Disclosed in this invention is a polyester film for magnetic recording media, containing 0.05 to 5% by weight of inactive inorganic particles (A) having a Mohs hardness of 6 or above and an average particle size of 0.005 to 1.0 .mu.m and 0.01 to 2.0% by weight of inactive particles (B) having an average particle size which is greater than that of the particles (A) and in the range of 0.1 to 3.0 .mu.m, the polyester film having an intrinsic viscosity in the range of 0.52 to 0.65. The polyester film of this invention is excellent in abrasion resistance, scuff resistance and slitting qualities and useful as a base film for magnetic recording media.

The present invention relates to a polyester film which, when made into a magnetic tape, shows excellent electromagnetic properties, running properties and abrasion resistance. More particularly it relates to a base film for high-density magnetic recording media, which scarcely has scuffing and generates less abrasion dust during running of the tape and also enables easy cut of the magnetic tape made by using the film.
Polyester films have excellent physical and chemical properties and are widely used in the industries. Especially biaxially stretched polyethylene terephthalate films are superior to other types of film in flatness, mechanical strength and dimensional stability and now are essential as base for magnetic recording media.
On the other hand, improvements on magnetic recording media have been made rapidly in recent years, and this naturally has resulted in a severe requirement for quality of base film. For instance, base film is required to have a surface with a high degree of flatness for use in a magnetic tape, such as videotape, where high-density recording is made. However, as is well known, the higher the flatness of film surface, the greater becomes the friction between the film and the parts contacted therewith. This increases the risk of scuffing of the film and generation of abrasion dust to give rise to various troubles.
For example, if abrasion dust is generated at a production stage prior to the magnetic layer coating step, there may take place skips of coating of the magnetic layer or deposition of abrasion dust on the magnetic layer surface to cause increase of frequency of dropout. Also, if abrasion dust is generated in the course of calendering which is conducted for the purpose of flattening the magnetic layer surface, such abrasion dust will deposit as white powder on the calender roll surfaces to cause roughening of the magnetic layer suface and a deterioration in electromagnetic properties of the product. Further, if abrasion resistance of the film is poor, abrasion dust might be generated in the tape running system within the tape deck even after made into a product such as magnetic tape to cause lowering of electromagnetic properties or more frequent occurrence of dropout.
Recently, request is rising for the improvement of resistance to scuffing in addition to abrasion resistance of base film. Such a request is based on the fact that a tape may suffer scuffing by recording elements contact with the tape in the course of tape dubbing or other steps, or the fact that generated abrasion dust causes scuffing to the film. Such scuff marks are not only undesirable from viewpoint of appearance of appearance but also tend to cause contamination of working steps or increase of dropout.
It is known that abration resistance and scuff resistance can be improved by incorporating inactive fine particles in polyester film to roughen the film surface to a proper degree. Such moderate surface roughening is not only helpful for improving abrasion resistance and scuff resistance but also contributes to improvement of film workability or running properties of magnetic tape using the film, but this approach can not meet with recent strict requirements in quality. It is necessary for well satisfying such quality requirements to increase the amount of fine particles blended or increase the particle size, but this approach tends to raise the average surface roughness to an excessive degree or to increase the number of coarse surface protuberances due to the presence of coarse particles, resulting in a deterioration in electromagnetic conversion characteristics of magnetic tape or an increase in the frequency of dropout. It is quite difficult to satisfy these antinomic requirements at the same time. The only known effective method is so-called back coating, where an appropriate coating is formed on the back side of the film (the side opposite from the magnetic layer). This method, however, greatly increases the manufacturing cost and also involves many problems relating to film properties, so that this method has not been deemed practically suitable.
Another important property required of the base film for magnetic recording materials to possess is easiness to slit. If the base film is poor in cutting quality, when magnetic tape is slitted into the pieces of a given width, burrs are made at the slit end and, in some cases, the tape material may come off as powders from the slit end. When this phenomenon becomes more remarkable, fall-off of material in the form of powder from the magnetic layer may be caused, and such fallen-off powder may become a cause of dropout.
As a means for improving slitting quality, a method is known in which crystallinity of film is increased. However, an increase of crystallinity leads to deterioration of abrasion resistance, so that it is practically unsuitable to raise the crystallinity to excess. Currently, therefore, designing of base film is made by sacrificing the slitting quality to some extent.
Thus, it would be of great industrial significance if techniques were found by which it is possible to effectively improve, with simple means, abrasion resistance, scuff resistance and slitting quality (easiness to cut) of base film for magnetic recording media.
In view of the above, the present inventors have made strenuous studies on polyester films for magnetic recording media and, as a result, found that a polyester film containing certain specified fine particles has excellent abrasion resistance, scuff resistance and cutting quality (easiness to cut). The present invention was accomplished on the basis of such finding.

Polyester film for magnetic recording media


A communication device and method for operating the same includes a GPS receiver that periodically generates a position signal, a wireless modem transmitting or receiving messages and a controller that is coupled to the receiver and the modem. The controller discontinues operating the wireless modem when the GPS signal generates the position signal and vice versa to reduce interference with the other device.

Companies and governmental entities that employ mobile units often have difficulty locating the units. The units in turn often have difficulty knowing their position. In operations such as fighting forest fires or other types of wildfires, knowing the position of ground units is desirable to better manage the changing requirements for fighting the fire. A simple, reliable system for tracking assets and communicating back and forth therewith is thus desirable.
Reliability is an important factor when providing communication systems, particularly in life-threatening situations such as forest fires. Communications must be reliable. Typically, if communications in a mobile system are sent but not received, no indication is present to either party that the message has not been received.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a system that provides reliable communications and acknowledgements that messages have been received.

Communications protocol for mobile device


This invention provides an apparatus for increasing the activity of the human brain which includes a section for cooling the head of a person and another section for warming his feet or legs.

This invention relates to an apparatus for increasing the activity of the human brain.
It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for increasing the activity of the human brain which comprises means for cooling the head of a person and means for warming his feet or legs.
Another object is to provide an apparatus for increasing the activity of the human brain which comprises means mounted on the top of the back of a chair for cooling the head of a person and means disposed on the lower portion of the chair for warming his feet or legs.
Still another object is to provide an apparatus for increasing the activity of the human brain which comprises means for cooling the head of a person lying on a bed or mattress and means for warming his feet and legs.
A further object is to provide an apparatus for increasing the activity of the human brain which comprises means for cooling the head of a person sitting at a desk and means for warming his feet or legs.
A further object is to provide an apparatus for measuring the brain power of a person which is increased in brain activity by the use of such an apparatus for increasing the activity of the human brain as described hereinbefore.
According to one aspect of this invention, an apparatus for increasing the activity of the human brain comprises a cooling and warming device including a compressor for compressing a coolant such as Freon, a warming section in the form of a condenser for receiving the compressed coolant from the compressor and radiating heat, and a cooling section in the form of an evaporator for receiving the coolant from the condenser through a capillary tube and evaporating it for cooling. The compressor may be mounted in a chair. The evaporator may be mounted on the top of the back of the chair while the condenser may be mounted on the lower section of the chair. The condenser may include heat radiating pipes which are assembled into a foot rest mounted on the lower section of the chair. The evaporator may be mounted within a head rest on the top of the back of the chair. Further, the evaporator may be assembled into a pillow and connected with a box located aside of a bed or mattress through any suitable means such as hose, pipe and the like, the box housing the compressor therein. The box also receives the condenser from which the heated air is fed to a nozzle located adjacent to the feet of a person lying on the bed or mattress by means of a fan through any suitable means such as a hose, pipe and the like. Furthermore, the evaporator may be assembled into the lower section of the chair rather than the top of the back thereof. In this case, the cooled air is conducted from the evaporator near the head of the person through any suitable means such as a hose, pipe and the like.
In another aspect of this invention, the cooling means on the top of the back of the chair may comprise a head rest including a housing which has openings formed therein for causing air to pass into and out of the housing and, an electrically driven fan mounted within the housing for blowing air to the back of the head of a person through the outlet openings in the housing. In this case, the lower section of the chair includes a foot rest mounted thereon into which an electric heater is assembled. Furthermore, air may be blown toward the back of the head through any suitable moistened material such as cloth, felt, fibers and the like. In this case, the air can be cooled by means of liquid such as water as it passes through the moistened material.
In still another aspect of this invention, the apparatus comprises an electronic device utilizing the Peltier effect, which includes a thermoelement having a cold section positioned against the head of a person and a hot section located against his feet or legs.
In a further aspect of this invention, the apparatus may include a body adapted to be placed between the legs of a desk, the body housing a compressor, an evaporator and a condenser. Air is cooled at the evaporator and conducted toward the head of a person sitting at the desk through a flexible hose. He can rest his feet on the portion of the body which is heated by the condenser located therein.
This invention further provides an apparatus for measuring the brain power of a person which is increased in brain activity by means of the above-mentioned apparatus. The measuring apparatus comprises means receiving one finger of a person, means for radiating a light beam toward the finger, means for receiving the light beam transmitted through the finger to generate signals at the output thereof, and means for indicating the magnitude of the signals from the signal generating means. If a vertical or inclined column of liquid is heated near the bottom, the heated liquid will tend to rise in the column. If the outer arteries in the head are cooled, such cooled outer arteries will constrict, but if the same amount of blood is being pumped to the head, there will be a greater flow of blood in the inner arteries leading more directly to the brain because of the constriction in such outer arteries. Therefore, the combination of the heating of the feet and cooling of the outside of the head results in greater flow of blood to the brain, thereby increasing the activity of the brain.
These and other object, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings:

Apparatus for increasing the activity of the human brain


A printing fluid collector is described. In one example, the collector comprises a conveying mechanism for collecting printing fluid ejected from a printing fluid dispenser, and a connecting means for connecting the conveying mechanism to a printing system in an orientation such that the conveying mechanism is to collect printing fluid ejected from the printing fluid dispenser and convey the printing fluid in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to a direction of movement of a print medium along a print medium path.

