An apparatus for providing a user-friendly and efficient manner to determine one or more shared friends of individuals may include a processor and memory storing executable computer program code that cause the apparatus to at least perform operations including receiving an indication of a selection of at least one tagged face from an image. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to facilitate sending of a generated message to a device requesting identification of one or more commonly shared friends of at least two individuals in response to receipt of the selection of the tagged face. The tagged face corresponds to one of the individuals. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to enable provision of display of visible indicia, superimposed on the image, indicating whether the individuals have one or more commonly shared friends. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided.

The modern communications era has brought about a tremendous expansion of wireline and wireless networks. Computer networks, television networks, and telephony networks are experiencing an unprecedented technological expansion, fueled by consumer demand. Wireless and mobile networking technologies have addressed related consumer demands, while providing more flexibility and immediacy of information transfer.
Current and future networking technologies continue to facilitate ease of information transfer and convenience to users. Due to the now ubiquitous nature of electronic communication devices, people of all ages and education levels are utilizing electronic devices to communicate with other individuals or contacts, receive services and/or share information, media and other content. One area in which there is a demand to increase convenience to users relates to improving a user's ability to effectively interface with the user's communication device. Accordingly, numerous user interface mechanisms have been developed to attempt to enable a user to more easily accomplish tasks or otherwise improve the user's experience in using the device.
In this regard, some users may have a preference for use of a touch screen display for entry of user interface commands or simply creating content over other alternatives. In recognition of the utility and popularity of touch screen displays, many devices, including some mobile terminals, now employ touch screen displays. As such, touch screen devices are relatively well known with numerous different technologies being employed for sensing a particular point at which an object may contact the touch screen display.
A user's experience during certain applications such as, for example, web browsing or applications that enable provision of social network services may be enhanced by using a touch screen display as the user interface. For instance, users of social network services may utilize user interfaces such as touch screen devices to create profiles, upload and share photos, list personal interests, contact information and other personal information, identify and connect with any number of friends and other users as well as perform a number of other functions. Currently, there are multiple social network services available and accessible to users of communication devices such as, for example, Facebook™, Twitter™, MySpace™, LinkedIn™, etc. These social network services typically have millions of users.
Given the popularity of various social network services and that these social network services enable identification of users' friends and handle communications between friends for millions of users, it may be beneficial to provide a more user-friendly manner in which to efficiently determine shared friends of individuals based on information from one or more social network services.
In this regard, it may be desirable to provide a touch screen device with user interface commands that provides a user-friendly and efficient manner in which to determine common friends of individuals.

Methods, apparatuses and computer program products for determining shared friends of individuals


A low jitter fractional divider with low circuit speed constraint is disclosed, which lowers the frequency of a high frequency clock signal to perform a fraction division in the condition of low frequency. A compensation circuit, which has an adjust buffer and a down-counter, is provided for adjusting the output clock signal of the fractional divider to have a jitter substantially equal to the jitter occurred in high frequency, such that a low jitter can be achieved without being limited by the circuit speed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fractional divider and, more particularly, to a low jitter fractional divider with low circuit speed constraint.
2. Description of Related Art Conventionally, a fractional divider is provided to divide the frequency of a clock signal by a fraction number "b/a", wherein b>a. Such a fractional divider is implemented by employing an accumulator to add the value of "a" to the value stored in the accumulator in each operation cycle. The accumulated value is compared with the value of "b". In case of a>b, the accumulated value is subtracted by the value of "b" and re-stored to the accumulator, and an overflow flag is generated. Otherwise, the accumulated value is simply re-stored to the accumulator. This overflow flag is provided to be the output of the fractional divider. FIG. 4 shows that such a fractional divider 41 is used to divide a clock signal "ck" by 5/3 to generate a divided clock signal "ck'". Based on the operating manner of the fractional divider 41 as described above, a timing diagram is obtained, which illustrates that five continuous pulses of the clock signal "ck" are applied to the fractional divider 41 to generate three continuous pulses of clock signal "ck'". Therefore, a divide-by-5/3 operation is performed. However, the pulses of the clock signal "ck'" generated by the fractional divider 41 are not uniformly distributed, which is known as a jitter phenomenon in the art. Such jitter is especially obvious if the clock frequency to be divided is low. To overcome this jitter problem, the conventional technique employs a high frequency base clock signal and an accumulator for implementing a fractional divider to obtain a low jitter clock signal. However, when the stages of the accumulators are increased and the frequency of the base clock signal goes higher, the accumulator will not be able to finish the required accumulation operation in a short operation cycle, due to the limitation imposed by the current integrated circuit manufacturing process. Accordingly, a bottleneck is encountered with the increase of a clock signal. In addition, it may be applicable to reduce the frequency of a high-frequency clock signal prior to performing the fractional division operation, thereby avoiding the bottleneck. Unfortunately, this will increase the jitter as described above. Therefore there is a need to have a fractional divider which can mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.

Low jitter fractional divider with low circuit speed constraint


A robot purifier including: a purifying part which draws, purifies, and discharges air; and a driving part which is located at a lower end of the purifying part and is capable of autonomous driving, wherein the purifying part is capable of rotating 360 degrees horizontally, and the purifying part also is capable of rotating vertically such that an air intake direction and an air discharge direction in the vertical and horizontal directions is controllable.

Robot purifiers, which perform the function of cleaning with robots capable of autonomous driving, are widely used. Further, robot purifiers, which perform the function of purifying air with robots capable of autonomous driving, also have been continuously developed since Korean Utility Model No. 20-0333880.
Unlike a robot cleaner, a robot purifier travels to one point of a unit space (for example, a room, a kitchen, or a living room in a general home) and cleans air if it is determined that purification of air in the corresponding space is necessary, instead of having to travel on the entire floor surface of a use space.
A technology of converting the direction, in which air purified by an air purifier is discharged, is a known technology.
However, an air purifier is fixedly installed at one site, and there hardly is a need to convert the direction, in which the air is discharged, in an aspect that the air is discharged mainly upward for circulation of the air in the entire space.
In contrast, because the robot purifier has to clean the air while moving, it is preferable that the direction of an air intake hole is adjusted as the robot purifier may move to a space, in which the quality of air deteriorates, and may be used to intensively draw the air of a poor quality.
Further, according to users, the purified air is intended to be intensively discharged toward the user or the purified air is intended to be discharged upwards and circulate in the entire unit space. Accordingly, adjustment of the direction of the air discharge hole is also a function which is required by the robot purifiers.
(Patent Document 1) KR 20-03337880 Y1
(Patent document 2) U.S. Pat. No. 9,392,920
(Patent document 3) JP 2005-111432

Robot purifier capable of rotating vertically and horizontally


The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for evaluating the geometry of a fracture.

Retrieving hydrocarbons from subterranean reservoirs is becoming more difficult, as existing reserves are depleted and production becomes more expensive. It has been estimated that mature fields account for up to 70% of the world's production or more. In order to increase production, reservoirs are often hydraulically fractured to stimulate production of hydrocarbons from the wellbore. Hydraulic fractures are created in subterranean formations by hydraulically injecting water or high viscosity fluid (also referred to as fracturing fluid) containing a proppant at a high flow rate into a wellbore and forcing the fracturing fluid against the formation strata by pressure. The formation strata or rock is forced to crack, creating or enlarging one or more fractures. The proppant subsequently prevents the fracture from closing completely and thus provides improved flow of recoverable fluid, i.e., oil, gas or water.
Because aging wells are often produced from multiple intervals, some very thin, the ability to locate these stimulation treatments with pinpoint accuracy is key to more effective remediation and increased ultimate recovery. An accurate method of visualizing fracture length, proppant penetration, and estimated flow in the created fracture are required to precisely access production capabilities and the need for further remediation before production is initiated.
Numerous techniques exist for detecting the fracture geometry of a well using various imaging techniques. For example, Hocking et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,330,914 provides a method for monitoring a propagating vertical fracture in a formation by injecting conductive fracture fluid into the formation to initiate and propagate the fracture; energizing the fracture fluid while the fracture propagates; and measuring the inducted electromagnetic field parameters to judge the fracture development and geometry. Further, McCarthy, et al., WO2007013883, introduces a target proppant; transmits electromagnetic radiation from about 300 megahertz-100 gigahertz; and analyzes a reflected signal from the target particle to determine fracture geometry. Lastly, Nguyen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,581, describes an electroconductive proppant composition and related methods of obtaining data from a portion of a subterranean formation. All of these techniques focus on detecting data utilizing coated proppants and electrical currents applied in a bore hole setting.
These and other conventional techniques for detecting fracture geometry fail to account for how the data in the field is actually measured. These techniques are generally single sensor based approaches, which either measure the information in the borehole or between boreholes. On the surface, these techniques use a single sensor and move the sensor back and forth in a grid like fashion around the surface with an individual receiver and individually recorded data is utilized to make a map of the results. This map can then be used to model or infer the size and nature of the fracture body.
One of the critical flaws in this approach is the significant time required to make all of these individual measurements. Additionally, it is common for the field being measured to change over time due to earth effects, like the changing magnetic field, sunspots, and movement of man and equipment on the surface.
Knowing, measuring, and translating data from various sensors and tools is of prime importance to the completion engineer in order to determine if fracturing was successful and as a predictor of expected production rates from the well. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for evaluating the geometry of a fracture.

