressed state of compression spring 8 is released in response, and as compression spring 8 expands, movable electrode 4 is separated from lead 2, thus cutting current, as shown in FIG. 2. By connecting the thermal fuse having such a function to an electric wire of electronic equipment and the like, damage to the equipment body or fire caused by abnormal overheating of the equipment can be prevented.
When the temperature to which the thermal fuse is connected increases rapidly, thermosensitive material 7 quickly softens, melts and deforms, and therefore lead 2 and movable electrode 4 are quickly separated. When the temperature rises gradually, however, thermosensitive material 7 softens, melts and deforms gradually, and therefore separation between lead 2 and movable electrode 4 proceeds gradually as well. As a result, a slight arc tends to be generated locally between lead 2 and movable electrode 4, which arc possibly causes welding contact between movable electrode 4 and lead 2, causing a problem that the function of the thermal fuse is lost.
When Agxe2x80x94CdO is selected as the material of movable electrode 4, for example, Agxe2x80x94CdO is superior in that it has low electric resistance and high thermal conductivity. When an arc is generated between lead 2 and movable electrode 4, however, there arises a problem that the welding contact phenomenon with lead 2 tends to occur, as CdO is significantly volatilized and sublimated in a closed space by the arc as CdO has high vapor pressure and movable electrode 4 formed of Agxe2x80x94CdO is apt to be deformed.
Such a problem of welding contact may be improved by increasing content of CdO in Agxe2x80x94CdO. When the content of CdO is increased, however, contact resistance with lead 2 increases, so that temperature at the contact portion tends to be increased. Thus, performance of the thermal fuse degrades.
When an Ag alloy oxide material is used as the material of movable electrode 4, the problem of welding contact is less likely when the oxide dispersed in the Ag alloy oxide material is fine particles. The oxide as the fine particles, however, increases contact resistance with lead 2, and as the temperature at the contact portion increases, the above described problem of degraded performance of the thermal fuse results.
An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal fuse that is free of any trouble of welding contact between the movable electrode and lead 2, even when the temperature of the equipment to which the thermal fuse is connected rises gradually, and that has small electric resistance at the time of conduction.
The present invention provides a thermal fuse in which a thermosensitive material is melt at an operation temperature to unload a compression spring, and by the expansion of the compression spring, a movable electrode and a lead that have been in pressure contact by the compression spring are separated to stop electric current, characterized in that the material of the movable electrode is obtained by performing internal oxidation process of an alloy having a composition containing 99 to 80 parts by weight of Ag and 1 to 20 parts by weight of Cu, that thickness of a layer having smaller amount of oxide particles at a surface of the material is at most 5 xcexcm, and that average grain diameter of oxide particles in the material is 0.5 to 5 xcexcm.
Preferably, the internal oxidation process is performed at an oxygen partial pressure of 0.3 to 2 MPa.
In the thermal fuse in accordance with the present invention, the material of the movable electrode may be an alloy having a composition containing 0.1 to 5 parts by weight of at least one of Sn and In.
The material of the movable electrode may be an alloy of a composition containing 0.01 to 1 parts by weight of at least one selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ni and Ti.
In the present invention, the material of the movable electrode is preferably an alloy of a composition containing 0.1 to 5 parts by weight of at least one of Sn and In and 0.01 to 1 parts by weight of at least one selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ni and Ti.

Abstract: For this purpose, the present invention provides a thermal fuse in which a thermosensitive material (7) is melt at an operation temperature to unload a compression spring (9), and by expansion of the compression spring (9), a movable electrode (4) and a lead (2) that have been in pressure contact by the compression spring (9) are separated to stop electric current, characterized in that material of the movable electrode (4) is obtained by performing internal oxidation process of an alloy having a composition containing 99 to 80 parts by weight of Ag and 1 to 20 parts by weight of Cu, that thickness of a layer having smaller amount of oxide particles at a surface of the material is at most 5 xcexcm, and that average grain diameter of oxide particles in the material is 0.5 to 5 xcexcm.


A two stroke cycle engine has an engine block with a cylinder bore accommodating a piston. An exhaust port connects the cylinder bore to an outside of the engine block. An exhaust port control valve mechanism within the engine, according to this invention, includes a valve pivotally mounted in the exhaust port between the cylinder bore and the outside for rotation between an open position and a closed position. The valve defines an upper timing edge of the exhaust port. An insert fills a volume in the exhaust port between the valve and the outside, thereby improving flow efficiency of the exhaust port.

In the design of a low emission two stroke cycle engine, exhaust port timing control valves are used to control emissions and to provide desired low engine speed performance. A rotary valve disposed in the exhaust port between a cylinder bore and an outside of an engine block is the preferred valve configuration.
Typically the exhaust port is formed as part of the engine block casting. A pocket for the valve is machined in the exhaust port. A preferred method for machining the exhaust port valve pocket is to make a plunge cut from the outside of the block with a form cutter of the same general shape as the valve along an axis of the exhaust port. The exhaust valve is then passed into the exhaust port and rotatably mounted in the valve pocket.
This method of machining and valve installation requires that the exhaust port as cast be sized to accommodate the cutter and valve. The resultant exhaust port flow area between the valve and the outside of the block is larger than the flow area at the valve, and larger than the flow area of the exhaust manifold which mounts to the outside of the block. Exhaust flow passing through the exhaust port is subjected to an undesired volume expansion between the valve and the exhaust manifold. The expansion caused by the discontinuous increase in flow area causes the exhaust port to flow inefficiently.
Port designs which flow well, by contrast, have a near constant flow area along their length. Slight variation or divergence in the flow area along the length of the port will yield slightly better flow than a constant flow area. An exhaust port and valve according to this invention both enables the use rotary valves and plunge cutting and provides an efficient flow of exhaust therethrough.


