Methods and systems are provided for detecting cylinder-to-cylinder air-fuel ratio (AFR) imbalance in engine cylinders. In one example, a method may include detecting an AFR imbalance of an engine cylinder based on an individual crankshaft acceleration of the cylinder relative to a mean crankshaft acceleration produced by all cylinders of the engine, and correcting a fuel amount of the cylinder via a fuel multiplier value, the fuel multiplier value selected from a plurality of fuel multiplier values based on an imbalance source. In this way, the AFR imbalance may be accurately detected and correcting using existing engine system sensors.

Engine emissions compliance includes detection of air-fuel ratio (AFR) imbalances across engine cylinders. An AFR imbalance may occur when the AFR in one or more engine cylinders is different than the other engine cylinders. For example, cylinder AFR imbalances may occur due to variation in the size and shape of air passages coupled to each cylinder, intake manifold leakage, fuel flow variability of fuel injectors coupled to each cylinder, uneven exhaust gas recirculation distribution across cylinders, and uneven purge distribution across cylinders. In addition to degrading emissions, cylinder-to-cylinder AFR imbalances may result in torque disturbances that reduce engine performance and vehicle drivability.
One example approach for detecting cylinder-to-cylinder AFR imbalances is shown by Behr et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 7,802,563. Therein, an AFR imbalance is identified based on a response of a universal exhaust gas oxygen (UEGO) sensor at frequencies that are at or above a firing frequency of the cylinders during selected operating conditions. Specifically, when the engine is not operating under transient conditions, imbalance is identified if the integration of high frequency differential signals detected by the UEGO sensor is higher than a threshold. Still other approaches for AFR imbalance detection involve detecting AFR imbalance based on an exhaust manifold pressure estimated by a pressure sensor and/or individual cylinder torque outputs estimated by a crankshaft torque sensor.
However, the inventors herein have recognized potential issues with such systems. As one example, when using exhaust gas sensors as in the approach of Behr, there may be conditions where cylinder-to-cylinder AFR imbalance is not detected due to insufficient mixing of exhaust gas at the exhaust gas sensor. Further, the exhaust gas sensor may not be able to reliably detect cylinder-to-cylinder AFR imbalance during an engine cold-start condition due to insufficient warm-up of the exhaust gas sensor. As another example, when using exhaust manifold pressure to detect AFR imbalance, the detection may be affected by the distance between the pressure sensor and the cylinder. With increased distance, exhaust gas from other cylinders is more likely to mix with the exhaust gas from the cylinder being evaluated. As such, the reliability these approaches may vary based on operating conditions, and any resulting adjustments from the unreliable AFR imbalance detections may result in further AFR imbalances and torque disturbances. Additionally, individual cylinder torque measurements for AFR imbalance detection relies upon measurements from crankshaft torque sensors, which may not be included in every engine system.
In one example, the issues described above may be addressed by a method comprising indicating an air-fuel ratio (AFR) imbalance of a cylinder of a multi-cylinder engine based on a first crankshaft acceleration produced by the cylinder relative to a first mean crankshaft acceleration produced by all cylinders of the engine, and in response to the AFR imbalance, adjusting a fuel amount of the cylinder via a fuel multiplier, the fuel multiplier selected from a plurality of fuel multipliers based on an imbalance source. In this way, the AFR imbalance may be accurately identified non-intrusively using existing vehicle hardware and corrected via adjusting fueling to the imbalanced cylinder.
As one example, the imbalance source may include one or more imbalance sources, including one or more of nominal imbalance, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) imbalance, and purge imbalance. For example, EGR imbalance may occur when EGR is provided due to uneven EGR distribution between cylinders, purge imbalance may occur when fuel vapors are purged from a fuel vapor storage canister due to uneven purge distribution between cylinders, and nominal imbalance may occur due to different sizes/shapes of air passages to each cylinder and/or fuel injector variation. Therefore, when more than one imbalance source is present, fuel multipliers associated with each imbalance source may be combined. Further, the crankshaft acceleration of each cylinder may be determined based on data received from a crankshaft position sensor during a calibrated window (e.g., a crank angle window).
As another example, the imbalanced cylinder may be assumed rich relative to the other cylinders of the engine responsive to the first crankshaft acceleration produced by the cylinder being at least a first threshold greater than the first mean crankshaft acceleration. Accordingly, the fuel multiplier may decrease the fuel amount of the imbalanced cylinder relative to the other cylinders. Conversely, the imbalanced cylinder may be assumed lean relative to the other cylinders of the engine responsive to the first crankshaft acceleration produced by the imbalanced cylinder being at least the first threshold less than the first mean crankshaft acceleration, and the fuel multiplier may increase the fuel amount of the imbalanced cylinder relative to the other cylinders by a corresponding amount.
As still another example, after adjusting the fuel amount of the imbalanced cylinder via the fuel multiplier, the crankshaft acceleration produced by each cylinder may be re-assessed. For example, a second crankshaft acceleration produced by the imbalanced cylinder may be compared to a second mean crankshaft acceleration produced by all cylinders of the engine, and responsive to the second crankshaft acceleration being greater than a second threshold from the second mean crankshaft acceleration, the fuel multiplier may be adjusted to further adjust the fuel amount of the imbalanced cylinder. Responsive to the second crankshaft acceleration being less than the second threshold from the second mean crankshaft acceleration, final balance adjustments may be made via spark timing adjustments. For example, the spark timing of the imbalanced cylinder may be advanced or retarded relative to the other cylinders in order to bring the acceleration of the imbalanced cylinder to the mean acceleration (e.g., within the first threshold from the mean acceleration), thereby mitigating the AFR imbalance.
By using existing engine sensors, such as the crankshaft position sensor, it is possible to identify one or more distinct engine cylinders with an AFR imbalance without adding cost or complexity of additional sensors. By comparing accelerations amongst cylinders, it is possible to determine cylinder AFR imbalances non-intrusively and with robust accuracy across engine operating conditions, including when EGR and purge are present. Additionally, such diagnostics may be carried out during cold start conditions prior to UEGO warm-up, and varying cylinder responses caused by distant measuring locations may be averted. By accurately identifying and correcting cylinder AFR imbalances, vehicle emissions may be reduced while engine smoothness may be increased, thereby increasing customer satisfaction.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Method and system for balancing cylinder air-fuel ratio