Electrical methods seismic interface box


A fuel manifold for turbine engines, such as the large turbines used for generating electrical power, has a housing with straight internal porting for routing fuel and purge media streams to the combustion area of the turbine. A pressure balanced fuel valve regulates fuel using a poppet actuator. A piston section of the actuator dynamically seals off actuation pressure from the fuel. A valve section of the actuator dynamically seals off a vented area from the fuel and regulates fuel flow through the valve. The piston section has internal porting to a collector tube within the vented area for directing media leaked past the piston seal(s) to a vent port, and thereby prevent mixing of the fuel and actuation media.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to fuel control devices, and in particular, to fuel manifolds and valves for turbines.
2. Discussion of the Art
Turbine engines have a set of rotating turbine blades that compress air into the combustion area where fuel is injected and ignited. Fuel is delivered through metering orifices to burners in the combustion chamber under pressure through a fuel line. Combustion of the fuel turns a downstream set of blades from which energy is extracted and which can also be used to drive the compressor blades. The combustion area of the turbine can be divided by and contained in combustion cans. There are anywhere from six to eighteen such cans in modern turbine systems used to generate power. Each can has a burner to ignite the fuel as well as injectors for injecting the fuel into the can for combustion. Typically, some of the injectors are designated as primary injectors and one or more are secondary injectors. The primary injectors are used during the start-up sequence and at periods of lower fuel consumption, but otherwise both the primary and secondary injectors are used during normal operation of the turbine, each with several burner nozzles that ignite the fuel at light-off and sustain combustion during operation. A large manifold is ordinarily used to contain and route fuel to the various injectors of the combustion cans.
The combustion cans of the turbine are high pressure and temperature environments. It is typical for the environment surrounding the combustion cans to reach temperatures of 400° F., and for the combustion chamber temperature to near 2,000° F. The liquid fuel is consumed at a rate of about 20 gallons per minute at a high fuel pressure of about 1200 psig. This extreme environment is very hard on the fuel control components of the turbine fuel system, particularly for dual fuel turbines in which during sustained gaseous burn, the liquid fuel system remains inoperable for long periods of time.
A principal concern is the formation of the coke, or the tarry deposits left after the distillate or volatile components of the fuel are driven off by heat, on the metering orifices and other working surfaces of the liquid fuel control components. Coke deposits arise primarily from the presence of residual fuel left in the convoluted passages and dead spaces present in fuel atomizer, burner nozzles, control valves, fuel manifolds and other components subjected to the high heat of combustion. Residual liquid fuel left in the liquid fuel control components during gaseous operation will begin to coke at temperatures of about 250-280° F. in the presence of oxygen, which are well under the combustion temperature.
To reduce the effects of coking liquid fuel can be circulated through a heat exchanger to cool the temperature of the liquid fuel distillate to below the coking threshold temperature during operation of the turbine in gaseous fuel mode, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,135. However, this system requires a heat exchanger and either a separate fuel recirculation pump or increased duty on the main fuel pump. Moreover, because the recirculation lines carry liquid fuel, these lines, along with any recirculation control components, present yet another location for coking to occur when the recirculation system is not operating. To avoid this, during liquid fuel operation some of the liquid fuel must be made to bypass the combustor to flow through the recirculation system.
Dedicated cooling circuits can be used which avoid the aforementioned problems with using fuel as the coolant. However, this too can be problematic if not properly monitored and controlled. For one thing, if the coolant runs too hot, then adequate cooling may not be achieved such that components may undergo the coking problem discussed above. Also, if the coolant were to leak, otherwise flow at an insufficient rate, not only could coking occur, but in the event of a leak in which coolant is sprayed onto the turbine, could result in "turbine rub", a condition in which housing components of the turbine shrink or contract from cooling caused by the leak and interfere with the turbine blades. If left unchecked, turbine rub can cause significant damage to the large, rotating turbine blades and render the turbine inoperable. Further, if the coolant were to run too cold, for example if at an excessive flow rate or supply conditions were at an insufficient temperature, then the coolant could actually reduce the fuel temperature sufficiently to cause "waxing", a condition in which the fuel media, such as diesel fuel, begins to turn into a paraffin material. This condition disrupts the fuel delivery system and can similarly render the turbine inoperable. In addition to the waxing problem, excessively cold coolant can interfere with the proper operation of other components or sub-systems, for example, fogging of optical pyrometer.
Alternatively, the liquid fuel line components can be purged with air, water or other suitable media. However, in order to permit purging of the liquid fuel line a purging line must join with the fuel line. It is important that the fueling and purging operations be isolated so that fuel does not go down the purge line and hot gases do not travel up the fuel line to the fuel supply. A three-way purge valve for this purpose is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,081. Such a purge valve is significantly more reliable than simple check valves for preventing backwash and is more resistant to coking. As disclosed, a spool valve having an enlarged middle section was used to shuttle between positions alternatively blocking the combustion can from either the purge air line or the fuel line. The spool is biased to close off the fuel line and is urged to open the fuel line by a pilot air actuated piston. Thus, when fuel is to be closed off from the engine, the spool valve will return to its initial position thereby allowing the burner nozzles and the downstream side of the spool to be purged to reduce or eliminate coking in these areas.
To avoid the need to use dedicated purge valves for each injector, a separate distributor can be mounted to each combustion can to act as a manifold to which the several fuel lines connect before the fuel is routed to the individual injectors. This additional component and additional lines add significant cost, assembly and size to the system. And, these parts create additional areas for coking to occur, particularly given that the distributor is typically mounted directly to the combustion can which realizes extreme temperatures during combustion. A distributor three-way purge valve is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,931,831 that addresses the aforementioned problem by combining the functionality of the three-way purge valve with that of a distributor in a single unit.
While these valves provided a significant improvement to turbine fuel systems, such distributor valves are not designed to work with conventional fuel manifolds. Thus, coking and cross-contamination of fuel and purge media remain concerns for conventional fuel manifolds.

Jansen's Aircraft Systems Controls, Inc.


The invention relates to a remote node architecture for a fiber-optic network, especially for low bit-rate data transmission, the fiber-optic network comprising a central node and a plurality of remote nodes serially connected to each other or to the central node, respectively, the central node and the remote node being capable of communicating by means of digital optical signals created by the central node or a respective remote node, each digital optical signal comprising a data frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a remote node architecture for a fiber-optic network, especially for low bit-rate data transmission, and to a fiber-optic network architecture comprising such remote node architectures as well as to a data transmission method suitable therefore.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, especially in the context of the so-called "smart metering" application, public or private utility companies have started to deploy their own communication networks. These networks (referred to as sensor networks in the following) may, for example, connect commercial end users to the different levels of voltage transformer stations. These may be low voltage, medium voltage or high voltage transformers or even the respective energy dispatch center. To a wide extent, optical fiber infrastructure will be used for these communication networks. The whole network setup and hierarchy is quite similar to a telecommunication application. However, the actual bandwidth demand per end customer is significantly lower. In particular, the network area on the level of low voltage transformers is different to a telecommunication company's transmission network, especially with respect to the bandwidth required and desired network topology. Typically, a data transmission rate of a few Mbit/s per low voltage transformer node will be sufficient, and relatively large sub-network domains of up to 100 nodes in a linear bus geometry may be advantageous as a physical network topology. Of course, also a sufficiently high availability of the required network connections including fiber protection is desirable.
As a linear bus geometry or a physical linear bus architecture, respectively, is desirable, a classic time division multiplex (TDM) network, for example a network according to the synchronous optical network (SONET) standard or the newer synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) standard, could be chosen for this data transmission application. A TDM network would meet the requirements as to data transmission rate and the network nodes with its East/West interface structure would easily enable to realize the bus structure. However, as such a sensor network should be realizable and maintainable at acceptable low costs the classic TDM structure (SONET/SDH) and the known structures for suitable network nodes are too complex and too expensive.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a remote node architecture for a fiber-optic network having a linear bus structure with a high number of network nodes, especially for low bit-rate data transmission, which reveals a simple structure that is realizable at low cost. It is a further object of the invention to provide a fiber-optic network architecture comprising such remote node architectures and a method for transmitting digital data in a fiber-optic network having a respective network architecture.