An apparatus for industrial tenderization of meat by the use of an explosive creating shock waves in water in a processor tank (300) which the meat is immersed. The processor tank includes an upper opening (313). A turntable or carousel (10) rotates to bring over the upper opening: an access hole (13) for loading and unloading the meat; a blast shield (100) to contain the explosion; and a water changer (200) for removing tainted water and adding fresh water. The water changer includes an upper cistern (250), fed by a water supply line (273), and a lower hollow basin (230). When the water changer is lowered into the processing tank by pneumatic cylinder (270), tainted water in flows through basin valves (233). Then the basin valves are closed, the water changer is lifted up, and the water is drained at another position. Before the water changer is raised, the processor tank is refilled with water stored in the cistern.

The following U.S. patents are directed to meat treatment using a shock wave caused by an explosive discharge: U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,766; U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,403; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,841,056. Each of the above-listed patents and patent applications is entirely incorporated herein by reference.
The explosive process for meat treatment, called the Hydrodyne System, has received much attention with respect to its ability to tenderize tough cuts of meat in an effective and efficient manner without degradating the quality of the meat as occurs with chemical tenderizer, as well as its potential to kill bacteria and increase public health. Since the meat is already sealed in plastic when exposed to the explosion's shock wave, the effect is somewhat like pasteurization.
In addition, the process is rapid. Meat is tenderized in seconds instead of weeks.
The above-listed patents and certain pending applications describe embodiments in which the meat is first lined along the bottom of a water-filled, hemispherical stainless steel explosion-containing chamber called a "processor tank" or "hemishell", how an explosion is created at the center point, how the explosive force pushing down the stainless steel processor tank is absorbed, how the energy of the plume of water and steam rushing upward after the explosion is deflected or absorbed by a shield, and so on. The above-listed patents are directed mainly to the particular structures and methods used in one cycle of explosive tenderizing.
However, they do not adequately address the speed of the operation, which is important in commercial applications of explosive meat treatment. The explosion itself is of course very brief, but long periods of time have been needed to load the processor tank with meat, fill it with water, clear the area of personnel prior to a chemically detonated explosion, remove the meat, and refill the processor tank with water after the explosion.
In addition, it has been found that complete replacement of the water is preferable, and this has not been addressed. The reason why the water should be changed is that the preferred chemical explosives are molecular explosives, which are deficient in oxygen. Due to this oxygen deficiency, the oxygen which is freed during the explosion combines with hydrogen and nitrogen in preference to carbon, and carbon soot is left behind in the water as an explosion by-product. This soot will accumulate, gradually darkening any water which is re-used. In addition, traces of HCN are left behind in the water. Though the HCN is so dilute as to present no health risk, and there is no need to see into the water, it is preferable in order to alleviate any public concerns for fresh or cleaned water to be used after only one or a few explosions, in which case the water is desirably completely changed periodically. This problem has not previously been addressed, nor has the problem of doing so quickly.

Carousel apparatus and method for explosive meat tenderization


An originating server of a payment processing system comprising multiple communicating servers first processes a transaction event, generates a correlating identifier and transmits the correlating identifier and processing information to a central data log accessible by the multiple communicating servers. One or more intermediate servers and a terminating server then process the transaction event, each successive intermediate server and the terminating server receiving the transaction event and a correlation identifier associated with the transaction event generated by the previous server which processed the transaction event. Each successive intermediate server and the terminating server generates a correlation identifier, and transmits both the received and generated correlation identifiers to the central transaction log. A query comprising a correlation identifier associated with the transaction event is received. The payment processing system extracts successive sets of entries from the central data log by matching corresponding correlation identifiers and generates a transaction event history.

Processing events are often processed by a system comprising a plurality of communicating servers, each server completing one or more processing steps and transmitting the event to a subsequent server for further processing. Maintaining a central data log that receives data from each of the plurality of servers processing events is a useful method of logging events so that the system can determine the status of an event. One way of logging an event is for each server of the payment processing system to transmit data to the central data log in a standard format comprising a unique identifier for the transaction event. Additionally, each server may transmit the event to a subsequent server for further processing in addition to an event history comprising a server identifier, wherein each subsequent server adds its own server identifier to the event history. This provides a complete event history after each transmission of data between servers.
However, current technology does not provide for maintaining a central data log, wherein each server of a system transmits data to the central data log comprising a received correlation identifier from a server that previously processed an event, a unique correlation identifier generated by the particular server for the event, a current timestamp, and processing details. Additionally, current technology does not provide for generating an event history by extracting successive sets of one or more entries from the central data log associated with the event by matching corresponding correlation identifiers in the extracted entries and ordering the extracted entries chronologically according to time stamps within each entry.

Determining an event history for an event processed by a plurality of communicating servers via a central event data log


Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to compile instructions for a vector of instruction pointers (VIP) processor architecture are disclosed. An example method includes identifying a predicate dependency between a first compiled instruction and a second compiled instruction at a control flow join point, the second compiled instruction having different speculative assumptions corresponding to how the second compiled instruction will be executed based on an outcome of the first compiled instruction. A first strand is organized to execute a first instance of the second compiled instruction corresponding to a first one of the speculative assumptions, and a second strand to execute a second instance of the second compiled instruction corresponding to a second one of the speculative assumptions which is opposite to the first one of the speculative assumptions. The first instance of the second compiled instruction and the second instance of the second compiled instruction are executed in an asynchronous manner relative to each other and to the first compiled instruction.