The present invention provides an improved thin film write head and method of fabrication capable of providing an ultra-short yoke and/or an ultra-low conductor winding stack. The present invention reduces yoke length and stack height by forming the conductor winding in a trench etched from an insulation layer, preferably formed of an inorganic insulation material. A thin resist mask is used to define the width of the trench while the etch process defines the depth. Preferably, the insulation layer is formed on a different inorganic insulation material to control the etch process, thus, the conductor winding may be formed on the underlying layer. The conductor winding preferably is formed by depositing conductor material so that it fills the trench and then planarizing, such as by chemical mechanical polish, to remove conductor material deposited outside the trench. An organic insulation layer, such as cured photoresist, may be deposited on the planarized surface of the conductor winding to insulate it from an overlying yoke. This overlying organic insulation layer may also define the apex angle of the head. The present invention may have multiple layers of conductor winding. The subsequent layers of conductor may be formed similar to the first layer, or may be formed with conventional photoresist processes and structures. The present invention may utilize any known pole structure or material.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of thin film write heads.
2. Background Art
Data is stored on magnetic media by writing on the magnetic media using a write head. Magnetic media can be formed in any number of ways, such as tape, floppy diskette, and hard disk. Writing involves storing a data bit by utilizing magnetic flux to set the magnetic moment of a particular area on the magnetic media. The state of the magnetic moment is later read, using a read head, to retrieve the stored information.
Data density is determined by the amount of data stored on an area of magnetic media and depends on how much area must be allocated to each bit. Data on magnetic media is often stored in a line or track. Magnetic media often have multiple tracks. In the case of the disk, the tracks are nested annular rings. More bits per ring and more rings per disk increases data density. Data density, therefore, is determined not only by the bit length, but also by the width of the bit which determines the track width. To decrease bit size, head size is decreased by fabricating thin film read and write heads with smaller track widths. Thin film heads commonly employ separate write and read heads.
Typically write heads do not contact the magnetic media but instead are separated from the magnetic media by a layer of air is or air bearing. Magnetic flux generated between poles of the write head acts across the air bearing to change the magnetic moment of an area on the magnetic media.
Thin film write heads are typically formed by depositing and etching layers of magnetic, non-magnetic, dielectric, and electrically conductive materials to form the structures of the head, such as a core, a conductor winding, and upper and lower pole structures.
The rate or frequency that data is stored to the media is an important measure of the operational performance of the write head. One way to improve the operating frequency of the write head is to reduce the length of the pole structures, such as the yoke, to decrease the head inductance and the magnetic flux rise time. The operating frequency is determined, in part, by the structure of the write head and the materials used. The efficiency of the write head is also increased by reducing the yoke length.
Typical conductor windings of write heads are formed by first depositing a seed layer on a cured photoresist layer. To form the conductor winding, a photoresist pattern is formed on the seed layer by depositing photoresist on the seed layer, exposing to light through a photo mask, and removing a portion to form a trench extending to the seed layer. The trench define the placement and dimensions of the conductor that forms the winding. The conductor winding typically is deposited by electroplating with copper to form the conductor winding within the trench on the exposed seed layer.
After forming the conductor winding, the photoresist pattern is stripped, and a wet chemistry etch is used to remove the remaining copper seed layer. As the seed layer typically is removed by wet chemistry etch, part of the winding conductor material is also etched away. The winding is surrounded with photoresist, which is cured to form an organic dielectric insulation.
Additional conductor windings typically are formed over the above described winding in a similar fashion, and electrically connected to it to form a multi-layered conductor winding.
One problem with the above process is that it limits the minimum dimension of the winding. The distance between corresponding edges of successive conductor turns, referred to as the pitch, and the height of the conductor is limited by photolithographic techniques. As such the height to width ratio or aspect ratio of the conductor is usually less than about 1.5. In addition, the minimum width of the photoresist defining the trench typically is greater than about 0.4 microns.
Another drawback of the above process and structure is that it produces a coil structure with a high overall stack height. Because the pitch is limited and the total length of the coil winding is relatively long, the conductors are often formed having greater height to provide sufficient cross sectional area in order to achieve sufficiently low coil resistance. In addition, a second or even a third winding layer often is formed to increase the number of coil turns without drastically increasing the yoke length to improve the operation of the winding. Also, because cured photoresist is difficult to form in extremely thin layers, the cured photoresist insulation typically formed under the conductor winding significantly increases the overall stack height.
High stack height makes it difficult to control the width of the upper or P2 pole tip in certain write head designs, thus leading to increased track width sigma. The increased stack height can cause problems with focusing and scattering during the exposure process, as well as problems of shadowing during pole trim process.
In addition, high stack height can cause reliability problems, such as cracking of the magnetic yoke material at the apex, or on the sloped surface between the top of the stack and the pole tip. Also, the steep slope associated with the high stack height causes the magnetic properties of the yoke material to degrade.
Furthermore, thermal stability is a problem with the structure described above. There is a large thermal expansion mismatch between the metal and the surrounding cured photoresist. The coefficient of expansion of the cured photoresist xcex1resist is greater than or equal to about 10 times the coefficient of expansion of the conductor xcex1metal. This can cause separation of yoke from the underlying insulation when the head is heated to higher temperature during manufacture, or operatation.
The present invention provides an improved thin film write head and method of fabrication. The structure and method of the fabrication allow for an ultra-short yoke and/or an ultra-low stack height.
The present invention reduces yoke length and stack height by forming the conductor winding in trench etched from an insulation layer. With the preferred embodiment, the insulation layer is formed of an inorganic material which is etched using a resist mask to define the width of the trench. Preferably, the insulation layer is formed on planarize layer formed of a different inorganic insulation material. The inorganic materials should be selected so that the etching process may be stopped, or slowed, at the underlying planarized layer.
In the preferred embodiment, the conductor winding is formed on the underlying planarized layer by depositing conductor material so that it fills the trench. Conductor material deposited outside the trench is removed by planarization, such as by chemical mechanical polish, to form the conductor winding. An insulation layer, either organic such as cured photoresist, or inorganic such as Al2O3 or SiO2, may be deposited on the planarized surface of the conductor winding to insulate it from an overlying yoke. The overlying insulation layer may also define the apex angle of the head.
The present invention may have multiple layers of conductor winding. The subsequent layers of conductor may be formed similar to the first layer, or may be formed with conventional photoresist processes and structures.
The present invention is capable of being formed with any known pole structure. For example, embodiments of the present invention may employ pedestal pole tips that are integrally formed, or separately, formed from the yoke, or pole structures. Furthermore, the conductor winding may be formed on a middle coat, a write gap layer, a sub-write gap layer, or other suitable layer.
The present invention allows coil pitch to be reduced. The aspect ratio of the trench and of the insulation between the turns is not limited as in the conventional photolithographic process. With the present invention, the photoresist mask is used to define the width of the trench and distance between the turns of the trench, while the etch process defines the depth of the trench. As such, the turns of the conductor winding may be formed closer together and with higher aspect ratio.
For example, the preferred embodiment and method of fabrication allows a coil pitchxe2x89xa62 microns, and even as small as 0.4 microns. In addition, the conductor width may be as small as 0.18 microns, and turn spacing as small as about 0.1 microns. Furthermore, coil height/width ratio may be as high as 8:1.
The improved aspect ratio allows more turns in a single layer of winding. As such, in some applications a second layer of conductor winding may be unnecessary, thus reducing the stack height. Reducing the stack height also reduces the length of the yoke and thus reduces the flux path length through the yoke.
Also, the present invention allows the coil pitch to be reduced by reducing the spacing between winding turns, or by producing a higher aspect ratio conductor. Thus, the yoke length from the air bearing surface may be reduced.
With the preferred embodiment, stack height may also be reduced by eliminating the organic insulation layer typically found below the conductor winding. In addition, as inorganic insulation layers may be deposited thinner than organic insulation, the preferred embodiment and method of fabrication allows for reduced stack height.
Yet another advantage of the structure and method of the present invention, is that it allows for a reduced number of curing cycles. Typically, multiple resist layers are cured to form organic insulation. With the preferred embodiment, only one curing bake is used to effect insulation of the conductor winding. Limited exposure to curing heat improves yields and reliability.
A further advantage of the structure of the preferred embodiment is that the conductor winding is formed adjacent to inorganic material. The inorganic material provides improved heat dissipation over organic insulation so limits temperatures, thus improving the reliability of the head.

Ultra-short yoke and ultra-low stack height writer and method of fabrication


An absorbent dressing comprising, a transparent backing sheet having a relatively high water vapor permeability, a front sheet having a pressure sensitive adhesive on a front surface thereof for facing a wound with the front sheet and adhesive having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, and an absorbent layer intermediate the front sheet and backing sheet having a plurality of openings in register with the apertures of the front sheet, with the openings of the layer being at least as large as the apertures of the front sheet.

The present invention relates to absorbent dressings.
In the past, adhesive coated elastomer film dressings permeable to water vapor for application over a wound of a patient have been known. However, such dressings do not have the attribute of holding and sequestering wound fluid, and they may be adherent to the wound which may disrupt the wound upon removal of the dressing. Also, such dressings do not dissipate fluid that the wound produces, and the seal of the dressing to the skin surrounding the wound may be underminded by the fluid production.
Various dressings or articles are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,499,896, 797,094, 4,592,751, 2,807,262, 4,173,046, and 3,994,299, incorporated herein by reference.


The present invention discloses a method for building, defining, and storing features in an application neutral format comprising building a feature based on a feature class, wherein the feature class comprises feature geometry, feature constraints, and feature dimensions, defining the built feature as a geometric representation of an individual feature type, and storing the representation in a binary file format.

There have been various attempts to create an intermediate file format for the exchange of feature data or graphical information between systems (such as Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems) and products. A native file format is typically associated with each CAD system, some of which are complex, do not always translate accurately to other CAD systems, and only transfer graphical information. Therefore, there is a need overcome such limitations and to create an intermediate file format that can represent a feature-based 3D model as well as a simple representation of the graphical information for use in multiple applications.
Several companies offer some version of homogeneous collaboration within their products. Such functionality allows users to share models in the native format of the CAD system for design changes. In the homogeneous environment, several conventional techniques are used today. These include using streaming technology to stream large size models between users, redlining and markup using viewers that do not display intelligence in the model (such as features and their associated parameters), or propagating design commands to users. A limitation of such conventional products, however, is the lack of collaboration in a heterogeneous CAD environment.
In order to currently achieve true collaboration between designers, an entire model is transferred between users in real-time. Such a procedure can be very inefficient and slow for large CAD models and assemblies. Hence, there is a further need for a methodology that will propagate only design changes to the collaborators that are concise and easily deliverable over various networks (such as, for example, narrowband networks). This obviates the transfer of entire models between users or manually recreating the design changes at each collaboration node.
Companies have traditionally accumulated large amounts of legacy data as 2D drawings and most new designs are currently modifications to legacy designs that are only available in 2D drawings. Certain conventional solutions can semi-automatically convert simple 2D drawings to 3D models. However, the 3D models generated by these systems are "dumb" geometric models that cannot be edited easily. Certain products available for 2D to 3D conversion create 3D solid models of simple prismatic parts within software that is automated only for the simplest of parts with other more complex parts having to be interactively modeled. Other products also convert simple drawings to 3D models using an intuitive modeling approach whose generated models are not true parametric models. As such, they lack constraints and dimensions and do not represent design intent well. Other products create 3D solid models using a completely manual approach. Although these 3D models are parametric and feature-based, the class of features handled is typically limited to extrusion joins and cuts.
As such, what is also need is a system and method for easily and cost effectively converting 2D drawings to usable 3D models, and generating intelligent 3D parametric and feature-based models. These improvements would allow designers to easily modify the models in the CAD system of their choice. There is also a need to convert older designs to 3D models to for archiving purposes or to manufacture spare parts when users or systems cannot use the 2D data.
It is therefore desirable for the present invention to overcome the limitations and problems described above that are involved with creating and updating a 3D model and creating a related neutral file format.