Remote node and network architecture and data transmission method for a fiber-optic network, especially for low bit-rate data transmission


To bond bonding target members stacked on top of each other without generating dust or spatter into an electrically bonded article with improved mechanical strength against strong vibration etc. A first bonding target member or second bonding target member includes a relative displacement amount setting portion for setting the distance by which the bonding target portion of the first member and the bonding target portion of the second member are relatively displaced during bonding, and a current conduction suppressing layer is formed on the relative displacement amount setting portion. The second or first member includes a setting face that is placed opposed to the current conduction suppressing layer of the first or second member. In a state where the first and second members have been positioned, the distance between the current conduction suppressing layer and the setting face is equal to the width H of the bonded portion.

As a method for electrically bonding first and second bonding target members with high bonding strength, ring mash (trademark) bonding, for example, is known (see Patent Document 1). This electrical bonding method includes providing a first bonding target member having a bonding target portion and a second bonding target member having a hole portion with a bonding target portion having an inside diameter which is slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the bonding target portion of the first bonding target member, positioning and placing the first bonding target member on the second bonding target member such that the bonding target portion of the first bonding target member slightly overlaps the bonding target portion of the hole portion of the second bonding target member, and applying a current, in this state, to the first and second bonding target members under pressure until their bonding target portions undergo plastic flow and pressing the bonding target portion of the first bonding target member into the bonding target portion of the hole portion of the second bonding target member to electrically bond the first and second bonding target members.
A feature of this ring mash bonding is that because the bonding target portion of the first bonding target member and the bonding target portion of the second bonding target member increase their bonding areas while undergoing plastic flow by the effect of the pressing force and bonding current and a vicinity of an outer peripheral surface of the bonding target portion of the first bonding target member and a vicinity of an inner peripheral surface of the bonding target portion of the second bonding target member are eventually solid-phase bonded to each other with a certain bonding width, high bonding strength can be achieved without being significantly affected by the dirt on the surfaces or the roughness of the surfaces of the bonding target portions.
When the bonding target members are made of a ferrous material containing carbon, such as carbon steel containing carbon above a certain level, steel having a carburized surface or cast iron, undesired quenching occurs during electrical bonding. Thus, even when high bonding strength is achieved by a ring mash bonding method, a bonded part including and in the vicinity of the bonded portion suffer the problem of becoming harder and more brittle, and, consequently, having lower mechanical strength. Therefore, when the bonding target members are made of a ferrous material containing carbon, such as carbon steel containing carbon above a certain level, steel having a carburized surface or cast iron, the bonded part needs to be tempered by applying a heating current to it after electrical bonding (see Patent Document 2).


A closure assembly and strut for a pivoting closure which automatically operates to close the closure when rain begins to fall. The closure assembly is provided with two pivoting arms which, when pivoted to their extreme positions, would allow a slot provided on a hinge portion of each arm to align into which a soluble restraining element is placed. The extremity portions of each arm are used to support the closure in an opened position. When it begins to rain, water would hit the soluble element directly or would indirectly be directed to this soluble element through capillary action which would soften the soluble restraining element, allowing a spring to trip the pivot out of alignment with the ends, thereby precipitating the collapse of the closure element. Once the closure element collapses, the closure would close due to the force of gravity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally pertains to a rain or water activated closure utilized to close a window, door or similar device with the assistance of gravity during a rainstorm or similar event. More particularly, the invention relates to deck hatches provided on the deck surface of a boat for the purpose of providing ventilation to the cabin areas below deck and for allowing access to the top side of the deck area from a below-deck location.
It is desirable to provide deck-mounted hatches on marine vessels, such as pleasure boats and fishing boats, in order to achieve cabin ventilation to produce an acceptably wholesome atmosphere below deck. These hatches are typically square, with a hinge on one side and a mechanism on the opposite side to hold the hatch in an opened or closed position. Since the hatch cover could be opened for a long period of time while the boat rides at anchor, without the boat being occupied, it is important to ensure that the hatch would automatically be closed during a rainstorm. The present invention addresses this problem by providing a moisture sensing device which would automatically and quickly close the hatch if it begins to rain.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is replete with devices which would automatically close a window in the event of rain. These patents include U.S. Pat. Nos. 908,020, issued to MacVicar et al.; 1,604,289, issued to Kindler et al.; 1,752,854, issued to Schierghofer; 2,441,230, issued to Stukes; 2,507,318, issued to Mumenthaler; and 3,104,870, issued to Kawabata. Typically, these patents describe devices containing a soluble restraining element for maintaining a sliding window in the opened position. When this soluble restraining element, such as blotting paper or an effervescent salt becomes saturated, a mechanism would trip, allowing the window to slide closed by the action of a closure member and/or gravity. However, none of these references describe a window closure mechanism in which the soluble restraining element is used to close a pivotally closing member, such as a ship's hatch.


The bucket 10 of a gas turbine includes first and second steam supply passageways 32 and 34 for directing cooling steam radially outwardly along the bucket. Steam return passageways 40, 42 and 44 lie adjacent the trailing edge for returning cooling steam to its source. A shroud is disposed at the bucket tip and has cross-over passages communicating the supply steam from the first and second passageways to the fifth, third and fourth passageways, respectively.

Gas turbine buckets have historically been either uncooled or cooled by compressor bleed air. For example, cooled aircraft and land-based gas turbine buckets have used compressor bleed air as the cooling medium to obtain service temperatures within the portion of the bucket exposed to the hot gas stream for acceptable creep and oxidation life. For firing temperatures up to about 2350.degree. F., the first-stage bucket has been cooled convectively by compressor bleed air in a serpentine passage arrangement with turbulence promoters within the passages to improve the rate of heat transfer with the flow exiting through trailing edge cooling holes. Similarly, the second-stage bucket for the same machine has been cooled by compressor bleed air flowing through machined radial holes with turbulence promoters to enhance heat transfer with the flow exiting through the tip. For firing temperatures between 2350.degree. F. and 2600.degree. F. in aircraft gas turbines, buckets have been cooled by compressor bleed air exiting through the leading edge and providing an insulating film of air about the buckets.
The foregoing-described cooling schemes, however, sacrifice compressor air flow and this puts practical limits on compressor pressure ratio, compressor efficiency, overall efficiency and overall plant heat rate. In land-based gas turbines used for electrical power generation, there are competing demands for the use of compressor bleed air, not only for cooling turbine components but also for dilution flow in the combustion system to lower oxides of nitrogen in the turbine exhaust. As the turbine firing temperatures increase, additional compressor bleed air is needed to cool the turbine components. Turbine buckets cooled with a boundary layer film of air place even greater demands for compressor bleed air. Turbine bucket cooling, in that case, may only be successfully employed at the expense of overall thermal efficiency. In aircraft gas turbines, those schemes, however, can be employed with reasonable success.
Further, in shrouded bucket designs, the shrouds have previously been uncooled. Coolant, such as compressor bleed air, exiting the airfoil tip is largely ineffective for cooling the shroud. With higher firing temperatures and higher bucket tip gas temperatures, the necessity for tip shroud cooling has arisen.

Closed-circuit steam-cooled bucket with integrally cooled shroud for gas turbines and methods of steam-cooling the buckets and shrouds


A short horn antenna (10) adapted for array use includes a rectangular waveguide with broad upper (12) and lower (14) walls and narrow side walls (16, 18), defining a radiating aperture (20) and a feed end closed off by a shorting plate (22). A stepped upper ridge (26) has a slot (50) adjacent the shorting plate, and a shorter stepped lower ridge (46) has a corresponding slot. An unbalanced transmission line (75) extends through the shorting wall, and the smaller conductor (76) extends into the waveguide as an electric probe (60). The probe includes a first portion (64), extending parallel to the waveguide axis (8) and into the slot in the upper ridge. The probe (60) also includes a second portion (66) extending at an angle (90.degree.) relative to the first portion (64) of the probe (60).

Planar arrays of printed elements are widely known, but may not be useful in some applications, such as radar, where high power must be handled. Also, planar arrays of printed elements tend to couple preferentially into the dielectric substrate, and if a dielectric antenna face plate is used, into the faceplate. Under some conditions of off-broadside radiation, total internal reflection can occur, which results in "blind angles" at which radiation does not take place. In addition, an external radome is required to protect a printed-circuit antenna from the external environment. In a harsh environment, some kind of heating mechanism has to be provided in order to prevent formation of ice on a radome surface. This heating requirement tends to make the design of such a radome difficult. For many radar systems, horn antenna arrays are preferred, because of their ruggedness, power-handling capability, and gain. In harsh environments, a dielectric window, preferably ceramic, is placed over the aperture of the horn to prevent ingress of corrosive precipitation and other matter into the horn cavity.
Horn antennas tend to be physically heavier than printed-circuit antennas, and are three-dimensional rather than two-dimensional. Making a large array of horn antenna elements can require a significant construction effort. Among the problems to be overcome are (a) mounting of the horns in close proximity to each other without interference; (b) assuring that the mounted horns have mutually parallel axes; (c) making the requisite connections at the back of the horn array; (d) making sure that the dielectric windows are sealed; and after the antenna is installed, the further problems arise of (e) gaining access to a particular horn of the array for maintenance or replacement; and (f) performing step (e) without allowing the ingress of corrosive precipitation or other matter. In addition to these physical considerations, high-performance antennas require a broad operating bandwidth, preferably a 2:1 frequency bandwidth.
One of the most difficult aspects of the design of a horn array is the requirement for impedance matching in the array environment over the scan volume. Whatever the bandwidth of interest, it is always more difficult to match the antennas in a controllable array to their respective feeds than it is to match an individual antenna alone. The problem arises because, when mounted in the array, each antenna element is subject to mutual coupling from the adjacent antenna elements, which varies in both amplitude and phase in response to beam steering. When the instantaneous bandwidth is large, as for example 2:1, impedance matching is even more difficult.
An improved horn element and array is desired.