Computer code is traditionally written in a human-readable language such as C and Java. The human-readable language is a high-level language that it is abstracted from the details of code execution necessary to have a machine implement the code. Machines execute instructions that are in a low-level language, such as assembly language. A compiler translates code written in a high-level language to a low-level language so that it may be executed by the machine. Some compilers translate code written in a first low-level language to a second low-level language. Such compilers may be referred to as binary translators. Different machines having different architectures execute low-level languages having different instruction sets. For example, instructions for a machine having an x86 processor architecture may be different than instructions for a machine having an x64 processor architecture.
The figures are not to scale. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.

Methods and apparatus to compile instructions for a vector of instruction pointers processor architecture


The invention relates to a method for supporting cell change between frequency layers. The method is performed in a UE and/or a RN node of a wireless communication network deploying two frequency layers. The RN node serves a UE in a cell of a first of the two frequency layers. The UE is configured to perform measurements on the first frequency layer, and to exclude measurements on a second of the two frequency layers. The method comprises receiving (610) measurement results from the UE, for measurements performed on a cell of the first frequency layer, determining (620) a location of the UE based on the measurement results, assessing (630) a coverage of a target cell of the second frequency layer based on the location and a coverage map for the two frequency layers, and determining (640) whether to change to the target cell based on the assessment.