System and method for creating and updating a three-dimensional model and creating a related neutral file format


An apparatus and a method are disclosed. The apparatus includes: a display panel having a length, a width and a depth; and a film including a first portion, extending along a surface of the display panel defined by the length and the width, and a second portion, extending at least partially along the depth, coupled to an electronic device housing.

Many electronic devices comprise a display arrangement comprising an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display panel or a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel. A compact display arrangement that requires only a minimal border around its perimeter advantageously enables the display panel to encompass more of the front face of an electronic device.


This invention relates to the field of agriculture, more specifically to the use of molecular biology techniques to alter fiber-producing plants, particularly cotton plants, and/or accelerate breeding of such fiber-producing plants. Methods and means are provided to alter fiber qualities, such as increasing fiber strength. Methods are also provided to identify molecular markers associated with fiber strength in a population of cotton varieties and related progenitor plants.

Cotton provides much of the high quality fiber for the textile industry. The modification of cotton fiber characteristics to better suit the requirements of the industry is a major effort in breeding by either classical methods or by genetically altering the genome of cotton plants.
About 90% of cotton grown worldwide is Gossypium hirsutum L., whereas Gossypium barbadense accounts for about 8%. As in most flowering plants, cotton genomes are thought to have incurred one or more polyploidization events and to have evolved by the joining of divergent genomes in a common nucleus. The cotton commerce is dominated by improved forms of two "AD" allotetraploid species, Gossypium hirsutum L. and Gossypium barbadense L (both 2n=4x=52). Allotetraploid cottons are thought to have formed about 1-2 million years ago, in the New World, by hybridization between a maternal Old World "A" genome taxon resembling Gossypium herbaceum (2n=2x=26) and paternal New World "D" genome taxon resembling Gossypium raimondii or Gossypium gossypioides (both 2n=2x=26). Wild A genome diploid and AD allotetraploid Gossypium taxa produce spinnable fibers. One A genome diploid species, Gossypium arboreum (2n=2x=26), remains intensively bred and cultivated in Asia. Its close relative and possible Gossypium progenitor, the A genome diploid species G. herbaceum, also produces spinnable fiber. Although the seeds of D genome diploids are pubescent, none produce spinnable fibers. No taxa from the other recognized diploid Gossypium genomes (B, C, E, F, G and K) have been domesticated. Intense directional selection by humans has consistently produced AD allotetraploid cottons that have superior yield and/or quality characteristics compared to the A genome diploid cultivars. Selective breeding of G. hirsutum (AADD; "Upland" cotton) has emphasized maximum yield, whereas G. barbadense (AADD; "Sea Island", "Pima", or "Egyptian" cotton) is prized for its fibers of superior length, strength, and fineness (Jiang et al., 1998, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 95(8): 4419-4424).
A cotton fiber is a single cell that initiates from the epidermis of the outer integument of the ovules, at or just prior to anthesis. Thereafter, the fibers elongate rapidly for about 3 weeks before they switch to intensive secondary cell wall cellulose synthesis. Fiber cells interconnect only to the underlying seed coat at their basal ends and influx of solute, water and other molecules occurs through either plasmodesmata or plasma membrane. Ruan et al. 2001 (Plant Cell 13: 47-63) demonstrated a transient closure of plasmodesmata during fiber elongation. Ruan et al. 2004 (Plant Physiology 136: 4104-4113) compared the duration of plasmodesmata closure among different cotton genotypes differing in fiber length and found a positive correlation between the duration of the plasmodesmata closure and fiber length. Furthermore, microscopic evidence was presented showing callose deposition and degradation at the fiber base, correlating with the timing of plasmodesmata closure and reopening. Expression of a endo-1,3-beta-glucanase gene in the fibers, allowing to degrade callose, correlated with the reopening of the plasmodesmata at the fiber base.
WO2005/017157 describes methods and means for modulating fiber length in fiber producing plants such as cotton by altering the fiber elongation phase. The fiber elongation phase may be increased or decreased by interfering with callose deposition in plasmodesmata at the base of the fiber cells.
WO2008/083969 (claiming priority of European patent application EP 07000550) discloses isolated DNA molecules comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding cotton endo-1,3-beta-glucanases and fiber cell preferential promoter or promoter regions, as well as methods for modifying the length of a fiber of a cotton plant using these sequences or promoters. WO2008/083969 also describes that the timing of expression of the A and D subgenome specific alleles of the fiber specific endo-1,3-beta-glucanase gene in Gossypium hirsutum is different. Whereas the onset of the expression of the D subgenome specific allele correlates with the end of the rapid elongation phase (about 14 to 17 days post-anthesis, hereinafter abbreviated "DPA"), onset of the expression of the A subgenome specific allele is delayed until the beginning of the late fiber maturation phase (about 35-40 DPA) depending on growth conditions.
One fiber characteristic that is of special interest for the cotton industry is fiber strength. There is not only a high correlation between fiber strength and yarn strength, but also cotton with high fiber strength is more likely to withstand breakage during the manufacturing process.
Fiber strength is, among many other textile properties of cotton fibers (e.g., fiber wall thickness or maturity, dyeability, extensibility . . . ), described to be directly dependent on the amount and properties (e.g., degree of polymerization, crystallite size, and microfibril orientation) of cellulose (Ramey, 1986, In: Mauney J. R. and Stewart J. McD. (eds.) Cotton Physiology. The Cotton Foundation, Memphis, Tenn., pp. 351-360; Triplett, 1993, In: Cellulosics: Pulp, Fibre, and Environmental Aspects. Ellis Horwood, Chichester, UK, pp. 135-140; Hsieh, 1999, In: Basra A. S. (ed.) Cotton Fibers: Developmental Biology, Quality Improvement, and Textile Processing. The Haworth Press, New York, pp. 137-166). Advances in the past decade, particularly using the model plant Arabidopsis (Arioli et al., 1998, Science 279(5351): 717-720), have led to a great increase in the knowledge of the proteins involved in cellulose synthesis. Despite this, there is still much to learn about cellulose synthesis, especially about how it is regulated at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels (Taylor, 2008, New Phytologist 178 (2), 239-252).
Typical primary fiber cell walls in G. hirsutum, which are about 0.5 μM thick and contain 20-25% cellulose along with pectin, xyloglucan, and protein (Meinert and Delmer 1977, Plant Physiol 59:1088-1097), are synthesized during fiber elongation (Haigler, 2007, In: R. M. Brown, Jr. and I. M. Saxena (eds.), Cellulose: Molecular and Structural Biology, 147-168, Springer). Primary wall deposition proceeds alone until 14-17 DPA, then a transition phase with concurrent primary and secondary wall deposition occurs between 15-24 DPA (representing deposition of the "winding layer"), followed by predominantly secondary wall synthesis until at least 40 DPA. The first period of wall thickening (12-16 DPA) is accomplished by continued synthesis in the same proportions of primary wall components (Meinert and Delmer, 1977, supra), an observation that is consistent with increasing wall birefringence while the cellulose microfibrils remain transversely oriented (Seagull, 1986, Can J Bot 64:1373-1381). The secondary wall finally attains a thickness of 3-6 μM around the whole circumference of the fiber, becoming thinner only at the fiber tip. In G. barbadense, there is an overlap between primary and secondary wall deposition within each fiber rather than in the fiber population because the overlapping period is greatly prolonged, and 90% of secondary wall deposition is complete before elongation ceases (DeLanghe, 1986, In: Mauney J. R. and Stewart J. McD. (eds.) cotton Physiology. The Cotton Foundation, Memphis, Tenn., pp. 325-350). It is thought that elongation continues exclusively at the fiber tip as secondary wall is deposited over most of the cell surface.
Maltby et al. (1979, Plant Physiol. 63, 1158-1164) describe that developing fibers of Gossypium hirsutum transiently synthesize 1,3-beta-D-glucan (callose) at the onset of secondary wall deposition followed by massive synthesis of cellulose. Meier et al. (1981, Nature 289: 821-822) describe that callose may be a probable intermediate in biosynthesis of cellulose of cotton fibers. DeLanghe (1986, supra) describes that callose may be required in cotton fiber secondary walls to provide a space for the crystallization and final orientation of cellulose microfibrils in the exoplasmic zone in the absence of typical matrix molecules.
The inventions described hereinafter in the different embodiments, examples, figures and claims provide improved methods and means for modulating fiber strength. More specifically, the present invention describes how to increase fiber strength and at the same time maintain a high fiber yield in plants. In particular, the invention describes how to increase fiber strength in cotton species selected for high yield, such as Gossypium hirsutum, by introgression of fiber strength determining genes from other cotton species selected for high fiber strength, such as Gossypium barbadense. Methods are also provided to identify molecular markers associated with fiber strength in a population of cotton varieties and related progenitor plants. The inventions described hereinafter also provide novel nucleic acid molecules encoding fiber-specific Gossypium glucanase proteins (GLUC1.1) and the proteins as such.