A slidable tray assembly that covers and uncovers a compartment and has an anti-jamming feature. The slidable tray assembly can include a console with a compartment and a panel that can slide and extend over the compartment when in a closed position. The panel can be attached to the console and be operable to slide between the closed position and an open position. In addition, the panel can have a plurality of spaced-apart protrusions extending therefrom and the plurality of spaced-apart protrusions prevent an object from becoming jammed or located between the panel and the console and thus prevent jamming of sliding movement of the panel.

Trays that can slide to cover and uncover a storage compartment are known. For example, consoles within motor vehicles typically have at least one storage compartment for placing items such as pencils, pens, receipts, business cards, coins, and the like. Such a compartment can have a cover or tray that slides from a closed position in which the tray covers and/or encloses the compartment and an open position which provides an opening and access to the compartment.
The compartment, and the slidable tray, can be a convenience to a user of the motor vehicle, but continued use can result in the compartment becoming cluttered and full of various items. In addition, items such as spare change, writing utensils, etc. are known to be placed on top of the slidable tray.
It is appreciated that jamming of the slidable movement of the tray can occur when one or more items stored in the compartment and/or on the tray become located between the tray and the surrounding console. As such, a slidable tray that can cover and uncover a compartment, and has an anti-jamming feature, would be desirable.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


Analog voltage drain with reduced current drain is achieved by a new capacitive-divided feedback architecture. During the operational phase an op amp monitors a capacitively-divided fraction of the output voltage, and drives a current sink or source accordingly; during an initial phase the output is forced to the correct value by a different circuit, while the opamp is connected to self-tune itself in a way which removes DC offset effects.

1. Technical Field
The present application relates to analog voltage generation, and more particularly to low-power generation of many different desired voltages on a nonvolatile memory integrated circuit.
2. Related Art
Many portable electronic systems are critically limited by battery life. For example, users do not like heavy cell phones, but users also do not like their cell phones to run out of power and shut down. One way to improve battery life is to increase the energy efficiency of the electronics components in the portable system.
As the constraints of low-power integrated circuits have steadily become tighter, the pressure on voltage management has similarly tightened. Power consumption issues, as well as the normal progress of voltage scaling, push designers toward tighter management of voltages on-chip. Accurate power-valid thresholds, or voltage margins which are dynamically determined in a multi-interface chip, are examples of this.
The availability of power island design techniques also means that reference voltages for the particular needs of a particular power island may be demanded.
Modern nonvolatile memory development is turning into one of the most rapidly advancing areas in the semiconductor industry. Memory cell technology itself continues to advance, even within the general areas However, since the transistor operations are inherently not digital, a variety of reference levels are likely to be needed by memory designs. Thus the capability for generation of secondary analog voltages on chip is important.
The bandgap voltage reference circuit is one of the mainstays of analog electronics, and provides a very reliable on-chip reference. However, this circuit topology, in its many variations, is generally limited to one specific output voltage, and consumes power. It is therefore generally preferable not to use more than one bandgap reference circuit per chip.
The case of a low-power nonvolatile memory module is the convergence of the above requirements. Many different voltages must be made available on chip, and yet static power consumption in the various voltage generation stages is extremely undesirable.
As shown in FIG. 1, a current source, mirrored from elsewhere on chip, can be combined with a voltage-drop or ohmic element to give a reference voltage output. However, this approach has a constant power loss of the regulated voltage times the reference current squared.
A pending U.S. patent application (U.S. Pat. No. 11/497,465, filed Jul. 31, 2006, titled "Hybrid Charge Pump Regulation") by the same inventor noted the advantages of a capacitive divider in the feedback loop of a voltage generator circuit. In this example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the op amp shown at the right of the diagram drives the charge pump shown at the top left, to maintain the output at a level which is equal to the reference voltage Vref times the capacitive ratio.
In the circuit of FIG. 2, the "div" node is pulled down to ground during the initial phase. After the initial phase the op amp drives the charge pump to make node div equal to Vref, so the output voltage is driven towards Vref times the capacitor ratio (C1+C2)/C2. Note that the output voltage is directly dependent on the capacitor ratio, so process variation, geometric effects, and parasitic capacitance effects can all affect the output voltage.
The present application discloses a significant improvement to that circuit.

Analog voltage generator with self-biased capacitive feedback stage


Techniques for actively configuring a programmable circuit using configuration data stored in an external memory are provided. The programmable circuit attempts to read a device identification code from an external memory device using a read instruction. The programmable circuit then attempts to identify the external memory device by matching the identification code returned from the external memory with a code in a first predefined list. A match indicates that the programmable circuit has hardware that can generate instructions that the memory device can recognize. After the programmable circuit identifies the memory device, the programmable circuit sends instructions to the external memory device according to a predefined protocol understood by the memory device. The programmable circuit can also compare a device identification code for a particular memory device with a second list of identification codes to determine whether a user wants the programmable circuit to support that memory device.

The present invention relates to techniques for actively configuring programmable circuits, and more particularly, to techniques for actively configuring programmable circuits using an external memory and determining whether the external memory device is supported by a programmable integrated circuit.
Programmable integrated circuits are configured (i.e., programmed) using configuration data. Configuration data used to configure a programmable circuit can be stored in an external configuration device.
The external memory device controls the transfer of the configuration data to the programmable circuit. The configuration device has to send the data in a format that the programmable circuit can accept. The task of the programmable circuit is merely to accept the data. The programmable circuit does not contain data that identifies the configuration device. Thus, the configuration device is the master, and the programmable circuit is the slave.
However, the costs associated with a configuration device are typically high, because the configuration device must be programmable to implement the configuration data transfer functions. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system for transferring configuration data to a programmable circuit that reduces the cost and complexity of prior art configuration devices. Also, it would be desirable to provide a system to enable a programmable circuit to identify external configuration devices and to support only particular configuration devices, if desired.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Techniques for actively configuring programmable circuits using external memory


A supporting structure of one piece of sheet material constituting a top and several legs depending from that top in one piece has for each of these several legs an angled profile of that one piece of sheet material and in one piece with the top across the entire profile. Such supporting structure may be made of a blank of sheet material forming a pattern having a central portion for the top, first and second portions projecting from a first side of that central portion for first and second legs, third and fourth portions projecting from an opposite second side of the central portion for third and fourth legs, and first and second side panel portions projecting from opposed third and fourth sides of the central portion. These first, second, third and fourth portions are provided, respectively, with lateral ledges of which each is spaced from an adjacent one of the first and second side panel portions by a notch for a butt joint of each of the lateral ledges with an adjacent side panel portion. Angled structures may be formed for legs from the first, second, third and fourth portions of such blank with lateral ledges.

There always has been a need for better supporting structures and several factors have cooperated in increasing the need for more rigid supporting structures that will stand up under all kinds of foreseen and unforeseen conditions.
By way of example, more and more electronic and computer equipment is being located on a so-called computer floor under which all kinds of cables and other conduits run back and forth. Reference may in this respect be had to materials by UNISTRUT CORPORATION, including a leaflet entitled SUPER HEAVY DUTY ACCESS FLOOR (November 1988) and showing an isometric view of a raised floor support system, and a brochure entitled ACCESS FLOOR SYSTEMS (May 1989).
Reference may also be had to publications of C-TEC, INC., including a brochure entitled INNOVATIONS IN ACCESS FLOORING (1988), a leaflet entitled Surfacing for Access Floor Systems (August 1989), and a flier entitled Air Flow Access Flooring Panels (1989).
Reference may further be had to materials of USG Interiors, Inc., including a brochure entitled General Office Applications (1989), and a brochure entitled Access Floor Systems (January 1990).
These prior-art efforts appear to have a design in common in which arrays of floor stringers are supported by an array of spaced single-leg pedestals.
By way of further background, preservation of electronic equipment during earthquakes and aftershocks for the. maintenance of communications and other purposes is a major concern of earthquake preparedness. Indeed, alleviation of damage and suffering depends to a large extent on the maintenance of the telephone system and broadcast facilities, to name two examples.
With the introduction of electronic and fiber optic telephone switching equipment, the density of calls being handled in one equipment rack or network bay has advanced significantly. Today as many as 20,000 telephone lines could be interrupted with the loss of one bay of equipment. This has made the reliability of telephone switch equipment and its supporting structure critically important. Concern for earthquake protection of this equipment has become very important.
Similar concerns have arisen in the private and public utility field, where generating and electric and gas supply systems should continue to be operative in the wake of earthquakes and other calamities. In that respect, there is even a concern that damage and injury may come from power generating or supply equipment that may, for instance, break up if not rigidly supported during earthquakes and other dangerous incidents.
Moreover, the access flooring itself can constitute a danger, if it should break up and thereby prevent or endanger an escape of people from an endangered or damaged room or building.
There also is a need for rigid supporting structures, such as in raised floors or access floor systems, for the type of earthquake braced racks disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,107, by Richard W. Sevier and James J. Keenan, issued Apr. 2, 1991 to the common assignee hereof.