3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) is the fourth-generation mobile communication technologies standard developed within the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) to improve the Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) standard to cope with future requirements in terms of improved services such as higher data rates, improved efficiency, and lowered costs. High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) and High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), together referred to as High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), are also mobile communication protocols developed to cope with higher data rates than original UMTS protocols were capable of. The Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA) Network (UTRAN) is the radio access network of a UMTS and Evolved UTRAN (E-UTRAN) is the radio access network of an LTE system. In an UTRAN and an E-UTRAN, a User Equipment (UE) is wirelessly connected to a Radio Base Station (RBS) commonly referred to as a NodeB (NB) in UMTS, and as an evolved NodeB (eNodeB or eNB) in LTE. An RBS is a general term for a radio network node capable of transmitting radio signals to a UE and receiving signals transmitted by a UE.
FIG. 1a illustrates a radio access network with an RBS 101 that serves a UE 103 in a cell 105. In UMTS, also referred to as a 3G system, a Radio Network Controller (RNC) 106 controls the RBS 101 and other neighboring RBSs, and is, among other things, in charge of management of radio resources in cells for which the RNC is responsible. The RNC is in turn also connected to the core network. In GSM, also referred to as a 2G system, the node controlling the RBS 101 is called a Base Station Controller (BSC) 106. FIG. 1b illustrates a radio access network in an LTE system, also referred to as a 4G system. An eNB 101a serves a UE 103 in the cell 105a. The eNB 101a is directly connected to the core network. The eNB 101a is also connected via an X2 interface to a neighboring eNB 101b serving another cell 105b.
Signal Measurements for Mobility
Signal measurements performed by a UE can be used for various purposes. In particular, these measurements may be used for mobility-related tasks such as cell selection and reselection and handover, but also for positioning, Self-Organized Network (SON) management, network planning, and Minimization of Drive Tests (MDT). Signal strength and signal quality are the general parameters used for signal measurements.
In UTRAN, the following three downlink neighbor cell measurements are specified primarily for mobility purposes:                Common Pilot Channel (CPICH) Received Signal Code Power (RSCP)        UTRA carrier Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI)        CPICH Ec/No, where CPICH Ec/No=CPICH RSCP/carrier RSSI
The RSCP is measured by the UE on a cell-level basis, using the CPICH. The UTRA carrier RSSI is measured over the entire carrier. It corresponds to the total received power and noise from all cells including serving cells on the same carrier. The above CPICH measurements are the main quantities used for mobility decisions.
In E-UTRAN the following two downlink neighbor cell measurements are specified, also primarily for mobility purposes:                Reference Symbol Received Power (RSRP)        Reference Symbol Received Quality (RSRQ), where RSRQ=RSRP/carrier RSSI
RSRP in E-UTRAN is solely measured by the UE on a cell-level basis, using reference symbols (RS). The E-UTRA carrier RSSI is measured over the configured measurement bandwidth up to the entire carrier bandwidth. Again, the RSSI is the total received power and noise from all cells, including serving cells, on the same carrier. These two RS based measurements are also the main quantities that are likely to be used for the mobility decisions.
In GSM the following measurement is specified:                GSM Broadcast Channel (BCCH) carrier RSSI
CDMA-2000 1xRTT is a 3G wireless technology based on Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). CDMA-2000 1xRTT is a CDMA version of the IMT-2000 standard which was developed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). In cdma2000 1 x RTT system the following quality measurement for mobility is specified:                CDMA2000 1xRTT Pilot Strength
In CDMA-2000 High Rate Packet Data (HRPD) system the following quality measurement for mobility is specified:                CDMA2000 HRDP Pilot Strength
IEEE 802.16 is a series of Wireless Broadband standards authored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). In WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) IEEE 802.16 systems the following measurements are used for mobility:                WiMAX Preamble Carrier to Interference and Noise Ratio (CINR)        WiMAX RSSI
WiMAX Preamble CINR is the CINR of the WiMAX downlink preamble, measured by the UE for a particular base station. This measurement quantity provides information on the actual operating condition of the receiver, including interference and noise levels, and signal strength. It therefore depicts the cell quality and is analogous to RSRQ and CPICH Ec/No in E-UTRAN and UTRAN respectively.
WiMAX RSSI is the Received Signal Strength Indicator measured by the UE from the downlink preamble for a particular base station. It corresponds to signal strength measurements RSCP in UTRAN or RSRP in E-UTRAN.
Neighbor cell measurements are typically averaged over a long time period to filter out the effect of fast fading. The measurements may e.g. be averaged over a time period in the order of 200 milliseconds or even longer. There is also a requirement on the UE to measure and report neighbor cell measurements such as RSRP and RSRQ in E-UTRAN for a certain minimum number of cells. In both UTRAN and E-UTRAN the requirement is to measure eight cells, comprising one serving and seven neighbor cells, on the serving carrier frequency. Such a measurement is commonly termed an intra-frequency measurement.
Timing Measurements
UE timing measurements are e.g. used for fingerprinting positioning and Observed Time Difference Of Arrival (OTDOA) in LTE. However, such measurements may also be used for mobility purposes, network planning, SON, and MDT.
The following non-satellite based UE timing measurements are currently standardized and can be used at least for positioning purposes in LTE:                UE Rx-Tx time difference, currently defined only for intra-frequency measurements. The UE Rx-Tx time difference is defined as TUE-Rx—TUE-Tx, where TUE-Rx is the UE received timing of downlink radio frame number i from the serving cell, defined by the first detected path in time, and TUE-Tx is the UE transmit timing of uplink radio frame number i.        Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD), defined for intra- and inter-frequency measurements. RSTD is the relative timing difference between the neighbor cell j and the reference cell i, defined as TSubframeRxj−TSubframeRxi, where TSubframeRxj is the time when the UE receives the start of one subframe from cell j, and TSubframeRxi is the time when the UE receives the corresponding start of one subframe from cell i that is closest in time to the subframe received from cell j. The reference point for the observed subframe time difference shall be the antenna connector of the UE.
The following non-satellite based timing measurements are currently standardized and may be used for positioning in UTRAN (3GPP TS 25.215, v10.0.0, 5.1.8-5.1.10, 5.2.8, 5.2.10, 5.2.14):                UE measurements (3GPP TS 25.215, v10.0.0, 5.1.8-5.1.10)                    SFN-CFN observed time difference            SFN-SFN observed time difference            UE Rx-Tx time difference                        UTRAN measurements (3GPP TS 25.215, v10.0.0, 5.2.8, 5.2.10, 5.2.14)                    Round trip time            PRACH Propagation delay            SFN-SFN observed time differenceMobility Scenarios
Fundamentally, there are two kinds of UE mobility states:                Low activity state mobility such as cell reselection;        Connected state mobility such as handover, cell change order, Radio Resource Control (RRC) re-direction upon connection release.
In LTE there is only one low activity mobility state called idle state. In HSPA there are the following low activity states:                Idle state        URA_PCH state (UTRAN Registration Area Paging Channel state)        CELL_PCH state (Cell Paging Channel state)        CELL_FACH state (Cell Forward Access Channel state)
In HSPA systems, the connected state is also called CELL_DCH state since at least one Dedicated Channel (DCH) is in operation, at least for the maintenance of the radio link quality.
In any low activity state, the UE autonomously performs cell reselection without any direct intervention of the network. However, to some extent the UE behavior in low activity mobility state scenario could still be controlled by a number of broadcasted system parameters and performance specifications. The handover on the other hand is fully controlled by the network through explicit UE specific commands and by performance specification. Similarly, a RRC re-direction upon connection release mechanism is used by the network to re-direct the UE to change to another cell which may belong to the Radio Access Technology (RAT) of the serving cell or to another RAT. In this case, the UE typically goes into idle state upon receiving the 'RRC re-direction upon connection release' command, searches for the indicated cell or RAT, and accesses the new cell or RAT.
In both low activity state and connected state, the mobility decisions are mainly based on the same types of downlink neighbor cell measurements that were discussed above.
Both UTRAN and E-UTRAN are frequency reuse-1 systems. This means that the geographically closest cells or adjacent neighbor cells operate on the same carrier frequency. An operator may also deploy multiple frequency layers or carriers within the same coverage area. Therefore, idle mode and connected mode mobility in both UTRAN and E-UTRAN could be broadly classified into three main categories:                Intra-frequency mobility for low activity and connected states        Inter-frequency mobility for low activity and connected states        Inter-RAT mobility for low activity and connected states
In intra-frequency mobility, the UE moves between cells belonging to the same carrier frequency. This is the most important mobility scenario since it involves low cost in terms of delay, as mobility measurements can be carried out in parallel with channel reception. In addition, an operator would have at least one carrier at its disposal that the operator would like to be efficiently utilized.
In inter-frequency mobility, the UE moves between cells belonging to different carrier frequencies but of the same RAT. This could be considered as the second most important scenario.