There is provided a high efficient gas separation membrane of two or more layers, which comprises a separating layer of 3-dimensional nanostructure and a supporting layer, wherein the 3-dimensional nanostructure can maximize a surface area per unit permeation area.

The gas separation membrane has been utilized in various processes, which are deemed industrially important, such as air separation, separation of carbon dioxide from a natural gas, separation of nitrogen or hydrocarbon and hydrogen in petrochemistry process and the like. The gas separation membrane achieves the necessary selectivity that allows for separation of a desired gas and high permeability.
However, a membrane generally shows so-called trade-off phenomenon with respect to the selectivity and the permeability. That is, the membrane having the high selectivity shows low permeability, while the membrane having the high permeability shows low selectivity (Moaddeb Maryam et al., J. Membrane Sci., 1997, 125, 144).
Although many researchers have investigated various new materials to develop the highly efficient gas separation membrane that overcomes such trade-off phenomenon, there has been no discovery of such membranes so far (Pratibha Pandey, R. S. Chauha, Progress in Polymer Science, Vol. 26, Issue 6, 2001, 857).
An asymmetric membrane, which has a minimal thickness capable of maintaining its mechanical strength, was developed to prepare such highly efficient membrane on the basis that the permeation rate of gas is inversely proportional to the thickness of the membrane (H. Strathmann, K. Knock, P. Amar and R. W. Baker. Desalination 16 (1975), p. 179). Thereafter, more improved asymmetric membranes were developed. Although the permeation rate was increased, such asymmetric membranes, however, were deficient in that they contain pinholes that cause much pressure loss and decrease of selectivity.
Further, there has been developed a method that increases the gas permeation due to the increase of the permeation area, wherein a hollow fiber membrane is made in a form of bundle and both ends thereof are fixed with a thermosetting resin, such as epoxy resin or a hot melt thermoplastic resin, to fabricate the membrane as a membrane module (Membrane Separations Technology, Principles and Applications, Elsevier, 1995, pp. 467-498). The module has the increased permeation rate, but has the lower separation selectivity. Thus, it is difficult to achieve the module having a lightweight and small size. Furthermore, the module is disadvantageous since the fed gas has to be purified in advance.

Efficient 3-D nanostructured gas separation membranes

Korea Institute of Science and Technology


A fluid connector including pluggable elements, for example in the form of connector pins or connector sockets that are supported so as to be movable in a direction transverse to a joining direction. Resilient element may be disposed for pre-specifying a rest position of the corresponding pluggable elements.

In the practice of medicine, many instruments are used that require different fluid (i.e. gaseous or liquid) media, for example, compressed gases, water, or the like. In order to supply the fluid to the instruments, the instruments are connected by way of a fluid connector to an appropriate medical apparatus that provides the fluids in the desired state and in the desired quantity. In doing so, the fluids may be under considerable pressure, which is the case in cryosurgical applications. In a still relatively simple case, the appropriately pressurized cryogenic fluid must be supplied to the instrument, and the depressurized cryogenic fluid must be carried away. To accomplish this, two separate fluid lines are required. In many cases, a third fluid line for the additional return of the cryogenic fluid is required, for example when the freezing process was interrupted and the thawing process is to be accelerated. In this case, it is possible to add additional fluid lines for fluids that are required for the treatment process.

Fluid connector component comprising several pluggable elements


Embodiments of an apparatus and methods for transmission of timing and synchronization information for mobile WiMAX systems are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Mobile Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) is a broadband wireless technology for fixed and mobile broadband networks to enable broadband data services including data, streaming video, and voice. The robustness to severe interference and fast detection of the synchronization channel or synchronization preamble is crucial to fast cell selection, system timing and frequency acquisition cell coverage, and cell edge performance, as well as scan latency for the mobile stations. The preamble is used for timing and carrier synchronization and should have a sufficient number of distinct codes so that neighboring base stations have a unique preamble.
Mobile WiMAX systems may operate in accordance with standards such as the Institute for Electronic and Electrical Engineers (IEEE) 802.16e-2005 standard, "Air Interface for Fixed and Mobile Broadband Wireless Access Systems," (February, 2005) and, its evolution, the IEEE 802.16m standard, "Advanced Air Interface." In 802.16m, there are two advanced preambles: a primary advanced preamble (PA-Preamble) and a secondary advanced preamble (SA-preamble).

Transmission of preamble code for mobile WiMAX systems


An automatic and consecutive clay target firing structure includes two driving sources to drive respectively a rotary mechanism and clay targets to rotate, a target feeding unit located on the rotary mechanism having two target barrels located on two sides for housing a plurality of the clay targets, a lifting unit located in the center of the rotary mechanism movable upwards to enable one of the driving sources to couple with the clay target, and a control unit located outside the target feeding unit and transversely connected to the target feeding unit to control flying of the clay targets, and connected through a trigger unit through a circuit so that the clay targets may be fed consecutively into the target feeding unit to be driven by the driving source for rotation, and may be activated to achieve rapid firing and flying to be used in shooting game.

The present invention relates to an air target firing structure and particularly to an automatic clay target firing structure for consecutively discharging clay targets upwards in the air for use in clay target shooting sport.
Conventional clay target shooting sport usually has one person manually firing clay targets in the air to enable another person to shoot the clay targets. The number of clay targets being shot down is counted in the scores of the game. Such an approach cannot provide stable firing time and height for the clay targets. Moreover, with one person taking care of firing the clay targets while another person shooting, the game is dull. It cannot create the excitement of consecutive shooting.
Therefore the primary object of the invention is to provide an automatic and consecutive target firing structure for consecutively discharging clay targets in the air from varying spots at selected speeds to reach selected heights without skewing to allow one or more person to participate shooting.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Automatic and consecutive target firing structure

No. 5, Alley 26, Lane 62, Tung-Hsing Rd.


For fuel injection control in a cylinder direct-injection engine, fuel injection beginnings for injecting fuel successively into a plurality of cylinders are calculated; threshold voltage impression beginnings at which a threshold voltage for starting to inject the fuel from injectors is applied are calculated, corresponding to the fuel injection beginnings, and the ends of the threshold voltage impression are calculated; it is determined whether or not a first period between the beginning and end of threshold voltage impression for a preceding cylinder is coincident with a second period between the beginning and end of threshold voltage impression for a succeeding cylinder; and the second period is modified so as to be earlier or later than the first period, if the two periods are coincident with each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel injection method and apparatus for a cylinder direct-injection engine, and more paticularly, to a measure to counter the coincidence of fuel injection timings for a plurality of cylinders during combustion mode switching operation.
2. Information of the Related Art
In a cylinder direct-injection engine for a vehicle, an injector is mounted in a combustion chamber, and a fuel under high pressure is directly injected from the injector into a cylinder in a compression stroke, which starts when a scavenging port is closed and terminates when ignition starts. Combustion in the cylinder has two modes i.e., stratified combustion and homogeneous combustion. The stratified combustion is effected with a relatively late fuel injection timing during idling operation or low- or medium-load operation, while the homogeneous combustion is effected with a relatively early fuel injection timing during high-load operation. When the load is changed from low or medium load to high load, or contrariwise, therefore, the combustion mode is switched from the stratified combustion to the homogeneous combustion, or in the opposite way.
When the combustion mode is switched in this manner, the fuel injection timing is changed. The following is a description of the way the injection timing is changed as the combustion mode is switched, in a two-cycle four-cylinder engine with a firing order of a second cylinder (#2), a first cylinder (#1), a fourth cylinder (#4) and a combustion mode is switched from the stratified combustion to the homogeneous combustion when combustion is being started in a first cylinder (#1) after the stratified combustion is executed in a second cylinder (#2). In this case, the fuel injection timing for the second cylinder is relatively late, since the stratified combustion is executed in this cylinder (#2). For the first cylinder, on the other hand, the fuel injection timing is relatively early, since the homogeneous combustion is executed in this cylinder (#2). Accordingly, the injection timing for the second cylinder may coincide with the injection timing for the first cylinder.
Meanwhile, a pulse for the fuel injection timing is generated and applied to the injector. A threshold voltage higher than the normal voltage of the power supply is applied during a first threshold voltage impression period (e.g. 200 .mu.s) for this injection pulse. As a result, initiation of fuel injection by means of the injector is accelerated.
Thus, if the fuel injection timing for one cylinder is coincident with that for another cylinder, and then the first threshold voltage impression period for one injection pulse is coincident with that for the other cylinder, electric load increases considerably. In consequence, the voltage drops, and the performance characteristic of the injector and the injection quantity are lowered or reduced.
This situation may be eliminated by increasing the capacity of the power supply. Since the coincidence of the fuel injection timings is very rare, however, the increase of the supply capacity inevitably entails an increase in cost.
A measure to counter such coincidence of the fuel injection timings is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-212741 (1988). Fuel injection is effected in synchronism with the engine speed during a normal operation, and out of synchronism during acceleration. If asynchronous fuel injection is required during synchronous fuel injection, the timings for these injection operations may possibly coincide with each other. Usually, in this case, the coincidence is avoided by putting off the latter injection.
In the system disclosed in this publication, however, the fuel injection timing is changed in or out of synchronism with the engine speed. Thus, this system is quite different from a system in which the fuel injection timing is changed depending on the combustion mode, stratified or homogeneous. In the disclosed system, moreover, the latter injection is always deferred if the fuel injection timings are coincident, so that the injection is inevitably delayed by a large margin.