Printing systems may be arranged to transport a print medium along a media path and allow for a printing fluid to be deposited onto the print medium. A media transport system may be used to transport the print medium along the print media path. The media transport system may comprise a set of driven rollers or a belt. Printing fluid may be deposited onto the print medium using fluid ejection technologies. A variety of materials, porous or non-porous may be used as print media in printing systems, for example papers, cards, plastics and textiles.
Different printing systems may be used for printing on materials of different porosity. Depending upon the porosity of a print media, printing fluid may pass through the print media.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The disclosure relates to measuring devices that are particularly suited for the purpose of in-situ characterization of particles present in fluid substances or in air using a low-coherence interferometer. Specifically, the characterization includes average size, size distribution, volumetric density, and composition. The low-coherence interferometer utilizes a split band of radiation to illuminate a sample probe and a reference probe then combines the reflected radiation from both probes to determine the photon pathlength distribution of the tested particulate or colloidal containing stream and from this information determine the size characteristics of said stream. The methodology is relevant to possible spatially distributed control of chemical processes such as emulsion polymerization to produce paints, coatings, synthetic rubbers, or crystallization processes in pharmaceuticals, food, and bulk chemicals industries. Another application relates to on-line control of particle size and volumetric density is in combustion for diagnostics. The invention can be used for the characterization of coal particles, dense sprays and solid propellants or any other system, which is too dense for conventional optical measurement techniques. Beside the intrinsic particulate nature of these systems, random index of refraction variations are also created due to turbulence/temperature interactions. The remote optical characterization of systems with high-concentration of suspended solids is also important for water quality control and pollution monitoring.

This invention relates to the optical characterization of particulate dispersions, and in particular to a method and apparatus for the in-situ physical analysis of particles present in fluid substances or in air.
There are many applications where particle characterization measurements can provide for improved process control leading to increased throughput, higher recovery rates, reduced reagent consumption and better product quality. These benefits result in reduced cost and increased profits, strong justifications for the use of process control instrumentation. Unfortunately, there is a lack of particle measurement instrumentation that can be used in-situ for real time measurements that are necessary for process control. In a typical process, such as a polymerization or crystallization reaction, particles or droplets are suspended in a flowing medium, liquid or gaseous, while chemical or physical changes are taking place to the materials in the slurry. In many cases these changes are very dynamic, and thus the materials cannot be measured when removed from the pipeline or vessel requiring the instrumentation to be non-invasive.
Of the common approaches to particle size determination, light scattering is one of the most attractive alternatives, which, besides its intrinsic non-invasive and nonpertubative character, has also the potential for developing high performance online instrumentation and sensing procedures. Current optical technologies utilizing light scattering for particulate characterization are based on: turbidity (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,507); dynamic light scattering (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,155,549 and 5,502,561); or angular resolved light scattering (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,408). These methods require substantial sampling and dilution procedures and therefore are not very suitable for on-line process monitoring. Besides, these approaches are intrinsically invasive.
Advances have been made to develop on-line characterization technologies. Optical techniques are usually preferred because they can be non-invasive, inexpensive and reliable. Several techniques that are pertinent to on-line determination of various properties of particles present in fluid substances have been proposed and are based on: diffusive wave spectroscopy (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,365,326 and 5,818,583); coherent backscattering (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,301); photon density modulation (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,920); and, time-resolved measurements (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,291). Thus, the non-invasive optical methods have many advantages for particle sizing, but also have one serious limitation. At high particle concentrations, light is scattered from particle to particle, and such so-called multiple scattering results in loss of precision in the optical measurements.
When light strikes the boundary surface separating two media of different optical densities, some of the incident energy is reflected back. This property is referred to as reflectance and by some authors as backscattering from the interface. The techniques used to measure this property fall under the broad definition of reflectometry. This is different from the backscattering of light that undergoes multiple scattering trajectories in particulate media. It is important to realize this distinction between the single backscattering (reflection) of light from an interface and the light backscattered from a system of particles due to a multiple scattering process. Well known instruments that detect the position and strength of one inhomogenity, i.e., single-scattering in the back scattering direction, are those that rely on low-coherence optical interferometry (sometimes called white light interferometry).
The deficiencies in the current optical light scattering approach are due to the fact that they are based on single interactions between interrogating light wave and specific particles. Therefore, the current methods cannot account for multiple scattering effects and are not appropriate for measurements at high volume fractions of particles such as powders. Many of the current techniques are also limited because of the need for sample preparation and because of their typical bistatic (different locations for source and detector) geometry.
The first objective of the present invention is to provide an optical apparatus for system analysis and process control.
The second objective of this invention is to provide a non-invasive means for optical characterization of particulate fluids.
The third objective of this invention is to provide a low-coherence interferometer for determining the optical path length distribution for light reflected from a random medium.
The fourth objective is of this invention is to provide a low-coherence interferometer with multiple measuring heads.
The fifth objective of this invention is to provide a low-coherence interferometer with an optical switch between different measuring heads.
The sixth objective of the invention is to provide a low-coherence interferometer with multiple wavelength sources.
The seventh objective of the invention is to provide a complex system where low-coherence interferometry LCI information can be enhanced and complemented by the use of time-resolved data. In the same basic configuration, the light source(s) can be modulated at high frequencies and phase and/or amplitude of the LCI signal can be monitored. This information will complement the steady state measurement and will offer the possibility to discriminate between absorption at the particle level.
The primary embodiment of the invention provides a low-coherence interferometer apparatus for determining the size characterization of a stream of particulate or colloidal suspension by means of a split beam of electromagnetic radiation illuminating both a sample probe positioned in said stream and a reference probe, the beam reflections of both probes are combined to provide an interference signal and this signal is thereafter analyzed to provide a photon pathlength distribution whereby the size characterization of said stream is determined. The method of the invention includes the steps of illuminating both an in-situ sample of a steam of particulate or colloidal substances and a reference with a common level of low-coherent electromagnetic radiation and thereafter combining the resultant reflected radiation from said sample and said reference to provide an interference signal whereby the photon pathlength distribution of said sample is realized and thus providing indicia determinative of the size characterization of said stream.

Non-invasive method and low-coherence apparatus system analysis and process control