In inter-RAT mobility, the UE moves between cells that belong to different RATs such as between UMTS and GSM or vice versa, or between UMTS and LTE or vice versa.
Positioning Methods
The following positioning methods are available or are likely to be introduced in the HSPA and LTE standard for both the control plane and the user plane solution:                Fingerprinting or pattern matching;        Cell Identification (CID);        UE-assisted and network-based Enhanced CID (E-CID), including network-based angle of arrival (AoA);        UE-based and UE-assisted Assisted Global Navigation Satellite System (A-GNSS) including (Assisted Global Positioning System (A-GPS);        UE-assisted OTDOA.
Some of them are described below in more detail.
Fingerprinting or Pattern Matching:
The fingerprinting or pattern-matching-based positioning method is characterized by two main phases. During the first phase, which is the offline phase, the location fingerprints are created by performing a site-survey. The site or the coverage area is sub-divided into a rectangular grid of points. During the offline phase, one or more types of measurements such as received signal strength, signal quality, path loss, time difference of arrival, etc., from the serving and multiple neighboring cells are performed. That is, the UE measurements mentioned in the preceding sections can be used. Statistics of the obtained measurement are used to create a database or 2-dimensional table containing predetermined measurement values, which values are mapped to the points of the grid. Thus, the vector of the measurement values at a point on the grid is called the location fingerprint of that point. Measurements during the offline phase can either be obtained by using a mobile terminal or by a suitable dedicated device, which is capable of detecting cells and performing the required measurements from the detected cells. Thus, the objective of the offline training phase is to build the mobile user's location profile. During the second phase, or the so-called online phase, the mobile terminal whose position is to be determined performs measurements, such as received signal strength, from the serving and several neighbor cells. The positioning node then computes the user's location, i.e., the location of the mobile terminal, by determining the best match between the mobile reported measurements and those corresponding to the location fingerprints in the pre-defined database. The best matching location fingerprint is then reported to the mobile terminal as the estimated position.
E-CID Positioning:
E-CID positioning exploits the advantage of low-complexity and fast positioning with Cell Identification (CID), which exploits the network knowledge of geographical areas associated with cell identities, but enhances positioning further with more measurement types. With E-CID, the following sources of position information are involved: the CID and the corresponding geographical description of the serving cell, the Timing Advance (TA) of the serving cell, and the CIDs and the corresponding signal measurements of the cells (up to 32 cells in LTE, including the serving cell), as well as angle-of-arrival (AoA) measurements.
The following UE measurements can be utilized for E-CID in LTE: RSRP, RSRQ, and UE Rx-Tx time difference. The E-UTRAN measurements available for E-CID are eNodeB Rx-Tx time difference also called TA Type 2, TA Type 1 being (eNodeB Rx-Tx time difference)+(UE Rx-Tx time difference), and uplink (UL) AoA. UE Rx-Tx measurements are typically used for the serving cell, while e.g. RSRP and RSRQ as well AoA can be utilized for any cell and can also be conducted on a frequency different from that of the serving cell.
UE E-CID measurements are reported by the UE to a positioning server such as the Evolved SMLC (E-SMLC) or the Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) Location Platform (SLP) in LTE, over the LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP). The E-UTRAN E-CID measurements are reported by the eNodeB to the positioning node over the LPP Annex protocol (LPPa).
The UE may receive assistance data from the network. However, no LPP assistance for E-CID is currently specified in the standard.
OTDOA Positioning:
The OTDOA positioning method makes use of the measured timing of downlink signals received from multiple eNodeBs at the UE. The UE measures the timing of the received signals using assistance data received from the positioning node, and the resulting measurements are used to locate the UE in relation to the neighboring eNodeBs.
With OTDOA, a UE measures the timing differences for downlink reference signals received from multiple distinct locations. For each neighbor cell, the UE measures RSTD, which is the relative timing difference between neighbor cell and reference cell. The UE position estimate is then found as the intersection of hyperbolas corresponding to the measured RSTDs. At least three measurements from geographically dispersed base stations with a good geometry are needed to solve for two coordinates of the terminal and the receiver clock bias. In order to solve for position, precise knowledge of the transmitter locations and transmit timing offset is needed.
To enable positioning in LTE and to facilitate positioning measurements of a proper quality and for a sufficient number of distinct locations, new physical signals dedicated for positioning, so called Positioning Reference Signals (PRS) have been introduced and low-interference positioning subframes have been specified in 3GPP.
PRS are transmitted from one antenna port (R6) according to a pre-defined pattern. A frequency shift that is a function of Physical Cell Identity (PCI) can be applied to the specified PRS patterns to generate orthogonal patterns that model the effective frequency reuse of six, making it possible to significantly reduce neighbor cell interference on the measured PRS and thus improve positioning measurements. Even though PRS have been specifically designed for positioning measurements and in general are characterized by better signal quality than other reference signals, the standard does not mandate using PRS. Other reference signals, e.g., Cell-specific Reference Signals (CRS) could in principle also be used for positioning measurements.
PRS are transmitted in pre-defined positioning subframes grouped by several consecutive subframes, i.e., one positioning occasion. Positioning occasions occur periodically with a certain periodicity of N subframes, i.e., the time interval between two positioning occasions. The standardized periods N are 160, 320, 640, and 1280 ms, and the number of consecutive subframes may be 1, 2, 4, or 6.
Carrier Aggregation
To enhance peak-rates within a technology, multi-carrier or Carrier Aggregation (CA) solutions are known. For example, it is possible to use multiple 5 MHz carriers in HSPA to enhance the peak-rate within the HSPA network. Similarly, in LTE, multiple 20 MHz carriers may for example be aggregated in the UL and/or the downlink (DL). Each carrier in a multi-carrier or CA system is generally termed as a component carrier (CC), or sometimes also as a cell. In simple words, the CC means an individual carrier in a multi-carrier system. CA is sometimes called multi-cell operation, multi-carrier operation, or multi-carrier transmission and/or reception. This means that CA can be used for transmission of signals and data in UL and DL. In a CA deployment, one of the CCs is the primary CC/cell or anchor CC/cell, while the remaining ones are called secondary or supplementary CCs/cells. Generally, the primary or anchor CC/cell carries the essential UE-specific signaling. The primary CC/cell exists in both UL and DL. The network may assign different primary CCs/cells to different UEs operating in the same sector or cell.
The CCs/cells belonging to the CA system may belong to the same frequency band, so called intra-band CA, or to different frequency bands, so called inter-band CA, or any combination thereof such as two CCs/cells in band A and one CC/cell in band B. The inter-band CA comprising of CCs/cells distributed over two bands is also called dual-band-dual-carrier-HSDPA (DB-DC-HSDPA) in HSPA, or inter-band CA in LTE. Furthermore, the CCs/cells in intra-band CA may be adjacent or non-adjacent in the frequency domain, which is also known as intra-band non-adjacent CA. A hybrid CA comprising of intra-band adjacent, intra-band non-adjacent and inter-band is also possible. Using carrier aggregation between carriers of different technologies is also referred to as multi-RAT CA, or multi-RAT-multi-carrier system, or simply inter-RAT CA. For example, the carriers from UMTS and LTE may be aggregated. Another example is the aggregation of LTE and CDMA2000 carriers. For the sake of clarity, CA within a same technology as described above may be called intra-RAT or simply single RAT CA.
Problem Description
It is not mandatory for 3GPP Release 8 multi-mode UEs to support UTRA to E-UTRA measurements in CELL_DCH state. There is a feature group indicator that can indicate whether or not such a measurement is supported by the UE. Hence, the network may not have E-UTRAN measurements carried out by the UE as a basis for a decision on when to handover or redirect the UE to a E-UTRAN cell. Such a decision then becomes blind, and may result in the UE being forced to revert to UTRAN or GSM in the event that the E-UTRAN cell coverage is bad in the area where the UE is when it receives the handover or connection release with redirection command.
Furthermore, there is no support for UTRA to E-UTRA measurements for UEs in Cell_FACH state in 3GPP Releases 8 to 10. Hence, a UE in the CELL_FACH state camping on a UTRAN cell cannot reselect an E-UTRAN cell. At the same time, it has been observed that a UE may stay longer in the CELL_FACH state than what was initially assumed in the standardization. Therefore, the UE may get stuck in UTRA even though it may be in good coverage of a higher prioritized E-UTRAN carrier.
Circuit Switched Fallback (CSFB) is introduced in 3GPP Release 8 to allow an UE in LTE to reuse circuit switched domain services by defining how the UE can switch its radio from an E-UTRAN access to another RAT access such as GSM or UTRAN access that can support circuit switched domain services. In CSFB scenarios, the UE is connected to or camping on an E-UTRAN cell, and is redirected, e.g., to an UTRAN cell when the UE receives an incoming call. This UTRAN cell might not have been measured before by the UE, and in order to minimize the interruption time, the eNB may tunnel system information for the target cell in UTRAN. However, the UE still needs to detect the cell. In case of several neighbor UTRAN cells it may take the UE some time to find the target cell if it is not the strongest cell on that carrier as perceived by the UE.