A semiconductor process is described in this application. The process includes the following steps: providing a semiconductor substrate; measuring a warpage level of the semiconductor substrate; and holding the semiconductor substrate by providing at least one vacuum suction according to the warpage level, so that the semiconductor substrate is subjected to a plurality of varied suction intensities. The semiconductor substrate is held on a chuck having a plurality of holes grouped into a plurality of groups, and the sizes of the holes within different groups are different, wherein the sizes of the holes increase from a center toward an edge of the chuck, and the holes are arranged in a spiral.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor apparatus and process, and more particularly, to a chuck and a semiconductor process using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is currently common to form a plurality of films on a wafer in a semiconductor process, so the wafer is subject to warpage because of the pressure or stress resulting from the films stacked thereon. On the contrary, the warping wafer would result in poor uniformity of the films subsequently formed on the wafer. Therefore, it is an important issue to reduce the degree of warpage of the wafer.

Chuck and semiconductor process using the same


A machine for corrugating sheet metal or the like comprises a plurality of successive working stations each provided with upper and lower rotatable corrugating devices adapted to jointly provide corrugations of successively increasing depth in a metal sheet (6) which is successively advanced through the machine from a front station toward a rear station. According to the invention, both the upper and the lower corrugating device at each station comprises a plurality of rollers (13, 16) which are individually mounted and thus rotatable at optionally variable peripheral speeds. The rollers (13, 16) preferably are adjustably movable in the direction of their axes of rotation and lockable at desired spaced-apart locations.

The corrugating devices of prior art machines of this type consist of corrugating rollers in the form of rotatable shafts on which rings are mounted or formed having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the desired profile to be imparted to the sheet at the station comprising the two corrugating devices at issue. More particularly, the rings of the first or front working station are fairly thin to give shallow corrugations in a first working pass, whereupon the radial thickness of the corrugations is increased successively at subsequent stations in order to give, at a last station, the desired final corrugation depth. In actual practice, however, the use of such ring-carrying shafts as corrugating devices suffers from a number of shortcomings. Since the rings are fixedly mounted on their associated shafts, the peripheral speed at the circumferential or ridge surface of the ring will be different from the peripheral speed of the neighbouring furrows forming portions of the shaft proper, which have a smaller diameter than the ring. This means that the sheet which is being worked will constantly partially slip when in contact with the respective surfaces, and this may lead to inadequate precision and surface damage in the finished product. Furthermore, readjustment of the various corrugating devices of the machine from one corrugation type to another is extremely complicated and time-consuming. For example, readjustment of a prior art machine comprising about 20 working stations may take from 25 to 35 days' work, and this means that small and medium-sized manufacturers are subjected to extensive and costly interruptions when shifting from one corrugation type to another. To large-scale manufacturers with many corrugation types on their production program, such long interruptions are unacceptable, and they are therefore compelled to acquire a separate corrugating machine for each individual corrugation type on their program. This in turn implies extremely high capital costs, and even then long interruptions cannot be avoided if the machine cannot be operated to capacity over a longer period of time.

Machine for corrugating sheet metal or the like

Aktiebolaget Br. Hoglunds Maskinuthyrning


This disclosure describes devices, systems, and methods that relate to obtaining image frames with variable resolutions in synchronization with a clock source. An example device may include an image sensor, a clock input, and a controller. The controller includes at least one processor and a memory. The at least one processor is operable to execute program instructions stored in the memory so as to carry out operations. The operations include receiving, by the clock input, a clock signal. The clock signal is a periodic signal defining at least one scan interval. The operations also include during the scan interval, causing the image sensor to capture a full resolution image frame. The operations yet further include during the scan interval, causing the image sensor to capture at least one reduced resolution image frame.

A sensor system may include several different types of sensors, such as image capture systems (e.g., cameras), radars, and/or light detection and ranging (LIDAR or Lidar) systems. Such sensor systems may be utilized, for example, in conjunction with autonomous or semi-autonomous robots and/or vehicles (e.g., self-driving cars/trucks). One challenge with these types of sensor systems is synchronizing image capture (using a camera) and lidar scans. For example, conventional systems are not designed to capture high resolution images as well as low light images using the same camera in a synchronized manner during a single lidar scan interval.

Sensor read out mode for high resolution and low light imaging in-sync with LIDAR timing


A smart card is provided having a removable integrated circuit. The integrated circuit is mounted on a semiconductor chip assembly which is locked within the smart card. The semiconductor chip assembly is configured so that once it is locked in place, it may only be removed with a special tool. The special tool allows the locking mechanisms holding the semiconductor chip assembly within the smart card to be disengaged. Attempts to remove the semiconductor chip assembly without the special tool may result in damage to one or both of the semiconductor chip assembly and the smart card. The semiconductor chip assembly may be mounted through the side of the smart card or through one of the faces. A security label applied to the smart card and the semiconductor chip assembly provides additional security with a visual indication of tampering with the semiconductor chip assembly.

The present invention relates in general to smart cards, and, more particularly, to smart cards in which the internal semiconductor devices may be removed or replaced by an authorized party.
Smart cards have been developed for a wide variety of uses. Smart cards typically include an integrated circuit with a memory element (ROM or RAM) and a control unit, such as a microprocessor or microcomputer. The structure of the integrated circuit is such that it is embedded in a portion of a plastic card having dimensions and physical characteristics of standard credit cards in widespread use. The embedded integrated circuit may include a plurality of terminals on an exterior surface of the card to permit the internal and external transfer of signals to and from the card. Such a smart card is commonly known as a contact smart card. The transfer of signals is accomplished by inserting the card into a compatible reader which provides electrical contacts to interconnect the integrated circuit in the card to a card information processing unit associated with the reader. The reader typically provides power for operating the card, and data is transferred to and from the card whenever it is inserted into the reader. Conversely, a contactless smart card includes an internal power supply and an antenna such that data may be transferred without having to make direct electrical contact the reader.
Since the memories in a smart card can be encoded to identify the card uniquely for a particular application, such a card may be utilized in a number of different application areas. When the sophisticated security features of such cards are employed, the cards may be used as access keys for computer systems, data bases, data networks, or for physical access control to hotel rooms, factories, offices, and the like. Smart cards are increasingly used to access automated bank terminals and permit transaction information to be updated each time a transaction is made so that the card uniquely tracks the authority of the user by information which is written into the memory of the integrated circuit embedded in the card.
Smart cards may also be utilized as small portable files, or records for different types of information, such as personal telephone directories, detailed medical profiles, insurance information, and the like. Smart cards are also useful for point-of-sale credit or debit operations, either in on-line or off-line systems, such as point-of-sale terminals in grocery stores, public telephones and the like.
Smart cards are typically more expensive than regular credit cards because of the integrated circuits embedded in the cards. The plastic material making up the body of a smart card tends to crack and wear out. Additionally, the information printed on the cards may become obsolete. In either situation, it becomes necessary to replace the card. As the integrated circuit is typically embedded in the card, the expensive integrated circuit has been discarded along with the worn-out or obsolete body. It is thus desirable to provide a smart card in which the expensive integrated circuit may be removed from the card body when the body is worn-out or obsolete.
For example, one such smart card having a removable integrated circuit is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,796. The smart card includes an integrated circuit which may be inserted or removed by simply rotating the integrated circuit into and out of the card. While the integrated circuit may be easily replaced or transferred to another card, there is no provision to prevent unauthorized access to the integrated circuit. Such unauthorized access may lead to tampering, theft, fraud or misuse.
Accordingly, there is a need for a smart card having an integrated circuit which may be removed or replaced by authorized personnel only. There is also a need for a smart card which provides an indication of tampering with the integrated circuit. Preferably, removal of the integrated circuit would be easy to implement while manufacture of such as smart card would be relatively inexpensive.


A base connection is provided for supporting a concrete wall panel on an underlying support structure. The base connection comprises a generally vertical mounting plate, a wall plate, a pair of slips, and a cover plate secured to and extending upwardly from the support structure. The mounting plate includes one or more generally vertically-elongated slots. The wall plate is embedded within the concrete wall panel toward a lower end defined by the concrete wall panel. The cover plate is located outwardly of the mounting plate. An inner slip plate is located between the mounting plate and the wall plate, and an outer slip plate is located between the cover plate and the mounting plate. Threaded connectors extend interconnect the cover plate and the embedded wall plate, extending through openings in the slip plates and through one of the generally vertically aligned slots in the mounting plate.