The object of the present invention is to provide an image-recording material that may prevent a flocculation of a coating liquid for image-recording layer that contains a water-dispersible emulsion and a water-soluble polymer compound, and that may exhibit an enhanced stability, present an improved film-forming performance, and provide superior surface conditions. In order to achieve the object, an image-recording material according to the present invention is provided, in which the image-recording material comprises a support and at least one image-recording layer on the support, wherein the image-recording layer is formed from a water-dispersible emulsion of which volume-average particle size is 55 nm or more and a water-soluble polymer compound of which weight-average molecular weight (Mw) is 400,000 or less. Preferably, the water-dispersible emulsion is a polyester emulsion. Preferably, the water-soluble polymer compound is polyethyleneoxide.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image-recording material properly adapted to electrophotographic materials, thermosensitive coloring materials, inkjet recording materials, sublimation transfer materials, silver halide photographic materials, thermal transfer materials, or the like; wherein a coating liquid for image-recording layer, that contains a water-dispersible emulsion and a water-soluble polymer compound, may prevent a flocculation, exhibit an enhanced stability, present an improved film-forming performance, and provide superior surface conditions. The present invention also relate to a process for producing the image-recording material and a process for forming an image that utilizes the image-recording material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrophotographic processes are broadly applied to various copiers, printers of personal computers and the like since the process allows dry processing, provides high-speed printing, and allows printing on general-purpose paper such as plain paper and wood-free paper. The toner-image-receiving layers of electrophotographic-image-receiving sheets utilized in the electrophotographic process are formed from various processes. For example, a process is proposed in which a thermoplastic resin is melted and extruded on a support such as raw paper to form a laminate, alternatively a process is proposed in which a resin solution or resin dispersion is coated on a support, and others are proposed.
Among these proposals, such process as coating a water-dispersible emulsion on a support has been widely investigated in recent years, since the process is less likely to cause environmental issues, and the cost of the materials is relatively low. In the process, in order to coat appropriately the water-dispersible emulsion on the support, the viscosity of the coating liquid for toner-image-receiving layer should be raised by adding a water-soluble polymer compound or the like. However, when a water-soluble polymer compound is added to a water-dispersible emulsion, the flocculation of the coating liquid of the toner-image-receiving layer is often induced, the coating liquid is likely to decrease the stability, and the coated film tends to exhibit poor surface conditions after drying, and also the coated film tends to be brittle, therefore such problems as defect and cracking of the film may be unavoidable, resulting in the diminish of the product value.
In the prior art, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open JP-A) No. 05-214269 and Bunsan Gyoshu no kaimei to Ohyogijyutsu "Clarification of Dispersion and Flocculation and Applied Technology", Fumio Kitahara, by Techno System co. jp, 1992 describe the addition of water-soluble polymer compounds to water-dispersible emulsions in order to adjust the viscosities. However, these literatures do not disclose or suggest the average particle size of the water-dispersible emulsions, molecular weight of the water-soluble polymer compounds, or these optimizations, therefore the aforesaid objection have not been solved in the prior art.
Accordingly, an image-recording material has not been provided yet that may prevent a flocculation, exhibit an enhanced stability, present an improved film-forming performance, and provide superior surface conditions.
The object of the present invention is to provide an image-recording material properly adapted to electrophotographic materials, thermosensitive coloring materials, inkjet recording materials, sublimation transfer materials, silver halide photographic materials, thermal transfer materials, or the like; wherein a coating liquid for image-recording layer, that contains a water-dispersible emulsion and a water-soluble polymer compound, may prevent a flocculation, exhibit an enhanced stability, present an improved film-forming performance, and provide superior surface conditions. The object of the present invention is also to provide a process for producing the image-recording material and a process for forming an image that utilizes the image-recording material.

Image-recording material, process for producing the same and process for forming image


Disclosed is a substrate attenuator circuit having a thin, long conductive pattern with a plurality of bends on a substrate, with heat generation per unit area reduced to a small amount even at a low attenuation level. A linear conductive pattern configured to have a plurality of bends on a substrate is provided with output terminals at n portions thereof. The conductive pattern has a larger line width at a first stage conductive pattern portion defined in a portion from an input terminal to m output terminals (m<n) than the line widths of the conductive pattern portions defined in the remaining portion, the m output terminals being disposed closer to the input terminal of the output terminals of the n portions. The first stage conductive pattern portion is thus increased in conductor area, and heat generation per unit area is reduced to a small amount even when only the first stage conductive pattern portion is used to obtain a low attenuation level.

1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments discussed herein relate to attenuator circuits provided on substrates (hereinafter "substrate attenuator circuits"). In particular, the embodiments are suitably applicable to attenuator circuits configured on substrates with thin, long conductive patterns having multiple bends.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally provided attenuator circuits include one configured on a substrate with a resistive film having a thin, long conductive pattern bent at multiple portions (see, e.g., JP-A-05-021202). According to the technique described in JP-A-05-021202, an input terminal is provided at one end of the thin, long continuous conductive pattern, and output terminals are drawn out from a plurality of portions of the conductive pattern, such that desired resistance values are available therefrom.
FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary configuration of the above-mentioned related art. In FIG. 7, a thin, long conductive pattern 101 of a uniform width is configured on a substrate 100 so as to have a folding pattern including multiple bends at an angle of 180 degrees. An input terminal 102 is provided at one end of the conductive pattern 101, and a plurality of output terminals 103A to 103C are drawn out from a plurality of portions of the conductive pattern 101.
Signals output from the first output terminal 103A are attenuated by a first resistance value corresponding to a conductive pattern portion 101A that is defined from the input terminal 102 to the first output terminal 103A. Signals output from the second output terminal 103B are attenuated by a second resistance value corresponding to the conductive pattern portion 101A and a conductive pattern portion 101B that are defined from the input terminal 102 to the second output terminal 103B. Signals output from the third output terminal 103C are attenuated by a third resistance value corresponding to the conductive pattern portions 101A and 101B and a conductive pattern portion 101C that are defined from the input terminal 102 to the third output terminal 103C. With this configuration, signals may be extracted from any of the output terminals 103A to 103C appropriately selected, and signals input to the input terminal 102 are thus attenuated for output by a desired level.
However, of the entire conductor area provided by the conductive pattern, the smaller the resistance value, i.e., the lower the attenuation level, to be attained by a conductive pattern portion defined from the input terminal to an output terminal, the smaller the conductor area to be used to provide that resistance value is. For this reason, a lower attenuation level entails increased power consumption per unit area, hence an increased amount of heat generation per unit area.


A shared database platform can interface with a cluster computing platform over a network through a database connector and one or more cluster connectors. The data transferred over the network can include telemetry metadata that can be distributed to execution nodes of the cluster computing platform for generation and transmission of cluster data to the shared database platform.

Distributed processing can be used to create analytical compute sources to analyze data. Some of these distributed computing systems include a cluster of nodes including a driver node and multiple execution nodes that function in concert per the driver node's instructions to complete data processing tasks. While these distributed systems enable powerful computing, inefficiencies such as bottlenecks can still occur. Furthermore, the logging and diagnostic information for the cluster of nodes is complicated and inconvenient for end-users because there are many various node cluster versions, and the end-user (e.g., customer) may have no experience nor access privilege to collect the information for diagnosis and tracking of processing in the distributed node cluster.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Cluster diagnostics data for distributed job execution


The present invention provides a system and method for regulating access to a computer platform via a provably trustworthy trust level generator and monitor. The present invention comprises an operating system component that recognizes when applications desire access to a distributed platform. The operating system component is responsible for regulating access to the platform. Such regulation may be achieved by, for example, refusing to load the application or by limiting calls that an application can make through one or more Application Programming Interfaces. The present invention further comprises a distributed platform analysis component for analyzing applications attempting to access a distributed platform and for establishing a trust level for the application. The present invention further provides a system and method for monitoring the trust level established by the analysis program for separate interpretation of the trust level of other modules called by the application seeking access to the distributed platform.

With the growth of distributed computing it has become common for many applications to seek access to other computers. Manufacturers of distributed computing platforms may want independent software producers to create applications to run on the distributed platform. Creating applications for a distributed platform is facilitated by exposing the internals of the distributed platform to the programming community. Such an exposed platform may be referred to as an open platform.
Although the platform developer may desire an open platform, the platform developer may still desire to restrict access to the platform to trusted applications that perform desired processes with no undesired effects. Conventionally, such access has been regulated by a software application. However, such a software application may itself not be provably trustworthy by the platform. Further, conventional access regulation systems have provided only a binary solution, either granting or denying access. Further still, many conventional access regulation systems generally provided application level verification.
As distributed platforms have become smaller, it has become more common to embed certain programs in the distributed platform. Some embedded programs may be developed and tested by the distributed platform manufacturer and thus may be considered trustworthy. Other embedded programs may have been developed and tested by third parties and thus may not be considered trustworthy. However, conventional access regulation systems may have treated such programs similarly.
Thus, there is a need for an access regulation system that is provably trustworthy, that can provide greater flexibility than a binary response and that can analyze and interact with a computing environment, rather than simply with stand alone applications.

Trust level based platform access regulation application


A hook member for a pegboard is disclosed. A U-shaped hook member is rotatably positioned in a channel in a base member, the base member having one or more pin members for attachment to the pegboard. The channels in the base member allow the base member to rotate relative to the pegboard when the U-shaped member is pulled outwardly from the pegboard. After sufficient rotation, the pins are released from the holes in the pegboard.

Businesses today use a wide variety of devices and mechanisms to display their products to consumers and the passing public. For example, products are displayed with hangers, hooks, clips, clamps and the like or presented in bins, pockets, baskets or racks. For versatility and ease of presentation, adjustable hanging, hooking and clipping items are often utilized.
One of the known ways to display and retain products in this manner involves the use of hook members with pegboards. Pegboards comprise planar sheets of material with a plurality of holes or openings spaced uniformly in a grid pattern. The hook members have one, two or more pins or fingers which fit within the holes in order to hold the hook members in place. The merchandise or products are then positioned on the hook member, typically by use of an opening in the product packaging.
The hooks, hangers, clips and the like are made from a wide variety of materials, preferably a hard plastic or metal. For example, metal rods are often used for making the hangers or hook members for pegboards, the member having one or two fingers or pins that are bent at right angles for insertion in holes in the pegboard. The pins are typically welded to the wire rod. The hook members also have one or more elongated members used for mounting the products for presentation.
One of the difficulties with hooks and hangers on pegboards, is that it is difficult to move the hooks or hangers without disrupting or interfering with adjacent products and hangers. The hooks or hangers need to be rotated up to 90.degree. in many instances in order to remove them from the pegboard and this often interferes with products suspended or hanging from adjacent hooks.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved merchandise hanger or hook mechanism for use in holding and displaying products. It is another object of the present invention to provide a hook or hanger mechanism for pegboards which overcomes the problems with existing hooks and hangers.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved hanger mechanism for a pegboard in which the hanger mechanism can be removed without interfering with adjacent hangers and products suspended therefrom. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a hanger for merchandising racks in which the products are not disturbed significantly when the hanger or hook on which they are positioned is removed or moved to a different location.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, drawings and claims.


