Systems and methods are disclosed that allow for providing targeted asset/advertisements for broadcast-wide programming feeds. The systems and methods allow network platforms to select among asset options provided with a content stream and/or replace assets in the content stream. In one arrangement, after selecting an asset, the asset is inserted into the content stream and the content stream is disseminated to subsequent network platforms (e.g., local platforms). At this time, the local platforms may insert local assets into the content stream in predetermined local asset insertion spots.

Broadcast network content or programming is commonly provided in conjunction with associated informational content or assets. These assets include advertisements, associated programming, public-service announcements, ad tags, trailers, weather or emergency notifications and a variety of other content, including paid and unpaid content. In this regard, assets providers (e.g., advertisers) who wish to convey information (e.g., advertisements) regarding services and/or products to users of the broadcast network often pay for the right to insert their information into programming of the broadcast network. For instance, advertisers may provide ad content to a network operator such that the ad content may be interleaved with broadcast network programming during one or more programming breaks. The delivery of such paid assets often subsidizes or covers the costs of the programming provided by the broadcast network. This may reduce or eliminate costs borne by the users of the broadcast network programming.
In order to achieve a better return on their investment, asset providers often try to target their assets to a selected audience that is believed to be interested in the goods or services of the asset provider. The case of advertisers on a cable television network is illustrative. For instance, an advertiser or a cable television network may target its ads to certain demographic groups based on, for example, geographic location, gender, age, income etc. Accordingly, once an advertiser has created an ad that is targeted to a desired group of viewers (e.g., targeted group) the advertiser may attempt to procure insertion times in the network programming when the targeted group is expected to be among the audience of the network programming.
Historically, broadcast content (e.g., programming) is provided from a content provider (e.g., ABC, PBS, BBC, etc.) to one or more network platforms (e.g., regional head end and/or local head ends and/or repeater stations). These network platforms receive the content and disseminate that content to network users. In this regard, the broadcast content is sometimes termed a "national feed." Typically, this national feed includes programming and interleaved advertisements. In this regard, national level advertisers who wish to disseminate their assets network-wide may pay to have their advertisements interleaved with the programming of the national feed. Accordingly, when the network platforms disseminate the broadcast content received via the national feed, the interleaved assets/advertisements are disseminated therewith. That is, interleaving of assets/advertisements with the national feed typically results in a single asset/advertisement being disseminated over the entire broadcast network.
In some broadcast networks (e.g., such as those in the United States), one or more cues may also be incorporated into the national feed. Such cues have allowed network platforms (e.g., local head ends) to identify upcoming breaks in the programming contained in the national feed. Accordingly, such local head ends may replace content within the national feed with an asset that is better suited for a local audience. Typically, in the United States, two to three minutes of every half-hour are set aside for local advertisements. However, other broadcast networks, including many foreign networks, do not provide local insertion opportunities. In this regard, all advertising in such networks is network-wide.

National insertion of targeted advertisement


The displacement of a part e.g. window driven by an electromotor in a vehicle is controlled. A jam is identified by comparing a status value (e.g. current or speed) of the electromotor or the closure device with a characteristic value indicating a jam. The position of e.g. the part is detected. The displacement is controlled based on the identification of a jam and the position of the part. If a jam is indicated, the electromotor is stopped for a short time or is reversed. It is determined whether the position of the part has altered or is altering before and/or after the indicated jam. If so, the closing motion is continued, if not, it is assumed that a jam has occurred and the electromotor is reversed. The stopping or reversing time period is so short to be imperceptible to the naked eye.

The invention relates to a method for controlling the displacement motion of a part of a closure device that is driven by an electric motor in a motor vehicle.
Such methods are known from German Patent Publications DE 40 20 351 C2 and DE 197 45 597 A1. For recognizing a jamming incident at least one status value of the electric motor and/or of the closure device is compared with a characteristic value that defines a jamming incident. Status values for this purpose are, for example, the displacement force, the motor current, the r.p.m. or the torque moment of the motor. One could also think of detecting the positional change of the closure device or the speed thereof. The jamming incident is then defined by respective characteristic values, for example, a maximum displacement force, a maximum motor current, a minimum r.p.m. and so forth.
In this context, due to external influences, particularly the closing of vehicle doors and of other movable body parts, forces may be effective on the closure device, which forces oppose the displacement motion. Thus, the status values reach the characteristic values, if the forces have a corresponding strength, for a jamming incident thereby causing an emergency shut-off. The shut-off is characterized by a reversing, that is, an instantaneous opposite power supply to the motor which leads to an unmistakable backward motion of the moving part, frequently even into the completely open position thereof. While this cannot be avoided in an actual jamming incident for the protection of possibly pinched-in persons or body parts, a consumer could interpret this usually complete reversal as a failure function in the case that external influences caused the reaching of the comparing results which indicate a jamming incident.
Thus, German Patent Publication DE 40 20 351 C2 suggests sensing the acceleration forces acting on the vehicle body by a sensor and to take these forces into account as a base level. However, a detailed embodiment is not disclosed. If one takes into account the strength and dynamic of the acceleration forces acting on a vehicle body, it remains questionable whether and how such taking into account is technically realizable in a suitable manner.
On the other hand, German Patent Publication 197 45 597 A1 suggests controlling the displacement force of the motor as a sum of a force necessary for the displacement of the part and an adjustable excess force, whereby the displacement force and/or the excess force are controlled in closed loop fashion in response to the forces acting on the vehicle body. Even if one disregards the unclear determination of the force necessary for the displacement of the part and the effort and expense for an exact closed loop control of the displacement forces of the motor, the effort and expense for taking the external forces into account has proven itself to be substantial.
Alternatively, a variation of the displacement and/or excess force is controlled in closed loop fashion in response to opening and closing procedures of movable body parts in that the position of the movable body parts is ascertained by sensors and a variation. Particularly opening and closing procedures are recognized. In such a case an increase of the excess force or even discontinuing the pinching-in protection is suggested. Thus, however the pinching-in danger is put-up with. Additionally, this requires that the control device receives a signal from the sensors regarding the position change even prior to the occurrence of a pinching-in recognition.
Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide an alternative method for controlling the displacement motion of closure device, which method makes possible, on the one hand, a reliable and early recognition of a jamming incident and which, on the other hand, takes into account in a simple manner external influences by movable vehicle body parts.
The above object has been achieved by the present method for controlling a displacement motion of a movable part of a closure device in a motor vehicle. According to the invention the present method is characterized by the following steps:
(a) driving said movable part by an electric motor,
(b) determining at least one characteristic value that is significant for a jamming incident of said movable part,
(c) sensing at least one status value of at least one of said electric motor and said closure device wherein said at least one status value is also significant for said jamming incident,
(d) comparing said at least one status value with said at least one characteristic value for providing a jamming recognition signal,
(e) sensing a first position of at least one movable vehicle body member (e.g. door) to provide a first position signal,
(f) processing said jamming recognition signal and said position signal to provide a control signal,
(g) stopping said electric motor in response to said control signal for a predetermined length of stopping time (TStop), wherein said predetermined length of stopping time (TStop) begins at a beginning time (tx) when a jamming incident starts,
(h) determining, starting with said first position signal, whether a position change is taking place or has taken place within a predetermined time range (txxc2x1xcex94T) prior to or after the occurrence of said jamming recognition signal to provide a second position signal indicating a position change,
(i) continuing a displacement motion of said movable part in response to said second position signal, or
(j) assuming in the absence of said second position signal, the presence of a jamming incident and reversing said electric motor.
Thus, when a comparing result indicates that a jamming incident exists, the electric motor is stopped for a predetermined, short time duration, or alternatively, it is reversed. Thereby it is examined whether, within a given time range prior to and/or after the occurrence of a comparing result indicating a jamming incident and starting from a predetermined first position of the vehicle body part, a change of the position occurred and/or is occurring.
If within this time range the position signal indicates a change relative to the first position of a vehicle body part, the displacement motion in the closing direction is continued, otherwise a jamming incident is assumed to exist and the electric motor is reversed and/or the reversing is continued.
Thereby, the time duration may be determined corresponding to the reaction time of the sensor and the traveling time of the position signal up to the control to be so short that the customer does not notice this pause or the short time reversing during this time duration or at least it is not noticed as a disturbance. Particularly, time durations of about 150 to 100 msec or even shorter have been found to be sufficient to distinguish, by monitoring the sensors, between an actual jamming incident and an occurrence of comparable force caused by the closing of a vehicle body part, particularly the door. If one takes into account that the moved part including the mechanical components first have a substantial inertia and thus hardly come to an actual stop within a time duration of about 100 msec even if a reversing current is applied and additionally the time duration is too short with regard to the receptivity of the human eye, it becomes clear, that the customer will not notice even a reversing introduced for a short duration. On the other hand, the short duration stopping or the reversing have a critically higher safety in case of an actual jamming incident compared to the known alternatives of the prior art of a threshold increase or even a deactivation of the jamming protection.
A first further embodiment of the method is provided when a comparing result indicating a jamming incident and the first position of the vehicle body part are present simultaneously wherein first the electric motor is stopped or reversed again for the predetermined time duration and wherein the displacement motion is continued provided that within this time duration the position signal indicates a change of a vehicle body part relative to the first position. Thus, the case is covered in which the position signal arrives with such a delay, for example due to a slow data transmission, that the recognition has already responded in the case of respectively strong shock vibrations.
A second further development of the method is results, if starting from the given first position, a change of the position of the vehicle body part is recognized and if within a predetermined time range starting with this change, a comparing result occurs indicating a jamming incident. In this case the electric motor is also stopped for the predetermined time duration and the displacement motion is then continued, whereby the time duration of this stop does not need to be identical to that of the first further development, preferably it is clearly shorter. This further development thus covers the case wherein an already recognized door closing operation is immediately followed by a jamming incident.
The characteristic values for comparing with the status values which are significant for a jamming of a part, are adapted at a first position, particularly at an open position of a vehicle body part in a direction of a timewise later jamming recognition. An adaptation in the direction of a timewise later jamming recognition means for example an increase of the jamming characteristic value of the motor current or a reduction of the characteristic value of the r.p.m. and/or the displacement speed. Besides that, the characteristic values can be adapted for the comparing with the status values that are significant for the jamming of a part in response to the position and the motion direction of the movable part.
In a preferred manner the jamming recognition thus remains basically in an active state even after the end of the time duration of the stopping or of the reversing, if indicated, with relatively high characteristic values, so that a jamming incident occurring actually simultaneously with the closing of a door, is recognized even if the displacement is continued and a respective emergency shut-off is initiated.
The invention shall be explained in more detail in the following with reference to an example embodiment and the Figures.