Prestressed concrete wall panels provide a widely used, efficient building system. The prestressed wall panels are typically secured to an underlying support structure, such as a foundation wall. Known wall panels have been primarily developed to withstand loads associated with wind and gravity. However, there is a need for wall structures that better withstand effects associated with earthquakes. In particular, there is a need for a connection between wall panels and support structures that provides enhanced resistance to uplift forces associated with rocking of the wall panel during a seismic event.

Base connection for connecting a concrete wall panel to a foundation


A Micro-B USB electrical connector socket includes a metal shell, a plastic body and an array of formed and aligned discrete conductor leads encapsulated in the body. The leads include a power supply lead, a power return lead, and at least two data differential signal leads. Each lead has a connector pin portion at one end and a circuit connector portion at an opposite end. The plastic body encapsulates unexposed portions of the plurality of discrete conductor leads and includes an over-current circuit protection element such as a PPTC thermistor and an over-voltage circuit protection element such as a zener diode in thermal contact with the PPTC thermistor in order to accelerate heating thereof to a tripped state during a circuit protection event. The metal shell surrounds and mounts the plastic body to register the plastic body and connector pin portions in a predetermined alignment. The socket is fully compliant with size and configuration requirements of the Micro-B USB specification for sockets not having internal, thermally-coupled over-voltage and over-current protection elements.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of electrical connectors, and in particular to a miniaturized Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector socket, such as a Micro-B USB socket, and providing therein thermally-coupled over-current and over-voltage circuit protection elements.
2. Introduction to the Invention
Standardized plug and socket connectors are widely employed in the electrical and electronic arts. One example, the Universal Serial Bus (USB), is a widely recognized and followed connectivity specification that was first developed in 1995 by technology companies. The USB specification provides an interconnect mechanism which includes transfer of serial data as well as operating power via standard form electrical connectors. By the USB specification a USB-compliant power supply will provide a peripheral device with a fixed voltage in a range of 4.75 and 5.25 Volts with current of at least 0.5 Amperes. The USB specification has evolved with the general trend toward electronic circuit miniaturization, and has specified a Mini-B USB connector plug and socket to handle miniature peripheral devices such as digital cameras, PDAs, and hand-sets, for example; see USB 2.0 Specification ECN #1: Mini-B Connector, Oct. 20, 2000. More recently the even smaller Micro-B USB connector plug and socket have been proposed.
While USB has provided ease of use, expandability, and speed for the end user and has resulted in widespread adoption and use in countless personal computing, consumer electronics, and mobile devices, the success of this standard has increased the likelihood of over-voltage/over-current electrical fault conditions. Electrical faults are known to occur, making unprotected downstream electronics devices susceptible to damage. Typical over-voltage/over-current faults include inductively induced voltage spikes, voltage spikes from intermittent connections (defective cords or dirty/corroded contacts) and/or over-voltage charger connections resulting from component failure or user error (plugging in the wrong charging unit, for example). Less typical but possible faults include reversal of voltage supply polarity. Because USB has become such a ubiquitous power-charging interface, some vendors have supplied AC to DC converters with a USB output connector. These converters may have unknown, inadequate, or non-existent voltage regulation and transient-suppression characteristics. Unprotected devices may be damaged by over-voltage/over-current conditions when connected to such unregulated converters having standardized connectors, such as a USB connector plug. While the USB standard strongly recommends inclusion of an over-current protection element, such as a fuse, as part of each peripheral appliance having a USB connector socket, separate over-current protection elements take up printed circuit board space and may not be conveniently accessed by the user for replacement or reset. Examples of USB connector sockets may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,378 (Wu) for "Universal Serial Bus Connector", and U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,389 (Jatou) for "Universal Serial Bus Connector with Integral Over-current Protection Device and Indicator". While the Jatou '389 patent suggests including a resettable fuse within a USB connector socket, there is no teaching or suggestion as to how one might effectively combine thermally-coupled over-voltage and over-current protection elements within a USB connector socket, much less a much smaller Micro-B USB connector socket.
Discrete over-voltage and over-current protection elements for electrical circuits are well known. Known over-voltage circuit protection elements include reverse avalanche breakdown diodes, zener diodes, transient voltage suppression diodes, thyristors, multilayer varistors, gas plasma ionization devices, and Schottky diodes, whether alone or combined with other circuit elements such as pass transistors and operational amplifiers, for example. Known over-current circuit protection elements include metallic fuses, thermally activated circuit breakers, and thermistors. As used herein, the term "thermistor" includes resistors which vary in resistance as a function of temperature. One known example of an over-current protection element is the polymeric positive temperature coefficient (PPTC) thermistor.
Devices exhibiting a positive temperature coefficient of resistance effect are well known and may be based on certain ceramic materials, e.g., barium titanate, or conductive polymer compositions comprising a polymeric matrix component and a particulate conductive filler material dispersed within the polymer matrix. At relatively low, ambient temperatures the PPTC thermistor has a low electrical resistance, on the order of a few Ohms or less. However, when the PPTC thermistor is exposed to a high temperature resulting from ohmic heating, for example, the polymeric matrix expands and separates the conductive particulates, resulting in a very high electrical resistance, often by as much as five or more orders of magnitude greater than the low temperature resistance. The temperature at which the PPTC thermistor transitions from low resistance to high resistance is known as the switching or "trip" temperature, Ts. When the PPTC thermistor cools to a temperature below the trip temperature, Ts, the polymeric matrix solidifies and shrinks, thereby returning the device to its low-resistance state. When used as an in-series over-current protection device, the PPTC thermistor is referred to as being "resettable", in that it trips to high resistivity when heated to the switching temperature, TS, thereby decreasing current flow through the protected circuit. When the over-current condition is removed, the PPTC thermistor automatically resets to low resistivity when it cools to below Ts, thereby restoring a low ohmic path enabling full current flow through the protected circuit when electrical power is reapplied thereto.
By "PPTC" is meant a composition including a polymeric matrix and having an R14 value of at least 2.5 and/or an R100 value of at least 10, and it is preferred that the composition should have an R30 value of at least 6, where R14 is a ratio of resistivities at the end and beginning of a 14° C. range, R100 is a ratio of resistivities at the end and beginning of a 100° C. range, and R30 is a ratio of resistivities at the end and beginning of a 30° C. range. Generally, the compositions used in PPTC thermistor elements of the present invention show increases in resistivity which are much greater than these minimum values.
Suitable conductive polymer compositions and elements, and methods for producing the same, are disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,441 (van Konynenburg et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,926 (Fouts et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,417 (Au et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,024 (Deep et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,156 (van Konynenburg et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,850 (Evans et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,228 (Baigrie et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,407 (Chandler et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,919 (Chu et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,747,147 (Wartenberg et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,597 (Toth et al.), the disclosures thereof being expressly incorporated herein by reference thereto.
It is known to provide planar PPTC thermistors in electrical connection and thermal contact with electronic components such as zener diodes, metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), and more complex integrated circuits forming voltage/current regulators, as exemplified by the teachings and disclosures set forth in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,518,731 (Thomas et al.) (particularly FIGS. 45-47), the disclosure thereof being expressly incorporated herein by reference thereto. Also, see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,720 (Whitney et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 6,700,766 (Sato) and U.S. Patent Publication 2004/0275046 (Morimoto et al.). While shunt protectors such as semiconductors and series protectors such as PPTC thermistors simultaneously respond to excessive electrical energy, one reason for combining semiconductor circuit protection devices with PPTC thermistors is that the semiconductor devices respond to over-voltage conditions at electronic speeds in microsecond ranges, whereas PPTC thermistors operate relatively much more slowly in reaching the switching temperature, TS, generally measured in milliseconds. By thermally coupling the semiconductor device to the PPTC thermistor, heat first generated in the semiconductor device is rapidly transferred to the PPTC thermistor in order to accelerate heat rise to the switching temperature, TS. While the foregoing patents show combinations of semiconductor devices and PPTC thermistor devices in thermal contact, those patents do not show or suggest inclusion of fully integrated over-voltage/over-current circuit protection elements inside standardized and highly miniaturized connector sockets, such as a Micro-B USB connector socket.
Miniaturized electrical connectors including connector sockets that conform to a standardized specification are constrained by size requirements and pin configurations such that it becomes difficult to include any additional electrical components, elements or devices within the size requirements and still maintain conformance with the standard connector/socket specification.

Subminiature electrical connector including over-voltage and over-current circuit protection


An image sensor for low light cameras including a plurality of image pixels, each including: a photodiode layer; an oxide layer; a metal layer; a first microlens layer for focusing an incident light onto the photodiode layer; and a second microlens layer formed on top of the first microlens layer for generating a collimated light from a sharp-angled light from a low light camera and illuminating said collimated light to the first microlens layer to be focused on the photodiode layer.