There is disclosed an improvement of a system for discriminating a tape speed mode of a recorded tape on which control pulses are recorded in the tape speed mode, so that a spacing of the control pulses represents the tape speed mode. The system comprises a reel element for winding the recorded tape and transporting the recorded tape at a varying speed; a head element for detecting the control pulses and producing detected pulses when the recorded tape is transported by the reel element rotating at a rotation rate; a counting circuit for counting the detected pulses at a rate of the rotation rate of the reel element and producing a counted value; and a determining circuit for determining the tape speed mode from the counted value by comparing the counted value with a threshold value and outputting a determined result as the tape speed mode.

The present invention relates to an improvement of a system for discriminating a tape speed mode used for recording such as a standard play (SP) or an extended play (EP) mode, when recorded data are reproduced from a data-decorded tape such as a video tape.
A video tape recording/reproducing equipment (called VTR hereinunder) has the SP mode and EP mode as a recording or reproducing tape speed mode for the video tape in the VHS type standard (VHS is the trade name initials for Video Home System). The SP mode means a standard mode of the VHS standards, which is a tape running speed mode for recording and reproducing data for two hours together to and from a video tape of the type T-120, while the EP (extended play) mode for six hours together is three times as long as the SP mode.
The tape speed mode is discriminated by control pulse signals (a series of pulses of predetermined spacings) which are recorded on the tape and control a tape running speed at reproduction. For example, the control pulse signals are recorded at the rate of 30 pulses per 3.3 centimeters (cm) of tape in the SP mode, while there are 30 pulses per 1.1 cm in the EP mode, i.e., three times shorter in the pulse spacing.
There is disclosed an example of a conventional system for discriminating the tape speed mode in FIG. 1. In the figure, a video tape 1 moves from a supply reel 2 side to a take-up reel 3 side driven by a capstan moter shaft 4 and a pinch roller 5. A detection head 6 is provided for detecting control pulses recorded along the tape 1.
A detection circuit 7 is connected to the motor shaft 4 for detecting a rotation rate of a capstan motor. A detected signal of the circuit 7 is sent to a discriminating circuit 8 for discriminating the tape speed mode of the video tape together with a detected signal of the head 6.
Next, operation is described in the conventional system having the aforementioned configuration. The tape 1 is depressed to the motor shaft 4 by the pinch roller 5. The tape 1 is running from the side of the supply reel 2 to the side of the take-up reel 3 with the rotation of the shaft 4.
The head 6 detects when the tape is running by control pulses which are prerecorded on the tape 1, thereby sending the detected signals to the discriminating circuit 8. On the other hand, the circuit 7 detects a rotation signal representing a rotation rate of the shaft 4 of the capstan motor, thereby sending the signal to the discriminating circuit 8.
Next, the discriminating circuit 8 calculates a proportion of the motor rotation signal to the control pulses, thereby discriminating the tape speed mode of the tape 1 on the basis of the proportion.
However, the conventional system needs to make the tape 1 run in the condition of being engaged with the shaft 4 depressed by the pinch roller 5 in order to detect the rotation signals of the capstan motor.
Accordingly, the conventional system has a problem that it is impossible to discriminate the tape speed mode of the tape in the case when the tape is not engaged with the tape to the motor shaft, for instance, in the condition of fast forward, rewinding, reel search or the like.

System for discriminating tape speed mode


A method is provided for increasing the safety of a vehicle, a region about the vehicle being scanned and a distance between at least one location on the vehicle and a physical limit of this region is measured in at least one direction. Subsequently, it is checked whether the distance exceeds a specifiable threshold value and finally, a warning signal is output and/or the vehicle is braked, if the result of the checking is positive. Moreover, a central processing unit for a corresponding driver assistance system and a driver assistance system are provided.

German Patent No. DE 10 2006 032 541 describes a warning device for a vehicle having a sensor device for monitoring a close range of the vehicle and having a warning unit for outputting a warning. A sensor device is used in this context, directed onto the roadway for monitoring a remote area of the vehicle when the vehicle enters the roadway, to warn of approaching obstacles, particularly vehicles.

Method for increasing the safety of a vehicle and central processing unit for a driver assistance system


A gas sensor having at least one gas-sensitive electrically conductive layer having a surface region which can be brought into contact with a target gas and in which the work function depends on the concentration of the target gas in contact therewith. At least one electrical potential sensor is capacitively coupled to the surface region via an air gap. The surface region is structured by at least one recess in which a flat material element which is connected to the gas-sensitive layer in an electrically conductive manner is arranged, the material of the material element differing from that of the gas-sensitive layer and comprising a metal and/or a metal-containing chemical compound.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gas sensor with at least one gas-sensitive, electrically conductive layer, having a surface region which can be brought into contact with a target gas and in which the work function depends on the concentration of the target gas in contact therewith, and with at least one electric potential sensor capacitively coupled to the surface region via an air gap.
2. Description of the Background Art
A gas sensor for measuring the hydrogen gas concentration is disclosed in DE 43 33 875 C2. The gas sensor has a silicon substrate, in which as a potential sensor a field-effect transistor with a drain, a source, and a channel region located between these is integrated. An electrical insulation layer is arranged on the channel region and a gate electrode thereupon. To the side of the gate electrode, a sensor electrode is provided, which is connected integrally to the gate electrode to form a suspended gate. On its lower side facing the substrate, the sensor electrode is coated with a gas-sensitive layer, which is capacitively coupled to the source via the air gap. A surface region, facing the substrate, of the gas-sensitive layer can be brought into contact with the hydrogen gas, which during the contacting of the surface region is adsorbed on said region. With a change in the hydrogen gas concentration, the work function changes in the surface region of the gas-sensitive layer. Because the sensor electrode is capacitively coupled to the surface region and connected to the gate electrode, the electric potential at the gate electrode also changes thereby. The current flow between the drain and source is controlled depending on the change in potential.
In normal indoor air, a thin layer of atmospheric oxygen is adsorbed dissociatively on the surface of the gas-sensitive layer, i.e., as oxygen atoms, not as oxygen molecules as they occur in air. When the target gas enters the vicinity of the gas-sensitive layer, an adsorption of the target gas on the surface occurs first, whereby the target gas partially displaces the atmospheric oxygen adsorbed on the surface and occupies its adsorption sites. Both effects, the adsorption of the target gas and reduction of the oxygen occupancy, contribute additively to the change in the surface work function. At the same time, however, a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, during which water is formed, occurs on the surface, promoted by the catalytic action of the gas-sensitive layer. As a result, at low temperatures below about 60° C., only the hydrogen coverage on the surface is reduced gradually. This hydrogen consumption is compensated by continuous new adsorption of hydrogen from the gas phase, so that a stable measuring signal is assured. At higher temperatures above about 60° C., the reaction proceeds so rapidly that the hydrogen adsorption can no longer fully compensate for the hydrogen consumption by the surface reaction and, additionally, also the hydrogen concentration in the immediate vicinity of the gas-sensitive layer is reduced. The oxygen coverage of the surface can again increase as a result. All three effects shift the work function in the opposite direction. This reaction can occur within hours or also within seconds, depending on the temperature of the gas-sensitive layer, so that the measuring signal can be greatly disrupted.


The disclosure relates to a transmitting communication apparatus and a receiving communication apparatus of a non-coherent communication system. The transmitting communication apparatus is configured to communicate with the receiving communication apparatus via a communication channel. The transmitting communication apparatus comprises a processing circuitry configured to: map a sequence of data bits into a modulation symbol of a plurality of modulation symbols defined by a modulation constellation, wherein the modulation constellation is defined by a tiling of a Grassmannian manifold into a plurality of cells and a Cartesian product of a plurality of auxiliary constellations, wherein the Cartesian product of the plurality of auxiliary constellations is mapped onto each cell of the plurality of cells and each auxiliary constellation defines a plurality of auxiliary symbols. The processing circuitry is further configured to transmit a modulated signal based on the modulation symbol via the communication channel to the receiving communication apparatus.