Method for controlling the displacement of a part, displaced by an electromotor, of a closure device in a motor vehicle


An attaching apparatus for chip-on-films includes: a base; a rotary table; a first driving device configured to drive the rotary table to rotate around the axis of the rotary table; a TCP side adhesive-attaching mechanism configured to attach a conductive film onto a chip-on-film on a carrier located in the TCP adhesive-attaching region; a PCB side adhesive-attaching mechanism configured to attach a conductive film onto a chip-on-film on a carrier located in the PCB adhesive-attaching region; and a pre-pressing mechanism configured to pre-press conductive films attached on a chip-on-film on a carrier located in the pre-pressing region. The rotary table is in a first operating position, a second operating position, a third operating position and a fourth operating position successively during a rotation around its axis. When the rotary table is in any one of the operating positions, there is always one carrier in each region of the base.

In a display screen reuse project in the field of displaying technologies, a chip-on-film (COF) in a display screen needs to be replaced.
Processes of replacing the COF mainly include four steps of: attaching an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) onto a side of the COF where the COF connects to a transmission control protocol module (TCP), attaching an ACF onto a side of the COF where the COF connects to a printed circuit board (PCB), pre-pressing the conductive film at the TCP side and pre-pressing the conductive film at the PCB side.
An existing attaching apparatus for chip-on-films can merely perform serial operations for an individual COF. The waiting time in continuous operations is relatively long and thus the attaching efficiency of the COF is relatively low.

BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


In one embodiment of the present application, during an initial setting period, switches are rendered conductive, so that voltage on a signal line becomes equal to a source voltage, and input voltages of inverters become equal to a logic threshold voltage. During a writing period, other switches are rendered conductive, and the inverters serve as amplifiers. The last-stage inverter is made up of a P-type Tr14, and an N-type Tr15 having a lower current drive capability than the P-type Tr14. At the beginning of the writing period, the voltage on the signal line varies due to current flowing through the P-type Tr14, and therefore the rate of change of the voltage on the signal line does not change by reducing the current drive capability of the N-type Tr15. On the other hand, by reducing the current drive capability of the N-type Tr15, the output resistance of the inverter increases, so that an amplifier circuit has frequency characteristics with an increased phase margin, resulting in reduced power consumption of the amplifier circuit.

When driving a data signal line (also referred to as a "source line"), liquid crystal display devices use a method in which a D/A converter is used to convert a digital video signal into an analog video signal, and an amplifier circuit (also referred to as an "amplifier", an "output circuit", or an "analog buffer") provided at the subsequent stage of the D/A converter is used to amplify the analog video signal, which amplified signal is used to drive the data signal line. The reason for using this method is that the data signal line has a large capacitive component, and therefore voltage on the data signal line cannot be changed at a sufficient rate by simply driving the data signal line based on an output signal from the D/A converter.
Stability and low-power-consumption capability are required of the amplifier circuit for driving the data signal line. In addition, to perform highly accurate amplification with a negative feedback-type amplifier circuit, a high amplification factor is required. Accordingly, when a single amplifier is not able to achieve a desired amplification factor, a method with a plurality of cascaded amplifiers is used. However, in the case of amplifier circuits including a plurality of amplifiers, a phase delay occurs in the amplifier at each stage, and therefore it is necessary to perform phase compensation in order to prevent oscillation during application of negative feedback.
Regarding the phase compensation in the amplifier circuit including a plurality of amplifiers, the following techniques are conventionally known. Patent Document 1 describes an amplifier circuit configured by cascading three inverters, in which a resistive element and a capacitive element are provided in the second-stage inverter. Also, Patent Document 2 describes an amplifier circuit including an input amplification stage and an output amplification stage, in which a resistive circuit is interposed between an output terminal of the output amplification stage and a signal output terminal.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-255916    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-150427

Amplifier circuit and display device including same


A light-shielding film formed above a substrate has a multilayered thin film structure, in which a thin film not containing nitrogen and a thin film containing nitrogen are alternately arranged. Since the thin film containing nitrogen is formed in the light-shielding film, the stress caused by thermal distortion at the time of an annealing treatment is absorbed by the thin film containing nitrogen. Thus, cracks in an insulating film or a semiconductor film which extend from the light-shielding film can be prevented from occurring.

The present invention relates to an electro-optical device in which a light-shielding film is film-formed on a substrate in a multilayered structure by a sputtering method, a method of manufacturing the same, and an electronic apparatus.
Generally, in electro-optical devices, for example, liquid crystal devices which perform a predetermined display using a liquid crystal as an electro-optical material, the liquid crystal is held between a pair of substrates. Among them, in an electro-optical device, such as a liquid crystal device of an active matrix drive scheme based on a thin film transistor (TFT) drive, thin film diode (TFD) drive or the like, pixel electrodes and switching elements are provided at intersections of a plurality of scanning lines (gate lines) and a plurality of data lines (source lines), which are arranged in longitudinal and traverse directions, on a substrate (active matrix substrate).
A switching element such as a TFT element turns on by an ON signal supplied to the gate line and writes an image signal, which is supplied via a source line, to the pixel electrode (transparent electrode (ITO)). Thus, a voltage based on the image signal is applied to a liquid crystal layer between the pixel electrode and a counter electrode, thereby changing the arrangement states of liquid crystal molecules. In this way, the transmittance ratio of a pixel changes, light passing through the pixel electrode and the liquid crystal layer changes according to the image signal, thereby performing image display.
An element substrate constituting such a switching element is constructed by stacking a semiconductor layer film, an insulating film (interlayer insulating film), or a conductive film with a predetermined pattern on a glass or quartz substrate. That is, by repeatedly performing a film formation step and a photolithography step over various films, a TFT substrate or the like is formed.
In addition, light influences a TFT element such that the transistor characteristics of the TFT element changes. In particular, when the liquid crystal device is used as a light valve of a projection type display device, the intensity of incident light is very high, and thus it is important to shield a channel region or peripheral region of the TFT from the incident light. For this reason, a light-shielding film is formed to oppose the channel region or peripheral region of the TFT element, such that light is not radiated onto the channel region or peripheral region of the TFT element portion.
As a material of the light-shielding film, a metal silicide such as a non-transparent high melting point metal material or a high melting point metal compound is widely used.
In a manufacturing process, first, a conductive light-shielding film is film-formed on the entire surface of the TFT substrate by a sputtering method. Next, the light-shielding film is patterned by a photolithography method to form the light-shielding film with a predetermined pattern. And then, after an interlayer insulating film is film-formed to cover the light-shielding film, an annealing treatment is performed. Thereafter, a semiconductor layer is formed on the interlayer insulating film with a polysilicon film. Here, the annealing treatment is performed at a temperature of about 1000° C. for the planarization of the interlayer insulating film and for the contamination control of the semiconductor layer.
Further, when the light-shielding film is formed by film-forming the metal silicide, such as tungsten silicide (WSi), which is widely used as the material for the light-shielding film, by the sputtering method, at the time of the film formation, a metal single layer or amorphous layer of tungsten (W) and silicon (Si) has a high resistance value, and thus the metal single layer or amorphous layer is adversely affected from the annealing treatment to form a silicide layer which has a low resistance value.
However, when a crystalline structure of an alloy is constructed by the silicide reaction, the internal stress gradually increases. As a result, if the annealing treatment is performed in the state in which the light-shielding film (WSi), the interlayer insulating film (NSG), and, if required, the semiconductor layer (polysilicon) are deposited, when returning to room temperature after the treatment, a stress due to the thermal distortion between tungsten silicide (as the material for the light-shielding film) and NSG (as the material for the interlayer insulating film) or polysilicon (as the material for the semiconductor layer) occurs. Accordingly, cracks in the interlayer insulating film (NSG) extending from the light-shielding film are likely to be caused.
If the cracks in the interlayer insulating film is caused, the cracks spread to the peripheral region of the semiconductor layer or the like therefrom, which results in causing element defects such as electrical short or open. Therefore, the product yield is lowered.
As a countermeasure against the above-mentioned problems, a method in which the pattern of the light-shielding film is made to be small and narrow may be considered. In this case, however, light is likely to leak to the channel region or peripheral region of the TFT element portion, thus it has a little feasibility of being realized. Further, a method in which the film thickness of the light-shielding film is made to be thin may be considered. In this case, however, the sufficient light-shielding property cannot be obtained, and stepped portions with respect to other layers are likely to be caused due to the change in the film thickness.