Methods and nodes supporting cell change


A sampling circuit includes: a phase synchronization circuit for generating, by a phase-locked loop, an N-multiplied clock that is N times as high as the scanning frequency of a scanning position signal of a resonant scanner and is synchronized with the phase of the scanning position signal, an AD converter for AD-converting a detection signal obtained by detecting light from a sample in synchronization with the N-multiplied clock, a counter for counting the number of clocks in synchronization with the N-multiplied clock, a memory for storing a counter threshold corresponding to a desired scanning position of the resonant scanner, a comparison circuit for outputting a sampling clock in response to the counter threshold and a counter value of the counter circuit coinciding with each other, and a data processing circuit for sampling the AD-converted detection signal based on the sampling clock and generating pixel data.

A technique for adjusting sampling timing of a detection signal from a sample according to a scanning position of a resonant scanner has been conventionally known (for example, see PTL 1). In the scanning microscope described in PTL 1, when a sampling clock is generated based on a scanning position signal of a resonant scanner, analog offset, noise removal on a circuit, temperature correction based on feedback of a temperature sensor, etc. are performed in a sampling clock generation circuit, thereby eliminating an influence of temperature change and variation in performance among individual scanners.

Sampling circuit and laser scanning microscope


Operating refrigeration systems is described herein. One method includes receiving operating information associated with a refrigeration system, and determining a probability of liquid slugging occurring in the refrigeration system before liquid slugging occurs in the refrigeration system based, at least in part, on the operating information.

Liquid slugging can occur in a refrigeration system (e.g., a commercial refrigeration system) when liquid refrigerant enters a compressor (e.g., a compressor rack) of the system. Liquid slugging can have a number of detrimental effects on a refrigeration system because, for example, liquid is not compressible in a compressor. For example, liquid slugging can decrease compressor performance and/or decrease a service life of a compressor.
Further, liquid slugging can physically damage a compressor. For example, liquid slugging can cause rods in the compressor to break and/or can damage winding insulation of the compressor. Liquid slugging can be especially detrimental to reciprocating compressors because, for example, these types of compressors may be especially sensitive to liquid entry.
The presence of liquid slugging in a refrigeration system can be detected based on, for example, auditory feedback (e.g., a particular noise) emanating from a compressor. However, in such situations, damage to the compressor has already been done by liquid slugging.
Alternatively, liquid slugging can be detected by monitoring refrigerant vapor entering a compressor for the presence of liquid particles. However, such monitoring may use additional instrumentation and/or may lack early warning capability.
Some previous approaches attempt to prevent liquid slugging by overdesigning one or more metrics of the refrigeration system (e.g., by increasing superheat). Overdesign of system metrics may, however, decrease the efficiency and/or increase the cost of the refrigeration system.