Coherent communication schemes make use of information about the communication channel between a transmitter and a receiver that is generally obtained through pilot sequences exchanged between the transmitter and the receiver. These pilot sequences consume spectral resources of the transmitter and the receiver. Conventional non-coherent communication schemes, i.e. communication schemes aiming to transmit a sequence of bits from the transmitter to the receiver through a channel without the information about the communication channel gain, for instance, from pilot sequences, using an unstructured constellation, exhibit a high decoding complexity. Moreover, conventional non-coherent communication schemes based, for instance, on Differential Phase Shift Keying (DPSK) exhibit a low spectral efficiency (i.e., encode too few information bits per channel access).
Thus, there is a need for an improved transmitting communication apparatus and an improved receiving communication apparatus implementing a non-coherent communication scheme.

Transmitter and receiver communication apparatus for non-coherent communication


An assembly includes a fastener deployable in a wellbore and actuated by a shape-memory alloy. The shape-memory alloy releaseably interlocks multiple components deployed in the wellbore. The physical shape of the shape-memory alloy can be selectively changed between a first shape and a second shape.

One or more fasteners (e.g., latches, bolts, lugs, and clamps) can mechanically interlock two or more components of a system together. Fasteners can be releasable. That is, some fasteners can be selectively disengaged to free the interlocked components from one another. Typically, fasteners can be actuated (i.e., selectively engaged or disengaged) by hand, motor, or by applying hydraulic pressure to the fastener. Actuating a fastener by hand, however, can be impractical or impossible when the fastener is in a remote location, such as in a wellbore. Actuating a fastener via a motor can be inefficient and impractical, as motors can be large in size, expensive, prone to mechanical failures, and require significant power for operation. Further, actuating a fastener via hydraulic pressure can be too time consuming and uncontrollable for some applications. Accordingly, it can be challenging to quickly, remotely, and selectively actuate a fastener.


A level including an elongate hollow frame with two sidewalls and a topwall extending therebetween. A topnotch is formed by removal of a topwall section and adjacent sections of sidewalls including notch-defining bottom and side edges. A central vial is within the topnotch. The frame includes an inner horizontal wall extending between the sidewalls at the notch-defining bottom edges. A central-vial reference surface is formed in the inner horizontal wall parallel to the top and bottom measuring surfaces and defining a notch-bottom. The central vial is supported against the central-vial reference surface in accurate orientation without calibration. The central vial is secured with respect to the inner horizontal wall by mechanical fasteners. The frame further preferably includes an integral inner vertical wall extending between the top and bottom walls thereby reinforcing the frame along the frame length.

In heavy-duty levels it is important that the frame of the level maintains stability for accurate measurement readings. It is also important that levels, which are used in professional construction on types of jobs when a level may be dropped from a substantial height and be subjected to various stresses, sustain the impact with minimal or no damage.
Many box levels have a central vial positioned into a notch which is formed by removing a section of a top wall and adjacent portions of each side wall, as seen in FIG. 1.
Because material is removed from the center of the frame, a central frame section becomes the weakest portion of the extrusion. Tests have shown that in prior levels 10, the central region 11 of a frame 12 with the cut-out notch portion 20 for the central vial is substantially weak. FIG. 2 shows that in such prior levels 10 a bottom 21 of the notch 20 is the weakest region. Portions 22 of sidewalls 13 which surround the central-vial notch 20 are also substantially weak regions 22A which extend to weakened areas 22B.
It is further seen in FIG. 2 that there is also a substantial weakness in topwall regions 23 adjacent to hand holes from which material is also removed from the level frame 12. There is a need for an improved level with a strong stable frame.
Levels include plural vials, almost always including a principal center vial which is parallel to a reference surface and used to indicate a horizontal orientation. Such horizontal vial is normally secured to the level frame in a position that permits viewing of the vial from both sides and also from above to ascertain the orientation of substantially horizontal surfaces. The most desirable positioning of such vial is within a topnotch in the body of a level which topnotch is defined by two sidewalls and the topwall of a hollow level body frame. However, such positioning also presents a challenge for accurate securing of the vial to the frame. Such installation involves multiple steps, including calibration for accurate measurements. There is a need for an improved level which allows simple accurate mounting of the vial to the level body.


In accordance with aspects of the present invention, a service robot and methods for controlling such a robot are provided. In particular, the robot is configured to sense the presence of a person and to take a next action in response to sensing the presence of the person. As examples, the robot could leave the area, await commands from the person, or enter an idle or sleep state or mode until the person leaves.

One of the advantages of service robots is that they can do the dull and dirty jobs in human facilities, such as homes, commercial and industrial buildings, and institutions. However, that very action of robotic service itself may be unpleasant, inconvenient, disruptive, or even dangerous to a human that comes into proximity of the working robot.
Previous service robots have ignored this problem. As an example, current robot cleaners blithely treat humans the same way they treat the leg of a stool; usually by bumping into it, going around, it and continuing their work.
Although some robots built for human interaction have included the ability to recognize humans in their proximity, to date this has been used to further the interaction itself, but not to further a distinct service agenda.

Methods for real-time and near real-time interactions with robots that service a facility


A multi-sensor baby care monitoring system includes a wetness sensor configured to generate a first signal relating to an occurrence of a wetness event relative to a wetness containment device, such as a diaper. The monitoring system further includes a human life sensor configured to generate a second signal relating to a presence or absence of a human relative to the wetness containment device. If desired, a system controller may be used for receiving the first and second signals and generating data associated with the wetness event and the presence or absence of said human.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a wetness monitoring system, and in particular, to a wetness monitoring system that permits qualitative assessment of provided care.
2. Description of the Related Art
An assortment of wetness detecting systems and associated devices have been previously proposed and implemented to monitor the condition of a diaper, bedding, adult incontinence brief, and other similar articles. The general principle of many wetness detection systems is to implement some sort of urine or wetness detector in cooperation with a display or alarm device. Some systems activate an audible or visible alarm to indicate the presence of urine within the diaper. This is typically accomplished by the detection of some threshold wetness level within a diaper.
Concerned parents have increasingly desired to know whether or not their infant or infirm adult has been subjected to excessive time in a wet diaper, for example, because of a dilatory caregiver. This information it often helpful to permit a parent or guardian, for example, to qualitatively assess care provided by a caregiver to an infant or infirm adult. In an apparent response to these needs, some systems purport to track and record the timing and frequency of urinating events and associated diaper changes.
A common problem encountered by many existing wetness detector systems is a susceptibility to system tampering and data manipulation by a less than scrupulous caregiver. For example, some systems may be easily disconnected from the infant's diaper and simply tossed aside by a caregiver in anticipation of improper or negligent care.
While there have been some attempts at implementing wetness monitoring systems that permit qualitative assessment of care provided by a caregiver, for example, these attempts have met with varying levels of success and improvement is still needed.

Multi-sensor baby care monitoring system


Ultra-low leakage current backside-illuminated semiconductor photodiode arrays are fabricated using a method of formation of a transparent, conducting bias electrode layer that avoids high-temperature processing of the substrate after the wafer has been gettered. As a consequence, the component of the reverse-bias leakage current associated with strain, crystallographic defects or impurities introduced during elevated temperature processing subsequent to gettering can be kept extremely low. An optically transparent, conductive bias electrode layer, serving as both an optical window and an ohmic backside equipotential contact surface for the photodiodes, is fabricated by etching through the polysilicon gettering layer and a portion of the thickness of heavily-doped crystalline silicon layer formed within, and near the back of, the substrate during the gettering process.