Electro-optical device having a light-shielding film comprising alternating layers of silicide and nitrided silicide


The synthesis and application of a compound having unique and desired fragrance characteristics is provided herein. The compound of the present disclosure can be employed alone or incorporated as a fragrance component in fragrance compositions. The application is also directed to consumer products comprising such compound and/or fragrance compositions.

There is a continuing interest in the preparation of synthetic fragrance components to provide pleasing organoleptic characteristics in new fragrances. For a wide variety of consumer products, the decision to purchase the product or not can be based on whether the scent of the product is perceived as pleasing to the consumers. This is particularly true for consumer products such as fine fragrance products, candles, and the like wherein the scent is the main reason for the purchase, or consumer products such as laundry detergents wherein the scent is intended to remain on the consumer's clothing.
Thus, there remains a need and demand for unique fragrance compounds. There is also a need for fragrance compositions with pleasing and consumer preferred odor profiles for use in multiple consumer products.


A method of forming a structure comprises forming a pattern of elongate features extending vertically from a base structure. Conductive material is formed on the elongate features. After completing the forming of the pattern of elongate features, the elongate features, the conductive material, or both is (are) exposed to at least one surface treatment gas. The at least one surface treatment gas comprises at least one species formulated to diminish attractive or cohesive forces at a surface of the conductive material. Apparatus and additional methods are also described.

Microelectronic device designers often desire to increase the density of features on a given substrate surface area (e.g., on a semiconductor wafer) by reducing the dimensions of the individual features and by reducing the separation distance between neighboring features. At small dimensions, forming particular materials can present challenges. For example, the materials with the potential for the best performance characteristics (e.g., low electrical resistivity) may present formation challenges that are enhanced at small dimensions. Therefore, microelectronic device designers may turn to other materials that can be formed more easily or reliably at small dimensions, even if such other materials do not have the best performance characteristics (e.g., higher electrical resistivity).
Other challenges arise in designing and fabricating microelectronic devices having features and materials in close proximity with one another. For example, features and materials of small dimension and close proximity may be more likely to succumb to external or internal forces, such as forces on or at the surfaces of the features or materials concerned. Such forces may hamper efforts to structure the features and materials.
FIGS. 1A through 1D illustrate the aforementioned challenges. In FIG. 1A, an idealized structure 100 is schematically illustrated in elevational cross-section, while FIG. 1B schematically illustrates the idealized structure 100 from a top, plan, cross-sectional view. The idealized structure 100 includes elongate features 102 extending vertically from a substrate 104. The elongate features 102 are patterned in parallel lines at small pitch (e.g., at small dimension from one point of one of elongate feature 102 to the same point of its neighboring elongate feature 102). The elongate features 102 and openings (e.g., trenches) separating one elongate feature 102 from its neighbor may be at a high aspect ratio (e.g., a high height-to-width ratio) of, e.g., greater than 5:1. For example, the ratio of height H to each of feature width W(F) and trench width W(T) may be greater than 5:1.
A microelectronic device designer may wish to form a coating of a conductive material 106 evenly along all surfaces of the elongate features 102 and on the upper surface of the substrate 104 in the openings (e.g., trenches) between the elongate features 102. Therefore, the microelectronic device designer may, ideally, intend the conductive material 106 to be formed according to the idealized structure 100 of FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, with each coated elongate feature 102 perfectly parallel to its neighboring coated elongate features 102 and with opposing sidewalls 114 of the conductive material 106 perfectly vertically and consistently spaced from each other.
Turning to FIG. 1C and FIG. 1D, illustrated is the more realistic result of the microelectronic device designer's efforts to form the coating of the conductive material 106. A more realistic structure 108 may not include perfectly-parallel elongate features 102, with perfectly vertical opposing sidewalls 114 as in FIG. 1B, but, rather, bent features 110 in which opposing sidewalls 114 physically contact one another with the conductive material 106 of one bent feature 110 physically contacting the conductive material 106 of a neighboring bent feature 110, forming contact points (referred to herein as "pinch points," such as pinch points 112 illustrated in FIG. 1D) where the opposing sidewalls 114 are in direct physical contact.
The bending and resulting pinch points 112 may be the result of the interaction of surfaces forces during the formation of the conductive material 106. For example, the conductive material 106 may exhibit attractive or cohesive surface forces during deposition, and, at such small dimensions and high aspect ratios, neighboring structures may succumb to the forces and bend toward one another to form one of the pinch points 112. These pinch points 112 may prevent subsequent fabrication processes, such as those intended to electrically isolate each of the elongate features 102 (and the conductive material 106 thereon) from its neighbor. For example, ideally, the idealized structure 100 of FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B may be further processed to selectively remove (e.g., etch) conductive material 106 from between each of the elongate features 102, so that the conductive material 106 on one of the elongate features 102 is physically and electrically isolated from the conductive material 106 on a neighboring one of the elongate features 102. However, in actuality, the presence of the pinch points 112 of the more realistic structure 108 of FIG. 1C and FIG. 1D may inhibit, prevent, or at least complicate efforts to remove (e.g., etch) conductive material 106 from between neighboring bent features 110.
Not all conductive materials 106 may exhibit the same attractive or cohesive surface forces during formation. Therefore, a microelectronic device designer may resort to selecting, as the conductive material 106, a material that does not exhibit these forces during formation rather than a material that does exhibit these forces. However, where the latter material would exhibit a lower electrical resistivity than the former, the microelectronic device designer's choice sacrifices fabrication and structural reliability over electrical performance. Accordingly, material selection and device performance takes a back seat to device fabrication reliability.
Accordingly, microelectronic device designers continue to battle challenges in the fabrication of microelectronic devices having closely-arranged, high-aspect-ratio features on which another material (e.g., the conductive material 106) is formed.

Apparatus with species on or in conductive material on elongate lines


A battery module for a rechargeable battery. The battery module has low contact resistance and includes: a plurality of electrode assemblies incorporating a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; a housing installed with the electrode assembly; and at least one conductive barrier inserted in the housing thereby dividing the space inside the housing, and electrically connecting the plurality of electrode assemblies.

1. Field
Aspects of the described technology relate to a battery module. More particularly, they relate to a battery module having at least one conductive barrier and a plurality of electrode assemblies in series.
2. Description of the Related Art
A rechargeable battery can be repeatedly charged and discharged, unlike a primary battery that cannot be recharged. Low-capacity rechargeable batteries are used for portable small-sized electronic devices, such as mobile phones, notebook computers, and camcorders. Large-capacity batteries are widely used as power sources for driving motors, such as for electric or hybrid vehicles.
Recently, high power rechargeable batteries using a high energy density non-aqueous electrolyte have been developed. A high power large-capacity rechargeable battery is configured by connecting a plurality of rechargeable batteries. A large-capacity rechargeable battery may be formed in a cylindrical shape, a prismatic shape, etc. This large capacity rechargeable battery is generally referred to as a battery module. Designed this way, the rechargeable battery can be used for devices requiring large power, for example, used for driving a motor, such as an electric or hybrid vehicle, etc.
Generally, a rechargeable battery includes a case, an electrode assembly inserted in the case, and a cap assembly closing and sealing the case and installed with a terminal. The case may be formed in a pouch shape, and may be made of a metal.
To configure the battery module to use the rechargeable batteries, a connection member for electrically connecting the terminals of the individual rechargeable batteries is installed in the battery module across the terminals. However, in the conventional rechargeable battery, the contact resistance between the respective terminals and the connection member increases and an additional connection member must be installed. Further, when there is vibration or an impact from the outside, the contact resistance between the connection member and the terminal increases further such that the overall output of the battery module decreases.
The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and does not represent an admission as to the status of such a device as prior art.


An optical aberration is intentionally introduced into the optical system which produces the scanning beam of an optical code scanner, in order to produce a scanning beam which has plural focal points or waists at different distances from the scanner. The operating range of the scanner can thereby be increased by taking advantage of different beam waist locations when the optical code is at different distances from the scanner. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, coma is intentionally introduced to an optical system providing a light beam for an optical code scanner. This provides a scanning beam with plural beam waists at different distances from the scanner. This may be accomplished by orienting the light source and focusing optical system so that their optical axes intersect or by introducing an optical member, such as a prism, between the original light source and the focusing optical system.