Solid state (semiconductor) image sensors are increasingly being used in consumer electronic devices such as mobile phones and various digital cameras. Image sensors convert optical radiation into electronic signals and are currently mostly implemented by digital charge-coupled device (CCD) devices or complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) devices. FIGS. 1A and 1B show a conventional front side illuminated (FSI) pixel. As shown in FIG. 1A, a metal layer 11 enables the transfer of electrical signal from the photodiode 10, and a nitride layer 12 acts as a passivation. An oxide layer 13 supports the metal layer and acts as a transparent homogenous medium between the photodiode and the nitride later. Additionally, a microlens layer 15 is placed on top of a filter layer 14 to focus the collimated light falling on the pixel 1, onto the photodiode 10. For achieving high quantum efficiency (QE), the focal length of the microlens layer 15 is designed such that the focal point falls on the photodiode. This produces a high QE for the on-axis collimated light 16, for example, a collimated light with 0° chief ray angle (CRA).
For lenses with high CRA angles at off-axis regions 17, the microlens and filter combination 18 are shifted for the pixels around the edges of the image sensor, as shown in FIG. 1B. This microlens (& filter) shifting also achieves a high QE for the off-axis collimated light with high CRA. For lenses with low CRA angles in off-axis regions, the filter and microlens combination 18 may not be shifted.
FIG. 1C shows an image sensor 10 that comprises of many rows and columns of the image pixel 1. As described above, the pixels around the edges of the image sensor 10, may have their microlens and filter combination shifted to compensate for the shift of the collimated light due to the position of those pixels
When the image sensor is placed and integrated in a camera, the light rays falling on the pixels of the image sensor are not collimated anymore, because of focusing from the camera lens, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. Since the microlenses of the pixels are designed for collimated light, they do not focus the non-collimated incoming light rays at the photodiode. This leads to light loss and QE degradation, which becomes more significant in lowlight situations.
Typically, in a low light situation, digital cameras use a "fast lens" with low f-number to improve low-light sensitivity of the camera. That is, a camera lens with a larger maximum aperture (a smaller minimum f-number) is called a fast lens, because it delivers more light intensity to the focal plane and therefore achieves the same light collection with a faster shutter speed. However, additional light collected by fast lenses have steep angles which are attenuated by the pixels since they are not directly focused on the photodiode layer of the pixel. This leads to a minimum low light sensitivity improvement when fast lenses are used with FSI pixels. As a result there is a need for improved pixel QE for low light cameras.

Dual layer pixel lens for low light cameras


A hydroelectric installation includes a hydraulic machine connected vertically below an electric machine by a shaft, in a concrete installation pit. A guide vane assembly of the hydraulic machine is operated by a motor-driven operating unit which projects below the hydraulic machine in a lower working space of the pit. The shaft has a thrust bearing which bears down against the upper cover of the hydraulic machine and thereby substantially cancels upward hydraulic force exerted on that upper cover. In the installation procedure, the outer casing, speed ring and upper cover of the hydraulic machine are installed first, so that the hydraulic machine can be assembled downwardly in the lower working space concurrently with upward assembly of the electric machine in an upper working space of the pit. This shortens installation time.

A conventional hydroelectric installation, whether operated as a pump or as a generator, has an electric machine connected vertically above a single-stage hydraulic machine through a shaft connecting the electric rotor to the hydraulic runner. In the conventional installation procedure, a pit is dug and a draft conduit, to take output water, is formed through the bottom to the pit. The up-turned pipe of the draft conduit, surrounded by concrete, is used as a basis on which the hydraulic machine is assembled by arranging the spiral casing, speed ring and lower cover thereof on top. The runner is placed in the lower cover and the upper cover fitted. An operating drive and drive linkage for the guide vanes of the water chamber are positioned above the upper cover, connected to the guide vanes. This hydraulic assembly is concreted in place. The electric machine is then installed above the hydraulic machine, the main rotor shaft of the electric machine being passed from above through the upper cover and connected to the runner of the hydraulic machine.
In the prior art, JP-A-56/83572 describes a hydroelectric generator of the type mentioned.
The installation of such a hydroelectric machine is a very long and arduous task. The present inventors have reconsidered the installation procedure and developed a new installation concept which can produce a number of useful advantages.

Hydroelectric machines and their installation


A method for manufacturing a polarizing plate comprising a polarizing film and a transparent protective film provided on at least one surface of the polarizing film, the method comprising the steps of: subjecting at least a surface of the transparent protective film to be bonded to the polarizing film to an adhesion improving treatment; bringing water into contact with at least the surface subjected to the adhesion improving treatment; and laminating the transparent protective film on the polarizing film so that the surface subjected to the adhesion improving treatment and brought into contact with water is bonded to the polarizing film.

As a polarizing plate used for an image display device such as a liquid crystal display device, an electro-luminescent (EL) display device, a plasma display (PD) a field emission display (FED) and the like, generally, a polarizing film including protective films bonded to both surfaces thereof is used.
Examples of the polarizing film include a polarizing film obtained by adsorbing a dichroic material such as iodine, a dichroic dye and the like to a polyvinyl alcohol-based film and further stretch-orientating the film. Examples of the protective film include a stretched product of a polycarbonate-based resin film, a stretched product of a cycloolefin-based resin film, a stretched product of a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin film, a stretched product of a polyimide-based resin film, a triacetylcellulose film or the like.
For example, a polyvinyl alcohol-based adhesive is used for laminating a transparent protective film on the polarizing film. In the lamination process, the surface of the transparent protective film to be bonded to the polarizing film is subjected to an adhesion improving treatment. The following Patent Document 1 discloses a polarizing film, in which a cycloolefin-based resin film subjected to a corona treatment is laminated on a surface of a polarizing film made of a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin with an adhesive layer interposed therebetween, and a cellulose-based resin film subjected to a saponifying treatment is laminated on the other surface of the polarizing film with an adhesive layer interposed therebetween. However, when the cycloolefin-based resin film is subjected to the corona treatment, a white fine powdery material derived from the cycloolefin-based resin is generated, which disadvantageously causes in-process contamination and defective appearance of the polarizing plate.
The following Patent Document 2 discloses a manufacturing method of subjecting a cycloolefin-based resin film to a corona treatment under an output power of 800 N or less power in order to solve such a problem. The manufacturing method can prevent the generation of the white fine powdery material derived from the cycloolefin-based resin. As a result, the manufacturing method enables manufacture of a polarizing plate suppressed in in-process contamination and defective appearance.
However, when the cycloolefin-based resin film subjected to the corona treatment is bonded to the polarizing film, sufficient tackiness is not exhibited immediately after bonding. As a result, the cycloolefin-based resin film is disadvantageously peeled from the polarizing film in the subsequent manufacturing process, or film soaring is disadvantageously generated.


The present invention is related to a method for communicating features supported by a device to at least one other device. The method includes providing a bit stream by the device, where at least one bit in the bit stream represents a feature supported by the device. In a second aspect, a method for establishing a communication session between at least two devices includes initiating communication between a first device and a second device, exchanging a bit stream associated with the first device and a bit stream associated with the second device, and identifying mutually supported features.

In a network environment, a plurality of clients are able to access one or more databases in the network. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary network environment. Each client 10a-10n is generally represented by a computer system or work station connected to a network 20, e.g., via a LAN, WAN or other suitable means, and each database 16 is managed by a database server 14 that is also connected to the network 20. Each client 10a-10n and each database server 14 includes various application programming interfaces (APIs) 12a-12n that allow the client 10a and database 14 to communicate with one another.
When a client, e.g., 10a, attempts to access a database server 14 via an API 12a, e.g., Open Database Connectivity (ODBC), Object Linking and Embedded Database (OLEDB) or Java Database Connectivity (JDBC), many pieces of information are exchanged between the client API 12a and the server 14 in order for the connection to be successful. One such piece of information is a definition of a set of capabilities or features that are supported by the client API 12a and the server 14. The client SAPI 12a must understand the capabilities or features of the server 14, and vice versa, in order to exchange data correctly.
Several methods are currently used to exchange this information. In one such method, a client API 12a and a server 14 exchange a single integer value that represents the highest level of functionality, i.e., the newest feature, supported by the server 14 or the client API 12a. Thus, for example, the client API 12a might communicate to the server 14 that the highest level of functionality it supports is feature 321, and the server 14 might communicate to the client API 12a that its highest supported function is feature 325. The parties will then agree to communicate according to the level of functionality defined by feature 321.
Both parties assume that all features with a smaller feature number, e.g., features 300-320, have been implemented in the other party. This assumption, however, may be erroneous because features may be implemented separately and not necessarily sequentially. For example, although the client's highest supported functionality is feature 321, the API 12a may or may not support feature 317. If the server 14 utilizes feature 317 during its communication with the client 10a because the server 14 incorrectly assumes the client API 12a supports feature 317, the communication can be impaired.
To address this problem, the client API 12a can implement all intermediary features up to the highest feature. Nevertheless, implementing such features is costly, in both time and expense, and some if not all of the intermediary features may be irrelevant to the highest feature or to the client API 12a in general.
Accordingly, a need exists for a method and system that allows a first device, such as a client 10a, and a second device, such as a database server 14, to exchange information regarding their respective capabilities. The method and system should describe the capabilities, instead of implying them by, for example, a single integer. The method and system should also be efficient and cost effective. The present invention addresses such a need.