Fuel injection control method and a control apparatus for a cylinder direct-injection engine


A disposable wearing article includes elastic members interposed between inner and outer sheets and attached in a stretched state to these inner and outer sheets. A base sheet constituting a component of a hook part of a mechanical fastener is oriented to extend across the elastic members and attached to the outer sheet. Of the outer sheet, a region in which the outer sheet is attached to the base sheet and peripheral regions having dimensions m, n as measured from side edges of the base sheet in a width direction of the article are attached neither to the elastic members nor to the inner sheet. The outer sheet is attached to the inner sheet in regions defined outside those peripheral regions.

The present invention relates to a disposable wearing article such as, for example, a disposable diaper, a training pant, a diaper for incontinent patient, a pant to fold urine-absorbent pad and a diaper pad.
WO 01/87209 A1 (hereinafter referred to as "Citation") discloses a process for making absorbent garment. A training pant obtained using this process comprises a body fluid absorbent chassis and a fastening system. The chassis is provided in front and rear waist regions with elastic members stretchably extending in a waist surrounding direction. A hook part and a loop part of a mechanical fastener constituting the fastening system are attached to the chassis so that these hook and loop parts extend across the elastic members.
In the training pant disclosed in Citation, the chassis is formed with gathers as the elastic members contract and thereupon the hook part as well as the loop part both attached to the chassis also may be formed with gathers. The hook part most commonly used has a relatively high stiffness and, if such hook part is used in the training pant, the hook part will be substantially free from such formation of gathers. However, in the case of the training pant using the hook part having a lower stiffness, i.e., more soft and flexible hook part, the hook part is also apt to be formed with gathers. If the hook part is formed with gathers, some of many hooks formed on the hook part will be laid low in troughs of these gathers and unable to come in engagement with the loop part. The number of effective hooks is thus decreased and the hook part will be easily disengaged from the loop part. Compared to the hook part which is flat and the loop part engaged with such hook part, the hook part formed with gathers and the loop part engaged with such hook part are readily disengaged from each other as these two parts are pulled in opposite directions, because a so-called peeling force is easily generated between these two parts. As will be apparently understood from the foregoing description, the formation of gathers on the hook part is undesirable for the disposable wearing article, and the formation of gathers on the loop part is also undesirable. In the same case the mechanical fastener can be replaced with a fastener comprising a sticky sheet coated with an adhesive agent and a sheet constituting a target zone for the sticky sheet. And gathers on the sticky sheet and the target sheet are also undesirable.


The present disclosure provides data-driven methods and apparatuses for predicting user inquiries. One exemplary method includes: collecting user behavior data and pre-processing the user behavior data when a user inquiry is received; extracting candidate user behavior data that is contributive to the user inquiry from the pre-processed user behavior data; screening the candidate user behavior data based on a set target behavior data set, and selecting candidate user behavior data that is contained in the target behavior data set; inputting the screened candidate user behavior data into a trained classifier model; and predicting an inquiry category to which the user inquiry belongs. One exemplary apparatus includes a pre-processing module, an extraction module, and a prediction module. The method and the apparatus embodiments of the present disclosure can improve the efficiency and accuracy of the prediction.

Users often encounter problems when using certain products or services. They may turn to customer service for help. Usually, the customer service staff needs to have multiple rounds of conversation with a user to determine the problem the user has encountered, entailing high costs of human resources. If a problem that a user encounters and the corresponding user inquiry can be predicted in advance, a relevant answer can be pushed intelligently. Alternatively, it can assist customer service staff in determining the user's problem more effectively.
Predicting user inquiries presents a typical multi-classification situation, which involves feature selection and modeling. In an existing method, when a feature selection terminal extracts features, it often operates under manually set rules. These rules may be empirically considered to be associated with a problem that a user encounters, such as rules regarding whether the user has subscribed to a certain service, whether the user had a recent transaction in the last couple days, or the like. By matching with the pre-set rules, features that describe the status of the user before engaging in inquiry can be obtained. The extracted features can be modeled by using logistic regression, to obtain a classifier. The classifier can then be used for prediction.
In the existing technologies using manually set rules, the rules are considered to be associated with a problem that a user may have encountered. Features that relate to the status of the user before engaging in inquiry can be obtained. This approach has the following problems. It is not data-driven. Instead, it requires substantial human intervention, and the operation relies on an intervener that fully understands a corresponding product or service. Problems may occur if the products frequently change or the service coverage expands. Further, the existing approach does not take into account the relationship between user behavior within a short time period before seeking help from the customer service staff and the user inquiry itself. The user generally may engage in a series of behaviors within a short time period (for example, within 2 hours) before turning to the customer service staff for help. Such behaviors can include, but are not limited to, clicking a mobile phone or a tablet terminal, browsing the internet and other operations performed by the user. These include the user's behavior trajectory information prior to engaging in inquiry. Theoretically, the behavior trajectories can be strongly associated with the type of assistance that the user seeks subsequently.

Data-driven method and apparatus for handling user inquiries using collected data


A system for joining a pair of structural members having widely differing coefficients of thermal expansion is disclosed. A mechanically xe2x80x9cthickxe2x80x9d foil is made by dispersing a refractory metal powder, such as molybdenum, niobium, tantalum, or tungsten into a quantity of a liquid, high expansion metal such as copper, silver, or gold, casting an ingot of the mixture, and then cutting sections of the ingot about 1 mm thick to provide the foil member. These foil members are shaped, and assembled between surfaces of structural members for joining, together with a layer of a braze alloy on either side of the foil member capable of wetting both the surfaces of the structural members and the foil. The assembled body is then heated to melt the braze alloy and join the assembled structure. The foil member subsequently absorbs the mechanical strain generated by the differential contraction of the cooling members that results from the difference in the coefficients of thermal expansion of the members.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a ceramic-metal composite article and fabrication method therefor. In particular, the invention relates to a system comprising a composite braze joint structure for joining members having very dissimilar coefficients of thermal expansion. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a composite braze joint for joining a metal and a ceramic member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A major problem in joining ceramics to metals is the thermal mismatch between the ceramic and metal materials. Thermal mismatch causes significant residual stress in the ceramic, leading to catastrophic failure of the joint. It is well known that to join materials having markedly different coefficients of thermal expansion and still provide a strong joint it is necessary to implement a means for reducing the strain which builds at the joint as the joined members cool. Ceramic-metal joints have used various joining methods, e.g. glass frit, diffusion bonding, brazing, and mechanical shrink fit, and various joint geometries, e.g. butt, conical, and cylindrical joint geometries.
One technique used is to join the materials at as low a temperature as possible. Active brazing alloy has heretofore been used for joining a ceramic member and a metallic member of a composite assembly. An example of such a composite assembly having been practically used, is a compression rotor for a turbocharger. The active brazing alloy is used exclusively with a view to increasing the strength at the joint between the ceramic member and the metallic member. In using such a brazing alloy, a reaction layer is formed between the brazing alloy and the ceramic member to firmly bond the same and thereby enable the ceramic member and the metallic member to be joined firmly. Further, among active brazing alloys, low melting point brazing alloys (solidus point is from 600xc2x0 C. to 750xc2x0 C.) such as Inxe2x80x94Cuxe2x80x94Agxe2x80x94Ti brazing alloy are used for joining the members of a mechanical part assembly for an automobile engine, with a view to reducing the difference in shrinkage (thermal distortion) between the ceramic and metallic members due to the difference in thermal expansion coefficient therebetween.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a brazing system for joining members, wherein at least one of which is a metallic member, and wherein another is a ceramic member.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an brazing system for joining individual constituent members, wherein at least one of which is a metallic member and wherein another is a ceramic member, an itself providing a high strength joint in spite of large differences in coefficients of thermal expansion between the joined members.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a means for overcoming large mechanical stress is caused by joining materials having large differences in coefficients of thermal expansion.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a composite assembly which is joined by using a composite brazing alloy.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a braze assembly which is capable of absorbing mechanical strain generated when joining materials having dissimilar thermal characteristics.
These and other objects will become evident to those having skill in these arts as the invention is described below.