A jam-resistant tacker apparatus is invented, comprising a slit for engagement with an upper pin at the upper ends of a plurality of pin guides mounted to a magazine cover and forming a seating recess for receiving the upper pin at a predetermined position of the magazine so that the forward and backward movement range of the pin guides is increased, and by providing a spring having less elasticity than the spring of a pusher at the upper rear ends of the plurality of pin guides so that a tacker pin and the pusher can be guided while remaining in close contact. The present tacker apparatus is able to prevent of the problem of jammed tacker pins, by applying a horizontal elasticity for stably guiding the tacker pin horizontally in addition to an upward elasticity for moving the tacker pin upward.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a jam-resistant tacker apparatus, and more particularly to a tacker apparatus that prevents tacker pins from becoming jammed by guiding a tacker pin and a pusher, which move within a connection area between a magazine and a magazine cover, to tightly contact the magazine without generating a gap.
2. Related Prior Art
As generally known, a tacker, a nailer, a stapler and a pinner are pneumatic machines widely used in the fields of interior and exterior construction, aluminum sash work and so on, to fasten certain materials to each other; for example, wood to wood, wood to plastic, wood to steel, or wood to concrete.
A general tacker apparatus comprises a body including therein a piston and a cylinder, a lid for supplying the piston with air and discharging the air therethrough, a magazine loaded with a nail, a staple, or a pin, a guide for guiding the trajectory of the nail, a safety device for safe operation, a fastening device for loading of the nail, a bracket firmly connecting the magazine to a handle, and a trigger assembly for operating the tacker apparatus.
In such a tacker apparatus, the piston disposed within the body is moved by operating the trigger assembly so that the nail or stapler loaded in the magazine is shot through the guide to penetrate a desired position.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are exploded perspective views illustrating the structures of the magazine and the pin guide members, respectively, constituting a conventional tacker apparatus. FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view showing the magazine of the conventional tacker apparatus, as assembled. FIG. 3 schematically shows pins being guided by the magazine of the conventional tacker apparatus. FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate the principle of loading the magazine with the pins in the conventional tacker apparatus. FIG. 5 is a side view of a pin guide included in the magazine of the conventional tacker apparatus.
Referring to the drawings, a conventional tacker apparatus 2 includes a tacker body 4 with a piston and a cylinder mounted therein, a guide 6 disposed on the front side of the tacker body 4 to seat a staple or a pin and guide its trajectory, and a magazine 10 disposed at a lower part of the guide 6 and containing a plurality of staples or pins.
A handle (not shown) is formed on the lower part of the magazine 10. A trigger assembly 8 is formed at a predetermined position at the joint between the tacker body 4 and the handle.
Here, the magazine 10 includes a magazine body 12 to contain the staples or pins therein, and a magazine cover 18 mounted to a front side of the magazine body 12 such that it can slide in a vertical direction to allow loading of the staples or pins.
A sliding surface 14 is formed at a front side of the magazine body 12 for a tacker pin 56 to move along. At one side of the sliding surface 14, a prominent surface 16 having a high frictional resistance is attached to cope with friction generated from sliding of the magazine cover 18.
The magazine cover 18 is connected to the magazine body 12 such that it can slide in a vertical direction. The magazine cover 18 includes a cover body 20 having a plurality of grooves on the front side thereof, including: a first pusher linkage guiding groove 22 formed horizontally on one side, a first pin guide inserting groove 26, a second and third pin guide inserting groove 28, a second pusher linkage guiding groove 24, and a prominent surface inserting groove 30. Those grooves are formed in the above order all in a longitudinal direction of the magazine cover 18. Additionally, a pusher contacting surface 32 is formed on the front side of the magazine cover 18, facing the sliding surface 14.
First and second pusher linkages 36 and 38 are inserted and guided in the first pusher linkage guiding groove 22 and the second pusher linkage guiding groove 24, and equipped with connection holes 36a and 38a on the front sides thereof, respectively. A connection piece 54 of a pusher 52 is inserted into the connection holes 36a and 38a. A spring 40 is connected to a lower end of the first and second pusher linkages 36 and 38.
The pusher 52 is formed by a square metal piece and includes a connection piece 54 on a rear surface thereof. The connection piece 54 is bent perpendicular to the pusher 52 and engaged with the connection holes 36a and 38a of the first and second pusher linkages 36 and 38. Therefore, the pusher 52 is actuated by the force of the spring 40, and pushes the tacker pin 56 disposed at an upper end thereof up toward the guide 6.
First to third pin guides 42, 44 and 46 are inserted correspondingly in the first pin guide inserting groove 26 and the second and third pin guide inserting groove 28. In order to securely fix the first to third pin guides 42, 44 and 46, which are made of a thin metal plate, into the first pin guide inserting groove 26 and the second and third pin guide inserting groove 28, a plurality of spacers 48 are attached to the flanks of the first to third pin guides 42, 44 and 46.
The tacker pin 56 of the pusher 52 moves through a gap A formed in a connection area between the magazine 10 and the magazine cover 18. Therefore, the first to third pin guides 42, 44 and 46 are configured so that the pusher 52 is capable of efficiently pushing up the tacker pin 56, by optimally maintaining the gap A.
In addition, pin connection holes are formed at upper and lower ends of the first to third pin guides 42, 44 and 46. An upper pin 34 and a lower pin 50 are connected respectively through the upper and lower pin connection holes, thereby fixing the first to third pin guides 42, 44 and 46 to the magazine cover 18.
In the magazine 10 of the conventional tacker apparatus 2, if the first to third pin guides 42, 44 and 46 connected to the magazine cover 18 protrude too much toward the magazine 10, the tacker pin 56 and the pusher 52 become jammed and unable to move through the gap A between the magazine 10 and the magazine cover 18. Therefore, the first to third pin guides 42, 44 and 46 are configured not to protrude by more than a certain length from the magazine cover 18.
However, when the gap A between the magazine 10 and the magazine cover 18 is formed to exceed a proper size for the above reason, a jam between a tacker pin group 56a and another tacker pin group 56b may be induced.
More specifically, the tacker pins 56 used in the tacker apparatus 2 are supplied in the form of a tacker pin group formed by engraving uneven lines on a metal piece. Generally, in the same manner as staples, the tacker pins 56 are cut by group and loaded into the magazine 10. However, although the tacker pin group 56a disposed at an upper part is supported by the tacker pin group 56b disposed at a lower part as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the upper and lower tacker pin groups 56a and 56b are apt to jam against each other because the gap A of the conventional tacker apparatus 2 is excessively large compared to the thickness of the tacker pin 56 and the pusher 52.
Especially in the case where the tacker pin groups 56a and 56b are moved to the upper end of the magazine 10 by the pusher 52, when a striking blade 60 moving horizontally to the guide 6 strikes the rear end of the upper tacker pin group 56a, the striking force is focused on the rear end. Therefore, the front side of the upper tacker pin group 56a is bent downward by a predetermined angle, thereby often generating a jam with the lower tacker pin group 56b.
The first to third pin guides 42, 44 and 46 mounted to the magazine 10 of the conventional tacker apparatus 2 are in tight contact with the magazine body 12, keeping a small gap with the magazine body 12 so as to be pushed smoothly upward by the pusher 52. However, when the upper front ends of the first to third pin guides 42, 44 and 46 are vertically formed, the last tacker pin 56 cannot correctly reach a striking position.
Accordingly, in order to shoot the last individual tacker pin 56, a corner-R processing (b) should be performed on the upper front ends of the first to third pin guides 42, 44 and 46.