The present invention relates generally to optical code scanners and, more particularly, concerns a method and apparatus for scanning optical codes which improves the quality of the scanned image and the range of operation of the scanner.
Anyone who has shopped in a modern supermarket is familiar with optical code imaging devices, in this case a bar code scanner, which facilitate rapid checkout by scanning barcodes imprinted on product packages. This is a relatively undemanding application of barcode reading, as a package is essentially brought to a standstill by the operator for purposes of reading the bar code. However, the barcode reader still must have a reasonable range of distances of operation, since the user cannot place a barcode at precisely the same location every time.
More recently, optical code readers have been utilized in production lines where items are assembled, where they are inspected, where they are packaged, and the like. This application of optical code reading is far more demanding, as products move on a production line at a relatively high speed, for example, a conveyor belt. To avoid the creation of a bottleneck on the production line, it is therefore important that accurate decoding of optical codes take place without reducing the speed at which the objects move down the production line. The speed at which an optical code can be decoded accurately therefore becomes a primary concern. Everything else being equal, optical codes can be detected at higher production line speeds and more reliably if the code reader can scan the code over a greater range of distances from the scanner.
One form of optical scanner commonly used with linear barcodes projects a laser beam at a remote optical code and scans the beam linearly along the direction of the barcode. More of the laser beam is reflected from the light areas of the barcode than the dark areas (the bars), so the light reflected from the barcode, when sensed, contains a sequence of bright and dark portions corresponding, respectively, to the spaces and bars of the barcode, respectively.
Accurate detection of the light and dark areas of the barcode requires that a well focused light source be scanned over the barcode, particularly in the presence of substantial ambient light, to make an accurate determination which areas are light or dark and, in particular, where the transition between the light and dark areas occurs. A common approach is to focus the light source to a specific position where the barcode is expected to be and to restrict the beam diameter by passing the beam through an aperture of predefined size. FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a beam that has been so processed. As may be seen, the beam will have a minimum diameter portion or waist and will increase in width on either side of the waist. Although the quality of scanning is excellent when the optical code is located at the waist, the quality decreases, with an attendant degradation of optical resolution, at distances away from the waist, particularly at positions closer to the scanner. As a result, the scanner has an operating range R, beyond which resolution may be unacceptable or the contrast may be reduced so much as to make the optical code unreadable. The operating range R could be increased by reducing the size of the aperture, but only at the expense of reducing overall illumination. That is, a substantial increase in the brightness of the light source becomes necessary.
Therefore, a substantial need exists in the prior art to improve the operating range of optical code scanners.

Method and apparatus for scanning optical code


To obtain a GaP light emitting element substrate which provides GaP light emitting diodes with less luminance dispersion and high brightness. A GaP light emitting element substrate comprising an n-type GaP buffer layer, an n-type GaP layer and a p-type GaP layer layered one after another on an n-type GaP single crystal substrate, wherein the oxygen concentration in said n-type GaP buffer layer is kept at 6.times.10.sup.15 [atoms/cc] or less.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a GaP light emitting element substrate, and more specifically to a GaP light emitting element substrate comprising a substrate with a plurality of GaP layers on it which is used when manufacturing GaP light emitting diodes which emit green light.
2. Prior Art
Light emitting elements such as light emitting diodes are normally obtained by layering a plurality of semiconductor layers on a semiconductor substrate to prepare a multi-layer semiconductor substrate with a pn junction(s), and making this into elements. Of these, green light emitting diodes can be obtained by using a light emitting element substrate prepared by forming one or more layers of both n-type and p-type GaP layers, one after another, on an n-type GaP single crystal substrate.
GaP is an indirect transition type semiconductor, ant therefore the brightness is very low when a pn junction is simply formed. Therefore nitrogen (N), which would be the luminescence center, is added to the n-type GaP layer in the proximity of the pn junction to increase the light emitting output. A light emitting diode prepared from the GaP light emitting element substrate which has the nitrogen-doped n-type GaP layer, as described above, will produce a yellow-green light emission with a peak wavelength of about 567 nm.
Recently, the progress of GaP light emitting diodes which emit green light has been remarkable, and each year diodes with higher light emission outputs are developed. Along with this trend toward higher light emission output, the application range of the GaP light emitting diodes has spread to a very wide range. However, development of light emitting diodes with even higher light emission outputs is desirable in order to further expand the application range.
However, there is a problem which constitutes an obstacle when designing GaP light emitting diodes with higher brightness. The problem lies in that the brightness of the light emitting diodes varies significantly depending on the manufacturing lot of the buffer layer of the GaP light emitting element which is used in manufacturing the GaP light emitting diodes, and that sufficient brightness may not be achieved depending on the manufacturing lot.
Although the buffer layer does not directly contribute to the light emission of a light emitting diode, it seems that the quality of the buffer layer has some kind of influence on the brightness of the light emitting diode. Therefore, the brightness of the light emitting diodes is expected to improve by improving the quality of the buffer layer.
Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a GaP light emitting substrate which allows manufacturing of GaP light emitting diodes with less dispersion of the brightness depending on the manufacturing lot of the buffer layer as well as with high brightness.

GaP light emitting element substrate with oxygen doped buffer


A transmission electron microscope (TEM) includes an electron beam source (2), an illumination lens (4), a first objective lens (6), a second objective lens (8), a selected area aperture (16), a projector lens (10), a detector (12), and a control portion (22). A first plane (17) is located between the second objective lens (8) and the projector lens (10). The control portion (22) performs first sets of processing for controlling the illumination lens (4) such that an electron beam (L) hits the sample (S), controlling the second objective lens (8) such that a diffraction pattern of the sample (S) is imaged onto the first plane (17), and controlling the projector lens (10) such that a TEM image of the sample (S) formed by the second objective lens (8) is focused onto a second plane where the light-sensitive portion (13) of the detector (12) is disposed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmission electron microscope (TEM) and to a method of observing TEM images.
2. Description of Related Art
A transmission electron microscope (TEM) is configured including an electron beam source, an illumination lens, a first objective lens, an objective aperture, a second objective lens (objective minilens), a selected area aperture, and a projector lens, as disclosed, for example, in JP-A-4-334858. The TEM permits observation of TEM images such as diffraction patterns and real space images of samples.
In such transmission electron microscopy, selected-area electron beam diffraction is known as one method of observing diffraction patterns of samples.
FIG. 26 is a cross section illustrating one example of operation of a conventional transmission electron microscope, generally indicated by reference numeral 1000, when a diffraction pattern of a sample is observed using selected-area electron beam diffraction.
As shown in FIG. 26, the transmission electron microscope 1000 has an electron beam source 1002 emitting an electron beam L which is directed at a sample S by the use of an illumination lens 1004, condenser aperture 1014, objective lens 1006, second objective lens 1008, projector lens 1010, and detector 1012. The resulting diffraction pattern of the electron beam is imaged using an objective lens 1006 and a projector lens 1010. A diffraction pattern of a selected area on the sample S can be observed by selecting the area using a selected area aperture 1016. A real space image of this area can be obtained from the condition where the diffraction pattern is obtained, by varying the operative conditions of the projector lens 1010 while holding the operative conditions of the objective lens 1006. Data indicating the relationship between the diffraction pattern and the real space image can be derived through the use of selected-area electron beam diffraction in this way.
However, in the aforementioned observation method, a strong magnetic field is applied to the sample because an objective lens is used. Consequently, where the sample is made of a magnetic material susceptible to the effects of a magnetic field, the internal state of the sample itself may be varied by the applied field. Therefore, there is the problem that in a case where the sample is susceptible to the effects of a magnetic field, the intrinsic state of the sample cannot be observed due to the effects of the magnetic field on the sample during observation.

Transmission electron microscope and method of observing TEM images


Apparatus for mixing are disclosed for use in an analyzer providing wet assays in a cuvette. Preferably, they comprise protrusions that project into the path of the cuvette as it passes through preferably the incubator. The protrusions can be fixed or driven, and can project upwardly or sideways into the path of the moving curvette. The mixing is useful to cause thorough mixing of, e.g., a diluent with a liquid sample.