Method and system for establishing communication between at least two devices

International Business Machines Corporation


A sheet conveyor, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus and in which a method of preventing sheet skew is performed, includes a sheet conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed, a first conveying unit disposed in a sheet conveying direction and including a shaft extending in a lateral direction, multiple rollers attached to the shaft along the shaft, and a rotation regulator disposed between each of the multiple rollers and the shaft to idly rotate each of the multiple rollers in a given range about the shaft, a second conveying unit disposed along the sheet conveying path and downstream from the first conveying unit in the sheet conveying direction, and a sheet abutting part provided at the second conveying unit, against which a leading edge of the sheet abuts to form a slack of the sheet to correct skew of the sheet.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a sheet conveyor, an image forming apparatus incorporating the sheet conveyor therein, and a method of preventing sheet skew in the sheet conveyor.
2. Related Art
As an example of sheet conveyance in known image forming apparatuses, sheets that function as transfer recording media loaded on a sheet conveying device are fed one by one as a sheet feed roller rotates to convey the fed sheet to an image transfer position in the image forming apparatus. The sheet fed by the sheet feed roller receives a toner image thereon at the image transfer position while a position of the toner image formed on a photoconductor drum or a photoconductor belt matches an image transfer position of the sheet. After the toner image is transferred onto the sheet and is fixed to the sheet by application of heat and pressure, the sheet is discharged as a print or copy.
To transfer the toner image onto the sheet with precise positioning, these image forming apparatuses generally include a timing mechanism to match a timing in which the sheet is fed with a timing in which the toner image arrives at the image transfer position in the image forming apparatus. Examples of the timing mechanism are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model (Registration) Application Publication No. JP S64-000555-A and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. IP H05-338865-A.
JP S64-000555-A discloses a configuration of an image forming apparatus including a gate member. The gate member is disposed upstream from a timing roller pair that conveys a sheet according to a transfer timing. The gate member can freely advance/retreat with respect to a sheet conveying path.
JP H05-338865-A discloses a configuration of an image forming apparatus that does not include the gate member but includes a mechanism to abut a leading edge of a sheet forcedly against a nip contact area that is formed between rollers of a timing roller pair.
By temporarily continuing the sheet conveyance while the leading edge of the sheet is once pressed against the gate member or the nip contact area, a part of the sheet slacks to form a sag or a curve in the sheet. And, at the same time, skew of the sheet is corrected by pressing the leading edge of the sheet against the gate member or the nip contact area. The skew of the sheet is caused due to difference in accuracy in parts or components such as sheet conveying rollers and/or due to incorrect setting of the sheet with respect to the sheet conveying device. For these reasons, a skew correction mechanism is demanded.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP 2003-118890-A discloses a configuration of a sheet conveying device that eliminates deviation of amounts of slacks in a sheet or a slack amount deviation of a sheet. The sheet conveying device disclosed in JP 2003-118890-A includes two drive rollers and two respective driven rollers. The drive rollers and the driven rollers are individually slidable in an axis direction of respective shafts of the drive and driven rollers.
Each of the rollers rotates idly when receiving a force applied in the sheet conveying direction PD and remains unrotated when receiving a force applied in an opposite direction of the sheet conveying direction PD. According to this configuration, the sheet can easily move in a left or right direction immediately when the slack of the sheet is formed. This movement of sheet can eliminate the slack amount deviation at the left and right sides of the sheet.
However, the sheet conveying device disclosed in JP 2003-118890-A may also include a return spring to return a roller or rollers slid in the axial direction to an initial center position (a home position). A force applied by the return spring constantly acts in a thrust direction of the rollers during image transfer. Therefore, the sheet during image transfer rotates by the force in the thrust direction, and this can result in production of the trapezoidal defect image.
Further, as an alternate member to the return spring, a more complex mechanism may be employed so as not to apply the force in the thrust direction of the rollers during image transfer, which results in an increase in cost. In addition, the rollers to the initial center position (the home position) may need to return while the sheet is not passing through the roller during intervals of sheets, and therefore high printing performance cannot be achieved.

Sheet conveyor, image forming apparatus incorporating same, and method of preventing sheet skew


An eyeglass lens processing apparatus includes; a drilling tool for forming a hole in an eyeglass lens; a first movement mechanism part that relatively moves the drilling tool relative to the lens; a target lens shape input section that inputs data of a two-dimensional target lens shape of the lens; a hole-position input section that inputs data of a position of a hole to be formed in a refractive surface of the lens, which is designated on a two-dimensional coordinate system of the input target lens shape; a measurement part that measures a shape of the refractive surface of the lens; a calculation section that corrects at least part of the input hole-position data into hole-position data along the measured refractive surface shape of the lens and determines hole processing data based on the corrected hole-position data; and a control section that controls the first movement mechanism part based on the determined hole-processing data.

The present invention relates to an eyeglass lens processing apparatus which performs drilling processing on an eyeglass lens in order to attach a rimless frame.
Generally, drilling (piercing) processing on an eyeglass lens, which is performed in order to attach a rimless frame, such as so-called a two-point frame, is manually performed by a drilling machine or the like. However, recently, an-eyeglass lens processing apparatus which automatically performs the drilling processing is proposed (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,790,124 (JP-A-2003-145328)).
In the automatic drilling processing under numerical control, hole-position data is input. The hole position can be designated with dimensions on a polar coordinate system with, as a reference, a geometric center of a two-dimensional target lens shape (traced outline shape) of the eyeglass lens. However, the hole position is usually designated with dimensions on an orthogonal coordinate system (with an x-axis direction as a horizontal direction and a Y-axis direction as a vertical direction of an eyeglasses) with, as a reference, the geometric center of the two-dimensional target lens shape or with dimensions from a lateral edge of a hole only in the x-axis direction. In any of the methods, the hole-position is designated on a two-dimensional coordinate system.
However, a refractive surface of the eyeglass lens, where to actually form a hole, has a three-dimensional curve, thus raising various inconveniences and contradictions in management of the hole-position data. For example, where to form two holes H1 and H2, side by side, vertically to the refractive surface of the eyeglass lens LE as shown in FIG. 10A, in case processing is made directly with using dimensions xc1 and xc2 of from the geometric center FC of the target lens shape or with using dimensions xh1 and xh2 of from the lateral edge of the holes H1 and H2, then the resulting spacing "da" between two holes H1 and H2, as viewed in a direction along the curve of the refractive surface, deviates from a designated hole spacing "d" under the influence of the curve (inclination) of the refractive surface, thus raising contradiction. This problem becomes conspicuous as the curve increases in the lens refractive surface.


The present invention comprises a unique method for mounting and supporting a printer used with personal computers. The invention, a Vertical Printer Stand, is comprised of a printer stand base, printer support brackets that support the printer in a vertical position, adhesive backed mounts that attach to the printer side walls, and straps that attach to the adhesive mounts and around the printer, securing the printer to the stand. The entire assembly is then typically mounted to the wall using standard wall mount fasteners, with the printer mounted parallel to the wall. The primary purpose of this invention is to remove the printer from the desk and free up valuable desk and office space. The paper may either feed from the floor, desk top, or from an optional paper feed tray.

The invention relates to printer stands and particularly to a Vertically Mounted Pinter Stand for printers used with personal computers.
The advent of personal computers in the office has produced an ever increasing demand for printers on every desk for hard copy outputs. Space limitations are inherent in the typical personal work space, with the relatively confined work space dictating new approaches to the handling of personal computer equipment and accessories.
Typical examples of prior art in printer stands are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,703,919; 4,651,967; and 4,568,212. All of these patents approach the design of a printer stand, with various degrees of complexity, in a horizontal manner. The printer remains parallel to the desk occupying a maximum amount of desk space. The closest known prior art related to the invention is a printer stand as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,802. This printer stand mount the printer on an angle from the desk top of approximately 60 degrees minimizing the footprint of the printer of the desk, but still does not get the printer or the stand off the desk itself.
Another typical problem with personal computer printers is the handling of the paper. Numerous tray and bins designed for the efficient handling of paper exist, but paper feed problems persist, particularly with the paper exit where the paper has a tendency to wrap itself back into the feed section of the printer. By vertically mounting the printer in an upside down manner on the wall, the paper automatically falls away from the printer and printer feed area, guaranteeing the proper paper feed.