A power transistor device includes a substrate arrangement defined by a collector region, a base region provided within the collector region, an elongated resistor region provided within the base region and located at about center thereof, and first and second emitter regions provided within the base region located equidistantly and on opposite sides of the resistor region. A first electrode segment is provided having one end thereof connected to the first emitter region and other end thereof connected to one end portion of the resistor region, a second electrode segment having one end thereof connected to the second emitter region and other end thereof connected to other end portion of the resistor region, and a median electrode segment provided at middle of the resistor region for providing the same amount of predetermined resistances between the first electrode and the median electrode and between the second electrode and the median electrode, the median electrode being used for an output of the first and second emitter regions through the predetermined resistances, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power transistor device which has a high secondary breakdown strength, and also to a substrate arrangement for such as power transistor device, and a method for making the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When a transistor is used with its emitter grounded, a secondary breakdown will take place if a reverse direction voltage between the collector and emitter increases. The secondary breakdown is mainly due to the thermal unstableness in the lateral direction which causes electric current concentration locally in the unstable area, resulting in the breakage of the transistor. One method to increase the stable operating range (ASO) of the power transistor is to divide the emitter portion into a number of sections to equally divide the emitter current, and connect an emitter stabilizing resistor to each divided emitter section. If the emitter current through a particular section should abnormally increase, the voltage drop across the emitter stabilizing resistor produces a negative feed back current, thereby preventing the local concentration of the emitter current. Such a method and arrangement is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-13383 issued Mar. 27, 1981.
A typical example of a prior art power transistor is shown in FIG. 8 in which reference number 1 is an N.sup.+ type collector region, 2 is an opening for connecting the collector region 2, 3 is a P type base region, 4 is an opening for connecting the base, 5 is an N.sup.+ type emitter region, 6 is an emitter connecting region, 7 is an opening for connecting the emitter, 8 is a resistor region for providing the emitter stabilizing resistor 9 which usually has about 1 to several ohms.
However, according to the arrangement shown in FIG. 8, a distance between two neighboring emitter contact regions 6 is rather long, and thus there will be produced non-contributing area on the surface of the base region 3. Thus, when the arrangement shown in FIG. 8 is employed, it is difficult to reduce the size thereof.
Furthermore, if the resistance of the emitter stabilizing resistor is made large, the secondary breakdown can be avoided, but such a transistor will result in a low efficiency, i.e., narrowing the dynamic range of the transistor. On the other hand, if the resistance of the emitter stabilizing resistor is made small, the operating range of the negative feedback effected by the negative temperature coefficient characteristics of the resistor region 8 will be narrowed.
In light of the above, in order to optimize the arrangement of the power transistor device, the resistance of the emitter stabilizing resistors should be made as small as possible, and as uniform as possible.
However, according to the prior art arrangement shown in FIG. 4, since the resistor region 8, emitter region 5 and the emitter contact region 6 are provided in the same diffusion layer, the change of the width W of the resistor region 8 will eventually change the length L thereof. Thus, the emitter stabilizing resistor 9 varies greatly, thus making it difficult to reduce the resistance of such a resistor.

Power transistor device and method for making the same