In clinical analyzers that do wet assays, it is well known to mount the reaction cuvettes on a rotating platform that carries them from station to station, at least one of those stations being one which causes mixing within the cuvette. Such for example is shown in German OLS 3,839,080, in which cuvettes 301 are apparently vibrated, p. 7, p. 9-10, and p. 19, of the English translation, to cause mixing of the reaction cuvettes, by a mechanism described as providing a "high rate <frequency> and low amplitude", p. 7, for a few seconds, p. 9. It is not clear what those relative terms might mean.
Such a disclosure is inadequate to teach a satisfactory mixing mechanism. The details that are provided are those on p. 19 and FIG. 11, so that it is clear the entire reaction table 302 is vibrated or shaken. Yet, as shown, that table is a fairly massive plate, so that large amounts of energy are required to vibrate the entire plate at some "high" frequency. This large amount of energy is undesired, and isolation of the table is required so that this vibration does not transfer to the rest of the analyzer. Still further, the researcher is left unaware of what high frequencies and low amplitudes are useful. Finally, when adding certain liquids to another liquid, it can be easily shown that merely shaking the cuvette "for a few seconds" is not likely to cause adequate mixing. There is a particular need to provide adequate mixing when adding a diluent to a liquid sample, such as is often done to allow the assay of an out-lier that has a concentration so high as to be otherwise out-of-range.
Other teachings in the art concerning the mixing of liquid within liquid refer to shaking by oscillating the cuvette forward and backward, to cause as it were a "sloshing" of the liquid. Such a system is used in, e.g., the "Amerlite" analyzer. This also is of limited utility, since vigorous sloshing, while causing desired mixing, also causes a loss of liquid from the cuvettes. Gentle sloshing, while effective to retain the liquid in the cuvette, is slow to cause mixing. That is, 60 minutes or more are required to mix by sloshing gently.
Therefore, there has been a problem with prior art wet assay analyzers in that they do not provide rapid mixing of liquid within liquid, without sloshing liquid out of the open cuvettes.

Ribbed mechanism for mixing sample by vibration


A system and method for data transmission between an intelligent electronic device (IED) and a device, such as a remote display or input/output (I/O) device, are provided. Each data line of the IED is input into a serializer and transmitted over a serial link to a deserializer and then provided to the inputs of remote device, such as a remote display or input/output (I/O) device. The serial link can be made of any media such as copper, fiber optics, etc. The serial link can be formed as one, two or more channels.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a system and method for data transmission system between an intelligent electronic device (IED) and a remote display or input/output (I/O) device. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a system and method for data transmission between an IED and a remote display or I/O device that minimizes the number of digital lines needed for a large number of data channels. In addition, the present disclosure provides for the use of a fiber optic medium for the data transmission thereby providing for a fast transmission system and method which is intrinsically isolated and electrically non-conductive.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electric utility companies ("utilities") track electric usage by customers by using power meters. These meters track the amount of power consumed at a particular location. These locations range from power substations, to commercial businesses, to residential homes. The electric utility companies use information obtained from the power meter to charge their customers for their power consumption, i.e., revenue metering.
A popular type of power meter is the socket-type power meter, i.e., S-base or Type S meter. As its name implies, the meter itself plugs into a socket for easy installation, removal and replacement. Other meter installations include panel mounted, switchboard mounted, and circuit breaker mounted. Typically, the power meter connects between utility power lines supplying electricity and a usage point, namely, a residence or commercial place of business.
A power meter may also be placed at a point within the utility's power grid to monitor power flowing through that point for distribution, power loss, or capacity monitoring, e.g., at a substation. These power and energy meters are installed in substations to provide a visual display of real-time data and to alarm when problems occur. These problems include limit alarms, breaker control, outages and many other types of events.
Intelligent electronic display devices provide valuable data for display and for processing by other equipment, e.g., another IED, a head end of a SCADA system, computing device, etc. There are typically multiple data lines to be transmitted from perhaps an IED to a display (or another device) at a remote location. Multiple data lines can be extremely costly to install, e.g., depending on a number of lines (i.e., multi-conductor cables) to be run and the size of a raceway (i.e., metal conduit) to hide or protect the multi-conductor cables. Further, transmission of this data by a high speed medium such as fiber optics requires a separate line for each data line and this would prove costly.
For example, FIGS. 1A-C illustrate a typical socket-type power meter. An exemplary socket meter is described in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/578,062, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The meter includes a main housing 12 surrounded by a cover 14. The cover 14 is preferably made of a clear material to expose a display 16 disposed on the main body 12. An interface 18 to access the display and a communication port 20 is also provided and accessible through the cover 14. The meter 10 further includes a plurality of current terminals 22 and voltage terminals 24 disposed on backside of the meter. The terminals 22, 24 are designed to mate with matching jaws of a detachable meter-mounting device, such as a revenue meter socket. The socket is hard wired to the electrical circuit and is not meant to be removed. To install an S-base meter, the utility need only plug in the meter into the socket. Once installed, a socket-sealing ring 26 is used as a seal between the meter 10 and/or cover 14 and the meter socket to prevent removal of the meter and to indicate tampering with the meter. However, installation of the meter 10 is complicated by the plurality cable extending through the rear side of the meter as shown in FIG. 1C.
In the configuration shown, at least seven cables for communications and remote signaling leave the rear side of the meter 10. This bundle of cables slows the installation process since great care must taken not to pinch any of the cable as the meter is mated to the socket. Furthermore, the installer must ensure the bundle of cables is separated from any high voltage, which may effect the signals being transmitted over the bundle.
Therefore, a need exists for a high speed data transmission system and method for transmitting data from an IED to a remote display, another IED, input/output devices (I/O), computing devices and the like. Furthermore, a need exists for such a system and method to utilize less external wiring which will result in lower manufacturing costs and reduced installation time and costs.

System and method for data transmission between an intelligent electronic device and a remote device


Disclosed is a belt buckle assembly with magnetically interchangeable faceplates. The faceplate attaches to a base plate by a magnetically active plate on both the base plate and the faceplate. The base plate is concealed by the faceplate when the belt buckle is assembled and in use. The user's belt is attached by a belt loop at one end of the base plate and a post on the back side of the base plate which protrudes through a hole in the belt end opposite the belt loop.

It is known in the art that belts and belt buckles are often used to compliment the fashion aspect of a particular clothing outfit. Belts and belt buckles have specific shapes, designs or colors which lead to improved aesthetic value with a particular combination of clothing. Because of this, multiple belt and belt buckles, of different shapes of buckles, widths and colors of belts, color of buckles, and of different materials are required in order to coordinate the belt and buckle with a variety of outfits a consumer may wear.
Such variety in belts and belt buckles is both expensive and requires significant space for storage and organization. The prior art utilizes faceplates and magnets to create a buckle in which part of the face of the buckle can be changed, using a magnetic insert. However, the belt buckle remains the same shape and is attached to the same belt. Thus the prior art system is not really a system of interchangeable belts and belt buckles. These systems are thus not optimized for aesthetic form and function.


A vacuum cleaner comprising a fan motor disposed in a main body case thereof and having a motor with a permanent magnet stator or rotor, and a fan arranged to be rotated by the motor. A dust-collecting chamber collects dust suctioned into the main body case due to the rotation of the fan motor, and a dust-collecting filter causes the dust suctioned into the main body case to be caught in the dust-collecting chamber. A magnetic material adhesion preventing device is provided in a passage through which air flows due to rotation of the fan motor, with the magnetic material adhesion preventing device acting to prevent adhesion of fine dust composed of magnetic materials included in the air flow to a portion in the vicinity of the permanent magnet. As a result, adhesion of fine dust between the rotor and stator can be prevented thereby increasing the service life and the reliability of the vacuum cleaner.