Braze system and method for reducing strain in a braze joint


A device for preparing a coke oven door includes a frame for securing the door in a working position. A milling machine for machining the door seal includes a gantry coupled to the frame and a milling head coupled to the gantry. The milling head is movable up and down, longitudinally, and transversely relative to the door so as to maintain contact with the door seal. According to one aspect of the invention, a rail is attached to the frame and a rail extension is attached to the gantry. The rail and rail extension cooperate to guide the gantry longitudinally along the door. A rack is attached to the frame and a driven pinion is attached to the milling machine which engages the rack to move the milling machine along the rail and rail extension.

The present invention relates to devices for preparing coke oven doors, and particularly to descaling machines for removing deposits from the oven door refractory and milling machines for machining the oven door seal. More particularly, the invention relates to descaling machines and milling machines that are coupled to a frame which securely supports the coke oven door for maintenance purposes.
Ovens used in the production of coke generally comprise four walls which together define a long narrow internal channel therebetween. The ends of the channel are closed by removable oven doors. Typically, a coke production facility has an apparatus for removing the doors from the oven at the end of a production cycle to facilitate the removal of coke from the oven. The apparatus is generally capable of replacing the door on the oven or transferring the door to a support frame in a maintenance area.
A coke oven door generally has a door frame and a center portion of refractory material attached to the door frame which juts into the coke oven when the door is installed on the oven. A sealing strip extends around the perimeter of the door frame and presents a knife edge to a face of the door jamb. A good seal improves the efficiency of the coke oven by reducing the escape of heat past the door and reduces the hazards associated with such heat loss.
It is well known that, in order to be effective, the seal between the coke oven door and the door jamb must be gas tight. If the knife edge exactly mates with the door jamb, the knife edge will provide a gas tight seal around the door.
During the coking operation, a large amount of tar, coke, or the like deposit on the center portion and seal of the door. Cleaning the deposits from the coke oven door and seal improves the thermal efficiency of the oven and helps to ensure that the door will seat properly to provide a good seal when the door is replaced on the oven. Thus, it is necessary to clean the deposits from the door refractory and door seal at regular intervals. Ideally, the coke oven door is cleaned at the end of each cycle, when the coke oven door is removed and the coke is removed from the oven.
If any gaps exist between the knife edge and the door jamb, the tar, coke or the like will also deposit on the knife edge at the gaps, and the knife edge will also need cleaning. However, with regard to gaps between the knife and the door jamb, cleaning is not enough. In addition to fostering the formation of deposits on the knife edge, gaps between the knife edge and the door jamb accelerate wear and warpage of the knife edge by the passage of hot gases escaping from the oven at the gaps. Thus, gaps can tend to grow over time and get worse. Therefore, it is advantageous to resurface the door seal at regular intervals to ensure that the knife edge is true and thereby reduce the effect of wear and warpage of the knife edge due to heat escaping from the coke oven.
Typically, when the coke oven doer is removed from the oven for maintenance, it is moved to a maintenance area where it is mounted in a maintenance frame for cooling and subsequent cleaning and resurfacing. In the past, while the door was in the maintenance frame, the deposits were removed from the door by hand-held wire brushes. While in the maintenance frame, the door seal was also resurfaced manually by running a belt type sander over the door seal and visually inspecting the resurfaced sealing edge for trueness. The manual method of cleaning the deposits from the door has been adequate, but inefficient. Moreover, a visual inspection for trueness can prove to be inaccurate, causing problems with an improper fit when the oven door is replaced on the oven, leaving a gap between the knife edge and the door jamb. A device that would allow rapid removal of deposits from the door and seal and rapidly and accurately resurface the sealing edge of the door seal would be a substantial improvement over conventional door preparation mechanisms.
According to the present invention, a device for preparing a coke oven door includes a frame for securing the door in a working position. A milling machine for machining the door seal includes a gantry coupled to the frame and a milling head coupled to the gantry. The milling head is movable up and down, longitudinally, and transversely relative to the door so as to maintain contact with the door seal.
According to one aspect of the invention, a rail is attached to the frame and a rail extension is attached to the gantry. The rail and rail extension cooperate to guide the gantry longitudinally along the door. A rack is attached to the frame and a driven pinion is attached to the milling machine which engages the rack to move the milling machine along the rail and rail extension.
A descaling machine is movable longitudinally along the door and includes a plurality of brushes for removing deposits from the refractory and door frame. A U-shaped channel is attached to the frame for guiding the descaling machine along the door. The descaling machine includes a plurality of driven wheels for movement along the U-shaped channel.
Additional objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.


A sensor module that may include optics and a sensor located downstream to the optics. The optics may include a self-assembling polymer and luminescent elements embedded in the self-assembling polymer.

Silicon sensors, such as CMOS fabricated silicon sensors are inherently sensitive to visible light but are not sensitive to other frequency ranges such as deep ultraviolet (DUV) and infrared (IR).
Prior art DUV sensors and IR sensors are not fabricated based solely on CMOS and thus are usually expensive.
In addition—one of the costliest and time consuming steps of the fabrication of an optical sensor is the formation of optics—especially micro-machining lenses that should be very accurate and aligned with the sensors.
There is a growing need to provide a cost effective sensor module that may sense radiation outside the visible light range.

Deep ultraviolet and infrared silicon sensor module


A memory storage device, a memory controller, and a data writing method are provided. The memory storage device has a rewritable non-volatile memory chip including a plurality of physical units, and each of the physical units has a plurality of physical pages. The data writing method includes configuring a plurality of logical units to be mapped to a portion of the physical units, and each of the logical unit has a plurality of logical pages. The data writing method also includes receiving a first write data from a host system and writing the first write data into the ith physical page in a substitute physical unit selected from the physical units. The data writing method further includes writing a first address access information corresponding to the first write data and a second address access information into the ith physical page. Herein i is a positive integer.

1. Technology Field
The invention generally relates to a data writing method, and more particularly, to a method for backing up data when the data is written, and a memory storage device and a memory controller using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Rewritable non-volatile memory is broadly applied in various electronic devices due to its characteristics such as data non-volatility, low power consumption, small volume, and non-mechanical structure. Solid state drive (SSD) is a storage device which uses rewritable non-volatile memory as its storage medium and is becoming more and more focused by consumers because of its many advantages.
A rewritable non-volatile memory has a plurality of physical blocks, and each of the physical blocks has a plurality of physical pages. Physical block is the smallest unit for erasing data, while physical page is the smallest unit for writing data. A memory management circuit of a storage device converts a logical access address to be accessed by a host system into a corresponding logical page and accesses a physical page corresponding to the logical page.
Error bits may be produced in data stored in a rewritable non-volatile memory due to various factors (for example, electric leakage of memory cells, program failure, and so on). Thus, an error checking and correcting (ECC) circuit is usually disposed in a storage device to ensure the accuracy of data. When a host system is about to read data from a SSD, because the data may be a crucial boot file or system file, the data cannot be directly sent back to the host system if the number of error bits in the data exceeds the number of error bits that can be corrected by the ECC circuit. Instead, the host system is notified about the data error so that the operating system in the host system will to correct the error.
Generally speaking, when data is read according to a read command received from the host system, a logical access address corresponding to the data can be identified according to the read command, and accordingly, the host system can be correctly responded when a data error is detected. However, if a data error is detected when a SSD is restarted and the physical pages are scanned, the logical access address corresponding to the data in a physical page cannot be determined based on the information recorded in the physical page. Thus, if subsequently the host system is about to read the logical access address and the host system is not correctly notified about the data error, problems may be caused in the operation of the operating system of the host system.
Nothing herein should be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art of any portion of the present invention. Furthermore, citation or identification of any document in this application is not an admission that such document is available as prior art to the present invention, or that any reference forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art.

Memory storage device, memory controller, and data writing method


The Thimble is a wireless electronic device that can be worn on a finger, in order to control electronic devices, computers screens, laptops screen, televisions game console etc. The Thimble can replace either a computer mouse or a remote control. The Thimble uses location technologies in order to calculate its position, movement and orientation. Touch pads allow for accepting user selection, similar to mouse left-clicks or right-clicks, or remote control OK function.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to computerized pointing systems and in particular to systems that can control electronic devices by recognizing a user's hand gestures.
2. Description of the Related Art
The computer industry experiences currently a large demand for using touch screens in particular in tablet computers and smart phones. The touch screen is supposed to relieve the user dependence on the optic or mechanic mouse.
Although the computer mouse has proven very popular with desktop computers, it can be cumbersome to use with more mobile devices such as computer laptops, tablet computers and smartphones. Most laptops come equipped with a built-in pointing device such as a touch pad over which the user moves his finger, or a joystick-like small lever that the user moves in different directions. These pointing devices can be uncomfortable to use and may slow the user when working with the mobile computing devices or other electronic devices.
Hand gestures on the other hand are very natural to use. The new generation of smartphones, for examples, Apple's™ smartphones, have a very intuitive and fast interface using hand gestures captured on a touch screen.
While touch screens have become the trend and norm for both smartphones and tablet computers, touch screens remain both expensive and rarer for laptops, desktop computers and large screens such as television sets.
There is thus a need in the industry to provide touch screen capability for using a hand gesture interface for screens that are not touch screens.