The present invention relates to electromagnetic radiation detectors, and more specifically to backside-illuminated semiconductor photodiode arrays.
A typical photodiode array includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, having a front side formed with an array of doped regions of a second, opposite conductivity type, and an opposing back side that includes a heavily-doped bias electrode layer of the first conductivity type. For simplicity, the frontside doped regions are referred to below as gates, independent of their function as anodes or cathodes. Similarly, the abbreviation BEL is used to denote the backside bias electrode layer.
To provide a framework for the discussion below, an example of a photodiode array is used below in which the frontside doped gate regions have p-type conductivity, the substrate is n-type, and the backside bias electrode layer is, accordingly, a heavily-doped n-type layer. All statements and claims herein are equally true if the conductivity types of all the layers are reversed and the corresponding changes are made to the polarities of the charge carriers, applied voltages and electric fields.
Typically, the gate and bias electrode layers are formed internally to the crystalline semiconductor substrate. They are therefore native to and homostructural with the substrate. In most implementations, an external gate contact, formed from one or more non-native, heterostructural, conducting layers external to the substrate, is formed over a portion of each of the frontside gates. Similarly, one or more non-native, heterostructural, external back contacts may be formed over all, or a portion of, the backside bias electrode layer. In the case of silicon substrates, the gate contacts are usually formed from one or more metals, metalsilicon intermetallic compounds, or deposited, heavily-doped polysilicon, or a combination of a plurality of these materials. In the present context, polysilicon is considered to be both non-native and heterostructural to the crystalline silicon substrate. Similarly, silicon dioxide (SiO2), the amorphous xe2x80x9cnative oxidexe2x80x9d of silicon, is both non-native and heterostructural to the substrate in this context. Back contacts to silicon photodiode arrays may use the same materials or one or more transparent conducting materials such as indium-tin oxide, which is an amorphous typically non-stoichiometric mixture of indium oxide and tin oxide. In many applications, an array of readout circuits is also formed on the front surface of the substrate.
A potential difference, referred to as a reverse bias, can be applied between the gate and the bias electrode layer to produce a depletion region within the substrate extending into the substrate from the p-n junction between the gate on the front side and the substrate. Hence, a photodiode is effected by the gate, the substrate and the BEL. External gate contacts or back contacts are ancillary elements provided to facilitate electrical connections to the photodiode array, not essential components thereof.
Such a photodiode array may be configured either in a frontside-illuminated mode to receive photons from the front side or in a backside-illuminated mode to receive photons from the backside. The frontside-illuminated mode, however, usually results in a lower external quantum efficiency (ratio of photocarriers collected to incident photons) than the backside-illuminated mode, because the conducting elements of the gate contacts and the readout circuits (if provided) reduce the active photosensitive area of the array on the front side. In comparison, the entire back side can be used to collect incoming radiation when properly configured. All other factors being equal, enhanced photosensitivity results in increased signal-to-noise ratio. In single-particle radiation detection applications using either direct (intrinsic) detection in the substrate or indirect detection (e.g., using scintillators as discussed below), enhanced photosensitivity results in improved particle energy resolution. In addition, conducting lines and other physical features such as steps in dielectric thickness on the front side can scatter light into the photosensitive areas of adjacent photodiodes, thereby reducing image contrast. Contrast degradation modifies the modulation transfer-function of the array and can reduce the useful spatial resolution of the array. Therefore, backside illuminated photodiode arrays are frequently used in imaging applications to improve photosensitivity, signal-to-noise ratio, particle energy resolution and spatial resolution.
In a backside-illuminated photodiode, photocurrent is typically generated by band-to-band absorption. Photons with energy greater than the bandgap of the semiconductor substrate enter the back of the substrate and are absorbed, producing electron-hole pairs. If an electron-hole pair is generated outside the depletion region of a gate, the minority carrier (a hole in the example above) may diffuse to the edge of the depletion region beneath one of the gates. The electric field within the depletion region xe2x80x9ccollectsxe2x80x9d the hole by accelerating it towards the gate. If, however, a photon is absorbed within the depletion region of a gate, the electric field xe2x80x9ccollectsxe2x80x9d the hole as above, but accelerates the electron towards the undepleted substrate, or, if the substrate is fully depleted below a gate, towards the backside bias electrode layer. In either case, the photocurrent will flow through the photodiode and the external circuitry that maintains the bias between the gate and the bias electrode layer. If readout circuitry is provided on same semiconductor substrate, the circuit elements associated with each gate will produce a signal that represents a mathematical function of the photocurrent, the quantity of charge caused by the photon absorption, or a combination of both.
In low light-level imaging applications such as night photography, nuclear medical imaging, photon medical imaging, x-ray computed tomography and ballistic photon detection, it is critical for photodiode arrays simultaneously to exhibit high external photon conversion efficiency (defined as the ratio of photocarriers collected to photons incident on the back surface of the substrate) and extremely low reverse-bias leakage currents. For brevity, xe2x80x9cquantum efficiencyxe2x80x9d is used below to denote external photon conversion efficiency, and xe2x80x9cleakage currentxe2x80x9d is used to denote reverse-bias leakage current.
In low light-level imaging systems, the input optical signal often is in the form of short pulses, a few nanoseconds to a few microseconds in duration. For these applications, it is highly beneficial for the photodiodes to have short pulse response times, often referred to collectively as transition times or, singly, as rise and fall times, in the rough order of magnitude range of 10 to 100 ns or less. The signal processing system associated with the photodiode arrays typically xe2x80x9cshapesxe2x80x9d the output pulse by integrating the photocurrent generated within a time window of fixed duration in the same order of magnitude as the length of the photopulse.
Photodiode arrays with one or more long transition times produce output photocurrent pulses significantly longer than the input photopulse. These long photocurrent pulses produce smaller output pulses from the signal processing electronics than do those from faster photodiode arrays. Therefore, slow photodiode arrays may may result in low output signals from the signal processing electronics and therefore degrade the signal-to-noise ratio of the image. In applications with higher photon flux rates, e.g., x-ray computed tomography, the signal processing electronics may respond to the average photocurrent collected by a pixel over a time interval of fixed duration, longer than the duration of a single optical pulse. For these applications, longer transition times than those required for efficient single pulse detection may be acceptable.
To achieve high quantum efficiency, the bias electrode layer should be thin enough to be transparent to the incident radiation, yet sufficiently conductive to provide an equipotential surface on the back surface of the substrate adequate to maintain uniform depletion over the entire area beneath each gate.
The bias electrode layer should also have a low density of crystallographic defects and be free from deep-level impurities. If these criteria are met, the BEL will exhibit long enough minority-carrier lifetimes to minimize recombination of photocarriers generated within the BEL, thereby maximizing the efficiency of collection of photocarriers generated therein The BEL will therefore not be an optical xe2x80x9cdead layer.xe2x80x9d
The pulse response times of the photodiodes can be minimized by using semiconductor substrates of high resistivity in the approximate range of 5 to 25 kxcexa9-cm, operated under reverse bias conditions sufficient to fully deplete the substrate under the gates. Under such full-depletion conditions, the electric field of the depletion region extends to the bias electrode layer on the back side.
Achieving ultra-low leakage current densities, e.g., below about 1 nA/cm2 at room temperature, of the individual photodiodes requires reduction of the contributions to the total leakage current by (1) the substrate; (2) the back contact structure (including the bias electrode layer and any additional layers formed thereon); (3) the front surface regions between the gate regions and between the outer gates and the surrounding regions; and (4) the edges of the substrate, formed when the substrate is xe2x80x9cdicedxe2x80x9d to form individual photodiode array chips.
The bulk generation current of the substrate may be reduced by xe2x80x9cgettering,xe2x80x9d an elevated-temperature process, typically performed at 1000xc2x0 C. or higher for silicon substrates, in which strained, damaged or heavily-doped layers, singly or in combination, on the back surface of the substrate attract and capture impurities or crystallographic defects. Crystallographic defects may also be annihilated by recombination during the gettering process. The strained, damaged or heavily-doped xe2x80x9cgettering layerxe2x80x9d or layers is subsequently removed, thereby removing the absorbed impurities and defects. Once the substrate has been gettered, further high-temperature processes should be avoided, to prevent introduction of new impurities or generation of additional defects. All subsequent chemical processing and handling of the substrate should be scrupulously clean to avoid re-contamination.
Front surface generation currents in silicon photodiode arrays are usually minimized by using silicon dioxide (SiO2) layers thermally grown under conditions known to produce low-leakage surfaces. These oxides are typically grown prior to, or concurrently with, the gettering process. Low-temperature (below 400xc2x0 C.) treatments may be performed after gettering to optimize surface leakage.
Minimizing leakage currents associated with the back contact structure requires dealing with a number of contradictory requirements. As discussed above, the bias electrode layer must be thin enough to be transparent. Such thin layers, however, are easily damaged, and damaged regions may generate leakage current very efficiently. Under fully depleted conditions, the bias electrode layer must be contain enough electrically active (i.e., charged as opposed to neutral) dopant atoms to allow it to terminate the electric field of the depletion region. The back surface of the crystalline semiconductor substrate, or the interface between the substrate and overlayers formed upon the back surface of the substrate to enhance the backside conductivity or to reduce reflection of incident photons, is a region where the crystal structure of the substrate is imperfectly terminated. Such regions may be capable of generating high leakage currents. If the electric field penetrates the BEL and reaches such an interface, it will efficiently collect the current generated there. Similarly, the electric field will collect leakage current generated by impurities or defects within the BEL. Undepleted regions in the BEL typically are highly-doped and will not be efficient leakage generators. Deep level impurities and defects in depleted regions of the BEL, on the other hand, may generate large leakage currents. If the BEL does not exhibit long minority carrier lifetimes, the BEL may therefore degrade the leakage current of the photodiodes.
Edge leakage currents are usually suppressed by providing guard structures surrounding the array of pixels. These structures collect the leakage currents generated at the diced edges before it reaches the pixels themselves.
The present invention comprises fabrication of ultra-low leakage current backside-illuminated photodiode arrays wherein the transparent, conducting bias electrode layer is formed so high-temperature processing of the substrate is avoided after the wafer has been gettered. As a consequence, the component of the reverse-bias leakage current associated with strain, crystallographic defects or impurities introduced during elevated temperature processing subsequent to gettering can be kept extremely low. An optically transparent, conductive bias electrode layer, serving as both an optical window and a backside equipotential contact surface for the photodiodes, is fabricated by etching through the polysilicon gettering layer to a thin, heavily-doped crystalline silicon layer formed within the back of the substrate during the gettering process. As discussed above, a structure that simultaneously provides a transparent window and a conductive contact over the same area of the substrate, is important in the case of fully depleted photodiodes and photodiode arrays. An electrical contact formed only around the periphery of the pixel area(s) would not be able to conduct the reverse-bias leakage current generated in the interior of the pixel area. It would therefore be unable to maintain full depletion.
Photodiode arrays fabricated according to this method, and the bias electrode layers of these arrays, are mechanically, electrically and optically superior to the prior art. Bias electrode layers formed in accordance with this method are internal (native), monocrystalline, homostructural layers formed within the semiconductor substrate. The interface between the BEL and the adjoining high-resistivity substrate material does not terminate the crystalline lattice of the substrate, as is the case when the BEL is a polycrystalline layer or a thin metal layer. Interfaces produced by the present method are inherently superior to those produced when the BEL is formed by epitaxy; it is impossible to completely eliminate crystallographic defects and interfacial impurities at epitaxial interfaces.
Bias electrode layers formed according to the present invention have high minority carrier lifetimes. Photocarriers generated therein may be efficiently collected by the depletion regions beneath the gates. Therefore, these BELs can be far thicker than those fabricated using prior art. BEL thicknesses of rough order of magnitude 0.25 to 1.0 micrometer formed in silicon substrates exhibit high external quantum efficiency and low leakage currents. Such BELs are far less susceptible to damage than those with thicknesses of rough order of magnitude 0.01 micrometer formed using prior techniques.