The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner having a fan motor with a rotor or stator using a permanent magnet. Prior Art In, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-242827, a vacuum cleaner is proposed wherein a brushless motor, formed by securing a magnet to a rotational shaft via a yoke, is positioned in a case for the main body of the vacuum cleaner. Dust absorbed from the surface to be cleaned such as the surface of a floor is accumulated in a dust case by a dust collecting filter and, an exhaust air flow from the fan is caused to pass through the brushless motor so that the rotor and the stator of the brushless motor are cooled.
According to the above-described conventional technology, fine dust which has passed through the dust collecting filter is introduced into the brushless motor. Therefore, the thus introduced fine dust adheres to the magnet of the brushless motor if the fine dust is composed of magnetic materials such as iron dust. It leads to a problem in that the magnet and the stator inevitably become stuck if the space disposed between the magnet serving as the rotor and the stator is filled with the fine dust.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner in which fine dust composed of magnetic materials such as iron dust cannot be stuck to a permanent magnet even if the permanent magnet is used in the rotor or the stator of a fan motor.
The above-described object can be achieved by a vacuum cleaner comprising a fan motor disposed in a main body case thereof and having a motor arranged in such a manner that a rotor or its stator, uses a permanent magnet, with a fan being by the motor. A dust-collecting chamber collects dust suctioned into the main body case due to the rotation of the fan motor, and a dust-collecting filter cause the dust, suctioned into the main body case to be caught in the dust-collecting chamber. Magnetic material adhesion preventing means are provided in a passage through which air flows due to rotation of the fan motor, with the magnetic material adhesion preventing means acting to prevent adhesion of fine dust composed of magnetic materials included in the air flow to a portion in the vicinity of the permanent magnet.
The magnetic material adhesion preventing means comprises a fine-dust catching filter capable of catching the fine dust composed of magnetic materials which has passed through the dust-collecting filter and/or an insulating wall for hermetically insulating the rotor from an air flow generated due to rotation of the fan motor.
When the fan motor is rotated during a cleaning operation, dust is suctioned from the surface to be cleaned, such as the surface of a floor, into the dustcollecting chamber in the main body case. The dust suctioned into the dust-collecting chamber is caught by the dustcollecting filter in the dust-collecting chamber.
If fine dust composed of magnetic materials is included in the dust suctioned into the main body case, the magnetic materials can pass through the dust-collecting filter. The fine dust which has passed through the dust-collecting filter is caught by the dust filter in a structure according to the present invention in which the fine dust filter is provided. As a result, the fine dust cannot reach the fan motor. On the other hand, in the case according to the present invention in which the insulating wall capable of hermetically insulating the rotor comprising the permanent magnet, the fine dust does not reach the outer surface of the rotor of the fan motor by the action of the insulating wall. Therefore, adhesion of the fine dust to the magnet portion of the fan motor can be prevented.
Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be appear more fully from the following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a vertical cross sectional view which illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view which illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view which illustrates an essential portion of a third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view which illustrates an essential portion of a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view which illustrates an essential portion of a fifth embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 6 is a vertical cross sectional view which illustrates an essential portion of a sixth embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the various views to designate like parts and, more particularly, to FIG. 1, according to this figure, a main body case 1 of a vacuum cleaner is sectioned into a dust-collecting chamber 1a and a fan-motor accommodating chamber 1b by a partition body 1c. A grid-shape communicating port 1d is formed in the partition body 1c. A hose 2 connected to the dust-collecting chamber la is detachably fastened to the front surface of the main body case 1.
A extension pipe 3 is detachably connected to the hose 2. A nozzle 4 is detachably fastened to the extension pipe 3. A dust-collecting filter 5 in the form of paper back or a cloth back container and having a shape maintaining characteristic is placed in the dust-collecting chamber 1a. Thus, dust suctioned into the dust-collecting chamber 1a is introduced into the dust-collecting filter 5 after the dust has passed through the nozzle 4, the extension pipe 3 and the hose 2. The dust-collecting filter 5 can be withdrawn from the dust-collecting chamber 1a after the cleaning operation has been ended.
A fan motor 6 is placed in the fan-motor accommodating chamber lb by using rubber cushions 7 and 8.
The fan motor comprises a fan 9 and a motor 10. The motor 10 comprises a rotor 13, formed by securing a permanent magnet 12 to the rotational shaft 11, a stator 14 disposed around the rotor 13, a housing 15 covering the stator 14 and the rotor 13, and an end bracket 16. The stator 14 comprises a stator core 14a and a wire 14b to be wound. The fan 9 comprises a centrifugal blade 17 secured to the rotational shaft 11, a fixed guide blade 18 positioned between the centrifugal blade 17 and the motor 10, and a fan casing 19 for covering the fixed guide blade 18 and the centrifugal blade 17. The fan casing 19 is secured around the end bracket 16 by press-fitting.
A fine-dust catching filter 20, serving as means for preventing sticking of magnetic material, is fastened to the communicating port 1d in the partition body 1c. The fine-dust catching filter 20 is made of a filter material or a filter material which has been processed, the filter material being capable of absorbing and catching fine dust composed of magnetic materials such as iron dust. Furthermore, the fine-dust catching filter 20 is arranged in structure so that a proper ventilation resistance level is obtained.
According to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2, an absorbing body 21 is placed in a nozzle 14 for the purpose of preventing the sticking of the magnetic material to the rotor 13 of the motor 10. The absorbing body 21 is structured in such a manner that the magnetic material such as iron dust which is being suctioned by the nozzle 14 can be absorbed and caught. The absorbing body 21 may be formed by a strong permanent magnet so as to catch thumb tacks or needles. According to the third embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a finedust catching filter 22, which serves as means for preventing sticking of magnetic material, is fastened to an air inlet port 16a formed in the end bracket 16 of the motor 10. The fine-dust catching filter 22 is formed by a mesh whose size is so arranged as to cause a proper ventilation resistance level to be generated. The rotational shaft 11 is carried by a bearing 23 provided for the housing 15 and a bearing 24 provided for the end bracket 16. The fine-dust catching filter 22 absorbs and catches fine dust composed of magnetic materials such as iron dust flowing from the fan 9 so that the rotor 13 is protected from sticking of the magnetic materials. According to the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 4, two insulating walls 25 and 26 surrounding the rotor 13 are provided. Each of the two insulating walls 25 and 26 is in the form of a cylinder. The first insulating wall 25 is positioned in contact with the end bracket 16 and the end surface of the fixed core 14a. Thus, the rotor 13 is hermetically closed by the two insulating walls 25 and 26 so that introduction of an air flow from the fan 9 into the portion around the rotor 13 is prevented. Therefore, even if fine dust composed of magnetic materials such as iron dust reaches from the fan 9, the fine dust cannot adhere the surface of the rotor 13. The fine dust is exhausted through an exhaust port formed in the housing to the outside of the fan motor 6. Therefore, according to the fourth embodiment, fine dust composed of magnetic materials such as iron dust which has passed through the dustcollecting filter 5 cannot adhere to the outer surface of the rotor without the need of providing the fine dust filter 20 according to the first embodiment. According to the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 5, an insulating wall 27 for insulating the rotor 13 from an air flow from the fan 9 is provided in such a manner that it passes through a space 28 disposed between the stator 14 and the rotor 13. The insulating wall 27 is, as a cylindrical body, held between the housing 15 and the end bracket 16. According t the above-described structure, the number of components can be reduced in comparison to the fourth embodiment.
FIG. 6 illustrates a sixth embodiment of the present In the embodiment of FIG. 6, insulating walls 29 and 30 for insulating the rotor 13 from an air flow from the fan 9 are formed integrally with the housing 15 or the end bracket 16. That is, an annular reduction portion 15a is formed in the housing 15 so that the insulating wall 29 is created. The front end portion of the insulating wall 29 is positioned in contact with the stator core 14a. An annular reduction portion 16b is formed in the end bracket 16 s that the insulating wall 30 is created. The front end portion of the insulating wall 30 is positioned in contact with the stator core 14a. According to the above-described construction, the number of components can be reduced in comparison to the fourth and the fifth embodiments. Furthermore, according to the construction employed in the sixth embodiment, the rotor 13 can be reliably and hermetically closed by the housing 15 and the end bracket 16. The stator 14 can be supplied with cooling air by forming an opening, which is connected to only the stator 14, in the end bracket 16 and in the housing 15. According to each of the constructions employed in the fifth and the sixth embodiments, the rotor 13 can be perfectly insulated from an air flow from the fan 9 by the insulating wall 27 or the insulating walls 29 and 30. Therefore, even if fine dust composed of magnetic materials such as iron dust is flowed from the fan 9, the fine dust cannot stick to the outer surface of the rotor 13.
Each of the above-described embodiments is structured in such a manner that the fine-dust collecting filters 20 and 22, the absorbing body 21 and the insulating walls 25, 26, 27, 29 and 30 are independently provided. The present invention is not limited to the description above. A construction may be employed in which the above-described components are properly combined with one another. In this case, the fine dust composed of magnetic materials such as iron dust cannot stick to the space disposed between the rotor 13 and the stator 14. Furthermore, the ventilation resistance can be easily controlled to an extent with which the cleaning performance cannot be deteriorated.
According to the present invention, fine dust composed of magnetic materials such as iron dust and included in an air flow generated by the rotation of the fan motor is caught by the fine dust catching filter. Alternatively, even if the fine dust is introduced into the fan motor, the magnet portion in the rotor or the like is insulated from the air flow by the insulating wall. As a result, the adhesion of the fine dust between the rotor and the stator causing the rotor and the stator to be stuck can be prevented. Consequently, a vacuum cleaner having a fan motor which exhibits a long life and a satisfactory reliability can be provided.
Although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularly, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred from has been changed in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.


A jewelry clasp that includes separate end pieces and a center housing that is adapted to engage and release with the separate end pieces. Each of the end pieces supports a magnet and further includes a blind passageway having the magnet disposed at a base of the blind passageway. The blind passageway further includes an annular slot, and the center housing includes a push button arrangement enabling engagement and release of the clasp. A pair of arms is supported from opposed sides of the center housing and the center housing further includes a pair of end flanges that are selectively engageable with the slot in the respective end pieces.

There are a variety of different jewelry clasps that are known. However, for many of these jewelry clasp designs there is a difficulty in providing a quick and effective engagement of the clasp.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved jewelry clasp that provides an effective engagement and release.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a jewelry clasp that is particularly adapted for use with a bracelet, bangle or necklace structure.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved jewelry clasp that is characterized by ready engagement and release and incorporates magnetic properties for engaging the clasp.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved jewelry clasp that incorporates a charm and in which the charm is replaceable or exchangeable with other charms.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved jewelry clasp used with a bracelet or the like having end pieces and a center locking mechanism.


An in-band pseudolite wireless positioning method, system and device are provided. The system has a base station, a pseudolite and a terminal. The base station transmits identifier information to the pseudolite after correcting a transmission clock of the pseudolite and transmits a pseudolite array and positioning correction information to the terminal. The pseudolite generates a random positioning signal sequence according to the identifier information and transmits a positioning signal according to the transmission clock and the random positioning signal sequence. The terminal generates a random positioning signal sequence of the pseudolite according to the pseudolite array and the positioning correction information. The terminal further matches the received positioning signal according to the random positioning signal sequence to obtain the arrival time of the positioning signal and obtain through calculation the position coordinates of the terminal according to the position coordinates of the pseudolite and the arrival time.