A method is provided to process data so that the data can be externally stored with minimized risk of information leakage. A framework (virtual execution framework) based on virtual machines (VMs) is utilized as a substitute for a trusted institution. Encryption of consolidated data can reduce risk of information leakage and enhance security. Since the virtual execution framework can control connection and direction of communication, financial institutions are allowed to apply encryption to data on their own, which makes the data further appropriate for external storage. By allowing financial institutions to apply their own decryption, it is possible to prevent one of two financial institutions from retrieving externally stored data into the external execution framework without intervention of the other. Additionally, associated acting subjects can be provided with freedom depending on the degree of information leakage risk.

There exists a need to aggregate data and information possessed by financial institutions across multiple institutions for analytical calculation. For example, financial statements of different financial institutions can be aggregated for auditing, comparison, or calculation of overall statistics. These analyses are expected to be further promoted also for maintaining public order, such as revealing management conditions of financial institutions and preventing a financial risk.
Financial institutions would be willing to disclose their data to a limited extent if analytical calculation is carried out by a trusted institution. The Financial Service Agency of Japan or the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States would represent such a trusted institution, but an official organization requires enormous costs for connection, operation, and maintenance. In addition, even a trusted institution cannot completely eliminate the risk of information leakage in the first place.
To have a financial institution consent to disclose proprietary data when it has some reason to keep the data confidential, sufficient attention has to be paid to security for preventing information leakage. Also, certain, financial data, such as position data and a loss calculation model, among others, are often data that financial institutions are reluctant to reveal to competitors as management know-how.
Many institutions, however, consider it acceptable to reveal their data as long as the original proprietary data is kept confidential, or the source of the original data remains hidden. Moreover, to save costs associated with data storage on their own, they often would prefer to outsource data storage, if confidentiality can be maintained.
As an example, even when statistical calculation for aggregation is just simple averaging of data possessed by two financial institutions, the parties involved sometimes only require that the data be kept consolidated, because the institutions will not dare to leak information of one another if they want to keep their own information confidential.
Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-301849 discloses a technique that securely stores generated electronic information by dividing and distributing the information at multiple storage locations instead of localized storage, deletes the original electronic information residing in an internal storage, and assembles all the distributed information to reconstruct the original information.
This technique provides some benefit in terms of preventing information leak by a malicious party and securely managing data. The technique, however, is based on the premise that correct processing is performed for distributed storage of data. In addition, the amount of stored data including redundancy for reconstruction increases in proportion to the number of storages. The concept of the technique is to avoid localized management of data and seek to confine a possible source of leakage only to distributed data, but it does not provide'an entity capable of performing actions with or on the data (an action entity) with freedom about the overall process and relies on a centralized mechanism.
Shamon: A System for Distributed Mandatory. Access Control, by Jonathan M. McCune, Trent Jaeger, Stefan Berger, Ramon Caceres, and Reiner Sailer describes that virtual machines or VMs can be employed to enforce communication flow and that Mandatory Access Control (MAC) is a practicable general technique.

Method of processing data to enable external storage thereof with minimized risk of information leakage

International Business Machines Corporation


A network includes an optical sensor network; and a radio frequency (RF) wireless sensor network coupled to the optical sensor network, wherein the optical sensor network and the RF wireless sensor network communications are coordinated over both optical and wireless links.

With emerging realistic applications in various areas such as wireless healthcare and smart home, wireless sensor networks need to provide quality of service (QoS) in an energy-efficient way. A wireless sensor network (WSN) is generally composed of one or more sinks (or base stations) and tens or thousands of sensor nodes scattered in a physical space. Sensor nodes sense the physical information, process the sensed information, and report the processed information to the sink, which can query information and even control the behavior of the sensor nodes. WSNs can be used to monitor events and collect data in some special environments where other networks are difficult or costly to be deployed. Therefore, WSNs are usually event-oriented and data-centric, and have several distinctive features:                Unique Network Topology. The sensors nodes are usually organized into a multi-hop star-tree topology, which could be either flat or hierarchical. The sink sitting at the root of the tree plays the role of information collection and relaying to exterior networks. The topology of a WSN can be highly variable and dynamic due to node mobility and the depletion of energy.        Diverse Applications. A WSN can be used to support diverse applications ranging from habitat monitoring and target tracking to security surveillance and so forth [1]. These applications may be interested in different sensory data and therefore have different requirements on quality of service (QoS) and reliability.        Traffic Characteristics. In a WSN, traffic usually flows upstream from the sensor nodes to the sink although the sink may occasionally generate certain downstream traffic for the purpose of control and management. The traffic models of different applications can be classified into four types: event-driven delivery, continuous delivery, query-driven delivery, and hybrid delivery. For example, in event-driven delivery, the sensor nodes start event reporting only if the target events (e.g., the temperature is below zero) have been sensed.        Resource Constraints. Despite diverse commercially available sensor products [2], sensor nodes usually have limited resources, including low computation capability, small memory size, low communication bandwidth, and finite and un-rechargeable battery. The limitation of resources narrows the designing space of various protocols and algorithms for WSNs.        Small Message Size. Messages in WSNs usually have a small size compared with those in other networks. For this reason, there is usually no concept of segmentation in most applications of WSNs.
The performance of a wireless sensor network can be evaluated based on different metrics such as QoS and energy-efficiency. Different applications might have different requirements on these performance metrics.
One requirement is energy-efficiency. A sensor node usually has limited energy. For this reason, it is most important for a transport protocol to keep high energy-efficiency in order to prolong the network lifetime. Due to bit errors and/or congestion, packet loss is common in a WSN. For loss-sensitive applications packet loss leads to retransmission and inevitably consumes additional energy. Therefore, packet loss is a primary factor that affects energy-efficiency at the transport layer.
Another requirement is reliability. For different applications, different levels of reliability may be required. According to the sensitivity of an application to packet loss, two types of reliability can be classified: packet reliability and event reliability. Packet reliability means that the application is very loss-sensitive and requires the successful transmission of each packet. One example of such applications is downstream code distribution or queries. Event reliability stands for the requirement of loss-tolerant applications that allow certain packet loss. For example, the sensor nodes with digital camera can be used to send images to the sink. Since images are somewhat loss-tolerant, the sink does not need to correctly receive every packet, but only a certain percentage of packets.
Yet another requirement is QoS. Sensor nodes can be used to transmit continuous images for target tracking. In this scenario, the sensor nodes generate high-speed data flows and require larger bandwidth than event-based applications. For some delay-sensitive applications, such as commands to task sensor nodes, a network must guarantee real-time data transmission. As mentioned before, some applications are loss-sensitive and cannot stand packet loss or require a very small packet loss ratio. Therefore, a transport protocol may need to support traditional QoS in terms of throughput, packet delivery latency, and packet loss ratio. The difference is that in a WSN these QoS metrics should be guaranteed in a highly energy-efficient way.
Fairness is another requirement. Sensor nodes are usually scattered in a geographical area to collect information. Due to the many-to-one convergent nature of upstream traffic, it is much more difficult for the sensor nodes far away from the sink to successfully transmit their sensory data to the sink. In order to let the sink have full information on the entire sensed area, a transport protocol should provide fair bandwidth allocation among all sensor nodes so that the sink can get the same number of packets from each sensor node during a period of time.
These distinctive features of WSNs and new performance metrics pose significant challenges on the design of a WSN that can meet application requirements and operate as long as possible. Usually, the QoS of an application and the lifetime of a network are contradictory to each other.

Integrated sensor networks with optical and wireless links


A method and equipment for forming gaps in a material layer are provided. The equipment includes a supporter and an etching device. The supporter is configured to support a semiconductor device. In the method for forming gaps in a material layer, at first, the semiconductor device is provided. Then, a material layer of the semiconductor device is etched to form vertical gaps in the material layer. Thereafter, the vertical sidewall of each of the vertical gaps is etched in accordance with a predetermined gap profile by using directional charged particle beams. The directional charged particle beams are provided by the etching device, and each of the directional charged particle beams has two energy peaks.

The semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) industry has experienced rapid growth. In the course of the IC evolution, functional density (defined as the number of interconnected devices per chip area) has generally increased while geometry size (i.e., the smallest component (or line) that can be created using a fabrication process) has decreased. A scaling down process generally provides benefits by increasing production efficiency and lowering associated costs. But, such scaling down has increased the complexity of processing and manufacturing ICs. For these advances to be realized, similar developments in IC manufacturing are needed.
For example, multi-layer interconnects are important in IC manufacturing. Interconnects electrically connect together different conductive wiring layers in a semiconductor chip. The conductive layers can be layers formed on a substrate surface, such as source/drain contacts or gate structures. Typically, etching technologies are used to form gaps for the multi-layer interconnects. However, as the scaling down process continues, conventional methods for forming gaps for the multi-layer interconnects have not been entirely satisfactory in all respects.