Fabrication of low leakage-current backside illuminated photodiodes


A coordinate measuring machine comprising a movable part, a drive and drive controller, and a position measuring system for measuring position values of the movable part. Intended values produced by the drive controller are supplied to a computational model (MOD) of a computational device. The intended values respectively predetermine an intended state of the drive. Position deviations (Δs) are formed between the measured position values (s) and position estimates of the computational model (MOD). The position estimates are produced by the computational model (MOD) for a predetermined location at the movable part. Acceleration values are measured by an acceleration sensor arranged at a location at the movable part. Acceleration deviations (Δa) are formed between the measured acceleration values (a) and acceleration estimates of the computational model (MOD). During the operation of the coordinate measuring machine, the position deviations (Δs) and the acceleration deviations (Δa) are supplied to the computational model (MOD), which outputs updated position estimates (ŝ) and updated acceleration estimates (â), accordingly. The position of the movable part is determined by the updated position estimates (ŝ).

The invention relates to a method for determining a position of a movable part of a coordinate measuring machine and a coordinate measuring machine.
The mechanical and kinematic construction of the coordinate measuring machine (abbreviated CMM below) may differ. By way of example, this may relate to a CMM with a portal design, articulated arm design, parallel kinematic design or horizontal arm design. In all cases, the CMM has a movable part, at which a measuring sensor is fastened or coupled either directly or indirectly. Therefore, the measuring sensor is also moved by moving the movable part, in particular to bring said measuring sensor into a position and/or alignment in which a test object is measured with the aid of the sensor and in order to determine coordinates of the test object. Alternatively, or additionally, the measuring sensor can sense the test object during the movement, for example in a scanning manner. The movement of the movable part is driven by at least one drive of the CMM.
By way of example, the sensor is a measuring head mounted at a movable part (for example a quill or an arm) of the CMM. On the measuring head it is possible to mount a probe (e.g. a probe pin), in particular, using which the CMM probes the surface of the workpiece in a tactile manner. Therefore, in particular, a probe for the tactile probing of the workpiece to be measured is also an example of a sensor or of a part of the sensor. The measuring head has a sensor system, in particular, which generates measurement signals whose evaluation enables the coordinates to be determined.
However, other measuring sensors also crop up in coordinate measuring technology. By way of example, the sensor may merely initiate the measurement of the coordinates. This is the case for example for a switching measuring head which produces a switching signal upon contact with the workpiece to be measured, which switching signal initiates the measurement of the coordinates e.g. by reading off the scale or the scales of the position measuring system at the movable part or the movable parts of the CMM. In principle, the sensors can be classified into sensors that carry out measurement by contact (tactile probing of the workpiece) and sensors that do not carry out measurement by contact. By way of example, optical sensors (e.g. cameras) or capacitive sensors for coordinate measurement are sensors which are not based on the principle of tactile sensing. Moreover, it is possible to classify sensors according to the type or size of the in particular simultaneously detected region of the workpiece. In particular, sensors may measure coordinates just of a point or of an area on the surface or else in the interior of the workpiece or measure coordinates of a volume of the workpiece.
In particular, the measuring sensor can be securely connected to the movable part or to at least one of the movable parts of the coordinate measuring machine, the position of which is measured by a position measuring system of the CMM during the operation of the coordinate measuring machine. A secure connection should also be understood to mean a connection that is detachable again, said connection for example being establishable by, or consisting of, an interchange interface. As an alternative or in addition to a secure connection, there may be a movable connection, or said movable connection may be established, between the measuring sensor and at least one of the movable parts of the coordinate measuring machine. By way of example, the measuring sensor may be connected to one of the movable parts via a rotary joint with one axis of rotation or with a plurality of axes of rotation. By way of example, this movable part may be the quill of a coordinate measuring machine with a portal design or gantry design, or the horizontal arm of a coordinate measuring machine with a horizontal arm design. At least one interchange interface may also be used in the case of the movable connection. The respective interchange interface permits coupling and decoupling of the measuring sensor and/or of the rotary joint.
In particular, the movable part may be an elongate part, e.g. an arm, wherein the length of the elongate part is a multiple (e.g. at least five times or at least 10 times) of the width and depth of the elongate part. The width and depth may be measured in two mutually perpendicular directions that are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
Mechanical vibrations which, in particular, are excited by the at least one drive of the CMM may occur in the CMM of the aforementioned type with at least one movable part and a measuring sensor that is directly or indirectly connected or coupled to the movable part. Such vibrations also occur at the movable part to which the sensor is indirectly or directly connected or coupled. Although the position measuring system of the CMM measures the current position of the movable part, it does not, in almost all movement positions, measure the position of the region of the movable part that is connected or coupled to the measuring sensor. In almost all movement positions, the point at which the position measuring system measures the position of the movable part lies at a significant or even far distance from the region to which the measuring sensor is coupled or connected. Therefore, the position measuring system is unable to directly measure the unintended changes in the position of the region on account of vibrations.
On the other hand, the position of the region to which the measuring sensor is coupled or to which it is fastened is required for determining the position of the measuring sensor and hence also for determining the coordinates of the test object that is measured with the aid of the measuring sensor. The coordinates should be determined not only in the coordinate system of the measuring sensor but, in particular, in the coordinate system of the test object or a stationary base of the coordinate measuring machine.
By way of example, in the case of a coordinate measuring machine with a portal design (i.e. a bridge design), vibrations may occur at the lower end of the quill to which the measuring head is coupled, in the direction (denoted Y-direction as a rule) in which the entire bridge or the entire portal is displaceable. In the case of the coordinate measuring machine with a horizontal arm design, significant vibrations may occur in the direction (denoted X-direction as a rule) in which the horizontal arm is movable together with the stand that is displaceable relative to the base, in particular in the case of a greatly extended horizontal arm to which the measuring sensor is attached.
It is possible to provide an acceleration sensor, for example at the lower end of the quill or at the end of the horizontal arm, said acceleration sensor measuring the accelerations on account of vibrations in the region to which the measuring sensor is coupled or to which it is connected. The measurement values of the acceleration sensor depending on time can be integrated twice over time such that the position is obtained as a function of the location. However, this assumes that the initial value for integrating twice is known and the acceleration sensor and also integrating twice over time do not produce a significant error that falsifies the result. Trials by the inventors have yielded that, in any case, acceleration sensors which can be assembled on a CMM for permanent operation at justifiable costs do not supply sufficiently accurate determination results for the position over typical operation times of coordinate measuring machines if the effects of mechanical vibrations should also be considered. Instead, it was found that, over time, the phase and amplitude of the determination result increasingly deviate from the actual phase and amplitude of the vibration.
It is an object of the present invention to specify a method for determining a position of a movable part of a coordinate measuring machine and a coordinate measuring machine which facilitate determining the position of the movable part, even if mechanical vibrations occur at the movable part.

Determining a position of a movable part of a coordinate measuring machine

CARL ZEISS INDUSTRIELLE MESSTECHNIK GMBH


A spare capacity status of each of multiple computing systems in a data center is monitored. Temporary workloads are assigned to these computing systems if there exists sufficient additional electrical power supply and capacity on power distribution lines. Thus, computing systems that are typically not productively used, such as those that are about to be decommissioned, have not yet been assigned for normal servicing, are reserved for special circumstances, or that are assigned to services that are currently in low demand, are temporarily used for productive data center purposes.