With development of mobile communications, more and more attention has been paid to positioning technology of mobile phones. As limitation exists in both GPS (Global Positioning System) positioning and other positioning manners using wireless sensor network or the like, a future direction of improvement lies in integrated positioning (multimode positioning) through cooperation of multiple positioning systems so as to achieve a better accuracy of positioning. In this way, advantages of various positioning systems can be exploited, such that a better accuracy and a quick response as well as a relatively broad cover range can be enabled to realize ubiquitous and accurate positioning. For example, the GPS may be combined with the mobile communication system for positioning of a mobile phone. When the GPS is in use, it is required to search out at least four satellites before completion of positioning by solving equations. In indoor condition at crowd urban area, however, the requirement of searching out four satellites may be not satisfied due to serious attenuation of GPS signal, such that GPS positioning cannot be performed and the positioning function may be restricted.
In view of above, a pseudolite solution based on navigation satellites has been proposed to improve indoor positioning. Such solution is implemented by setting pseudolites similar to navigation satellites, which are able to transmit same signal as that of the navigation satellites, at low altitude. As the pseudolites are close to ground, it is possible to achieve a great strength of signal and low attenuation, such that indoor coverage of signal can be extended efficiently. But on the other hand of the solution, it is required for a receiver to process signal dynamic range for both the navigation satellites and the pseudolites as well as to overcome signal interference therebetween, and an additional wireless system is required.

In-band pseudolite wireless positioning method, system and device


The infrared laser-compatible positive-type image recording materials according to the present invention include a support and a photo/thermosensitive layer formed on the support; and the photo/thermosensitive layer contains an alkali-soluble resin (A), a photothermal converting substance (B) and an ester compound (C) represented by the following General Formula (I), and increases solubility thereof to an alkaline developer as a result exposure to an infrared laser. In the following formula, R1 represents a hydrocarbon group having a pKa of R1OH in a range of 3 to 10; and R2 represents a hydrocarbon group or a substituted carbonyl group. The invention provides image recording materials compatible with high-output lasers that enable highly-sensitive direct plate making by using digital data from a computer or the like, and provide images excellent in development latitude, contrast, and resolution

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording material having a photo/thermosensitive layer on a support, which photo/thermosensitive layer increases solubility thereof to an alkaline developer as a result of exposure to light. More specifically, the present invention relates to a so-called "direct plate-making" positive-type image recording material, capable of direct plate-making by scanning a high-energy density laser beam, such as an infrared laser, on the basis of digital signals from computers or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, progress in lasers has been rapid, and, in particular, solid state and semiconductor lasers with higher outputs and smaller in size; with emission wavelengths in a range between the near-infrared region and the infrared region, have become more readily available. A method whereby the solubility of the photosensitive resin is changed by exposure to light, to record images thereon, by using one of these high-output lasers (usually, having an exposure energy density of more than 5 to 10 kW/cm2) is called a heat-mode or a thermal recording method. In the planographic printing field, these methods have attracted attention recently as recording methods for direct plate-making based on digital data from computers and the like.
More specifically, products produced by the aforementioned method and sold in the market include thermal positive-type planographic printing plate precursors having on a support a photosensitive layer that becomes more soluble as a result of exposure to high-output lasers (hereinafter, referred to as positive-type photosensitive layers) and thermal negative-type planographic printing plates having on a support a photosensitive layer that becomes less soluble as a result of exposure to high-output lasers (hereinafter, referred to as negative-type photosensitive layers).
Positive image recording materials for direct plate making using infrared lasers are image recording materials including both a substance that generates heat by absorbing light and a positive-type photosensitive compound, such as a quinone diazide compound or the like, dispersed together in an alkali-soluble resin. In such image recording materials, images are formed by a mechanism in which the positive-type photosensitive compound functions substantially as a solubilization-suppressing agent which reduces the solubility of the aqueous alkaline solution-soluble resin (which resin will hereinafter be referred to as "an alkali-soluble resin") in the image portions, while, in the non-image portions, as a result of decomposition by heat, the compound becomes unable to exert the same solubilization-suppressing effect, whereby resin in the non-image portions is removed in the process of developing and images are formed. Hitherto, various alkali-soluble resins and solubilization-suppressing agents have been proposed (e.g., see Japanese Patent Applications Laid-Open (JP-A) Nos. 7-285275 and 10-268512, and Japanese Patent Application National Publication (Laid-Open) No. 11-506550).
However, photosensitive compositions, which are known in the art, and which have been used as recording layers of known thermal positive-type planographic printing plate precursors, have a problem, insofar that difference in the solubility thereof to a developer between the exposed and nonexposed portions (which difference will hereinafter be referred to, for the sake of convenience, as "discrimination in solubility") is insufficient, whereby excess development or insufficient development is caused depending on variations in the application conditions. This results in insufficient contrast of images after exposure and development.
Specifically with regard to conventional positive-type image forming materials, images have been formed by modifying the alkali solubility of alkali-soluble resins, mainly by means of thermal breakage of electrostatic interactions between resins and solubilization-suppressing agents, and by removing, in the course of development exposed portions in which resins have become more soluble. Because changes in alkali solubility are produced merely by modest changes in structure caused by heat, such image forming materials have inevitably entailed problems of poor discriminations in solubility, and inferior image contrast.
In order to improve discriminations of images formed by the positive-type planographic printing plate materials, for example, a method of adding a phenolic hydroxyl group-containing compound has been proposed (e.g., see JP-A No. 2000-241966). However, although the phenolic hydroxyl group-containing compound makes removal of the non-image portion by the alkali developer easy (i.e., achieves enhanced solubility of the non-image portion to the alkali developer), the compound also enhances solubility of the image portion, which results in deterioration in sharpness of images. This tendency is conspicuous, in particular, in regions of images like fine lines and dots which take up a relatively small percentage of the image portion. In view of this, the conventional phenolic hydroxyl group-containing compound needs to be improved especially in contrast.


A method for the solubilization and naturation of somatotropin from refractile bodies produced by r-DNA technology wherein the refractile bodies are dissolved in an aqueous solution comprising a chaotropic agent such as urea or guanidine hydrochloride and a soluble surfactant such as sodium dodecylsulfate. The solubilized protein is exposed to mild oxidation for a time sufficient to allow the protein to form disulfide bonds and refold to its native conformation. The presence of the surfactant suppresses the formation of somatotropin dimers and aggregates and results in higher yields of the desirable monomeric form of the protein.

Recombinant DNA technology has permitted the expression of heterologous protein in host cells such as E. coli bacteria. In the case of the growth hormone somatotropin, the protein is sequestered in refractile bodies within the cytoplasm of the host cells. The refractile bodies may be recovered from the host cell culture by disrupting the cell so as to release the refractile bodies, and thereupon collecting the refractile bodies as a solid pellet by differential centrifugation. The refractile bodies are solubilized in an aqueous solution of a suitable chaotropic agent such as urea or guanidine hydrochloride at an alkaline pH, generally in the range of 9-12. The solubilized proteins are subsequently naturized by contact with a mild oxidizing agent to form intramolecular disulfide bonds while refolding the protein to its biologically active native conformation. Methods for the solubilization and naturation of somatotropin protein produced by E. coli bacteria using recombinant DNA technology are described in U.S. Pat No. 4,511,502 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,630, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Biologically active somatotropins are effective to enhance animal growth and productivity when administered parenterally as by subcutaneous or intramuscular injection or implantation. Bovine somatotropin for example, is effective to increase milk production of lactating cows, while porcine somatotropin is effective to improve feed efficiency and lean to fat ratio when administered to finishing hogs. The somatotropins may be administered in various liquid or solid formulations for daily or prolonged release applications as well known in the art.
The monomeric form of somatotropin is the most biologically active, and the major yield loss occurring during the solubilization and naturation process is due to the formation of dimer and higher aggregate forms of the protein which are largely removed during further processing and purification of the monomer. Reducing the initial formation of these impurities would not only improve initial monomer yields but also reduce subsequent product losses during the monomer recovery and purification steps.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved process for the solubilization and naturation of somatotropin. It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved process resulting in higher yields of somatotropin monomer during the solubilization and naturation phase of the process. It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved process to reduce the formation of dimer and aggregate forms of somatotropin during the solubilization and naturation thereof. It is a still further object of this invention to improve yields of somatotropin monomer recovered from refractile bodies produced by recombinant DNA technology. These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the ensuing description and claims.


A semiconductor device enables a barrier layer to fully acquire a barriering property against the diffusion of Cu from a wiring main body and the diffusion of Si from an insulating film, enhances the adhesiveness of the barrier layer and the insulating film and excels in reliability of operation over a long period of time. In this invention, a semiconductor device provided on an insulating film with a wiring includes the insulating film containing silicon, a wiring main body formed of copper in a groove-like opening disposed in the insulating film, and a barrier layer formed between the wiring main body and the insulating film and made of an oxide containing Cu and Si and Mn.