Method and equipment for forming gaps in a material layer

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.


A golf club may have a head that is symmetric about a mid plane. The head may include a generally planar face and a sole, with the face inclined at an angle of at least 10 degrees with respect to the plane of the sole. A shaft having a first bend and a second bend may be inserted into a hosel opening disposed on the head behind the plane of the face.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to golf clubs, and, more particularly, to clubs which may be used for a multiplicity of functions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Current regulations call for a maximum of 14 golf clubs to be used by a golfer during a round of golf. Typically, a set of golf clubs ranges from a putter through clubs designed for various distances and degrees of loft to woods, which are used for the longest distance shots. The putter, of course, is used for the final shots taken on or around a putting green.
The putter, in particular, is fabricated in numerous different configurations designed by different experts and often carrying a famous golfer's name. The various designs are intended to improve accuracy, enable better control of distance and angle, and in general to enable the golfer to perform better on the green or in the near vicinity of the green. These designs also include different configurations of club shafts and head angles ranging from straight shafts mounted generally perpendicular to the club head to some shafts which are rather extreme in their appearance. Either the hosel or the shaft may go through a plurality of angles or bends between the club head and the grip end of the shaft.
Numerous studies have shown that the majority of the strokes in golf occur within 100 yards of the hole. Many of these are from the fringe or the rough area adjacent the green. Thus the design of clubs used for putting or for approach shots is critical in keeping the golfers' scores within a reasonable range.
In the past, very little attention has been directed toward the solution of the problem of designing a putting head which is particularly useful in the fringe or the longer grass area usually surrounding the putting surface of the green in addition to conventional putter function. One attempt at such a solution is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,202 of Jacobson in which a putter is designed with an elevated putting face raised from the putting surface, and supported between a pair of circular or semi-circular disks. While such a design may have some efficacy in avoiding problems with the height of fringe area grass, it has the disadvantage that the disk members fail to provide a suitable contact surface with the green or fringe requiring an exact angular position of the club head during the putting stroke. This makes it difficult for the average golfer to use the club effectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,122 of Longo has a head designed to function effectively, both on the green and on the fringe as well as in the higher grass areas surrounding a green, which comprises a rectangular body with a flat base. The putter head is provided with a flat planar base having spaced parallel longitudinal grooves extending in the direction of movement of the putter head in play. The purpose of these grooves is to serve to part the grass blades to facilitate movement of the putter head through the taller grass of the fringe or adjacent rough. The putter head is also provided with a pick-up receptacle for the ball at its rear edge. None of these features are present in the club of the present invention.
So called chipper clubs have been developed for hitting the ball onto the green from close range. The use of these clubs is limited and difficult. Thus, they have not become widely accepted for use by golfers of all abilities.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,320 of Bamberger discloses a golf club having a head with a multi-angled hosel (generally S-shaped in the plane of the club face). While the club is said to be usable with a putting stroke from a variety of positions on the golf course, the shape of the golf club, particularly the head, is substantially different from that of the present invention.
A number of putter designs contain a flat, planar face for driving the ball on the green without loft or misalignment. Examples of these may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,401 of Hainey, U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,285 of Turner and U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,624 B1 of Zabytko et al. The Zabytko et al. device provides for the addition of lead or alloy weights to optimize weight and balance. The present invention comprises a club head of a substantially different shape to achieve its objective.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,329 of Schneebeli discloses a matched pair of golf clubs which have identical heads with identical shafts and grips except that one head has a striking face with the loft of a putter and the other head has a second striking face with the loft of a chipper. This pair of golf clubs differs from applicant's dual purpose, multi-function implement of a single club.
Publication No. US2002/0183132 A1 of Said et al. discloses a golf club with a sharp edge at the intersection of the heel surface of the club head and the front face of the club head. This allows the club to be easily swung through obstacles such as those usually encountered in the area of the rough surrounding the green. Except for the sharp edge at the leading surface of the club head, the head appears to be of conventional shape and construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,536 B1 of Lovett discloses a club with a striking surface having an arcuate leading edge extending downwardly from the heel to a forward-most point of the striking surface. The leading edge is also significantly forward of the center line of the hosel. The golf club head of Lovett is a club wedge rather than a dual purpose club of the present invention.
The golf club disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,342,018 B1 of Mason is designed for a specific purpose, effecting chip shots within 60 yards of the green. The club is fitted with a long shaft which forces the golfer into an upright position to create a chipping stroke similar to a normal putting stroke. The club is generally convex in shape when viewed from the side. The club of this patent is designed for chip shots onto a green up to distances of about 60 yards. The shape of the head of the present invention is notably different from that of Mason.


A packaging and filling apparatus fills a tube of a web of a packaging material with a fluid product, forms lateral seal bands, cuts each seal band of a series of pillow-like preformed bodies with a cutting device to form a packaging and filling container of the final form. The cutting device comprises a resistance measuring device for measuring a cutting resistance pressure that a packaging material cutting blade receives from the packaging material, and then outputting a measurement value obtained, and a blade monitoring device for monitoring the condition of the packaging material cutting blade based upon based upon a comparison of a difference between a maximum measured cutting resistance pressure and a constant measured cutting resistance pressure following the maximum measured cutting resistance pressure with a predetermined pressure difference reference value.

The conventional methods of making package containers filled with liquid foodstuffs (including fluid products), such as milk, involve vertically sealing a web of packaging material, made of a flexible laminate, into a tubular form, then filling the tubular packaging material with the liquid foodstuff and, at the same time, laterally sealing the tubular packaging material.
FIG. 2 schematically shows an example of a filling and packaging apparatus with which such containers are made. The exemplified packaging and filling apparatus draws out a web 41 of packaging material having layers of thermoplastic resin as its internal and external layers wrapped in the form of a roll, and conveys the web 41 of packaging material within the packaging and filling apparatus by means of rollers. A strip of tape is joined to one edge of the web of packaging material by a strip tape applicator 43. Subsequently, the web 41 of packaging material is passed through a sterilizing liquid tank 44 to undergo sterilization. A squeeze roller and air knife 45 remove any sterilizing liquid remaining on the surface of the packaging material.
Next, forming rollers 46 form the above-described web of packaging material into a tube. One edge of the packaging material is covered with the other to form an overlap. A vertical seal element 42 vertically seals the overlap in the direction of the length of the tube. Then, the tube is filled with a liquid foodstuff from a filling pipe 47. While conveyed downward by a distance corresponding to the length of one packaging container, the tube is grasped between a sealing jaw and opposite jaw of each lateral sealing device 48. Lateral seal bands are formed by sealing the tube in the direction in which the bands intersect the tube, and thus a series of pillow-like preformed bodies 49 are formed at the same time. A cutting device (not shown) such as a knife cuts the middle of each lateral seal band between the pillow-like preformed bodies, thereby severing the pillow-like preformed bodies 49 from each other. Thus, packaging containers filled with the liquid foodstuff, which have the final form, are made.
FIG. 3 shows in detail a partial section of the lateral sealing device 48 and cutting device 32. In the embodiment, while conveyed downward by the distance corresponding to the length of one packaging material, the tubular packaging material 41 filled with the foodstuff is grasped by two pairs of forming flaps 31 so as to be formed into the approximate shape of the container. The tubular packaging material 41 is also grasped by the two pairs of sealing jaws 48 and opposite jaws 48. The two pairs form the lateral seal bands by sealing the tube in the direction in which the bands intersect the tube. Next, each seal band connecting the pillow-like preformed bodies is cut through the middle with the knife 33 of the cutting device 32, thereby severing the pillow-like preformed bodies 49 from each other. The knife 33 of the cutting device 32 has a cutting mechanism driven by a pressure medium (e.g., oil pressure, air pressure).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 07-24938

Packaging and filling apparatus and packaging material cutting device


A link-sharing classification hierarchy is described, characterizing network traffic at a high level both to allow measurements of network traffic to be aggregated according classifications in the hierarchy and to describe a policy for network quality of service. Policy templates allow network quality-of-service policies to be re-used across multiple links. Policy alarms can be raised by quality-of-service devices when a policy is violated. An XML API allows applications to manage a central repository of policies.

Simple network management protocol (SNMP) is an open standard for managing network hardware. A management information base (MIB) is a software interface that exposes management data and applications via SNMP.
Quality of service (QoS) includes a range of network management techniques, including both software and hardware, for prioritizing certain traffic flows over others. This is desirable in networks that carry IP (internet protocol) traffic, for instance, since QoS is not an active feature of the current IP standard.
QoS goals can be codified in a network QoS policy, for instance by setting upper and lower bounds on service to network traffic on a link. In times of link congestion, a QoS policy indicates types of traffic that should receive prioritized service, including guaranteed lower bounds on data rates. Upper bounds on data rates can constrain a type of traffic to prevent it from overwhelming other types of traffic, given finite link capacity, for example.