Data centers can be subdivided into physical suites, rows, and racks, and electrical power ("power") can be budgeted for each subdivision. A server computing device ("server") is typically a smallest computing unit in a data center. Multiple server computing devices can operate in a rack, which is a vertical collection of server computing devices. Multiple racks can be organized in rows, and multiple rows can be placed in a suite. To ensure that adequate power is supplied during a common or peak demand, the power can be "budgeted," meaning that various configuration limits can be placed based on the available power. For example, the number of rows, racks, or servers can be limited based on the available power. The budget may include a surplus allowance, e.g., to respond to unexpected surges in demand for power.
To ensure that the power draw does not exceed a budget for each subdivision, various circuit breakers (CBs) or other overcurrent protective devices (OPDs) may be placed in-line with the power supply. These OPDs can be triggered to switch off power when more power than expected is drawn. The amount of power that is supplied before the OPD is triggered to an off state can be a function of temperature: as temperature increases, the triggering current is reduced.
Servers can also be logically subdivided into "clusters," that can perform tasks jointly or commonly with other servers in the same cluster. For example, data center operators can subdivide servers logically into clusters of application (e.g., "front end" web servers), database servers, caching servers, and so forth. These various "types" of servers may be configured with different hardware and/or software. For example, application servers may be configured with superior class of central processing units (CPUs) but reduced secondary storage space (e.g., hard disk drives, solid state drives, or other data storage devices) as compared to database servers. In contrast, caching servers may be configured with very fast solid-state drives with a high amount of capacity. The various components of these different server configurations (e.g., CPU, data storage device, etc.) can consume different amounts of power.
Although data center operators, application developers, database administrators, and others may design a server infrastructure and distribute data in such a way that demand for server computing devices balanced across multiple servers in a cluster, there can be unexpected bursts of demand. As an example, in a social network application, although activity by users can be generally predicted with a reasonable degree of confidence, a surge in activity can occur when celebrities post videos, "updates," live stream videos, or otherwise engage with their fans. Failing to respond to such bursts of demand can cause various unintended overall degradation of performance. As an example, if a caching server is negatively impacted by a surge in demand, the performance degradation can impact many other servers and/or applications and services. As another example, a video or a video stream may need a large number of servers to transcode or otherwise process the videos.
Datacenter operators will sometimes decommission and remove some servers, e.g., because their expected lifetime has expired, new server technology is available, or for other reasons. These servers are then physically dismantled and removed from the datacenters to make way for new servers. However, because the number of servers to be decommissioned can number in the thousands, decommissioning them can be a labor-intensive process and so these servers may remain in an idle state in the datacenters for a period of time. These servers may remain unutilized or underutilized in the datacenters because "production" services typically cannot be reliably assigned to these servers, e.g., because the servers may be turned off and/or removed at short notice.
The Background section of this document is provided to place embodiments of the disclosed technology in technological and operational context to assist those of skill in the art in understanding their scope and utility. Unless explicitly identified as such, no statement herein is admitted to be prior art merely by its inclusion in the Background section.
The embodiments may be better understood by referring to the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate identical or functionally similar elements:

Efficient utilization of spare datacenter capacity


The invention provides a novel class of scaffold-based labeled polymerase enzyme substrates. The polymerase enzyme substrates have a multivalent core or scaffold to which is attached fluorescent dye moieties and nucleoside phosphate moities. The polymerase enzyme substrates have multiple fluorescent dye moities and/or multiple nucleoside phosphate moieties. Preferred multivalent cores comprise trifunctional six membered aromatic moities. The invention also provides for sequencing methods and kits with scaffold-based labeled polymerase enzyme substrates.

This application claims priority and benefit of Provisional Patent Application 61/377,022 filed on Aug. 25, 2010, Provisional Patent Application 61/377,048 filed on Aug. 25, 2010, Provisional Patent Application 61/377,038 filed on Aug. 25, 2010, Provisional Patent Application 61/377,004 filed on Aug. 25, 2010, Provisional Patent Application 61/377,031 filed on Aug. 25, 2010, the full disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

Scaffold-based polymerase enzyme substrates


The invention relates to a vehicle control panel (15) that comprises:—at least one clickable key (20) to which is assigned at least one function, said key (20) being configured to move at least between an inactive position and an active position in which said function is activated;—a screen (25) for displaying the current function of the key (20). The function is automatically assigned to the key (20) depending on a current parameter of the vehicle equipped with said control panel (15) or on a current context-related parameter.

Vehicles are conventionally equipped with a control panel comprising keys for activating various functions of the vehicle.
As the vehicles become more sophisticated and the drivers more demanding regarding comfort and vehicle options, the number of functions available through the control panel tends to significantly increase. This can be achieved by providing more keys on the control panel, but there are practical limits to this approach due to the space available in the vehicle, for example on the dashboard. Moreover, having a great number of keys is not desirable from a safety standpoint, as it may entail a loss of concentration for the driver. Alternatively, one key can be assigned several functions, one function or another being activated, typically depending on the number of times the driver presses the key within a short period of time. Such an implementation can be inconvenient, as it may be difficult for the driver to select the right function while driving. Furthermore, it may be a problem in terms of safety.


A distinct cultivar of Hebe plant named xe2x80x98Champseiontxe2x80x99, characterized by its compact, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant form; freely branching growth habit; and small dark green-colored foliage that becomes purple in color during the winter.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Hebe hybrida cultivar Champseiont.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hebe plant, botanically known as Hebe hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Champseiontxe2x80x99.
The new Hebe was discovered by the Inventor in 1995 in a controlled environment in Gwynedd, United Kingdom, as a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Hebe hybrida cultivar Autumn Glory, not patented. The new Hebe was selected by the Inventor on the basis of its small dark green-colored leaves.
Asexual reproduction of the new Hebe by cuttings in a controlled environment in Gwynedd, United Kingdom, since 1995, has shown that the unique features of this new Hebe are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Champseiont have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Champseiontxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Champseiontxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Compact, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant form.
2. Freely branching growth habit.
3. Small dark green-colored foliage that becomes purple in color during the winter.
Plants of the cultivar Champseiont are most similar to plants of the parent, the cultivar Autumn Glory. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gwynedd, United Kingdom, plants of the new Hebe differed from plants of the cultivar Autumn Glory in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Hebe had smaller leaves than plants of the cultivar Autumn Glory.
2. Plants of the new Hebe had darker green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Autumn Glory.
3. Plants of the new Hebe were more resistant to pathogens common to Hebe than plants of the cultivar Autumn Glory.


An electric motor comprising a rotor having a permanent magnet and a stator having a stator coil disposed around the rotor. The electric motor also comprises a coil bobbin having a flange portion at opposite ends of a cylindrical body portion, one of the flange portions having a groove in which an insertion groove for inserting a coil terminal therein and other flange portion having a coil terminal engaging portion. The electric motor also comprises a coil terminal having one end engaged with the engaging portion and the other end connected to an external connection terminal, and a stator coil which is wound on the bobbin and connected between the coil terminal bend turn portion and the engaging end portion.

This invention relates to an electric motor and more particularly to a small-sized electric motor stator.
In a conventional small-sized electric motor stator, a coil terminal for connecting an end of a coil conductor to an external circuit is attached at its one end to a bobbin and is bent to extend across the outer circumference of the coil so that no physical external force is applied to the coil due to the deformation of the coil terminal and that the connection to the external connecting terminal is easy.
However, in the conventional small-sized electric motor stator of the above-described construction, the coil cannot be automatically wound by an automatic machine because the coil terminal extends across the outer circumference of the coil. Also, winding the coil end around the coil terminal cannot be achieved by an automatic machine. Therefore, the connection between the coil end and the coil terminal had to be established by attaching the coil terminal to the bobbin after the coil is wound around the bobbin and then winding the coil end around the coil terminal and soldered. Therefore, due to the deformation of the coil terminal, the distance of it from the coil can be changed, where an external force may be exterted upon the coil and the coil conductor may be broken. Also, a play may be easily generated between the coil terminal and the bobbin, making the coil winding operation instable.


A radio base station transmits a communication channel establishment rejection signal that contains information that denotes that a delay transmission that transmits the data later is to be executed to the mobile station and registers an identifier of the mobile station to a list if the communication channel establishment request signal contains the information that denotes that the data is not instantaneous data and the radio resource does not have free space equal to or greater than the threshold, and transmits a call signal that contains information that denotes that execution of the delay transmission is to be started to a mobile station whose identifier has been registered to the list if the radio resource has free space equal to or greater than the threshold.

When a mobile station transmits some kind of data to a core network side, the mobile station issues a request for establishment of a data communication channel to a radio base station (refer to Patent Literature 1). At this point, if a radio resource (frequency bandwidth or the like) does not have free space for which a data communication channel can be established, the radio base station rejects the request for establishment of the data communication channel and then the mobile station tries to issue the request for establishment of the data communication channel at a predetermined period of time later.

Data communication systems, radio base stations, and data communication methods