For the purpose of configuring a silicon (Si) semiconductor device, such as an integrated circuit (IC), or an electronic device, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), it is necessary to configure a wiring that is formed of a material having low resistance and high electroconductivity. The configuration of a silicon large-scale integration (VLSI) necessitates a fine wiring technology for the purpose of enhancing the degree of integration. Recently, for the wiring for use in the silicon VLSI and the LCD, copper (Cu) that has lower resistance and higher migration resistance than aluminum alloy is preferably used (refer to Patent Document 1 shown below).
Patent Document 1: JP-A HEI 5-47760
Since the copper that forms the wiring is diffused in a neighboring insulating film, it is necessary to form a layer, such as of tantalum (Ta) or a nitride thereof (TaN), as a barrier layer serving to suppress this diffusion of Cu (refer to Patent Document 2 shown below).
Patent Document 2: JP-A 2001-44156
On the other hand, in the semiconductor device, such as a large-scale integration (LSI), the increase of the degree of integration requires the wiring to decrease its width. The decrease of the width of the wiring, however, entails such problems as increasing the ratio of the thickness of the barrier layer of high resistance occupied in the width of the wiring and, when the barrier layer is disposed as disclosed in Patent Document 2, inevitably increasing the effective resistance of the wiring.
Recently, unlike the conventional technique that forms a barrier layer of Ta or TaN, the technique that heats a film of Cu alloy, such as an alloy of Cu and manganese (Mn) (Cu—Mn-based alloy), deposited on an insulating film to self-matchingly form a barrier layer between a copper wiring and the insulating film has been disclosed (refer to Patent Document 3 shown below).
Patent Document 3: JP-A 2005-277390
The conventional barrier layer formed using a Cu alloy, however, has entailed the following problems.
(1) Since no sufficient barrier property against the diffusion of Cu from the wiring side can be secured, the Cu is diffused toward the insulating film side and the insulating film is prevented from securing the insulating property.
(2) Owing to the mutual diffusion, the Si on the insulating film side is diffused toward the wiring side and the resistance on the wiring side is inevitably increased.
(3) Owing to the deficiency in the adhesiveness between the barrier layer and the insulating film, the semiconductor device excelling in lasting reliability of operation cannot be configured.
The problems enumerated above are thought to be ascribable to the failure to make clear the configuration of a barrier layer that enables enhancing the adhesion with an insulating film and as well bringing about a sufficient barrier property against the diffusion of Cu and Si.

Semiconductor device, its manufacturing method, and sputtering target material for use in the method


A recording device is connectable to a host computer and performs recording on the basis of received data including commands, received from the host computer. A receiving buffer stores therein the received data received from the host computer. A command detection section reads the received data stored in the receiving buffer while scanning the receiving buffer with a first read pointer to detect the commands included in the received data. A command execution section processes the commands detected by the command detection section in a stored order of the commands in the receiving buffer. An immediate processing command detection section reads the received data stored in the receiving buffer while scanning the receiving buffer with a second read pointer which is provided separately from the first read pointer to detect an immediate processing command included in the received data. The command execution section preferentially processes the immediate processing command detected by the immediate processing command detection section regardless of the stored order of the commands in the receiving buffer.

The present invention relates to a recording device which performs recording in accordance with commands transmitted from a host computer, a method of controlling a recording device, a program, and a recording medium.
In the related art, a recording apparatus operates in accordance with commands transmitted from a host computer serving as a higher-level apparatus (for example, see Patent Document 1). The commands that the recording apparatus receives from the host computer include a normal command and an immediate processing command (real-time control command), such as a command of a status return instruction or a reset instruction of the recording apparatus, which has to be processed promptly. For example, when having received data from the host computer, the apparatus described in Patent Document 1 detects a command and an immediate processing command in received data, and a normal command or data related to the normal command is stored in the queue of the receiving buffer and executed in the received order. The immediate processing command is not stored in the receiving buffer and is promptly executed regardless of the received order.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2001-260435
In the above-described method, for all pieces of received data received from the host computer, it is detected whether or not a command is included in received data each time data is received. When a command is included in received data, it is further determined whether or not the detected command is an immediate processing command. For this reason, for example, when a large quantity of data is collectively transmitted, the above-described command detection processing is performed for all pieces of received data before being stored in the receiving buffer. This command detection processing may become a bottleneck, causing degradation of throughput.
In a general recording apparatus, when it is inappropriate to continue a recording operation, such as when there is no recording medium, such as a sheet, when the cover of the recording apparatus is open, when an error occurs, or the like, the recording operation stops and the interface to the host computer is in the offline state (logical disconnection state), such that maintenance of the recording apparatus and data received from and the host computer, and safety of the user are ensured. The recording apparatus does not perform detection of a command from received data or processing of received data in the offline state. In this case, even when an immediate processing command is included in received data, since the immediate processing command is not detected, there is concern that it is slow in coping with the immediate processing command.

Recording device, method of controlling recording device, program, and recording medium


Systems and methods are described herein for remotely and dynamically injecting or installing routes into an Internet Protocol (IP) network. In some embodiments, the systems and methods provide a route injection server as a peer or neighbor node with an IP network. The systems and methods then utilize the route injection server (e.g., remote and dynamic route injection server, or RDRIS) to advertise IP routes to other nodes within the IP network. For example, the RDRIS may send UPDATE messages to other nodes within an IP network, such as via the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) in order to advertise the IP routes to the other nodes of the IP network.

Internet Protocol (IP) networks utilize various routing protocols that communicate on a control plane of the IP networks to create and maintain routing tables, which facilitate the forwarding of data packets within a data plane between nodes (e.g., routers) of the IP network.
The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is one of the most widely deployed routing protocols on IP networks. BGP is used internally within an organization, in the form of the iBGP (internal BGP), as well as to communicate routing information between different service providers, in the form of eBGP (external BGP).
BGP, as well as other routing protocols, has various inherent drawbacks associated with injecting IP routes into a network. Often, the IP routes are injected when certain conditions are satisfied. For example, BGP-enabled nodes advertise IP routes using CLI (command line interface) commands, such as Network, and/or Redistribution commands, or utilize Aggregating route commands. However, in order for a node to advertise the routes, the node's routing table should already include the routes. Otherwise, the node has to learn the routes from peer nodes (e.g., neighbor nodes), other than in cases where the node utilizes some synchronization techniques. Such requirements are restrictive to injecting IP routes into a network, and hinder or prevent IP address mobility within the network.
These and other drawbacks exist with respect to current or conventional IP address mobility techniques for IP networks.
The drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale. Similarly, some components and/or operations may be separated into different blocks or combined into a single block for the purposes of discussion of some of the embodiments of the present technology. Moreover, while the technology is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to limit the technology to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the technology is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the technology as defined by the appended claims.

Remotely and dynamically injecting routes into an IP network


The present application provides a variable frequency Helmholtz damper system for use with a combustor of a gas turbine engine. The variable frequency Helmholtz damper system may include one or more Helmholtz dampers and a purge medium temperature control unit for providing a flow of purge medium to the Helmholtz dampers. The purge medium temperature control unit may be in communication with a temperature control fluid flow such that the purge medium temperature control unit may vary the temperature of the flow of purge medium.

Generally described, gas turbine engines have one or more combustion chambers where a fuel is injected, mixed with an air flow, and combusted to generate high pressure combustion gases. In turn, the high pressure combustion gases are expanded in a turbine to produce mechanical work. During typical operation, pressure oscillations or pulsations may be generated within the combustion chamber. These pulsations are pressure waves that may result from aerodynamic flame instability coupled with a fluctuating heat release. Such pulsations may lead to engine hardware damage and therefore should be avoided. Moreover, such pulsations may limit overall gas turbine output as well as the capability of achieving targeted low emissions, both on fuel gas and fuel oil operation.
For these reasons, the gas turbine combustion chambers may be provided with damping devices, such as Helmholtz dampers and the like, to dampen the pressure oscillations. For example, these traditional Helmholtz dampers may include an enclosure that defines a resonator volume and a neck that may be connected to the combustion chamber. The resonance frequency (i.e., the damped frequency) of the Helmholtz damper may depend on the geometrical features of the resonator volume and the neck. The resonance frequency also must correspond to the frequency of the pressure oscillations generated within the combustion chamber.
The maximum damping capability may be limited by the available volume in which a damper can be implemented. Within a given maximum volume, the Helmholtz dampers may be designed to address critical pulsation frequency ranges. When the pulsation frequency ranges to be damped are too wide and exceed the maximum damping capability that can be obtained from the available volume, the effectiveness of the damper may be compromised. Moreover, when the damper capability is at the limit for a given fuel operation and pulsation characteristics, pulsations resulting from operation with other fuels may not be damped sufficiently. Variable dampers with mechanical components also are known. Such mechanical components, however, may not be practical from a design and lifetime point of view.